How to Make College More Affordable and Practical for Your Lifestyle

College seems like a necessity if you want to get a good job. For some, though, the process of going to college just seems impractical. If you're looking for a better way to get through school, you may want to consider one of the methods below.

Do School Part-Time with Work

One of the most realistic ways to make college affordable is to cut down on your number of credit hours so that you can hold a job at the same time. Though it's hard to find a part-time job that you can use to support yourself during a full course load, it's easier to find one that works with a reduced schedule. 

Though it will take longer to graduate, choosing one of these programs does usually help many to make college a bit more affordable.

Attend online

Attending college online might be the best bet for those who cannot travel to school, for those who need to take classes outside of normal class hours, or who have commitments that would make it harder to go to a typical campus. 



There are many different online schools, including online colleges for military veterans. With a little research, you can find a program that's perfect for you.

Get Scholarships through High-Demand Majors

If you're looking for a way to bring the cost of college down, you might want to look at the majors that are in the highest demand. Many businesses offer scholarships for students who choose certain majors, with some even offering to pay all or a portion of a student's tuition if they work for the company. 

Engineers, doctors, teachers, and others can get scholarships simply because those jobs are in such high demand and companies (and schools) want to lock down potential employees as soon as possible.

Look for Accelerated Graduation Programs

For some, the problem with going to college isn't the money but rather the time spent at school. Four years can be a very long time, especially if you are a non-traditional student. If you're looking for a way to get through college more quickly, you may want to look for accelerated programs. 

These programs allow students to get through an advanced degree in a shorter period of time, shaving as much as a year and a half off of the total time spent in school by providing a higher load of classes.

There are solutions out there for anyone who would like to go to college. Whether you need financial help or just a way to attend classes, there are solutions that will work for you. If you're able to use one of the methods above, you may be able to make your dreams of higher education come true.

Financial Security: 4 Ways to Save More Money for Retirement

Financial security for retirement is the name of the game when it comes to saving. Here are some things that you can do to ensure that you have more money for retirement.

Keep Using Items

In our modern society, people have a habit of using items and throwing them out before those items have been completely used up. If you save items and use them for the entire duration of their lives, you will save a lot of money. 

For example, you don’t have to get a new car every two years just for the sake of having a new car; keep the car that you have until it becomes unusable, unsafe and/or not cost effective. The same thing goes for clothing. 

You don’t have to buy a new wardrobe every season. All you have to do is take good care of your clothing and keep wearing it. If you keep using and reusing items for a long time, you will realize that things like cars and wardrobes will last many years and decades before needing replacement. 

You may also want to consider selling items you aren’t using anymore for some extra cash to tuck away in your retirement fund. A lot of people have gold items or collectibles they don’t find value in anymore. You can discover more on how to sell items like this at local pawn shops.

Set a Budget and Live within Your Means

Too many people do not live within reasonable budgets. Living beyond one’s means results in having less money and, in some cases, being in debt. Take a good, hard look at how much money you have, and set a budget. Do not take out loans or use credit to pay for things that you don’t need. 



For example, you do not absolutely need to deck yourself out in expensive, trendy clothing all of the time. We live in an age where there are a lot of expensive, trendy gadgets that people don’t really need. Don’t buy these gadgets if you don’t need them.

Do Your Own Chores

Do not pay others to do chores that you can do for yourself. If you do your own chores, you will save yourself a lot of money. Only pay someone to do chores for you if you are not physically capable of doing them and there are no other people in your life who will help you.

Diversify

It is a harsh reality that no form of savings is completely secure. Each form of savings can become destroyed in some way or another. For example, a given amount of money in the bank may be worth a lot less in the next ten years as a result of inflation. Cash can whither, deteriorate or get stolen. 

Gold can also get stolen. Stocks can go down. This is why a person should diversify his or her life savings by putting it into a variety of different forms. You can discover more on how to diversify your savings by doing an internet search.

If you want to save up as much money for retirement as possible, you should live within your means, keep using items without replacing them too soon, do your own chores, set a budget to live within your means and diversify your savings.

Managing Medical Expenses: A Guide for Seniors

Reaching your golden years with a healthy retirement nest egg is no easy feat. Spending that money wisely once your retirement begins isn’t either. Americans fall behind the rest of the world when it comes to saving for retirement and spending those funds wisely, experts say. Also, both tasks can be made exponentially harder by medical bills.

If you’ve reached your golden years only to face a serious illness and all of the steep medical costs associated with it, you may be incredibly frustrated. This is supposed to be a time for you to relax and enjoy the fruits of your labors, not a time for worrying about money and your family’s future. 

Life doesn’t play by our rules, but there are still things that you can do to keep afloat financially and maximize your finances during your golden years.

Make sure you’re getting the most out of Medicare

Do you have Medicare? If you’re 65 or older and no longer on a private insurance plan, then you probably already signed up for some type of Medicare plan. Medicare can be tricky, though, and especially if you’re trying to make sure that you’re saving every cent possible.

It’s a good idea to turn to online resources to help you compare and sign up for plans during the Medicare OEP (open enrollment period). Consider turning to advisors to help you weigh your options, and remember to consider “gap plans” to cover things that Medicare does not (such as healthcare while you’re outside of the United States). 



Proper planning on the health insurance front can make a world of difference for you, your health, and your finances.

Look for ways to turn assets into cash

You’ve worked hard all of your life to save up for retirement, but your retirement fund isn’t the only place where your wealth resides. Many seniors also have extremely valuable assets, including everything from real estate and insurance policies to collectibles and antiques.

When you’re feeling as if you’ve been backed into a financial corner, take another look at these kinds of assets. You may be able to sell some off for that cash that you need in order to cover those medical bills.

You can even sell life insurance policies, experts say. These sorts of arrangements are called “viatical settlements,” and they are powerful ways to get cash quickly. The idea is this: If you’ve been paying into a life insurance policy, your beneficiaries are destined to receive a settlement when you pass away. 

However, that money may be worth more to you, your family, and your eventual estate if you can access it now and use it to pay down bills and debts that might otherwise snowball. That’s why, sometimes, it makes sense to sell off your future settlement for cash now.

In some cases, you can even turn assets into cash without selling them outright and immediately. Take a reverse mortgage, for instance: That’s an arrangement under which you sell your home bit by bit, accepting monthly payments from your lender (the opposite of sending money to your lender to pay down your old traditional mortgage). 

You’ll get to enjoy your home for the rest of your life, and then your heirs can choose how to pay off the loan (they could sell the house or, if they choose, pay in cash and keep the property).

Get help when you need it

Not everyone has access to every method for saving money on healthcare, and this sort of thing can quickly become confusing no matter what your age or familiarity with the system. That’s why it pays to turn to a professional when you need one. 

You could get financial advice from a financial advisor or, if necessary, chat with an attorney who specializes in bankruptcy. While hardly an appealing option, bankruptcy could help you make the best of a bad situation and end the stressful cycle of debt.

Have an Expensive Car? 4 Ways to Save on Costly Repairs

It is easy to spend a lot on a new car right off the dealer’s lot. With such a huge financial commitment, it can be a bit of a disappointment to learn that a new, expensive car needs repairs. 

Yet, this happens more often than people think. Like all mechanical devices, cars have a tendency to break down and need fixing from time-to-time. The following are four tips on how to save money when the need to do car repairs arises.

Be the Mechanic

A lot of car owners waste tons of money on minor repairs they could easily learn to do themselves. Today, it is almost trivial to find instructional videos online which cover virtually every aspect of car maintenance and repair. In fact, some people even learn to do some advanced work on their expensive cars too. 

This may not be an ideal way to save money on car repairs for everyone, but it is a strategy that everyone should honestly consider. This is especially true for women who are finding they are a lot better with a wrench than they thought they might be.

Buy Your Own Replacement Parts

Another way to save money when repairing an expensive car is to get in the habit of buying the replacement parts needed for the job beforehand. There are a lot of places where a person can get their hands on used Ford Mustang parts, for example. 



When buying used parts, it is important to learn about the discount that comes from handing over the damaged part, often referred to as core.

Keeping Spare Tires in Your Garage

It is a good habit to get in the practice of buying tires for an expensive car when a tire shop is running a special sale. Often it is possible to save loads of money with a buy one get one free tire deal. 

After acquiring the tires, then simply store them away in the garage for when they are needed. This way it will be easy to ensure a spare tire is available when a replacement is necessary.

Get Quotes from Local Mechanics

For a lot of people, DIY mechanic work is not going to be a solution. That is okay, because it can still be economical to take an expensive car to a mechanic if a person takes the time to call and get quotes from the mechanics who operate in their local area. 

It is also going to be important to read reviews and gain a sense of what quality of work can be expected form a particular mechanic or company, especially in terms of customer service and billing.

When you save up to get an expensive car, the last thing you want is to pay out more for repairs and maintenance. Take the time to consider these options next time your vehicle needs a checkup. Doing so will help you keep your nice car affordable and well-maintained.

5 Easy Precautions You Can Take Against Identity Theft

Did you know that on average, victims of identity theft spend at least 600 hours trying to clear their name? In addition to repairing the financial damage that’s been done, victims also have to prove that they are who they say they are. How unnerving is that?

As horrible as it sounds, there is a bright side to identity theft. Although you can’t be 100 percent sure it will never happen to you, there are things you can to protect yourself.

Monitor Online Accounts

If your bank offers online banking, sign up for it. Frequently log in to make sure you have no unauthorized transactions. Also, make sure to keep your login information safe. Never write it down or save it in your phone. also, never enable automatic logins.

Order Annual Credit Reports

You’re eligible for a free credit report from all three major bureaus. However, there are also apps that allow you to check your credit as often as you like. Credit Karma gives you instant access to your credit report for free. 



Sign up and check your report once a month for anything that looks out of the ordinary. You’d be surprised how many unauthorized accounts slip through the cracks.

Memorize Your Social Security Number

If someone gets a hold of your social security number, your credit can be destroyed in an instant. Play it safe and memorize your social security number. Make sure you contact a criminal defense group if your identity is indeed stolen. 

 Furthermore, make sure to be mindful of your surroundings when giving your social security number to customer service representatives.

Opt Out of Pre-Approved Credit Card Offers

You know those pre-approved credit card offers you get in the mail from time to time? Do not accept them. Tear them into pieces and throw them away. Thieves are notorious for using these kinds of offers to obtain other people’s credit card information. You can also opt out them to ensure you never get the offers again.

No matter how vigilant you are, there’s always the risk of identity theft. Even a disgruntled waiter can snap a photo of your credit card and go on a shopping spree. Play it safe and stay on top of your finances and purchases. 

If something doesn’t look right or you don’t remember giving that aforementioned waiter a tip, act upon it. The sooner you identify an issue, the sooner you can rectify it.

3 Reasons You Should Opt in for an HSA Account

With the expenses associated with healthcare continuing to rise, you should be doing everything you can to maximize your savings wherever possible. While there are many things that you can be doing to protect your health and contribute to your overall well begging, you will still want to safeguard your finances against any injury or illness that can come your way. 

It seems that many people have shied away from Health Savings Accounts because of the restrictions placed on how you can use the money that it put into it. While that might be a legitimate concern, consider the following three reasons why you should opt in for an HSA account.

You Can Invest Your HSA

This is an advantage that many people do not know about, but you can actually invest the money in your HSA. While most people just choose the default choice of putting the money in a low savings account, you can actually choose to put the money in a mutual fund if you so desire. 



The money in there can roll over year after year, giving you a similar investment effect that would be achieved by a Roth IRA or 401(k) account.

You Can Make Tax Free Withdrawals from Your HSA

Not only do you receive a tax deduction upon contributing to a Health Savings Account, but you will also enjoy the benefit of being able to make tax free withdrawals when the time comes. 

This makes it a unique type of investment account in that it becomes triple tax free. While we all know that paying taxes are a necessary part of life, it is nice to have an investment where we get to avoid the component of our finances for just a bit longer.

Save Your Receipts

The thought that you must make withdrawals in the same year that you make contributions is simply not true. In fact, you can save receipts from health related expenditures like dental crowns or contact lenses and then make withdrawals from the account in future years when you need the money. 

Just remember that all money you take out of your HSA must be for health related expenses. Beyond that, the timing is up to you.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more reasons why you should contribute to an HSA, such as the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have money available in the event anyone in your family suddenly becomes injured or ill. It is a type of forced savings account that can really pay dividends when the time comes.