What do parents need to know about student loan debt? There are several areas to be mindful of, especially if a parent is contemplating acting as a co-signer on a student loan. These range from preventive measures (starting the application process as early as possible) to future planning (the timing of your financial commitment to a child’s student loans). Student Loan Debt: Planning Counts Schools and government agencies often have a finite … [Read more...]
Down Payment Facts For Home Buyers
Down payment facts for home buyers are incredibly important; these aspects of buying and paying for a home may be glossed over in the planning stages during the initial excitement over potentially owning a home. But once a first-time home buyer starts running the numbers and figuring out how much down might be required on a conventional or FHA mortgage, it’s a sure bet that if down payment help is available it will be used. Do you know what … [Read more...]
Frugal or Cheap?
I saw an interesting phrase recently. Being frugal impacts you. Being cheap impacts those around you. Sometimes, it's hard to figure out where the line is in saving money. For some people, it can become slightly addictive. How much money can you save? How can you avoid spending money? But where do you draw the line? I think we can all come up with situations where someone is being cheap and impacting someone else. Going to a potluck … [Read more...]
Spending with Social Responsibility – Should You Boycott?
In addition to paying attention to your budget, and your savings goals, there is something else you may want to watch as you shop - your social responsibility. (Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you how you should spend your money in this post - your choices are yours and yours alone.) There are a lot of companies out there. But how much do you really know about the places where you spend your money? There are a lot of ways you can choose … [Read more...]
What are Golden Handcuffs and How to Avoid Them
While I was in law school, a common topic of conversation was paying off the education debt most of us were currently accruing. For a number of people, the plan was to take a high-paying job, even though the work wasn't what they wanted, pay off the debt early, and then go do their desired type of work. Frequently, these were people who wanted to work for non-profits, public defenders, etc. Awesome careers, but not the most high paying … [Read more...]