Family Financial Management http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/category/family-financial-management.html en Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/rss.html Resources for Rural Families Coping with Economic Stress and Anxiety http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2911/2911-1418/2911-1418.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:54:04 -0500 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2911/2911-1418/2911-1418.html Planning for Baby – Scams http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0740/2910-7040.html They appear like magic. The mailers, magazines, catalogs, e‐mail, and phone calls multiply as your baby’s arrival date gets closer. It seems that the marketers and con artists know your baby is on its way almost as soon as you do. Everyone has something to sell to make your baby smarter, healthier, safer, or wealthier than all the other babies. Deals for products that sound too good to be true probably are. You will also get many coupons and specials on photos, etc. Remember that a coupon only saves you money if you would normally purchase the item.

]]> Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:29:59 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0740/2910-7040.html Planning for Baby -- Safety Items and Other Supplies http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0739/2910-7039.html Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:02:14 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0739/2910-7039.html Planning for Baby ‐‐ Diaper Choices and Comfort http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0738/2910-7038.html Neither cloth nor disposable diapers have been shown to be healthier for babies. The choice depends on how much time and money you have to spend on diapers. If your child will be in day care, most centers only accept disposable
diapers. Studies show disposable diapers keep the baby drier and help maintain a normal skin pH. To avoid problems when using cloth diapers, you have to change the baby more often and use diaper liners.

]]> Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:33:10 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0738/2910-7038.html Planning for Baby ‐‐ Crib Safety Tips http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0737/2910-0737.html Your baby will spend a lot of time sleeping. It is important to make sure that the crib is safe and where your baby is comfortable.

]]> Fri, 23 Oct 2009 10:16:36 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0737/2910-0737.html Planning for Baby – Clothing Fabric Choices, Care Labels, Comfort, Fit, Size, and Safety http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0736/2910-7036.html Often the most enjoyable activity while waiting for baby is purchasing clothes. It is important to keep a couple of things in mind when making purchases. The most important one is to provide your baby with comfort! The second is that babies grow fast. This fact sheet will help you understand comfort and safety, choose fabrics, and read labels.

]]> Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:16:08 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0736/2910-7036.html Planning for Baby – Car Seats http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0735/2910-7035.html You will need to take your baby home from the hospital using a car seat. Taking the baby with you presents many changes. The important thing to remember is that the baby’s safety should come first.

]]> Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:46:02 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0735/2910-7035.html Planning for Baby ‐The Basics You Will Need http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0734/2910-7034.html A baby needs a lot of things, but not as many as some businesses would like to sell. Information in this series of fact sheets includes what you and your baby will need when leaving the hospital and at home‐ including clothing, crib and other furniture, car seat, and safety items.

]]> Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:47:23 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2910/2910-0734/2910-7034.html Low-Cost Ways to Entertain Kids this Summer http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2907/2907-7031/2907-7031.html Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:06:46 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2907/2907-7031/2907-7031.html Disability Income Insurance http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-171/354-171.html Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:34:29 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-171/354-171.html The Effect of Landscape Plants on Perceived Home Value http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-087/426-087.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/426/426-087/426-087.html Home Equity Conversions: Reverse Mortgages http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-025/354-025.html Many senior adults are finding it hard to live on their fixed retirement incomes and are looking for ways to supplement those incomes. For some, the largest asset they own is their home, but they do not want to sell their home and move. For these individuals, there is an option called Home Equity Conversion (HEC).

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-025/354-025.html Getting Out of Debt http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-027/354-027.html Are your finances out of control? If making credit repayments has become difficult, there are steps you may take to improve the situation.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-027/354-027.html How to Make Your Money Go Further http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-028/354-028.html What have you got to show for the money you make each month? Do you have good health, two cars, a home, a large savings account? Or do you seem to have a pile of debts and no assets?

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-028/354-028.html Deciding if Bankruptcy is an Option for You http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-045/354-045.html If you find yourself “over-extended” and have tried financial counseling, spending plans, reducing your payments, and/or paying more than the minimum amount due and still cannot make headway in repaying your debts, bankruptcy may be an option worth investigating.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-045/354-045.html Refinancing Your Mortgage http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-047/354-047.html Most people consider refinancing their home mortgage to take advantage of lower interest rates and reduce their monthly mortgage payment. Refinancing a mortgage means paying off your old mortgage and signing a contract for a new loan. Whether to refinance your mortgage is a difficult question to answer, and should be based on the following considerations:

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-047/354-047.html Renter's Rights and Responsibilities: The Basics http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-066/354-066.html If you are a renter in Virginia, you have rights and responsibilities under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA). It is important that you know your rights and responsibilities under this act.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-066/354-066.html My Money, Lesson 1: Where Do I Begin? http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-073/354-073.html Money problems are common. When we manage it, we can make it last longer.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-073/354-073.html My Money, Lesson 2: Spending Leaks http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-074/354-074.html Does your paycheck always run out before the next payday? Is it possible you could be wasting a few dollars each month?

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-074/354-074.html My Money, Lesson 3: Where Does All the Money Go? http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-075/354-075.html Do you know where your money goes each month?

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-075/354-075.html My Money, Lesson 4: Credit Reports http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-076/354-076.html Did you finish the credit account list last week? A credit report will list all accounts. Credit reports cost $9 for each. But after November 2005, you can receive all of your credit reports each year for free from one place. To receive a report, copy this form 3 times and fill it out.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-076/354-076.html My Money, Lesson 5: Spending Plans http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-077/354-077.html This week, your task may take some guessing. First, fill out the income chart to figure your monthly income. Second, without looking at your spending logs, write down how much you spend on each item in a month.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-077/354-077.html My Money, Lesson 6: Putting It All Together http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-078/354-078.html Congratulations! You have kept your spending log for a whole month. Now take all 4 logs and figure out what you spent last month.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-078/354-078.html Emergencies: Are You Prepared? Your Personal Checklist of Important Documents http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-141/354-141.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-141/354-141.html Life Insurance: The Impact of Ownership http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-142/354-142.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-142/354-142.html Cutting Costs http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-155/354-155.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-155/354-155.html Long-Term Care Insurance http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-172/354-172.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-172/354-172.html Families Taking Charge: Accepting Your Feelings http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-094/354-094.html People respond to unemployment with many feelings:  anger, anxiety, outrage, self-doubt. They may be hostile -- lashing out at those closest to them. Or, they may become moody and depressed. Their tension may show up as restlessness, loss of appetite, loss of interest in sex, insomnia, and feelings of apathy and exhaustion. While some of these symptoms may be unpleasant,
they are normal, predictable reactions of people experiencing a loss or critical change in their lives.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-094/354-094.html Families Taking Charge: Helping Teens Cope with Parents' Unemployment http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-095/354-095.html Sometimes, through no fault of their own, parents find themselves without a job. A factory may close, sales may be down or health may fail. Whatever the cause, unemployment affects everyone in the family.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-095/354-095.html Families Taking Charge: Sources of Friendship and Support http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-096/354-096.html People experiencing unemployment report they feel better if they have the support of family and friends. Your informal support networks are the personal ties you have with others.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-096/354-096.html Families Taking Charge: Helping Children Cope http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-097/354-097.html Losing a job affects all members of the family. Adults frequently become so preoccupied they forget unemployment has an emotional, as well as financial, impact on their children.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-097/354-097.html Families Taking Charge: Taking Inventory http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-099/354-099.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-099/354-099.html Families Taking Charge: Talking With Creditors http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-102/354-102.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-102/354-102.html Familes Taking Charge: Talking With Your Spouse http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-103/354-103.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-103/354-103.html Families Taking Charge: Maintaining Health http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-104/354-104.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-104/354-104.html Families Taking Charge: Eating Well for Less http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-105/354-105.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-105/354-105.html Families Taking Charge: What's Next? http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-106/354-106.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-106/354-106.html Life Insurance: The Different Types of Policies http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-143/354-143.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-143/354-143.html Life Insurance: Term Insurance http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-144/354-144.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-144/354-144.html Life Insurance: Whole-Life Insurance http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-145/354-145.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-145/354-145.html Life Insurance: Universal-Life Insurance http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-146/354-146.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-146/354-146.html Life Insurance: Variable Universal-Life Insurance http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-147/354-147.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-147/354-147.html Life Insurance: Payout Options http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-148/354-148.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-148/354-148.html Life Insurance: Calculating Life Insurance Needs http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-149/354-149.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-149/354-149.html Medical Expense Insurance http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-170/354-170.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-170/354-170.html Homeowner's Insurance http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-173/354-173.html Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/354/354-173/354-173.html How to Prevent Foreclosure on Your Home http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2804/2804-7001/2804-7001.html If you are having trouble making your monthly mortgage payments, you may be able to protect your home, but you must act immediately. Your action may prevent the loss of your home through foreclosure. This Fact Sheet will give you an overview of your options to avoid foreclosure, but it is only the beginning. If you are in serious financial difficulty, you should seek professional assistance and/or legal counsel to best protect your investment and your home.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2804/2804-7001/2804-7001.html Home Improvement Scams: Don't Get Nailed! http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2809/2809-7004/2809-7004.html Home Improvement scam artists often show up at your front door. This scam is happening more and more. Seniors, those living alone, and victims of weather-related disasters are among those most commonly targeted.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2809/2809-7004/2809-7004.html Families Taking Charge: Dealing with Unemployment http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2811/2811-7015/2811-7015.html When people go through any type of change, the change may trigger a period of grief and feelings of loss. When people become unemployed, they may feel a loss of identity since Americans tend to describe themselves in terms of their job. Any change means grieving for what was and coping with what is to come.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2811/2811-7015/2811-7015.html Families Taking Charge: Dealing with the Stress http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2811/2811-7016/2811-7016.html All change produces stress, even “good” changes such as marriage or vacations. Sometimes it is hard to perceive the stress of “good” changes but easy to understand the stress caused by negative changes such as job loss. Common stressors in a transition are fear and uncertainty. For example, some of the fears a person may have about unemployment include fear of failure, the inability to manage debts, and the inability to learn new skills. The uncertainty of the job market may also be an issue.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2811/2811-7016/2811-7016.html Pocket Budget Guide http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2901/2901-7018/2901-7018.html One way to help yourself stick to a budget is to keep your records in your wallet or purse. The example below shows how to set up a pocket budget guide. You can easily see at any time how much is left in your budget for the month in any flexible expense category. A pocket budget guide will help you adjust your spending plan to make your money go where you really want it to go.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2901/2901-7018/2901-7018.html Families Taking Charge: Setting Spending Priorities http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2902/2902-7022/2902-7022.html Faced with a reduced income, many families wait six months or longer before they reduce their spending, accumulating debt and unpaid bills. Families need to cut back on spending right away by developing a spending plan to help pay their bills and living expenses.

Many people try to hide financial problems from themselves or family members. Not facing problems can be very destructive because the worry and stress caused by financial uncertainty and lack of cash may be worse than the financial problem itself.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2902/2902-7022/2902-7022.html In Case of a Disaster: Home Inventory http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2903/2903-7023/2903-7023.html Whether it is a house fire, a hurricane or tornado if the disaster will make it difficult to  get an accurate accounting of what you have. The recent victim of a house fire made  the following suggestions.

  • “Take the time NOW to inventory your home. The inventory needs to include the  item name, description, make, date purchased/age, model and/or serial number,  and purchase price. Take pictures and /or video and make comprehensive lists of  EVERYTHING you own. Nothing is insignificant. The more items a person can list  and refer to “see photo” the better. The lists need to include everything (down  to how many pairs of socks you own) and should include brand name, age of item, and purchase cost. Update this  annually. I don't know why insurance companies don't require this or offer this service, but they should do both.
]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2903/2903-7023/2903-7023.html Payday Loan Facts http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2903/2903-7029/2903-7029.html Have you ever passed a check cashing store and wondered what kind of things happen in a business like that? Well, one thing stores like that do; is write people payday loans. Often people in need of these quick loans are not fully educated about the way they work. The purpose of this fact sheet is to help consumers better understand how payday loans work, and the pros and cons of using these services.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2903/2903-7029/2903-7029.html Families Taking Charge: Deciding Which Bills to Pay First http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2904/2904-7030/2904-7030.html What do you do if your current income just isn’t enough to pay monthly expenses and debts? Putting your bills in a stack and paying them until the money runs out won’t work. You have a legal obligation to pay all of your creditors. Not paying bills will affect your credit report and credit score. It can even involve court action. Not paying some bills may have greater consequences than not paying other bills.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 01:00:00 -0400 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2904/2904-7030/2904-7030.html