Make your home your office. At one point our society placed high value on how many hours you logged in the office. Increasingly though now, more and more people are opting to spend more time at home and with family. Working from home presents many benefits - from reducing/ eliminating commuting costs, more time with the kids, more personal freedom. Majority of people aren't adverse to work, however the dredges of the workplace are what results in high turnover rates. Digital globalization has broke open the doors to all sorts of new income streams for people, allowing folks to be able to work from home or wherever else they'd might like. If you've got the skills you can command your hours and your price. Here is a list of 3 clerical jobs you can do from home.
Wholesale and Manufacture Sales Rep
This is a growing industry, and depending on your skill level you can make bank. You work from home, selling goods for a manufacturer or wholesaler, government agency, or other organization. You contact customers, explaining to them product features, answering any questions they may have, negotiating prices, and closing the deal. Best part is that you don't have to buy and sell/ store any of the product. With as much as a high school diploma you can earn up to $57K per year, and if you have specialized skills, certifications, and depending on your degree you can bring in upwards of $78K.
Bookkeeper/ Accountant
Depending on you and your client, there may be times when you are needed on site, but most likely you can set or negotiate the terms. Aside from that, the majority of your workflow can be accomplished from a home based office on your terms as you see fit. As a bookkeeping, accounting, and/or auditing clerk your job is to produce financial records for organizations, record financial transactions, update statements, and check financial records for accuracy. With the advent of technology, unfortunately the demand for this line of work is declining, however highly specialized skills and knowledge are still valued and can earn you and annual income of up to $64K in certain industries.
Farmer/ Agricultural Manager
For some this may be considered the ultimate work from home job opportunity. There aren't really specific educational requirements as the true skill set is obtained in the field, however higher education does pave way for roles more on the managerial side of things. While it is true that farmers are increasingly able to produce more with fewer workers, demand for this workers industry is in no steady decline. Average annual income is over $66K.
The Federal Reserve sets the guardrails for the federal funds rate, and through that helps control the money supply for the nation.
When you take out a loan for a car, charge something to your credit card, or get a personal line of credit, there is going to be an interest rate that applies to your loan.
A lot of different factors go into what you will be charged, including your own personal credit score. But even those with flawless credit still see a minimum charge that they can't get around. That all goes back to the Federal Funds Rate.
One thing consumers rarely realize is that all of our banks are lending money to each other every night. Banks are legally required to maintain a certain percentage of their deposits in non-interest-bearing accounts at the Federal Reserve to ensure they have enough money to cover any withdrawals that may unexpectedly come up. However, deposits can fluctuate and it's very common for some banks to exceed the requirement on certain days while some fall short. In cases like this, banks actually lend each other money to ensure they meet the minimum balance. It's a bit hard to imagine these multibillion-dollar financial institutions needing to borrow money to tide them over for a bit, but it happens every single night at the Federal Reserve. It's also a nice deal for those with balances above the reserve balance requirement to earn a bit of money with cash that would normally just be sitting there.
The exact interest rate the banks will charge each other is a matter of negotiation between them, but the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) (the arm of the Federal Reserve that sets monetary policy) meets eight times a year to set a target rate. They evaluate a multitude of economic indicators including unemployment, inflation, and consumer confidence to decide the best rate to keep the country in business. The weighted average of all interest rates across these interbank loans is the effective federal funds rate.
This rate has a huge impact on the economy overall as well as your personal finances. The federal funds rate is essentially the cheapest money available to a bank and that feeds into all of the other loans they make. Banks will add a slight upcharge to the rate set by the Fed to determine what is the lowest interest that they will announce for their most creditworthy customers, also known as the prime rate. If you have a variable interest rate loan (very common with credit cards and some student loans), it's likely that the interest rate you pay is a set percentage on top of that prime rate that your lender is paying. That's why in times of low interest rates (it was set at 0% during the Great Recession), a lot of borrowers should go for fixed interest rate loans that won't increase. However, if the federal funds rate was relatively high (it went up to 20% in the early 1980's), a variable interest rate loan may be a better decision as you would be charged less interest should the rate drop without the need to refinance.
The federal funds rate also has a major impact on your investment portfolio. The stock market reacts very strongly to any changes in interest rates from the Federal Reserve, as a lower rate makes it cheaper for companies to borrow and reinvest while a higher rate may restrict capital and slow short-term growth. If you have a significant portion of your investments in equities, a small change in the federal funds rate can have a large impact on your net worth.
Whether you're leaving a job involuntarily, departing for something new, or just want to prepare for the unknown, it is smart to understand all your options regarding your 401k.
diy gifts
Frugal gifting often gets a bad reputation. However, this shopping method does not make you cheap — it makes you practical. Frugal gifts often avoid waste and overspending and can be just as meaningful (if not more so) as any other present.
With the National Retail Federation predicting each consumer this holiday season to spend upwards of $1,000 on holiday gifts amidst an economic recession —this year might be the perfect time to reconsider your spending budget. We've formulated the ultimate list of frugal gift-giving ideas to get you started.
