How to Help Your Spouse Who Is Terrible with Money Management 

Handling Finances In Marriage

Handling Finances In MarriageThe old relationship adage goes, “Opposites attract.” This generally isn’t a problem unless you and your spouse or partner are on completely opposite sides of the financial savvy spectrum. But, do you know how to help a spouse or partner that is terrible with money?

Money is a major cause of stress in relationships, and if you are always on top of your finances while your spouse is more forgetful or lax about money, then you might hit some bumps on the road to financial stability as a couple.

If you want to maintain a good relationship and reduce frustration with a spouse who may not share your values when it comes to financial responsibility, then here are a few ways you can help them with money management. (To keep it simple, we’ll refer to boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, and wives as simply “partners” from here on out.)

How to Help Your Spouse Who’s Terrible with Money

Lay Out Your Financial Situation

Are you the one controlling the finances in your relationship? If so, then it’s time that both sides get up to speed with your shared finances. Because oftentimes, financial irresponsibility stems from an ignorance of the reality of your situation, rather than a malicious desire to squander your family’s hard-earned money.

Take an hour or two and lay out your finances on a table – budget records, utility bills, credit card payments, mortgage or rent and car payments, receipts, etc. And, go over everything with your partner. If they’re not particularly excited to talk about something as seemingly dull as finances, then make some coffee or drinks or snacks and take it slowly to make it a more bearable experience.

Keep it straightforward and objective. They’re less likely to feel defensive and want to leave if you avoid blaming them for a budget misstep or bad impulse purchase they made recently. And, at the end, you might assign them small tasks to help you manage your collective finances together.

No matter what – you have to be on the same page when it comes to your family’s finances. That’s how you help a spouse who is terrible with money. My wife and I go over our budget and net worth once a quarter. We sit down and have a family meeting to discuss the finances of our family.

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The Benefits of Boosting Your Salary by Investing

Make money trading online

Raising Your Salary by InvestingFor many people, their salary is just not enough to provide them with the lifestyle they want to achieve. This is why the option to invest is becoming more popular. Investing does not take as much time as an additional side job would. Investing can help you by boosting and raise your salary. It also provides the potential for significant financial returns, although there are risks involved. Investing does not take as much time as an additional side job would. Investing can help you by boosting and raising your salary. 

Of course, the more you learn about trading, and the more you become involved, the more you can act to reduce the level of risk. There are plenty of different options available when it comes to investing and you can take advantage of the variety of trading platforms available to help you realize the potential of your investment.

Boosting and Raise Your Salary by Investing

Using a trading platform to maximize your trading potential

It does not matter which type of trading you opt for stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds, or mutual funds. There are trading platforms available that give you access to a simple to use interface with plenty of additional features and tools to add another level to your trading experience. You can trade across hundreds of markets on a global basis.

Most trading platforms are designed to cater for the inexperienced trader as well as those who have been trading on a regular basis for years. You get access to the data and statistics you need to make informed trading decisions.

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Hidden Tax Deductions That May Surprise You

College Tax Deductions and Credits for Students

Income Tax DeductionTax laws and regulations pertaining to deductions can be quite confusing. While you may be familiar with standard rules such as the interest on a home mortgage, there are numerous other hidden tax deductions that can help save you money and fatten your refund from the IRS. Here are are several hidden tax deductions that may surprise you and help you save money.

Hidden Tax Deductions That May Surprise You

Refinancing

The home-buying process can be exciting. Unfortunately, closing costs and the down payment can quickly add up. An added benefit to purchasing a home is that you’re able to deduct the interest paid on your mortgage each year. With interest rates still at an all-time low, many homeowners are taking advantage of the low costs by refinancing their current mortgage. A hidden advantage that can aid you on your taxes is that you’ll be able to deduct refinancing points that you’ve paid.

Home Renovations

If you own a small business, you realize the importance of financial planning and using private capital to grow your company. As your bank account grows with your business success, you’ll be able to save money for a down payment on a home.

If you purchase a home that needs a little work, you can make your renovations work for you. In addition to helping you save money on your utility bills, energy efficient appliances and materials are tax deductible. From appliances and wall insulation to new water heaters and wind turbines, the credits can be pretty substantial.

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How Not to Screw it Up, When Things Go Unexpectedly Right

Teach your children financial conceptsWe all know what it’s like to lose money. And, just as it’s easier to fall down than it is to get back up, losing money is something we deal with more often than suddenly gaining it.

But, sudden acquisitions of money do happen in the lives of most people. And, even if we’re just talking about a few hundred or thousand dollars, these windfalls can be game changers for the average person.

Because windfalls are most significant in the lives of people who are not prepared for them, it’s best for everyone to have a plan for what they’d do if they got their hands on some cash all of a sudden. Remember, this can happen a lot of ways: inheritance, settlement, game winnings, etc.

Check out more ways at the Cash in Your Annuity Blog. If you get a windfall this way, or through some novel method I haven’t thought of, make sure you are ready well in advance to make sure this money lasts a long, long time. Here’s how people…don’t do that.

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Top 4 Credit Card Scams Every Consumer Should Watch Out For

Paying Off Credit Card Debt

The following is a guest post from Tina Roth, who is a freelance personal finance blogger who is an expert in personal finance and credit cards at writes at her blog, Pro Finance Blog. If you’d like to contribute an article to Money Q&A, be sure to check out Guest Posting Guidelines and send me an email. The number of credit card scams is on a rise because gullible cardholders unknowingly fall into the trap set by scammers. It may appear surprising that we don’t worry about credit card scams as much as we worry about our credit scores.  The reason behind that is not many of us are aware of the magnitude of such credit card scams. We are living in a … Read more

Six Terms that Every Aspiring Forex Trader Should Understand

Essential Tech for Currency Trading Online

Essential Tech for Currency Trading OnlineMany people would love to boost their bank balances, and spend a large portion of their lives on the lookout for ways to achieve their ambition. When you’ve reached your optimum job potential, work as many hours as you can, and lack the motivation to retrain and go in search of better paying employment, however, this can seem like an impossible task.

This is why so many people fall in love with forex trading. The perfect form of passive income, it’s flexible, accessible, and can also be highly profitable. Unfortunately, it’s also incredibly complex to master. The currency markets take a great deal of skill and knowledge to negotiate, and this means putting in the hours to learn about them. There are a myriad of terms, tactics, and technologies to get to grips with, and one of the first factors that you need to master is the jargon. 

That’s where we come in. If you’re an aspiring forex investor, here are a few terms that you need to know before you unleash yourself on the markets…

#1: Currency Combination

The currency markets revolve around the various pairings that traders choose to invest in, so if you don’t understand this fundamental concept, you’re definitely not ready to start making your mark. Almost any currency can be traded against another, with the only proviso being that a broker must offer it for you to be able to invest in it. The values of these pairings are in a constant state of flux, and they can move dramatically even in the space of a single day. The most common combinations are known as the ‘four majors’, and these tend to be a great starting point for beginners. 

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