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About Cleverly Changing
Hi, I'm Elle Owner of CleverlyChanging. My blog seeks to encourage, empower, & inspire others to live cleverly, changing when necessary. Perfect parenting, doesn't exist, but informed and attentive parenting does. I desire to regularly share savings tips, wisdom, and experiences I gain from everyday life as a wife and mother of twins with others so we can empower each other to become better parents and better people in general.
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Finance Friday Archive
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Finance Friday: How to Save For Your Child’s College Tuition Practically
Posted on August 19, 2011 | 8 CommentsThere are many things to worry about as a parent, but college savings for your child doesn’t have to be one of them. In 16-18 years, hopefully you will have put something aside for your child’s future tuition. However keep in mind that your child will most-likely receive some scholarships and grants as well, so the entire amount of college tuition will not come from your pockets alone. Nevertheless, it is best to prepare rather than to fall short later and have your child weighed down by tons of student loans. How much should you save? The short answer is,... -
Finance Friday: (Guest Post) “Why Emergency Funds Are Essential”
Posted on August 11, 2011 | 2 CommentsThis article was written by John from Home Loan Finder. Visit Home Loan Finder to compare home loan interest rates. None of us can claim to have an emergency-free life, yet our approach towards an emergency fund or a contingency fund is often casual, even foolhardy. According to a survey conducted by MetLife in 2009, less than half the American population had succeeded in putting aside a month’s worth of expenses for emergencies. Most people were under the illusion that their monthly paycheck would be sufficient to cover all sorts of expenses-planned as well as unplanned. Given the negligent attitude... -
Financial Friday: 7 Day Financial Fast Report
Posted on July 21, 2011 | No CommentsMy husband and I tried the 7 day financial fast and it was a lot harder than I thought. In general I am not a big spender, but I guess when you are on a declared financial fast your mind creates new desires to want to shop. Some days I just wanted to buy something, anything really. In terms of the amount actually spent, I didn’t do bad, but I still didn’t stick to the fast as strictly as I was suppose to. How did it go, using cash only? Paying for things with cash is very effective because I... -
Steps to Get Out of Debt
Posted on July 15, 2011 | No CommentsCredit card debt is a major problem in this country. While not everyone has a credit card, those that do typically carry a balance. The interest rate on a credit card balance is usually between 10-30% APR. These high interest rates make it difficult for people to pay down their debt — especially if only making the minimum payment. In fact, just making minimum payments can make even the smallest balance over a decade to pay off and thousands of dollars in finance charges. It’s no wonder getting out of debt seems so hard. Fortunately, you can get out of... -
Coming This Finance Friday: A 7-day Financial Fast
Posted on July 8, 2011 | 1 CommentMy #1 disdain is debt. I simply detest it. Unfortunately, I have seen so many people I love lessen the quality of their lives because they are in debt. Sometimes you may find that you have money to cover your needs, but when an emergency arrives you cannot handle it or funding the emergency drives your finances under water. I am introducing you to a 21-day financial fast I found on the Washington Post. My husband sent me the article because he knew that I would want to try it out. This fast is for anyone that would like to manage... -
Budgeting Part 5
Posted on July 8, 2011 | No CommentsBASIC BUDGET WORKSHEET For expenses incurred more or less often than monthly, convert the payment to a monthly amount when calculating the monthly budget. For instance, convert auto expense that’s billed every six months to a monthly amount by dividing the six-month premium by six. This money should be kept separate from your other money so it’s available when the bill becomes due. http://budgetworksheets.org -
Budgeting Part 7
Posted on July 8, 2011 | No CommentsIf you are struggling to stay within your budget or seem to spend more money than you should, it might be a good idea to go back to using cash for daily purchases. It is no surprise that most of us are beginning to move away from cash for everyday spending; the convenience of debit and credit cards is very tempting. Some cards actually offer rewards or cash back that makes the use of cash even less appealing. The problem with this convenience is that you can begin to forget the true value of the money you are spending and... -
Finance Friday: Even If It Doesn’t Seem Like You Have Any, You Can Save Money
Posted on July 1, 2011 | No CommentsWould you be interested if I told you there’s a secret to saving money? Well, it’s true. There are a few secrets that can be used to save money, even if it doesn’t feel like you have any money to save. The bad news is that these secrets have been made public for decades and it’s simply up to you to decide whether or not to use them. Saving Money Secret #1: Budgeting First, you need to create a budget. I know what you’re thinking, but before you can even dream about saving money you have to know where your... -
How To Cut Costs On Health Insurance
Posted on June 24, 2011 | No CommentsHealth Insurance is one of the largest costs of living to date. This is due to a number of reasons and getting it under control has been a top priority during several presidential administrations, yet nothing seems to be improving. Though President Obama recently enacted a new health care bill, it’s getting a lot of blow back on both sides of the aisle. Many states are fighting the bill and, while progress seems to be at a standstill, many Americans are left looking for different ways they can curtail some of the costs while still providing quality health insurance for... -
5 Tips to Maintain Financial Momentum This Summer
Posted on June 17, 2011 | 1 CommentWhen something is going well, you want to keep it going, right? So if you’ve started to seriously tackle your debt problem or started to funnel more money into your savings or retirement accounts you obviously want it to continue. But things can change in the summer. Kids are out of school, you’re taking time off work, or just spending more time outside. All of these things can potentially derail the good habits you’ve recently developed and kill your momentum. So, start by identifying what’s working and why you want to maintain it. If you’re making progress on one of... -
Protecting Your Financial Interests During a Divorce
Posted on June 10, 2011 | No CommentsGoing through a divorce can be a very difficult and stressful experience. Whatever the reasons for the divorce, you’re likely overwhelmed with emotions and the desire to move on as quickly as possible. Even so, you have some important decisions to make in regards to your finances, so you need to be careful and plan appropriately. Hire a Professional When you are dealing with giving up ownership of property, assets, investments, and debt, it is vital that it is done so that both parties emerge with equitable shares. This is not a situation where you can expect to save a... -
Changing Careers is a Big Decision. Make Sure You Plan Ahead
Posted on June 3, 2011 | 4 CommentsAre you unhappy in your current job? Has the economy forced you to consider a new career? Whatever your reason for seeking out a new path, it’s a decision that you can’t take lightly. Changing careers can be very stressful, and if you’re not careful, very costly. Before you give your two-week notice take a moment to look at the questions below. How many of them apply to you? I do not feel satisfied or challenged in my current role. My job no longer fits my personal goals, suits my skills or matches my basic interests. My career ambitions cannot... -
Financial Rules of Thumb
Posted on June 2, 2011 | No CommentsEveryone has a unique situation, and there are no concrete financial numbers that define success, but there are some rules of thumb that can help you gauge your progress. While following these rules won’t guarantee success, they will put you on the right track. How Much Debt Should You Have? Ideally, no debt would be the best answer, but you have to realize that for some assets it is almost required you borrow money, such as buying a house. Most experts agree that your total monthly debt payments shouldn’t exceed 36% of your gross monthly income. This is a good... -
3 Rules for Managing Student Loans Smartly
Posted on May 27, 2011 | No CommentsWhatever the expenditures are for, if you overspend, you’ll over-borrow. Unless you’re managing ALL your money wisely, you may indirectly be mismanaging your student loans, which will impact your lifestyle for years while you pay them off. Borrow Only What You Need, Only When You Need It Remember: the amount you borrowed is not the amount you’ll have to repay. By the time you finish paying off your student loans, you’ll probably end up paying around 30% more (in interest) than the amount you borrowed (depending on how many years you take to pay the loans off). If you don’t... -
#Finance Friday: Making the Most of Your Money Without a Partner
Posted on May 13, 2011 | No CommentsBeing single presents some unique financial planning challenges. Whether you’re single by choice, or as a result of a recent breakup or divorce, there are a few things you need to keep in mind when managing money just for yourself. Since you’re the only one earning income and still have bills to pay, you need to be sure that you’re making the most of what you have since you don’t have someone else to fall back on. Create a Budget Budgeting is essential for anyone regardless of their situation, but it’s even more important when you’re single. Every dollar you... -
CleverlyChanging.com Welcomes A new Regular Contributor
Posted on May 11, 2011 | No CommentsInterview with the man himself: Wes Brown Wesley is a regular Finance Friday contributor on CleverlyChanging.com as well as the owner of W K Brown Financial Services, Inc. which is headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD but also has offices in the Greater Washington, DC area including Bethesda and North Potomac, MD as well as Falls Church, VA. We welcome your insights and thank you for always sharing your valuable knowledge. Q-Can you share a little about yourself and why you are passionate about finances? Ans-Yes, growing up I discovered I was very outgoing. I’m very comfortable meeting new people and was... -
#Finance Friday: “Five Ways to Save on Gas”
Posted on April 15, 2011 | 1 CommentMake no bones about it, gasoline is expensive and it isn’t getting any cheaper. You don’t need to switch to public transportation to cut costs at the pump. There are a few basic things you can do that could considerably save money on gas Keep your car maintained. By keeping up with regular maintenance, your car will run more efficiently and burn less fuel. This includes regular oil changes, air filter replacement and properly inflated tires. Drive smart. Aggressive driving leads to increased acceleration and braking that can use unnecessary gas. Try to maintain a steady speed for as long... -
Finance Friday: Tips to help Reduce your Homeowners Insurance Premiums
Posted on March 4, 2011 | No CommentsFor some people, homeowners insurance can be seen as a necessity. If you have a mortgage you will need to have your home insured. Not only is it a need, but it is a smart thing to insure your home. For most people it is even their most valuable asset. At the end of the day, you will always need a place to live so purchasing home owners insurance would be a wise decision. However, keep in mind that with homeowners insurance comes a lot of opportunities for increasing or decreasing your premium. Below are five tips that can... -
Finance Friday: The Importance of Paying Your Bills On-time
Posted on February 25, 2011 | No CommentsWhich bills are reported to the Credit Bureau? When you take out a loan of any kind such as credit cards, personal bank loans, car loans, mortgage, home equity, salary advances, student loans, computer loans, etc they will show up on your credit report. Each are types of credit that were graciously extended to you. If you do not pay them on time it will negatively affect your credit because they will report your late payments to the 3 credit bureaus. The 3 Credit Bureaus are: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. So you want to make sure you pay these bills... -
Book Review: Tithing by Douglas Leblanc
Posted on February 18, 2011 | No CommentsDouglas Leblanc’s “Tithing: Test Me In This” is also a part of the Ancient Practices Series. The book presents a series of testimonies from various people that tithe. The book focuses on the application of the Bible’s principal of tithing and outlines why it is practical and relevant today. Additionally, Leblanc’s stories reveal that tithing is a lifestyle and not a legalistic form of Christianity. The book subtly makes a case for tithing, but not by stating it bluntly or quoting scriptures. I like Leblanc’s approach to the subject because we live in a society that is concerned about practicality....
