Financial Solutions For The Everyday Business Owner
Small businesses and freelancers need a banking app tailored to their needs. Michael Rangel understands those needs and has some insightful thoughts on small business banking.Small businesses and freelancers need a banking app tailored to their needs. Michael Rangel understands those needs and has some insightful thoughts on small business banking.
The post In Conversation With Michael Rangel, Bank Novoâs CEO. appeared first on Money Under 30.
Source: moneyunder30.com
Imagine this: You’ve gone to collegeâeven grad schoolâto pursue a career path you always thought you wanted. But after a few years and many tuition dollars spent, it suddenly hits you: If you have to write one more press release, it might push you over the edge. If this is the case, it’s time to prepare for a career change.
Transitioning careers is not unusual. In fact, according to a survey conducted by the American Staffing Association, 38 percent of working adults say they are likely to change careers within the next year. The only problem is, if you are unsure of how to make a career change and whether it will be financially sound, you might be hesitant to make the leap.
âNo one wants to change careers without knowing the chances of success,” says Mark Anthony Dyson, host of The Voice of Job Seekers podcast, a show designed to help those in career transition. “Adequate preparation can make all the difference.”
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âPreparation in every formâfrom updating job skills to financial planning and really taking time to think about what you desire in a fulfilling careerâwill be a huge factor in your career-change success.â
“How do I make a big career change with this adequate preparation,” you ask?
Learning how to prepare for a career change financially and finding out which skills you’ll need in your new career are great places to start. Take these steps to understand your career intentions, then determine the best financial strategies for achieving them:
Before preparing for a career change, start by doing an honest self-assessment on whether or not a switch is right for you. This is important, says Dyson, because you’ll want to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of changing careers versus exploring a job transition within your current field. Doing the latter might make more sense for you if you aren’t quite ready to go through a full-blown career transition. Either way, taking the time for self-reflection will help you get to your desired career path sooner.
When you are thinking about how to make a career change and if it’s the right time for you, Dyson suggests asking yourself these questions:
Kelan Kline, a jail deputy turned personal finance blogger for The Savvy Couple, felt stifled by his previous job and the limitations it imposed on his time. He believed that in order to achieve career growth and increase his money-making potential, he would have to change careers. “I knew I was done working for others altogether,” Kline adds.
You may not think you have the skills and experience necessary to transition into a new career, but a tip to prepare for a career change is to consider the skills that have led to your career success thus far. That’s what 10-year human resources veteran Lisa Cassella did when she decided a new career direction was in order and wanted to follow her passion for real estate.
“As hiring and program manager for a senior living facility, I met face-to-face with with people everyday,” says Cassella, now a licensed real estate salesperson for the brokerage firm Compass. “Sometimes you have to have some difficult conversations,” she continues. “It’s the same in real estate. But for the most part, you are helping peopleâwhich is what I enjoy and a strong connection between both careers.”
Sasha Korobov, a career and success strategist, agrees that a tip for preparing for a career change is to use your current skills as a foundation for a new career. Having undergone a career change herself, she advises people to âreally think about what you want to do next, and see if you can start getting those skills and experience in the job you’re already in.”
Once you understand your motives and capabilities, you’ll have the groundwork for what needs to come next: smart ways to financially support yourself through the transition.
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One of the best things you can do when figuring out how to make a career change is to have a financial plan. Depending on how you approach your career change, the steps that you take to move to a new industry could impact your finances in various ways.
For example, when you start out in a new industry, you might be taking a lower level position than what you had in your previous career. This may come with a dip in income, for which you will need to adjust your budget as you progress in your new career.
If you plan to take any time off before you make the switch, you may experience a gap in income. “You have to think about how many months of income you need to save to get over that hump,” Cassella says. Cassella planned in advance so that she had at least six months of income in the bank before she made the switch to her new career.
Another consideration when you prepare for a career change is whether there is a cost investment required in moving to the new career you have chosen. For example, you might need to spend money on additional education, training, certifications and other measures before you can move into your new role. Your financial plan will have to consider dips in income that could occur if you need to reduce your hours or quit working in order to get the training and education your new career requires, Korobov says. Cassella had to get licensed before moving into real estate sales. She quit her job and took a two-week course, then immediately took the state test.
If your career change means starting your own business venture, you may have to prepare for all of the financial scenarios mentioned above. Your income might decrease as you establish your own business and gain traction, for instance. You might also have to pay for things that were once provided to you by an employer, such as supplies, computer equipment, software and health insurance.
Because of these potential challenges, having a savings plan is key when considering tips to prepare for a career change.
No matter which path you choose, preparing for a career change may present you with some financial risk. Therefore, it’s beneficial to have savings set aside to manage the transition. With just a few small lifestyle changes that will save you money, you can build the financial safety cushion you need to prepare for a career change, says finance blogger Kline.
Here are Kline’s tips to prepare for a career change and the areas he focused on most when he prepared for his professional move:
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With just a few small lifestyle changes that will save you money, you can build the financial safety cushion you need to prepare for a career change.
For some, a slower transition, with moonlighting or side hustling until they are ready to go full time, has proven effective. When Jeff Neal started his online retail site selling bait and live feeders, he was still a full-time project manager in e-commerce, but not passionate about his day-to-day. He was able to use his skills from this position to build his own online ventures.
Neal says he started his online business as a side hustle, with the intention of always having a full-time job keeping his household afloat. He has now been able to transition into being a full-time internet entrepreneur.
Korobov, the career and success strategist, also started to prepare for her career change with a part-time entrepreneurial venture that grew out of corporate coaching. “I wanted to go into business for myself as a career strategist for women, and I knew that having corporate coaching experience would fast-track my credibility with a lot of potential clients,” she says.
“I began offering workshops and brown-bag lunches at my office,” Korobov continues. This experience was a valuable lesson for Korobov in how to make a career change, helping her boost her confidence and allowing her to tweak her workshops as she got more experience.
One of Korobov’s biggest tips to prepare for a career change that she learned firsthand: “Your entrepreneurial ventures, even if done part-time, can make the transition into your career smoother, while giving you extra income to help with your financial preparation process.”
Making a career change can seem like a huge risk, since you don’t really know if it will work out in your favor. But with research and readiness, you can confidently prepare for a career change. Dyson, of The Voice of Job Seekers podcast, can’t emphasize enough that âpreparation in every formâfrom updating job skills to financial planning and really taking time to think about what you desire in a fulfilling careerâwill be a huge factor in your career-change success.”
Understanding your goals and expectationsâand trusting your gutâbefore you begin is a big step in the right direction. Says Cassella of her move into real estate: “It just made a lot of sense for me and my family. My expectations are that once I really get going, there is no limit to what I can make.”
The post Taking the Leap: How to Make a Career Change and Land on Your Feet appeared first on Discover Bank – Banking Topics Blog.
Source: discover.com
Could logging in to your computer from a deluxe treehouse off the coast of Belize be the future of work? Maybe. For many, the word freelance means flexibility, meaningful tasks and better work-life balance. Who doesn’t want to create their own hours, love what they do and work from wherever they want? Freelancing can provide all of thatâbut that freedom can vanish quickly if you don’t handle your expenses correctly.
“A lot of the time, you don’t know about these expenses until you are in the trenches,” says freelance copywriter Alyssa Goulet, “and that can wreak havoc on your financial situation.”
Nearly 57 million people in the U.S. freelanced, or were self-employed, in 2019, according to Upwork, a global freelancing platform. Freelancing is also increasingly becoming a long-term career choice, with the percentage of freelancers who freelance full-time increasing from 17 percent in 2014 to 28 percent in 2019, according to Upwork. But for all its virtues, the cost of being freelance can carry some serious sticker shock.
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“There are many hats you have to wear and expenses you have to take on, but for that you’re gaining a lot of opportunity and flexibility in your life.”
Most people who freelance for the first time don’t realize that everythingâfrom taxes to office supplies to setting up retirement plansâis on them. So, before you can sustain yourself through self-employment, you need to answer a very important question: “Are you financially ready to freelance?”
What you’ll find is that budgeting as a freelancer can be entirely manageable if you plan for the following key costs. Let’s start with one of the most perplexingâtaxes:
First things first: Don’t try to be a hero. When determining how to budget as a freelancer and how to manage your taxes as a freelancer, you’ll want to consult with a financial adviser or tax professional for guidance. A tax expert can help you figure out what makes sense for your personal and business situation.
For instance, just like a regular employee, you will owe federal income taxes, as well as Social Security and Medicare taxes. When you’re employed at a regular job, you and your employer each pay half of these taxes from your income, according to the IRS. But when you’re self-employed (earning more than $400 a year in net income), you’re expected to file and pay these expenses yourself, the IRS says. And if you think you will owe more than $1,000 in taxes for a given year, you may need to file estimated quarterly taxes, the IRS also says.
That can feel like a heavy hit when you’re not used to planning for these costs. “If you’ve been on a salary, you don’t think about taxes really. You think about the take-home pay. With freelance, everything is take-home pay,” says Susan Lee, CFP®, tax preparer and founder of FreelanceTaxation.com.
When you’re starting to budget as a freelancer and determining how often you will need to file, Lee recommends doing a “dummy return,” which is an estimation of your self-employment income and expenses for the year. You can come up with this number by looking at past assignments, industry standards and future projections for your work, which freelancer Goulet finds valuable.
“Since I don’t have a salary or a fixed number of hours worked per month, I determine the tax bracket I’m most likely to fall into by taking my projected monthly income and multiplying it by 12,” Goulet says. “If I experience a big income jump because of a new contract, I redo that calculation.”
After you estimate your income, learning how to budget as a freelancer means working to determine how much to set aside for your tax payments. Lee, for example, recommends saving about 25 percent of your income for paying your income tax and self-employment tax (which funds your Medicare and Social Security). But once you subtract your business expenses from your freelance income, you may not have to pay that entire amount, according to Lee. Deductible expenses can include the mileage you use to get from one appointment to another, office supplies and maintenance and fees for a coworking space, according to Lee. The income left over will be your taxable income.
Pro Tip:
To set aside the taxes you will need to pay, adjust your estimates often and always round up. “Let’s say in one month a freelancer determines she would owe $1,400 in tax. I’d put away $1,500,” Goulet says.
The truth is, the cost of being freelance varies from person to person. Some freelancers are happy to work from their kitchen tables, while others need a dedicated workspace. Your freelance costs also change as you add new tools to your business arsenal. Here are two categories you’ll always need to account for when budgeting as a freelancer:
Joining a coworking space gets you out of the house and allows you to establish the camaraderie you may miss when you work alone. When you’re calculating the cost of being freelance, note that coworking spaces may charge membership dues ranging from $20 for a day pass to hundreds of dollars a month for a dedicated desk or private office. While coworking spaces are all the rage, you can still rent a traditional office for several hundred dollars a month or more, but this fee usually doesn’t include community aspects or other membership perks.
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If you want to avoid office rent or dues as costs of being freelance but don’t want the kitchen table to pull double-duty as your workspace, you might convert another room in your home into an office. But you’ll still need to outfit the space with all of your work essentials. Freelance copywriter and content strategist Amy Hardison retrofitted part of her house into a simple office. “I got a standing desk, a keyboard, one of those adjustable stands for my computer and a squishy mat to stand on so my feet don’t hurt,” Hardison says.
Pro Tip:
Start with the absolute necessities. When Hardison first launched her freelance career, she purchased a laptop for $299. She worked out of a coworking space and used its office supplies before creating her own workspace at home.
There are a range of digital tools, including business and accounting software, that can help with the majority of your business functions. A big benefit is the time they can save you that is better spent marketing to clients or producing great work.
The software can also help you avoid financial lapses as you’re managing the costs of being freelance. Hardison’s freelance business had ramped up to a point where a manual process was costing her money, so using an invoicing software became a no-brainer. “I was sending people attached document invoices for a while and keeping track of them in a spreadsheet,” Hardison says. “And then I lost a few of them and I just thought, ‘Oh, my God, I can’t be losing things. This is my income!’”
Digital business and software tools can help manage scheduling, web hosting, accounting, audio/video conference and other functions. When you’re determining how to budget as a freelancer, note that the costs for these services depend largely on your needs. For instance, several invoicing platforms offer options for as low as $9 per month, though the cost increases the more clients you add to your account. Accounting services also scale up based on the features you want and how many clients you’re tracking, but you can find reputable platforms for as little as $5 a month.
Pro Tip:
When you sign up for a service, start with the “freemium” version, in which the first tier of service is always free, Hardison says. Once you have enough clients to warrant the expense, upgrade to the paid level with the lowest cost. Gradually adding services will keep your expenses proportionate to your income.
Budgeting for healthcare costs can be one of the biggest hurdles to self-employment and successfully learning how to budget as a freelancer. In the first half of the 2020 open enrollment period, the average monthly premium under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for those who do not receive federal subsidiesâor a reduced premium based on incomeâwas $456 for individuals and $1,134 for families, according to eHealth, a private online marketplace for health insurance.
“Buying insurance is really protecting against that catastrophic event that is not likely to happen. But if it does, it could throw everything else in your plan into a complete tailspin,” says Stephen Gunter, CFP®, at Bridgeworth Financial.
A good place to start when budgeting as a freelancer is knowing what healthcare costs you should budget for. Your premiumâwhich is how much you pay each month to have your insuranceâis a key cost. Note that the plans with the lowest premiums aren’t always the most affordable. For instance, if you choose a high-deductible policy you may pay less in premiums, but if you have a claim, you may pay more at the time you or your covered family member’s health situation arises.
When you are budgeting as a freelancer, the ACA healthcare marketplace is one place to look for a plan. Here are a few other options:
Pro Tip:
Speak with an insurance adviser who can help you figure out which plans are best for your health needs and your budget. An adviser may be willing to do a free consultation, allowing you to gather important information before making a financial commitment.
Part of learning how to budget as a freelancer is thinking long term, which includes saving for retirement. That may seem daunting when you’re wrangling new business expenses, but Gunter says saving for the future is a big part of budgeting as a freelancer.
“It’s kind of the miracle of compound interest. The sooner we can get it invested, the sooner we can get it saving,” Gunter says.
He suggests going into autopilot and setting aside whatever you would have contributed to an employer’s 401(k) plan. One way to do this might be setting up an automatic transfer to your savings or retirement account. “So, if you would have put in 3 percent [of your income] each month, commit to saving that 3 percent on your own,” Gunter says. The Discover IRA Certificate of Deposit (IRA CD) could be a good fit for helping you enjoy guaranteed returns in retirement by contributing after-tax (Roth IRA CD) or pre-tax (traditional IRA CD) dollars from your income now.
Pro Tip:
Prioritize retirement savings every month, not just when you feel flush. “Saying, ‘I’ll save whatever is left over’ isn’t a savings plan, because whatever is left over at the end of the month is usually zero,” Gunter says.
One of the best things you can do for yourself in learning how to budget as a freelancer is build your costs into what you charge. “As I’ve discovered more business expenses, I definitely take those into account as I’m determining what my rates are,” Goulet says. She notes that freelancers sometimes feel guilty for building business costs into their rates, especially when they’re worried about the fees they charge to begin with. But working the costs of being freelance into your rates is essential to building a thriving freelance career. You should annually evaluate the rates you charge.
Because your expenses will change over time, it’s wise to do quarterly and yearly check-ins to assess your income and costs and see if there are processes you can automate to save time and money.
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“A lot of the time, you don’t know about these expenses until you are in the trenches, and that can wreak havoc on your financial situation.”
Accounting for the various costs of being freelance makes for a more successful and sustainable freelance career. It also helps ensure that those who are self-employed achieve financial stability in their personal lives and their businesses.
“There are many hats you have to wear and expenses you have to take on,” Goulet says. “But for that, you’re gaining a lot of opportunity and flexibility in your life.”
The post Everything You Need to Know About Budgeting As a Freelancer appeared first on Discover Bank – Banking Topics Blog.
Source: discover.com
In its first meeting for 2021, and its first one during the Biden administration, the Federal Reserveâs rate-setting body voted to hold its target interest rate steady in the 0% to 0.25% range.
This means there is not likely to be much upward movement in variable credit card interest rates, which are typically tied to the Fedâs target interest rate, or the fed funds rate.
The Fed will also continue with its purchases of at least $80 billion in Treasury securities and $40 billion in agency mortgage-backed securities every month to further support the economy.
See related: What to expect from Biden, Harris on financial policy
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In a media release, the Federal Open Market Committee said, âThe pace of the recovery in economic activity and employment has moderated in recent months, with weakness concentrated in the sectors most adversely affected by the pandemic. Weaker demand and earlier declines in oil prices have been holding down consumer price inflation. Overall financial conditions remain accommodative, in part reflecting policy measures to support the economy and the flow of credit to U.S. households and businesses.â
The course of economic growth will depend on how effectively the pandemic is reined in, including with the use of vaccinations. Meanwhile, the Fed will aim to maintain its almost 0% target rate until it deems the economy to have attained âmaximum employmentâ and inflation outpaces its 2% target for a while.
The Fedâs aim is for inflation to overshoot its 2% target for a while so that average inflation remains around 2%, considering that inflation has been running below target for several years now.
In a related press conference, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell noted that there are positive signs for the economy going forward, and a number of forecasts call for a stronger economy in the second half of the year because of vaccine rollouts and fiscal stimulus. He expects that âwidespread vaccinations would enable us to put the pandemic behind us.â
Powell added that thereâs ânothing more important to the economy right now than people getting vaccinatedâ since that will enable everyone to get back to work. He himself has had his first vaccination shot and expects to be getting a second one soon, he mentioned.
However, he sees the pandemic as still presenting âconsiderable downside riskâ to the economy considering that no one knows how the vaccination rollout will go. Given this, the Fed has set its policy to be accommodative until it actually sees economic improvement.
See related: Millennials defer debt payoff, tap savings in pandemic
Considering that the shock from the pandemic âwas unprecedented both in terms of its nature and its size,â in modern history, the economy is still at least nine million jobs short of maximum employment, according to Powell. He also noted that the real unemployment rate is at least 10% taking into account people who have dropped out of the labor force.
He is concerned about any potential long-term damage from unemployment to people, which will ultimately prevent the U.S. economy from achieving its full productive potential.
Powell also pointed to racial disparities in terms of employment gaps, wealth gaps and home-ownership gaps that âeven controlling for many other factors, theyâre persistent and difficult to explain.â Broader prosperity for everyone is important since the Fed wants the âpotential output of the economy to be as high as possible.â
See related: Pandemic pins parents under financial strain: Survey
Although there could be a rise in inflation as the economy reopens, Powell expects this to be transient and not âtroubling inflation.â The world has been facing âdisinflationary pressuresâ for a while now, and Powell is more concerned about any damage to people and the economy from tightening its monetary policy too soon than about fighting off the possibility for higher inflation.
He also doesnât see risks to financial stability as high, based on asset prices and the use of debt by the banking system, businesses and households. News about vaccines and fiscal policy is what is driving asset prices, as he sees it.
Itâs premature for the Fed to think about rolling back its securities purchases and start being less accommodative, according to Powell. The Fed has learned a lot from its experience after the global financial crisis and the âtaper tantrumâ that ensued after it decided to start tightening its monetary policy during that recovery.
Accordingly, it will communicate its policy stances well in advance and be transparent this time around. âItâs too soon to be worried. When it comes (time) to exit, we know how to do that,â Powell said.
Source: creditcards.com
When’s the last time you made an appearance at a bank branch? With the latest digital technology, there’s almost no reason to step inside a physical bank: Nearly three-quarters of Americans bank primarily online or from their mobile device, according to the American Bankers Association.
But you might still like the idea of having a checking account at a bank with a branch nearby. Why? Maybe you think online banks aren’t as convenient as stopping by your neighborhood branch to get cash (free coffee aside), the perks aren’t as good as with traditional banks or that online banks aren’t insured. Actually, these are three of several big myths about online banking.
âPeople who say online bank accounts are inconvenient may not know how they work,” says Monica Lam, founder of money-saving blog Lucky Mojito. âI can mobile deposit a check into my account at any time without having to drive to the bank and wait in line.”
Lam wishes she hadn’t fallen for common online banking myths and took the benefits of online checking accounts more seriously sooner. âIf someone had told me I could avoid using gas or spending time going to the bank to deposit my checks,” Lam says, âI would have switched a long time ago.”
By now you’re probably wondering, “What are the most common myths about online banking?” We reveal themâand debunk themâso you can understand why opening an online checking account might be right for you.
Don’t just take Lam’s word that inconvenience is an online banking myth. Patricia Russell, a certified financial planner at FinanceMarvel, agrees. âSome online accounts offer 24/7 access to many features of the bank. You can open your account, view your balance, deposit checks, apply for loans and pay billsâall from the convenience of the mobile app or website,” Russell says.
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Nearly three-quarters of Americans bank primarily online or from their mobile device.
In fact, some online banks make it easy and convenient to open an account. âOnline accounts are extremely easy to open,” says Miguel A. Suro, founder of the financial blog The Rich Miser. âAll you have to do is go to the website or download the app and follow the simple prompts.”
If convenience is on your mind, you may also worry about the ability to access cash without a physical bank branch, but online banks may have a large network of ATMs that you can use, Russell says. For instance, with Discover’s online checking account, called Cashback Debit, you can use your debit card at over 60,000 no-fee ATMs. How’s that for debunking myths about online checking?
If you believe this, you’ve fallen for one of the most common myths about online banking.
Suro thinks one reason you may be able to score benefits from some online banks is that low overhead often means incentives can be passed down to the consumer.
One such incentive that disproves this myth about online checking is that many online banks charge low or no fees.
“You may be able to pay no fees for routine banking,” Suro says, “such as just having an account, ordering checks, ATM access and most money transfers.”
Discover Cashback Debit, for example, charges no fees. Period. That means you won’t be charged an account fee on your online checking account.1 Imagine, a host of potential fee-carrying features you no longer have to worry about!
Why should credit cards have all the fun?
Now you can earn cash back with your debit card.
Discover Bank, Member FDIC
Another perk on the online checking account sceneâdiscrediting this myth about online checkingâis cash back rewards, which have more traditionally been associated with credit cards. With Discover Cashback Debit, you can earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases monthly.2 That means your monthly cash back earnings could yield $360 in total rewards each year. This perk could be covering a good portion of your coffee habit!
You may also find this online banking myth refuted with the fact that some online checking accounts offer higher yields compared to traditional banks, Lam says, which means you can potentially make some cash while your funds are stashed.
While you need to have a computer, tablet or smartphone to use an online bank and access an online checking account, one of the top myths about online banking is that you have to be a techie.
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âThere is no need to know a lot about technology to have an online account,” Russell says. âSome banks know the importance of easy-to-use websites and mobile apps, so they often have a design that is simple and straightforwardâeven for those claiming not to be tech savvy.”
Lam, who recently opened a new online bank account, also challenges this myth about online banking. âI went online and filled out a simple form and instantly had access to my account,” she says.
Suro has had an online bank account for 10 years and has not found the technology to be challenging, debunking this myth about online checking. âIf you can manage your traditional bank’s account online via its website or app, you can manage an online-only account,” Suro says. âIt’s the same basic experience.”
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âIf you can manage your traditional bank’s account online via its website or app, you can manage an online-only account. It’s the same basic experience.”
Another online banking myth is that you won’t be able to access good customer service for your online checking account because you can’t walk into a branch to talk to someone. Not so fast.
Some online banks have customer service representatives that you can call, and some may even have this service available around the clock (no need to even leave the comfort of your home if you have a question). For instance, Discover’s customer service is available 24/7.
âYou no longer have to make it to the bank before it closes, you can actually contact the bank in the evening and get an answer,” Russell says.
If you’re all about communication from your favorite device, note that some online banks offer digital customer service through the bank’s website or app, calling into question this myth about online checking. âMany online banks offer [live] chat,” Russell says. You may also be able to contact an online bank’s customer service through social media.
Despite the face-to-face opportunity, Suro doesn’t think bank branches are necessarily better at providing customer service. He once needed to send a wire transfer and easily figured out how to do it online. When his relative went into a branch to do the same thing, he got held up. “The whole thing turned into an ordeal that took over 45 minutes,” Suro says.
One final online banking myth is that deposited money isn’t insured.
Online banks can be members of the FDIC, which means they insure your money up to $250,000 or the maximum allowed by law, Lam says. Before you open an account, you’ll want to make sure that the online bank is FDIC-insured. One way to do this is to call the FDIC’s toll-free number at 1-877-ASK FDIC (1-877-275-3342) and ask a deposit insurance specialist to confirm that the online bank in question is FDIC-insured. The FDIC’s online tool BankFind also allows you to search banks by name and informs you of their FDIC number and status, among other information. Banks often include language on their websites and in marketing materials noting if they are members of the FDIC, so be sure to look for that as well.
“Despite the benefits of online banks, many people don’t open accounts because of all these misconceptions,” Russell says.
Now that some of the common online banking myths have been challenged, you can more easily see the simplicity of online accounts and the time saved by banking onlineâtwo key reasons Suro is a huge proponent.
âThat’s why banking online is one of my core strategies for effortlessly saving money and moving through life more efficiently,” he adds.
1 Outgoing wire transfers are subject to a service charge. You may be charged a fee by a non-Discover ATM if it is not part of the 60,000+ ATMs in our no-fee network.
2 ATM transactions, the purchase of money orders or other cash equivalents, cash over portions of point-of-sale transactions, Peer-to-Peer (P2P) payments (such as Apple Pay Cash), and loan payments or account funding made with your debit card are not eligible for cash back rewards. In addition, purchases made using third-party payment accounts (services such as Venmo® and PayPalTM, who also provide P2P payments) may not be eligible for cash back rewards. Apple, the Apple logo and Apple Pay are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
The post 5 Online Banking Myths Debunked appeared first on Discover Bank – Banking Topics Blog.
Source: discover.com
As a small business owner, you may have a tough fight when it comes to standing out. Not only are you competing against other small businesses in your field, but you’re also competing against bigger corporations. And those big businesses have a more national reach and have the necessary cash to better promote themselves.
Do not lose hope just yet, however. There are a number of alternative options and ideas to make you, as a small business owner, stand out among your competitors. Also, it always helps to get some financial expertise on your side. So, consider working with an experienced financial advisor.
1. Engage in Social Media.
Big and successful businesses have the capital to promote themselves through advertisements and other marketing channels. But small businesses may face challenges to obtain financing to market themselves. So, for small businesses, the idea is to have a strong social media presence.
Not only is it free, also there is a personal touch that comes from operating a small business that big corporations may often lack. There are many social media platforms to market yourself (i.e, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tik-Tok, YouTube, just to name a few). So, post regularly on these platforms and respond to people’s comments.
2. Start A Podcast.
Just like marketing yourself through online platforms can be rewarding, starting a podcast is also a good way to promote your small business. Talk about the subjects that people seek out when they need a solution to a problem. People will then see you as an expert in your field. That in turn can provide you with more leads and marketing opportunities.
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3. Get Featured in Your Local Newspaper.
One of the best ways to get your name out there is to get featured in your local newspaper. This can be done for free or at a very low cost.
4. Establish a Good Relationship in Your Community.
It’s a good idea for a small business to establish a good relationship in their local community. If people always see you face-to-face in the community at charity events, or networking events, they are more likely to trust you and your product. Also, having a good relationship with your local bank will also help as you may one day want to ask for a business loan.
5. Apply for a Business Loan.
Lastly, consider applying for a small business loan. A small business loan can be a solution to your marketing strategy. It can help pay for your advertising cost without dipping into your own funds.
There is a challenge, however.
Many lenders require small businesses to have been in business for a number of years or to be making a minimum amount of revenue before they will lend any money. That is because these lenders want to make sure you will be able to pay off the loan, as many new businesses do not succeed.
So, do your shopping as there might be lenders that do not have any requirements at all. Before you start the process of applying for a small business loan, it’s a good idea to work out if you can afford it in the first place.
Hire a Pro: Develop Your Financial Strategy
You can talk to a financial advisor who can review your finances and help you reach your goals. Find one who meets your needs with SmartAssetâs free financial advisor matching service. You answer a few questions and they match you with up to three financial advisors in your area. So, if you want help developing a plan to reach your financial goals, get started now.
The post 5 Best Ways to Promote Your Small Business in 2021 appeared first on GrowthRapidly.
Source: growthrapidly.com
Love it or hate it, many Americans are spending more time at home. The coronavirus pandemic not only accelerated the work-from-home trend to warp speed, but it also shuttered schools and summer camps, scratched travel plans and canceled brunch and dinner reservations across the country.
Jen Dawson, a certified financial planner and managing director in Chicago, found that the uncertainty and stay-at-home lifestyle created by the pandemic prompted her clients to look at their financial situations in a new light.
âI think it just gives opportunities for people and families to reflect,â Dawson says. ââWhat do we want out of life? What do we want from our money?â Those conversations are really valuable.â
As Dawsonâs clients reflect on their goals, they (and many others) are also wondering, âHow should I adjust my household budget if weâre spending more time at home?â
Ellen Rogin, a former wealth advisor and now a speaker, author and entrepreneur, notes that people across the country were affected by the pandemic in very different ways. While many workers were able to keep their jobs as they transitioned to working from home, many were not.
âThere are people who have lost their jobs and are being forced to make difficult decisions,â Rogin says. âAnd there are people who are still employed and earning the same income they did before, who have more options as they decide how they’re spending their money now.â
Even if youâve been spared serious financial challenges, you should still consider updating or creating a household budget or spending plan. This will allow you to determine how to save more money in the stay-at-home economy.
Rogin and Dawson encourage you to use this opportunity to ensure youâre at least staying on track to meet your savings goalsâand at best, shortening your savings timelines. Itâs also a chance to make sure that your spending habits, which have likely changed as youâve spent more time at home, are maximizing your happiness.
Below, we break down insights from Rogin and Dawson into four actionable steps you can take to save money in quarantine while living the best life possible. It all starts with taking an objective look at how your spending habits changed as you transitioned to a more domestic lifestyle.
Read on to see how to save more money in the stay-at-home economy by creating a new household budget:
As you set about creating a household budget for an at-home lifestyle and determining how to save more money in the stay-at-home economy, start by reviewing your spending.
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âMost people donât really know how much money theyâre spending, whether times are good or bad. But it can really make you feel calmer to know what it takes to run your lifestyle.â
Dawson encourages you to refer to your debit and credit card statements to analyze the differences between your spending before staying home became the norm, and after. âYou can compare it and contrast and have observations and discussions around what changed,â she says. âWhat do you like that you want to keep going, and what do you not like about it?”
All you need, Dawson says, is a spreadsheet to total up your major expenses, such as housing, utilities, transportation, food and dining, travel, shopping and entertainment. Then, subtract the sum of those costs from the money you earned (aka income) over the same timeframe.
Do this exercise for three months of spending before quarantine and then again for three months of spending during quarantine. Youâll be able to compare the data to see whether you have more or less disposable income as a member of the stay-at-home economy.
Rogin notes that it can be a little scary to examine your finances like this, but thereâs no reason to feel anxious.
âMost people donât really know how much money theyâre spending, whether times are good or bad,â she says. âBut it can really make you feel calmer to know what it takes to run your lifestyle.â
If you see that your disposable income decreased while in quarantine (or that you no longer have disposable income at all), then youâll need to find ways to cut back on spending if you want to keep your savings goals on track. If your extra cash increased and youâre actually saving more money in quarantine, then you can start to consider how you might hit some or all of your savings goals more quickly.
Either way, you still have work to do as you consider how to save more money in the stay-at-home economy. Rather than focusing on external factors that are out of your control, Rogin and Dawson recommend that, as a next step, you ask yourself what matters most to you.
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Rogin considers the distanced, more remote way of life as a chance to reflect on whatâs really important in order to create your household budget. One example she points to is how many people have been cooking at home far more often than they once did.
âMaybe youâre spending more on groceries, but thatâs less than you were spending on eating outâand you enjoy it,â she says. âYouâre spending more time with your family. Youâre eating more healthily. So it gives you the opportunity to really assess your budget in a different way.â
Another example is travel. Rogin says that some people have told her that they really miss it, but others have been surprised to find how happy they are to pump the brakes on their jet-setting ways. In addition to saving money in quarantine from reimbursed travel and no more expensive trips, itâs allowed them to slow down and enjoy their time at home with family.
For her part, Rogin found that she wore the same two pairs of shoes during quarantine because theyâre comfortable, and no one can see them when sheâs video conferencing during work. As a result, Rogin cut this expense from her stay-at-home budget.
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Whether youâre facing a cash shortage or surplus from more time spent at home, Rogin says that extending this line of thinking into a âvalues-based spending planâ for the stay-at-home economy will allow you to direct your money to what matters most to you, while diverting funds away from what doesnât.
Once you add up the expenses that are no longer necessary in your stay-at-home budget, itâs time to put that money to work.
Dawson underscores that evaluating spending patterns can be an emotional exercise. If youâre reviewing your finances with a family member, partner or spouse, try to resist the urge to nitpick every purchase. The trends should be easy enough to spot from a birdâs-eye view.
Dawson and Rogin recommend having a plan when youâre trying to figure out how to save more money in the stay-at-home economy. That plan should include what youâre saving for, as well as where youâll keep the funds as they add up.
Rogin recommends framing your financial goals from a positive angle. For example, when you create a household budget, instead of focusing on cutting spending, you can set a goal for how much extra money you want to save.
If you have children or live with a partner or spouse, Dawson notes that this goal-oriented approach can help get them involved. The objective might be to start an emergency fund to ride out unexpected headwinds. Or, the focus could be on saving up for a big vacation to look forward to when travel restrictions ease.
When deciding where to keep your savings, a standard checking account wonât allow your money to grow like a high-yield online savings account will. Rather than pooling the money youâve saved in quarantine into one account, Dawson suggests opening multiple savings accounts, one for each of your savings goals.
âBe really clear about what each savings account is for,â she says. âThen youâre more likely to fund it.â
Of course, luxury savings goals like a vacation should not take priority over your long-term savings goals, such as retirement or college funds.
If you are saving money in quarantine, Rogin suggests considering all the benefits of earmarking extra cash for philanthropic causes. It could go directly to the local small businesses you love that are hurting for revenue. Or it could go to any number of nonprofit organizations that are doing good in the world.
âSo many people are in need now,â Rogin says. âThere are so many beautiful ways that can help you feel like youâre making a difference for people by reallocating some of that money towards causes and people that you want to support.â
The stay-at home lifestyle may not have been in your plans, but you have the opportunity to gain control of your finances inside your home by creating a household budget that works for you in this new reality.
When you analyze, assess and optimize your spending and consider how to save money in quarantine, youâll be in as strong a financial position as possible when life gets back to normal.
If youâve been fortunate enough to save money in quarantine, consider starting or adding to your emergency fund. Not sure where to store your savings? Check out the four best places to keep your emergency fund.
Articles may contain information from third-parties. The inclusion of such information does not imply an affiliation with the bank or bank sponsorship, endorsement, or verification regarding the third-party or information.
The post How to Save More Money in the Stay-at-Home Economy by Focusing on What Matters Most appeared first on Discover Bank – Banking Topics Blog.
Source: discover.com
You’ve probably had a checking account for most of your life and never gave it much thought. It’s just there to store your everyday cash, right? Not necessarily.
If you’re considering questions about checking accounts as you take a closer look at your current setup and explore opening a new one, it’s important to note that checking accounts are designed with different and unique features. Some may even be more beneficial to you than you realize.
For starters, most checking accounts offer a host of conveniences, providing customers the ability to set up automatic payments for routine bills, schedule electronic transfers and make all deposits and transfers via a smartphone app. Some accounts even allow you to earn cash back on your debit card purchases.
âA checking account can have a long-term impact on your financial well-being, so it’s worth taking the time to figure everything out,” says Jeff Kreisler, money expert and author of the personal finance book “Dollars and Sense.”
At this point, you might be thinking, “What questions should I ask before opening a checking account?” To help you decide which account is right for you, here are four key questions to ask yourself:
Before you open a new checking account, do a little homework to learn about the different types of checking accounts offered by banks, Kreisler says. There’s the standard personal checking account that allows you to write checks and make payments with your debit card or electronically. But when thinking about questions to ask when opening a checking account, go beyond the basic features to find an account that best fits your lifestyle and financial goals. Here are some examples:
Say hello to
cash back on debit
card purchases.
No monthly fees.
No balance requirements.
No, really.
See Details
Discover Bank, Member FDIC
The above checking accounts are the most standard and usually have appealing benefits. But if you have more questions about checking accounts, there are options that can cater to more specific needs. However, they often have less flexibility. For instance:
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“A checking account can have a long-term impact on your financial well-being, so it’s worth taking the time to figure everything out.”
This is one of the most commonly asked questions about checking accounts. Before choosing a checking account, be sure to research its fees, says Marc Bernstein, financial planner and strategist for MWealth Advisors. Types of fees and fee amounts can vary greatly from bank to bank, and even among accounts at the same bank.
A question to ask when opening a checking account is if the account charges fees for ATM use, automatic bill pay, monthly maintenance, ordering checks, replacing a debit card or ordering official bank checks. Banks may charge any combination of these feesâor none. Discover Cashback Debit comes with no fees. Period.2 That means you won’t be charged a fee for any of these services.
Along with including the fee topic on your list of questions to ask before choosing a checking account, you should also consider obtaining “a document outlining the fees you’ll be paying, in case you have any questions, and check the fine print,” Bernstein says. You can also typically find a list of fees (if any) on the bank’s website or in the account agreement.
According to Bernstein, among the questions to ask when opening a checking account is if it requires an initial minimum balance to open. You’ll also want to know if a minimum balance needs to be maintained to avoid a fee.
Bernstein suggests looking for an account with no minimum balance requirement if you tend to keep less than $1,000 in your account or like to have flexibility when making large withdrawals.
If you’ve asked this question about checking accounts and are still comparing accounts that have a minimum balance requirement, realistically determine how much you can keep in your account per month and what you will be charged if you can’t keep that balance.
Even if your account falls below a minimum requirement, there could be a way to save on fees. If you have multiple accounts at one bank, the bank may allow you to combine the balances to waive checking fees.
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The total average cost of withdrawing cash from an out-of-network ATM is $4.68. That’s 36 percent higher than it was 10 years prior, with no signs of decreasing.
If you frequent the ATM to take out cash, a good question to ask before choosing a checking account is: Where are the bank’s ATMs located in relation to your home and work?
Availability of ATMs is an important question to ask when opening a checking account that can really affect your wallet. For instance, if you decide to withdraw money from an ATM that’s not in your bank’s network, you can get hit with two separate charges: a surcharge from the ATM owner (since you’re not a customer) and a fee from your own bank.
And those fees can really add up. According to Bankrate’s 2018 checking account and ATM fee study, the total average cost of withdrawing cash from an out-of-network ATM is $4.68. That’s 36 percent higher than it was 10 years prior, with no signs of decreasing.
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One way to get cash without paying an ATM fee is to use your own bank’s ATMs. The more ATM locations that your bank offers that are conveniently located, the less likely you are to use one that’s out-of-network and rack up unnecessary charges. If you can’t always use your own bank’s ATM, one of the questions to ask when opening a checking account is whether your bank allows you to use a broader ATM network for no-fee transactions.
Opening a new checking account is an important step toward establishing, or rebuilding, your financial foundation.
Now that you can ask the right questions about checking accounts, you’re one step closer to choosing an account that fits your individual needs. And that feels like money in the bank.
1 ATM transactions, the purchase of money orders or other cash equivalents, cash over portions of point-of-sale transactions, Peer-to-Peer (P2P) payments (such as Apple Pay Cash), and loan payments or account funding made with your debit card are not eligible for cash back rewards. In addition, purchases made using third-party payment accounts (services such as Venmo® and PayPal
, which also provide P2P payments) may not be eligible for cash back rewards. Apple, the Apple logo and Apple Pay are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
2 Outgoing wire transfers are subject to a service charge. You may be charged a fee by a non-Discover ATM if it is not part of the 60,000+ ATMs in our no-fee network.
The post 4 Questions to Ask Before Choosing a Checking Account appeared first on Discover Bank – Banking Topics Blog.
Source: discover.com
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If you lose your chase debit card by any chance or if it was stolen, you can request a replacement very easily. But one thing you cannot do anymore is to just go to a Chase branch in your neighborhood and request a replacement card. While it was convenient, Chase discontinued that method due to fraud. We’ll show you how you can replace your chase debit card in 3 other ways.
Note that if you card is about to expire, there is no need to request a replacement card. Chase will automatically send you a new card during the month your current card will expire. The main reasons to request a card are if your card has been stolen, lost, or damaged.
The first way to request your Chase debit card replacement is to do it online.
1. Go to Chase.com to sign in. 2. Once you are on the homepage, click on the “More…” options. 3. Then, click on “Account Services.” 4. Then, click on “Replace a lost or damaged card.”
After you have completed all these steps, the new window will ask you to choose a Chase debit card that you need to replace. It also ask you to choose a reasons why you need to request a Chase debit card replacement.
The three main reasons you will notice on the drop down menu are: 1) my current cards needs to be re-issued; 2) My card is lost; 3) My card wasn’t received.
Once you have chosen a reason for replacement, review and submit your request. You should receive your card in 3-5 business days. If you don’t receive your card after five days, call Chase customer service using the number on your statement.
Another way to order a Chase debit card replacement is through telephone. Using the Chase customer service is available 24/7. So you can call immediately, especially if you think your debit card was stolen.
The telephone number to call is 1-800-935-9935. If your credit card that is lost, damaged or stolen, the right telephone number is 1-800-432-3117.
Lastly, the third way to replace your Chase debit card is through the Chase Mobile app.
If you have installed it on your phone, this should be very easy and straightforward. Right from your phone, follow these steps:
1) After you login into your Chase Mobile app, tap on the debit card or credit card you want to replace. 2) Scroll down to find “Replace a lost or damage card.” 3) Then, choose the card you want to replace and then choose a reason for replacement. 4) Review your request and submit it.
Simple and done!
In conclusion, if you think you need a Chase replacement card, request it either from the Chase Mobile app, sign in to chase.com, or call the 800 number. It’s easy and you can request it in under 5 minutes. But one thing you cannot do is visiting your local branch and request one instantly. Chase will not replace your debit card at any of its locations. You’ll have to use the three methods outlined above.
Related:
The post How to Get a Chase Debit Card Replacement appeared first on GrowthRapidly.
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