1. Forgetting to program the thermostat
2. Failing to treat heat pumps differently
3. Leaving the water temperatures unadjusted
4. Not caulking cracks and leaks
5. Ignoring bigger gaps in walls and windows
6. Failing to insulate the attic door
7. Fogetting to shrink-wrap windows
8. Leaving the damper open in your fireplace
9. Use a ceiling fan incorrectly
10. Not changing furnace filters
11. Failing to insulate the water heater
12. Overlooking door sweeps to keep cold are out
13. Leaving the drapes open during the day and closed at night
14. Not sealing the heat ducts
15. Skipping insulation in the basement
16. Not insulating electric outlets
17. Failing to seal outside-facing baseboards
18. Not using LED lightbulbs

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These monthly costs likely consumer most of your budget. But if you could lower them by even just 10 percent, you’d have an extra $2,895 every year. If you’ve looked over your budget and can’t cut down anymore, maybe you need to look a little harder. There are probably some expenses you could reduce or drop to save thousands of dollars a year. Following are five examples of these costs and how you could slash them. If you could eliminate all five expenses entirely, you’d save a whopping $28,949 per year, based on averages. But even if you could lower them by a mere 10 percent, you’d still be $2,985 richer by this time next year.

1. rent
2. Car payment
3. Cellphone
4. Dining out
5. Cable

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Follow these easy tips to save so you’ll have more money for things that really matter. A decision to save money doesn’t have to be life-changing or even involve sacrifice. It’s surprising how much money you can save simply by paying attention to how your money is being spent. People routinely buy things that they don’t truly need or perhaps even want. It’s all about being aware of where your money is going. Here are plenty of easy ways to save money this year:

1. Stop paying for recorded music
2. Read books on mobile devices
3. Raise your auto insurance deductible
4. Use rewards credit cards
5. Ask about senior discounts
6. Conquer impulse purchases
7. Improve your credit score
8. Reach for a sweater instead of the thermostat
9. Close your self-storage unit
10. Use coupons wisely when you shop
11. Get rid of your telephone landline
12. Set up an automatic savings plan
13. Get a roommate
14. Don’t buy a brand new car
15. Pay attention to the price per unit when grocery shopping

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Think you’re a savvy shopper? Find out how retailers persuade you to dig more deeply into your wallet. Every time you walk into a mall, grocery store, or a big-box retailer, remember: It’s you against them. Retailers, marketers, salespersons and CEO’s are determined to make you buy more than you planned. In addition, retailers have an arsenal of sales tactics that may seem silly but serve as heavy-duty artillery when it comes to persuading you to part ways with your money.

Following are 10 especially cagey tricks they may use:

1. Free-shipping offers
2. Multiple-purchasing pricing
3. BOGO deals (Buy one get one)
4. Bundled purchases
5. Coupon savings
6. Sales events
7. Rewards programs and loyalty cards
8. Psychological pricing
9. Upselling everything
10. Point-of-sale add-ons

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Do you have little money aside for a financial emergency? Here are nine steps to fix that can help you sleep better. That means a healthy emergency fund is a must. Here are a few creative ways to build an emergency fund on a shoestring budget:

1. Set a goal
2. Let your family and friends know (to get support)
3. Spare some change (save it and set it aside)
4. Work part-time
5. Sell excess things like clothes etc.
6. Rethink you 401k (reduce for a time and then increase it)
7. Save the raise to add to emergency fund
8. Fund with your refund
9. Double-time that overtime (add to your emergency fund)

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Some relationships are full of secrets and lies. Those secrets often pertain to personal finances. A recent Creditcard.com report found roughly 13 million Americans have a hidden bank account. If you’re being financially unfaithful, it’s only a matter of time before those secrets catch up to you. End your financial infidelity by revealing the financial secrets and re-enter the relationship with trust and truthfulness. Eventually the romantic feelings wear off and the differences between us pile up. “He sees my spending as frivolous; and I see his scrimping as choosing money over my emotional well-being.” Financial infidelity is about the inevitable power struggle we will have over money and the way out of that struggle toward reclaiming the trust and safety we once had.

Items to share:

1. Paying child support for a child you never mentioned
2. You have a spending problem
3. You have a gambling problem
4. You have a secret expensive hobby or lifestyle

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You’ve found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, and now you have to actually figure out how to live with them in harmony. If you want to have a long-lasting union, you’ll need to be on the same page when it comes to your finances. One survey found that 95% of married adults thought “financial responsibility” is important when considering a spouse, trumping attractiveness and other traits. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest mistakes couples make regarding their finances and use them as a how to guide for avoiding the worst of your possible money pitfalls. Consider the following:

1. You don’t talk about money – ever
2. Only one person is responsible for your finances
3. You rush the decision about merging bank accounts
4. You keep money secrets from each other
5. You don’t save for emergencies
6. You ignore the details

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Achieving your goals requires much more than just choosing the right investments. To keep you on track, financial professionals sometimes need to step in with some clear coaching and a little tough love. Clients often equate wealth management with providing investment advice, but investments are just one subset of a strong financial plan. Beyond managing your investments, your advisor should be an accountability partner for your financial fitness. Here are five key ways you can expect your advisor to keep you in shape:

1. Remind you to take care of yourself
2. Nudge you back on track when you fall behind schedule
3. Get you through the boring parts of financial fitness
4. Protect you from the unforeseen scenarios that you would rather not think about
5. Orient you toward truly meaningful goals

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The new federal tax code will both help and hurt many taxpayers – starting with the return that is due in April. A lot of federal tax income tax deductions will be out of reach for millions of taxpayers this tax season. In some cases, it’s because the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 ended, suspended or limited the deductions effective for tax year 2018 – the return that’s due by April 15. In other cases, it will not be in taxpayers’ financial interest to claim the deductions, because they do better if they instead claimed the higher standard that kicked in this past tax year.

How it helps

The standard deduction for tax year 2018 will be nearly double from the prior year.

How it hurts

Fewer taxpayers are expected to itemize their deductions – rather that claim the standard deduction – this tax season.

Itemized deductions can include:

1. Medical and dental expenses
2. State and local taxes
3. Mortgage interest
4. Donations to charity
5. Certain business expenses – including cost associated with travel, entertainment and use of a home or car for business-related purposes

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A Black History and Financial Literacy moment…

As a slave, Biddy Mason trekked 1,600 miles on foot across the U.S. while herding livestock and nursing a baby. Born in Georgia on August 15, 1818 Biddy (Bridget) was sold as an infant and given as a wedding gift to Robert Marion Smith and his wife Rebecca in Mississippi. But Biddy’s story is different. It’s the story of a strong and humble woman who endured terrific hardships before bravely fighting for her family’s freedom and winning. After trekking from Mississippi to the frontier boontown of Los Angeles, Biddy became one of the city’s most sought after midwives and parlays her earnings into a small real estate empire.

But before we arrive at that happy ending, there are decades of degradation to endure and thousands of miles of country to cross. Biddy learned the duties of a midwife – which included the use of medicinal herbs and basic nursing skills – from fellow slaves steeped in traditional knowledge. When her slave master tried to take her from the ‘free’ territory to Texas she fought back with the help of abolitionists to remain in LA. As a free woman, Biddy and her three daughters lived in LA where Biddy established herself as a midwife and was hired by a white physician Dr. John S. Griffin. Biddy also acted as a midwife to inmates in the county jail. As she grew older, Biddy became know as “Auntie Biddy” or “Grandma Mason” in Los Angeles. By the time of her death in 1891 at age 73, she had amassed a fortune of $300,000 (more that $8 million in 2019 dollars), which she gave to others who needed food.

Biddy said, “if you hold your hand closed, nothing good can come in,” The open hand is blessed, for it gives in abundance even as it receives.

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