Usually your first house is a “starter” home that you purchased because it fit into your budget at the time. A few years later you then sell your house, move up to a bigger home, and may even repeat this process several more times. But what if you didn’t sell your home and rented it […]
Expenses
Are You Cheap or Frugal? Take the Quiz!
There is a fine line between being cheap and frugal. Being cheap has a negative connotation and is almost like a having a disease that makes it painful to part with your money, even when it is beneficial to you or others. Frugal can be defined as using your resources and money both prudently and […]
Low-Cost Memorial Day Weekend Ideas
If you haven’t already booked a trip for this weekend and are looking for some fun, low-cost ideas then here are a few tips: Parades: Many towns have parades this weekend, and if you haven’t been to one in a while then it may bring back some memories from when you were a kid. I […]
Don’t Make These Easily Avoided Financial Mistakes
We are all not perfect and everyone makes mistakes. However, the key is to avoid these financial mistakes as much as possible: Penny wise and dollar dumb: The actual expression is penny wise and pound foolish, but I still remember a partner from my first job saying this to a client (maybe it’s the American […]
Increase Sales or Cut Expenses?
What should be the focus? Should we increase our sales or cut our expenses? All of the marketing and self-development gurus tend to focus on increasing our sales, but other financial experts want us to focus on cutting costs and debts. Who is right and what should we do? Let’s look at the pros and […]
9 Ways to Reduce Your Money Worries
When we lack money it creates a lot of stress and anxiety, and can be a source of tension in relationships. But how can we make our money work for us? Here are several ways we can take more control of our money to reduce our stresses: Change your thoughts: Reframe the way you think […]
Another Misleading Ad
This is one that I have not seen before, but it came to my office recently. The letter stated the following: 2018 – ANNUAL REPORT INSTRUCTION FORM The rest of the form is very official looking and has the appearance that it is coming from the State of New Jersey, which is similar to the […]
Do You Have Too Many Financial Accounts?
How many financial accounts should you have both personally and for your business? These days it is so easy to open up accounts, but if there is no strategy for having a lot of accounts, then it can create unnecessary chaos and even increase your accounting and tax preparation costs. Let’s look at the pros […]
Deadline Approaching: Should You Make a Retirement Plan Contribution?
The due date for your tax return is fast approaching and so is the deadline to make a contribution to your IRA or a SEP-IRA if you own a business. Should you make the contribution, save the cash, or pay off some debt? Reasons to Make the Contribution: Let’s assume that you have the extra […]
How to Prepare for & Prosper from the Next Recession
We are currently in one of the longest economic recoveries ever recorded. That is excellent news, but on the flip side, we are due for a recession. Who knows when that will happen, but there are steps to take to prepare yourself and possibly take advantage of any future downturns: Don’t Live on the Edge: […]