Earn, Save & Live Smart
If financial fitness starts with making and saving money, Smart Money is about learning how to make those savings grow. Here at The Budget Diet we have full categories and resources on:
Saving money, especially with a mediocre salary, is very difficult for most people. A family member got sick? There go the savings. Want to go on a vacation? Bye bye, money. In the United States of America, the average retirement account balance is $3,000 for working-age households which is barely enough to survive even a … Read more
Personal Capital and Mint are considered as two of the most well-known financial services platforms available. They both offer free services that give their users powerful investment and money management tools. These two services are usually compared as there are overlapping similarities between the two, however, each has a different key function. For example, while … Read more
The average gas price in the United State is at $2.73 a gallon for regular unleaded and $3.02 for diesel. Depending on where you live and the type of gas you use, you could be paying much more. With oil production low, prices are expected to rise even more this summer. If you drive a large … Read more
Even though the economy is improving and companies are offering more and more jobs, it’s still difficult for many people to live from day to day. Many are recovering from layoffs. Some have children to care for. Others have had their savings wiped out by unexpected medical bills, car repairs and other emergency expenses. Many … Read more
No matter how much we promise ourselves that we won’t use our credit cards, it still happens. We need to pay our school tuition. We end up with unexpected medical bills. The car needs repairs. Our dog gets hit by a car. The pair of shoes we’ve been eyeing for months finally goes on sale. We swear … Read more
There’s no better time than January to take a look at your personal financial situation and work on ways to improve it. (Although, the information in this article is solid year-round.) After all, you’ve likely had a massive financial outlay over the holiday season. Credit card bills will be coming in, and you have to … Read more
Many Americans struggle with depression, anxiety, or another mental health issue on a daily basis. When that struggle becomes intense enough to affect your ability to carry out day-to-day work duties, you may be eligible for disability benefits through the Social Security Administration. While it’s not a given, there are some cases where the SSA … Read more
Disability is a frightening world to navigate. Losing the ability to work is humiliating, and finding the resources to start collecting disability income is an exhausting, confusing process. The Social Security Administration has extremely strict definitions of disability, and out of the millions of people who apply every year, only a third are initially approved, … Read more
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) are benefits for people who can’t work or are impoverished. They’re both handled by the Social Security Administration and are commonly thought to be the same thing. But they’re two very different animals when it comes to eligibility and benefits. Here’s the difference: SSI is … Read more
This baked macaroni and cheese recipe also works well with boxed macaroni and cheese, poured into a casserole dish and baked. We recommend either Annie’s Organic Shells & White Cheddar Mac and Cheese (you can get a pack of 12 boxes inexpensively) or the original Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner (pack of 5 boxes). Hot Tip: Beyond macaroni and noodles.. out … Read more