Navigating the Mind Field of Investing Money: An exploration of the mentality necessary to succeed and survive as an investor in the post-2000 era stock market. It is how you think that matters!
Products DescriptionSuccessful investors seem to have much in common when it comes to their approach to investment. We all have room for improvement, but you must pass through the area “spirit” of investment. This book explores the first step of investment money. The positive aspects such as attitude, strength and determination can “explode” with negative aspects, such as the realization of loss, ignorance, and emotional thinking. Finally, the “new era” of investment is on us y. . . More>>
Saving with SmartyPig
West Bank’s SmartyPig Tries to Make Goal-Based Saving Social, Easy
What do you do when you want a specific item that just doesn’t fit into your existing budget?
You could pull out the plastic. However, those credit card purchases will cost you an arm, a leg and even a few ribs by the time you get done wrestling with the near-usury of their interest rates.
Additionally, far too many of us are learning that our credit limits and our cards’ terms aren’t what they used to be. Card companies have been jacking up rates and killing accounts in response to the economic downturn and pending federal regulations. The “I’ll just charge it” mentality is finally (and smartly) on its way out.
You could save the money. That’s the smart choice. It’s a proven technique that responsible people have been using for centuries. Some people build up cash in coffee cans. Some just try to build up more in their checking or savings accounts.
Those techniques can work, but their not quite as easy as they sound. We tend to fall off the savings wagon unless there’s a great deal of motivation. The failure to make regularly scheduled additions to savings can also make saving tough. When you’re saving by putting money into an existing account it can be hard to tell what’s really available for your purchase and what should stay there.
West Bank thinks they have a solution. They call it SmartyPig and it’s an online savings systems.
SmartyPig allows people to set up savings accounts tied to a specific cash goal. You can set it up to grab money from your other accounts automatically, on schedule to get you to that goal. The FDIC-insured accounts feature nice interest rates that stack up to other high-interest savings programs, too.
SmartyPig accounts don’t allow much flexibility. You can’t withdraw a portion of your account. You either wait until you’ve hit your savings mark or you shut down the account early. There’s no “in between.” If you do close the account, you can’t transfer the funds electronically to your bank, either. You’ll need to wait a few days for West Bank to send you a check.