Ok, so this is going to be our shameless plug of the year, but why not get a NET membership for the young professional you work with? Coworkers are the hardest to shop for. Generic gifts don't work anymore. No one wants a plant, or cookies when they're trying to loose a few pounds. NET membership is a great gift. It's a great donation to an organization doing good things in the community (brownie points for you) and the recipient will be pleased to know that that powerful little card gets them over one hundred discounts at area businesses. Not to mention a subscription to Lehigh Valley Style magazine. Mega brownie points.
Click here to order one now.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Come socialize virtually with NET
A Big Thank You!
As the writer here at The Afterwork Chronicles, I wanted to thank everyone for their overwhelmingly positive feedback about the blog these past few months. It is much appreciated. I also am happy to see more and more comments popping up.
For those of you who haven't commented, don't be shy. You can even comment anonymously. No logging in required! We love to hear from you.
Don't forget you can also share blog posts with your friends by using the little envelope icon on the blog.
Love The Afterwork Chronicles? Then subscribe to it via RSS feed or via e-mail here.
And, if you really like the NET, sign up for our weekly e-mail to get the latest news about events and more.
Looking ahead, I am always open to ideas and suggestions, about the blog and other NET marketing efforts. And I am always looking for volunteers. Please feel free to contact me anytime.
Thanks!
Vanessa Williams
NET Marketing and Public Relations Committee Chair
vanessawilliams2004@hotmail.com
For those of you who haven't commented, don't be shy. You can even comment anonymously. No logging in required! We love to hear from you.
Don't forget you can also share blog posts with your friends by using the little envelope icon on the blog.
Love The Afterwork Chronicles? Then subscribe to it via RSS feed or via e-mail here.
And, if you really like the NET, sign up for our weekly e-mail to get the latest news about events and more.
Looking ahead, I am always open to ideas and suggestions, about the blog and other NET marketing efforts. And I am always looking for volunteers. Please feel free to contact me anytime.
Thanks!
Vanessa Williams
NET Marketing and Public Relations Committee Chair
vanessawilliams2004@hotmail.com
Wing night anyone?
Coming out of our organizational meeting on Wednesday, a NET wing night was suggested. So now the NET is on a quest for the best wings in the Lehigh Valley. What's your favorite? Only independently owned local businesses will be considered.
Christmas Light Tours Across the Valley
It's here! The long and eagerly awaited Christmas Light tour put out by Bill White at the Morning Call. He highlights the best Christmas Light house displays across the Valley and puts them conveniently into well-organized tours. It's a great way to snoop around neighborhoods you've never been to before, and get to know your way around the Valley better. I don't know about you, but I always have trouble connecting different neighborhoods together. I've been on his tours before and have had more than a few eureka moments when I realized how to get from one section of town to another. Best of all you can see some of the best lights in town for FREE!! So grab a few friends, some hot chocolate and hit the pavement. You won't regret it.
Click here for the tours.
Click here for the tours.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Betcha didn't know...
Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem was named one of the best holiday markets in the world by Travel and Leisure magazine.
Financial Planning 101: Save on autopilot for retirement
You can put almost any task on autopilot: making the morning coffee, driving on a stretch of highway and paying bills.
Automatic investing also could become commonplace, especially for twentysomethings (that's us).
A study last month by Prudential Financial Inc., a financial services firm based in New Jersey, found that 66 percent of workers ages 21 to 30 would like to be enrolled automatically in a defined-contribution plan at work, such as a 401(k) or 403(b). (Go us!)
The same number of young workers also favored having their rate of contribution increased automatically every year, as well as have the asset allocation — the mix of stocks and bonds — adjusted for them.
Granted, Prudential, which manages 401(k) plans, has an interest in seeing more people contribute to retirement plans.
But the study indicates that young workers understand the importance of saving for the golden years — and that they may need a little help doing it.
''They've seen [from the generations in front of them] that the traditional do-it-yourself approach isn't achieving the retirement security needed,'' Deanna Garen, senior vice president of strategy and planning at Prudential Retirement.
''They want to be in an autopilot program that's making decisions for them so they don't have to worry about, 'Gosh, do I really know everything I need to know here?''' she added.
A federal law passed this summer makes it easier for companies to put a 401(k) or 403(b) plan on autopilot for workers. In fact, in a separate survey in October, Prudential found that 87 percent of companies for which it manages 401(k) plans were interested in adopting automatic features.
If your employer doesn't yet, here's how to make investing for retirement as effortless as possible:
And thanks to the power of compounding, the more time you have to invest, the less money you need to put away.
Say, for example, you shuttle $40 every other week to your employer's retirement plan for 40 years. Assuming your investments earn an 8 percent return annually (which is about right if you have a good mix of mutual funds), you'd accrue nearly $270,000 by the time you're ready to retire. And $40 is a little on the low end, most of us can spare a bit more.
Wait a decade to start making contributions, and you'll have to sock away more than double the amount each paycheck to get the same sum.
Here's how it works: You pick a fund whose date matches when you want to retire, such as 2030 or 2040. The fund invests in bond and stock funds based on that retirement date, automatically adjusting the mix so that you don't carry too much risk as you get ready to retire — or invest too conservatively when you're just getting started.
In other words, it's a way to have professionals manage the portfolio for you without having to pay the steep costs.
Plus, more employers now offer this type of fund.
More here.
Automatic investing also could become commonplace, especially for twentysomethings (that's us).
A study last month by Prudential Financial Inc., a financial services firm based in New Jersey, found that 66 percent of workers ages 21 to 30 would like to be enrolled automatically in a defined-contribution plan at work, such as a 401(k) or 403(b). (Go us!)
The same number of young workers also favored having their rate of contribution increased automatically every year, as well as have the asset allocation — the mix of stocks and bonds — adjusted for them.
Granted, Prudential, which manages 401(k) plans, has an interest in seeing more people contribute to retirement plans.
But the study indicates that young workers understand the importance of saving for the golden years — and that they may need a little help doing it.
''They've seen [from the generations in front of them] that the traditional do-it-yourself approach isn't achieving the retirement security needed,'' Deanna Garen, senior vice president of strategy and planning at Prudential Retirement.
''They want to be in an autopilot program that's making decisions for them so they don't have to worry about, 'Gosh, do I really know everything I need to know here?''' she added.
A federal law passed this summer makes it easier for companies to put a 401(k) or 403(b) plan on autopilot for workers. In fact, in a separate survey in October, Prudential found that 87 percent of companies for which it manages 401(k) plans were interested in adopting automatic features.
If your employer doesn't yet, here's how to make investing for retirement as effortless as possible:
- Sign up for your 401(k) today. The advantage of participating in your employer's retirement plan is that the money comes out of your paycheck automatically before you get a chance to miss it. Ideally, put in the maximum amount matched, usually 3-5% of your pay before taxes. You double your money automatically. I can't think of a sweeter deal that has a 50% plus return. It's free money. If it's just too painful to bear, sign up for the plan when you get your next raise which is usually 3% or more if you're lucky. You'll never miss the money.
And thanks to the power of compounding, the more time you have to invest, the less money you need to put away.
Say, for example, you shuttle $40 every other week to your employer's retirement plan for 40 years. Assuming your investments earn an 8 percent return annually (which is about right if you have a good mix of mutual funds), you'd accrue nearly $270,000 by the time you're ready to retire. And $40 is a little on the low end, most of us can spare a bit more.
Wait a decade to start making contributions, and you'll have to sock away more than double the amount each paycheck to get the same sum.
- Invest in a target-date retirement fund. If you need help allocating your investments, consider a target-date retirement fund.
Here's how it works: You pick a fund whose date matches when you want to retire, such as 2030 or 2040. The fund invests in bond and stock funds based on that retirement date, automatically adjusting the mix so that you don't carry too much risk as you get ready to retire — or invest too conservatively when you're just getting started.
In other words, it's a way to have professionals manage the portfolio for you without having to pay the steep costs.
Plus, more employers now offer this type of fund.
- Don't worry that you're not a pro. Finally, some young workers wait to jump into the market because of inexperience. Don't let the market intimidate you.
More here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)