I Choose Us - Self improvement and motivation for women.

Now more than ever, it's important to secure your financial future. If the chips are ever down, you'll at least have a plan to turn to for help.

It's true that you should put your whole heart in your main source of income. When you work hard enough with a drive to succeed, nothing will keep you away from that success. However, unexpected circumstances come into play every so often, so you may need to divert to Plan B temporarily.

Here are some ideas for building a rock-solid Plan B:

1.    Develop Multiple Streams of Income. When your main stream of income is sufficient to sustain your family, you may be tempted to rely on that income alone. However, it's always a good idea to insulate and supplement that income. You may think you don't absolutely need the money, but you can always save for future unexpected expenses.

Read the rest of this entry »

For many people, staying within a budget can be challenging. If keeping to your budget seems like an insurmountable task, you'll be happy to know that there are ways to stretch your budget and still enjoy a quality lifestyle.

Some budgets may work well with your lifestyle, while others may not. If you find that one technique is difficult, all is not lost! Other techniques may be a better fit, which can then lead to the financial freedom you desire.

Consider the following tips for staying within your budget:

1.    Put Your Credit Cards Away. You can even freeze your cards in water if it'll deter you from using them! It's so easy to forget the true costs of the things you buy when you just swipe your card. Don't feel guilty about falling for this trick; the easiest way to combat it is to keep your cards hidden away. Only bring them out when they're truly needed.

Read the rest of this entry »

The holidays are supposed to be a wonderful time for you and your family, though sometimes the stresses leading up the holidays make it seem like quite the opposite. Remember that even in poor economic times there are ways to enjoy yourself and survive the holiday crunch.

Spending Money

Chances are you'll be spending at least some money during the holiday season. With careful planning, you can make a small budget go quite a long way.

Consider the following holiday money saving tips:

1.    Save Throughout the Year. Most people let the holidays creep up on them. All of a sudden they realize it's two weeks before Thanksgiving and they need to begin preparing. You can't pull money out of nowhere and you should resist the urge to put all of your purchases on credit. If you've done this in the past, you know first hand that you'll still be paying off last year's gifts for years to come!

Read the rest of this entry »

You can still spread the holiday cheer without spending a great deal of money in the process. The holiday season is about giving, but it doesn't have to be about spending. There are plenty of ways to still show love and spread memories around!

1. Start Saving Early

You may think it's a little crazy to start preparing for the holidays several months in advance, but it could end up saving you a great deal of money. Think about the people you'll need gifts for, and then make a list. This way, as you shop around throughout the year, you can keep an eye out for the items on your list. You might find something on a super sale that you may have ended up paying the full price for otherwise.

2. Entertaining

When it comes to entertaining guests over the holidays, keep in mind that you'll likely have to spend some money. But you can spend smart. Shop for holiday specials, and if you're entertaining many guests, you can consider warehouse shopping for some of the items needed.

Read the rest of this entry »

It seems that everybody is either looking for way to earn extra income from home or they are already making money from home these days.  You might think the internet is complicated or working from home is too difficult.  Actually, nothing could be farther from the truth.  The reason so many people are making money from home is because it really is easy.  It requires hard work, patience and persistence, but one year from now, you could be earning extra income online.

Here are a few ways you can make money on the internet:

1.  Article Writing. You are reading this article right? Well, somebody had to write it.  Many website owners today are hiring out article writers because they either aren't familiar enough with writing or (more commonly) they simply don't have the time.

2.  Ecommerce.    So many small businesses are run out of a person's home.  Find something you love and you can sell it online.  You can even research dropshippers so you don't even have to worry about inventory.  Are you a dog lover? Consider selling gourmet dog treats.  Are you a jogger? What about great running shoes.

Read the rest of this entry »

A new year is a great time to clean out your receipt drawer.  Start fresh this year and take your personal finances seriously.  This last year was tough on everybody’s wallet.  This year start your financial life on the right path.

The best thing you can do for your personal finances is evaluate where your money is actually going.  Print out bank account activity, look up credit card bills.  Take a moment to contemplate what you are spending your money on right now.  Break down in your mind or on a piece of paper different categories.  Lump up similar items to evaluate how much you spend on them.  

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Read the rest of this entry »
       

Garage sales are a great way to get your house cleaned up and clutter free, and they are also a way to make some money. How you price your items will determine how well your garage sale goes. In this article, I will give you four garage sale pricing tips.

1. Know what to expect

Know what you expect to get out of the garage sale. If you are having the sale to make some extra money , you will want to have good quality items for sale. You will be able to put a higher price tag on items such as computers, TV’s or musical instruments and other such items. But if your goal is to clean out the garage or the attic and get rid of unwanted stuff, you will want to sell it for a cheaper price. You will also want to be willing to negotiate the price to get the sale.

Read the rest of this entry »

Would you like to know how you can get hundreds and even thousands of dollars from your home, right now, today?

Refinancing is a popular option for many homeowners, and with good reason.  Not only can you save money over the life of your loan, but you can actually get cash in your pocket when you do!

And we can tell you how.  We can show you the secrets to refinancing that your lender doesn’t want you to know, including:

Read the rest of this entry »