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Regular contributor Emily Guy Birken has just released a new book: The Five Years Before You Retire. Read on for her suggestions on how to make 2014 a great year for your retirement portfolio — and for a chance to win a copy of her book!
Saving for retirement is something like cleaning out the basement: you know you need to work on it, but it’s something you’d rather deal with later.
Unfortunately, putting off retirement planning has much more dire consequences than letting your old CD collection and athletic equipment gather dust. Missing out on investment opportunities and the magic of compound interest could haunt your golden years in a way that losing your copy of Appetite for Destruction never will.
Here are three simple steps you can take in 2014 to get your retirement planning on the right course: [ continue reading… ]
Do you know someone who has sworn off Valentine’s Day? There seems to be a growing movement urging us to skip the holiday altogether. Opponents call it a retail holiday and say we don’t need a special day to show love to our significant other.
While I agree that we don’t need a special day to express our appreciation and love, I don’t mind making it the focus for one day out of the year. I do, however, look for ways to avoid paying the outrageous costs that are associated with Valentine’s Day products.
I try to take the traditions of Valentine’s Day and add a little creativity — to not only keep the costs down, but also to personalize the holiday for the most important woman in my life.
It’s not yard sale season — so what do you do if you have a bunch of junk you need to unload? Selling your stuff online can be an easy and effective solution.
Selling your unwanted items online is definitely nothing new, but as time progresses, different platforms have popped up, while others have faded into obscurity.
If your “get rid of” items are starting to pile up, here are three websites where you could sell your stuff today. [ continue reading… ]
As technology advances, more people have access to investment opportunities than ever before. Just about anyone with $25 and an internet connection can open a brokerage account and start trading on the stock market. The next evolution in investing could very well be “securities crowdfunding,” in which ordinary people have opportunities to invest in small businesses and startups with greater ease.
“There are expectations that at some point in 2014, securities crowdfunding will become legal for all investors,” says Chris Tyrrell, the CEO of crowdfunding platform OfferBoard. He’s referring to a law passed not too long ago that allows for securities crowdfunding.
Right now, businesses looking to leverage social fundraising for their businesses use sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. However, this isn’t investing. Those who contribute to such campaigns receive no ownership in the business and are issued no stock. Instead, they’re offered “thank you” gifts and perks.
What Is Securities Crowdfunding?
Securities crowdfunding would be different. Businesses could use this model to raise money and offer investors ownership in the company. In fact, certain investors already have access to this type of investment. [ continue reading… ]
You tuck away your pennies when you can, saving a little here and there. When you have some extra money left over from your paycheck, you put it into your savings account. You save when you buy generic lattes, and when you take your lunch to work. You’re proud of yourself.
You should be proud of these little habits, but they aren’t enough. They won’t lead to a quality life when there’s no work to be had and very little coming in from social security.
To have a successful retirement, we have to plan not only for having some savings — but for having enough to cover all the things that past generations used social security for. There has to be money for medical bills and the everyday costs of living, which are skyrocketing.
Planning for the future requires thought, effort, and discipline. To make sure you have enough money to live off of without sweating bills and medical needs, you need to be aggressive about putting away money now.
As a new year gets underway, many people have vowed to improve their financial situations by saving more. This includes contributions to retirement accounts, savings accounts, and emergency funds.
But if you haven’t actively saved money before, it may seem complicated and difficult.
It doesn’t have to be. Here are four easy-as-pie ways to boost your savings this year:
1. Separate your accounts
I used to have a savings account at the same institution as my primary checking. The accounts were linked, and it was so easy to just dip into my savings when I “needed” the money. When I moved my savings account to another financial institution (and set up a taxable investment account to serve as my emergency fund), that all changed. [ continue reading… ]
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Regular contributor Emily Guy Birken has just released a new book: The Five Years Before You Retire. Read on for her suggestions on how to make 2014 a great year for your retirement portfolio — and for a chance to win a copy of her book!
