Tag: EXTRA

YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM YOU WILL EVER NEED

by Road-to-wealth, posted in FINANCE / MONEY
DISCLAIMER: Links in this post may contain affiliate links. Honesty above all. Please read our disclosure policy here.
Photo by maitree rimthong on Pexels.com

Let’s learn how to take control of our financial freedom today. Use the exact same blueprint I used for my financial freedom.

WHAT IS THE BEST MONEY MAKING APPROACH?

There are thousands’ of money making models out there, so I guess you are here to see which of them is the best fit for you. If you need someone with a financial background, like a B.A. in Accounting, you get one here, for free. I’ve been trying different approaches at growing my money in order to not depend solely on my job; especially after retirement.

I learned that the average millionaire has 7 to 8 sources of income. Following on their footsteps, I have become financially free. What I mean by free is, my passive income is making me an amount of money which surpasses my expenses.

DO YOU NEED A BACHELORS IN FINANCE TO DO THIS?

Now remember, it was not done in a month or two. It took some work, sacrifices, discipline and time. It takes money to make money, right?

HOW DID I DO IT?

1. Automate your savings and grow them at the same time

First thing I did was opening a savings account that will help me grow my money over time. It has an easy set up and it is one of those set it and forget it type of models. Just let it compound over the years.

It has several features:

A. Saves your money automatically by rounding up your debit/credit card to the next dollar. When it hits $5, it transfers it out from your checking account into the app account. Then the next feature takes place…

B. The money that you just saved will automatically be invested in the stock market. You can choose if you want to be more heavily invested in stocks, bonds or a mix of both. This step needs to be done only once. It will automatically do it for you after first time set up. Also receive dividends from the stocks you hold.

C. Found money feature lets you buy at your favorite brands and stores through the app and they will give you cash back or reinvest into your account.

Get your ACORNS account.

2. Easy source of income with Real Estate

Then I saved $500 to open an account where I can get some exposition to Real Estate. The reason why I prefer to do it digitally is because I became a landlord without the hassle.

For this type of investment I have a longer time horizon, meaning years. I’m planning on getting money out after I retire, not before. And since Real Estate takes it’s time to develop, I will take my time to let it panned out.

The $500 will get you in with the Starter Portfolio where you can split your money between two portfolios. In order to start using all the features available you need to save $1,000 to reach the next level called Core. By all means you can start here if you have the money available.

After reaching Core level you choose between 3 investment plans…

Supplemental Income

  • Aim to earn returns via quarterly dividends, with less appreciation.
  • Invest in an income-oriented real estate private equity strategy
  • Portfolio allocated primarily to debt real estate assets

Balanced Investing

  • Aim to earn returns via a blend of dividends and appreciation
  • Invest in a balanced mix of income and growth strategies
  • Portfolio allocated across both debt and equity real estate assets

Long Term Growth

  • Aim to earn returns via appreciation in share value, with fewer dividends
  • Invest in a growth-oriented real estate private equity strategy
  • Portfolio allocated more towardequity real estate assets

If you want to get into Real Estate, FUNDRISE is your way to go.

3. Be the Bank

Just as Real Estate has stood the test of time, so have Loans. With this advance in technology now you can become the bank, lend $25 per loan and get paid.

The downside here is you need money to open this account. If you want just the basic stuff you need $1,000 to be exact; although they recommend you begin with $2,500 in order to mitigate risk of losing. If you want to get free notes with full features and $75 bonus, then you need to save $5,000.

Now to the good part. They claim historical returns over the long term is 3%-8% but as you can see on the picture below, I’m currently at 11.55%. If you open an account shoot me an email and I will show you a few tricks to weed out bad investments. Free of charge of course.

LENDINGCLUB is your pass to play the Bank, but with real money, getting paid for real; not Monopoly money.

Note: Currently only residents of the following States may invest in LENDINGCLUB notes: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NV, NY, OK, OR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, or WY.

4. Build a wealth mindset

Ever dreamed of becoming a trader and making money on the markets? Today is your lucky day because you can open your account, and receive a free stock like Sprint, Apple, Microsoft or many others.

The simplest way you can do this is by buying dividend paying stocks. I suggest you take a look at this list.

Great Dividend Stocks include stocks with both consistent multi-year dividend growth and steady price appreciation.

Dividend Achievers are stocks that trade on the NYSE  or NASDAQ and have increased its annual dividend for at least 10 years or more.

Dividend Aristocrats, are stocks that have increased its annual dividend for 25 years or more.

Dividend Kings are stocks that have increased its annual dividend for 50 years or more.

You can buy some of this stocks and know that price will increase over time but almost surely your dividend will increase yearly. Giving you bigger payouts.

Get your ROBINHOOD account today.

5. Extra Income

The following accounts I don’t use to build wealth but to get some extra cash every month. They are similar but offer many options when it comes to receiving your money.

SWAGBUCKS will pay you for giving your opinion on surveys, watching videos, and a wide variety of other ways.

INBOXDOLLARS will also pay you for giving your opinion on surveys, watching videos, and many other ways.

LUCKTASTIC is the modern way to play Lottery by scratching digital tickets. You can win cash, gift cards or tokens.

6. Fix your credit score

If you want to become wealthy, one way you need to get started is by improving your credit score. Credit Sesame will give you tips by email to help you get where you need to be.

7. Save, get cash back and much more…

Ease on your pocket by getting the best you can in Car insurance. Gabi will compare your current insurance and will find you if any other Insurance Company is offering the same insurance at a lower price.

Get offers, save and get cash back in your groceries. It is a great way to stay in budget and keep your fridge full. Ibotta will give you this and much more. Give it a try.

Paribus is a program that will scan your emails and get you cash back when the item you bought drops in price. It also gets you compensated when your shipment is late. Don’t delete your emails anymore and rip the benefits of this program.

MY RATING SYSTEM

I give ratings to my investments from 0 to 10. Main variables are:

* Ease of set up

* Ability to make money

* Consistency

* Price

* Special features

ACORNS 9/10 (only downside is if the market sells off, although we know it will be temporarily, everything else is great)

FUNDRISE 9/10 (it is a slow investment, need patience but it’s totally worth it)

LENDINGCLUB 9/10 (only hurdle is the amount of money to get started, once you get over that hurdle you will not stop smiling)

ROBINHOOD 8/10 (super simple platform, need more features if you plan to day trade)

SWAGBUCKS 7/10 (need time for surveys, you can let videos run in the background)

INBOXDOLLARS 7/10 (need time for surveys, you can let videos run in the background)

LUCKTASTIC 6/10 (at least for me the cash prices have been low, although I read about others making $100, maybe I’m not lucky enough, lol)

CREDIT SESAME 10/10 (everything you need to improve your credit score you can find here)

GABI 10/10 (super easy to do and save me over $900 for the year by switching to the new insurance company)

IBOTTA 9/10 (easy to use and offers many options)

PARIBUS 10/10 (easy set up and you have to do nothing but wait)

CONCLUSIONS

Hopefully, you’ve already put an eye on a money making technique that you liked. If you are still unsure, start from the simplest techniques and move up. I recommend you open an account for each type of approach. They are uncorrelated and that will help you grow faster when the cycle comes around. Like the Chinese saying goes “the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second best time is today”. Today is your day to plant your tree.

Hope it helps! Leave your comment below.

Remember, it’s all about the road to wealth. If you liked it, pay it forward. Don’t forget to share it in social media and help others become successful as well. There is plenty of room for all of us. In the end, your success will only depend on you and not what others do.

Follow me on TWITTER, PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, LINKEDIN, FACEBOOK for more posts and updates.

If you have any questions, you can reach me at questions@road-to-wealth.com

CÓMO CONSTRUIR UN FÁCIL PRESUPUESTO S.M.A.R.T.

by Road-to-wealth, posted in FINANCE / MONEY

“Nunca subestimes el poder de la consistencia y el deseo” – Desconocido.

DISCLAIMER: Los enlaces en esta publicación pueden contener enlaces de afiliados. Honestidad sobre todo. Por favor lea nuestra política de divulgación aquí.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

¡Mis amigos! Tenemos un objetivo simple aquí, y el objetivo es volverse rico, no solo lucir rico. Entonces, ¿cómo llegamos allí? Bueno, tienes que poner tu dinero a trabajar para ti. Para hacer eso, debe asegurarse de que cada centavo que reciba como ingreso tenga un trabajo que hacer.

Pero Joey, ¿qué significa eso? Significa que tienes que preparar un plan, seguir ese plan y modificarlo según sea necesario. Si aún no entiende o no sabe cómo hacer un presupuesto, no se avergüence. ¡No estás solo!

Lo que aprendí de amigos adinerados es que ellos saben cuánto ganarán, que saben cuánto tienen que tener para pagar las cuentas y facturas mensuales. También saben cuánto quieren ahorrar e invertir. Finalmente, saben cuánto tendrán para divertirse. Sí, cuando prepare su presupuesto, asegúrese de tener en cuenta también la diversión y el entretenimiento.

Vamos a empezar con lo básico. Antes de dibujar nuestro mapa, debemos entender lo que estamos haciendo. Definitivamente no aprenderemos esto en Instagram o Twitter. Tienes varias opciones. Si conoce Excel, puede hacerlo mucho más rápido que la mayoría ya que las fórmulas lo ayudarán a automatizar los resultados. Si no eres experto en tecnología, entonces puedes escribirlo en un papel y probablemente necesites una calculadora para ingresar los números y los resultados.

¿Qué es un presupuesto S.M.A.R.T. por sus siglas en Inglés? Es un acrónimo fácil que lo ayuda a recordar lo que es importante cuando planifica y prepara su presupuesto.

Specific: debes ser específico con tu objetivo financiero y saber qué desea hacer con su dinero. Eso incluye a corto plazo (comprar algo ahora) y a largo plazo (planes de jubilación).

Measurable: a medida que avanza, desea ver su progreso. Así es como sabrá si necesita intensificarlo o simplemente continuar con el flujo. También le ayudará a ver si gastó demasiado o gastó menos y dónde.

Achievable: alcanzable, para que su presupuesto tenga éxito, debe ser alcanzable. Si es necesario, puede examinar su presupuesto al final del mes para comparar sus números proyectados con sus números reales. Realice los ajustes a medida que avanza de ser necesario.

Realistic: tienes que ser honesto y realista con tus números. Por ejemplo, planificas gastar $20 para comer en sus restaurantes favoritos, pero sabes que les gusta pedir pizza en Dominos, llevar amigos o familiares a Burger King y pagarles a todos, y terminar en el buffet chino para finalizar la semana. Conoce tus tendencias y patrones.

Time-oriented: necesitas ser tiempo orientado para lograr sus objetivos financieros, debe desglosar los grandes objetivos en pequeños pasos que lo llevarán gradualmente a donde quiere estar.

Ahora que tiene una mejor comprensión de lo que es un presupuesto S.M.A.R.T., sepa que hacer su presupuesto es solo el primer paso. Necesitas seguir planificando. La disciplina y la perseverancia te ayudarán a mantenerla y mejorarla.

Algunos trucos para hacer un presupuesto que funcione son:

* Asegúrese de que cada centavo de sus ingresos tenga un trabajo que hacer. Si no da cuenta de cada centavo que gana y no le da un trabajo antes de siquiera recibirlo, ese centavo encontrará un lugar para aterrizar y lo más probable es que no esté donde usted quiere.

* No cargue sus tarjetas de crédito más de lo que puede pagar. Un gran problema es que muchos de nosotros usamos nuestras tarjetas de crédito cuando ya usamos todo nuestro efectivo. Pero estamos equivocados. La forma correcta de usar una tarjeta de crédito es tener los fondos disponibles en su cuenta. De esa forma no te hará daño cuando sea el momento de pagar tu tarjeta. Una regla que puede usar es la regla de 7. Cuando tenga la tentación de comprar algo, espere 7 días. Entonces pregúntate otra vez si todavía lo quieres. Más que probable es que ya no lo quieras.

* Revise su presupuesto varias veces para los ajustes. Quieres tener este presupuesto listo antes de que te paguen. No espere hasta que comience a pagar sus facturas, o su dinero tendrá control sobre usted en lugar de al revés. Es esencial que se siente, revise su presupuesto y haga ajustes. Mantente al tanto de tu juego. Los grandes bateadores de la MLB, son los que se preparan para el lanzador que enfrentarán mañana. No esperan hasta que el lanzador esté en la lomita para solicitar un informe en el lanzador.

* Sepa cuánto dinero tiene en todo momento. Siguiendo con la analogía de la MLB, la vida es genial lanzándonos curvas. Necesitamos saber qué tenemos para prepararnos para las cosas inesperadas que suceden cada mes.

* Siempre darle seguimiento a sus gastos. Su alquiler, préstamo de automóvil y algunas otras facturas rara vez cambian. Sabemos que no gastaremos de más allí. Pero salir a comer, ir de compras, comprar en máquinas expendedoras en la escuela o el trabajo puede fastidiarnos. Por cierto, obtenga un reembolso en efectivo y grandes ofertas en comestibles con Ibotta. Simplemente regístrese gratis y vea cuánto ahorrará cada mes.

Sin más preámbulos, veamos cómo debería ser un presupuesto. Al principio del mes usamos números proyectados, pero al final del mes usamos números reales para saber qué ajustes son necesarios.

Vamos a empezar con:

Ingresos proyectados:
Todos sus ingresos, sueldos, salarios o lo que sea, y agregue cualquier ingreso adicional que obtenga, como contestar encuestas, lavar autos, pintar casas, cortar césped, etc.

Gastos proyectados de vivienda:
Hipoteca / Alquiler, Teléfono, Electricidad, Gas, Agua y alcantarillado, cable / internet, eliminación de desechos (limpieza de basura), mantenimiento o reparaciones, suministros, otros.

Préstamos proyectados:
Préstamo personal, préstamo estudiantil, tarjetas de crédito, etc.

Gastos de transporte proyectados:
Pago de vehículos, seguros, gasolina, mantenimiento, otros.

Ahorros proyectados:
Los ahorros variarán según las necesidades individuales. Puede utilizar un porcentaje de sus ingresos. Si elige esa opción, realice este paso primero antes que nada. Otra opción es utilizar una cantidad específica. La opción tres es tomar una cantidad de lo que queda después de pagar todas las facturas.

Entretenimiento proyectado:
Películas, conciertos, eventos deportivos, otros.

Balance proyectado:
Esto es lo que proyectó como sus ingresos y restará todos los gastos y ahorros. Asegúrese de que este número sea positivo. Esta es la cantidad que le quedará para su uso personal o en lo que decida gastarlo.

Herramientas utilizadas para ayudar con el presupuesto:

Acorns: ahorro automatizado, inversión y recompensas de devolución de efectivo, todo en uno. Sólo $1 tarifa mensual. (reporte completo)

Credit Sesame: aumenta tu puntaje de crédito y sigue sus consejos. Podrá obtener tasas más bajas en préstamos futuros, por lo tanto, pagará menos y ahorrará dinero. (reporte completo)

Fundrise: la forma más fácil de ahorrar y hacer crecer su dinero mientras se convierte en un propietario sin la molestia. La mejor parte es que puedes comenzar con solo $500. (reporte completo)

Gabi: es un servicio que le ayudará a encontrar el precio más bajo que puede encontrar para su seguro de automóvil. Ahorré $936 cuando cambié. Y no me llevó más de 10 minutos. (reporte completo)

Ibotta: ahorre en comestibles, obtenga ofertas y recompensas cada semana. Bonificaciones y devolución de dinero. (reporte completo)

Inboxdollars: vea videos, responda encuestas, busque en la web, reciba pagos y transfiéralos a su cuenta de PayPal. Lo uso para ingresos extra (informe completo)

Lucktastic: ingresos adicionales, boletos digitales de lotería, participe en diferentes concursos para ganar comestibles gratis, gasolina gratis o efectivo. (reporte completo)

Swagbucks: ingresos adicionales, se les paga para ver videos, buscar en la web, responder encuestas y mucho, mucho más. (reporte completo)

LendingClub: es mi opción número uno (#1) para ahorrar y hacer crecer su dinero sustancialmente. Pero, está restringido a los Estados Unidos y algunos estados tampoco pueden invertir. Cruza los dedos tu estado está dentro y no fuera. Además, necesitará algo de dinero ahorrado para comenzar. Para obtener todos los bonos, debes comenzar con $5,000. Si no quieres los bonos, se recomienda comenzar con la mitad de eso. (reporte completo)

Paribus: verificará sus correos electrónicos, hará un seguimiento del precio que pagó por los artículos y le devolverá el dinero cuando el precio del artículo baje. Además, puede obtener una compensación cuando el envío se retrasa. Todo mientras duermes o andas por tu día. (reporte completo)

Robinhood – mi plataforma número uno para el comercio e inversiones en la bolsa de valores. Comisión gratuita y sencilla. Además, obtenga un stock gratuito como Amazon o Coca Cola cuando se registre. (reporte completo)

S’more: ingreso extra fácil, descargue a su teléfono, reciba un pago cada mañana cuando desbloquee su teléfono. Obtenga puntos extra cuando vea videos o complete encuestas. Canjear precios. (reporte completo)

Sweatcoin: más ingresos adicionales, descargue a su teléfono, reciba dinero para caminar fuera de su casa o edificio. La idea es dar incentivos a las personas mientras les ayuda a ponerse o mantenerse en forma. (reporte completo)

Truebill: ahorre en las facturas mensuales y deje de pagar demasiado por ellas. Esta aplicación buscará reembolsos y también negociará en su nombre para obtener mejores ofertas en sus suscripciones. (reporte completo)

Wish.com: es mi sitio favorito para comprar artículos que vienen de China, eliminando a los intermediarios de la imagen. Más barato que Ebay, Amazon, Walmart, lo que sea. Utiliza el Código: PJXXZYH (reporte completo)

Te dejaré con una foto para que sepas cómo debe verse. Al principio del mes se proyectará, pero asegúrese de mantener un registro de sus números durante todo el mes y volver a hacerlo al final del mes con sus números reales. Así es como sabes, qué tipo de ajustes tienes que hacer.

¡Espero eso ayude! Deje su comentario abajo.

Recuerda, todo es sobre el camino a la riqueza. Si le gustó, ayuda a otros. No olvides compartirlo en tus redes sociales y ayuda a los demás conseguir el éxito también. Hay suficiente espacio para todos. Al final, tu éxito depende solamente de tus esfuerzos y no de lo que hagan los demás.

Sígueme en TWITTER, PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, LINKEDIN, FACEBOOK para más artículos y actualizaciones.           

Si tienes preguntas, me puedes contactar a questions@road-to-wealth.com

GANA DINERO DESDE TU TELÉFONO

by Road-to-wealth, posted in FINANCE / MONEY
DISCLAIMER: Los enlaces en esta publicación pueden contener enlaces de afiliados. Honestidad sobre todo. Por favor lea nuestra política de divulgación aquí.
Photo by Stokpic on Pexels.com

Necesitamos varias cosas para hacernos ricos. Disciplina, trabajo duro, conocimiento, motivación y determinación, y hasta cierto punto, suerte. Hoy vamos a relajarnos en casa y ganar algo de dinero con nuestros teléfonos. Diviértete mientras estamos en ello.

¿Qué es más satisfactorio que comprar un boleto para raspar en la gasolinera y ganar? Bueno, ¡jugar rasca y gana gratis en tu teléfono y ganar!

Puedes jugar y ganar gratis con Lucktastic (lo siento iphoners, solo Android).

Lucktastic es sostenido con la publicidad, lo que permite pagos altos y juegos gratuitos. Dicen que las ganancias instantáneas varían entre $1 y $10,000. Además del efectivo, también hay tokens que ganas y puedes canjear por tarjetas de regalo gratuitas de grandes minoristas o participar en concursos. En los concursos diarios puedes ganar tarjetas de regalo, comida gratuita durante un mes, gasolina gratis durante un mes o convertirte en millonario con el concurso millonario.

También puede canjear su dinero en efectivo. Necesita $10 o más para un cheque. De $5 a $9.99 puede obtener una tarjeta de regalo instantánea. Obtenga una tarjeta de regalo de visa con $100 o más. Consigue una bonificación por invitar a tus amigos.

Consigue tu aplicación aquí.

Recuerda, se trata del camino a la riqueza. Si te ha gustado, pagalo adelante. Compártelo en las redes sociales y ayuda a otros a tener éxito también. Hay mucho espacio para todos nosotros. Al final, su éxito solo dependerá de usted y no de lo que hagan los demás.

Sígueme en TWITTER, PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, LINKEDIN, FACEBOOK para más publicaciones y actualizaciones.

Si tiene alguna pregunta, puede comunicarse conmigo a questions@road-to-wealth.com

WIN MONEY FROM YOUR PHONE

by Road-to-wealth, posted in FINANCE / MONEY
DISCLAIMER: Links in this post may contain affiliate links. Honesty above all. Please read our disclosure policy here.
Photo by Stokpic on Pexels.com

We need several things to become wealthy. Discipline, hard work, knowledge, drive and motivation, and to certain extent, Luck. Today we are going to relax at home and make some money from our phones; and have some fun while we are at it.

What is more satisfying than buying a scratch-off ticket at the gas station and winning? Well, playing scratch-off for free on your phone and winning!

You can play and earn for free with Lucktastic (sorry iphoners, Android only).

Lucktastic is supported by advertising, allowing high payouts and free games. They say instant wins range from $1 to $10,000. Besides cash, there is also tokens that you earn and you can redeem free gift cards from big retailers or enter contests. Daily contests you can win gift cards, free groceries for a month, free gas for a month or become a millionaire with the millionaire contest.

You can also redeem your cash. Need $10 or above for a check. From $5 to $9.99 you can get an instant gift card. Or get a visa gift card with $100 or above. Get a bonus for inviting your friends.

Get you app here.

Remember, it’s all about the road to wealth. If you liked it, pay it forward. Share it in social media and help others become successful as well. There is plenty of room for all of us. In the end, your success will only depend on you and not what others do.

Follow me on TWITTER, PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, LINKEDIN, FACEBOOK for more posts and updates.

If you have any questions, you can reach me at questions@road-to-wealth.com

HOW TO BUILD AN EASY, S.M.A.R.T. BUDGET

by Road-to-wealth, posted in FINANCE / MONEY

“Don’t underestimate the power of consistency and desire” – Unknown.

DISCLAIMER: Links in this post may contain affiliate links. Honesty above all. Please read our disclosure policy here.
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

My friends! We have a simple goal here, and the goal is to become rich, not just look rich. So, how do we get there? Well, you have to put your money to work for you. In order to do that, you need to ensure that every single cent that you receive as income has a job to do.

But Joey, what does that mean? It means that you have to prepare a plan, follow that plan and tweak it as necessary. If you still don’t understand or don’t know how to budget, don’t be ashamed. You are not alone!

What I learned from wealthy friends is, they know how much they will make, they know how much has to go towards paying the bills. They also know how much they want to save and invest. Finally, they know how much they will have for fun. Yes, when you prepare your budget, ensure to account for some fun and entertainment too.

Let’s begin with the basics. Before we draw our map, we need to understand what we are doing. We will definitely not learn this on Instagram or Twitter. You have several options. If you know Excel, you can do this a lot quicker than most since the formulas will help you automate the results. If you are not tech-savvy, then you can write it on paper and will probably need a calculator to plug in the numbers and results.

What is a S.M.A.R.T. budget? It is an easy acronym that helps you remember what is important when you are planning and preparing your budget.

Specific – you need to be specific with your financial goal and know what do you want to do with your money. That includes the short term (buying something now) and long term (plans for retirement).

Measurable – as you go, you want to see your progress. That is how you will know if you need to step it up or just keep going with the flow. It will also help you see if you overspent or underspent and where.

Achievable – In order for your budget to be successful, it needs to be achievable. If necessary, you can examine your budget at the end of the month to compare your projected numbers against your actual numbers. Make adjustments as you go and if necessary.

Realistic – you need to be honest. For example, you plan to spend $20 eating out at your favorite restaurants but you know you like to order Dominos, take friends or family to Burger King and pay for them, and end up at the Chinese buffet to end the week. Know your tendencies and patterns.

Time-oriented – In order to achieve your financial goals and meet your timeline, you need to break down the big goals into small steps that will gradually take you to where you want to be.

Now that you have a better understanding of what a SMART budget is, know that making your budget is just the first step. You need to keep planning. Discipline and perseverance will help you sustain it and improve it.

Few tricks to making a budget that works are:

* Ensure every penny of your income has a job to do. If you don’t account for every cent you make and don’t give it a job before you even receive it, that penny will find a place to land and most likely will not be where you want.

* Do not charge your credit cards more than you can afford. A big problem is that many of us use our credit cards when we already used up all of our cash. But we are wrong. The right way to use a credit card is having the funds available in your account. That way it won’t hurt you when it’s time to pay off your card. A rule you can use is the rule of 7. When you are tempted to buy something, wait 7 days. Then ask yourself again if you still want it. More than likely you won’t.

* Review your budget several times for adjustments. You want to have this budget ready before you get paid. Do not wait until you start paying your bills, or your money will have control over you instead of the other way around. It is essential that you sit down, review your budget and make adjustments. Stay on top of your game. The great MLB hitters are the ones that prepare for the pitcher they will face. They don’t wait until the pitcher is on the mount to ask for a scouting report.

* Know how much money you have at all times. Staying with the MLB analogy, life is great at throwing us curve balls. We need to know what we have in order to prepare for the unexpected things that happen every month.

* Always track your spending. Your rent, car loan, and some other bills rarely change. We know we won’t overspend there. But dining out, buying groceries, buying on vending machines at school or work can throw us off. By the way, get cashback and great offers in groceries with Ibotta. Just register for free and see how much you will save each month.

Without further ado, let’s see how a budget should look like. At the beginning of the month, we use projected numbers but at the end of the month we use actual numbers to know what adjustments are needed.

Let’s begin with:

Projected income:

All of your income, paycheck, wages or whatever and add any extra income you make, like answering surveys online, washing cars, paint houses, cut grass, etc.

Projected Housing expenses:

Mortgage / Rent, Phone, Electricity, Gas, Water and sewer, cable/internet, waste removal, maintenance or repairs, supplies, other

Projected Loans:

Personal loans, student loans, credit cards, etc.

Projected transportation expenses:

Vehicle payment, insurance, gas, maintenance, other.

Projected savings:

Savings will vary by individual needs. You can use a percentage of your income. If you choose that option, then do this step first before anything. Another option is to use a specific amount. Option three is taking an amount from what is left after paying all bills.

Projected entertainment:

Movies, concerts, sporting events, other.

Projected balance:

This is what you projected as your income and subtract all the expenses and savings. Ensure this number is positive. This is the amount that you will have left for your personal use or whatever you decide to spend it on.

Tools used to aid with budgeting:

Acorns – automated savings, investing and cashback rewards, rolled into one. Just $1 monthly fee. (full report)

Credit Sesame – raise your credit score and follow their tips. You will be able to get lower rates in future loans, hence pay less and save money. (full report)

Fundrise – easiest way to save and grow your money while becoming a landlord without the hassle. The best part is you can start with only $500. (full report)

Gabi – is a service that will help you find the lowest price you can find for your car insurance. I saved $936 when I switched. And it took me no more than 10 minutes. (full report)

Ibotta – Save on groceries, get offers and rewards every week. Bonuses and cashback. (full report)

Inboxdollars – watch videos, answer surveys, search the web, get paid, transfer to your paypal account. I use it for extra income (full report)

Lucktastic – extra income, scratch digital lottery tickets, join different contests to win free groceries, free gas, or cash. (full report)

Swagbucks – extra income, get paid to watch videos, search the web, answer surveys and much, much more. (full report)

LendingClub – is my number one (#1) choice to save, and grow your money substantially. But, it is restricted to the United States and some states can’t invest either. Cross your fingers your state is in and not out. Also, you will need some money saved to begin. In order to get all the bonuses, you need to begin with $5,000. If you don’t want the bonuses, it is recommended you begin with half of that. (full report)

Paribus – will verify your emails, keep track of the price you paid for items and get your money back when the item’s price drops. Also, can get you compensated when your shipment is late. Everything while you sleep or go about your day. (full report)

Robinhood – my number one platform for trading. Commission-free and simple. Plus get a free stock like Amazon or Coca Cola when you sign up. (full report)

S’more – easy extra income, download to your phone, get paid every morning when you unlock your phone. Get extra points when you watch videos or complete surveys. Redeem prices. (full report)

Sweatcoin – more extra income, download to your phone, get paid to walk outside your house or building. The idea is to give incentives to individuals while helping them to get or stay in shape. (full report)

Truebill – save on monthly bills and stop overpaying for them too. This app will search for refunds and it will also negotiate on your behalf to get better deals. (full report)

Wish.com – Is my favorite site to buy items coming from China, cutting the middle man out of the picture. Cheaper than eBay, Amazon, Walmart, you name it. Use code: PJXXZYH (full report)

I will leave you with a picture so you know what it needs to look like. At the beginning of the month is going to be projected, but ensure that you keep track of your numbers throughout the month and do it again at the end of the month with your actual numbers. That is how you know, what type of adjustments you have to make. Also, modify it as necessary. Everyone’s circumstances are different.

I hope it helps! Leave your comment below.

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