Why You Should Give Back to Your College Alma Mater

Why You Should Give Back to Your College Alma Mater

I’m a firm believer in giving back to your college. I received so much in both formal and informal education during my four years in college, I naturally want others to reap the same rewards I did. It’s because of this that I think that if you’re able to, you should not only give back to your college alma mater the gift of money, but also the gift of time. You might not think of it this way, but you should value your college diploma like a share of stock. Graduates should want to see their alma maters grow in stature, and one way to help out is by giving back. Unfortunately, not enough alumni are giving back to their colleges these … Read more

ECN Brokers: Who, What and Why?

World economyThe world of forex is dominated by jargon. With everything from currencies to broker formats having their own acronym, trying to navigate the forex world can be a bit of a minefield. Here, however, we’ve broken down one of the key acronyms: ECN.

There’s always a huge debate about who’s the best broker to use and why some types of broker are better than others. Many people swear by using ECN brokers, but why? Here, we try to find out:

What is an ECN?

Foreign exchange brokers come in a variety of shapes, sizes and forms. Due to the fact that the foreign exchange market is unregulated, there’s no set format for brokers, and many deviate from the norm.

ECN brokers are a great example of this. Instead of being a standard broker, they are an automated system that buys and sells orders, connecting major brokerages and individuals who can trade without the need for a middleman.

How do ECNs Work?

Instead of earning money from the spread, ECN brokers will make money by charging a small fee for every transaction they broker. In taking out the middleman, ECNs make it possible for investors from all over the world, in a variety of locations, to trade with relative ease and speed. To monitor the market, each ECN broker must register as a broker-dealer with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

What’s Good About ECNs?

An ECN will show you the very best bid and ask quotes available, scouring the market and multiple participants automatically and instantly matching and executing orders on your behalf. As well as being used at major exchanges during market hours, they are also widely used out of hours on the forex market by those with an online trading account.

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Short Selling Stocks: Why You And I Should Probably Stay Away

Why you shouldn't be short selling stocks

Why you shouldn't be short selling stocksFor many investors, experienced and novice alike, the idea of short selling stocks can be enticing. You can make money investing even if the stock market is in a downturn. You can earn a profit on days when others are losing money.

But selling a stock short can severely punish investors — especially if they don’t understand the risks.

What Is Short Selling?

You can win on a bet — no matter which way the stock is moving — as long as you’re guessing the right direction. Short selling allows you to invest in stocks even when you think that their share price will decrease.

Unlike typical long investors, who buy hoping that share prices will increase, being on the short side of the position, or a short seller,

is the exact opposite. You’re actually counting on the shares decreasing in value. Naturally, that’s a little counterintuitive for many investors.

When you think that a stock’s price will decline, you can tell your brokerage firm to short the stock for you. Essentially, you’re borrowing shares from the brokerage and then selling them; when — or rather, if — the price declines, you purchase the shares yourself at a lower price, return those “borrowed shares” to the brokerage, and lock in your profit. The brokerage earns a commission on the transaction and a small amount of interest in most cases, depending on how long you borrow the stock.

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7 Steps For Financial Success To Build A Solid Future

Achieving financial success is a great part of the American dream, but it’s not easy to do if you aren’t focused on the goal. Real financial security doesn’t come about by accident. These careful steps for financial success will help you build a solid financial future.

Know Where You Stand

The average American household has $15,263 in credit card debt, $147,591 in mortgage debt, and $31,646 in student loan debt as of August 2013, according to NerdWallet. If these numbers seem big, either you’re managing your money better than the average citizen or you’re blissfully unaware of your financial state.

It’s easy to disregard the real figures and simply pay the minimum on your debt each month. If you don’t currently know how much debt you have and how much interest you’re paying on it, you need to find out immediately.

Take Advantage of Money Management Tools

With apps, online tools, and computer programs widely available, there’s no excuse for mismanaging your money. However, a CreditDonkey.com survey found that only 27 percent of people take advantage of a mobile app for money management. Forty-four percent reported using a website, but that’s still less than half.

Don’t rely on a paper ledger or your own mental math to help you get by. Track your income and spending carefully so you’re always confident that the money you’re bringing in far exceeds what’s going out.

Address Your Attitude Toward Money

Steps for Financial SuccessMost people can easily identify as either spenders or savers. If you’re a spender, it’s helpful to recognize this tendency so you can put more effort toward saving money for your future. The environment that you grew up in impacts your spending and saving tendencies as well.

In a bizarre phenomenon, it’s been observed that people who grew up poor will spend more during a financial crisis than those raised in wealthy homes. Facing your habits head on is the best way to thwart them if they’re not leading you toward financial success.

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Hank Coleman Discusses Peer to Peer Lending Investments on Fox Business

Hank Coleman

I recently had the privilege of being on the Gerri Willis Show on Fox Business and discuss the value of peer-to-peer lending through services like Lending Club. Here is the TV segment which was filmed on September 3rd, 2013. Transcript of Hank Coleman Talking About Investing in Peer to Peer Lending GERRI WILLIS: It’s a trend shaking up the financial world – it’s peer-to-peer lending. Talk about alternative investing. More investors chasing higher yields, offering loans to folks turned down by traditional banks. But is this risky investment a smart one? Joining me now, Hank Coleman. He’s a financial adviser for Coleman Financial and the publisher of MoneyQandA.com. He has invested in over 140 of these kinds of loans so far. … Read more

Don’t Be Kept In The Dark About The Costs Of Investing

The following is a guest post by Kevin Cimring, CEO of Jemstep, an online investment advisor that helps people lock in more money for retirement. In this post, he talks about the costs of investing. If you would like to write an article for Money Q&A, please visit our Guest Posting Guidelines page. It’s not too surprising that investors have lost trust in financial institutions. After all, the shenanigans that nearly brought down the entire financial system in 2008 are fresh in our minds, and many portfolios are still recovering from the damage that resulted. To rebuild that trust, investors need transparency around investment advice. Investors need to know that the advice they’re getting is relevant and appropriate. They need to know how … Read more