“Money Man vs The Finance Guy” plus 1 more

Posted: 06 Mar 2012 04:00 AM PST

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In the initial installment of Money Man our hero helped a family withstand pressure from noted automobile personage, The Closer. In this installment Money Man helps a consumer deal with another car lot personage, The Finance Guy. The Finance Guy may not exert the high pressure of The Closer but he can still do some long term damage to your finances.

More on Debt

If a family has credit card debt, is upside down in their current vehicle or both having credit cards paid off or negative equity in an old car applied on a new car loan can be very appealing. Still, long term if a consumer is serious about getting out of debt it's a losing proposition. Often The Finance Guy will talk about amount of payments rather than the total being paid. An expression sometimes used is "payment shopper." A payment shopper is primarily concerned with the monthly payment as opposed to the overall cost of a vehicle. There is an underlying danger with that.

If a consumer has credit card debt there's usually a reason for it. If that reason is not addressed and credit card debt is tacked on to a car loan not only will the consumer be paying off the debt under the guise of a car loan, the credit card debt could very well creep back and the consumer will be under an even heavier debt load.

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5 Significant Ways It’s Cheaper to Work from Home

Posted: 06 Mar 2012 03:45 AM PST

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In the current economy, many people are looking for extra work. But spending time in a classic cubical comes with several costs. Costs which reduce your overall take-home pay. Before you agree to a traditional nine to five job, it may behoove you to consider the many ways in which it's cheaper to work from home.

Fuel

The lack of a commute means your car's consumption of gasoline will be greatly reduced. These moneys can be channeled to other expenses as you deem appropriate. Even a smaller savings in this area can save several hundred dollars a month, making a significant gain in your household's saving's ability. It also provides notable funding you can use in your business budget.

Food

If you're working outside of the home every day, then you avoid the temptation to indulge in dining out as an alternative to brown bag lunches. You're also based with access to your kitchen, enabling you to embrace a variety of food strategies which can save your family money. Crock pots, electric ovens and other kitchen appliances such as food processors and blenders can be used to create a multitude of meals from scratch.

Fashion

It's no secret that professional clothing is a huge expense for those choosing to work outside the home. If you spend most of your time behind a keyboard in a home office, then dressing in expensive corporate clothing only happens on the occasion when you book a more formal meeting. This means less wear and tear on the clothing you do have, and a need for less business clothing overall.

Maintenance

More on Working

Your vehicle isn't the only thing that will have a reduced maintenance schedule. While you'll be required to worry about tire replacement and oil chances less frequently, you'll also be able to spend less cash on grooming expenses like professional manicures, haircuts, perms and more.

Child Care

Families with more than one child will be the first ones to advise you that child care costs can easily add up to more than the cost of an entire second mortgage. Certainly, you'll need to focus on your work but there are plenty of work from home options that allow you to be productive during naptimes, early in the morning and while the kids are busy at play group. While it will require discipline and flexibility, it's possible to successfully juggle the kiddos and a career. People do it all the time.

There are just a few of the ways it can be cheaper to work at home. Have you spent any time breaking down the numbers? What are some of the ways a work at home career could both make and save money for your family? Share your comments below.

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