High Interest Savings Accounts – A Safe Way to Care for Your Money

Have you ever thought about the best way to invest your money? If your main target is to ensure that your investment is going to be safe, the best way to obtain such a goal is by means of a high interest savings or checking accounts. Many people are starting to seek out this type of service as offered by a variety of banks. The status of the world market is currently very unpredictable. In one moment, it is providing investors with huge returns and within months, it is washing investments away....

Saving Money Is The Key To Financial Success

Preparing for the future is more important than ever as you can no longer rely on the money you will receive from Social Security when you turn 65. Most people put the future in the back of their mind and live simply for today. If they don’t have the money to purchase some coveted item, they simply put it on their credit card without thought to the consequences. A savings plan in the not too distant past was something most families were proud to have and often budgeted money each week to depo...

529 College Savings Plans For the Win

While we don't have any children of our own yet, we do have several young nieces and nephews. We all live close enough together that every time one of them has a birthday, the whole family gets together for the birthday party. For us, it usually means rushing out at the last minute to find a gift. We don't mind giving the gifts, but the reality is that the kids already have so many toys that each new one may only get a minute of attention before they move on to the next one. Possibly never...

Lowering My Broadband Bill

When we moved into our house, we signed up for high speed internet with a promotion for $29.99/month for 6 months. That 6 months expired a couple of months ago and since then we have been paying the regular price of over $50/month. You don't have to read too many personal finance blogs to find examples of people who have had their rates for various services lowered just by calling and asking for it. So, I figures I would give it a try. (more…)

Do You Need an Emergency Fund?

We typically hear that everyone should have an emergency fund equal to three to six months (or more) worth of basic living expenses. But, do you really need such an emergency fund? I'm not sure you do. Emergency funds give you something to fall back on if you become ill or disabled and can't work, if you or your spouse lose your job, incur large medical bills, or have an unexpected large bill such as a major car or home repair. (more…)

I Bond Rates

The big news as of late is the new I bond rates. With the current fixed rate of 1.2%, I bonds bought between now and the end of the October will pay 4.8% for the first 6 months, and then 6.92%(!) for the next 6 months. The question, then, for those of you considering buying I bonds, is whether to buy before the end of October or before the end of November. (more…)

If Savers Are Losers…. We’re Winning.

The latest report of the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows that in August, just as it was in July, the personal savings rate in this country dipped below zero. That's worse than simply not saving. It means that, on average, we're spending more than we are earning. Personal saving was a negative $61.8 billion in August, compared with a negative $100.9 billion in July. Personal saving as a percentage of disposable personal income was a negative 0.7 percent in August, compared with a negative 1.1 ...