1. Pay off high-cost debt. The best investment most borrowers can make is to pay off consumer debt with double-digit interest rates. For example, if you have a $3,000 credit card balance at 19.8%, and you pay the required minimum balance of 2% of the balance or $15, whichever is greater, it will take 39 years to pay off the loan. And you will pay more than $10,000 in interest charges.
2. Buy a home and pay off the mortgage before you retire. The largest asset of most middle-income families is their home equity. Once these families have made their last mortgage payment, they have far lower housing expenses. They also have an asset that can be borrowed on in emergencies or converted into cash through sale of the home.
3. Participate in a work-related retirement program. Many employees turn down free money from their employer by not signing up for a work-related retirement program such as a 401(k) plan. If they did participate, with a dollar-for-dollar match they would likely receive an annual yield of greater than 100% on their investment.
4. Outside of work, save monthly through an automatic transfer from checking to savings. These savings will provide funds for emergencies, home purchase, school tuition, or even retirement. Almost all banking institutions will, on request, automatically transfer funds monthly from your checking account to a savings account, U.S. Savings Bond, or stock mutual fund. What you don't see, you will probably not miss.
5. Calculate your risk and return. If you earn 4% interest, your money will double in less than 15 years; at 7% it will double in about 10 years and at 10% it will double in 7%. Use Asset Allocation to reduce your overall risk.
About The Author
Cindy S. Morus (www.phelps-creek.com) is a Certified Financial Recovery Counselor specializing in showing women and their families how to achieve financial well-being and peace of mind. She is also a Certified Credit Report Reviewer and Get Clients NOW!? licensee. Contact her at 541-387-2995 or www.phelps-creek.com She is also the publisher and editor of "Financial Fitness", an internet gazette dedicated to helping people improve their financial fitness no matter what decisions were made in the past.
(c) Phelps Creek Financial Coaching - All Rights Reserved
cleaning service near Deerfield .!There is no need to use the many middleman websites... Read More
How Much Money Will I Need to Earn to Retire?This... Read More
A surprising number of readers want to know "Can a... Read More
Although there are advantages to selling other people`s products and... Read More
As a work at home Mother, I know the value... Read More
The four main steps in building a wealth cycle foundation... Read More
For most of us, the idea of retiring simply on... Read More
Time and time again entrepreneurs are losing out on getting... Read More
Why not run a lucrative paper business? Paper businesses do... Read More
"It's the business of your life?and you're the CEO!" Gala... Read More
Have you any idea how many people search Google every... Read More
Living on credit is fashionable. Indulging oneself is fashionable. Saving... Read More
As someone who loves to shop, enjoys holidays and owns... Read More
The rewarding of high compensation packages to top executives who... Read More
1. Pay off high-cost debt. The best investment most borrowers... Read More
Points to ponder as you consider what can be done... Read More
"Money Doesn't Grow On Trees."Some of us even believe it.... Read More
Parents must give serious thought to protecting their family through... Read More
The inability to come up with the necessary cash when... Read More
Masters degree not required...just a little common sense, a $5.00... Read More
There are plenty of people who are in love with... Read More
It is with great pleasure of having you here at... Read More
While you need to have a lot of positive-thought and... Read More
Wealth - an abundance of values. Each of us determines... Read More
Many people have a false understanding of what it actually... Read More
one time home cleaning Mundelein .!Compounding: The Ninth Wonder of the WorldBy Nicola Cairncross Compounding... Read More
Whenever we read about building wealth or even attend a... Read More
Money is probably the most challenging thing for many people... Read More
How many people search Google, Yahoo and MSN each day... Read More
Self-Made Millionaires are not smarter or better than you. They... Read More
I want to share an experience I had in common... Read More
Many people have a false understanding of what it actually... Read More
Like I said, If you are poor and on social... Read More
You may think you have to be an entrepreneur to... Read More
I'm constantly reading articles on the internet and in financial... Read More
Is accumulating wealth as easy as following a 3-step plan?... Read More
Some people in this world are thinking that their poor... Read More
In his best selling book, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Robert... Read More
They are the object of thinly disguised envy. They are... Read More
You can learn the secrets of world monetary flow if... Read More
Very few people whom I know are familiar with the... Read More
Financial planning often gets a bad rap. Part of the... Read More
As you know, we're now well and truly in theInformation... Read More
In my last article on Creating Residual Income I mentioned... Read More
We will start the Financial Fitness System with the assumption... Read More
The fact is that most people continue to work for... Read More
Have you seen a picture of the Parthenon in Athens,... Read More
You have probably heard other people say that "Money isn't... Read More
As someone who loves to shop, enjoys holidays and owns... Read More
Financial planning at an early age may seem complicated, however... Read More
Wealth Building |