February 22, 2012

Is your Net Worth going up or down?

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Is your net worth going up or going down?

There is a renewed focus on the economy and the growth and decline of people’s net worth. The largest focus is on the trillions of dollars of worth people have loss over the last couple years with the downturn of the American economy. The problem that during the housing crisis home prices took a nose dive( which have yet to recover), and with it the value of many homes in this country vanished overnight. The biggest problem is that for many people their largest asset is their home.

What is net worth?

Your net worth is simply your asset minus your liabilities (Assets – Liabilities= Net Worth).  The net worth of a person can go up or can go down based on the two factors of their financial life.  Your assets are everything that you own. The key here is ownership.  A person can have a very high income and own almost nothing. The key to building the asset side of the equation is to buy things that increase in value, rather than things that decrease in value.  Your liabilities are everything that you owe. The fact of the matter is that most people actually have very low net worth due to the fact they carry such high debt loads. Any debt that you have or owe is included in you liabilities and drags down you overall net worth.

How to build net worth

There are 2 ways to build net worth. The first is to limit or eliminate your liabilities.  This method is limited because you will only have but so many liabilities before you run out.  Paying off all your debt and living debt free lifestyles is the best way to secure your financial freedom. The second way is to build your assets. As previously mentioned you should be purchasing assets that grow in value over time. Most purchasing done by people has almost no true value, and will drop in value the second you purchase it. The key is to purchase asset that will grow and you are comfortable with. To achieve true financial success and maximize growth in your net worth you need to apply both of these methods.

The Return of The Stoopid Success Roundup

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Today I will give some of my favorite post from aroundthe web along with some give aways that are going on right now!

The will to win and if you don’t have it how to get! By Eugene Craig.com – One of the best post I have written!

It is tax time again here in the United States and it is time do figure out exactly how much cash you have to pony up to the United States Government.  Crystal at Budgeting in the Fun Stuff has a great post on her taxes and how she wished her tax return looked.

Many people claim to be Entrepreneurs, but many actual put the action and work in to be Entrepreneurs.  Our friends over at Stock Trend Investing has an interesting post on “ How To act as a Real Entrepreneur with your personal Finances”

Are you a food lover that is looking for a Street Smart way to invest yourmoney? Our friends over at Street Smart Money have a great article on exactly how to invest your money while still being a food lover!

Would you like to win a piece of $1100 in prizes? Well that is the value of the prizes “Simply Investing” is giving away to commemorate their 1 year blogging anniversary! Check it out (here!)

The market is starting to recover is this a time for you to sell your stocks? Find out what Mark at Buylikebuffett.com has to say about it (here!)

 

Finding the best Credit Card for YOU!

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There are many tools that can help you determine what exactly would be the best credit cards for your personal financial situation so you do not get stuck with a card that is counterproductive to your goals or short changes you on the benefits that you very well could be receiving with a different card. Many websites will provide you with a questionnaire or survey that you can take and use to describe what exactly you would be looking for in your credit card and the level of service you would be looking to receive from the company you will be choosing to receive credit from. The beauty of these websites and many of the tools that credit card companies may provide is that they are able to match you up with the best card available for based on what you are looking.   There are some cards that allow you to rack up tons of frequent flyer miles or hotel nights based on how much u spend and how often you use the card.  This would be an option that would fit well with a frequent traveler.

There are a variety of credit cards that provide ash back bonuses that could help any small business with growth.  A five percent cash back bonus could equate to $100 cash back on $2000 of spending. That would equate to a bonus of $1200 on spending you would have done ordinarily. The key to credit cards is finding the one that works best for you and build with it.  There are cards available for everyone ranging from the person that has years of established credit to the person who has bad credit to the person that is just getting their feet wet in the credit card game.  Once you figure out what card is best for you, everything else will fall into place itself.

What is the 60% Solution?

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The following is a guest post from MoneySupermarket.com

 

What is the 60% Savings Solution?

Spending. Saving. Budgeting. These are issues that are major sources of stress to many people. Those who want to get a better grip on their finances and who want to start saving money and spending wisely often start by making a budget. Unfortunately, making a budget and living with one are two different things. Even those with the best of intentions may find it hard to keep their spending neatly within categories and to be accountable to the budget they set for themselves. For those looking for a simpler and less cumbersome alternative, the 60 percent solution may just be the answer.

What is the 60 Percent Solution?

The 60 percent solution is an alternative to making a detailed budget and it is a much simpler alternative. The basic premise behind the 60 percent solution is that you can achieve all of your financial goals and get into a great financial situation without budgeting, if you simply divide your income into appropriate percentages.

True to the name, the 60 percent solution allocates 60 percent of your income to a specific purpose. In the 60 percent solution, the aim is to keep all of your committed expenses below 60 percent of your income. Committed expenses include things like your mortgage payment, utility bills, food and clothing expenses, money given to charity, taxes and bills for both essentials (water, electricity) and non-essentials (cell-phones and satellites). All of these total expenses should fall at or below 60 percent of your income.

With the remaining 40 percent that is left over, you’ll put that money towards achieving different financial goals. Ten percent of it should go into retirement accounts that will help you to ensure a secure future. You should try to pay yourself this money first whenever possible and may wish to look into saving the 10 percent of your income in a tax-advantaged account such as a 401K, an IRA or a Roth-IRA. This will help you to maximize the value of your savings and grow your money more quickly.

Consider long-term savings accounts for another 10 percent of the money that you have remaining. Long-term savings should be used to help you accomplish longer-term financial goals. This money can be invested in stocks or bonds, or put into other types of investment accounts, but it shouldn’t be that easy to access and it shouldn’t be something you tap into regularly.

Another 10 percent of your remaining cash should go towards short-term savings. This will cover larger expenses that you need money for but that come up routinely. Things like vacations and car and home repairs can be paid for out of your short-term savings. Money Supermarket.com can help you to identify a good savings account to keep this money in so that the money is accessible to you when you need it.

Finally, the last ten percent of the cash you have left over will go towards fun money. This is money that you can use to do whatever you want and money you can spend without hesitation and guilt. You’ll be surprised to find that this can actually make spending a lot more fun since you won’t be worried about whether you are spending more than you should.

With the right accounts found through moneysupermarket.com, sticking to the 60 percent solution should be simple and easy and should help you to make your financial picture a good one.

 

Why you need an to try an E-mortgage calculator

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The internet has become one of the best tools available for people in the market to purchase a home and find the correct mortgage for them to use in the process. The internet is the new super high way on information and can help you prepare for the steps you are about to take when seeking a mortgage or a buy to let mortgage .  The key to getting the right mortgage for you and your family is to conduct the proper research and use the tools that you have available to you at your disposal to conduct the research needed to make an informed decision.  The mortgage you choose to use to purchase your home will ultimately be the primary tool that decides your future availability of credit for yourself and your family. A mortgage  interest calculator could very well help you choose the best mortgage for yourself and your family. The e-mortgage calculator is one of the best tools any person could have in their arsenal to help in the planning process that must take place when making a major financial decision as purchasing a home or taking out a mortgage on an existing property.

This could be one of the few tools that could very well aid you in the developing of a plan that you could use when you sit down with the bank you choose to take a loan or mortgage from. An e-mortgage calculator could very well help you determine how much and at what rate you will accept for the term of your mortgage.  The internet has made things very accessible and convenient as well as taking away the excuse of ignorance being bliss. If you would like to make the best financial decision of your life on what very well could be the largest asset you could ever purchase it would be prudent to use a e-mortgage calculator to help plan for this event.

New Ebook Release February 1st 2012! ” 21 ways to make money while in college”

I am proud to announce that on February 1st , 2012 I will be releasing my new eBook “ 21 ways to make money while in college” . The ebook will cover various ways for college students and people who may not be in college, to make money and live a debt free lifestyle.  Also as a bonus I will be providing my first e-book “  The 25 principles of the Stoopidly Successful” free of charge to anyone that purchases the new e-book within the first 2 weeks of release.  I am very excited for this release and hope everyone enjoys it! – Mr. Stoopid Successful!

A few ways to help you achieve you 2012 goals

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Goals and resolutions are now in full effect, but will they be at the end of the month. If you would like to be in the minority of people that actually follow through and achieve their goals this year here are a couple tips that could push you forward.

 Break your goals down

The easiest way to achieve something big is to break it down into smaller goals that can be achieved with ease, and work from there. If your goal is to save and invest $1000 this year, it would work to serve you well if you broke that goal down to saving and investing $25/week or $100/month.  Breaking your goal down to a level that is manageable is one of the sure ways to achieve it.   This could very well be the step that moves your goal from something you look at on a sheet of paper to something you are currently working towards.

 Set a realistic time table

Do not let outside pressure determine the time table in which you achieve your goals.  The best way to add a level of security that you will achieve your goals is to set them according to your work and dedication level. If you know you will not be able to give it everything you have then you should establish a time table that reflects this.  A time table that you create based on your personal situation is one way to insure you achieve your 2012 goals.

 Get the help you need

Asking for help is never a bad thing or a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.  Asking for help is one of the few ways to fill a hole in your plan.   You will not be  a master at all things and it is only natural to seek the help of someone who has the very skill you will need to achieve your  goal.

 

If you keep your goals in mind, and are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve them then you will be unstoppable in 2012.

Get You Money Right In 2012

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2012 is finally here and with a new year comes new beginnings! The New Year is always a great chance and opportunity to get a second start on your financial life. If your financial life is dead this is your chance to rise like a phoenix.  Here are some steps you should take in the new year to get your financial life in order for 2012.

Boost your savings

If you are not saving START! It is not enough to simply put some money away here and there, but on a continuing regular basis. I would recommend that you set up a separate account and have your savings automatically deducted from your paycheck and placed into your savings account by your payroll manager. You will find that when you have the financial security of a savings account your life gets a lot easier. Things that may have caused you to panic before barely faze you.  I would suggest if you are not currently saving that you start out saving 5%-10% of you gross income. If you are already saving but may not be saving enough, I would suggest you boost your savings to 15%-20% of your gross income. If you would like to get very aggressive you could boost your rate of savings to 25% or more!  The point is to save now so you can have the security later. If you went previous years without the security of adequate savings this is your chance to make 2012 a year that matters in your financial life!

Start investing

Investing in 2012 could very well set you for the rest of your future. There are literally thousands of opportunities and many gains to be made.  I am a big fan of stocks and bonds simply because of their simplicity.  Picking a stock is simply about picking a good company nothing more nothing less.  If you would not be confident in own the entire company then you should not own the stock of that company.   There are many different philosophies  and strategies to investing, and you should find the one that works best for you.   The key is to get started and don’t stop.  Your investing should occur on a regular basis like your saving with the exception of capitalizing on an opportunity or two that present itself where you just happen to be at the right place at the right time.

Give more

Yes your giving can be a very valuable tool when it comes to building your financial life. With the current tax code you are allowed to deduct various charitable donations for  depending on the donation and the amount from your tax bill. If you give regularly to a charitable organization you may be able to put yourself in a position where when April 15, 2013 rolls around you come to find that because of your charitable giving throughout the year you pretty much don’t owe the government anything in taxes.  This could actually save you money over the long term.

 

2012 is about making decisions that allow for the growth that you would like to see in the various sectors of your life occur. If you  would like to be more financially stable or in a better position in 2012 make the decision now !

Happy New Years 2012 is Here!!!!!

New Year 2012

 

Happy new years! You made it 2012 and it is going to be the best year yet! There is so much to be achieved and accomplished in 2012! This week I will be doing a series on how to make 2012 you best year yet in some key areas of your life! Happy New years!

How to Properly Handle Black Friday!

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Black Friday is finally here, and the crazies have been released from the asylum! Every year there are people that either have early Thanksgiving dinners to hop in line to get their hands on the best deals of the year, or skip Thanksgiving all together to camp out of their favorite store. Well while we are all surrounded by the madness, I have 2 rules of thumb that if you use them you will absolutely remain sane during this crazy day!

1. Avoid Black Friday at all cost!
That is right I am suggesting you miss out on all of the juicy sales that will be available for you. There are multiple benefits that come with avoiding Black Friday.

A. Invest the money you would have spent on items purchased on black Friday. I’m sure even the worst stock or bond bought will be worth much more than the item your planning on picking up today!

B. Shop online and get some savings without the hassle. While cyber Monday is right around the corner many retailers have hit the net with their Black Friday sales. This means that all you can avoid the madness, and get all of your shopping done from the comfort of your computer.

C. Simply save the money you were going to spend. This is a rocky economic time for everyone, and I don’t understand how anyone who is not financially secure is able to run out and spend like there is not tomorrow. Plan for tomorrow today!

 

2. If you must shop on Black Friday let it be to purchase something that will increase your opportunities, and put a brighter light on your future.

If you feel as though you cannot let go of the opportunity presented on Black Friday, use it to better yourself. Everyone knows about the purchase I made last year. That purchase turned out to be one of the best I made last year, but I also waited for the madness to calm down before I even attempted to go out.
What are your plans for black Friday? Will you be chasing the major sales? Do you have any Black Friday success or horror stories?