Really cool money saving tips

Really cool money saving tips


By: Zigfred

Filipinos from all walks of life has certainly been affected by the ongoing food and oil crises. I consider writing an article on money saving tips as my own little way of helping ease the burden of my countrymen. Besides one of the main theme of my blog is money saving tips.

The following are money saving tips that I have experienced and would like to share them with you:

1.) Be a "bulk" buyer - If you compare prices in your local grocery store buying bigger is always better. Notice the difference in price per gram between a 50 gram sachet of detergent powder and 250 grams. This fact is not even concealed by the products themselves. You will see a label that you will save a lot more if you buy the bigger item. This drives home to you a very simple principle, buying bigger is always better. You should avoid small repacks of certain items. This money saving tips is one of the most important tips to bear in mind.

2.) Buy from industrial suppliers - Companies get cheaper supplies because they buy in bulk or they manufacture their own. I got this idea when I first implemented the "buy in bulk" principle. I was thinking of buying a sack of detergent but I couldn't find it in the grocery stores. I did some reasearch and found out that you can get cheap detergent from laundry shops. The price of detergent is very cheap for them since they make their own soap. The quality of the soap that they make is more or less the same with commercial soap.

3.) Where you buy from matters - Previously, I discussed little bit about some money saving tips in my other articles. But that deals with not buying in a convenience store. In this series of money saving tips, the third tip I am giving is that you should be wise in choosing where you buy certain items.

To cite several examples, you can notice that vegetables and meat products are definitely cheaper in the wet market than in grocery stores. Hence, I advice that you do your shopping there for such items. The wet market is definetely cheaper because they buy the products directly from the farmers and fishermen. In contrast, dry goods, canned foods and other items are much cheaper in the grocery stores because they buy in wholesale straight from the manufacturers.

Want to know more money saving tips ? Visit the blog of Zigfred Diaz where he has some out of the box ideas on the subject including some interesting ideas on money management, investments and more money saving tips.

How to Teach Your Kids to Be Responsible With Money

How to Teach Your Kids to Be Responsible With Money



Money is an essential part of life in today's modern world, so kids are never too young to start learning about it. Children will have greater respect for money and be able to use it better if parents start teaching them as early as possible. Here's how to do it:

Children learn primarily from their parents, so don't wait until they learn about money in math class to teach them. Important life lessons on money are learned by children from Mom and Dad in the home.

Kids need to learn that, while money is essential to life, it can't buy happiness. And it doesn't grow on any trees either. It is important for children to understand that the family's needs such as water, electricity, food, and a home are paid for with the money that their parents earn. If Mom and Dad don't work, there simply will not be money available for such necessities.

Start training your children with money they are gifted at holidays and birthdays. Teach them that by saving up money little by little they will be able to purchase something they really want instead of just what they happen to be able to afford at the moment.

Allowing kids to be part of arranging a family budget will help them to understand not just that there is such a thing as money, but that it must be handled correctly. As Mom and Dad determine how much is to be spent each month on bills and recreation, children will learn a lot.

Children can learn how disciplining yourself financially will eventually bring worthwhile rewards. You can accomplish this with your kids by saving money each month to be used by the family to go out and do something special and fun that the kids have picked out.

Disastrous results are sure to come from allowing children to learn about the use of money themselves instead of from their parents. If they receive money but have never learned how to use it wisely, it's sure to disappear without anything to show for it. When parents do not provide their kids with financial advice, they will no doubt find it with their financially irresponsible friends.

If children never learn to handle money responsibly, they will simply count on their parents for financial assistance every time they get stuck in money troubles. Bailing kids out of financial difficulties when this happens will not teach them anything about being responsible for money. Even though no parent wants their child to have to experience the unpleasant consequences of poor financial decisions, asking for and expecting to be given money will turn into a strongly entrenched habit that only becomes more difficult to break as children grow older.

Financially responsible adults were once financially responsible children. Start teaching your kids about the importance of handling money wisely as early as possible.

Financial Services Help Manage Money

Financial Services #1 Wealth Management

Frequently individuals who are wealthy need financial services in order to manage their money and stay wealthy. Many wealthy individuals who do not use financial services for wealth management see their money slipping out the window. However, those who use wealth management financial services not only maintain their wealth and enjoy it, but also see it increase.

Financial Services #2 Investment Banking

Investment banking is another offering of financial services that many individuals enjoy. This is because investment banking financial services focus on creating capital through client investments.

Financial Services #3 Asset Management

Financial services offer asset management for individuals who cannot or prefer not to manage their own assets in the form of cash, property, bonds, and stocks. Fortunately, financial services are able to handle asset management competently.

Financial Services #4 Business Banking Services

Business banking financial services are also an option for businesses that need help in managing accounts, income, payments, loans, and any other types of financial services needed. Business banking services are a very important part of the financial services sector.

If you are interested in financial services helping you manage your wealth, assets, make investments for you, or manage your business banking, and then you should contact several financial services providers in order to compare services and fees so you can find the one that is best for you.

Jay Moncliff is the founder of http://www.financialadviseonline.com a blog focusing on the Financial resources and articles. This site provides detailed information on Finance. For more info visit his site: Financial

Monthly Income Plan

Monthy Income Plan

One of the most intriguing dilemmas an investor has to face - is how to manage his money. Some believe that equity is too risky.But the fall in interest rates and the surge in stock marketsprompts us to widen our options.

In this context we find that MIPs are a good long-term investment.

A housewife recently had a discussion with her financial plannerabout reviewing her portfolio. He introduced her to some safe avenues-one of which was a monthly income plan. It had ample debt-almost 75 per cent of the plan-but the remainder in equity gave the scheme a good chance of appreciation. She found that MIPs as a long-term option, could score better than simpler income plans.

With stock markets entering a volatile phase, many investors,including hardcore equity fans, began looking for less-riskieravenues. Mutual funds introduced a variety of schemes to retain investor interest, to meet the demand. MIPs are among the winners.As debt market returns touched historic lows, MIPs gained inimportance, as they take care of risks on both fronts-debt and equity.

The aim is to maximise returns with a dynamic management of equities and careful selection of high-quality debt port-folios,though the debt-equity ratio varies from fund to fund. Blue chipsare the focus of equity portfolios which may not be welldiversified. It even looks at American Depository Receipts and Global Depository Receipts as investment options. Debt papers will have instruments like bonds, debentures, government secu-rities and money market tools. The investment options include growth, monthly dividend, quarterly and half yearly.

Exit loads are 0.50 per cent of the relevant NAVs, though many funds do not charge entry loads. If an investor exits before the 180-day period from the date of allotment in an IPO, he is subjected to this. There is no tax on dividends received by the investor also easy liquidity is a big attraction.What needs to be borne in mind is the long-term perception of the debt-market, which dominates such schemes. Any upward movement in interest rates can upset the return profile of income schemes unless it is balanced by a good perfor-mance by equity markets. Increasing interest rates globally and higher inflation rates in India can spoil the party "Interest rates are compa-ratively higher in India forcing corporates to go abroad and borrow. Moreover, an appreciating rupee would make it difficult for the RBI to hike interest rates.

In recent times return profile if income schemes have been moving southward.While generally, income funds have seen a return of 4.5to 6 per cent in the last few quarters.

With their higher equity allocation, though MIPs are seen as riskier than an income plan, they are better than an equitydiversified scheme. What makes them attractive is the safetyof capital or its limited erosion, and chances of better returns.

by Sukamal Bhattacharya