Monday, January 24th, 2011
Dear Dave: My husband says we can’t travel to Illinois for a family reunion next summer if we’re not out of debt by then. He thinks your rule is no vacations while you’re getting out of debt. I think if we plan and save, it would be worth it to go. Who’s right? —Ann
Dear Ann: It must be your family reunion we’re talking about! Right? Seriously, he is correct in this case. No vacations while you’re getting out of debt. You guys need to roll up your sleeves and get the job done.
Still, I’m not going to be an ogre or anything about this kind of trip. (more…)
Tags: debt, household budgets, PERSONAL FINANCE, vacation
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PERSONAL FINANCE |
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Tuesday, January 18th, 2011
Everyone wants to save money, right? Unfortunately, most of the messages we receive about saving money actually involve spending it – mostly in the form of advertisements that promise more for less, if only you buy something.
But there are plenty of ways to save money that don’t involve purchasing something you may not even use.
First, any serious effort to save money should begin with a review of how you’ve been spending up to this point. Review your bank account, debit and credit card statements and your checkbook. Look for things you’ve spent money on that aren’t truly necessary. (more…)
Tags: budget, credit cards, debt, financial freedom
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PERSONAL FINANCE |
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Wednesday, January 12th, 2011
Let’s discuss some tips that will help you save money right away, and all year long.
Everyone wants to save money, right? Unfortunately, most of the messages we receive about saving money actually involve SPENDING money — that is, advertisements that promise more for less, if only you buy something.
But there are plenty of ways to save money that DON’T involve purchasing something you don’t need, didn’t want and won’t likely use. (more…)
Tags: credit cards, debt, financial freedom, goal setting, savings, spending
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PERSONAL FINANCE |
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Sunday, December 19th, 2010
In today’s climate of Big-Business downsizing and consolidation, many people think that becoming a small-business owner makes sense—especially now. In fact, an estimated 600,000 new businesses are launched in this country every year.
But more than half of new businesses fail after four years or less, according to a study by the federal government. So starting a new business can be risky.
There are a myriad of considerations to make before you launch your own business. Obviously, many of them depend on the kind of business you are thinking about—there are lots of variables. (more…)
Tags: business growth, business start-up, debt, entrepreneur, expansion, financial freedom
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BUSINESS |
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Friday, December 10th, 2010
It’s one of the cruel facts of life that one person’s crisis can create another’s opportunity. And few people know this better than the educated investors who visit this website and read our editorial products at WEALTH magazine. The December issue of International Living magazine is out with a report on five places in the world where local economic calamities have created real bargains for buyers of second homes and other property. (more…)
Tags: debt, distressed properties, foreign destinations, RETIREMENT, second homes
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BLOG |
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Friday, November 19th, 2010
If you’re reading this, you obviously are interested in building wealth. Investing can be an excellent way to do that. But before you start buying stocks, take a moment to consider the following common investment errors—and make sure you avoid them.
The first error is the most basic: the failure to invest at all. Some people think their money is safest while sitting in a bank account. But let’s look at the fallacy of that argument. It’s true that money in a bank is at virtually no risk of being lost. At the same time, most savings accounts pay little interest. (more…)
Tags: budget, debt, financial adviser, financial planning, INVESTING, retirement planning, savings, stocks
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INVESTING |
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Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010
Your initial reaction may be: Retirement? I’m YEARS away from retirement. I don’t have to think about that now.
Think again.
If you’re more than a decade away from retirement, now is the best time to begin preparing. Younger workers, of course, can use the power of compound interest to ensure a smooth financial picture in retirement. (more…)
Tags: debt, financial freedom, goals, interest rates, INVESTING, RETIREMENT, savings, STOCK MARKET, wealth
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RETIREMENT |
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Tuesday, September 21st, 2010
Americans are a staggering $6.6 trillion shy of the savings they need for retirement. That’s the figure arrived at by Boston College’s Center for Retirement Research in a report published Monday, Sept. 20, 2010.
To get there, the researchers made an interesting and highly optimistic set of assumptions: All retirees will take out a reverse mortgage. And they’ll put (more…)
Tags: debt, financial freedom, health care, INVESTING, RETIREMENT, retirement planning, reverse mortgage, savings, STOCK MARKET
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BLOG, RETIREMENT |
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Wednesday, September 1st, 2010
New York’s Stuyvesant Town in default, massive General Growth Properties succumbing to bankruptcy, Las Vegas’ mega-project CityCenter barely back from the brink. High-profile commercial real-estate blowups just kept coming.
Even playing host to a high-profile PGA Tour event and to Tiger Woods’ televised mea culpa in February couldn’t keep the owner of the Sawgrass Marriott Resort in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., from filing for bankruptcy protection a month later.
And for each multibillion-dollar failure, there have been hundreds of smaller commercial defaults on hotels, offices, shops and apartment complexes that didn’t make the national news. (more…)
Tags: business growth, commercial property, debt, default, interest rates, landlord, mortgage, REAL ESTATE
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REAL ESTATE |
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Tuesday, August 31st, 2010
To live the rich life expresses a goal for most of us, but unfortunately it has become an elusive dream for many modern-day retirees.
Today’s retirement living involves more than just leaving a job; it’s the beginning of a new chapter of life. Many baby boomers have hit their retirement target age and are eager to say goodbye to the employment ball and chain and hello to leisurely pursuits of travel and recreation. Others have been forced into early retirement by business restructuring and budget cuts but are none too optimistic about reemployment prospects. (more…)
Tags: debt, entrepreneur, expatriate, financial freedom, foreign destinations, foreign visa, health, lifestyle redesign, mortgage, REAL ESTATE, RETIREMENT, retirement planning, savings, wealth
Posted in
RETIREMENT |
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