Taking the Mystery out of Mutual Funds

Mutual Funds can be an excellent investment opportunity for the people looking for a less risky investment than individual stocks. However, because there is still a risk involved in investing in mutual funds, it is wise to make sure that you have a complete understanding of the many types of funds there are and the fees that come with investing in mutual funds. For instance, there are five questions that you should ask before investing in any fund....Read on

Budgeting Your Money

The average American household saved -2% last year. You did not not read a mis-print. Yes, -2% was saved in the average American household! This is a very interesting and troubling statistic. It means that as a country we are not saving, but going deeper and deeper into debt. Before I go on, let me explain that debt can be classified into two types -- good debt and bad debt. Good debt is incurred while purchasing an asset - something that you can sell and usually make a profit from. An example of good debt is an investment home purchase, a business or other asset that will appraise for a higher price than what you owe. On the other hand, bad debt is debt that cannot be listed as an asset on a financial cash flow sheet. An example of bad debt is unsecured debt, e.g., money owed on credit cards and items that do not appreciate in value, leaving you owing more than they are worth. I am sorry to say that the -2% that Americans saved last year was due to bad debt... mostly in unsecured credit card purchases....Read on

Will Your Money Go or Grow?

Excessive spenders have a consumer mentality. Before money is placed in their hands, it is already gone. Excessive spenders enjoy life today at the expense of tomorrow. Their mindset of, "That's what money is for - to spend it!" and, "I have money, so I must immediately go out and buy," keeps them in a cycle of debt and lack. Often the excessive spender's personality is set in motion by insecurities. They need to have what everyone...Read more