3 Ways You May Be Throwing Money Away Without Realizing It

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You aren't a dimwit. You're just stressed.
According to a recent study published in Science magazine, if you're poor and mismanage your money, you may be very capable of making good financial decisions. But you're trapped in a vicious circle: The inevitable problems that come with being poor are likely affecting your judgment, which means you're making bad decisions, which end up making you even more poor.
With that in mind, if you're financially struggling - or know someone who is - here are three ways people end up throwing money away when making common financial decisions: buying a house, buying a car and investing in a retirement plan. They're all generally good ideas, of course, but just because you're doing something smart doesn't mean you're doing it right.
Stretching to take out a mortgage. Few personal finance experts will say it's stupid to buy a house - but they will tell you that you can buy one too early in life, before you're financially ready. Many people also buy too big of a house.
"I can't tell you how many people I've seen get swept up in the romantic notion that they need to own a home or that they need to own a more expensive home, only to later regret it when they end up with a beautiful place but no money," says Scott Halliwell, a certified financial planner with USAA, a national financial services company based in San Antonio that mostly serves military members and their families.
[Read: 5 Financial Decisions That Sound Smart But Are Really Dumb.]
Halliwell says too many people try to buy a house before they've learned to budget. These red flags, he says, should alert you that you aren't financially ready: if you don't yet have an emergency fund, you can't save up for a sizable down payment (20 percent is standard) or you're trying to find another way to buy a house, such as taking on a high interest rate in place of having that down payment.
He has a point, especially considering that a house comes not only with a monthly mortgage that you'll likely be paying for the next 30 years - but also homeowners insurance, yard maintenance, appliances and furniture to buy and the inevitable home repairs. Most lenders say your house payment shouldn't be more than 30 percent of your income, so if you're searching for a way to buy a house that is going to be, say, 40 or 50 percent of your income, you might want to do some serious reconsidering.
Halliwell adds: "We always talk about how much money someone can save if they just stop drinking fancy coffee. The truth is, coffee doesn't do anywhere near the damage this move can."
Buying a too-expensive car. If you're not paying attention, the car you're buying may not seem all that expensive. The auto finance manager may suggest that instead of three years, you pay for six, and that $531 monthly payment for an $18,000 car decreases to $282, obscuring the fact that you'll end up paying far more in the long run, especially if you aren't getting a good interest rate.
For instance, if your car's interest rate is around 4 percent, which is average these days, paying the loan over six years instead of three means you'll pay $1,145 more just in interest. That might be worth it for the lower payments. But let's say you have bad credit and you're paying a high interest rate. Buying an $18,000 car at 18 percent (a typical interest rate if your credit score is, say, 550 and you're buying a used car) and paying it over three years means you'll shell out approximately $5,000 just in interest. Spreading the loan over six years means your interest alone will climb to $11,000. Your $18,000 car is actually a $29,000 car.
[Read: 6 Money-Saving Strategies That May Cost You In the Long Run.]
Of course, it can be easy to rush into buying a car, especially if your current vehicle is on life support. But not only should you make use of the many monthly loan payment calculators for car-buying on the Web, remember to research how a new or new-to-you car will affect your insurance and your auto's gas mileage.
"We're certainly a nation in love with automobiles, and I'm right there with the crowd," Halliwell says. "Even so, I'm forever amazed at the number of $40,000 to $50,000 cars and trucks I see on the road every day. The payments on those loans are huge by average financial standards, and the cars are often worth thousands less than the purchase price within days of buying them."
Many experts suggest ensuring that the car you buy is no more than 1/10th of your gross annual income. So if you make $70,000 a year, you shouldn't buy more than a $7,000 car. Even if that doesn't seem realistic, it's a good blueprint to try to follow. After all, six years is a long time to lock yourself into paying for a car, which depreciates the moment it is driven off the lot.
"I regularly get questions from people about what they can do to fix their auto loan situation when only three years into their six-year loan term, their circumstances change and they can no longer afford the payment," Halliwell says. "Unfortunately, in many cases, they owe thousands more on the loan than the vehicle is worth, so they're often stuck."
Withdrawing money from your retirement plan for anything other than retirement. Yes, times are still tough for some people, but short of dredging up money to save your house from going into foreclosure or raising ransom money for a kidnapper, most financial gurus will tell you to stay away from your 401(k) or individual retirement account.
[See: 12 Money Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes.]
"Too many people take money out of a qualified plan or IRA to pay for everyday expenses. The Department of Labor has a word for this: 'leakage,'" says Kenn Tacchino, professor of taxation and financial planning at Widener University in Chester, Penn.
How devastating can it be? Tacchino says that when he is in the classroom, he offers his students this example:
"A 25-year-old is getting married and he wants to buy a $5,000 engagement ring. He is in the 28 percent marginal bracket and he will pay a 10 percent penalty to take the money from his IRA. He will need to take out $8,064 to buy the ring and pay the taxes. He throws caution to the wind and takes out the $8,064. Five thousand goes to buy the ring, and $3,064 goes to taxes. Had he kept the money and earned an 8 percent rate of return, he would have had over $195,000 at 65 for retirement. That's quite a ring!"

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/3-ways-may-throwing-money-175718513.html

Ikeas Great Ideas for Small Spaces

 Making space to be together in a small apartment

Moving in together means combining two homes into one. How do you fit everything in without having to compromise? Try using two chaise lounges in the middle of the room instead of a sofa along the wall. It’s one simple way to free up space for more storage and it creates a cozy little nest where the two of you can relax and do your own thing, together.


http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/rooms_ideas/small_spaces/small_living_room.html

Animal Park to Visitors: No 'Wild' Clothing

Animal print clothing can be wild, but one zoo in England is declaring it downright dangerous. Chessington World of Adventures, a theme park and zoo in Surrey, England has banned visitors from wearing animal prints to avoid confusing or scaring the animals.

More on Yahoo Shine: Disney World's Message to the Disabled: Wait in Line
Banned prints include zebra, giraffe, leopard, cheetah, tiger, spotted and striped hyena, and African wild dog. To enforce its rule, the zoo has even hired bouncers to keep an eye on visitors.
More on Yahoo: No Cell Phones Allowed: Some Colleges Ban Modern-Day Gadgets
Zoo officials enacted the policy after employees noticed a behavioral change in animals following the opening of a reserve called "Zufari: Ride Into Africa!" The exhibit allows people to drive through a Serengeti-style reserve where animals roam freely. Now, if someone enters the zoo wearing an animal print, they’re issued a gray boiler suit (coveralls) to wear for the remainder of their visit. "Animals are getting confused when they see what looks like zebras and giraffes driving across the terrain in a 7.5 ton truck," according to  spokesperson Natalie Dilloway told The Guradian this week. A representative from the theme park did not return Yahoo Shine's calls.

Alan Sironen, a spokesperson for the Zoological Association of America, says the policy may be a good one. “I haven’t heard of such a rule before, but if the goal is to protect the animals and people, it sounds wise,” he told Yahoo Shine. “It’s possible that the animal may identify the print as prey and become aggressive. Or, if it’s an unfamiliar print, they may approach out of curiosity.” That makes sense — it's probably not worth wearing your cheetah-print mini while walking past the lion’s cage.
This is certainly not the first time institutions have banned clothing. In April, Kenilworth Junior High in Petaluma, California, banned girls from wearing leggings because they were distracting to their peers. Students are required to wear a “school-appropriate length bottom,” (shorts, skirts, dresses), over their leggings. In March, a Minnesota school blacklisted yoga pants, deeming them too revealing. And in August, a pizza joint called Giulio's barred customers wearing saggy pants from entering the restaurant.

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/animal-park-to-vistors--no--wild--clothing-194228119.html

Dog Stops Baby from Crawling Straight Into the Ocean

Dog Stops Baby from Crawling Straight Into the Ocean in YouTube Video

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/trending-now/dog-stops-baby-from-crawling-straight-into-the-ocean-in-youtube-video-172755860.html?vp=1

 

We sometimes take for granted just how intuitive and helpful dogs can be. They serve as guides for the blind, search-and-rescue officers, and bomb detectors, but they are also fiercely loyal to their owners — no matter how young or old. That is evidenced in a recent YouTube video from Turkey, in which a cocker spaniel shows that it is more than just a playful pup.

On the Kabak Koyu beach in southwestern Turkey, a woman is throwing a ball for the dog while her child crawls around in the sand. Small children are, of course, artful escapees, and suddenly the child is going full-bore straight at the ocean. The spaniel, dropping playtime immediately, races down to the surf and plops down in the sand between the child and the waves, drawing the family's attention just as the adventurous youngster is about to hit the water. One commenter wrote, "Face it. Dogs are better than humans." After seeing this video, it's hard to disagree.

Has your dog done anything surprisingly intelligent? Tell us on Facebook or on Twitter at @YahooTrending.

Creative Easy Small Apartment Decorating Ideas

Creative Easy Small Apartment Decorating Ideas

If you are homeowner and would like to make an apartment or house, the Creative Easy Small Apartment Decorating Ideas picture presented you freely method to remodel and redecor stylish house design. This website often share the marvelous inspirations about building references and its decorations. For that reason, the website always give the cool picture in high resolution daily. If you are really developers, you have to update the hottest inspirations to add references. I believe, this is most important to explore your imagination. I do believe, you knew that your consumers always prefer something an original and spacious for their decorations. Hence, you need quite a few sources like this picture collection. We have a lot of inspirations of home decor as well as living room, gardening etcetera.



Fancy is many factors for homeowners to choice their Property appearance decorating styles. For this reason, a lot of people prefer to remodel their Dwelling as trendy as likely. Are you one of them? The photo gallery of Creative Easy Small Apartment Decorating Ideas will inspire you how to make pretty home furnishings freely without hire professional. Most people knew that hiring professional need more money. For people with limited cost, it is critically challenge. That is why, designing alone is the brilliant an alternative solution for us, there are a lot of sides that can do without hire decorators. Obviously, all of us has different expertness to do that. The photos will collect themes and open your unlimited creativities to build unusual houses.



A lot of people prefer unique thing of home model ideas for exterior and inside parts. Do you think so? If you are browsing greatest website that collect quite a few marvelous home ideas, you can find here. The Creative Easy Small Apartment Decorating Ideas has made by creative designers with innovative touch. If a work produced by custom, it is very cool and artistic with others. The raciness of the home trends images can be viewed at numerous features like hues, shapes, constructions, types, or anything else. It share fabulous ideas for those human being who prefer to makeover their homes. For obtaining detail amazing inspiration, let us observe at the pictures gallery. If you dislike that, you could hunting other styles based the categories like rustic or stylish and so forth.

http://homesbyderby.com/creative-easy-small-apartment-decorating-ideas/

What's under your Bottle Cap??

Coca-Cola Apologizes for Offensive Bottle Cap

 

Pardon their French? Coca-Cola recently issued an apology to a family after one member purchased a Vitamin water with a bottle cap bearing an offensive message.

Blake Loates of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada told Metro Calgary she was shocked when she opened her beverage and read the words "YOU RETARD," written inside of the cap. The language was particularly painful to her and her family as one of Loates' younger sisters, Fiona, 11, has cerebral palsy and autism.

The cap inspired Loates' father, who lives in Tacoma, Wash., to issue a lengthy letter of complaint to Vitaminwater's parent company Coca-Cola.

"What would you do if you opened up your bottle of Vitamin Water and on the bottom of the lid it read, "YOU RETARD"?" Doug Loates wrote in his letter swearing off the beverage company for life. "Think about it. I bet you'd be pissed off if you had a Fiona in your life… Can you imagine if SHE had opened this bottle?"

The Loates family did not immediately respond to ABC News' requests for comment.

Representatives for Coca-Cola have since stated that the language inside of the cap was the product of a competition pairing one random English word with a second random French word. In French, "retard" means "late" or "delayed." The word's English connotation was missed during the review process, said a spokesperson.

"We have spoken to the family to offer our sincerest apologies and to explain the production process to them," Shannon Denny, director of brand communications for Coca-Cola Refreshment Canada, told ABC News. "This is certainly not an excuse in any way for what has occurred. We wanted them to know that this was in no way intentional and was a mistake on our part during the review process. We also wanted to share that the promotion has since been cancelled and we are no longer producing bottles with those caps."

Denny said that the company would also be posting their apology on the Vitaminwater Canada Facebook page and sharing through twitter on both @vitaminwater_ca and @cocacolaco_ca.

"It was never our intention to offend anyone with this promotion," said Denny. "This was a mistake during the review process and we are taking steps to investigate and rectify the situation. We hope that our consumers can accept our profound apologies."

http://gma.yahoo.com/coca-cola-apologizes-offensive-bottle-cap-191206765--abc-news-lifestyle.html
 

Police solve mystery of generous boy

 

Last week a little boy walked into a Greenfield, Wisconsin police station and did something unusual: He gave $10.03 to the front desk officer - and walked away. Intrigued, the sta... More Last week a little boy walked into a Greenfield, Wisconsin police station and did something unusual: He gave $10.03 to the front desk officer - and walked away. Intrigued, the station used its surveillance footage to track the small good samaritan down. A few days later, the mystery was solved. Maxx Siepert, 11, said he was learning about 9/11 in school and was moved by the heroism of police and fire department responders. Of his donation he said, "one day it will make a difference… not a really big difference, but it's something. If every person would do that it'd be such a great world. It would be awesome!" It was a first for the department, said Assistant Chief Paul Schlecht. The kind act lifted morale, Schlecht says. The money will go to the police foundation.

 

http://screen.yahoo.com/11-old-boy-made-9-134626064.html

Girl's Night Out! @ SouthPark Mall Today 9/12 From 5-7pm

Have a fun girls night out at SouthPark Mall!!!


Girls just want to have fun! Charlotte-area women of all ages are invited to Girl's Night Out at SouthPark on Thursday, September 12 from 5-7 p.m. Focused on a fun girls night, Girl's Night Out is a chance for women to enjoy an evening of fashion, food, pampering and prize giveaways from stores and other community organizations. The festivities kick off on Thursday evening at 5 p.m. in Center Court. The first 100 people who arrive at 5 p.m. and 100 people at 6 p.m. will receive a Girls Night Out swag bag full of goodies. Girl's Night Out will include in-store events, special offerings and prize drawings. In addition to makeovers and food sampling, fun activities will be presented by local sponsors including Carolinas Healthcare System and Keith Hawthorne Ford Charlotte and SouthPark retailers.

http://www.charlottesgotalot.com/all-events/girls-night-out

FBI Seeks Serial Bank Robber Dubbed 'I-55 Bandit'

FBI Seeks Serial Bank Robber Dubbed …

The FBI is seeking the public's help in catching a serial bank robber dubbed the I-55 Bandit, who is suspected in 10 robberies across five states.
Authorities believe the man has struck banks in Missouri, Illinois, Maryland, West Virginia and now Tennessee, where he is suspected of robbing three banks in the last month. The man also attempted to rob at least two other banks, according to authorities.
"We have seen cases, it's more rare, when the bank robber goes across the country and different states," FBI spokeswoman Rebecca Wu told ABC News.
In each case the man has been caught on surveillance cameras walking into the bank calmly, usually sporting a hat and a pair of dark sunglasses. He then implies that he is armed and slips the teller a note demanding money.
"Whatever the instructions may be by the bad guy, they're instructed to follow," former FBI agent and ABC News consultant Brad Garrett said.
The FBI did not disclose the amount of money taken in the crimes and no one has been hurt in the robberies.
The I-55 Bandit is described as a white male in his early to mid 20s, about 6'3" inches tall with brown or strawberry blond hair.
Investigators are hoping the public will help identify him by placing digital billboards with his surveillance camera picture across the country. It's a move investigators say has worked for them in the past.
"Billboards are extremely effective because it gives you a broad audience view of your bad guy," Garrett said.
The FBI dubbed him the I-55 Bandit because he initially targeted banks along the I-55 corridor near St. Louis, Mo. The FBI believes it's only a matter of time until he's caught.
"The more often a bank robber commits a crime or commits a bank robbery, chances are, he'll get caught because they leave behind more clues," Wu said.

http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/fbi-seeks-serial-bank-robber-dubbed-55-bandit-124716128--abc-news-topstories.html

Best deals in September

By Victor Paul Alvarez

September is an interesting month for bargain hunters. Prices for big screen HDTVs continue to drop and new cars are rolling into dealerships. Wait until October for the best discounts on last year’s car models, but feel free to jump on patio furniture deals and Haswell Core i5 laptops.

The folks at Dealnews.com recommend shoppers look for bargains on summer apparel and outdoor furniture.  Mattresses will also see all-time lows, many of which will ship with free white glove delivery. For tech, you'll want to act fast and catch the tail end of back-to-school sales.” If you just spent a lot of dough on back-to-school items and you’re trying to tighten the belt, don’t worry. You can sit out the sales game this month and plot your strategy for the annual Black Friday deals if you’re so inclined. However, we’ve got you covered if you’re ready to save right now.

 

Click the link below:

http://shopping.yahoo.com/photos/best-deals-in-september-including-labor-day-sales-1377824868-slideshow/

 

What Pet Owners Need to Know About Renters Insurance

What Austin Pet Owners Need to Know About Renters Insurance

September 3rd, 2013 | Posted by Ace Elliott in Austin

You’ve got an adorable, lovable pet that’s there to greet you at the door each day after work and spends just about every second of the weekend with you. To you they are docile domesticated creatures. To others your pet is a threat.

As crazy as it may seem there may come a time when your pet might not mesh well with a person and that can lead to trouble – bites, scratches, medical bills. If you’re a pet owner you can cover yourself with renters insurance.
























Pets, Renters Insurance and Other Options

When it comes to making sure you won’t be on the hook if your dog decides to bite someone or your kitty accidentally claws a person renters insurance can come to the rescue. Many of the leading insurance companies include pet problems in the liability coverage portion of renters insurance.
However, read the fine print. If they do include pet-related incidents it could be limited to certain pets or types of events, like a dog bite. The renters insurance also may exclude certain breeds of dogs that are seen as more aggressive. These include Pit Bulls, Rottweilers and Doberman Pinschers. Check out the liability limit. Pet-related incidents may go all the way up to your policy’s regular liability limit or it may be lower.
Here are a few examples of what renters insurance could cover:

• Medical bills
• Lawsuits
• Damage to property

There are a couple of extra options if you want added protection, or your preferred insurance company doesn’t cover pets under their renter policies. There are companies that offer liability insurance policies strictly for pets. It could be a good supplement to your regular renters insurance if pets aren’t covered or the liability limit is low.
If you’ve been thinking about getting pet insurance a policy could do more than help keep your pet healthy. Some pet insurance policies cover things like behavioral therapy and kenneling which may be needed if an incident were to occur.
When Insurance for Pets is Required
Here in Austin a landlord can require that a tenant get renters insurance. They do this for liability purposes because their insurance for the property won’t usually cover your possessions or incidents that are deemed negligence on the tenant’s part. The last thing they want is a person to sue their insurance company because you don’t have an insurance company to sue. To landlords a pet represents additional risk.
Landlords may require that you get a policy that covers your pet and could also request that you get a minimum liability limit that they feel is adequate.
The City of Austin may also require that you have certain insurance if your pet has been registered as a ‘dangerous dog’. This doesn’t have to do with the breed – Chihuahuas can make the list. If your dog bites someone and they submit a bite affidavit with the city then your dog will now be labeled a ‘dangerous dog’. The city requires that owners of dangerous dogs have at least $100,000 in liability insurance.

http://renters.apartments.com/austin/what-austin-pet-owners-need-to-know-about-renters-insurance/