Although home prices haven’t increased much and interest rates have remained steady over the past year, it’s still going to be a more expensive to buy a home soon. The Federal Housing Authority (FHA) has decided to increase the down payment requirements on the mortgage loans they guarantee/insure. This down payment was [...]

The FTHB Credit of $8,000(and $6,500 for repeat homebuyers) will be expiring soon. Those wishing to utilize the tax credit need to enter into a home purchase contract by April 30, 2010 and fully close the loan by June 30, 2010. The homebuyer’s tax credit can be used to offset expenses for a [...]

If you remember asking your parents for money, then you probably have heard of the concept of money not growing on trees. However, translating the true value of money to kids is not as easy as the classic statement is to repeat to another generation. There are several methods of exposing money to [...]

Sharing is probably one of the most compassionate acts of the animal kingdom and kids are taught to share with others from the very beginning of their socialization. However, sharing can sometimes mean spending more money. And while spending money to share is not a bad thing, it is helpful to start with sharing [...]

Mortgages are loans made by banks and lenders that package these loans (securitize) and sell them on Wall Street in the form of bonds called mortgage backed securities (MBS). The money made from the sale of the MBS them goes back to the bank/lender so they can complete more loans. The mortgage payments [...]

Did you check the lottery numbers today? You know, if you don’t play u can’t win….well the same concept applies to being on the winning side of your personal finances and becoming financially literate. Many people think they will get their personal finances in order after they are in receipt of a bunch [...]

Credit card companies are full of surprises this year. With new consumer protection – credit card laws starting this year, many credit card companies are already changing fee policies to make up for the consumer protections the banking industry perceives as revenue decreasing. Don’t be tempted by lower rate offer without reading the entire [...]

When considering your finances, there are three areas that should dominate your thoughts…current cash situation, desired financial future and possible financial devastation. Current cash situations can be summed up quickly, by outlining all household incomes. Desired financial future is determined by what is done with said income in the terms of managing a [...]

Before you can start your journey to financial literacy and well managed personal finances, first establish your financial goals. Without describing the finish-line or pit stops, exhaustion and frustration will soon loom over future personal efforts, thus lessening the chances of follow-through when a money crunch occurs or important financial decisions are made. Establishment [...]

So what better time to decide to become more financially literate than the new year… especially after coming off a spend-heavy holiday season. Of course, like all New Year’s resolutions, we get off to an enthusiastic start, but then lose momentum after our efforts gradually wane for a multitude of reasons. Many financial [...]