Below are the articles for the week with a short summary:
http://www.thepennyhoarder.com/not-saving-for-retirement/
- A study examined individuals in America between the ages of 31 and 62 and found that “Even the slightly-over-50% of households who did have retirement savings didn’t have very much: The median number is a terrifyingly low $5,000.” Don’t put off saving for retirement, and begin as soon as possible. If your work force offers a 401 K with matching bonus then take advantage of it, and find a way to cut unnecessary expenses. Here’s my argument if you’re already tithing you already have the inherent ability to save. If you already set aside the first portion to the Lord, then do the same process to save for your retirement.
- Benjamin Graham is the founder of the concept of value investing, and his teachings have impacted many well-known investors such as Warren Buffet. The book referenced in this article is a small book but useful in understanding the financial statement, income statement and financials ratios. This article examines seven key points from the book: working capital ratio, current ratio, intangible assets, cash, notes payable, liquidation value and net current asset value, and margin of profit. I’ll mention two points of this article. The Working Capital ratio is calculated by subtracting current liabilities from current assets and this ratio shows if a company can pay its expenses in the near future. Margin of profit is calculated by dividing operating income by sales. This margin shows how efficiently a company is operating. “When analyzing financial statements, the key figures to look for in determining the strength of a company are its earning power, asset value, how the company it compares to its industry and the company’s earnings trends over a number of years. The goal of “The Interpretation of Financial Statements” is to show the investor how to assess these factors, under the objective of achieving intelligent and reasonable results.”
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/debt/7-simple-ways-improve-credit-score-1.asp
Credit scores are a measure of past behavior. One of the major factors with your score is how much revolving credit you have vs how much you’re using. The smaller the percentage, the better your score will be. Ideally the percentage is 30% or lower. “To boost your score, “pay down your balances, and keep those balances low,” says Pamela Banks, senior policy counsel for Consumers Union. What you might not know: Even if you pay balances in full every month, you still could have a higher utilization ratio than you’d expect. That’s because some issuers use the balance on your statement as the one reported to the bureau. Even if you’re paying balances in full every month, your credit score will still consider your monthly balances.” Having multiple balances across many cards may hurt your score. The longer your history of paying debt on time, the better it is for your score. When you apply for credit it can cause a dip in your score that lasts a year. There is a system that calculates how the amount of credit inquiries will affect your score. If you plan on making a big purchase, then keep paying your bills on time to protect your score. “You’re entitled to one of each of your three credit bureau reports (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) for free every 12 months through AnnualCreditReport.com.”
Hope you have a good week. Please let contact me if you have any prayer requests.
James Hawk
“But those who want the best for me, Let them have the last word—a glad shout!— and say, over and over and over, “ GOD is great—everything works together for good for his servant.” I’ll tell the world how great and good you are, I’ll shout Hallelujah all day, every day.”
Psalm 35:27-28 MSG
“He is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood arose, the torrent broke against that house and could not shake or move it, because it had been securely built or founded on a rock.”
Luke 6:48 AMP
Pursuit of Excellence 
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