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Many people are focused on saving a certain amount for retirement but don’t think about what they’re going to do with that money once they reach retirement—t…
Stock Market In Todays Economy-Search Engines For Advice
When you go to the search engines to do research on the term “stock market in todays economy” you will get a lot of advice about what you should invest your money in and what stocks you should avoid.
Much of this is traditional type advice, it’s the same thing you have been hearing for years from the self proclaimed “experts” of the day. The problem is that much of that information is wrong.
Recently I have started to educate myself about investing. I knew absolutely nothing about investing while I was married. We went to an adviser and we were told the same thing everyone else is told: to stay in for the long haul, that the market always tends to gain back any losses over time, etc.
After some painful, both financially and emotionally, losses I decided that maybe the information that most of us get isn’t complete or even accurate.
That is why I decided to look a little more closely. I started reading books about two of today’s top investors both of whom seem to have become extremely wealthy only on their own investments.
I like that idea. The guy we used to go to only made money when he got us, or any of his other clients, to invest in a certain stock or bond. He didn’t just live off the income he made with his own investments.
This is one of the first points I remember learning when I started doing my own research – why take advice about how best to invest my money from someone who isn’t “good” enough to live off their own investment?
I think that is a valid point and one you should carefully consider. Both of the investors I studied had similar outlooks on their money and how they invest. They have their own criteria that they use to decide what to invest in and what to steer clear of.
It is based on their own research and not what some talking head says. If the investment doesn’t meet their criteria they don’t invest in it… period.
When the market is too hot and all the stocks are overpriced, they don’t invest in it. Instead they will pull their money out and put it someplace safe. Perhaps they buy gold or perhaps they invest in Treasury bonds but they don’t leave it in the market.
They will stay out of the market as long as it takes to rebound. When a good stock, one that is undervalued and meets their criteria, becomes available they will buy it.
All of these things can be learned by any of us if we are willing to take the time. Here are a few things you need to take away from this article:
1. Knowledgeable investors don’t just “ride out” a bad economy. They get out early so they don’t lose any, or as much, and put their money elsewhere until the market provides more opportunities.
2. They don’t take advice from people who are paid only to give advice. Instead, they do their own research and make their own decisions.
3. They don’t follow the herds or the trends. They have learned from experience that most people get into the market right as it is heating up, which is the time these successful investors tend to get out.
Follow the winners, continue to educate yourself, learn from your experience and create your own criteria for when to buy and you can’t go wrong. If you build a solid foundation you will never have to ask yourself what to do with the stock market in todays economy, you will already know.
Financial Crisis And Help -Wake Up Call In Todays Economy
If anything good has come out of this current economic downturn it is the fact that many of us have gotten a wake up call. We have learned the hard way that living beyond our means and up to our eyeballs in debt is not the best way to ensure our financial future, not to mention being able to get a good nights sleep! But the good thing is that financial crisis and help with finances are now a lot more readily available.
It’s sad but true, throughout history things haven’t gotten better until there was some sort of tragedy. Think of the lack of life boats on a cruise ship, no one bothered until the Titanic went down. The same is true today with the financial crisis and help.
Due to the economy and so many people losing their job, there are now plenty of resources where you can turn for help. If you want some information on how to get out of debt, make a budget you can live with or just become more financially educated, you can turn to many places for that help.
But if you want some actual financial assistance your options are a little harder to find and a little more limited due to the increased need. Many programs like food banks, are now stretched to the breaking point.
Personally, I think it is a good idea to start with what you already have. Instead of trying to get some money from a program that is probably running out of money, why not start to try to take better care of your finances?
Going this route, you don’t have to worry about the program running out of money. Instead you are making changes right from the source.
I have a friend who has a grown son who got behind on his student loan payments. When we started talking about it she asked me what her son could do. I told her I didn’t mean to sound insensitive but the truth is he had two choices: he could lower his debt or make more money.
That is about it. Since making more money isn’t likely at this point, he needs to spend his time finding ways to lower his debt. Many of us are in the same situation and it can seem hopeless but we might have more options than we realize.
Her son, for example, pays hundreds of dollars every month for an expensive phone and phone plan. My friend has actually gotten rid of her contract phone and is happily using a pay as you go phone. Her monthly phone bill is around and her son is paying over 0 a month.
So, there are things he can do to lower his overall expenses, he just needs to be willing to do them. I’ll bet if you are really honest with yourself you can find ways to cut your expenses too.
This is one of the simplest ways to give yourself a little breathing room. The more money you free up the more money you can save or apply to paying down other debt. It will take time but you can find yourself in a much better financial situation over time.
Financial crisis and help tend to go hand in hand. It seems like the worse things get, the more help is available. Get the help you need to avert any more financial crises in your life.
Tips For Understanding Personal Finance In Todays World
Getting your personal finances in order is the first step for many other goals. It leads to having more spending money in the bank, better credit and an overall better quality of life for you and your family. The rest of this article will give you some advice on how you can gain control of your finances.
Financing real estate is not the easiest task. The lender considers several factors. One of these factors is the debt-to-income ratio, which is the percentage of your gross monthly income that you spend on paying your debts. This includes everything from housing to car payments. It is very important not to make larger purchases before buying a home because that significantly ruins the debt-to-income ratio.
Don’t get talked into quick money making schemes. It can be very tempting to give up your savings account to someone who promises to double or triple your money in a short period of time. Take the safe route, and realize that nothing is free. You will be better off slowly and steadily growing your savings rather than risky moves to get more faster. You could end up losing it all.
Balance your checkbook with a friend. Just as in all things, accountability can have its perks. You are less likely to overspend or make rash purchases you can’t really afford if you have to explain that purchase to someone else later. Make a pact with a friend to keep each other accountable and watch your savings grow.
One of the things that you need to take into consideration with the rising rates of gasoline is miles per gallon. When you are shopping for a car, look into the car’s MPG, which can make a huge difference over the life of your purchase in how much you spend on gas.
There’s an easy way to avoid credit card debt: don’t dig yourself into the hole to begin with. Think about your options before you put anything on your credit card. Do the math and figure out exactly the length of time it will take you to pay it off. In most cases any, amount that cannot be paid off before the due date should be avoided.
If you have more than one student loan, consider consolidating them. Consolidated loans can be locked in at a low interest rate, often lower than the interest rates on your original loans. You also have the option of extending your loan payoff period if need be. Contact the agency that holds your student loans to see if you qualify.
Re-check your tax withholding allowances every year. There are many change of life events that can effect these. Some examples are getting married, getting divorced, or having children. By checking them yearly you will make sure you’re declaring correctly so that too much or too little money is not withheld from your paychecks.
Some apartment complexes have age restrictions. Check with the community to be sure you or your family meet the requirements. Some communities only accept people 55 or older and others only accept adult families with no children. Look for a place with no age restriction or where your family meets the requirements.
Keep track of the money you are spending every month and make a budget. This way you can see where you need to cut back on your spending, which will make it easier to save. Make a budget and track every single expense you have, then look at it at the end of the month, so you can know where you stand.
With a little planning and putting these tips and hints into place, you too can see the results you are looking for. As we have outlined in this article, your finances are a matter of sound judgment and self discipline as you make a plan and stick to it.
Stock Market In Todays Economy-Search Engines For Advice
When you go to the search engines to do research on the term “stock market in todays economy” you will get a lot of advice about what you should invest your money in and what stocks you should avoid.
Much of this is traditional type advice, it’s the same thing you have been hearing for years from the self proclaimed “experts” of the day. The problem is that much of that information is wrong.
Recently I have started to educate myself about investing. I knew absolutely nothing about investing while I was married. We went to an adviser and we were told the same thing everyone else is told: to stay in for the long haul, that the market always tends to gain back any losses over time, etc.
After some painful, both financially and emotionally, losses I decided that maybe the information that most of us get isn’t complete or even accurate.
That is why I decided to look a little more closely. I started reading books about two of today’s top investors both of whom seem to have become extremely wealthy only on their own investments.
I like that idea. The guy we used to go to only made money when he got us, or any of his other clients, to invest in a certain stock or bond. He didn’t just live off the income he made with his own investments.
This is one of the first points I remember learning when I started doing my own research – why take advice about how best to invest my money from someone who isn’t “good” enough to live off their own investment?
I think that is a valid point and one you should carefully consider. Both of the investors I studied had similar outlooks on their money and how they invest. They have their own criteria that they use to decide what to invest in and what to steer clear of.
It is based on their own research and not what some talking head says. If the investment doesn’t meet their criteria they don’t invest in it… period.
When the market is too hot and all the stocks are overpriced, they don’t invest in it. Instead they will pull their money out and put it someplace safe. Perhaps they buy gold or perhaps they invest in Treasury bonds but they don’t leave it in the market.
They will stay out of the market as long as it takes to rebound. When a good stock, one that is undervalued and meets their criteria, becomes available they will buy it.
All of these things can be learned by any of us if we are willing to take the time. Here are a few things you need to take away from this article:
1. Knowledgeable investors don’t just “ride out” a bad economy. They get out early so they don’t lose any, or as much, and put their money elsewhere until the market provides more opportunities.
2. They don’t take advice from people who are paid only to give advice. Instead, they do their own research and make their own decisions.
3. They don’t follow the herds or the trends. They have learned from experience that most people get into the market right as it is heating up, which is the time these successful investors tend to get out.
Follow the winners, continue to educate yourself, learn from your experience and create your own criteria for when to buy and you can’t go wrong. If you build a solid foundation you will never have to ask yourself what to do with the stock market in todays economy, you will already know.