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Most recently published stories in Trader.
4 Steps to Financial Fitness
(BPT) - The new year is just around the corner and it’s never too early to think about your 2020 goals — and for many, this means prioritizing finances. Taking the time to focus on your goals and determine what’s important to you financially is the best way to set yourself up for success, but actually following through can be difficult. These easy financial exercises from Vanderbilt Mortgage will help you reach your goals in the new decade.
By David Wyld6 years ago in Trader
Doing the Numbers on a Living Wage
Money is always a sensitive topic, but it's also one we can't afford to ignore. It's widely understood that the current minimum wage is a long way from being a wage that you can live on. There's a lot of discussion about companies paying a living wage to their employees, but what is a living wage? What does that look like and how do we calculate it? Is there one number that's going to work across the whole country, or will it be different from state to state, county to county or even person to person? What would a living wage look like for you?
By Robert Cordray6 years ago in Trader
How to Get out of Debt
*Disclaimer, I am not a financial advisor. These are merely my own experiences* Being in debt sucks. You start living paycheck to paycheck so you’re sure you’ll at least meet the minimum payments. You put off necessary car repairs because you’re afraid they’ll cost too much. Your tires are far more worn than they should be, and you wear those shoes until the soles have holes.
By Kristi Jacobsen6 years ago in Trader
What Your Credit Score Affects and How to Fix It
While nearly every adult in the U.S. has a credit score, people’s understanding of them vary greatly. Some are diligent about maintaining stellar credit, reviewing reports, and avoiding temptations that can ding their credit. Others know that they have a credit score but have no idea where they fall on the scale, or what to do about it. The fact of the matter is that a good credit score opens many doors for you and your family. A bad one, on the other hand, may force you to struggle to get things you want or even need. We’ll look at how your score is assessed, what that means, and what to do about it.
By Paisley Hansen6 years ago in Trader
The Pros and Cons of Paying for Your Dream Trip with Credit
Travelling has always been seen as a measure of success and luxury. It's no wonder because going on vacation is one of the most relaxing activities you can provide yourself with. When you're far away from your problems, you feel like a brand new person. However, affording this luxury is often difficult without some extra funds. People increasingly find themselves in tough financial situations which prevent them from going on vacation, even though they desperately need one. Luckily, some unorthodox financing options can help people enjoy their luxury vacation without issue.
By Lucas H. Parker6 years ago in Trader
How You Can Leverage OPM for Investments
Credit Cards It is important to clarify one thing when we talk about using credit cards. They can be safe to use. Many people have talked about credit cards as being dangerous and enslaving. The truth is that just like anything, if you use it unwisely or too much it can cause harm. If you ate cheeseburgers too much it would be bad, but you don’t see people saying never to each cheeseburgers because the risk is too high. It is your choice if you want to use it wisely. Most credit cards can have up to a few thousand-dollar limit on it. The good news with credit cards is that you don’t always need to pay it off right away. There are lots of business credit cards with 0% APR for the first year. This means you can plan for investments that may not pay off for a few months, or that pay of slowly over several months.
By James Robinson6 years ago in Trader
The Wake-Up Call
Even a welfare recipient can save money to the side. Someone who recieves SSI or SSD as well. Saving money has never been easy for a majority of people. The truth is every single person should have a retirement account. You don't have to put $100 in your Roth IRA. Perhaps place $10 or $8 per month, $5 or $3 is easier. Because of the internet individuals type blogs online to inform others how they manage their dollars. These people are known as financial bloggers. Bloggers can be useful. I've seen content creators on YouTube make a career discussing finances. If you're not starting off so great, watching YouTube videos can help you to manage your money. One example: How to pay off loan. Another example: How to keep up with your bills. There are also apps that prove to be effective in everyday spending. Much to anyone's surprise we humans do get old. That is why we need retirement. Once our bodies weaken, it could prevent us physically from working. I hope this will convince people. Don't beat yourself up if you're not able to afford your bills.
By Kristen Dean6 years ago in Trader
