Some Amazing And Simple Tips To Saving Cash

It is so common for individuals to use that untrue reason that they just can not make enough income to put any back. They have a salary that is too skimpy and they owe too many debts. The lamest reason of all is that they have just not worried about it yet.

The truth is that a lot of individuals should be able to put up a few dollars every paycheck even if that is all they can do. Another truth is that every dollar that you can put away is better than if you spend it on things you could easily do without.

Although this does not imply that you have to put back every bit extra you have and do without any fun activities or purchases, it really means that if you expect to start putting back some income you must make an effort no matter how small it is.

You can take advantage of unplanned cash and save some whenever you can. When you have started the savings account and have put a little cash in it a couple of times, you will realize that you can save something.

After you have got some cash in your savings, it could be much simpler to discover where you can do away with a cup of costly coffee or decide against going to the show and lease a video instead.

You can come up with an opportunity to carpool to work and cut in half the amount of cash you spend for gas every work week. You might ask yourself if you have to have that new pair of tennis shoes that will cost a bundle.

After someone comes into extra cash such as an inheritance, a work bonus, or a huge refund on their taxes, the first idea that generally comes into play is where they can spend it. The thing that should really come into play is what amount they should put in their nest egg and still have a little to enjoy.

Having money to fall back on in the bank might not seem like that big of a deal unless you discover yourself without any work, injured, or any number of other emergencies that life is full of.

Saving up cash for the future needs an on going conscious task like a lot other things that you have a habit of like cleaning your teeth daily or maintenance for your automobile. It is all about making it a routine and when you do it, you can realize that you come across more occasions to put money away instead of spend a lot more than you think.

Rachel Yoshida is a writer in the field of finances and is currently assisting those in need of Houston Cash Advance and can help anyone get a Chicago Cash Advance in as little as 1 hour.

How to Grocery Shop As a Family (and Still Save Money)

Even when you're trying to save money, there's often that one person in the family who just isn't quite cooperating with the plan. The one who still really wants those extras.

Maybe it's Mom, maybe it's Dad, maybe it's one or all of the kids. But that person sure makes going grocery shopping difficult. How do you avoid buying all the extra stuff they want?

Well, kids are easier to cope with than when it's the other parent. You either learn to say "no" or you go shopping without them as much as possible. Neither one is easy at times, and as your kids grow you will have to figure out what works best for each age, but you do what you can.

Such as have them buy the extras they think they can't live without with their own money.

But it's much more difficult when it's one of the parents who isn't hearing the other say "we need to spend less money and don't really need that." It gets to feeling as though you're nagging or that they just aren't paying any attention to you.

And of course an adult can easily just go back to the store on his or her own and buy the things you said no to before. It can take much more effort to break through the stubbornness.

Shopping alone is often much cheaper than bringing anyone else along. Just make sure it's the person most willing to limit impulse buys. And bring a list.

A list can help even when you do bring the family along. Warn everyone who's coming along that only items on the list will be bought. Go through the grocery store ads so you know what deals you don't want to miss, and at least tentatively plan the kinds of meals you'd like to have for the week. The more you know about what you're actually going to eat, the less excess you will buy.

Talk over the issues too, and be clear about exactly what is happening to your budget due to overspending at the grocery store. Making the problem clear may not be enough to immediately stop the problem, but it does mean you can brainstorm some acceptable solutions.

Take a look at your eating habits too. Can you give up convenience foods? What about sodas? Candy?

These items tend to add up fast, and many aren't too good for you to begin with. Work up a way to work these out of your diets if possible, or at least agree on limits. I've always found that if they're in the house, they get eaten, but if they aren't, I won't get desperate enough to go to the store just for them.

Changing your grocery shopping habits probably won't solve all your money problems - many families have other places that could be cut equally or even more effectively, but it's an area many are willing to target. Talk it out, work it out and see what happens.

Stephanie Foster runs http://www.homewiththekids.com/ as a resource for stay at home parents. She offers more tips on living on a single income at her site.

The Best Investing Strategy

The best investing strategy is easy to state: Buy low and sell high. It sounds so simple, but it seems people have a lot of problems figuring out how to really apply this to their own life. Unfortunately, many people will buy the hot stocks of the day and then sell if they believe they are losing money. Here are some tips on how to apply the best investing strategy to your own personal investment plan.

Take emotions out of the investment process. Just because an investment might drop overnight does not mean you should panic and sell. Likewise, if you attend an investment seminar, do not get your checkbook caught up in the rah-rah of emotions. Before making an investment decision, make sure you check your emotions to verify they are not getting in the way. Investment decisions should be made upon facts.

Buy what you know. World-famous investor Warren Buffet offers this advice over and over again. It seems to work for him, so apply it to your own life. If you are a fashion consultant, learn more about the industry trends. You will feel more comfortable investing in what you know because you can apply your own experience to the decision.

Invest for the long term. Investments can peak and dip sometimes in a span of hours. If you try to capitalize on every peak and dip, you will drive yourself crazy watching the market and trying to react in time. Instead, make decisions that you believe are going to net you results over a larger period of time.

Budget, plan and know. The best investment strategy is to stay knowledgeable. You need to understand your own budget, how much you can invest, how much you can afford to lose, how long you have to invest and more. Put some effort into planning your financial future by first understanding where you are now.

Almost all investment choices have some risk, but also have some great possible rewards. Understanding your own tolerance for risk will help you select the investments that are best for you. Keep up to date on what your investments are doing to make sure they still fit your own personal preferences.

The best investing strategy will be different for every person. But keeping in mind that some of the best tips for selection involve understanding your own personality and your own situation will help you get a great start to building your wealth.

Caterina Christakos is an experienced investor and instructor with World Capital Institute. Ever imagined yourself as a stock or commodities broker? Check this out:http://www.worldcapitalinstitute.com

I Was Crippled by My Debt! Then I Was Saved By The Program

Increasing numbers of Westerners are becoming trapped in a cycle of debt, often ignoring the situation until it is almost too late; once you have admitted that there is a money problem, you can start making arrangements to clear the debts.

So the sooner you sit down and recognize that you need to do something, the quicker your debt relief will start. Debt has become a major problem in many countries but it is important to reduce debt burdens seriously if you do not want to live with less worry.

The most important thing to remember is not to panic and stay focused as this way your decisions will be clearer and more positive. Although hard, it will pay you in the long term to continue to make your monthly repayments on any loans and find other ways to save money.

The easiest way to approach this is to calculate everything you have to pay out regularly both necessities and those inconsequential items that mount up each month. One hard action you will face is to slow down or stop the use of your credit card then start using cash again and you will find yourself being more careful.

You will be surprised to learn that spare money is available which can be put to good use; saving it as part of your debt relief solution, even if it takes a while for it to be worth anything.

By reducing the amount of entertainment you have on a regular basis will allow even more money to go into your fund and your debts will disappear faster.

No-one really wants to increase their mortgage repayments but many homeowners see their only option is to refinance their home which can work but just increases the amount you pay in the long term. Before you go down this route you must think about why you want this option when there are others that can be used.

In the short term, withdrawing cash from a credit card to make a payment may seem to make sense but over a prolonged period it will just increase the debt. If re-financing your home does not work then you must consider filing for bankruptcy but this step should not be taken before you take specialist advice from a bankruptcy attorney.

Some people are able to bypass bankruptcy with the money in their individual retirement accounts (IRA) but such an act can seriously affect your financial future. Should you decide to use your IRA then be aware of how it will affect your long term financial future and you may just reconsider this as a method of debt relief.

Being in debt is one of the most stressful times of our lives, I once was there fighting to free my debt. Luckily I stumbled over this great program and turned my life around. I honestly think you should visit: www.free-my-debt.com
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Get Out Of Debt

Are you in so much debt that you are having a difficult time paying all of your monthly obligations?

Many people find themselves in this situation and then they have no idea how they can get out of it. It truly is unfortunate to have arrears because you end up paying double, triple, or even more for the items you purchased simply because the interest rates are so high.

The following suggestions will help you reduce what you owe and give you a map to get out of the arrears accumulated and stay that way.

Tip #1 More Than The Minimum Payment

You have been probably paying minimum payment on all of your arrears and have found that you are not actually getting out of it by doing so, but rather staying current on your credit cards.

If you truly want to pay off what you owe then you will need to start making some sacrifices in other areas of your life and pay larger monthly payments. You want to pay at least double the monthly payment if not triple in order to get yourself back in the black.

Keep in mind, this does takes lot of effort and commitment but you can do it if you simply focus on what needs to be done. The easiest way to pay more than you are currently paying is to cut back on food costs.

Many people spend a great deal of money eating out and on convenience foods when you can easily eat a sandwich for each meal and cereal for breakfast for as little as $20 a week. Compare that to the $200 some people spend per week on food and restaurants and you will see that you really can make some big payments by eating at home.

Tip #2 Stop Spending

In order to really get out of debt you have to change your spending habits.

This means that you don't use your credit cards unless you really have to. This constitutes an emergency only like a flat tire or a medical emergency when you cannot go without it. And, the card should only be used if you don't have cash to cover the expense.

When you are shelling out money because you feel like you can't live without a certain pair of shoes or you found a great outfit on sale you will wind up having arrears. But, when you approach spending by only spending what you have in cash or on something you really need you will learn how to give up those "deals" and stay out of debt and less stressed.

Tip #3 Remove Your Name From Pre-Screened Credit Offers

Often times people apply for credit simply because an offer arrived in the mail. In order for you to not be tempted by these types of offers you can have your name removed from pre-screened offers.

This will allow you to continue your plan of not spending and paying more than the monthly payment each month without any hiccups of additional credit. And, when you don't apply for additional loan you will notice it is even easier to get yourself out of
debt.

If you feel you are living in a debt then don't hesitate to call us. We offer debt management services, iva and debt consolidation loan just for you.

Student Loans Guide And Info

There are few steps you need to follow when applying for eligibility for a student loans or financial aid. The first thing you have to do is to complete FAFSA, (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). All the information that you provide on this form will be used to determine how aid will be offered to you. It will also determine what type of aid will be offered to you on each of the schools you are considering.

There are some forms or types of financial aid like scholarships and grants. These are available on a first come first serve basis. This is the reason why it is very important that you submit your FAFSA as early as possible after January 1. If you will not receive any loans or financial aid until your FAFSA has been processed. So to be able to avail of these financial aid or student loans, you to submit at the earliest possible time.

Although you have until June 30 to submit your FAFSA, the earlier you submit it, the better. Especially if you are vying for a grant or scholarships for your higher education. If you have some difficulty with the application you may seek your mom or dads help. And one of the easiest ways to complete it is to go online; it will save you a lot of time.

There are things or documents you may need when completing the application form. First off is your social security number. Your investment mortgage information should be ready just in case you need it or it is applicable. If you are claimed as dependent for income tax purposes, you will need to supply this information. This is needed too for your parents as well. And also your tax and income information should be supplied.

After the submission of your FAFSA, you will receive a student aid report (SAR). This will happen 4 to 6 six weeks after your submission. The schools you have specified in your FAFSA will also receive the copy of your SAR. This will enable the school to customize a financial aid package for you. The school may include these types of financial packages to offer to you like; scholarships, grants, federal work study and or student loans.

Do not sit on your SAR report but read it carefully and make sure that all necessary corrections if there is any should be corrected. All the schools in your FAFSA will send you an award letter if you are accepted to enrol. The schools will outline what they can offer you including the total cost and the financial package itself. Read everything carefully and compare all the offers and choose which you will be comfortable with.

Once you have made up your mind on which school pay close attention to the deadlines listed on the letter. And when you are ready to accept a specific offer, complete, sign and return the forms that come with the awards letter. Do not miss out on the deadline because if you missed you are going to lose the offer. Student loans are easy to get but do not miss out on your deadlines.

Learning and knowing what it takes to get student loans will help you do it with ease. Student loans are easy to get and qualified for as long as you know the basic requirements.

Getting Student Loans or Private Student Loans for Higher Education Is Not Hard, Go To:http://www.lingwellness.com Or Consolidate Debt Loans To Ease Your Debt Burden

How to Control Your Food Budget As Prices Increase

Food prices have been hit hard by inflation of late, with the worst increases in about 20 years. Meat, milk, bread, eggs, produce all cost more than they used to. It's getting harder and harder to feed a family healthy meals.

Fortunately, it's not necessarily impossible, merely more challenging.

One of the simplest things you can do to help your food budget is to cut waste. Here in the United States tremendous amounts of food are wasted by most families. If you work harder on using up your leftovers you can save a significant amount of money.

For example, pack up dinner leftovers for lunch the next day. You can eat them yourself or send them with an ice pack with the kids to school if it's something that tastes good enough cold. A thermos bottle can help with foods that should be eaten warm. Just make sure you heat the food hot enough that a good thermos will keep it over 140 degrees F.

Think also about what you're eating. If you can cut back on the amount of meat you consume in a meal and/or have the occasional meatless meal you can save quite a bit. Beans, rice, lentils and such can be significantly cheaper than meats. Vegetarian meals can be quite tasty.

Similarly you can reconsider the cuts of meat you buy. Cheaper cuts can still taste quite good if prepared correctly. Crock pots are great at making even cheap meats tender.

With chicken, buying a whole one can have advantages. It's enough for 1-2 meals, depending on the size of your family, and you can make soup from the leftovers for yet another cheap meal.

But much of your savings come down to how you shop for food. Start paying close attention to the flyers that come from grocery stores near to you. You won't save if you're driving too far, but if you're lucky you will have at least a few stores to choose from. You may as well shop each for the items they have at good prices.

Keeping a price book can be a big help. You can do it alphabetically or by the order of the items in the store you shop most, but know what regular prices are and what standard sale prices are. This helps you to figure out if it's an unusually good deal that you should stock up on if you can, or if you need to figure out an alternative that week.

Coupons can also be a help if, and I emphasize IF, they are items you would be buying anyhow. If you weren't going to buy it, you can end up spending more money and ending up with things you aren't going to use up.

Plan your meals around the coupons and deals that you find each week. By planning ahead you can buy only what you need and reduce your food waste still further. It also helps to limit your spontaneous purchases if you can tell yourself you aren't going to use it.

For those who have the space and a sufficiently green thumb, gardening is another option. A good garden is exercise combined with a food source. It's also great for teaching children about where their food really comes from. And of course homegrown produce simply tastes better.

It takes time to figure out how to get the best deals in your particular area, but it's something you can master with practice. As prices continue to make life on a tight budget more challenging you have to think harder and plan more carefully.

Stephanie Foster blogs at http://www.homewiththekids.com/blog/ about being a stay at home mom. Get more tips on coping with a tight budget at her site and sign up for her free newsletter.

Americans Shocked to Learn That Medicare Does Not Pay for All Healthcare Expenses

Forty percent of Americans believe that Medicare pays for all healthcare needs after age 65. The majority of older adults are unprepared and shocked to learn they have to pay out of pocket for expenses they believed to be reimbursed by Medicare insurance.

Getting older and having healthcare issues can be financially and personally disastrous especially for those who are unprepared. What happens when your expenses for maintaining your home and your healthcare expenses exceed your income? What happens when you require a lengthy stay in a skilled nursing facility and have to pay $128 per day out of pocket? Just when you thought things could not possibly get worse, the costs start adding up quickly. If you have not saved properly you may have to re-mortgage or sell your home to pay healthcare bills. If you are single or widowed and lack a support system, the stress of the situation can wreak havoc with your life and your health.

Medicare pays for hospitalization and inpatient rehabilitation, hospice (Part A). The hospitalization co-pay in 2008 is $1024 for days 1-60; $256 for days 61-90; and there are 90 renewable days assuming there are at least 60 days without a subsequent inpatient hospital admission. Additionally, there are 60 lifetime reserve days when the 90 renewable days are used first. The co-pay for the lifetime days is $512 per day. After 150 days, coverage ends

A skilled nursing facility stay is covered if the patient has been hospitalized three consecutive days or if the patient enters the facility within 30 days of discharge from hospital for the same reason hospitalization occurred. Insurance covers days 1-20 at 100 percent and for days 21-100 the individual is responsible for a daily co-insurance amount of $128 per day; at 100 days coverage ends. This coverage is provided only if there is weekly documented improvement in therapy and health. If documented improvement plateaus, the individual is discharged back home or can continue to live in the skilled facility at the current private pay rate which averages $200 per day in 2008.

Medicare Part B covers physician and some preventative services. There is a monthly payment of $96.40 per month if income is less than $82,000 per year. The Part B deductible is $135.

Most Americans believe that Medicare pays for long term care in traditional skilled nursing facilities, however, Medicare stops paying at day 100. It is at this point individuals are personally and financially responsible for their own care. Even if an individual does not need an extended skilled nursing facility stay, Medicare does not pay for home care that is considered non-skilled and custodial in nature. This is actually the type of care that most individuals need to remain independent at home. Long term care insurance is the best option to pay for this type of care, however it must be purchased in advance of the need.

In addition to traditional Medicare Parts A and B, there are two other options. The first is called Part C which is a Medicare Advantage Plan. Perhaps the most common recognizable plan under this option is Kaiser Permanente. Kaiser offers benefits within a predefined network of doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers. If you go to an out of network doctor, the plan may pay a lesser benefit or none at all. Some Medicare Advantage providers also offer a private fee for service plan which do not limit you to a specific network of providers. If you are concerned about lowering your total healthcare costs and do not mind being limited to a network of healthcare providers, a Medicare Advantage Plan may be beneficial.

Original Medicare is still the most popular program. As an alternate to Medicare Part C Advantage Plans, Medigap insurance exists. These plans are labeled A through L and offer various benefits depending on the chosen plan. You cannot be denied Medigap insurance if you enroll during the open enrollment period which is the six month period beginning the first month you are covered under Medicare Part B and are age 65 or older. If you miss this window you can be denied coverage based on pre-existing medical conditions. Depending on the plan that you choose your premiums may increase yearly. Some of these plans supplement traditional Medicare by paying for Part A hospital co-pays and daily skilled nursing facility co-pays.

The goal is to plan ahead prior to Medicare eligibility to do investigative work to determine the best plan for you. And remember it is important to sign up for both Part A and Part B when the eligibility period becomes available. Not doing so may subject you to an increase in Part B premiums for every period after the initial enrollment period.

Pamela D.Wilson, specializes in long term care planning and education for older adults. Contact her at The Care Navigator or visit
The Care Navigator Blog for free information

Five Ways to Avoid Financially Supporting Aging Parents

Unless you have spent considerable time with your parents and are aware of how they manage their finances and resources, it is likely you will end up contributing financially to their retirement and healthcare needs. This will significantly affect your retirement planning not to mention your time, family relationships and your career.

While children are generally supportive of caring for aging parents and many would not change anything about the time, effort and financial support provided, with proper planning this support does not have to be a personal or financial drain. Be prepared to open the discussion. This is difficult subject matter that many people put off or put aside to focus on other priorities like raising children and funding college. However not planning for long term care often results in crises and stress later in life. This type of planning is just not for our parents it is for us because accidents and health care issues occur throughout life.

Most of us feel psychologically young while our bodies chronologically age. It is this unexpected chronological aging that catches us off guard. We approach our fifties and our body parts begin to fail due to overuse, especially in those who have been very active like distance runners or those who ski. Or we are diagnosed with high blood pressure or diabetes and we may be destined to take medications the rest of our lives.

Our parents face the same chronological issues on an accelerated level. Hip and knee replacements are common as are the increased number of medications older adults often take. And how well your parents cared for themselves when they were younger will have a direct effect on their ability to age with or without significant health issues.

After age 65 a stay in a nursing home is common whether it be for short term rehabilitation or to recover from a medical emergency. Most older adults have excessively negative memories of nursing homes because their parents or older family members may have been placed in the "home". The skilled facilities of today have come a long way in dispelling this old impression, however many people do not want to live the last years of their lives in a nursing home. All the better reason to make a long term care plan now.

We often see our parents as the authority, however depending on their level of education and experience in the world, we may be the actual authority. Children are often better educated than their parents and more familiar or at least aware of financial planning and insurance products. I was surprised when I learned after my mother's death that she never knew how to balance a checkbook. She was just good at making sure there was always enough money in the account to pay the bills.

Here are five steps you can take to avoid financially supporting aging parents. If you are already at the point of crises, many of the discussion points still apply, however you may have to make other hard choices about finances because long term care insurance may no longer be an option due to health reasons.

1. Have a discussion with them about their finances. Many parents feel this to be an invasion of privacy but they might understand if you tell them that you are making your own long term plan and want to make sure that they are equally prepared for retirement.

2. Take them with you to a financial planner and while you are there share information and make your own plan to stress the importance of proper planning with your parents. Set an example.

3. Prepare budgets. Have a realistic discussion of available finances and the costs of long term care. Look at expected monthly retirement income versus available monies to pay for unplanned hospitalization or skilled nursing facility co-pays. If there will not be sufficient funds available for unexpected expenses, consider long term care insurance which pays for home care, assisted living and skilled facility care.

4. Discuss life insurance if this has not already been purchased. It could mean the difference between having a paid off mortgage or not, in addition to paying for funeral arrangements and paying off other bills.

5. Follow through with finalizing a plan. If you wait too long some options may no longer be available.

Pamela D.Wilson, specializes in long term care planning and education for older adults. Contact her at The Care Navigator or visit
The Care Navigator Blog for free information

7 Reasons You Should Be Ecstatic About the Credit Squeeze

Whether or not you are affected by the falling real estate prices, the credit squeeze being applied by the banks or just generally feeling that perhaps you just went a little too crazy with all those credit cards the banks very kindly gave you, you really are more in control of your future than you probably think you are right now.

For whatever reason the banks saw fit, they have loosened their criteria over the last 10 years and relaxed their own guidance rules about responsible lending and have distributed money out like candy to customers who would not usually have met with the strict criteria of several years ago.

If you had the privilege of a time machine that could take you back 12 to 15 years ago you would be shocked by how strict the criteria used to be for borrowing money. Credit cards were reserved for households with certain income levels to ensure they could keep up with the repayments.

For many people who have not known anything other than credit as and when requested there is an unfortunate sequence of events in the financial world that will come as a shock when they hear the word no.

As a seasoned anti credit campaigner myself, I view all this activity with a much more positive outlook than most, because I think it is the best news you could hear if you ever truly want wealth and prosperity to come your way.

There are at least 7 great reasons why you should be happy with the credit squeeze.

1. You need to clear your debts before you can become wealthy, so a credit squeeze will force you to choose a much better way of life.

2. You will be able to stop the banks making billions of dollars from extortionate interest rate charges on loans, credit cards and mortgage payments.

3. Life without credit cards is much more fun than life with credit card debt.

4. If you are up to your limit with your credit cards anyway, you might as well face facts that you were not very good with them in the first place.

5. Your wallet will be lighter with fewer credit cards and you will speed up the queues at the till behind you when you start your selection process.

6. Credit Cards only ever give you a one time pay rise that is really tough to pay back without earning more money anyway, if you can earn more money anyway, why do you need the card?

7. Credit Cards just make banks richer with your money; they are set up to keep you in debt because they make more money that way.

As with all things in life, you can either choose to take a negative slant on something or meet it head on and make it a positive event. Ultimately the credit balloon has been getting bigger and bigger year after year for quite some time; at sometime it simply had to pop.

Diane Cossie has thrown down a live challenge on the web with her positive angle on the credit squeeze. Pay Off Your Mortgage in Less than 3 Years shows week by week how anyone can pay off their mortgage at; http://www.payoffyourmortgagein8yearsorless.co.uk

How to Diversify Investments in Your 401K Plan

You have signed up for your employer's 401K plan and are very proud of yourself because you are not only getting tax benefits, but your employer matches a portion of your investment (can you say free money?). Congratulations to you. You have taken the first step to becoming an investor and building your portfolio for a wealthier life.

But - if you are like the majority of Americans, you take a look at the selection of investment choices and all of a sudden, you are lost! Here are a few tips on how to best diversify investments in your company-sponsored 401K plan, even if you are a complete newbie to the investment scene.

Check out employee stock.

Some companies match their employee's contribution by giving out their own stock. Other companies may give stock options. If you are somebody who is already somehow investing in company stock, it may not be a good idea to purchase additional company stock through your 401K plan.

One of the main goals of a 401K plan is to provide financial stability for you in the future, which means having a well-proportioned investment strategy. Make sure your company stock does not overwhelm your portfolio.

Risk assessment

Many financial companies have risk tolerance quizzes and assessment tools and these may be extremely helpful to help you understand just how much risk you are willing to take on.

A good rule of thumb is that if you are younger, you can generally carry more risk because you have the time to wait out any market. If you are approaching retirement, you may wish for a more conservative blend of assets.

Check out the information related to how the investment is rated. Words like an aggressive growth mean a higher risk, but also a chance for higher returns; while words like stable or income usually indicate a more conservative investment.

Mix and Match

Do not be afraid to mix and match. Look at your investment choices and start to blend. Mix and match stock and bond investments. Blend large-cap and small-cap funds. Blend industries or foreign/domestic choices.

The goal of an investment portfolio is to become diversified, so review your choices and use the information given to you to create a great mix and match end result. Be proud of yourself for taking that first step. These tips should help you diversify investments in your 401k plan.

Caterina Christakos is an experienced investor and instructor. To learn about how to diversify your portfolio with high yield investments go to:http://www.highyieldinvestmentreview.com

Q and A Regarding Managed IRAs

For most Americans, the goal of any investment strategy is to fund retirement. We expect to work until retirement age and then we expect to be financially comfortable. One way to achieve this goal is to invest in a managed IRA. To help you understand this choice a little better, some common questions are listed below.

Q: I just left my old job. Can I roll over my pension and 401K plan into an IRA without tax consequences?

A: Yes, absolutely. Make sure that you create an IRA account where the financial company will help you with this step.

Q: I have a 401K at work. Can I still create my own IRA outside of work?

A: Again the answer is yes. The only caveat is that there is a limit based upon the amount of contributions per year that is tax-deductible. The IRS website should have more information on what those limits are.

Q: I want to get money out of my IRA in order to help me purchase my first home. I am 30 years old. Is this going to hurt me?

A: For the most part, this type of withdrawal should not hurt you. Although IRAs are created to help you save for retirement and to give you tax breaks today, there are some withdrawals that are not penalized no matter what your age is.

One of the most common withdrawal reasons is for the purchase of a primary home. Check with your IRA manager about any forms you need to fill out or what actions you will need to take. You will, though, have to pay taxes as this withdrawal is considered income.

Q: I want to help my children prepare for their future. Can I set up an IRA for them?

A: Probably not! One of the prerequisites to creating an IRA is having earned income, so unless your children are earning money every year, they may not be eligible.

What you can do is educate your children to the advantages of compound interest for the time they do become eligible for an IRA. Let them check out retirement calculators and see how $50 a month invested at age 16, 17 or 18 can grow by the time the child reaches retirement age.

Q: I am thinking about selecting a managed IRA because I do not have time to manage the fund myself. But I still want some control over what is best for me. What can I do?

A: Any decent fund manager is going to take your input and find out more about you before making decision on how to invest your IRA funds. You should view your fund manager as a paid partner who is also an expert in financial investments. To make sure you are comfortable with your selection, ask to set up a time to discuss investment choices on a periodic basis.

Caterina Christakos is an experienced investor and instructor. To learn more about managed Iras go to:
http://www.highyieldinvestmentreview.com