Author: Lisa Robertson

Budget

Budget Friendly Staycation Ideas

 

We all need a break from work from time to time. How do you take some vacation time but not get into debt or throw your budget off? The answer for many of us is to take a “Staycation.” You can have a good time by staying close to home or being a tourist in your own town!

Staycation ideas that won’t break the bank:

·         Check out local parks and trails to hike

·         Plan a backyard camping night

·         Have a movie night complete with snacks from the Dollar Store

·         Have a craft night with supplies from the Dollar Store

·         Wanting to have a swim? Check out local hotel deals for a cheap one night stay somewhere with a pool

·         Plan a picnic

·         Have a beach day if one is nearby

·         Have friends or family over for a potluck dinner

·         Plan a game night/day with cards or board games

·         See a matinee movie

·         Pick a recipe for a new food or cuisine that is not too expensive and make some new food at home

·         Have an at home spa/pamper day – give yourself a manicure, pedicure, face mask, etc.

·         Check out the local music scene – many restaurants/bars and other areas have free live music

·         Look for free events and activities in your area—Google “free things to do in your city”

·         Check out local museums or art galleries—many museums and galleries offer a free day once per month

The possibilities are endless! What budget friendly staycation ideas do you have to share?

Credit

Free Weekly Credit Reports

During the past year, many of us have been facing unprecedented challenges and financial uncertainty. It is important, for some now more than ever, to ensure that you are in good financial health and that the information on your credit reports is accurate.

Many people are familiar with www.annualcreditreport.com which is the only authorized site to get a completely free copy of each of your three credit reports once per year. The site is authorized by Federal Law. Because of these unprecedented times, everyone can now get free weekly credit reports.

There are three different credit bureaus that report our credit history: Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. It is important to check all three for accuracy, as some lenders may only report to one or two credit bureaus.

This is a wonderful way to be able to stay on top of your credit reports, and gives you more opportunities to check in, especially if you are working to pay things down, or take care of older collections accounts.

If you are unable to request your reports online, you may call 1-877-322-8228 to go through an automated system to verify your identity and request your free credit reports be mailed to you.

Here at Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo, we encourage everyone to take advantage of the increased availability of our credit reports. If you or someone you know needs help with accessing or understanding their credit report or needs help to figure out a plan to manage debt, please contact us at www.parachutecreditcounseling.org or call us at 716-712-2060. We specialize in providing financial education and counseling to help with your credit!