Understanding Interest Rates

After many conversations with friends and family, I realized that a basic understanding of how interest rates work for borrowing and investing was missing from the general population. Many families are faced with the decision as to where to put their money, after they have paid all their basic expenses. Should they place it in a savings account or pay off their credit cards? This consistent discussion actually led me to write an article on this same subject for the Dollar Stretcher. The main struggle appears to come from understanding the overall affect of the interest rate. The Prime Rate … Continue reading

Mutual Fund Terms

When investing in mutual funds, there are many terms to know and understand. However, they are not always common knowledge. To better help you evaluate your investments and understand what your financial planner is telling you, let us discuss some common terms. 1. Equity Funds – These funds invest only in stocks. 2. Fixed Income Funds – These funds invest only in bonds. 3. Growth Funds – These specialize in companies expected to grow quickly, particularly when compared to similar companies in the same industry. 4. Index Funds – The fund managers of these funds try to match the stock … Continue reading