Some great links and resources I found via LifeHacker.
Money-Saving Secrets [Real Simple]
he average household receive about 15 bills a month. With stamps now at 39 cents each, you spend about $70 a year just on postage — and don’t forget the late fees if your checks get lost in the mail. Save time and money by signing up with the billers’ customer-service departments to have your bills paid by credit card or automatic debit; payments will be documented on your monthly bank statement. If you want more control, almost all major banks offer free online bill payment, which lets you schedule payments in advance.
Column: Time to click and pay bills online [Yahoo! News]
Creditors have become more aggressive than ever about hitting consumers with ridiculously high late fees. If you pay your bills online, you can set them up so that you’re never late.
What to do when they ask for your Social Security Number [totse.com]
Most of the time, you can convince them to use some other number. Usually the simplest way to refuse to give your Social Security Number is simply to leave the appropriate space blank. One of the times when this isn’t a strong enough statement of your desire to conceal your number is when dealing with institutions which have direct contact with your employer. Most employers have no policy against revealing your Social Security Number; they apparently believe that it must have been an unintentional slip that you didn’t give out your SSN.
StackBacks Automated Budget System [Personal Budget Blog]
StackBacks Automated Budget System e-book [Free download, PDF]
You shouldn’t have to think about your budget. Figure your budget out once, not constantly. I want to pay my bills on time, reach my financial goals, and have money I can spend without worrying about it.
