No Need to Compromise with Your Life: Live a Stress Free Life with Personal Finance Help

Finance (Photo credit: Tax Credits)

Many parts of the world now faces economic crisis and the sad thing is most of its citizens are not equipped to handle financial difficulty. None of us was taught how to budget or even how to handle our credit cards wisely when those are the important inevitable things that we will be coping with when we grow up. The majority of us learn how to handle our finances through experience which will probably mean that we have been tested in the area and may have received a score of A+ or F. So what do we need to do now if we are currently being stressed in the economic condition of our family? Here is an elimination process on how to look for personal financial help.

Create a Budget

With or without personal financial help, this will provide the needed foundation in solving all monetary dilemmas. You need to have information on your income and the money that is going out of your pocket. List down on one side the essential expenses like mortgage, car payments and utility bills and on the other side, miscellaneous expenditures like date night, pizza deliveries and gifts.  If the difference between the income and spending is positive then you do not need financial help but probably investment assistant that will further expand your savings, however, if the opposite happened then you may be experiencing stress in making ends meet and financial help may really be important.

Check the Internet

Check the Internet for sites that give financial assistance. There are numerous sources online that provide advice and suggestion which are usually free. They give ideas on how to be debt free, how to understand the mortgage of your house and even how to be frugal this Christmas. Constant reading and research is the key to finding the answers that your need, but if that fails you may go to the next step.

Attend a seminar on finances

The Internet may provide sound financial assistance. However, there are questions that need to be dealt with verbally, personally and with a live person in front. Attending a seminar will be the answer to the problem. Usually they have the question and answer portion at the end of the sessions that gives anyone the opportunity to express their challenges and receive a corresponding advice. Before registering for a class make sure that you have checked their promotional materials for the program, topics to be discussed and the resource speaker so that you will know if the seminar will be able to provide you the needed help.

Hire an expert

If there are still stones unturned and the financial problem is too big to handle then the skills of a hired professional will surely provide a program on how to solve the crisis. These financial advisers usually see the general view of the situation and the small details that may provide the solution for the person’s predicament. Though their services are certainly not free, you can be sure that they will never leave you until the monetary hurdle is over.

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Budgeting for Dummies: a Beginner’s Guide

Balancing The Account (Photo credit: kenteegardin)

If you’ve never had to worry about your own finances before - maybe you’re a student or someone who has lived rent-free with their parents and you’re moving out on your own for the first time - then it can be a daunting prospect and a very grown-up feeling. When once all you had to worry about was the price of a pint, now you’re having to think about whether you can afford to put fuel in the car, do the weekly food shop or go to the cinema.

Budgeting for the month ahead can be a really effective way of getting your personal finances in order, and it really can be quite simple if you allow it to be so - you don’t have to be Carol Vorderman! All you really need is a sheet of paper, a pen and a calculator and you could find that you’re not only making savings, but improving your bank balance as well.

Here are my three top tips for budgeting:

Balance - Outgoings = Available funds. It really is that easy an equation. Take note of your current bank balance at the start of the month. Then, write down all of your outgoings, such as rent, an estimate of how much you’ll spend on fuel and the food shopping, and any other expenses such as credit cards and add them all together. This gives you a total of how much you’ll definitely be spending, leaving you with an amount of money to last you for the week or month ahead depending on how you choose to do it. Then, if you want to, you can divide that figure by days or weeks and that is how much you have free to spend. It really can be that simple.

Online discounts. Shopping on the Internet is becoming increasingly popular with people taking advantage of 24-hour opening, an abundance of stock and online-only discounts which can provide some substantial savings. These can include 20% off at the checkout or even buy-one-get-one-free offers, giving you a lot of money off a product that you would’ve paid full price for on the high street. The money saved can then be saved or used to pay off other bills - a real win-win situation.

Make payments on time. If you've got a bank loan, credit card or payday loan (visit www.paydayloan.co.uk to find out more), then make sure that you make the necessary repayments by the deadlines stated in your agreements or statements to avoid any extra charges being incurred that you haven’t budgeted for. If you make the minimum payments - or pay more if you have the spare cash - on time, then you’ll soon find the amount you owe decreasing, freeing up more cash to really improve the bank balance, allowing you to go out next Friday night for your mate’s birthday.

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The Story of Greek Sovereign Debt Restructuring

Graphic "When Greece falls" presented by Dutch government on 21 June 2011, speaking of European sovereign debt crisis (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Greece, one of the ancient-most civilizations, the land of Plato and Aristotle, had gone through one of the most troublesome financial situations, recorded in world history. After the democracy of the country was reestablished in the year 1974, the social model has seen huge sums of public deficits. With the beginning of the year 2007, a devastating financial crisis struck the Grecian order. By 2008, the Greek economy had been damaged with fatal results, and the country was left with no means to service the bond indebtedness. Before the bond exchange offer was perceived, the total amount of Greek debt had reached an estimated sum of 350 billion Euros i.e. approximately equivalent to 456 US dollars. 

The International Monetary Fund or IMF and the countries belonging to the Eurozone, as it is popularly known, had organized a bailout amount of 130 billion Euros or 172 billion US dollars, and hence Greece was needed to refinance and reduce its outstanding bond indebtedness with the help of an exchange offer, to the best possible extent.

 

Required to Pay Back Debts before paying Employees 

It was decided that Greece would have to pass a law as soon as possible, in which it would be stated that the country would give prior importance to repay its debtors, and clear these debts, before the government services are paid for. On the other hand, its bailout amounts would be temporarily deposited to an escrow account independent of the chief budget. This particular account should never run out of money, since it is meant to repay the debts that are in line to come up in the coming three months. 

However, the implementation of this law would have implied that Greece would have to stop paying its doctors, teachers and similar employees of the state, and be forced to pay the interest amount on the debts it has taken. The Tragedy is most of these employees are as it is not being paid the wage amounts they are entitled to receive. 

Greece Emerging Victorious 

However, in spite of facing search adversities and going through such turmoil, Greece has actually emerged victorious. The Hellenic nation has been able to undertake the most happening sovereign debt restructuring that has ever taken place in history. As many as 85.8% private Greek debt holders have decided to come into an agreement to sign a debt write-off deal. This news has been reported by the Ministry of Finance, Athens. 
This particular deal has worked miracles by cutting down the total Greek debts by about 105 billion Euros, equivalent to 138.8 billion US dollars. The reduced amount stands for about half of the private debt, Greece had in its name. As a result the path for the country’s second international bailout package had been carved out, and this package is going to worth an amount of 130billion Euros, i.e. 173 billion US dollars. The European finance ministers was reported declaring that they have no issue in releasing the first portion of the fund, an amount of 35 billion Euros or 46.2 billion US dollars, immediately. 

Author’s Bio: Dan Young is a freelance writer, professional blogger, and social media enthusiast. His blog Ukash Kart focuses on Finance bloggers. You can follow him on Google+

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Car Title Loans Sometimes the Only Solution

Car Title Loan Reflection (Photo credit: Jeremy Brooks)

A title loan is a way to borrow money against your motor vehicle. Based on your vehicle's value, a lender determines how much money you can borrow. On average, title loans are $250 to $1,500, but they can be as much as $5,000 or $10,000. The duration of these loans is often short-term, such as 30 days. In a title loan transaction, you keep your motor vehicle and drive it, while the lender keeps the title to your motor vehicle as security for repayment of the loan. If you cannot repay your loan, the lender will repossess your motor vehicle, sell it and pocket whatever you owe. Because of the risk of losing your vehicle if you miss a single payment, you should take the transaction seriously before taking out a title loan.

The biggest benefit to getting a car title loan is that it enables the borrower to get the money they need extremely quickly. Car title loans are usually processed within a day or two. This is because it is a simple process, that really only involves the lender looking at your car to make sure it is worth at least the amount you need to borrow.

Anyone with a car can get a car title loan. This is because there is no credit check or background checks involved. The lender is giving you a secured loan, which means that the loan is based on a piece of collateral that you are putting up. An unsecured loan is when there is nothing involved, but they are giving you money based on the assumption you can pay it back plus interest. There is virtually no risk for the lender, so they have high approval rates with car title loans. Car title loans are perfect if you have bad credit. A bank likely won't give you the ten grand you need for your debt or bills, but if you have a car, the title loan will get you what you need.

Car title loans are a big part of the non-banking community. They are often the only way someone can obtain cash in a hurry for a family emergency. Many people do not have access to lines of credit, credit cards, or personal savings. The greatest asset that most people have is their car. Usually their car is at least worth $1000 or more. Seeking a car AZ Title Loan is their best choice.

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Baby Boomers Without Kids Face Uncertain Future In Senior Years

Baby Boomers (Photo credit: thinkpanama)

With the rising costs of retiring and the impact of Social Security uncertainty that is on the horizon; many in the baby boomer generation will be relying on adult children to act as caregivers in retirement.But what about the 15 million members of the demographic who do not have children, and for them, the future is less certain.

Almost 20 percent of baby boomers never had kids. Around 10 percent of women in the previous generation were childless. Many of these older adults have other young people in their lives who could help them, but are concerned that they'll be too much of a burden.

The relatives of baby boomers without children could be asked for some minor care giving but many retirees do not want to be a burden to anyone. Those without children may be able to take care of themselves for the bulk of their retirement but fear someday they will have to decide on moving into an assisted living community later in life.Female boomers may have it worse than their male counterparts, in particular females have a longer life expectancy than males. Unfortunately, it seems that many baby boomers of both genders have not done sufficient planning to prepare for their retirement years.

Baby boomers who are hoping to move to a retirement community when they're older need to save money ahead of time to help supplement their lifestyle. Long-term care insurance can also help single and childless seniors cover the costs of aging in place or in an assisted living facility. Part of the issue is that many baby boomers are busy caring for their own parents, leaving them with little time to start planning for the future.

Some experts on aging speculate that for seniors who are single and childless, informal living situations may become an option. One representative for the AARP refers to this option as a "Golden Girls" scenario.

The community experience of living with friends is part of what draws many older adults to senior living communities. According to the Yale Medical Group, an active social life can lower blood pressure and the risk for mental heath issues, such as depression. It may also help decrease one's risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or cardiovascular problems. It's also been found that those who are busy socially can increase their longevity.

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3 Easy Ways to a Safer Home and Cheaper Home Insurance

Non-rechargeable fire extinguisher. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Home insurance is essential. If you care to protect your valuables and high-priced belongings from theft or a weather disaster such as a flood or fire, then adopting home insurance is the smartest thing you can do. All the same, just because its "smart" does not imply it’s necessarily cheap. If your home insurance quote has you feeling depressed because you will now have to cut back your food and shopping budget even more to afford it, there could be some quick ways you can earn some discounts. 

Your Insurance agent will not voluntarily tell you about these discounts, but if you call and specifically ask you'll learn that by putting in certain security devices around the house you'll be able to slash the price up to 20 percent. To learn which devices (aside from a fire alarm) can earn you a discount as well as protect your home. 

Carbon Monoxide Detector/Alarm

Carbon monoxide is the silent killer-gas is colorless, odorless, and tasteless but it's highly toxic to both humans and animals if inhaled in high concentrations. In fact, it can kill you before you even realize you've been poisoned. It occurs whenever there is not enough oxygen to produce carb dioxide which can happen when using your stove. A carbon monoxide detector can alert your family at the slightest hint of the poisonous gas. And since detectors are relatively cheap-some as low as $17- there really shouldn't be an excuse why your home doesn't have one. 

Deadbolt Locks

Installing some deadbolt locks to your front and back doors can help secure the safety of your home and potentially prevent break-ins. What's so great about installing deadbolt locks is that they're a more economical approach if you don't have the funds to spend on a sophisticated security alarm system or security camera. Deadbolt locks can be purchased at your local home improvement store and can be self-installed rather easily. 

Fire Extinguisher

Purchasing a traditional fire extinguisher, which typically retails for about $30 to $50 at your local home improvement store, is also an excellent way for you to save on your home insurance. Plus, it can help your home from catching fire if you extinguish a small kitchen fire in enough time. Store the extinguisher some place safe but also make sure it's accessible. Also teach your entire family how to use it.

Of course these aren't the only devices that can help grant you a discount(s). Call your agent to see what your options are. You may learn that you already have certain features that can give you additional discounts.

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