Deprecated: Function set_magic_quotes_runtime() is deprecated in /var/www/ssovez/data/www/finances-all.com/ffd80bdb44cdb991ce7927dcdd59abf4/sape.php on line 219
Deprecated: Function set_magic_quotes_runtime() is deprecated in /var/www/ssovez/data/www/finances-all.com/ffd80bdb44cdb991ce7927dcdd59abf4/sape.php on line 225
Page № 2 » personal money,personal budget,spending money,managing money
Branding. That ubiquitous marketing buzzword. Every business wants a brand; many businesses invest heavily in developing, promoting and growing their brands. Martin and I have created a business devoted to building strong, magnetic brands. So it got me thinking: Is there anything in the discipline of branding that might benefit a relationship?
The more I explored the question, the more interesting it became. Many folks have told me that Martin and I are a unique couple. They point to our ability to work together successfully. They marvel that for years we shared an office, working across a partners' desk. Even now, our offices are separated only by a sliding door that remains open but for the quietest conversations.
There are, after all, some rather famous couple brands. How about Brangelina? Those political Clintons? The ever-expanding Duggars?
* How much money will be needed by an individual (or by a family), and when? * Where will this money come from, and how? * How can people protect themselves against unforeseen personal events, as well as those in the external economy? * How can family assets best be transferred across generations (bequests and inheritance)? * How does tax policy (tax subsidies or penalties) affect personal financial decisions? * How does credit affect an individual's financial standing? * How can one plan for a secure financial future in an environment of economic instability?
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- If you want to refinance your mortgage into a loan with a sub-5% interest rate, better hurry. Your window of opportunity is closing fast.
Lenders are still advertising rock-bottom interest rates, but for most borrowers, rates are rapidly rising into the 5%-plus category.
During the week of Jan. 7, the average 30-year, fixed-rate loan closed at 5.09%, according to mortgage giant Freddie Mac. That is significantly higher than the 4.71% it averaged at the beginning of the month, and experts say rates will go higher yet.
"Interest rates are up and they're not going to go down below 5% again," said Mark Zandi, chief economist for Moody's Economy.com, not for a while at least.
A banner year for stocks means you probably didn't wince the last time you looked at your 401(k). It also means that your asset allocation is probably out of whack. A $100,000 portfolio invested in 60% stocks and 40% bonds and cash and rebalanced annually for the past 37 years would have grown to $2.9 million, vs. $2.5 million for one that was never rebalanced, according to the Schwab Center for Financial Research.
2. Earn one new credential
The economy is getting back on track, but the job market has a long way to go. So develop a skill that will make you more attractive to your current employer or a prospective one. Some in high demand right now include project-management certification, blog software like WordPress, and expertise in data-crunching programs like Excel and search-engine optimization, says Fabio Rosati, CEO of Elance.com, a website that helps freelancers find jobs.
(Money Magazine) -- Question: I'm 25 and want to start investing in the stock market, but I'm unsure of how to do it. Any advice? --Kyle, Bentonville, Arkansas
Answer: After all the lousy news of the past few years -- the collapse and near-collapse of some of the nation's largest financial institutions, the long and deep recession, the horrendous job losses and a more than 50% decline in stock prices from 2007's high to 2009's low -- it's heartening to hear from young investors like you who still recognize the value of investing in stocks.
That's important because even though recent events have reminded us that investing in equities isn't anything close to the all-gain-no-pain path to riches it was once portrayed as, stocks still offer the best shot at the long-term gains needed to achieve financial security and a comfortable retirement.
