Ready To Maximize Your Money This Summer and Beyond?

If you haven’t gotten around to it, now is a good time to start. Here’s how – add up all your sources of income. Subtract your fixed expenses. How much is left? Delegate that money to categories like savings, vacation, and entertainment. This way, you’ll have the money you need for living expenses and the extras you want.

All of the above. Sometimes, people think a budget should just account for necessities, but this can leave you short for some of the fun stuff, like a movie night out, must-have streaming services, or a summer trip. Put aside money for those extras, and you can enjoy them without breaking the bank.

All of the above. Review your budget, and you may find particular expenses – such as car payments - have gone down while your income has gone up. You may also realize the money allocated for dining out could be diverted to your summer fund. Consider selling things you no longer need or want and use that money as a summer bonus.

When putting together a summer budget, consider your top priorities – everything from a week away to putting in a new deck and from dining at your favorite hot spot to catching a couple of outdoor concerts. Plan accordingly…and remember your emergency fund is off limits.

Putting your money in a high-yield CD with a fixed interest rate for a set amount of time allows you to be sure of how much your savings will earn. Raisin is a secure, one-stop savings marketplace that offers high-yield CDs* (starting with a one-month term) and other savings products with no fees from a range of FDIC-insured institutions.