Who doesn’t want to save more money?  We all want to have a nice wad of cash saved somewhere for a rainy day.  Some say it’s as simple as setting aside a certain amount and not spending it, but for anyone who has tried this “simple” method, it’s not always as simple as it seems.  There’s a lot more to saving money, but it’s not hard and it’s not about knowing the next great market rate savings account.  It’s about you—knowing you and knowing what triggers you to spend and save.

Hey there all you people who are looking for ways to save money or reduce your expenses, you have to consider this…

Have you ever wondered if you were spending way too much at the dry Cleaners? Well, these companies are really making a fortune with your laundry because you have to keep going back….UGHHH!

I share this story with all my dear friends. One day I was packing up all of my clothes getting ready to move to a new house and I thought it would be a good time to send all my dry clean clothes to the cleaners so that everything would be fresh in my new closet. So I went all out and dropped off 2 bags worth of items to be cleaned.  That bag was full of; suits, slacks, skirts, cotton shirts – you name it! If it said “dry clean only” it went in the bag.

The next week I got all settled into my new house so went to get my things from the cleaners.  However I was devastated when the guy handed me the receipt and said, “that will be $538.00″.  I couldn’t believe it;

Homeowners upside down on their mortgage but not behind can now get relief.  The Obama administration announcing a plan that included: new FHA backed loans for upside down homeowners, incentives to lenders who reduce the principal balances for homeowners who owe more than their home is worth and incentives to lenders who reduce payments for unemployed homeowners.  The incentive portion of the program alone will take about 14 billion so there will be plenty of money for everyone in need.

Homeowners will be able to get new mortgage loans that exceeding the value of their homes

FHA backed mortgage loans will be offered to homeowners who need to refinance their loans to get a lower rate and payment but are upside down.  FHA will receive 14 billion dollars in incentive money.  The total cost for the entire adjustments to two specific plans are very well funded with up to a $50 billion allocation of the existing $75 billion foreclosure prevention program budget /Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

FHA loans offered through the program can be up to 115% of the home’s value

Essentially these loans will exceed the value of the home but reduce the interest rate and payments substantially.  Tax payers need not worry to much as the complete program will be funded from the existing Federal budget along with some private sector funds according to the Making Home Affordable press release on March 26, 2010.

If you want to save more money and stop emotional spending, just take some time to do some personal reflection… What is it that causes many of us to fall into the trap of spending money when we don’t have to?  Are we emotionally spending our hard earned money? I just cringe when I hear people say words or phrases such as, “splurge,” “shopping spree,” or “extra cash.”  At the root of all of this type of behavior are our emotions.

For some reason, people attach how they feel to how much money they have or don’t have.  Let’s start with the most wealthy people in the world.  They spend money because they can.  They do not value money as much because they have so much excess, it doesn’t mean that much to them. Yet they build mansions, purchase multiple vehicles, and travel the world without a second thought.  Now, I am not knocking them for spending millions of dollars on those types of things; yet, it shows you what they value and how those types of things make them feel better.

I think it’s good to see President Obama and the government motivating the public to become disciples of both saving money and being long-term planners of their future. Seeing motivation for America to think of what shall be and not just what is, is in my eyes, a positive step forward. It is a move in the right direction because it is definitely the responsibility of those in power to provide incentives for the public to be as prudent and financially responsible as possible. And it is the public’s responsibility to not overlook the issue of the government’s saving and spending of its (our) money as well.  We must make sure that they are not being irresponsible with spending as much or even more than the same people they are trying to motivate to save.