Welcome to Gaia! ::

I'll make my mark first by throwing up a pdf file that is fun to look at.

https://www.ncesc.com/RLT_Version_2.pdf

That pdf file may be specifically targeted to unemployed North Carolinians, BUT it has useful money-saving information that ANYONE could use on

- food/groceries
- childcare
- healthcare
- job-hunting
- money management
- morgage payments, credit cards, car payments (how to ask to delay loans)
- saving money on entertainment
- transportation
- saving on household expenses for phone and cable services
- getting holiday gifts for the kids when you're poor
- "words of wisdom" on social skills and thinking positively.

So it covers a lot of different topics lightly.

(Source: The employment security commission of North Carolina http://www.ncesc.com/ _)

Here is a fun and simple way to budget yourself! Read this short pdf internet link.

http://www.zilchworks.com/downloads/10-20-70Budget.pdf

this is SO simple, it is almost unbelievable! I am up in arms that I could not know this any earlier!!!

- save 10% of your money towards your savings.
- play with 20% of your money to buy things you want and like. Hey, we gotta live, right?
- reserve 70% of your money to living expenses.


Here's an about.com webpage on a budget chart. This is another easy-to-read and use chart.

http://financialplan.about.com/cs/budgeting/l/blbudget.htm

The categories are your income, your tax-withheld income, and your various expenses. keep in mind however that the "saving your money" part is under the expenses category. Saving money and preparing for retirement and investing as early as you can is a wise idea.

what I most love about the about.com website is that LOTS of expenses are listed. For young people starting out in life, it's difficult to imagine all of the house-related payments one must make, and on top of that all of the loans, the credit, and other debt. And the utility bills. Knowing that all of these things exist can help a person be prepared to design their budget accordingly.

about.com is a generally good site to look into, although it has its quirks. There is a variety of topics that is covered that seem fun, enlightening, and in some cases, very practical.

http://u.about.com/

Here, they have what they call "about University", where you can sign up for a newsletter that pops up in your email box once a week or so. If you are not interested in the newsletters, you can still click on the subject that you are itnerested in. Just don't fill out the information. Instead, click to your topic on the upper left in the frames. Then you can explore.

Check out the link that is designed for 20-something, post-college grads who are faced with the reality of living on their own!

http://www.quarterlifecrisis.com/

Yes, these two young ladies are selling a book, but you could possibly look it up at your local library. Also, the internet link has relevant information and relevant websites that will SO help you into a life of independence!

I have not looked at the books yet, but I plan on checking them out/buying them.

Read the review of the books on Amazon.com