Money Matter, money matters, Tips and Tricks

Money Matters: 3 Effective Ways To Analyze Your Budget

No Comments

In this hardest of times, making both ends meet is a struggle in itself. This is why it is a must to analyze your budget so you can maximize your spending power, ensure that there is enough budget to spend for needs and wants, and guarantee that money is set aside for important expenses, as well as for emergencies and similar unexpected expenses.

Examining your budget may be challenging, but here are a few effective ways you can practice to effectively analyze your budget:

Compute your monthly income

To analyze and create your monthly budget, you must first compute your regular monthly income. This would include all the funds that are coming in regularly by the end of the month. In case of unfixed or commission-based monthly income, you can compute for the average and include that to make your computation more comprehensive. It is also a must to subtract items like income tax and payables, as well as loans or social security contributions, in order to compute your net income, or the actual funds you receive at the end of the month.

money talks, money matter, money matters, money saving tips, budget and finance, tips and tricks
Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

List down your monthly expenses

In the same manner, you must also list down all your monthly expense to help you set your monthly budget and analyze whether it is enough to cover all your expenses for the month. Your list must include all your fixed expenses, or those that you need to regularly pay each month. This may include rent, car mortgage, school tuition, insurance premiums, and the likes. Variable expenses, on the other hand, are those that may vary from one month to the next and must also be included in your list. Such expenses include gas, groceries, funds for dining out or food takeaway, medical expenses, as well as car maintenance and repair fees.

Continue Reading

Tips and Tricks

Tips + Tricks: 5 Things To Remember When Apartment Hunting In Boston

No Comments
Photo by Randy Jose on Unsplash

Finding an apartment in Boston is one great adventure. After all, the city is bustling with vibrant energy, an assortment of restaurants, and a thriving cultural scenery which are always excellent crowd-drawers. People flock here from all over the country to either study or work.

Because it’s population is constantly growing, hunting for a place to stay in Boston can also be daunting. Here are a few tips you might want to consider:

Decide on where to find an apartment in Boston

Boston is a big city with prominent neighborhoods, each of which has something unique to offer. Before starting your apartment hunting adventure, it is best to determine in which of these areas are you most likely to fit in. Among the neighboorhoods that are popular to Boston renters are Cambridge, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and South End.

Another thing to consider is whether you plan to walk to work, as Boston is a highly walkable city. If you do, you will need to find a place which is just a stone’s throw away from your office. Otherwise, you might want to settle somewhere near The T, so commuting to and from work will be a lot more convenient.

Utilizing apartment hunting websites

Of course, the Covid-19 pandemic has also made apartment hunting in Boston very challenging. That is why it is also wise to check out related websites and apps to help you look for a perfect place for you and/or your family. These sites contain comprehensive information about prospective apartments to scout in the area, including their basic details, unique features and amenities, as well as details about the surrounding neighborhood. Relying on these apps and websites will considerably cut your physical search, thereby limiting the time you need to spend on actually checking one apartment after another.

Zumper.com, for example, even has a very convenient feature where you can submit renter requirements and apply for an apartment online. It even provides real-time alerts on quality listing regularly added to their inventory.

Continue Reading

Children, lifestyle, Tips and Tricks

Tips + Tricks: 4 Ways to Make Your Wedding Child-Friendly

No Comments

The reality is that weddings can be long and boring for children. Many couples worry about how they are going to keep kids entertained and well-behaved. The last thing any bride and groom wants is to have tantrums, screaming, and children running riot on your special day.

The good news for you is that there are lots of ways to keep little ones entertained. Here are some tips to help you plan a child-friendly wedding:

tips and tricks, occasions, children, lifestyle, wedding tips, weddings and celebrations, fun activities with children
Photo by Phakphoom Srinorajan on Unsplash

Choose a child-friendly venue

If you are inviting little ones to your wedding, then you should pick a child-friendly venue that will allow them (and their parents who can stay relaxed) to have fun while being safe. According to advice on Easy Weddings, you should avoid choosing a venue that has potential hazards to children, e.g., a venue near a busy road or one that has a pool that isn’t fenced off.

Before booking, make sure to check that your preferred venue serves child-friendly food and offers enough space for children to run around and blow off steam without getting under adults’ feet. Ideally, you should pick a venue with a separate room that can be transformed into a kid-only area with lots of fun activities and games to keep little ones entertained.

Continue Reading