I think it is fair to say the coronavirus is bringing the U.S. economy to a slowdown, although likely could be a complete halt. Most are predicting a recession for at least this year. In order to prepare for a recession, below are a few tips to help you survive through a recession. Re-evaluate your priorities: During recessionary times, you should re-assess what your goals are. For example, a person that may be going into retirement,...
While the markets are in turmoil and everyone is in isolation due to the coronavirus, there is some potential positives out there from a personal finance perspective. Given the declining interest rates, this would be a great opportunity to refinance your house. In fact, low mortgage rates are leading homeowners to take cash out of their homes at the highest levels since the financial crisis. This is all due to the fact that the Federal Reserve...
I am sure everyone is watching the stock market very closely. As you hear a lot of terms out there on what kind of market we are in, a lot of financial commentators are stating the bull market is over and now we are in a bear market. A lot of people have asked me, what exactly does that mean? Below is a high level overview of the differences between a bull and bear market. Please...
You might have seen during the last few weeks people have mentioned the stock market decline triggered the circuit-breaker, but you might have no idea what that means. Given how important they are, I wanted to provide a high-level overview. Please let me know if you have any questions and feel free to share in the comments section if you think they are a good idea. Circuit-breaker points represent the thresholds at which trading is halted...
Wall Street cannot be calmed down when it comes to the coronavirus. In case you haven’t been watching over the last few weeks, I want to highlight the recent stock market volatility to you. Please feel free to ask any follow up questions in the comments section. Today the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished at 20,180 points, which are just slightly above where they we in January 2016. All major U.S. indices are now in a...
These are very unique times, and I hope everyone is staying safe. I will be posting several articles on the recent volatility out there including an overview of the recent stock market declines, what the Fed is doing to try and stop it, and a few similar articles over the next few days. I wanted my first article to be an overview of what is a run on the bank and what kind of impact it...
When it comes to planning for your first baby, it’s hard to find a balance between being budget conscious and feeling as though you are prepared for anything and everything your new baby may need. Here are three lessons (and huge cost-saving tips) that I have learned along the way. 1. Choose items that will grow along with your child. When it comes to car seats, there are two options: an infant seat, or “bucket”...
Many people have made the mistake of thinking building a good credit score requires that you go into debt, but that's not actually true. Unfortunately, charging up high balances in an attempt to build your credit score can backfire. If you ever fall behind on a payment or two, you can wind up with worse credit and a mound of debt that takes years to pay back. While borrowing money is part of building credit -...
With so much to think about from a budgeting perspective, it’s easy for some monthly expenses to slip through the cracks. For many people, this means utilities.It’s easy to take utilities for granted, as you assume that you’ll always have access to what you need. However, even if this is the case, it doesn’t mean you can ignore the impact on your budget.There’s nothing more frustrating than watching the cost of your utilities rise. If this...
In today’s environment with rising education expenses, some are asking the question of if a college education is still worth the investment. Every parent wants to do the most that they can to set their child up for success, but many are beginning to ask the questions. Below I have outlined some benefits and why people are asking the question to give you a better perspective of deciding if a college education is worth it. Benefits...
