Household Finances

Easy MoneyPlanner - control your finances

2010-11-27T16:37:00.000-08:00

A simple system to plan and project your monthly expenses to keep yourself out of the red. Little computing knowledge required - designed to be easily compared with your bank statement on a regular basis. Great for the self-employed as well.

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Will a Finance Course Help Me?

2010-11-26T21:42:00.000-08:00

One of the things that is true of many of us is that we could do a better job managing our finances. We are not all captains of industry, but we are the masters of our monthly household budgets, or at least we would like to be. If you are willing to admit you need help, then taking a finance course at a local college may be just what you need. Here are some of the things that will help you choose the right course or courses to take.

As you look over the range of courses that are involved in finance, you may be a bit intimidated by the course names and descriptions. To help you wade through all the options, take a quick look at the core curriculum and make a note of what the college considers to be the basic courses associated with the degree program. That is where you will find information that will be helpful to you. Focus on those courses and contact an advisor at the college. Explain to the advisor what you are looking to do and ask questions about those core courses. The advisor should be able to direct you to one or two courses in particular that will teach principles that will translate well into running a household.

Keep in mind that even though you are not looking to take over the financial operations of a multinational corporation, a finance course that are geared toward the operation of a small business might have something to offer you as well. After all, your home is a lot like a small business. There has to be income that counts as revenue, there is upkeep and maintenance, each of the persons involve receive some benefits from their association with the household and there are bills to be paid. Learning how small businesses function may provide you with some valuable tips on how to manage the household budget.

If at all possible, take some time and audit one or two of the courses that you think would be of interest to you. Many colleges allow persons to audit classes for a very small fee. Since you would not be earning any college credit for the auditing, you would not be subject to taking exams, nor would you lose credit if you could not be in class for every session. However, auditing a finance course or two would give you the chance to get the meat of the class and perhaps be just enough to get you on the right track with your household financial arrangements.

James Woodley is the writer for the website http://finance.webinfo-site.com.

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How Marital Finances Can Make You Miserable

2010-11-26T02:09:00.000-08:00

How in the world could I have allowed my household finances get to this point? If this is a question you are now asking yourself, then you are financially miserable in your marriage. You have allowed yourself to become so financially dependent on someone else's money that you can no longer pay your bills, believing that he always would, things do have an uncanny way of changing. If the marriage is already in trouble the added burden of finances isn't going to help and the bills aren't going away without being paid.

A good marriage is hard enough to hold onto without finances getting in the way. Finances play a very important part in a marriage and responsibility of them has to done by one of you. If one or even both of you work, at least meet each other half way with money management because if you don't you will eventually run into financial despair. The tension will start then the arguments and fights over who spent what on what and why will be next.

Money may be the "Root Of All Evil" but the bottom line is still you need it to Survive.

Bills need to be paid and paid on time on a regular basis. When this fails or someone stops making an attempt to pay or stops paying altogether Look Out, it just Hit The Fan. Whatever the cause, yelling, name calling or finger pointing will not solve the situation. Financial stress can be overwhelming, it has been known to cause in my case, serious health problems from the worry. You will become a bundle of nerves, unable to eat or sleep from that worry. Financial worry can cause turmoil, tension, heartaches and unhappiness leading you to live in a miserable marriage.

Mostly all problems can be worked out, finances can be too, if you both work at it, cut spending and try budgeting then saving, working together may save you from financial misery in your marriage.

Melanie Meyers gives tips on Marital finances in an Unhappy Marriage in her ebook and on her blog at http://www.blog.miserableunhappywives.com

Setting Up a Personal Budget to Get Your Household Finances Under Control

2010-11-25T09:13:00.000-08:00

Why is it that the word "Budget" seems to create such fear in so many people? It's as if using one will take all the fun out of life because it's some sort of draconian money management scheme that ties up all your money. Fortunately setting up a personal budget is not that complicated and if done correctly it can free up money to the point that it looks like you are getting a raise.

If you've thought about making a household budget but have reservations or just haven't taken the plunge there is no better time then now. The first thing to do is understand that it isn't all that complicated. All a budget is is a listing of expenses and income. It really is that simple. You don't need the latest book, spreadsheet, or budgeting software to get started all you need is a notebook and pencil.

Once you have you pencil and paper ready go back through all your bills for the past three months. It is also helpful to have your checkbook register handy because on your sheet of paper you are going to write down by expense how much you spent. Add up each expense and then divide by 3, which is the amount of months you have gone back. This will give you a monthly average for each expense. Add up all the expenses and write this down at the bottom of the page.

Now on a separate piece of paper write down all your monthly income. Include income from regular jobs, part time jobs, investment income, or any other income you might have coming in each month. Add that up and write it down at the bottom of the page.

Now's the time when most people look at the income and the expenses and a huge gasp of disbelief leaves their lips because they are spending more money then they are making. If this is you look at that number closely and then use that budget of what you have been spending to create a budget for the next month of what you will be spending. This is what a personal budget is, a spending plan that tells your money what to do and where to go.

Look back over your expenses and start finding things you've been spending money on that just doesn't make sense. How often do you eat out? Trips to Starbucks? This is the time to stop the bleeding and recoup all that money that just seems to disappear every month because you don't want to wake up one day and wonder why you don't have any money for the future.

Here's the crux of the budgeting process. You have a snapshot of where your money has been going based on the expenses you have written down. Now instead of looking at the past let's translate these expenses to the upcoming month. If you write down all your expenses for the upcoming month and allocate funds for these upcoming expenses you have won half the battle. This ensures that your bills are paid and every dollar you will have coming in has already been told what to do before the month even begins.

One last word about setting up a personal budget. Be patient, the first couple of months you do it it will not work out quite as you had planned. It will take some tweaking to get the process down but by the third month you should start to get the hang of it and before long you will have control of your financial future.

If you seriously want to take back control of your money you need to build a Personal Budget. To learn more about creating a budget please visit the website Household Budgets by clicking here.

Money Secrets - Quickly & Easily Start Your Own Paid Membership Site Set-Up, Administer & Manage Details Included! Mission-Surf

2010-11-24T19:15:00.000-08:00

Dear Future Online Entrepreneur,

If you've ever considered starting your own member's only website, then this will be the most important letter you ever read. Subscription based membership sites are quickly becoming the easiest way for people to make a solid income online.

It's Much Easier Than You Think, And I'll Show You How!

I'll Take You Step-By-Step Through The Process Of Creating Your Own Powerful Paid Membership Site! ....And Help You Get It Up And Running Quickly!

In this course you'll learn such things as:

How to build a successful membership site, including features, layout, and fonts-without spending outrageous web development fees.

The top categories for paid membership sites. You'll learn which ones are 'hot' and why (including the top three, that accounted for 62% of ALL paid content revenues last year).

Marketing trends: Learn what the potential income is, and most importantly, WHERE it's coming from.

Success stories from top paid membership sites. You'll hear the details of those who have succeeded, and learn what makes them work (and how you can use their ideas legitimately on your own site!)

How to create a business plan and model that really works.

How to get feedback, and update your site to increase sales.

How to successfully promote your site. You'll learn secrets that normally take thousands of dollars and years to learn and with these proven methods, your site will take off overnight!

And much, much more.

You'll Receive Special 'Insider Tips' There are certain "industry secrets" that most people don't like to let out (after all, they're afraid of competition).

But in this course I reveal all of them... including:

Keys for choosing topics that people will pay to read about.

How to create an "addictive" site that people come back to time and time again.

Special methods for creating-and growing-an online community.

How to do better than your competition.

Ways to make YOUR site stand out from the pack that I've tried, and that work!

This is just the beginning of what I'll share with you!

This Guide Is Filled With Practical Advice That You Can Use Every Day In Running Your Membership Site! And Includes A Complete Discussion Of:

How to create a "mentor" site: one of the fastest growing arenas for paid membership sites are those that offer specialized expertise and knowledge. We'll teach you how to take what YOU know, and turn it into a successful site where you share your enthusiasm or knowledge of a topic.

Five rules of site architecture that you MUST know: we'll show you how the flow of your site, your links, and its interactivity, if done well, can cause your site to take off. If you don't follow these rules, though, it will sit there and do nothing!

The secret of creating ads that get response: we'll help you learn how to write ads that get noticed-and where to place them for the best response (it isn't where you might think). And we'll teach you how to create mail lists that people subscribe to-and pass along to their friends.

How to take credit card billing and protect your customers. Internet security is important today, and you need to know how to provide this to your clients, or they will walk. We teach you how to do this, and how to take payment-and pay others-securely and confidentially online. We'll also let you know which companies are trustworthy, and who will take care of billing for you, for just a small fee.

How to promote yourself offline: we'll show you how not only online promotion, but what you do offline can help your site keep growing and showing healthy profits.

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Money Management Seminars

2010-11-24T02:08:00.000-08:00

Attending money management seminars can be a good first step in the wise handling of personal wealth. Some of the topics that are frequently covered at these seminars could include investment strategies, handling tax issues, conscientious budgeting practices, creating a savings plan, and any number of other financial concerns. Issues such as credit card fraud and identity theft could also be covered. Families can have a wide variety of goals ranging from the education of their children to home ownership. Others dream of early retirement or starting a small business. The wise handling of finances is necessary to make any of these goals or dreams possible. In addition, many consumers wish to avoid common mistakes that can be made in dealing with personal economic issues. Classes on such concerns as taxes, inflation, retirement income, insurance, and estates are frequently offered. There are also many money management seminars that pertain to specific individuals and groups. Workshops and classes that are geared toward the financial issues that many women struggle with are available. Students can have very specific areas of interest, particularly pertaining to educational debt and setting good fiscal habits right from the start. Seminars that are geared specifically toward the concerns of university students are frequently offered on college campuses. In addition, there are many classes and workshops that present a Christian view of financial concerns.

Anyone attending money management seminars can expect a variety of classes that can teach anything from the basics of financial growth to complicated issues such as estate planning and tax minimization. Learning about such skills as investment allocations or effective retirement planning can be very beneficial for anyone who attends one of these workshops. An individual can learn about how to draft a strategy for reaching personal financial objectives and goals. Gaining the ability to understand and minimize insurance costs is another helpful benefit of these workshops. Retirement planning is an area that many families struggle with. Learning to prepare now for the years ahead can be a very valuable asset. Estate issues can seem complicated and overwhelming to many families. While these money management seminars will turn a willing student into a certified expert in one weekend, learning about where to begin and how to move forward with professional help can be very useful. In addition, learning to handle risks and avoid stagnation in the area of investment planning are also important topics. Generally, attendees at these seminars will receive workbooks, reference tools, and practical exercises that can be used as helpful resources after the workshops are over. Many seminars will also offer attendees the option to set down for a consultation with professionals at the close of the seminar.

Workshops that a specifically geared toward students can be found at many money management seminars. Usually held on college campuses, these seminars address a variety of issues including the dangers of credit card debt. This area of concern is particularly important for university students. Many students become overly dependant upon credit cards during their educational years. The charge account habit can lead to significant unsecured debt by the time a student reaches graduation day. Many students will graduate with a large amount of indebtedness thanks to student loans. Beginning a new life outside of school can present many challenges. Dealing with overpowering debts while just starting out in the work force can seem insurmountable to many graduates. Upon graduation, the opportunity to consolidate student debt can be tempting. There are many lenders who offer legitimate loan consolidation opportunities. But there are other lenders who will seek to take advantage of anyone who is struggling with multiple student loans. Quality money management seminars that cater to the needs, concerns and questions of university students could help prevent graduates from falling prey to unscrupulous lenders. The Bible has many strong admonitions against mistreating others. "Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate." (Proverbs 22:22)

There are also money management seminars that are geared specifically to the interests of Christians. These seminars specialize in applying Biblical principles to personal economic issues. Some of the topics that might be covered could include a Biblical attitude toward stewardship, trusting God for financial needs, creating financial strategies that honor the Word of God, and handling estate issues including any donations to religious organizations. Basic issues such as wise investing, and consulting financial professionals for help may also be covered. In addition, the answers to many pertinent questions will generally be provided. An attendee at such a seminar might wonder what to look for when selecting a money manager. Or they might have questions about how the stock market works. What is asset allocation? How does diversification work? What is the difference between taxable and tax deferred investments?

Educational opportunities that are geared specifically for women can be found at many money management seminars. These seminars will often address the needs of women who wish to start their own businesses. The success stories of other women in business can be very encouraging for budding female entrepreneurs. For this reason, many of the guest speakers at these events will be successful female business owners who can provide guidance and advice. Other topics that could be covered might include investment strategies, building a portfolio, planning for retirement, and drafting a budget. Whatever area of interest an individual might have, there are many workshops and seminar opportunities that can provide education and answers regarding financial concerns.

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How to Manage Your Money (Christian Financial Concepts Series)

2010-11-23T15:05:00.000-08:00

People often try managing their money apart from God's plan. Bad plan. Until people have an attitude change about money, it will continue to control and confuse them. How to Manage Your Money is an excellent tool to get readers on track toward a liberated financial life. This newly re-packaged bestseller contains updated material, plus a step-by-step, in-depth study of God's principles for money management.

Price: $8.00

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Taking Care of Business At Home - A Personal Finance Checklist

2010-11-23T03:52:00.000-08:00

Why would you not consider yourself a business of ONE person? Or your family as a business of 3 or more people? Well that is exactly what you are - "Me Incorporated", "I Inc", "We Incorporated". You truly must consider yourself a small family business. Like any business you have ongoing expenses (mortgage, rent, utilities, groceries), revenue (salary and other income) and major capital expenditures (house, vehicle, vacations, renovations).

Like any good 'household business', you need to do some planning. Set out a budget for the year, track your expenditures and retained earnings (savings). Yes, all of this looks, feels and is exactly like a well run business. On My Gosh! Don't rush out and buy an accounting package to run your household. And no need to take a crash course on accounting or bookkeeping. You can accomplish all your financial tracking and planning requirements with some paper or by using a simple template with your favorite spreadsheet package - Microsoft Excel or even with Open Office.

Just like a well run business, your household budget and tracking your spending is best served using a visible record of events; namely, financial records, bank or check register. It is just like tracking your road trip progress using a map. If you know where you are now, then you will have some idea when you will arrive at your destination. In life, money or finances allows you to get to your personal destinations or dreams. A visible financial roadmap of your 'Me Incorporated' finances, mapping your progress, seems logical.

Running your 'Household Business', like corporate business, requires a few processes to keep track of your finances:

1) Establish a yearly and monthly household budget. Consider all your expenses - weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly outlays of money. You will be surprised at the length of this list and all the places you spend your money.

2) Track monthly your actually spending and income against the budget you established in step 1. This will help you see the 'peaks and valleys' of spending or seasonality aspect of your expenses. Over time, you will come to know these expense 'peaks and valleys' and this will help you maintain a positive cash flow. Bottom line: have money in the bank to pay all your expenses and still have some left over (retained earnings). Your single biggest challenge in running any household (or business) is always having enough money in the bank to pay the bills; especially, the unexpected ones. Having a buffer of savings will help with these 'peaks' in expenses.

3) Track all your bank account activity. Track and enter in your Bank or Check Register every deposit, every electronic (ATM, web, PayPal, debit machine) transaction and every analog (check, money order) withdrawal. And reconcile your bank statement every month. Know exactly how much money you have available in your bank account(s).

4) Especially track your spending through credit cards and lines of credit. These are potentially the 'run away' expenses. Remember only once a month do you see the visible record of your credit card spending. Compound that with the fact that most people have more than one credit card. This can easily result in multiple 'spending surprises' each month. Be diligent in tracking your use of credit card transactions. Breakdown the credit card expenses into their respective budget items - gas, groceries, clothing, entertainment, etc. This will help you separate normal household expenditures from other shopping incidentals. You will come to see your spending patterns and can now make adjustments. Just like your bank account, reconcile your credit card statement every month.

All this personal bookkeeping every month can be done with pen and paper or set up a personal finance and budgeting template using your favorite spreadsheet software. Using an electronic spreadsheet allows for all of the mundane calculations to be processed automatically, reducing monthly reconciliations to a simple 5-10 minute endeavour. Whether you choose an analog or digital approach to your personal finance bookkeeping, these visible records are the most effective way to plan and control your personal finances and reduce one of the major stress points in your life - Your Financial Health.

Carl Chesal is a business and channel development consultant, trainer, internet marketer and professional photographer. His hobbies include Gardening and Woodworking. He operates BizFare Enterprise Inc, providing business, marketing, and internet marketing consulting services. Bizfare Enterprise also operates a number of secure on-line shopping sites, like a DIY Woodworking Projects and Recipes at Home And Body How To.

Wise Acres Guide to Buying Land on a Budget

2010-11-22T15:38:00.000-08:00

My book is a down to earth in the trenches look at the questions land buyers never Knew to ask before purchasing land. From my book you can learn how to save thousands of dollars and a significant amount of time.

Check it out!

Quote Junkie: Philosophy Edition

2010-11-21T23:03:00.000-08:00

Over 1300 quotes from some of the greatest philosophers in the world! The Hagopian Institute, LLC has compiled the Quote Junkie series. The overall series includes over 8,000 quotes, focusing mostly on short quotes that can be used in everyday life as sources of wisdom and inspiration. This particular edition of the series includes over 1300 quotes from philosophers, and people who have had philosophical moments of wisdom. This is a must-have for all quote lovers. Please enjoy these quotes, and share them with your co-workers, friends and family.

Price: $9.99

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How to Manage Money Like a Minister: The ABC's of Pinching Pennies Like a Pastor

2010-11-21T03:36:00.000-08:00

How did my mother do it? She was a single mom raising six children without child support, alimony or a nest egg. Yet we children did not want for anything while we were growing up. Most surprising-Mom accomplished most of this with a $95 monthly public assistance check. She shared her secrets with me, and now I'm going to share them with you.

Price: $12.50

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Why You Should Include Your Entire Family When Dealing With Household Finances

2010-11-20T10:15:00.000-08:00

My parents were depression babies. That means they had to make due without many of the conveniences that we all have today. My father and his two brothers shared a single bed. This may sound strange and certainly subject to fights and bruises in the middle of the night, but it wasn't uncommon in those days. They and my grandparents all lived in a one bedroom apartment in New York City. My mother had similar circumstances.

Like any good parents, my parents wanted to shelter their kids (me and my siblings) from having to worry about finances. So they told us very little. But you don't get a good feel for what comes in and what goes out with respect to money. It's difficult within those parameters for kids to feel like there are any constraints at all. We would just ask for money and sometimes they would give it to us and other times they did not. It's when they did not when we got grumpy.

But we were down about the monetary rejection because we were always under the impression that my parents had a fair amount of money. This actually wasn't true until later in my parent's lives. My father landed some decent jobs and he started doing really well. I was already in college by then and almost ready to start out on my own. So it should come as no surprise that when I first started out, I didn't really give much thought to spending. I did a lot of it. I never really had to worry about money because my parents sheltered me (and my siblings) from the finances.

Having the entire family involved in the finances serves several purposes. First, it gets them to see the actual inflows and outflows. When your kids ask you for things, you can site the family finances and they cannot argue with you. They will see it for themselves. Second, they will learn that there are constraints and when they set out on their own, they will already be of the mindset that incoming money is not unlimited. Third, they will be better suited to teach their children as well because they were taught by you.

Your entire family should be included when discussing family finances. It affects them as it does you. It gives them a lifetime education that has the potential to be passed on from generation to generation. Plus, everyone in the family will feel involved.

James is a writer for the web and blogs.

Please note: I have removed the link that was here due to the FTC's new and sketchy guidelines about what constitutes an endorsement. I apologize if you are reading this and it left you a bit puzzled. But there are too many unknowns in these new guidelines to take a chance.

Quizzes and Calculators - Personal Finance Help

2010-11-19T20:41:00.000-08:00

I think it's time to go back to school. Well, you don't actually need to jump on the school bus, get a new school bag, lug around about 10 pounds of paper and highlighters and dodge spit balls, but I think it is time for us to get some personal finance help. Here is a short quiz that you can zip through to discover if you know your finances.

1. It's always better to choose the longest amortization term with your mortgage because you'll pay less each month.

a: True

b: False

2. There's actually no difference on the amount of interest you'll end up paying over the length of your mortgage if you contribute once a month or twice a month.

a. True

b. False

3. What is a dividend?

a. A cash rebate traded among lenders

b. A payment of additional shares of stock to stockholders

c. A monetary bonus for employees

d. The opposite of multiplication

4. What is the best financial tool at your disposal?

a. Planning a household budget

b. Using a computer for your taxes

c. Always keep your checkbook in balance

d. Seeking personal finance help from a professional

5. Do you know what as asset is?

a. A car, laptop or clothing

b. It is cash, property or stocks

c. Anything owned that has exchange value

d. All of the above

ANSWERS:

1. b - False

It's incredible how much interest you end up saving if you lessen the amount of time over which you pay a mortgage. Try making a larger payment each month so you can save save thousands upon thousands of dollars. The more quickly you can pay it off, the better.

Amortization period Monthly payment Total interest over the lifetime of the mortgage

35 years $565.25 $137,408

25 years $639.81 $91,940

20 years $712.19 $70,925

Amount saved with a shorter amortization period -- $66,483

2. b- False

By making your mortgage payment once every two weeks or twice a month you will eliminate your mortgage much faster. In fact it ends up being an extra payment per year. If you are more of a number person, this chart will create a little better understanding and provide a little personal finance help.

3. b - A payment of additional shares of stock to stockholders

A lot of people who dabble in stocks only choose stocks that pay in additional shares to stockholders. Imagine you had taken dividends as your stock option when Microsoft or Apple were in their infancy? Plenty of investors did and made a fortune.

4. a - Planning a household budget

All of the options in question are important financial aides to use but the most important one is planning a household budget. It is wise to understand where all of your money is headed and how much remains to spend and save. Always make a household budget if you want to keep track of your finances.

5. d - All of the above

This one may have fooled you but an asset by definition is 'anything owned that has exchange value'. In short an asset can be anything. Certainly many assets are better investments than others (like property or stock options) but even the slow old laptop that your parents bought for you when you headed off to college is an asset.

I trust this quiz was fun and gave you some of the personal finance help you deserve. You have to stay on top of your cash and learn as much about your finances as possible. The more informed you are chances are you will achieve your financial goals. I know you have already created a number of financial goals.

Cheers until next time!

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Spring Clean Your Household Budgeting

2010-11-19T08:54:00.000-08:00

Good financial practice means that household budgeting should be something you already have under control. You should know exactly where your household money comes from, where it goes, and that all of your financial priorities and goals are being met. The question is however, when did you create the budget that you're currently living within?

Although you might think that your finances are working at the best they can, if you haven't taken a look at your household budgeting for the past year, the chances are that your budget could use a spring clean. Interest rates go up and down. Income usually changes over the course of a year whether because of salary increases, or income tax changes. Supermarket prices certainly fluctuate making your housekeeping bills higher now than they were when you set your budget in place. So unless your budget was made in the last six months, it's probably time to dust it off and take another look at it.

Use the same format as you did for the original budget. Take a look at the figures that are current in respect of outstanding balances, interest rates, minimum payments, etc and make any necessary changes. Once you have your new total expenditure, check your income to see if this has changed. Your housekeeping money is probably higher now than it was originally so if you haven't any additional money coming in, you may need to look at where your housekeeping money is going and consider making cuts or changes to what you buy - paying closer attention to special offers and bulk buying can help you make additional savings if you need to stretch your income a little bit further.

Spring cleaning your household budgeting isn't just about ensuring that your finances are up-to-date however. If you are on a tight budget it's also a great way to motivate yourself into sticking within the financial boundaries you've set. Seeing the outstanding balances on your debts decrease is a surefire way of re-igniting your passion for your budget!

So don't let your budget stagnate. Make sure you schedule a time at least once a year for a financial spring clean just to make sure that your finances are working for you, and that your household budgeting plan is on track for a good financial future.

About Author:
Nicola Ray is the editor of Budgeting-Steps.com, a website that focuses on how to budget and stay out of debt. You can find 100's article and budgeting worksheets to help you keep your family budget on track.

Roommate Interviews - 15 Finance Questions Every Household Should Be Asking

2010-11-18T20:20:00.000-08:00

Have you and your roommates ever felt unsure after finishing an interview whether a potential roommate would pay the rent on time? If the answer is yes, then you'll find the old saying "you will never know unless you ask" will come in handy. After all, finding the right roommate that you know will pay the rent is about more than taking an educated guess, it's about asking the right questions.

The key is choosing questions that lets your household find out each candidate's ability and history of paying rent and expenses on time, any disputes that they may have had over finances and their attitude towards money. Asking these questions will give you a good indication how expenses will be paid in the future while helping you select a roommate that has a similar approach towards finances than existing household members which helps avoid disagreements. Ideally, when creating your interview questionnaire you should include as many open questions as possible. These questions are great conversation starters as interviewees can not answer with a simple yes or no answer and require candidates to disclose information about themselves. Each question you include should help you create a comprehensive picture of how it would be to live with the candidate as a roommate.

So, which questions should you ask to find out if a prospective roommate would be financially compatible? Here are a few questions you can ask the next time you interview roommates for your household.

1. How much money can you afford to spend on rent and expenses each week/month?

2. Which payment method would you prefer to use when paying rent and expenses?

3. Do your prefer to pay for your own food or pay money into a food kitty?

4. Have you ever organized or been responsible for your household's rent or expenses?

5. Are you willing to be jointly responsible for household expenses or rent? For example, putting your name on household bills or the lease?

6. If we would ring your referees, what would they say about your ability to pay the rent and any additional expenses?

7. Would your friends say you are a spender or a saver?

8. How do you feel about roommates that do not pay their rent and expenses on time?

9. How would you feel if the financial setup of the household would change while being a roommate?

10. How would you feel if the rent or any expenses would increase while living in the household?

11. Have you ever asked a roommate to move out due to an issue about finances?

12. When was the last time you paid a bill, any expenses or the rent late?

13. Have you ever had a dispute with current or former roommates over money? What were the disputes about?

14. Have you ever voluntarily moved out of a household due to a dispute over money? What were the circumstances?

15. Have you been evicted or asked to leave due to an issue over finances? What's your side of the story?

As you can see, by taking advantage of the old saying "you will never know unless you ask" you'll find the answers that you will need to choose the roommate that lets your household leave financial disputes behind. Just as importantly, you'll never be left wondering after an interview if a potential roommate will pay the rent as you'll have the answer in the palm of your hand.

Good luck and happy roommate hunting!

Enid Steiner is a Director of http://www.flatwithme.com.au, an Australian online roommate service. Flatwithme.com.au lets people find their perfect roommate and provides helpful share accommodation resources including calculators, questionnaires and articles.

Family Budget Secrets To Lower Household Expenses, Higher Family Income And Wise Money Management

2010-11-18T07:36:00.000-08:00

A healthy home budget is the key to wealth, success and even a healthy family life. American and Canadian Families could create a much healthier home budget with a bit of discipline and planning. Ask a Consumer and she may tell you, up front, that paying the Grocery Bills gives the greatest cause for concern in the family's home budget. Too often, money creates family fights. Paying bills, the Home Budget and family finances too often cause divorce. Parents can avoid such calamities with financial discipline, greater research and some professional help. Unfortunately, areas for greatest financial relief too often lie off limits, outside of the usual scrutiny for possible savings in the family's home budget.

These three areas: Mortgage Payments, Taxation of Income and Credit Card Debts drain away the family's fortunes in ways we least suspect. In trying to reduce expenses from the Home Budget, you can dismiss high gas prices as a temporary event. Fluctuations in fruit and vegetable prices due to vagaries of the weather can impact the monthly home budget too. Those numbers pale in comparison to the heavy hitters in a home budget, such as Income Taxes paid, Mortgage Interest and excessive and un-necessary loan or Credit Card Payments.

An annual, Income Tax Refund Check can offer relief in many a Family Budget. In order for your family to benefit, you must arrange your finances to profit from all income tax deductions you might be entitled to. You may hear about certain deductions. But since you, like many an employed Consumer, are no Finance Wiz, you tend to ignore them to your peril. Unfortunately, as an Employee, your income tax deductions are limited. They are almost cast in stone by government legislation. As a Business Owner, however, the rules are much more generous. You could save huge sums in income tax payments because of business expenses. Fortunately the distinctions and the rules are not quite as rigid as you might think. Let's leave out the obvious personal deductions, medical, and educational expenses and similar employee and work related expenses. Here are some additional income tax deductions you can snag if only you had the know-how. These tax deductions, when astutely applied, would add considerable income to your home budget:

1. You can create a Home Based Business and immediately qualify for related expenses as income tax deductions

2. You could increase your Savings for Retirement and for your Pension to create additional income tax deductions

3. You could use Other Peoples Money for Investments. Here again is a third very legit means for tax deductions most Consumers are not familiar with.

These are three key areas around which you could build substantial tax deductible expenses and hence keep a much larger portion of your income. They could add to the Income portion of your Household Budget and significantly reduce expenses.

On the expense side of the Home Budgets, American and Canadian Families pay way too much in housing costs. A recent study of home finance revealed that the cost of housing approaches closer to 50% of the household budget than the 30% and 40% debt service ratios, which bankers use in screening applicants for mortgage financing. Rising House Prices and lower interest charges have allowed many to occupy homes they may soon be unable to afford. Tenants have used rent money to purchase homes. As interest rates continue the recent upward trend, foreclosures will increase and Canadian and American Households as Tenants or Home Owners will be priced out of their regular home expense budget.

Newer approaches to mortgage payments have uncovered huge sums of excess profits that Lenders have been enjoying for years at the expense of the average Home Owner. These studies found that over the life of a mortgage, Consumers typically hand over DOUBLE the Purchase Price of their Homes as extended and un-necessary mortgage payments. At a time of record low interest rates, these large sums represent a voluntary contribution to the Lenders' Profit margins. In the event you are hearing of these developments for the first time, then this over payment of a mortgage applies to you too. Almost every mortgage holder pays too much! Consumers as a group have been cajoled into giving our infinite trust to the Loan or Bank Officers. What we failed to realize is that in the lending industry, no one represents the interests of the Consumer. You must seek out your own professional for help.

The final item of Credit Card Debt relates to impulse buying of clothes, shoes, trinkets, entertainment and vacations, CD's, snacks, lattes and other consumables. Such expenses dramatically increase the monthly household expenses. As a Parent or Single Mom, responsible for the Home Budget, you would be shocked to review actual expenses from impulse and non-essential purchases. One Bank engages a prominent Financial Planner, who advises Customers to refrain from needless expenses on items such as cigarettes, lattés, candies, coffee, and gum. These savings, they claim, could help to create a tidy retirement fund.

With a bit of discipline, Consumers could reduce expenses by huge amounts in differing ways: 1. At $10.00 a purchase, you could drive a Mercedes Benz by giving up 6000 Trips to the Dollar Store. 2. At $40.00 a pack for cigarettes, a Consumer could have the entire gas bills paid if he simply quit smoking 3. A $250.00 a month Retirement Savings Contribution could result from ignoring the daily craving for an expensive latté or the three cups of coffee a day habit.

These expenses, when paid by cash, reflect an unnecessary drain on the household budget. Because of service charges, the drain is even more severe when you use Credit Cards and even Debit Cards for small and impulse purchases. All of a sudden, that Latté which costs you $3.50 is in fact $4.50 if the Credit or Debit Card Company charges a $1.00 fee for each transaction. After one month, that two Lattes-a-day habit becomes a $140.0 a month cost. With maximum financed credit or debit charges they become a $200.00 to $250.00 a month expense.

Consumers can generate huge savings to the Family's Home Budget from a bit of research and from prudence and discipline in household expenses. It is vital for you to understand mortgages, loans and credit expenses much better. With a little tax planning, some stinginess and some savvy, Consumers can improve the household budget in ways they least expect. As a thrifty Consumer, you must start the search for more efficient ways to run your family's home budget. The pay back would be terrific.

Alfred Fraser, MA is a Financial Planner with a busy Vancouver practice. He specializes in income tax efficiency, OPM and fast mortgage re-payment planning. You can view his articles on these and related topics on the website: http://www.Mortgage-Freedom.com

Consolidation For Debt

2010-11-17T18:02:00.000-08:00

A consolidation for debt plan can give a consumer the opportunity to gain control of their expenses and begin to work their way out of a heavy debt situation. When using consolidation for debts, individuals can more easily manage their expenses with one or two monthly payments, negating the stressful environment that over due bills can create within a home and family. If someone is considering investigating this process, then the Internet can be a good place to start, with hundreds of companies offering strategies and avenues.

There are many plans for debt reduction or credit help available today. Millions of consumers are looking to receive help for the overwhelming financial crisis in their lives. A consolidation for debt plan can be a simple process and save the individual money, time, and stress. Many financial experts in the field of credit assistance are suggesting that people with many financial obligations use consolidation for debts in taking hold of their financial situations. There are different approaches to this type of program, and consumers can choose the best plan for their individual circumstances.

A good plan will include a low interest rate. Most consolidation for debt plans and agencies will find the consumer a loan with a low interest fee. The individual then pays off all of their credit card and small bank loans with the consolidation for debts loan. This process allows a person to save money on the accumulated interest fees from the old obligations, and to have one monthly payment with the new loan, making bill payment manageable. As bills are paid through the consolidation plan, credit reports begin to reflect positive activity, raising the credit score.

The Internet has hundreds of agencies and companies that offer this service and information on other options. Credit counseling services and agencies will help people identify low interest consolidation for debt loans. Some of the agencies may charge an application fee or processing fee, so consumers are advised to carefully investigate the agency before they commit to a plan. Some agencies may charge expensive fees, costing the individual even more money in the long term.

The Bible has much to say about daily life and finances. The Bible urges people to seek help and counsel in all matters. Proverbs 23:12 teaches people to, "Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge." Seek advice from godly people and trustworthy people in financial matters before entering into an agreement with an agency that offers consolidation for debts plans.

View the original article here

Household Budget

2010-11-17T04:43:00.000-08:00

When someone mentions the word budget, most people cringe at the thought. Some think it is the monetary equivalent of going on a diet.

A budget, simply put, is a tool to manage your money. It will put everything into perspective for you, so you can actually see where the money is going. Once you know where your money is going, you will then understand your financial short comings. Every one has short comings, and all are different. Some have too much luxuries, and some too much debt. Some are financing cars that are just too expensive for their income, others get the biggest home they cannot even afford. Most people just take on a lot of unsecured debt such as credit cards. With a budget, you the consumer will understand how to improve your situation. It is either cut your spending or raise your household income. For some it may have to be both.

A budget is not all doom and gloom. A lot of times people that find a working budget, wind up staying with one, even after their financial problems are resolved, because it takes all the guess work and uncertainty out of money and household finances.

The hardest part about getting on a budget is starting. Really, that is the hardest part, just getting started. Once you get going, it gets easier, and eventually routine. You will find that you are able to pay off debt, leaving more and more money left over every month. Eventually you could become debt free, and more money left over than you know what to do with. You will find that you wont need all them extra credit cards after all.

Just imagine how much money you would have left over, if you had no debt. Or how much money gets wasted in the course of a month. You will be amazed. I was. Getting a Free Online Budget is easy. Just visit my site, and follow the link at the bottom of the "home page", or "free tools" page to get your personal finances under control.

You can do it all for free "Credit Resolution Help" pages

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Top 5 Ways To Ease The Strain On Household Finances

2010-11-16T18:32:00.000-08:00

The onset of the global credit crunch across the UK last year, combined with the after effects of a series of interest rate rises, and rising living costs all contributed towards the difficulties that many households have had to face over recent months. For many the strain on household finances has become increasingly pronounced, and industry officials have expressed concern that many people may be pushed into insolvency as a result of these financial strains.

If you find that your budget is being overstretched each month and you want to try and ease the strain on your household finances there are a number of steps that you can take, which could help to improve your financial situation. This includes:

1. Consolidate your debts. If you have a range of higher interest debt such as credit cards, store cards, and high interest loans, you could save a small fortune by paying off these debts with one lower rate consolidation loan, which can ease financial management as well as reduce your monthly outgoings.

2. Look for cheaper services. The cost of certain household expenses, such as energy bills, have risen over recent weeks, and you could find that taking the time to compare prices and switching your providers can save you some money. The difference may not be great but with every bit adding up it is well worth checking what sort of savings you can make.

3. Re-mortgaging: With interest rates having come down twice in the last few months it is possible that you can get a cheaper mortgage deal that will save you money on your monthly repayments if you take the time to compare. Make sure you look out for any hidden costs or arrangement fees though.

4. Get a more appropriate credit card. If you have a number of high interest credit cards it may be worth switching to a 0% balance transfer or low rate balance transfer card in order to save money on interest and reduce your monthly repayments. Make sure you check the transfer fees on 0% cards and the interest rate on life of balance transfer cards.

5. Make cutbacks. Most people will find places where they can make cutbacks when going through their outgoings, and if you can make cutbacks on things such as spending on clothes and entertainment, subscriptions and memberships, and other non-essential costs then this could save you some money each month.

Loans4 provide homeowner loan solutions for homeowners. Please visit www.loans4.co.uk for the latest finance related news.

Basic Credit Repair and Budget Management

2010-11-16T02:38:00.000-08:00

How to get started in repairing your credit, how to develop a budget, contacting your creditors, how to get and review your credit report, identify and prepare sample letters, choosing the right credit cards to repair your credit.

Check it out!

A Guide To New Car Finance

2010-11-15T15:41:00.000-08:00

Purchasing a new car is one of the biggest decisions a household can make, and one that can have long-lasting financial implications. Therefore it is important to make sure the financial planning behind the purchase is sound and able to deal with unforeseen incidents that could require a shift in resources to other expenses.

There are two main options to new car financing; either a traditional loan from a bank, building society or dealership or a hire-purchase agreement.

The biggest decision regarding a loan is the interest rate - dealerships can provide finance deals but often their interest rates compare less favourably than banks or building societies. Compare the APR offered from the different potential lenders in order to effectively compare how much you will end up paying back each year.

If you find it hard to make sense of the different options, the Office of Fair Trading can provide free resources, such as the APR and rebate calculator, to help make comparison easier. A longer repayment period will cost less month to month, but more in total over the term of the loan. In addition to the loan itself, it is important to calculate related costs such as road tax and car insurance before negotiating the terms of a loan.

If the repayment period is fairly lengthy it may be worthwhile looking for a lender that offers repayment holidays. Though it's not advisable to repeatedly delay payment, a one-off deferral may be useful should unexpected household expenses arise. Payment holidays should be agreed upon during the initial term negotiations, as lenders frown upon renegotiations during the repayment period to ask for it.

A hire-purchase agreement is generally a more complex form of car finance, and requires more attention to detail when agreeing on the terms of repayment. Hire-purchase agreements essentially differ from loans in that ownership remains with the lender until all payments have been made. The agreement should therefore contain all the details on the number of instalments and the full hire-purchase price of the car.

There are also a number of pitfalls to watch out for. For instance, interest-free credit offers might sound appealing, but failing to make all the payments in the stated period could result in significant interest rates being imposed on the loan.

So if you're looking to purchase a new car in the near future, keep in mind the aforementioned points to make sure your car is financed by terms that suit your household budget and can accommodate any unforeseen bumps in the road.

Household Budget Expense Layout

2010-11-15T05:41:00.000-08:00

More and more folks are taking action to manage their income in a more productive manner. It has become more and more difficult for the average person to make certain their bills are paid and their household is taken care of. If you are seeking a way to achieve more control over your hard-earned money, you might consider using a household budget expense layout. It is not as difficult or intimidating as one might think. All you need is a calculator (or excel program on your computer) and a willingness to take an honest look at your finances.

Begin by making a list of all your expenses for a two-month period. List all mortgage or rent payments, utilities, credit card debt, gasoline, food, clothing, gifts and donations, entertainment, grooming, regular medical expenses, medical and household and personal supplies, and any money that goes to savings. Round any amount under a dollar to the next highest dollar. Be sure to record everything you spend money, no matter how small. Make certain that every member of the family participates.

Once you have done this for two months, take a hard look at all the expenses and determine if there is anything that is not really needed and can be eliminated. Our society has encouraged wasteful spending, and a little here and a little there can really add up.

Next, look at all expenses that are paid occasionally-once or twice a year-such as insurance, property taxes, etc. By adding these expenses together and dividing by 12, you know exactly how much you need to set aside each month in order to have the money available to pay for these occasional expenses. As you can see toward the bottom of column one, this amount is included in the monthly expenses. It is wise to set up a separate bank account for this so that you are not tempted to use it for something else.

Once you have decided the amount you will spend, you are ready to create your household budget expense layout. You can use Word and create a table if you prefer to do your own calculations, or you can go to Excel, which will do all the calculations for you.

You'll want your heading to be personalized with your name, so that you take ownership every time you look at it. Make a space beneath the heading to insert your net monthly income (what is left after taxes and deductions are taken). This will keep the bottom line in clear view.

Set up the first column with the names of all your expenses, and the next column will list the amount allotted to each expense. Remember to add as a monthly expense the money that you are putting aside each month for your occasional expenses.

If you include the total for all your expenses, and have that subtracted from the net monthly income, your household budget expense layout will tell you exactly how much money, if any, you have left each month. Keep a monthly expense sheet that lists all the items on your household budget expense layout and enter each amount as you pay it. Include blank rows so that you can write in additional expenditures. It is now up to you to keep within your budget guidelines so that you avoid going deeper into debt, and make certain your financial needs are met.

One way that I found to meet-and exceed-my financial needs is by working in my own home-based business. My household budget expense layout now looks dramatically different-especially the section that tells me how much is left over after paying the bills. After considerable research, I found a company that guided me every step of the way. I no longer have to worry about "stretching" every dollar to try to balance my budget. I am more relaxed and happy, knowing my finances-and, more importantly, my family-are well taken care of.

Alfonso Alvarez is a business coach and mentor based out of Los Angeles, CA, who assists serious entrepreneurs in building a profitable online business with multiple income streams. Alfonso and his team are focused on training and getting results quickly. To learn more about Alfonso's success, visit: http://ProsperousAlliance.com

Mortgage Secrets for Investors

2010-11-14T18:08:00.000-08:00

Earn $27.75 per sale! Awesome testimonials. Low refunds. Financing is the #1 problem for investors and this e-book package with great bonuses solves the problem.

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Manage Your Money and Investments with Microsoft Excel

2010-11-14T03:14:00.000-08:00

Sure you want to save money. We all do. But saving money is sometimes easier said than done. Did you know that there is a program probably already installed on your computer that can help you manage your money better? It's Microsoft Excel, part of the Microsoft Office suite. Manage Your Money and Investments with Excel can help you take control of your finances with Excel. Learn how to:

Perform basic financial calculations.
Track and analyze investments.
Compare mutual fund options.
Manage mortgages, loans, and escrow accounts.
Balance checking accounts and manage credit card debt.
Track your net worth.

Discover new ways to make money-saving decisions and manage your finances with Manage Your Money and Investments with Excel.

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Art of War: Easy To Read English Version

2010-11-13T13:35:00.000-08:00

One of the greatest strategy books in the history of the world. Every person who has ever had to strategize in their job, their life, or their relationships must read this book. It is truly a book that everyone should read, and reread every single year. This edition is written in an easy to read English version so that everyone can enjoy this masterpiece by Sun Tzu.

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