A college degree can go a long way to helping you gain a successful career you will love.  That being said it can be difficult to know what to major in. What kind of career can you get with your degree? What kind of growth exists in your field? Doing some career research in advance can help you decide what to major in today. We have looked at jobs with a math and sociology degree, now let’s look at a degree in economics.

While it may not initially sound like it, a degree in economics is a versatile tool that can open up numerous doors for you. Economic graduates can go on to work in numerous fields including business, consulting and even government.  In fact, one recent report showed economic majors ranked 4th out of 16 academic majors in starting salaries behind computer science, mathematics and engineering. Here are some possible fields.

Business Careers

The most common field for economic majors to work in is the business and corporate world.  While an economics degree doesn’t prepare you for a specific role it does help you understand business from a bigger picture which gets your foot in the door. Economics teaches reasoning and problem solving skills which are a valuable asset and can open doors to, management, marketing, finance and consulting.  It is also a good foundation for those who want to pursue a MBA. Pay various depending on education but a degree in economics has an average starting salary of $48,000 while the median salary for senior economist is $83,000.

Government Careers

Another huge employer for economic majors is the government on the state, local and federal level.  They often hire economic majors to help forecast economic conditions and evaluate their effect on budgets, monitor and evaluate agency operations and budgets and analyze different types of data. The Department of Labor and Commerce and weirdly enough the CIA, are all amongst the largest government economic employers. The added benefit is that you work on the government pay scale, which includes numerous holidays, time off and great benefits. The average government salary in this field is $108,010.

Public Policy Careers

If you love debating public issues and dissecting approaches to problem solving in areas ranging from health to national defense then a policy analyst position may be for you. Policy analysts compare and evaluate a wide range of public policy options to aid decision makers in the government. While you may think this involves working for the government most analyst work for private firms, often called think tanks that are hired out by the government.  Many of these positions require a post graduate degree but a bachelor’s may get your foot in the door. Analysts can make anywhere from $40,000 to $65,000 depending on experience and education.

So there you go. Three thrilling fields to work in with an economics degree. Check with online bachelor’s degrees for available courses.

Jeff Jordan writes in lives in Southern California. He writes about education  and schools such as Trident University.

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You need to start planning now if you want to have some money set aside for next year’s vacation. But how can you go about doing this without succumbing irrelevant purchases and overspending on lavish dinners? For some families, saving up money for a year-end vacation is a breeze. For others, it can be quite a challenge. In the following sections, we’ll provide you with a few key tips for helping you save money for your own year-end vacation.

Set Your Sights on Your Destination

First and foremost, you have to stay committed to whatever saving process you decide to take. If you can’t then chances are good that you’re going to overspend in areas where you shouldn’t. One of the best ways to stay persistent is to remind yourself why you are saving. Post pictures of your travel destination on your computer desktop and talk about your plans with co-workers and friends. This will ultimately increase your motivation and help you stay focused when saving money.

Use Your Miles

If you are someone who travels a lot then you can use your miles to earn a free flight at the end of the year. Keep in mind that the amount of miles that you’ll need ranges from carrier to carrier and it also depends on where you are traveling to. In general, you can acquire free flights by accumulating anywhere between 10,000 and 30,000 miles. This can be a quick and simple step to take when you are trying to save money on a year-end vacation.

Start a “Travel Fund”

Not only is starting a “travel fund” a lot of fun but it can ultimately allow you to save up a lot of money in a relatively short amount of time. Take note that there are a few golden rules that you’ll want to follow when taking this route. The first is that you shouldn’t remove money from this fund unless it is an absolute emergency.

One tip that you could utilize is putting your money in a separate bank account where you won’t be able to see it on a daily basis. Secondly, try to put at least 10% of your monthly income into your travel fund. While it may not seem like a lot at first, this number can quickly add up and provide you with a hefty fund to utilize at the end of the year for your travels.

Noc likes to travel and start saving at the beginning of the year for a big trip and sometime uses Travel Advantage Network to create lifelong memories.

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Falling into debt is a stressful situation for anyone. Due to unforeseen circumstances it can sometimes be an inevitable consequence that we have to come up with an effective debt management plan to combat these perilous financial pitfalls before the situation worsens.

Seeking Help

While we can do our share to cut down on our expenditure, it is not always enough and you should not be afraid to seek outside help should the strain of debt become too much. Seeking expert financial advice from professionals can help to alleviate the strain in ways you had not previously considered.

Planning the Future

Preparing a debt management plan is an essential step on the path to financial recovery and can demonstrate a significant willingness to address your finances for the better, which can go a long way when dealing with your creditors. The peace of mind which comes with the knowledge that you on the way to financial recovery is priceless and can heavily relieve the stress that goes with the heavy burden of repayment obligations.

Every Debt is Different

Each person’s financial situation requires its own personal plan, there is no use seeking generic advice when it may not suit your individual needs. Working with a professional to devise a debt management plan will take into consideration all of your needs and nuances in a way which was previously inaccessible. Putting this plan into action is your responsibility however and can take significant work and effort to ensure that payments are being met. Debt is a serious, crippling threat to anyone’s lifestyle, and one which must be cut out and eliminated as quickly and efficiently as possible. Unfortunately, a debt management plan may mean an increase in your repayment periods, but it is a necessary action when making repayments manageable. There is no point having a shorter repayment period if you are unable to meet these deadlines, which could lead to serious complications down the line.

My Name is – and I have a Problem

Admitting that you might need professional advice to solve your monetary woes is an important first step, with many people choosing to be stubborn to their own detriment. Formulating an effective debt management plan may not have been something you had previously considered, but it is highly unlikely you wanted to be in such a perilous financial situation in the first place.

A non-lending solution from a professional debt management advice agency can be the turning point on your road to getting bank statements back into the black and out of the grisly red. Taking the solo route of attempting to circumvent the road to recovery without professional help can be extremely risky and ultimately damaging to your credit rating.

As the debt management agency will contact your creditors, it can take a major load off your back, as their negotiations will be conducted on your behalf. Of course, the decision is ultimately yours and all avenues should be explored to find the best way for you to resolve your monetary issues – there is no need to feel pressured into agreeing a deal you are not comfortable with. Comfort with a debt management plan is paramount to its success, so be sure to find an agency and a plan that is perfect for you. It is your money and ultimately, your future livelihood you are trusting them with, so be sure to consider all options before committing to anything.

Get them Working for You

Debt can be devastating, so correctly managing your repayments is extremely vital. Having a debt management agency on your side can be advantageous when dealing with creditors, with many choosing a debt management plan in order to receive the additional support and security a specialised debt management company can offer.

Getting your life back on track without the daily worry (and hassle) which debt brings about is an obvious plus point, the sooner your finances are under manageable control the sooner the anxiety will pass. Nobody wants to be in debt, but with the correct management, it is possible to make the transition into a positive bank balance a smooth and painless one. Signing up for the correct debt management plan for your circumstances is but the first foray into a debt-free lifestyle, but once you are out of it, you will never want to look back.

Clint Hazard is a writer whom believes strongly in planning when it comes to your finances. Before committing to a debt management plan, remember to consider all possible options and whether the deal is right for you.

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If you have a lot of debt, especially unsecured credit card debt, it may seem like a good idea to consolidate all of those little loans into one big loan – and indeed, doing so can save you time and money. Be careful, though, because different debt consolidation plans can either help or hurt your credit. Choose a plan that will get you out of debt as quickly and easily as possible while protecting your credit profile as much as possible:

Consolidating debt with a debt consolidation loan

Debt consolidation loans are the most popular way to consolidate and pay off debt. Rolling all of your loans into one larger, consolidated loan (preferably with better terms and interest rate) can actually save you money by reducing what you pay toward those debts.

Be careful, though, because it’s not always easy to find a debt consolidation loan with good terms, especially if your credit history has taken a hit because of recent financial difficulties, and/or because you’re carrying a lot of financial debt.

There are options if you have difficulty getting these loans through traditional lenders, such as peer-to-peer lenders like Prosper.com and LendingClub.com. You can also check with your credit union or bank, or search for an online lender that offers consolidation loans at reasonable terms. Make sure you do your homework before you sign up, though; there are lots of scammers out there, so make sure you double and triple check the organization’s reputation before you take the plunge.

How does this affect your credit?

Using a debt consolidation loan to combine and then pay off your debt can actually help your credit, since taking one out may let you pay off credit cards that are near their credit limits. Used wisely, this is a great way to manage your debt and maintain or even improve your credit rating.

Consolidating debt with a formal debt management plan

The so-called “debt management plan” or DMP is offered through credit counseling agencies; with this type of plan, you sign up as a client with the credit counseling agency, make one payment to that agency, and then the agency makes payments to each of your creditors, usually in exchange for reduced interest and lower payments. Again, make sure the agency you are dealing with is reputable.

How does this affect your credit?

Unfortunately, your credit will take a hit because you must close all of your credit accounts while you’re working with one of these programs. But it’s also true that FICO doesn’t care that your debt is getting paid off with the help of the counseling program, just that it is. What that means is that yes, your credit will probably take a short-term hit simply because you have to close all of your accounts while you’re with the programs; the effect is relatively short-term and will ultimately improve your credit if doing so lets you pay off your debt, though.

Consolidating debt by transferring to a lower rate credit card

You can consolidate credit card debt by transferring it from higher interest credit cards to a lower interest rate credit card; this can indeed help you pay off your debt sooner because your interest rate and monthly payment will be lower. However, be careful to be very disciplined. Don’t simply transfer the debt to the lower interest card, only to have interest rates jump after the introductory period so that you’re back in the same bind as you were before the transfer. Pay off the debt before the interest rates jump.

How does this affect your credit?

In general, your credit scores will drop when you open up a new credit card account and use the available balance on a credit card to consolidate debt. However, it’s a relatively short-term drop and probably worth it if you’re disciplined enough to pay off that debt before your interest rate takes a jump. It’s worth it to take a small hit if doing the transfer means that you can pay your debt off and save money at the same time. In the long run, you’ll actually improve your credit scores over time if you do so.

The author who contributed this article is Chase Sagum, Financial and Business blogger. Check out more of his content at www.lexingtonlaw.com.

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Buying a home for the first time will always be very scary. What if you don’t like the house? What if you chose the wrong location for your house? What if the additional monthly expense of buying a house makes it much more difficult for you to make both ends meet? These are just some of the concerns that make home buying difficult for first-time buyers.

Choosing the Location

Choosing the best location is, of course, one of the most important factors that you have to consider. For those with children, it’s best that you choose an area that has schools. Just see to it though that these schools have good rating.

Aside from schools, it will also be advantageous for you if you choose homes that are near parks and playgrounds. This’ll give your children a good place where they can have some fun and, at the same time, get a little bit of exercise.

For working parents, it will also be very advantageous for you if you purchase a home near your workplace. This will save you from a lot of time commuting to and from work, and this will also give you more time with your family.

Choose What You Can Afford

It’s a new house, so, yes, you would definitely want it to be your dream home. However, you should know that your budget will limit the way you want your home to be. You have monthly expenses to think of, savings to put in the bank, and a fund to set aside for emergency purposes. These expenses can limit your house options.

To make it easy for you, you need to have your credit history checked and preapproved. Preapproval will give you a good idea of what you can and can’t afford, and checking your credit history will also show you if you have problems with it. If there are problems or discrepancies with your credit history, you need have the issues resolved as soon as possible so there won’t be any problems when you do get a housing loan. Knowing your credit history and getting preapproved, taking into consideration all your monthly expenses, will help you find a way for the housing loan to fit into your budget.

You can also make use of a mortgage calculator so you can find out just how much your monthly payment will be and how much it will make an impact on your monthly income and budget.

Of note; it’s tempting to purchase your dream house, but if this is going to be a nightmare on your finances, then settle for something that you can afford. You don’t want to commit to something that you can’t afford to pay. You’re only going to end up with more problems if you do so.

Choose a Good Company

Choosing a good lending company and good home builder is also key to buying your new house. For this reason, always take a look at the reputation of the companies before choosing one. Compare the services and offers of the different company, and always check and see if they are licensed and registered to offer their services. It will also do you a lot of good to check their testimonials and see how they work with their clients.

Jennifer Dalley is a freelance content provider who writes for home builders. Through this article, she hopes to help first-time buyers purchase their own homes.

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