Posts Tagged ‘Personal Finance’

Personal Finance in a time of Crisis

I am a working mom of two young boys and every day I hear news about foreclosures and homeowners unable to make Mortgage payments. Not only are the homeowners being affected but we also hear that residential rents are also going through the roof. Is the value of our home declining? I also drive a gas-guzzler and it costs me about $77/week. I have seen the gas prices double over the last year as well eating into our disposable incomes. Healthcare costs have gone up too. Being at a startup and getting the best healthcare available for the startup is still a headache. After some emergency dental work, I realized our insurance only covers 50% of the cost. School tuition as well as College tuition is on the rise too. Are you feeling the pinch? Tell us what is on your mind! So what should most people do? Recently I was introduced to this great online resource that provides advice to individuals struggling with these kinds of issues. To learn more go to Continue Reading

Stress-Test-for-Your-Bank: Personal Finance News

Five ways to evaluate how your bank is serving you in this economy. Talk about headaches. Having to come up $75 billion in new capital is a stress test in itself for the banks deemed to be in the worst shape by the Federal Reserve. Compared with that, resolving issues you're having with your own bank seems like a walk in the park. Still, dealing with financial institutions nowadays can be a major source of irritation. Ask these questions to determine how well your bank is serving you -- and learn what to do to lower your own stress level: Are my deposits safe? As long as your bank is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., your money is guaranteed -- up to $250,000 per depositor. That's the case even if you have an account with Bank of America, which tops the bad-bank list and needs to raise $34 billion in capital. Call 877-275-3342 to verify that your bank is covered by the FDIC, which is backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. The $250,000 limit was Continue Reading