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The average American has an exceedingly low chance of winning a Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot. In fact, only an extremely tiny proportion of the American population will ever be fortunate to experience the joy of winning millions of dollars from any lottery. That said, most people will run into some form of financial windfall (albeit far smaller than a lottery jackpot) at a certain point in their lives. These small windfalls may not have the power to propel you into the country’s top 1% wealthiest individuals but if managed well, can have a positive effect on the realization of your financial goals. Top 5 Tips for Managing a Financial Windfall Here are a couple of tips that can come … Read more

Are you thinking about monthly funeral plans? Your interest in freezing your funeral costs at today’s prices may have been piqued by press reports about the rising costs of funerals. A story in the Telegraph newspaper on the 1st of June 2018, for example, talked not only about the soaring cost of a funeral in the UK (the total average is currently some £5,000) but also the rising cost of cremation fees, too. Monthly funeral plans The soaring costs of funerals may make the purchase of a prepaid funeral plan a sensible option – by paying at today’s prices, you are able to beat at least some of the inflationary effects of steadily rising costs in the future. However, your … Read more

It’s time for a new car. You found your dream model. But now for the big question — how to pay for it? When it comes to purchasing a car, you can either lease it or purchase it in full. It all comes to cash flow. Both ways, you’ll own a car. Of course, lease or buy depends on what suits your needs and financial situation best. Buying a car means taking out a loan When you purchase a car outright and you don’t have the full cash to pay for it, you’ll have to take out a loan. Taking out a loan is risky sometimes, depending on the interest rate of the bank you’re borrowing money from. The interest … Read more

Debt consolidation refers to obtaining a single loan that’s used to pay off smaller loans, leaving just one monthly payment rather than multiple payments making it easier to manage. The benefits of debt consolidation can also help to lower the interest rate and monthly payment as well. While some may confuse it with debt settlement, it is not the same thing. In this case, you pay your debt in full so there isn’t a negative impact on your credit. There are benefits to debt consolidation. With the total U.S. household credit card debt as of June 30, 2017 at $784 billion, according to Credit Karma, it’s no wonder so many are looking at consolidating their debts. Benefits of Debt Consolidation Getting … Read more

Are you planning to finance the purchase of an investment property? If so, you aren’t alone. Buying real estate as an investment for the future is a popular strategy, yet most people cannot afford to pay cash for something as expensive as a house or condo unit. As you get ready to finance your purchase and set your investment in motion, keep the following four tips in mind. Financing an Investment Property #1 – Have a Down Payment Available This is a great place to start. When you have a sizeable amount of cash available for a down payment, you are going to signal to the lender that you are serious about this venture. It’s much harder to get a … Read more