Dollars And Nonsense

Never mind the story behind the name. There’s an obvious reason it’s called Capital One, and one of them is that it’s the credit card of choice for people with huge need for capital.

Since its creation in 1995, Capital One has become a successful financial service provider. The global company maintains operations in various countries. Forbes Magazine lists Capital One as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For. and why not? Capital One offers an array of financial services, including home, auto, and personal loans; financing for dental, medical, and cosmetic procedures; and various banking services. furthermore, the company provides a line of credit cards touted as the perfect fit for people with bad credit: Capital One secured credit cards.

Secured vs. Unsecured
A secured credit card is one that requires an applicant to submit a security deposit. If you have bad credit or none at all, odds are you can only get approval for a secured credit card, or an unsecured credit card with high interest rates and fees.

Should you feel insulted about being asked to put up a security deposit before you can get a plastic? You could, but this would be a waste of time. After all, there are many credit card companies that will readily offer you credit cards, but these come with steep initiation, registration, monthly, and annual fees. so if you have bad credit, it makes more sense to send in a deposit to secure one of the Capital One secured credit cards.

Advantages of a Secured Credit Card
In addition to saving money by obtaining a Capital One secured credit card, you could also get money back, in the form of your deposit. Just be sure to follow your payment agreement with the company, and avoid defaulting on the account. furthermore, by establishing credit with a top credit company, you are improving your chances of being offered an unsecured credit card later on. You see, if you pay off your dues religiously, you are already building good credit history. your credit score improves every time positive payment history is reported to one or all of the major credit bureaus.

Applying for Secured Credit Cards
While secured credit cards have their advantages, it is wise to apply for a Capital One secured credit card first before getting a secured card. This is because the steps involved in applying for Capital One secured credit cards vary only slightly from those required of applicants for secured credit.

Credit Limits
If you get a secured credit card, your credit limit will be based on how much you deposit into your secured account. Capital One secured credit cards’ initial credit limit is $400. You might find this sum laughable. After all, it’s not enough to pay for a new car or roundtrip tickets to Timbuktu. but remember that Rome was not built in a day. likewise, rebuilding bad credit takes time, and is an activity best done step by patient step.

Making the Secured Credit Card Temporary
Capital One secured credit card is one of the few options left to people with bad credit. so, be always mindful that you don’t exceed your credit limit. Where credit scores are concerned, the magic number is 750. If your credit score reaches that value, you can be approved quickly for credit cards, auto loans, and mortgages. In addition, the American Congress has passed the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The law standardizes the collection, using, and sharing of consumer credit data. This provides help in turning bad credit into good credit.

Everyone deserves a second chance, and the Capital One secured Credit cards offers exactly that to people with bad credit. Don’t waste second chances. There might not be a third one.

Capital One Secured Credit Cards: good Choice For bad Credit

If you’re new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

I was an event planner before I decided to stay at home with Hudson, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve done anything that you can’t do. Planning a party is about being organized. You may think that you’re not creative and you can’t do it, but anyone can be creative. It’s about being resourceful and looking for different ways to make a statement.

I’ve come up with what I think is a good list of things to keep in mind when planning a party.

1. Start early. You want to avoid stress. With a baby, you don’t want to be running around like crazy two weeks before the party because you’ve waited until the last minute.

2. Decide on a theme and/or colors. This will help you know what to do. If you have a theme, think of ways you can expand on the theme. If you just use colors, think of ways you can fill the space with those colors.

3. Keep your eyes open. When you’re at Target, look around for things that go with your colors. Start doing this months in advance. I found all of the green buckets back in January. I knew I’d need them and I’d use them. At the time, I wasn’t exactly sure how I’d use them, but the color was right and I snatched them up. Look in the dollar bins and the seasonal departments. If something fits the color then grab it. If you start doing this months in advance, you won’t have as much trouble finding something when it comes down to the last minute.

4. Make a list. Initially, you need a list broken up into categories: decorations, food, drinks, extras. Think of the fun ways you can use these categories to expand on your theme/colors. We chose to have only green and orange food. Then we had the bbq and ham, which obviously isn’t green or orange. But a vegetable platter of only green veggies and orange veggies. Green deviled eggs. Green and orange candy. Use anything to fit the theme.

Then make lists/timelines two weeks out from the party to outline your tasks. It helps to stay organized. Make a list of what you should do a week out. Make a list of what you should do the day before and the day of the party.

5. Be original. Use blogs and magazines for inspiration, but don’t take someone else’s party and just replicate it. Make your party your own. It’s more fun when you know you did something and it fits your personality and the personality of the guest of honor. Everyone has a creative bone in their body. Find yours.

6. Think of your guests. If you invite adults to a child’s party, make sure the party is also adult-friendly. Have some adult food and adult beverages. If it’s an adult’s party and you invite kids, make it kid-friendly. Have a table for kids and food for kids. Everyone wants to feel comfortable when they attend a party, so make sure you have something for all of your guests.

7. Get help! Delegate! It’s impossible to have a huge party without getting help. My mother-in-law makes amazing cake balls and deviled eggs, so I asked her to do those things. My mom has connections for buying candy in bulk and already owns all of the containers for the candy. She can also tie a mean bow, so she picked up all of the ribbon in the appropriate colors and got to tying!

8. Make an outline/diagram of your space. I made a list for each room in the house. Kitchen: deviled eggs, ham, beverage dispensers, Green Eggs and Ham sign. Breakfast room: barbecue, mac ‘n cheese, all heavy food, paper poms, drink buckets. Dining room: centerpieces, candy, cupcakes, smash cake.

If you do this in advance, then the day of the party and the day before, you’re ready. You know exactly where things need to go.

9. Start setting up early. Don’t wait until the day of the party to decorate. Do the decorating two nights before. The night before, set out all of your dishes and get the party “staged.” The day of you can just put out all of the food and put the finishing touches on everything. Also- if you’re using balloons, wait until the day of to blow up the balloons and put them out.

10. More is more! When you think you’re all finished decorating, take a look around add something else. If you’re trying to make a punch with color, then find as many ways as possible to use that color. Always add more! When we finished decorating we had a couple of unused buckets and poms that had to go in one of the closets, but we were prepared. We had lots of stuff and found creative ways to use everything.

Those are my best party-planning tips. Do you have anything that you would add to the list?

party planning tips | Blue-Eyed Bride

For the starters: TiVo (pronounced as tee-voh) is a popular brand of digital video recorder (DVR). it is a consumer video device which allows users to capture television programs to internal hard disk storage for later viewing.

Features:

• Digital Recording: it gets you every episode of all your favorite shows (minus the repeats) even when you are watching the show. TiVo automatically finds it and digitally records it every time they are on. You may choose to record it one time as well if you prefer. it can record from multiple sources, e.g. cable, satellite, regular antenna or old-fashioned rabbit-ears (depends on TiVo product)
• Wish List: TiVo works like a search engine to find programs, features, or anything at all and records when it is broadcast. You just have to enter the keywords (e.g., name of the show, movie, actor, actress or director) and TiVo will search them and record them.
• Online Schedule: You can schedule online what you want to record: TiVo will record it for you!
• Home Media: if you have a broadband connection, you can easily access Internet radio, podcasts, movie times & tickets, Yahoo Weather & Traffic, and share digital photos. Plus, schedule last-minute recordings from the web via TiVo. if you have more that one TiVo box, you can share among the boxes (multiroom access), too.
• Product Watch: it will automatically find and deliver relevant video clips for the products you are planning to buy (e.g., car, vacation deal, etc) straight to your now Playing List.

What you need:

• TiVo Package: TiVo box and a subscription plan.
• Program Source: cable box (digital/ analog), cable (without or without converter box), satellite, antenna or old-fashioned “rabbit-ears”
• Phone/ broadband connection: it ensures the TiVo box has the information it needs to find and record the entertainment you care most about. at present TiVo lets you use only a wired connection, but there will be an option to use wireless broadband connections very soon.

The TiVo box:

The box handles all the major operations of a digital video recording in its internal hard-disk. The option for storing data in an external drive is not available yet but will be at the corner soon, as TiVo has promised!

• Input/ output options: 1 phone line, 1 stereo audio, 1 RF, 1 S-video, 1 composite, 1 Ethernet 10/100 and 2 USB ports
• Price: (i) 80-hr TiVo Series2 DT DVR ($99.99), (ii) 180-hr TiVo Series2 DT DVR ($199), (iii) 300-hr TiVo Series3 HD Digital Media Recorder ($799).

Price varies from $99 to $799 depending on amount of internal hard-disk space and type of program source. it also differs somewhat if you plan to buy directly from TiVo.com or from other retailers (e.g. BestBuy, Circuit City, etc)

Subscription Plans:

You have to pay TiVo inc. for TV schedules as well as software updates and any other relevant information which are automatically downloaded via a phone (dial-up) or a broadband internet connection. Earlier TiVo used to sell the TiVo box and subscription service separately and you could pay for the latter through a monthly or a one-time plan.

Starting from March of 2006 TiVo started to bundle the hardware and subscription fees. if you buy a unit from TiVo.com there are six options—three monthly plans and three pre-paid plans. The monthly plans are $16.95/month for a 1-year commitment ($203.40 total), $14.95/month for a 2-year commitment ($358.80 total), and $12.95/month for a 3-year commitment ($466.20 total). Pre-paid plans are $179 for a 1-year commitment, $299 for a 2-year commitment, and $299 (limited time offer, regular price: $349) for a 3-year commitment.

Read more: TiVo Website, Wikipedia, CNet

Sam's Ideas

Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy protection in 2008. Now, a report by a court-appointed examiner provides 2,200 pages of details on the investment firms demise, as well as more leads into further inquiries that may need to be made. (The US Justice Department assigns examiners to bankruptcy cases to probe allegations of misconduct and wrongdoing. The examiners are there to help determine whether creditors can recover more funds and if additional regulatory action needs to occur.) already, a number of top Lehman officials have been named defendants in securities fraud lawsuits over their alleged misconduct.

For example, examiner Anton R. Valukas appears to have found evidence of “actionable balance sheet manipulation, including use of Repo 105, an aggressive accounting practice that allowed Lehman to conceal the full extent of its financial problems. while no US law firm would sign off on this practice, Linklaters, a British law firm, did.

According to Valukas, as long as the repos took place in London through the bank’s European arm and the firm did what was necessary to make the transactions look as if they were sales, then regulatory disapproval was unlikely. Also, even after a whistleblower warned that accounting improprieties were occurring at at Lehman, Valukas says that Ernst & Young continued to certify Lehman’s financial statements.

If your account at Lehman Brothers was mismanaged or if you invested into Lehman Brothers stocks, hedge funds, notes, or other Lehman financial products that were sold by other firms, please contact our stockbroker fraud law firm immediately. Shepherd Smith Edwards & Kantas, LLP is committed to helping investment fraud victims throughout the US recoup their financial losses.

Related Web Resources:
Findings on Lehman take Even Experts by Surprise, NY Times, March 10, 2010

Read the Examiner Report (PDF)

Claims for Losses at Lehman Brothers and in Investments into …

the European Central Bank left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1 percent Thursday as markets waited to see if the bank will scale back special lending to banks introduced during the financial crisis.

The bank’s decision to leave its rates unchanged was not a surprise. Earlier Thursday, the Bank of England announced it was keeping its interest rates at a record low of 0.5 percent and was not going to take further action on buying assets to boost its money supply.

ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet will discuss the bank’s decision with reporters — though he will also likely face questions about the crisis surrounding Greece’s huge budget deficit.

Greece announced austerity plans to help manage its heavy debt load Wednesday.

After Greece’s announcement Wednesday, the ECB said it appreciated Athens’ plan to implement the measures very quickly. it said that demonstrates the Greek government’s “strong commitment” to achieve its aims.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, the head of a group of the region’s finance ministers, said they were also confident that Greece could now reduce its deficit by four percentage points this year.

Greece’s moves may increase chances that the European Union will guarantee its debts, making it easier for the country to sell enough bonds to help it roll over its big debts.

A Greek default or an expensive bailout would be a blow to the euro.

After the decision, the euro rose versus the dollar in spot trading Thursday afternoon to $1.3681 from $1.3661 Thursday morning. the euro traded above $1.37 Wednesday for the first time in weeks after Greece announced its budget efforts.

European Central Bank leaves rate at 1 pct

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire/ — the jobs bill approved by the U.S. Senate includes a tax credit meant as a hiring incentive for small business. but small businesses say it’s not enough. With many struggling to meet payroll while revenue is down, hiring a new employee in return for a few thousand dollars is not feasible or smart. Businesses are turning instead to small business financing and cash advance providers like BusinessCashAdvance.com to stay alive.

BusinessCashAdvance.com, a provider of merchant cash advances for small business, expects this trend to continue through 2010.

The fact that bank lending has tanked to its worst levels since 1945 is compounding the economic downturn for small businesses across the country. a National Small Business Association (NSBA) survey found that 39% of business owners questioned in December 2009 couldn’t find “adequate financing.”

Credit cards are also a less reliable source of emergency financing. the business news media frequently highlights business owners who used large credit card debt to finance startups, but that type of startup financing may no longer be possible. more than a third of small business owners use credit cards for more than 25% of their overall financing according to NSBA. but 79% said credit terms got worse over the past 12 months.

Given these facts, it’s not surprising companies aren’t ready to hire — tax credit or not. They’re still trying to slash expenses further, while keeping inventory levels low. And although consumer spending is rising slightly, it’s rising from depressed levels, implying a long wait for a return to healthy revenues.

This is why companies that process credit card sales are increasingly using merchant cash advances. Since the advance is repaid from monthly credit card sales, no collateral is needed, making this an unsecured cash advance. Retail stores, restaurants, and even doctors and other professionals are using cash advances to increase inventory, buy equipment and meet payroll.

About BusinessCashAdvance:

Founded by financial professionals, BusinessCashAdvance.com provides unsecured cash advances for small business. Financing companies in a broad spectrum of industries, it has helped retail stores, automotive shops, beauty salons, medical practices, florists, pet stores, restaurants, and others.

A free application is available online at http://www.businesscashadvance.com or by calling 866-411-0606.

*(LOGO 72dpi: Send2Press.com/mediaboom/10-0127-BusCaAdv_72dpi.jpg)

This release was issued on behalf of the above organization by Send2Press(R), a unit of Neotrope(R). http://www.Send2Press.com

Jobs bill Tax Credit Not enough: more Small Businesses Turn to Business Cash Advances

MINNEAPOLIS – the state attorney general sued six out-of-state debt settlement companies Thursday for alleged violations of Minnesota law that left consumers already struggling with their debt in worse shape than when they started.

“People who are swimming in debt are often desperate for a life preserver, but they should know that debt settlement companies usually just anchor them down with even more financial problems,” said Attorney General Lori Swanson in a news release.

Swanson’s office says debt settlers typically recommend that consumers stop paying their bills and instead put the money in a bank account, which the debt settlement company will use to negotiate a settlement of the consumer’s debt.

However, she cautions that consumers who stop paying their bills could end up with debt collection calls, ruined credit, collection lawsuits and wage garnishments.

A Minnesota law that took effect Aug. 1 caps the fees that settlement companies can charge for the service. for example, it generally caps the origination fee paid by the consumer at between $200 and $500. Monthly fees are capped at between $50 and $75.

Swanson alleges the six companies weren’t licensed to do business in Minnesota and overcharged consumers by hundreds or thousands of dollars. the lawsuits seek injunctive relief, civil penalties and restitution.

The companies sued are:

_ American Debt Settlement Solutions inc. of Boca Raton, Fla.

_ Debt Rx USA, LLC of Dallas

_ FH Financial Service, inc. of Dallas

_ Morgan Drexen inc. of Anaheim, Calif.

_ Pathway Financial Management inc. of Garden Grove, Calif.

_ State Capital Financial inc. of Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Messages were left with all the companies, but only Jacob Hunt, owner of FH Financial, immediately responded. He said he wasn’t aware of the lawsuit, but he would examine the allegations carefully.

“We’ll definitely address it appropriately,” he said.

Minn. AG sues 6 debt settlement companies

Columbus-based Huntington Bancshares continues its push into the Cleveland market by expanding banking hours and adding employees there.

The bank, which is the market leader in the Columbus area, ranks fifth in the Cleveland market. the leader there, National City Corp., was bought at the end of 2008 by PNC Financial Services. Experts say the change could result in customer churn.

Huntington offered Cleveland consumers and small businesses reason to consider a switch yesterday. Its 55 banking offices in that market are now open seven days a week, it announced. It also has added 150 employees, bringing its total work force in greater Cleveland to more than 900.

In addition, the bank plans to add 50 other positions in commercial banking, treasury management, insurance, mortgage, asset-based lending and trusts.

“The expanded hours are part of a larger Huntington strategy aimed at investing in Cleveland through more customer services as well as jobs that can help stimulate the economy,” said Mary Navarro, senior executive vice president and retail and business banking director, in a news release.

The increases come on the heels of the loss of jobs and banking offices in the Cleveland area as Pittsburgh-based PNC merges its operations with National City’s.

The banking-industry shakeup in the Cleveland market doesn’t begin and end with National City. in December, Cleveland-based AmTrust Bank was seized by federal regulators and was bought by New York Community Bank.

As of June, National City was the Cleveland area’s biggest bank, with $20.1 billion in deposits in the market and a 30.5 percent market share, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Huntington ranked fifth with $3.6 billion in deposits there, representing a 5.5 percent market share.

“It’s a push for market share in a market where there have been bank closures and changes of management,” said Ken Mayland of ClearView Economics in the Cleveland area. “Banking ultimately is about convenience, and so one way that they wish to promote themselves and distinguish themselves is through greater service.

“The danger is, the move could be greatly watered down if other institutions follow suit and do the same things,” he said. “However, we have a large Pittsburgh bank now, you know. Maybe Huntington Bank is counting on the rivalry expanding beyond the football field.”

A PNC spokesman did not return a call seeking comment.

Huntington has taken steps before to strengthen its ties with Cleveland. in September, it added William Robertson, a longtime National City executive, to its board. Also last year, the bank appointed two other Cleveland bankers to executive positions: Randall Strickler as director of commercial real estate and Kevin Blakely as chief risk officer.

In addition, a recent appointee to Huntington’s board has strong ties to Cleveland: Richard W. Neu is a former chief financial officer, treasurer and director of Charter one Financial.

Huntington recently opened a banking office in Cleveland’s western suburb of Avon and has focused on small-business lending to help job creation in Cleveland. As a result, Huntington was recently named the No. 1 SBA lender in Cleveland.

tferan@dispatch.com

Huntington growing in Cleveland

Published February 03, 2010 04:46 am –

City officials discuss flood insurance
Local governments must join program for any property owner to buy NFIP coverage

by MARK NEWMAN, Courier staff writer

OTTUMWA — While everyone should consider flood insurance, it’s especially important for elected officials.

Representatives from FEMA and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources told officials from Ottumwa, Eldon, Wapello County and other municipalities on Tuesday that in order for any property owner to purchase National Flood Insurance Program coverage, local governments must join the program.

“Nobody is forced to buy flood insurance,” said Roger Benson, a FEMA mitigation specialist, “but you can’t buy it at all if the community does not participate.”

He said most larger communities, like Ottumwa and Des Moines, already participate. Typical homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage.

He said part of the reason is to keep the community vibrant. Lenders may not agree to mortgage on homes in a flood plain without flood insurance.

“It’s harder to buy or sell property,” said DNR engineer bill Cappuccio. “They may have to go purchase private flood insurance at three times the price.”

Benson said banks are interested in protecting the structure, because it is collateral. for example, while flood insurance may be a requirement, protecting the contents of the home is not mandatory. That is something to consider, though, he said.

Another tip: it takes 30 days for NFIP flood insurance coverage to begin, said Cappuccio, so don’t wait until the snow melt of spring to sign up.

Cappuccio said state and federal government have certain prerequisites on what they will insure. if the home is mapped in a known flood area, the cost would be higher than in a place where it never floods. but there still must be a level of protection in place.

“The three things we’re talking about are insurance, flood plain mapping and flood plain hazard management,” said Benson.

But it all hinges on the map. The new map being developed this year will show communities where the biggest dangers are, allowing local zoning regulators to take precautions, and property owners to make informed decisions on buying insurance.

While anyone can buy flood insurance, how much you spend — and how high you must place your building — will depend largely on the flood map being reviewed now by area officials.

The proposed map should soon be available at local courthouses and city halls. Citizens who have objections based on good scientific data should communicate their concerns to local officials, Benson said.

Benson said it’s not just engineer-built levees that protect structures; the law requires NFIP participants to find “100 year flood level” and build all new structures one-foot above that.

“Larger floods do occur,” he said. “A great levee will protect you — to a point.”

City officials discuss flood insurance

(Real Simple.com) — here are some essentials talks to have with your spouse, your kids, and your parents.

With your spouse

•Where does all our money go?

Why it’s important: if you don’t know where it goes, you could end up running low, not to mention straining your relationship.

“Financial issues are the number one reason I see couples divorcing,” says Barton Goldsmith, a psychotherapist and the author of “Emotional Fitness for Intimacy.”

The biggest marriage-buster among them? Over-spending. “Oftentimes a spender marries a saver,” says Goldsmith. “They need to master the art of compromise, and if they don’t, their relationship can quickly get complicated.”

The ideal time to talk: Yesterday, says Goldsmith. every couple needs to have this discussion. Even if your finances seem to be in good shape, you should check in regularly in case priorities change or debt sneaks in unnoticed.

Real Simple.com: 11 money-etiquette issues

What to do first: Suggest to your spouse that the two of you — together — keep a month long spending journal that tracks personal and household expenses.

How to bring it up: When the month is over and it’s time to talk, focus on your feelings rather than his actions, says Puhn. Something like “Honey, I will sleep better if I know that our finances are in order” takes any judgment out of the discussion and offers your spouse a concrete way to work with you and make you happy. Then use the spending journal to help you both look for ways to stay on budget, cut back spending, or save more. It’s also a good time to create a list of long-term savings goals.

• Do we need to change who does what?

Why it’s important: Let’s face it: It’s rare and not always practical for couples to share equally in day-to-day financial duties. if the balance gets out of whack or if you’re juggling tasks that you don’t understand, then bills could be missed, credit scores could suffer, and, again, resentment and conflict may ensue.

The ideal time to talk: some time before you feel like yelling, “Must I do everything around here?!”

What to do first: Compile a list of every financial decision that is made or task that is performed in your household, from paying the gas bill to reallocating your 401(k) investments.

How to bring it up: Suggest holding a monthly household-business meeting. When you talk about money at an appointed time, tempers stay in check and work gets done, says Goldsmith. at the first one, go over your list and reassign responsibilities more evenly and appropriately. Repeat as necessary.

• are our retirement plans on track?

Why it’s important: After the recent stock-market downturn, most people’s 401(k)s look more like 201(k)s, says Goldsmith.

The ideal time to talk: as soon as you can.

What to do first: Open your account statements. with all the bad economic news, it’s tempting to ignore them and remain on autopilot.

How to bring it up: Get right to the point. “I have been looking closely at our investments, and I’m worried we won’t be able to retire at age 65″ will certainly get your spouse’s attention. Then quickly follow with “Let’s figure out how to get back on course.”

An online retirement calculator (like the ones at money.cnn.com) can help. It might also be a good time to schedule an appointment with a financial planner who can offer objective advice and make sure you don’t overlook any options. (Find a licensed one at fpanet.org.)

• What is our risk tolerance when it comes to investments?

Why it’s important: if one of you thinks that there is a fortune to be made in the market and the other can’t stand the idea of losing a cent, you will be tempted to keep changing course and never meet your investment goals. Teamwork, people!

The ideal time to talk: Natural times to bring this up: during tax season, when you’re looking at your investment income, and at year’s end, when many people reevaluate their finances. But just checking your portfolio online can offer a chance to raise the subject.

Real Simple.com: how to save money without giving up too much

What to do first: Learn to speak the lingo, says Puhn. Read some articles or books on investing, such as “You Can Do It!,” by Jonathan D. Pond and “Smart and Simple Financial Strategies for Busy People,” by Jane Bryant Quinn and you’ll see that knowing your risk-tolerance level — whether low or high — is essential to successful investing. (These books will also help you assess your tolerance.)

While you’re at it, adopt non–Chicken Little terms, such as “risk tolerance,” instead of saying, “I’m scared we’ll lose all our money!” Try to temper your emotions.

How to bring it up: if you’re the one who is averse to making risky investments, simply state that you are not comfortable with having such an aggressive portfolio. if you’re the more aggressive one, ease into it — you don’t want to scare your partner off.

Saying something like “I think we’re missing enormous opportunities because we’re too conservative” should help get the ball rolling. Either way, both of you should be prepared to find a middle ground, says Puhn, for the sake of your relationship, if not your portfolio. (After all, these days, who can predict what will happen to that?)

Meeting with a fee-only financial planner (who won’t steer you into investments that pay him the highest commissions) can also help you find investments and formulate long-term savings goals that you are both comfortable with.

With your kids

• You don’t need that new iPod. You want it.

Why it’s important: Determining what is and isn’t essential will guide their spending habits for a lifetime.

RealSimple.com: Family Fun on the Cheap

The ideal time to talk: as soon as kids start to notice what things cost, usually in the first or second grade. Hammer home the point during their brand-conscious tweens and teens.

What to do first: Print out a copy of your family budget. (If you don’t want to show your income, limit the figures to monthly expenses.) Then go over it with your kids. Don’t have a budget? Download a free template at office.microsoft.com, and make one together. (Search for “family monthly budget planner.”)

How to bring it up: “Let’s take a look at where the money goes” is a good opener. getting kids interested may be easy: sixty percent of the teens surveyed in a recent study by the investment firm Schwab and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America said that learning about money management is a top priority.

• I’m giving you your first credit card. But …

Why it’s important: Think of it like driving a car: the only way kids can learn to use a credit card wisely is by (gulp) borrowing yours.

The ideal time to talk: When they’re juniors or seniors in high school. certainly before college, where they will be inundated with credit-card offers and are liable to spend irresponsibly. the average credit-card debt among college students recently hit an all-time high of $3,173, according to a survey by lender Sallie Mae, and 40 percent of students said that they charged items knowing they didn’t have the money to pay for them.

What to do first: Add your under–18-year-old as an authorized user on your account. Set a $100 credit limit on her card, says Jennifer Austin Leigh, Psy.D., a psychologist and a family adviser based in new York City. if she handles that well, increase it by $100. “If you give kids too much credit to begin with, you’re setting them up to fail,” says Leigh.

How to bring it up: Handing over the card will get her attention. But follow it up with the analogy of the $50 pizza, says Linda Sherry, director of national priorities for Consumer Action, a consumer-education advocacy group. You charge a $10 pie but forget to pay the bill. Then you’re hit with a $40 late fee, and before long that pizza costs five times as much. From there, you can explain interest charges, minimum monthly payments, credit scores, credit reports, and how it can haunt you if you’re not responsible with your plastic.

• Let’s plan how best to pay for college

Why it’s important: the average annual cost of college? about $25,000 for a private school and $6,500 for a public one. no wonder two-thirds of undergraduates receive financial aid (mostly in the form of student loans). as a parent, it’s your job to work out how to put your child through college without leaving her in serious debt or bankrupting your own retirement, says Kalman a. Chany, founder of Campus Consultants, a college consulting firm based in new York City. Whether or not your child has to help contribute, include her in the discussion.

The ideal time to talk: You and your spouse should begin to consider the costs of higher education as soon as your child is born, says Chany. And start saving right away. once your child starts to talk about college, which usually happens when he’s in middle school, it’s a good time to introduce how much it costs.

What to do first: start investing in 529 plans and Coverdell Education Saving Accounts, which work like Roth IRAs. Visit savingforcollege.com, a Web site that compares various savings options.

How to bring it up: be positive with your child. this is not about discouraging him or scaring him away from higher education; it’s about stressing that cost could factor into the decision. Explain to tweens that tuition can be expensive: “I’m so glad you’re thinking about college. We should all start talking about how to pay for it.”

For high school kids, get specific: “Those are great options, but let’s include some more affordable schools on your list, too.” be up front about financial aid: in some instances, you’ll need to talk about how to share the expenses and explore different possibilities for scholarships and/or loans.

With your parents

• Do you have enough to retire comfortably?

Why it’s important: thirty percent of adult children contribute to their parents’ finances, according to the Pew Research Center, an independent research organization in Washington, D.C. with many people living into their 80s and beyond, it is more likely than ever that retirees will outlive their savings.

The ideal time to talk: It’s never too early. if your parents seem too young or are already retired, discuss long-term planning.

What to do first: Check with your siblings to see if they have had similar conversations with your folks. It might be best to have just one adult child make the approach. the retirement calculator at bankrate.com can estimate how large a nest egg your parents will need in their retirement years.

How to bring it up: Gently. having a context for the conversation helps: “Mom, I noticed that you were careful at the grocery store. I don’t want you worrying about money during retirement.” Remember: “It may take more than one try,” says Virginia Morris, author of “How to Care for Aging Parents.” “Often parents don’t want to talk with kids about finances.”

• have you thought about long-term care insurance?

Why it’s important: the average cost for a private room in a nursing home can reach $75,000 a year; home health-care costs can be $200 a day. Long-term-care insurance pays these expenses.

The ideal time to talk: When your parents are in their late 50s or early 60s and in good health. That is when they will be most likely to find an affordable policy.

What to do first: Search for and print out articles on the subject so you can present the facts clearly. (Here are several good ones: Long-Term Insurance Information.) for a sense of potential costs and insurance benefits, check out the LTC Insurance Evaluator tool at smartmoney.com.

How to bring it up: use your grandparents as an excuse, suggests Marilee Kern Driscoll, founder of the e-newsletter Long-Term Care Planning Month (ltcmonth.com). Say something like “Mom, remember what you went through with Grandma when she was in the nursing home? She had to pay an awful lot of money out of her own pocket. have you made any plans if that should happen to you or Dad down the road?” if your own family doesn’t fit this scenario, mention one of your friends who has gone through a similar situation with her grandparents or parents. Then follow up by sharing the articles you printed out.

• in an emergency, who do you want to manage your finances?

Why it’s important: if a parent is suddenly incapacitated, he needs a durable power of attorney to have someone make financial decisions on his behalf.

The ideal time to talk: now, no matter how old your parents are.

What to do first: Draft a durable power of attorney for yourself — everyone needs one. Or check out the software program Quicken WillMaker plus 2010 ($50, nolo.com).

How to bring it up: use yourself as an example. Tell your parents that you had a durable power of attorney written and ask if they have one. if they do, find out where the paperwork is. if they don’t, offer to help. use the opportunity to discuss other emergency legal documents, like a living will and a health proxy.

Get a FREE TRIAL issue of Real Simple – CLICK HERE!

Your spouse, your kids, your money– let’s talk