The Essentials of CFDs

October 26, 2016

A Contract For Difference (CFD) is an Over The Counter (OTC) contract between two parties, where one party pays the other party an amount determined by the difference between the opening and closing price on the contract. The price at which a particular CFD contract is traded, and the price at which it is valued, […]

Which Type of Loan Should You Get?

October 6, 2016

Finding a loan is a lot like finding a job. The more you need it the harder it is to get one! And just like finding a job, it’s important that you look in the right place and find the right type of loan for you. The first step in finding the best loan for […]

What Are You Paying For: A Break Down Of Your Energy Bill

August 16, 2015

Every month millions of U.S. households pay their electric and gas bill without fully understanding where their money goes. What is it you are paying for? The answer, of course, is energy, which comes in the form of electricity, generated by coal and gas-burning power plants, hydro plants, nuclear power plants or, increasingly, by solar […]

Making 2016 a Year for Financial Stability

July 30, 2015

The beginning of a new year can be liberating for people who struggled financially in the past. Flipping the calendar from 2015 to 2016 encourages everyone to reevaluate their lives. An important part of this renewed look is a review of your finances. Recent economic problems have hit families, couples, and individuals hard, leading to […]

The Long Term Effect of Long Term Debt

March 31, 2015

Borrowing is a part of the average American’s life. You get a loan to buy house, a car and go to school. Many also borrow for TVs, furniture, appliances, vacations, remodels and practically anything else. A mortgage or student loan isn’t a big deal is it? Everyone finances this kind of stuff, right? Most do […]

Choosing Cash or Credit Card in the Right Situations

March 13, 2015

As consumers, we think much more about comparing products rather than comparing methods of payment. Cash, debit cards and credit cards are seen as interchangeable when stopping for gas or buying food. This assumption is common among most consumers because retailers have made buying with cash or card incredibly easy. For example, we can swipe […]

Tips to Saving Money on Satellite Subscription Services

February 18, 2015

When you’re not out soaking up the sun or taking in the sights of sunny Florida, you’re likely at home enjoying a little television or quality time with the family. Becoming increasingly popular for subscription services is satellite television. Many consumers have been able to find great subscription services at a fraction of what it […]

Think Twice Before You Buy a Sears Home Warranty

October 31, 2014

Our appliances started malfunctioning early this year.  Our microwave stopped working, the fridge water line was leaking, our clothes dryer wasn’t working properly, and the pump in our standalone icemaker stopped working.  Indeed, we had a lot of issues with our appliances and the affected products spanned 3 different brands of products (GE Café, Kenmore and […]

How To Buy A Used Car: Motivation, Research & Financing

October 18, 2014

Looking for a new set of wheels? Buying brand-new can be a punch in the pocketbook, since a car depreciates around ten percent as soon as you drive it off the lot and about a quarter of its original value after two years. However, used cars worry some wary customers. Is the previous owner knowledgeable […]

Quick Returns for Your Money

August 4, 2014

Have you ever gotten impatient with your investments and wanted to get some immediate results?  Or maybe you’ve set aside some money into a slush fund that you’d like to speculate with?  Whatever the case, every now and then there comes a time when speculating with your money seems like the right thing to do.  […]

The Art of Online Shopping: Diligence, Service Life & The Three R’s

June 13, 2014

A frugal lifestyle isn’t just about trying to cut corners to save a few dollars. It’s a complete rewiring of your mindset when it comes to consumerism. The big things to strive for when adopting a frugal lifestyle include: Using diligence to research with the companies you buy from Understanding the lifetime value of a […]

What to Do When Your Debt Is Too Much

June 5, 2014

Most people don’t plan on getting in debt, and nobody plans on getting in so much debt that they can no longer handle their payments.  However, life happens and between our bad choices, our rationalization of choosing debt, bad luck, and unforeseen circumstances, many of us find ourselves in more debt than we know what […]

Stop Worrying About Taxes and Get the Help You Need

May 5, 2014

Each year, you may file your tax return with confidence. As an honest person, you may do everything possible to ensure the accuracy of your return. This reduces the likelihood of an issue with the federal or state government. But even if you believe that you’ve done everything correctly, issues can arise. If you work […]

5 Creative Ideas for Making Money

February 17, 2014

There are lots of ways to make quick money, especially if you’re creative.  Here are five ideas you may want to consider next time you’re looking to make a quick buck. Sell Your Services You can sell your services easier than you think.  And by services, you don’t have to be a professional at anything.  […]

Apps To Help You Manage Finances

February 3, 2014

With mobile apps for everything from games, to ghostbusting, to watermelon ripeness testing, anyone with a smartphone can do anything with it. Managing finances used to mean sitting at a desk in a home office surrounded by filing cabinets. Now the tech-savvy (and the rest of us) can manage financial matters anywhere and access financial […]

Make Some Money For a Rainy Day

October 17, 2013

Would you like to make some money in your spare time?  Money for a rainy day?  Money for a special treat?  Or money used to buy gifts (like me)?  Let me tell you about one of the ways that I make a little extra money each year. First of all, I’ll be real honest here and not try to […]

Three Things You Need When Buying a House

October 10, 2013

If you’re buying a house, furniture and decorations may top your list of things to pick up from the store. But although these items are important in creating a nice cozy feel, these aren’t the only things to worry about when purchasing a new place. Important actions must be made to ensure that you are financially […]

Double Your Retirement Savings by Investing Early

October 3, 2013

“If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting.” –  Ben Franklin Most 20-somethings are considering the future, but aren’t necessarily planning for retirement. Young people are preoccupied with the now, because there’s a lot of pressing matters. Figuring out where to live and what can be afforded takes precedence over retirement […]

How to Research a Stock Before You Invest

September 24, 2013

Being employed as a stock research analyst taught me a thing or two about what it takes to find a good stock to invest in.  It taught me that while many companies’ stocks look cheap or attractive on paper, they are usually cheap for a reason.  If you’re willing to research the company of the stock you want to invest in before […]

Sole Proprietor vs LLC vs Incorporating Your Small Business

September 20, 2013

Depending on the type of small business you have, you’ve probably wondered a few times about the best way to set up the corporate and tax structure.  To simplify, the three choices are to run your small business as a sole proprietor, an LLC, or Incorporate your business as an S or C corporation.  Each […]

Follow the ABCs of Personal Finance

September 19, 2013

Personal finance covers a broad range of topics from the act of making money to budgeting, and onward to saving and debt reduction. Money is an interesting topic because it’s something we all come in contact with on a daily basis; it’s often both the solution and cause of our problems. Those who understand how […]

6 Need to Knows Before You Close on Your Home

September 17, 2013

You think you’ve found the house of your dreams! It’s an incredible feeling, but it will wear off the day you move in. That’s when you notice that the paint is chipping from the outside, there is a crack in the foundation of the back yard, or your insurance rate was higher than expected. Those […]

Are You Middle Class? Do You Feel Like It?

September 17, 2013

When it comes to classifying people there are three classes – upper class, middle class and lower class.  To start with, I’ll admit that it is ridiculous to put all of the country and world’s population into these three classifications, but let’s face it, it is done all the time.  The real question I pose in […]

The Importance of Managing Your Small Business Inventory

August 21, 2013

Most small business owners don’t focus on inventory management.  Part of the reason they don’t is because most small business owners don’t have the time and resources to devote to inventory management.  Many are stretched too thin or focus on top line sales growth. For a small business to thrive, it is important to focus […]

Save Water to Cut on your Water Bills

August 16, 2013

Yes, water is cheap, people mostly take the importance for granted thus resulting for the majority to end up wasting in close proximity to $1000/year on something that is basically free. Saving on water not only reduces energy costs, but importantly lessens your monthly water bill and helps our environment and the future. Here are […]

It’s Time to Prepare for Next Year’s Taxes

July 29, 2013

It’s true that the years is only half over and you only filed taxes a few months ago.  But believe it or not, it’s already time to start planning and preparing for next year’s tax preparations.  The biggest mistake that most people make is waiting until the year is over to start their tax preparations.  By doing […]

Financial Advice You Can Get For Free

July 26, 2013

Because there are so many people trying to give you advice. And because every situation is different.  And because rules of thumb do not apply to everyone equally. The best way to get financial advice is to do it yourself.  Make your own decisions.  You don’t have to rely on a financial advisor to improve […]

How Much Money Do You Need to Be Rich?

July 23, 2013

Yesterday I read an article on CNBC’s website that spelled out exactly how much money it takes to be rich. Before I share how much money they think it takes to be rich, take a minute and think about what it would take to make you feel rich. For my kids, it would probably be […]

Are Frequent Flier Miles and Credit Card Rewards Valuable?

June 27, 2013

You have likely seen TV and online ads from credit card companies touting their rewards programs. These ads highlight frequent flier miles, cash back on specific purchases and rewards for consumers who spend considerable amounts of money. A rewards card seems attractive on first blush as many people use their credit cards for big-ticket purchases […]

Hiring Low Cost Employees for Your Small Business

June 7, 2013

For the millions of us that run a small business, hiring an employee can be a daunting and intimidating task.  Most businesses start by a sole proprietor or a small group of friends, and at some point the work just gets to be too much.  If you’ve gotten to that point and are ready to […]