Thursday, July 16, 2009

For sale!

Ever heard the phrase, “one man’s garbage, another man’s treasure”?

If you have items you no longer have use for, consider selling them on a site like Ebay or Amazon. It’s a great way to put a few extra dollars in your pocket and your old items can become someone else’s newfound treasure. You can sell almost anything and you might be surprised what you get for it. Recently, I sold a slightly used Vera Bradley tote bag. Originally, I bought the bag, brand new for $48 and sold it on Ebay for $30. Not too bad! I started the bidding at $15 and in the last few hours of sale, there was a small bidding war and I was able to sell it for a nice price.

Whatever it is, you can probably sell it – someone out there will want it for one reason or another. So next time you do a ‘spring cleaning’ it might be wise to take a second look at your discard pile, is there anything you can sell?

Thursday, July 2, 2009

A helpful reminder!

Are you strapped for cash, but the bills keep coming in? A good tip to remember is that you can always try to negotiate with your biller. For example, I recently received an unexpected bill from my doctor’s office for a treatment that insurance refused to cover. I was unable to pay the bill in full so I called the office and they agreed to let me pay in installments due over the next few months. I was able to breathe a sigh of relief and figure out how to work the expense into my monthly budget.

Just remember that especially with the current state of the economy, companies seem more willing to work with you because in the end they need to get paid!

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Living on a budget


You made it through the college years on a dime and now you find yourself doing it again…living on a budget. You have a low paying job, bills to pay and you can no longer rely on your parents – that’s the situation I’m currently facing and the main reason I started this blog.


I recently moved into my first apartment and my bank account took a major hit. I’ve had to adjust my spending to afford rent, utilities, and a better social life. This is all in addition to my current bills which include loans, cell phone, and a nice credit card bill.


I figured blogging about my financial experiences might help myself stay on track and teach others that it can be done! It’s a struggle, but even those on a super tight budget (like myself) can afford to eat, play, and (gasp!) shop.