March 2012

How to Use Your Roth IRA For A Vacation

IRAs

The other day I overheard a few friends talking about their honeymoon in Hawaii.  My wife and I would love to go on a trip to Hawaii, but it’s just a little too expensive for us right now.  That is, unless you cash in your Roth IRA to go on vacation. That’s exactly what this […]

5 Ways People Waste Money on Their Cars

Frugality
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This may be something of a personal bugbear, but why do people waste money on their cars? Spending money on cars, fine. Wasting money? Not so fine. Of course, if you have a car, there are always going to be costs involved. From buying gas to car insurance, you can’t get away from the fact […]

Is It Possible To Give Too Much?

Personal Finance

Can we ever give too much—to church, to charity, to other people? Usually the question goes in the opposite direction—we don’t give enough. I’ll admit that on the surface this question seems almost ridiculous, but it is actually possible to give too much. Also, we have to be careful that we don’t attach subjective numbers […]

What to do if you Forget to Sign your Tax Return

Taxes
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This is so a mistake that I would make!  With tax deadlines coming up, there will probably be thousands of Americans who forget to sign their tax documents.  Although the majority of people e-file these days, there is still a significant chunk who still file through good ole fashioned paper. So what happens if you […]

5 Ways To Prepare Yourself For A Slow Growth Economy

Personal Finance
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Jeremy Grantham, the well-respected Chief Investment Strategist for GMO is calling for a “slow-growth economy” over the next few years. He expects economic growth worldwide to be around 2%.  This has numerous effects on governments and households around the globe. We must be ready to continue on this slow-growth trajectory, and there are certainly some […]

Compound Interest Calculator and Formula

Personal Finance
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Albert Einstein once said, “The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest.”  We’re all affected by compound interest whether we like it or not.  It plays a major role in our investments, home loans, car payments, and retirement accounts.   Nearly every financial concept can trace some roots to the magic of compounding, which […]

Is Renting to Own Right for You?

Home Loans
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Investing in real estate can be a gamble. That is unless one plans to stay in the home or nearby area for long term. If this is the case, renting to own real estate is a great way for first time buyers to dip their feet into the pool of the American dream. Renting to […]

5 Wise Ways to Spend Your Tax Refund

Taxes
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Let’s be honest, we all enjoy tax refunds.  The oh so sweet check in the mail that makes us all smile.  While there is much debate on whether or not getting a tax refund is a good thing, I want to discuss various ways you can be wise with this new money. Instead of wasting […]

Should Christians Flaunt Their Prosperity?

True Wealth
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If you’re a Christian and you’re reading this post from the vantage point of a Western culture and value system, you may find this post a bit…offensive. If you do, I’d love to entertain your comments below—perhaps I’m wrong in my thinking and in what I’m presenting here. In Western culture, perhaps even in most […]

I Can’t Tithe Because I Have No Money

True Wealth
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What is tithing? In its simplest form, tithing means to give a tenth of your income to God. This is usually given to a church, but in some cases it is given to para-church organizations that meet the spiritual needs of the giver.  Tithing is both an act of faith and a response to God’s […]

Consolidating Debts With Bad Credit: Can It Be Done?

Credit

(Author’s Bio: Valerie Anne Reyes is an in-house writer from Franklin Debt Relief, a company specializing in programs for people with high credit card debt.) The problem of credit card debt is a common one shared by millions of people. This problem is one that some people have managed to endure without seeing much impact […]