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About Cleverly Changing
Hi, I'm Elle Owner of CleverlyChanging. My blog seeks to encourage, empower, & inspire others to live cleverly, changing when necessary. Perfect parenting, doesn't exist, but informed and attentive parenting does. I desire to regularly share savings tips, wisdom, and experiences I gain from everyday life as a wife and mother of twins with others so we can empower each other to become better parents and better people in general.
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Finance Friday Archive
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Tips for Parents on How to Shop for Kids Clothes on a Budget
Posted on February 28, 2012 | No CommentsEvery season retail stores go through a clearance cycle. Following the cycle and managing an inventory of what types of clothing your child will need the next season is one of the best ways to shop. If you have a child and you are trying to maintain your budget here are some tips I use. 1. Follow Seasonal Sales. Big clearance months coordinate with holidays. When you shop on or the day before a holiday stores will often give an additional percentage off of their clearance items, which were already marked down. 2. Use retail coupons. I like the “Coupon... -
Finance Friday: Save your dollars – Enable yourself to live a debt free life
Posted on January 20, 2012 | No CommentsMoney is an essential need for the survival of human beings. But, it has been seen that most of the people spend money unnecessarily when they have it in their hands and, as such, fall into debt problems. You also swap your credit cards when you do not enough cash with you and get entangled into credit card debt problems. You may take the help of credit card consolidation to pay off your debts. Educate yourself in money management matters so that you can keep control on your money flow and understand where your money actually goes out. This, in... -
Finance Friday: Pay back your debts by saving money and negotiating with creditors
Posted on January 6, 2012 | 1 CommentOne of the fastest and best ways to get out of your credit card debts is through debt negotiation. The process of debt negotiation includes bargaining with your creditors to reduce the interest rate on your outstanding debts or to reduce the total amount of your outstanding debts depending upon your debt situation. Whatever you do in order to make your debts more manageable and to pay them off quickly, you need to save money to make your debt payments. You can also find alternative ways to earn money to pay back your debts. Here are a few money saving... -
Save More in 2012 the Easy Way
Posted on December 30, 2011 | No CommentsThere is no reliable way to predict the future so when emergencies and other unexpected events occur having some money set aside is very important. Besides, being prepared for the unexpected savings are also helpful when making large purchases like a new car or house. For some people, saving money is second nature and they are not tempted to blow their savings on things they do not need. Not everyone is that disciplined so here are a few ways you can save more in the coming year. Pay Off your Debt This one is kind of obvious. If you don’t... -
Finance Friday: Tips for working with Contractors
Posted on December 23, 2011 | No CommentsRecently, we decided to get some work done on our home by going a cheaper route. I usually go through major companies but because the work kept accumulating I tried to see how I could get it done in the most cost effective way. Unfortunately, after this experience I felt disappointed. So I want to share some tips that I have learned so that you can have a more pleasant experience than I had. Tips for working with Contractors on your home 1. Contract Binding. Always get everything that will be done in writing, even if the contractor is a... -
Finance Friday: (Tax Time p.1) Child and Dependent Care Tax Credits: Qualifications and How to Claim Them
Posted on December 9, 2011 | 1 CommentIt’s no secret that cost of dependent care can be very expensive. With a greater number of families requiring dual incomes to make ends meet, it has become increasingly necessary for many to rely on daycare for their children and – for some – their mentally or physically disabled adult dependents. Fortunately, there are tax credits available to alleviate the burden created by costly child and dependent care expenses. This tax credit can be worth between 20%-35% of dependent care expenses. The amount that you can claim as a credit is dependent upon your income level and your number of... -
Finance (Guest Post): 4 Ways to Cut Spending and Save More
Posted on December 6, 2011 | 1 CommentTimes are hard, jobs are scarce and incomes have dwindled; yet you still have to pay your debt, fend for your family and meet other financial obligations. It’s almost impossible to stay sane trying to sail through these troubled financial times. Fortunately, there are some helpful ways that you can adjust your lifestyle and live happily on limited income. There’s one catch though; sacrifice. If you’re going to take back charge of your life, you’re going to have to make huge sacrifices. You’ve got to be willing to change your lifestyle appropriately so as to remain successful even when the... -
Family Planning – Life Insurance
Posted on November 21, 2011 | No CommentsGrowing up in my community I can remember a few people whispering about life insurance after a relative passed away. Usually, the whispers were followed with, “No, he didn’t have life insurance, but his family will just have to put him away with dignity.” Family members would often be solicited to contribute their monetary funds to help bury loved ones which was common, but there was also a taboo and stigma related to obtaining life insurance. Some people viewed it like they were purchasing a death decree. When I landed my first “real” job out of college, I was given... -
Finance Friday – (Guest Post) Elegant Frugality: Make a budget with a goal
Posted on November 18, 2011 | No CommentsOur rapidly changing world economy, and growing concerns about the values that are passed on to future generations, have led many to sit up and take a good look at their lifestyle. The parsimony and simplicity are two important steps you can take to make a difference in the future of humanity. Two of the biggest contributors to global environmental problems that is causing the crisis we are witnessing today are uncontrolled consumption, and reckless development processes. As more and more people try to find meaning and happiness in their lives and teach children what they need to know to... -
Finance Friday: 7 Questions to ask before you go shopping
Posted on October 14, 2011 | 2 CommentsWho doesn’t love getting a good deal? I know, that I really enjoy getting a bargain, but this week, which is my second week participating in the financial fast, I had to learn how to say no to most “deals.” The financial fast limits your purchasing to only essential items such as food and medicine. So it was extremely hard to browse the internet or connect with others on facebook, because temptations were everywhere screaming, “Buy me, this deal may never return!” In the book “The Power of Prosperity“, Michelle recommends that people refrain from looking at circulars, online shopping... -
Challenging Your Finances: Learning From Michelle Singletary
Posted on October 4, 2011 | 4 CommentsThe other day, I was in Target getting a few groceries we needed. My 2 year daughter was with me, and every time we passed something cute that caught her eye she said, “I want that, please get it” At first I ignored her request, but then she burst into tears: “Mommy, I want something new. I WANT SOMETHING NEW!” she sobbed loudly. “Sweetie, today I am only getting a few groceries,” I told her. The water in her eyes began to roll down her cheeks and she seemed very hurt. Unfortunately, I realized that I had made a habit... -
Learning How to Manage Finances in College
Posted on September 20, 2011 | No CommentsThis post may be for you or a friend with college-age children. Please share it with others if you find the information helpful. I have a nephew in college this year and this post is written for him. I started college as a 17-year-old freshman, I had a financial plan, but as I became older reality set in and I learned the reality of how expenses really add up beyond just paying tuition. Here are some tips that I think every college student should be aware of. Once the enrollment date has been set and you’ve been accepted, it is... -
Finance Friday: (Guest Post) How to Budget For An Emergency
Posted on September 9, 2011 | 3 CommentsEMERGENCY BUDGETING So many of us have struggled during the current economic crisis and our family has been no exception. About 3 years ago my husband and I found ourselves with no jobs and a daughter to feed. Thank God my husband was at least receiving the GI bill for school, but the majority of that money was required for books and tuition. At the end of each month the only money we were “bringing” home was about $1400. We did not know how to budget (which was part of the reason we found ourselves in a mess in the... -
Finance Friday: How to Save For Your Child’s College Tuition Practically
Posted on August 19, 2011 | 8 CommentsThere are many things to worry about as a parent, but college savings for your child doesn’t have to be one of them. In 16-18 years, hopefully you will have put something aside for your child’s future tuition. However keep in mind that your child will most-likely receive some scholarships and grants as well, so the entire amount of college tuition will not come from your pockets alone. Nevertheless, it is best to prepare rather than to fall short later and have your child weighed down by tons of student loans. How much should you save? The short answer is,... -
Finance Friday: (Guest Post) “Why Emergency Funds Are Essential”
Posted on August 11, 2011 | 2 CommentsThis article was written by John from Home Loan Finder. Visit Home Loan Finder to compare home loan interest rates. None of us can claim to have an emergency-free life, yet our approach towards an emergency fund or a contingency fund is often casual, even foolhardy. According to a survey conducted by MetLife in 2009, less than half the American population had succeeded in putting aside a month’s worth of expenses for emergencies. Most people were under the illusion that their monthly paycheck would be sufficient to cover all sorts of expenses-planned as well as unplanned. Given the negligent attitude... -
Financial Friday: 7 Day Financial Fast Report
Posted on July 21, 2011 | No CommentsMy husband and I tried the 7 day financial fast and it was a lot harder than I thought. In general I am not a big spender, but I guess when you are on a declared financial fast your mind creates new desires to want to shop. Some days I just wanted to buy something, anything really. In terms of the amount actually spent, I didn’t do bad, but I still didn’t stick to the fast as strictly as I was suppose to. How did it go, using cash only? Paying for things with cash is very effective because I... -
Coming This Finance Friday: A 7-day Financial Fast
Posted on July 8, 2011 | 1 CommentMy #1 disdain is debt. I simply detest it. Unfortunately, I have seen so many people I love lessen the quality of their lives because they are in debt. Sometimes you may find that you have money to cover your needs, but when an emergency arrives you cannot handle it or funding the emergency drives your finances under water. I am introducing you to a 21-day financial fast I found on the Washington Post. My husband sent me the article because he knew that I would want to try it out. This fast is for anyone that would like to manage... -
Budgeting Part 7
Posted on July 8, 2011 | No CommentsIf you are struggling to stay within your budget or seem to spend more money than you should, it might be a good idea to go back to using cash for daily purchases. It is no surprise that most of us are beginning to move away from cash for everyday spending; the convenience of debit and credit cards is very tempting. Some cards actually offer rewards or cash back that makes the use of cash even less appealing. The problem with this convenience is that you can begin to forget the true value of the money you are spending and... -
How To Cut Costs On Health Insurance
Posted on June 24, 2011 | No CommentsHealth Insurance is one of the largest costs of living to date. This is due to a number of reasons and getting it under control has been a top priority during several presidential administrations, yet nothing seems to be improving. Though President Obama recently enacted a new health care bill, it’s getting a lot of blow back on both sides of the aisle. Many states are fighting the bill and, while progress seems to be at a standstill, many Americans are left looking for different ways they can curtail some of the costs while still providing quality health insurance for... -
5 Tips to Maintain Financial Momentum This Summer
Posted on June 17, 2011 | 1 CommentWhen something is going well, you want to keep it going, right? So if you’ve started to seriously tackle your debt problem or started to funnel more money into your savings or retirement accounts you obviously want it to continue. But things can change in the summer. Kids are out of school, you’re taking time off work, or just spending more time outside. All of these things can potentially derail the good habits you’ve recently developed and kill your momentum. So, start by identifying what’s working and why you want to maintain it. If you’re making progress on one of...
