Healthy Financial Habits

Christmas time is almost here and what better gift to give then a new car audio system. Sound systems make a great gift for anyone that may be into music. After all, who doesn’t enjoy listening to music while they are driving around town?

A sound system consists of several components including a unit, multiple mid range speakers, an amplifier and subwoofers. All of these components are installed and carefully wired together to form what is known as a sound system. Sound systems can be simple or have multiple components making them complex.

If you are interested in purchasing a sounds system for Christmas first consider how much you would like to spend. A quality sound system can cost anywhere from $800 on up to thousands. If a complete sound system is not in your budget then you may want to consider purchasing just a stereo unit. The person receiving the gift can add additional components in the future.

Consider the gift of music this holiday season. Shop around and find the best deal possible. Remember to hire a professional to install your car stereo equipment. It is never a good idea to hire someone to install your equipment based solely on how much they charge. Ask a friend or family member if they know anyone with knowledge of equipment installation. Hiring someone who does not know what they are doing can result in damage to your vehicles electrical system, new stereo equipment or may even cause a fire.

Check back with Healthy Financial Habits this holiday season for more great gift ideas. Here you will find a variety of ways to save money on everything from gifts to groceries.If financing is a problem then we offer financing solutions. If you have a question or specific topic that you would like to read about contact the staff: Healthyfinancialhabits@gmail.com

Author: John Zinsky

If you are looking to purchase a computer for someone this holiday season but are unable to due to poor credit, you may want to consider a rent to own program. Rent to own programs are becoming increasingly popular as more and more people suffer from credit problems that are caused from happenings beyond their control.

Rent to own businesses such as Aarons rental or Rent A Center allow good people with bad credit to enjoy many of the same luxuries that most Americans are accustom to. They have a wide selection of household items such as appliances, electronics, furniture, and computers. Rent to own businesses purchase sought after items such as laptop computers and big screen televisions and sell them directly by providing in house financing. They usually have a large selection of the latest and the greatest.

One of the greatest advantages of renting to own is the ability to make flexible payments. These companies understand that a monthly payment plan is not for everyone. You are able to choose from a weekly, biweekly, or monthly payment plan. Some even offer the option to break your contract without penalty if you happen to lose your job in this struggling economy.

Another perk of renting to own is mobility. If you are currently in a situation where you need furniture or electronics and plan to move in the near future, then renting to own may be a good option for you. They often offer free delivery and pickup when you are ready to move.  Renting to own takes  the struggle out of moving.

As you may have guessed all of this greatness comes at a price. Rent to own businesses assume a risk when it comes to financing poor credit borrowers. In addition they have many other overhead costs such as buildings, trucks, fuel, and staffing. Because of this you should expect to pay a little more than if you were to make your purchase at a big-box retailer.

If the credit blues have you down this holiday season you should consider purchasing your gifts from a rent to own establishment.  Don’t let your bad credit stand in the way of making that special someone happy this holiday season. Check out what your local Aarons rental or Rent A Center has to offer.

Check back with Healthy Financial Habits this holiday season for gift giving idea. We strive to present to you unique gift ideas and alternative financing options. If the financial blues have you down this holiday season Healthy Financial Habits can help.

Author: John Zinsky

Looking for a Christmas gift for someone with credit issues? Perhaps your gift recipient is not old enough to purchase a cell phone on their own? Prepaid cell phones make a great gift for just about anyone with a need to communicate.

Prepaid cell phones such as the Tracfone are becoming increasingly  popular for a variety of reasons. Contracted cell phone companies often charge exorbitant fees if you go over your minutes or unknowingly enter into a roaming zone.  All it takes is one mistake and next thing you know there is a outrageous bill sitting in you mailbox that is impossible to pay.

The Tracfone is one of many prepaid phone services that offer the advantage of pay as you go minutes or airtime. You can purchase a phone from several retailers or directly from the Tracfone website. Pay as you go phones such as the TracFone offer several advantages such as no bills, no contracts, and free minute tracking.

The process of using a prepaid cell phone is fairly simple. First you must obtain a cell phone directly from the Tracfone website or at one of their participating retailers such as Walmart, Walgreens or CVS. After you purchase a phone you have to load your phone with minutes. Loading your phone is as easy as purchasing a Tracfone airtime card from the store or you can purchase airtime directly from Tracfone online.

Don’t let someone get stuck in a contract that is near impossible to get out of. Prepaid cell phones are a great option for folks who just don’t have the time to keep track of their minute usage or fear a monthly bill. Consider giving the gift of communication this holiday season to that special someone.

Check back with Healthy Financial Habits this holiday season for more great gift ideas. Here you will find a variety of ways to save money on everything from gifts to groceries. If financing is a problem then we offer financing solutions. If you have a question or specific topic that you would like to read about contact the staff: Healthyfinancialhabits@gmail.com

Author: Allen Dukes

Are your Christmas funds running a little low this year? In case you haven’t noticed, gold is in high demand these days. Economic conditions have left many scrambling to purchase large quantities of gold as a hedge against feared inflation. Gold prices recently reached a record high of over $1,200 an ounce earlier this month.

Selling scrap gold can be a great way to raise some extra cash this Christmas. Before you hand over your precious metals to some knuckle head make sure you know what it is worth. Calculating the price of scrap gold is easy to do and can prevent you from getting ripped off when you go to sell.  Grab your scrap gold, a scale (in grams), pencil, paper and a calculator and lets get started.

First thing you must understand is that your scrap gold as it implies “scrap”. You will be selling your gold jewelry solely on its weight and purity value. Scrap gold buyers do not take into consideration craftsmanship of your jewelry. For this reason you may not get nearly what was originally paid for your jewelry. Also, gold jewelry has to be melted down and processed, which also cost money. You should expect to receive up to 20% less per ounce for this reason.

Most jewelry will have a stamp on it indicating how many karats of gold the jewelry contains. A karat is a measurement of purity. 24 Karat ( “24K” marking) indicates pure gold. Gold is mixed with other metals to make it stronger and more affordable. For this reason you are likely to see 18k, 12k or even 10k.

With that bit of knowledge you are ready to calculate what your scrap gold is worth. Lets take for example a 12k wedding band that weigh 7 grams with a current gold price of $1,100 an ounce. The formula for scrap selling gold is:

Scrap gold value = ((Karats/24) * weight in grams) (Current price per gram) (.80)

If we plug in the variables with our example we get:

$109.98 =((12/24)*7)(39.28)(.80)

You should expect to receive approximately $109.98 for your scrap gold wedding band. In some cases it may be wiser to sell your gold for its craftsmanship and not its weight value. Visit your local jeweler or pawn shop and ask what they can give you for it. It is often the case that you are able to get more for your jewelry when sold as scrap.

Check back with Healthy Financial Habits this holiday season for more great gift ideas. Here you will find a variety of ways to save money on everything from gifts to groceries. If financing is a problem then we offer financing solutions. If you have a question or specific topic that you would like to read about contact the staff: Healthyfinancialhabits@gmail.com

Author: Mike Smitt

The price of gold dropped $28.70 yesterday closing, at $1106.80 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Gold steadily dropped off during the day when investors sought after the dollar as United States currency becomes more appealing. The dollar index DYX reached a 3 month high yesterday. The dollar index measures the strength of United States currency against a basket of 6 other currencies from around the world.

Why is the price of gold dropping off? The answer is because the dollar is gaining strength. Recent news has cause the dollar to execute an about-face. Two weeks ago the department of labor announced that unemployment figures for the month of November were lower than expected. One week later we learned from the consumer department that retail sales were significantly higher than expected. The news signaled that the United States economy is on a rebound. At the same time Greece’s credit rating was downgraded having an effect on the Euro.

On Wednesday we heard from the Federal Reserve who indicated that interest rates should remain near 0% going into the New Year. The Feds also mentioned that some special programs to support the financial systems are going to be cut off at the beginning of the New Year because they are no longer needed. This statement caused world stock to drop nearly 2% yesterday.

With the United States economy showing signs of improvement and the Euro taking a hit, we will most likely see the dollar index rise. As the dollar index rises the price of gold will continue to suffer. Gold and the dollar have an inverse relationship, meaning that when one increases the other decreases.

Check back with Healthy Financial Habits every Monday morning for your weekly gold price predictions. Here you will find current news, information and investment strategies that will assist you in making financial decisions. It is important to remember that consulting with a quality financial adviser is always recommended prior to making personal financial decisions.

Author: Mike Smitt