Having a reliable source of transportation can greatly reduce many of the stresses people have about getting where they need to go on time and without unnecessary hassles. Because of that reality, many families decide that car ownership fits their lifestyles. Even so, it can also be expensive. Fortunately, there are several methods to try that make owning a vehicle compatible with restricted budgets.

Explore Car and Ride Sharing Opportunities

Maybe you’re in a situation where the seats of your car are rarely entirely occupied. If there a few extra spaces during your commute, for example, it’s worth asking around to see if colleagues live in your community or at least along the route you take to work. Consider doing the same for kids your children interact with while at school, provided you ask their parents first. 

Payment protection insurance (PPI) is sold alongside finance agreements and can pay for your mortgage, loan or credit card if you fall ill or lose your job. Over 20-30 years prior to 2006, banks became notorious for not fully explaining exactly what this policy covered or what it entailed when they sold it to their customers, meaning that a staggering number of people were mis-sold PPI. However, nowadays it’s possible to make a claim for compensation and even PPI Companies designed to help you. The UK’s four biggest banks - HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds and RBS -are spending billions paying out PPI claims and with the PPI scandal still continuing in 2018, it‘s still hitting the banks hard. Here’s what they’re paying out.

Every day we are inundated with information about environmental preservation and its benefits. One of the most commonly used phrases is “going green”. Going green entails embracing practices that contribute to the protection of the environment and its natural resources. Whether we realize it or not, every single choice we make impacts the environment to a certain extent. This is because, to support everything we do, we use the earth’s natural resources, some of which are not renewable. These resources include water, oil, wood, and metal among many others. Over time, the environment suffers damage that is in many cases irreversible.  

The thing about saving money that most people seem not to get is the mindset. Without a proper mindset, you are unlikely to get far ahead with your goals for living within your means. On the other hand, you can take advantage of the curated tips in this article giving you five good steps that are worth implementing in your life today to save more money and live a happier life. Studies show that households that deliberately take time to make conscious choices about their expenditure enjoy high levels of happiness in the long-term.

Thus, money, after all, seems to have an effect on happiness, only that this effect comes from the savings parts:

While auto insurance might be something you have to have, depending on your state, it’s also something you want to get the best price for without compromising on the overall quality of your coverage. If you’ve noticed the premiums on your Columbus auto insurance premiums are steadily increasing, there are several reasons why. Knowing just what those reasons are can help you work with your insurance agent to get a better deal and maintain the same coverage.

You’re a Renter

One reason for your increased premiums is that you aren’t a homeowner, but this isn’t true across all insurance carriers. It’s not uncommon for renters to pay as much as six percent more for coverage, so you’ll want to ask your agent outright if you pay more for coverage because you rent your home instead of own one.

Poker is a multi-faceted card game. It’s full of peaks and troughs and, more importantly, it requires you to take responsibility for your own actions and make the right decisions with every hand. In that context, playing poker can enhance many skills and personal qualities essential for making big life decisions, notably your personal finances. Many people claim that poker should be viewed differently to many other types of gambling games. That’s because the balance between luck and skill is far more weighted towards skill in poker. In essence, poker players teach themselves to think logically and outmanoeuvre their opponents by taking advantage of players that act on impulse and refuse to take into consideration everything from pot odds to the percentage chance of a card appearing on the turn or river.

The past 12 months have been incredibly exciting for marketers, especially those who operate online. Social media and data management have become arguably the most powerful tools for brands to leverage and connect with consumers online. What’s in store for 2018? Let’s check out some of this year’s likely marketing trends that consumers should be prepared for in order to make better informed decisions. According to an article from News Watch $25/£19 billion passes between our mobiles and the commercial world every year, we're heading towards a revolution in mobile technology for consumers.

Have you taken a good look at your grocery store receipt lately? Prices are going up. Food costs will continue to take a bigger bite out of your paycheck, unless you decide once and for all - you aren’t going to pay full price anymore.
Invest a little time on the front end and you are sure to save big at the cash register. All you need are a few cool apps, an open mind and a good strategy.

On average, Americans are under-funding their retirements and are anxious about it. The federal government has introduced several defined benefit plans to encourage people to save and invest towards retirement, beginning with the 401k in 1982, followed by the traditional investment retirement account (IRA) and finally the Roth IRA. So what are they? How do you use them? Most importantly which one(s) should you use?

Retirement Savings Tools: 401k, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA & More

401k

401ks were conceived in 1978 as a supplement to company pension funds and quickly replaced them entirely. If you were born after 1985, you may not even be familiar with the concept of a company pension wherein companies guaranteed their retired workers a steady payment for the rest of the retiree’s life.

In today’s economy, we all have to work a little harder to save. ConsumerFu is here to help, with 65 ways to make 2013’s dollar stretch.