Good news, the IRS has raised the 401K plan limits for 2013.

The 2013 maximum 401K Contribution

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Have you ever had to say I’m Broke? Well if you have this is for you. You’ve got money problems and you can’t figure how to crawl out of the hole you’ve dug for yourself.  The bills keep stacking up and try as you might to pay things off, your bank account is going further and further in the red with each passing day.  You just cannot seem to find a way to pay your bills.  What can you do to kick your bad money habits once and for all?  Hire a company to consolidate your debt into one easy payment?  Go on a spending detox?

Although each solution provides positive outcomes, you need to build a better relationship with your finances not just bandage the crack in your piggy bank.

Here are some tips that will help you kick your bad money habits once and for all:

1. Stop treating money like an enemy.  If you see money as a means to an end, you’ll never be prosperous.  You are exchanging your precious time on this planet for a paycheck.  Equate every minute worked with one that you’ll never get back.  If that doesn’t change your perspective nothing will.  If you’re tired of toiling, stop wasting your time and money.
2. Start saving something each paycheck.  Determine how much money you can reasonably save in a month and have it automatically deducted from your account each pay period.  A popular savings plan involves saving $1 dollar the first week, $2 the second week, $3 the third week for a grand total of $1378 in 52 weeks.  If you can’t see yourself saving that amount, try for at least half that amount.  Anyone can do it if they’re diligent enough at finding ways to save money.
3. Know exactly what you’re paying for.  Become an informed consumer.  Know which fees you’re being charged and why.  Stop carelessly paying your bills and scrutinize your statements.  Call the company that is providing service to you and ask why you’re being charged for certain items.
4. Quit buying expensive software.  There are plenty of free programs to choose from.  For example, use OpenOffice for documents and spreadsheets.
5. Stop being so lavish with your entertainment budget.  Borrow books from the library or download free ebooks online.  Rent a Redbox movie versus buying one.  Host a clothing swap at your home.  Take advantage of the free events going on in your city.  Even the smallest communities have festivals, concerts in the park, and museum days.
6. Buy a filtration system and kick your bottled water habit.  If you insist on “purified” water, purchase a filtration water pitcher or attachment for your tap.  You’ll save a bundle and reduce the amount of plastic you buy.

There are plenty of ways you can break your bad money habits.  Strive to make small changes and before you know it, you’ll notice a big difference in how you handle your finances.  You’ll have less debt and more savings.  You’ll be better prepared for emergencies.  You’ll stop depending so much on your job and appreciate the little things once again.  That’s what kicking a bad money habit does for you.

Crowdfunding is a popular way to get the word out about your project’s financial needs.  Through a number of different crowdfunding websites, you can share details about what you’re up to, give donors an idea of exactly how much you need in the way of funding, and even offer sample products and services as thank you gifts to backers as a way of thanking them for their support. Which Websites Are Best for Raising Funds? Here is a list of the best crowdfunding sites where crowdfunding prevails:

• Kickstarter.  A valuable resource for projects small and large, Kickstarter provides people with a place to gain support for their films, games, music, artwork, design projects, software, and inventions.  Since 2009, more than 3.9 million people have pledged over $575 million dollars and funded over 39,000 creative projects.  Creators work directly with backers to make their projects come to life.  Best of all, you keep 100% ownership of your work.  That means you profit from your efforts long after your idea takes shape.
• IndieGoGo.  With a mission of getting your passion funded, is it any wonder that IndieGoGo remains a favorite source for crowdfunding creative projects?  Founded in 2007, it has seen thousands of campaigns funded, millions of dollars raised, and a whole lot of new businesses being born.
• Crowdit.  Dreamers announce their project and Believers pledge support so that projects come into fruition.  The process of getting funded is easy.  Simply submit your project to Crowdit, use their tools to revolutionize your fundraising efforts, and enjoy the supportive atmosphere of the website’s community.  The founders of Crowdit want to “break down the barriers of creativity and entrepreneurship” and we feel like they’re doing just that it with their popular crowdfunding website.
• RocketHub.  Crowdfund through RocketHub and you’ll experience the following list of benefits according to the company’s website:

1. Free to launch and no upfront barriers
2. Keep the funds you raise (not an ‘all or nothing’ model)
3. Fastest payout, lower fees
4. Latest industry news
5. Opportunity for broad exposure on A&E
6. Potential to have A&E as your funder – significant funds allocated to RocketHub projects
7. International access
8. Unique, simple crowdfunding education – curriculum and tools
9. Most diverse community – art, science, business, and social good

Signing up for an account is fast and free so what are you waiting for?  Get people to donate and help fund your dream right away.  Television network A&E is one of the company’s partners.  They offer their own resources for entrepreneurs. Receive funding and support for whatever it is that inspires you.  Write that book about budget travel, pay for the app you want to develop or raise knowledge about a cause that’s worth fighting for.  Choose the crowdfunding website that best meets your needs and put your social media skills to use promoting your project.  Your dream is only as big as you make it.  You can raise funds in a revolutionary way through websites like Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, Crowdit, and Rockethub.

Have any of you had experience with any of these crowdfunding website?

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The reality is that having life insurance is probably a good idea, but shopping for it can be a chore. If you work full time and receive benefits from your employer, you may want to check to see if they offer a group term life insurance plan for starters. Since this may only require a quick call to the human resources department it makes sense to start there.

This came up recently here, which is why I wanted to bring it up. My wife came home with a packet of information about the term life insurance offered through work, and since we have been meaning to reassess our insurance coverage, it was a perfect opportunity to see how much it costs and compare it with other companies to see if it was a good deal or not.

One of the benefits of using your employer’s group plan is that you may be able to receive a decent amount of coverage without the requirement of having a medical exam. For those who may not be in great health, this can be quite a benefit if the group plan doesn’t require this while outside companies may, and may end up costing you more or be denied entirely. So, that is one thing to consider.

The other benefit is that when working with your employer’s plan it will come out of your paycheck just like your other benefits, so it’s simple. No monthly or annual payments to make, no missed payments, no stamps or mailing anything in, no setting up automatic bill payments, etc.

So, after looking through my wife’s plan I noticed the rates were quite affordable. We could receive five times her annual salary for around $21 per pay period, and this was with no medical exam. Even though this seemed reasonable, going this far was just enough to encourage us to find quotes from other companies to compare. And good thing we did. After looking around a bit we found two other options that were actually a bit cheaper for the same amount of coverage. That being said, even though the employer’s plan wasn’t the most affordable, simply checking into it made us then explore more options and find out just how affordable the insurance can be.

Now, like many employee benefits there is one big drawback. If you go with your employer’s plan it will typically only be available as long as you are employed there. If you go on to change jobs, get fired, or quit, the life insurance will go away as well. When you get a policy with a company on your own, you’ll have coverage no matter who you work for, so keep that in mind.

In the end, getting life insurance through your employer may or may not be the best for your situation, but at the very least it’s worth checking into. It’s easy, it may not require any health exams, and the premiums will come right out of your check like your other benefits. But if you go far enough to check into your employer’s plan, take the extra step and get a few quotes from other companies just to compare. You may be surprised at how affordable this crucial part of your financial wellness may be.

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I’ve always been a giver.  In fact, I enjoy giving more than I do receiving.  That’s why it was hard for me to completely give up giving gifts when I started living on a strict budget.  Rather than forgo celebrations, I approach them in a much more frugal way than before.

cheap gift ideas

Here is how you can give gifts without putting a dent in your bank account:

1. Create a budget for gifts and stick to it.  Just like any other area of finance, your spending can be out of control.  With so many reasons to celebrate, it can become very easy to buy more than you can afford.  Rather than go broke buying gifts for your relatives and friends, set an amount for this expenditure and stick to it.  When you’re out of money, you simply stop buying gifts.
2. Shop clearance bins, yard sales, and thrift stores.  You can find a wide variety of items that make great gifts for cheap by shopping around.  The sooner you start looking for items the better.  You never know when the perfect gift will wind up on clearance at your favorite retailer or be sold for mere change at a yard sale.  Things are only as valuable as you believe them to be.  If someone doesn’t want it in their home anymore, they’re likely to get you a great deal on the item that you’re interested in purchasing.
3. Create a handmade gift.  Use your talent to make a one-of-a-kind gift.  If you’re a baker, create a loaf of banana or pumpkin bread.  If you’re a photographer, frame one of your best shots.  If you make jewelry, create a signature piece with the supplies you have on hand.  A little creativity goes a long way in making a meaningful gift.
4. Earn points and trade them in for gift certificates.  There are plenty of credit cards that allow you to earn points and trade them in for gift certificates. Here is a list of some of the best incentive credit cards for you to check out.  After you start spending you can build up a you can use you incentives balance to purchase a gift.  If you don’t have a clue what to get, give the gift certificate with a sentimental card.  Letting someone else pick their own gift is often ideal.

There are plenty of ways to give gifts on the cheap and as you just take some time to think about it the cheap gift ideas will start flowing.  You don’t need a black card to treat the people in your life well.  By planning ahead, scoping out sales, and making use of points programs, you can extend your gift giving budget by a lot.

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If you are like me when I’m broke the first thing I think of is how to save money fast. But why not change that mindset a bit and start thinking of ways to make money. There are so many different ways to make money. You can make money online, make money with photography, make money selling T-shirts, make money with a garage sale, and the list goes on. But one of the quickest ways is to sell your old cell phone or to sell your old electronics.

If you have old electronics collecting dust in your house, chances are you’re sitting on a goldmine.  A number of websites offer to buy your used goods for cash and the longer you wait the less valuable they become.

For example, Gazelle.com pays for iPhones, iPods, and iPads.  They’ll even purchase broken ones for a fair price.  The longer you take to send the product to them; however, the greater the chance Gazelle will fulfill their need and not want your old electronic.  That’s why it’s so important to request an offer from them right away.

Here are some other places that you can make money off of your old electronics:

• NextWorth (http://www.nextworth.com)
• Amazon (http://www.amazon.com)
• RadioShack (http://www.radioshack.com)
• BuyMyTronics (http://www.buymytronics.com)
• iOffer (http://www.ioffer.com)
• eBay (http://www.ebay.com)

Follow these general rules when selling used goods to any company:

1. Make sure to report the condition of the item accurately.  If it has physical damage or doesn’t power on, be honest about it.  Many companies specialize in repairing and refurbishing electronic items.  It doesn’t hurt to ask if these items are accepted by a website but it most certainly will hurt you if you mislead them by stating that an item is brand new or in pristine condition when it’s not.
2. Include all chargers and accessories as it adds value to your items.  People will want power supplies, headphones, and USB cables.  If you have access to these items, make sure to include them with your electronic device.  If you have user manuals and the box, this can also add value to your electronic.  Read each site’s rules before mailing these items because they may be using your device strictly for parts.
3. Take advantage of free shipping.  Many companies provide a valuable service by allowing you to ship your used electronics to them for free.  Try to select a company that offers this service that way you can keep more of the profit and pay less out of pocket to get your used computer, iPad or mobile phone to them.
4. Keep tabs on what payments you’re expecting.  Note when an item was sent out and to whom.  Pay attention to the timeframe stated on a website for payments to be received.  If you do not receive your funds by that date, contact the company with detailed information about your transaction.  This will allow them to trace your product and get your payment to you in a timely manner.

It pays to go through the garage and those old junk drawers in search of old electronics.  You never know how much something is worth to another person until you do some research.

If you can’t find a website that will buy your item outright, try your luck on an online auction site.  People are looking for the exact devices that you have on hand and the sooner you send them out the more money you’ll get paid.  Technology changes so quickly that it’s easy for items to lose their value if held onto for too long.

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Ever wondered how to start a business, or better yet, ever wondered how to start a business with no money?

In today’s competitive marketplace, it pays to be creative. Many times with no money in there pocket, businesses and savvy entrepreneurs are born.  If you think you have the characteristics of an entrepreneur, but you are money poor and rich with ideas, read on.  There are plenty of ways for the cash strapped to start and promote their businesses.

cash strapped?

Here are five tips for savvy entrepreneurs:

1. Make it your mission to spend as little money as possible on the things you need for your business.  Take advantage of free software like OpenOffice and websites like HitTail that custom selects keyword phrases that drive traffic to you.  Acquire free office equipment through Freecycle and Craigslist.  Make use of free trial offers and use special discounts and rebates for business owners.  This will allow you to make the most of every dollar you spend.
2. Barter with other businesses.  Don’t discount the power of trade.  There’s so much you can do just by asking other business owners if they’re willing to barter with you.  Before making a deal, put it in writing.  This will protect you from any misunderstandings that come your way.  It will also be a binding contract which allows you to collect agreed upon goods or services in a timely manner.
3. Make the most of your advertising dollars by making them work twice as hard for you.  Include advertising material in other mailings.  This is a great way to promote your products and services without adding to the cost of postage.  People in your target demographic are likely receiving mail from you already.  Take the opportunity to introduce them to your latest marketing campaign by including materials in with mailed price quotes and invoices.
4. Use testimonials to create credibility.  According to Dave Kerpen, author of Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook (and other social networks),”The great news about the new world of communications we live in today is that everybody has a shot.  Build a great product, get the word out to a few people, make it easy for people to share with their friends, and you can win without spending a boatload.”  Word-of-mouth advertising goes a long way in today’s world of business.
5. Time your payments.  Ask vendors if they reward customers with a discount for paying early.  If they don’t, pay your invoices as late as possible without incurring fees.  Money in the bank earns you a return and not someone else.  This gives you more control over your finances and allows you to keep track of spending efficiently.  Use spreadsheet to measure how much money is coming in and how much money is going out each month.

You don’t need a lot of money to start a business.  By making use of free resources, you can reduce costs, drive customers to your business, and retain them like never before.  Promote your new products and services with tools that you have on hand.  It’s easy and best of all, it puts your creativity to the test.

Be sure to not forget about writing a business plan!

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When people start to repair bad credit, they oftentimes land at Credit Karma. While most people enjoy the idea of the service, many are not sure it is legitimate. In reality, Credit Karma is a great service that a savvy consumer must use. Of course, many vigilant consumers will still have their doubts about the business. Here is a quick guide for a consumer who wants to learn more about Credit Karma and how it works.

Completely free: Oftentimes, a user will sign up for a “free credit score” only to find out that the score is not free. Not only that, the consumer will only find out the monitoring service costs money once he or she has entered all of their personal information. With Credit Karma, a user can sign up and will never have to give his or her credit card information.

Make money: Naturally, most people probably wonder how the company makes money. They make money in a couple of ways. For starters, when logged in, Credit Karma will recommend credit cards to their users. When clicking the link and signing up for a card, the company will then make a small commission. Furthermore, with this service, a consumer will receive monthly emails with advertisements. Of course, a client can easily opt out of the promotion emails at any time. While other services charge a fee or sell information, they only make money by sending relevant marketing emails and showing relevant advertisements.

credit karma review

Secure: There is no doubt about it; Credit Karma is a legitimate service. In fact, the company has an A rating with the Better Business Bureau and has only eight complaints filed against them in the past. Some fear using Credit Karma as it requires the customer to provide his or her social security number. This fear is unfounded; when you go to check your credit score with any service, a user must give their social security number as a way for the company to get access to their data. Furthermore, the company uses SSL for their website and takes plenty of steps to ensure the safety of their customer’s information.

Scores: Credit Karma provides customers their TransUnion credit score. The company updates the information often, which allows a user to see what direction where their score is heading. In addition, a customer will receive his or her TransUnion auto grade. Finally, a consumer can get access to his or her Vantage Score, which is a cumulative score across all three credit bureaus. Without a doubt, the TransUnion score is the most valuable information that Credit Karma offers, though the other two scores are valuable to most customers.

Understanding: When looking at a credit profile, a consumer should understand what he or she is viewing. With a Credit Karma account, a customer will see more than his or her credit score. A user will see the total accounts he or she has, the age of the accounts, the amount of credit inquiries and much more. With all the information provided, a consumer will know exactly where he or she stands.

Simulator: For consumers looking for how to improve credit score, the included simulator is a godsend. With this tool, a user can see what will hurt and improve their score. The simulator will help a customer who wants to get back on track. Ideally, a user would consult the score simulator before making any credit decisions. When doing this, one can avoid any serious dings to his or her credit score.

Alerts: When actively monitoring ones credit score, a user can avoid serious problems. Luckily, Credit Karma alerts users of potential problems. For example, when a user is near a limit on one of his or her cards, the company will inform the client. While it may not seem important, it is crucial for a consumer to take proactive steps to protect his or her credit profile.

Conclusion: There are plenty of upsides to Credit Karma and only a couple of minor downsides. When using this service, a consumer will get a lot of pertinent information. While Credit Karma is certainly not the end-all solution, a consumer who wants to watch his or her credit profile must use the service if he or she wants to stay on top of their personal finances. Not only that, since Credit Karma does not cost any money, it would be foolish for a consumer to forego using Credit Karma.

Go ahead and sign up for Credit Karma by clicking here.

How many of you use Credit Karma?

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Are you a creative soul whose cup runneth over with ideas?  If you are, you’ll be pleased to learn that you can make money online selling your design ideas for t-shirts, and even more items, online.  There are a number of different websites you can go through to make extra money with your designes. There are even some designers making a living off there designers. Threadless, Café Press, and redbubble are just a few of the options available for you to sell your designs online.

Here’s how you can get started making side income off of your creativity:

1. Create your design according to site specifications. Do not copy your design or do a “knock off” of another artist’s design or use words by another writer. Not only will unauthorized use lead to legal problems, it’s just not fair to take someone else’s creation and claim credit and cash benefit for it.  There are exceptions to this rule, but be wary.
2. Select which products you want to create.  T-shirts and other types of apparel like hooded sweatshirts and hats sell well. There are many other items available, too, such as canvas prints, beer steins, and backpacks.  The design can also be used to promote another item in which the customer is interested. A good example is a t-shirt advertising your comic book.
3. Set your price. If you have several designs, charge different prices, even if the design difference is a size difference (charge a couple of dollars more for the larger sizes).
4. Make sure you include payment information so you can start making money off your ideas. Invest in a personal credit card reader to help expedite your orders.

Websites where you can sell your designs:

1. Threadless – Check out the “Artist’s Stories” for ideas on where to begin with your new product. Also, watch for the iPhone app that will be launching soon.
2. Café Press – At this site you will find a wide collection of items to feature your designs including, t-shirts, sweat shirts, hoodies, tank tops, polos, pajamas, bottoms, flip-flops, underwear and panties. Plus, jewelry and bags, children and infant items (not just clothing), a variety of different types of drinkware, wallets, wall art, and much more!
3. redbubble – The home page alone is awe inspiring, but one of the extra’s on this site are the beautiful deck tiles!
4. Imagekind – On this site, you can sell your art for free.
5. Zazzle – Be unique! It’s Zazzle’s tag phrase, and is a pitch worth remembering. Start a wedding design line to sell in your area. Or, one to use at baby showers. There are great ideas to be found on this site.

Not only can you use your designs to make extra money to add to your budget; you can make items to sell for your next fundraiser. Do your own design or let the kids involved in the fundraiser design the art.  It is a great way to raise money or start a business on the side.

What is your favorite website for t-shirts? Did I miss any good ones that you use?

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Obviously, the main benefit to working all summer is making money. Maybe it’s just spending money, or if you’re serious about it, could even help pay your college tuition. While the money is nice, that’s actually not the greatest benefit of finding a summer job. Instead, it’s instilling a solid work ethic at a young age that will come in handy later in life. Not only that, but if you have a good idea of what you want as a career when you get older, you can possibly find a summer job that gets your foot in the door and put you far ahead of your peers when you do graduate.

So, take some time to enjoy your summer vacation, but think about getting a summer job that will put some money in your pocket and may even help you advance your career.

1. Lawn care – Summer is growing season and many lawn care companies will be seeking seasonal employment to help with the increased demand. Expect long hours, hot conditions and loud noise, but this is a fair trade for the wages and positive health benefits. The hours may very well extend past a normal eight hour shift and into overtime for you.

2. Law office runner – Law firms often seek students in the summer to run errands. From taking letters to the courthouse, filing paperwork or chasing down lunch, a runner can make good money working for a firm. Pre-law students will find this particularly helpful, especially on applications for law schools. If your employer is an alumnus or alumna, this may help sway your application to the accepted stack.

3. Farm hand - Grueling, tiring, hot and long hours await you if you want to try your hand on a farm. The tradeoff is excellent pay and often a pay by the piece option; the more you do, the better the pay. There are stories of seasonal employees making several hundred dollars a week for only a few weeks of employment. New employees will be expected to work the fields, but if you are willing to stay with the farmer and prove your value, driving tractors may be a nice change of pace. And if you have an interest in agriculture, getting to know these operations first hand can be priceless.

4. Alaska beckons - Deadliest Catch is a winter show, but the summer in Alaska means salmon, salmon canneries and several boats or canneries looking to hire. Greenhorns, the name for any new hand in Alaska, will be knee-deep in fish offal or stuck on a boat for a few weeks at a stretch with less than friendly captains and mates. When the check for over $5,000 to $10,000 rolls in, faces seem to change and brighten.

5. Merchant Marine – Six months on a oil rig offshore a year is the standard for merchant marines, but the intrepid college student who is willing to spend a few months away from civilization in the middle of the ocean or gulf may appreciate the daily pay, long hours and opportunity to save it all. After all, where are you going to spend it, considering you are about one to three hours helicopter or boat ride to the nearest shore? You will need to get a merchant marine license. Inquire how to do that online by doing a simple search.

Each of these jobs may not be the ideal work that many students are looking for but given the current state of the economy, beggars cannot be choosers. Swallow your pride, put the cell phone away and pound the pavement looking for a job. The ‘Greatest Generation’ never complained about turning burgers or checking groceries; they saw it as an opportunity. You should adopt the same philosophy and be willing to work, not only for money, but for experience.

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