1. Visit the Springs: There are several natural springs in Florida that are perfect for a refreshing swim on a hot summer day. Some popular ones include De Leon Springs, Kelly Park, Wekiva Springs State Park, and Blue Spring State Park.
2. Take a Hike: Look up one of the many beautiful hiking trails. Check out the Black Bear Wilderness Area in Sanford or the Lake Apopka Loop Trail in Apopka for some scenic views and a good workout. Don't forget a picnic lunch, sunscreen, and bug spray!
3. Explore Downtown Orlando: Downtown Orlando has a lot to offer, from art galleries and museums to trendy restaurants and bars. Take a stroll down Orange Avenue and check out the local scene. During the day, this is a family-friendly activity. At night, it switches gears into a fun adult night out.
4. Hit the Beach: Cocoa Beach, New Smyrna Beach, or Daytona Beach are all just a relaxing drive away for some family fun in the sun. Daytona Beach has a pier with activities for all ages.
5. Go Kayaking: Rent a kayak and explore the local waterways. You can paddle down the Wekiva River or the Econlockhatchee River for a fun and peaceful adventure. Enjoy the relaxing stroll down the waterway and look out for the local wildlife in the water. 
6. Attend a Local Festival: Central Florida hosts a variety of festivals throughout the summer, from food and wine festivals to music and arts festivals. Check out the Florida Music Festival in Orlando or the Mount Dora Seafood Festival for some fun and entertainment.
7. Go Fishing: Central Florida has some great fishing spots, including Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee and Lake Monroe in Sanford. Rent a boat or bring your own gear and spend a relaxing day on the water.
8. Check out a Farmer's Market: Central Florida is home to several farmer's markets that offer fresh produce, artisanal goods, and live music. Check out the Winter Park Farmer's Market or the Sanford Farmer's Market for a fun and unique experience. Get there early for the best chance at a good parking spot and walk the shops of Park Avenue when you are done. The Writer's Block bookstore is a fun shop with books of all ages and a coffee shop in the back.
9. Get your spooky on at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum: This site offers a glimpse into the maritime history of the area, including the chance to climb to the top of the lighthouse for panoramic views. Families can also participate in interactive exhibits and educational programs. While in the area, check out the fort and the interactive pirate museum, both within walking distance of each other and close to the beach.
10. Check out the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens: The Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens offers a variety of exhibits featuring animals such as giraffes, rhinoceroses, and cheetahs, as well as a hands-on petting zoo and a splash park.

The post Affordable Summer Fun For All Ages appeared first on Concord Management Blog.

The Internet Is Full of Resources

One of the best resources for learning about money management is the Internet. There are countless websites, blogs, and forums dedicated to providing information and advice on personal finance. 

Some of the most popular sites include Mint, NerdWallet, and The Simple Dollar. These sites offer a wealth of information on topics such as budgeting, saving, investing, and debt management. Bonus! They often have interactive tools and calculators that can help users track their expenses, create a budget, and plan for their financial future.

Check Out Your Local Library

Another great resource for learning about money management is your local public library. Many libraries offer free access to personal finance books and magazines, as well as online resources such as financial databases and e-books. Some libraries even offer workshops and classes on topics such as budgeting, credit management, and retirement planning.

Community Programs For Hands-On Learning

For those who prefer a more hands-on approach, there are many community-based organizations that offer free financial education programs. These programs are often led by financial professionals and cover a wide range of topics, from basic budgeting to more advanced investment strategies. 

Some examples include the Financial Planning Association, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, and the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education.

There's An App For That

If your smartphone or tablet is more your style for learning, there are also many free mobile apps that can help people manage their money on the go. Some of the most popular apps include Mint, Acorns, and Personal Capital. These apps allow users to track their expenses, create a budget, and even invest their money from their smartphone or tablet.

There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Solution

Finally, it's important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to money management. Everyone's financial situation is unique, and what works for one person may not work for another. It's important to be patient and persistent when learning about money management and to seek out resources that are tailored to your specific needs and goals.

Whether you prefer to learn online, through books and workshops, or through mobile apps, there is something out there for everyone. So why not start today? Your financial future will thank you for it.

The post Accessible Ways To Learn How To Manage Your Money appeared first on Concord Management Blog.

1. Plan your meals ahead of time: Take some time each week to plan your meals and make a grocery list. This will help you avoid impulse buying and ensure that you have all the ingredients you need to cook healthy meals. 
2. Shop for seasonal produce: Seasonal produce is often cheaper and fresher than out-of-season produce. Look for fruits and vegetables that are in season and plan your meals around them. If there is nothing appealing to you that is in season, frozen is fine and just as healthy. 
3. Buy in bulk: Buying in bulk can save you money in the long run. Look for bulk bins at your local grocery store or buy larger quantities of items that you use frequently but don't spoil as fast such as grains, beans, and nuts.
4. Use cheaper cuts of meat: Cheaper cuts of meat like chicken thighs, pork shoulder, and beef chuck are often more flavorful and tender than more expensive cuts. They're also great for slow cooking, which can save you time and money.
5. It's okay to use prepackaged meals: Cooking on a budget means working with what you've got. While cooking from scratch allows you more control over the ingredients, it's not always as budget-friendly as grabbing some Hamburger Helper or frozen lasagna. 
6. Make use of leftovers: Don't let leftovers go to waste! Use them to make new meals or take them for lunch the next day.
7. Use spices and herbs: Spices and herbs can add flavor to your meals without adding extra calories or cost. Keep a well-stocked spice rack and experiment with different flavor combinations.
8. Shop at discount stores: Discount stores like Aldi and Lidl can be great places to find healthy foods at a lower cost. Just be sure to check the expiration dates and quality of the products.
9. Look at the sales papers: It goes without saying that coupons are your friends. Go through the sale papers and see what is on sale that you could use to make healthy meals. Publix has excellent BOGOs every week, and while most of their food is a bit more expensive than say, Walmart, if you only shop the BOGO sales, you are still coming out ahead. Bonus! Many grocery stores will take competitor coupons or honor other store sales. Check with your grocery store for their policy. 
10. Look at the price tag: A lot of grocery stores will have the price in big letters and in smaller letters at the bottom, the price you are paying per unit. And sometimes, the larger quantity is not actually cheaper. For example: Bagel Bites are $3.15 for a pack of 9 and have a unit cost of $.35 per piece. The 18-count box, which you'd think is a better deal, is $7.59 with a unit cost of $.54 per piece. That's a big difference!

Eating healthy on a budget may require a little bit of extra effort, but it's worth it for your health and your wallet. With these tips, you can cook delicious and nutritious meals without breaking the bank.
 

The post 10 Healthy Budget-Friendly Meal Planning Tips appeared first on Concord Management Blog.

Make A List. Check It Twice.

If you only read one tip on this post, make it this one. Make a list of who you will buy for, establish a budget for each person, and then stick to the list! Some apps (like my favorite, Santa's Bag on iOS) will help you organize your list and track your spending. Bonus tip. To prevent any misspending on yourself, set a small budget to treat yourself while shopping for others.

Save Money With Honey

A few Chrome extensions will help you save money, but my favorite is Honey. Honey will tell you the price fluctuations of products on Amazon. And if you add an item to your Amazon wishlist or shopping cart, it will email you if the price drops. You can also earn rewards for shopping and trade them in for gift cards. A bonus is that they will run through all the coupon codes in their database at checkout to get you the best deal.

Interest-Free Credit Options

Look for sites that use interest-free credit options like AfterPay and Klarna to help stretch your holiday shopping budget. Afterpay is a particular favorite of mine. It works by extending you interest-free credit on your purchase, breaking it down into four automatic payments. You can use the service in-store with the app on your phone. The app also lets you track your spending and see when payments will come out of your account.

Be Careful On Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are not all they are hyped up to be. Watch stores for their "deals" and cross-check them to your list. 2021 saw record lows in quality deals. Avoid impulse buys by sticking to your list; if it's not on there, don't buy it! No matter how good of a deal you think you're getting.

Buy Food In Advance

If you are in charge of a holiday meal, make your menu weeks in advance and then buy what you need a little at a time, so it only hits you a little at a time. This will also ensure you get everything on your list before the last-minute shoppers grab what's left. 

Use Cash

To help you stay on track at brick-and-mortar stores, take cash so you don't put too much on your credit or debit card. Seeing it leave your wallet will make you think twice before you buy Uncle Owen that second R2 unit.

Free Shipping Day is December 14th.

Take advantage of Free Shipping Day (December 14th, 2022) from stores that guarantee your packages will arrive by Christmas Eve.

Track Your Stuff

Track your shopping with the UPS, FedEx, and Shopify apps. Set your notifications to ON, so your phone can alert you when you have an incoming package. When something comes in, put a sticky note on it to remind you who it's for and keep all your gifts in one central area, so you don't find a missing present in April.

Final Thoughts – Plan For Next Year

The earlier you plan, the quicker you will be done and the sooner you can enjoy the holidays with one less stressor. And when it's all said and done, start saving up for next year. Set your budget for next year and break it down into monthly installments. Put those installments in a savings account that you can pull from the next holiday season. Your future self will thank you.

The post How to Save Money This Holiday Season! appeared first on Concord Management Blog.

Drive for Uber or Lyft.

If you’re strapped for cash but want to work on your own schedule, you might want to consider becoming a driver for Uber or Lyft. You can drive as much (or as little) as you want and set your own schedule. Of course, the amount of money you make depends on your location and how often you cart people around. So if you have a free Saturday every now and then, you might want to spend it as a glorified taxi driver exploring your city and getting paid for it.

Become a food delivery driver.

With social distancing guidelines, a lot of restaurants have limited seating. So what’s that mean? More take out! Become a hero by delivering food to front porches in your city. Driving for Uber Eats, Grubhub or Postmates is a great way to make extra money in your free time just by delivering food to hungry clients.

Join a focus group.

If you like sharing your opinion, why not get paid for it? Check to see if there’s a local focus group in your area or online. You could earn cash just for doing taste tests or trying out different products. Just make sure you fit the demographic they’re looking for before applying.

Deliver groceries.

If you love the thrill of shopping but don’t want to spend your own money, this might interest you. With Shipt, you get paid to shop and deliver groceries to clients through an on-demand service. According to the company, their shoppers make up to $22 an hour!

Take up babysitting.

It’s one of the easiest ways to make extra money! All you have to do is babysit for just a couple nights a week. Most parents are always eager to have a date night, but sometimes, finding a sitter they trust can be tricky. Let people know you’d be happy to watch their children in your spare time (they need to pay you, of course). And if it’s a little awkward for you to spread the news by word of mouth, you can always sign up for a service like Sittercity or Care.com to help you land some babysitting jobs.

Start pet sitting.

Are you an animal lover at heart? How about making some extra money just by taking a dog for a walk or boarding a cat for the weekend? You can advertise your own pet-sitting business on social media, put up signs throughout your neighborhood, or use a website like Rover.They let you set your schedule and adjust your fees as you want. If you do use Rover, keep in mind that they take a cut of what you make.

Sell unwanted stuff.

Sift through your hall closet, attic and garage for everything you don’t use anymore. What can you live without? Of course, you can always sell items on tried-and-true sites like eBay and Craigslist. But don’t forget about apps like OfferUp, VarageSale, Poshmark, thredUP and Facebook Marketplace that make it even easier to make extra money by selling secondhand stuff.

Rent your belongings.

The popular renting company Fat Llama (we know) lets you rent out nearly any of your belongings! Some of the most in-demand items are camera equipment, projectors, lighting and audio equipment. So if you’re a photographer, videographer or just a tech-gadget-lover, you might make a good amount. But remember, you can rent out nearly anything—even your lawn mower. . .or tractor. . .or scooter. Who knew? ~Source: ramseysolutions.com

The post How to Make Extra Money appeared first on Concord Management Blog.

1. Use e-file and direct deposit to avoid delays. Taxpayers should electronically file and choose direct deposit as soon as they have everything they need to file an accurate return. The software helps individuals avoid mistakes by doing the math, and guides you through each section of their tax return using a question-and-answer format.
2. Collect all documents before preparing a tax return. Make sure stimulus payment and advance Child Tax Credit information is accurate. In addition to collecting W-2s, Form 1099s and other income-related statements, it is important that people have their advance Child Tax Credit and Economic Impact Payment information on hand when filing.
3. Avoid lengthy phone delays. Use online resources before calling the IRS. Phone demand on IRS assistance lines remains at record highs. The IRS urges people to use IRS.gov to get answers to tax questions, check a refund status or pay taxes. These online tools and resources are available 24 hours a day.
4. Waiting on a 2020 tax return to be processed? For those waiting on their 2020 tax return to be processed, make sure to enter $0 (zero dollars) for last year’s Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) on the 2021 tax return. For those who used a Non-Filer tool in 2021 to register for an advance Child Tax Credit or third Economic Impact Payment in 2021, they should enter $1 as their prior year AGI. Everyone else should enter their prior year’s AGI from last year’s return. If using the same tax preparation software as last year, this field will auto-populate.
5. Free resources are available to help taxpayers file. There are many options for free help, including many resources on IRS.gov. For those looking to avoid the delays with a paper tax return, IRS Free File is an option. With Free File, leading tax software providers make their online products available for free as part of a 20-year partnership with the Internal Revenue Service. This year, there are eight products in English and two in Spanish. IRS Free File is available to any person or family who earned $73,000 or less in 2021. Qualified taxpayers can also find free one-on-one tax preparation help around the nation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs.

The post Tax Return Preparation appeared first on Concord Management Blog.

1. Personal Contacts

Many jobs are never advertised. People get them by talking to friends, and others who know of an opening. The people you know may be some of the most effective resources for your search.

2. Employers

Directly contacting employers is one of the most successful means of job hunting. Web sites and business directories can tell you how to apply for a position or whom to contact.

3. Internet Resources

The internet includes many job hunting sites with job listings. To find good prospects, begin with an Internet search using keywords related to the job you want.

4. State Employment Service Offices

State employment services help job seekers to find jobs and help employers to find qualified workers at no cost to either. To find an office nearest you, go online to State Workforce Agencies.

5. Federal Government

Information on obtaining a position with the Federal Government is available through USAJOBS, the Federal Government's official employment information system. This resource for locating and applying for job opportunities can be accessed through the internet at www.usajobs.gov.

6. Community Agencies

Many nonprofit organizations, including religious institutions and vocational rehabilitation agencies, offer counseling, career development, and job placement services. Generally targeted are particular groups such as; women, youths, minorities, or older workers.

The post Job Search Tips appeared first on Concord Management Blog.

Buy for Next Christmas
Seasonal items like holiday kitchenware and decorations will have the deepest discounts. If you ran out of gift wrap or cards this year, stock up for next year when these items go on sale for 75% off. Buy discounted solid colored wrap to use on other gifts throughout the year. Holiday fabric for tablecloths and next year's craft projects is also a good deal. 

Buy Gifts Year Round 
Shop after Christmas sales for gifts to give to your loved ones on their birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Make a note on the New Year's calendar that you already have a gift for their birthday. Don't buy what you don't need, even if it's on sale- if you don't need another set of lights, don't buy them. Pass on items that are still over-priced or not useful. Buying what you don't need is never frugal. 

Grocery Stores 
Shop for items such as colored plastic wrap, baggies or anything with festive prints. Stock up on kids' cereals, cookies, or snacks that have holiday packaging. 
Your children won't know the difference!

Your Local Thrift Stores 
Thrift stores see an influx of goods this time of year, due to people wanting to claim their tax deductions before the year is over. Stores see a surplus of donations and a slow-down of shoppers … the perfect time to shop! 

Before You Buy … 
Examine sales items carefully. After being handled by many Christmas shoppers, some items may show their wear … make sure they are not damaged. This is especially important if irregulars are mixed in with the clearance sales. 

The post Post-Holiday Bargains appeared first on Concord Management Blog.

Make a list… and check it twice. Creating a list will help to avoid last minute purchases for forgotten family members. When you make the list, try to jot down some favorites as well as sizes. This will save quite a bit of time when picking out items to purchase

Set a budget and stick to it. Be reasonable, allocating different amounts based on the amount you want to spend on each person. Try to also leave a cushion for last minute purchases for holiday parties at work, or for co-workers who give you unexpected gifts

Save. After setting your budget, save the money to cover the cost of presents. Saving ahead of time will leave you with money readily available for purchases, keeping you from the hassle of incurring debt on charge cards.

Credit is a no-no. Take only cash with you when you go shopping to avoid impulse purchases. If you feel uncomfortable carrying large amounts of cash and feel you can use your charge card and remain within your established spending budget for gifts, another option would be to put all of your purchases on one card and pay the bill in one lump sum with the money you have saved.

Shop around. During the holiday season, it is extremely important to check sales ads. Comparison shopping is the only way to ensure you are getting the best price for your purchase.  Also, surf the web and find the best price (and save a lot of time surfing) by using price comparison websites like PriceGrabber.com, the Amazon app, Price.com and others. Be sure to check more than one since some sites only list certain stores.

Be creative. Think of gifts that come from the heart. Homemade gifts and gift certificates for services that require nothing more than your time are both inexpensive and unique. When you really think about it, you can come up with a variety of ways to put a smile on your family's faces!

The post Tips For A Debt Free Holiday Season appeared first on Concord Management Blog.

-Get a Gas Card
 

There are two different types of gas cards, and both can help you to save money at the pump. The first one is a chain gas station card that is designed to be used specifically at one chain of gas stations. These often give you a few cents per gallon off of the price you pay. This is an immediate reward that you can enjoy, but you need to be sure to pay the gas card off in full each month to avoid being hit with costly interest charges. The other type of gas card that you can use is a typical Visa or Mastercard that allows you to earn points on gas purchases, and these can be redeemed for cash back or other perks.

-Make a Cash Payment
 

While some gas stations give discounts if you use their credit card to make a purchase, others give a discount if you make a cash payment. This can save you a few cents per gallon. You simply have to plan ahead so that you have cash on hand to make your purchase, and you can enjoy the savings at the pump.

-Choose Gas Stations Away From Busy Thoroughfares
 

If you have paid attention to the price of gas per gallon at different service stations, you may have noticed that the price can vary by 15 or 20 cents or more in some cases depending on which gas station you visit. You may be aware that some gas stations away from the Interstate and other major highways have a lower price per gallon on a regular basis. While paying cash may save you a few cents per gallon, choosing the right gas station to visit can save you considerably more.

-Avoid Idling Your Engine
 

If you are like many people, you may find yourself sitting in your car from time to time. For example, you may sit in the car waiting for your kids in the after school pick-up line. Rather than idle your car, simply turn it off to conserve gas. This will help you to get more miles out of a tank of gas so that you can fill up less frequently.

-Adjust Your Driving Habits
 

Another point to consider is how you drive. Do you accelerate aggressively? Do you alternate between the gas and the brake frequently rather than coasting periodically? Do you drive with the windows down? These are all behaviors that can decrease fuel efficiency and that can increase the number of trips you make to the gas station.

Regardless of whether fuel costs are currently on the higher or lower end, nobody wants to pay more than the need to on gas. These tips can help you to avoid paying a small fortune at the pump and can help you to get the most out of each tank.

The post Tips to Save Money on Gas appeared first on Concord Management Blog.