Learn about our Blog Postings

Our Newsletters are broken down into subject categories.  On this page, you will find items about the tax season, mortgage financing, credit and debt and other financial topics.  You can look at all of the newsletters on a specific topic:

Buying a Home — Family and Leisure — Financial Literacy

Home Improvement — Lawn and Garden Care — Personal Development

Real Estate Market — Selling Your Home — Technology

Every month we send out a newsletter to our best clients, friends and customers.  Each one of the newsletters provides information about a different, carefully chosen topic.  We believe that they are always relevant and contain valuable information that can be used by everyone.

Only 34% of Americans own their homes free and clear.  All other homeowners have a mortgage that they are chipping away at every month.  Some experts believe that the interest paid on home mortgages is “good” interest because it is deductible for tax purposes.  However, it may be to your advantage to work towards Getting the Mortgage Monkey Off Your Back by paying it off early.  If you are one of those people, then you may want to consider paying it off early.  We’re providing seven strategies to help you do just that!  These tips could also help you pay off other forms of debt more quickly, too.  Paying off any debt could improve your credit score and help you increase your wealth. 

 A mortgage may seem daunting at first.  It actually saves you money in the long run.  Committing to a mortgage payment is often cheaper than paying monthly rent in most places.  We’re sharing information about Why Homeowners Are Actually Saving Money.  We believe that it will help you.  You may be better off owning a home and paying a monthly mortgage than renting and paying off someone else’s mortgage.  If you have any questions about your specific housing situation, feel free to Contact Us today.  We can arrange a referral for you, for your family or for your friends to one of the great lenders in our Business Directory with whom we work so that we can help you review your options.

Everyone should make the right moves when it comes to managing their money.  Many entrepreneurs keep a copy of “The Richest Man in Babylon” on their bookshelves.  In this classic, George S. Clason offers timeless financial advice through several parables. You can read this piece to see some of those valuable lessons about How to Build Wealth the Smart Way.  We recommend that you get a copy of the book … it is an easy read!

 Everyone needs an automatic savings mechanism set up.  Once that is done, though, what should you do next?  You may want to consider creating passive income to grow your money.  Investing is a major part of building wealth.  Unfortunately, for many people it can be intimidating to start.  We are sharing information for you to help Make Your Money Work For You.  You can keep these tips in mind as you start your investment journey.  If you don’t have someone to help you with your financial strategy, feel free to Contact Us so that we can arrange a referral for you, for your family or for your friends to one of the great financial advisers in our Business Directory.

No matter what your age, you should have financial goals.  The goals you set in your 20’s will be different from the goals you set in your 50’s.  This information suggests Wealth-Building Financial Goals for Every Stage of Life.  It can help you to plan for each decade of your life from your 20’s to your 60’s.  We want to help you build wealth and create a financial legacy.

Conventional wisdom suggests that we should save about 10 to 12 times our current income.  Unfortunately, many people approach retirement having saved much less.  So how much is enough?  The amount of money you should have saved before you retire depends on many personal factors and considerations.  Read through the tips about How to Retire Well to see where you stand now.  We are also sharing steps you can take to help you to get caught up and get your retirement savings back on track.  You will see that one of them is to invest in real estate.  

How much money do you need to retire?  Most people don’t know.  We are sharing a Retirement Worksheet.  It will help you estimate how much you  need to save for retirement.  This worksheet cannot take into account any unforeseen setbacks.  It does provide insight into how much you may need to save to retire according to your preferences.  If you would like a more in-depth review of your retirement savings needs, Contact Us today.  We will connect you with a great financial planner from our Business Directory. 

If you have set a goal to pay down your debt this year, you’re not alone.  According to a study by NerdWallet, more than 40% of Americans have this goal in sight.  You can read about the Benefits of Reduced Debt.  Strategically reducing or paying off debt has enormous benefits to your finances.  It can also have a positive impact other areas of your life as well.  This information is designed to get you started!

A budget is a tool that allows you to plan your spending each month.  It is based on your income and current expenses.  Creating a budget is one of the Good Financial Habits to Keep You Debt-Free.  It provides insight about your spending habits.  A budget may also motivate you to make changes and provide guidance for future spending.  In addition to a budget, we are sharing five other financial habits that can help you reduce your consumer debt load.

Whether you want a loan to make a large purchase or you’re applying for a job, a high credit score may give you an advantage.  The Benefits of Great Credit are many.  A great credit score helps you get a lower interest rate.  That will save money over the life of your loans.  A high credit score also demonstrates to lenders and potential employers that you’re financially responsible.  They interpret that to mean that you are likely responsible in other areas of your life. 

People are more conscious of their credit scores now than ever before.  More consumers are earning higher credit scores.  Younger consumers seem to be left in the cold.  We are sharing information about how you can Boost Your Credit Score, Regardless of Your Age.  It shows you why younger consumers have lower credit problems.  It also offers tips to help them improve their scores.  If you think that you need additional help resolving credit issues, you should speak with a fully-licensed lender at a financial institution.  You should not fall for quick “credit fix” scams.  If you don’t have a trusted lender to speak with, feel free to Contact Us and we can recommend a couple of our preferred lenders in our Business Directory who will be happy to assist.

Do you think that your credit rating is stopping you from getting approved for financing for a home or a new car?  Having bad credit can do more than prevent you from getting approved for a loan.  You may also have to pay more for insurance and provide a security deposit on utilities if you move.  The good news is that you can begin to improve your credit immediately. We are sharing information about How to Repair Your Credit.  In addition to the five tips, we tell you how long negative information stays on your credit report.

Once your credit score is in great shape, you need to make sure it stays that way. We’re providing you with five steps about How to Maintain Great Credit.  It also shows the difference between “Good” and “Excellent” credit.

UPDATE PENDING — Save Money on Home Energy This Winter — For many of us, November and December may be when we see the highest energy bills all winter. As the days get shorter and temperatures drop, we begin to use more energy to light and hat our homes. The tips contained in this information may be very useful for many of us. If you or someone you know wants to investigate some of these solutions and need help with it, Contact Us so that we can hook you up with one of our great contractors!

The Scoop on Solar — Homeowners who want to go a step further to reduce their energy consumption may want to look into generating their own electricity. This information will provide you with the pro’s and con’s of installing a solar energy system at your house.

UPDATE PENDING — How to Achieve Financial Freedom — Financial freedom is a goal that many people have for their families, but they may be too overwhelmed to put a plan into action that would help them achieve it.  This information provides an overview of strategies to help you save more of what you earn and get out of debt … two essential steps of achieving financial freedom.  We have relationships with some great financial people (bankers, lenders, financial planners, etc.) that can help you … let us know if you’d like a referral!

How to Save for Big Events — There are certain “big ticket” things that most people will save for:  an emergency fund, a down payment on a home, college and retirement.  This piece outlines specific ways for people to plan and save for these big events without biting into their wallets or budgets.

UPDATE PENDING — Protect Your Information from Thieves — More than 17.6 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2014 alone.  Most victims discovered their information had been compromised when their banks contacted them about suspicious activity. Identity thieves can strike at any time.  While the majority of people take steps to prevent thieves from stealing their identities, there are situations where it may be difficult to prevent.  We’re providing you with several ways that thieves can steal your information, from ATM skimming to email and phone scams.  We hope you find it helpful!

Can Thieves Crack Your Code? — Many of us use our smartphones for more than answering emails, sending texts and connecting with friends on social media; we may also use them to manage bank accounts, pay bills and apply for jobs.  While having them makes it easier to manage our lives, it also makes our information more vulnerable to thieves and hackers.  We’re providing tips to help you keep your smartphone as safe as possible.

UPDATE PENDING — Saving More for a Down Payment — For many first-time homebuyers, saving for a down payment can be difficult.  This information offers tips to help you turn saving into a habit; one that will last even after you have bought a house.  If you are considering buying a home, you should Contact Us today so that we can discuss your options and help you get started.  We have relationships with some great financial professionals who can give you some great advice and point you in the right direction.

UPDATE PENDING — Save Money This Holiday Season — Don’t break the bank on gifts and decorations this holiday season!  There are many ways to save money while spreading holiday cheer, not only on holiday gifts, but also for decorations and entertainment.

UPDATE PENDING — Sell Household Items Today! — If you’re like most people, you probably have items in the attic, basement, garage and closets that you don’t need, use and maybe even forgot that you had.

Find the Right Site to Sell Your Stuff Online — While garage sales are an ideal way to get rid of the stuff you don’t want anymore, the Internet may be the best place to sell valuable items that you want to get rid of for top dollar.  Here are a few sites to help you get started.

UPDATE PENDING — Protect Yourself from Identity Theft — Becoming a victim of identify theft can cost you more than just money. Here are tips to make help you make your identity more secure.

Ninety Percent of Passwords Can Be Hacked in Seconds — Create stronger passwords to protect your on-line security.

UPDATE PENDING —How to Achieve Financial Freedom — There are several steps that you can take to improve your finances and alleviate the stress you feel every month when you pay your bills.

How to Pay Off Your Mortgage Faster — A mortgage is often the largest debt anyone can have.  Here is a list of ideas to help you reduce your mortgage principal.

We mail out the newsletters on a monthly basis … some by postal mail and some by e-mail (depending upon what they would like).  Many of our clients tell us about how this information has helped them in one way or another.  We would love to hear which of these articles you find useful.  You can Contact Us  for more information about any of these articles or about our Client Appreciation Program and the special benefits we offer.