How to produce unique finance articles everyday

One of the most difficult tasks of being a niche blogger is publishing a unique post on a regular basis. Producing or capturing fresh idea every day, writing a post around it, seems to become an impossible feat. Sometimes, it would even take a month for me to really come up with something unique to blog about. How do a blogger overcome these ‘blogging blocks’?

Here are 3 tips you might want to consider to help you produce unique finance articles everyday:

1. Monitor the stock market. The stock market is volatile. Stock prices varies considerably by the minute. Any stats coming from the federal government, like unemployment rates and consumer index, can push prices up or down. Bankruptcies and declaration of losses coming from prominent or huge companies can cause a knee-jerk reactions in the trading floor, take for example the G.E.’s and Bank to America’s announcement of financial losses last week. Moreover, even important announcements coming from the White House can also directly influence how our stock market behaves. If you are closely monitoring these movements, surely you will not run-out of ideas to blog about finances. Read the business section of the daily regularly, better yet Google it.

2. Read other finance blogs. Get or borrow ideas from them. Don’t forget to link back though. React to what they have written, agreeing, disagreeing or amplifying some points. Thus, instead of making a lengthy comment on their post, write a separate post about it instead.

3. Publish other bloggers’ finance articles. Okay, I know this is the easiest part. But of course, do this with permission. Otherwise, you will be charged with copyright infringements or worse, of blatant plagiarism. If you have no idea where to get these articles, you might want to check out the finance section of ArticleAlley.com.

Happy blogging!

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Posted on 10/17/2009 1 comments

Saving for a Personal Emergency Fund | Essential Element to Effective Money Management

None of us have the ability to foresee the future or predict the hurdles which lie ahead of us. This makes saving for an emergency fund a financial priority. An emergency fund is an essential element for an effective money management. Since you’re rarely given advance notice of a setback or an accident which will keep you out of work for an extended period and suddenly confronted with money problems beyond your control, an emergency fund will always come in handy. It is also your safety net that can save you from bankruptcy or severe financial hardships in the event of an unexpected change in your income or expenses, or obviously in a severe economic downturn like this.

Saving for an emergency fund should be a vital part of an individual’s financial planning. This is of high importance if you don’t already have readily available funds in your account for covering any unanticipated expenses. They provide financial security because they give you funds to fall back on if you become ill, or if you or your spouse loses your job, you incur large medical bills, or have an unexpected large bill such as a major car or home repair. You do not want to end up in a situation where you have to buy daily necessities on credit and end up payments on groceries you bought two years back on credit, with a further 10-18% interest on it.

Saving your money in an small account for emergencies is definitely a better alternative to taking a loan or cashing in your long-term investments. If you take a loan, there is the additional burden of paying interest. Encashment of your investments before maturity means not only will you lose out the interest, but also some part of the original investment. This will also set you back significantly in your overall financial plan.

Success at saving for an emergency fund depends on consistency of saving money on a regular basis, and resisting the urge to dip into this rainy day fund for non-emergencies. This money should be kept separate from the general savings account. Otherwise you will be tempted to dip into these monies even if you simply run over your budget at a certain point. A substantial part of this emergency fund account should be invested in low risk funds. This ensures that your investment does not lose its value in case you need the money. Also, it should be extremely liquid, to give you access to the cash easily and quickly if you need it.

The size of the special savings account will depend on your personal situation. People often keep three to six months’ salary in the reserve. But you will have to decide on an appropriate amount based factors such as your dependents and fixed monthly expenses.

If you are single with no obligations, and have a reliable support system of friends or relatives during a financial crisis, you might not need a substantial amount stashed in this fund. This is opposed to someone who needs to pay nursing costs for his aging parents and supporting a young family. The more people you support, the more likely you are to have unexpected or unplanned costs.

While making a decision about an emergency fund, you should also take into account the degree of difficulty you'd have in finding a new job if you lost the present one. In case of a two-income household, the contribution of both parties should be weighed while calculating how much you should keep aside.

You may not be able to gather your emergency fund money together at once. Treat it as a financial goal and add to the kitty over time. If you get a tax refund, put it in your special rainy day account. Maybe a part of the bonus at work!

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Posted on 7/27/2009 8 comments

Buying Investment in Real Estate during a Recession

While most economists see that the U.S. economy no longer in free fall, I remain apprehensive about buying investment in real estate. You cannot blame a little skepticism on how the projected economic rebound is going, and me, if I remain unhurried.

I share, probably, the sentiments of many that as long as there are no clear and solid indications that this economy is gearing towards recovery, I will keep my money away from any form of investments, especially on property. Although, the current fall in selling prices is too tempting to ignore, for example, the buying and selling mood in Missouri real estate.

Investing always entails many risks. But seasoned and smart investors understand that making sound investment and financial decisions should not only be made based on the condition of the economy and how the market is behaving. There are still other important factors to be considered other than these obvious conditions. In addition, and in fact, we have seen and heard of stories of self-made millionaires who made more money when they invested regardless of the state of the economy.

So, where do these things lead us? The question I posed remains: Should buying investment in real estate during a recession a good financial decision?

In my mind, it is a ‘yes’ and a ‘no’. Yes, because the prevailing low prices in properties on sale and the all time high rates in property foreclosures signify a possible good yield when the economy gets better. Of course, this means taking an optimistic stance. On the other hand, it is a ‘no’ because it could mean having your money tied for an uncertain period of time, with which you could have placed them on other high-yield investment ventures.

In all these, I’d like to take the position of Tim Blixseth, one of America's richest:

I swore I was going to exclusively collect assets and not liabilities for the rest of my life. I swore never to take gambles I couldn’t back up, or that I couldn’t afford to lose. And, I’ve stuck with that ever since.

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Posted on 7/01/2009 6 comments

Save the Money, Save yourself | Saving Tips worth Trying

Money saved is money earned. How many of us believe that, or practice that consistently? I have always believed that when you save a portion of the money that you earned, you will eventually save yourself in times like these.

Alright, there are obviously many ways to save money and lead a frugal life without necessarily becoming a Mr. Scrooge.

Money problems will always torment if we do not learn how to save and practice frugality. It is important to know how to manage money efficiently to ensure bulky savings. We should make it a habit to ask ourselves whether to save a portion of what we have to spend now or whether to spend at all. Here are a few money saving tips worth trying:

1. First, in case of large investments, you might want to consider seriously the ROI or Return on Investment before you make the decision. The bigger the investment you make, the greater the risks you take. Between buying a brand new and used car, which do you think can provide a good ROI?
2. Buy in bulk and buy items on sale, but not at the expense of quality.
3. For financial investments, like stock or day trading, follow the golden rule of buying volatile stocks when the price of an item is down and sell it when it is high. The profit thus earned can be invested in the equity market for steady items.
4. The internet has provided the best opportunities to shop for the best price before you make a purchase. This means that you can conveniently compare products and prices.
5. Create a monthly budget to the essential items you need, and stick to it.
6. Plan what you eat on a daily basis ensuring you hey proper nourishment. You do not only save money from proper food planning, you stay healthy and thus eventually save money from medical expenses.
7. Pay your bills on time. This way, you save money from interest rates charges and penalties.
8. Last, but not the least, prioritize, prioritize, and prioritize. When the most important things are taken care of, you will notice you will have surpluses from your budget, which you can add to your savings.

Start saving today!

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Posted on 6/16/2009 2 comments