Friday Finance Findings for August 14th
By Jeremy on Aug 14, 2009 with Comments 0
Have you checked your investment account balance lately? If you have stayed the course you’re probably a bit relieved to see how good the first half of 2009 has been for your statements. Sure, we haven’t nearly recovered from the overall losses sustained from the past few years, but it’s a start. Whether or not the rally continues, that’s anyone’s guess. But it just goes to show you that as fast as the market goes down, it can go back up. Here’s to a prosperous remainder of 2009!
In other news, it looks like there is a chance we’re moving. Nothing set in stone yet, but we did find a house we really like in a great location, with great schools, and priced right. Now that we have a child it’s become apparent that we need to focus on our location a little bit in the coming years. After talking to a few lenders it looks like it’s doable, and we’re going to probably keep our existing house for a bit longer. Rather than rush to try and sell in the next few months we’ll have the flexibility to keep it longer and make a few upgrades so that we can get a few extra dollars for it while the market slowly starts to recover in this area.
It’s always exciting to go through something like buying a new house and this time is no different. Hopefully by next Friday I’ll have even better news to share. But with that, it’s on to the links.
The Fees Involved With Buying a Home – This past article of mine is fitting given what I talked about above. There’s a lot that goes into a home purchase and a lot of potential fees, so it’s important to make sure you know who pays what and how much it might cost you.
Stock Market Timing: Advice For Investors – There’s obviously a difference between investing and trading, but can the average investor really benefit by timing the market? While I wouldn’t try to make a living at timing the market, there are some steps you can take to better plan out your buying and selling to squeeze a few extra dollars out of your returns.
Manage Your Budget by Tracking Your Spending – If you have a budget, then you need to track expenses. It’s as simple as that. Without knowing where your money is going you’ll have no idea whether or not you’re staying within your budget. Here’s a painless way to track your spending.
Free Credit Score for American Express Card Members – If you’re an American Express card member, listen up. You have a chance to get a free credit score. So, this could be an offer worth considering if you’ve been wondering about your credit score.
Little Budget Travel Book Giveaway – There are just a few days left to enter the giveaway for this book. It’s simple, so go check it out.
In Need of Advice: Buying a House and Selling Ours to a Friend? – Here’s an interesting scenario. There are obvious pros and cons of selling a house by owner or through a realtor. But what happens when you have the chance to sell directly to a friend?
Can We Take Frugality Too Far? – Just like anything, it’s good to practice moderation. Frugality can be dangerous if it’s taken too far. Of course, some may not agree, but if you’re too frugal, you could be giving up something more important in other areas of your life.
Create a “Dream Budget” for Extra Motivation – It’s hard to stick to a budget, but here’s a neat trick. Step back for a moment and create a dream budget. Imagine a budget with no debt? Think of all the new ways you could budget your money then. If that doesn’t get you excited, nothing will.
How I Saved Hundreds in a Half Hour – Lazy Man just saved a few hundred dollars and he shows you how. You might be surprised to see how he did it.
9 Small College Expenses that Add Up to Big Bucks – It’s back to school time, and that means college courses are just about to get underway. We all know how expensive tuition, books, and materials can cost, but here are nine more small college expenses that can really add up.
It Doesn’t Have to Be So – Ever feel like the world is resting on your shoulders and you have to just keep up with the rat race so that you don’t let anyone down? As Brip Blap states, it doesn’t have to be so.
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Filed Under: Friday Finance Findings
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