As summer quickly approaches and the heat rises, summer holidays begin. With holidays often comes financial worry….the cost of gas to travel with your RV, the cost of flights, the cost of accommodations, the cost of theme park entrance, the cost of family cookouts, etc. It’s easy to pull out that credit card in the name of fun in the sun! One of the most depressing things about having credit card debt is the fact that the high interest rate can mean that most of your monthly payment (if you carry a balance) goes to paying interest, rather than reducing your principal. This can mean a long, slow road as you try to pay off debt. However, you might not have to keep paying that interest rate. In some cases it’s possible for you to reduce your credit card interest rate… just by asking. Or even better yet, if you can’t pay off your monthly credit card debt, don’t charge it! If you can’t afford a pricey holiday, have good old cheap fun! Pack a picnic lunch, throw in some beach toys, maybe a volley ball and a frisbee and spend the day at the lake or park, or find an inexpensive local campground and spend the week! Invite friends and family over for a potluck barbeque. If the gas prices are manageable, go on a day road trip and take in some sites. Spend the day lathered in sunscreen in your back yard with a good book. Make a mini golf course in your own backyard and invite some friends over to play. The possibilities are endless! There is no reason not to have the best summer ever on a smart budget! Planning is the key, and it’s fun!
We at L.J. van Ham & Associates would like to wish our clients a safe and financially successful summer!