Starting Thinking About College

Itâ€s never too soon to start thinking about college and saving for your kids†tuition. Experts agree that the sooner you get started on a college fund, the better off your kids will be when they are about to graduate. If you havenâ€t made it a priority yet, though, donâ€t fret. Itâ€s also never too late to start. Any contribution you can make to tuition costs will surely be welcome, so start now by setting aside a specific amount each month in a savings account. Prioritizing this will be a worthwhile investment, and it will show how much you care.

Consider the Cost of Teens Driving

Around the time you are thinking about college, you are also likely to be faced with a teen preparing to earn their drivers†license. This can be an exciting and daunting prospect, but itâ€s an important part of their development of independence and responsibility. In addition to your parental concerns, you may have financial concerns about this new part of your lives. Insurance rates for teen drivers are astronomical compared to policies for adults. The good news is that you can learn more here about ways to cut down on that cost can minimize its strain on your budget.

Build in Allowance for Other New Expenses

Insurance is an expected expense, which you can learn more here about managing, but there will always be unexpected expenses that come with parenting kids and teens. The likelihood of these appearing may even become more likely as your kids mature. In order to avoid the impact of a surprise bill, be proactive and fit an emergency fund into your budget. If and when disaster strikes, youâ€ll certainly be glad you did. Though it may not seem like much, even $20 per month will add up quickly and provide a nice cushion when you need it the most. There are lots of ways you can take control of your familyâ€s finance in the face of shifting expenses and demands. These tips are just a few ways to get started and keep the budget under control. For more ideas, look at your monthly money plan and find ways to adapt proactively.

With that said, I’ve got a treat for you all today. I am giving away TEN free licenses for a video converter that takes the hassle out of swapping videos from one format to the next, MacX Video Pro. Content details will follow this post, so be sure to read through to the end.

The MacX Video Converter Pro

I’ve had the opportunity to test the MacX Video Converter Pro in exchange for some honest feedback on the software and was given the opportunity to give a copy to TEN of you, my readers. The first file type I was eager to test it on was my .MTS files. I have an Everio HD video camera which records everything in a .MTS. In order to convert that to something more usable, like an MP4 or WMV, because I’m a Windows guy, I had to use their very, and I repeat, very user unfriendly program.

MacX worked perfectly. In less than 30 minutes, I converted a video in complete HD with zero quality loss. It also has the ability to convert videos into formats for smartphones, internet use and to various file types, quality types and sizes.

Two thumbs up for me. But I’m curious to see what you think. If you’d like to win a free copy of MacX Pro Video Converter, normally $49.95, leave a comment below and I’ll randomly choose TEN winners within the next few days.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Deep Capture Blog for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Quick question: What were you doing in 2008?

Were you riding the real estate wave to its peak, or were you busily engaged in other ventures?

As for me, I was heavily invested in real estate when the huge market crash of 2008 happened. It wasn’t a pretty thing. I’ll be honest, I lost a lot of money along side millions of others who were on the real estate bandwagon. Chances are, you might be able to relate.

Still think the market crash of 2008 was just a cycle, or a result of newbie loan specialists giving out loans they shouldn’t have?

Maybe you’re already ahead of me on this one, but allow me to shift your thinking for a bit if you’re not.

Another question: Do you consider yourself a victim of Terrorism?

I recently watched a video of Patrick Byrne, filmed at the University of World Politics, where he presents his views on Economic Warfare as being part of Transnational organized crime.

And before I get into it, let’s take it down and notch and clarify what economic warfare is.

Economic Warfare has a specific and strategic purpose during wartime. That purpose is to capture the enemies critical economic resources in order cause them to be unable to fight the war properly. It’s extremely effective in situations where war requires movement of the entire economy towards the war effort.

In essence, causing damage to the economy of the enemy, directly effects the enemies ability to fight.

An example would be cutting off a military’s supply chain, or capturing oil fields. It’s a sweeping of the feet move. The backbone of a countries military, if you think about it, is in the strength of its economy.

With that said, if you are to cripple a nation such as the United States, would you rather go into a full out military battle with it, or would you try to cripple it first by sweeping its feet.

In Patrick Byrnes lecture, he states that the crash of 2008 was a direct result of Economic Warfare tactics by organized crime groups from around the world. He mentions groups affiliated not only with Italian mafia, but encompassing Russian, Asian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, and African syndicates, specifically mentioning Al Qaeda.

President Obama has also mentioned that transnational organized crime threatens the economy, national security and other interests of the United States.

Areas of target for these crime units can include :

• penetrating energy and other strategic sectors of our economy
• corrupting officials
• exploiting financial institutions nationally and internationally
• perpetrating sophisticated frauds
• stock market manipulation
• providing logistical and other intelligence support for terrorist groups outside the United States

Patrick Byrne states in this video that one of their “sophisticated frauds” was enacted as part of the terrorist affiliation in fraudulent trading and short selling, which led up to the crash of 2008. Certain members of prominent mortgage groups within the United States has ties to mafia and terrorist groups from the middle east and other countries.

It’s a lot to take in, I know. And it’s disturbing to think that the way I do business in the United States can and is being effected by massive organized crime groups from all over the world.

My whole take on this information…..I believe it. I see it on a small scale every day. The sole purpose to many of these groups is to do whatever it takes to rise in power, regardless of what their nationality is. Why not exploit one of the richest countries in the world?

If you haven’t already seen the video, I’ve included it below. It’s a little over an hour long, it’s complex information, but it’s extremely compelling. Once you’ve watched the video, I’d like to hear what you think in the comment section below.

And here’s where my inexperience comes in. Did you know that your insurance policy has a cash value? There are different scenarios that could apply here, but you have the option to surrender or sell your life insurance policy should you no longer need it.

So of course, you might ask why someone would ever sell their life insurance policy?

Well, say that you’ve had your policy a while and your financial life has taken a turn for the better. You find yourself with plenty of money to take care of your needs. Your children have all started families of their own and are doing well financially, and no longer need the cash your life insurance policy would give them.

In this scenario, you have two options: You could either surrender or sell your life insurance policy. And since you’ve been paying your premiums for quite a while, you are going to want to go with whichever option gets you the most cash in return.

Surrendering means you’ll be working with an underwriter to determine the cash value. Selling means that an agency would be negotiating the highest possible cash payout to you, more than often ending with more money in your pocket.

Seems pretty self explanatory right?

Each scenario is different. So to find out more about what you should do with your policy, click here to read more.

Are you one of the many people who think that way? You’re not alone if you are. Heck, I was one of them. When you don’t have a lot of cash flow and a small to nonexistent savings account, without a good credit rating, life can be tough. Just getting a dependable vehicle can be a struggle.

However, if you do have a lot of money rolling in and you do have a healthy savings account, neglecting your credit is like throwing money out the window. So many things are influenced by credit. Here’s a just a few:

• Any kind of Loan (auto, home, business, etc.)
• Utilities – When moving into a new home, whether purchased or renting, most utility companies will run a credit check. Your credit will effect your deposit and approval.
• Insurance – I recently purchased a new truck, and a few months previous, a new home. When shopping around for home and auto insurance, they required a credit check.
• Home Security System – Having worked for a home security company in the past, I know that those with bad credit will be denied the ability to make monthly payments.

And the list goes on and on. Before you know it, Disney Land will require a credit check before allowing you to enter their theme parks!

So regardless of your income, it would be beneficial to pay attention to your credit score. Money is money, and with a little bit of effort, you’ll be able to save, and look more credible while doing it.

One of the easiest ways to build your credit is by using a credit card to pay your bills, and then paying that card off every month.

And here’s a tip most people don’t know……if you plan on purchasing a vehicle anytime soon, or have recently purchased one, be sure to keep the loan for at least 13 months. If you keep an auto loan less than 13 months, it won’t effect your credit in a positive way. They want to see you making payments on time, on a consistent basis.

If you’re looking for a great resource for building a better credit score, visit Professional Credit Help.