I have another special treat for you all today!  We have a guest post from Jen Smith answering the question: Should You Invest While in Debt?

The thought of investing while in debt often takes a backseat to all the other decisions we have to make.

It’s hard enough to figure out which debts to pay off, and in what order. Then you have to figure out where you’re going to get the money for them. At the end of the day, most of us want to buy a bottle of wine with our money, not think about retirement.

But time doesn’t stop while you’re in debt. There’s a lot of debate about what you should prioritize when you should do one if you should do the other. It’s easy to get confused, and confused people usually don’t act at all.

Don’t be confused! It’s really not that difficult. I promise. There’s a lot of information, and there are a lot of money management resources, but the bottom line is: You get to do what works for you. The only thing you can’t do is stand still because if time won’t, you can’t either.

Check out the latest guest post by Rick Pendykoski from Self Directed Retirement Plans LLC.  His bio is at the end of the post.

Of all the investments and assets you own, your retirement fund is typically the largest as well as the most valuable.  Whether you’re putting money into an IRA every month or relying on an employer-provided 401k plan, the money you save today will keep growing over the years.  By the time you retire, there should be a healthy sum waiting for you.

Of course, that will only happen if you’ve managed your retirement savings properly, especially when you change jobs.  A new job might give you more and better opportunities, but it can also have a negative impact on your next egg if you don’t handle your savings the right way.

This means taking a good look at your personal finance goals, putting away as much as possible, and making the most of the tax breaks available to you.  Check out these tips for maximizing your retirement savings when you’re changing jobs:

This is a sponsored post. 

Online trading can be a great deal of fun and, naturally, there is always the distinct possibility of enjoying substantial returns over time. Some approach investing as a hobby while others focus on making it their primary income source. Regardless of intentions,  emotion always plays a role in trading. It should also be mentioned that “trader anxiety” is actually much more common than many believe. Are there any ways to mitigate the effects of such an emotion and how can you “pay it cool” when the heat is on?

Investing is making your money work for you.  You can make your money work for you with a variety of vehicles like mutual funds, stocks, bonds and real estate.  Myths about investing are everywhere!  Myths about investing are especially rampant on social media.  The thing is myths about investing are keeping people on the sidelines.

Investing truly is the only way to create long lasting wealth.

Check out these 5 myths about investing debunked.

Today’s post is a guest post by Andre Albritton from The Millennials Next Door.  Check out his bio at the end of the post.

Looking at the stock market can be quite confusing if you are like most people who have no experience in investing. You have hundreds of companies, tons of numbers all of the place and the lingo sounds like another language. With new president-elect Donald Trump, it has become more confusing and volatile. The market has had sectors plummet and other sectors go up. Granted the market has stabilized since Election Day but the fact is we may be transitioning into a bear market from a bull market. However, there are tactics for each market that can help you profit off of any situation.

The market is based on global economic concerns, national economic data, and corporate financial performance. America has been in a bull market for the past seven years. This shows that investors believe the economy is doing well and have an optimistic outlook that strong results will continue. Since investors are optimistic about the market condition they will typically buy stocks while planning to make a profit whether it be for the short or long term. A simple way to remember the bull market is when a bull attacks its horn will strike up.

On the other side, we have the bear market. During this market condition investors are much more cautious about buying stocks and anticipating losses. This, of course, moves investors to sell their stocks instead of holding on to them. Typically a two-month downturn of 20% or more in multiple broad indexes, such as Dow Jones Industrial Average or Standard & Poor’s 500 index, will create a bear market. A simple way to remember the bear market is when a bear attacks its claws strikes down.

According to a Forbes study about millennials and investing, 66% of millennials want to invest.  If so many millennials want to invest, what is stopping us?  Is it lack of knowledge?  Lack of finances?  Or even student loan burden?  What if I told you that you could invest with $100 or less?

“37% of millennials felt that their peers were ahead of them either in financial stability, current income, or saving for the future.”  I don’t want you to feel like your behind because it is so easy to get your feet wet in investing.  You don’t need to know everything about the stock market, you don’t need to be student loan free, and you don’t need a lot of money!

Check out these 6 companies that allow you to invest for $100 or less:

According to a recent study by USA Today, millennials will need between 1.8 million to 2.5 million for retirement.  That is a lot of money!  Of course, that is taking into account inflation by the time we get ready to retire and the fact that social security may be unavailable.  Nevertheless, it is still a lot of money!  In order to get there, millennials will have to do more than just save in their 401k – or company-sponsored retirement plan.  That is why every millennial needs a Traditional and/or Roth IRA.

Today, we will break down what an IRA is, the similarities and difference between Traditional and Roth IRAs, and which saving vehicle is best for you.

I love that so many people are curious about investing.   The world of investing can be overwhelming for beginners – stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, annuities and the list goes on.  Investing is the key to truly building wealth.  I want you to get started as soon as possible.

A statement that I get often is “how do I invest in stocks.”  Before I answer that question, I always like to cover the basics which we’ll go over in this post.

Think you don’t have any money to trade?  I am here to tell you that you are wrong!  Everyone has money to trade.  Yes, even you.  If financial freedom is truly a priority to you, then you can make trading happen.  Together we will find money for you to trade even if you are on a tight budget!

Sacrifices may need to be made but have you thought about why you want to trade?  Are you looking to retire early?  Create a stream of income?  Fund a business? Or even pay down debt?  Knowing the why will make the next 4 steps so much easier.

Today’s post is written by an awesome trading and investment coach, Tela Holcomb.  Check out her bio at the end of the post! 

Do you workout?  Earlier this year, I started working out… again and it feels great getting into shape!  I have more energy and I feel stronger.  It also feels great to know working out has long-term health benefits.

Well, it’s just as important to keep your finance in shape.  Part of being financially fit is learning how to invest for retirement.  Today, I’m sharing with you four lessons the gym taught me about investing.