Displaying items by tag: finances
(Gulf Shores)
There's lots of uncertainty surrounding the concerns about recession and the ongoing debt issues in Europe. Investment Strategist Kate Warne explains why we don't believe a recession is very likely and details the consequences if Greece does default. Given a potential for default, there are actions investors can take to prepare.
However, what may surprise some investors is that concerns about a recession and the European debt issues have created an environment that we believe may be beneficial for long-term investors, especially those looking to purchase stocks. She explains why.
For more information or to open an account, set up a face to face meeting with the Edward Jones financial advisor in your community.
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Baldwin County Public Schools
Parents -
Recently a view has been expressed that the filling of a human resources position was a disregard for the fiscal challenges our schools face. That position was a budgeted position that I judge was critical to the human resource department’s functioning. In other words, funds for the 2010-2011 year had already been allocated.
I want that department to be strong in its ability to reduce costs in the long run by providing needed expert training to teachers, support staff, and administrators. Experience has confirmed to me that a school system can spend excess money in order to fix the problems stemming from errors and omissions in hiring, monitoring, and training employees; or it can become adept at avoiding mistakes that have to be defended with legal advice, representation and more costs by operating smartly from the beginning.
Too, there have been some who continue to question the creation of the three executive principal positions. I would not have proposed such positions if I was unable to identify funds to support those. In the past seven months, from the county-wide administration ranks, we have eliminated the positions of Assistant Superintendent, County Athletic Director, Director of Administrative Services, Safety Supervisor, Supervisor of Art, Music and Libraries. Additionally, we have reduced the numbers of assistant principals by four and the number of central office clerical positions by three. This has been accomplished creating a net savings of approximately $624,000.
I plan to continue to push resources into the classrooms, and will seek ways for Baldwin County Schools to be efficient and competent in our quest for nationally recognized graduates.
Alan T. Lee, Ph.D.
Superintendent
(ARA) - How does your hometown stack up with other areas of the country when it comes to credit scores?
Just as students around the country receive their academic grades throughout the school year, TransUnion recently revealed a ranking of metropolitan areas with the best and worst credit grades in the country. The metropolitan area at the very top of the class is the Minneapolis-St. Paul region, which includes the Twin Cities and surrounding areas in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Ranking lowest is the Memphis, Tenn. metropolitan area, which includes the city of Memphis and surrounding areas in Arkansas and Mississippi.
The ranking is the first of its kind from TransUnion, which determined the five metropolitan statistical areas with the largest percentage of As, and Fs, based upon the VantageScore credit scoring model. VantageScore is a highly predictive and consistent consumer credit scoring model first developed by all three major credit reporting companies together. Consumer scores fall within a range of 501 to 990, with higher scores representing a lower likelihood of risk. At TransUnion.com, each score delivered is accompanied by a letter grade (901 to 990 scores receive an A, 900 to 801 ratings a B, 800 to 701 ratings a C, 700 to 601 ratings a D, and 600 to 501 ratings an F).
"Because lenders have so many scoring models at their disposal, it's rare when the credit score they receive for a consumer and the score the consumer obtains for himself actually match, and that causes a lot of confusion," says Heather Battison, director of education for TransUnion consumer products. "That's why the A to F academic-style letter grade that comes with every VantageScore consumers obtain at TransUnion.com is so beneficial. If my grade is an A, I innately understand that means a lender is likely to view my creditworthiness in a very positive light; and that's primarily what I want to know."
Whether your credit receives high grades or could use some work, TransUnion provides the following tips to keeping your credit healthy:
* Study your situation. Proactively manage your credit and risk for identity theft with an ongoing credit monitoring product. This will help you understand your financial situation. Then create a plan to position yourself better in the eyes of the lender.
* Don't be tardy with your payments. A history of late payments - even by a few days - can potentially harm your credit score.
* Manage your debts. Keeping high balances relative to credit limits on key credit accounts can likely have a negative impact on a score, so concentrate on paying down debt. As a rule of thumb, keep these balances at or below 30 percent of your total available credit to present the best possible financial image to lenders. Set budget goals and use only cash if you can't seem to master your credit card habit.
* Give yourself time. Long-term credit relationships and a diverse mix of credit accounts may help you achieve a higher credit score. Avoid closing credit cards and other accounts that have been paid on time over a long period, as it can make your credit history appear shorter and could affect your score.
* Limit inquiries. Every time you apply for a new credit card, you should expect that an inquiry will appear on your credit report. Frequent credit card inquiries can make it look like you have a cash flow problem and may lower your credit score. However, when you shop for mortgage or auto loan rates over a two to three week period, credit scoring models typically factor the resulting inquiries together as a single item. This enables you to shop for favorable loan rates with minimal impact to your credit score.
(ARA) - What if you threw away dollar bills every time you found them in your pocket? Does it matter how you pay for your family's everyday purchases - with cash, credit/debit card or personal check? In fact, the way you choose to pay in stores and restaurants may be costing you (and the local stores you shop in) thousands of dollars a year.
These days, you can charge just about anything with a major credit card. But some non-plastic payment methods may allow you to get more for your dollar - and keep more of your hard-earned money in your local economy.
Here are a few times you may be paying extra or accepting unnecessary limits on your payment freedoms, and how to avoid them:
* ATM fees. You may knowingly be paying ATM fees, but you might be wise to select a bank that offers unlimited free withdrawals. Most credit card companies will charge you for cash advances from ATMs, but might not reveal the charge during your transaction. Make sure you're clear on the terms of your card before proceeding.
* Transaction fees. You should be aware of credit card fees that accompany certain transactions. Use cash or a personal check if credit card fees apply to a purchase you're making. Businesses often have to pay a fee for card transactions, so you support your favorite stores more if you pay with cash or personal check.
* Interest rates and annual fees. Credit cards can be a great way to build credit and earn benefits, but if you aren't keeping your balance at, or close to, zero, you are losing out big-time by paying interest. If you're having trouble keeping your credit card balance down, you may want to consider sticking with a card attached to a checking account and your checkbook.
And here's the biggest surprise: How popular personal checks still are. In fact, 18 billion checks are still processed every year in the U.S. alone -- making checks the most frequent form of non-cash payment in America.
Many Americans still prefer having the option to pay with check as well as with credit or debit cards, according to a recent survey conducted by public affairs firm Ipsos on behalf of Deluxe Corporation. Seventy-five percent of consumers said they should have the right to pay with whatever method they wanted when making a purchase at a store - including cash, card or check. Thirty-eight percent of consumers surveyed would consider walking out of, or not returning to, a store or restaurant if that business refused to accept their checks as payment. And one-fifth of consumers say that a sign in a store which says "We Do Not Accept Checks" is an example of 'bad customer service.'
A new consumer advocacy campaign, "Stand Up For Your Right To Write Checks," is underway to preserve your option to use checks as a form of payment at www.righttowritechecks.com.
Whatever your preferred method of payment is, by paying a little closer attention to your buying methods, you can end up saving a considerable amount of cash in the long run.
