by The Smarter Wallet on May 9, 2011
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Okay so have you got an emergency cash fund? You should have, because if any kind of emergency ever crops up, you will want to have some cash ready and waiting to be able to dip into should you need to.
Cash funds have a myriad of benefits. Some of them are obvious when you start thinking about it, whereas others are not so obvious. Check out the list below to see whether your emergency cash fund is more useful than you thought it was. In addition, think about whether you should really be starting one up now if you haven’t already. Here’s why you want to have an emergency fund.
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by The Smarter Wallet on May 2, 2011
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You don’t have to look that far online to find companies offering to sell you a pre-made niche blog. You can literally whip out your credit card and be the proud owner of a niche blog just a few seconds later.
But is this the right way to invest in this kind of website, or would you be better off taking the time to create something yourself?
Here are some pros and cons to consider when investing in an existing blog:
Pros:
1. It is ready made and ready to go.
2. For one easy payment you are the owner of a niche blog.
3. You can take advantage of the knowledge someone else already has.
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by The Smarter Wallet on April 25, 2011
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Many people relocate closer to where they work. It’s a good thing to do because over the years it can save you thousands of dollars on your travel expenses. But when you retire, you have a whole different life to think about. With no more regular traveling to do, you could benefit from thinking about a change of scene. But would you do it in reality?
Retirement can seem like a distant goal when you are in your twenties, thirties and even your forties. But slowly and surely, it does creep closer, and there will come a time when you start thinking about it more and more.
Now one thing some people don’t consider, is whether they would stay in the same place when they finally stop working.
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by The Smarter Wallet on April 19, 2011
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Social media is often seen as a big force in our lives –- and indeed it is. People use it for lots of different reasons:
- to find friends,
- to find work,
- to find out what is going on around the world.
But when it comes to linking social media and your job together, you need to be careful about the potential results that could occur.
For instance there is the often quoted fact that once something is online, you cannot take it off again. Even if statements are retracted or said to be incorrect later on, the originals are still out there to be found. This means that you have to tread very carefully if you are going to use social media sites at all.
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by Guest Blogger on April 9, 2011
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Dealing with health issues almost on a daily basis certainly makes me appreciate living where I do. Investigating another topic, I stumbled upon a link in a website outlining the different expenses a person with my type of cancer can expect to pay, depending on their home province. Not that a person wants to rely solely on the government’s insurance. Oh, reminder to self to be thankful for my husband’s employer’s outstanding medical insurance.
What Are Your Medical Insurance Needs When You’ve Got A Serious Illness?
Having a critical illness is tough enough just to remain positive and carry on with life the best we can. Worrying about finances along with everything else must be like adding another brick of concrete on top of already heavy shoulders.
I can still pay for my actual expenses, with a cash outlay for services of $10.00 (copay). My costs for prescriptions that need to be filled for my pills are less than $1.50. Now I look into the travel expenses I have to and from doctors’ appointments and treatments. That’s where the cost lies. That is just part of the price I pay for living in a peaceful, safe, rural setting. I love the quiet environment, appreciate the scenery, and enjoy living in a safe place with my family. As for health care, whether it is covered or not, it just isn’t accessible. Funny that I should spend time bragging about the system that within the same month, sees my family doctor leaving town for bigger and better places. Now if I have complications from treatment, I have no one to call other than my oncologist who is based at a location that is over a 2 hour drive away. I just try not to think about it. So far, that has worked for me.
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Can you generate cash when you’ve got no money to start with? Can you make money out of nothing? We’ve tackled this question before when we asked: Can You Start An Internet Business With No Money Down? Most people think you have to put something in to get something out. Here are some examples:
- You have to put money in a savings account to earn interest on it.
- You have to sink money into the stock market to try and make a good return on it.
- You have to invest in a business in order to eventually make a profit.
So far, so good. Most people can identify with at least one of the above scenarios, since we’re all pretty much interested in trying to make our money grow. But what about making money when you haven’t invested any in the first place? Is that possible?
The answer is YES!
If you don’t think it’s possible, then don’t worry –- it’s just that you’re not thinking along the right lines yet.
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by The Smarter Wallet on March 29, 2011
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Do you seek financial or business success? If so, it’s good to know just how much our attitude and emotional makeup can affect our personal financial status.
I’ve always been keen on saving money. I have no qualms about spending it either but until the bills are paid and some cash has been put away, I can’t even think about spending it elsewhere.
But you and I could think very differently about money -– and this is where the idea of behavioral finance comes in. The idea is that different people react in different ways to financial decisions. Finance might seem to be a very cut and dried area of interest and in a sense it is. But behavioral finance comes into play when we add emotions into the mix. At the end of the day we cannot assume that two or more people will react in completely the same way when faced with the same financial decision.
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by The Smarter Wallet on March 22, 2011
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We all know we should invest for the future, but thinking about it and actually doing it can be poles apart. If you have an aversion to getting your investment plans in order, this may be the reason why you’re unable to move ahead.
How To Get Started With Your Investment Program
The following tips could point the way to any problems you might have, so read through them and you could find your investment plans become more of a reality in the near future.
Don’t think of investing as dull and boring.
Even if you think that investing is dry fodder, it will do you good to focus on the positive aspects of growing your money. Sure, some people think that investments are pretty boring. But in reality, you have to break through the boredom in order to start investing and to get to the results you want –- which is to have money socked away for your future needs.
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