background preloader

Finance Fitness

Facebook Twitter

Chartfreely to Singapore Stock. How to Do a Debt Snowball. PenFed Promise Credit Card Review - Low APR & No Fees. Suze Orman's 5 tips reflect pessimism on economy. CHICAGO — Suze Orman's financial pep talks carry consistent themes: Attack your debt.

Suze Orman's 5 tips reflect pessimism on economy

Have a plan for retirement. Take control of your money. She has a more pessimistic outlook for the economy than many of her peers. “We're still four to five years away from any semblance of recovery, in terms of jobs and everything really coming back,” she said. So how does that affect her advice for the coming year? 1. Orman: If you are investing, and you should be investing, understand that in 2011 most likely bonds are over. 2. Individuals don't get a tax deduction for contributions to a Roth individual retirement account, but the money grows tax-free and they can withdraw any portion of the account after age 59 1/2 . Orman: With a Roth IRA, you can withdraw your original contributions any time you want. 3. Orman: By law federally chartered credit unions cannot raise your interest rate above 18 percent. 4. It's not expensive to get a $100,000 term life insurance policy for your child. Get Out of Debt Fast: 10 Key Characteristics of Debt-Free People.

The other day a friend and I were discussing why some people manage to live their lives in complete control of their finances, while others are continually struggling to get out of debt — no matter how much money they make.

Get Out of Debt Fast: 10 Key Characteristics of Debt-Free People

Financial freedom can be achieved by anybody, regardless of their income level. So what is it that separates the financially free from the financially inept? How come there are some families out there making ends meet with household incomes under $40,000 and no debt on the books — or at worst, a single mortgage payment — while others make millions per year and can’t keep their financial heads above water? The truth is, there is no single trait that determines who will successfully manage their personal finances and those who won’t. People of modest means who know how to properly manage their finances have some combination of multiple characteristics. How to Replace Six Vital Documents. This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman.

How to Replace Six Vital Documents

Could you produce your birth certificate, car title, or an old tax return at a moment’s notice? You’re supposed to store vital documents in a fireproof box or keep them in a safe-deposit box, but how many of us actually do that? We may not need these papers often, but when we do need them, we really need them. You need vital documents to sell your car, travel overseas, apply for a job, get through an audit, refinance your house, and more. The good news is that if you’ve lost important pieces of paper, you can replace them — and it might be easier than you think. Birth certificate You need a birth certificate for everything from enrolling in school to getting a marriage license (if you don’t have a passport).

NameBirth dateGenderParents’ namesPlace of birth Replacing a birth certificate costs $10-$20, depending on the state. U.S. driver’s licenseState-issued, non-driver identification cardU.S. passport Car title Hoping to sell your car? How to Check and Manage Your Credit Score for Free. Last Updated: 4/05/2014 14:17 PST Most people know that a lot is riding on their credit score, from the interest rates you pay on your loans, to your ability to rent an apartment, buy a home or car, and even to find a job. Announcing the Save $1,000 in 30 Days Challenge. You’ll notice that I haven’t written a lot about frugality on this site.

Announcing the Save $1,000 in 30 Days Challenge

That’s because Americans suck at frugality. We spend more than we make. We’re terrible at deferring our immediate wants and investing for the long term. We go into debt. And we blame everyone but ourselves. Remember, fundamentally, there are two ways to have more money. That all changed a couple weeks ago. I read this article, which explained that “As many as 80 percent of Americans are stressed about their personal finances and the economy.” Right now, people don’t care about proper asset allocation or understanding average stock market returns. 8 Bad Spending Triggers - adrianep905. Financial Fitness Task 6: Keep a Spending Diary #30DaysofGOOD - Business. Compare credit cards, cheap loans, mortgages, savings, home insurance cheapest UK deals - Moneyextra.com.

Wealth Club: Suze Orman Talks Credit Scores, Occupy Wall Street, and the American Dream - Business. Financial guru Suze Orman has been helping people manage their money since she wrote her first advice book in 1995, after more than a decade of work as an investor.

Wealth Club: Suze Orman Talks Credit Scores, Occupy Wall Street, and the American Dream - Business

This week, she’s introducing a new kind of pre-paid debit card that she hopes will overturn the common practice of rewarding those debtors who maintain a high credit score while paying only the monthly minimums. GOOD financial advice columnist Michael Fleck talked to Orman last week about her new card and career. An edited transcript follows.