The holidays are typically full of family time. You spend more time with family during this portion of the year than any other. In fact, it may be the only time you see some relatives face to face. That’s why some experts say you should take some time to do something more important than eating turkey and opening presents. You should use the holidays to discuss important financial issues with family members. “Use this time to engage your family members in a chat about financial planning – yours and theirs,” Eleanor Blayney, Certified Financial Planner, says. “No matter who has plans to visit this year, there are relevant topics for everyone in the family.”
Here are some examples of important issues that need to be discussed, and can best be done in person.
Financial discussions don’t have to be boring or difficult. Served up with some pumpkin pie, it can be a loving family discussion about the future. “Sharing financial and life goals with those most likely to be affected by those plans can avoid confusion or division among family members when important financial decisions need to be made,” Blayney says. “Take the time to
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Savings Accounts and Money Market Rates provided by 6 December 2011 Even if the various troubled nations resolve their major dilemmas this year, investors should be ready for volatility to continue in 2012, Reuters reports.
Even if the United States solves its fiscal deficit, China successfully copes with its economic slowdown, and Europe survives its debt problems, analysts have arrived at a consensus that volatility will continue to be a problem next year, according to the media outlet. Long-term planning and portfolio diversification will be even more crucial as a result of these continuing market fluctuations.
Fran Kinniry, who is a principal in Vanguard’s Investment Strategy Group, told the media outlet that investors “need to develop an asset allocation plan and really try not to get the short-term market to run their emotions” if they are going to invest in the right way.
He added that exchange-traded funds are an attractive option because there is a selection to choose from and they have low costs. Read more…
Technology has proven to be an invaluable source of assistance for struggling households recently as money saving applications and services grow in number.
A number of money saving services have become available for struggling households through advances in technology.
The Gadget Show recently reported on the top fifty of these services, stating that websites such as Amazon and Groupon are contributing to the money-saving effort alongside apps such as the AA Parking app and Account Tracker.
Considering that internet shopping has continued to increase in recent years, it is hardly surprising that several popular websites made the list of the top fifty money saving devices.
According to recent research, the amount of money spent on online shopping reached £14.7billion in 2008, a 35% rise from 2007.
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The two-year funding will target the retrofit and construction sector, where 65,000 jobs are expected to be created on the back of the Government’s flagship Green Deal scheme by 2015. The Green Deal Skills Alliance (GDSA), a partnership of SummitSkills, Asset Skills and ConstructionSkills, secured the funding from the Government’s £61 million Employer Investment Fund (EIF) and said it would be used to create “qualifications frameworks” and “on the ground support” for employers looking to improve the skills of their workforce in time for the launch of the multi-billion pound scheme next autumn.
“At a very challenging time for businesses in building services engineering, securing this funding is great news,” Keith Marshall, chief executive of SummitSkills, said. “Now that we’re counting down to the launch of the Government’s Green Deal initiative in October 2012, preparing the workforce to take advantage of the opportunities it offers will help to secure the future success of our sector.”
Green Deal opportunityThe Government wants to insulate 14 million homes between now and 2020 through the Green Deal. The Read more…
First, the good news: more and more people are sourcing auto loans online. Now for the bad: the number is still very small.
Auto loans online
That information appeared last week in Automotive News, a trade publication, and appears to be based on research from the Power Information Network. Apparently if you add the number of cash buyers to the number of those with “direct” loans (those not arranged by a dealer) then the two categories together represented just 22 percent of all vehicle sales in the third quarter of this year.
That’s down from 31 percent during the same period in 2009. Of course, that year’s numbers were skewed by the great recession: fewer cars were sold then, and lenders weren’t lending, so only cash buyers and the hyper-creditworthy stood any real chance of changing their cars. Even so it’s slightly depressing that more people aren’t applying for auto loans online, if only because having an approved offer in your pocket puts you in a much stronger bargaining position when your dealer starts negotiating your finance package.
Auto loans and dealers–a bad mix
But it’s not just that.
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The holidays are often stressful for many people, and for many reasons. Lack of financial preparation can but serious weight on your holiday agenda. Why not change the pattern this year?
Set aside money each week to go towards Christmas gifts. Research gifts and see when sales are, where its the cheapest, and when the best time to buy is. A little leg work could save you a lot of dollars in the end.
Keep in mind that around this time of the year, many stores offer promotions via the mail or e-mail. Simply signing up for a newsletter could garner you legitimate savings from stores that you planned to shop at anyway.
Remember, if the holidays, shopping, and debt are already too much for you to bear, its time to seek the financial expertise of a credit counselor. Contact the debt management experts at NWCDR to learn more.
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