You and your family gather under the setting sun at the shore of your most cherished spot. The kids play by your side as you and your spouse sit and read, bodies slowly baking in the rays.
Happiness, at least for for me.
Your idea of happiness might be the opposite — a day of hiking along the ridge paths of an Appalachian mountain or an afternoon on the sidelines of a NY Giants game.
Happiness is relative: what makes YOU content won’t necessarily draw the next guy’s smile.
Does Money Mean Happy?
The question everyone’s asked since the Age of the Plesiosaur (a rough estimate, of course), is “Does money bring happiness?”
The answer: you choose. [ continue reading... ]
As the housing market strengthens ever so slowly, house flipping is once again gaining popularity. If you’re considering a house flip, you’ll first want to decide which type of flip is right for you.
Some people enjoy the thrill of a risky, but potentially high-yielding, investment that requires very little hands-on, while others enjoy the process of improving a house with their own hands.
Whatever your reasons or motivations for considering this type of venture, it’s important to be informed so you don’t end up with a house you can’t sell, or worse yet, can’t pay for.
Choose the Right Type of Flip
There are three basic ways to flip houses, each of which comes with its own set of advantages and potential downfalls. The three common types of house flips are fixer-uppers, bank foreclosures, and new constructions. [ continue reading... ]
When you hear the word “rich,” what do you think of?
Yachts? Evening gowns? Travel?
That’s true to an extent, but not all rich people live that way. For this argument, we’ll define “rich” as having an excess of money, and “lavish” as obscenely using moolah like those in Hollywood.
Those who are rich, especially the self-made rich, are a different breed than most people. They do things differently. They live differently. They think differently. These differences get them where they are.
Without these actions (or an inheritance from your great uncle Earl), you’ll simply stay a reader, passive without action.
Let’s read and incorporate:
Financial Habits of the Rich (And How to Develop Them)
1. Build up cash by saving it.
Yes, the rich save their cash. Rather than eating out all the time, they tuck those dollars into stock mutual funds that pay out. According to Jean Chatzky in The Difference, 55% of the self-made rich got there by saving.
Take action: Where are you spending that you don’t NEED to? Be honest. Write it down. Get serious about finding cheaper alternatives. If you shop at Starbucks every morning, stop. Invest in a Keurig and drop the money you would have spent into a savings account. When you’ve built it up a bit, invest it in a stock mutual fund and watch it grow. [ continue reading... ]
Many seniors are living on a fixed income, and even those living comfortably often look for ways to save money to travel more, leave a bigger inheritance, or simply have a larger nest egg for unexpected events.
Since many seniors saw their 401Ks dwindle with the stock market crash, planning for retirement has become a hot topic. How do you save more in less time? While there may not be any quick and easy answers, the solution may lie in pinching pennies and spending smarter.
Here are a few tips to help you stretch that social security or pension check even farther.
Money Saving Tips for Seniors
1. If you’re within five years of retirement age, consider transferring your 401K to a gold-backed IRA.
Gold IRAs are more secure than stocks, and historically show a steady increase in value — a safer investment as you near retirement. [ continue reading... ]
Music is a universal language, and I enjoy listening to almost any genre. Whether it’s on my iPod, my phone, or my computer, I always have music on hand.
In the past, I used iTunes to find the best new music available. With new songs frequently costing $1.29 each, however, I had to find a better way. I turned to Spotify and have been extremely happy with the decision. Though I started off with the free version of Spotify, I recently decided to upgrade to Spotify Premium. Here’s why I think it’s worth it.
The Benefits of Spotify Premium
If you purchase music each month, Spotify is an excellent service. When I signed up for Spotify Premium, I got the first month for free. After my first month is over, I’ll have to pay $9.99 per month. [ continue reading... ]
Unless Congress acts, and the President signs off on it, interest rates on federally subsidized student loans are set to rise to 6.8% on July 1, 2013. That’s double the current rate of 3.4%.
For graduates repaying their loans, that could mean a significant increase in monthly payments. If your budget is already stretched, and you don’t have room to pay more on student loans, that could be a real problem.
So, what can you do? One option is to consolidate your federal student loans before the rate increase hits. That way, you’ll lock in a lower rate, as well as avoid future interest rate hikes. [ continue reading... ]
