If it's a little too small to read you can go to my Pinterest page HERE to have a better look.
Cheers!
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Showing posts with label money. Show all posts
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Time to Ramp Up the Money Search
The following infographic is getting TONS of attention and repins on Pinterest in the past week. Why? Because the timing is right - the information is relevant - and people are paying attention! Have a look for yourself. 'How to Get Free Money For College' is aimed mostly at our American friends because it talks a lot about FAFSA - but there are also some great general tips and sources included. Enjoy and spread it around!
If it's a little too small to read you can go to my Pinterest page HERE to have a better look.
Cheers!
If it's a little too small to read you can go to my Pinterest page HERE to have a better look.
Cheers!
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Blatant Book Promotion!!
Been away from this place for way too long, and getting some new posts written for the very near future. In the meantime - just wanted to give my book some shameless self-promotion!
'How To Be A Money Smart Student' is full of great money saving tips for students who have recently moved out on their own. It will also be a very valuable tool for that high school senior who is just finishing up and preparing for that next step out in the real world. Just following a few of the tips and tricks in the book will save students hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars throughout the course of their post-secondary education.
NOW would be a great time to order the book from Amazon so you have it in plenty of time to put it in their Christmas stockings!! Just click on the book cover below for instant access to the book on Amazon.com.
Cheers!!
'How To Be A Money Smart Student' is full of great money saving tips for students who have recently moved out on their own. It will also be a very valuable tool for that high school senior who is just finishing up and preparing for that next step out in the real world. Just following a few of the tips and tricks in the book will save students hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars throughout the course of their post-secondary education.
NOW would be a great time to order the book from Amazon so you have it in plenty of time to put it in their Christmas stockings!! Just click on the book cover below for instant access to the book on Amazon.com.
Cheers!!
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Book Review - 25 Money Strategies Your Teacher Forgot to Tell You About
Hello Folks! It's been awhile but it's nice to have something to share with you which I hope will be helpful.
I have had the opportunity recently to be introduced to an author by the name of Richard Pan. A native of Latvia, Richard has a Master's in Education, speaks four languages and, most importantly for these purposes, has written a couple of books about money aimed at young people.
His most recent endeavor is entitled '25 Money Strategies Your Teacher Forgot to Tell You About." I read it recently, and here's what I think....
I like the book. Now - right off the bat - remember Richard's native language is not English - keep that in mind as you read through the book. It's funny how a number of Richard's strategies (from half a world away) are very similar in nature to those in my own book...staying healthy to reduce health care expenses as one example. He does a good job of explaining all of his strategies in detail and offers some unique thoughts. My favorite quote is "Expensive 'stuff' doesn't make you cool - it makes you poor!" - buy your clothes at Thrift Shops!
I'm not sure how parents will react to the idea of young people staying at home as long as possible (at least age 25 or so) to save on expenses!! My 18 year old just moved out to go to college an hour away and the house is a whole lot quieter. The money saving logic behind the idea is great...but....
The strategy I like the most is 'Zero Dollar Day'. Pick one day a week where you force yourself to NOT spend any cash, or use debit or credit. Richard explains it in detail and it sounds like it would work. Read the book and give it a try.
Truthfully - I like any money book which gets young people thinking about how they spend their money and what they can do to spend less and save more. "25 Money Strategies Your Teacher Forgot to Tell You About" will do that. Check it out for yourself by clicking on the cover below. Cheers!
I have had the opportunity recently to be introduced to an author by the name of Richard Pan. A native of Latvia, Richard has a Master's in Education, speaks four languages and, most importantly for these purposes, has written a couple of books about money aimed at young people.
His most recent endeavor is entitled '25 Money Strategies Your Teacher Forgot to Tell You About." I read it recently, and here's what I think....
I like the book. Now - right off the bat - remember Richard's native language is not English - keep that in mind as you read through the book. It's funny how a number of Richard's strategies (from half a world away) are very similar in nature to those in my own book...staying healthy to reduce health care expenses as one example. He does a good job of explaining all of his strategies in detail and offers some unique thoughts. My favorite quote is "Expensive 'stuff' doesn't make you cool - it makes you poor!" - buy your clothes at Thrift Shops!
I'm not sure how parents will react to the idea of young people staying at home as long as possible (at least age 25 or so) to save on expenses!! My 18 year old just moved out to go to college an hour away and the house is a whole lot quieter. The money saving logic behind the idea is great...but....
The strategy I like the most is 'Zero Dollar Day'. Pick one day a week where you force yourself to NOT spend any cash, or use debit or credit. Richard explains it in detail and it sounds like it would work. Read the book and give it a try.
Truthfully - I like any money book which gets young people thinking about how they spend their money and what they can do to spend less and save more. "25 Money Strategies Your Teacher Forgot to Tell You About" will do that. Check it out for yourself by clicking on the cover below. Cheers!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
What Makes A Money Smart Student?
So what is it that makes a Money Smart Student? I've been asked that question a few times. There are many other PF writers who have their own opinions, and I respect that. There are some who argue that doing the things I talk about on this blog don't make a difference. They say that saving a few bucks here and there takes all the fun out of living the college life and doesn't add up to much in the long run. I've already discussed the numbers in a previous post (Do The Small Things Really Matter?), so I won't belabour the point here. Being a Money Smart Student, or young adult, isn't just about saving money when you can by doing the little things. It's about having an overall knowledge of money matters, staying connected to your own finances, and having a plan for both during, and after, school.
In this day and age, it is easier than ever to find out everything you need to know about money. How to make more money, how to spend less on anything and everything, how to save money, where to save your money...the list goes on and on. I will once again throw out there that the Wisebread website is one of the best resources I've found when it comes to money. Not only do they have their own posts and information - they also maintain a list of the best PF blogs available. You can even search by different categories to find whatever specific money issue you need. It's a great place to start to get informed about handling your money. Having at least a basic understanding of finances will help you many times over in the long run.
Along with having a general knowledge, it is even more important that you have an in-depth knowledge of your own finances. How much you have, how much you need, where it's going to come from, how you can bring in more - you MUST be constantly connected to your own personal finance situation. Losing touch was one of the main factors in my financial demise years ago. If I had stayed on top of my money I know I could have worked my way through the hard times and avoided the disaster which ended up taking place. This is, in my humble opinion, the most important aspect of being a Money Smart Student. Know your own financial situation better than anything else. If you know where you stand, you can handle the hiccups along the way much easier.
Finally - have a plan. Don't wait until the end of the current school year to plan for next year. Get your FAFSA paperwork done early if you are an American student. Don't leave it until the last minute. As you near the end of your education, start planning for life after college. As you enter the workforce, what is your plan to save some money for when you have a family? Thinking a step or two ahead of wherever you are at the moment will make it easier to adjust things along the way.
I don't want this to sound too preachy. I just want you to understand that it takes a bit of work to be completely Money Smart. Knowledge is power, as the saying goes. Educate yourself about money, push yourself to stay connected to your financial status, and think ahead. These are the building blocks to being Money Smart - not just as a student, but throughout your entire life. Cheers!
What steps are you taking to stay 'Money Smart'? What else do you feel is important for students, or young adults, to know about finances? I would love to have your comments.
In this day and age, it is easier than ever to find out everything you need to know about money. How to make more money, how to spend less on anything and everything, how to save money, where to save your money...the list goes on and on. I will once again throw out there that the Wisebread website is one of the best resources I've found when it comes to money. Not only do they have their own posts and information - they also maintain a list of the best PF blogs available. You can even search by different categories to find whatever specific money issue you need. It's a great place to start to get informed about handling your money. Having at least a basic understanding of finances will help you many times over in the long run.
Along with having a general knowledge, it is even more important that you have an in-depth knowledge of your own finances. How much you have, how much you need, where it's going to come from, how you can bring in more - you MUST be constantly connected to your own personal finance situation. Losing touch was one of the main factors in my financial demise years ago. If I had stayed on top of my money I know I could have worked my way through the hard times and avoided the disaster which ended up taking place. This is, in my humble opinion, the most important aspect of being a Money Smart Student. Know your own financial situation better than anything else. If you know where you stand, you can handle the hiccups along the way much easier.
Finally - have a plan. Don't wait until the end of the current school year to plan for next year. Get your FAFSA paperwork done early if you are an American student. Don't leave it until the last minute. As you near the end of your education, start planning for life after college. As you enter the workforce, what is your plan to save some money for when you have a family? Thinking a step or two ahead of wherever you are at the moment will make it easier to adjust things along the way.
I don't want this to sound too preachy. I just want you to understand that it takes a bit of work to be completely Money Smart. Knowledge is power, as the saying goes. Educate yourself about money, push yourself to stay connected to your financial status, and think ahead. These are the building blocks to being Money Smart - not just as a student, but throughout your entire life. Cheers!
What steps are you taking to stay 'Money Smart'? What else do you feel is important for students, or young adults, to know about finances? I would love to have your comments.
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Starting From Scratch!
With 2013 well underway, I thought it was time to really get moving when it comes to this blog and the entire Money Smart Student programme. To get things started - I'm going to start at the beginning. Why am I doing a student money blog? What makes me think people will want to listen to what I have to say? Where do I see things going down the road? Questions I'm sure every one of you have had...right?!
The idea for this programme came to me almost four years ago now. I was actually doing research on personal finance for my own benefit. You see - I used to be an abolute disaster when it came to handling my money. So much so that it eventually led to bankruptcy and the destruction of my, and my wife's, credit bureau. I'm happy to say that all the bankruptcy stuff is now off the bureaus and we have done a great job, together with a very caring Credit Union Manager, in rebuilding our credit scores. So I was looking for some good advice to move forward with our money handling when I found out some very interesting information. Some of the experts were blaming the housing bubble burst in the United States on an uneducated population. Not uneducated in general - but specifically - financially. Some said that if the 30 and 40 year olds had actually known how to take care of their money, stayed away from high ratio mortgages, and done more to keep their spending in check, a lot of the problems faced by millions of people could have been largely avoided.
So this led me to the question - If it was too late to stop the 'Me' generation from crashing and burning, what is going on now to keep today's students from falling into the same traps? The answer, unfortunately, is 'not much'. The good news is many entities recognize that personal financial education is more important now than ever before. As an example - financial education has just recently been added to the curriculum in all elementary and secondary schools in the province of Ontario, Canada. Many universities make a half-day personal finance awareness session a mandatory part of their orientation week. The bad news is that there is still a huge gap in the need and desire of students to learn how to handle their money - and the ability of parents and educators to present the information in useful and understood ways. I quoted a survey in the first
chapter of my book which shows most parents don't feel qualfiied to give their own children financial advice.
That's where the idea for Money Smart Students came from. A desire to try and help fill the void in PF information students need versus what they are receiving. I entered this knowing that I didn't know all the answers. I try along the way to pass on things that I have learned, resources that I've found, and anything else I hope will help even a small handful of students be better prepared for life on their own.
Last year I learned a great deal about this whole blogging business. Attending the Canadian Personal Finance Conference allowed me to connect with some of the best in the PF blogging world. I am actually working on switching this entire website over to a Wordpress based blog - but the learning curve is steep so give me a little time to get that done. I work a full-time nights job in the gaming industry (so I sleep the better part of each day away), and I have three teenaged boys and a wife who require my attention, but I make the commitment right now to you, my readers, that I will be posting more often and more regularly in 2013. I have some ideas on where to focus, and how to mix things up a little. I will be working hard at growing our small Facebook comunity into a bigger one and will be utilizing Twitter and LinkedIn much better to try and expand the reach of the Money Smart Student programme.
My hope is that you will come away from reading each post with at least one little piece of useful information to help you be Money Smart - Student or not. Until next time - Cheers!
The idea for this programme came to me almost four years ago now. I was actually doing research on personal finance for my own benefit. You see - I used to be an abolute disaster when it came to handling my money. So much so that it eventually led to bankruptcy and the destruction of my, and my wife's, credit bureau. I'm happy to say that all the bankruptcy stuff is now off the bureaus and we have done a great job, together with a very caring Credit Union Manager, in rebuilding our credit scores. So I was looking for some good advice to move forward with our money handling when I found out some very interesting information. Some of the experts were blaming the housing bubble burst in the United States on an uneducated population. Not uneducated in general - but specifically - financially. Some said that if the 30 and 40 year olds had actually known how to take care of their money, stayed away from high ratio mortgages, and done more to keep their spending in check, a lot of the problems faced by millions of people could have been largely avoided.
So this led me to the question - If it was too late to stop the 'Me' generation from crashing and burning, what is going on now to keep today's students from falling into the same traps? The answer, unfortunately, is 'not much'. The good news is many entities recognize that personal financial education is more important now than ever before. As an example - financial education has just recently been added to the curriculum in all elementary and secondary schools in the province of Ontario, Canada. Many universities make a half-day personal finance awareness session a mandatory part of their orientation week. The bad news is that there is still a huge gap in the need and desire of students to learn how to handle their money - and the ability of parents and educators to present the information in useful and understood ways. I quoted a survey in the first
chapter of my book which shows most parents don't feel qualfiied to give their own children financial advice.
Last year I learned a great deal about this whole blogging business. Attending the Canadian Personal Finance Conference allowed me to connect with some of the best in the PF blogging world. I am actually working on switching this entire website over to a Wordpress based blog - but the learning curve is steep so give me a little time to get that done. I work a full-time nights job in the gaming industry (so I sleep the better part of each day away), and I have three teenaged boys and a wife who require my attention, but I make the commitment right now to you, my readers, that I will be posting more often and more regularly in 2013. I have some ideas on where to focus, and how to mix things up a little. I will be working hard at growing our small Facebook comunity into a bigger one and will be utilizing Twitter and LinkedIn much better to try and expand the reach of the Money Smart Student programme.
My hope is that you will come away from reading each post with at least one little piece of useful information to help you be Money Smart - Student or not. Until next time - Cheers!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Blog For Financial Literacy Awareness Day!
It is something you are literally going to think about every day of your entire adult life. Sometimes when you think about it your hands are going to start to sweat and your heart will race. It is going to be the source of most of your 'discussions' with your significant other. It is the leading cause of divorce in North America right now. Sounds like I could be talking about sex! In fact - most teenaged boys answer just that. Truthfully - all those statements refer to MONEY! We spend our time figuring out how to make more of it, and how to spend less of it. Sometimes we're successful at handling it - sometimes we are not!
Today is 'Blog For Financial Literacy Day'. It's part of the overall Awareness Month going on throughout November here in Canada. I am happy to be taking part in posting today on the theme of 'My Best Tip'! A number of personal finance bloggers are taking part and if you check out my first post this month you'll see where you can find a list of everyone participating.
So what is my best tip when it comes to Financial Literacy Awareness? It is one of the words in the title - Awareness! I have written a couple of times here, and I will do it again right now, about the fact that being connected to your money and your overall financial situation is the most important thing to keep on your mind. Everything else - such as where to put your money, how to make your money grow, the best investments, the best credit cards (shudder) - is just part and parcel of the overall concept that you have to be aware of where you stand financially all the time.
There are hundreds - no thousands - of websites all talking about Personal Finance. Many of them have great information on their specific area of expertise. They are easy to find and by using websites such as Wisebread.com, you can find the best PF websites all listed and ranked in one place - making the information gathering that much easier. But all that information is useless if you don't get it set in your mind to actually take control of your financial life - and keep control of it at all times. Stay on top of your bills. Pay your debts automatically from your accounts. Sit down with your partner and have a discussion about money as often as you feel comfortable doing so - more often if it makes you uncomfortable. Make a plan and stick to it.
Money can lead to a lot of good things in life. It can also lead to a lot of bad if it is handled improperly or allowed to rule your life instead of you ruling it. Make a vow to yourself, and your loved ones, that you will keep connected to your finances. In doing so, you will have a huge advantage over the majority of the population and you'll be ready for anything that is thrown your way.
I hope we can continue the journey together. Cheers!
Today is 'Blog For Financial Literacy Day'. It's part of the overall Awareness Month going on throughout November here in Canada. I am happy to be taking part in posting today on the theme of 'My Best Tip'! A number of personal finance bloggers are taking part and if you check out my first post this month you'll see where you can find a list of everyone participating.
There are hundreds - no thousands - of websites all talking about Personal Finance. Many of them have great information on their specific area of expertise. They are easy to find and by using websites such as Wisebread.com, you can find the best PF websites all listed and ranked in one place - making the information gathering that much easier. But all that information is useless if you don't get it set in your mind to actually take control of your financial life - and keep control of it at all times. Stay on top of your bills. Pay your debts automatically from your accounts. Sit down with your partner and have a discussion about money as often as you feel comfortable doing so - more often if it makes you uncomfortable. Make a plan and stick to it.
Money can lead to a lot of good things in life. It can also lead to a lot of bad if it is handled improperly or allowed to rule your life instead of you ruling it. Make a vow to yourself, and your loved ones, that you will keep connected to your finances. In doing so, you will have a huge advantage over the majority of the population and you'll be ready for anything that is thrown your way.
I hope we can continue the journey together. Cheers!
Friday, November 9, 2012
Do The Small Things Really Matter?
Are you a penny pincher? Do you find the best deals and pay the least amount possible for anything you buy? Are you connected to where your money is going every month and taking steps to hold on to as much as you can? If you answered 'Yes' to any, or all, of those questions, you are living a 'frugal' life. The problem is, some of the 'experts' are saying being frugal isn't enough to really change your financial situation. They tell you to focus instead on maximizing your income, getting better jobs which pay more, investing your money where it's going to give you a better return. (I always find that last one funny - considering most people reading personal finance advice blogs probably don't have the extra money available to actually invest in anything) I agree with the idea that you should work on those areas, when it's appropriate and feasible to do so in your life. But for college students, being 'frugal' and money smart is pretty much the only way to control your financial situation.
Let's take a look at the numbers, shall we? I've given almost 100 useful tips and tricks in my book (which I promise not to plug - again - because you can click on the links on the side if you would like more information) (Wait - was that non-plug actually a plug in disguise?) which can save students money while they are away at school. Buying no-name groceries, partying at home, mass transit, etc. etc. - they all add up. Let's use a very, very conservative number and say that using a few of the tips together will save a student around $200 a month compared to what they would have spent otherwise. Students typically spend 8 months of the year away at school (Sept. through April). So a student could very easily save (8 months x $200/month) or $1600 over the course of one school year. Multiply that by a four year programme and that totals $6,400 in savings.
I don't know about you - but over $6,000 in my pocket, or not borrowed, in a four year period is a pretty significant chunk of change. It's enough to potentially make a difference in how much a student needs to borrow,or even if they have to take out a loan at all. Since the average student winds up with @$25,000 in student loan debt - knocking that down to under $19,000 is a good start.
Do the small things matter when it comes to being money smart? Absolutely!! When the only thing you can control is how much you pay out - being frugal and controlling your spending will go a long way to putting more money in your pocket - or less money in the hands of your lenders when you are done school and heading out into the real world. Stay smart - increase your PF IQ - the little things add up! Cheers!
Let's take a look at the numbers, shall we? I've given almost 100 useful tips and tricks in my book (which I promise not to plug - again - because you can click on the links on the side if you would like more information) (Wait - was that non-plug actually a plug in disguise?) which can save students money while they are away at school. Buying no-name groceries, partying at home, mass transit, etc. etc. - they all add up. Let's use a very, very conservative number and say that using a few of the tips together will save a student around $200 a month compared to what they would have spent otherwise. Students typically spend 8 months of the year away at school (Sept. through April). So a student could very easily save (8 months x $200/month) or $1600 over the course of one school year. Multiply that by a four year programme and that totals $6,400 in savings.
I don't know about you - but over $6,000 in my pocket, or not borrowed, in a four year period is a pretty significant chunk of change. It's enough to potentially make a difference in how much a student needs to borrow,or even if they have to take out a loan at all. Since the average student winds up with @$25,000 in student loan debt - knocking that down to under $19,000 is a good start.
Do the small things matter when it comes to being money smart? Absolutely!! When the only thing you can control is how much you pay out - being frugal and controlling your spending will go a long way to putting more money in your pocket - or less money in the hands of your lenders when you are done school and heading out into the real world. Stay smart - increase your PF IQ - the little things add up! Cheers!
Monday, November 5, 2012
Do We Really Need an Entire Awareness Month?
As you may already know - especially if you've dropped in here in the past week or so - November is Canadian Financial Literacy Awareness Month. A chance for all of us Personal Finance type people to spread our vast knowledge about money to the masses gathered around their computer screens, or tablets, or whatever other device. But do we really need an entire month dedicated to enlightening each other about Financial Literacy? In my humble opinion - Hell Yes!! In fact, I don't think a month is long enough. We need Financial Literacy Awareness Year - every year - for as long as we live our adult lives!
As I sit here writing this today - it is my birthday. Not just any birthday. One of those birthdays that ends in a 'O'! One of those birthdays which makes you sit down, or lay down in my case last night, and reflect on your life so far, the mistakes you've made, the successes you've had and where you think things are heading from this point forward. In my time of reflection I realized that many of the things I thought of in those areas in some way or another revolved around money. Maybe it was my lack of financial literacy when I thought about some failures and mistakes I had made. Maybe it was the extra money I came into when I thought about the progression of my career and where things are heading in that area of my life. Whichever reflection came to mind - there was a monetary aspect to almost each and every one. Even thinking about my kids had me reflecting on wishing I could have taken them more places but being unable to afford that luxury.
That is why it is so important to spend your entire adult life being Financially Literate. Staying connected to your money is something I've been talking about here for awhile. Learning how to handle your money - where to invest it - the best ways to save it - the tools you can use to get the most out of the money you have - these are all things we need to stay aware of all the time. There are thousands of websites all dedicated to personal finance. Some good, some not so good, and some great. Take this opportunity to find a few that speak to you and connect with what you are dealing with right now in regards to money. The Wisebread website listed in my favourites is a great place to start. They rank hundreds of PF websites and put them into categories so you can find one that has the information you need. Use that as a starting point for your own financial literacy.
A month is not enough - make this Financial Literacy Awareness Life! Cheers!
As I sit here writing this today - it is my birthday. Not just any birthday. One of those birthdays that ends in a 'O'! One of those birthdays which makes you sit down, or lay down in my case last night, and reflect on your life so far, the mistakes you've made, the successes you've had and where you think things are heading from this point forward. In my time of reflection I realized that many of the things I thought of in those areas in some way or another revolved around money. Maybe it was my lack of financial literacy when I thought about some failures and mistakes I had made. Maybe it was the extra money I came into when I thought about the progression of my career and where things are heading in that area of my life. Whichever reflection came to mind - there was a monetary aspect to almost each and every one. Even thinking about my kids had me reflecting on wishing I could have taken them more places but being unable to afford that luxury.
That is why it is so important to spend your entire adult life being Financially Literate. Staying connected to your money is something I've been talking about here for awhile. Learning how to handle your money - where to invest it - the best ways to save it - the tools you can use to get the most out of the money you have - these are all things we need to stay aware of all the time. There are thousands of websites all dedicated to personal finance. Some good, some not so good, and some great. Take this opportunity to find a few that speak to you and connect with what you are dealing with right now in regards to money. The Wisebread website listed in my favourites is a great place to start. They rank hundreds of PF websites and put them into categories so you can find one that has the information you need. Use that as a starting point for your own financial literacy.
A month is not enough - make this Financial Literacy Awareness Life! Cheers!
Thursday, November 1, 2012
An Online Financial Literacy Community
I'd like to begin Financial Literacy Awareness Month by introducing you to a very useful resource available online. There are numerous places on the internet where you can get your questions answered about personal finance. One that I have recently found, which runs the gamut from saving and budgeting to investing, is the TD Helps forum. It's hosted by the TD Bank - but that's where the branding ends. None of the information is given with a sales pitch trying to get you to buy TD products or services. It is strictly a forum for Canadians to ask their money questions and get straight up answers from people who know what they are talking about. Straight up - I'm not getting paid to endorse this site - I just think it can be added to all your other tools when it comes to being smart about your money.
Here's a little blurb from the company regarding TD Helps...
A first among major banks, TD Bank Group has launched a community where people can ask the questions that are keeping them up at night and receive a tailored answer within hours, from an expert and sometimes from someone in the community who’s been there. No strings attached – just personal, expert advice available to anyone with a question. The TD Helps community was originally launched in the spring as an online home financing advice forum. Canadians were so receptive to the “virtual face-to-face” interaction that it has expanded to include a broader range of financial advice, including investing and planning for retirement, saving and managing your money, and borrowing and managing credit. You won’t find a sales push anywhere on the site, the goal is simply to build a community that will help Canadians make better financial decisions. In addition to Canadians asking specific questions to experts who are on-call to answer questions, high-traffic to the site shows Canadians are visiting the forum and using it as a resource, asking for info and reading answers to questions others have submitted. To date, thousands of personal finance questions have been answered on TD Helps.
Give it a look. See if any questions you might be thinking about have been answered. Some of the questions people have asked are specific to TD - but there are a lot of great answers to general financial questions broken down by category. I like the site as a reference tool - plain and simple.
Happy November (WOW time flies!) and Happy Financial Literacy Awareness Month! Cheers!
Here's a little blurb from the company regarding TD Helps...
A first among major banks, TD Bank Group has launched a community where people can ask the questions that are keeping them up at night and receive a tailored answer within hours, from an expert and sometimes from someone in the community who’s been there. No strings attached – just personal, expert advice available to anyone with a question. The TD Helps community was originally launched in the spring as an online home financing advice forum. Canadians were so receptive to the “virtual face-to-face” interaction that it has expanded to include a broader range of financial advice, including investing and planning for retirement, saving and managing your money, and borrowing and managing credit. You won’t find a sales push anywhere on the site, the goal is simply to build a community that will help Canadians make better financial decisions. In addition to Canadians asking specific questions to experts who are on-call to answer questions, high-traffic to the site shows Canadians are visiting the forum and using it as a resource, asking for info and reading answers to questions others have submitted. To date, thousands of personal finance questions have been answered on TD Helps.
Give it a look. See if any questions you might be thinking about have been answered. Some of the questions people have asked are specific to TD - but there are a lot of great answers to general financial questions broken down by category. I like the site as a reference tool - plain and simple.
Happy November (WOW time flies!) and Happy Financial Literacy Awareness Month! Cheers!
Friday, July 20, 2012
Summer Savings Time!
I hope everyone is enjoying the summer so far. It's been a hot one in my area without a lot of rain - which is great for activities but not so great for the lawns or crops. A little rain in small doses might be just what the doctor ordered to help get things growing again.
Speaking of growing - I hope my student readers with summer jobs have been growing their savings accounts! Now is the time to sock away every bit of extra cash you can. The more you can save now the easier it will be for you as you begin another school year in September. I would recommend one of the following two formulas - either 35-35-30 or 50-25-25. What do those numbers mean, you ask? I don't know...just kidding. That would mean the ratios of your income when it comes to saving for long term - saving for short term - and money to live on now. If you make under $500 every two weeks from your summer job - save 35 percent for long term (maybe for your emergency fund while you are at school), 35 percent for short term (supplies, and anything else you will soon need to get set for school), and 30 percent to live on right now for things like gas, entertainment (it is summer after all!), and immediate bills. Change over to the second formula if you make more than $500 every two weeks because you can afford to save a little more.
I know it's hard to keep on top of your school year finances while you are enjoying your summer. Doing a little planning now, however, will make life so much easier for you when you do head off to school in September. Keep up the great work. Cheers!
Speaking of growing - I hope my student readers with summer jobs have been growing their savings accounts! Now is the time to sock away every bit of extra cash you can. The more you can save now the easier it will be for you as you begin another school year in September. I would recommend one of the following two formulas - either 35-35-30 or 50-25-25. What do those numbers mean, you ask? I don't know...just kidding. That would mean the ratios of your income when it comes to saving for long term - saving for short term - and money to live on now. If you make under $500 every two weeks from your summer job - save 35 percent for long term (maybe for your emergency fund while you are at school), 35 percent for short term (supplies, and anything else you will soon need to get set for school), and 30 percent to live on right now for things like gas, entertainment (it is summer after all!), and immediate bills. Change over to the second formula if you make more than $500 every two weeks because you can afford to save a little more.
I know it's hard to keep on top of your school year finances while you are enjoying your summer. Doing a little planning now, however, will make life so much easier for you when you do head off to school in September. Keep up the great work. Cheers!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Educate Yourself About Money!
If there is one point I will be emphasizing over and over again here - and in my presentations - it will be that students must educate themselves when it comes to money issues.
I know this website and program won't answer every question - or give every single piece of advice there is out there about money. Students need to do some research into what's available on the web - websites, blogs, worksheets - get your hands on everything you can. At the same time - not everyone out there is giving good advice. Please be careful and do your homework before you make any big money decisions that could ultimately affect you for years to come.
Please check out our 'Money Smart Students' Facebook page and join our community - then pass it on to your friends as well.
Thanks for visiting - see you soon!
I know this website and program won't answer every question - or give every single piece of advice there is out there about money. Students need to do some research into what's available on the web - websites, blogs, worksheets - get your hands on everything you can. At the same time - not everyone out there is giving good advice. Please be careful and do your homework before you make any big money decisions that could ultimately affect you for years to come.
Please check out our 'Money Smart Students' Facebook page and join our community - then pass it on to your friends as well.
Thanks for visiting - see you soon!
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