If you’re like most people, you may have fallen behind on your retirement savings. Don’t worry – it’s not too late to catch up! Regardless of your age, you can prepare yourself for retirement. Follow these 6 tips and you will be able to speed up your savings process and reach your retirement goals in no time!
1. Make a Budget and Stick to It
One of the best ways to catch up on your retirement savings is by making a budget and sticking to it. Determine how much you need to save each month in order to reach your goal. Then, make sure you are automatically transferring that amount into your retirement account each month.
Another way to stay on track is to set up alerts or reminders so you don’t forget to make your contributions.
If you have a 401(k) plan through work, another helpful tip is to increase your contribution percentage each year. By doing this, you’ll catch up on your savings and ensure that you’re staying on track for retirement.
2. Automate Your Finances
To make sure you’re saving for retirement and not miss a contribution, you should automate your finances. This means setting up automatic transfers from your checking account into your retirement account each month. Doing this will help you stay on track and ensure that you’re making progress towards your goal.
3. Invest in Yourself
Learn how to make your money work for you. The key is to never stop learning. There are a number of resources available that can help you get started, including books, online courses, and personal finance seminars.
Investing in yourself will help you reach your retirement goals faster. It frees up more time that you can also use to find more means of earning.
4. Cut Back on Expenses
If you want to catch up on your retirement savings, then you should also cut back on your expenses. Take a look at your budget and see where you can make adjustments.
Some areas where you may be able to save money include eating out, entertainment, travel, and shopping. By cutting back on your expenses, you’ll be able to free up more money to contribute to your retirement account.
Remember, every little bit counts when it comes to saving for retirement!
5. Start Saving Now
The sooner you start saving, the more time your money will have to grow. If you’re not sure how much you need to save for retirement, several online retirement calculators can help you determine the amount.
Once you know how much you need to save, make sure you’re automatically transferring that amount into your retirement account each month. Doing this will help you stay on track and ensure that you’re making progress towards your goal.
If you can’t afford to contribute the full amount each month, contribute what you can. A few saved bucks is still better than nothing.
What are some of your tips for catching up on your retirement savings? Share them with us in the comments below!
Tamila McDonald has worked as a Financial Advisor for the military for past 13 years. She has taught Personal Financial classes on every subject from credit, to life insurance, as well as all other aspects of financial management. Mrs. McDonald is an AFCPE Accredited Financial Counselor and has helped her clients to meet their short-term and long-term financial goals.
After my husband and I got married last year, we did what most couples do and combined households. As we joined our lives and finances, we also evaluated our monthly expenses. We started by establishing our new budget. Then, we divided the financial responsibilities, set our savings goals, and looked for areas where we could cut back. The most obvious way was to cancel duplicate memberships and services we no longer needed. However, we overlooked a few opportunities to save money with our telecom services. Now that my husband will need to relocate for work, we are looking for more ways to trim the budget. So, I’m wondering if we have the best deal for our TV bundle package or if there are better options for us.
The Current TV Bundle Package
Before we got together, he had two roommates living in the same house. For budgeting purposes, they shared services and streaming memberships. However, anyone who lives in a large household will tell you how frustrating it is when you skimp on your internet speed. With all three of them working from home, streaming, and gaming, they chose a package with greater bandwidth. But now that it was just the two of us, I wasn’t sure if we were paying for more than we needed.
Our current bundle includes TV and internet services, but all streaming services are separate. With the bundle, we have the Ultimate plan with download speeds up to 500Mbps, a 1.25 TB monthly data plan, and 140 channels. The latest bill showed that we pay $83 a month for internet and $114 for TV; with taxes and fees, it’s just more than $210 a month. This price included a $30 discount on the package, which makes it a good deal. Unfortunately, the offer expires in April 2023.
Options in Our Area
Local Providers
Sadly, there are a limited number of service providers in our area. Only two, to be exact. This doesn’t work in our favor or create much competition for pricing and customer service.
Over the years, I’ve used both providers and neither one comes close to satisfactory. Since their prices and quality of service are about the same, I have no loyalty to either one. Therefore, I let the bottom line determine where I go and sometimes switch between the two, depending on who is running the best promotion.
Satellite Services
I’ve also looked into satellite services, but have had bad experiences in the past. Living in the midwest means that we often deal with poor weather conditions. When it gets bad, service gets spotty and is often out for several hours at a time. So, if you have been considering satellite and wondering “does weather affect satellite internet?”, in short, it seems that you are more likely to experience connection issues during inclement weather than with other types of internet. Since I need reliable internet access to run my business, satellite service isn’t a good option for me. However, for some, it can be the only option available.
Mix and Match
The other alternative is to pay for the services individually. We don’t watch many cable TV channels, so we have discussed ditching the extras for local channels only. Additionally, we don’t need a landline since we rely on our cell phones.
While it may seem limited, we would still have plenty of entertainment services. Since we already pay for subscriptions to Netflix and Amazon Prime, we could still watch our favorite TV shows and movies through these streaming services. Looking at our options, we are seriously considering canceling the cable and finding a bundle for our streaming services.
Getting the Best Deal on Your TV Bundle Package
Looking at our current package, it seems like we are getting the best deal available right now. However, that will change when our discount expires. So, if you are looking for ways to get the best deal on your TV bundle package, here are three things you should keep in mind.
1. Bundle your services for better discounts.
Obviously, bundling is one of the best ways to save on your telecom services. As a general rule, you typically pay less for each service when you go through a single provider.
Sometimes, they will also offer promotional deals and discounts to help you save even more. Not only is it good news for your wallet, but telecom companies also love it when you bundle because it boosts revenue for each client and has its users committing to long-term contracts.
However, not all bundles are a bargain. You need to do your due diligence and pay attention to the fine print. Watch out for the fees for add-ons and equipment rentals. These hidden charges may cost you more by nickel and diming you beyond your budget.
2. Check out the competition.
Any true budgeter knows that you should always shop around and compare prices. The same is true when it comes to your telecom services. If you live in larger cities, you will usually find better deals. The bigger the local market, the better the inducement offers will be as well.
Many providers offer great deals and packages to sign up. Plus, you can sometimes find exclusive web offers to save even more. Others offer incentives like prepaid credit cards or discounts when you sign up or pay for services online. Sometimes the savings are so significant, that I’m willing to switch contracts and go through the hassle of changing service providers.
3. Don’t be afraid to negotiate.
Most people think that rates are set in stone. While there may be standard pricing, there are usually ways that service providers are willing to sweeten the deal to keep your business. So when your contract expires, be ready to have a conversation about your renewal.
When you go into the conversation, keep in mind that there is some room for negotiation. Although they will rarely give you free service, it never hurts to ask for a current promotional rate for new members or that they extend your current deal.
The staunchest savers will also advise you to be willing to walk away. Let your provider know that you will be looking at other options if they can’t honor the rate or offer other discounts. Sometimes threatening to end your service spurs them to find ways to reduce your monthly bill and extend your contract.
Ultimately, you have to decide what is most important for your communication needs and choose the package that is right for you. It never hurts to ask for what you want from your service provider. They may surprise you and grant your requests. In the long run, they know a satisfied customer is worth more than the discount.
Jenny Smedra is an avid world traveler, ESL teacher, former archaeologist, and freelance writer. Choosing a life abroad had strengthened her commitment to finding ways to bring people together across language and cultural barriers. While most of her time is dedicated to either working with children, she also enjoys good friends, good food, and new adventures.
If your property has become overgrown by brush and invasive plant species are taking over, perhaps it’s time to consider goats. Yes…that’s right, goats. These hearty animals will eat a wide variety of weeds which makes them effective eating machines when you need to clear large tracts of land. And, it provides a safe and natural alternative to harmful herbicides. However, the most convincing reason is that you save a ton of money by renting goats for weed control. So, if you are looking for ways to avoid renting machinery or hiring labor, here’s how a herd of goats can eat away at the total expense.
Why Are People Renting Goats?
People have been raising goats for thousands of years. Nowadays, some have used them to create lucrative business opportunities. With the many harmful side effects of harsh chemicals and herbicides, more people are looking for more eco-friendly options. Goats are a natural way to clear brush and overgrown yards or commercial lots.
What makes them so effective is that they will eat just about anything. They will happily munch on the weeds and invasive plant species such as poison ivy, poison oak, sumac, kudzu, milk thistle, knotweed, wisteria, and reed grass, just to name a few. However, some plants are toxic to goats and must be removed before they can graze. But, goats can handle most of the bramble and thorny plants you wouldn’t want to remove by hand.
Although there are many benefits in using goats for weed control, here are some of the most common reasons why people prefer using them:
Goats quickly clear the land you want to use.
They provide natural fertilizer and enrich the soil.
Their hooves till the soil, saving you a ton of labor if you plan to use the area for gardening.
Goats are excellent climbers, meaning they can reach places machines can’t. So, they are more effective for steep, rocky terrain and wetlands.
It eliminates the use of herbicides which can harm your health and the environment.
Targeting grazing is a great preventative measure in areas prone to wildfires.
Renting goats is much cheaper than hiring a landscaping company.
You don’t need a permit to let goats graze on your land.
How Can You Save Money by Renting Goats for Weed Control?
Although there are many practical benefits for renting goats, let’s discuss the dollar and cents of it. In addition to all the environmental benefits, here is how you can save money by renting goats for weed control.
1. It is cheaper than paying for a professional landscaping service.
First and foremost, using goats is much cheaper than paying for professional weed removal. Landscaping companies typically charge between $50 and $100 an hour for their services. Depending on the size of your lot and the density of the overgrowth, it might cost you anywhere from $2,000 to $4,000 per acre to clear and remove all the yard waste. On the other hand, you can rent a herd of goats for about $400-$800 per acre. If you go with the goats, you can save a lot of cabbage.
2. There are no disposal fees.
This brings me to the second point: you don’t have to pay for disposal fees. Since the goats are eating the yard waste, there is no debris to burn or haul away. So, you can completely avoid the cost and further reduce the total bill for weed control.
3. They provide free fertilizer to enrich the soil.
Another added benefit is that goats will provide free fertilizer. As any gardener will tell you, nothing beats good, ol’ fashioned fertilizer to enrich your soil. Hiring goats will provide a nutrient-rich base if you want to lay sod or plant a garden in the area they are clearing. So, you can spend less money on expensive potting soils from your local gardening center. And, the goats will even till it into the soil with their hooves, saving a lot of man-hours.
4. You don’t need to buy herbicides for future treatments.
If you rent goats to get rid of your weeds, you don’t need to spend money on herbicides down the line. While more resilient weeds will return, you can clear the majority of your weeds in a single visit. The first time that you use targeted grazing takes the longest since there are years of growth to clear. However, a few more applications should clear all unwanted foliage from your property and eliminate the need to use herbicides.
5. You can save even more if assist.
If you don’t have facilities that are suitable for livestock, it can take some time to prepare. However, some companies may offer a discount for those who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. With more people to assist, it greatly reduces the time and labor costs of setting up. So, offering to help remove toxic plants, set up electric fences, or feed and water the herd could drastically cut the final costs.
Where Can You Rent Goats?
For those looking to rent goats, you can do a local search to see if there are any goat rental services near you. If you aren’t getting any hits, look up other keywords like “targeted grazing” or “conservation grazing” to widen the search. Be sure you check the reviews to choose the best fit for your job.
However, this is still a relatively new business idea. You can always ask for a referral from someone who knows about renting goats for weed control. Or, you might try contacting local farmers who keep goats. Even if they don’t have a rental company, they may be willing to offer their services for the right price.
Why Aren’t More People Using Goats?
Many people still prefer the fastest and easiest methods for weed control. It takes time for the goats to eat, and even longer when all their favorite vegetation is gone.
Furthermore, using goats won’t give you the same finished look that landscaping companies offer. They cannot distinguish between weeds and manicured landscaping. So, they may decide your shrubs and expensive flowers are more preferable to the weeds you want them to eat. Although it is effective, it isn’t always pretty.
Finally, renting goats is not practical for smaller pieces of property. Most companies have a one-acre minimum for jobs they take. They have a limited number of animals, so they have to choose jobs that will be profitable.
However, if you think goats are the right answer for you, contact local companies for quotes and see just how much you can save!
Jenny Smedra is an avid world traveler, ESL teacher, former archaeologist, and freelance writer. Choosing a life abroad had strengthened her commitment to finding ways to bring people together across language and cultural barriers. While most of her time is dedicated to either working with children, she also enjoys good friends, good food, and new adventures.
