This morning I was reminded of a simple way to save money. We finally ordered a graduation picture, even though the graduation happened over 6 months ago. We weren't sure we wanted to since we had other digital pictures already. The catch: we had to order a $30 minimum order. The picture we wanted was only $8.95. Procrastination and not reading the fine print cost us additional money that we didn't want or need to spend if we had ordered on time. We will share the other two pictures with extended family, so all is not lost, and they be able to will enjoy them.
The extra cost was a choice in this matter. If you turn in credit card bills late, you get slapped with a pretty hefty fee. When we use a credit card, we pay it off in full each month to avoid the interest charges and pay it on time to avoid any fees. It may not seem like much, but it does add up. Before charging something, make sure you have the money to pay for it. We write a check right away for the cost of the item we purchase and put it in an envelope until the bill comes. That way the money is already taken out of our checkbooks. If we can't pay for something in full by the time the bill comes, we don't buy it.
If you don't know how to balance a checkbook or don't understand how credit cards or interest works, get help. We know college students who have paid large fees because of bounced checks and late fees.
