Wisconsin Saves Fun Tip: Review Your Credit Report
The Wisconsin Office of the State Treasurer proudly teams up
with WWBIC (Wisconsin’s Womens Business Initiative Corporation) for “Wisconsin Saves Fun Tip.”
Starting a New Year is a GREAT time to start putting your fiscal house in order. The month of January, we will focus on tips to do just that.
This week, Reviewing your credit report may not seem like a savings tip, until you consider how much extra you could be spending on a high-interest loan due to errors on your credit report! If you’ve never reviewed your own report, I would suggest starting by obtaining a copy of all three major reports from AnnualCreditReport.com. Once you’ve taken care of any initial issues or errors, begin pulling one credit report every four months. This way, you’ll never go longer than four months without reviewing one of your credit reports. In the event someone attempts to steal your identity, your credit won’t be a train wreck before you can identify the issue and control the damage. Bonus tip: Save the money you pay toward monthly credit monitoring and do it yourself!
Treasurer’s Top 5: Racine County
This week, we travel to Racine County. Here’s a look at the Top 5 people and businesses there with unclaimed assets. Do you see anyone on this list you know? If so, have check out www.wismissingmoney.com and search their name to make a claim. They can also call 855-375-CASH (2274)
Racine County
Murad Gengozian
Gail M Lloyd
Lance Clausen
Nancy Madsen
Ganton Technologies Incorporated
Money Matters: Cyber Monday Deals!
Before you start saving, here are four important points:
1) We do not make a dime from any deal or for mentioning any store. This is is a 100% volunteer effort to save you money.
2) Items will sell out, prices will change and stores will discontinue offers. If a coupon reflects one price, and the store says another, all retailers have the final say.
3) All retailers have been tested repeatedly by us, all links are secure and one store we’re giving a second chance is under new management.
4) If you want even more deals as they drop, subscribe to my DealGuy Vlog for access first.
Want to see all the Cyber Monday Doorbusters: CLICK HERE
14 BEST Black Friday Apple Deals!
The 14 Best Black Friday Apple Deals Of 2014
If there’s only one rule you follow this Black Friday, it should be never to buy your Apple gear from the Apple Store. Not only is Apple’s sale predictable (the company is once again bundling gift cards this year), but it’s also disappointing, particularly when other retailers are discounting Apple gear at record speeds.
However, some of the initial leaks from the Apple Black Friday sale sound promising — but keep in mind these are still leaks. The only news Apple has confirmed is that it will offer (RED) iTunes gift cards on select purchases on Black Friday, and that the proceeds will help fight AIDS in Africa. In addition, not all of the leaked deals sound great. iPad shoppers, for instance, will still be able to score better gift cards from Target, which is offering cards at twice the value of Apple’s sale. (That applies to all iPad and iPad mini tablets.) Likewise, if you’re looking for deals on the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s, other retailers will beat the Apple Store’s offerings.
That said, a few Apple Store offers compete, up to an extent. Below is an updated list of the best Apple Black Friday ads, and how they compare to Apple itself.
Best Black Friday Apple Deals
Apple TV Media Receiver with $25 gift card for $99 at the Apple Store
If rumors are accurate, on Black Friday it will sell its Apple TV Media Receiver for $99 with a $25 gift card; assuming you use the gift card, that gives you an effective price of $74, which beats our Black Friday prediction. However, if you just want to pay as little as possible, Staples will offer the Apple TV Media Receiver for $79.
Apple iPad Air 16GB With $100 Gift Card for $399 at Target
This tablet’s $399 price point is nothing special (it’s what Apple charges), but what makes this deal noteworthy is the inclusion of a $100 gift card, which is like getting $100 off the cost of this tablet.
Apple iPad mini 2 16GB With $100 Gift Card for $299 at Target
Although Target is selling the iPad mini 2 at full retail value, it’s bundling a $100 Target gift card, which helps offset the cost of the tablet. Unless Apple changes its Black Friday sale for the better (highly unlikely), this Target deal will be hard to beat.
Apple iPad Air 2 16GB With $140 Gift Card for $499 at Target
Sensing a pattern here? Target is taking Black Friday seriously this year, and as with its other iPad deals, the current-generation iPad Air 2 is also selling at list price, but with a generous $140 Target gift card. This deal will most likely trump Apple’s Black Friday sale, which last year bundled a $75 Apple gift card with iPad Air purchases.
Apple iTunes $100 (4 x $25) Multipack Gift Cards for $79 at Sam’s Club
Whether you’re purchasing for yourself or as a stocking stuffer, Sam’s Club has the best iTunes gift card deal, taking roughly 21% off this multipack iTunes gift card set. Just need one card? OfficeDepot takes 20% off a $50 card. Though keep in mind that our data shows December may ring in more aggressive iTunes gift card deals.
Apple TV Media Receiver for $79 at Staples
This Apple TV Media Receiver is only a buck over our Black Friday prediction for this set-top box. However, last Black Friday, Apple’s streamer dropped down to $72, so there’s a chance this may get cheaper. However, if you need it today, Staples’s Apple TV deal is already live.
Apple iPhone 5s 16GB Smartphone with $30 gift card for $79 at Target
Target’s Apple deals are very aggressive this year, and although the retailer doesn’t have the best iPhone 6 deal, it takes the top spot for best iPhone 5s deal. It’s worth noting that Costco has offered the iPhone 5s for as low as $58 in the past, but if you factor in Target’s free $30 gift card, this deal is a price low by $9. It also beats Apple’s direct pricing, which sells this phone for $99. It also beats Apple’s direct pricing, which sells this phone for $99.
Apple iPhone 6 16GB Smartphone for $99 at Sam’s Club
The good news is that this is the best iPhone 6 deal we’ve come across since the phone’s launch. It surprisingly beats Walmart and Best Buy, which traditionally have the best iPhone deals. Unfortunately, the bad news is that there will be just 15 units per store. So if you’re not a Sam’s Club member (or if you’re not one of the lucky 15), your next best bet is Apple, which rumors indicate will bundle a $50 (RED) iTunes gift card with purchases of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. This deal even beats Target, which will offer the iPhone 6 bundled with a $30 Target gift card for $180. Meanwhile, iPhone 6 Plus fans will want to make their purchase from the Apple Store because that’s the only deal we’ve seen on this phone.
Apple iPhone 5c 16GB Smartphone with $30 Gift Card for 1 cent at Target
We’ve seen this iPhone for free multiple times before (even Apple offers it for free on contract), but this deal merits your attention because it’s the first for-profit iPhone 5c deal we’ve ever seen. Thanks to the bundled gift card, after purchasing this deal you’ll have an extra $30 in your pocket.
Apple MacBook Air Intel Haswell Core i5 1.4GHz 11.6″ Laptop for $780 at Best Buy
Not only is this the best MacBook Air deal of Black Friday, but it’s also the best MacBook Air deal of all time. It’s beats our MacBook Air Black Friday price prediction by $19 and unlike most MacBook Air back-to-school sales we saw this summer, this deal doesn’t require a valid .edu e-mail address.
Apple MacBook Air Intel Haswell Core i5 1.4GHz 13.3″ Laptop for $1,050 at Best Buy
Best Buy has a stronghold on MacBook Air deals, and although we saw the flagship 13″ MacBook Air bottom out at $750 this past summer, this specific configuration (with a 256GB SSD rather than the standard 128GB SSD) doesn’t see as many discounts. So for the moment, this deal is $149 under Apple’s price and the best offer we’ve seen on the 13.3″ MacBook Air.
Apple iMac 21.5″ Core i5 All-in-One Desktop at Best Buy for $900
Outside of refurbs, it’s extremely difficult to find a sub-$1,000 iMac. In fact, the 21.5″ iMac hit $980 just once this entire year. So at $900, this iMac is a stellar deal; the Apple Store will offer the next best deal on iMacs. It’s bundling a $100 gift card on all iMac and iMac 5K Retina deals.
Apple MacBook Pro Intel Ivy Bridge Core i5 2.5GHz 13.3″ LED-Backlit Laptop for $900 at Best Buy
Although we’ve seen this MacBook Pro at this price before, it’s not a common sight. Just keep in mind this is the mid-2012 model, which means you get an Ivy Bridge processor and a non-Retina screen. For current MacBook Pro laptops, the Apple Store is offering the best deal by bundling a $100 Apple gift card.
Apple iPod Touch 16GB MP3 Player (5th Generation) for $150 at Best Buy
Though not as popular as it was in its heyday, this is the best iPod touch deal we’ve seen for Black Friday 2014. (You typically pay this price for refurbished iPods). If you miss Best Buy’s deal (which starts Thursday at 5 pm in-store and online), Toys “R” Us will offer the same model at the same price starting Friday at 7 am in-store and online.
Best Buy and Target account for the majority of noteworthy Apple deals this Black Friday. It’s very unlikely that the Apple Store will even come close to matching them. Last year there were some reports that the Apple Store was price matching its competitors, but there’s no guarantee they’ll do that again this year and even if they do, your mileage may vary. Finally, iPhone 6 shoppers need not lose hope, because Fry’s has yet to reveal its Black Friday deals, and this retailer is known for its stellar iPhone discounts.
Excited for Black Friday deals? Consider subscribing to the DealNews Select Newsletter to get a daily recap of all our deals; you never know when a Black Friday price will be released! You can also download the DealNews app, check out the latest Black Friday ads, or read more buying advice.
This post has been updated to reflect the latest deals from the Apple Store.
Money Matters: 6 Secrets to Shedding Your Family’s Money Baggage
Thanksgiving is coming up fast, and for many of us, that means we’re in for some serious family time. But everything can’t be fuzzies and pie. A trip down memory lane can remind us of our family’s money baggage. FEAST ON THIS…. Our friends at www.Learvest.com tell us, the the money lessons you first learned at home tend to follow us through life.
“We learn from our parents,” explains Jonathan Alpert, psychotherapist and author of “Be Fearless.” “Money is an important part of our upbringing. We model our parents’ behavior and it becomes ingrained in us. It’s difficult to break out of that.”
Money Toxic Behavior #1: Living in Denial
What Causes It: “This is classic avoidance,” Alpert says. “It’s the mind’s way of avoiding that which it anticipates will be uncomfortable or anxiety-provoking.”
How to Shake It: Get motivated by the outcome rather than the process, says Alpert: “Think how you’ll feel once you clear the bills off the table,” he says.
Money Toxic Behavior #2: Embracing Debt
What Causes It: “Living paycheck to paycheck and surviving has become the norm over the past few years,” Alpert says. “People are feeling defeated, unable to see the future and stuck in a perpetual cycle of work and paying the bills.”
How to Shake It: Before getting ahead of your finances, you need to start catching up. Start putting as much as you can afford (even if it’s only $10 each week) away to pay off any bad debt like credit cards and car or consumer loans, and start shoring up an emergency fund. When you’re debt free and have a little financial cushion, then it might be time to turn your attention to investing. Think $10 investments aren’t enough? Think again–just ask this woman, who turned $10 stocks into $60,000. It might take some time to get ahead of your money, but the most important thing is that you start right away.
Money Toxic Behavior #3: Throwing Budgeting to the Wind
What Causes It: ”A lot of people use buying as a way to provide comfort in the same way that people might overeat–as a way to feel fulfilled,” says Alpert. They buy lavish and luxury items they don’t need to make them feel complete or special.”
How to Shake It: We don’t need to explain that money doesn’t just “appear,” but seeing where all your dough goes is also one of the best ways to avoid mindless spending. By consistently tracking your earnings and expenditures in the free LearnVest Money Center, you’ll get a sense of how much you really have to spend on what.
Money Toxic Behavior #4: Leasing Instead of Buying
“Maybe it’s a growing up in Detroit thing, but everyone in my family has always leased a brand-new, very cool car for a few years, then traded it back in for another. They’d never settle for wheels that were less than snazzy.”
– Jenny
What Causes It: “For a lot of people, the appeal of leasing is the convenience,” Alpert explains. “Decisions are made for them. The price and time frame are set, the mileage is limited. People like order and control, and they feel like this provides it.”
How to Shake It: He points out that the hardest adjustment for someone who inherited this practice might not be the age of the car, but making the distinction that a car is a method of transportation from point A to point B, not a representation of who you are. “Don’t let a car define you,” he advises.
Money Toxic Behavior #5: Resenting the Joneses
What Causes It: “Social comparisons are normal and her mom was right that it ‘must be nice’ to be able to buy a new home and take vacations,” Alpert tells us. “Her statement though, suggests a hint of jealousy and/or anger.” Though these emotions might motivate someone in the short term to make changes, he explains, they’re ultimately draining, not a good motivator like setting your own goals to pursue because you truly want to achieve them.
How to Shake It: “Keeping up with the Joneses will only allow you to be as happy as the Jonseses,” Alpert cautions. Money comparisonitis is the real, toxic behavior of constantly comparing yourself to those around you, and the first step to getting past it is forgiving yourself: It’s totally normal. In fact, a study of data collected since 1970 shows that we base our self-esteem more on the money we make compared to others, or our relative financial status, than on our actual financial picture. If you’re concerned that you might have money comparisonitis, take our quiz to find out.
Money Toxic Behavior #6: Wanting What You Want Now
What Causes It: Not everyone sees the value—or the joy—in seeking out the best deal. “For some people, there is great satisfaction in knowing they got the absolute best price on a product, and that outweighs any amount of ‘wasted’ time and energy. For others, it just doesn’t feel worth it,” says Alpert, who explains that they may feel more uplifted by the temporary thrill of immediate gratification.
How to Shake It: Nobody’s saying you have to be an extreme couponer if that doesn’t appeal to you. Splurging—in the right way—can actually be good for your finances. But depending on your financial situation, and your budget, you need to know when it’s OK to treat yourself and when you’re just throwing money away that you could be able to save. One good way is to enroll in our free Take Control bootcamp, which will teach you how to set boundaries—and long-term financial goals—for yourself.
CLICK HERE to read
FAQ Unclaimed Property: Where Do I Call with Unclaimed Property Questions?
Some of the Numbers have changed as the Unclaimed Property Program is now being adminstered by the Department of Revenue. The Office of the State Treasurer is still responsible for promoting the program and is happy to answer any questions we can for you. However, at the request of the Department of Revenue, direct lines to claims processors were removed from our website and they asks you to call and general line. That number is:
(608) 264-4594
Wisconsin Saves Fun Tip: Technology Saving Tips Week 1: To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade?
The Wisconsin Office of the State Treasurer proudly teams up with WWBIC (Wisconsin’s Womens
Business Initiative Corporation) for “Wisconsin Saves Fun Tip.”
The entire month of October, we are committed to Technology Saving Tips! This week, to upgrade or not to upgrade.
Sometimes we upgrade our technology because it’s stopped working; too often it is to have the latest gadget. Stop upgrading so often to save some money. Compare what you have with what you need and make sure you’re not just buying the label. Search for tips online for how to rejuvenate your old equipment by restoring factory settings or cleaning the hard drive. This might be just the new gift to yourself you’ve been looking for!
FAQ Edvest: How Do I Set Up Payroll Deduction for My Account?
Payroll Deduction
Simplify your life and make consistent, automatic contributions to Edvest by setting up payroll deduction.
If you leave your employer, contributions will automatically stop. You have the option to start a new payroll deduction with your new employer, if allowed, or you can choose to add contributions to your account by check, an automatic contribution plan or electronic funds transfer at any time.
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Wisconsin Saves Fun Tip: GETTING YOU GAS, Week 1
The Wisconsin Office of the State Treasurer proudly teams up with WWBIC (Wisconsin’s Womens Business Initiative Corporation) for “Wisconsin Saves Fun Tip.”
The entire month of September, we are committed to GETTING YOU GAS FOR LESS! This week, it’s all about HOW you pay for it.
When you purchase gas this month, the right form of payment may make all the difference! Several credit cards are offering great rebates, but most are only good through the end of September. Chase Freedom and Discover Card are both offering 5% cash back while deals beyond September include American Express’ Blue Cash Preferred and Bank Americard that offer 3%. With the average gallon of gas in Wisconsin up to $3.48, every penny counts! Just remember… if you don’t normally purchase gas on credit, be sure to set aside the cash each week for the bill at the end of the month – it doesn’t become fun money!
Wisconsin Saves Fun Tip:
The Wisconsin Office of the State Treasurer proudly teams up with WWBIC (Wisconsin’s Womens Business Initiative Corporation) for “Wisconsin Saves Fun Tip.”
The entire month of July, we are committed to helping you KEEP YOUR COOL and SAVE!
Here’s how you can start this week:
- On summer days, keep your curtains closed, especially on windows that get direct sunlight. The ability of curtains and drapes to reduce heat gain depends on fabric type and color. Medium-colored draperies with white-plastic backings (also called solar curtains) can reduce heat gain by 33 percent. Hang the curtains as close to the window as possible for maximum effect.
Money Matters: Employer Provide Benefits
Employer Provided Benefits
Whether you’ve just started a new job as a recent graduate or you’ve been with the same company for years, you need to make sure you’re maximizing your employee benefits. Our friends at www.practicalmoneyskills.com tell you how!
Most employers offer a host of company-sponsored benefits. Often, the combined value of these coverages is worth a third or more of your base pay. That’s too much money to leave on the table. And some employee benefits have valuable tax advantages you can’t afford to ignore.
If your employer provides a 401(k) plan or Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and you’re not participating, you could be missing out on hundreds – or thousands – of dollars in tax savings each year. That’s money that goes right into your pocket instead of Uncle Sam’s.
Here you’ll find the ins and outs of employee benefits and everything you need to maximize your job and all it has to offer.
Wisconsin Saves Fun Tip: Keep Your Cool!
The Wisconsin Office of the State Treasurer proudly teams up with WWBIC (Wisconsin’s Womens Business Initiative Corporation) for “Wisconsin Saves Fun Tip.”
The entire month of July, we are committed to helping you KEEP YOUR COOL and SAVE!
Here’s how you can start this week:
- Install a programmable thermostat for central air – raise your home’s temperature when you are away and save big money by not cooling an empty home! According to MGE.com, this can save you 20 to 60 cents per hour! You can buy one for between $30 and $100 at your local hardware store if you don’t have one already.
For more information on how to be a Wisconsin Saver, log onto our website: www.wismissingmoney.org or www.wwbic.com.
Treasurer’s Top 5: Polk County
This week, we travel to Polk County. Here’s a look at the Top 5 people and businesses there with unclaimed assets. Do you see anyone on this list you know? If so, have check out www.wismissingmoney.com and search their name to make a claim. They can also call 855-375-CASH (2274)
Polk County
Evelyn Green
Harold Leu
Joy Peterson
Esther Surkamer
Joyce Hill
FAQ Unclaimed Property: Where Do I Call for Help With My Claim?
Some of the Numbers have changed as the Unclaimed Property Program is now being adminstered by the Department of Revenue. The Office of the State Treasurer is still responsible for promoting the program and is happy to answer any questions we can for you. However, at the request of the Department of Revenue, direct lines to claims processors were removed from our website and they asks you to call and general line. That number is:
(608) 264-4594
FAQ Edvest: What Are the Tax Advantages?
What are the federal and state tax advantages?
Wisconsin Saves Fun Tip: Welcome to Wisconsin Saves
Welcome to Wisconsin Saves
Wisconsin Saves is a statewide initiative devoted to promoting financial awareness and encouraging financial action among people of all economic levels. The Wisconsin State Treasurer proudly teamed up with The Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation to bring you a weekly saving tip through this blog site. We thought it might be a nice reminder to you on how to sign up to be a “Wisconsin Saver.” Through resources and access to diverse products, Wisconsin Saves believes that anyone can build wealth by developing positive spending and saving habits. So don’t wait any longer… enroll in Wisconsin Saves today!
Money Matters: Handling the Unexpected
Handling the Unexpected
There’s nothing harder to plan for than unexpected events that impact your life and finances. Yet loss of a job, the death of a loved one, illness or other unexpected occurrences happen at one point or another in most of our lives. The key to successfully surviving these life-changing events from a financial perspective is to anticipate hard times. Shore up your financial situation before you are hit with an unexpected expense, so you will be covered in the event something happens. Our friends at www.practicalmoneyskills.com help you map out a plan.
The Importance of an Emergency Fund
Because we cannot predict when life will throw us an unexpected challenge, it is important for everyone to build and maintain an emergency fund with three to six months’ worth of living expenses. The key to building an emergency fund is to set money aside every month, no matter how small the amount. This Emergency Fund calculator can help you get started.
Financial experts recommend that, unlike retirement funds, emergency savings should be kept fairly liquid, in a savings account or a money market fund. Hopefully you will never need it. But if you do, you’ll be glad it’s there.
A New Financial Picture
Once the immediate financial matters are taken care of after an unexpected life event, it will be time to take stock of your new financial situation and create a plan for yourself moving forward. Whether you have faced job loss, divorce, illness or another event, you should create a new budget reflecting your situation. This is the first step toward financial security and rebuilding your emergency fund, which you may have tapped into to manage a financial crisis.
To develop a budget, write down your current expenses, indicating whether each expense is a necessity or a luxury. Pulling out recent credit card bills and bank statements can help with this process. Next, estimate your monthly income, including only income that you are certain you will receive. Then compare your income to expenses. If your expenses are higher, you will need to trim your expenses until your income is higher than your expenditures.
You can learn much more about budgeting and utilize our free budgeting worksheet here.
Treasurer’s Top 5: Pepin County
This week, we travel to Pepin County. Here’s a look at the Top 5 people and businesses there with unclaimed assets. Do you see anyone on this list you know? If so, have check out www.wismissingmoney.com and search their name to make a claim. They can also call 855-375-CASH (2274)
Pepin County
Betty and Manley Kruger
Gilles Isaksson Insurance
Benedict L Bauer
Andrea Olson
Pepin County Nursing Services
Money Matters: Buying A Car
Buying a Car
Buying a car is like jumping into a lake. Without some planning and research into what you might encounter, you could be in too deep before you know it. But if you take the car buying process one step at a time and put some time into researching your purchase and your finances before you stop on the lot, our friends at www.practicalmoneyskills.com explain how the process is likely to go a lot more smoothly.
What Can You Afford?
Before you begin shopping for a car, it’s important to take a look at your budget and figure out how much you can afford to spend on a vehicle, without strapping yourself or cutting into your savings. If you don’t have a budget, click here for information about creating one. Can you afford $200 a month for your new vehicle? What about $300? That number will be the total amount that you can pay for the car itself and operating expenses, like gas and maintenance.
Operating expenses can be about one third to one half of the monthly cost of a new car. So take the amount you’ve decided you can spend on your car each month and multiply it by .66. That is the most you should consider spending on monthly payments for the vehicle to be able to afford operating expenses as well.
The Down Payment
You’re also going to need a big chunk of change for a down payment. How much? The bigger the better. To get a loan for a car, and often for a lease, you’ll probably need to make a down payment of around 10% of the total price of the vehicle. The larger your down payment, the smaller your monthly payment will be and the less you will pay in total for the car in the long run. But make sure you don’t cripple yourself or deplete your savings account with too large a down payment. Find a comfortable balance.
For help anticipating your auto loan payment or determining how much car you can afford, utilize our free financial calculators here.
FAQ Unclaimed Property: How Does Property Become Unclaimed?
HOW DOES PROPERTY BECOME UNCLAIMED?
Property becomes unclaimed or abandoned when there has been no owner activity in relation to the account for a period of 5 years and when the owner has not been able to be contacted by the holder of that asset. A holder may include a bank, savings institution, credit union, insurance company, business or utility company.
Wisconsin Saves Fun Tip: Keep Your Cool!
The Wisconsin Office of the State Treasurer proudly teams up with WWBIC (Wisconsin’s Womens Business Initiative Corporation) for “Wisconsin Saves.” This week, how you can become a saver courtesy of WWBIC.
Keep your cool! Run heat-generating appliances like ovens and dryers early in the morning or late at night. Or better yet, not at all: A clothesline will save the $100 a year it can cost to run your dryer. And ditch your incandescent for cooler CFL or LED light bulbs.
Money Matters: Renting An Apartment
Renting an Apartment
While it doesn’t offer any investment potential, renting an apartment is the wisest financial choice for many people. Some may be saving for a down payment on a home, others may be unable to afford buying a home. For families or individuals who move often or for those not interested in the maintenance and repair of a home, renting can offer freedom to relocate and some relief from the costs of home ownership. No matter why an individual is renting, it’s a great idea to know about the financial and legal aspects. Our friends at www.practicalmoneyskills.com walk us through each step.
Leases
A lease is a binding contract that lays out the conditions and responsibilities of a rental agreement, both for the owner and the renter. It stipulates the monthly rental price, payment due date, the length of the lease and what happens if one of you breaks the lease. A lease generally also outlines whether the renter or landlord will pay the utilities, whether pets are allowed, and any other restrictions and requirements the landlord wants to include.
Read your lease agreement very carefully before you sign it. You will be held accountable for knowing everything included in the lease. Also, keep a copy of the lease for your records. It may come in handy if you have a question about what you are or are not allowed to do.
Cosigning
If the landlord is not convinced that you will be able to make your payments, he or she may require you to get a cosigner. This is someone who will share financial responsibility for the lease. If for some reason you are unable to make the payments, the cosigner will then be responsible for making the payments.
Breaking a Lease
You should avoid breaking a lease by moving out before the end of the agreed term if at all possible. Each lease agreement has its own penalties for breaking the terms—some only require the payment of a penalty but others require the renter to continue paying rent until the apartment is re-rented. For this reason, it’s critical to check your lease and make sure you can handle the financial ramifications before you break your lease.
Treasurer’s Top 5: Ozaukee County
Courtesy: www. travelwisconsin.com
This week, we travel to Ozaukee County. Here’s a look at the Top 5 people and businesses there with unclaimed assets. Do you see anyone on this list you know? If so, have check out www.wismissingmoney.com and search their name to make a claim. They can also call 855-375-CASH (2274)
Ozaukee County
Lawrence Kunesh
HH Spake
Kim Ziegelbauer
Brian, Darren, Todd and James Schmeling
Myron Haack
Money Matters: Employer Provided Benefits
Employer Provided Benefits
Whether you’ve just started a new job as a recent graduate or you’ve been with the same company for years, you need to make sure you’re maximizing your employee benefits. Our friends at www.practicalmoneyskills.com tell you how!
Most employers offer a host of company-sponsored benefits. Often, the combined value of these coverages is worth a third or more of your base pay. That’s too much money to leave on the table. And some employee benefits have valuable tax advantages you can’t afford to ignore.
If your employer provides a 401(k) plan or Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and you’re not participating, you could be missing out on hundreds – or thousands – of dollars in tax savings each year. That’s money that goes right into your pocket instead of Uncle Sam’s.
Here you’ll find the ins and outs of employee benefits and everything you need to maximize your job and all it has to offer.
Wisconsin State Treasury 
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