During turbulent times, people are often anxious, preoccupied, or distracted. Not surprisingly, there is a positive correlation between turmoil and the incidence of cybercrime. Identity theft and financial frauds have been on the rise: hackers and scammer prey on people’s fear and vulnerability. Advances in technology and mobile communication have changed the way we manage our finances. These innovations save time and allow us to be more informed consumers. But the innovations have also introduced new risks and exposures. With time, your financial accounts will grow, and so will the potential losses from identity theft and fraud. Review your credit report regularly. You can download your free report and search for errors or indications of fraud at www.annualcreditreport.com. If you will not be in the market for a new loan soon, it is possible to freeze or lock your credit profile to reduce the chance of identity theft. In that…
Prudent Use of Technology
Technology is an essential part of how we transact and manage our financial lives. We are more informed and have real-time access to our personal finances. Along with convenience, however, comes new risks. Advances in technology and mobile communication have changed the way we manage our finances. These innovations save time and allow us to be more informed consumers. But the innovations have also introduced new risks and exposures. With time, your financial accounts will grow, as will the potential losses from identity theft and fraud. Review your credit report regularly. You can download your free report and search for errors or indications of fraud at www.annualcreditreport.com. If you will not be in the market for a new loan soon, it is possible to freeze or lock your credit profile to reduce the chance of identity theft. In that case, you need to contact each of the three credit bureaus:…
Spending: Essential or Non-Essential?
Finding ways to save more starts with finding ways to spend less. Analyzing where your money goes every month is a great place to start. Take a close look at your non-essential expenses or “wants.” These are often tied to lifestyle choices. Reducing non-essential outlays will free up cash you can use to pay down debt, shore up emergency fund reserves, and save for retirement. Articulating a plan and exercising discipline increases the likelihood that you will attain your goals. Analyze Your Spending There are a vast number of personal finance websites and apps. Linking your transaction activity to one of the tools helps track your spending on a real-time basis – overall spending levels, spending by category, etc. There are also data security considerations. If you choose a website or app, select a leading one with excellent security. Whereas I am in favor of budgeting tools to analyze spending,…
New Year and New Job? Great Tool for Budgeting
Have you received a new job offer? Considering a job transfer to a new state? This online calculator from payroll processing provider ADP helps you determine what your take home pay will be every pay period. There is also a version for those who are paid hourly. Such a helpful tool as you build your budget for your next chapter in life. To give it a try, click on the link below: ADP Take Home Pay Calculator
Evaluating Risk: How to Underwrite Yourself
Underwriting is what banks or insurance companies do when they evaluate risks associated with lending money or providing an insurance policy. To underwrite yourself, you need to take a close and honest look at your finances, ask yourself some questions, consider uncertainties and exposures, and evaluate your risk profile on many fronts. Analyze Your Sources of Income The first consideration is your income. Ask yourself these questions: Is your salary steady or variable? Do you rely on commissions or bonuses? Do you work in a cyclical industry? If your compensation is variable, you should not carry a lot of debt. Likewise, you should make sure to have an ample cash reserve. Evaluate Your Debt When you are thinking of buying a big item, consider if you can actually afford the item, not just whether or not you can afford the payment. Commit to paying off your credit card balances every…
Pay Attention – Fraud is on the Rise
During turbulent times, people are often anxious, preoccupied, or distracted. COVID-19 is no exception. Not surprisingly, there is a positive correlation between turmoil and the incidence of cybercrime. During 2020, identity theft and financial frauds have been on the rise: hackers and scammer prey on people’s fear and vulnerability. Advances in technology and mobile communication have changed the way we manage our finances. These innovations save time and allow us to be more informed consumers. But the innovations have also introduced new risks and exposures. With time, your financial accounts will grow, and so will the potential losses from identity theft and fraud. Review your credit report regularly. You can download your free report and search for errors or indications of fraud at www.annualcreditreport.com. If you will not be in the market for a new loan soon, it is possible to freeze or lock your credit profile to reduce the…
Net Worth and Cash Flow
Establishing sound personal finance practices while you are young is essential, and thinking about cash flow and net worth is a part of that. For those who are new to personal financial management, you need to think of the long run. Discipline and having the right mindset will help you stay out of debt and achieve your financial goals. Cash Flow Cash flow depends not only on your income but also on changes in your savings and debts. If, at the end of the year, you have not saved, and your credit card balance has grown, there is only one explanation – you consumed more than you earned. If you were able to save money or your debts have declined, you consumed less than you earned. Net Savings In terms of your take-home pay, you either spend it, consume it, or save it. The difference between income and spending or…
Strategies to Stay Out of Debt
Establishing sound personal finance practices while you are young is essential. For those just starting out who are new to money management, you need to consider your financial future. Discipline and having the right mindset will help you stay out of debt and achieve your financial goals. Track and Analyze Your Spending The first step is to analyze your spending to see where your money is going. Limit yourself to one or two credit cards, using one for most day-to-day purchases. This makes it easier to track spending and your total credit card balances. Having multiple credit card accounts is a major reason that card debts grow. As credit card balances climb, it also hurts your credit score. Even if you can pay off your balance every month, using more than 30% of your credit line has a negative impact on your credit score. Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks offer convenience and…
How to Dig Out of Debt
Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the US economy was doing quite well. The unemployment rate was near record lows. Housing values nationwide were climbing, as was the stock market. Despite these favorable economic conditions, Americans continued to take on debt. According to the Federal Reserve, aggregate household debt totaled more than $14 trillion as of March 31, 2020. This amount exceeds the prior peak, which occurred in the third quarter of 2008. Because there is a short delay in reporting individual credit figures, The Federal Reserve cautions that these figures do not fully reflect the impact of the COVID-19 shutdown that began during the last two weeks of March. There is economic uncertainty ahead, so people must analyze their finances and work to strengthen their situation. Getting out of debt must become a high priority. There are different approaches to dig out of debt. The best method for you depends…
Build a Budget Template
My Build a Budget Template helps you categorize and analyze your spending. More important, it helps you identify ways to make changes. Click on the link below to download. Budget Template