3 Money Saving Birthday Party Tips

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Here are three tips on how you can spend less time and money hosting a party, and more time enjoying your child’s special day.

Reserve a shelter at a city park

Depending upon where you live and the time of year, a community park might be the best venue for your party. Not only will the children enjoy a day at a playground in fresh air and sunshine, you won’t have to pay to replace items broken by your little guests or for someone to shampoo red cake frosting out of your carpet.

In some towns you can rent a covered shelter with five large tables for around $35 for the entire day. That’s much cheaper than a trampoline park or Chuck E. Cheese, isn’t it? And when the party is over, toss the decorations and paper plates right into the park’s trash cans.

Serve donuts

Who doesn’t love donuts? They’re inexpensive, come in a variety of flavors, and they’re delicious. There is most likely a local donut shop nearby, with colorful donuts that appeal to kids and created a Pinterest-worthy display for your treats table.

Ditch the goodie bags

Goodie bags are not good for parents who are short on cash and time. Instead of goodie bags, buy a couple of bags of latex or Mylar balloons and a small helium tank. Before the party, fill the balloons and use them as decorations. The kids are absolutely thrilled to learn that they get to take one or two home at the end of the party … much more thrilled than they would be with a bag full of items they’ll play with for 10 seconds. The parents are also relieved of goodie bag clutter. Everybody wins!

Article Source: Heather Anderson for CUInsight.com

The Best Times to Buy Airfare

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Surprisingly, there’s no difference in airfare whether buying a ticket on a Sunday, Tuesday or any other day of the week. The cheapest fares are typically found when you book about 70 days before departure.

Bargain shopping? Try to monitor airfares for travel routes during the prime booking window (4 months to 3 weeks before leaving). Destination discount fare alerts can be set up on such sites as Hipmunk.com, Airfarewatchdog.com, GoogleFlights.com or an app like Hopper. The one factor that plays a significant role in price is the time of year you plan to travel.

Here are some tips on when to buy flights for each season:

Summer

The best summer deals are in August and September, with late summer offering the lowest prices overall.

  • The average best time to buy is 47 days (about 1.5 months) in advance.
  • Prime Booking Window is 14 – 160 days (2 weeks – 5 months) from travel.

Fall

If you’re traveling in the fall (excluding Thanksgiving), you can usually wait a bit longer to book air tickets and still not miss out on the good prices.

  • The best time to buy is 69 days out
  • Prime Booking Window is 21 – 100 days from travel.

Winter

Here are tips for general (non-holiday) winter travel.

  • 62 days from your expected travel date is the best time to buy an affordable airline ticket in the winter months.
  • Prime Booking Window is 21 – 110 days from travel.

Spring

With Spring Break dates spanning March through April, finding a good deal in the spring can be challenging.

  • Exactly 3 months (90 days) from your travel date on average is the window to buy best airfare for spring air travel.
  • Prime Booking Window is 46 – 122 days from travel.

Happy vacationing!

Article Source: Myriam DiGiovanni for Financialfeed.com

 

Small Business Spotlight: Clarity Salon in Brielle

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We are pleased to present a blog post which features one of our current businesses, how they got started, and how First Financial has helped them grow their business. If this inspires you to want to expand your business goals or see how First Financial can assist you further, feel free to reach out to us. Keep reading to learn more about our featured Business of the Month, Clarity Salon in Brielle. 

We sat down with Tracey Mahady the owner of Clarity Salon in Brielle to talk briefly about her business.

After 25 years in the industry, Tracey took a break to care for her father whose health was declining. She wasn’t sure she wanted to get back into a traditional salon setting, so her father suggested that she open her own small place. That small place she opened five years ago is not so small anymore!

Clarity prides themselves on using the best high-end organic hair care products. These products function at a very high level and do not contain harmful chemical ingredients.

Tracey’s favorite part of owning the business is that it truly is hers.  She has cultivated a wonderful working environment for her five employees where everyone is treated fairly. The environment is fun, creative and simply beautiful. Customers are welcomed with personalized service and the finished product is excellent.

Clarity Salon and First Financial have worked together since the start of Tracey’s business venture. Tracey enjoys that we are very personal, reachable and there are no hiccups with her banking. The member service that we provide, is exactly what Clarity prides itself in providing to its customers – so the two business philosophies really go hand in hand.  Obtaining a business line of credit for Clarity was a smooth process and really helped to kickstart the success of the business.  Tracey would absolutely refer First Financial to friends, family and other business owners.

First Financial’s Business Line of Credit features:
• No pre-payment penalties
• No application fees
• Flexible terms and fixed monthly payments
• Advance from the line of credit as you need it!

Ready to grow your business?
Call the Business Development Department at 732.312.1500, email business@firstffcu.com, or stop by any branch location.

3 Ways to Prepare for Next Tax Season

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Tax season is finally coming to a close. Believe it or not, it’s never too early to start thinking about next year. If filing your taxes was a headache and a hassle this year, here are a few tips to get you prepared for next time.

Get organized: Did you waste a bunch of time looking for receipts this year? Create a system, whether it’s a file cabinet or a shoebox, and keep track of those receipts and other financial documents you may need at the end of the year. Keep a tally of your charitable and retirement contributions and you’ll be ready to go as soon as you get that W-2 in the mail.

Keep track of changes: What’s happened to you this year, and what will be happening in the next few months? Are you getting married? Having a baby? Buying a house? Opening up a Roth IRA? All of these things will affect your filing status, so make sure you’re up to speed on how any of things will affect your filing process.

Be patient: Do you have a side business or do freelance work? If so, any number of hiccups can occur during tax preparation. Be prepared – but know it’s not a huge deal if you have to file an extension. If you find yourself in this boat, head on over to IRS.gov and get an extension form.

With a little preparation, you can make the tax season process a lot easier.

 

The 4 Best Months to Buy a Car

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From Mondays when business is slow to right before closing when salespeople are in a hurry, there’s no shortage of theories about the best time to negotiate the best price on a new car. But what if you’re not a Monday person or you work the swing shift? Here are the four best months to negotiate a new car deal.

May

Memorial Day weekend kicks off the “big sales event” season for car dealers from coast to coast. And of course, the typical Memorial Day sale runs longer than just those three days. If you want to head into summer in a new ride, this is the time to do it.

Also, according to data compiled by TrueCar, Memorial Day weekend is an especially good time to shop for a mid-size SUV.

October, November, and December

Yes, all three of these are good months to go car shopping, but each month for a different reason – and a different type of car.

October is the first month that dealers really become aggressive about clearing out the previous model year. According to TrueCar’s data, buyers in October average nearly 8% savings off MSRP.

October is also a slow month for full-size pickups. With supply high and demand low, it’s an especially good time to deal on that F-150 or Ram 1500. Most pickups don’t change much from year to year, so if you’re willing to accept a truck from the previous model year, you may find yourself with a screaming deal.

Black Friday is supposed to be all about retail. However, in recent years, car dealers have jumped on the Black Friday bandwagon, too. TrueCar data suggests that November is an especially good month to buy midsize and compact cars. However, you’re well-advised to avoid SUVs and crossovers in November. Sure, supply is ample, but so is demand. Dealers are less likely to deal on whatever’s hot at the moment.

By the time December rolls around, car dealers aren’t thinking only about clearing out the previous year’s models; they’re thinking about hitting their annual sales goals, too. The big push is on to close deals. If you’re in the market for an SUV, TrueCar’s data indicates that waiting until December will pay off. Regardless of what vehicle you’re looking for, keep this in mind: While you may get a great deal on the previous model year, by December your choices will likely be very limited.

Bonus: New Year’s Day

Why would you go car shopping after the end of the year? Isn’t it already too late? Haven’t the dealers already reset for the start of the new year? It may surprise you to learn that the car dealer year actually ends on January 2. This gives dealers one final holiday to clear out inventory and make sales quotas. It’s literally their last chance to sell you a vehicle during the current year, so you’re really in the driver’s seat, so to speak.

Limit your car shopping to the months (and holiday) described here, and you’re sure to save some serious dollars!

If you need help financing, First Financial has you covered with low rates, personalized service, same-day approval decisions, and electronic closings! Learn more here, and apply online 24/7.*

*APR = Annual Percentage Rate. Not all applicants will qualify, subject to credit approval. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Actual rate may vary based on credit worthiness and term. First Financial FCU maintains the right to not extend credit, after you respond, if we determine you do not meet our guidelines for creditworthiness. A First Financial membership is required to obtain an Auto Loan and is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, volunteers or attends school in Monmouth or Ocean Counties.

 

5 Easy Ways to Cut Your Spending Dramatically

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Trying to trim expenses can seem like a never ending task, as new expenses always pop out of nowhere. With already tight budgets, the task of reducing spending can seem impossible. You’ve already cut out your morning latte and canceled your gym membership – what more can you do?

Lowering your expenses is definitely a daunting task. While you’ll have to make sacrifices and get a little creative, it definitely can be done without cramping your lifestyle too dramatically.

Cut Up Your Credit Cards

Take a close look at your credit card collection if you have multiple cards, and decide which ones you should keep using and which ones you can cut up. First, note the interest rate for each card, and don’t use the ones that charge the higher rates. Obviously, it is ideal to be able to pay off your bill every month – but that isn’t always realistic depending on your situation. Second, take a close look at the rewards programs for each card. Such programs are becoming more and more competitive and can be a determining factor when deciding what your go-to card should be. Also, canceling credit cards can negatively affect your credit score as it lowers your credit to debt ratio. Consider literally cutting them up and forgetting about them instead of really canceling them.

Be Your Own Chef

Food is one of the biggest expenses we face and most people are guilty of spending too much on dining out. Don’t ignore this habit because the expenses can really add up. Cooking more at home can easily and drastically lower your spending.

But what if you hate cooking? Don’t worry, because you can still save. To mitigate this, cook once a week by meal prepping. Make a big batch of whatever you want and portion it out into multiple meals a week. When it’s time to eat, all you have to do is heat it up – even easier than going out.

Ride a Bike

Car maintenance and gym memberships can cost an arm and a leg. Why not kill two birds with one stone by riding a bike? Depending on where you work, riding a bike to your office could be a great option to get a workout in and save money on gas. Many big cities also now have bike sharing programs, which makes it even more convenient to ride wherever you need to go.

Reinvent Your Social Life

Socializing with friends takes time and money. Just having a single drink could cost up to $15 with tax and tip, which can really add up as the night goes on. However, there are plenty of inexpensive or free activities you can do instead. If you’re going out for drinks, consider meeting up during happy hour. While timing might not be ideal, it can cut your bill in half. Also, every city, big or small, has free events, especially during warm weather. So take advantage of them as the weather is warming up for the season.

Analyze Your Bills

Getting a bill is never a fun moment, but be sure to take a thorough look instead of quickly glancing through it. Many of us end up paying fees we don’t realize every month that could easily be avoided. Also, look carefully at your usage every month, particularly when it comes to your cell phone and utilities. Perhaps you could lower your texting plan if you’re not close to using your maximum for the month, while others can easily trim their data plans. Small details like these seem insignificant when you look at them individually, but everything can collectively make a huge difference in the long run.

Article Source: Connie Mei for Moneyning.com