Personal Finance

For more than a decade, wages, in real terms, have been pretty much stagnant.

Even as productivity has increased among the middle class, wages have failed to improve to match.  So, even though the recession has been over for more than five years, many Americans still feel the pinch.

Recent research suggests that more than 25 million middle-class Americans are living paycheck to paycheck.

According to a study from the Brookings Institution, 66 percent of the American households living “hand-to-mouth” are families with median incomes of around $41,000.

This means that, even though there is an economic recovery underway (albeit a rather lukewarm recovery), millions of Americans — many of them with jobs — aren’t reaping the benefits of the recovery.

When you’re living paycheck to paycheck, you don’t usually have liquid assets, such as savings accounts.  The research finds that these Americans do have homes and retirement accounts, but, even then, the median net worth is still only $41,000.

To get beyond living paycheck to paycheck, the Americans in this study needed an income of $51,000 a year and had assets of $116,000.

But that doesn’t mean that you are doomed to live paycheck to paycheck, no matter how much (or little) you make.  You can stop living paycheck to paycheck if you are willing to make changes to the way you handle your budget.

Here’s How to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck

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A look around the personal finance blogosphere will show you a number of different approaches to living a financially rewarding life. 

Some bloggers like Ramit Sethi from I Will Teach You to Be Rich scoff at little cost cutting measures like making your coffee at home instead of stopping by Starbucks, arguing that the way to truly become wealthy comes from making more money, not cutting little corners.

Others like Crystal Paine at Money Saving Mom advocate a frugal lifestyle.

She regularly advertises free deals and ways to be frugal such as using coupons when shopping, menu planning, and taking advantage of free summer activities with kids.  While she does advocate having a side gig if you’re able, her main focus is saving money by spending less money.

Of course, these two strategies combined — earning more money and saving money in all the little ways you spend on a daily basis — are important to growing your net worth.

But there’s also another strategy that may be even more important than cutting corners on routine, small expenditures–cutting corners on large purchases that can save you thousands in one fell swoop.

Saving on large purchases isn’t discussed as much because there’s not an opportunity to save as frequently.  After all, you may go to the coffee shop every day, and you may go out to eat a few times a week, but you’ll likely only buy a new car every five to ten years.

Still, the big purchases can save you as much in one fell swoop as a year’s worth of savings by making your coffee at home.

These Big Financial Wins Rock!

[Read more…] about These Big Financial Wins Will Put a Lot of Money in Your Pocket!

Chances are, you want to make more money.

Most of us think that a higher income would improve matters in our financial lives.

But would more money really be useful to your long-term financial health?

It could potentially help — as long as you don’t let lifestyle inflation drain away your excess income.

The reality is that when most people earn more money, they spend more money.  If you aren’t careful, lifestyle inflation can destroy all of the benefits that come with a higher income.

You won’t get ahead if you don’t put that money to good use for your future.

What is Lifestyle Inflation?

[Read more…] about Lifestyle Inflation: The Silent Killer of Your Finances?