background preloader

Financial Considerations

Facebook Twitter

Carbonfree small business program. Little Known Mortgage Solutions. April 25, 2014 Many homeowners are surprised to learn of a government lending program that could allow homeowners to refinance their homes now to ultra low rates and potentially save more than $100,000 over the lifetime of their loan.1 When homeowners visit The Easy Loan Site™ , many are surprised to still find near historically low mortgage rates.

Little Known Mortgage Solutions

In as little as 2 minutes, homeowners can easily find out if they can pre-qualify for a low fixed rate mortgage - and the best part is that you DON'T Need an Appraisal to pre-qualify! Most importantly, qualified homeowners can compare rates from up to 4 lenders for their situation. Banks are hungry for business and are aggressively offering low rates while they are still available.

Tip: Mortgage rates are closely tied to the Fed's action and the economy. A few years ago, the Fed lowered short term interest rates, leading to record low mortgage rates. How Racking Up Debt Is Ruining Our Retirement. Many Americans are accumulating debt faster than they amass retirement savings – making them far less prepared for retirement.

How Racking Up Debt Is Ruining Our Retirement

Six in 10 Americans who participate in a defined contribution retirement plan, such as a 401(k), racked up more debt in 2010 and 2011 than they contributed to their retirement savings, according to an alarming new report from HelloWallet. One in 5 plan participants added more credit card debt than retirement savings to their family balance sheet.

(The study analyzed consumer finance data from the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Census Bureau.) “Through retirement plans and Social Security taxes, the average 401(k) participant now contributes over 11 percent of their paycheck to retirement savings every month, yet the typical worker near retirement has only about two years of replacement income saved,” HelloWallet CEO Matt Fellowes said in a statement. Household monthly debt payments increased 69 percent from 1992 through 2010. If a Government Shutdown Causes an Economic Crisis, Will You be Ready? Happy Thursday, friends!

If a Government Shutdown Causes an Economic Crisis, Will You be Ready?

This whole government shutdown fiasco and impending economic crisis has me thinking a bit more seriously about the financial situation of most Americans. Political leanings aside, a long-term shutdown could cause real and present financial danger for the average American. Several things could happen, should we spiral into an economic crisis, that could change daily life for most citizens. Let’s say, for example, that the government doesn’t “put on their big boy pants ” as Grayson over at Debt Roundup so eloquently put it, anytime soon.

What does this mean for Americans, and more importantly, how can we be prepared for any economic crisis that might hit should the shutdown be a long-term one? Have Cash on Hand When Black Tuesday struck during the Great Depression, the first thing people did was head to their local bank to retrieve their cash. Getting a Job in the 21st Century: Apps to Get You There. The following is a guest post about getting a job in the 21st century.

Getting a Job in the 21st Century: Apps to Get You There

If interested in submitting a guest post, please read my guest post policy and then contact me. The days of scanning the classified ads for a job are long gone. The Pros and Cons of Buying an Annuity for Retirement. Right now is the time to start preparing for your retirement, and 401(k) plans and IRAs aren’t your only options.

The Pros and Cons of Buying an Annuity for Retirement

You may want to consider purchasing an annuity, which is a financial product sold by insurance companies that can provide regular income during retirement years. Understanding the advantages and risks of purchasing an annuity can help you determine if it is a wise retirement solution for you and your family. How Annuities Work. Cheaper Gadget Insurance ~ Where to get it? Isn’t it amazing how technology moves on within a generation?

Cheaper Gadget Insurance ~ Where to get it?

I remember when I was younger the first day a kid brought his new pay-as-you-go mobile phone into school, it seemed a bit pointless at the time as he had no one to call but it wasn’t too long before mobile phones were everywhere. Nowadays our houses are filled with every gadget imaginable. I read this article on The Broke and Beautiful Life the other day where Stefanie talked about her kindle falling – Well being knocked – out of the window by her boyfriend during a period of mild intoxication and she was asking, who should pay for things when these inevitable accidents take place?

Well this just goes to show the importance of gadget insurance in the modern world. I can't complain. I realize that I have complained a lot lately about how slow things have been and how frustrating it is to deal with Guatemalan bureaucracy and the red tape.

I can't complain

But really, there are many reasons why I can’t complain, you can’t have it all. If I love that most rules aren’t enforced and you can pretty much do what you please, I can’t complain when the rare directive applies to me and I am asked to comply. If I love that taxes are so low, I can’t complain about the state of the roads or the absence of public services. If I loved building my little house without asking anyone for a permit, I can’t complain that the neighbor did the same and his house makes my eyes sore.