What to Do with Your Money with Today’s Interest Rates

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Our financial stability is influenced not only by how much money we have but also by interest rates. If we have borrowed money from banks, our financial situation depends how much they charge us for this favor. For interest rates determine our monthly payments for the whole life of the loan. The slightest difference in rates can either push our payments up or bring them down. The influence of the fluctuating rates can be so dramatic that we can pay thousands of dollars more or less in interest over the loan’s term.

It is thus very difficult to decide what to do with our spare money, when we are paying off loans whose interest goes up and down. We might budget our spending or investments according to the payments towards our loan we have been making for the last few months. But then unexpectedly, the rates change causing us to pay a different amount and, as a corollary, thwarting our plans and even damaging our business. This is not a desirable scenario. Aware of the unsettling influence interest rates can have on our lives, we are listing below several areas in which you can invest your money even when you are paying off loans. These areas are high yield saving accounts, mutual funds or ETFs, and real estate. Investing in them requires deep knowledge of the field and good tactics, though some of these areas are easier to understand than others. Buying assets on stock market or purchasing properties might be more difficult than choosing a profitable savings account in your bank. Hence, if you take the hard route, you may benefit from extra help. In case you are toying with the idea to start investing in real estate, check the real estate crowdfunding comparison list, before you make up your mind. You may find useful tips for your future investments on this page.

Admittedly the easiest and the safest way to manage your spare money is to put them in a savings account that will give you good interest rates. True, you will never make fortunes from such investment. But your money will still grow at a steady pace. No savings account puts your money at risk as other businesses do. It is virtually impossible to lose your funds locked in your account. Indeed, if you cannot afford any monetary losses and need a quick access to your money, putting your funds aside in your bank is the wisest option. But if you think that the rates that your savings account offers are not large enough, you can open an online high yield savings account. While your bank will probably give you an average interest rate of 0.06 percent, you can get much higher interest rate of 1 percent with any high yield savings account. The security of this account is as strong as that of your savings account in your bank. You will only gain by saving your money online.

You can also use mutual funds to manage your investments. Mutual funds are a company that invests on your behalf, just as does its technological version called robo advisor. The software making investments for customers is highly popular these days. But if you trust humans more than machines, you will find mutual funds more appealing. As might be clear from its name, mutual funds compile money from all participating investors and then invests them in securities such as stocks or bonds. As an investor, you will need to buy shares from your chosen mutual fund. Your share will represent your part ownership in the fund and the income it will generate. Before you choose any mutual fund, check the company’s history, paying attention to how it performed over the last several years. The only caveat you should mind is that an initial investment in any mutual funds company is high, no less than $5,000. In case you do not plan to invest such a large amount, you can try ETF or Exchange Traded Funds instead of mutual funds, where such a large initial investment is not required. Like a single stock, ETF is traded on the stock market. In other words, far from making a large initial investment, you will be able to purchase smaller pieces of these funds.

Investing in real estate is more complicated than giving your money to mutual funds or opening a savings account. You need much larger amounts of money to purchase property, refurbish it, and sell it with profit. More skills and experience are also required in this business. But you may make money in real estate even without selling property. If you already own an apartment or a commercial office, you can lease it. Alternatively, you can buy commercial or residential property and then rent it. Renting an apartment will bring you a handsome profit, though many people consider being a landlord a hassle.

There are other areas where you can invest money. You can place your money in stocks or bonds. Or you can invest in yourself and have a college degree. If you have debts, you can pay them off, which is in itself a highly profitable investment. But whatever you decide to do with your extra money, it is crucial that you choose the venue that will not suffer from the fluctuation of interest rates.  

Charlotte’s 25 Gardeners’ Garden Tour Happening Next Month

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Wing Haven is celebrating its 25th Annual Gardeners’ Garden Tour on May 4-5, 2019, a Queen City tradition beloved by countless gardeners, green thumbs, and neighbors across our city.

“After almost a quarter of a century playing host to this glorious weekend during Charlotte’s breathtaking spring season, we invite you to visit these gifted local Charlotte gardeners as they open the gates to their private gardens. For two special days, members of the public enjoy the opportunity to find respite while enjoying magnificent properties that are otherwise only seen by their friends and family,” said Barrett Ranson, Executive Director, Wing Haven.

The self-guided tour is slated for Saturday, May 4 from 10 am – 4 pm and Sunday, May 5 from 1 – 5 pm. All participants will receive garden descriptions and directions to easily locate each garden as they enjoy a self-paced tour of the private gardens.

via Andrea Sprott

Docents and garden hosts will be present at each garden to guide tour-goers. From a lovely space created by a gardener who attended an invitation-only seminar last summer at Jefferson’s Monticello; to the gardens of a home on Belvedere previously owned by John Crosland and lovingly maintained and expanded upon by its current owner; to the garden named “The Laughing Garden” where the homeowner turned her interest in gardening into a passion reflected in her creative use of space; to another Southern garden with a clever use of the side garden space; to the charming garden of a local landscape designer — each stop embraces Charlotte’s rich growing seasons. This year’s tour offers something special for each and every participant.

Photo from the “Seasons of Winghaven” Project of 2004-2005

Garden tour proceeds help ensure that the Wing Haven and Elizabeth Lawrence gardens are maintained and accessible to all who want to visit. In addition, your support will help Wing Haven continue to expand its educational programs for children and adults and provide educational outreach to at-risk preschoolers in our community.

Advance discount tickets are $30 available online now at www.winghavengardens.org, at the Wing Haven office located at 260 Ridgewood Ave, Charlotte, NC 28209, by phone 704.331.0664, or starting in April at Blackhawk Hardware located in the Park Road Shopping Center.

Day of tour tickets will be $35 per person. Children 10 and under are free.

For additional information, contact: Susan Little Evans, Wing Haven Development Director 704.331.0664 ext.108 or susan@winghavengardens.org, www.winghavengardens.org

CDC Increasing Warnings About Potentially Deadly ‘Kissing Bug’ In The Carolinas

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A tiny bug with a potentially deadly bite (or ‘kiss’) is continuing its spread up the East Coast of the US.

The latest confirmed case was confirmed in Delaware this past week;

The American Heart Association has recently released a report about the rise of the little insect in southern states.

According to the report, a number of species of Triatomine insects (aka ‘kissing bugs’) have been spreading the Chagas disease across southern states. “Chagas disease, caused by infection with a parasite called Trypanosoma cruzi (T cruzi), causes chronic heart disease in about one-third of those infected. Over the past 40 years, Chagas disease has spread to areas where it had not traditionally been seen,” the report notes.

There are at least two species of ‘kissing bugs’ that are native to North Carolina: Triatoma sanguisuga and T. lecticularia.

The ‘kissing bug’ bites sleeping people on their face, usually near the eyes or mouths, hence the nickname. The bugs then defecate at the site of the bite, essentially injecting their feces into the wound. If the bug was infected with T. cruzi, an infection of the Chagas disease will follow.

According to the CDC, Acute Chagas disease occurs immediately after infection, may last up to a few weeks or months, and parasites may be found in the circulating blood. Infection may be mild or asymptomatic. There may be fever or swelling around the site of inoculation (where the parasite entered into the skin or mucous membrane). Rarely, acute infection may result in severe inflammation of the heart muscle or the brain and lining around the brain.

Following the acute phase, most infected people enter into a prolonged asymptomatic form of disease (called “chronic indeterminate”) during which few or no parasites are found in the blood. During this time, most people are unaware of their infection. Many people may remain asymptomatic for life and never develop Chagas-related symptoms. However, an estimated 20 – 30% of infected people will develop debilitating and sometimes life-threatening medical problems over the course of their lives.

Complications of chronic Chagas disease may include:

  • heart rhythm abnormalities that can cause sudden death;
  • a dilated heart that doesn’t pump blood well;
  • a dilated esophagus or colon, leading to difficulties with eating or passing stool.

The infectious ‘kissing bugs’ tend to live around damp and dark indoors spaces, in cracks and holes of substandard housing, or in a variety of outdoor settings including:

  • Beneath porches
  • Between rocky structures
  • Under cement
  • In rock, wood, brush piles, or beneath bark
  • In rodent nests or animal burrows
  • In outdoor dog houses or kennels
  • In chicken coops or houses

The CDC notes that pyrethrin sprays have been found effective in eliminating kissing bug infestations around homes and outbuildings.

There are multiple look-alikes, including some non-triatomine reduviid bugs, that don’t feed on human blood. They include the wheel bug and the western corsair. Some plant-feeding bugs, such as the leaf-footed bug, also resemble the triatomine.

If you think you’ve encountered a kissing bug, trap the bug in a plastic or glass container, doing your best not to touch it. You can then either fill the container with rubbing alcohol or freeze it, then take the bug to your area health department or university lab for proper identification.

Massive Cold Front Bringing Damaging Winds, Hail, and Possible Micro-bursts To Charlotte Today

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The Charlotte region is now under a severe storm warning for Friday afternoon.

The National Weather Service has just issued the following alert;

“Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon and evening across eastern Upstate South Carolina and the I-77 corridor of North Carolina. Damaging winds and hail up to 1-inch diameter are the main threats. Brief heavy downpours also will be possible…Any loose or unsecured objects may blow around, and the strong winds may lead to some difficulty in driving, especially for high profile vehicles.”

According to WeatherUnderground.com, the Charlotte area could see up to 1 inche of rain today, and we’ll be seeing the worst of the storm between 12pm and 2pm this afternoon;

The rest of this weekend should be beautiful, with sunny skies and upper-70s on Saturday and sunny skies and low-80s on Sunday.

Top 10 Things To Do Around Charlotte This Weekend – 4/26/2018

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The weekend is almost here!

There will be tons of concerts, festivals, horses, and White Snake!

Here are the top 10 things happening around the Charlotte region this weekend:

#1 Novel NoDa’s Food Truck Friday Block Party

This coming Friday (April 26th) NoDa’s Novel community will host their first Food Truck Friday Block Party from 5:00-9:00 pm.

They’ll be closing down the streets and hosting a total of 7 food trucks, several local breweries, and live music

For more info click here.

#2 The Garibaldi Festival

The Garibaldi Festival will be held on Saturday, April 27, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Stowe Park. It will feature live music by DownTown Abby and The Echoes (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) as well as Caleb Davis (2-4 p.m.) plus craft beer from Gaston County’s Cavendish Brewing Company among a variety of local arts vendors. Guests also are invited to become part of the celebration and beautifying Belmont through a participatory public art mural.

For more info click here.

#3 Queens Cup Steeplechase

This Saturday, the annual Queen’s Cup Steeplechase will take place a few miles Southeast of Charlotte in Mineral Springs, NC.

Thousands come to see some of the most athletic thoroughbreds compete at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. The jockeys, dressed in bright colored silks, push their sleek steeds to clear four and a half foot jumps over a two and a quarter to as much as three miles of rolling turf course. The prestige of $150,000 in purse money to the winning owners and the opportunity to bask in the glory of the winner’s circle is what it’s all about from the horse’s connections.

For tickets or more info click here.

#4 2019 Vintage Charlotte Spring Market

This coming Saturday, VTGCLT is popping up in the historic Ford Building at Camp North End (1776 Statesville Ave, Charlotte, NC 28206) for the eighth annual Spring Market! Come out and spend the day shopping with 80+ of the region’s best vintage & handmade vendors.

For more info click here.

#5 Dane Cook: Tell It Like It Is

Dane Cook’s “Tell It Like It Is” tour is making a stop at Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte on April 27.

For more info or tickets click here.

#6 CLT Wine & Food Weekend 2019

Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend brings together leading winemakers and chefs from around the world to celebrate and advance public knowledge of and appreciation for great wine and food, while making significant contributions to charitable organizations that benefit children and their families in the Charlotte community.

For more info click here.

#7 Tuck Fest

Tuck Fest is a multi-day festival that celebrates the outdoor lifestyle through competitions, exhibitions, demos, and live music at the U.S. National Whitewater Center.

Musical headliners include Tyler Childers, The Milk Carton Kids, Fantastic Negrito, and J. Roddy Walston And The Business.

For more info click here.

#8 Open Streets 704

The streets will be OPEN from 1pm to 5pm on Sunday April 28th, 2019! The route for Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s seventh Open Streets event covers roughly four (4) miles between NoDa and Plaza Midwood— and all the cool places in between!

For more info click here.

#9 Whitesnake Live in Charlotte

Whitesnake first started in 1977 and topped the charts in the 80s with massive hits includes “Still of the Night” (1987), “Is This Love” (1987), “Here I Go Again” (1987). The reunited band will be coming to Oven’s Auditorium in Charlotte to play all their legendary hits.

For tickets or more info click here.

#10 2019 Spring Festival

Join us at Symphony Park at SouthPark Mall for some free spring fun! Activities include carnival games, prizes, arts/crafts, face painting, characters, DJ and more! All activities are FREE and open to the public.

For more info click here.

If you think other events should be on this list or future lists, let us know – Scott@CharlotteStories.com

Charlotte Teacher Matthew Hinson Was Just Awarded The 2019 Inspiring Teacher Award

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The Jimmy Awards is pleased to announce that the 2019 Inspiring Teacher Award will be given to Matthew Hinson, Northwest School of the Arts, Charlotte, NC for the encouragement and inspiration that led his student to win the coveted Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress.

The 2018 Jimmy for Best Performance by an Actress was presented to Northwest School of the Arts graduate Reneé Rapp representing The Blumey Awards and the 2018 Jimmy® for Best Performance by an Actor. This year’s Inspiring Teacher Award presented by Wells Fargo will be awarded to Reneé’s teacher, Matthew Hinson.

The eleventh annual awards ceremony will take place on Monday, June 24, 2019 at 7:30PM at the Minskoff Theatre, 200 West 45th Street, in Manhattan.

86 high school students from 43 regional programs across America will compete for the Jimmy for Best Performance by an Actor and Actress at the eleventh annual presentation. The talent showcase will feature dynamic ensemble and solo performances.

“Wells Fargo is a proud supporter of the arts across the country. We have sponsored the National High School Musical Theatre Awards’ regional program in Charlotte since its inception,” said Jay Everette, SVP and Community Affairs Manager, Wells Fargo & Co. “Wells Fargo also supports the regional programs in Omaha and Seattle. We are pleased to continue our support at the national level by honoring two exceptional teachers at the Jimmy Awards.”

Founded in 2009 by Nederlander Alliances LLC, Pittsburgh CLO, and Broadway Education Alliance (BEA), the mission of the National High School Musical Theatre Awards® (NHSMTA®) is to raise the profile of musical theatre in schools, recognize dedicated teachers, and inspire the next generation of performers and enthusiasts.

Student performers qualify as nominees at the Jimmy Awards by winning top honors at regional high school musical theatre awards competitions presented by Broadway League member performing arts centers. Over 1,700 high schools and 100,000 students participate in these annual events. Since its inception in 2009, the NHSMTA has enabled over $2,000,000 in university and conservatory scholarships to be awarded to talented students at the national and local level—several of whom have already been cast in Broadway, Touring and West End productions.

The 2019 Jimmy Awards nominees will prepare for their debut on a Broadway stage during a ten-day professional training intensive with NYU Tisch School of the Arts’ New Studio on Broadway faculty members plus other theatre professionals. Winners will be selected by a panel of industry experts.

The Jimmy Awards are presented by the Broadway League Foundation in honor of legendary Broadway producer/theatre owner James M. Nederlander, and are supported by many leading theatre industry organizations. More information about the National High School Musical Theatre Awards program can be found at JimmyAwards.com.

The Broadway League conducts the program through The Broadway League Foundation, which acts as its philanthropic arm. Part of the Foundation’s mission is to enlighten and increase the public’s knowledge, appreciation and awareness of the theatrical arts, and since its founding in 1993, has supported a number of projects to help preserve Broadway’s heritage and introduce new audiences to Broadway theatre. The Foundation is a corporation organized under the Not-for-Profit Corporation Law of the State of New York, the purposes of which are exclusively charitable as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. Donations to support the program can be made at JimmyAwards.com.

Matthew Hinson has spent the last 13 years serving as Musical Director for the Musical Theatre programs at Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, NC, where he teaches audition and performance skills, technique, history and industry to musical theatre students in grades 6-12. During his tenure at NWSA he has served as MD for over 65 musical productions and has garnered awards for his work in both musical direction and education. In addition to teaching at Northwest, Hinson also serves as MD for local community theatres, as well as Associate Conductor for Carolina Voices’ MainStage Choir, a non-profit choral group producing “choral theatre.”  He has taught master classes both domestic and abroad, he is a guest artist for the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, a rehearsal and audition accompanist for The Blumey Awards, and he is currently spending his 16th summer exploring his other interests as Residence Life Director at Summer Ventures in Science and Math at Appalachian State University. He is a proud graduate of East Carolina University. Much respect to his Northwest colleagues – especially Corey Mitchell, Bonnie Fraker and Kelly Petrere – for always modeling inspirational teaching, and much appreciation to his parents for their unconditional love and support in the theatre world!

Northwest School of the Arts is recognized internationally and is the only public arts magnet school serving Mecklenburg County students in grades 6 through 12. The school’s unique educational approach combines elements of creativity, art, and technical prowess with a strong academic foundation. The history and prestige that comes with Visual & Performing Arts means something different to everyone – that’s why our students have multiple ways to launch into a professional career down the path they choose in Band, Chorus, Costume Design, Dance, Musical Theatre, Orchestra, Piano, Theatre, Technical Theatre, and Visual Arts.

NC Astronaut Tweets Picture of Outer Banks During Record-Breaking Space Mission

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Earlier this week, a North Carolina native proved all the flat-earthers wrong when she posted an unedited image of North Carolina’s coastline from inside the International Space Station, an image that clearly shows the spherical shape of our planet.

Christina Koch snapped the photo when the first glimpse of the coastline came into view from high above the Earth’s atmosphere – “It took my breath away as it came into focus,” she said.

Here is what the image looks like next to the Google Map’s version of the North Carolina coast;

Astronaut Koch, a graduate of NC State, is currently on a record-breaking 328-day space mission, set to return to earth in February of 2020. If everything goes according to plan, she will break the record for the longest single spaceflight ever attempted by a woman.

The current record holder is Peggy Whitson who spent a total of 289.2 days in space between 2016 and 2017.

The Garibaldi Festival Is Taking Over Belmont This Weekend

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The Garibaldi Festival is an annual event in historic downtown Belmont, N.C.

Each year the festival shuts down the streets of Historic Belmont to bring history alive and pay homage to a city that was formerly known as Garibaldi Station, due to its railroad stop along the tracks constructed in 1871 (https://www.cityofbelmont.org/241/History).

The festival has a fresh new spin this year as a celebration of the creative community — local arts, crafts and music.

The Garibaldi Festival will be held on Saturday, April 27, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Stowe Park. It will feature live music by DownTown Abby and The Echoes (11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) as well as Caleb Davis (2-4 p.m.) plus craft beer from Gaston County’s Cavendish Brewing Company among a variety of local arts vendors. Guests also are invited to become part of the celebration and beautifying Belmont through a participatory public art mural.

As part of the participatory art creation, individuals of all ages will be invited to help create a mural for downtown Mooresville. The mural painting is 1-3 p.m. on the Mill Street parking lot wall in downtown Belmont. Artist Georgie Nakima (gardenofjourney.com) will oversee the mural through a paint-by-number design, allowing everyone to participate in bringing the mural to life. The design will reflect many things native to Belmont, including natural elements such as the dogwood, Carolina silver bell, and the ruby-throated hummingbird. Water will be represented as Belmont is along the Catawba River and the piece will highlight the local railroad presence, among other creative work.

Check out more info about the Garibaldi Festival via the City of Belmont’s page here – https://www.cityofbelmont.org/189/Garibaldi-Festival.

Vandals Spray-Paint “Muhammed Is His Prophet” on Historic SC Church – Police Offering Reward

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Police in South Carolina are now offering a reward for information that might lead to the arrest of the vandals who desecrated a historic church.

On the weekend of Palm Sunday, the 150-year-old Midway Presbyterian Church in Anderson, SC was vandalized sometime between 8 p.m. Saturday and early Sunday morning, according to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.

The church had 4 of its stained-glass windows broken and was spray painted with the phrases “Submit to God thru Islam” and “Muhammed is his prophet”, a misspelling of the word “Muhammed,” were written on the church.

The Sheriff’s Office posted about the incident on Facebook, asking for help in finding the suspects.

Many now think the vandalism was done by a person or group who wanted to frame Muslims.

In addition to ‘Muhammed’ being spelled wrong, Muslims almost never refer to Allah as ‘God’ (“turn to God…” was written on the side of the church).

Similar graffiti was also reported about a week later at another church 20 miles up the road in Easley, SC, without any Islamic messaging, but with a similar spraypainting pattern and using the same color paint;

If you have any information about the vandals, please call the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office at 260-4400, or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

KC and The Sunshine Band Coming To Charlotte This Summer

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Ovens Auditorium will host KC and The Sunshine Band on Saturday, April 14, 2019, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets go on sale Friday, April 26 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000, at all Ticketmaster outlets or at the Bojangles’ Coliseum Box Office located at 2700 E. Independence Blvd. Tickets start at $42 (plus applicable service charges) and are subject to change. A direct link to purchase tickets can be found here.

KC and the Sunshine Band are still as widely popular today as they were when they first danced into the music scene 40 years ago. Harry Wayne Casey – KC for short – developed a unique fusion of R&B and funk, with a hint of a Latin percussion groove, giving us an impressive string of hits like “Get Down Tonight,” “That’s The Way (I Like It)” and “Shake Your Booty.” With sales of over 100 million records, nine Grammy nominations, three Grammy Awards and an American Music Award, KC and the Sunshine Band was one of the most progressive bands of the 70’s and is credited with changing the sound of modern pop music.

KC and the Sunshine Band play over 100 live shows annually, circling the country and playing dates regularly throughout Europe, Australia and South America. In 2008, KC celebrated 35 years entertaining us, writing songs, performing around the world and he has no intention of stopping. KC’s songs have stood the test of time and you can ask any one of the thousands of fans who spend the entire concert on their feet, dancing and shaking their booty.