Life...

Life. It is what it is, a constant change of events, circumstances and situations. Raymond Feist said "Life is problems, Living is solving problems." In life there will be changes that occur but you must keep on living. Our goal is to help your transition through some of the changes that life throws your way, make them more manageable, less stressful and calculate your plan for recovery. Whether it was divorce, unemployment, foreclosure, whatever it might have been that swept the rug from under your feet financially; we may have a plan to help you get back on track. The first step is admitting that you need help. No this is not a 12 step program, however we do believe in being honest with yourself. Are you a bad money manager? Are you living above your means? Is fear holding you back? Second you must take action. If you never take action, absolutely nothing can change in your life. Third you must create a realistic plan to take back control over your life. There is nothing that can send you reeling backwards quicker than a poorly planned escape. We can assist you formulate a realistic plan that you can adhere to and commit to until your personal goals are accomplished. Last but not least you must make up in your mind that you are ready for change. You may ask, if I am honest, take action and create a plan, am I not already making a change mentally? No this is not always the case. You must make a paradigm shift that you will never go back. Whatever it is that caused you to go down this path, you will never go back down this path. Whether it’s a bad relationship, certain environment or addictive behaviors disguised as innocent pleasures, you can never go back down that road. We have all heard stories of people who make all of the afore mentioned changes but perhaps months, years or decades later are back in the same or worse predicament. You must never bring ANY of the negative stimuli with you into your new life. The ball is now in your court, it’s up to you to change. Change is indeed inevitable. You will either change for the good or the bad but I can assure you that you will change. The path you take is totally up to you.

Dangers of Foreclosures Pt 3

Yesterday we touched on this subject very briefly. That is when you position yourself to purchase a foreclosure it may not be all as it seems on face value. A lot of your more expensive homes may be effected by this more than the lesser priced homes. This is due to the high-end appliances, fixtures and amenities used to build these homes. More often than not previous homeowners are blamed for the vandalism to these homes, however opportunistic vagrants are usually to blame for the damage.

Conversely, when homeowners are to blame it is usually due to resentment and unsuccessful attempts to keep the property. The previous homeowners usually have some form of emotional attachment to the property. They usually have looked at several homes before deciding on this one, took in to account their own careers, children's future and neighborhood suitability. Then we bring into the fact that they have to give this all up in a moments notice. They have invested time, money and dreams into this property and now they have to move.

This can cause some serious separation anxiety and disgust towards the lender. Consequently since they can do no harm physically against the mortgage company then they decide to take it out on the property. Ultimately, this will hurt the home's value and somebody will have to pay to replace and repair the damage that has been inflicted. Nevertheless, your goal is to ensure that you are not stuck with the bill, if you are make sure to include this in your negotiations and mention it to your broker.

Child's Play

Remember the 80s and 90s these were the days of horror movie killers? They invoked fear with just there mere presence. There was Freddy, Jason, Michael Myers and who could forget Chucky. Chucky was a doll that was possessed by a famed serial killer Charles Lee "Chucky" Ray. Although Chucky was originally a toy, once he was overtaken by Ray he didn't play any games & had a crude sense of humor. In the last three years, there have been 57,000 cases of child identity theft reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). A new report from All Clear ID estimates that one in 10 U.S. children are victims. Apparently thieves aren't playing any games and posses a crude sense of humor as well. Imagine your child trying to start a new life with their spouse or in their freshman year of college only to find that their identity has been stolen. Furthermore upon further investigation they find out they are in hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of debt. As responsible adults of course we can shred unwanted credit card offers, create enigma passwords to protect ourselves but imagine if its our children that are the target of these identification sharpshooters. Unfortunately this is no Hollywood tale of horror fiction, as in most cases the crime is not detected to several years later. Now thats scary! Here are some tips to stay safe and secure.

1. Keep your children's important documentation in a safe deposit box or in a safe place at your home. This includes birth certificates, social security cards and medical records.
2. Contact Equifax, TransUnion and Experian to request a free copy of your child's credit report. The will probably ask for you to prove your relationship to the child with a birth certificate if your child is not of legal age to request their own reports.
3. Once you receive the credit reports, carefully review the credit report for any errors. If some errors are located then promptly contact the FTC (www.ftc.gov), Internal Revenue Service (www.irs.gov) and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov) to your report your child's identity theft. Keeping an eye on your child's identity may be a full time job but the damage that you can prevent will be well worth the effort. For more information on opening a safe deposit box, contact your local bank or credit union.

Black Friday Is Coming To Town

I was reading over the lyrics to Santa Claus is Coming to Town and decided to write a blog dedicated to creating a better shopping experience on Black Friday.

1. You better watch out

Be careful of your surroundings when out shopping. If you are making major purchases you may want to take those items home as opposed to leaving them in your vehicle all day. Make sure to hide all packages out of plain view of those with less than good intentions this holiday season. Finally at all costs avoid going alone.

2. You better not cry, You better not pout
Guess what?!?! Your favorite item may just be sold out. Keep a good attitude about it and move on to the next item.

3. Making a list, And check it twice

Before heading out to brave the elements, traffic and stand in line at Starbucks (you didn't know Caffeine was mandatory for Black Friday). Make a list of items & break them down into three categories that you plan to snag. From got to have, must haves and just want to have. Prioritize the items and try to map them by location as well. Don't forget to coordinate with your fellow shoppers to maximize time and avoid backtracking.

4. Who's naughty and nice

There is the old adage that says it pays to be nice. I can attest to this from personal experience. My wife and I have been shopping several times when other customers have offered us coupons or to skip ahead in line. Also there have been times where we have gotten free coffee or food while waiting. You never know who's watching so it's better to be nice instead of naughty.

5. He sees you when you're sleeping, He knows when you're awake

You have to ask yourself is it really worth it to wake up THAT early? The answer lies somewhere in how early THAT is. Take into account that most of the best deals come in limited quantities. Then calculate the sleep that will be lost plus gas used times elbows thrown (just kidding I hope) to see if that one deal is really worth it. If you deem that it is indeed worth it, then set your alarm clocks and get ready to participate in the melee, madness and methodology of America's biggest shopping day.

Remember Black Friday is coming to a town near you, so be smart for your savings account sake...