In life, things come up. Your car breaks down. You need a new furnace. Things happen. Are you prepared to deal with those issues if they come up today? Many people do not have cash put aside to deal with emergency situations. It is time you do.
Emergency Fund
6 Ways to Get Money in a Hurry
Everyone doesn't follow the advice to have an emergency fund for times when you need cash in a pinch. Other people get stuck needing more than they saved for. Whether your car breaks down or your water heater blows up, sometimes you need cash in a hurry. Here are some ideas to get the cash you need right away.
Moving Past the Emergency Fund: The Liberty Fund
In the past, I have written about the importance of an emergency fund many times, and have even given you updates on my progress to save up cash just in case. I have decided that am emergency fund is not good enough for my current situation, and I am saving up for something new I am calling a “Liberty Fund.”
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Five Bad Financial Decisions that will Hammer you with Debt
This is a special post from Jason at Frugal Habits.
Anyone who has experienced the pressure of excessive credit card debt or the stress of paying bills they can’t afford, usually can point back to a series of bad financial decisions that they wish they could take back and have a ‘mulligan’ on.
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Fixing Your Own Economy
If you read the news today or listen to talk radio, you will most likely hear some mention of unemployment and how bad the economy is. I disagree, the economy is in great shape. You just need to look after yourself to ensure your personal economy stays on top.
Education
Education is the core to most people's financial success. If you look at top CEOs today, almost every single one has a college degree. Many of them have master's degrees. Most of them went to business school or have an MBA. This is not a coincidence.
If you want to keep your economy stable, you need an education and a degree that will lead to the future you want. I am thrilled that so many people want to be social workers, but a $60,000 master's in social work from a private university will likely make you $25,000 per year. Is that warm fuzzy feeling worth it?
The same university offers an MBA for the same cost. That degree will leave you making double what a social work degree will make you.
History degrees, art degrees, English degrees, and other liberal arts do not have a bright future today. Unless you want to be a teacher or go to grad school, these degrees will help you land a job with good benefits at Starbucks. Make sure you know what you are getting into when you pick a major.
If you don't believe me, this graph from the Department of Labor breaks down the numbers.