Search Results for: budget

Best Jobs for Your Budget

March 31, 2021 By Justin Weinger Leave a Comment

Everyone needs to do something to make money. Getting a job, sometimes any job is a challenge to acquire.

Although, part of that challenge is due to your budget. While the primary reason to get a job is to earn money, if that job’s cost outweighs the money you make, you shouldn’t take that job.

This budget includes travel, the cost of a specified dress code, and the time it takes away from your personal life,

You shouldn’t live to work. You need to find a balance between budgeting your time, money, and talents so you don’t work yourself to death.

Here are the best jobs for your budget:

Dental Hygienist

If you enjoy a social atmosphere where you can make a competitive income without drowning in student debt, you should look into being a dental hygienist.

In addition to offering a great job, the dental industry market is on a steady incline. There are around 182,418 dental offices in the United States. This volume of opportunities to find a job offers dental hygienists the option to find a position where they live currently or start a whole new adventure.

Web Developer

For those of you who love computers and be creative and innovative, consider becoming a web developer. Web developers are in high demand and can usually work from home, especially now.

Almost everything we do on our computers and even our mobile devices is available because a web designer created it. Fortunately, you don’t need to be Bill Gates or Steve Jobs to make a great, budget-friendly living from this occupation.

Most clients are looking for a unique website design. So, all you need to know to start is a few basic computer languages and an innovative mind.

Real Estate Agent

The California real estate market is booming, along with most of the needs throughout the midwest. If you have ever thought about being a real estate agent, this is your time to shine. Schooling for becoming a real estate agent is straightforward and, depending on the state, takes between 4-6 months.

Plus, you have a large earning potential, regardless of your age or background. If you dedicate your work to making dreams come true for your clients and offer the best experience possible, you should always have consistent work.

Virtual Assistant

The virtual assistant position is a new concept. Virtual assistants came to fruition through the age of the internet. Yet, a virtual assistant’s role has become even more desirable with the need for social distancing.

Due to the advancements in technology, virtual assistants can now help out with a business in the same way a secretary or assistant could physically work in an office.

Some of the duties for a virtual assistant include:

Answering emails and phone calls
Organizing calendars, scheduling appointments, and maintaining online records
Data entry
Preparing reports
Customer service
Conducting online research

Plus, the payscale rises with experience and qualifications. For example, if you get a job as an executive virtual assistant, you will likely earn a much higher rate per hour than just a regular virtual assistant.

Teaching English Online

Many people enjoy teaching but can’t get a secure teaching job. Fortunately, if you are okay with super early mornings, there is a large market for teaching English to children online.

This job is completely remote, and it pays well. According to Forbes, VIPKid is one of the best online companies to work for, and it is also the leading ESL online learning company for this type of occupation.

Once accepted as a teacher, you can pick the times you would like to work. The work is one-on-one, allowing you to work individually with a different child during each half/hour class.

Ultimately, the jobs listed here offer a payscale potential, time convenience, or another benefit that makes it a worthy pursuit for your budget.

Although, these are not the only jobs that work for your budget. Each person is different, and so, their needs, wants, and budgets are different. The most important thing to remember when looking for the best jobs for your budget is to ensure you can live comfortably and enjoy your life while still making a living.

Feed a Hungry Teenager Without Breaking Your Grocery Budget

March 22, 2021 By MelissaB 1 Comment

I’ve heard how expensive it is to feed a hungry teenager because they can eat everything in the house, and now I’m experiencing it firsthand. My son isn’t even a teen—just 12—but over the last six months, he’s grown three inches and put on 20 pounds. I used to think my husband could eat a lot, but our son can easily eat double or triple what his dad can eat. Then an hour or two later, he’ll tell us he’s hungry again. If you have a tween or teen, this may sound all too familiar.

However, we don’t really have enough room to raise the grocery budget, so we’re finding creative ways to keep him full.

Satisfying Foods to Feed a Hungry Teenager

There are several foods that can keep your hungry teen satisfied.

Protein

Meat can be expensive, but growing teens need protein to help them feel satiated. We make sure to serve an ample serving of protein at breakfast and during every meal. Some of our favorite breakfast proteins include homemade meat patties, eggs, or bacon.

For snacks, we like to make protein based snacks such as these Cacao Balls. Between the pecans and protein powder, this snack keeps our teen full.

Healthy Carbs

Three staples in our teen’s diet are white potatoes, sweet potatoes, and rice. He often eats rice with breakfast, homemade baked French fries for lunch, and baked sweet potatoes for dinner. These carbs help fill him up and round out his meal. After he eats an entire plateful of food and is still hungry, we give him vegetables and one of these carbs.

Fruits

These are a great way to fill up hungry teens, especially in between meals. I find that grapefruit is my best bet. It’s not that expensive, and it’s large and watery, so it fills him up. Other options include apples, pears, bananas, oranges, or whatever other fruit you have on hand. I always buy a lot of fruit when doing my weekly shopping.

Veggies

Vegetables are another choice that aren’t that expensive. Organic carrots are .60 a pound at Costco. We buy the ten pound bag and prepare them as raw carrot sticks or as roasted carrots. We also frequently give the kids hummus to dip their veggies in. Whenever a vegetable is on sale, I stock up and make extra knowing that our son will have multiple servings.

Healthy Fats

Feed a Hungry Teen — Photo by Heather Ford on Unsplash

Healthy fat can definitely help fill up a teen. We’re big fans of avocado. We often make guacamole to serve with our salads and soups. We also serve it as a snack with organic corn chips. Coconut oil, coconut cream, and coconut milk are also great ingredients to use in muffins, smoothies, and desserts to help satiate your child. One of our go to favorites now is Chocolate Chia Pudding. The chia and almond milk (or sub out for coconut milk) keep him full and satisfies his sweet tooth.

Foods to Avoid

Junk Food

I know, I know, teens love this stuff. But the truth is, they can wolf down a bag of Cheetos or chips and then be hungry just a little later because they were eating empty calories. We like to keep the junk food to a minimum and rely on healthy staples instead. In the long run, when it comes to teen appetites, healthy food IS cheaper. Plus, you’re helping your child maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Fast Food

The stereotype has teen boys living off fast food. While it is temporarily filling, if your child relies on this type of food frequently, he may be facing health issues down the road.

Final Thoughts

While teen’s appetites do ramp up tremendously in the tween and teen years, feeding them healthy food without ruining the grocery budget is possible. Our family has a number of food intolerances, so we can’t rely on other staples that will help fill kids up like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or cottage cheese, but those are also fairly nutritious options.

What are your favorite foods to help fill your growing teen’s bottomless pit? Please share.

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Save on Groceries by Limiting Junk Food

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How to Help Your Elderly Parents Budget Their Finances

March 16, 2021 By Justin Weinger Leave a Comment

As part of the so-called “sandwich generation,” trying to figure out how to help your aging parents manage their finances can be a unique challenge. Not only are you trying to help take care of your own children, but now you also have your mother and father to worry about.

Trying to take over your parents’ finances can be unquestionably stressful. There’s a good chance that they raised you and likely taught you about money management. And now, after all these years, they’re unexpectedly finding themselves turning to you for financial help — and even worse, they might even be resistant to it!

Fortunately, helping your senior parents manage their finances does not have to be an emotionally harrowing ordeal. In many ways, they already have the foundation of good financial planning down; they may just need a little extra assistance with some of the unexpected incidentals.

If you’re looking to help your older parents stay afloat without worrying about them going bankrupt on your watch, then look no further. Here are five handy tips to help you keep a vigilant eye on your parents’ finances without causing unnecessary tears, frustration, and anxiety in either of you.

Have Empathy

First and foremost, when taking over your parents’ finances, you need to approach it with a little bit of compassion. It’s important to remember that your parents are precisely that: mature adults who likely already know a thing or two about handling money. After all, they raised you, right?

Instead of coming in with a patronizing or infantilizing tone, instead try to imagine yourself in their shoes. They may be more than a little bit confused, especially if they’re starting to undergo mental changes that may make them more prone to forgetfulness. By approaching it with the right attitude, you can help avoid hurt feelings in the long run.

Know Where They Stand

Once you know how to talk to your parents about your goals of assisting them with their finances, your next step will be to take a closer look at their current budget and income. Before you can start earmarking money for expenses, you first need to know how much they’re making and where it’s all going.

Plan For the Day-to-Day

When you think about your own monthly budget, what comes to mind? You probably think of your mortgage, your car payment, and even your grocery bill. While your parents may not have those same expenses, it’s still important to make sure there’s enough money budgeted for the things they need in their daily and monthly life.

…But Also Plan Ahead

Nobody likes to think that something bad will happen to their beloved parents, but the sad truth is, they’re not going to live forever. Even if they’re healthy now, there could come a time that you may have to have a hard conversation about both long-term care for your parents and even funeral expenses.

Yes, this could be a very uncomfortable conversation to have, but it’s still very important to plan ahead for these things. You also need to make sure you budget enough for professional care for your parents, especially if you (or your siblings) do not feel qualified to take care of them in their advanced years.

Fortunately, there are a number of options you can turn to if you’re looking to bring a senior care provider into your parents’ home. Whether you’re looking for home care agencies in NYC, Tampa, Sacramento — or anywhere across the country — you have your option of warm, kind, and highly trained professionals to help take care of your loved ones.

Remain a Constant Presence

Finally, helping your parents with their budgets is not some one-off thing that you do just once then dust off your hands. Instead, you need to realize that your parents’ finances can change in the future. They may also grow more dependent upon you, as well. Sadly, there are also some people out there who prey upon seniors, so you always need to take the initiative to go over their finances with them.

Ideally, you should plan one day a month to go through their bills and their other expenses with them. Look for anything that may seem wrong or suspicious. You also want to make sure you don’t outright accuse your parents of frivolous spending, either. Remember, it’s their money, and you’re simply there to help them.

Taking care of your parents’ finances can be a wonderful and rewarding experience. Furthermore, there’s a high likelihood that they’ll be grateful for your help, and you can help strengthen your bond with them while doing so. By following these five tips, you can help ensure that the entire process goes smoothly for both yourself and your parents!