Mar 31



In this economy, it’s a blessing just to know you have savings in place to protect your family and your future. But in order to really apply what you have, you need a plan. To make the most of your money, consult with your bank and use its savings calculator to predict how to most effectively invest your money and determine how to move it and use it over time. You can figure out a good strategy to earn as much as possible with as few fees and come up with an idea of how much you’ll have when it’s time to make those important purchases in life: college, wedding, cars, houses, children, retirement.

Flexibility is going to be the most important factor. You’ll want to find a person or system with a savings calculator that can factor in all of your myriad investments. You might have an individual retirement account, savings account, stocks, bonds, mortgages and other areas where your money is tied up. To accurately calculate what you’re working with, you need an overview of all of these accounts and arenas.

Your knowledge of your own current situation and aspirations are just as important as the concrete numbers that you’re working with. You need to not only look at what you’re dealing with now, but also where you’ll be in five, ten, 20 or 50 years. You need to look at your personal preferences and lifestyle, such as your career aspirations, familiar priorities and how risky of an investor you’re willing to be. Your age, income, marital status and perhaps even health can come into play when you’re putting together a complete portfolio. And you should think about what you want from your life; first you have to identify your ambitions if your plan is to figure out how to best achieve them.

It’s often easiest to work with one umbrella institution that manages many of the accounts you already have open. The Discover Bank savings calculator, for example, allow some wiggle room. They look at your areas of investment – savings accounts, retirement accounts, money market accounts – and then look at your goals, factoring in how to reach them and what kind of track you’re on. They can also tell you what needs to change in order to meet the financial goals you describe. Sliding scales and comparative charts let you quickly estimate how your situation is and what it can be with just some minute changes. This resource is also helpful because it not only provides its own in-house rates, but holds these against other institutions and national averages for a complete picture.


Mar 31

Guilt will most likely come with filing for bankruptcy whether you are Christian or non-Christian. I’m sure people worry about “cheating the system,” or taking advantage of the government. Not being able to pay what you owe is simple enough to make you feel bad. I know some people mistakenly think bankruptcy is not supported by the Bible.

First of all, you should understand that our forefathers instated bankruptcy for very good reasons. Our founding fathers even understood that emergencies and mistakes can happen – and there needs to be an opportunity for a fresh start and second chance for Americans. Bankruptcy has developed over the years to best serve U.S. citizens and it is part of the federal law.

Secondly, bankruptcy is discussed and supported in the Bible. In Deuteronomy, the Bible discusses a release of debts by debtors after a seven-year time span – a similar system to the one we use today where a debtor can file bankruptcy only every seven years. Another passage says the debtor should be released from debt after a certain amount of time passes, and they should also be released and allowed to keep some of their property so their lives can continue. Today’s bankruptcy laws reflect that debtors are allowed to keep some of their property throughout the process.

You should always remember the “bankruptcy” and “forgiveness” go hand in hand. The Bible teaches us to forgive, and bankruptcy is simply a form of debt forgiveness. Christians may know best that parts of our lives are out of our own control, and that there are several reasons that you could be in debt: you may have experienced an emergency, such as medical diagnosis or an accident, even simple spending mistakes are forgiven. Our current bankruptcy laws allow debts to be forgiven and have support for those who have experienced a financial blow.

Do you want to learn more about how your debts can be forgiven and more about bankruptcy? Before you talk to any lawyers or bill collectors, and before you sign any forms, do your research to gain all the information you need to know to make the right choice for your situation.


Mar 30

First of all let us get to know what is a Personal Loan.

Personal loan is a loan to a private person by a bank or building society for domestic purposes, buying a car, etc. There is usually no security required and consequently a high rate of interest is charged. Repayment is usually by monthly installments (EMIs) over a fixed period. This is a more expensive way of borrowing from a bank than by means of an overdraft.

Q. Is it feasible to opt for an Installment Plan?

Q. Personal loans can get very tricky if you agree to lend money to close friends or family. But if you agree to lend money, should you agree to an installment plan if the money cannot be repaid quickly?

Q. How long will it take to repay the loan?

An installment plan can work out better than waiting for a year or two to receive a lump sum repayment from a personal loan. It is always easier to repay in equal installments each month for the stipulated period (till the loan is not repaid). In case the loan is small, there is no need to repay in installments.

Have a reasonable repayment Plan – With an installment plan; you can draw up a repayment plan that takes everyone’s finances into consideration. It sets forth the responsibility of debt and helps ensure that everyone’s interests are best served.

Before you decide to take a personal loan for yourself, a friend or family member, think carefully about your decision. Will taking a personal loan lead you into a debt trap? Will the loan taken be put to productive use? How will you feel if the other person defaults on the loan due to a job loss? Will you write off the loan amount or will you increase the life of the loan?