Are you getting the best rate of return on investment? Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine annually discusses ways to boost your investment yield in its latest issue. I have to say that I am always pretty disappointed with their recommendations. I love the magazine, but I didn't really care for a list of mutual funds and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). But, I wanted concrete ideas on how to earn a 10% annual rate of return on my investments. US Treasuries are earning less than 1% and money market funds are not fairing much better. Certificates … [Read more...] about The Ultimate Guide to Earning a 10% Rate of Return on Your Investments
Review of the Figure Home Equity Line of Credit
It’s no wonder home ownership is such a desirable attainment in the U.S. – there are too many benefits to owning your own home as opposed to leasing your primary residence from a landlord. For instance, tenants continuously pay rent, month after month, without ever seeing that money again. On the flip side, home ownership allows you to build equity – the value of what you truly own – over time, until you either sell the property (hopefully for a higher price than what you initially paid) or pay off your mortgage loan and own the property … [Read more...] about Review of the Figure Home Equity Line of Credit
How to Return to the Workforce If You’re Running Out of Money During Retirement
Millions of Americans are reaching retirement age each year, yet a majority of them feel financially unequipped to handle the potential costliness of long-term care combined with a permanent loss of earned income. Some folks barely have anything saved for retirement by the time they reach their 50s and 60s, which means they’ll likely be working well into their 70s and possibly 80s to pay the bills. If you’re concerned about running out of money during retirement, then rest assured, you’re not alone. Many older Americans – retired and … [Read more...] about How to Return to the Workforce If You’re Running Out of Money During Retirement
Lively HSA Review – Why You Need a Health Savings Account
Since the early 2000s, the percentage of working Americans enrolled in a high deductible health plan (HDHP) without a health savings account (HSA) increased from 10.6% to 24.5% in 2017. Meanwhile, the percentage of people in the same demographic enrolled in an HDHP with a health savings account increased from 4.2% to 18.9%. Are you one of the millions of Americans who have a high deductible health plan without a tax-advantaged HSA to mitigate the costs of medical care? If so, opening a free, FDIC-insured health savings account with a … [Read more...] about Lively HSA Review – Why You Need a Health Savings Account
Blog Income Report – October 2019 (Net Income = $3,923.66)
Note - This blog post may contain links to affiliates. I earn a small commission if you choose to sign up for some of the services described below. This is my second blog income report. If you want to check out the first one, be sure to read My First Blog Income Report - September 2019. After more than 10 years of blogging, I was hesitant to show the income that Money Q&A produces. Part of me didn’t think that you’d care. The other part of me wanted to keep it private. October 2019 is a prime example of why I didn’t want to … [Read more...] about Blog Income Report – October 2019 (Net Income = $3,923.66)
How to Control Your Impulsive Spending Habits with Prepaid Debit Cards
When it comes to saving money and striving towards financial independence, impulsive spending habits are some of the biggest obstacles preventing you from achieving your goals. Impulse shopping problems typically start out small: $5 purchases here and there. But then they progress into more frequent and costly purchases, as we grow increasingly desensitized to those small expenses until we’re spending hundreds of dollars per month (or week) on things we don’t really need. The problem is, human beings aren’t too great at differentiating … [Read more...] about How to Control Your Impulsive Spending Habits with Prepaid Debit Cards
GoodBudget Review – How to Spend, Save, and Give with Budgeting App
Did you know that only 32% of Americans regularly maintain a household budget? This abysmal statistic serves as an important reminder that the best practices of budgeting are not as commonsense as they may seem and it’s not enough to simply know how to budget – you have to put this information into practice if you want to see real change in your financial situation. Of course, budgeting isn’t exactly the most fun thing to do, especially when you could be spending that precious little free time on more enjoyable hobbies like traveling or … [Read more...] about GoodBudget Review – How to Spend, Save, and Give with Budgeting App