Easy Tips For Simple Money Management

The process of managing money, including investments, budgeting, banking, and taxes. Also called investment management. So let's turn to the 21st century's primary source of information: Google. And that's when it gets a bit hairy. This is how a prominent website defines 'money management': Money doesn't buy happiness. 

It's not more important than your family, your friends or your health. But let's not kid ourselves - financial security gives you the freedom to make the choices that are right for you, and freedom can be the key to happiness. We'd all like to improve our money management skills, and the first step toward getting better at something is understanding it. 

Money management is a broad topic with a lot of different facets, so it's not surprising that Google pulls up some confusing results. But definitions of money management that get bogged down in the details miss an important point: the secret to good money management is simple. Price action just need commitment and organisation. But it isn't anywhere near as scary as it can sound. 

Analaura & Wilson Luna are Authors, Licensed Financial Planners and Founders of Your Family Your Money - a financial literacy resource hub designed to help families with Money Management. By being conscious of what you do with your money, you can use the principles of money management to build wealth and take control of your future. And hey - Google isn't always scary. After all, if you ask it to, it will bring you here. 

You're probably not feeling very inspired right now. In fact, if you're like most people, reading that has probably got you thinking that 'money management' is something best left to the professionals - people who know something about money. But what you may not have realized is that, when it comes to your money, the person who knows the most about it is you. 

Let's be clear: money management is a big topic, and there are lots of books, articles and advice that will help you deal with the specific issues you'll face as you work toward financial freedom. If you find out what they are and learn how to use them to make money management a part of your daily routine, you'll be able to make the best use of your resources and create a lifestyle for yourself that's a lot less stressful, with a lot more options for Money Management. 

This terminology can be a bit intimidating but the thing to remember is that these are just names for the tools that will help you sort out how much money you have, where it's going and how you can generate more of it. You know how much money you make and how much you spend - after all, you're the one spending it! Whether you're investing in the stock market or buying a sandwich, you make money management decisions every day of your life, and if you don't like the results you're getting all you need to do is change your habits. 

Like any subject, financial advice comes with its own language, so you've probably heard words like 'budget' and 'statement of net worth'. So what exactly do you do? Well, as we said, money management is a big topic and the learning process is going to be a lot easier if you take it one bit at a time. You can browse our list of articles for specific topics and you can check out our online store for comprehensive guides on how to create strong financial foundations for your family.

Ideas to Keep You Busy After Retirement

Millions of baby boomers are either retiring or reaching retirement age. The majority of them will not be satisfied with simply mowing the lawn or sitting on the front porch. The fact is 74% of these retirees plan to start a second career. Age is not a factor; many individuals in their sixties, seventies, and eighties have started successful second careers. Retires fall into two categories, those that are financially comfortable, and those that have to work to supplement their retirement.

Charity Volunteers

Nonprofit organizations are almost always looking for support, often in the form of volunteers who are willing to put a few hours in to help. Support children's literacy, the arts and sciences, or apply your skills to helping with the recycling efforts in your community. Select an organization that corresponds with your unique interests and passions. Use the skills you’ve developed during the past decades, or branch out and use your time to explore dreams you never had the chance to investigate.

Become a Life-Cycle Celebrant

Thinking of starting a business? Then you may want to consider becoming a life-cycle celebrant. Use your time, your talents, and your experience to help other people document the significant events in their lives. Help craft scrapbooks (virtual or actual) that highlight these occasions: births, weddings, travel, and memoires that reflect the special events in your clients’ lives. Create digital albums, or record experiences in writing. Life-Cycle documentation is an interesting and potentially lucrative new trend.

An Online Business

Setting up an ecommerce website for your Life-Cycle Celebrant, or another online business, requires some time and effort - but the payoff is well worth the effort. If you love crafting, selling antiques, or want to develop a business from a hobby, an ecommerce site may be the perfect solution. As with any business, there are many important factors to consider. An ecommerce site usually requires an SSL certificate. Find out how SSL certificates work and learn about other great tools to help build your ecommerce site. Where can I buy SSL certificates? From Thawte!

Renew your Education

Retirement opens many new doors. This could be the perfect time to return to school. You could finish your Masters at a local college; learn a skill online, volunteer in a neighborhood school, or tutor youth and adults in your community. Don’t rule out learning a new language. Language acquisition is one of the best ways to ward of Alzheimer’s.

Mentor Others

Your retirement years are the perfect time to give back. When you mentor, you are able to volunteer or capitalize on the skills that you have spent a lifetime honing. Many executive consultants and coaches charge anywhere from $150 - $500 USD/hour. An additional bonus is that you can work according to your own schedule, giving you time to spend with your family and travel.

“The limit is not in the sky. The limit is in the mind.” - Cv Pillay

There are countless ideas to keep you busy when you retire: plant a garden, learn to play an instrument, write a book, cook, or sail. You’re the only one who can decide of what is right for you. Chances are you’ve spent most of your life meeting the needs of others. Now is the perfect time to enjoy the rewards and to reap what you have sown!

Thinking of Improving Your Finances, Here are 5 Things you Need to Know

One of the most sensitive topics in the lives of most people is finances. Now more than ever, the majority of people are struggling to stay afloat. As a result, more and more people are coming out to get loans and they do this without taking any precautions. In the long run, they end up making costly mistakes. To avoid this, you should be better prepared by taking the following into account. 

Get to Know what is Available

Because of the ever increasing number of lenders, the process of applying for a loan has become complex. While it is possible to come across fair lenders, there are others who are out to take advantage of people in dire need of cash. There are different options to choose from and these include short term, same day and personal loans. Some of these are processed fast and don’t require credit checks. Additionally, they are calculated on the basis of how much one earns.

Lenders Credibility

With so many lenders to choose from, you need to check the credibility of your preferred lender. Use the internet to compare different kinds of lenders and pick one capable of meeting your needs. Read reviews about the lenders and if there are any negative comments or testimonials about them, countercheck and confirm their credibility. Carrying out a thorough background check on the lender will save you from making unavoidable mistakes.

Evaluate the Payment Terms

Some lenders tend to be slew in their dealings. Therefore, always countercheck their payment terms carefully. Do not make any rushed decisions. Rather, ensure you read the terms with a clear and relaxed mind. This will ensure you do not end up trapped in debt. Depending on the kind of loan you get, make payments in time and take into account the interest rate. 

Note that if you extend the terms or roll over to the following month, you will be expected to make higher payments. In the same manner, there are lenders who offer a higher amount than you need. Do not be tempted to accept this. Borrow what you need only.

Be on the Lookout for any Hidden Fees

Before signing any documents, make sure you read the agreement carefully. Pay special attention to the fine print since this is where the hidden fees are. For instance, there are lenders who don’t charge interest on the first payment installment, but charge high service fees to cushion this. Others will give you lower rates, but increase processing fees. Exercise caution and use your own judgment to decide which deal is better. Always compare terms and ensure you are fully aware of what you are getting.

Don’t Forget Penalties

One of the common mistakes people make when borrowing cash is overlooking penalties. This should be the first thing you look at taking into account that it is easy to default on payment. The reason you are borrowing is because you have a shortage of cash. Therefore, it is essential to be fully aware of the penalties that will come your way once you default. Penalties tend to be quite stiff and they are costly. They can keep you on track as far as making payments is concerned. Make sure you keep a list of your lenders penalties handy as they will help you make timely payments.

It is inevitable that at some point, you might have to borrow cash in order to keep going and meet your financial obligations. However, this does not mean you should go about the exercise blindly. By looking at all these aspects, it will be considerably easier to make an informed decision on which options are suitable for your needs.

Book an appointment with the financial lender and ask them questions about the offers they have. This way, you will be in a position to get loans that are suitable for your financial needs and which are easier to pay off.

An Online Savings Account is a Safe Way to Help You Earn More Money

As you get older it is a pretty good assumption that you want to keep your money as far away from risk as possible. While you are still bringing in income it is hard to keep moving money that you don’t need to spend in and out of safe investments. And then when the time finally does come that you need the cash you want it to be as liquid and as easy to access as possible. One of the safest investments out there is a savings account. But it is also one of the lowest returns that you can earn on your money as well. But what many people don’t know is that there are online banks out there that offer savings accounts that offer interest up to 10x higher than what traditional banks offer.

What is an Online Bank?

Online banks offer the same products and services that traditional banks offer minus one thing. They do not have brick and mortar buildings all over the country for you to visit. Because of this they save a lot of money in overhead by eliminating staffing and the upkeep of buildings and they pass these savings on to you in the form of interest and lower or no account maintenance fees. There are even online banks that are offering cash bonuses just for opening an account.

How Can I Get My Banking Needs if There is No Physical Bank I Can Visit?

Technology is advancing everyday and if you take advantage of it then your life will become much easier. You can open an online savings account from your home computer. You can then link your online account to your current checking account (at your traditional bank) and transfer money back and forth for free. Online banks have 24/7 online and phone support so that you can have any questions that you have answered. And if you need to deposit a check you can do so with a smartphone and get the same results as you would at the teller or ATM. If you already take advantage of all of these things with your traditional bank then you probably don’t have to drive down to the bank anyway. And online banks have a network of ATMs all over the country and some even refund you ATM fees if theirs is not available.

Utilize an Online Savings Account to Make Less and Earn More

The heading is correct. You can utilize an online savings account (or any savings account, you will just earn the most interest with an online savings account) to earn less and make more. And you can do this by utilizing your direct deposit paycheck that you receive from you employer or wherever you get your income from. On your direct deposit form you can designate where you want the money from your paycheck to go. You can apply this to multiple accounts and then designate how much you want to go to each account. Now you just need to determine how much less money you can love off of each week. Then have that amount sent to your online savings account each paycheck. The key is to set up your direct deposit this way and forget about it and never remove money from your savings account unless you need it. So lets say that you can live on $100 less per week (that’s one less dinner dining out for a family of 4). So if you can make it 1 year without needed to withdraw any money from your savings account you will have $5,200 saved up plus the interest that you earned and plus any signup bonus that you received. Not bad for tricking yourself that you were earning $100 less a week.

Keeping Your Money Safe and Earning More

As you get older you don’t want to put your money in volatile investments that will have large swings up and down. Yes you have the potential to earn less but if you mistime the market than you could be looking at a lot less money. $100 a week (or whatever you can afford) is not going to drastically change your main investment strategy. And knowing that your money is in good place, safe from losses, will allow you to sleep better because you have a good pile of cash ready to go whenever you need it. And if you want to invest the money but are not sure where the market will go. You can wait for the right buying opportunity and then you will have a good base to invest and hopefully give you the growth that you want.

Matthew Coan is the founder of the financial website Casavvy.com. Helping users find the best credit cards, checking accounts and savings accounts to help them earn more money.