There are many free or inexpensive budget spreadsheet options, so all you have to do is put in your income and expenses, and the spreadsheet will allow you to track how much you spend and how much you save. That way, you can see where you can cut costs and meet your financial goals. You may also be able to personalize these spreadsheets for your needs. Vertex42 Spreadsheets Vertex42 has over a dozen free budget and personal finance spreadsheets that work with Microsoft Excel, as well as some that are compatible with LibreOffice Calc, Apache OpenOffice Calc, and Google Sheets....

First and foremost, paying cash is always the best option for major purchases like an engagement ring. Paying cash will save you money on interest, help you avoid late payment fees or penalties, and keep you from buying a ring that’s out of your budget. If paying cash for your engagement ring isn’t an option, you may be looking to finance that brand-new sparkler instead. We explore the best ways to finance an engagement ring, from jewelry store financing options to a personal loan, and even paying via credit card....

What the Monthly Jobs Report Means for You The BLS’ monthly job report is an important metric for the economy. On the day of its release, the stock market responds—and not always in the direction you’d think. When inflation is high, a strong jobs report is typically bad news for the equity market. This is because a report from the BLS showing that all sectors are steadily adding jobs suggests to the Federal Reserve that the economy (and inflation) are not slowing down....

Sure, like much of the tax code, the new tax credit for 2021 is shrouded in bureaucratic technobabble such as “refundable credit” and “modified adjusted gross income.” But experts who’ve analyzed the measure are using words like “dramatic” and “transformative” to describe the impact it will have on most American families—especially if the temporary pandemic relief measure is made permanent, as some lawmakers are lobbying for. And as early as July, the credit will make itself felt in most households with children in a way that everyone understands: money in the bank....

An administrator commonly settles intestate estates—those where the decedent died without leaving a valid last will and testament. They might also have left a will but neglected to have named a personal representative, or the personal representative is unable or unwilling to serve. The probate court will appoint an administrator in these situations. Choosing a Personal Representative Ideally, you’ll name a personal representative in your will and that individual will be able and willing to serve....

The survey attributed slow adoption of mobile payments to the following factors: Safety of Mobile Payments Pew found that age was the best predictor of mobile payment use, with younger Americans driving the adoption of such transactions. It remains to be seen if mobile payment providers like Apple or Android Pay can make their user experience more seamless than credit cards for the general population. While mobile payments have advanced security features, it’s still important to keep some tips in mind to ensure your financial information isn’t compromised....

Whether you’re writing your first resume or polishing your mid-career one, these tips will help you create a document that persuades employers to get to know you better. Here’s how to create a resume that will help you land an interview. Guidelines for What to Include in a Resume How to Include Your Contact Information on Your Resume How to Write a Resume Profile Decide which type best fits your work experience, educational background, and skill set....

Getting Started Investing begins before buying the first mutual fund (or prior to buying the next one). If you’re investing independent of a financial advisor, ask yourself a few questions: What do you hope to accomplish with your savings? A secure retirement? Accumulation of wealth for strengthening your financial security? What is your time horizon? One year? Five years? 10 years? Basic Types and Categories of Mutual Funds Mutual funds are organized into categories by asset class (stocks, bonds, and cash) and then further categorized by style, objective or strategy....

The average rate offered to homebuyers using a conventional 30-year fixed mortgage inched down to 4.32% from 4.34% the previous business day. Earlier in the week, it was 4.35%, the highest it’s been since 2020. The average for a 15-year fixed mortgage fell to 3.45% from 3.52% the previous business day. Earlier in the week, it was 3.56%, also its high since 2020. Fixed mortgage rates tend to track the direction of 10-year Treasury yields, which usually rise with heightened inflation fears (and fall when those fears subside....

The average rate offered for a 15-year conventional fixed mortgage rose slightly to 5.49% from 5.46% the previous business day, reaching its highest in years. The 30-year fell to 6.67% from 6.72% the previous business day, but is still nearly 1 percentage point higher than it was at the beginning of June. Our mortgage rate data only dates back to 2020, but if other measures are any indicator, both rates may be at or near their highest levels in over a decade....

The average on a conventional 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 6.13% from 6.17% the previous business day. A couple of weeks ago it reached 6.19%, its highest point since at least 2019, and likely much farther back. (Our daily mortgage rate data only goes back to April 2021, but our data on yearly highs and lows date back to 2020, so we know rates weren’t higher in 2020, and if other measures are any indicator, may have hit their highest point in over a decade....

For the decade-plus that Bitcoin has been in existence—it was developed in response to the 2008 financial crisis—it’s been mostly ignored, snubbed, and even shut down by the big players on Wall Street. But there are rumblings that this “ignore it, and it will all go away” attitude could be changing. Wall Street Interest Goldman Sachs announced in May 2018 that it was opening a Bitcoin trading desk, but in early August 2018, concurrent with the dramatic decline of Bitcoin prices, it also announced that it waasn’t “sold” on the virtual currency....

A sideways trend often refers to the stock market. That includes the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, or the NASDAQ. But it can occur in any investment, including bonds, commodities, or foreign exchange. What a Sideways Market Tells You A sideways market means prices are getting ready to continue forward in the same direction they had been in before. It’s unlikely that a sideways market will occur before a significant change in direction....

Homebuying partners often have disparate income levels, debts, and credit histories, not to mention different philosophies when it comes to spending and saving. To successfully navigate the homebuying process with a partner, you need to do a lot of communicating and compromising—even before you start talking to real estate agents. Take Steffa Mantilla, founder of the personal finance website Money Tamer. She and her husband got married right out of college and saved up for seven years to purchase a home....

Witthaya Prasongsin / Getty Images Example: the QQQ’s which tracks the Nasdaq-100 index. Examples include the EWJ, which tracks Japan’s Nikkei Index and the EWG, which tracks the MSCI Germany Index. Example: Invesco Dynamic Pharmaceuticals ETF (PJP) Some ETFs do not comprise equities at all. Commodity ETFs are made up of derivative contracts like futures, forwards, and options. While the goal is to emulate an investment product, there are different ways to accomplish this within the construction of ETFs....

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau revealed nearly 70% of minority-owned businesses that applied for business financing in 2020 needed the money to cover the expenses required to run the business, compared to 53% of nonminority businesses that applied for business financing in 2020. How To Apply for a Minority Small Business Loan When looking for a loan, know your loan preferences and determine what will work well for your business....

President Joe Biden released a $6.011 trillion federal budget proposal in May 2021 for fiscal year (FY) 2022. The U.S. government estimates it will receive $4.174 trillion in revenue through Sept. 30, 2022, creating a $1.837 trillion deficit for Oct. 1, 2022. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicted before Biden’s budget proposal was released that the 2021 deficit would be $2.3 trillion. It later revised the 2021 deficit figure to $3 trillion as a result of the American Rescue Plan....

One of the main reasons for the reduced growth forecast is the recent spike in the price of gasoline and the crude oil it’s made from. That, along with higher food prices, may force families to cut back on other items, shrinking overall consumer spending, a juggernaut of the economy. (Widespread sanctions against Russia—a major global supplier of petroleum and agricultural products—have sent gas prices soaring and threaten to do the same to food....

How LTROs Work to Support Growth LTROs provide eurozone banks with a source of low interest rate funding in times when cash, or liquid funds, are low. As collateral on these loans, banks can use sovereign debt. The loans are offered monthly, and the most common forms are to be repaid in three months, six months, or one year. In some cases, the ECB used longer-term LTROs. The three-year LTRO in December of 2011 was one such instance of these longer versions, which tend to see much higher demand....

The operating income shows, in terms of dollars, what remains for the owners after deducting all of the expenses related to producing the pizzas and operating the business. The profit margin represents a view, in percentage terms, of the operating income left after all expenses have been deducted. This simplifies comparing profit margins of different companies. A large company might have what looks like a significant amount of operating profits, but if it’s operating costs are high, it may have a low profit margin....