Recently during a discussion with my money coach client there was a very important question that came up: “I have an old 401k with a former employer that is still sitting right where I left it. I’m wondering if I should make a 401k to IRA rollover or simply leave the money right where it is?” That’s a really good question. I’m sure for a lot of people (myself included) that the money you have in your 401k account is probably the largest percentage of your wealth you have saved up – anywhere! Even if you’ve got nothing more than the average 401k balance of $81,000 as reported by Fidelity, that’s still a very serious amount of retirement savings that you want to be putting to work as hard as possible. Unfortunately, however, … [Read more...] about Should I Do a 401k to IRA Rollover? The Benefits and Drawbacks
Niche Website Update 22 – $1,203 in Income – Exploding Success with ClickBank!
As much as I like to talk about saving and investing, the most lucrative way I’ve found to improve your overall financial situation is to simply earn more money. While making a side income might be an impossible task for some, I’m here to show you that it is in fact possible if you put your mind to it. Especially if you’re a blogger (like me) or even thinking about starting your own website, then you’ve got a wealth of opportunity sitting right in front of you. You just have to be willing to be an entrepreneur and work your way at it. This month my collection of niche websites took me by surprise in terms of earnings. I had a huge bump in revenue – and from a place I never expected (but warmly welcome)! Here’s what I’ve been up … [Read more...] about Niche Website Update 22 – $1,203 in Income – Exploding Success with ClickBank!
Stay Humble – You’re Still Just a Ditch-Digger
Sometimes I feel like all throughout my life I was lead by the media to believe I was going to be entitled. When I was a little boy I used to watch Scrooge McDuck swim through his giant money bin full of cash. When I was teenager I watched MTV’s The Real World and couldn’t wait to live in giant apartment with no job for 2-3 months. When I was an adult house hunting shows made me think that living in a beautiful, luxurious $300K home was completely normal. With messages like that, how is someone supposed to stay humble? By getting back to their roots every now and again. By serving those who need served. Helping My Dad with Building His Deck: The summer is not just a great time to be outside, but also a good time to … [Read more...] about Stay Humble – You’re Still Just a Ditch-Digger
I Want to Be Your Personal Money Coach – A Free Giveaway
For years now I’ve had this idealistic vision in my head that someday when I reach financial freedom and retire early that I’m going to become a money coach. There’s just one problem … I’ve never actually been a money coach – to anyone ever. That creates a little bit of a situation for me. How can I really know if that’s what I want to do with the rest of my life if I’ve never actually gave it a try? What if I test it out and find that its not for me? What if I’m no good at it? Or more realistically - what if I find out all this (what I think is) great advice I have to offer is really nothing more than superficial tips that barely scratch the surface? Perhaps I’ll find that I need to dig deeper into certain topics to really be … [Read more...] about I Want to Be Your Personal Money Coach – A Free Giveaway
Niche Website Update 21 – Getting Interested Again in Affiliate Marketing – Plus $853 in Income
Its official – summer is over. The kids are back in school, the pool is closed, and I’m scheduling the sprinkler system to be winterized. In terms of my online business, that also means that I’m running out of time to hit the goals I had set with my niche websites before 2014 comes to a close. Personally I feel like each of my websites has got a LONG, LONG ways to go. Which can be both a fun and creative thing. I’m not just talking in terms of making money. I also mean in developmental things like content, SEO, traffic, etc. Those are the kinds of activities that I believe will ultimately bring in the money if you do them right for the long run. … even if no one wants to help you get those activities done (a funny story about … [Read more...] about Niche Website Update 21 – Getting Interested Again in Affiliate Marketing – Plus $853 in Income
Going Back to School on a Budget as an Adult
Going back to school isn't just for the little ones. It can be a time for grown-ups to get anxiety too. And not just over the work they'll have to do. If you've noticed the job market is saturated with candidates that have bachelor's degrees, you've possibly considered getting a graduate degree to give yourself an edge. But balancing family expenses is hard enough without adding tuition and books. Plus don't forget all those hours invested in working on projects and studying. You might even convince yourself that paying for a graduate degree and keeping your family afloat is nearly impossible. But remember - you're not the first adult who's gone back to school while working, parenting, etc. If you're in this boat, here are a … [Read more...] about Going Back to School on a Budget as an Adult
Tax Saving Strategies and Outsmarting the System – A Book Review
One of the principles I preach here on My Money Design about building your wealth is to find smart ways to KEEP more of what you earn. And in no other way can you accomplish this more than by using the right tax saving strategies to help avoid paying more than you have to. I say that because taxes are something that eats into your finances no matter how low or high your income is. In fact the more money you make, the worse your tax bill becomes because it scales upward with your earnings to the point where it could potentially be one of the largest expenses you have. But with the right tax planning strategies it doesn’t have to be this way. There are many ways to lower your tax bill that you probably either don’t use or simply … [Read more...] about Tax Saving Strategies and Outsmarting the System – A Book Review
How to Remove Disputes from Credit Report History and Get a Higher Score
It is always a good idea to keep an eye on your credit score and credit report. I have been been doing my homework in this area, and I am thrilled to report that my credit score has risen dramatically due to some simple efforts I made. Here’s what was holding me back. I’m pretty conscientious when it comes to paying my bills on time. But a year ago my wife and I moved to a new city. Though we canceled our utility accounts only after the final balances had been paid, my credit report showed an unpaid partial month. Because we changed addresses twice in 3 months, I guess written confirmation never found me, and we were never notified any other way. I only noticed the negative mark on my credit report when I checked … [Read more...] about How to Remove Disputes from Credit Report History and Get a Higher Score
