You don’t need to take an economics or finance course to learn how to invest, but it is important to understand these basic investment concepts. Investment gives money the ability to grow faster. Read financial books, ask the right people and before you make an investment make sure you know what you’re doing.

Retirement may seem a long way down the road, especially when you have immediate and pressing family concerns. However, the younger you are when you begin taking advantage of your saving opportunities, the better off you will likely be when your retirement day dawns. Why not pause now to review your long-term strategies? When you reach retirement age, you will have hopefully navigated around any bumps on your road to retirement and secured a comfortable financial future.

Economic forecasters are always searching for storm clouds that might signal an economic downturn. Since consumer spending has historically accounted for about two-thirds of the economy, many observers have looked to “pocketbook” issues in search of primary clues as to the direction of the economy.

Consumers don’t usually cut back first and cause a recession. Rather, they may buy more on credit, which leads to greater monthly payments. However, at some point, consumers can do only what their incomes will allow. With personal debt on the rise, monitoring consumer debt levels is particularly important because of the impact of total consumer spending on our economy.