titleUsing Microsoft Excel Or Google Spreadsheets to Create a Monthly Budget/titlepbFact:/b tracking your spending is essential to working your way to financial freedom. Everybody knows that your best defense against financial hardship is simply knowing how much money is coming in vs. how much is going out. You need to make sure youre making more than youre spending./ppHow?/ppWell- you can SPEND money to budget on programs like Quicken, Pearbudget, Mint, Mvelopes, or YNAB. Many can provide you with resourceful tools that will help you keep your finances in check; however, you actually have to spend more money to use them! Arent you creating a budget to save money?/ppbSolution: Use Microsoft Excel or Google Spreadsheets to create a monthly budget for you!/b/ppFollowing are some of the advantages to making Microsoft Excel or Google Spreadsheets your official financial planner:/ppb1. Costs Nothing - /bMicrosoft Excel is a program that most of us own. And if you are one of the rare people that dont have your own copy, dont go out and buy it! You can easily do the exact same thing the an Excel spreadsheet will do with a Google Docs spreadsheet- and thats for free! The fact is a spreadsheets capabilities can do virtually everything you need them to. Most of your fancy financial software programs will cost you hundreds of dollars in the long run. Seems a little funny that youre going to spend your money on something that is going to save it. Be resourceful; use a spreadsheet./ppb2. Easy to Set up - /bWhether youre using Microsoft Excel or Google Spreadsheet, youre not going to have a hard time setting them up. In fact, if youll just learn a couple of quick formulas, youll easily be able to make your numbers automatically add up, multiply, subtract, and divide when and where you need them to./ppb3. Simple - /bIn my experience using financial budgeting software, they just arent that simple! The first one I ever bought was Quicken, and I found that it did too much. All I needed was something that I could customize to build a budget that worked for me; Quicken complicated things to a point where I didnt even want to use it. It was not user-friendly at all, and thats what I needed when it came to a monthly personal budget. Pearbudget.com and Youneedabudget.com do a pretty good job to keep things simple and if you ever did decide to pay money for a monthly budget, thats what I would recommend; however, using a free spreadsheet will save you the money period, and its just as simple to use./ppb4. Fully Customizable - /b Why not use a budgeting software that enables you to completely customize what you need?! Choose your own colors, categories, sizes, fonts, styles, and structures to fit what you need. After all, everybody is different and one standardized budgeting software isnt going to work for all! Fit your budget to your needs./ppIn conclusion, my personal recommendation when it comes to organizing your money is either a Microsoft Excel budgeting spreadsheet or a Google Docs Spreadsheet. Dont waste your money on buying budgeting software. Youre pocket book will thank you for choosing an alternative route- budgeting for free!/ppa target=_new href=http://www.financialnut.comhttp://www.financialnut.com/a - dedicated to improving the worlds financial IQ one blog post at a time! Get all sorts of help and information regarding budgeting and using a target=_new href=http://www.financialnut.comexcel budget spreadsheets/a at Financialnut./pbrbr
titleFinancing Investment Property - The Essentials You Need to Know in Order to Make a Profit!/titlepFinancing investment property is something that can be a stumbling block for new and experienced property professionals. The bottom line is that unless you plan to buy a property for cash, you will normally need to finance it in some way. This article gives you advice on what to keep in mind when thinking about how to finance your investment property successfully./ppb Find the Right Professional to Work With/b/ppThis is perhaps the most important thing to do and is the piece of the puzzle that many first time property investors and developers fail to get right. Before entering into the World of making money from property professionally, most people dont know a lot about the different professionals that are out there and the different roles they have in trying to work with you to help you to be successful./ppThe first thing that many people do to try and get finance is the talk to their local bank or financial adviser. This can be a wise place to start as you probably already have a relationship with them so things might run smoothly; however, the problem occurs when this is the only visit that the budding property investor makes and when they think this is the be all and end all./ppThere is a World of professional mortgage brokers, financial advisers and other experts, out there that are used to dealing property investors. The rates that they can secure and the access they have to products, often far outstrips those of which your local bank manager will have access to. To make your living from property, you must start to broaden you horizons and make contact with the best people to finance your property deals./ppb Make Sure you Get the Right Product /b/ppThis should be straight forward, if you are working with good brokers or advisers. At any given time there are many different mortgage or loan products on the market, but you need to be able to find the one that is right for you and the specific project you are working on at that time./ppIf you are planning to hold onto a property for several years and you think that the interest rates are going to rise, you might opt for a fixed rate mortgage./ppIf you are planning on flipping the property and selling it straight on the you probably would not target a fixed rate. The important issue would be that there is not a penalty, or at least only a very small one, if you paid off the loan early because paying off the loan early would be exactly what you would be planning to do as soon as you sold the property./ppThis is why you need to get the right product for you and the project you are working on at that particular time. Financing investment property incorrectly and using the wrong mortgage or loan product could cost you thousands in unnecessary fees and it could turn what should have been an extremely profitable deal into a money pit./ppIf you want to take your property investing career to the next level and not just learn about how to a target=_new href=http://www.investment-property-guru.com/property-investment-finance.htmlfinance investment property/a successfully but also all the other aspects of making money from property, then visit our a target=_new href=http://www.investment-property-guru.comproperty investing tips/a website to learn all about the secrets of making money from property in any and all economic conditions./pbrbr
titleRestaurant Loans/titlepThe restaurant industry is booming. With 945,000 U.S. locations and 13.1 million employees, 2008 restaurant sales totaled $558 billion dollars. That means, on a typical day, restaurant industry sales are about $1.5 billion./ppIn order to produce these numbers, restaurant owners need cash, cash that many attempt to acquire through bank loans. But when the bank is not an option, many would-be borrowers feel discouraged and often like theyve hit a road block. However, restaurant loans provide an alternate route./ppA restaurant loan is a form of a merchant cash advance. Like merchant cash advances, the loan is repaid via the credit card purchases of customers. Also, like merchant cash advances, they can be renewed, offering restaurant owners a type of revolving loan. Unlike most cash advances, that require a merchant to have owned his/her business for at least four months to be eligible for a loan, a borrower can receive a restaurant loan within the first week of the restaurants opening. Now in addition to being able to use the loan to expand your restaurant, for a boost in working capital, or for a special project, new restaurant owners can use these loans for startups as well./ppRestaurant owners understand that creating a venue that appeals to consumers is vital, as obviously, these types of sales would not be possible if it werent for the consumer. People go out to eat when they dont have the time to cook, or simply dont want to cook. They go to restaurants to celebrate milestones, birthdays, holidays and accomplishments and to spend time with friends and/or family./ppAccording to statistics provided by the National Restaurant Association, 70 percent of adults said their favorite restaurant foods provide flavor and taste sensations which cannot be easily duplicated in their home kitchens./ppRestaurant owners have the challenge of keeping up with the times, providing healthier options and sometimes environmentally friendly sites, as 62 percent of adults said they are likely to make a restaurant choice based on how environmentally friendly a restaurant is, states the National Restaurant Association./ppRestaurant loans can make it possible for restaurant owners to provide these meals that customers can not duplicate, to create environmentally friendly spaces, and to finance all of the endeavors that it takes to make and keep customers. The loans can be attained with no collateral and offer a repayment process that is ideal for restaurant owners. Choose a restaurant loan to help bring out the best in your restaurant./ppGaston C. writes articles about a TARGET=_NEW href=http://www.cashprior.com/unsecured_restaurant_loan.phpRestaurant Loans/a for Merchant Resources International./pbrbr
Diapers alone for the first year can cost $1000 or more.
It is tempting to buy a small package of diapers because it seems cheaper at first.
Newborns grow very fast, however, and if you buy too many 1s or 2s you may be left with diapers you can’t use. You may find that you can use the store brand diapers as they get older but I have always tried them and gone back to name brand.
On average a Jumbo pack of diapers cost $11.00 for about 40 diapers. This is average for Pampers, Huggies, and LUVS. You are paying approximately .26 per diaper this way. This is the average cost for 40 diapers Size 3.
For size 5 you will get about 30 diapers for .37 each for Pampers and Huggies at $11.00 for a Jumbo pack.
LUVS size 5 Jumbo pack of 30 diapers is .28 (each diaper) at $8.49 per pack.
For Extra Large Packages, LUVS are cheaper running about $36 a box for sizes 3,4, and 5.
LUVS Extra Large Boxes run just a few cents cheaper than Pampers about .18 - .24 cents each.
Pampers Extra Large Boxes are about $43 a box about .21 - .28 cents each.
LUVS and Pampers give you about 30-40 more diapers than Huggies Extra Large box at about .23 - .29 each.
So how can you beat these prices?
There are several ways:
Save your coupons!
If you haven’t been saving your coupons you can buy them at a very low cost.
Another way to save is to comparison shop online. You can sign up to receive money back for your purchases and use discount codes at 1800diapers, etc.
Sign up at websites to receive coupons in the mail.
CVS will even let you use regular diaper coupons for pull-ups and pull-ups coupons for diapers and Goodnights, plus you can receive extra care bucks at at CVS.
Walmart usually has the best prices and they will beat competitor ads.
Want to know more?
I am a stay at home mom of three children and I am always looking for ways to save money.
Here you can find coupons, rebates, and discount codes: http://www.gotmineforless.com/Coupons-by-category/baby-coupons
For more on how to save at CVS: http://www.gotmineforless.com/blog
Offshore investments are those that are located somewhere other than the United States. There are several reasons why people choose to make use of offshore investments The first is that they are not subjected to the taxes that are due in the United States. In the United States, any money that you earn on your investment is called capital gains. The taxes for capital gains can be substantial if you have a lot of money, although the capital gains tax has been reduced in recent years. By placing your money in offshore investments you can avoid paying capital gains taxes.
You may, however, be subjected to other taxes when you place your money in offshore investments Offshore investments include accounts such as savings and checking accounts as well as real estate and even stock. Most people choose to open offshore investments in the form of savings accounts.
You have to remember that while offshore investments are protected from taxes, they are not afforded the same insurance as some investments that are in the United States. If you open up a savings account that is offshore and the bank goes bankrupt, you can end up losing all of your money. The same can happen if you buy a home offshore and the country gets taken over by a hostile government - you may end up losing your investment.
Most people who are looking for offshore investments open up accounts in the Cayman Islands or in Switzerland and both protect US citizens from taxes and are considered to be tax sheltered accounts. You are not breaking any laws by investing in an offshore account. You just have to remember that your funds are not protected by the federal government.
When you invest in a savings account in the United States, your savings account is federally insured. This means that if the bank goes bankrupt, the US Treasury Department will guarantee your money. These laws were enacted after the Great Depression in 1929 when so many people were wiped out financially. Some people had money in banks that went bankrupt and ended up losing everything. Others had stocks and lost everything when the stock market crashed. The stock market has not crashed as bad as it did in 1929 and hopefully will not do so again, although it has taken some huge losses. The banks are all insured by the federal government so that you cannot lose your savings. Most people have investments in both stock and bank accounts so that they do not have all of their financial assets in one proverbial basket.
Offshore investments usually offer a higher interest yield as well as tax free interest but are not without risk. However, for the most part, they are a good choice when you are diversifying your investment portfolio. And because of easy access to the internet, offshore investments are now convenient to make and monitor. This is the reason so many Americans are choosing to make offshore investments part of their investment portfolio.
David Spicer is a very successful investor. David has put together a YourGuideToInvestments.com to advise newbie investors and help people to make their money work for them. If your looking for investment strategies, investment basics or types of investments you should check out his site today.
Management fees, as the name implies, are fees that a fund management company charges for “managing” your money. As a rule of thumb, fees are higher if your money is managed “actively” which is the case with almost all mutual funds. Such a fund management company presumably puts more effort behind managing your money than if the money is not “actively” managed. For example, there are fund managers who research various stocks and make purchases based on what they feel will earn the best rate of return. The goal is to get higher returns for its clients’ invested money. However, studies have shown that these efforts do not pay off for you, the client, certainly not once management fees are taken into consideration. Actively managed money usually leaves you worse off than money that is managed “passively” via index funds or exchange traded funds (ETFs). In fact, some of the overall better performance of index funds and ETFs is expressively due to the lower management fees index funds and ETFs charge!
In contrast to regular mutual funds, index funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs) are managed “passively”. In case of stock funds it works like this. Instead of purchasing stocks based on an analyst’s recommendations, stocks are purchased to match an index, such as the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Management fees of index funds and ETFs are lower, because there isn’t as much time and effort invested by a fund manager in managing an index fund or ETF, whose moneys are invested automatically.
Let me show you briefly how fees affect your long-term performance. Just for the sake of an example, let’s assume that both a mutual fund and an index fund will earn the same return of 11.05% in the long run. Say you can invest $500 per month either by buying a regular mutual fund or an index fund. The mutual fund will charge you an annual fee of 1.5% while the index fund will charge you only 0.20% per year. After 25 years of investing $500 per month you will end up with about $614,700 if you invested in a regular mutual fund. If you invested in an index fund instead, you would end up with about $767,800, a difference of $153,100! So, assuming that both investments earn similar returns, the fees make a huge difference in the long-run!
There are many different types of bank loans available and we are going to look at a few here. First we have the 15 and 30 year mortgage loans. A 15 year mortgage is they type of mortgage that requires higher monthly payments. The flip side to this though is that it builds equity a whole lot faster. A 30 year mortgage is the type of mortgage that generally costs more in the end but will give you a lower down payment.
Next we have adjustable rate mortgages also known as ARM’s. These differ from fixed rate types of mortgages because in an ARM the interest rate and monthly payment can increase and decrease depending on the market rate.
Now we have what is called a home equity loan. This loan is sometimes abbreviated HEL. The HEL is the type of loan where the borrower will use the equity that they have built up in the home they own as collateral. These loans can sometimes be very useful when it comes to helping finance any medical bills, large home repairs, or even your child’s college education. The only downside to a home equity loan is that it creates a lien against the home thereby reducing your homes equity. This is also considered a second home mortgage.
Next we have an interest-only loan. An interest-only loan is a loan that is set for a specific term and the borrower will pay only the interest on the principal balance.
Another type of loan is a consolidation loan. A consolidation loan is the action of replacing multiple loans with a single loan. This type of loan often comes with a lower monthly payment but a longer repayment period. This can also be called debt consolidation.
A line of credit is a certain type of revolving credit in which you’re home or other property will serve as collateral. No matter which loan you choose the general basis as to whether you get it or not will be based on your overall credit. You don’t get much with bad credit.
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The volatility in the financial markets has caused a lot of heartache in this country. From lost jobs to lost retirement dreams we have all felt the affects of the fallout in the financial markets both here and abroad.
As a financial professional I have been right in the thick of it. My daily radio reports are filled with bad news and after a while it is quite depressing. As I speak to people from all around the country you can sense the fear and concern. That sense of trust, that underlying feeling that things will be alright has been pulled right out from under people.
Even the wealthy are having the same feelings. I wonder whether the financial crisis has caused this, or just crystallized the feelings that perhaps our lives, our very way of living is somehow, unsatisfying. Is money the only measurement we truly use anymore to determine if we are happy?
The fact that our entire world, from wealthy to poor, from Asia to Europe to the great old US of A’s entire existence could be shaken and brought to it’s knees all for the mighty dollar. Why have we put our society and lives in a position that something like this could happen and have such consequences as it relates to our overall happiness.
Which brings me to my dog Daisy. Daisy is a sweet little black and grey Shih-Tzu. My other dog, Lilly, is also a Shih-Tzu and is white and tan. Both are sweet as sugar and never had a bad day in their lives.
One night last week after a bad day in the stock market I was up in the middle of the night checking out the latest quotes from Asia and looking for the next piece of news that would send the stock market tanking. I found myself in this position for several nights in a row. Daisy always follows me down and stares at me with a look in her eye that says, “Why are you up dad?”
On one of these nights after spending about an hour on the computer and feeling quite exhausted mentally and physically, I turned to look at Daisy and there she was, lying flat on her back, paws in the air, playing with a little piece of string and having just the greatest time. No worries, not a care in the world. It then dawned on me, we too could have carved a society that led the dogs life. We had a chance to create a list of priorities that included making life easy and less complicated. Instead we are worried about foreign oil production, interest rates and 401K’s. It seems like we just blew it.
Remember the line, “The best things in life are free”. For a while there this was the punch line of a generation fed a steady diet of greed and monetary reward. Don’t get me wrong, I like nice things just like the next guy, I guess somehow, I wish I didn’t.
My Daisy’s advice, raise some cash in your portfolios and let the rest sit. Kick back find a piece of string, a golf club or whatever makes you happy and let someone else worry about it for a while, it will all work its way back and you’ll feel better for it. Live a little.
Visit http://www.livelongliverich.com for the latest information on retirement issues, planning and income generation.
With most of the failing financial institutions gone or acquired by others and a bailout trying to take shape, we should take a moment to reflect on our personal financial situation. In the last several months, people have lost their jobs and homes, lost money in the stock market and endured an emotional roller coaster that no one wants to ride. It’s been tough, to put it mildly. But, it also offers an opportunity of hindsight. Here are a few takeaway lessons we can personally learn from, so we never have to feel trapped like we did for the last few months.
Learning to be flexible and creative
Learn to invest smarter the rest: Easier said the done, right? Actually, it doesn’t have to be complicated as we think. We just have to take a more proactive role in learning to invest rather than just say “we are in it for the long term.” We don’t have to be in the stock market 100% of the time to be in it for the long term. We just need to know what to invest in, when to invest, when to stay out, what to look for, have a stop program to protest us and learn to the correct way to diversify. These posts and my guide give great insight in how to get started. There is no excuse for you not to do better!
Build an emergency savings account: Yeah, yeah, I heard that one before. I know it’s hard and takes discipline, but we realize how important that becomes when things get rough. Having an emergency savings account offers several advantages:
- You don’t have to tap your 401(k)
- You have to time to rearrange your finances to make things work
- You have a financial and, more importantly, an emotional cushion that you can rely on
- Developing the discipline to save is a handy, transferable skill that can be used to pay off other things, like credit cards
Pay off credit card debt: Now may not be the best time to pay off your credit card, but you should start to develop a plan of action to eventually pay off credit card debt. That extra $200 or more a month you pay in debt could’ve gone into your pocket or help pays bills. From now on, consider the savings from not having your monthly payment as a raise without asking your boss or as an extra savings advantage when times get tough in the future. Or, you could be putting it towards your retirement plan.
Frugal Living: Tightening your belt during tough times puts you into survival mode. Imagine if you are able to extend that through good times as well. Being able to live cheaply throughout your life provides you not only the economic cushion of savings for you to invest what you have, but cheap living also gives you the resourcefulness of being able to change your life in an instant. If you know how to cut back because it is a part of your normal routine, you can start to build that psychological freedom to reach your life goals. You will now have more economic freedom to move your life in the direction you want it to go. Start by living below your means.
Be willing to change your job or careers: I know it sounds obvious, but when it comes down to it, many don’t want to change. They already know how to do their jobs. Tell that to all the mortgage brokers, real estate agents, construction workers and Wall Street investment bankers who lost their jobs in the last few years. It’s in our best interest to be on the lookout for trends in our own industry, and to be flexible to move to another industry if need be. Focus your attention on the transferable skills you already have. If you need more education, approach your boss, or look to more cost effective educational solutions at the community college to provide alternative career paths.
Value what’s important: Investing right and saving is not the only thing in life that matters. They are just tools so you can live the life your want to live. While they help provide the ability to make choices, it is up to you to examine what you want to do with you life, where you want to go and what you want to experience.
Tough times are a measuring stick for how we handle and adapt to difficult situations. But it also demonstrates how flexible and creative we can be as life changes. We can’t always have an ascending line of wealth presented to us. It’s is up to us to make the changes necessary to give us room during the more difficult times so we can get back on that path when times get better.
At Cheaplee.com, we stick it to the man one penny at a time by showing you how to invest and grow your wealth, share tips to save money and help build a successful retirement plan in order for you to retire early. Learn to secure your future at http://www.cheaplee.com
How much do you spend on food on a day-to-day basis? For most people, the simple answer is too much. It’s not just the extra bag of chips or the impulse trip to the diner. There’s also the cost of gas, electricity, and production time involved in getting food to your table. But saving money on food doesn’t mean going hungry or giving up nutrition. Often, it only takes a few simple tricks. Here are five you can try today.
Make a weekly menu: Knowing what’s ahead for the week will keep you from buying things that aren’t on your shopping list. Or if you do buy stuff on impulse, you’ll be able to keep it under control. It also saves those quick trips to the store for last-minute ingredients, which cost you time, gas, and money.
Take advantage of sales: If something’s on sale, go ahead and stock up-but not more than you can consume before it goes bad. Get vegetables in bigger packs, bigger cans of broth, an extra pack of meat. You can always use the extras to liven up other dishes or even make a new dish altogether.
Use that crock pot: Slow cookers are great for budget cooking because they let you choose cheaper meats, use up less energy, and offer more creative meal options. They’re not just for pot roast; there are lots of crock pot recipes for breakfast, soups, and even desserts!
Do some DIY: Whenever possible, make a batch of your own commonly use ingredients. Use meat drippings to make gravy or sauces, pre-cook your meats and save the broth for soups, or make a large batch of your kid’s favorite dip. In the long run, you’ll save a fair deal since you won’t have to buy pre-mixed stuff anymore.
Switch off as you go: Don’t leave appliances running longer than they should. Set your cooker to turn off automatically when done, and wait to the dishwasher to get full before turning it on. When you’re done cooking, make sure everything is turned off-even that little blinking light in the microwave.
Simon Burke loves to cook delicious and nutritious meals for his family. And luckily for us he also enjoys sharing his cooking experiences and recipes with the rest of us. Another article about budget cooking that might interest you.