News that you’re pregnant brings a tremendous amount of excitement and also a great deal of stress. Both are incredibly normal reactions, whether it’s your first child or fifth. Along with your new bundle of joy is going to come a change in your finances. By preparing early, you’ll be better able to make room in your budget for baby.

Stay Calm

While it’s completely normal to have a bit of a panic attack at the overwhelming thought of raising a child for the next 18 years, do your best to remain calm. Give yourself a day to freak out and then settle yourself down. By the time baby comes, chances are you’re going to be so well-prepared that you won’t even realize what she is costing you on a day-to-day basis.

Create a Baby Budget

Sit down together and create a list of short and long-term financial goals as they pertain to your child. Are you going to breast feed? If so, you won’t need a ton of cash for formula. Are you going to send your child off to a private day care? These are things that need to be considered before your child is born but don’t worry if you leave something off of your list; it can easily be added later.

Do plan on spending between $100 and $200 a month on your baby for things like food, diapers and clothes. This money should be added into your budget for immediate use when the baby is born. Because it is an immediate need, any monies for future day care or school tuition should be added on top of this basic amount.

Pay Off Debt

As soon as you find out your pregnant, begin to pay off as much of your debt as you can. Credit card debt and short term loans should be paid off if at all possible. This will free up some of your money each month. Add the money you’ll save into your baby savings account.

Buy Life Insurance

Part of being a parent is making sure your child is taken care of and provided for should you die. While it’s not something any new parent wants to think about, it’s a fact of life that bad things happen. Your new policy should be at least eight times your yearly income. For instance, if you make $40K a year, your life insurance policy should provide for $320K. If you can afford more coverage, by all means, go for it!

Plan for Daycare

If you’re going to be going back to work after the baby is born, you’ll need to arrange daycare. Will Grandma and Grandpa be watching your child while you are at work? If you can find a friend or family member that is willing to help you out, you’ll end up paying far less than you will for private daycare. You’ll also need to decide if going back to work makes financial sense. If your paycheck will simply be paying for childcare and gas, it might make better sense to stay home.

Don’t sweat the small stuff! Becoming a parent is scary enough without spending all of your time worrying about money. With a bit of advanced planning, and help from family and friends, you’ll be fine!

Author Thomas Hathaway is a financial consultant and content contributor to paydayloans, a site providing information and advances when you may need an advance to your regular paycheck.

Image credit =Dos rayitas by Esparta

Whether you’ve always had a budget, just started to budget, or think “budget” is a scary word, you probably have at least one financial weakness.  We all do.  We’re only human, after all, and money management doesn’t always come naturally.  We don’t always want to use our money sensibly, so sometimes we don’t.

Saving money can seem hard because it is a long term goal.  To save enough for the things we want in adulthood can take years, and we naturally may get discouraged.  Not everyone can afford to save much once the household bills and expenses like health insurance premiums have been paid. Even if you’re not actively saving or budgeting, you may wonder how on Earth you manage to spend your entire paycheck every month.

And this is when your financial weakness slips in to bite you.  That daily cup of coffee from your favorite café may seem small, but think of how it adds up.  Same goes for your regular evenings out with your friends, or your online shopping habit.  What can you do?

Identify your Weakness

First, figure out where your specific issue or issues are.  If you have a budget already, this is probably the easy part.  But if you don’t, spend a few weeks tracking your expenses by keeping receipts and writing down what you spend.  If you spend exclusively with debit or credit cards, you can look at your monthly statements as a shortcut.  Then you’ll have a clear picture of where your money is going.

Now really look at what you spent and start to categorize.  If you are shocked by the amount that falls into any single category, that is probably a great place to start.

Set a Limit

Once you can see how much you’re spending on your weakness, it’s time to decide how much you want to cut back.  This is entirely up to you, your goals and your budget.  But you shouldn’t just pick an arbitrary number; really think about what that number will mean to you.  Can you live with a budget that involves going out to lunch no more than once a week, or can’t you?  If not, you won’t stick with your limit and then you’ll be right back where you started. Be optimistic, but realistic with your goals.

Strategize

The limit is great, but it doesn’t actually solve the problem.  Now it’s your job to brainstorm how you’re going to stick with your limit.  Let’s say your weakness is going out to eat from work.  Just thinking, “I’m not going to do that anymore,” won’t get you anywhere.  What do you need to set yourself up for success?  Do you need to pack your lunch the night before to save time in the morning rush?  Should you cook extra food at dinner so you have something really filling to take in to work?  The solution is up to you.  As you implement it, make sure it’s really working for you and be ready to make adjustments if it isn’t.

Know Yourself and Be Honest

A weakness in finances is a lot like a weakness in your diet.  To overcome either, you really have to know yourself.  Take desserts, for example.  Some people are able to have smaller portions less frequently and be perfectly happy.  Others are better off saying no entirely; if they have one cookie, it only makes them want three more.  The same holds true with finances.  If the ease of picking up a cup of coffee at the café is too tempting, you may be better off making a hard and fast rule that coffee is only to be made at home.

Once you get your money weakness under control, you may be surprised at how much you can save.  Just don’t be discouraged if you have a few setbacks, and never give up trying.  The point of saving money is to help you get the big things you really want: the house, car, wedding, vacation, etc.  Don’t let your financial kryptonite drain you of the power to achieve your goals.

This article is by Sabrina Matheson, a personal finance blogger sharing tips online about how to compare medical insurance, avoid credit card debt, and keep your finances running smoothly.

We’ve all read articles about ways to save money on a day to day basis and yes, there are some ways in which you can make small lifestyle changes to make huge savings on an annual basis. However most of these money savings tips are extremely BORING. If they were fun and interesting, we’d all be making the changes on a day to day basis and you’d never hear people complaining about their cash flow. So here are a few alternative ways to start saving money in 2012. Don’t worry, none of them involve you cutting out coffee or cycling to work!

1: Hot UK Deals

Hot UK deals is a LOT of fun and can get very addictive. If you haven’t come across it already. HOT UK deals is a platform where shoppers are invited to list their best bargain finds both on and offline. Users of the site are able to search for products locally and give ‘heat’ to products/services which they consider amazing deals. The hotter the listing, the better the deal. If you check this on a regular basis you can find some hot deals and be the first to buy a product before the rest of the general public catches on. There are some HUGE savings to be found across a variety of different products from beauty to electronics and everything in-between.

2: Vouchercloud

Vouchercloud has been around for some time now and there are several different variations effectively offering the same information. Vouchercloud is both a website and a downloadable phone app which provides information on the very best discount codes and vouchers available for both online shopping and high street purchases. If you haven’t already got the app, download it for FREE now and start making geo-targeted savings. It’s gained particular noto

riety for its restaurant vouchers, with many restaurant chains now offering their best deals via Vouchercloud and other voucher service apps.

3: Start Haggling

Haggling is a bit of a dying art form, which is a shame. Haggling is really not that difficult, and as we all know, there is nothing stopping us from haggling for anything. For some reasons there’s a bit of a negative stigma attached to haggling in the UK when there needn’t be. Haggling if anything shows a certain confidence and if you are a persuasive and light-hearted person you could make some great savings. It’s a skill that shouldn’t be frowned upon and I’d personally like to see more people haggling in 2012. You’ll find that a lot of business owners, particular in niche indu

stries are quite happy for people to haggle and it builds a certain relationship with a customer that can’t be replicated online.

4: Buy and Trade Entertainment Products

If you find you spend a lot of money on entertainment products such as CDs, DVDs and video games, 2012 might be the year where you stop hording all of those discs and start trading them back in for store credit or rewards. Most entertainment shops now offer some kind of membership or customer rewards scheme for those who regularly trade in products. You will then find you can get some of the latest releases at no cost at all. If you become smart you can start buying and trading between entertainment stores and actually make money.

5:Start Streaming Movies and Music

As an alternative to point number 4, you might want to stop buying physical copies of games and movies altogether. With services such as Spotify and Blinkbox you no longer have to go out and buy albums or films and can stream them once at a relatively low cost or subscription with relative ease. This is ideal for those who want to save time and want to save a couple of pounds by essentially renting rather than buying a product. Streaming is also becoming popular with sports fans as you may want to rent only your team’s games through their websites rather than pay for a more expensive TV package.

Scott is a writer who specialises in information regarding adverse credit cards in the uk and uk credit card applications.

As a mom of 2 young children, I realize the importance of moms taking some time for themselves, even if it’s just an hour. Let’s face it, most of us would be happy with that some weeks.

So, when a friend or family member is expecting, or has just recently had a baby, I make sure to give a gift for, or related to the baby, and another for just mom.

I have put together a list of ideas for those of you who would like to do this as well.

1. A Functional Stroller

I’m not talking about a standard stroller, but one that will grow with you and your family. For example, the Joovy Caboose stand on tandem stroller is one that can carry a child in the front just like the traditional strollers. But, there’s more.

It also has a bench seat in the rear, for an older child to either sit or stand. The unique design of this type of stroller allows parents to get out more often with the kids.

Moms will appreciate any equipment that will make their day of errands much easier.

2. Baby Bike Carrier

Another idea for the active mom is a baby bike carrier. This will allow her the freedom to go biking, without having to pay for a babysitter, or wait from help from the family.

There are different models to choose from, but attach to the back of the bike. Most are like a tent, providing protection to the child, and offering a great time for a fussy toddler to nap. I know I have placed my kids in the car for a ride at times when they were being fussy.

Begin saving and investing for college the minute your doctor confirms you are pregnant with your first child.

Although the advice may sound like a very unfunny joke, financial planners and college admissions directors agree that college preparation begins in the womb. If you have a child today and college costs continue increasing at their current rate, by the time your newborn starts her first year at Harvard, that first year will cost her more than $100,000. You cannot afford to wait, and you cannot afford to count on scholarships and financial aid. If you begin managing the cost of college today, you and your child will have enough to finance the full four years. Experts strongly recommend you set-aside 5% of each paycheck in a preferred college savings plan, and they suggest five proven investment products…

• Coverdell Education Savings Account You may invest up to $2000 per year in a Coverdell Educational Savings Account (ESA), and the principal will grow tax-deferred at the prevailing interest rate until the money is disbursed. Contributions are not tax deductible, but the accounts do have tax advantages. If the money pays the beneficiary’s regular college expenses, neither the student nor the account holder pays any income tax on the distribution. Of course, some restrictions apply.

• Conventional Savings Account When you reach the Coverdell limit, put 5% of each paycheck into a conventional savings account until you accumulate enough to move into certificates of deposit. Most banks set a $5000 minimum.

• Certificates of Deposit Requiring you leave your investment untouched for six months at a time, Certificates of Deposit typically yield approximately twice the standard savings rate. While your CD grows, continue your practice of saving 5% of each paycheck in the regular savings account. When the two accounts total $10,000, take that lump sum and invest in an annuity. Then, continue the 5% savings plan until you save another $10,000 for investment in a mutual fund.

• Fifteen-Year Indexed Annuity Technically an insurance product, an “indexed” annuity guarantees a minimum rate of return and then assures extra interest at a rate tied to growth in equities. The best indexed annuities are tied to the Standard and Poors 500, which has averaged approximately 8% annual growth over the last 100 years. When the annuity matures, it pays a monthly income which your student may use for his college living expenses.

• Moderate-risk Mutual Fund Not as safe as the other four investment instruments, a mutual fund nevertheless promises greatest growth over the long haul. Work with a trustworthy financial adviser to determine which fund best will take you to your goals.

Which investment product is right for you? The answer is “all of the above,” because the five different investments work together. Each time you build to $5000 in the conventional savings account, you move the sum to a CD; and each time the CD grows to $10,000, you move it to the mutual fund. The annuity keeps growing on its own. Remember two fundamentals of skilled money management: (1) These are buy-and-hold products; just forget the money is there, and let the accounts keep growing. (2) Check with your tax adviser to determine which investments allow pre-tax payroll savings, so that you gain some tax advantages every year you invest.

Get ahead of the game.

You can begin college before you graduate from high school, saving money by reducing your time to completion of your degree. One option: Follow the traditional fast-track to college credit by taking honors and Advanced Placement courses; some first-year students begin college with enough credits to become instant sophomores. A second option: Many community colleges also allow college-bound 18-year-old high school seniors to take introductory courses on their campuses. In some forward-thinking high school districts, seniors may take their economics and government classes at community college, so that they simultaneously satisfy high school graduation and college general education requirements. In most high school and community college districts, everything is negotiable, so it cannot hurt to ask. While you explore your fast-track options, find out if your college-of-choice has a summer “readiness” or “transition” program for freshmen; the finest schools allow entering freshmen to live on campus and take basic English and math courses before they officially enroll.

In 2010, the average college graduate left the ivy-covered halls with a diploma and more than $100,000 in student loan obligations, and most alumni agreed the result was worth the financial burden. They confessed, however, they could have and should have saved for college instead of accepting the loans. When a family begins saving and investing early, the cost of college does not deter promising students from attending the schools of their choice.

Photo credit: Graduating Friends by blakeamick/flickr
Peter Savage is a career consultant and content contributor for Super Scholar, a site with incredibly thorough information, reviews, and even 2012 online college rankings.

For most people insurance is a necessity. Whether for the car, the home, your health or even your life, insurance is a monthly expense that is non-negotiable in most cases. The average person might see hundreds of ad each week on the television, and hear just as many on the radio. Each insurance company wants to have as many customers as possible, and often tries to do that by offering discounts on bundling policies. Essentially, this means that the customer will receive a reduced rate if they get their home, care, life, health and even car insurance all from one business. While this is a great idea in theory, it is important to make sure that a multiple insurance policy discount is actually saving you money.

Get Quotes

The only way to tell if you can save money with a multiple insurance policy discount is by asking for quotes from a wide range of insurance companies. Be sure to ask what the individual rates are for car, home and health insurance, and then ask for the overall price if you bundle the insurance together. Get a few quotes from a range of companies, so you have plenty to compare later on.

Compare The Rates for Each Company

Sit down and take a look at the rates provided by one individual company. Add up what your monthly costs would be if you paid for their car insurance policy, their home insurance policy and their health insurance policy separately. Then, compare that to the price given for bundling those policies together. Make sure that there is a significant difference between the prices to ensure that you are really saving money. Some companies will offer a percentage reduction for each policy you add, which is a great way to know that you are truly saving money.

Paying for Convenience

Sometimes, it will be more expensive to have all your policies bundled with one insurance company. Many people don’t mind the slight increase in price thanks to the convenience of having all policies with one company, or even one bill at the end of the month. However, if price is your main concern then be sure to stick with the cheapest policies, no matter what. This might mean that you get each insurance policy from a separate company.

Family Discounts

Some married couples or extended family can actually save money by combining their insurance plans. If you have multiple cars on separate insurance policies, ask each company if they can offer you a discount by bringing your spouse into the plan. Many companies consider this to qualify for a multiple insurance policy discount, which can further save you money.

While many advertising ploys are used to encourage consumers to bundle their insurance policies for their cars, home and health, it is not always the best way to save money. Ask for plenty of quotes and compare the deals to make sure that the multiple insurance policy discount will in fact save you money in the long run.

Gina Hamilton is an insurance consultant and content contributor for Kanetix. Check their site at www.kanetix.ca/auto-insurance-quotes for rate comparisons of all the most popular companies, such as York car insurance.

It’s that time of year again when we wait to hear the pitter patter of reindeer hooves on the roof and anxiously anticipate Santa Claus to slide down the chimney. Unfortunately, getting everything on Santa’s wish list can often prove to be expensive – and with today’s harsh economy, Santa’s gifts may be magical, but his limited budget is very real.

How to Put Smiles on Faces – Without Going Into Debt

Christmas is known for being a happy time of year. However, for many people, it can be the most stressful time, too. In addition to the extra added hustle and bustle, the end of the year can be particularly harsh financially.

The good news is that you can still put a smile of the faces of those on your gift list, without the need to hide when your credit card bill arrives in January. By offering gifts in terms of your talent and time, you not only give a gift from the heart, but potentially one that can last all year long.

Give the Gift of Your Talent

Before deciding on the perfect gift, take some time to really sit down and think about what your loved ones need and how you can offer your talents. If, for instance, you are good at wood working, even small gifts like a homemade foot stool or other small item could be the perfect match.

Certainly if you are a good cook, it goes without saying that a good batch of cookies or brownies can go a long way. If you aren’t the next Julia Childs, though, but are more familiar with things like computers and the world of website building, you could offer your talent in creating a webpage or setting up a Facebook or Twitter account for a loved one who may not be so well versed online.

Give the Gift of Your Time

On top of using your talent, you could also give the gift of your time. For example, do you have elderly friends and relatives on your Christmas gift list? If so, offer to cook them dinner once a month over the next year, or to mow their lawn each week throughout the summer. These gifts, although not wrapped in pretty paper and bows, can prove to be much more meaningful and useful to those who could use them.

Are you good at doing handy work? If so, make “coupons” for your gift recipients that will allow them “one free gutter cleaning” or “painting the living room.” Do you have a loved one who has been “meaning to” clean out the garage for the past several years? They may be a good candidate for your garage cleaning services in the spring.

Gifts That Are Remembered All Year Long

When the gifts you give truly help those who need them, it shows that you put thought into your holiday gift giving. This can be beneficial to those who receive gifts from you, as well as being helpful to your financial budget.

By giving the gifts of your time and talent, your loved ones will really appreciate the thought you put into their items – and this can go way beyond the gratitude from simply opening another scarf or fruitcake – because they are not just receiving a gift from you, but rather a gift from the heart.

George Gallagher is a financial writer for things related to family and education. He also helps graduates find solutions for their student loan consolidation woes.

Is it time to renew your auto insurance policy? If so, you may be simply planning on auto-renewing your policy without a second glance. After all, it’s served you well this far. Stop for a moment and consider this: the auto insurance industry has become incredibly competitive—it may be in your best interest, and the interest of your budget, to get a few new quotes before you decide to stick with your current carrier.

The question then becomes: how many quotes do I need? There’s no one answer to this question, but many people are comfortable with three or four. No matter how you decide to retrieve auto insurance quotes, continue until you receive a quote you’re happy with. If no company returns a policy premium that is lower than the one that you are currently paying, and you are happy with your insurance company, by all means, renew your policy. If, however, you are given several quotes that contain lower monthly premiums than you are paying at the present, it is time to give serious consideration to signing on with a new company.

How to Get Accurate Quotes

1. Pull out your current policy and take a look at your coverage. Note any changes that you can make to your current policy. For instance, if you are carrying a $250 deductible, raising it to $500 will lower your premium. If you raise it to $1000, you’ll save even more.

2. Drop what you don’t need. If you’re a member of AAA or you received roadside assistance as a part of your loan package, you don’t need to carry it on your auto policy. Rental reimbursement can often be dropped as well as, particularly if you have access to another vehicle should yours break down or need repairs.

3. Have you had any major life changes in the past year? If so, you may qualify for discounts. Graduating from college, joining a fraternal or professional organization or even getting married can all have an effect on your auto insurance rates. Be sure to include this new information when getting quotes for a new policy.

4. Be aware of state minimums. Each state has laws regarding auto insurance coverage. Be sure to know what your state requires or you may end up having to add coverage to your policy and pay a higher premium than you were quoted.

Everyone loves saving money and many people often neglect to think of reviewing their insurance policies. By gathering as many quotes as you can, you’re sure to not only have the proper coverage but pay the lowest premiums possible. If it’s time for you to renew your auto insurance or you’ve recently purchased a new vehicle, now’s the time to reevaluate your policy!

Photo credit: MY NEW CAR! by Tiger Girl

Author Stephen Anderson is an insurance consultant who strongly suggests that you search online to Compare Auto Insurance Companies to be certain of getting the best deal available. Auto Insurance Quotes Missouri is just one example of the state rates you can compare.

Writing online can be a wildly lucrative business. This has been proven by people from Mark Zuckerburg to John Chow, and many more in between. We all know how rewarding a business it can be, but what I want to share with you are some ideas about how to write online to actually save money. The way I see it, writing has the opportunity to both make AND save you money. And in the end, it’s more cash in your pocket either way.  While my tips and suggestions may not save you five or six figures a year, they do have the potential to add up to a pretty penny over your lifetime. I speak from experience with my advice, and am here to sing the praises of my encounters and to spread the wealth.

1.  Write Up a Money Saving Plan

I was in for a rude awakening when I took a glimpse at the results of my financial breakdown the first month that I started keeping track (then using a simple Excel spreadsheet designed to tally my monthly spending.) To start, the amount that I was spending on Starbucks each month was seriously appalling. I also realized that my Entertainment/Miscellaneous spending was far higher than I’d predicted. Bottom line, I highly recommend tracking your monthly expenditure to see where your money goes each month. It will give you insight as to where you can trim spending (I bought a coffee machine and now brew my own joe,) and how much you can realistically be putting into your savings each month. These days, I use a free online personal finance tool is linked to my checking and savings accounts, so that every transaction is automatically streamlined and shows up in one place. I recommend Mint.com and Clearcheckbook.com’s free versions.

2. Write to Customer Service

Just this past week, I had an unfortunate experience where I was unable to redeem a gift certificate that I had purchased from a particular company. Instead of chalking it up to a monetary loss or trying to pawn it off on ebay for less than I paid for it, I went to the company’s website and wrote an email to their customer service. I was happily awarded a full refund and an apology. This is not the first time I’ve reached out to customer service to alert them to an unhappy experience with their company or product. I have found that more often than not, companies with good customer service are willing to provide some sort of compensation. Don’t be afraid to voice complaints (in a nice way), disappointments, and bad experiences to customer service. Best-case scenario, you are refunded, offered an exchange, or given a coupon or gift certificate. One restaurant manager I wrote to didn’t refund the cost of my meal, but did send me a gift certificate for a future visit. Worst-case scenario, you’re no worse off than before you wrote the email.

3. Write to Your Bank

There are a couple of issues I’ve contacted my bank about, that combined have saved me hundreds of dollars. Number one, disputing a monthly checking account fee. I had been with the same bank for years and never paid a monthly fee, when I was alerted that they were going to start tacking one on. I went online and researched dozens of other banks that had no monthly checking fees, and brought this up to my bank. Sure enough, the banker I spoke with waived my monthly fee and that was the end of that. The other thing you can do is to write to your bank to request that they reverse ATM fees. I took a trip to South America in the spring and incurred a hefty dollar amount in foreign ATM fees from withdrawing cash internationally. Again, my bank was spot on and reversed every single fee that I’d incurred. I recommend bearing in mind that the banker does not have to reverse an ATM fee, or waive any other sort of charge, so writing in a polite and respectful manner can really go a long way.

4. Write to the Credit Bureau

I have learned that improving your credit score can save anywhere from tens to thousands of dollars in everything from car loans and credit cards, to buying a house. When I first started actively trying to improve my credit score, I realized that there was an error on my report. I did not hesitate to write and send a credit report dispute to the credit bureau to describe the inaccuracy. This one took awhile, but the disputed item was removed from my credit report and subsequently played a role in boosting my score. Score!

Have you ever posted an ad on Craigslist, either selling something or looking to buy or hire, and not received any bites? The lingo, grammar, and description you are using could make all the difference. I advertised a bed for sale last year on Craigslist and received a slew of emails within a day of posting. It sold for exactly what I asked for, within 48 hours. When friends of mine were looking to upgrade their bed, I gave them my template for the bed I’d sold months earlier. They revised it to fit their mattress, and had the same results. Don’t get me wrong—I’ve also posted ads that I doubt even got looked at! I figured that it’s as much in the writing of the ad as it is in your product or service itself, if not more-so. Here are a few tips that I recommend for writing a killer Craigslist ad:

• Use a catchy title, but keep it short and sweet.
• Be concise but detailed. Ask yourself, if you were searching for this item or service, what things would you want to know?
• Spelling and punctuation count! Don’t get sloppy.
• Read up on some more tips for some extra advice.

It’s been my experience that if you get the ad right the first time, you can save both time and money.

Dk is an avid finance blogger. You can find him at financeadventure.com