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Nearly every man who develops an idea works it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then he gets discouraged. That's not the place to become discouraged.
Thomas Edison Categories
Tag Archives: personal finance
Warren Buffett Gets Animated
Do you ever wish your children or grandchildren were part of a classified alliance of affluent youth? Perhaps you just wish there was a fun way to teach them about personal finance and responsible money management. Well, now there is. Read More
Family Finance: Revisiting financial advice of old
As hard times grind on, many Americans are taking a fresh look at the money lessons they learned from their families. But while some of the personal finance advice from prior generations holds up, some no longer applies — and sometimes it wasn’t on target to begin with. Read More
Couples need to talk retirement details
Workers have become more involved in retirement planning but too often just one member of the family takes care of investments and strategy, leaving the spouse unprepared to take over if needed. Read More
Searching for airfares doesn’t have to be a gamble
Searching for airfares often seems to be a game passengers are set up to lose. Prices change from day to day, even minute to minute. Scouring multiple websites for the best deal can be overwhelming. And after you book, there’s no guarantee that you got the best price. Read More
Family Finance: Disaster plans save time, money
When Delores and Harry Haynes evacuated from New Orleans’ Gentilly neighborhood as Hurricane Katrina headed their way in 2005, they made sure to grab the Ziploc bags in their file cabinet. Those bags contained their homeowners and flood insurance policies and other vital financial information. Even before they were able to come back to see the damage to their home of 30 years, television reports made it clear the news wasn’t good. Read More
Bonds for All Ages
Second, fixed-income assets can serve as a supplement to your income. For example, a conservative bond ladder can put consistent and dependable cash in an investor’s pocket regularly over the life of the holdings. In tremulous times like these, structuring your securities like this may be a welcome alternative.
Of course, fixed-income assets do have their limitations. There is generally a much smaller reward with these options than with say, stocks. Younger generations are typically better positioned to take the bigger risks as they have the time and (usually) the financial stability to explore investment options in various markets. That said, historically more secure fixed income products, like the FDIC-insured CDs and agency bonds available at Zions Direct, are typically a wiser option for saving for foreseeable events, such as home buying, weddings and college tuition. These life milestones aren’t exactly the experiences on which we should gamble our money. Read More
Groundhog Day: Stop making these 5 money mistakes
Is there a shadow cast over your financial life? Maybe that’s because you’re stuck in a seemingly endless cycle of paying too much in taxes, fees, and penalties.
Many of us are like Bill Murray’s weatherman in the movie “Groundhog Day,” when it comes to managing our own money. We’re searching for a way to break through repeating the same financial mistakes and reckless habits. Read More
State of US personal finance: How are we doing?
Just as President Barack Obama took a reassuring tone in the State of the Union address, there are reasons for optimism when it comes to our personal finances.
The stock market has come back, companies are starting to hire again and economists are increasingly upbeat about the future. But unemployment remains stuck at more than 9 percent, home prices are falling and the pace of foreclosures is accelerating. Read More
Baby boomers near 65 with retirements in jeopardy
Through a combination of procrastination and bad timing, many baby boomers are facing a personal finance disaster just as they’re hoping to retire.
Starting in January, more than 10,000 baby boomers a day will turn 65, a pattern that will continue for the next 19 years.
The boomers, who in their youth revolutionized everything from music to race relations, are set to redefine retirement. But a generation that made its mark in the tumultuous 1960s now faces a crisis…read more Read More
5 Ways to declare your financial independence
While Independence Day comes just once a year, millions of consumers are mired in financial dependence day after day. Too many count on credit cards and their next paycheck just to get by.
The Fourth of July holiday is a good time to resolve to clean up your finances and start freeing yourself from debt, especially because it often kicks off two months of overspendingstrong> . . . read more Read More
Family Finance: Add money skills to the chore list
Can taking out the trash provide a lesson in money management?
It can, if you offer some kind of payment and teach your child how to handle the money.
There’s ample evidence that children learn money habits early in life. Hoping to raise financially savvy adults, many parents give their kids an allowance in exchange for doing simple tasks around the house.
Julie and Mark Parrish pay their three boys a weekly allowance . . . read more Read More
Retirement: Test your financial planning IQ
The days of counting on a company pension and Social Security to assure financial well-being in retirement are over.
Pensions are vanishing fast, and no one can guarantee that Social Security checks won’t be smaller in decades to come. That’s why it’s more important than ever to take charge of your own retirement planning.
Take this retirement IQ quiz to test your knowledge as part of Financial Literacy Month. . . . read more Read More
Investors’ biggest mistake was trusting Wall St.
Good sense has vanished from many areas of American life including how families manage their money, says economist and television commentator Ben Stein.
“You’ve got to correct your spending patterns so that you’re saving every week or every month,” Stein says. “You’ve got to correct your spending so that you’re not even remotely spending more than you earn. You’ve got to live a life of good sense.”
Legions of consumers lived well beyond their means and failed to save for an emergency. It’s the financial mayhem that ensued that still burdens the economy. In “The Little Book of Bulletproof Investing,” Stein and co-author Phil DeMuth provide guidance to investors . . . read more Read More
A Return to Fundamentals: Part One – Buy What You Know
If you’re like most investors last year’s portfolio losses have not only caused you a great deal of financial strain, but also given you a full measure of doubt about how—and where—to begin to invest again. While it may be tempting to look towards esoteric strategies or follow popular investing gurus and TV personalities to get back on track, we’re confident that the fundamentals—not bells and whistles—are the best way to find investments worthy of your hard-earned dollars. Read More
Rethinking: Traditional Brokerages
As individuals continue to react to the current economic climate and sort out their financial portfolios, one thing has become very clear: traditional investment ideas and practices are no longer driving our decisions. It’s time to rethink our strategies. Read More
