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Our behaviors impact our economic futures. Here are five traits to avoid if you want your financial future to be bright.
As humans, we have an odd way of cutting ourselves off at the knees. We set a goal and then go out of our way to undermine that goal. We vow to lose weight, only to eat half a birthday cake in one sitting. We tell ourselves that we're committed to reading the classics, only to stop halfway through Anna Karenina. We decide that this is the year we will take control of our finances, only to fall back on old bad habits that frustrate our efforts.
Again, we're human, and we're going to make mistakes. The trick is to figure out which behaviors undermine our financial goals and discover healthy ways to deal with them.
Here are five common ways our behavioral traits sabotage our finances:
1. Lying (to yourself about debt)
It's easy to justify an unnecessary purchase by telling yourself that you'll pay it off at the end of the month. It's easy to say "yes" to buying a new car because you believe you can make the monthly payment -- even if your old car still has life in it. You lie to yourself about the impact of debt by ignoring the high cost of compound interest, and ignore the fact that investing the money instead would mean compound interest working for you. For example, putting that money into a certificate of deposit (CD) instead of spending it on something you can live without will add to your own wealth rather than a creditor's.
What to do instead
Adopt a cash-only policy. If you can't afford to pay cash, don't buy it.
Commit to a 24-hour cooling-off period, time to consider the wisdom of each purchase.
Ask a friend to be your accountability partner, someone you call before making a non-cash financial decision.
2. Sticking your head in the sand (when it comes to credit scores)
Either you don't believe a few late payments will impact your credit score or you think your credit is so far gone that it no longer matters if you pay bills on time. Neither is true. You will never know financial freedom until you pay your bills on time and raise your credit score.
Automate payments. Signing up for automatic payments achieves two things: It ensures bills are paid on time and may even score you an interest rate discount on some accounts.
Create a budget and check it weekly (at a minimum). Mark items as paid once payments have cleared the bank.
Track your credit score. Watching your score improve may be all the encouragement you need to stick with it.
3. Being too generous (with your loved ones)
Because humans love to be loved and long to be accepted, you give everything you have to your partner and/or children -- even if it means going without yourself. Some of the downsides of giving until it hurts include:
Spoiled children, accustomed to getting what they want.
A relationship that depends on you coming through with money and gifts.
A sense of being used, even if no one forces you to part with your resources.
What to do instead
Take care of yourself. No one gets a gift until your emergency fund has enough money to pay three to six months' worth of bills.
Max out employer-sponsored retirement plans, taking full advantage of employer matching. If anyone in your life does not understand, consider it a red flag. Anyone who cares about you also cares about your financial well-being.
Don't overestimate the value of "stuff." Spend time with the people you love, play games with them, take hikes -- share experiences that everyone will enjoy and remember fondly.
4. Pretending (you don't need insurance)
The world seems to be divided into two camps: Those who are convinced that something bad is around every corner and those who refuse to believe anything bad will ever befall them. If you're someone who doesn't spring for life insurance because you don't want to think about dying, or someone who under-insures your auto or home because spending money on insurance feels foolish, you are making one of the biggest financial mistakes of your life. All it takes is one accident to wipe out everything you have worked for.
What to do instead
Meet with an insurance agent you trust and ask about your life, home, and auto insurance needs.
Before you buy a car or home, build the cost of insuring them into your monthly budget. Once you're married or have a child, consider life insurance the cost of being a responsible adult.
5. Acting like a superhero (and not in a good way)
No matter how many hours you work each day, how many hours of sleep you skip, more will be asked of you. People will want you to join clubs and committees, accompany friends on excursions, attend family events, and otherwise fill the hours of your days with activity.
You may be tempted to believe you can do it all. In fact, you may want to do it all. If one of your behavioral traits is to spread yourself thin in hopes of pleasing other people, it is likely to impact your finances. That's because multiple responsibilities lead to a lack of focus, and less sleep leads to lower productivity. Lack of focus and lower productivity is the perfect recipe for falling behind in your career, ultimately impacting raises and promotions.
What to do instead
Say no to everything but that which inspires you.
Strive for balance and don't sacrifice your sleep.
Decide what's important to you and focus on it. If you want to get ahead at work, make it a priority.
Leave time for the relationships that are important to you.
Don't buy into the notion that successful people don't take breaks. Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton were all famous afternoon nappers.
Recognizing the role behavioral traits play in financial success gives you the ability to make changes where needed and make the most of your economic future.
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Dana has been writing about personal finance for more than 20 years, specializing in loans, debt management, investments, and business.
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By: Steven Porrello |
Updated
- First published on Sept. 29, 2023
Withdrawing money from your checking or savings account may not seem like a suspicious activity. After all, it's your money. Even if it's a large amount, like $10,000, who's to say withdrawing it would call for an investigation?Turns out, withdrawing $10,000 or more from your checking or savings will prompt your bank to file a report with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Unit (FinCEN). It sounds more serious than it actually is, but if you withdraw $10,000 frequently enough -- or worse: break up $10,000 into smaller withdrawals -- you could find yourself under legal scrutiny. To avoid any problems with FinCEN, here's what you should know.Why banks report withdrawals of $10,000 or moreEver since the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, banks have been required to report any transaction involving $10,000 or more to the federal government, whether it's a cash deposit or a withdrawal. Often, a bank's software will automatically file a Currency Transaction Report (CTR) electronically for transactions that exceed $10,000, even if you're not aware of it.Though it might seem like a violation of your privacy, the Bank Secrecy Act helps the federal government track and prevent financial crimes, like money laundering. When banks fail to report large cash transactions, criminal and suspicious activities can fly under the radar. For instance, between 2004 and 2007, the bank Wachovia -- now a part of Wells Fargo -- allowed about $400 billion in drug cartel money to flow through its banks largely because it failed to report transactions to the federal government.When a $10,000 withdrawal can become a problemTo be clear, a $10,000 withdrawal isn't a criminal activity per se. In fact, FINCen likely receives so many uninteresting CTRs a day, you won't trigger suspicion through a large withdrawal alone. But there are some activities that will put greater vigilance on your bank account. The most common is called structuring.Structuring involves breaking up a large cash transaction, like a $10,000 withdrawal, into smaller parts specifically to evade the Bank Secrecy Act's reporting requirements. For instance, if you withdraw $12,000 in total from your checking account, but break it into three $4,000 withdrawals, the transaction might be seen as structuring.Of course, you could have good reasons for making a series of withdrawals totaling $10,000 or more. But if you do it frequently enough, your bank could report it as suspicious activity. Once flagged, structuring can embroil you in a legal investigation. At that point, if you're caught intentionally evading a bank's reporting requirements -- even if you're just a private person who doesn't want the government keeping tabs on your life -- you could face criminal or financial charges.How to safely (and legally) withdraw $10,000 or moreThe best way to withdraw $10,000 or more is to simply do it. Don't try to break it into smaller installments, or get smart and Venmo your friend half and have them withdraw it for you. If you don't want your activities tracked, don't do anything suspicious that will make your bank report it to FINCen.Truthfully, unless you are engaging in something illegal, you have nothing to worry about. FINCen knows large withdrawals and deposits happen everyday, and it's not concerned with legal cash flows. It's only when you behave suspiciously that you could find yourself under investigation.If you're concerned, you can always talk to your bank. Otherwise, just keep withdrawing as you normally would, and you won't run into any serious financial problems.
By: Emma Newbery |
Updated
- First published on Aug. 7, 2023
Are SNAP benefits enough?A monthly payment of $973 for a household of four equates to around $8 per person per day. While SNAP benefits aren't designed to cover everything, it isn't easy to feed a family on around $2.66 per person per meal. Indeed, research from the Urban Institute showed that the maximum benefits often don't cover a family's food costs. "Amid inflation, SNAP benefits did not cover the cost of a meal in 99 percent of counties in 2022," said the report.The new benefit amount -- a monthly increase of $34 for a household of four -- is roughly in line with cost-of-living increases measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Its latest Consumer Price Index figures show that the cost of all items in June, 2023 was up 3% over the year before. However, inflation does not impact all aspects of life equally.The BLS data also shows that food at home increased by 5.7% year over year. The new SNAP benefits do not match this. Hypothetically, a 5.7% increase in benefits for a family of four would mean a new monthly payment of $992, rather than the planned $973.In addition, this year brought the end of the pandemic-era emergency food benefits throughout the country. According to CBPP calculations, this meant the average person received about $90 a month less in SNAP benefits. Even factoring in the increased SNAP benefit amount, many households have seen a significant drop in their food benefit amount, and the revised 2024 payments will do little to close this gap.How to make your SNAP benefits go furtherIt can take time and energy to provide healthy food for your family on a strict budget. The challenge is that in a busy household, time and energy are also limited resources. Even so, if you can carve out some time to plan your grocery-shopping trip, it can make a big difference.Here are some ways you might stretch your SNAP benefits a little:Use cash back apps and coupons: Look for cash back apps that work in stores that take your EBT card. You'll usually need to download an app and then scan your receipt after you've been to the store. Pay attention to coupons, whether in store or online as these can often carry hefty discounts.Always shop with a list: Planning your food shopping is one of the best ways to reduce costs. Even more so if you use a cash back app or coupons. Check what offers are available on items you normally buy before you go shopping. Mark the items that qualify for rewards or discounts on your list, so you don't miss them when you're shopping.Look for double up programs: There are Double Up Food Bucks or other programs in various states that essentially give you two for one on all produce at participating farmers markets and stores. It's a great way to get more fruit and vegetables for your SNAP dollars.Buy in bulk and batch cook: It isn't always easy to find the extra cash for bulk buying when you're eking out every cent. However, if you can manage it, you may be able to save both money and time. You might, for example, batch cook a stew and freeze portions for future meals.Unfortunately, food insecurity still impacts many American households. If you don't have enough money to feed your family this month, look for additional help. Find out what food pantries and soup kitchens are operating in your area on which days, and whether you'll need to present any documents. Call United Way at 211 for information about assistance programs in your area.
By: Christy Bieber |
Updated
- First published on Sept. 5, 2023
Incomes vary widely across the United States, with some people making many times the amount that others earn. If you've ever wondered how your personal finances stack up, and what "class" your income officially puts you in, here's what you need to know.What income do you need to be upper, middle, or lower class?Based on 2021 data, here's what you would need to earn in order to be in each class:Lower class: This is defined as the bottom 20% of earners. Those in the lower class have an income at or below $28,007.Lower middle class: This is defined as individuals in the 20th to 40th percentile of household income. Earnings among this group are between $28,008 and $55,000Middle class: The middle class is officially those whose earnings put them in the 40th to 60th percentile of household income. The income range is $55,001 to $89,744.Upper middle class: Anyone with earnings in the 60th to 80th percentile would be considered upper middle class. Those in the upper middle class have incomes between $89,745 and $149,131.Upper class: Finally, the upper class is the top 20% of earners and they have incomes of $149,132 or higher.Take a look at these numbers and see where you fall based on your own earnings. And remember, this is a snapshot in time -- your earnings can change throughout your life, and so can your class designation.Will your success be determined by your income and class?It's probably not a surprise that those in the upper classes or in the upper middle class do have a higher net worth than those in the lower class or the lower middle class. But the disparity is greater than you might think. While the median net worth of those with incomes of $149,132 or higher is $805,400, the median net worth of those in the lower class is just $12,000.Your income impacts how easy it is for you to build wealth. If you make more money, it is easier to save it and invest it in a brokerage account where it can work for you. If you make less money, then you may struggle even to cover the necessities out of your checking account, much less to buy valuable assets that help you grow richer over time.But that doesn't mean people who don't make a lot of money can't be a financial success. A lot depends on what you do with the money you actually have, including how much you spend and how much you save.There are plenty of people who make over $100,000 a year who live paycheck to paycheck, and plenty of people with incomes that put them squarely in the lower or lower middle class who have diligently saved and grown quite wealthy over many years.Here's how you can improve your standingDon't be discouraged if you aren't in the class you hope to be. For one thing, you have opportunities to increase your income by taking the following steps:Learning new job skills: You could obtain a certification, take part in a management training program at work, or take some classes to develop skills that may help you get promoted (such as computer training courses or public speaking classes), depending on your industry.Take on a side hustle: The average side hustle brings in $483 per month, which is a good amount of extra money that could make a meaningful difference in your income.Work some extra hours: If your company allows you to work overtime, take advantage of it, as many people are paid time and a half for overtime hours.Negotiate your salary: According to Pew Research, when workers negotiated for higher pay, 28% said they received the extra money they asked for and 38% indicated they were given more than originally offered but less than their ask. Whether you are getting a new job or staying at your current job but feel you're underpaid, it doesn't hurt to make a request for more money -- especially if you can find salary data to back up the fact that others in your industry are paid more.And even if your earnings never put you in the top 20% of earners, you can still have a rich life and end up with the financial security you deserve -- especially if you prioritize saving as much as you can for as long as you can.
By: Maurie Backman |
Updated
- First published on Sept. 13, 2023
At some point in 2022, I discovered Aldi and began shopping there weekly. I found that I was able to save money on my grocery bill by purchasing certain produce items there. And since I happen to have an Aldi adjacent to my local Costco, it wasn't particularly out of my way.But over the past few months, I've become less enamored with Aldi. Here's why.1. The selection is just too limitedAldi -- at least near me -- is a minimally stocked grocery store. The shelves aren't loaded the way they are at my nearby ShopRite and Stop & Shop.To be fair, this was the case when I first started shopping there. But because there's just not a lot of selection, I'm generally limited to only buying a few items when I pop into Aldi.Not so long ago, I was running into Aldi for some fruit, which I usually buy there, and I needed to grab shredded cheddar cheese. Normally, I get that at Costco, but I didn't want to run next door to Costco and wait in a line for cheese alone. Unfortunately, though, Aldi didn't have the cheese I needed, so I had to make an extra stop anyway.2. The inventory is too inconsistentNot only is there a limited selection of food items I can buy at Aldi, but sometimes, I can't even find the five or six things I'm looking for. Aldi was once my go-to source for avocados, since it's an expensive purchase and Aldi tends to sell them for less than Costco (at least in my area). But the last few times I stopped at Aldi, avocados weren't in stock.And that's happened to me with other things, too. Over the past several months, I've struggled to find everything from cucumbers to strawberries at Aldi as well.3. What the store saves me on groceries, I lose via lost working hoursShopping at Aldi still has the potential to save me a little money on groceries. At a time when supermarket prices are up 3.6% on an annual basis, that helps.The problem, however, is that even though Aldi is right near Costco in my neighborhood, thereby allowing me to combine those trips, it still takes time to visit an extra supermarket. I have to find parking, wait in a checkout line, and spend time searching the shelves.While it's nice to save $2 here and $3 there, the reality is that a stop at Aldi might cost me 20 or more minutes of work -- especially when I don't manage to find the things I need. And losing out on that work time often means forgoing more than $2 or $3 of income. So from a time perspective, it's just not worth it.Shopping at Aldi could make sense for a lot of people. If you're someone with flexibility in your schedule and grocery list, and you're not so picky about the brands you bring home, then it could pay to spend the time visiting Aldi, even if you don't always manage to find all the things you need. But I've reached the point where shopping at Aldi makes less and less sense for me, so I'll most likely stop going there unless it's a one-off basis.
By: Steven Porrello |
Updated
- First published on Sept. 20, 2023
Again, if you buy the laptop in-store at a Costco warehouse, you might get a lower price than from its online store. This is especially true as holiday sales approach, like Black Friday, which might see electronics and laptops discounted.2. Generous return policy and two-year warrantyCostco will let me return a new Macbook Pro for a full refund within 90 days after I purchase it. Even better, Costco will accept my return even if I don't have the original box. For comparison, Best Buy will give you 15 days to return a MacBook (60 days if you're a My Best Buy Plus member), while Amazon will also give you 15 days.Not only that but Costco will extend the manufacturer's warranty to two years, giving me two years of coverage for mechanical or electrical failures. And if that wasn't enough, it also sells AppleCare+ at a slightly cheaper price than other retailers: $319 for a three-year insurance policy. In contrast, Apple, Amazon, and Best Buy all sell the same policy for $399.3. Free technical and troubleshooting supportLastly, buying a MacBook through Costco means getting free technical support through its Concierge Service. This could really come in handy if you're working on a deadline, your Macbook suddenly stops working properly, and you don't have time or energy to figure out a solution on your own.Even better is that you get technical support indefinitely, whereas other retailers, like Apple, will give you support for a set amount of time, like 90 days.Low prices + support + 2% back = why I'm buying my Mac at CostcoAll in all, I'll buy my 16-inch Macbook Pro from a Costco warehouse when I can get it for a discounted price. Cost is a major factor in my decision (I can't blow my personal finance goals for a new laptop). But so is the return policy, technical support, and one-year extension on the manufacturer's one-year warranty. Plus, I get 2% back with my Costco Executive membership, which is about $50 back on a $2,249 Macbook Pro.True, it's important to compare that with other retailers to see who has the best deal, but if you're a Costco member, you might not find a better value when in-store laptops are discounted.