It may be only January, but due to increased availability of electronic W-2 statements and other tax forms, many are already getting ready to submit their annual income tax return. Not only are many preparing to send in their return, they are also considering how they plan to spend their pending tax refund—considered “free money” […]
Learning to budget isn’t easy — but it’s essential if you want to successfully adjust from college student to full-time employee. In school, you may have had to budget loan payments and spending for your meals, but once you make it to “the real world,” there’s a whole set of new bills to pay. Plus, […]
Summer vacation is a lot like Christmas: It comes around every year and yet somehow, you’re not financially prepared. So, what do you do? Just like the holidays, you charge, charge, charge. Shake the cycle. Today, start saving for a debt-free vacation. Save on autopilot: “Contact your human resources or payroll department to help you automatically […]
One of the biggest (and probably one of the most important) New Year’s resolutions parents make is to start saving more money. That’s because, cute as they are, kids can be a serious drain on our wallets. When you’re busy buying up diapers and baby food, you often end up having trouble saving up for […]
South Africans, with their poor savings record, should look to tax-efficient savings vehicles to make the turnaround to grow their wealth. The national average savings rate is a dismal 3%, while the household debt-to-income ratio is a staggering 74.4%. Barrie van Zyl, a senior manager at Alexander Forbes, says consumers may find the wide range […]
As if finding bargain-priced stocks in a sky-high market weren’t difficult enough, investors hunting for undervalued names face the threat of succumbing to value traps. These stocks masquerade as temporarily beaten-down shares of promising companies but are, in fact, trading at depressed prices because of long-term problems with the business. The difference between value plays […]
It’s always good to pay off your credit card debt, but now may be a better time than ever to do so. Americans’ debt levels have been growing and interest rates are rising — a combination that could put consumers in a bind if they carry a balance on their cards. The Federal Reserve said […]
If you’re planning to sell a home in spring, prepare now for the crucial (and fun) job of luring home shoppers. Homes that look loved and well-maintained get more attention — and first impressions matter: “A buyer makes their buying decision as they are coming up the front walk or walking through the front door,” […]
Here is our guide to cutting the cost of insuring your motor vehicle. Lot’s of people hate the fact that they have to pay for insurance when they buy a car. But despite most of us never having to use it, it’s good to be safe in the knowledge that, should something go wrong on […]
Is there a first edition Harry Potter hidden away in your bookshelf – or a £7,000 copy of the Beano in the cupboard? Before you go chucking that battered old Millennium Falcon toy out or taking old records to the charity shop, ask yourself a question. Could they be worth a small fortune? Because some […]
When you begin your career, one of the best things to do is to start saving for retirement. Although retirement might seem too far away to worry about now, having a large enough nest egg so you can retire comfortably takes decades to achieve. When investing, time is a great ally. Your employer may offer […]
Wamaitha runs a hardware store in Kitengela. It has been open for five years, and does well. It has its ups and downs but in general, it pays the bills and supports her lifestyle quite well. Wamaitha wants to take her business to the next level. Let’s examine her options. Wamaitha has an assistant manager […]
