You and your spouse have come to an agreement on the family budget. Part of that budget and part of your goal as a family is to have a regular savings program and save for high-priced items. The plan sounds great but how you go about implementing the plan is another issue altogether. The task seems quite difficult and overwhelming. The key to remember to help you get started saving is to start small. Take small steps to start getting in the habit of savings.

Think of this: if you were to just put aside one dollar a day you would have $365 at the end of the year to put into savings. Just two dollars a day would double that. Think about it carefully. Some of us spend two dollars a day just buying coffee at the coffee shop when we could maybe cut back and find another more economical way to get our coffee, such as have our coffee fix in the morning right before leaving for work. We could start at the one dollar a day and over time increase it to $5 a day or $150 a month. $150 a month is $1,800 a year in savings. It adds up very fast.

Some experts suggest that a family should set aside 10% of their income for savings. However, if a family studies their budget and realizes that they cannot save 10% then it would be wise to save whatever they can. It would be better to save 1% than to not save any money at all. The key is to start small, as the overall task won’t look so overwhelming. Just look around and carefully analyze where you spend your money on a daily basis. Look at the small things like those two sodas you buy from the vending machine everyday. You could buy a week’s worth of soda at the grocery store at a much cheaper price and put it in the refrigerator at work for usually a lot less and save the difference.

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Channel Title: SavvySugar

If You're Trying to Buy a Smile, Plan a Vacation
As that old clich� goes, "Money can't buy happiness." Sure, spending on something swell puts a smile on your face in the short term, but chances are you've bought an item that you've had second thoughts about later. But what about vacations, dinners out, or other experiential purchases? Study after study - eight of them, in fact - show people gain more pleasure (and are generally more satisfied) by spending on an experience vs. a material good. On the surface level, it makes sense. I'm less likely to recall and mull over restaurant splurges that weren't up to par than that tinge of regret upon seeing an impulse buy each time I open my closet. Learn some of the findings when you read more.
Reasons include:
- It's easier for us to decide on an experiential purchase than a material one.
- We tend to think of experiences more on their own terms, rather than in comparison with other things.
- We're more upset if we learn that someone else got a better deal, or that a better option exists, for a material purchase than for an experience-related one.
It's true that when�you pay for a vacation, there's little left to show when you return home, but the memories are irreplaceable. Splurging on a once-in-a-lifetime trip may be just that (once in a lifetime), but I'm betting you'd think about it more often afterward than a pair of designer jeans. I'm curious - does this hold true for you, too?
McConaughey Family Trip, Lindsay's Lawsuit, & Heidi's Post-Op Parody!
Matthew McConaughey travels out of LA with Camila, Levi, and baby Vida. Lindsay Lohan is suing E-Trade for using her name in an ad. Heidi Montag gets in on the joke about the perils of too much plastic . . . surgery and credit cards. Check it all out on PopSugar Rush!
Savvy Tip: Make More Money on Your Own
We're all trying to save more. Through budgeting, cutting out frivolous expenses, and just sheer willpower, we're on a mission to make the most of our paychecks and build up our savings. Still, there are ways to get more money coming in and boost our bank accounts a bit - all it requires are the resources you already have.
- Blog - Seriously. You're already OnSugar so sign up for a free blog and earn easy money with ShopSense. Besides, blogging is a great way to get creative and pursue interests.
- Sell Your Stuff Online - If you're an avid online shopper but haven't ever looked into selling online, you're missing out on another simple way to score some extra income. Selling merchandise on eBay or used books on Amazon is a great way to declutter your space, get rid of unwanted items, and make money on things you might just give away.
- Capitalize on Your Craft - If you've got a hidden talent up your sleeve, like making your own jewelery or designing your own greeting cards, get your own little business going and make money on your artistic skills. Etsy makes it easy to sign up and set up your shop online. Its reputation as a go-to online destination for crafty purchases means you'll be part of a community that has a lot of visitors and shoppers ready to buy up your stuff.
Need more inspiration? Check out my guide for increasing your income by making extra money outside of your day job.
Do You Take a Spring Break?
Ahh, college. Even if trips weren't out of the country, the respite from classes was always welcomed in some special fashion. If you still get the time off (or are thinking of taking a trip during this month anyway), the week of March 22 is the priciest choice between now and early April, so watch out for that one, and remember the midweek-to-midweek savings!

For the season in general, data collected by Bing and Travelocity found airfares up nine percent from last year but hotel averages down three. Factor in the pricey activities and crowds and it may still push you, and your budget, over the edge. Do you use the coming of warm weather to bring out the bathing suits and grab a beer . . . or is that time in your life only a fond memory?

Do You Take a Spring Break?

Always

Rarely

Never
10 Things to Consider Before Clicking Send

Everyone gets worked up at work on occasion. Sharing close quarters while juggling your co-workers' different abilities, communication styles, tempers, egos, and the overall office hierarchy can create a ticking time bomb. When your temper starts to boil, it's important to address your frustrations in the most professional manner possible so you don't regret anything you say later.

If your instinct is to immediately sit down and write a passionate email (whether to your co-worker, supervisor, or boss) I suggest taking a two-minute break to considering the following things.
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