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Down payment assistance can help determine how much house you can afford. Find out how in this video on buying a home. Expert: Brett Staggs Bio:Brett Staggs has been working in the mortgage industry for the past 6 years. He has worked for a title company, a credit reporting company, and two major banks. Filmmaker: Dana Glover

Walter Williams’ PBS documentary Good Intentions based on his book, The State Against Blacks (1982). The documentary was very controversial at the time it was released and led to many animosities and even threats of murder. In Good Intentions, Dr. Williams examines the failure of the war on poverty and the devastating effect of well meaning government policies on blacks asserting that the state harms people in the US more than it helps them. He shows how government anti-poverty programs have often locked people into poverty making the points that: – being forced to attend 3rd rate public schools leave students unprepared for working life – minimum wages prevent young people from obtaining jobs at an early age – licensing and labor laws have had the effect of restricting entrance of blacks into the skilled trades and unions – the welfare system creates perverse incentives for the poor to make bad choices they otherwise would not Dr. Williams presents the following solutions to these problems: Failing Public Schools – Give parents greater control over their children’s education by setting up a tuition tax credit or voucher system to broaden competition in turn revitalizing both public and non-public schools Minimum Wages – Remove the minimum wage from youngsters to give more young people the chance to learn the world of work at an early age instead spending their free time idle an possibly falling into the habits of the street Restrictive Labor Laws, Jobs Programs …

President Obama discusses revamping government college loan programs. For more news video by Current TV visit current.com VIEW more Obama videos & SUBSCRIBE to the youtube playlist here… www.youtube.com

President Obama discusses revamping government college loan programs. For more news video by Current TV visit current.com

Every fortune 500 company has an iron clad budget in place, in fact, most all successful businesses world wide have a tangible budget. It seems obvious that earning money and organizing a budget goes hand-in-hand, but a report on personal income by the U.S. Department of Commerce in 2006 stated that American households had a negative saving rate of about -1.0%. This means that most Americans spend more than they make. By that notion, it seems obvious that the average American has not correctly implemented a budget into their personal finances.

The word “budget” has negative connotations. A budget is viewed as a reminder of the things we cannot have. In reality, a budget is a valuable tool that will, in the long run, get you more of what you want. Don’t get hung up on the language and remember that a budget will help you develop your desired financial lifestyle. Try using the word “spending plan” instead of “budget”. This may help you view your budget as a tool and not a hindrance.

Lots of people claim that they cannot construct a budget because they aren’t sure how much money they will earn week by week. This may be true for hourly staff or commission only employees, but it still shouldn’t thwart your budget efforts. Planning your budget has more to do with your spending than it does with your earnings. You need to answer the question, “where does my money go?”

No matter your profession, everyone has fixed expenses like rent or mortgage, car payments, gas, utilities, food, and insurance.

Your next step, after verifying that your stock expenses and less than your monthly income, should be to save the receipts purchases you make the following month and use them as the additional tools for creating categories within your budget.

Once you have your preset expenses covered, it’s time to consider variables like birthday and Christmas gifts, gym memberships, dog food, entertainment, haircuts and manicures, etc.

These items are considered variables because the amount spent on them varies from month to month and because you can live without these things if you don’t have the money to cover them that month. You may feel like you have to have them, but you’ll live if you don’t. These expenses can be reduced without much effort. If your out of cash for the month, and you budget won’t allow a splurge, you can stay home Friday night or skip the new pair of shoes you wanted to buy. You may have to muster some discipline, but it will be worth it in the long run.

The concept of creating a budget is simple. Don’t spend more than you make and use your money wisely. You can make your money work for you if you take the time to create an adequate budget. You may have to make some short-term sacrifices, but the payoff will be big. As time goes by, you will be able to develop a savings plan and spending plan to compliment your budgeting efforts.

View your money as a fixed income. Once your cash for the month is gone, it’s gone. Accepting that fact, and avoiding credit cards in the process will earn you major returns. If you really want to make an impact, try living ‘beneath your means’ for a few months and use that experience as a way to embrace and appreciate your budget.

You should also consider emergency funds when planning your budget. The general rule is to set aside enough money to cover expenses for three whole months if necessary. Try to save this money and avoid using credit cards which might as well lead you to deeper debt.

Despite what you may think, a budget is a great tool that has a great positive financial impact. If successful companies have to budget their spending, it’s only reasonable that a typical household should have to budget spending as well. Don’t view sticking to your budget as a chore or a bad thing. Once you’ve accepted the limits of your income, you’ll be well on your way to reaching your financial goals.

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