Image: jakeliefer
The joy of buying a home is immense, but so is the cost. Those huge loan payments can eat away at your emergency funds, ruin your spending and investment options, and add significant stress to your life. Moreover, until you have made the final payment on your loan, your home is not truly yours! Follow the five tips below to pay off your home loan early and save money in the process.
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Image: telex4
In the past ‘going green’ was considered by many to be only for ‘hippies.’ However today there are lots of reasons why it might just work for you too (even if you’re as ‘un-hippy’ as they come!).
If you really think about it we probably all agree with the concept of ‘going green’; preserving our planet and health, doing the ‘right thing’ etc., but something’s always held us back. Be it the time to set things up, the expense, not having a clue where to start or just being too busy to even think about it. Whatever the case, ‘going green’ is becoming easier, less expensive and more widely appreciated. Even the Labor Government is trying to get us to go green!
None of us want to be pushed into things but, if you haven’t already, see if these 10 reasons won’t motivate you to consider going green yourself, on the simple basis that it could actually save you money!
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Cruise Ship Ruby Princess and Grand Turk. Source: marhargen
Journeying across the world and visiting exotic lands in a cruise ship has been one of the most popular ways to spend vacations since the first boats dedicated exclusively to luxury and leisure set sail over 100 years ago. Thinking about taking a cruise in 2011? Here is a quick list of 5 great cruise destinations to consider when planning your holiday travels.
Solar panels technology has been around for a while but residential uptake of solar is still in its infancy in Australia. Under 10% of homes and businesses have any form of solar installed which is surprising given our abundance of sunshine. What’s also surprising is how well solar panels can be integrated into the look of a home, they don’t have to look out of place (see the image above).
Here’s a new money saving idea for homeowners looking to install solar panels: go to SolarPanelFreeQuotes.com.au, fill in the quote form and you’ll get 3 quotes from local solar installers for free. This convenient service gets you started on the hunt for the best solar panel system for your home from reliable installers … at the right price. This is essentially taking the comparison shopping model to solar market helping you to make a better choice, save money on the installation, save money on energy bills and maybe even start your own passive income stream from feeding energy back into the grid. Give it a go.
Disclosure: SolarPanelFreeQuotes.com.au is one of my new projects.
Has your bank account balance taken a turn for the worse? Does your wallet seem more empty than usual? Never fear, there are lots of easy ways to make some extra cash, even from the comfort of your own home!
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Have you ever done anything to help the poor? Opportunities to do so abound with endless NGOs competing for your money and playing on your conscience to ‘help the less fortunate.’ Something about giving monetary gifts or even taking a trip and helping with a project in a developing country is deeply satisfying, isn’t it? Right now with recent floods and cyclones hitting the east coast of Australia, and many other disasters worldwide, the opportunity to ‘help’ the struggling and disadvantaged is plentiful, and often close to home. But have you ever asked if the projects you give to or how you help could actually be hurting the poor more than helping them? It’s a thought we’d rather not entertain in many ways.
‘When Helping Hurts’ by Corbett and Fikkert broaches the uncomfortable subject in a way that could perhaps not be more necessary or appropriate for our day. Surprisingly, we don’t often lack the resources to ‘help,’ even in the current unsettled financial climate. Over $100 million was raised for QLD flood victims through the QLD Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal, to the credit of many generous Australians who ‘dug deep’ to offer help. Sadly, what we do often lack is the ability to ‘help’ effectively.
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According to Christian author and New York Times #1 Bestseller Dr. Gary Chapman there five ways in which a man can show his heartfelt love for his wife (and vice versa). Here’s how its done: give gifts, spend time with each other, be of service, communicate well and of course, be intimate.
Monday is Valentines Day and a chance to work on all five of these love languages, the most obvious of which is the giving of gifts. Its a day of chocolates, fluffy toys, gift cards, flowers, jewelry, love letters, greeting cards, perfume and going out to restaurants, all of which shows that the recipient is the object of romantic love.
This special kind of romantic love between one man and one woman really can add up. And, to put it in perspective, here’s the the Cost of Valentines Day depicted in a huge infographic (stats from the USA):
Investing in the financial markets is a great option to secure your financial future and stay away from debt. Making some planned and informed choices can prove to be very lucrative for you in the long run. Of course, you would not want to step into retirement looking for cheap debt relief services! But are you sure that you know the ins and outs of the investment market? If you are considering investment for the first time then things might seem pretty confusing to you. Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, real estate; sure there are various options to choose from. So how do you go about taking up the right option for yourself? Worry not! Read on to know what goes into making a successful investment career.
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Image: Todd Ehlers
A large part of the financial planning process is setting realistic financial goals that are attainable. Once the goals have been decided upon, a robust plan needs to be created to help implement the goals. Sometimes this requires making some strict changes in spending habits in order to meet savings goals for both individuals and families.
Financial security is a must, especially with the volatile economy and unpredictability of financial investments. You may prefer to use a financial planner to help meet your financial goals, while others may instead prefer to meet their goals on their own.
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If you’re like most of us, some of your New Year’s Resolutions likely included getting your finances in order and start saving money. However, also like the rest of us, after the first few days of the new year come and go, you might find yourself less motivated to keep those resolutions. That’s alright. You’re allowed to slip up a time or two. The most important thing is getting back on track with a plan that will help you stick to those financial resolutions throughout not only this year, but every year to come.
One of the best ways to improve your finances and make your dollar go farther is to simply refuse to pay retail prices. Yes, we do have to buy things – groceries, clothes and other household items, just to name a few – but who says we have to pay full price for them? There is a coupon or deal to be had on virtually any purchase that you have to make either now or in the future – if you just know where to look. Read More
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