Families everywhere are feeling this economy crisis. From smaller household budgets to less money for the little extras that kids enjoy, many are feeling the financial pinch of it all. While the world is experiencing this economy crisis, we are also an even bigger issue... a big need for greater environmental awareness and action. For families that want to make a difference for our world and still would like to save a few dollars to help their overall family budgets, we would like to present some basics for making that happen for you and your kids.
Teaching your children to help the planet by following a few basic steps could give your family just the financial push that it needs to get through this economy crisis. Some of these are really simple to do and others may take a little coordinating, but the final results of your labor, including saving, cost-cutting, and plumping up that family bank account will all seem worth it in the end. Here are a few do's and don'ts to help your family get started:
Do have the kids use rechargeable batteries or solar powered chargers for handheld games and small electronics. Your family could see an instant saving. Costs for replacing batteries can be astronomical when you sum up all of the batteries that you need to supply energy to the gobs of gadgets that your kids probably have. If there is not a USB charger available, which allows you to charge stuff directly from the computer, then find and use alternative energy sources such as rechargeable batteries and solar powered chargers. Regular batteries wreak havoc on the environment. So, using an alternative energy source saves the world and it saves you lots of money from not having to continuously buy batteries.
Do teach the kids to conserve water, especially during this economy crisis. Your children could save your family a mint just by minimizing their water consumption. Set a time limit for showers and encourage children to turn the water off while they are brushing their teeth. These little changes could have a huge impact on your family's water bill and could also help with our environment.
Do teach children to be creative with their water usage. Tell them to place 2 small cups or bowls in the shower when they are using it to catch the excess water. This water can then be used to water plants! They could also catch rainwater and use that for watering plants at a later time also. Either way, your family could experience a saving. Cost conscious people can really appreciate doing anything that could significantly reduce their water bills.
Do teach the kids to enjoy and take full advantage of sunlight. Tell them to turn off the lights when they are not using a room and to open the blinds or curtains to let the sunlight in. Sunlight is a free energy and light source. Learning to use and appreciate it now could make a difference as your child gets older in the way that they view energy. This economy crisis is making it important for all of us to take a different approach with certain things in our lives. The energy that your family saves by not running the electric lights all day could result in a much lower energy bill, which means more money left over in your family's household budget! Plus, less energy consumption is very important for our environment.
Do teach them to research and use frugal recipes that take advantage of locally grown produce and products that you can buy for cheap. Just about every area has a farmer's market. These markets are havens for saving money. From cheap produce to low price dairy, most families will see an amazing opportunity to save at this markets, over the regular retail prices. Plus, by making an effort to buy for cheap the local produce and products, you are helping to reduce emissions from planes and foods that have to travel to your area! A lot of that fresh produce is also organic which means that the farmers do not use harmful chemicals on the food.
Your children can learn to understand the importance of going green and will follow your lead on environmental issues. Teaching them to work to save our planet and to help your family by doing things to conserve to save money are life lessons that they will need in years to come. Teach them now and, once the world is through this economy crisis, they will know how to do their part to help to reduce environmental risks. With your guidance, they will know how to care for their family while maintaining a financially and "environmentally" sound budget!
Alexandra Vrugt, a recognized expert on saving money in daily life, has written many articles on how to manage on less. You can get free copy of her Ebook '15 Top Ways To Save Money' by visiting her website MakeEndsMeetOnlne.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexandra_Vrugt
Financial Advisor Experience - 7 Questions You Must Ask!
A critical key to successfully selecting your financial advisor is know what questions to ask. The painful truth is most consumers of financial and investment planning services don't ask some of the most basic questions when finding, interviewing, and choosing the right financial advisor for their specific needs and financial goals. Rather they tend to be wooed by flashy signs on imposing buildings, fancy decor, ultra-slick TV ads and impressive titles. Choosing the wrong financial advisor however can lead to financially disastrous consequences for you and your financial security - and those flashy signs, smooth marketing campaigns, and embellished sounding titles are the least of what you as a consumer should be concerned with.
The problem stems from the Wall Street machine and their monstrous marketing budgets. Wall Street firms label their salespeople "Financial Consultant" or "Vice President of Investments" (I know, I had both titles at points in my career) - remarkable job titles to say the least, and most certainly comforting in nature to the consumer. They piece together emotionally provocative marketing campaigns with catchy slogans and striking logos. They advertise their spectacular investment products and financial planning services on TV, on the radio, and in the most popular trade magazines.
The sordid truth is the Wall Street machine engages in this "financial pornography" to wow and woo you, to impress you, and to give you comfort in the quality of their advice and value of their investment products before you even walk in the door. In reality, the flashy signs and chic titles mean nothing.
Checking your financial advisors background, credentials, philosophy, compensation and experience in the financial services industry can quickly weed out the "less professional" financial advisors - and effectively simplify your decision making process in finding the right financial advisor.
One of the most important "qualifiers" of a professional financial advisor is their level of experience in serving client's financial needs and helping them accomplishing their goals. Notice I didn't say "length of experience in the business". Length of financial services industry experience may mean little if anything, because a financial advisor may have 20 years of experience which may include years of nothing remotely related to serving clients financial needs.
There are plenty of financial industry jobs which may give the impression of real-life "in the trenches" client services experience, but in reality these jobs aren't much more than administrative, managerial, or sales in nature. To choose the right financial advisor, focus on asking the right questions, and expect thorough answers:
# How long have you been working directly with clients as their primary financial advisor?
# How long have you been recommending investment and insurance products?
# How long have you been actively and consistently creating financial plans for clients to help them achieve their financial goals?
# What is your training background, and where did you learn how to diagnose, manage, and solve your clients financial problems?
# How many years did you spend training for your position as a financial advisor?
# What firms have you worked for in the capacity of a financial advisor?
# How many written financial plans have you created for clients?
Those seven questions will garner the majority of information you'll need to make an informed decision on your financial advisor's experience level. But just what should their answers entail? In terms of acceptable financial advisor experience, I would argue the following:
A minimum 3 years of experience. Anything less is a threat to your financial future you can't afford to take. Financial advisor's can intern (or act as a para-planner) with more experienced financial professionals working with clients directly, and should do so for at least three years before taking on the primary role as your financial advisor. Given the volatility and uncertainty of current times, it's easy to make a case for 10 years or more of practical, real-world experience. You wouldn't lay on the operating table for open heart surgery knowing your doctor graduated from medical school yesterday would you?
A college degree. This is a new requirement for NAPFA (the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, NAPFA.org) registered financial advisors. While a college degree isn't the "be-all end-all", it shows dedication to training and increasing your knowledge early in life - a trait which commonly caries over throughout your career.
A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) or Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) designation. Both credentials show substantial dedication to being among the best in the financial services field. Both credentials are difficult to achieve and require ongoing continuing education to maintain. Both credentials illustrate the experience and training so vital to your financial success.
20 written financial plans. Many "financial advisors" don't do written financial plans (but many "financial advisors" are that only in title, and are actually salespeople in practice). Regardless of whether you need a written financial plan or not (not every client needs a written financial plan), your financial advisor should understand how to create one and have reasonable experience in doing so. You may not need that open heart surgery, but don't you want your cardiologist to have the experience requisite to making a wise decision when you have chest pain?
Experience is but one primary component of excellence in financial advice and superior client service. There are many other facets of a financial advisory practice that are important. In the end however, don't you feel more confident you'll be able to reach your financial goals knowing that this isn't your financial advisor's "first rodeo"?
Take the time, ask questions when you interview a financial advisor. Require and expect thorough and reasonable answers. Doing so will help you achieve confidence that you've found an experienced financial advisor able to deliver excellence in financial advice!
Greg Phelps is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (TM) and Fee-Only Independent Financial Advisor in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada. With 14 years of financial industry experience, Greg is an accomplished financial advisor, author, and speaker. Through his employment with two of the largest investment banking firms on Wall Street - Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, as well as serving as the Regional Manager of Wealth Management at the 5th largest accounting firm in the country - RSM McGladrey, he's consistently and ambitiously improved his skill and knowledge in the financial planning field. In addition to creating a Home Mortgage Loan utility for use by financial advisors with their clients, he strives to deliver exceptional financial planning advice and guidance in all areas relevant to his client, with a specialty focus in retirement financial planning.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Phelps
The problem stems from the Wall Street machine and their monstrous marketing budgets. Wall Street firms label their salespeople "Financial Consultant" or "Vice President of Investments" (I know, I had both titles at points in my career) - remarkable job titles to say the least, and most certainly comforting in nature to the consumer. They piece together emotionally provocative marketing campaigns with catchy slogans and striking logos. They advertise their spectacular investment products and financial planning services on TV, on the radio, and in the most popular trade magazines.
The sordid truth is the Wall Street machine engages in this "financial pornography" to wow and woo you, to impress you, and to give you comfort in the quality of their advice and value of their investment products before you even walk in the door. In reality, the flashy signs and chic titles mean nothing.
Checking your financial advisors background, credentials, philosophy, compensation and experience in the financial services industry can quickly weed out the "less professional" financial advisors - and effectively simplify your decision making process in finding the right financial advisor.
One of the most important "qualifiers" of a professional financial advisor is their level of experience in serving client's financial needs and helping them accomplishing their goals. Notice I didn't say "length of experience in the business". Length of financial services industry experience may mean little if anything, because a financial advisor may have 20 years of experience which may include years of nothing remotely related to serving clients financial needs.
There are plenty of financial industry jobs which may give the impression of real-life "in the trenches" client services experience, but in reality these jobs aren't much more than administrative, managerial, or sales in nature. To choose the right financial advisor, focus on asking the right questions, and expect thorough answers:
# How long have you been working directly with clients as their primary financial advisor?
# How long have you been recommending investment and insurance products?
# How long have you been actively and consistently creating financial plans for clients to help them achieve their financial goals?
# What is your training background, and where did you learn how to diagnose, manage, and solve your clients financial problems?
# How many years did you spend training for your position as a financial advisor?
# What firms have you worked for in the capacity of a financial advisor?
# How many written financial plans have you created for clients?
Those seven questions will garner the majority of information you'll need to make an informed decision on your financial advisor's experience level. But just what should their answers entail? In terms of acceptable financial advisor experience, I would argue the following:
A minimum 3 years of experience. Anything less is a threat to your financial future you can't afford to take. Financial advisor's can intern (or act as a para-planner) with more experienced financial professionals working with clients directly, and should do so for at least three years before taking on the primary role as your financial advisor. Given the volatility and uncertainty of current times, it's easy to make a case for 10 years or more of practical, real-world experience. You wouldn't lay on the operating table for open heart surgery knowing your doctor graduated from medical school yesterday would you?
A college degree. This is a new requirement for NAPFA (the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, NAPFA.org) registered financial advisors. While a college degree isn't the "be-all end-all", it shows dedication to training and increasing your knowledge early in life - a trait which commonly caries over throughout your career.
A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) or Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) designation. Both credentials show substantial dedication to being among the best in the financial services field. Both credentials are difficult to achieve and require ongoing continuing education to maintain. Both credentials illustrate the experience and training so vital to your financial success.
20 written financial plans. Many "financial advisors" don't do written financial plans (but many "financial advisors" are that only in title, and are actually salespeople in practice). Regardless of whether you need a written financial plan or not (not every client needs a written financial plan), your financial advisor should understand how to create one and have reasonable experience in doing so. You may not need that open heart surgery, but don't you want your cardiologist to have the experience requisite to making a wise decision when you have chest pain?
Experience is but one primary component of excellence in financial advice and superior client service. There are many other facets of a financial advisory practice that are important. In the end however, don't you feel more confident you'll be able to reach your financial goals knowing that this isn't your financial advisor's "first rodeo"?
Take the time, ask questions when you interview a financial advisor. Require and expect thorough and reasonable answers. Doing so will help you achieve confidence that you've found an experienced financial advisor able to deliver excellence in financial advice!
Greg Phelps is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (TM) and Fee-Only Independent Financial Advisor in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada. With 14 years of financial industry experience, Greg is an accomplished financial advisor, author, and speaker. Through his employment with two of the largest investment banking firms on Wall Street - Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, as well as serving as the Regional Manager of Wealth Management at the 5th largest accounting firm in the country - RSM McGladrey, he's consistently and ambitiously improved his skill and knowledge in the financial planning field. In addition to creating a Home Mortgage Loan utility for use by financial advisors with their clients, he strives to deliver exceptional financial planning advice and guidance in all areas relevant to his client, with a specialty focus in retirement financial planning.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Phelps
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