Your Wealth Puzzle » Financial

Go Deeper & Deeper Into Your Financial Side

yourwealthpuzzle — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:00:02 +0000

There Must Be A Better Way

courtesy of glasbergen

Taxes Got You Down?

You only have so much disposable income. The last thing you want to do with your money is give it to the government. Tax-exempt and tax deferred investments have become a popular way to shuffle your tax burdens.

In Debt? Where Did It All Begin?

yourwealthpuzzle — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:00:44 +0000

: courtesy of cartoon stock

Ever wonder why you have excessive credit card debt?

Now you know.

Do You Understand Credit Card Reform?You Need To

yourwealthpuzzle — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:00:20 +0000

Related Posts: How Bad Is Credit Card Consolidation? Everything You Need About Credit Card Debt Worried About Your Credit Card Debt? You’re Not Alone Related Posts:

Are You Making Your Financial Resolutions The Right Way?

yourwealthpuzzle — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 10:20:33 +0000

Approach Financial Resolutions Differently

Financial Tips You Can Use

If you do what you always did, you will get what you always got. If you never stick to your financial new years resolutions, maybe you need to approach from a different direction.

What’s Your Financail New Years Resolution?

yourwealthpuzzle — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 10:03:38 +0000

A Financial Resolution Gives Direction

Everyone needs a financial new years resolution. It can be about eliminating debt, increasing retirement plan contribuitons, cutting expenses. Your financial resolution must focus on your personal finanical issues to make it effective.

If you have not made yours yet, this video will give you some good ideas.

Bottoms Up On The Market

yourwealthpuzzle — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 10:00:11 +0000

Will The Markets Ever Come Back?

Down Or Down & Out?

Many financial experts are claiming that the markets are down, but not down and out. What’s the difference? Do you believe the experts? Should you worry about your money? Is your money worth anything?

Financial History Lesson|Boring But Promising

There is a correlation between America’s form of government, capitalism, and market crashes.

The intrinsic nature of capitalism leads to market crashes but also eventual rebounds. According to these financial experts, the markets are running as usual; we are currently in an economic collapse but will see a rebound. The fear is not if the markets will bounce back, but when.

What Causes Market Crashes?

Changes in federal government policies, government regulations and political events all effect the markets.

Lately that includes the passage of the Obama health care package, tax increases, the federal debt ceiling debate, the downgrading of the U.S by Standards & Poor, the elections next year, the straw polls in Iowa….all of those financial and political events shift the markets.

You as an investor cannot change any of those events, you can only adjust to the ramifications caused by them.

Blame The Media, They Did It

The media contributes to market crashes.

They continually grind into the public how bad things are. Tragedy sells, so the media pushes that button and the public listens and believes the worst. Market spikes are based on panic, fear and uncertainty; the media helps promote that.

When the public feels cornered, they panic. Market volatility based on fear causes investors to change their entire portfolios; to sell it all, get out of the market. The market then proceeds to drop, interest rates are driven to new lows and the dollar loses its purchasing power. So these investors have gained little, except for imagined safety.

If investors avoided a panic, the market would stabilize in a shorter period of time, interest rates and the dollar would not drop so low.

Market Trending Up|Buy, Buy, Buy

The economic indicators show the market on an upward tilt, if ever so slight. So if you have not sold out, buy more. Market crashes offer investors one positive, the perfect time to buy stock because stocks are on sale on account of all those investors who sold out

If you have a financial planner work with them to plan your strategy. You will be very pleased at what sales you can pick up.

Got Financial Troubles|Solve It With Puzzles

yourwealthpuzzle — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:00:49 +0000

Is Your Financial Puzzle Out Of Whack?

What’s A Financial Puzzle?

Everyone has a financial puzzle, most folks just don’t know it. Your financial puzzle is your financial life put together as a puzzle. Pieces of puzzles have to fit together to complete a puzzle, the same is true with your finances. To have a steady financial life, all your financial pieces have to fit together; if they are not fitting like a puzzle, you could have financial troubles.

The Top 2 Financial Puzzle Pieces

Your Insurances

Insurance is an absolute necessity. You need insurance to protect you and your family from the unknown.

You have auto and home insurance to protect yourself from liabilities and your property from physical damage. You may have an umbrella policy to extend your liability coverages.

You have life insurance to protect your family in case something were to happen to you. Some financial planners say that you can never have enough life insurance….that may be true, how do you feel about that? Do you have enough life insurance on yourself and your spouse to pay off your mortgage, all outstanding credit card debts, your auto loans and if you have children, enough to put them through college?

If you do not have enough insurance coverages, your financial puzzle will be lopsided. Work closely with your insurance agent; make sure they advise you on the proper auto, home and life insurance coverages. Your agent should also be able to help you save money on your insurance premiums.

Your Debt

Debt is ugly. It us easy to get into it but oh so difficult to get out of it. Credit card debt is the #1 reason for someone’s financial puzzle to be out of whack.

You waste so much money on credit card debt with fees and interest. Make a commitment to yourself to repair your credit card debt. This will help improve your financial puzzle.

Your Commitment

Avoid adding on additional debt. If you cannot afford to pay for something in cash, don’t buy it.

Stop missed payments; they will catch up with you when your credit score gets lowered.

Stop late pays. If you cannot afford to pay off your credit card in full every month, do not use your card.

Debt that is not attended to lowers your credit score. A low credit score will increase the cost of everything you buy. So if you thought you had financial troubles before, wait until your credit score is low.

You can do it, with a commitment to yourself you can reduce the amount of your outstanding debts.

Eliminate Financial Stress|Go For The Credit Scores

yourwealthpuzzle — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 10:00:56 +0000

Skip The Shrink, Credit Scores Are Key To NO Stress

Want Less Stress|Check Your Credit Score

Your credit scores are the key to a stress free financial life.

When you have high credit scores, creditors will bend-over-backwards for you; they will actually compete to get you as a customer. High score equal less risky equal great business for them. High credit scores shows the financial industry that you take your financial responsibilities seriously.

A high credit score means you cost lenders, creditors, utility companies, insurance companies and landlords less money. Those in the financial industry reward you by charging you less and extending you offers that consumers with low credit scores cannot get.

What’s In It For You With A High Score?

When you have a high credit score you will get the lowest interest rates on mortgages, auto and student loans. You will pay lower premiums on your auto insurance. You will be offered reward programs from credit card companies. You can even use your high score to haggle with your landlord and utility company.

What’s In A Credit Score

Credit scores tell the financial industry how risky you are. Credit scores range from 300 to 850, the higher your number the more likely you are to be a good risk.

Strive For A Credit Score Above 800

Only one third of Americans can brag about having a credit score above 800. If your score is above 800 creditors consider you to be financially perfect. That three digit number shows creditors that you are a great borrower, you are reliable, you do not overextend on credit and you repay on time.

760 to 800

You’re doing good. You are still considered a good risk. You have demonstrated your creditworthiness.

725 to 760

You are above average. You are still considered to be a good risk. Work on getting above 760 to impress the financial industry even more.

Below 725

Well, you are right on the border of okay and need improvement. With a little work on your part you can boost your credit score up and eliminate some financial stress.

Lower Than 550

You are not a good risk. Lenders will consider you too risky to extend loans to, if they do, it will be at a very, very high interest rate.

Work It

Stress is part of life nowadays; but financial stress does not have to be. Your credit scores can do so much to help you eliminate stress.

By making yourself aware of how you make your payments and avoiding late payments, you help the largest factor of your score, payment history.

Be aware of how much you charge up on your credit cards; you will be evaluated on your credit use to available credit; which is the second largest factor of your credit score.

Psycholgical Blow|How Are Your Investments

yourwealthpuzzle — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:30:05 +0000

American Investors Shocked

Sell Or Stay Put?

Depending on who you listen to or who you get your financial advice from will determine whether or not you make any moves with your investments. Either way may be a risk.

If You Think You Need More Money Than You Make, You’re Wrong

yourwealthpuzzle — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:00:30 +0000

Financial Planners Have Heard It Before

The most common complaint that financial planners hear:

My pay check is never big enough.

Translation:

Clients spend more money than they make.

The Basic Solution:

Live within your means. Change your spending habits.

The Big Problem:

How to live on your pay check?

Hard Conclusion:

You do not need to earn more, you need to spend less.

It’s Rather Basic|You Are What You Spend

Even though financial planners have been preaching to their clients for years about financial basics, people still live beyond their means. Financial planners feel that no one seems to understand the concept that you are what you spend. People get it once they are in financial trouble, but rarely before that.

You Must Believe

Financial planners are not in business to change your spending habits, their purpose is to teach you how to change your financial habits. You have to do the work, your financial planner can only lead you, they cannot force you.

To change your spending habits, you have to first believe in what your financial planner is telling you about your pay check. If you spend more than you make, you will always be scrambling for money, you will never make enough money.

Turn Your Focus Around

If you are living beyond your means, financial planners will tell you to change your focus. They will tell you to focus more on what you spend instead of dwelling so much on what you earn. You have more control over what you spend than what you earn, unless you are the boss or own the company. Only you can change your spending habits.

Get Back The Controls

You give up so much financial control when you live from pay check to pay check or are deep in debt. When you are in debt, your creditors own you, they run your financial life. When you are buried in credit card debt and just make the minimum payments, you will never get out of debt…that’s no way to live. That’s like always having a noose around your neck.

Seize Financial Control

The first step towards seizing financial control is to gain control over your debt.

Pay down your credit card debt. Hit that debt with the highest interest first.
Avoid racking up future credit card debt.
Use your credit cards for emergency purchases only. Your credit cards are untouchable unless a true emergency arises that is so expensive you cannot pay for it in cash.
Start a budget based on your earnings.
If an item is not on the budget, it does not get purchased, period!!

You have the power, you have the control. To succeed at turning your financial habits around, you must have financial self-discipline; after that, everything will fall into place.