The How, Why, And Who Of Home Remodeling And Dealing With Contractors

Image by The Library of Congress via FlickrAt sometime in the life of a home owner you decide it's time to remodel. The most common remodels are in the kitchen with new or resurfaced cabinets. The next on the list would be a deck or landscaping. Followed by a bathroom remodel. Being in the building business I found these three the most common requests.

When remodeling it's good to start with a budgeted amount you want to spend. Sticking to this budget is tough because you may underestimate what the projects cost or you go all wacky and want gold fixtures. Your spending a lot of money it's good to go slow in the planning and cost stage of the project.

You must keep in mind that when remodeling your home the money you spend must yield that amount when or if you ever sell. Putting extraordinary or opulent  additions to your home will never be monetarily  realized when you sell. In plain English it means, don't over build for your neighborhood. Keep the final product within the price level of the other homes around you.

Normal and practical additions include:

• Bathroom remodeling
• Master bedroom remodeling
• Bathroom remodeling or addition
• Family Room addition
• Roof Replacement
• Window replacement

Dealing with a contractor can be a pleasure or a nightmare. I am a licensed building contractor, and being around other contractors you learn the ones that do a professional thorough job are a rare breed. It's imperative to hire one that has been recommend by someone. It's a good idea to actually go see the work that was done by the contractor. When I hired a cabinet contractor my wife and I went to a customers house to check out the work.

• Get at least three written estimates
• Check references, including past clients
• Call the local chamber of commerce and Better Business Bureau to check for complaints
• Make sure the contract is clear and specifies what the job entails, including time frame, price and unforeseen changes
• Never pay in full, make a small down payment only if asked, preferable not. (Good contractors won't ask for earnest money)
• If Payment is not upon completion. Set up payments to coincide with work completed. Always hold the final payment till 100% job completion. No if's and's or but's.
• Make sure the contract has a 3-day rescission clause to protect you should you change your mind.
• Ask if the contractor will do the work or will it be sub-contracted
• Check all permits, licenses and insurance needs are meet by the contractor. Check and double check these.
• Make sure inspections are carried out by proper building department people.
• Hold the contractor responsible for cleanup and any damages that should occur during construction
• Make sure materials called for are used.

I have a pet peeve with contractors so I always scrutinize them carefully when working with them. It reminds me in the movie "The Naked Gun", at the end of the movie the bad guy is caught and asked the question, "How can you be so evil?". The bad guy responds, "Don't forget, I spent three years as a building contractor." This always cracks me up because I know so many bad contractors.

Reader: What's your experience with remodeling and contractors?

Keep Your Customers Happy By Offering A Wi-Fi Hotspot.

Image via WikipediaGiving your customers access to an Internet connection can increase the attractiveness of your business. For instance, someone wanting to stay at a Hotel would much prefer to settle in at one advertising a WiFi connection than one without Internet access.

In today's world, people conduct business or simply stay in touch even while they're on vacation and without high-speed Internet access, they're doomed to miss out on important communications. I stayed at a Hyatt while traveling. It had free Wi-Fi and breakfast. I'll be going there again.

Hotel's aren't the only ones jumping onto the WiFi bandwagon. Other small business owners are realizing the importance of catering to their customers' needs, such as the owners and operators of campgrounds, independent bookstores, apartment buildings, family-owned restaurants, and coffee houses.

Even Home Depot has public Wi-Fi. While your picking up something to fix your toilet you can check your email. Many times I grab a cold drink from the cooler and take a seat in the garden furniture department and go online.

It's not just travelers looking for a WiFi connecting spot. Many local residents like to make sure a business carries this feature so that they can get out of the house and relax with access to a high speed Internet connection.

The cost of setting up your own WiFi hot spot is minimal, but it goes a long way in fostering the relationship you want to develop with your customers. It's one must-have aspect many people check on before committing to visit a certain establishment.

If you want to stay competitive with other businesses in the community, set up your own WiFi hot spot and offer it as an added incentive for people to visit your place of business.

McDonald's was wise enough to set this up years ago. It was almost impossible to get online but that has been fixed and now it's a pleasure to sip you Carmel Frappé and surf the Internet.

Even our local YMCA has installed free Wi-Fi. While my daughter takes her class there I go online with my netbook and write a post or check my email.

The first thing you do is invest in some equipment, which will include a Broadband connection and credit card processing in case you want to offer your WiFi services at a fee, as some businesses do to deter squatters from taking up space all day in their place of business.

Buy some hotspot equipment for less than $300 and install it according to the directions. You want to choose an option that delivers good technical support for your customers, in case you don't want to be responsible for troubleshooting yourself.

Small business owners have the choice to buy and install the WiFi equipment and system themselves or hire someone to do it for them, such as a hotspot specialist or management service. Regardless of which installation method you choose, make sure it's running effectively. Then sit back and watch as the loyalty to your business grow exponentially.

With the growing use of smart phones and laptops the decision is a no brainer on installing a Wi-Fi at your business.


Reader: Where would you like to see WiFi at?

Carlos Slim Still No. 1 Billionaire on Forbes List.

Image via WikipediaThis year again Carlos Slim is the wealthiest man on the globe. With over 74 billion, up 20 billion from last year, He has beaten out Bill Gates 30 billion again. But remember Bill has been giving his billions away lately, so he really can't keep up. But it's a shame that Mexican billionaires are needed to do work that American billionaires just won't do.

Forbes list tells us that there are 1,210 billionaires hanging around and the U.S has 413 of them. Our lead in billionaires is on the decline. During the year, 23 new billionaires were created in the U.S., in large part from the increasing paper value of social-media site Facebook. Meanwhile, China added 54 billionaires and Russia, 31. Moscow is the home to 79 billionaires, beating out New York with it's 58. Russia has 115 billionaires and the numbers are growing because the fortunes were born on the rising of commodity prices. With Russia being a bread basket of commodities for the next 100 years, we are seeing a shift from domestic to foreign money sources.

What does all this mean to us today? Nothing for today's citizens but it could be the early signs of a fundamental shift of wealth, power and influence to non-U.S. sources.

Let's face it the globe has been dominated by U.S. wealth and influence for the last 100 years. We are a benign world super power with military bases in over 100 countries. Our economy and dollar is the go to economy when you want security and capital. But maybe not much longer. There are a few new kids on the block who are looking to take their turn on the world stage.

I wrote in another post how this century will belong to Asia, according to investor Jim Rogers. The rest of the world is catching up to the U.S. in terms of finances and innovation. Soon we will not be seen as so powerful anymore.

I can't predict if these changes are good or bad but just that they are happening.


Reader: How do you see it?

Charlie Sheen's 5 Tips To Dealing With Difficult Co-Workers

Image via Wikipedia

Charlie Sheen has finally been fired from his hit show "Two and a Half Men". Over the last few weeks, we have been witness to the rantings and diatribes of Mr. Sheen and have learned quite a few tips on how to deal with difficult co-workers.

We have seen Charlie divorced twice, in the company of porn stars, taken to the hospital because of drug overuse, and domestic violence. All of this has been on display in the press for several years. Yet he wasn't fired. These incidents are very serious and grounds for termination in many companies, but not CBS or Warner Bros. What did it finally take to finally fire Charlie Sheen, he insulted his bosses.

In companies, like families, there is going to be conflict. To make it worse the TV industry has people with large egos backed up by large check books. This gives people a false sense of importance.

Here are 5 tips I have learned from Charlie Sheen's troubles to make it a little easier to get along with that pain in the @$$ at work. Don't waste energy having a breakdown on account of someone you can't stand. Be ready and proactive in the office environment.

Dealing with Co-Workers Tip #1: Be prepared for Conflict

 If you have people in the organization who are difficult, be prepared for a potential situation. If you don't you may react with anger or some useless childish behavior that will only make the situation worse.

It may help to practice a potential argument in your head to get ready for the situation. Listen to what your saying to see if it comes across as immature or foolish. Also remember to not be wishy-washy, uphold your morals and values. Don't be arrogant but be self-confident. And by all means don't let the person get under your skin, be ready for cheap shots.

Your job is already quite stressful with deadlines and difficult bosses. Not getting along with co-workers makes your job ten times more difficult. You have no choice but to try and get along, or just change jobs.

Dealing with Co-Workers Tip #2: Don't fuel the fire.

If tempted to retaliate, don't. People who cause tension and confrontation also thrive on it. They feel powerful with an exchange of harsh words. Don't get sucked in, you'll only look like the bad guy. Instead react in the opposite way they expect, be nice to them. It drives irrational people crazy. You'll either become friendly with them or drive them away.

Dealing With Difficult Co-Workers Tip #3: Lend a Helping Hand

It may not work in all situations but difficult people may be just a troubled person or someone with poor social skills. They end up making enemies instead of friends because they have money problems or marriage problems at home. This makes them an actual miserable person to be around. They may not be justified in mistreating you, but at least you know why they act the way they do.

Dealing With Difficult Co-Workers Tip#4: Get a Third Party Involved.

No matter how hard you try you may just not be able to get through to the person. This is when you get a neutral party to help. They can listen to both sides and try to find common ground.

Dealing With Difficult Co-Workers Tip#5: Move On

You tried your best and nothing worked. You will reach a point where it's not going to be resolved. If one of you doesn't move on your going to have to suck it up or quit. If this treatment by the person effects your productivity it could he considered grounds for termination. But before all this occurs be careful in examining your own behavior and if your doing the right things. Most of all don't ignore the situation it will only get worse.

We haven't seen the last of Charlie Sheen. He will continue to lash out at his former bosses, sue them, and probably win. CBS will replace Charlie with another actor, but the show will flop and Charlie will feel vindicated. 

Charlie, why not just take the goddesses on a vacation far away and let everything cool down. Especially you.

Would You Move To Another Country If It Meant You Would Prosper?

Image via WikipediaFamed global investor Jim Rogers says if you want to prosper in the 21st Century, move to Asia. You may not know that Jim Rogers has put his money where his mouth is and did move to Singapore in 2007. He is raising his two little girls there and making sure they learn Mandarin. He is very bullish on Asia and says it's the place to be for the 2000's. He says it's not only for the success of his own assets. But for positioning his heirs for success.

He stated:

"In 1807, if you had moved to the U.K., you and your heirs would have been much, much better off for the next 100 years. If in 1907 you had moved to the U.S., you and your heirs would have been much better off for the next 100 years. 

In 1907, if you had stayed in Poland or China, you would not have had a great future, nor your families. Had you moved to America, [your descendants] would have had a much better future. Who knew what they would do, if they would become doctors or what, in the next 100 years. But whatever happens to them, they were better off. They spoke English, which became the world's language. 

My view is that the 21st century is going to be the century of Asia, of China. If I'm right about the future, you are going to have a better life [if you move there], better opportunities, and better everything going where the action is, where the assets are."

In my view, moving to Asia in 2007 means my heirs are going to be much better off in the next 100 years.

A thoughtful explanation of the last 2 centuries of history. But will it happen again in Asia? Jim Rogers is wealthy enough to move wherever he wants. Also he can do business from any part of the world. But Asia is where the action is for the 21st century, he claims.


Think for a minute, would you leave the U.S and move to another country for financial gain? We know millions that have left their country and traveled to the U.S. They did it for a better future for their family. It's the same idea Jim Rogers is talking about. Is he so wrong to do the exact thing?


Could you pick up and leave the U.S. Many already live abroad and are happy doing it. At first it seemed I didn't think I could make the leap. If offered an enticing job abroad, would I go for it? I don't know. What do you think? Would you ever leave the U.S.?

Why Good Credit Still Matters in Retirement

You may think you are sitting pretty with a nice retirement fund and not much time left before punching the clock for the last time. With your home paid for and your other financial affairs seemingly in order, it may seem like the only thing to do is sit back and enjoy the ride.

However, the road to retirement is just not that simple, especially these days and if you happen to have less than desirable credit. Even if you don’t foresee the need to take out a personal loan or finance a new car, it is essential that you stay on top of your finances and ensure you have nothing but the best of credit no matter where you are in life.

Your Credit History is Your Future

Credit scores and personal credit history reports are the hallmark of how you manage your money and your credit. During your working (and younger) years, you may have had a few mistakes that cost you some points on your credit scores. Even if you have managed to maintain your finances, the changes in the credit industry may have also caused your credit score to become lower. There are now new standards to follow in the credit industry and lenders are even more stringent than ever and require a much higher credit score than consumers could get away with in previous years.

These changes matter to you especially if you are planning to seek any type of credit in the future. But they also make a difference if you have no need for financing. These days it is well beyond the scope of good lending practices for having good credit. There are now other entities that lean on a person’s credit score for a variety of reasons.

Who’s Asking for Credit Checks?

As you approach the age of retirement, you likely have been working to pare down your expenses on every level. With a credit score that is less than perfect, you may end up paying way more than you can afford in your budget for a number of things. There are several relevant industries that will use your credit score to make decisions. These sources include:

·         Landlords/Property Managers - If you are planning to downsize and move out of your home in order to rent in a retirement-type community or just to a smaller place, your application may not get approved if you have a bad credit history. Since your ability to handle money is represented in your credit history and calculated score, a low score can signal to these rental agents that you may not be reliable enough to meet rental obligations regardless of how much you have saved for retirement.

·         Insurance Companies – If you own a home and/or drive a vehicle, you will continue to need auto insurance. The insurance agent will often pull a credit check on you in order to give you a premium rate. Those with lower credit scores will have to pay a higher premium rate than others with better scores. Insurance companies, like many other businesses, have made a correlation between people with bad credit histories and the amount of claims they file in a lifetime. Essentially, a bad credit score represents risk to the insurance company. In turn the insurance company will be sure to charge you additional money to cover that risk.

·         Part Time Work – Even in retirement, many people still are content to work part time as a way of earning extra cash or in order to get out of the house on a regular basis. Employers, even those who are hiring for part time positions, often run credit checks on applicants. If you are up against someone who has perfect credit, you may lose out to the other applicant. This is especially true if you are working in any type of financial position or are applying for any type of government job.

As we get older, our financial priorities do get more refined. We know more about what we need to do to become and stay financially stable. It is important to always stay on top of our credit scores even if we don’t think we need financing for any reason. Regardless of how much money you have in your retirement accounts, it is that little three-digit number which can have a huge impact on your life just when things start getting good.

Be sure to keep requesting the free annual copy of your credit report and make sure your information is correct. Be on the look out for fraudulent use of your identity on those reports and dispute any incorrect information as soon as you spot it. If there is erroneous information, look into credit repair. It is your financial obligation to ensure your credit report is as healthy as it can be and regular follow up is highly recommended.

This was a guest post by Ed O'Brien. Ed O’Brien is a seasoned writer with a strong background in business and personal finance. His blog, Credit Repair, offers free advice to those seeking ways to improve their credit scores.

What is Student Loan Forgiveness and Where Can I Apply?

Image by AJC1 via Flickr

Your just out of college and you have a large student loan. What can you do about. Under certain circumstances the federal goverment will cancel all or part of you student loan. This is what "Loan Forgiveness" is. To qualify you must do one of these four things:

• Perform volunteer work.
• Perform military service.
• Teach or practice medicine in certain types of communities.
• Meet other criteria specified by the forgiveness program.

Volunteer Work

These volunteer organizations offer loan forgiveness:

AmeriCorps. Serve for 12 months and receive up to $7400 in stipends plus $4725 to be used towards your loan. Call 1-800-942-2677.

Peace Corps. Volunteers may apply for deferment of Stafford, Perkins and Consolidation loans and partial cancellation of Perkins Loans (15% for each year of service, up to 70% in total). Volunteers make a real difference in the lives of real people with two years of service in more than 70 developing countries. Contact the Peace Corps at 1111 20th St., NW, Washington, DC 20526 or call 1-800-424-8580 or 1-202-692-1845.

Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA). Volunteer with private, non-profit groups that help eradicate hunger, homelessness, poverty and illiteracy. Provide 1700 hours of service and receive $4725. Call 1-800-942-2677 or 1-202-606-5000.

Military

Students who are in the Army National Guard may be eligible for their Student Loan Repayment Program, which offers up to $10,000. (Note, the military and veterans' associations provide many scholarships and tuition assistance programs.

Teaching

Students who become full-time teachers in an elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families can have a portion of their Perkins Loan forgiven under The National Defense Education Act. This program forgives 15% of your loan for the first and second years of teaching service, 20% for the third and fourth, and 30% for the fifth. Contact your school district's administration to see which schools are eligible.

Legal and Medical Studies

Many law schools forgive the loans of students who serve in public interest or non-profit positions. For more information, contact Equal Justice Works (formerly the National Association for Public Interest Law) at 2120 L Street, NW, Suite 450, Washington, DC 20037-1541 (phone 1-202-466-3686 or fax 1-202-429-9766). The American Bar Association (ABA) also has a summary of Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAP) and State Loan Repayment Assistance Programs.

The US Department of Health and Human Services offers loan forgiveness programs through the National Health Service Corps and the Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program. These programs offer loan forgiveness to physicians and registered nurses who agree to practice for a set number of years in areas that lack adequate medical care (including remote and/or economically depressed regions).

The US National Institutes of Health's NIH Loan Repayment Programs repays up to $35,000/year of student loan debt for US citizens who are conducting clinical medical research.

The US Department of Agriculture's Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) offers loan forgiveness of $25,000 per year for three years for veterinarians who commit to work in a veterinary shortage area for three years. The application deadline is June 30.

If you're a California resident, contact the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (State Loan Repayment Program, 400 R Street, Room 330, Sacramento, CA 95811; 1-916-326-3745). Other states may have similar programs.

Many hospitals and private healthcare facilities use loan forgiveness to recruit occupational and physical therapists. Contact the American Physical Therapy Association (1111 North Fairfax St., Alexandria, VA 22314-1488; 1-800-999-2782) or the American Occupational Therapy Association (P.O. Box 31220, 47200 Montgomery Lane, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220; 1-301-652-2682).

Other loan repayment programs for medical school students include:

• Nicholas J. Pisacano MD Memorial Foundation Inc. (American Board of Family Practice)
• American Academy of Family Physicians Foundation
• Disadvantaged Health Professions Faculty Loan Repayment Program
• Indian Health Service (IHS) Loan Repayment Program
• US Air Force, Army, and Navy Financial Assistance Programs
• The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) maintains a database of state and other loan repayment programs for medical school students.

Other Paths to Forgiveness

Students who receive the Michael Murphy Loan to study law enforcement, law, probation and parole, penology, or other related fields are eligible to work off one-fifth per year as a State Trooper (or related law enforcement official) in Alaska. Contact the Alaska State Troopers, Director's Office Scholarship Fund, 5700 East Tudor Rd., Anchorage, AK 99507; 1-907-269-5511.

Maryland state and local government employees who earn less than $40,000 gross annually may be eligible for a loan assistance/repayment program to study law, nursing, physical and occupational therapy, social work and education. Contact the Maryland State Scholarship Administration, 16 Francis St., Annapolis, MD 21401; 1-410-974-2971 x146.

Federal Government Loan Forgiveness Programs

Perkins loans and Stafford Loans can be cancelled for full-time service as a teacher in a designated elementary or secondary school serving students from low-income families, special education teacher (includes teaching children with disabilities in a public or other nonprofit elementary or secondary school), qualified professional provider of early intervention services for the disabled, teacher of math, science, foreign languages, bilingual education, or other fields designated as teacher shortage areas, employee of a public or non-profit child or family service agency providing services to high-risk children and their families from low-income communities, nurse or medical technician, law enforcement or corrections officer, staff member in the educational component of a Head Start Program, service as a Vista or Peace Corps Volunteer and service in the Armed Forces (up to 50% in areas of hostilities or imminent danger)

These are but a few places that may suit your needs to help you pay back your student loans. There are more depending on your occupation.

Related articles

• Student Loan Forgiveness (studentloans.net)
• The Top 10 Student Loan Tips for Recent Graduates (education.com)
• Defer Student Loan Payments to Stay Afloat (usnews.com)

My Daughter's Used Car Lives On - Part 2

Image via WikipediaIt was two months ago when the subject of my daughter's possible used car purchase came up. I wrote a post describing it called "She's Buying a Car, What's Better a Rebate or Low Interest? Help Dad." In said post I described how the bane of my daughter's transportation life was starting to cough and sputter like never before. The question of replacing the 200,000+ miles 1999 Mitsubishi Galant was brought to the forefront, again.


We went shopping and got some prices but we never pulled the trigger on the purchase because with a little tinkering by a friendly, trustworthy mechanic ole' Betsy lived on another day. Till this day it's a miracle that the car is running. I am "AMAZED".


The decision has been made to wait and play it by ear till the car finally and forever packs it in. I am proud of my daughter for not having car fever and patiently waiting. Must take after Dad. 


My daughter has her used car fund in place and it's growing every month. It's fascinating that this car is running and running well. Over the years belts, gaskets, timing belts, and other minor service has been done. Yet it still has the original power train. It says something for the car makers.


I drive a 2001 Ford van with 125,000 miles on it and feel challenged to see if I can get that odometer up to 200,000 or more. The notion of driving  used cars with these kind of numbers has not been in our lives before. But with the recession and business problems, a new purchase is out of the question. In the old days I would be worried when the odometer got to 50,000 miles. Not any more.


If there has to be a bright side to this recession it's that we are relearning grandma's and grandpa's frugal ways that they learned in their depression. I can tell you that those lessons were always a part of their lives. It always stuck with them to pinch every penny and spend wisely.


Someday the next generation will point at us and what will they say. Will they say we remembered the lessons learned or did we cast them aside when things got good again. For me and mine the lessons are now a way of life. 


How about You?

Is Charlie Sheen Crazy?

Image via WikipediaLately I have been following the misadventures of our friend Charlie Sheen. Over the last 20 years Charlie's life has consisted of run ins with prostitutes, porn stars, drugs, alcohol, and domestic violence. But through his ups and downs he has managed to work and even become more successful.

Charlie Sheen is a well liked actor who has done very well for himself. He makes $2 million an episode on his popular show "Two and a Half Men". He's pushing to raise that to $3 million dollars at the current time. The movie and TV moguls are condemning him for his behavior. But are falling over each other to get him to be on their programs. The powers that be know he is a money machine when he appears in TV or movies.

Everyone is trying to figure out what makes Charlie tick. Whenever he has a crisis he manages to land on his feet and continue on. He's been removed from work presently and the show has been shut down.

Charlie's problem is he hasn't managed to escape from what's know as "Hollywooditis". It's the malady that occurs when you mix large amounts of money with idilic adoration. We have seen it many times before from our Hollywood stars. As far back as Clark Gable, misaligned values surface when a person is put on a pedestal.

It also can happen in places where people are put in the position of having large amounts of power, like our leaders in federal and state capitals. Surrounded by money and power the personal boundaries or checks and balances fall to the wayside.

We can also see these things in our own local world. We all know someone that is full of themselves because of money.

The bottom line is no one is excusing Charlie Sheen's behavior. He's demonstrating the concept of money makes you more of whatever you are. It magnifies whatever you are. If you are a jerk, money makes you a massive jerk. If you are caring, money makes you and allows you to be more caring.

Hopefully Charlie Sheen will be able to work out his demons, for his sake and his 5 children.

Related articles

• Charlie Sheen Says the Darndest Things! (eonline.com)
• Charlie Sheen technically isn't updating his own Twitter (hollywoodnews.com)
• Charlie Sheen Motivational Poster (PHOTO) (blippitt.com)

Is My Business to Small for a 401(k)?

Image via WikipediaI stop in at Forbes.com from time to time to see if Steve Forbes is making any money and check out the headlines. This time I see they have added a new blog called "Down the Road". It's written by Stuart Robertson, general manager and principal at ShareBuilder Advisors, LLC, a subsidiary of ING DIRECT. Stuarts blog will cover ideas that can help small and mid-size businesses save for retirement and save on taxes too. 

His latest post concerns the common myths associated with 401(k)'s for small business. He estimates only 15-20 percent of small businesses have a retirement plan. He says there is a general perception of these retirement plans that are mostly wrong.

Myth #1 As a small business, we don’t have enough employees: Actually, any size business can have a 401(k), even the self-employed. Any owner-only business can qualify for a type of 401(k) often referred to as an Individual 401(k) or Solo 401(k).

Myth #2 We can’t afford to offer a company match: No worries as matching is not required when offering a 401(k) plan. Not matching can reduce the amount higher earning employees including the owner can contribute to their 401(k) account (below the $16,500 2011 limit), but that’s about it. Still, matching is making its way back as many larger companies are re-adding matches as the economy picks up.

Myth #3 The tax benefits just aren’t that big of a deal: In reality, the tax benefits of a 401(k) can significantly improve a business owner’s tax situation. There are several unique advantages that can make a real difference. Let’s break them down:

• Saving limits are higher versus most any other retirement tax advantaged option. In 2011, individuals can contribute up to $16,500 tax-deferred as an employee ($22,000 if 50+ years of age) plus receive employer contributions up to $49,000 limit or $54,500 if you are 50+. These limits are inclusive of both employee and employer contributions.
• When a small business starts its first 401(k) plan, the business can receive a $500 IRS tax credit each year for the first three years (assumes you have less than 100 employees and $1,000 or more in costs. Sorry, solo(k) plans don’t qualify for this credit);
• Any employer contributions to a 401(k) (match or profit share) is deductible for the business; and

Myth#4 401(k)s are too hard to administer: Setting up a 401(k) plan is now probably easier to setup than your voice mail. How does 20 minutes of online setup and 5-10 minutes each payroll thereafter sound? Online and paper-free is not only easier, but also simpler to manage.

Myth# 5 01(k)s are just too darn expensive: Not any more. Companies can get set-up at a fraction of the cost from what they might think. Couple that with the tax credits offered by the government mentioned earlier and the tax-deferred savings that can help pad your nest egg and the plan nearly pays for itself.


There are probably other myths to conquer but these are enough to conclude that a 401(k) is right for your small company. If you have one for one company please relate the experience to us.

Related articles

• Retirement Plan Options for Small Businesses (thinkup.waldenu.edu)
• You: Pensions at Risk, States Consider Plans Like 401(k) (nytimes.com)
• 401(k) Savings: Up, But Not Enough (abcnews.go.com)
• Tips to Keep Your Retirement Plan on Track (abcnews.go.com)

Why is My Saving Account Paying Me Such Low Interest?

While preparing my taxes I was gathering my interest 1099's from my bank. I noticed that I was getting a very low rate of interest on my savings account. I remember just a few years ago when I was receiving 4 % interest on a few CD's I had. Now, banks pay somewhere around 1% interest on a CD.

Why is my interest rate so low?

Banks take our deposits and lend the money out in the form of mortgages, car loans, and personal loans. Their gross profit is the difference between the loan rate and the rate they pay depositors on saving instruments. For many years this was a small amount on average. Today the margin is much larger. In 2007 a 12 month CD yield was 4%, now the best rate you can get is 1%. A Mortgage interest rate at that time was 5%. The bank's margins, were then less.

Since the financial crisis the Federal Reserve has set interest rates at nearly nothing. Banks are able to borrow the nearly free money and loan it out at 5% and higher. The banks are under no pressure to raise the rates they are paying depositors, because of the Federal Reserve policies of low interest.

The federal banking regulators say that doing this is a way of helping banks beef up their balance sheets. They want the banks to raise capital to cushion against losses. Bank's earnings are on the rise. The financial sector earned an average $3.39 a share in the fourth quarter of 2010 vs. $1.54 in the fourth quarter of 2009. In 2007, they were earning in the $10-per-share range. I believe for the foreseeable future we are going to enjoy many more years of 1% interest at our banks.

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Energy Rebates on Appliances, Especially Hot Water Heaters

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Utilizing $300 million in stimulus-funded rebates on energy-efficient appliances, consumers have bought more than half a million washers, dryers, refrigerators and other appliances. Yet despite rebates of up to $425 offered, less than 3% of those consumers bought water heaters, often considered the second-largest energy hog in the home.

That's one reason the rebate program isn't meeting the US Department of Energy's projected energy savings. Only 88% of the rebates have been spent, generating $27.5 million in annual fuel and water savings – substantially less than the projected $84 million.

The government originally projected that 19% of energy savings would come from water heater replacements, but by June 30, that number was only 5%. The national program ends in February 2012, although it has already closed in 24 states. Experts offer a number of explanations for the low numbers so far:

Weather. In most states, the rebate program launched in March or April, giving a boost to sales of cooling appliances like refrigerators and air conditioners. The Department of Energy notes that climate is a driving factor in appliance purchases.

Visibility. Most people don't think about their water heaters – until they break down. Unless there's a puddle on the floor, a new water heater isn't a consideration for most consumers. Homeowner awareness of the warning signs of a failing water heater could help to drive the purchase of more energy-efficient appliances, before disasters strike.

Distribution. Most people directly purchase their refrigerators, washers, dryers, and dishwashers from retail stores. However, replacement water heaters are often chosen by plumbers. As individual states study the best ways to make use of remaining funds, many are communicating more actively with plumbing contractors.

State rules. The federal government allowed each state to craft its own rules for the program, based on local needs. Of all states and territories, only 29 offered specific rebates on water heaters.

The $814 billion stimulus program was designed with multiple goals, of which energy savings were just one. If you plan to purchase a new appliance – especially a water heater – prior to the program's 2012 expiration, research the costs and benefits of various energy-efficient machines. If your state is still participating, there are big savings to be reaped if you avail yourself of the Department of Energy's rebate program.

This guest post was brought your way by CareOne Credit - glad to assist you with any debt consolidation needs you may have."?

Financial Infidelity | 3 Steps to Help You Come Clean

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When one spouse keeps secrets from the other the stress and tension can eat a marriage up. You know something is wrong, but can't put your finger on it. Communication is down and a marriage could hang in the balance.

The secrets don't have to be earth shattering like drug or drinking problems. But according to statistics almost one-third of Americans lie to their spouses about money. Whether it's secret bank accounts, mounting debt, or falling earnings, there’s something shameful that’s being hidden.

It's not uncommon that there's secret stashes, there’s debt, there are even addictions or mistresses. And we’re afraid and don’t want conflict, and so we rationalize that for the peace of the relationship, we should say nothing.

It may be easier to not come clean with your spouse in the short term because you may feel you can work it out on your own. In some instances, it will work out and you will have avoided a close shave. But usually it doesn't work out that way, the problem becomes overwhelming and blows up in your face. You will have destroyed mutual trust and surely destroyed the relationship forever.

Why not come clean now before the lies go critical and wipe out your family. Here are a few ways to start the conversation going.

Find the right time.

You should find the right time when things are quiet and you have time to discuss it. In a humble way you have to state the problem completely and ask for forgiveness. Then be ready for feelings of betrayal and hurt to show. Getting through those feelings will be hard, but you must be patient and let them work their way out. Showing regret and a repentant attitude will help.

Show your credit record.

Showing black and white evidence of the extent of your misbehavior will only help the healing process. Seeing your credit report shows your need to be honest. Doing this now will only head off future problems. Imagine if you were able to keep things a secret and you spouse found out later when you were applying for a loan and a stranger revealed this to them.

Focus on the positives.

Exposing a lie that's yours is an embarrassing gut wrenching experience. Sure it's hard for a while but think of the future benefits of being honest. Even the deceiver will feel a ton of pressure relieved when the lie comes out. When both of you are involved and on the same page with money your relationship will flourish.

Reader: Have you ever kept a financial secret from your spouse?

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Making Money Online is Possible - Learn How You can Do it

If your like me you are always looking for ways to make a little more money. Working on-line is a way and sometimes the only way most people have. It's a great way to to supplement your income and you can do it after hours or anytime you want. One way I am looking into is, writing articles.

Writing articles for people is a great way to earn income online, writing content for people is much easier than you may think it is. There are a few websites where people can join for free, and write content, and get paid per article they write. Using these kinds of websites is a great way make a few dollars and itch that writing bug. Below are two websites that you can try to write for.

The first website is Textbroker.com, but this website only accepts writers who are American citizens. The second website accepts writers from other countries, as well as citizens of the USA, and that website is Zemandi.com. Textbroker pays its' authors a little bit more money. For average writers they pay between $4.50 and $6.50 per 400 word articles. For better writers and longer articles the pay is more.



If your schedule is quite hectic or you don't think this is worth the amount of time needed, this isn't for you. But if you need to supplement your income and don't have more profitable options you should give this a try. 

If you could write an article in 1 hour, at $5.00 per article, for 20 days a month, you could earn $100 per month. It's not chicken feed. Contrast that to selling something on Ebay, with all the work of listing, packing, shipping, and acquiring the item. Can you make $100 on Ebay per month?

I have joined both Zemandi and Textbroker. If your thinking that you may not be a good enough writer to join these site and have acceptable articles, don't believe it. Most people with average intelligence can write decent articles. Most of the blogs you and I read everyday are written by average people with average ability. You could be a great writer and don't even know it.

Click Here for a Guide to Being a Freelancer

If you are good at writing, and have excellent grammar skills then writing for the website Wisegeek could be for you. Wisegeek is a website that people go to when they need answers to questions. People who want to write for Wisegeek need to fill out an application to write for them, and if they are accepted, they can be paid between $10-$14 an article. Wisegeek requires a more proficient writer with some professional background.

WordsofWorth.com and WritersAccess.com are two more websites that are kind of like Textbroker and Zemandi. These two websites allows writers to choose articles and receive a flat rate for the articles that they submit.

DigitalJournal.com is a website that allows people to be citizen journalists. If accepted then they can submit news articles and make a few dollars.

This is something I am going to try. Check this out for yourself and let me know how it goes for you.

Selling Your Car - Get the Highest Price - Go to Clearbook.com

When I wanted to sell my car I would always go to KelleyBlueBook.com and Edmunds.com to see what my car was selling for. It seemed complete and accurate. You could see the wholesale, retail, and private sale prices of what cars were going for. Though I couldn't figure out how they got the data for private sales. 

Well there is a new website on the block that is offering the same thing. It's called Clearbook.com. It combs millions of used car listings on the Web and analyzes that data to provide consumers with an indication of how much a particular used vehicle (down to the year, make, model, mileage and condition) is worth.

So what's the difference between Clearbook.com and the others? Clearbook.com entire process occurs on one page. The others have page after page loading in between every option. It seemed very Web 2.0 while the others felt clunky and old style. Listed in order of speed and ease of use. First is Clearbook.com followed by Autotrader.com, KBB.com, and nadaguides.com.

I put in my info for a Ford Excursion my Dad has been wanting to sell and the prices seemed to jive with the other websites numbers. Though there is some variation site to site.

Future versions of the tool will also incorporate actual transaction prices and wholesale prices of the vehicle to provide a broader price context for the user. Clearbook.com hopes the new tool will help it create a robust database of pricing information that will ultimately help it release a trade-in service for consumers down the road.

Reader: what have you experiences been with these kind of websites?

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Financial Advice is Everywhere - But What do People do with it?

Image via WikipediaWhat is the financial literacy of this country? How many thousands of financial blogs are there? There is a money section in every newspaper. We have Money Magazine, Kiplinger and others magazines. We have Suze Orman and Dave Ramsey on TV and radio. With all this good information, why is so much of the population in a financial mess?

 Where has all this information gotten us? We are in a level of indebtedness that some think is dangerously high? People are out of work and they are afraid. With all the help out there to many people remain ill-equipped in understanding money matters.

 I propose there is to much focus on information and not enough on how it relates to real people. Author Bruce Sellery new personal finance book called Moolala: Why Smart People Do Dumb Things With Their Money (And What You Can Do About It) contends "We have given everybody more information than they can ever possibly consume, without giving them insights,”.

  Sellery describes how people were not grasping the informations financial lessons. He’s developed workshops on handling money and he’s written Moolala, a very approachable, self-help book full of quotes from people he’s worked with.

 He describes a couple he was advising who had a six figure income, money in mutual funds under performing the index's, no college fund for the 2 children and 2 new cars in the driveway.

His plan for the couple was what he called the "Priority Pyramid". Starting at the bottom:

Cash Flow. Are you earning more than you are spending? Maximize income and minimize expenses.

Debt. Have you eliminated useless credit card debt? Living below your income would help this.

Savings. Are you saving enough to meet your goals. Whether they are retirement, a car or putting the kids through college.

Taxes. Are you taking care of the tax implications of your investments by using tax free or tax deferred accounts.

Investment Performance. Are your investments keeping up with the benchmark indexes. If not why not just invest in the indexes?

Optimizing Investment Returns. Using other strategies to maximize gains.

After reading a little of Mr. Sellery's advice I don't see he is much different than any other financial guru. I see the same advice as all the rest. There is nothing new to his book.

Mr. Sellery retreads the golden oldies of personal finance. If your a new comer to the personal finance world take heed of these principles they are golden. But knowing something and doing something is to different things. The author makes the point that you have to change your behaviors to carry out your goals. You're in the mess you're in now because of your behaviors. You have a basic understanding of spending and saving, everyone has, but you don't focus on it. 

Financial knowledge is only the tool you use to get to your goal. It's like like buying a diet book or joining a gym, they're tools to a purpose. The knowledge is a tool. Your problem is your sitting there waiting for the tools to do the work, ain't going to happen. 

To make this money thing work you have to change. You must change on the inside, no book will do that for you. If your a spender, stop spending. If your not making enough money, do something to make more money. You need to turn the ship around and just do the opposite of all the dumb things your doing. You don't need to be a genius to be a winner with your money. 

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Whats Better a Personal Loan or a Credit Card?

You want to paying off your debts in the most economically way. You have a choice between an old fashion unsecured personal loan from your bank or a credit card. Which do you use?

The Good.

With the personal loan you have a fixed interest rate and you make regular monthly payments over time, maybe 3 or five years. No variable rates. No confusing rules. You don't risk your home as with a home equity loan. If you default, you will just have to deal with a collection agency.

Among the banks promoting personal loans now: Wells Fargo, Discover Financial, Citi and CapitalOne. Wells Fargo says that it will lend from $3,000 to $100,000 for a term as long as five years. From Citi, you can borrow from $300 to $7,500. The banks keep the rates top secret until you apply, because they are “risk-based” — in other words, they vary according to your credit score.

The Bad.

The interest rates you will encounter on a personal loan will be between 10 and 15 percent. It will never change like credit cards can if you miss a payment.

With credit cards you could swing a zero or low interest balance transfer, beating the rate for a personal loan. You also have the flexibility to just make the minimum payment if one month the car breaks down and you need the money. Even if you can't get the low interest credit card balance transfer and just get your regular rate you still have more flexibility.

What about fees? With personal loans there is a an origination fee, of on average between $50 and $100 dollars, but with the credit card balance transfer you also have a fee which is between 3 and 5 percent of the loan amount.

The Ugly.

Now comes the best part, the psychology. How many times have you vowed to pay $500 on your bankcard balance transfer only to wimp out and pay $300 because you spent too much at Starbucks that month — or eating out. The $200 you didn’t pay stayed on your balance and accrued more interest for the bank. A payment, by the way, for a $10,000 loan for five years at 15% would be $238 a month.

The bottom line is credit cards have flexibility and personal loans don't. The flexibility has it's benefits and it's problems. If your undisciplined you could always just pay the minimum and also run the balance up again.

With the personal loan the discipline is built in, you have a fixed payment with a fix time frame. You could be paying higher interest for this benefit.

Reader: Which type of loan do you think is better?

Financial Education Is Not Enough To Save You From Yourself

Do you think you have enough financial knowledge to handle your own finances? I'm talking about all facets of your finances, from soup to nuts. If your response is no, thanks for being honest, I'll get back to you in a minute. If you said "Yes", we need to pursue this further.

I believe there are 3 types or levels of financial knowledge. The first is "Financial Literacy". Financial Literacy is a general knowledge of financial vocabulary, financial instruments, and when and why they are used. This consists of knowing of what an investment is and the different types. In banking you know the difference between a checking and savings account.

Next there is "Financial Knowledge". This a deeper knowledge of all things financial. You know about investments. You know the difference between mutual funds, ETF's, IRA's, cash accounts, derivatives, and types of brokers. You can actually tell me if a mutual fund is better than another mutual fund. You know when it's good to own bonds and when it's not. You have knowledge of health, disability, life, and long term care insurance. You can tell me all about fixed and variable annuities.

The third and final type of knowledge is "Financial Capability". This kind of knowledge is when you actually put into effect what you know and are successful at implementing it. The evidence of this knowledge is an emergency fund, a hefty retirement account in the correct vehicles, your living below your means, you have no credit card debt, you have a college fund for your children and your home is paid for or your close to paying it off.

Financial Capability is the final step in the journey of financial education because it describes financial knowledge, competence, confidence and practical skills, such as balancing a checkbook or household budgeting.

Are you at this last step yet? If not, why not? Where on the journey are you? You will never succeed financially if you don't reach this last step. We all know what's good for us, but do we do it?

For those of you who were honest enough to say No to my question, what are you going to do? You admit you don't have the knowledge to run your own finances. Is this a lack of knowledge or a lack of will? If this is a lack of knowledge then find the knowledge. Read a book. A complete book that will help you is Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover, read it, do exactly what it says and you will be successful with money.

If you have a lack of will, we call that being lazy in my house. That can be fixed to but not by reading a book. That problem has to fixed on the inside. Make the decision and be a financial winner.