Equity Finance » People

Understanding the World of Finance

admin — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 08:42:20 +0000

To a lot of people, the world of banking and finance is a mystery. The terms can be confusing and seem foreign. How much you need to know about the banking system really depends on how much money you have and what you would like to do with it.

It really depends on the individual. Some people want to know all they can about where there money is going and how the process works. Other people are comfortable with simply knowing basic banking terms like deposits, withdrawals and interest.

One way to have the best of both worlds is to employ a financial analyst to manage their money and stay on top of banking trends. They are there when you have questions and to make recommendations about what you should do with your money.

The financial analyst will be there to explain the latest developments in the financial world and bring that information to you. They will know all the banking terminology so you don’t have too.

Much of the terms found in banking are also found in other areas of the financial arena, so there is an increasing need to understand them. A financial analyst can help you with that.

You many not want to put all your faith in your financial advisor, however. It’s your money he or she is working with so, it may be a good idea to have a basic knowledge of what they are doing with it.

It may help you to take the time to understand some of the financial terms that you will find on your statement. You may even find that you want to learn more.

In this way, you will better equipped to make financial decisions and make the most of your money without always having to rely on a professional.

By: Alex Ryan

About the Author:

My other articles have information about buying a quality rug pad and information on finding matching brown rugs.

Kansieo.com

Saving Money Tips – Know Where Your Money Goes

admin — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:18:50 +0000

Do you earn a good income and at the end of the year ask yourself “Where did all my money go?”. I can see you sitting there nodding right now. You can take comfort in knowing that you are not alone as this is a very common puzzle for people. “Where does my money go?

So where does all your money go? Surely you can’t have spent it all …. or have you?

The trick to being successful with your money is to have control over your money. To do this you have to know where it is going. If you don’t keep an eye on it, it will run away and disappear into a black hole. There are holes in your wallets and purses that you probably just can’t image being there. You have to treat each piece of money like a piece of gold that you don’t want to let go of.

Here are some clues for you to consider so you can start to keep an eye on where your money goes

1. Try and identify what portion of your money is going on fixed expenses (such as bills and loan repayments) and what portion of your money is going on lifestyle / discretionary spending (such as groceries, entertainment, eating out, clothes)

Note down the expenses that you have to meet; such as bills, rent, mortgage payment, loan repayments etc Note down the expenses that are nice to have but aren’t absolutely critical. We will call these lifestyle / discretionary expenses (such as groceries, entertainment, eating out, clothes). How much of your money is being spent on lifestyle / discretionary expenses? (Lifestyle / discretionary spending is the area where most of the runaway money escapes from). How do your lifestyle / discretionary expenses compare to the money you are spending on fixed expenses / bills? Look for ways to reduce your lifestyle / discretionary expenses

2. Spend the time doing up a proper budget which will look at your likely future income and expenses

A budget should be a thorough record of all of your expenses across all areas such as fixed bills / commitments and lifestyle / discretionary expenses Ensure your budget is realistic and achievable Limit what you spend on lifestyle / discretionary expenses as this is optional spending and an area that you can get carried away on Allocate money in your budget for all foreseeable expenses and set some money aside for emergencies Don’t forget to provide money for items such as replacement of capital items such as buying whitegoods, repairs / renovations to your home In your budget put a portion of your money aside for savings In your budget include provision for funds to meet any goals If your budget runs into negative / deficit, then you will need to cut down your lifestyle / discretionary expenses or other optional spending until you reach at least a break even point

3. Look at your money habits

Try and identify particular times where you might be a bit frivolous

When you are in a particular mood When you have occasion to celebrate When it is someone’s birthday During particular times of the year Over festive seasons – Xmas / Easter When on holiday / away for weekends Out with certain friends / family members

Think about your pattern of spending

Do you spend first and deal with the consequences later? Do you shop around for a bargain? Do you stop and think / sleep on it overnight before rushing into a purchase? Do you ask for discounts off standard prices

4. Start to keep a record of what you are spending

Carry around a little note book and make a conscious effort to record what you spend cash / money on over a period of time Fill in your notebook on a daily basis updating it as you spend cash / money Review your notebook at the end of the day / week Keep all your receipts and dockets in one central place Use a spreadsheet to track your expenses and bills Track your total expenses over a week, fortnight, month Really keep an eye on your cash as this is what will vanish – you break into a $50 and before you know it you have coins rattling around in your wallet / purse Analyse what you have recorded and try and identify particular patterns / habits Make a particular note of any areas you are overspending Don’t stop doing this until you can say with confidence that you know where your money is going

5. Look for ways to stop the leakage such as

Following your budget Using money jars / envelopes for different expenses such as groceries, eating out, hairdressing, clothes etc Using separate bank accounts for different purposes such as bills, lifestyle, holiday, savings etc Setting up automatic transfers to distribute your pay to separate accounts for different purposes such as bills, lifestyle, holiday, savings etc Giving yourself a set allocation for lifestyle / discretionary expenses each week Being strong and if you spend all your money one week waiting it out until the following week Paying cash for items and not using credit / debt Limiting the purchases on credit cards

6. Remove access to temptations

Take the credit card from the wallet / purse Reduce the limit on the credit card Only keep minimal funds in accounts with debit card access Don’t draw out large amounts of cash and keep it in your purse / wallet Stop access to any savings account via debit cards Remove some accounts from internet banking access Have your savings account with a different bank so you can’t get internet access to it and put the money in your spending account

By: Heather A Wood

Perfect Casino Sites for Everyone

admin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:24:43 +0000

For some people, there are so many kinds of interesting games that they could play in the internet and one of them is the online gambling games. For them, every time they need some good time, they preferred the internet as the perfect media to have some refreshing. There are so many games in the internet that you would be able to play. For many, this online gambling would be the perfect combinations between having some fun and earning some money as well.

Some people prefer to play the online casino games in the internet. Somehow, you would be able to have some good times by playing the best online casino. The problem is, where would we be able to find the best one? You should click the Gamblingpub.com. This is the perfect site to have some excellent games. There are so many excellent casino games in the online casino site. Some people love to play the online roulette, the online slot games, and also some cards games.

If you need to play some excellent online casino games such as the online slot machines games, you really should try to click the site above. In the site above you would be able to play some excellent games. Those games are awesome, and definitely the perfect media to have some excellent fun times.

Personal Budget – A Budgeting Plan That Works

admin — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:37:39 +0000

Want to make some savings but don’t see it happening? Well, you are not the only one, most people that you see around you experience similar financial issues and the reason why I say it is because I had been facing the same problem since the time I started working.

I know it is quite upsetting to see no savings after having slogged for years or months in my case. And when it starts to get frustrating, you start cribbing about your job and salary. Let me ask you a question; is it your job and salary or your extravagant life that keeps you from making some savings?

The Importance of Planning a Personal Budget

Honestly analyze your situation and you will discover that it’s not your income but your poorly managed finances that does not allow you to save. Of course, there can be other reasons as well but it is usually the case. But whatever the case may be, if you plan your budget realistically you are most likely to see a significant cut down in your expenditures.

Planning a proper budget is the key to make money. Be it big organizations or working individuals, both need to have a budget that they need to follow in order to see their money grow. Once you have worked on a proper financial plan, you know you are well on your way to make some significant savings and see your money growing in your bank account.

Budgeting Steps That Save You Money

Have you ever realized that in a day we do a lot of impulsive expenditures? These impulsive expenditures or unnecessary spending can be avoided. But for that, you need to know where your money goes. In order to do that and then make a personal budget you need to keep a track of the followings:

1. Keep a check on your expenditures: this is the most inexpensive way to cut down your expenditure. Use a notebook and keep marking your spending or list them on MS Excel sheet and then analyze your expenditures, figure out where can you cut down and work on them accordingly.

2. Figure out your necessary expenditures: before you start spending your money, make a budget where you need to make sure that all your necessities are taken care of and how much money you are left with. From the left over money you again need to find out how much you need to save and with the rest you can enjoy.

3. Recurring expenditures: these are the expenditures that you need to make every month like various insurance payments, childcare, school launches, garbage services, movies, dinners, etc. these expenditures are a must and can’t be reduced. So calculate them and find out how much you need to spend approximately.

4. Variable expenses: these expenditures are not on a monthly basis like Christmas, birthdays, father’s day, mother’s day, etc.

5. Loans: education loans, credit card debts etc.

Now in order to make a personal budget, all your expenditures need to be on a monthly basis. When you add up all your expenditures and then divide them by 12, what you get is what your average monthly expenditure is supposed to be.

My Personal Budgeting Experience

When I was going crazy with my expenditures and I didn’t know what to do, my friend told me to follow what I just discussed in the preceding paragraphs and believe me, I was pleasantly surprised to see the outcome. I still have the same job with the same salary yet it feels a lot different.

Today I have savings and fortunately, enough do not have to go through those annoying financial crunches at the end of the month, which makes me a much more confident and an independent individual.

By: Paul Sarwana

Saving Money With Coupons to Help Balance Out the High Gas Prices

admin — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 04:04:02 +0000

Rising Gas Prices, Where to Save?

The rising gas prices are really affecting not only truck drivers, but just the average Joe like you and me. Everything from groceries, to clothing and electronics have increased in price because of the gas price increases?

How can you save money these days? There are many scams out there that will tell you that you can convert your gasoline vehicle into water so it will run for basically free. I am here to tell you a real way to save money.

What is that real way of saving money? Oh, I thought you would never ask. It is simply using coupons. Manufacture coupons can be found all over if you look for them. They are in the grocery store, by many products you are probably already buying. You can also obtain coupons by purchasing multiple Sunday newspapers. There are 3 types of coupon inserts you want to look for. They are the Smart Source, Vlassis and Proctor & Gamble. These inserts come out nearly every Sunday and are filled with many valuable coupons.

Ok, so now you have the coupons what are you supposed to do with them? First thing you need to do is cut them out and file them. If I have 5 Sunday newspapers, I separate out all of the pages of the coupon insert, so that there are now 5 of the same page on top of each other. Then, I cut out all 5 coupons at once to save me some time, put a paper clip over them and then file them. I like to file my coupons alphabetically. Other people file them by type of coupon, such as shampoo, condiments, etc.

This is the most important factor of anyone who uses coupons. Just because you have a coupon for something, doesn’t mean you should use it! If that is the only lesson you learn here, you will benefit from that. The best and really only time I use coupons is when I match it with a sale first of all, and it has to be something I need or would purchase for my family. Typically, when I coupon shop, I save 75% or more on my bill. I know exactly what I am going to be purchasing, and only purchase items that will be free or very close to it when using coupons.

I can help you for free to match up sales with your coupons. Please visit www.manufacturecoupon.com to see weekly national sales ads matched up with coupons.

By: Jeena Lugo

Personal Finance News – The Procedure of Paying a Financial Planner

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:51:44 +0000

If you’re looking for personal finance news, you need to check out CNN Money. This is one of the greatest sources for personal finance news that will provide you the latest news you need to understand from its web pages.

Once you keep your eyes wide open, you will realize that there are lots of online and offline personal finance news obtainable to you. Just try the CNN Money web pages if you want to find the valuable advantages offered there.

Get Something In Return

The significance of finance news that you need to understand is that you’ll be able to learn how to plan your personal finance appropriately. Besides, you’ll learn why financial planners actually charge people who avail of their service. Though, lots of news will try to make you understand that you should make certain that you will get something tangible in return for the money that you pay them even though there is no wrong with shelling out money to a financial advisor.

In the personal news, you will find that reader will be questioned on why they against to pay high fees to financial planners. Afterward, reader will learn the answer that there is actually nothing wrong in hiring a financial planner. This is completely wrong if people don’t recognize what they are paying for.

Accordingly, having whetted the reader’s interest regarding paying financial adviser’s their fees, this personal finance news article then goes on to inform readers what they should in fact be paying their financial planners. It’s thus good to learn that you pay the financial planner to make a good plan with which to manage risk. Additionally, this personal news will also provide you other useful information.

Lastly, one thing that can be concluded from personal finance news is that you must become conscious that whatever services are obtainable to you by the financial planner are based also on the planner needs and aren’t completely impartial.

By: Donald Glen

Bad Credit RV Financing

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:49:33 +0000

The same processes that are used for financing RV’s with good credit are used for less than perfect credit. You need to supply your current income and all personal information. After checking your credit, the company will tell you what you qualify for and what the interest rate will be and for how long. This newer practice by lenders has made it easier for people to obtain RV financing instead of just dreaming about having your dream home away from home.

Finding a lender that will work with you is done through the RV dealer or a lender of your choice. Although your credit score is a factor when being considered for a loan, bad credit lenders do have different guidelines that allow them to give you a loan at a slightly higher rate than what you would have with a higher credit score. More lenders than you think are choosing this practice to help people with less than perfect credit.

Your credit affects everything you do and because of the bad credit RV financing that is available, you can now find someone to help you buy the RV you want. Even though you have less than perfect credit, you still have to be current on all your monthly payments and you need to have a good income that is higher than your debt ratio. If this is all true, you should have no problem finding a lender to give you financing for that new RV for you travels and adventures.

By: Tommy Stephens

Home Equity Loans No Income Verification – Why Would You Want One?

admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:04:27 +0000

Why in the world would anybody want home equity loans, no income verification required? Simple, these loans are easy to obtain if you have good credit. When should you consider this type of loan and when should you avoid this type of loan? The answer to that question and more can be found below.

First, what is a home equity loan with no income verification? Basically this is a loan that does not require you to prove how much money you make. The downfall is your rate is going to be higher, they are harder to qualify for, and you will probably pay a bit more in fees to get this loan approved.

The upside is that if you are self employed, a tipped employee, or an independent contractor, then you will be able to get a home equity loan without the hassle of trying to prove what you really make each year. It can be difficult for these individuals to prove exactly what their real income is and this is why these no income verification loans exist.

The problem is that mortgage brokers have become greedy and they want your money. So what do they do? They use these no income verification home loans for people that cannot afford the conventional loan. They use them for people with good credit, but a very high debt to income ratio so that they can get the loan done.

This is not acting in the best interest of the client and is not good for you if you are considering this option. Home equity loans, no income verification required were meant for those that have trouble proving income, not those that can prove it and just don’t have enough for a traditional loan.

By: Gressly Stevens

Negative Equity – A National Disease

admin — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 01:23:19 +0000

Capitalism has many benefits in a free society. It has inherent benefits to those who are creative and willing to work hard. Nowhere else can such a variety of people from many diverse backgrounds and countries succeed by their own efforts.

However, sometimes our creative efforts cause serious problems. As a people, we have become enamored of things, possessions, and goods. We want to own the biggest house, the biggest automobile and other possessions without number. And for all the things we say we want, there are manufacturers ready and willing to provide them. In order to be competitive these same manufacturers are always seeking better ways to convince us that it is possible to own that Cadillac El Mundo Gordo Magnifico SUV when realistically we can only afford the Ford Sub-Midsized ordinary Sedan. Desire for things, plus superb salesmanship overcomes common sense and basic math. The result can be what the subject of this article is all about.

Let’s clear up a couple definitions.

Equity: The market value of a property (house or car or whatever) minus any mortgage or money owing on the property.

Example # 1 Positive Equity: You have owned a house for thirteen years. Its market value is $400,000. You owe the bank $225,000 over the next seventeen years. Your equity in the house is $175,000. This is positive equity.

Example # 2 Negative Equity: You buy a house for $300,000. The housing market changes and the market value drops to $200,000. You owe the bank $225,000. Your equity in the house is $25,000. This is negative equity and sometimes referred to as being “upside down”. This is a very bad thing.

Negative Equity occurs frequently with automobile purchases. What do you do if you’ve had the car two years and want to trade it in? The “upside down” buyer frequently adds the amount on the trade-in onto the loan for the new car. They also stretch out the loan to keep the payments low. This is a losing proposition as the longer the loan, the longer it takes to reach a point where they owe less than the vehicle’s depreciating value. It is a financial Catch-22.

How does this happen?

It is a combination of things. In order to sell more cars, manufacturers offer deep discounts on new cars. This has the effect of depressing the value of cars, which coupled with five and six-year loans means it’s going to take much longer for car owners to achieve a position of positive equity. (two to three years is not unusual)

It is a fact that the moment you drive your car away from the lot it is a used car. If you are paying $45,000, the Kelly Blue Book value may be $40,000. If you still owe $43,000, there’s a $3000 difference. How do you protect yourself if you have an accident? Now the vehicle owner has more problems.

Gap Insurance

Why is an auto gap insurance policy so important? Because standard comprehensive and collision auto policies only cover your new car’s “fair market value”. And that can be as little as 80% of what you paid for your car, starting the minute you drive it off the lot. This condition of negative equity may exist for the first two or three years of ownership.

This means that if you’re involved in an auto accident that leaves your new car “totaled”, you could end up paying off a loan on a car that you can’t drive. This is where gap insurance comes in. A gap car insurance policy insures you for the difference between what you owe on your car and what your insurance company says it’s worth. In some cases this insurance will be required as part of purchase or lease.

Gap insurance coverage would also become critical if your car is stolen. Thieves prefer new cars and they seek out specific models, which usually happen to be the most popular models of cars sold. (Honda Accord, Ford Taurus – etc. etc.)

If your car is stolen, the insurance situation is the same as in the case of an at-fault accident on your part: comprehensive insurance will cover the value of the vehicle, but not necessarily the value of the loan that you owe to the bank. You could be stuck paying thousands for a car that’s long gone. Add that to the truly disheartening feeling of having your car stolen, and that makes for a really rough time.

As a Lemon Law firm, we see many situations of negative equity when a case is being settled with an auto manufacturer. Often it is the first time the owner discovers the reality of being upside down on their loan or lease. It is always painful. We certainly could offer scads of advice about this situation. The first piece of advice would be, never buy something that is beyond your means. This advice will surely be ignored over and over. The other thought, which isn’t really advice is, if you get caught in a situation where your negative equity is going to be expensive, bite your lip and promise yourself you will never get in that sort of situation again. It’s bad for you and accepting these kinds of deals only encourages manufacturers and their financial organizations to offer these “good deals”.

By: Donald Ladew

Business Angels and the Capital That You Need

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 04:35:48 +0000

Business angels are high net worth individuals; they form another way of gaining finance for businesses. Business angels form part of what is known as equity finance. This equity finance is money that is invested into a business that doesn’t need to be repaid. Business angels are one of the most popular forms of equity finance and in recent years more and more people are realising the benefits of using the help of a business angel.

Business angels are established entrepreneurs who have already built up their own business. They are typically men over the age of 35 but there are no strict guidelines as to who can and cannot become a business angel. The majority of these business angels make investments for financial reasons; however in many cases there are often other factors as to why business angels wish to make a contribution to a business. These reasons include things such as they wish to take part in the entrepreneurial process and to have the enjoyment of being part of a successful investment.

It has been estimated that business angels invest roughly £300 million every year into established and start-up businesses. It is also safe to say that the majority of these investments happen at the start-up stage of business rather than later on in business. Typically, Business Angels invest between £10,000 and £750,000 in an investment. Where larger amounts are invested in a business, this may be as part of a syndicate organised through personal contacts or a Business Angel Network.

When it comes to the type of business that business angels invest in it should be noted that business angels invest across most industry sectors and stages of business development; however many business angels especially invest in early and expansion stage businesses. Most business angels prefer to invest in companies within 100 miles of where they live or work. Investors in technology companies tend to be more prepared to travel longer distances. One thing that is certain is that business angels rarely have a connection with a company before they invest but they will often have experience of the industry sector that they will be getting involved with.

If you are either a start-up business who needs start-up finance or you are an established business who needs extra finance for a specific purpose then a business angel could be just what you are looking for. A business angel can bring not only money to a business but by using the help of a business angel you are also gaining help in the form of experience, contacts and additional skills to a company.

Not all businesses are often able to gain the help of a business angel. Your business/company has to have a decent history and you need to prove that you will be able to establish yourself. There are certain aspects that business angels will look at within your business to determine whether you are eligible to gain the help of a business angel. These aspects are things such as:

• The expertise and track record of the business founders and management team

• The competitive edge or unique selling point of the company

• The characteristics and growth potential of the market your business is in

• Compatibility between the management, business proposal and the business angel’s skills and investment preferences

• The financial commitment of the entrepreneur

If you are interested in gaining the help of a business angel it is important that you get in touch with a financial company who will be able to put you in touch with a business angel who will be able to possibly help your business.

By: Helen Cox