Category: personal

How to Build an Emergency Fund on a Tight Budget

On April 22, 2024

An emergency fund is like a financial parachute that can help soften the blow of unexpected expenses or even financial catastrophes. It serves as a safety net for any unforeseen situation and is crucial for achieving monetary stability and peace of mind. Even small setbacks can become significant obstacles without an emergency fund, especially for those with limited budgets. Therefore, having an emergency fund is essential and a wise and responsible financial decision.

Starting Small but Steady

Building an emergency fund when you have a strict budget may seem challenging, but it can be done by starting small. Start by putting a small, doable amount of money from each paycheck on the side, even if it’s just $5 or $10. The key is consistency, not quantity.

Budgeting for Savings

Budgeting is crucial for finding areas where you can reduce expenses and redirect the money saved into your emergency fund. Assess your spending patterns and identify the expenditures you can reduce or do without.

Automating Your Savings

Automating your savings can simplify the process of saving an emergency fund. Create a direct deposit from your paycheck into a savings account specifically for emergencies. This “out of sight, out of mind” approach enables you to save without consciously thinking about it.

Finding Extra Money

Look for ways to generate extra income that can be directed into your emergency fund. This might include taking on a part-time job, selling unused items, or doing freelance work. Every little bit adds to your fund.

Prioritizing Your Spending

Prioritize spending on essentials like rent, utilities, and groceries, and use any leftover money to grow your emergency fund. This might mean sacrificing some wants for the time being, but the financial security is worth it.

Keeping Your Emergency Fund Accessible

Make your emergency fund readily retrievable in case of emergency, but keep it away from your ordinary checking account to resist temptation. A high-yield savings account could be a good choice, characterized by an accessible nature and a small reward for your savings.

Developing an emergency fund during hard times takes perseverance, self-discipline, and a proactive way of saving. The first and most important step is to start small by budgeting wisely and finding ways to increase your savings; this will eventually lead to a savings fund that will give you financial security and peace of mind.

The Difference Between Index Funds and ETFs

By Tom Leydiker

On July 9, 2019

In Blog, Finance, personal

When it comes to investing, there are a number of terms to learn in order to be conversant and knowledgeable as an investor. There are margin calls, options and mutual funds. A couple of terms that are important to learn when investing are index funds and ETFs.

What Are Index Funds?

Index funds are a form of mutual fund. A mutual fund is a basket of stocks that is actively managed to attempt to maximize investor returns through effective diversification. An index fund is a mutual fund that is more passively managed, and it will attempt to match a given index. The index could be the S&P 500, the Russell 2000 or another index altogether. There are also bond index funds available.

Index funds will not generally beat the market, but they will usually come close to meeting the market’s overall return. Index funds will tend to have less turnover than an actively managed fund. This will mean that index funds have a relatively high level of tax efficiency. Index funds will also usually pay out dividends as the underlying companies that make up the index pay dividends. As a form of mutual funds, index funds will only trade at the end of the trading day. Therefore, an individual investor will have little ability to maximize her ability to take advantage of little price fluctuations.

What Are ETFs?

Exchange traded funds, more commonly known as ETFs are also baskets of stocks. A brokerage might have a mutual fund and an ETF with very similar goals and holdings. Investors can trade ETFs more easily than regular mutual funds. Unlike mutual funds that trade only at the end of the trading day, ETFs can trade like stocks. As long as the market is open, an investor can buy or sell an ETF. This allows investors to take advantage of fluctuations in the price more easily. Like mutual funds, ETFs will also pay periodic dividend to investors.

Another difference between index funds and ETFs is the amount needed to invest. Mutual funds usually require a larger initial investment. Most will require an investment of $1,000 or $3,000 as the cost of being able to invest. ETFs allow smaller investors to get started more quickly. It’s only necessary to purchase a single share of an ETF to begin investing. This is another layer of flexibility that’s related to investing in ETFs.

Why Small Businesses Have an Advantage with Customer Service

By Tom Leydiker

On April 4, 2019

In Blog, Entrepreneurship, Finance, personal

Small businesses are springing up all over the country. Small business owners often believe that they are at a disadvantage when compared to larger enterprises, however, small businesses tend to have an advantage as it pertains to customer service. The following factors contribute to small businesses providing great customer service.

More Efficient Point-of-sale Systems

Customers want their purchases to be quick and simple. Point-of-sale systems like Vend and Square allow for ease of use. In addition, restauranteurs that use TOS services such as TouchBistro are able to take orders and check customers out quickly and efficiently. This type of service allows customers to split checks and ensure accuracy when ordering. Customers truly enjoy these services and are more likely to return to an establishment when they have a positive first experience.

Personal Attention

Small business owners are more likely to have compassion for customers and handle their needs with care and concern. This is the opposite of larger businesses that tend to rely heavily on standard operating procedures that don’t take into consideration the unique circumstances of each customer. Small businesses are also more likely to understand the needs of their customers because they take the time to understand the products and services that are important to the customer. This more personal type of customer service is attractive and makes people more at ease when patronizing a small business.

Solutions that Can be provided by Phone

When dealing with large businesses, customers are often relegated to speaking with automated voice systems when seeking solutions for customer service issues. However, a small business usually has a person on the other end of the line who is able to provide real-time solutions to any problem a customer will encounter. Having the ability to discuss issues on the phone saves the customer time and reassures them that the business can be trusted.

Overall, the ability of a small business to provide excellent customer service will determine the success of that enterprise. People who own small businesses should take into consideration the aforementioned factors when designing a customer service strategy. Implementing a robust point-of-sale system and providing customers a personalized experience are key components of good customer service. Additionally, providing efficient phone service assist in easing customer worries. Each of these factors gives small businesses the edge over larger enterprises.

Tips To Avoid Financial Woes

By Tom Leydiker

On March 20, 2018

In Blog, Debt, Entrepreneurship, Finance, personal

At some point in your life, you may fall under hard financial times. This happens to many people and does not mean the end of the world for your bank account or credit score. There are ways to come back from financial hardship and be prepared to avoid them in the future. This article will talk about some common financial woes and how to avoid them.

Create a Budget

Most people think they have a good understanding of where their money goes. Taking a closer look at your monthly spending may surprise you. Where your money is going may not match up to what you thought you were spending. A good way to avoid financial hardships and even dig yourself out of one is to set a budget for yourself. Take your monthly analysis of your spending and formulate a budget that will keep you in the green each month. Make sure your budget is tangible. Try not to guess at what you spend on certain items, be precise and you will be more likely to stick to your budget.

Impulse Buying

A common mistake among consumers is to purchase something on impulse. If you come across an item and immediately think “I need to have this!” Take a step back and evaluate the reasoning behind the purchase. Is this going to get me to my financial goals? Is this item necessary for me to buy? These questions will help control your impulses and ultimately keep you connected with your budget. If after a month you are still yearning for that item then save up enough money to get it for yourself.

Alternatives To Spending

Instead of going out to a fancy bar or restaurant, aim for a day packed with homemade sandwiches and a hike near your local trail. Any alternative you can find to spending money on miscellaneous things like a bar or restaurant should be pursued to help you save money and maybe even find your new favorite activity.

Medical Insurance

Nothing can help you dampen the blow of a medical emergency like medical insurance can. Without insurance, you are at risk of paying high fees for medical procedures that can plunge you into financial hardship for a long time. Medical emergencies are unpredictable, and it is better to be insured no matter your financial situation to avoid destroying your financial credibility for good.

What To Look For In A Financial Advisor

By Tom Leydiker

On March 2, 2018

In Blog, Entrepreneurship, Finance, personal

Finding a financial advisor is an important task in anyone’s life. Your financial advisor will walk you through your financial goals and then formulate a plan to help you reach them. Before you make a decision on who your financial advisor will be, consider the points listed in this article to ensure you are making the right choice.

Experience and Education

When looking for a financial advisor consider what kind of qualifications they have. Look for a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) before making your decision. Conduct an online search for your potential financial advisor and refer to any and all articles and websites about them. Follow up on previous or current clients to gather more information about their practices. It is one thing to state that a financial advisor has the proper qualifications but if they cannot correctly apply good methods than it is not worth the investment.

Pay Structure

The way a financial advisor sets up their payment structure speaks to their intentions in being your financial advisor. There are a few ways advisors can set up their payment structure. One way is commission based. Commission based advisors could be biased about what kind of investments you should consider because they are ultimately getting a cut of that investment. This could lead to investments that may not be working towards your financial goals. Another payment structure is fee-based. A fee-based advisor could give you advice that will benefit them in the long-run causing you to potentially stray away from your financial goals. Consider a financial advisor who charges by the hour. An hourly payment structure does not allow the advisor to be biased towards any financial decisions.

Contact

Make sure you understand how often you and your financial advisor will be meeting. Some advisors will have an initial meeting then only have scheduled meetings once a year from then on. If you are new to having a financial advisor, recommend that you and your advisor meet quarterly or more often than that if needed.

Outcome

You want to find a financial advisor who will point you in the right direction to achieve your goals. Eventually, you should be armed with enough knowledge to take over the reigns and conduct your own financial plan. Avoid getting stuck with an advisor who suggests that you need to stay with them to reach your goals. That kind of financial advisor may not have your best interests at heart.

Personal Finance Checklist: How Much You Should Save at Every Stage of Life

By Tom Leydiker

On September 26, 2017

In Blog, Finance, personal

Tom-Leydiker-Personal-Finance

The best way to build your personal wealth is to save your money as early and as often as you can. Having an account with compound interest will allow your money to begin making you more money. The bestselling author David Bach lays out a saving plan for each stage of your life in his book “The Automatic Millionaire.” The exact amount that is saved will differ from person to person depending on lifestyles and personal goals, however, Bach’s plan is a good rule of thumb to refer to.

The first decade you should start seriously saving is in your twenties. In your twenties you should be saving 10% of your gross income to your retirement savings and your emergency savings should be at least three months of expenses. If your company offers a 401 K plan and matches your contributions up to a certain percent, often somewhere between 3-5%, saving that 10% of your gross income just became much easier.

In your thirties, it can be expected that you’re not only providing for yourself anymore. You may have gotten married, may have had children, or may have bought a house. This is where you thank yourself for beginning to save at an earlier age. At this stage of life, 12.5% of your gross income should be saved for retirement and your emergency savings should cover your expenses for at least six months.

Your forties will be your peak earning years. This stage of life is going to be the most profitable time to take advantage of your increasing salary and save as much as you can. You should be saving 15-20% of your gross income to your retirement fund, and your emergency savings should be able to cover you for at least year or two of expenses. If you set yourself up with an account early on, you’ll truly start to notice your compound interest making money for you.

Once you’re in your fifties, you should be getting close to your retirement goal. Don’t stop saving once you reach this goal. You should be saving up until the day of your retirement. By this time, your emergency savings should be able to cover at least three years worth of expenses. It’s important to have this much in emergency savings because “the older you get the more you earn and spend. And if you lose your job it can take longer to find a job that replaces that income” explains Bach.

During your sixties and into retirement, you should still manage your money carefully. If you’ve followed the plan outlined above, you should be set to enjoy your money. Your emergency savings account should contain roughly five years of expenses.