Tax day is here and there are probably more than a few people sweating it out. Whether you aren’t able to file in time or haven’t got the money in hand to pay your taxes, April 15th can be worse than Halloween when it comes to horror stories. Luckily, in the midst of this recession, you can still find ways to meet your government and financial obligations as long as you’re willing to talk to the IRS and let them know what’s going on. Read more…

Bookmark to:

Human beings are creatures of habit. If we’re used to paper bank statements and live bank tellers, it can be a major psychological shift to move to online banking. Unfortunately, though, even when our habits stop working for us, we continue to use them. This is especially true of how we handle our financial lives. When it comes to money, many people are risk-averse. They want to be sure a new method or investment is safe, before they are willing to commit to it. Online banking has now made that shift from novelty to a mainstay of modern day banking as it increases in popularity with the average consumer. If you haven’t been willing to use this new tool because you don’t know what it’s like and worry about trying something different, here are some pros and cons of the online banking system to help you decide on whether now is the time to jump into this newest way of doing business. Read more…

Bookmark to:

Whether you have a little money or a lot, the falling dollar’s value can impact your day-to-day feelings of wealth, but it can also come with some pluses. The prices at the supermarket may be higher due to goods that are being imported that now cost more in real dollars. The amount of money in your bank account looks the same, but you know it is worth less overseas. However, the cost of American labor with respect to other countries has decreased and thus, it may actually help employment. The falling dollar has impact on many sectors of the economy and you will want to figure out how to hedge a bit for a falling dollar value. Read more…

Bookmark to:

Maybe you’ve heard of the modern day advice on keeping an emergency fund. Money in the fund is supposed to only be used for emergencies, but what constitutes a true emergency? Is it an emergency to pay for a school trip that your kid wants to go on? Is it an emergency to purchase that refrigerator because your old one is about to go? It is also a good thing to locate sources of credit, like cash advances, to help in the case of an emergency, but again, what determines whether something is a true emergency or not? Read more…

Bookmark to:

It seems that many college graduates are moving back in with their parents while they try to get their feet planted in the professional world. Most parents want to do everything they can to help their children, but at what cost? If your child is moving back in, don’t roll out the red carpet just yet. Think about what financing their lifestyle is going to do to your retirement years. Instead, opt for gentle, but firm strategies to help your children start supporting themselves. It will be better for everyone in the long run. Read more…

Bookmark to:

There is a lot of excitement that comes with purchasing a “new” car, whether the car is brand spanking new or if it’s used. Getting anything new always brings a sort of rush of excitement to any person and when it comes to cars it is very easy to let one’s judgment get clouded by that must-have vehicle. Read more…

Bookmark to:

Students spend twelve years out of their lives getting ready to go to college. They study hard and make good grades so that they can have their pick of universities to attend. Sometime they will do well enough that they will earn some scholarships, but this is usually not enough to pay for four years at a university. Many students are never taught how to manage money, so many college freshmen have no idea how much money they will need when they go to college. As a result, when they graduate they have so much debt that it will take them years to pay all of it back. Read more…

Bookmark to:

We all make mistakes in our lives, and for many of us one of the biggest mistakes we make is in regards to our credit. When we make enough mistakes with our credit, we end up either with no credit at all or with bad credit. When our payday is regular and is bringing in enough income to cover all of our current needs, we don’t spend a great deal of time worrying about having no or bad credit, but this is one of the potential starting points of making mistakes in regards to our credit. Read more…

Bookmark to:

Many people assume that everyone has a traditional banking account and that when payday arrives, that everyone has a place to cash their check in an easy and secure manner. In recent years, however, more and more people in the US are avoiding traditional banking institutions in seeking a place to keep their money. This might sound troubling to some, but while traditional banking does tend to offer an easy way to handle one’s cash, there are some rational reasons for avoiding the bank. Read more…

Bookmark to:

Like most Americans, you have probably received a letter stating that if you sign up for some service you could get a ton of cash. Often, the company offering the get rich quick scheme will enclose a check with an enormous amount printed on it and made out for cash to you, with the statement “not negotiable for cash” printed somewhere on the check. This is a way for the company to appeal to the basic desire that many of us have for cash. They get you to read their advertisement, and possibly contemplate giving them your money so that you can get all the cash that they offer, and this company incurs few expenses. Read more…

Bookmark to: