Lake Ariel Realty

One of the most common refrains that has come out of the very hot 2020 real estate market is the message that this is a perfect time to sell a home. Record low interest rates combined with a low inventory market and a shortened spring market means that demand is high and, in many areas, homes are selling for prices well above asking with multiple offers.

When it comes to saving money, every dollar counts. Whether you want to save up for a down payment or a vacation, or if you need to fatten your emergency fund, you can help meet your financial goal by evaluating your current expenses and finding simple ways to cut back. Of course, saving may also require you to make some sacrifices and prioritize your needs over wants.

To help get you started, consider these 10 cost-cutting tips from American Consumer Credit Counseling:

To stop a criminal from using your personal information to open a credit card in your name, start by preventing lenders from checking your credit unless you first unfreeze your information.

Even if you have poor credit—or are low on savings—protecting your credit from identity theft by taking advantage of a free credit freeze is a good idea.

If you’re in debt up to your eyeballs, or at least up to your waist, it can be hard to see which debts should be paid first. The creditor that screams the loudest may not be the best one to repay first.

Some debts should take precedence over others because they can have worse consequences. Here are bills you should pay off first:

From buying auto insurance to filing a claim, figuring out the language of auto insurance can be difficult. Why is your insurance agent recommending “gap insurance” and are “OEM” parts worthwhile?

Here are definitions of some of the more complex insurance jargon terms. If you come across something in your policy or your agent says something you don’t understand, ask them to explain the terms.

Buying a home is a major financial and life commitment that you’ll be living with for the foreseeable future. While that can sound a little daunting, being aware of this, and zeroing in on what exactly you need in a home can make the process a lot less stressful.

Building good credit takes time, and it can be a few years before college students or graduates have a good enough credit score to get a credit card or loans at low interest rates.

A student credit card can help as a college student’s first credit card, though it does come with some conditions.

First, a student will have to do more than attend college. They’ll need some type of income, and without any credit history, a card may be difficult to be approved for.