Category Archives: Economy
Pay Down Debts First to Get the Most Out of Savings
Forget iPhones, jewelry and designer jeans – the latest trendy accessory this fall is a purse with tight strings. Yes, the nation with a negative savings rate has finally gone frugal. According to a poll taken this spring, 32 percent of the country believes spending less has become a permanent way of life. We’re increasingly… Read More »
Bankruptcy Is a Better Way to Take Advantage of Falling Mortgage Rates
Mortgage rates are falling again. Home values are ever so slowly edging higher. A growing number of buyers are trying (some successfully, some not) to get into the market. The market is changing and homeowners stand to take advantage – but only if they act fast. On average, the rate for a 30-year home loan… Read More »
Eliminate Debt to Make Most of Lower Mortgage Rates
Fact: Mortgage rates are at an all-time low. Fiction: A lower mortgage is the answer to all your prayers. The average rate for a 30-year mortgage fell to around 5 percent recently. That’s pretty convenient because it means rates won’t be adjusting significantly higher, as many have feared, and – if you’re lucky enough to… Read More »
Atlanta Economy Helps City Earn Place on ‘Most Stressful’ List
Forbes.com just came out with its annual list of the most stressful places to live and Atlanta is smack-dab in the middle, thanks to a 25% drop in home values and a 10.7% unemployment rate – a whole percentage point more than the national average. It’s not exactly bad news (hey, we could be at… Read More »
Chicago Economy Helps Earn City ‘Most Stressful’ Title
It’s a three-day weekend and, in theory, we’re supposed to be relaxing. But these are stressful times, particularly here in the Windy City. For the second year in a row, Chicago has been dubbed America’s most stressed-out place to live by Forbes magazine – and it’s largely thanks to the economy. Unemployment is at 11%,… Read More »