Pages

Showing posts with label finance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label finance. Show all posts

ECONOMICS: Introducing Hayek and Keynes – With Booty, Booze, and Raps

Tuesday, October 19, 2010


John Papola and Russ Roberts, creators of econstories.tv, have produced an informational (and rather entertaining) video entitled “Fear the Boom and Bust”. This video illustrates the differences between the philosophies of John Maynard Keynes and F.A. Hayek, but they do it with a twist: econstories.tv uses entertainment as a forum to introduce the differences of two economic philosophers that greatly influence economic policy and theory.







To give an example of how these theories are used in our day and age, the popular Paul Krugman, a prolific columnist for the New York Times, often cites Keynesian theory in his columns on economic and political policy. Also, my own professors have shared their opinions on the goods and bads of Keynesian economics. However, they often neglect to discuss alternative economic theories, such as those of an opposing economic philosopher, F.A. Hayek. 

Hayek, a highly influential twentieth-century economist, proved to be a worthy adversary to the more famous Keynes.  His revolutionary ideas about the coordination of peoples actions within an economy, fearing the boom, and research on economic policy engaged Keynes’ ideas, and these disparate theories forced their way onto the worldwide stage of economic debate. Because of this lively discussion, many economists integrated Hayek’s ideas into their own theories.

John M. Keynes made the claim that “We are all dead in the end”.  Although this is irrefutably true and may seem overly simplistic, I disagree that the consequences of our economic decisions die with us.  The decisions we make today will shape the economic landscape for generations. But, whether you claim the title of Keynesian or not, one thing is clear, booty, booze, and raps make economic theory and education an enjoyable experience.

Cheers!

Alex Grimnes
READ MORE - ECONOMICS: Introducing Hayek and Keynes – With Booty, Booze, and Raps

FINANCE: Understanding Protection for the Modern Student Co-Op with Alex Grimnes and Brandon Fry (Part Two)

Tuesday, October 5, 2010


Protection Part 2:

Car Insurance is a necessary key to protection for everyone, even college students… especially college students.  Income restraints drive uninsured college students to justify driving without insurance.  Doing so is dangerous for you and others on the road. So, because it’s so vital, I am cutting out all of the filler.  Let’s get to the meat and potatoes of car insurance, and move to better understand this crucial aspect of protection.

The more you know about car insurance, the better off you are.

-       Insurance rates change frequently often times creating the illusion that insurance companies are just trying to rope in an extra buck. Although that may be true, rate changes occur because insurance companies are required to back up their policies with cash in their accounts. Interest rates adjust because these companies have to compensate for both the amount of cash available and their overall revenue. Why is this information useful? When shopping for car insurance, whether by yourself or with an agent, it is not always the case that an independent firm has competitive interest rates compared to others. It is limiting to work with only one insurance firm instead of diversifying with an independent agent.


-       Secure your investment in your insurance.  In most cases, people wouldn’t throw money into stocks or funds without gathering some sort of information on the company or product.  Whether it is with an online brokerage, financial advisor , or a friend, information is key, and the more information gathered, the stronger the investment choice.  Car insurance is the same way; take time to gather information in order to make a smarter investment.  Independent brokers will survey different company policies, looking for a combination of aspects that are valuable to the policy you are looking to build.


-       Brandon Fry, financial advisor at Maxim Wealth Strategies, mentions three keys to building a strong car insurance policy. They are:

1.     Have Sufficient Coverage:  Often times a mere $5 extra per month can double the amount of your policy’s coverage. The state minimum may not be sufficient in a students’ situation. For example, the Utah State Minimum for car insurance is $25,000/$65,000. To increase your coverage to $100,000/$300,000 is a matter of a few extra dollars per month. This increase could be a world of difference for you and the drivers around you.  However, price is not the only important aspect to keep in mind when searching for insurance.  Ensure that the coverage that you pay for is worth the bill.


2.     Find An Agent Who Is Willing To Back You Up:  Most independent agents are willing to do the work necessary to build a policy that fits your requirements. When working with an agent, keep in mind a Win/Win or No Deal mentality. An agent that cares and is honest will find a policy that fulfills expectations on both ends of relationship. As stated earlier, do your research to make a better-informed decision.

3.     Find a Price That Is Right For You:  Students are often covered by their parents’ car insurance and thus may have sufficient coverage. For those aren’t covered by their parents’ policy, it is not impossible to find car insurance that fits their budget.  I am not into scare tactics, but take the first step in protecting yourself - and potentially your family - by researching information about insurance, researching an experienced and hard working agent, and finding a price point that will not over-extend your financial boundaries.  Keep in mind: Win/Win or No Deal.

 Overall, take the time to investigate insurance with a reputable agent, and protect yourself from the harsh realities – loss of your license, hefty fines, or possible jail time - of driving without insurance.

Stay Smart,



READ MORE - FINANCE: Understanding Protection for the Modern Student Co-Op with Alex Grimnes and Brandon Fry (Part Two)

FINANCE: Understanding Protection for the Modern Student Co-Op with Alex Grimnes and Brandon Fry (Part One)

Monday, September 6, 2010

These days, it seems as though everyone has a different opinion on insurance.  How much to get, where to get it, and which highly paid actor to listen to on those clever but misleading low quote insurance commercials.  Unfortunately, a lot of these opinions on insurance become over-exaggerated and obscure, and cause more damage than good. Insurance is one aspect of finance that can make any individual, let alone a college student, cringe without the right information. 

Fortunately, there is a way to find clarity through all of the muck and misperception of insurance.  That clarity is through education and finding a basic understanding of what insurance is, why we pay for it, and the benefits of not only protecting yourself, but protecting others.

So, let’s break down on key aspect that most college students continue to ignore.


It’s true that the majority of college students either lives with parents or rents out an apartment. In the case of which a student resides at home, renters insurance doesn’t necessarily apply, but for the rest of us that live in apartments, condos, rented houses, etc, renter’s insurance is a necessity that is often overlooked.  There are a few key points often misunderstood about renter’s insurance that we would like to clear up.
           
1.     Renter’s Insurance not only covers stolen items, but also provides liability insurance. Why would you need liability insurance? Well, for accidents or lawsuits that happen outside of vehicles, you need to be covered. 
2.     Renter’s Insurance is cheap.  For around $120 a year, you can protect that fancy new laptop, television, commuter bike, and much more.
3.     Your landlord DOESN’T have insurance on your possessions. Let’s imagine that your building burns down, you are not covered under the landlord’s insurance to protect your things. Now, I know that a building burning down is kind of a long shot, but think about things that happen every day.  If a pipe breaks and floods the apartment, the landlord isn’t liable. If a window is left open and the sprinklers damage all of your possessions, the landlord isn’t liable.

So, what is the alternative? For the price of one 30 Pack of Miller a month, you can protect not only your possessions, but also cover your back for the accidents that happen outside of a vehicle. No matter what your opinions on insurance, for around $100/year, you can protect yourself from losing those things that you rely on the most.

Stay Smart,

Alex Grimnes 


www.maximwealthstrategies.com
READ MORE - FINANCE: Understanding Protection for the Modern Student Co-Op with Alex Grimnes and Brandon Fry (Part One)

Welcome to {BRANDED} ONLINE MAGAZINE

Wednesday, August 11, 2010


Whether you’re entering college fresh out of high school, or have mastered the college scene, one thing is certain…

Managing your social and financial life can be tough.

That is where we come in.  {BRANDED} ONLINE MAGAZINE is not a collection of specialists, rather a collection of college students that suffer the same consequences of staying up too late, cramming for tests, and overall, just trying to make it through college the best we can.

But,

We think we can help with finding solutions to the crazy world deemed college life.  Outside of the crazy parties, bon fires, and countless hours tallied in libraries, you still have a life to live.  The problem is, college life has a unique way of clouding out some very important aspects that we find are crucial to not only surviving college, but leaving with a more balanced, educated perspective.


Those aspects are listed below:

  1. Social Development
  2. Financial Education
  3. Economic Understanding

Each month, we will bring together articles aimed at providing insight and valuable information that can be utilized in everyday student life. Whether it is small business outlooks from our columnist “The Phantom CEO” or from professional economists, financial analysts, or simply other college students, our goal is to help you get by more efficiently, better educated, and with a stronger outlook on what it is you want to accomplish.

We look forward to as much feedback as possible.  As stated earlier, our staff battles the same frustrations of everyday college life as many of you.  If you see any information that is wrong or needs to be clarified, let us know.  The goal is to gather better education for all of us.

Keep an eye out for these columnists and contributors that will be contributing monthly.

The Phantom CEO – Small Business Concepts and Economics

Liz Corrigan – Social Understanding

Daniel Barbee – Social Development and Economic Philosophy

Alex Grimnes – Managing Editor – Financial Education and Social Development
READ MORE - Welcome to {BRANDED} ONLINE MAGAZINE