Tuesday, September 14, 2010

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Saturday, June 5, 2010

Using Personal Finance Tools to Manage Money Easily

Managing your personal finance and personal budget is now very easy. You can now manage all your finance by using one of the thousands of money management software available online.

Making budgets used to be a very difficult and boring task in the past. One had to spend many days and weeks working on his personal finance budget for himself or his family. The husband and the wife had to spend many sleepless nights working on their house hold budget. But once you have made a budget for yourself, making a small change to it was almost like starting it all over again.

This is not the case now. One can very easily and effectively use any one of the money management software that is available online to make his budget. The making of a personal budget is now as easy as doing some data entry. You will have to enter all your financial details like income, expenses etc into the software and then it is left for the software to make up a plan for you. The financial plan that is generating by the software is completely personalized and will also include options like making savings and accomplishing your financial dreams.

It is easier that ever now to make your own personal finance management plans using the tools available. Thanks to the development of the technology and the masterminds who created such efficient tools. So forget your pen and paper budgeting method and begin financial planning using the new software.

Trading Tool in Your Money Management Software

Almost 90% of the people seem to lose money when they invest in shares. This is the figure provided by official stats. People who have invested in shares without knowing what exactly they are doing have often seemed to lose money and if they show more over determination again, they may even get bankrupt.

The most significant reason for this is the illiteracy of the people regarding the principles and strategies of managing their investments. There are many rules in the game of share trades that needs to be known before you make a remarkable investment. No sensible person should be investing more than 2% of his capital in a single trading. All the professional traders will not make a trade worth more than 20% of their capital.

Trading is not a casino game or a gamble. You can't just walk into the market and throws millions on random trades. Trading is an art of pure calculation and timely actions.

However thanks to the advanced money management tools that seems to have a trading option attached to them. This trading facility or module of the personal finance management software helps you make effective trades. They will notify you when you are about to make non sensible actions in trading. If you go against any of those trading rules, they will automatically notify you not to make that mistake. So in addition to helping you manage your personal finance, these tools are also capable of providing smart trading options. So, do not forget to check out the trading tool in your money management software.

All About ETFs

This rates have been rather low of late, this has prompted a lot of investors to look into ETFs and other short term bonds as an alternative. There are a lot of conservative ETFs on the market that actually yield better returns than money market accounts these days.

How do ETFs earn?

Exchange traded funds or ETFs, work on the principle of bundling together diversified exchange based securities to minimize risk. ETFs are setup up to rise and fall with a major market index. Several well known brokerage houses such as Barclays, Pimco and Fidelity now offer money market ETFs as an alternative to money market accounts.

With such ETFs "non-immediate" cash allocations is the aim, this enables less conservative investments and potentially higher yields. The risks taken are cushioned by the diverse investments that are made. Active ETFs while not very liquid, generally earn better yields.

Active ETFs are Earning High Interest

Since the introduction of the active ETF, yields have varied greatly, the trend these days though is that they offer better returns than most money market funds. Traditional ETFs have continued to do well despite the bleak economy. For reasons that can't be explained, ETFs just don't seem to be too affected by these uncertain times.

As ETFs go, the wisest investments are those that are highly customized. Don't grab up a certain type of ETF just because it's popular to do so. The best thing to do is to talk to a consultant so that he can advise you on the best ETFs for your portfolio. While ETFs are already diversified, further diversification within your portfolio will yield better returns.

Friday, June 4, 2010

The Money Market Accounts

If you are looking for a safe investment that will yield great returns, some of the most viable options on the market are Money market accounts. Naturally, you want to get the best deal available, to do so just follow these tips:

1. Window Shop- Banks are always trying to outdo each other for new business, interest rates and terms will vary from bank to bank, as will the bonuses that they will offer. Look at as many offers as you can and pick the best. Credit Unions are also worth looking into, and quite often they offer the best rates.

2. Invest Big- While interest rates for money market accounts are higher than saving accounts, these are still considered conservative investments, if you want to earn a lot of interest, you need to invest a lot of money. Banks and institutions that offer the accounts, usually require large minimum deposits.

3. Link your money market account to your checking account- Maybe not a great idea for your money making account, but this is a good safeguard against accidental overdrafts. Banks do charge huge overdraft fees.

4. Avoid withdrawals- The whole point of a money market account is to earn interest; if you withdraw frequently, it sort of defeats the purpose. Banks also typically limit the number of withdrawals you can make to about six per month. Should you exceed that, there will be stiff penalties charged.

5. Monitor your earnings- While it's best to leave the money alone, it is also a good idea to keep an eye of how much it is earning, and whether or not you are getting the yields you expected.

The Organic Food

If you'd really like to go organic, but are not too sure you can afford it on a consistent basis, you should look around for the best deals you can get on organic farm products. Organic food is not always a lot more expensive, you just need to look in the right places. With the growing number of people who buy organic food, options are also becoming more and more available.

Organic products are now available at several of the major grocery chains, even warehouse operations are starting to offer more organic produce. Look for the "USDA Organic" label for organic foods that are USDA standards compliant. Make sure it's the USDA Organic label, and not just the "USDA" label. While organic foods will always be more expensive, the price difference at places like Wal-Mart and Costco is not too staggering, and your food bill may still fit your budget.

While there are small local organic grocery stores, their prices for organic food are typically quite significantly more expensive. In some areas though, there are Trader Joe's or Whole Foods Market outlets that offer much better deals. Because they are organic chains, these stores offer endless organic options at great prices. At some Whole Foods Markets, you can even get bulk discounts.

Another way to save money is by buying fruits and vegetables in season. The reason organic food is more expensive is that it is more difficult to grow. It is particularly difficult to grow out of season. Planning your monthly home menu around in season fruits and vegetables can save you a lot of money. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, never get more than you can consume in a few days. Another drawback of organic food, is that it doesn't keep as well; this is because no preservatives are used. When you find organic meat at a bargain price, you can stock up, just make sure you don't get more than you can fit into your freezer.

If you don't have a house full of finicky eaters, and you don't have a problem with learning how to cook many different dishes, you can get a Community Shared Agriculture (CSA) membership. It's a lot like getting a magazine subscription, for a certain amount, you will receive regular deliveries of in season fruits and vegetables. Like a magazine where you don't get to pick what articles you get, you won't get to pick the produce you get either.

Another great source of organic food is farmer's markets. The prices can be prohibitive, but if you wait till closing hours to do your marketing, you'll find that many farmers drop their prices significantly. You might also consider growing your own food, you can start with cherry tomatoes and herbs, then work your way up to more complex foods later. When it comes to getting affordable organic food, the key to success is being resourceful and patient. Going organic does entail certain sacrifices, and you should be prepared to make them.

Money Management to Avoid Financial Crisis

About 95% of the financial crisis that is faced by any person in this world can be attributed to poor money management. The importance lies in the fact that one very simple misjudgment we had made in our past would be the result of the financial crisis that we are facing at present. The reason can be anything starting from nonpayment of your loan, credit card debt or even your phone bill. You must have forgotten to pay your bill on the due date and then in the next month you may have not found enough money to make that payment. Whatever be the reason, now you are facing a very drastic situation where you are almost bankrupt. Remember that all these situations started from not paying a bill long ago.

This very fact shows how significant the personal money management can be to an individual. The reason why you forgot your payment can be because you did not have a fixed financial plan each month. This is called inefficient money management. This is the reason why most of the people in America face foreclosure.

So the significance of a money management plan is very evident. If you have a well laid money management plan then there is no question of forgetting your payments or making unwise financial expenses. It will also help you make sure that you do not make mistakes regarding your finance again. So I hope the significance of a personal finance plan is clear and you will not jump into mistakes again due to lack of proper planning.

The Approach Towards Financial Planning is Significant

I have seen most people getting desperate at hearing the word 'personal finance management'. This is because the whole concept of financial planning seems to be a bad dream for everyone. The concept of managing your finance seems to be overriding them with complete confusion.

The basic conclusion of all these confusion is that personal finance budgeting and management is almost impossible. This is absolutely wrong. The concept is surely confusing, but you need not consider it impossible to achieve. It is certainly difficult. But this is the minimum price you have to pay, in case you aim at a secure financial future for you and your family.

Change your attitude towards the whole concept and you will start finding it easier that you thought. If you are able to develop a sense of positive attitude towards the ides of 'budgeting your finance', then the whole process will seem easy. You will also get the determination that you need to follow the budget that you have made for yourself.

In short words, the interest or attitude of a person towards managing his own budget and finance is what decides how successful he can be in the field. If you have a wrong attitude toward the process, and begin making plans thinking that the task is going to be impossible, you will eventually mess up the whole process. So developing your attitude is the right attitude for starting your budgeting and finance planning activities. Only this right attitude can bring you success in your planning.

All About Mint

If you're a finance whiz and you really don't need any advice on managing your money, then this article won't be of particular interest to you; however, if you are a relative novice just looking to make sense out of what seems to be the extremely complicated and unpredictable world of finance, then mint.com could be just the thing for you.

Mint.com is an intuitive online financial and management tool that aims to aid people who need financial advice, and who would like to set and reach certain financial goals. Mint.com currently has over one million active users, the site helps them budget, pay bills and it gives them helpful advice on saving money, tax returns, investments and loan payments. The site is reasonably secure, and users can remain anonymous.

At mint.com, you can map out how to spend your money, and then even track your money farther down the road, and make adjustments if you have to. The site has an online budgeting tool, fun quizzes to hone your financial savvy, and possibly most importantly, a comprehensive listing of available financial investments and products available at any given time. You can compare CDs, credit cards, savings accounts, 401(k0 plans, etc. and work out which will work best for you. Mint.com is web based; you don't need to download any software, the service also includes time sensitive email and SMS alerts.

The blog section of mint.com it a veritable treasure trove of great financial news and advice. It isn't like the finance section of a newspaper though; the advice is practical, everyday wisdom; that regular people can take action on. The news is also relevant on a micro level. Blog topics include day to day issues that face real people like: getting out of debt, housing, retirement, student life, becoming wealthy, frugal living, employment, and the economy.

Mint.com is a totally free service, and it only takes five minutes to set up. Times being what they are, mint.com could be just the lifeline you need to make sense out of your finances.

Teach Children the Way to Manage Money

God has provided us with a great responsibility as parents. We have been chosen to teach our children how to live as respected Christian stewards. Paul reminded us that we are the driving force in our children's lives. Paul told us in Ephesians 6:4, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." (NIV) It is up to us; society and our schools will not do it for us.

Talk to them

We need to talk to our children. When Moses received the Commandments, the Lord instructed us to teach our children constantly. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says, "These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." (NIV)

Communication is important to their development. They should learn about life from us, not the streets or television. They should feel comfortable coming to us about anything, whether good or bad. As parents, we have their best interest in mind, and advice should come from us, not their peers.

We should be talking to our children early about the importance of managing their finances. This information is not taught in the schools, especially from the Christian perspective. Since the media do not provide positive information, we need to be on the offense in teaching our children so that they will be ready to defend themselves when they step out on their own.

Be an example

Talking isn't enough. We also need to lead by example. If there is one thing I've learned about being a parent, it is that children are quick to imitate what they see. I have to be very careful about what I say and do around my daughter because she often imitates my behavior. However, I can use that to my advantage by showing her the right way to manage finances.

Our children should see us budgeting our money and paying our bills on time. They should see us using credit cards only to the extent that we are able to pay them off in full when the bill comes. They should see us living below our means rather than trying to keep up with the Joneses.

We should also show our children that we are responsible for the bills we create. What kind of example are we setting for our children if we ask them to tell the bill collectors that we're not home?

While we may come from households where parents did not discuss the household finances with children, we do not have to carry on that tradition. Children seek direction and guidance. Our children are eager to learn, and we are positioned to be their best teachers. We can show them what to do - and what not to do.

We don't like giving our children a negative image of us. But, they should know that we are not perfect. Let's be genuinely open with our children and allow them to learn from our mistakes.

The Alternative Savings Accounts

Because of the typically low interest rates that come with passbook accounts, some people just consider them a safe place to store money, and not really money earning investments. There are actually many types of savings accounts to choose from, each with different pros and cons. While all saving accounts are considered conservative investments, you can earn quite a bit if play it smart:

Passbook Accounts - These are "plain vanilla" saving accounts. You are given a ledger called a passbook, and in it, all your deposits, withdrawals and interest are recorded. There is typically no minimum balance, no fees, and you can withdraw and deposit as often as you want. Passbook accounts are FDIC insured for up to $100,000.

Money Market Accounts - Compared to passbook accounts, money market accounts require a minimum balance, earn better interest, and can usually come with a limited number of withdrawals in a month.

Health Saving Accounts (HSAs) - Intended for use during medical emergencies, the main feature of the HSA is that the money you put into it is up to $5,000 a year is tax deductible. The money will only remain tax deductible if it is withdrawn for medical expenses. HSAs are offered to compliment High Deductible Health Plans.

High-Yield Saving Accounts - These are accounts that are sort of a marriage between passbook accounts and certified deposits (CDs). A large minimum balance is required, interest is high, but withdrawals are allowed with restrictions in amount and frequency, no fees are charged provided withdrawals are kept within agreed limits.

Retirement Saving Accounts - Accounts specifically designed for retirement, there are IRAs, 401(k) plans, and Roth IRAs. All accounts come with some form of tax break, but on condition that withdrawals can't be made before a certain age.

Foreign Currency Savings Accounts - In these uncertain times, the strength of the Dollar is not what is used to be. If you're looking not just to save money, but to protect your money from currency fluctuations, it might be best to keep it in a foreign currency that is more stable. These are typically available from multi-national banks.

These are actually just a few of the available options. There are a lot of saving accounts out there we haven't mentioned, banks do try to mix it up to cater to different needs. If you shop around, you'll find one that suits your needs best.