(Source: zoonabar)

Spring is here and love is in the air. So don’t let the plans for your dream wedding be daunted by economic realities. These days, more and more brides and grooms are footing the bill for their weddings themselves. And a wedding can be one of the biggest expenses you’ll face as a couple. Instead of starting out your financial lives together many thousands of dollars in debt, consider these practical tips for saving money on your wedding.

Most people would just assume that cutting the guest list is the only way to go (less guests equals a smaller venue, fewer invitations, and less food to pay for), but it turns out, there are plenty of other options for couples who would still like to throw the wedding of their dreams.

“I actually don’t like to tell my clients to have a smaller wedding,” says Kathryn Kalabokes of Dream a Little Dream Events. “People are more important than flowers, and for a lot of couples, a smaller wedding just isn’t an option.”

We talked to Kalabokes and Alison Hotchkiss of Alison Events in San Francisco (and author of the recently released book Destination Wedding Planner: The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Wedding from Afar) to get some of their favorite cash-saving tips for your big day:

• Pick a less-popular day. If you want to save some serious cash, book a wedding on a Thursday, Friday or Sunday instead of the coveted Saturday slots. “There are only 52 Saturdays a year, and those Saturdays are gold,” Kalabokes explains. “Most vendors will offer heavy discounts on another day of the week.” Hotchkiss adds, “If it’s a three-day weekend, you can do the rehearsal on Saturday, the wedding and reception on Sunday, and then your guests have all day Monday to travel.” Also look at the off-season, especially if you’re doing a destination wedding. Prices tend to be higher during the peak months of May through September.
• For destination weddings, think locally. “If you have your heart set on a destination wedding,” Hotchkiss says, “try to use as many local vendors as possible.” Flying in decorations or a photographer, for instance, can all make your wedding a lot more expensive. “We just did a wedding where, if we hadn’t flown in the flowers, the couple could have saved a lot of money.”
• Cut your flowers-but not entirely. In order to keep things festive, Kalabokes suggests incorporating fresh fruit and vegetables into floral designs whenever possible; she estimates this could drop the price of a centerpiece from $250 to around $125 in a lot of cases. Also, let your bridesmaids feel adorned with strategically placed flowers, but don’t do a whole bouquet for each one. “If you’re doing peonies, have each girl carry a different color of each flower, or have them place one or their wrists or in their hair,” Kalabokes suggests.
• Be a smart shopper. For décor, raid stores like IKEA, Pier One and Cost Plus for things like candle holders. “This can be a lot cheaper than renting them,” Kalabokes explains. “Then, you can always sell them on eBay later. I’ve even bought stuff off of past clients to use again.”
• Serve beer and wine-but try not to go the cash bar route. “Cash bars are just seen as tacky; people don’t want to pay for their own drinks,” Kalabokes says. Instead, she suggests serving beer and wine, and perhaps one cocktail that fits in with the overall theme of your wedding (but that doesn’t necessarily have to be named after the bride and groom).
• If you have your heart set on a high-end dress designer, try to find a trunk show. At trunk shows, not only will you get a discount on the dress, Kalabokes says, but you may even score some freebies like a veil or alterations, which can add up to hundreds of dollars in the long run. “Even if you have to fly from, say, San Francisco to LA to go to a Monique Lhuillier trunk show, the money you save on the dress and the extras will easily pay for your ticket down there and then some,” she says.
• Don’t go crazy with your jewelry. “Why spend hundreds of dollars on a necklace that you’re going to wear one day?” Hotchkiss says. Instead, she recommends visiting stores like J. Crew, Anthropologie and even Forever 21 to find inexpensive baubles. “Especially if you’re just trying to match something to the dress, you can find lots of really cute, inexpensive options at those stores,” she says.
• On your wedding day, travel to the makeup and hair stylists, instead of the other way around. Having your makeup artist and hair stylist come to your home or hotel is typically much more expensive. “You can have all of the amenities you would in a hotel room if you just go to the salon, like champagne and food,” Hotchkiss says.
• Think “station” instead of “buffet” for food. Buffets were the traditional way to save money on reception dining, but these days, offering guests a variety of stations with small plates is a more stylish (and often cost-effective) way to go. “We’re not necessarily talking a cocktail party here, but rather dishes like short ribs on a bed of mashed potatoes,” Kalabokes says. “This can take you down to about $50 a head instead of around $130 a head for sit-down dinners.” Hotchkiss adds, “You can have one ‘wow’ factor at your event, like an oyster or sushi-rolling station, but really, it’s best to keep the food simple if you can.”
• Pare down your invitations. Brides and grooms today have the tendency to stuff their invites with several pieces: the invitation, a response card, a map, and even additional information cards. Instead, simply print the reception info on your invitation, and ditch the maps. “Also, you can just do a postcard for the responses, instead of doing another envelope insert,” Kalabokes adds.
• Go the DJ route. “Hire a DJ to play at the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception,” Hotchkiss says. “You might lose a little bit of ambiance, but we’re talking thousands of dollars here.” With bands and popular quartets, she notes, it’s easy to get saddled with hourly minimums, which can add up quickly.

Focus on reducing your debt.
With a steady income, you can now handle some of your financial management issues with confidence, and you can start tackling any debt you have head on. Always pay your bills on time and, if possible, pay more than the minimum — you’ll reduce your debt faster this way. If you’re committed to paying the balance in full each month, you should look into using reward cards for their benefits. It’s also important that you control your spending so that you avoid racking up additional debt. Some great ways to avoid overspending? Wait 24 hours before making any decisions that involve major purchases. Compare your typical monthly expenses over time, or versus your neighbors using online tools like those offered by Mint.com.

Establish a 401K or IRA.
Retirement seems far away, but the more you save now, the more you’ll have when you retire. If you’ve got a healthy savings habit, the power of compound interest will ensure that you also get a healthy retirement. Some retirement financial management advice to consider:

• if your 401K has an employer match, contribute the maximum pre-tax amount
• And invest enough to your 401K to get the full match.
• if you don’t have an employer-sponsored retirement plan, or if you’ve got the extra money after maxing out your 401K, set up a traditional or Roth IRA. Find out which type of IRA you’re eligible for here.

Get sufficient health care coverage.
If your employer doesn’t offer coverage, see if you can be covered under your spouse or significant other’s health insurance. If not, pick up your own health insurance. If you’re in a low income bracket, visit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (www.cms.hhs.gov) for information on programs that may help you, such as SCHIP (a program for children) and Medicaid (a program for individuals and families). For free and low-cost prescription programs, visit TheMedicineProgram.com (http://www.themedicineprogram.com/) and Partnership for Prescription Assistance (https://www.pparx.org/Intro.php).

Get the other coverage you’ll need.
At a minimum, you’ll need auto, renters’ or homeowners insurance, and disability insurance. But the good news is that most insurance companies will give you a discount if you have multiple policies with them. Also, don’t worry about life insurance for now unless you’ve got dependents.

Plan for long-term goals.
It’s never too early to set the stage for fulfilling your long-term goals. Here are a few ideas to help you keep your focus on the future:

• Visualize your goal: think about how fulfilling it would be to own a car or home, to embark on a trip around the world, to start a business or even to retire early! Then commit to making it happen.
• Plan your budget carefully and watch your spending. Look into using personal money management software such as Mint.com, which can make it much easier for you to manage your personal budget and find ways to save. Any savings you achieve should be applied to your long-term goals and plans.
• Commit to putting away a certain amount of your paycheck monthly.
• For longer-term goals, consider investing your money in the stock market.

Develop sound tax strategies.
The biggest chunk you’ll be paying out of your paycheck will be going to the tax man, so why not check out these tips to maximize your take home pay?

• By using the IRS’ withholding calculator, you’ll be able to determine the right number of tax deductions to claim. This will prevent you from overpaying or underpaying your taxes.
• Visit PaycheckCity.com to review their paycheck, 401K, 403 (b), and savings calculators. Figure out what it will take to pay just enough so you break even every year.
• If you have business-related expenses, save those receipts. You may be able to write them off during tax time.

By heeding these suggestions, you’ll be well on your way to successfully managing your finances. Keep in mind that tools like Mint can make your financial management tasks easier by providing you with simple budget tools and alerts. Do you have a new job and are you using Mint to track your spending? If so, we’d love to hear how Mint has helped you find and save money!

Related Mint Tips:

Financial Planning Software
Financial Planner
Personal Finance Tool
Personal Financial Tracking

Economy Class Tips: Basic Money Saving Tips For Travelers

1. Start planning early. You’ll have the time to scope out the best deals and research the best ways to save money for your chosen destination. For a basic guide to buying the cheapest airline tickets online, you can check out How To Find a Good Airfare on the Web at About.com. Try calling the hotel directly to get the lowest possible room rate and tap into any property-specific packages.

2. Try to be flexible about your travel dates. You might be able to score some last minute bargains if you’re flexible on your dates…traveling during shoulder vs. peak seasons, traveling mid-week to leisure destinations, for example. Check out LastMinuteTravel.com to search for deals. Flexibility can do wonders for keeping your personal budget under control.

3. Stay close to home. As a general rule, the closer you stay to your home base, the less expensive travel costs will be…no matter how high the price of a gallon of gas!

4. Plan your meals. Opt for a slightly more expensive hotel room with a kitchen or kitchenette if you’re willing to cook your own meals while on vacation. Otherwise, at least ask for a room with a refrigerator — one that allows you to keep some (non-mini-bar) drinks and snacks.

5. Take advantage of discounts. The local Entertainment Book can be a great source of coupons and bargains to stretch your vacation budget. If you have a membership at a museum or zoo, see if you can get free reciprocal admission at your destination. Also check with the local chamber of commerce or tourism board to see if they have any special offers.

Business Class Tips: Do Your Research and Be Prepared!

1. Check out your local travel center. If you’re a member of an organization that has a travel center, start by checking it out. You’ll find travel centers at AAA, Costco, Sam’s Club, and the AARP. These travel centers can quote you rates for airfare, hotels, cruises and travel packages; they can give you information about the destinations you’re interested in, and provide you with maps and local details.

2. Find out what travel perks your credit cards offer. For example, while most credit cards offer car-rental insurance, some credit cards also offer varying forms of travel insurance. You may also get discount or reward bonuses by making certain purchases with your credit card. Check with your individual card issuer for protections and deals specific to your card. You should also check the deals available to all American Express, Mastercard, and Visa cardholders. If you’re going abroad, Capital One and Discover are the only major issuers that don’t charge any foreign transaction fees (but note that your Discover card might not be accepted at many places abroad).

3. Leave some stuff at home. You don’t want to be stuck throwing out, or paying to mail home, stuff you can’t bring with you on the plane. Before you fly, check the TSA’s list of permitted and prohibited items.

4. Minimize your time at the airport. Find out about any airport delays at the FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center. This will prevent you from waiting (and paying dearly for) long hours at the airport…in the form of $4.00 coffees and $10.00 sandwiches.

First Class Tips: Get Creative to Get that last Dollar of Savings

1. Think outside the box! About.com’s Budget Travel section has some creative ideas on saving money, such as swapping or renting a home.

Mint Tip: BudgetTravel.com and Bankrate.com both have some good money saving tips for reducing expenses in all categories.

2. Pack lightly and carefully. Experts always advise packing lightly, for good reason. You’ll find that it does impact your vacation budget in more ways than one. The airlines have new lower baggage limits and have increased fees for extra bags. Pack according to the expected weather conditions at your destination so you’re not caught having to purchase raincoats or swimsuits during your trip. You can get a forecast at Weather.com. Here are more ideas for packing lightly.

3. Last tip: learn about tipping “rules”. If you’re headed for a foreign destination, keep in mind what the locals will be expecting! Travel & Leisure has a great guide to tipping in other countries.

Related Mint Tips:

Online Finance Management
Personal Money Management Software
Financial Planner Software
Online Finance

The first step is to think about budgeting your money ahead of time, based on what you’re most hoping to get out of the trip.

1. Visualize that Vacation Photo Album

Think about what’s going in the scrapbook at the end of this trip — and then plan your vacation budget around those images.

• Pictures of you and your loved one holding umbrella drinks poolside?
• Snaps of the kids in front of national monuments or in national parks?
• Or images of your family admiring your newborn?

Once you know what’s most important about the trip to you — relaxation, adventure and learning, family connection — you’re ready to plan for a vacation budget that will help deliver the experiences you’re looking for.

2. Start with the Scenic View

Start with the big picture of the expenses you’ll need to cover in your travel budget. Many are obvious, like transportation to and from your vacation spot, lodging, food, and entertainment. But here are some common expenses which are easy (but hazardous) to forget:

• Expenses before your trip: New luggage? New clothes?
• Home expenses during your trip: House sitting? Pet care?
• Transportation during your trip: Rental car? Public transport? Ferries?
• Common post-trip costs: Photo developing? Shipping souvenirs?

About.com has a handy travel expense worksheet to help you total your travel costs.

3. Meet the Locals

Understand the costs of the key experiences you’re looking forward to.

• If you’re visiting a big theme park, go online to find typical admission costs.
• If you’re traveling to try a famous restaurant, what does Zagat say is the typical tab for two?
• If you’re looking forward to sailing, scuba diving or snorkeling every day at your resort, what do they charge for these extras?

Check out our next post on vacation budgeting for smart ways to save on these big ticket items.

Mint tip: Keep it simple. Just look for details on the 3-4 experiences that are going to be most expensive. You can use your previous travel expenses to estimate a realistic vacation budget for the rest. Just search the Transactions Page in your Mint account using the dates of your last trip, the Travel category, or specific hotel, airlines, etc. for a quick snapshot of what you spent.

4. Choose the Right Road

At this point, most travelers find that their wants exceed their wallet. If you need to make trade-offs, keep in mind the goals you’ve established in Step 1. For example:

• If your primary objective is to visit family, you might be able to stay with them and not pay for lodging. Just plan on buying the clan a nice meal out to thank them for putting you up.

• If your days are going to be packed from morning to night, definitely go for the budget hotel as you won’t be doing much more than sleeping there.

• If you’re intent on seeing every museum and monument in a big city, it may be wise to stay downtown (costing you more) where public transportation is available (saving you rental car and gasoline expenses).

• If your goal is to relax and unwind poolside, on the greens, or in the spa, you might allocate a larger part of your personal budget to pay for a luxurious hotel … but check for packages that include resort activities!

5. Watch the Weather…and Adapt

At this point, you’ve got a realistic travel budget based on your goals, and you’ve made your trade-offs. Your last pre-trip step is to figure out how you’ll keep track of how your actual expenses are mapping to that budget. One option is to add your budget, and track your costs, in the travel journal you’ll keep.

Mint tip: Set up Budgets by category for the month that you’re traveling, and ask for email or SMS text messages when you exceed any of them. You’ll be on top of your spending without having to keep receipts throughout your trip.

By tracking your expenditures as they happen, you can adjust your spending during your trip. If hotel costs turn out to be higher than you expected, for example, you can compensate by spending less on food. Eat at less expensive restaurants, or buy some groceries and have your breakfast on your hotel room balcony and some lunches at a local park.

That’s your roadmap for a great trip — including some great and meaningful adventures, without the stress or surprises of overspending and post-trip regrets.

Have another suggestion for our readers? Are you planning a summer get away using Mint.com? A pair of Mint t-shirts to anyone sending us a postcard from their trip! We’ll be at 280 Hope Street, Mountain View, CA 94041 this summer, building out new features for you while you’re away.

 
 
Related Mint Tips:

Finance Management Software
Money Management Software
Online Finance Software
Free Personal Finance Software

You should definitely get going down the (virtual shopping) aisle to find smart ways to save money and manage your expenses on the less important elements of the Big Day. And, drawing from the list below, you’ll probably find ways to spend less.

Flower Girl-sized Suggestions

• Print your own invitations.
• Make your centerpieces and favors.
• Make your veil, ring pillow, and other accessories.
• Create a CD of music instead of hiring a deejay to play at the reception.
• Substitute a personalized collection of music or pictures or a video for more expensive, and likely less memorable, favors.
• Use balloons instead of flowers to decorate.
• Donate your wedding dress and accessories as a tax deduction.
• Drop the extras. Among Family Education’s smart wedding cost saving tips are their suggestions to stay away from bubbles, favors, and embossed napkins.

Bridesmaid-sized Suggestions

• Have your wedding on a Friday or off-season.
• Serve brunch or appetizers instead of a full dinner.
• Buy your dress from the donation center
• Share the cost of decorations and rentals with the couples that are using the same facilities before and after your ceremony
• Consider buying versus renting; table linens may actually be cheaper to buy than to rent.
• Consider borrowing versus renting or buying. Family members and recently married friends have often saved special cake knives, toppers, or even a dress from their own weddings. They may be honored to have you want to include them in your Big Day in this manner.

Mother of the Groom-sized Suggestions

• Limit the size of your wedding
• Buy your own beverages, if your venue allows it. Offer limited options instead of a full bar. Limit choices to wine and beer, with champagne just for the wedding party.
• Be careful about choosing a “destination wedding” to save money. Many couples end up throwing a reception back home for guests who couldn’t make it. You’ve just doubled your wedding expenses.
• When requesting quotes from vendors, avoid the “wedding upsell” by describing your event as a “family gathering” rather than as a “wedding”.
• Always negotiate with vendors; ask for discounts for paying upfront.

Take Tips From Those Who Married Frugally

To help you with your wedding budget planning and to inspire you to adhere to your personal budget, here are additional ideas on how to have a wonderful wedding from people who’ve hosted their own frugal events:

• The Wedding under $5,000. Make your own wedding gown, have a family member handle the photography and make the cake, and serve lunch instead of dinner.
• The Wedding for $5,786. Have the men wear suits instead of tuxes, print your own invitations, and keep the wedding inexpensive for your attendants, too.
• Radical Wedding Tips. Rent your dress, fake the wedding cake, marry in a park.

• Tie the Knot on a Shoestring’s Top 10 list says Barter! And avoid the month of June.
• How to Save Money on Your Wedding Ceremony and Reception Use local college musicians, and stick to your Big Day schedule to avoid additional charges by vendors
• Frugal Bride Check all vendor contracts to see if they already include gratuities.

If you recently tied the knot for less, please share your best tips with other “-to-be’s” here.

Related Mint tips:

Budget Help
Create A Budget Online
Tracking My Money
Free Money Manager

This guest post is by Ginger, a late 20’s fashionista, wife and graduate student who strives to have it all while keeping watch over her personal budget. She is the blogger behind “Girls Just Wanna Have Funds”, a blog dedicated to the woman that wants to take charge of her personal finances. Just like Ginger, we here at Mint.com value budgeting, investing and frugality.

Admit it. Being frugal isn’t something that you look forward to; after all it means that you’ll be giving up or cutting back on some or all of your favorite activities. But what if you found a way to cut back without giving up those things completely?

What if you found a way to actually get a hold of the things you enjoy without spending a fortune?

To prove that this can be done, I’ve compiled some money saving tips and a comprehensive list of cheap alternatives to the “must haves” in our lives.

Shopping

There are a number of web sites out there that can help you stay fashionable for less! These are but a few of my favorites:

• Fashion under $100
• Frugal Fashionista
• Frugalicious
• The Budget Fashionista

Also, check out this list of stores from Fashion Under $100. These stores provide trendy options without breaking the bank:

• Go Jane!
• Goody’s
• Hot Couture
• In My Shoebox
• Kohl’s
• La Redoute
• Lady Language
• Love My Shoes
• Lulu’s Fashion Lounge
• Mandee
• Mango
• Metrostyle
• Newport News
• Old Navy
• Onatoko
• Rampage
• Reitman’s
• Shop Lush
• Smart Bargains

Money Saving Tip: Check out annual and semi-annual sales and buy clothes at certain times of the year. For example, after Christmas or New Year and at the end of every season, many department stores seek to unload their inventory, allowing consumers to benefit from the deep discounts.

Entertainment

If you’re always on the go and never at home to watch your favorite television shows, dump the Tivo and your cable company and plug in to iTunes instead. iTunes allows you to watch your favorite shows online for a small fee, $1.99. For example, Lost, Grey’s Anatomy and Boston Legal can be bought per episode for $1.99, or $24 per month. What’s great is that you get to watch them sans commercials and on your own time. Apple also now offers movie rentals for $2.99 – $3.99, and HD for a dollar more.

If this doesn’t work for you then hang out at a friend’s house, go to your local sports bar, or join a meetup.com group that gets together to hang out and watch popular network shows. This option really appeals to me as I seek ways to enjoy entertainment while maintaining a flexible schedule so that I can live more productively. This is just one way I’ve been able to keep within my personal budget.

Money Saving Tip: Most major network shows can be watched for FREE on their respective channels such as ABC, NBC and the like. Remember that you don’t need to pay hefty cable fees to catch good shows or movies on television.

Automobile

One thing I love about living in a major metropolitan area is that we have so many options for getting around town. Think of the money you can save without owning a car: car payments, insurance, gas and maintenance – all of which can be costly! Zip Car is an option for those of us who only need to use a car on occasion. Zip Car rates start at $50 per month for the extra value plan, and $9/hr or $66/day for occasional driving.

Here’s a map with their current locations:

This way you’re able to have the convenience of a car without the monetary commitment. The access fees pay for gas, parking and insurance! You can’t beat that!

Other options include biking to work, using public transportation and carpooling. The latter brings to mind an awesome service facilitated by Erideshare.com. Use the site to connect with others who are carpooling in your area. From the website: “you’ll find this service a good way to commute or travel inexpensively, and maybe even make a few friends.” If you’re new in town and looking to save money, this is a great option.

Now if you must have a car, then either buy it used or check out Beater Cars, which is another kind of used car becoming popular amongst the frugal. Why? According to Beater Review, buying new is for suckers! With a new car depreciating 20%-30% in the first year it makes perfect sense. This saves you extra money on insurance, and in most cases you won’t even have a car payment.

Money Saving Tip: Make the best choice for you and your situation. If you don’t live in a city or have Zip Car within reach, then buying an inexpensive or used car, or deciding to carpool should help you save money.

Eating Out

Cutting back on dining out takes discipline. How about these frugal alternatives?

Potluck with friends

• This is a great way to hang out with friends and try out new dishes. Keep leftovers for work or dinner the next day.
• Save money by cooking in bulk and using it for lunch and dinners during the week. Or be creative by turning leftovers into “planned-overs”.

Make your favorite restaurant meal at home

• Instead of buying drinks or food at restaurants, why not find the recipes for your favorite restaurant dishes then make them from scratch at home?

Money Saving Tip: Check out this great article from J.D. over at Get Rich Slowly, who has additional great money saving tips on how to save while eating out.

What do you think of these alternatives? Which ones do you employ in your own quest for frugality? What is the impact of these choices on your personal budget?

1. There are so many important things I need that money for NOW. An extra dinner out this week with the family. That new driver to revolutionize my golf game. The fancy pair of sneakers that make the whiz bang noise with each step.
   

   Mint’s Note: Ah. The consumer lifestyle, where delay gratification is an unknown concept and future needs should never be a consideration. The IRS may be joking, but unfortunately this may be one of the top reasons why people put off saving for their retirement.

2. There’ll always be time to save later. Who needs a Personal Budget now? Let’s just focus on the here and now. Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow.
   

   Money Saving Tips: The power of compound interest works best when time is on your side. Just by starting eight years earlier, you can put away 23% less money than someone who starts later, and still end up with more money than them when it comes time to retire.

3. Maybe I won’t live long enough to retire. Life is so uncertain. Why should I miss out on the high life now when I might not even need to have money put aside for my old age? (If married, change pronouns in this reason to the plural.)
   

   Life expectancy has been steadily increasing across the globe. Sorry buddy, but it’s not over until the fat lady sings.

4. I love a challenge. Working into my 70’s or 80’s or 90’s can’t be that hard.
   

   Perhaps not, especially since health and life expectancy is on the rise. On the other hand, according to Career Journal, more than one in four U.S. businesses has failed to plan to hire or retain older workers.

5. Social Security payments alone will take care of my needs. I know the average Social Security payment is $838 a month. And I’ll only need money for things like food and housing.. and medical care.. and clothing and..
   

   And maybe everything else. That’s only if you want to have a life beyond the basic minimal needs, of course.

6. I don’t know how to begin. There are so many ways to go about saving for retirement that I need more time to think about it. After all there’s the retirement savings plan at work and IRA’s and even investing in things like real estate. I just don’t know where to start.
   

   Money Saving Tips from the IRS. Start by checking out your employer’s retirement savings plan such as 401k or individual retirement account options at various financial institutions.

7. I don’t know how much I need for retirement. But I bet it’s a huge number and I don’t think I can do it. So I won’t do anything.
   

   Please refer to Mint’s comment in number two and six. Want a ballpark number to the amount necessary? Check out the retirement calculator at CNN Money.

8. Planning for retirement is such a big, complicated undertaking. There’s no one I can talk to about it. They’d know that I haven’t really started a personal budget yet. That would be embarrassing. And how should I invest the money I save? Who can you really trust in this day and age?
   

   Living in poverty due to financial inaction might just be a little bit more embarrassing than the actual inaction itself. Who to talk to and who to trust? Consider a Certified Financial Planner or a Chartered Financial Analyst.

   Would you be embarrassed to contact a health professional if you accidentally contracted a serious disease? If the answer is no, then you should also not be embarrassed in consulting a trustworthy, certified financial professional with your financial troubles.

9. I might get lucky. You never know, I may win the lottery. Or I may be remembered in the will of a long lost relative. Or I might find that my house is right in the middle of a diamond field.
   

   With odds such as ranging between 1 in 146, 107,962 and 1 in 175,711,536; the lottery is a sure bet.

10. Taking care of me financially will provide wonderful character-building opportunities for my children. And so many chances for me to feel warm gratitude toward them.
    

    The IRS has outdone themselves with this one. It’s so far fetch that we couldn’t come up with a witty response or follow-up.

Want to do something about your retirement?

Check out this nifty 32 page PDF, Saving Fitness: A Guide to Your Money and Your Financial Future from the U.S. Department of Labor (with help from Certified Financial Planners).

Sure, the booklet may not be as funny as the article from the IRS, but once you’re living a comfortable and secure retirement life, you can always splurge for the occasional tickets to The Improv.

Further Reading on the Topic:

Money Saving Tips

Personal Budget

Budget Planning