Another tax season is nearly behind us. If you're slated to receive a refund, you may wonder how to best use the money. Here are five great ideas to consider for your refund dollars.
1. Spend a small percentage of it
Take 10% of your refund money and spend it on something for yourself. Doing so will help you stick to your plans for the rest of the money. If you're too strict with yourself, you may be more likely to fall off the financial wagon. The average tax refund amount is just shy of $3,000, according to the IRS. So if you receive the average $3,000 refund, spend $300 of it. But use the remaining $2,700 wisely. Check out the following ideas for how to do just that.
2. Pay off high-interest debt
Put your money to excellent use by paying off any outstanding credit card debt you may have. If paying it all off isn't feasible, then consolidate your debt. Several credit cards offer 0% on balance transfers. For instance, Citigroup's (NYSE: C ) Citi Simplicity and JPMorgan Chase's (NYSE: JPM ) Slate cards offer 0% on balance transfers for 18 and 15 months, respectively, and no annual fees. If you qualify, transfer your balance as soon as possible. The immediately set up and stick with a monthly payment plan. Discipline yourself to have the entire balance paid off before the 0% time clock is up.
Top Construction Material Companies To Own In Right Now: Image Sensing Systems Inc.(ISNS)
Image Sensing Systems, Inc., a technology company, provides software-based detection solutions for the intelligent transportation systems (ITS) sector and adjacent markets, including security, police, and parking in North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. It develops and markets video and radar image processing products for use in traffic, security, police, and parking applications, such as intersection control, highway, bridge and tunnel traffic management, venue security, entry control, license plate recognition, and traffic data collection. The company?s products include the Autoscope Video Vehicle Detection System; RTMS Radar Detection System; and CitySync Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) System, which operate using its proprietary application software in conjunction with video cameras or radar, and electronic components. Its systems are used by traffic managers primarily to enhance the flow of vehicle traffic and to enhance safety at intersections, main thoroughfares, freeways, and tunnels; and by parking and toll managers, and law enforcement officials to read license plates for various safety, security, access, and enforcement ANPR applications. The company sells its products primarily to distributors. Image Sensing Systems, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in St Paul, Minnesota.
Top Construction Material Companies To Own In Right Now: Hansen Medical Inc.(HNSN)
Hansen Medical, Inc. develops, manufactures, and sells medical robotics designed for positioning, manipulation, and control of catheters and catheter-based technologies. The company?s products comprise the Sensei Robotic Catheter System and its related Artisan and Lynx catheters. It offers Sensei Robotic Catheter systems and Artisan catheters for manipulation, positioning, and control of mapping catheters during electrophysiology procedures. The company also provides robotic platforms consisting of the Magellan Robotic System and the NorthStar Robotic Catheter for the treatment of vascular disease. In addition, it offers CoHesion 3D Visualization Module, a software interface that provide physicians with 3D visualization to augment their ability to move a catheter throughout the heart, as well as control the placement of the catheter in specific locations. The company sells its products through direct sales force in the United States; and through direct sales force and dis tributors primarily in the European Union and internationally. It has a joint development agreement and co-marketing agreement with St. Jude Medical, Inc. for the development of CoHesion 3D Visualization Module; and a collaboration agreement with Philips Medical Systems Nederland B.V. to co-develop integrated products for use in the diagnosing and treatment of arrhythmias. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.
Top 5 Rising Stocks To Buy For 2014: Majesco Entertainment Company(COOL)
Majesco Entertainment Company develops and markets video game products primarily for family oriented mass-market consumers. The company publishes video games for various interactive entertainment hardware platforms, including Nintendo?s DS, DSi, and Wii; Sony?s PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable; Microsoft?s Xbox 360; and personal computers. It also publishes games for various digital platforms consisting of mobile platforms comprising iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, as well as online platforms, including Facebook. The company sells its products primarily to retail chains, specialty retail stores, video game rental outlets, and distributors. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Edison, New Jersey.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By McWillams]
Majesco Entertainment makes video games mainly for the family-oriented, mass-market consumer.
Majesco's incredible run this year started on Jan. 11 when the company announced it had shipped more than 500,000 copies of its Zumba Fitness video game title for the Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. In late January, the company announced that it regained compliance with the Nasdaq's minimum bid price requirement for continued listing.
In early March, shares of Majesco climbed higher after the company posted better-than-expected fiscal first-quarter financial results, with revenue jumping to $48.5 million from $29.2 million in the same period a year earlier.
Current Share Price: $3.20 (March 29)
First Quarter Total Return: 315%
Analyst Ratings: Majesco garners a lone "buy" rating from Needham & Co. and a "neutral" rating from Wedbush. Coincidentally, both research firms have a $2.50 price target on the stock.
TheStreet Ratings has a "hold" recommendation on Majesco Entertainment. The research report from March 20 says revenue growth, a largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels and solid stock price performance are strengths that are countered by the company's weak cash flow from its operations.
- [By Louis]
Majesco Entertainment (NASDAQ: COOL) is an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, developing a wide range of titles for Sony’s PlayStation, Microsoft’s Xbox and Nintendo’s WII systems. On June 7, COOL announced that it had signed a contract with the NBA to begin development of an original video-game basketball franchise. The stock rose an impressive 32% over the next five trading days while the broader market sold off.
However, the stock is down today after reporting weaker-than-expected second-quarter earnings last night, missing consensus earnings estimates by 2 cents. Majesco reported net revenues of $32.1 million for the second quarter ended April 30, 2011, compared with $10.9 million reported for the same period in the previous year. The company’s operating income for the second quarter was $5.3 million, compared with an operating loss of $1.6 million reported for the same period in the previous year. So treat this sell-off as a buying opportunity.
Top Construction Material Companies To Own In Right Now: Banco Bibao Vizcaya Argentaria(BVA.L)
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. engages in the retail banking, asset management, private banking, and wholesale banking businesses in Spain and internationally. It accepts various customer deposits, including demand, savings, and time deposits, as well as offers current accounts. The company provides banking services and consumer finance to private individuals, enterprises, and institutions; involves in renting and leasing businesses; and offers Internet banking services. It also engages in the distribution of lines of credit primarily to the manufacturing, trade, and tourism sectors, as well as provides mortgages, residential real estate loans, auto dealer loans student loans, commercial loans, corporate lending products; life and non-life insurance products; and insurance brokerage services. In addition, the company manages mutual and pension fund assets; and offers wealth management services. Further, it coordinates origination, distribution, and management of var ious corporate and investment banking products, such as corporate finance, structured finance, syndicated loans, and debt capital markets; provides global trade finance and global transaction services; handles the origination, structuring, distribution, and risk management of market products; designs and manages asset management products; and manages a portfolio of industrial holdings and other Spanish and international projects. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, S.A. was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Bilbao, Spain.
Top Construction Material Companies To Own In Right Now: Boardroom Limited (B10.SI)
Boardroom Limited, an investment holding company, provides various professional business and corporate services in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region. The company offers corporate secretarial services, including acting as company secretary and providing corporate secretarial consultancy, advisory, assistance, and support services primarily to private limited companies and public listed corporations. It also provides share registration services comprising acting as share registrar, share transfer agent, warrant agent, employee equity plan administration, voting, shareholder analytics, investor solicitation, and executive remuneration services primarily for public listed corporations. In addition, the company offers accounting and payroll services consisting of book-keeping, preparation of financial statements, payroll and payment processing, goods and services tax accounting, tax advisory, human resource, risk management, and internal auditing for enterprises; investor r elations services; and business advisory and consultancy services. Further, it provides human resource services, such as consulting; executive search; onboarding and outboarding administration and processes; employee handbook review, preparation, and updating; and payroll services. Additionally, the company offers taxation services, including compliance, consulting, and incentive application, as well as general tax consultancy services. Boardroom Limited was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Singapore.
Top Construction Material Companies To Own In Right Now: Scientific Learning Corporation(SCIL)
Scientific Learning Corporation develops, distributes, and licenses technology worldwide that accelerates learning by enhancing the processing efficiency of the brain. It offers the Fast ForWord language products for elementary learners; the literacy products for adolescent learners; the Fast ForWord reading products, which focus on phonemic awareness, phonics and decoding, spelling, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension; and Reading Assistant, a software that combines advanced speech verification technology with scientifically-based interventions to help elementary and secondary students strengthen their reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. It also provides Progress Tracker, an Internet-based data analysis and reporting tool, which analyzes student learning results to provide diagnostic and prescriptive intervention information and allows educators to track and report their students? learning progress; Reading Progress Indicator that assesses student?s readi ng skills; BrainSpark products that target learners of age 5 to 13 who are at or above grade level and want to enhance their overall learning potential; and BrainPro targeted at learners who are below grade level. In addition, the company offers KinderSpark series that collects iPad games for children aged 3 to 6 for building readiness skills and excel in learning. Scientific Learning Corporation offers its products to educational institutions, speech and language clinics, learning centers, and parents. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Oakland, California.
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