FINANCIAL FREEDOM

Your complete guide to achieve financial freedom. Proven tips, tools and tactics for you to achieve financial freedom. Make money, save money and effectively manage your money.

Smart Ways to Cut Costs and Realize Savings Each Month

Written by Dian Herdiana on 11:29 PM

Whether you are single or married with children you are likely in need of additional money-saving tips. The most obvious is to have a disciplined mindset.

More specifically you will want to apply one or more of these principles:

Make your own gourmet meals instead of going out. This is perfect for a couple who wants to indulge in a romantic evening but does not make enough money to invest in a night out on a town. Your favorite food, a reasonably-priced bottle of wine, and an old music collection to play in the background may be ideal.

Repair or alter damaged/outdated clothing. If you or someone near you is handy with needle and thread you can very quickly make easy repairs. Furthermore, if you know anything at all about sewing you can alter outdated items to keep up with today's fashion.

Find less-expensive ways to entertain your family. It can be hard to always invest in fun for your whole family if you have one. Days at the local beach, trail walking, or window shopping are often fun activities. If you go to fairs you may want to pack a picnic lunch if permissible. It will save you from spending all your hard-earned cash on over-priced fairground food.

Make wise purchases on video games, audio devices, and appliances. For instance, you will want to purchase items that can be repair or replaced for cheap rates. Do not waste your money investing in items you know will be outdated. For instance, many places are now selling video cams for cheap because the new HD will be coming out the following year.

Order water instead of soda with your meal. This can save you $7.00 a week if you eat out at least once a day. This is often the case with persons employed in business-related and financial-related fields. Ironically enough, even people knowledgeable about wise investment need this advice too.

Prepare "convenience" foods ahead of time. You can prepare and store your own on-the-go foods for lower prices than you would if you buy single-serving foods in the store. This is great advice whether you are single or not.

For singles: Share an apartment. There is no shame if you are a legal adult and making it on your own to want to save money sharing a place with someone. Do not ever let anyone think of you as less of a person if you are paying all your own expenses.

Besides, if you are truly independent living with someone is not going to change that. You are still likely to take care of yourself and be responsible. It would be less lonely for you to live with someone as a single person anyway.

Consider alternative housing situations. You can even find whole communities of people who live on the same plot of land and share resources and expenses. Each situation is set up differently so you will be able to find one that is most suitable for you.

Cut down on unhealthy, costly habits. Just think of all the gadgets, trips, and essentials you could by if you were not spending an average of 40 to 100 dollars per month on alcohol, cigarettes, and other substances. It is even recommended that you cut down on soda, coffee, and other caffeinated beverages.

Purchase in bulk. If you must have a vice or two, such as soda or beer, it is often cheaper to purchase it in bulk. All types of foods can be purchased this way. The cost up front is much more but you will not need to shop for awhile.

Capitalize on unused items. If you own items or find items that are no longer used by you or someone else sell them. Someone out there is bound to buy them even if you think they are absolutely useless.

This list of creative money-saving tips should get you started. There are more bits of advice where this came from!

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Simply living

Written by Dian Herdiana on 5:09 AM

Simply living is about living a happy, fulfilled life that has purpose and meaning. It is about having control over how and where you spend your money, and how you spend your time. When you establish goals for a satisfying life, you take control of the present and the future and you are going to quickly learn that ‘less is more’.

In a world where hyperconsumerism is rampant, you are able to bask in the glow of a newfound freedom from debt. But it is not just being debt-free that helps you create the life you desire. It involves more than money. You focus not only on your financial wealth, but you create a new life that encompasses:

1. Financial wealth
2. Mental wealth
3. Physical wealth
4.Spiritual wealth

Simply living gives you fulfillment and joy in living every day. It does not take money to be happy, but you may find that being happy leads to more meaningful jobs and work that are able to result in having more money. When you are happier with your work, your life, your family, and yourself, you are more productive and creative.

You identify new ways to build wealth in all areas of your life. The focus is no longer on the material possessions of the world or the social clout you have. It is about a life lived to its fullest – with purpose and meaning.

And all by living simply happy and debt-free!

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Ten Ways to Simplify your Life and Lower Debt

Written by Dian Herdiana on 6:56 AM

You should shop for quality insurance. Ask your friends for their recommendations. Do they like their insurance representative? Does the insurance agent seem to be responsive to their needs? Is the agent easy to contact? How long have they had this agent handling their insurance?

Determine your real needs. What types of insurance will you need in retirement? Consider medical, dental, free or low cost coverage. Look at your medical bills and see the types of services you were charged for? Do you anticipate needing surgery or more heath care?

Get several quotes. Even if a company is recommended by a friend or relative, you might want to get at least three quotes so you can make a comparison of the services and fees. Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website for any complaint. Also check the rating of the insurance company. Among the commonly-known rating financial agencies are Moody's and Standard & Poor's.

Be prepared to answer a long series of questions as they relate to your health.

Ask about annuities, Medicare, Medicaid, Medigap, prescription drug payment assistance, long-term care insurance, travel insurance, etc.

How stable is your current income flow? Do you currently own financial products? Are you wondering whether you should cash out any of your financial products? Ask your rep if you should refinance your home or not.

There are many reasons to save money. One main reason is retirement. Today you cannot live off of social security alone. Another reason to save is because there are situations ahead. Straight if your kid are quiet in high day-school, college is not far off, and neither are cars and graduation parties. Other acceptable argument to protect is because you understand you are going to want bigger, better things soon. You understand soon you are going to want that bigger house, or that better car, or that boat you have been dreaming of. Save now so all of those are an option. Another reason to save is because of the unexpected things in life coming toward you. For example there is job less, illness, or home repairs. These are all goods you are going to require saved small change for. According to bankrate.com, "Americans at present expend extra than they deserve. Savings are less than nil. But you are able to break out of that mold all on your own and reap the advantages of sensitivity at liberty and free"

Here are some real ways to save, and save aggressively. First of all, pay off all of your credit cards. That credit being open is an amazing opportunity, character uplift, and safety net. Debt is suffocating. Next, make sure you budget your income so your cost of living is as low as possible in contrast to your income. That is, if you calculate your bills, your gas, food, and extra spending, it is much less than what you are bringing in. With that extra money, you save. Put it in a savings account and act like it does not exist. Another great way to aggressively save is to have a roommate. If you are single, this is a great way to literally split your bills in half. Carpooling is also a great way to save money and split a bill in half.

Lastly, when it comes to saving it is very important to remember you are spending and what is necessary and just a want. For example, calculate how much money you are spending on going out to eat and how much that would equate to for groceries. You would be surprised. Remember how much you are buying that you do not need, that you won't even use that often. Is it worth it right now? Saving and not spending when it comes to wants is exactly what makes it aggressive saving.

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Avoid These Major Money Missteps and Stay Out of Debt

Written by Dian Herdiana on 9:46 AM

What you can do to avoid getting into debt? Experts say there are certain money missteps that many of us are likely to make. Here are the major money missteps that can easily land you in debt. These are very common missteps that many of us fall into without even knowing it.

Buying a new car

OK, this is not so much a money misstep (unless you really can’t afford a new car, or finance it with a high interest rate) as a preference that can easily get you into debt. Sure, you love that new car smell, the feeling that you are the one adding up the miles, but it is a known fact that new cars depreciate several thousand dollars as within the first year. Save yourself all that money that you’re paying for the privilege of the new car smell and buy a high quality pre-owned vehicle. Many used cars still carry the original warranty—even more incentive for buying a quality used vehicle.

Borrowing from your 401(k) or 403(b)

In most cases, you won’t get a great deal at all. Your 401(k) deals are pre-tax, which means that eventually the money that you put in will get taxed when you withdraw it. Taking out a loan from your 401(k) or 403(b) means that you will be borrowing from pre-tax dollar which will eventually have to be repaid. When you eventually retire and begin your withdrawals, you will be taxed again. If you borrow money from your 401(k) or 403(b), you will effectively be getting taxed twice. Did you know that you are also required to repay the loan in only a few months? If you don’t happen to have the money for repayment, your loan will be treated as a withdrawal. You can expect a whopping 10 percent early withdrawal penalty.

Using your home equity line of credit to pay off your credit card debt

You can lose your home if this doesn’t work out. Credit card debt is often described by unsecured debt, because there’s no real collateral that the credit card company can force you to sell in order to collect on the debt. A home mortgage and home equity loan is known as secured debt because your home is the collateral. But if you fall behind your payments, the lender can easily require you to sell your home in order to collect on the debt.

Avoid buying a variable annuity

When you buy a variable annuity you are making a contract with the insurance company and the money is used to buy mutual funds. Salesmen may try to pitch this kind of investment as a way of buying and selling funds inside the annuity without the tax bills as long as the money is invested. But did you know that you will have to pay income tax on any withdrawals? Plus, if you withdraw any money from your variable annuities before you are approximately 60 years of age, you will also be penalized with a 10 percent fee. So watch out for what may seem like a great deal on that tempting variable annuity. There are often many buried fees that are attached to variable annuities. Make sure to read all the fine print.

Do not finance your new home purchase with a variable interest loan

Avoid those low initial teaser rates for financing your new home. If you can’t afford the home otherwise, you should probably not buy the home. Avoid option adjustable rate mortgages too. This will usually cause your loan balance to become bigger each month as the lender adds the unpaid interest on the balance of your home loan. Watch out for those great introductory rates—they can often turn out to be not-so-great.

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Keeping off Payday Loans for Credit Repair

Written by Dian Herdiana on 8:05 AM

If you're seeking to make ends meet and get past due bills, piling up the final resource is taking out a payday loan to pay your dues.

There are a lot of references useable nowadays that propose payday advances. The loans are issued after you read validation of banking account, Social Security, Driver License and Pay stub proofs. This selective information is applied against you, frequently the lenders are going to deduct money from your accounts including interest, and principals that apply to each loan you take out.

If you're using for a payday loan online…Beware…numerous of the sources are not even institutes that particularize in payday loans. When you're trying to repair your credit, the final thing you require to do is expend money that is not essential. When you borrow money from payday loaners, your personal info perhaps not be secret.

Since a lot of of the lenders are away of the U.S.A. and are out of government regulatings, your info just might fall into anyone’s hands. This puts your credit at big danger. Payday loans propose you a loan against your paycheque, but the downside is your is going to be paying high fees for acquiring the loan.

Consequently, you're wasting money and accepting a opportunity on your personal identity. If you're seeking for assistance to repair your credit, it perhaps be knowing seek the market for legitimate resources that are going to assist you restore your credit at little or no more cost to you.

There are Debt Counselors available that help men and women with credit repair, but the most beneficial source is you. You perhap be wise to check out government alternatives that are usable to men and women with bad credit. A lot of services are useable assist you to repair your living.

The finest answer is keeping up to date on your bills if potential or minimising your every month installments by preferring for credit cards that get no fees attached and low interest rates. If you've a credit card, alternatively applying for a credit card prevent charging items to your cards unless it's perfectly essential.

You may would like to use for a different credit card if you card has high rates of interest and quit your old card once you pick up your new card. If you suspect that somebody has access to your card make certain to reach your provider right away to report the card lost or stolen. Make certain to just provide your personal info to those you believe.

Ne'er leave info pertaining to you freely. If you're thinking a loan to payoff your debts check the market first before applying, since the more applications you fill out applies against your credit report. You perhap would like to cut back on your utilities also to save funds that are able to be applied to your bills.

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Manage Money Through Banking

Written by Dian Herdiana on 8:48 AM

Perhaps one of the greatest breakthroughs in civilization is the concept of banking. Banking paved the way to the creation of bigger corporations, complex institutions, more secure financial transactions, and global economic interdependence.

People manage money through banking to make sure that the heard earned money that they acquire stays safe, healthily anchored in a national market, and easilyaccessible without having to hold on to the money itself.

Banks have been introduced since approximately 3 B.C. when temples held resources in terms of grains and other produce for commercial trading. Modern banking which standardized banknotes as currency was established during the 1500's and marked a new era of western banking as well.

Since then, banking have been brought to new heights with introduction of technology which allowed virtual banking while still being associated with real world currency.

Faster transactions and larger volumes of money can now be transferred to any point in the globe with a global banking system with just a click of a button.

Managing money has been developed in consistency to provide ease of understandability and utilization for the common citizen as well. This ensures that ahealthy banking and economic environment is maintained.

Personal Accounts

The most common and simplest form of a way to manage money through banking is by opening a personal account. This is then given an option of how the account should act, either as a savings account or a checking account. The former is the most basic form of savings with a fixed interest rate, as well as a minimum maintaining balance to prevent account closure.

The latter is designed to allow individuals who handle a larger amount of money to transact and pay without having to go to the bank and withdraw the large amountof money, thereby exposing himself to danger. Checks are tendered as legal bank notes, holding power to be converted to cash by the recipient.

Time Deposit

Time deposit accounts are fairly simple in nature. It is similar to a savings account, but only that there is a fixed matrix set by the bank for client compliance in terms of the amount of money deposited.

This is of course corresponded with the appropriate interest rate and benefits, should the amount in the matrix be higher.

There is one main catch for this type of managing money which is that when the individual engages on this savings type, the money that was deposited is waited to mature before it can be manipulated.Otherwise, the interest rates and benefits are not honored or curtailed in the process.

Credit Cards And Debit Cards

Credit cards and debit cards are two of the other alternatives to do banking. These are electronically crafted items which can be used to serve as a portable resource.
Establishments supporting these types of ransactions credit the expenses directly to the bank olding that account for any charges that are billed to the owner of that card.

Though this is a convenient and safe way to not bring any cold cash around, the risk of getting victimized by fraudulent activities such as credit card information hacking and the like also exposes the user to a level of threat with his money and resources.

A credit card is a feature given by a bank to its client to be able to buy in advance and be billed later on and deducted with the appropriate charges incurred over a monthly cycle plus taxes and charges.

A debit card is more of a limited credit card that allows the user to transact with an electronic card with establishments, only that the amount of charges that could be incurred is based on the actual money in that account and nothing more.It is a tricky concept to manage money through banking
if not understood correctly. It is therefore encouraged to the clients to read the fine print, and the terms and conditions as well for the different bank policies.

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Breaking The Habit- How To Stop Using Your Credit Card

Written by Dian Herdiana on 6:31 AM

You know your debt is rising, but still cannot stop using your credit card for purchasing items. Several people get easily dependent on credit cards for everyday expenses and impulsive buys. The fact that you are borrowing money from the creditor for your purchase might be tempting, but the truth is: you must be able to pay it off on time. Neglecting those bills can cause headaches in the future. You might get malicious letters from your creditors, or even receive threatening telephone calls.

Close, Shred and LeaveIf you really want to avoid those from happening all together or if you are starting to drown in your debt, you have to stop credit card usage. Fortunately, there are several ways on how to.

Firstly, many people would agree that closing your credit card account is the best way possible. One and simple call to your cardholder is sufficient enough to inactivate your credit card. Doing so might even quiet down that nagging feeling and desire to purchase items using a credit card. Just think that there might be one situation wherein the clerk says your credit card has been denied; the embarrassment from that situation is reason enough for you to inactivate your credit card.

Shredding is also an excellent way to break the habit completely. You can use an office shredder since it works great on plastic as it does on paper. Since your credit card is shredded into pieces, there is no way that you can swipe it. However, if you do not have a shredder, scissors are great too. Just cut the card into small pieces and make sure that the credit card number cannot be identified by potential thieves.

Another excellent way to stop using the credit card, especially when you go out of the house, is to leave them. If closing or shredding is not your style, try taking your credit card out of your wallet when you are about to go shopping. In this way, if you have the urge to buy something you really do not need, you have to think twice before buying it since you are about to use your own money.

The Shock and What Your Can Do About It
You have been using your credit card for your expenses but have you ever thought about the total amount of cash you spend in interest alone each year? More so, the duration of time it will take you to just pay off your credit cards might shock you. It is all about the numbers and these will put you into shock and can make you think twice before using that credit card again.

For instance, if you have a balance of $1,000 and an interest rate of 14%, it will take you about four and a half years before you can pay it off; that is, if you are making $25 in payments every month. By the time you pay off the balance, you will have paid a total of $347.55 in interest.

Since you know what credit cards can do, you might want to stop using it once and for all. Learn how to say "no" since this kind of discipline can help you stop impulsive buys, thus stopping the use of credit cards. Always think twice about swiping that credit card for your purchases and you would not have to think about repairing your credit in the future.

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Adding Funds to your Account

Written by Dian Herdiana on 9:23 AM

Opening a bank account in the United States of America allows you to take advantage of all the new progress banks have made over the years. Your money is honored the same as everyone's. There are several different options to owning a checking account. You are able to have access to your money 24 hours a day 7 days a week. You are able to access it online or through an ATM machine. There are also several ways to withdrawal cash and add funds to your account.

Withdrawing money allows you to get the cash in hand to pay for something that may not be accessible using an ATM card. If the money is in the account you are able to have access to it immediately. There may be a fee charged to your account if you withdrawal by ATM. If there is a fee you will be aware of it before you are able to withdrawal your money. You are going to know up front any additional costs. If there is no fee you are not going be asked to accept and instead you are going to be given your cash.

When you add funds to your account, you may be able to do this by using the function on an ATM machine or you are able to drop your deposit off in a night depository slot that will be checked the next business day. If the ATM machine is going to accept a deposit it is going to provide you with an envelope to put your deposit in including all your account information and the amount you want to deposit. This works basically the same way the night depository works accept you are notifying your account using the ATM machine that you have made a deposit.

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Wading Through the Financial Aid Options for College Students

Written by Dian Herdiana on 12:16 AM

The world of financial aid is often one of the utmost dreaded parts of obtaining ready to go off to college. Unless you get been offered a filled tuition scholarship sufficiently in advance of graduation, probability are you are going to have to do the work of obtaining financial aid to fund your college years. Financial aid can obviously be one of the extra confusing aspects of going to college. Here are numerous tips to assist you wade through the financial aid options for college students.

Your Foremost Stop - Fill out the FAFSA Form
What is the FAFAS form? As utmost college students understand, the FAFSA have to be your foremost stop on the road to securing financing for your college years. The FAFSA form is the Autonomous Application for Federal Student Aid. It is a federal form that you have to fill out roughly a year before you plan to be present college or university. The FAFSA form is going to ask you for individual report and knowledge about your family's income. By contents out the FAFSA in a punctual style, you naturally become qualified for federal student aid, which may comprehend Pell Grants (aka, autonomous small change), subsidized students loans, unsubsidized student loans, and monetary aid in the form of work-study funds. Pick up the FAFSA form at your local library or college financial aid office. You can even fill out the FAFSA form online.

Seeking Out Private Funding Sources
Another very famous selection is to look for out financial aid in the form of private funding sources. Private funding may intend representing out scholarship help from private companies, which can range from the local supermarket chain to a major bank corporation. Utmost of these private funding sources insist that apply with them straight for a scholarship contest of numerous type, which may incorporate an essay competition or entirely an application with reference letters. Make certain to follow directions watchfully, as each company has different rules and regulations.

Work Your Way to a College Degree -Taking Advantage of Employer Tuition AssistanceNumerous employers offer tuition assistance as part of your advantage package. Every employer is different, so ask your human resources representative if you think that they may be able to assist you with tuition. If you are unemployed and looking for a job, deliberate seeking out employers who offer tuition assistance as part of their advantage package.

Look for Out Specialty Scholarships
Before you go the route of private lending, make certain to put your superlative effort forth when it comes to finding appropriate scholarship opportunities. Just because you didn't make straight A's in high school does not mean that you are not scholarship material. There are numerous specialty scholarships out there that target specific majors and industry. Consult the thickest scholarship discovery guide you can discover for opportunities that suit your situation.

Your Last Stop -The Private Loan Industry
Discovery money for your college years is usually hard if you or your parents do not happen to be independently wealthy. Anyhow, there are numerous options accessible for those who can�FFFD%uFFFDt get their hands on a filled tuition scholarship, federal, private, or otherwise. There is a growing private loan industry that is now making numerous loans accessible for families and college students. Anyhow, if like numerous college students, you discover yourself having to take out a large loan to pay for your studies, you are going to require to do numerous humourless attention rate shopping. Usually opt for a federal subsidized student loan if reasonable, as these customarily lock in a low interest rate and proffer the excellent rates. Anyhow, if this is not reasonable, shop around with different lenders to discover the one with the lowest interest rate and with the utmost flexibility. Make certain to read all the great print.

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Getting Past Contribution Limits for 529 College Savings Plans

Written by Dian Herdiana on 9:24 AM

There are a few biggest investments that almost every family faces - cars, accommodation, and of course, college educations for the children. The importance of having a college degree seems to multiply every day, but distressingly, the expense of attending college seems to grow principled along with it. In reality, the expense of attending college is categorical suppressive for numerous families, and there is no argument to suppose that this condition is going to recondition any time soon, and every explanation to think it is going to really get worse. What are you able to do if money is tight, but you desire your child to get entry to an education that is going to assist them succeed in the job market?

Scholarships and grants assist numerous families, but they rarely foot the entire bill, and student loans are able to be an overpriced burden to saddle onto your child on graduation day. Other difficulty with all of these college funding options as well is that it is impossible for you to understand if you are getting them till your child is really ready to enter college. You are not able to stay that long to programme for education financing if you desire your child to be able to be present the college of their selection. So, what is a keen working family to do to assure that they are going to get the money to put their kids through school? A 529 savings plan can be a tremendous selection.

A 529 savings plan is a state run savings account that lets you protect money for your child's education and gives you a tax break for doing so. Anyone is able to supply to your 529 savings plan, so if grandparents and the extended family desire to assist save, they are able to do so. Numerous 529 savings plans purpose just analogous standard saving accounts, during others pre-paid accounts for schools that let you pay the schooling of a college in advance. The concept is that the price you pay at present is going to be essentially cheaper than the price you are going to pay by the time your child is old sufficient to be present that school (of course, then you have to wish they desire to go there!). These savings accounts admit you to grow your money faster by investing it in the stock and bond market as well.

There is a drawback to these 529 college savings plans, anyhow, and that is the contribution limitation. Each state comes up by its own offering limitation, but they customarily range from $100,000 to $200,000 per family. That may sound like a lot of money, but is it really? Would it be sufficient if your child desired to be present an Ivy League or private university? Would it be sufficient to present numerous children room, board, books, and tuition at even a public state school? If you are facing either of these scenarios, you require to discover a way around the contribution limit on these accounts. There are a few things you are able to do. You are able to get kinsmen set up disjoin accounts instead of contributing to your account, and you are able to get accounts in multiple states. You are able to put your money into different types of accounts - one pre-paid and one savings - for your children. You are able to also get each parent begin an account, if they are single.

The utmost substantial thing to bear in mind about starting all of these accounts and getting around the contribution limit is that you are going to require to know the tax implications for each account. If you get accounts in different states, each state's own tax laws are going to apply to each account. Each account holder is going to be accountable for reporting contributions to their own account. All of this extra work may be worth it in the long run, though, so your child does not have to be anxious about finances are going to working on their degree.

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