What is private mortgage insurance?
If you get a conventional loan and make a down payment of less than 20 percent of the home price, you are required to purchase private mortgage insurance (PMI). PMI protects the lender (not you) in case you fail to make your mortgage payments. Banks, savings associations, credit unions, and mortgage companies make conventional loans…
Read MoreThinking About an MLM Side-Hustle? Read This First.
How many times has a friend or family member tried to sell a product or recruit you to sell a product or service? If this sounds familiar, they’re most likely involved with a multi-level marketing company. What is multi-level marketing? A multi-level marketing company, or “MLM,” is a common strategy for regular folks to run…
Read MoreTeaching Your Kids to Save Money
Think about the lessons you learned about money. How do the messages you heard in your early years impact the way you view and manage money today? Research shows that lifelong money habits are formed early. In fact, psychologists believe that by age 7 (I know, right?), kids have already developed long-lasting attitudes about money.…
Read MoreKeep It in the Family: How to Pass on Money and Assets to Family Members
Creating a plan for how you will pass on money or other assets (anything you own) is called estate planning. Many people think that if they don’t have a lot of money or assets (like homes, cars, and jewelry), they don’t have an “estate.” But the fact is we all have an estate. How you…
Read MoreWhat is an Opportunity Cost?
Opportunity cost is an economics concept with huge implications in every aspect of our lives. To put it simply, when you say “yes” to one thing, you are saying “no” to another. Opportunity Cost in the Real World Let’s try an example. Say your goal is to build healthier habits by exercising every day. When…
Read MoreWhat is Lifestyle Inflation?
Have you noticed that even when your income increases, it can feel like you still don’t have more money leftover at the end of the month? That’s because often, when our income increases, our expenses do too. This is a very real phenomenon called lifestyle inflation that can sneak up on us despite our best…
Read MoreHow to Negotiate a Raise
I always like to say that there are only three things you can do to change your financial situation: make more, spend less, or a combination of the two. But making more money can be easier said than done. It could mean finding a new job, gaining additional skills, or working more hours. Let’s dive…
Read More“Sharing is Caring” – Does that Apply to Bank Accounts?
Ah, opening a joint bank account or credit card – so easy to do, yet so hard to untangle if things don’t go as planned. Once you open a joint account, the money that was “yours” is now “ours.” That’s a big step for any relationship. Make sure you’re on the same page about how…
Read MoreHow to Find the Right Products for You
Hi, I’m Saundra Davis, financial coach here at SaverLife. Today we’re going to talk about how to find the right financial products and services for your situation. It is wonderful that we have so many financial products and services to choose from, but it can also be overwhelming. It can be very difficult to make a decision. There are many things that…
Read MoreHow to Build an Insurance Plan to Protect What Matters Most
We all face risks every day, from driving a car to the ever-present risk of illness or natural disasters. Protecting yourself from these varied risks is a complex task. Consider a relatively simple risk: adopting a pet. Picture your newly adopted dog, maybe a little frazzled by his new environment. You’re out on a walk…
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