7 January 2019 FT — Articles to Read

7 January 2019

 

Question: According to MSN: Money, what are painless ways to cut costs in 2019?

 

Saudi women win right to notification by text when husbands divorce them – Pg. 1

–          Women in Saudi Arabia who were previously divorced by their husbands without their knowledge will now receive a text message when a court ruling confirms their separation

–          …courts would send messages informing women of their marital status after decisions on divorce filings had been finalized

–          Men were previously allowed to divorce their wives, including the registration of divorce deeds at the court, without the woman’s knowledge

–          Women in Saudi Arabia have gained more rights over the past two years, following the launch of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s “Vision 2030” plan for economic and social reform

–          The kingdom lifted the ban on women driving last year, and restrictions have been loosened on female employment and mixing with the opposite sex

–          …female unemployment remains high at 31%,…

–          Saudi women remain forced to live under restrictions imposed on them by male guardianship rules.  They require the approval of a male relative to get married, travel abroad or leave prison

 

Why MBAs should keep going back to school – Pg. 11

–          When the Association of MBAs, the accreditation body for postgraduate management education, gives its approval to a business school’s MBA programme, it does so for a maximum of five years.  But when that same business school awards one of these degrees, it is for life

–          …argues for a new MBA business model, in which the degree is “rented”

–          The most enthusiastic early adopters of the lifetime access programmes have been graduates with less than 15 years of working experience

–          A more time-consuming way of accessing learning is to earn more than one masters degree

 

US banks ease loan payment rules for government staff laid off in shutdown – Pg. 13

–          Banks are offering hard-pressed US government employees forebearance on loan payments and fees, ….

–          …is waiving all current account fees, including overdraft charges, for those whose pay has stopped and whose pay cheque is deposited directly with the bank.  It has pledged to work with customers at risk of missing payments on home, car or credit card loans

–          The shutdown affects roughly a quarter of the federal agencies – those deemed “non-essential”, including national parks and the work for the IRS.  Some 800,000 workers are affected, either by being put on leave of absence or working without pay

–          (Prof Note: Today I had a long conversation with an individual in this “non-essential” category.  It is real and it is tough.  This person is fiscally disciplined but their tenants are also “non-essential” creating a larger burden if tenants cannot make rent payments.)

 

Answer: (1) Raise your auto insurance deductible (Prof Note: Be certain that the deductible is not raised to a point it is an issue if an incident occurs); (2) Delay big purchases (Prof Note: Research and determine the best discounts and times of year for these purchases); (3) Improve your credit score (Prof Note: Remember home mortgages are based on credit score and a lower score can mean higher mortgage rate.); (4) Use credit cards that offer rewards (Prof Note: I am a HUGE fan of this.  Just be responsible with credit card purchases); (5) Reach for a sweater instead of the thermostat; (6) Read books on mobile devices; (7) Close your self-storage unit (Prof Note: Mixed feelings about this.  A cluttered home can/may lead to sadness.  Be mindful of personal well being); (8) Compare prices online; (9) Use coupons when you shop (Prof Note: While this is prudent, I personally cannot stand coupons, e.g. Bed Bath & Beyond 20% off…arrggg…I just want to purchase the product); (10) Stop paying for recorded music (Prof Note: But for concerts, I do not know how musicians support themselves); (11) Sign up for a retail store credit card to get a one-time discount; (12) Don’t forget to ask about senior discounts; (13) Buy health insurance; (14) Get rid of your telephone landline; (15) Set up an automatic savings plan; (16) Get a roommate; (17) Don’t buy a brand new car; (18) Pay attention to the price per unit when grocery shopping; (19) Take time to read grocery expiration dates (Prof Note: I specifically look at the milk cartons and purchase these latest expiration date available)