Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Interest rate decision expected this week The Fed will announce a decision on interest rates this week, and many economists expect them to be lowered. Those who think rates will be raised again say it would confirm that we are headed toward a recession. The decision is expected Wednesday.… Read more
Starting a business is not for the faint of heart. A certain level of stress comes with carrying the responsibility of ensuring your company’s success. If things go wrong, it all falls back on you. That said, the freedom and sense of accomplishment of running your own business make the challenges well worth it. With good planning and strong business practices, you can avoid the pitfalls and drive your business… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. President Biden assures Americans that the banking system is safe amid Silicon Valley Bank collapse President Biden reassured Americans that their deposits in the banking system are safe and that his administration will take action to contain Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse. He explained how his administration will protect small… Read more
It is well established that financial literacy is a key component of financial independence. The more you know and understand about finance, the better equipped you are to make important decisions. Historically, women have had lower financial literacy scores than men for many reasons, including social norms, a lack of access to resources, and needing to focus on other issues. That said, women are living longer than men and studies… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. China is booming as Zero Covid approach ends The Chinese economy is heating up, with manufacturing growing at its highest rate in a decade. The improvement is due to the widespread loosening of restrictions which brought millions of people back to work and bodes well for the world economy.… Read more
Deciding to purchase something to help your business is a big decision. It can be difficult to part with hard-earned money, especially in the early days. To understand the right time to invest by purchasing something for your business, you must calculate whether the Return on Investment (ROI) would be profitable. The cost is the amount of money you spend making the purchase, plus any indirect costs (such as training… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Inflation measures surged at the fastest rate since last June Consumer prices rose 0.6% from December to January, the fastest pace since June. Core inflation was up 4.7% compared to this time last year. Consumer spending rose 1.8% from December to January. Government takes action against crypto industry Last… Read more
2023 is expensive. The cost of living is higher than ever, interest rates keep rising, and it keeps getting harder to stay afloat, let alone get ahead. As a result, carrying debt has become commonplace. But, with the challenges of the past few years, many of us have more debt than we’re comfortable with. How do you get ahead while you’re still trying to catch up? Here are some tips… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Meta follows in the footsteps of Twitter Mark Zuckerburg announced that Meta is launching a pay-for-verification subscription service called Meta Verified for Facebook and Instagram, much like Twitter Blue. The launch begins in Australia and New Zealand this week, with more countries to follow. Nearly 1.1 million cars recalled… Read more
When you go into business as a tradesperson, your focus is often on performing your trade to the best of your ability – as it should be. With time, the quality of your work will speak for itself, which is the most valuable testimonial of all. However, any trades accountant or bookkeeper will tell you there’s more to it these days. While your good reputation preceding you is undoubtedly essential,… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Amazon takes half of each sale New figures show that Amazon takes half of the profit that each small business makes on its Amazon Marketplace platform. Stock market starts the week strong ahead of inflation data Wall Street started the week noticeably higher as investors await inflation which will… Read more
You’ve likely heard the phrase “in the black.” Your balance sheet is the tool that shows you whether your business is indeed “in the black.” Your balance sheet includes a section for your assets (things you own or will receive that have value), your liabilities (what you owe to others) and equity (retained earnings and funds from investors) at a specific time. The relationship between these three sections shows how… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. Is the U.S. economy really heading for a recession? Here’s what the economists think While many economists believe the U.S. is headed for a recession, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the unemployment rate remains at 3.5%, the lowest in around 50 years. Economists say the country could… Read more
No matter what your financial goals are, consulting with a financial planner can help just about everybody. Not only will they help you refine your goals, they’ll guide you in creating strategies for your money, and keep you accountable to your plan. They’ll also help you navigate different saving and investment strategies, so you know your money is working for you. They’ll also make sure you have the information you… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. The Fair Tax Act explained A group of House Republicans is supporting the Fair Tax Act, which would eliminate income, payroll, estate and gift taxes and replace them with a 23% national sales tax. However, it’s unlikely to make it through the Democrat-controlled Senate. No more free grocery deliveries… Read more
You can’t get through the news these days without hearing about inflation and how rapidly it’s increasing. Rates were generally low for quite some time and we all got used to it. Suddenly, however, everyone is getting squeezed by inflationary pressure. But what exactly is inflation, and how does it affect the money you have in the bank? Read on to learn more about what it is and what it… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. The government hits its debt ceiling The treasury secretary said the government would suspend debt issuance and investments into two government employee retirement funds until Congress acts. Microsoft throws its weight behind OpenAI Microsoft is making a multibillion-dollar investment in the artificial intelligence startup OpenAI, which makes ChatGPT, DALL-E… Read more
Unfortunately, fraudsters are out there. They want your money, your identity, or both, and they’re getting more sophisticated all the time. There’s a wealth of opportunity for swindlers to take advantage of people because so much of what we do is now online. There are ways for you to protect yourself, both by taking action and being aware of what’s going on. Here are 8 ways to protect yourself from… Read more
Welcome back to our Weekly Digest. Read on for the latest updates and some ideas to help us all move forward. How will this recession be different from 2008? Economists predict a recession will arrive by the end of this year, but the downturn will likely play out much differently than it did in 2008. Leaders descend on Davos to talk about economics The World Economic Forum (WEF) returned to… Read more
Inflation has ballooned worldwide in recent months, and there’s no question that small businesses are feeling the pinch. Supplies cost more, employees are hard to find, and your profits are shrinking. It’s undoubtedly challenging, but you can weather the storm with the following tips. 1. Study your data Your numbers are always helpful, but in times of rapid inflation, you’ll be especially thankful that you keep a nice, clean set… Read more