Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Budgeting Money Tip: Compound Interest Can Help You Turn Small Savings Into Large Nest Egg


One of the key tools in budgeting money is the power of compounding interest.

Do you feel overwhelmed or maybe even hopeless that you can accumulate a nest egg for your future? Do you feel like such a nest egg is just for rich people? The old saying that it takes a lot of money to make money is simply not true. It is just a myth. For some people, it might be an excuse to not get started on a savings program. Or perhaps you're one to think saving money cuts into your "fun time." It doesn't need to be that way at all.

It's time to change your thinking and embark on a new paradigm that you are in control and can create a nest egg for yourself. It could be saving long-term for a retirement or perhaps a more short-term goal such as a vacation. Many people just get caught up in frivolous spending and don't know how to get started to save for such goals.

The first budgeting money step is to write your goals down! Figure out how much money is needed to reach a goal.

Then let the most powerful tool in the world go to work for you: compound interest. Saving even small amounts every month can accumulate very quickly as compound interest builds on the principle and interest on an on-going basis.

The good news about compound interest is that it's a tool for the average person and even those with below average incomes. It doesn't matter what stage you are at in life, you have the powerful effect of compound interest available to you. Saving just $100 a month over a long period can yield a significant nest egg.

Here's a great article on the importance of saving and benefits of compound interest over long periods of time:

http://finance.yahoo.com/retirement/article/107884/turn-small-savings-into-a-big-nest-egg?mod=retire-401k

EXAMPLES:

Starting principal balance: $0

Monthly investment payments: $100

Interest rate: 10%

Future value: 20 years = $75,936

Future value: 40 years = $632,408

Starting principal balance: $0

Monthly investment payments: $500

Interest rate: 10%

Future value: 20 years = $379,684

Future value: 40 years = $3,162,039

Need to learn how to save $100 per month or more? By apply budgeting money tips, you can learn the motivation, knowledge and disciple to a implement a viable spending plan, paying off debt and saving for your nest egg. Then you too will be able to set aside a monthly investment amount to meet your retirement or other financial goals.




Michael Kastler is a personal budgeting coach who has created a variety of budgeting tools including his personal finance book - "Get a GRASP on Your Budget and Your Cash". His budgeting money tips blog helps individuals become debt free.




Build Your Crash Proof Nest Egg


It is a fact that today unfortunately less than 25% of companies large and small offer defined benefit plans for their employees as a regular benefit. For those unfamiliar with the term defined benefit you can boil that down to a pension plan. So how do you plan your retirement when you have to rely on your own resources to provide for your non-working years.

The first step in the development of a non-destructible retirement plan is to have some funds with which to work. Primarily these funds come from savings and investments that hopefully you have acquired over your working years. The second step is to develop a relationship with trusted advisor who can coach you through the process of a plan for prosperity for the rest of your life.

Once you have all of the above factors in place you can develop an investment philosophy with your coach. An investment philosophy is based on your beliefs about the market, your risk tolerance and your time horizon. Your investment philosophy is the basis for the mindset you have in the decision making when you chose your investments. Some questions you might ask yourself when pondering an investment philosophy are what is your true purpose for money and how will you use it to fulfill your life dreams. Do you need to provide for loved ones or are they OK? Are there additional resources that will come in once you are gone for your spouse and your heirs? You definitely have to do some soul searching, but a good investor coach will help you with that.

The next item on the agenda should be how you are going to implement this plan. Will it be from your current investments or do they need to be changed? Your coach will help you with these decisions as well, he/she should ask the right questions so that with his/her knowledge suggest the correct plan of action to use.

Once your plan for prosperity is in place you should be able to relax and not worry about market conditions or fluctuation. A properly put together plan should transfer risk for a solid return not assume risk for a potentially better return. Don't be fooled by advisors who try to "sell" you products that he/she thinks are best for you, it has to feel right in order for it to work for you.




Roy Innella
Investor Coach
http://www.yourwealthadvocate.com
610-695-8748




Thursday, April 19, 2012

Building a Nest Egg with Retirement Plans


Americans have the attention spans of gnats. This unfortunate fact can really hurt you when it comes to finances. Simply put, you need to plan for the future...today!

The government knows your coming. And it is terrified! The simple fact is there is a bulge in our population. The bulge is known as the baby boomer generation. There are far more baby boomers than there are younger people. This would not be a problem except for the fact that a good percentage of baby boomers have not saved adequately for their retirement. This means the government is going to have to foot the bill, and that is an iffy proposition since there will be a smaller group of taxpayers [the young] trying to foot said bill.

In an effort to address this problem, the government has been passing all kinds of laws designed to get us all to save money. It is no secret that social security is not going to be able to handle the problem. So, what's the solution? The government hopes it is the tax advantage retirement account. Simply put, these are some of the best and simplest ways to save for the future.

The most basic of retirement accounts have been around forever. Yep, the good old pension fund. Pension plans are often offered by large corporations and they were a good choice for a long time. As we have seen in the last 15 years or so, that is no longer the case. Most people don't stay at a job long enough to get the biggest benefit. Also, we live in an age where big, bad corporations are no longer impervious to going bankrupt. One needs only consider Enron and the current problems at GM. All and all, the pension plan is much like the horse and buggy - a good idea whose time has passed.

401(k) plans are the big retirement plan these days. The advantage of the plan is you can stuff fairly large amounts into them with pre-tax dollars. They are also more flexible in that you can roll the money over to another retirement plan if you leave the company in question. Even better, your employer has the right to stuff away pre-tax dollars as well, but must match your contribution in some manner. Over time, this combination of factors can turn a 401(k) into a major nest egg of funds.

The Individual Retirement Account, or IRA, is another goodie offered up by a nervous government. It works similar to the 401(k), but you do not have to be working for a company. You can set it up yourself through a broker. The major downside of the IRA is the contribution limit. Simply put, you can't put all that much in. The amount changes from year to year, but is currently $4,000 in 2007. Still, that represents a lot more in savings than most Americans will make on their own.

If you are in the work force, you need to be thinking about your future. Retiring may seem a long way off, but the planning you do now will help make retirement comfortable and relaxing.




Learn more about financial planning at UFCAmerica.com.




Building a Retirement Nest Egg From Scratch


The population of people age 65 and over is expected to double in the next 30 years. It is currently 40 million and will become 80 million in 2040. Recent events in the economy have challenged the retirement savings of many people. People have been dealing with uncertainty and volatility in the investment markets. And, unemployment has remained at near 10%. Many people have had to use their 401k savings to live on because unemployment is no longer available. These people need another option to build a retirement nest egg and do it fairly quickly.

I have some experience with the volatility in the stock market. My husband's 401k had just reached $1 million dollars in 2001. At the time there was a "dot bomb", a financial crisis among online companies. Many of them went under. Our 401k went from $1 million to $300,000 overnight. It was shocking to see! We were in our mid-forties with 2 incomes and a kid in college. We had been thinking we would be able to retire early and then wham! We resigned ourselves to continue working and contributing to the 401k. The 401k gradually grew again to more acceptable levels. Then again, during our recent recession, the 401k took another hit! What have we learned from this experience? We don't feel that we can depend on the 401k to provide decent income during our retirement! So what are we doing instead?

We are building a retirement nest egg. We have started home-based business that can provide us with the income necessary to enjoy our retirement. We are working to create an asset that will pay us for the rest of our lives, and is willable to two generations that follow us. We are creating a legacy!

We are creating an asset and a legacy, and we are having fun doing it! Each and every day we bring hope to people that need it. We help people with both their health and their finances. It is very gratifying to touch people in this way! And, they can realize life-changing results. We earn paychecks of the heart as well as the type you take to the bank!

If you can't rely on your savings to support you for the next 30 years of life beyond age 65, then think about considering starting a home-based business. It is an affordable option, low cost, with the potential of a very high return on your investment. It can be possible to receive a 90% buyback (on unopened product) on the business within the first year. What other business gives you your money back if you decide it is not for you?

It is certainly worth taking a look. We don't pressure people but we do want them to do their due diligence. We provide people with the information to make their decision. It is more about educating people. Whatever they decide is fine. We welcome them and begin a mentoring process if they decide on us. And if they feel it isn't for them, we wish them all the best.

Don't you deserve a stellar retirement? Most of us work all of our lives. We do our best to save for retirement. Sometimes, though, all the best laid plans, don't work out. You do have another choice. Start a home-based business. Build a nest egg, an asset. Create a legacy for your family. Bring hope to people. And feel how gratifying it can be to help someone else!




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Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Building Your Nest Egg Now


Everything you read today about the money market is dismal; falling stocks, rising prices, stagnant housing market and more seem like there's no light at the end of the tunnel. But it's important to look at the big picture. No matter what the current economy is like, it's never too early to plan for your future.

Develop a Habit

Begin saving today. Do not wait until tomorrow! Time is on your side when considering your retirement; the earlier you start, the more prepared you'll be. Putting aside any money, no matter how small, will turn into a life-long habit you'll incorporate in your schedule. The more time you save, the more time your money has to grow.

Know Your Need

Estimate your current annual expenses. Calculate your future needs with an inflation rate of 3% (the average). You can find inflation calculators at Calculator Web to help you determine how much you'll need in the future in order to maintain and pay for your current lifestyle.

Participate With Your Employer

Contributing to a 401(k) is perhaps one of the most beneficial and easiest methods to save for your future. Not only does a 401 plan include an immediate tax deduction, but also it usually comes with a matching contribution from your employer.

Invest in the Best

Before you go ahead and invest all your savings in one area, be sure to do your homework. Often, your best method to investing includes a variety of products including stocks, bonds and mutual funds. If you're unsure where to invest, consult a financial advisor to help you invest in the right areas.

Resist Temptation

Do not dip into your savings. It's tempting to take small increments out to pay bills, loans, or for that Coach purse you really want. Don't do it! Once you start, you'll find it hard to stop. Consider if what you're planning to 'cheat' on; do you really need the money, or can it wait until next month?




Jenny Sweeney is a copywriter for DMi Partner, a full-service digital marketing agency. DMi develops informative websites including AmericanFinancialFreedom.org a site that offers information on everything financial from structured settlements to bankruptcy alternatives.




Building Your Nest Egg in Tough Times


Right now ask yourself a question; how is your nest egg looking these days? If you answered not well or that you simply don't have one then you are no doubt one of the many people today that think building a nest egg in this economic environment is just not possible. Well, it actually is and while you may not be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel it is there and may simply be a matter of opening your eyes wider.

What to Look For

So, what should you be looking for in these tough times in regards to a nest egg? In other words, what will allow you to build up your nest egg without a lot of risk exposure? The answer, while not necessarily clear to you, is out there. All you really need to do is find the right professional who knows and they can help you find the right solutions for your nest egg building.

Starting Now Not Later

One of the biggest mistakes that many people often make with their lifetime savings is waiting too long to start building them. Over and over again they think that they will simply wait until they have lots of money and then start their quest to build it up. While that's a great thought, the problem with that thought is that time and again people live up to what they make.

So, you make more money, you want to drive a nicer car. You make more money, you want to get a nicer house. This trend can leave you with a savings account that is nowhere close to being what it needs to be when your retirement age comes around.

On the other hand, if you start now with what you have then as you make more, you will invest more for your retirement. This means that your savings fund might start out building up in a slow manner, but over time it will blossom to what you need it to be. Of course, this is all provided on your willingness to work with the right professional.

Nest Eggs Built the Right Way

There are no crystal balls when it comes to building your retirement nest egg. But, there are professionals out there that make it possible to build your nest egg up the proper way, even if the economic environment doesn't make it seem possible.




Suzanne Glasser is a freelance finance writer specializing in retirement topics. Click for more information on Pathfinder America Reviews.