Guest Contributor on Money Questions and Answers Blog

Five Reasons to Arrange Your Funeral Plans

Many of us give very little thought to our mortality, but should the unexpected happen, it may mean that you are leaving many of the decisions about your funeral to your grieving loved ones. If you are still unsure about making funeral plans, here are five reasons why it is worth some serious consideration.

Easing the Burden on Your Family

If your family are unsure about your wishes, they will need to make some difficult decisions. It is very common for there to be a lot of disagreements and confusion if someone has passed away without pre planning their funeral. By planning in advance, there will be no confusion during this trying time, as all your family members will have the assurance of knowing exactly what you did and did not want.

Taking Financial Responsibility

Another burden of arranging a funeral is the financial element. Funerals can be a costly process, but by planning in advance, you can ensure that the costs have been completely covered. Even if you have left money, your survivors may not be able to immediately access it, and most funeral service providers require payment on or before the funeral. A funeral trust or insurance ensures that your family benefits from the financial planning options you have arranged.

Money on a Runaway Train? First Stop – Financial Awareness

by Guest Contributor

Bankruptcy: A Love Story by Janet Lombardi

The following is a guest post by Janet Lombardi, author of Bankruptcy: A Love Story about financial awareness. If you’d like to contribute an article for Money Q&A, check out our guest posting guidelines. “I’ve got to get my finances together!” At some point, most of us have made this promise, whether it’s fueled by out-of-control credit card debt, off-the-leash student loans, or paycheck-to-paycheck living. I was aboard the runaway train myself several years ago when I secretly discovered my husband had been hiding hundreds of thousands in debt, emptied our accounts, let life insurances lapse due to non-payment, and other money chaos. Financial Awareness My memoir, Bankruptcy: A Love Story (Heliotrope Books), due out in June 2017, tells the … Read more

The Stock Market: An Average Joe’s Mini Guide to Investing with Great Success

by Guest Contributor

Tips and Hints for Your First Stock Market Investment

Lots of people have heard stories of people making serious money investing in the stock market. Yet they believe stories like that only happen to people who are already rich or financially smart. They think the stock market is too complex for them to understand, so they don’t tend to view it as an option for building wealth.

In reality, anyone at all can invest in the stock market. You don’t need to be rich to start. It’s possible to begin with small amounts of capital. You also don’t need to be a stock market expert to get started.

All you need is the desire to invest for your financial future and the willingness to learn some basic investing principles.

An Average Joe’s Guide to Investing in the Stock Market

Here is a quick guide to successfully investing in the stock market for the average investor.

Educate Yourself

Once you start learning the basics of how the stock market works, you’ll soon find it’s not as daunting as it first appeared. The more you learn about buying and selling stocks through your share trading platform, the more comfortable you’ll become with the process.

However, it all begins with education. There are plenty of tutorials and educational tools available. There are also lots of sites that allow you to learn about new price information or apps that let you monitor market movements in real-time.

What to Do When You Desperately Need Money

by Guest Contributor

We’ve all encountered a time when say out loud “I need money desperately.” When the money just isn’t there it can feel as if the whole world is crumbling down around you. But there are options on the table available to you. What can you do when you need money desperately?

Steps to Take When You Desperately Need Money

Step 1 – Take Advantage of Your Immediate Income Sources

To conquer your immediate needs, you should take advantage of any immediate income sources available to you. If you lent money to a friend or family member it’s time to call that loan in. If you have something you’ve been meaning to sell it’s time to get around to that now. The first step requires the least amount of effort and no self-sacrifice.

Step 2 – Raid Some of Your Investments

Another income source you have at your disposal is your investments. Some of your investments will be more accessible than others. For now, you should stay away from your retirement accounts because you may not be able to get this money back and you’ll be penalized on your taxes for the early withdrawal. Selling some shares for an immediate payoff from your taxable investment accounts (non-retierment accounts) is an easy way to get the money you need now.

Learn How to Trade Stocks Online with Forex Trading Classes

by Guest Contributor

Essential Tech for Currency Trading Online

Do you know how to trade stocks online? Learning to buy or trade stocks is an essential investment skill. Buying a stock online requires the investor to enter buy and sell orders, use stock symbols, refer to charts and research reports. The ability to trade stocks can be a rewarding endeavor. Possessing the foresight to know when to buy and at what price to sell builds wealth. Some traders choose online trading as a job. Others rely on stock trading as the means of growing a retirement nest egg. Regardless of your investment strategy or perspective, learning how to trade online can help you manage a portfolio of financial assets. Online Trading Academy Reviews provide traders with online trading skills. … Read more

Stop Driving Your Budget Down: Smart Strategies to Keep Your Car From Making You Poor

by Guest Contributor

You wouldn’t want to be without your car, but when you work out exactly much it is costing you each year, it can be a scary number and goes some way to explaining why your bank balance is so slim.

There are loads of expenses attached to car ownership. They can range from the cost of gas to repairs and maintenance, plus insurance and other payments you have to find in order to keep your car on the road.

Strategies to Keep Your Car From Making You Poor

Here are some tips on how to keep a lid on car ownership costs, including why staying loyal to your car pays off, a look at the price you pay for a poorly tuned car, plus some maintenance tips that help to save more of your cash.

Get your money’s worth

It is always tempting to consider the idea of changing your car after a few years for a newer model but the cost of upgrading and the amount you get for your trade-in are likely to be costing you heavily.

The cost of new cars tends to go up each year, so when you factor in that your car will inevitably depreciate in value over time, you are going to end up paying more for a new model and will get less for your old car.

This double-whammy can be a real blow to your finances.

The way to beat this money trap is to buy a decent car in the first place and then commit to keeping it for at least five years or more. This strategy will ensure you get the best value from your investment (as depreciation is not so steep after the first few years) and the potential savings can add up to thousands of dollars.

Keeping your car for longer will save you money in the long run.

Getting a good tune out of your car

The facts and figures are there for all to see, a poorly tuned car is going to cost at least 25% more in extra gasoline charges each year and your repair bills can also be higher when it breaks down.

Skimping on regular maintenance is a false economy, so how do you keep your car nicely tuned without spending fortunes?

A good solution would be to carry out some of the basic maintenance and repair tasks yourself. You can download Toyota service repair manuals (or whatever make and model you have) and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to change the oil and filter, check fluid levels, and a host of other essential maintenance tasks that are well within your capabilities.