Personal Finance
Frugal Ways to File Your Taxes
Oct 08, 2024Finding the Cheapest Way to File Taxes
It’s tax season, and you know what that means—long hours of number crunching to file your taxes! So much fun! Some will owe money, and others will receive money. If you’re a part of the latter group, tax filing can be exciting.
But the not-so-exciting part is the time it takes to complete your taxes and the amount of money you must spend to file. But don’t let it get you down. There are plenty of frugal ways to file your taxes. Whether you are due a refund or not, everyone wants to hold onto their money! You just have to find the cheapest way to file your taxes, and we have some great ideas for you.
Your Low-Cost Tax Filing Options
TaxAct
When looking for the cheapest way to file your taxes, TaxAct can be a good option. It’s free for federal tax returns but charges $39.95 per state filing. Check out the deluxe, self-employed and premier tiers with more filing features, including help from tax professionals.
TurboTax
Did you know TurboTax is the leader of the do-it-yourself tax software market? It accounts for about two-thirds of the overall tax preparation market.* You can file your federal taxes for free with TurboTax, but the free edition only supports the simplest tax situations, like state returns and e-filing. For more taxation functions, check out the deluxe and premium editions and add-on options. However, if your tax situation is simple, obviously, there’s no need to purchase the deluxe and premier TurboTax packages.
Free File Alliance
The Free File Alliance is a non-profit coalition of top tax software companies that partner with the IRS to help Americans prepare and file their federal tax returns for free. It’s the cheapest way to file taxes because you do it at no cost. Provided your AGI (adjusted gross income) is $79,000 or less, you can file your taxes for free! Word to the wise–this option is for experienced tax filers. It will do the calculations for you but will not offer additional guidance like tax software.**
Go to irs.gov/freefile
H&R Block
Another popular option for low-cost tax filing is H&R Block. It’s free for simple income tax returns and supports education-related and unemployment income deductions and credits. H & R Block has four online tax preparation tiers, including the free, deluxe, premium and self-employed options. There are also varying degrees of support from tax professionals. So, find a relatively priced filing option, or choose the cheapest way to file your taxes, the free option.
Get A Small Loan To Help With Filing Your Tax Returns
Filing your taxes costs money if you’re not up to taking up the low-cost tax filing alternatives listed above. Free tax filing only has basic features; if you want more ease and professional help, you must pay for it. Even then, look for the cheapest way to file your taxes by evaluating different filing alternatives.
If you need a small loan to pay for low-cost tax filing, get it from the Minute Loan Center. We have a fast application and quick approval that may get you the money you need on the same day, sometimes within 1 hour. Contact us for more information, and a customer service representative will get back to you promptly. Apply for a loan!
SOURCES:
* Hiltzik, Michael. “Intuit Changed TurboTax This Year, Triggering an Enormous Customer Uproar.” Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-intuits-catastrophic-turbotax-20150118-column.html
** “Cheapest Options for Filing Taxes Online.” Trib Total Media, http://triblive.com/business/headlines/7693877-74/free-tax-file#axzz3SJgRso2N
Personal Finance
Protect Your Personal Online Information
Oct 04, 2024Even if you’ve done everything you know about how to protect your personal information online (like regularly changing the password and not recycling it, not clicking on any suspicious links, and never sharing any personal information), one or more of the companies you’ve shared that information with can be breached. Where does that leave you?
It’s easy to leak your personal information into the wrong hands. But there’s still something you can do to protect your personal information further online.
How To Protect Your Personal Information Online
Go to HIBP
A data breach (especially if it’s one of the larger companies, such as PayPal, Target or Equifax) tends to make the news. The more reputable companies should contact you after the news has gone public, but sometimes that doesn’t happen. One of the simpler ways to determine if your personal information is at risk is to go to HaveIBeenPwned.com (HIBP). Once there, enter your email address (or addresses, if you have more), and you’ll get your answer in a few seconds.
Nevertheless, even if you haven’t been “pwned” yet, that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. If a company you do business with has been breached, it’s probably best to assume your information is now on the dark web. You can also sign up for free notifications from HIBP to alert you of any further breaches.
Proceed to learn how to protect your personal information online.
Change your passwords
Switch to strong passwords that have several unique characters. In addition, change your security questions. Contact the affected company and find out just how severe and widespread the breach is and if it will likely involve your information.
If your email address is out there for scammers, you’ll want to be even more vigilant about not responding to suspicious things. Never click on a link asking for personal information unless you’re sure it’s from a trusted source. Even then, consider going to their website instead to protect your personal information online.
Reinforce authentication
Looking for additional ways for how to protect your personal information online? Consider adopting two-factor authentication, especially for sensitive information such as online banking or any other online payment form. It may take a few seconds longer to log into your account, but it’s a lot better than logging into your online banking only to discover the funds have been drained.
Minute Loan Center Protects Your Data
If you’re looking to apply for an online loan but fear for the safety of your personal information, consider Minute Loan Center. We employ bank-level safety protocols that ensure all information you give us is fully protected. We handle your data responsibly and only use it for its intended purpose. If you’ve been wondering how to protect your personal information online when applying for a loan, apply for a Minute Loan Center personal loan. Contact us, and we will help you!
Personal Finance
Sticking to Your Budget
Sep 30, 2024As they say—out with the old, in with the new. If you’ve been working on sticking to your New Year’s resolutions and managing your money better, don’t forget to create a new budget while at it. But it’s one thing to have a budget and another to abide by it.
We have a few tips to help with starting and sticking to a budget. Before you know it, you’ll save money and track your expenses like never before!
Tips to Help With Starting and Sticking to Your Budget
Here are some valuable tips to guide you:
Income
Did you experience an increase in your income this year? If so, you must calculate how much of an increase you made compared to last year. You never know where you’re going until you know where you’ve been, right? You will want to look at how much money you’re bringing home to determine later how much you’re spending, and where you’re spending your money.
See areas where you could make some cuts and others that need a boost. For example, you could get rid of your Netflix subscription and opt for free entertainment sources. Also, if you go to a yoga studio every week, you could keep the yoga sessions in your life but practice at home.
If you haven’t had an increase, write down your income anyway. It’s a critical step towards sticking to a budget.
Budget
Next, you’ll want to figure out what expenses you’re paying with your income. To determine how much your take-home pay should be spent on certain monthly expenses, learn about the 50/30/20 rule.
Make a list of what you want to cut back on. Look at what you spent the last six months and calculate how much you’d save if you scaled back. These numbers motivate and encourage sticking to your budget.
Money Tracking Sheet
Create a spreadsheet to help account for every dollar spent. It’s a great way to practice sticking to a budget. That way, if you review your budget, you know exactly how it happened and can make the proper adjustments.
Get A Loan To Start You Off
All good things take time. When you see yourself sliding back to your old spending habits – remember why you started! It’s a new year and a new you. 😉
If you need help kick starting your new finance journey by sorting out your other financial commitments, apply for a loan. Minute Loan Center offers generous, affordable loans you can repay comfortably without straining your budget. Apply today and get help sticking to your budget.
Personal Finance
Invest Your Tax Refund
Sep 30, 2024Many people view their tax refund as “free money,” and blow it on a vacation or shopping spree. But the reality is that your tax return is a part of your annual income. It is money you worked hard for. Our consumer loans experts encourage you to reconsider what you do with your tax refund this spring. Instead of splurging on material goods, try continuing your good fortune in a way that will give you a better financial cushion: Invest your tax refund.
Read on to learn how to invest your tax return and grow your income below:
How To Invest Your Tax Refund
We suggest investing your tax refund in these three ways:
1. Put it in a savings account
It may seem simple, but it’s effective. According to a 2016 GoBankingRates Survey, 69% of Americans have less than $1,000 in their savings account, and 34% have no savings at all. Even if you only put a few hundred dollars in your savings, you would be better off than 34% of Americans. If you invested your entire tax refund (the average of $3,120), you would be three times better off than the majority of your peers.
2. Make an investment
Perhaps you’ve wanted to make a large investment, but you’ve been waiting for that financial cushion to allow you to do so. Since your tax refund is money you didn’t technically have, use it to take a calculated risk. Invest the tax refund in real estate, a tech startup, or an up-and-coming stock.
3. Pay off a high-interest loan
Using your tax refund to pay off a high-interest loan can save thousands of dollars in the long run. It could also ease your financial burden because it saves you the money you would be using to make your monthly loan payments.
How To invest Your Tax Return: Additional Options
If you’re unsure about how to invest your tax refund even with the three options above, consult a certified financial planner. While it is up to you what you do with your money, finance experts will give you more insight regarding each option and guide you through your first steps. By making smart choices with your money now, you are setting yourself up for a comfortable financial future.
If you’re looking to invest your tax refund in a sizable project that needs additional funding, our experts will process your Minute Loan Center loan application and loan you money to launch your project successfully. Apply online or visit us at a location near you to get you started. We’ll help you apply for a loan!
Personal Finance
How a Debt Default Could Affect YOU!
Sep 25, 2024With only days left until the U.S. default deadline, a mix of angst and anger is setting in at home and abroad. While the world watches, Americans such as you, our readers, most want to know what will happen when the country has defaulted on debt and the meaning that this carries to people’s everyday lives. They also want to know what they can do to prepare.
To help answer some of those questions, let’s start with three basics:
What To Expect After the USA Defaulted On Payment
Here’s what is likely to happen after defaulting:
1. Your Investments
Experts on both sides of the aisle urge investors not to make drastic changes. Instead, focus on having enough cash on hand in case of an emergency. “If you’ve got money in stocks that you need in the next five years, it doesn’t belong there – it never belonged there,” says TODAY’s Financial Editor, Jean Chatsky. “But, if you’re thinking long term, you have time to ride this out.”
2. Your Credit
After the country has defaulted on debt, expect interest rates to shoot upward across the board for consumers, meaning that all kinds of borrowing, including credit cards, car payments, and mortgages, will be more costly. The best thing you can do for yourself financially at this moment is to pay down or pay off your current high-interest debts because their rates could go up even further after the default.
3. Your Job
Though we’re still coming out of the last recession, unemployment rates remain abnormally high as many companies cautiously ease back into the marketplace. If you’re fortunate enough to be employed currently, you should ensure you stay marketable and employable. If you’re looking for a job, understand that finding one may take a bit longer. In either scenario, American consumers should be stocking up on short-term savings.
Get A Minute Loan Center Loan
As we wait to see what will happen after America has defaulted on payment, it’s best to secure yourself and your household with some cash in hand. Apply for a Minute Loan Center loan and pay it off in small installments. Our repayment terms are favorable to ensure comfortable borrowing without disrupting your budget too much.
Contact us for more information and help applying for a loan. Your little stash of money could save you on a rainy day after America has defaulted on debt, since no one really knows the true meaning this debt could have on our lives. Apply for a loan!
Personal Finance
Kids: Expect the Unexpected?
Aug 24, 2024Having children is a huge responsibility. Not only are you responsible for making sure this little person is safe, but you are responsible for providing the bare essentials and a little more.
Unfortunately, the bare necessities are expensive. Most people aren’t prepared for these expenses as well as the unexpected situations that arise with children.
Like they always say, “expect the unexpected”… especially with kids! So, buckle up and get ready for the ride because it gets weirder every second. Emergencies come up all the time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare for them. It certainly doesn’t mean you need to avoid having children; just know what lies ahead of you.
Accidents & Emergencies
If a child makes it safely into adulthood without breaking any bones, it’s a miracle! Accidents are bound to happen with children; accidents that often involve blood, broken bones, cuts, burns and lots of crying. Not what you’d call “good times”.
Let’s say your child is playing on the monkey bars, falls off, and breaks a leg. Then all of a sudden you have to take your child to the emergency room, and we all know how expensive that can be.
Food Allergies
What about the day you find out your child has food allergies? So much for that perfect grocery list. Right? Lol.
Not only does this new obstacle affect monthly expenses, but severe allergies can be terrifying especially if your child has to use the EpiPen. The EpiPen can save lives, but ensuring that your child has access to it has to be carefully planned out.
If you can’t think of any unexpected things you might have to deal with when having children, don’t worry—just think about all the things your parents went through with you. How did they handle it? More than likely—very well, because you’re still alive! 😉 Just do what they did!
Personal Finance
7 Steps to Financial Independence
Aug 15, 2024When we celebrate Independence Day, we remember the historic day our country declared freedom from Great Britain’s rule. Your independence does not have to stop with one celebration. Just because the holiday has passed doesn’t mean you can’t become financially independent and secure. Think of your finances and what it will take to accomplish such a feat. The United States of America gained independence in 1776 – make this the year you conquer your finances with these seven simple steps to financial independence.
7 Steps To Becoming Financially Independent
Do the following to achieve your financial independence goals:
1. Save money
It may sound cliché, but saving your coins will always benefit you. Think about it – what if you have an emergency and no money? The situation can get tougher if you don’t have anyone to rely on. So, why not save yourself the torture and make a little nest egg? Put it away in a savings account with a separate bank so you aren’t tempted to dip into it when you log into your account online.
2. Carpool
There are several benefits to carpooling that will ultimately save you money and nudge you toward becoming financially independent. Firstly, gas is expensive. I’d personally much rather torch my car than pay for gas. But luckily there are much more sensible options for steps to financial independence.
Carpooling allows you to chip in a portion of gas costs instead of carrying the burden alone.
It also saves your tires from wearing down and spending money on car maintenance. Plan to be ready early, though.
If the driver has to pick up other passengers, you don’t want to be the one holding everyone up. If everyone carpooled once a week, traffic would be reduced by twenty percent. That means less pollution and more clean air. Look at you saving money and the environment at the same time! 🙂
3. Create a New Budget
Talking about money can make anyone’s skin crawl, and the mere thought of budgeting can make you want to gag. We get it! It is totally understandable, but to become financially free, you’ve got to … like Nike says, “Just Do It!”
If you don’t have a budget, make one. If the one you have isn’t working for you, create a new one. Becoming financially independent necessitates knowing your spending limits. Look at your budget every day and remember the goal you want to accomplish! Even if you must recite affirmations like, “I can be financially free,” every day, positivity goes a long way. You can do it!
4. Pay Down your Credit Cards
The fourth of the steps to achieve financial independence is to pay down your credit cards and refrain from making additional purchases while in the “pay-off” phase.
Using your income to make purchases instead of credit will keep you out of further debt. If you make payments on your credit card and continue to charge purchases to your card, it will keep you in a never-ending cycle of debt. Your goal is to get out and get out for good.
5. Cut Costs
Becoming financially independent means that you have accumulated enough financial resources to cover your living expenses without having to work for your money. To accumulate money, ensure that you’re keeping something aside from all you earn.
If you are living above your means, it would be wise to cut back immensely. However, if you live from paycheck to paycheck, look at your expenses and see if you can cut them down. Do you watch a lot of TV? If not, ask yourself if you could go without cable. A Netflix or Hulu subscription could save you big bucks. Try dining in instead of eating out. If you need other ideas on how to cut costs, click here. The sacrifice will pay off once you are free from debt.
6. Pseudo Lay-A-Way
Next in our steps to financial independence is the matter of purchases. Where in the rule book of spending does it say not to spend? It doesn’t! It’s okay to go shopping even when in high gear on the journey to becoming financially independent. Just don’t break the bank. Put yourself on a budget. Know what you want before you go inside the store, make your purchase, and run like the wind. We don’t advise you to put on horse blinders, but hey, whatever it takes 🙂.
If you want to buy something expensive, plan for it. Set aside a certain amount of money and save towards your big purchase. Then, put some money away every month until you have enough.
7. Join a Support Group
Hello, my name is [insert your name here], and I’m a shopaholic. We’re kidding! It is very hard to go on this journey alone, and it’s okay to find a support group or a friend to encourage you when you need it or to yank the credit card out of your hand, cut it into tiny pieces, and drag you out of the store. Being around people who know your goal of becoming financially independent can keep you focused and will help you get to the finish line.
No matter what, stay focused. You can become financially independent and free from debt. It is an attainable goal! All you have to do is take the steps to financial independence, essentially changing your spending and saving habits. When you reach your goal, you can have your own fireworks, just like the Fourth of July festivities nationwide. Wait—that’s illegal … Maybe you can throw confetti?! Lol!
Anyway, celebrate! The fruits of your labor have finally paid off.
Take A Loan To Help
If high-interest loans tie you down, the first thing to do on your journey to becoming financially independent is to free yourself from them. Get a Minute Loan Center loan and consolidate your debt into one affordable loan. We aim to set up our clients for financial success, and we endeavor to keep our interest rates relatively low. Apply for a loan today and take the first steps to achieve financial independence. Contact us for more information or help with your loan application.
Personal Finance
8 Legal Ways to Get Emergency Cash Quickly
Aug 10, 2024In the United States, an overwhelming 44% of Americans cannot afford to cover a $1,000 emergency. If you fall into this category, feeling helpless in an emergency can be disheartening. But, not to worry. This article will give you some tips to help you get emergency cash legally.
Quick Ways To Get Emergency Cash When You Need It
Here are the ways to get money quickly:
1. Apply for A Personal Loan
A personal loan is a loan facility that allows you to borrow a lump sum amount of money to pay for personal expenses and repay the funds in scheduled monthly installments over a predetermined period. Since you can use the money for whatever need, you can apply for a personal loan to get emergency cash.
For the most part, when you get approved for a personal loan, you get access to the funds the same day or the next day. Even if you don’t get access to the funds immediately, it should only take a few days to access them.
One of the best things about a personal loan is that you don’t need a perfect credit score to qualify. It’s one of the ways to get emergency cash that almost everyone can access, provided you approach the right lender. Online lenders like Minute Loan Center tend to be the most lenient with their lending terms.
2. Sell Old or Broken Jewelry
Alt text: Old ring
Do you have old or broken silver or gold jewelry around your home? Sometimes, when people have a missing gold earring or the clasp of a necklace breaks, they hope to get around to replacing it, but they never do. Selling old jewelry when pressed for cash is one of the fastest ways to get emergency cash.
When selling your jewelry, you can do so via different channels, such as a pawnshop, online “we buy gold” services or even selling it to your friends and family. It would help if you got different quotes because many places want to pay you the lowest possible price.
3. Start Collecting Debts
If you ever loaned any of your friends or family money, it’s time to collect these debts. Collecting debts from those closest to you is not as easy as it sounds, but it can be a quick way to get emergency cash.
You can make it all about them to make you feel more comfortable asking people to pay you back. For example, if you offer them a discount, they’ll be more likely to pay you back.
While it depends on how much money they owe you, try giving them a noticeable discount. If they owe you $300, tell them you’re willing to settle the debt for $250.
4. Borrow Money from Friends or Family
If you got denied a personal loan or didn’t have access to a cash advance, you can always try to borrow money from friends or family.
Borrowing a manageable cash amount from someone you know is one of the best ways to get emergency cash. You will not have to deal with the loan application, but you won’t have to pay back a heavy interest.
If none of your friends and family have access to cash right away, you can ask them if they have old electronics they don’t use that you could sell for money. Most of the time, people have valuables they didn’t even know they had.
5. Borrow From Retirement Accounts
Do you have a 401(k) or IRA account? If you participate in any retirement account programs, you can borrow money from your vested account balance to get emergency cash.
Although the terms vary, you will generally receive the money within 60 days. You can borrow up to 50k and pay it back in five years. Keep in mind that if you don’t start making payments within the first 90 days, this will become taxable income.
6. Nonprofit Community Programs
Nonprofit community programs are another great way of getting money in an emergency. They can help you find funds in places you didn’t think of before. For example, they can help you qualify for community borrowing and help you find ways to cover your utility bills, food, and rent. So, keep them in mind as one of the ways to get emergency cash fast.
7. Sell Your Unused Items Online
Alt text: Old sewing machine
Many people don’t know the value of all the unused items in their homes. Nowadays, you can use the internet to sell gently used items.
To get the emergency cash you need, go through your home and look for items to sell. One of the most obvious things you can sell online is your clothes. Plenty of platforms will buy your gently used clothing from you. eBay and Amazon are some of the best sites to sell pre-owned garments.
Besides clothes, other items you could sell to get quick cash are old books, broken phones, furniture, antiques, and such. You never know how many quality items you have in your home until you do a full sweep-through.
8. Installment Loans
The last of the ways to get emergency cash is to apply for an installment loan. Unlike other loans with short borrowing periods, like pawning or payday loans, installment loans have some of the most flexible terms.
For example, with an installment loan, you get a repayment schedule that allows you to pay small amounts of money each month without disrupting your monthly budget too much. Each payment consists of a portion of the principal and a portion of the interest, and since the interest rates offered are low, paying the loan is easier and quicker compared to other loans like predatory payday loans.
Also, note that installment loans are either secure or unsecured. If you get a secured installment loan, you will be asked to come up with collateral. Unsecured loans, on the other hand, don’t require collateral.
Are You Ready to Get Emergency Cash?
Now that you know how to access cash in case of an emergency, it’s time to start the process. Of the above ways to get emergency cash, the quickest is to apply for a Minute Loan Center personal loan. Selling jewelry and used items, collecting debt, and borrowing money could take a while to get the needed cash. However, we guarantee a quick application and an even quicker approval. Our in-house creditors are waiting for your loan application and processing it promptly. Depending on the time you apply, you’ll likely have the cash you need on the same day. Are you ready to see if you qualify for a loan? Contact us for more information; we will help you get the emergency cash you need. Apply for a loan today!
Personal Finance
Building an Emergency Fund
Aug 04, 2024Learning how to build an emergency fund proves useful later on when finances are tight, and getting a loan is difficult, especially for people with bad credit. So, we have nine ways to get you started.
Saving an emergency fund of at least three to six months of your expenses is a great way to stay financially secure in uncertain times. Read on to learn nine ways of building an emergency fund now!
How to Build An Emergency Fund: 9 Ways
1. Reassess Your Budget
One trick to building an emergency fund is to reassess your monthly budget. The best way to begin is to create a list of all your income and bills for each month.
Writing out this information will help you see clearly where your money is going each month. On the ‘bills’ side of the page, write down your monthly must-haves and extra expenses.
Are there any unnecessary expenses that you can do away with? Look for magazine subscriptions, streaming services, or other things you don’t need.
Don’t let a bad credit score stop you from finding ways to save money!
2. Start a Side Hustle
A second option in regards to how to build an emergency fund with bad credit is starting a side hustle. Did you know that 43 percent of full-time workers in the United States have a side job? This extra work can help you save money for an emergency fund, pay off debt, and more!
Do you have an interest or exceptional talent you can monetize somehow? For example, you may work full-time for a bank and be a talented writer. Look for freelance opportunities that pay you for your work.
This extra money you earn in your side hustle can be put into a separate account you use to build up your emergency fund!
3. Setup Automatic Deposits to Savings
Another strategy for building an emergency fund with little effort is to set up automatic deposits to your savings account. This makes your deposits like having automatic bill-pay as you would for a car payment or electric bill.
For example, when you prepare your budget, how much money is left over at the end of each month? What percent of that money do you need to live on, and what can you save?
When you decide on the amount you can save, send that money to your savings account automatically each month. This is how to ensure that there’s money flowing each month, and you will build an emergency fund, without doing a lot of extra legwork.
4. Pay Off Credit Card Debt
Consumer debt, such as a large credit card balance, can be crushing financially. The average American has $6,194 in credit card debt! With high interest rates and other service charges, carrying a balance on your credit card can keep you in debt for a long period.
Look for ways that you can begin chipping away at any balances on your credit cards. Minimizing your debt first is how you dig yourself out of your financial hole, improve your credit score, and set aside money to build an emergency fund.
It may also be beneficial to consider using a certain amount of money each month to pay off credit card debt and sending the rest to an emergency fund account.
5. Save Raises
It’s nice to earn a raise at work, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend it! Saving your raises is an effective strategy for building an emergency fund without necessarily changing your lifestyle.
For example, if your take-home pay increases 10 percent from $3,500 each month to $3,850, what will you do with the extra $350? Instead of increasing your expenses by that amount, consider sending that $350 straight to savings.
At the end of each year, you’d have $4,200 in your emergency fund account!
6. Clip Coupons or Save Email Offers
Saving coupons and email incentives is a fun way to keep money in your pocket and put it towards your emergency fund. Do you receive a copy of the newspaper each day? If not, going online can be a great way to go green while saving on your expenses.
What are some of the products that you buy each month? While many of these products may not go on sale at the store, special savings coupons may be available online or by signing up for an email list.
The money you save can be sent to a separate account you don’t touch unless there’s an emergency.
7. Sell Your Stuff
Selling the things you don’t need or use is a great way to turn your junk into money and can be a great first step when you’re working on how to build an emergency fund. One of the best ways to prepare for this is by cleaning out each room in your home.
As you go through these items, do you use them regularly or expect to use them in the next few months? If the answer is ‘no’ to both of those questions, it may be time to have a yard sale or post it for sale online, so you can start building an emergency fund.
Besides helping to keep your home free of extra clutter, you will turn your useless items into cash!
8. Find Ways to Lower Your Bills
When you prepare your list of monthly bills, you may find specific bills you can’t live without. Based on where you live, you may not have a lot of control over the company that provides electricity and water.
That’s not the case for many other bills. If you have service through certain companies for things like car insurance, internet, and cable, have you looked at the price charged by their competitors?
Spending time to look at the price of competition can present great opportunities to cut back on your monthly bills! It may be time-consuming, but it is a sacrifice worth making in regards to how to build an emergency fund.
9. Bike or Walk More Often
Driving a vehicle is convenient, but that doesn’t mean you always need to use it. Biking or walking instead of driving to places near your home or office is a good way to exercise while also spending less money.
Instead of using gas and putting mileage on your vehicle, you can get some fresh air and walk to a store or restaurant. When you cut down your transportation costs, you can put this money into building an emergency fund!
How to Build an Emergency Fund: Final Thoughts
You can build an emergency fund whether your credit is good or bad! By reviewing your financial situation, you can find ways to cut down on your expenses and begin to save money. However, if you find saving hard, consider getting a Minute Loan Center line of credit to get emergency cash when needed, and pay off the balance in installments.
Need Emergency Funds?
Minute Loan Center also offers other fast-processing loans that you can take out in case of an emergency. Our lending requirements are easy to ensure that you access the money when you need it. Contact us to start the loan application process. A customer service representative will contact you promptly.
Lastly, check out our blog section for more resources, like our post on how to build good credit with a personal loan, and other resources on how to build an emergency fund for the rainy days. We look forward to working with you and helping you get the financial help you need. So, go ahead and apply for a loan!
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