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All articles by Sarah Russell -
It's happened to me. About a year ago, someone got a hold of my
bank card numbers. Fortunately, the crook made some international
purchase which immediately clued me in and my bank was quick to
settle the whole thing. But most people aren't so lucky. Identity
theft is a serious crime that's growing each year. Victims of
identity theft can spend months, or even years, trying to repair a
ruined credit history, which can compromise your
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To get on the road to financial freedom, you've got to have a
budget to help you focus on achieving your financial goals. If
you'd like to own your own home someday or pay off all your credit
card debt, you need to plan ahead and set aside money to make your
dreams a reality. But saving money can seem impossible when you're
already reaching to pay all your bills. Fear not – it can
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Building a good credit history is extremely important. The way you
handle your credit has a big impact on your way of life, your
career, the way you conduct business with others, and even on the
place where you live. Employers, money lenders, property owners,
and business owners can all consult your credit history when
determining whether or not to do business with you.
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Creating a budget sounds about as much fun as pulling teeth, but in
the long run, having (and sticking with a budget) will help you
achieve your financial goals. Think about the things you'd like to
have in the future. Maybe you'd like to settle down and own your
own home, or continue renting and purchase a really nice car. Now
think about the current state of your finances. If you feel like
you're constantly stretching
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On the surface, managing money seems like a pretty simple thing.
You earn money, whether through a job, inheritance or lottery
winnings; and you spend it on the things you need (or think you
need). It sounds so simple, until you introduce debt into the
picture. If you fail to live within your means and your expenses
exceed your earnings, you'll quickly find that there are ways to
borrow money to make up for this disparity.
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You probably already know what a credit card is. You see the ads
every day - in the television, on the radio, in the newspapers or
on billboard advertisements. Your friends, parents and relatives
use them all the time. But just to clear up any misinformation,
let's look at what credit cards are, why you should have one and
what risks are involved with using one.
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Recently, we touched on the importance of investing early in your
career. However, as you learn more about investing, you'll notice
that there are several different types of retirement accounts –
from 401K accounts to Keogh accounts, and from Roth IRAs to
standard IRAs. Each type of account has different rules,
regulations and tax implications. It's important to learn more
about each one to choose the best one for you.
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If you're fresh out of college and starting a new career, investing
for your retirement may be the farthest thing from your mind. But
don't be so shortsighted! Given the somewhat tenuous state of the
Social Security system, you're may have to rely on yourself to
provide for your retirement. And if you'd like to retire sometime
before you're 80 years old, you need to start investing as soon as
possible.
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Never heard of freecycling? You're not alone. Freecycling is a
recent trend that takes garage sale-ing to the next level.
Freecyclers use internet groups to get rid of their unwanted goods
and pick up new things, all for free. Currently over one million
members in over 50 countries around the world participate in
freecycling.
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Are you caught up in the home improvement craze? Or trying to sell
your home in a rough real estate market? Major improvements such as
new flooring or a deck can really dip into your pocketbook, but you
don't need to do anything so extreme to improve the look of your
home. When renovating on a budget, try to improve existing rooms
and fixtures, instead of replacing them entirely. You’ll save money
on materials and demolition costs. Focus first on the three key
areas of your home that make a big difference in the appearance of
your home - the entrance, kitchen and bathroom. With some simple
renovations, you can improve all three for less than $100.
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