Girls Just Wanna Have Funds

Book Review for "Girls Just Wanna Have Funds: How to Spruce Up Your Money and Invest Like a Pro"

If you girls are looking for a great personal finance book to teach you the basics, I think "Girls Just Wanna Have Funds" is a great resource. It was the first personal finance book that I read and it really opened up my eyes to the world of personal finance.

The book discusses retirement plans, compounding, bonds, the stock market, and even teaches you how to analyze a stock. It's easy to read and Barnes and Nobles allows you to read the first chapter of the book for free here. The book was published in 2000, so it's a little old, but the information is still relevant. If you want to pick up this book, you can buy it used on Amazon for $0.01! (plus $3.99 for shipping).

I think the best advice that I gleaned from this book is to be patient when you're investing in stocks and don't panic over every little drop in stock price (the book discusses this in two chapters).

If you're interested, pick up this book and tell me what you think!

Utilize Financial Calculators

There are a slew of financial calculators available online that can really help you improve your finances.

Need a loan calculator? I like the one offered by Bankrate. This calculator calculates your monthly payment and tells you what the total cost of the loan will be after all of the interest you pay.

Going on vacation soon? Here is a calculator that converts currency from 164 countries. Check it out

Want to know what your credit score is? MSN Money has a quiz you can take to get an estimate for your credit score.

Simple Ways To Save Without Drastically Changing Your Lifestyle

I’ll be honest—saving money is not always fun, but it’s something you have to do if you ever want to be financially secure. Most people think that you have to drastically change your lifestyle in order to save money. I disagree. I’m a huge fan of baby steps. Continually taking small steps and implementing small changes will reap huge rewards down the road. Here are my favorite ways to save without having to make huge sacrifices:

Instead Of Dining In, Get Carry Out
Dining out frequently can be expensive (I know from personal experience). However, if you get carry out instead, you can save anywhere from 15-30% each time. How? Well, at most restaurants you are not expected to leave a tip for carry out orders. This automatically saves 15-20%. Also, you won’t be tempted to order drinks from the bar. Beer, wine, hard liquor, and mixed drinks can really increase your tab. When you get carry out, you’ll just drink whatever beverages you have at home while still enjoying the food from your favorite restaurant.

Shop Smart
Shopping is great; it’s one of my favorite things to do in my spare time. Everyone knows that clothes eventually go on sale/clearance. Most retailers mark down items 4-6 weeks after the merchandise has hit the floor. After a few more weeks, the merchandise gets marked down again. If you see something you like, vow not to buy it unless it goes on sale by at least 40%. For example, if you see a top priced at $100, don’t buy it until is marked down to at least $60. This will take some discipline and patience, but it is well worth the savings. The feeling of getting that great top at a steep discount is unbeatable.

Swap Clothes with Friends
Friends are a great source of clothing and accessories. Host a party where everyone brings unwanted items and swap! You can pick up some great new accessories and cute clothes for free.

Downsize Your Latte

What size is your daily latte or coffee? Instead of giving up your latte for good, try downsizing your drink. If you normally get a large, switch to a medium and save $0.25 a day. If you get a medium, switch to a small and save $0.25 a day. Doesn’t sound like much? Saving $0.25 a day everyday for a year equals $91.25. Not bad for a change that you won’t even notice after doing it for a week.