I once asked my rapper friend (Dollar Bill) if he had enough money to heat his house since he just moved to Minnesota to collaborate with Prince. He flashed me a gold-tooth smile and opened up a briefcase full of $100’s and said, “I can burn these until December.”

As I left in my 1991 Buick Regal and hoped it would make it through the McDonald’s drive through so I could splurge off the dollar menu, I realized not everybody is like old Dollar Bill and most of us do not have enough money to live. The key to finding how much money you do need to make it though a cold winter or how many $1 chicken sandwiches you can buy is to make a budget.

Determining how much money you need to live goes beyond deciding how much money you need to stay alive. Your first priorities should be paying heat, rent, food, water and other necessary bills that are constants in our life. If you find your budget is in deep disarray after figuring these mandatory expenditures, you might have to evaluate changes in life such as moving to a cheaper location or taking on a roommate or 7.

Even though you must take steps to ensure you’re up to date on all necessary bills, its important not to stretch yourself too thin.

Having enough money to live also means having something set aside to enjoy a movie or nice meal. If you can count the remaining money on one hand after your monthly budget, perhaps its time to pick up a second job because after all spending a weekend at home because you don’t have any money isn’t all that more appealing than washing dishes on a Saturday night so that you can have money for a Sunday movie.

Where there’s a will there’s a way! If you are sick of never having enough money for any special treats then fo something about it. Think about how you can cut back somewhere else or even look at earning more money in other ways. Then maybe you can burn some $100 bills like my rapper friend.

With a struggling economy, families are looking for creative ways to save money.   You normally don’t think of recycling as way to save money but there are plenty of ways to use recycling as a way to gain cash.   So how does recycling save money?

1. By saving aluminum cans, plastic bottles and bags, or beer bottles.

Don’t just throw these items away.  Save them and take them to your local distribution center.  They usually buy them by the crate for a little over a dollar.  In certain states, grocery stores carry a machine where you can deposit the bottles manually and receive cash back on the spot. It may not be much money but think about how much of this trash builds up on a daily basis especially if you have a big family.  One trip could get you an extra $50.

2. By getting cash back by recycling clothes and toys.

Look through your closet and you’ll probably find several pieces of clothing that still has the tag on them.  Maybe you have a couple of outfits that you only got to wear once.  If you still got all the clothes you used to where before you had your babies, then now is the time to get rid of them.  Plato’s Closet is a store that takes new and gently used clothing in exchange for cash.  If there’s no Plato’s Closet near you, then try to locate a store that does something similar.

You can do the same with old toys and clothing that your kids have either grown out of or no longer care to play with anymore.  Once Upon a Time is a children’s clothing store that takes new or gently used item in exchange for cash.  If there’s not one near you, you can always post the items on Craigslist.  Parents are always looking for cheaper ways to purchase stuff for their kids.

3. By saving shampoo, lotion, soap, deodorant, and any other personal item you can think of.

Do you throw away your shampoo bottle once the contents get so low that you have to shake the bottle to get any out?  Or when that bar of soap gets so tiny that you can no longer use it effectively, what do you with it?  Save it.  Don’t throw away those shampoo or lotion bottles once they get low.  Instead, after you gather a little collection of the almost empty shampoo bottles, combine them to make one full bottle.  The contents may be a little hard to get out so you might have to cut open the bottle and retrieve the contents with a butter knife.

As far as the leftover bits of soap are concerned, they work great as a stain remover.  Put them all in container, add some water, and put it in the microwave to melt.  Then place the melted soap directly on the stain right before a wash.  That works better than the expensive stain remover you get at the store.

4. By recycling containers and boxes.

This can also help you to organized things.   You use these old boxes to keep your kids’ toys in, for family photos, jewelry, or seasonal items.  You can store many different things in these boxes.

5. By reusing some of the following items:

• Gift wrap bows
• Gift baskets/boxes/bags
• Cards
• Cloth napkins instead paper napkins

When it comes to buying a home the real dream of most prospective purchasers is to eventually clear the mortgage and own their home outright. Consequently at a time when everyone is particularly aware of not getting themselves into too much debt and the importance of making sure they are not encumbered with debts for too long a number of people are now looking into the possibility of shorter mortgages when they buy their homes. The reason for this is obvious. If your aim is to lower your mortgage and get debt free as quickly as possible and to own your home outright, whilst paying as little interest as possible, then shorter mortgages seem ideal. If you’re making larger payments then your principal is falling at a quicker rate and you can clear the mortgage in half the time that it might take on a thirty-year mortgage.

A fifteen-year mortgage sounds very tempting. Who wouldn’t want lower interest rates and a quicker repayment schedule? Indeed, just choosing a fifteen-year mortgage can mean you save tens of thousands of dollars. But you need to be very certain of what you are doing. Before you decide to sign up for a shorter-term mortgage you need to consider a couple of things. Firstly, remember that if you sign up to a fifteen-year deal you will lose a degree of flexibility.

Your first compromise will come when choosing your house – for a fifteen-year mortgage you’re going to need to either sign up to a larger repayment schedule, or buy a smaller house. If you have a house that you absolutely love and the choice is between the two kinds of mortgage then clearly you’re going to pay a lot more money every month if you opt for a fifteen-year deal. But you will be locked into that deal and you need to be absolutely certain you can keep up those higher repayments for a long, long time.

What happens if your job doesn’t work out, or you end up earning less money? What happens if you have children, or if you find yourself short when it comes to their school fees? If you’re worried about such scenarios (and you should be) then a thirty-year mortgage is probably for you. A thirty-year mortgage gets you a larger home for the same payment, or gets you the same home for smaller payments. If you’re planning to live there for a long time and not looking for a fast turn around or profit then clearly this is the best option, particularly if you are planning on having children. If you wish you can overpay as if you had got the fifteen-year mortgage, but revert back to the normal 30 year schedule when you need to tighten your belt.
Obviously the main advantage of a fifteen-year loan is that you will clear the mortgage quicker. If you are in a well-paid job and have significant job security and a great deal of savings then it is worth considering. The idea of owning your own home in thirty years time seems almost too far away and a bit daunting, but fifteen years sounds manageable. And the prospect of owning your own home while you are still young (ish) is also one that is worth working towards. But, and it is a very big but, if you are not absolutely certain of that kind of financial security then you should take a thirty year deal every time.

Alex is a freelance copywriter. He likes to write about cricket and jazz but these days seems to be mostly writing about finance and payday loans.

Are you looking for cheap ways to bake something extra for the kids lunch box that doesn’t cost a fortune? When you go to the cake mixes and check out the prices of the pre-mixed packets you will find the prices range from $2.50 to $4.50 and have illustrations of delicious looking cakes. they look very temping, but for that price you could just buy a cake or a packet of lammingtons already cooked for you.

I can’t bring myself to buy these packet cake mixes because they are an absolute rip off so I look to the bottom  shelf in the cake mix isle for my famous 67c cake mix.   Coles or Woolworths have these cake mixes at this price along with other Supermarkets like IGA and so on. I have previously written articles about whats wrong with name food.

I know what you are thinking! Oh yuck! This cake is going to taste awful and you are right! There is a little secret to using this 67cent cake mix. You have to get creative and make it look and taste expensive!. I hate to tell you I have been selling homemade cakes in cafes for years. (In my own businesses) The compliments I have had from these cakes is not far from extraordinary!

The basic cake mix requires 3/4 of a cup of milk and one egg to mix it up and make a simple cake. I always use this as a base but here are a few amazing thing to add to this 67 cent cake mix. I also use a slab tin as I never do things by halves and this takes two packets for starters. The cake will take around 40 minutes to cook so you might as well make it a bit bigger.

Apple Tea Cake

1.  Make the basic cake mix with two packets of 67c cake mix, 1 1/2 cups of milk, and two eggs. (We have doubled it)

2.  Line the cake time with baking paper. Proper baking paper to avoid any sticking.

3.  Peel and slice 6 apples. Or use tin apples if you like.

4.  Spread some cake mixture into the tin to make a base..

5.  Add some slice apples, a sprinkle of cinnamon spice on the layer, and some brown sugar, the sticky stuff. Make a one centimeter layer of this sugar as it will make the cake caramelize.

6.  Then add more cake mixture. Keep doing this, layer apples and mixture.

7.  When you are finished we need to decorate the top of the cake. Sprinkle uncooked Julianne apples pieces and cinnamon sugar on the top. The apple bit should look like match sticks.

When this cake is cooked it will look like a professional cake simply because of the decoration. I used to sell this for $4.95 a slice!

67c Cake Mix

How does this 67cent cake mix save money?

1.  Well it costs 67 cents…Derr!

2.  You can use fruit that is not going to be eaten to stop wasting food.You can also freeze the fruit until you are ready to make a cake. See what food can you freeze?

3.  It is easy to Jazz up with any ingredients in your cupboard.

Other variations for this money saving cake mix:

Chocolate Mud Cake

Add good cocoa powder and an extra 2 eggs for a great chocolate mud cake. If you add chocolate made with butter and melted chocolate then this is to die for!

Carrot cake

Add a cup of grated carrot, some chopped walnuts, 1/2 brown sugar, 1 tsp of all spice…Add an extra 2 eggs to make up for the dry stuff.  If you add cream cheese icing this is so yummy! I used to make these in cup cake papers. When i iced them i would sprinkle some more walnuts for decoration….totally professional.

Sultana and coconut (My invention)

Add 1/2 a cup of sultanas to the mix, some chopped walnuts and half a cup of dessicated coconut and an extra egg. for the topping you need to take the cake out..and while hot spread jam on it… then add a mix of 1/4 cup caster sugar, SHREDDED coconut, and two eggs ( mix all together) and spread on the cake. Put it back in the oven and bake with the top element on cooking to cook the topping.

Your friends will think you spend your life in the kitchen, when all you need is 5 minutes to make the cake and 40 minutes to bake it. I have been selling cakes like these for years. I do not have a cafe at the moment and can share these crazy ideas. This 67 cent cake mix not only saves loads of money, but saves you hours of time! Of course it can also make you money as well. If you happen to have a cafe then you must give this a go!

How to Save Money on Your Home Loan

Owning a home is considered a rite of passage and a deep-rooted symbol of prosperity and success. Unfortunately, it is also a significant lifetime investment. Use the tips below to save thousands of dollars on your home loan before, during, and after the purchase.

Before You Buy a Home:

Pay your bills on time and pay attention to your credit report: The best interest rates are given to people with excellent credit scores, typically over 700. Do you know that just a 0.5% reduction in the interest rate can save you thousands of dollars over the life of the loan? Many lenders are willing to educate you on key factors, such as your debt-to-credit ratio, and help you take action to improve them.

Only apply for a loan you can afford: Shop for a home you can reasonably afford, especially under extreme circumstances such as job loss or health disasters. Don’t be afraid to negotiate a lower price on your dream home. Keep in mind your long-term goals as well. Sometimes people are better off purchasing a smaller home, gaining equity, and transitioning into a larger residence, rather than jumping right into an expensive home.

Conduct research for the best deal: Look for the lowest interest rates, minimal fees, no prepayment penalties, and even rewards programs for on-time payments. Check with local banks and credit unions as well as national banks and online lenders. The credit reporting agencies allow a 30-day period for mortgage comparison shopping, so don’t be afraid that such activities will negatively impact your credit history.

Avoid jumbo loans: These loans are originated for properties exceeding the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac limits, currently $729,750 for high-cost areas and $417,000 for other areas. Since jumbo loans carry a greater level of risk for the lenders, they come with a higher interest rate and a higher price tag.

As You Are Signing the Paperwork:

Pay points upfront to reduce the loan balance: Each point represents one percent of the loan, and paying one or two points is common. Not only will this method decrease the total interest paid over the life of the loan, but it will also garner you a better rate, which further reduces your costs.

Make a larger down payment: Paying more money upfront means paying less money over the coming years. Even better, down payments over 20% eliminate the need for private mortgage insurance, which is tacked on to most borrowers’ monthly bills. Even if you cannot afford 20% down now, you can ask your lender to remove the private mortgage insurance charge later, once your home accumulates enough equity.

Shorten the loan term: For example, choose a 15-year mortgage instead of a 30-year mortgage. While your monthly payments will be higher with a shorter loan term, you can save $50,000 or more in interest charges over the life of the loan. In addition, short loans often receive better mortgage rates than long loans.

After You Purchase Your Home:

Pay more than the minimum: Pay more than the minimum payments and direct the extra money toward your loan balance. Also use any tax refunds and work bonuses to further pay down your loan. Since interest accumulates only on the principal balance, chopping away at that balance reduces the total amount paid for the loan.

Make frequent payments: Instead of writing one large check monthly, make two half-payments every two weeks. Your total payment amount stays the same, but you will accumulate less interest. Furthermore, bi-weekly payments will lead to 13 payments per year instead of just 12.

Don’t be afraid of refinancing: If you can get a better interest rate or cut the loan term from 30 years to 15, you are likely to save money. Refinancing is best for people who plan to stay in the home for several more years, have not already paid more than a quarter of the existing mortgage, and are not required to pay prepayment penalties in order to switch loans.

Overall, understand the home loan process and plan ahead for the best circumstances that will help you meet your goals. While owning a home is a great feeling, paying less money on your loan will leave room for life’s other pleasures.

Tom is an editor at Money Choices where he posts about finding the best home loans for Australian home buyers. Visit MoneyChoices.com.au for more reviews and articles written by Tom.

Due to the real estate economy, people are keeping an eye on their pocketbooks and are looking and buying properties that are marketed at a lower rate. Prices per square foot or meter in both the U.S. and Canada vary on location, home size, et. al. variables.

In Canada, the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador contain the higher priced housing communities, due to the gas and mineral exploration. In 2010, the most expensive province for purchasing homes, is British Columbia. There are differences between Canada’s and the U.S. mortgage amortization. Canada carries a five year fixed rate for 25 years, while the U.S. amortization is for 30 plus years.

In the U.S. the top ten expensive cities to buy a home per square foot/meter, include:

1. NEWPORT BEACH CALIFORNIA – $625 per sq. ft. Newport Beach is an affluent town in Orange County, home to beautiful mansions occupied by well-known celebrities.

2. PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA – $809 per sq. ft. Palo Alto is located in northwest Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay area.

3. RYE, NEW YORK – $674, per sq. ft. Rye is a city in Westchester County, New York. In 2010, Rye, has the listed reputation, of being the third most expensive city in the country, in which to purchase homes.

4. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – $605 per sq. ft. San Francisco, is the twelfth, most populated city in the U.S. The driving distance between Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and San Francisco, CA., is 1526 km.

5. LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA – $533 per sq. ft. La Jolla is a fashionable seaside resort. It is located along 7 miles of the winding Pacific Ocean coastline. La Jolla is 12 miles, north of downtown San Diego.

6. GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT – $150 to $200 per sq. ft. Greenwich is located in Connecticut’s Fairfield County. Greenwich is one of the most affluent towns in the U.S. The town of Greenwich, in population, is twice as large as Manhattan, New York, which is the driving distance of 23 miles.

7. WELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS – $411 per sq. ft. Wellesley is a college town in Norfolk County, in eastern Massachusetts, located 13 miles from its capital, Boston. The Wellesley community is ranked, as having the largest percentage of adults, in the United States, who hold advanced and professional degrees.

8. PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – $440 per sq. ft. Pasadena , hosts the Rose Bowl and Tournament of Roses parades and is situated at the base of the beautiful San Gabriel mountains. Pasadena is located ten miles from downtown Los Angeles.

9. HONOLULU, HAWAII USA – $633.29 per sq. ft. Honolulu is situated on the island paradise of Oahu. Honolulu is second behind Florida, for the most beautiful vacation homes near the Pacific Ocean. Honolulu is a 5 ½ hour flight to Vancouver, British Columbia.

10. SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – $519 per sq. ft. Santa Barbara is located in Santa Barbara County, California and is a University town, housing Stanford University. Santa Barbara is a favored U.S. resort community, with the longest southern California coastline.

Alban is a personal writer at Home Loan Finder, which provide free information on home loan equity

Often it is hard to tell bad advice until after you’ve followed it, however when it comes to your finances you can’t afford to follow advice in the hopes that it will be good – you have to know before you take the advice whether it is bad. When it comes to the worst personal finance advice everyone has advice they wish they hadn’t heeded – so how do you spot the good from the bad?

Consider who is giving the advice, and what their motivations are. You don’t necessarily need to be a financial expert to give financial advice – there are plenty of people who can tell you their experiences with a home loan provider or give you the name of a hot share to buy – but you do need to make sure the person giving the advice isn’t trying to make you act in a way which benefits them.

For example, a time share property sounds good – we’d all like the chance to have a holiday house to escape to and it’s especially good if you don’t have to pay full price for the property. However, those people who are telling you a time share is a good investment, a benefit to your financial situation and a good tax deduction know little about you and your situation; these people are giving this advice for their own benefit, to sell their product.

Unfortunately considering who is giving the advice is just one way of spotting poor financial advice because unfortunately many financial institutions and financial products which encourage our financial decisions can be a bad idea too. So learn more now about how to spot the worst personal finance advice for you.

Home Loan Advice

When it comes to your home loan everyone has advice to offer, and they are all quick to remind you of the gravity of this investment. However, before you consider everyone’s advice, with a pinch of salt – because you’ll run out of salt – watch out for the worst home loan advice:

The big banks are the most secure option

Yes, many big banks are secure places to choose a mortgage from, but they are not the only option and they are not the only secure option. Banks get their funds for your home loan from the deposits of their savings customers, or they borrow money to lend to you, or a combination of both. When banks struggle or in times of economic uncertainty people withdraw their savings, banks can be left with little funding to cover their loans.

However, non-bank lenders for example source their loan funds from individual investors and can’t afford to over-extend themselves. Plus, all financial institutions are regulated by independent government bodies and are also given an independent credit rating so rather than choosing a home loan provider based on perception, do your research and shop around for the combination of the best loan and the best provider.

Just get into the property market – you’ll work out how to afford it later

Yes, property can be a very safe investment as capital growth is very easy to come by when you consider that property values typically double every seven to ten years. However, just because your lender or mortgage broker tells you that you are approved for a certain amount, it doesn’t mean you should borrow it all and buy up big.

Instead, work out whether you can afford it now because deciding to cut back on takeaway, new clothes, a new car and tropical holidays sounds like a great plan, but is it one you can maintain for the next 30 years? Is it really worth it? The costs of owning a home also go far beyond just the mortgage repayments so make sure you budget for at least 1% of the property’s value each year for repairs and maintenance, plus other costs such as renovations, decorating, power bills, water bills and rates.

There is nothing wrong with starting small, or waiting a few years until you can afford to buy because making sure you are in a secure financial position will mean you can also avoid subsequent debt many home owners face such as personal debt or credit cards which they have run up trying to maintain their lifestyle.

Pay off your high interest personal debt with your low interest home loan.

Yes, this really does sound like sound financial advice because you know how much of your credit card repayment goes to the high 19% interest rate each month – why not consolidate your debts into your home loan at a low 6% interest?

This is the worst financial advice for several reasons, firstly because when you consolidate your personal debts such as your credit card into your home loan your credit card balances are zero. It is then very tempting to start spending on those cards again and so you are just running up more debt and not learning from your mistakes.

Secondly, if you pay off your credit card debt it will take you a number of years and a lot of interest, but if you consolidate that debt into your home loan, it is going to take 30 years to repay and cost you potentially tens of thousands of dollars more in interest because you are paying the debt for so much longer. Instead, look into balance transfer credit card offers which transfer your balance to a low or 0% interest card to give you a fighting chance to repay your debts responsibly.

Credit Card Advice

Credit cards do not have to be a bad financial decision, it is simply the fact that they are so easy to misuse that gives them a bad reputation. It is this reputation, coupled with misunderstanding about how credit cards really work which leads people to take bad credit card advice such as:

Keep your credit card in your wallet for emergencies

Taking your credit card everywhere you go is just asking for it to be used, if you are honest with yourself you’ll realise that anything which is a true emergency will be able to wait the half an hour it takes you to go home and fetch the card.

Use a credit card for the rewards points

This advice is often perpetuated because people assume that they need a credit card and if they’re using it anyway, they might as well be rewarded for it, but that is covered in the next piece of bad advice.

Rewards credit cards typically have a much higher interest rate than a standard credit card so if you fail to repay your balance in full, down to zero, within the interest free period of that card – making sure the card has an interest free period – then your balances can be charged upwards of 20% interest.

You are then struggling with compounding interest because the interest on your credit card debt is calculated daily, and then compounds monthly. For example, if you have an outstanding balance of $200 on your credit card rolled over after you pay the minimum on your August statement, and you are charged 20% interest your balance in September is $240. Even if you made no new purchases on your card, your remaining balance of $240 (which includes $40 of interest) is then charged 20% interest again at the end of September, so you are being charged interest on your interest and this is why credit card debt becomes so unmanageable.

Everyone needs a credit card

Not everyone needs a credit card and justifying the use of a card because everyone else does is the worst personal finance behaviour. A credit card makes sense when:

• You have a home loan with a 100% offset account. In this instance you use your credit card for all of your spending within the card’s interest free days, leaving your wages and other income in your offset account to save you interest on your loan. When your credit card payment is due, you transfer the money you need to pay off your card in full.
• Business cash flow. Big and small business owners use their bank’s money to keep their business running as they wait for their customers to pay invoices or income to come in. Again the use of interest free days gives the card holder the freedom to spend, secure in the knowledge the balance will be paid.

A credit card is also not a viable emergency fund because of the interest rate, and instead the correct financial advice would be to develop and emergency savings fund to cover car break downs, emergency doctor visits or unexpected bills, as this averts the snowball effect of new emergencies in the future such as a large credit card bill.

For every other credit card function – such as buying online or over the phone – a debit card will suffice. A debit card looks and acts like a credit card, but accesses your own transaction account rather than accumulating a balance.

Savings Advice

Your savings are important to your personal finances because they give you freedom. With a strong savings plan you have the freedom to plan your future and your retirement, you can fund an emergency expense or a last minute work trip and you can save up for the things you want without having to put your purchases on credit. Therefore, to protect your savings, watch out for financial advice such as:

You need easy access to your savings

When it comes to your emergency fund, yes you do need easy access, but for your holiday fund, your renovation fund or your TV fund you can distance yourself from your savings. Choose an online high interest savings account from a provider which is linked to a transaction account from a different provider. This will mean that any transfers you make from your savings account to your accessible transaction account will take at least 2 days to be processed, making it harder to succumb to impulse buys and deplete your savings.

If you have a longer term goal to save for, consider locking your savings away in a term deposit account which does not allow you any access at all, but continues to earn you a guaranteed high interest rate daily.

Wealth builds wealth

Yes, the more money you have in your savings the more your savings will grow thanks to compounding interest earnings and higher interest rates tiered on your higher balances. However, wealth is not the only way to build savings, so don’t be discouraged from saving because you think you don’t have enough to start.

For example, if you have just $500 in savings and want to save some spending money for an overseas trip planned next year, put your $500 in a high interest savings account at 6.51% interest and continue to add just $100 a month and you’ll have $2,000 spending money in just a year.

Borrow from your retirement funds

Most companies offer a loan feature on 401K retirement savings plans which allow workers to borrow against the money in the account. The loans are encouraged as good financial advice because financial services companies believe that if you can tap into the retirement fund, you’ll be more willing to participate in contributions because you don’t feel as though your contributions are locked away. Plus, when you pay interest back on your 401K loan you are essentially paying interest to yourself.

However, if you lose your job your 401K loan must be repaid in full within just a few weeks and if you can’t repay the loan amount the outstanding balance is taxed, and penalised as an early withdrawal. So on top of the loan amount you have to repay, you could be paying thousands more in penalties. Plus, you can’t put your loan amount back and you miss out on the potential of future interest, for example a loan amount of just $6,800 at 8% interest could have earned you over $75,000 if you’d just left it in your account.

Why buy expenisve mossie spray when you can make it yourself very cheaply. I make may own homemade mosquito repellant and it keeps the mossies, sand flies, and flies away.

I am one of those people that always get bitten by insects, when everyone else can’t feel a thing. Here I am scratching and slapping myself while other people are just standing there watching.

I seriously thought that this homemade recipe for mosquito spray would not work…But I am telling you that it really works.

Here is the recipe for the homemade mosquito spray:

1. 1 part Dettol
2. 3 parts Baby oil

Shake the bottle and away you go. I usually put mine in an empty pump spray bottle. Actualy an old aeroguard one. This stuff goes a long way too. It seems to last forever.

I will never go back to paying $5 or more for a chemical ridden can of mossie spray.

Homes are essential for everyone nowadays. Therefore there is an increase in the demands for home loans all through out the world. If you really want to save thousands on to your home loans then pay heed to the following tips:

Interest Rate!

The rates of interest will decide the life time payment amount. With any type of long term procedure, the interest rates are always transferable. It is better to receive quotes from many lenders and then make comparisons in their rate of interests. Inform the lender that you have found a better deal somewhere else, then see whether that lender can provide better facilities with lower rates to you. There is no harm in asking.

Extra Payments!

One excellent way to save your money on the mortgage loan is by finding out what the minimum amount is you are required to pay. Then always pay more if you can afford it..Make that your goal to stay ahead of the game. If your interest rate changes then make sure you are aware of your minimum payment again.

 Installments!

In spite of paying for the monthly payments, it is advised to make payments after every two weeks because this way you are saving great money.  Of course if you can pay weekly, this is even better. The  sooner you pay back the loan, the less you will have to pay in the form of interest.  Always check out that your home loan contract to be sure that they do not charge for making extra payments or even paying out the loan amount earlier.

We all like to spend money on our friends and family at Christmas time and there are few things as satisfying as being able to buy and give a gift you just know the recipient will love. However, if you need to tighten your belt a little this year in the Christmas gift department, or you’re just looking to curb your consumerism here are a few tips to help you save on Christmas gifts.

1. Make a list, and check it twice

Obvious? Yes. Predictable? Yes. Pointless? No. Making a list of the people you need to buy gifts for, and working out what you are going to get them before you leave the house means you are less likely to overspend on a person. How many times have you gotten carried away collecting the perfect gifts for your sister, only to realise your brother’s present now looks too small and you need to spend even more on him now too?!

2. Make a budget and stick to it

This should be done when you make your gift list because it allows you to see just how much you are spending on the festive season and chances are you’ll be inspired to curb your spending and set a limit. Setting a limit also stops you from over spending because when you reach the budgeted price ceiling, you know you need to stop shopping. If you are struggling for csah and are going to use your credit card, consider applying for a 0% purchases card before you spend. Its going to save you some serious interest.

3. Do not wait the last minute

Shopping earlier than December can save you money on your Christmas gifts. Firstly, there is more demand for all kinds of gifts and their prices increase and their availability decreases leading shop assistants to say things like ‘I can get it in before Christmas but you’ll have to pay the extra rushed shipping costs…’ Secondly, shopping in the Christmas rush is expensive for parking, petrol and incidentals like coffee and lunch breaks in your shopping marathon, but if you pace yourself, you can save on your entire gift buying experience.

4. Shop for Christmas bonuses

If you are shopping in the Christmas rush you can still save on gifts by seeking out those great seasonal bonuses. Around Christmas time many retailers will package up products and gifts to offer gifts with purchase. While you may be tempted to boost the original recipient’s gift, you can instead use this gift with purchase as a gift for someone else on your list.

5. Make and bake

Making gifts is a sure fire way to save money so if you are handy with a sewing machine why not whip up some Christmas stockings for your nieces and nephews, or if you want to give out hampers, bake the cookies and make the jam yourself, there are hundreds and thousands of free festive recipes online.

6. Secret Santa gifts

Instead of buying gifts for all of your friends and family, why not set up a Secret Santa draw within your gift buying groups. This is as simple as putting everyone’s names in a hat, and each person draws out one name, and buys one gift, with a budget set for the gifts by the group.

7. Shop online

This is another way to save on the parking, petrol and snack costs of Christmas gift buying because you don’t have to leave the house. Plus, you can often find the same products from the stores in the mall, in online stores for much cheaper because online stores have lower overheads and staffing costs – savings they can pass onto you.

8. To wrap up…

Skip the expensive wrapping paper. Glossy Christmas patterned paper can add hundreds of dollars to your final gift budget but simple brown or white paper with coloured ribbon can make an equally impressive gift – the paper will just be ripped and recycled anyway. Or you can use non-traditional gift wrapping tools as part of the gift – why not wrap gifts in tea towels or bath towels, or make a ‘Santa Sack’ from a pillow case?

Written by Fred Schebesta. Fred writes at Savings Account Finders. He offers advice on how to compare savings  accounts and make the most of term deposit accounts