Low Budget Life

Perhaps the hardest thing about leaving to town to take a well deserved vacation is the accelerated rate at which greenbacks take a one way trip of their own, from the inside of your wallet out into the world. Vacations, while relaxing during their actual duration, can lead to even bigger headaches upon your return home than the ones you sought to escape at the onset of your travels. Then again, without a break from the day to day monotony that defines the common work experience, how is anyone expected to maintain his or her sanity?It seems as if, in this time of cutbacks and penny-pinching, the first to be struck from household budgets across the country is vacation time. This is unfortunate as, in many cases, well timed time-off can actually lead to increased productivity, not to mention an overall happier environment both at home and in the workplace. Continue Reading »

A lot changes when you cross a state line, aside from whether or not fireworks are for sale. Every state in the United States sets its own individual taxes on many products you might purchase out of both habit and necessity. In some cases, driving 50 feet further down the road before running an errand may actually save you a healthy chunk of change over the course of the year. In order for this to really be a practical money saving strategy, you have to live in a town or city that shares a border with your neighboring state, or at least is in close driving distance. As geographic proximity plays the most prominent factor, border towns are obviously the most desirable set-up (border towns as in Kansas City, Missouri/Kansas, not Juarez, Mexico unless you are looking to save on products illegal in the US, avoid Juarez, Mexico). Keep in mind that if crossing the state line is too far of a trek or too high traffic, you will simply lose any savings back in gas money. For anyone who naturally crosses a state line on the way to work or school, make sure you know which state has lower taxes on items like gas, alcohol and tobacco and purchase those items as necessary in the state with cheaper prices. Continue Reading »