Halloween is a fun time of year, and using your financial software to budget for Halloween shopping means no surprise skeletons in your closet when your credit card statement arrives in November.
Halloween is getting to be big business, with consumers spending billions of dollars on Halloween festivities. Here are four steps to use your financial software to budget for Halloween shopping along with some great ideas for saving money next Halloween.
The first thing you need to do to start budgeting for Halloween is to create a Halloween spending category in your personal finance software. Then, create subcategories to budget for candy, school items, costumes, decorating and anything else you typically buy for Halloween.
When you make Halloween purchases, record them in your financial software using the Halloween categories.
The second step to budgeting for Halloween happens after you have put away the black cat knick knack and have eaten the final piece of candy (possibly pilfered from a child’s plastic pumpkin basket). Open your financial software and run a budget report or a category report to see how you spent money in those Halloween spending categories created in Step 1. Is the damage scarier than you expected?
Now open the budgeting set up in your financial software. You will see the Halloween category and, if you created them, Halloween-related subcategories. Take a look at the spending report you generated in Step 2 to determine how much you spent on candy, costumes, etc.
Enter the amount you plan to spend next Halloween into the budget set up in your financial software. Doing this registers as a commitment in your mind and will help you to stick to a Halloween spending plan.
The key to not going into the red in your Halloween budget is to deposit a monthly amount into your savings that is designated for Halloween spending so you have the funds available next October.
Now that you know what you spent on Halloween, you may decide to let less of your cash vanish into thin air like a ghost next year. Halloween can be a big expense, especially if you have costumed children or a neighborhood candy hand-out.
Read the following to learn how to save money on expenses next Halloween:
October 30, 2010
Posted by Andre Di Cioccio |
Finance | budget, finance, halloween, spending |
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The Australian share market is expected to open weaker this morning after Wall Street stocks finished mixed overnight on investor caution over the upcoming November elections and the likelihood of more stimulus from the US Central Bank.
Earlier in the session, the latest US economic news helped to lift sentiment: The Labor Department reported that the number of Americans filing new jobless claims fell by 21,000 last week to a 3-month low of 434,000.
Checking the scoreboards now and the Dow Jones Industrial Average finished down 12 points at 11,114. The S&P 500 Index rose 1 point to 1,184 and the NASDAQ is up 4 points at 2,507.
European stock markets gained: London’s FTSE up 32 points, Paris rose 19 and Frankfurt added 27 points.
Asian markets were mixed: Hong Kong Hang Seng rose 46, Tokyo’s Nikkei fell 21 and China slipped 4.
The Australian share market rose yesterday, largely due to ANZ’s healthy profit. The S&P/ASX 200 Index gained 37 points to close at 4,685 and on the futures market the SPI200 is down 6 points.
A quick check of currencies at 8.15am the Aussie Dollar gained against the US and was buying 97.92 US cents, but it fell against the other major currencies and was buying 61.43 Pence Sterling, 79.33 Yen and 70.29 Euro cents.
In economic news: ABS releases its International Trade Price Indexes for September.
Briefly in business news this morning: Shares in ASX (ASX:ASX) gained 1.5% to close at $37.86 yesterday. The ASX and the Singapore Exchange Securities appear to be stepping up their efforts to gain political approval for their proposed $8 billion merger. Already a number of independent MPs have publicly rejected the proposed deal. According to the Australian Financial Review, ASX executives will today meet with shadow treasurer Joe Hockey to make their case for the deal. The Australian also reports that the Singapore Exchange has yet to lodge a notification with the Foreign Investment Review Board, suggesting that Singapore is adopting a wait and see approach on the political situation in Australia. In the year to 30 June, 2010, the ASX posted a net profit after tax of $328 million.
Shares in Westfield Group (ASX:WDC) rose 2.38% to close at $12.50 yesterday. Westfield’s Sydney City complex officially opened yesterday and already an analyst from Deutsche Bank believes it could generate a $640 million revaluation gain for the group on completion. After 10 years in the making, the shopping centre is the first that Westfield has built in an Australian CBD and when combined with its adjoining Sydney Central Plaza, is predicted to generate more than $600 million a year in sales. Expectations are that Westfield may also look to sell half or all of its interest in the office tower components of the project and the new Westfield corporate headquarters – which could generate another $500 million-plus. Westfield Group posted a net profit after tax of $965.8 million dollars for the six months to 30 June, 2010.
Among those companies going ex-dividend are FFI Holdings 15 cent fully franked, Foster’s 15.25 cent fully franked and Harvey Norman 7 cent fully franked.
To commodities: The price of gold rose US$19.90 to US $1,342 an ounce for the December contract on Comex, silver is up US$0.47 to $23.88 and copper is up $0.01 at $3.79 a pound.
The price of oil gained $0.24 to US$82.18 a barrel for December light crude in New York.
October 29, 2010
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Finance | daily share report |
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The solid data flow just keeps on coming in and this time jobless claims were better than expected (450k) at 434k in the week to October 23, or 21k lower than the week prior. With no distortions evident or cited, this result most likely reflects a genuine improvement in the labour market. Moreover, and depending in whether you think the early July print of 427k was a distortion or not, this could be the best claims result in about 2yrs. Continuing claims also fell sharply to sit at 4.356m from 4.478m in the week to October 16.
US equities hit a high soon after that data, 1189 on the S&P500 or +0.4%, but that price action didn’t last long. Stocks were soon offered and the index subsequently hit a low of 1177 (-0.6%). Most stocks struggled in the session, in part because 3M and Co cut profit forecasts, but also due to election uncertainty and question marks over Fed policy. At the close the S&P500 was up 0.1% (1183) with consumer services, healthcare and technology the main outperformers. Conversely industrials, financials and energy stocks underperformed. Otherwise the Dow was 16pts lower 11109, the Nasdaq rose 0.2% (2507) and the SPI fell 0.1% (4678).
Rates were comparatively subdued again, given the FOMC and election next week. Rates did push higher though and this follows moves by the NY Fed to canvass dealers about how asset purchases will affect yields. It seems the only question the Fed are really discussing now is how much to buy. The yield on the 2yr then fell about 2bp to 0.37%, the 5yr fell 5bp to 1.24% and the 10yr yield was own 3bp at the time of writing to 2.66%. Aussie futures traded on a 5-7 tick range but were little changed at 95.09 on the 3s and 94.79 on the 10s.
As for FX and commodities, we saw USD sell off further with EUR up just over a big figure (1.3934), AUD was up 25pips to 0.9785, Sterling rose 134pips to 1.5943 while Yen is at 81.02 from 81.62. In turn this caused commodities to rally with gold up $16 to $1343, crude rose 0.1% ($82) while copper was up 0.4%.
Other bits and pieces show the European business climate improved in October, the index rising to 0.98 from 0.76. In Germany, the number of unemployed fell a further 3k in October with the unemployment rate steady at 7.5%. Finally in the UK, house prices fell 0.7% to be 1.4% higher over the year to October, according to Nationwide, while the CBI retail index shows retailing remained strong in October (index slipped to 36 from 6 yr high of 49).
Turning to the day ahead and for Oz, we get HIA new home sales (1100), RP Data Rismark’s house price series and the RBA’s credit measures (1130). Elsewhere watch out for Japanese and South Korean industrial production. In Europe, German retail sales are released although the main event will be US Q3 GDP. The market is looking for a rise of about 2% following a 1.7% increase in Q2.
Have a great day…
October 29, 2010
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Finance | daily finance report |
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Aussie shares are over one per cent higher at noon, defying a mixed lead from Wall St. The banks have made gains with ANZ Ltd (ASX:ANZ) delivering a record $5.13 billion annual profit following on from NAB’s profit jump yesterday.
The S&P/ASX200 index is 51 points higher at 4,699 and on the futures market, the SPI200 is up 56.
To company news: Australia’s largest telecommunications company Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX:TLS) is gearing up to slash 1,000 jobs across Australia as part of a corporate restructure. According to media reports, radio station 3AW says Telstra’s CEO David Thodey will address staff today. The positions will reportedly be cut from executive and middle management. The news follows Mr Thodey warning in July of a tough year ahead, after the telco’s profit dropped from $4.08 billion to $3.94 billion in the 2010 financial year. Shares in Telstra are 0.75% up at $2.70.
Political opposition to the $8.4 billion merger between the operator of the Australian Securities Exchange ASX Ltd (ASX:ASX) and it’s Singapore exchange counterpart is mounting. Criticism of the proposed merger has been aired in parliament today, with Australian Greens MP Adam Bandt, Western Australian Nationals MP Tony Crook and Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie, all declaring they do not support the deal. The concerns voiced today add to the doubts earlier raised by the Coalition and the Greens. Shares in ASX are 1.96% higher at $38.03.
Turning now to market indices: All sectors are trading in the black at noon. The best performing sector is Real Estate Investment Trusts with the index up 16 points to 866. Shares in ING Industrial Fund are up 17.39% to $0.54. Shares in Dexus Property Group and Stockland are also higher at noon. The sector with the smallest gains at midday is Health Care, with the index up 52 points to 8,244. Shares in Mesoblast have dropped 1.18% to $2.51 Shares in Sigma Pharmaceuticals and Probiotic are also lower at noon.
To New Zealand now, the NZSX50 is up 10 points. Taking a look at the top 4 stocks by turnover: Topping the list is Telecom of New Zealand with stock up 1.96% at $2.08 followed by Fletcher Building, Guinness Peat Group and Westpac.
To gold and the dollar: Gold is trading at $1328 US an ounce and the Aussie dollar is trading at 97.52 US cents.
October 28, 2010
Posted by Andre Di Cioccio |
Finance | 28 october 2010, daily share report |
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October 27, 2010 12:48 PM
Aussie shares are slightly higher at noon, following on from Wall St itching out modest gains overnight. The banking sector is higher on news the National Australia Bank has improved its full year net profit by 63 per cent, while the Telco’s are also aiding the gains.
The S&P/ASX200 index is 3 points higher at 4,691 and on the futures market, the SPI200 is up 6.
In economic news: The Australian Bureau of Statistics consumer price index rose 0.7 per cent in the September quarter, compared to the rise of 0.6 per cent in the previous quarter. The measure of inflation delivered a read lower than the 0.8 per cent rise expected, reducing the possibility that the Reserve Bank will lift interest rates next week.
To company news: Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX:IAG) has confirmed it is on track to reach its full year guidance of an insurance margin of 10.5 to 12.5 per cent, and underlying gross written premium growth of between 3-5 per cent. Managing director Mike Wilkins says early fiscal 2011 delivered strong performance, achieved despite the challenges of responding to a number of significant natural perils. These perils included storms in South East Australia, the earthquake that struck New Zealand as well as a severe snowstorm in New Zealand’s South Island. IAG advises the claim cost for these events will be covered by reinsurance arrangements. Shares in Insurance Australia Group are down 0.52% at $3.82.
Shares in Petsec Energy Ltd (ASX:PSA) have climbed over 20 per cent today, following an announcement the oil and gas producer has made a discovery at its partly owned prospect in the Gulf of Mexico. Petsec says a sizable gas and condensate discovery was made at the Marathon Prospect on the Louisiana coastline. Production is expected to cost Petsec US$1.2 million and to start before the end of the year. Chairman Terry Fern says Petsec is delighted that its strategy to drill for much larger targets in the deeper geologic section has borne fruit in its second well. Shares in Petsec Energy have surged 21.21% to $0.20.
Turning now to market indices: The best performing sector is Telco Services with the index up 12 points to 930. Shares in Amcom Telecommunications are up 4.55% to $0.345. Shares in Telstra and Singtel are also higher at noon. The worst performing sector at midday is Utilities, with the index down 54 points to 4,559. Shares in AGL Energy have dropped 2.7% to $16.22 Shares in Geodynamics and Envestra are also lower at noon.
To New Zealand now, the NZSX50 is up 7 points. Taking a look at the top 4 stocks by turnover: Topping the list is Telecom of New Zealand with stock up 0.48% at $2.08 followed by ANZ, Fletcher Building and Guinness Peat Group.
To gold and the dollar: Gold is trading at $1343 US an ounce and the Aussie dollar is trading at 97.9 US cents.
October 27, 2010
Posted by Andre Di Cioccio |
Finance | australian share report, daily finance report |
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The futures are pointing to a lower start for Aussie shares this morning, despite Wall St rallying to six months highs on stronger than expected housing sales data.
In US economic news: The National Association of Realtors reported existing home sales surged 10 per cent in September, to an annual rate of 4.53 million.
On Monday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 31 points higher at 11,164. The S&P 500 Index is up 3 at 1,186 and the NASDAQ is up 11 at 2,491.
European stocks were higher: London’s FTSE up 11 points, Paris is up 1 and Frankfurt up 33.
Asian markets were mixed: Hong Kong’s Hang Seng up 110, Tokyo’s Nikkei was down 26 and China up 76.
The Australian share market finished higher on Monday. The S&P/ASX 200 Index closed 62 points higher to 4,710 and on the futures market the SPI200 is down 18 points.
Turning to currencies and the Aussie Dollar at 8:35AM was buying 99.15 US cents, 63.01 Pence Sterling, 80.12 Yen and 70.99 Euro cents.
In economic news: The Australian Bureau of Statistics is expected to release its annual 2009-2010 report. Also due out, National Australia Bank’s business survey for the September quarter.
In company news: Shares in ANZ Banking Group (ASX:ANZ) closed 2.09% up at $23.90 on Monday. ANZ has received the final green light to establish a foreign bank in India in the first half of next year. The Reserve Bank of India has granted ANZ a foreign banking license which will see ANZ launch its first Indian branch in Mumbai. ANZ says the branch will have an initial focus on corporate and institutional banking that will broaden to include services for affluent personal banking clients over time. Adding, that India is a strategic market in ANZ’s plan to become a super regional bank in the Asia Pacific region. In the six months to 31 March this year, ANZ Banking Group booked a $1.93 billion net profit.
Shares in Wotif.com Holdings Ltd (ASX:WTF) closed 1.08% down at $4.60 on Monday. Online travel booking service provider Wotif.com Holdings says earnings are expected to be steady for the last half of this year, but that growth should improve around March next year. Managing director Robbie Cooke anticipates profit for the second half of 2010 will be around $25 million, slightly the below the $25.4 million recorded in the prior half, and even lower than the $27.6 million profit posted in the same half of 2009. Mr Cooke has cautioned that the short term challenge for business will be outperforming the first-half result achieved in the 2010 financial year, in a period in which Wotif.com benefited from the booking window extension and the out-of-trend spike in domestic sales experienced last calendar year. Wotif.com Holdings reported a profit of $52.95 million for the year to 30 June 2010.
To ex-dividends: Three companies are going ex-dividend today, they are GPT Group with a 4.1 cent unfranked dividend, Mitchell Communication Group with a 5 cent fully franked dividend and SteriHealth with a 7 cent fully franked dividend. Coming up later this week, Adtrans Group, Australian Masters Corporate Bond Fund No1 and Australian Masters Corporate Bond Fund No2.
To commodities: and the price of gold is up US$13.80 to US $1338 an ounce for the December contract on Comex, silver is up US$0.43 to $23.54 and copper is up $0.07 at $3.86 a pound. The price of oil is up $0.83 to US$82.52 a barrel for December light crude in New York.
October 26, 2010
Posted by Andre Di Cioccio |
Finance | andre di cioccio, australia, daily finance report, daily share report, shares |
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The Australian share market is up one per cent, defying a mixed lead from Wall St and a flat start. Locally Energy stocks are leading the gains with all sectors trading in the black.
The S&P/ASX200 index is up 47 points at 4,695 and on the futures market, the SPI200 is up 65.
In economic news: Data released by the ABS today shows that the nation’s producer price index increased 1.3 per cent in the September quarter for an annual rise of 2.2 per cent, up from 0.3 per cent the quarter before.
To company news: Tabcorb Holdings Ltd’s (ASX:TAH) CEO and managing director Elmer Funke Kupper says the company’s revenue lifted 4.1 per cent in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to the same time last year. Speaking at the company’s annual general meeting Mr Funke Kupper says it has been a positive start with Tabcorb’s casino division revenue up 7.1 per cent and all three casino’s recording positive growth. Tabcorb advises that the Soccer World Cup aided growth in its first quarter results. Shares in Tabcorp Holdings are 0.13% higher at $7.46.
Oil and gas producer Santos Ltd (ASX:STO) has inked a deal to supply gas to its joint venture project Gladstone Liquefied Natural Gas plant in Queensland. Following news that Gladstone LNG had been awarded environmental approval from the Federal Government, Santos says it will supply the project with 750 petajoules of gas over 15 years from 2014 largely from its Cooper Basin reserves in South Australia. CEO David Knox says the deal offers significant value to the Cooper Basin through opening up the ability for exports. Shares in Santos are 2.72% stronger at $12.84.
Turning now to market indices: As mentioned, all sectors are in the black at midday with the best performing sector Energy, the index up 246 points to 15,498. Shares in Beach Energy are up 9.02% to $0.665 cents. Shares in Santos and Oil Search are also higher. The sector with the least gains at midday is Consumer Staples, with the index up 54 points to 8,297. Shares in Tassal Group have dropped 0.71% to $1.395 cents. Shares in Premier Investments and GrainCorp are also lower at noon.
To New Zealand now, the NZSX50 is up 25 points. Taking a look at the top 4 stocks by turnover: topping the list is Telecom of New Zealand with stock up 2.96% at $2.09, followed by Fletcher Building, ANZ and Sky City Entertainment Group.
To gold and the dollar: Gold is trading at $1337 US an ounce and the Aussie dollar is trading at 98.84 US cents.
October 25, 2010
Posted by Andre Di Cioccio |
Finance | australian share report, daily report, finance |
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The local share market is flat at midday following a positive lead from Wall St overnight as mounting expectations that the US Federal Reserve will move to stimulate the economy in its next meeting caused US stocks to rise. Firmer metals prices are also helping to lift local resource stocks today.
The S&P/ASX200 index is up 4 points at 4,629 and on the futures market, the SPI200 is up 3.
To company news: Iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX:FMG) has placed its shares in a trading halt pending an announcement from the company. While it did not give a reason for the trading halt, The Australian Financial Review says the miner may be looking to inform shareholders of a $2.02 billion blowout at its Solomon expansion facility revealed in its provisional prospectus shown to overseas investors. On Monday Fortescue announced plans to sell US$2.04 billion in bonds. Shares in Fortescue Metals Group last traded at $6.20.
Transfield Services Ltd (ASX:TSE) says its order book remains strong and it is pursuing both organic and acquisitive growth to boost its capabilities in key areas. Speaking at the company’s annual general meeting chairman Tony Shepard said Transfield has emerged from the global financial crisis in better shape than before. Mr Shepard says this year has been an exciting year of change for the company, with a new CEO and a considerably strengthened management team now firmly in place and an approved corporate strategy that is already being executed. He told investors that there is significant potential in the US in oil and gas driven by the country’s aim to be self-sufficient in both, and the move to onshore production following the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Shares in Transfield Services are 0.28% lower at $3.52.
Turning now to market indices: The best performing sector at midday is Consumer Staples, up 68 points to 8,219. Shares in Goodman Fielder are up 2.47% to $1.45. While shares in Foster’s Group and Coca-Cola Amatil are also higher at noon.
The worst performing sector at midday is Utilities, with the index down 51 points to 4,483. Shares in AGL Energy have fallen 1.81% to $16.31. Shares in SP AusNet and APA Group are also lower at noon.
To New Zealand now, the NZSX50 is up 13 points. Taking a look at the top 4 stocks by turnover: Telecom of New Zealand tops the list with stock down 0.49% at $2.02 followed by; ANZ, Fletcher Building and Westpac.
To gold and the dollar: Gold is trading at $1346 US an ounce and the Aussie dollar is trading at 98.5 US cents.
October 21, 2010
Posted by Andre Di Cioccio |
Finance | aussie shares, daily report, midday |
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Changes to the law around lending to self-managed super funds (SMSFs) has injected new life into the use of super money for property investment.
Craig Morgan, managing director of SMSF Loans, told Broker News that the repeal and rewrite of the section of the SIS Act concerned with SMSF lending has “done much to clarify almost all aspects” of SMSF lending.
Awareness of the significance of the clarification of the legislation is also “filtering out fairly quickly”, he commented.
“Interest in this area – coupled with general interest in investment property – appears to be increasing,” he added. “A number of well-resourced and professional organisations appear to be taking the message to market now.”
However, Morgan also noted that proposals to make SMSF loans financial products – first mooted in draft amendments to the Corporations Regulations in June – has “gone very quiet”, possibly due to the protracted post-election negotiation period.
Vicki Grey, a partner at Gadens Lawyers, confirmed she has seen no further correspondence from the government on this issue. She also reiterated the firm’s view that “there seems to be no reason” to categorise SMSF loans as financial products, as these structures adopted by the major banks are “simply loans to a superannuation fund secured by a mortgage granted by a bare trustee”.
October 21, 2010
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Finance | andre di cioccio, home loan, smsf lending |
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