How to manage personal finance?

TOM SIROIS teaches best ways to manage your financial decisions so that you will save money for future without any issues. You should also realize the time value of money. You should be able to analyze the process of making personal financial decisions. As you develop personal financial goals, they can be realized in a very efficient way. You will strive to achieve the goals, and the saving will be done in the best possible way. Personal and economic factors that influence personal financial planning should be assessed.

Comprehensive financial plan

You should go for a comprehensive financial plan so that there will be great improvement in the quality of life. The uncertainty about future needs can be reduced in the best possible way. You should explore ways to protect financial resources throughout your life. TOM SIROIS suggests control of financial affairs so that excessive debt can be avoided. The ways that will lead towards bankruptcy can be prevented, and dependence on others for financial security can be avoided.

Personal relationships will be very much enhanced, and financial decisions should be communicated in a very efficient way. As you develop a system, you will have a sense of financial freedom and all kinds of worries can be avoided. You can achieve your personal economic goals without any issues. As you will make hundreds of decisions on a daily basis, you should be aware of consequences of those decisions. Most of the decisions are very simple. However, you will want to take complex decisions as well which will have long-term repercussions on your life and future.

There will be an impact on your personal as well financial situation. The three personal financial matters that you should address are mentioned below:
* Spend
* Save
* Share

You will want to spend on a daily basis and for major expenditures. The spending on account of recreational activities should also be calculated in this process. TOM SIROIS suggests you save for long-term financial security. There should be concern about sharing as you will be able to help others so that they will be able to organize their lives in the best possible way.

Fulfillment of financial goals

You should develop financial goals so that there will be great fulfillment. These goals should be developed based on the current financial situation. The goals will not deprive you all your comforts. You will have access to nutritional food as well as vacations to get relief from the stress. After developing goals, you should identify an alternate course of action. Alternatives should be evaluated, and various factors should be considered in this context.

You should consider the life situation, personal values and economic factors as well. The risk potential should be assessed and the time value of the money should be calculated. The opportunity cost should be assessed. The best financial action plan should be created and implemented so that you will be able to make the most of your investment. The financial plan should be reviewed and revised to fulfill your short-term as well as long-term goals.

Making a decision is easy. However, the determination and the commitment to abide by the decision will let you get the most out of your life. You should go through a logical financial planning process.

Development of alternatives

TOM SIROIS says that it is crucial to develop alternatives. When you make decisions, there should be alternatives as well. In some cases, you will want to continue the same course of action. If you can expand the current situation, it is possible to save larger amount on a monthly basis.

By implementing a new action plan, you can reduce debts. The credit card debts can be paid by using monthly savings. You should be able to figure
out possible courses of action which can address your financial needs. The financial discipline is very much important so that you will be able to manage funds for your day-to-day living and the long-term goals will also be achieved without any issues.

To make effective choices, you should have creativity. To make an efficient and satisfying decision, you should explore all possible alternatives. Instead of using car or own vehicle to attend work or school, you can explore the possibility to use the public transportation system. Carpooling is another option through which there will be substantial savings. You will address environmental concerns as well in this process.

Planning your personal finances

TOM SIROIS suggests effective ways for planning your personal finance. The changes in buying power will rise or fall due to inflation. The decision to buy an item should be taken based on the cost of the item and inflation. If the value of the money is going down, you can postpone the buying option.
The change in interest rate will also affect the cost of the item. If the interest rate increases after borrowing an item, you will lose money. On the other hand, if the interest rate decreases after borrowing, you will make gains. Some loans are based on variable interest rates.

The risk potential to the income should be assessed. If there are changes in consumer spending, there will be a risk to your job. Expanded use of new technology will also lead to loss of a job. Hence, you should be able to upgrade your skill and enhance your knowledge base so that you will not be jobless.
There will be certain personal risk involved with your purchase decisions. If you purchase a certain item, there will be risk when the brand relocates. You might face issues in repairing the product. The time, effort and money spent in this direction should be assessed.

You should take steps to overcome liquidity a risk as well. There are certain investments which have great potential to attract higher interest rates.
However, if there is liquidity crunch, you will not be able to realize the money, and there will be great risk in this process.

Get access to authentic information sources so that best decision can be taken to make the most of your life.

Related Links:

https://www.yelp.com/biz/tom-sirois-berkshire-hills-financial-great-barrington

https://www.pinterest.com/tomsirois/

https://plus.google.com/+TomSirois

Tom Sirois on saving money!

TOM SIROIS is an expert on financial matters. He advises investors to save money in the best possible way.
Instead of depending on the government, Tom Sirois advises people to invest sensibly. You should do your research before choosing investment options. If you fail to understand the strategy, you should not invest. There should be clarity on the investment. The golden opportunities will come and those opportunities should be utilized in the best possible way so that you can make the most of your investment.
If you listen to the advice given by the government, you will not get the full story. You should get access to the information provided by experts. They will analyze various facts and better conclusions will be reached. You should remember certain financial truths revealed by TOM SIROIS.

Build your knowledge base
You should take steps to build knowledge base. By following a set of newspapers and magazines on a consistent basis, you will be able to grasp the reality. The obstacles can be overcome by planning in a very efficient manner. Instead of investing all your money in high growth funds, you should diversify the portfolio. Even though a fund performs well for many years, there is no guarantee that it will deliver the same results in the coming years. Hence, you should invest in various funds to minimize the risk and maximize the earning potential.
As you care for the money, no one will take care for you. You will know your short-term and long-term financial needs. Hence, there should be proper planning to save money. If you do not have plans, you will fail.
Spend less than you earn
You should always spend less than the money earned by you. If you spend more than the earnings, you will land in debts. If you are purchasing goods, you should shop around and choose the best place so that you will not only get quality goods but will also make great savings.
The budgeting is the key to managing financial affairs. You should have a budget for various categories. There should be a budget for charity as well. The money that you share with others will give you back. This is natural law.
There is a difference between wants and needs. All wants are not needs. If you need something badly, you should go for it as per the availability of funds. To cut down spending, you are advised to use cash. If you go for plastic money, you are prone to spend without any cap. Hence, you should spend wisely. The spending should be calculated with time. If you have non-productive time which can spend, you can afford to wait.

Personal finance
To meet your needs in future, you should have strict financial discipline. The spending should be done very wisely. If you are investing in shares, you should be aware of the book value of the stock. There will be fluctuations based on the market sentiments. If you purchase stocks of reputed companies at a lower price, you can reap benefits. There will be benefits in the long run.
You should be aware of the factors that contribute to your credit score. To manage better credit score, the loan installments should be paid as per the due date. As you go through the credit score, you should bring discrepancy to the notice of the credit reporting agency. You should go for loans if there is an absolute necessity. The repayment should be done as per the due date. If you fail to repay the installment, you will not only pay the penalty but also get a negative impact on the credit score.

How to save money?
TOM SIROIS explains various ways to save money. If the income is not consumed immediately by buying goods and services, it will be saved. There is a difference between saving and savings. With saving, there will be an increase in one’s assets. The saving will take place over a period.
Saving is considered as a flow variable. ‘Savings’ is a part of one’s assets. It is deposited in the savings account. Savings will exist one at a time. You should understand the fact that it is stock variable.
The disposable money is the money that is available after spending and paying income tax. The state of economy will be gauged through the available disposable personal income. It is one of the key economic indicators. The personal income minus income tax payments is disposable money.
You should have confidence in saving money. You should be aware of the public sentiment as well. The consumer confidence is measured by the US Consumer Confidence Index (CCI). The optimism expressed by consumers on the state of the economy will be noticed through the CCI. Consumers express through saving and spending measures.
The Consumer Sentiment Index (CSI) is a consumer confidence index which is published by University of Michigan. The value of the index is 100 which is normalized in the year 1964.

Objectives of the Index

TOM SIROIS stresses the need to understand the terminology used in economic circles so that you will be able to understand the latest concepts very easily. As you follow the news very closely, you will have the capability to understand and forecast changes in the national economy.
You will be able to understand the right means to save money. You will follow the best methods to invest so that there will be gains in the long-term. There should be a long-term strategy on savings. The investment made in fixed deposits, mutual funds, gold, shares and debentures should be done as per the market conditions.
The keen observation of market sentiment will help you in this direction. By being able to understand economic principles, it is possible to invest in a systematic way, and all your needs will be fulfilled. TOM SIROIS offers simple but effective solutions to overcome the financial crisis. The
management of money and resources should be done in the best possible way so that you will not land in bankruptcy.

Additional Links:

https://www.yelp.com/biz/tom-sirois-berkshire-hills-financial-great-barrington

https://twitter.com/tomsirois

If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail: BK

Yes, a great quote from Ben Franklin that relates to pretty much every aspect of life.

Here is a great article supporting this advice: 8 Retirement Questions a 50-Something Couple Needs To Answer.

If you are "coupled" and in your 50s, at least have this conversation w/ your significant other today.

Thoughts?


Tom Sirois
Great Barrington, MA

Why choose the lesser of two evils?

Many claim this election is the “most important of our lifetime,” but I am not convinced. I strongly believe 2020 will be much more consequential because voters will lose their confidence in our government. If you are an observer of “social mood,” it is not surprising that this year we are faced with the choice before us: The Politician v. The Outsider.

Hillary Clinton is everything one loves and hates in a politician. She holds herself as a “champion for women, children, and the underserved” while using every means necessary to profit from her (and her husband’s) stature in our society. This election has revealed Clinton’s ability to profit personally from her family’s charity work by selling government favors to foreign contributors. Yes, this may be “legal,” but it does not pass the smell test to me and many Americans are repulsed by her lack of morality.

Donald Trump is simply the vessel to which many Americans are pouring their hatred and disgust for politicians. Evidently, this hatred and disgust are pretty strong since they are willing to overlook the many (and there are many) morally reprehensible displays of disgusting behavior from this man. I do not see the electorate’s rejection of government, and its current out of touch politicians going away anytime soon, but my hope is Mr. Trump will.

No matter who is elected in this cycle, I feel there will be little change in how things operate in Washington. At this point, the way our government has been run for decades will still be the order of the day: more deficits, more inflation, and more (senseless) wars to name a few. Our country needs to understand simple economics: we cannot afford our government any longer. This lack of economic realism can be exhibited by the way our government collects taxes where a small fraction of citizens pay for the majority of government spending (with borrowing making up the difference); this creates the illusion that government services are “free.” Today, less than 15 percent of the population pay for more than 70 percent of all income taxes. If the cost of our government was equally supported by everybody, each would pay $55,000 per year. Do you think you, your family and friends would support our government if we had to pony that up each year? But much of this election has been this discussion of voters wanting more government services: free college, free healthcare, cheap mortgages, etc. This is wrong; we cannot and should not live at the expense of our neighbors. Our government deliberately hides the true cost of our government to our citizens resulting in the mentality: We can simply vote and make someone else pay.

The next president may have different approaches, as each has campaigned on,  but I believe both potential candidates will utilize the government to “fix” our problems. This will cast the die for the next four years and sow the seeds for our country to ultimately lose confidence in our government. This will be more painful than we can imagine, but it will be necessary for us as a nation to realize government was never intended, nor does it belong, central to our lives. Though it will not be fair, whoever is president (and his or her party) will be blamed for this crisis. The consequence will be a rejection of this political party AND the Government in general. These candidates are the result of our society looking to solve our problems through the lens of politics.

At this time, I am NOT voting for either mainstream candidates because by doing so, I am endorsing the way our government is run, and we cannot afford it any longer. If I DO vote, it will be for Independent candidate Gary Johnson. He is a Libertarian, and I strongly believe MORE individual freedom will result in MORE prosperity for our country.

The main consequence of this election is that it will lay the groundwork for the next round in 2020 — assuming America still has elections by then.

Tom Sirois

Stockbridge

Newly released emails detail ties between Clinton Foundation, State Department

I am not a big Donald Trump supporter for many reasons, but I have several reasons I will NEVER support Hillary Clinton for President of the United States; here is the latest:

Mrs. Clinton, as Secretary of State, used her family's "Foundation" to receive donations in exchange for favors by the US Government. The list is vast, but there are many examples in this latest revelation of emails. It seems Mrs. Clinton's right-hand person, Huma Abedin, who now works for the campaign was able to achieve a "special designation" that allowed her to work at the State Department AND at the Clinton Foundation. 

Just three months into her tenure at the State Department, the Foundation went to work.

This is very sad for our country. I think one of our Founding Fathers said it best:

"In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, — if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people, if well administered; and I believe, farther, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other."

-Ben Franklin at the Constitutional Convention (June 1787)

Tom Sirois

Great Barrington, MA

Madness in March

Madness in March

Yes, it is that time of year when College Basketball fans (and gamblers) get to take out their bracket and choose who they think will win round by round and ultimately the national championship. I am not sure which I am more annoyed with the fact that the basketball that is played is not as interesting to me or the fact that fans and non-fans take so much time to prepare their bracket challenges and bet on the final victor.

Though I love basketball, college hoops have gotten much less of my attention. Maybe it is because the NCAA has gone 3-crazy, but I suspect it has lost it's the charm for me because College Basketball (and many other college sports) have become a very big business.

Check out this very interesting infographic below or this link: March Madness. Make no mistake this is a billion (with a B) industry that profits on the back of "student-athletes". For example, interested in buying a Denzel Valentine jersey, maybe the Bahamian native Oklahoma's Buddy Hield's? Well when you drop 50 bucks down, please don't kid yourself that these players see any of this money. That is the problem in my eyes. All the media companies, paraphernalia providers and colleges greatly profit on the back of the players (which is the reason we watch!).

Of course, the tournament is littered with March Madness Horror Stories that result in a fan's personal finance knowledge to be challenged. I would add to that many workers are less productive during this time; taking time off and/or watching games while at work. And I suspect it has much to do with the fact that they are gambling on their choices in the bracket.

My advice? Watch and enjoy the game, even fill out a bracket or two (but don't wager on it), but this is really the time you should be gathering your financial information to get ready to file your taxes by April 15th!

BTW, I pick Michigan State. They have great talent on their team, but I think Coach Izzo is one of the best and will bring them to another title.

Tom Sirois on Financial Stability

Tom Sirois

Financial Stability

"As the westernmost county in Massachusetts, the Berkshires comprise about 12% of the state’s landmass but only 2% of the population. As such, it is the 2nd most rural county in the state. The 32 towns have a total population of 130,000, which is predominantly white, has a small but growing Hispanic population (3.7% reported, but anecdotally estimated to be much higher), and 3% African-American. The population also tends to be older than statewide: 19% of Berkshire residents are over 65 compared to an average of 14% statewide (US Census). Of those who are 65 and older, 57% are considered poor or low income compared to 42% statewide (MA CHIP)" - Community Health Programs

 Most of the jobs in and around the Berkshires of Massachusetts are seasonal temporary work. This means when the season ends, so do the paychecks and sources of income for many blue collar working families.

Most of the seasonal jobs available to the citizens of this area are low income as is, which further contributes to the depression of the state average wage. 29% of this depression stems from this problem.

24 percent, this is how much lower wages are in this area versus the rest of the state of Massachusetts, contributing to a higher poverty rate than the majority of the state.

The cost of living is 126 percent higher than the surrounding areas, and this further contributes to the economical state in which the residents live.

This is why financial stability has never been more important.

You can turn these negatives into positives and stability for your household and way of life with the simple guidance and tools that Berkshire Hills Financial can give you.

Take advantage of our services to ensure you come out of your seasonal job with a comfortable cushion of savings, investments, and security.

Contact:
Tom Sirois
 Berkshire Hills Financial
314 Main St #21, Great Barrington, MA 01230
(844) 861-7292