For some people, fall is just another time of year. For others, it is a time to prepare for holiday season spending. But no matter which group you belong to, you will want to meet this season in better financial condition. This list of financial tips will help you make your money go further.
1. Pay Debts Down with Zero Interest Credit Cards
If you have a credit card with a large balance and the zero interest period is coming to an end, you may want to open a new card and transfer the balance of the old card to the new one. This way the balance will fall within the new zero interest period (sometimes up to 18 months). There will be a charge of about 3%. But if your debt is large enough, it will pay off.
2. Ensure Your Savings Account Is Up to Date
Seasons change, and financial situations change. Your old savings account may be obsolete by today’s standards. Check here to see if you are getting the most out of your money.
3. Pay Your Insurance Policy a Year Ahead
If you have an insurance policy you are willing to keep for at least a year, consider paying for it in an annual lump sum. This way you will not have to worry about monthly payments, and you will save considerable amounts of money.
4. Save on Airfares by Browsing Anonymously
A lot of airfare comparison sites keep track of their visitors to see if they visit them repeatedly. If you do so, it tells the site that you are actively looking for something and are ready to pay more. So they raise their prices on you. Hiding yourself may be achieved by simply cleaning up your cache or entering incognito mode in your browser.
5. Learn About Debt Consolidation Loan Coverage
If you have a lot of loans to pay off, consider consolidating them. Take out one loan to deal with all the rest. It will simplify your financial situation and help you get a lower interest rate. However, if you are worried that you may get into even more trouble, consult an expert, or at least read about debt consolidation loan coverage to find out more about companies in this line of business.
6. Check Out the Extras In Your Health Insurance Policy
Health insurance policies may cover much more than meets the eye. It may be anything from gym membership and birth control, to eye surgery and acupuncture. Some of these things may be extravagant or useless for your situation, but a careful glance at your insurance policy is always a good idea.
7. Time Your Car Purchase
If you are going to buy a new car, consider contacting a car dealer late in the month. They usually have quotas to meet and may give you a bargain to get their bonuses.
8. Consult Coupon Sites Before Shopping
Look through this list of popular coupon sites when you are going to make a purchase. In addition to providing discounts for all kinds of businesses and products, it is much easier than collecting classic paper coupons.
9. Use Cash Over Credit or Debit Cards
Credit and Debit cards make money seem less real and thus easier to spend. No matter what you tell yourself, studies show that people are more reluctant to spend actual bills than abstract sums from their credit or debit cards.
10. Put off Impulsive Purchases
If you feel an impulse to buy something, put it off for a set period of time (a day, a week, a month). If that period expires and you still want to buy it, go ahead; but experience shows that in most cases the urge will disappear along the way. Some of these tips don’t look like much, but they say that devil is in the details. What looks insignificant adds up. Pay attention to these little things, and the results will surprise you.
Featured photo credit: Finance/Tax credit via flickr.com
Author: Melissa Burns