Money Minded Learning

When it comes to building your credit, it is important to show that you have experience using credit responsibly.  This often means having a credit card that you use and pay off regularly.  According to http://www.myfico.com/CreditEducation/WhatsInYourScore.aspx, one of the areas the credit bureaus take a look at is the amount you owe to various lenders. In this category, there are six key factors they look at when determining your score:

Great financial quote: "A bargain is something you can't use at a price you can't resist." - Franklin Jones

Budgeting can sound like quite a chore...but it doesn't have to be. Just follow these four simple steps and budgeting will be a breeze

1. Determine your net income: Your net income is the amount of money you have to spend after taxes and deductions have been taken out of your paycheck.  To calculate your net income, take your salary or earned income, also called your gross income, and deduct federal taxes, state taxes, payroll taxes, 401k contributions, and any other benefit payments that come out of your paycheck.  The difference between your earned income and your deductions is your net income. 

In the big debate over whether a college education makes a difference, the answer is a big YES!  According to the 2011 census findings by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for Ameirican's with continued education is far less than for those without. 

• Less than high school diploma - 14.1% unemployment
• High School Diploma - 9.4% unemployment
• Some College, No Degree - 8.7% unemployment
• Associate Degree - 6.8% unemployment
• Bachelor's Degree - 4.9% unemployment
• Master's Degree - 3.6% unemployment
• Professional Degree - 2.4% unemployment
• Doctorate Degree -  2.5% unemployment

Next time you are thinking to yourself "is this worth it?", remember...the answer is YES!

When it comes to investing, promises of high returns can often be misleading.  If returns sound too good to be true, they probably are. While all investments carry some risk, do your research to ensure the risk is proportionate to the expected return, and remember: "The safest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it in your pocket" - Kim Hubbard