Author: Betty Hernandez

Everything You Need To Know About Debt Consolidation

Have you been struggling to control your debts? Are your monthly bills getting so large that you worry about being able to pay them? If this is you, then you may find relief with debt consolidation. The following advice will help you determine if debt consolidation is right for you and how to proceed.

Carefully study your credit report before making any decisions. You need to understand what happened to get you into this mess. Checking all three reports regularly can keep you from disastrous financial choices once your debt is consolidated.

You may be able to pay off debt by getting another loan. Contact a loan provider to learn more about the interest rates you qualify for. Use your automobile as collateral to help pay off creditors. You must be sure your loan is paid back on time.

Check out the qualifications for each of the company’s counselors that you are looking into. They should be properly certified. Do they have any certifications? These are important factors when considering which debt consolidation company is the best one to help you manage your finances.

Credit Card Company

Lots of people succeed at lowering payment obligations with a simple call to creditors. Many creditors will modify payment terms to help a debtor who is in arrears. If you have a credit card and cannot afford the monthly payment, call the credit card company and explain your situation. The credit card company may be willing to lower your minimum payment; however, they will not let you charge using the card.

Think about filing for bankruptcy. Of course, any type of bankruptcy is bad for your credit. Although you’ll receive a bad mark, bankruptcy may benefit you if you cannot pay your debt off. If you cannot make payments, your credit is probably not the greatest and a bankruptcy won’t make it much worse. When you file for bankruptcy, you may be able to reduce your debt and start your financial recovery.

As you choose a debt consolidation agency, think long-term. You want to manage your debt, but also determine whether the company is going to help you going forward. They may be able to help you avoid debt in the months and years to come as well.

Strive to identify what got you in this mess in the first place as you’re paying off your debt consolidation loan. This will help you prevent a repeat of this predicament. Look deep into yourself for answers, and make sure this doesn’t happen to you again.

Call each of the creditors you owe money to in order to discuss a settlement. Once you have an overall total, talk to your bank about getting one loan to cover payment on all of your debt. Use the loan to make lump sum payments that have been negotiated with your creditors. Doing so will not harm your credit score and may actually help it.

Assess which debts should be consolidated and which ones are better left alone. It’s not smart to consolidate loans that have a lower interest rate than that of the debt consolidation loan. Review each of your current loans with the lender to assure you are making good choices.

While you’re in debt consolidation, think about the reasons you got into this position to begin with. After all this, you would not want to find yourself in the same position once again. Look deep into yourself for answers, and make sure this doesn’t happen to you again.

A good debt consolidation firm will use personalized methods. A professional who presents you with a few options without taking the time to learn anything about your situation is not a good choice. You should look for a counselor who takes the time to know your financial issues, what caused them and what your current situation is.

There lots of debt consolidation information out there. Just getting into it can overwhelm you, but it’s not as hard to deal with as debt that you owe to many companies. This knowledge should help you get back on track.

There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in
Seattle, Washington where you can make the most impact on
civic engagement in the community.

Get A Higher Return On Your Investments With These Tips

Becoming a stock market trader is a very attractive proposition, but it should be given careful consideration. Included are simple tricks and tips to help you buy stocks, sell stocks and make a profit. Continue reading this article for more information.

Keeping six months of living expenses in a high interest account provides a lot of security. This allows you to have a cushion if you lose a job, suffer an illness or have any other issues that prevent you from covering your bills, so that you do not need to dip into your investments.

You should never invest more than ten percent of the funds you have available for investment into one stock. Invest only between five and ten percent of capital funds in any one investment instrument in order to protect yourself from bad investments. If your stock rapidly declines later, this can help decrease your exposed risk.

Stock market investments should be kept simple. Try to streamline your investing decisions such as prognosticating, trading and reviewing new information as much as you can so that you minimize risks.

Think of your stocks as interest in a company that you own, rather than just simple meaningless elements to be traded. Have the patience to research companies and look over financial statements in order to better understand the weaknesses and strengths of each company’s stocks. This will help you make wise stock market decisions.

Re-evaluating your portfolio is something you’re going to want to be doing every few months. Because the economy is in a state of constant flux, you may need to move your investments around. Some industries will advance, while others will gradually die out. Depending on current economic conditions, some financial instruments may make better investments than others. Therefore, it is crucial you keep watch on your portfolio so you can adjust it as needed.

Full Service

Always maintain realistic expectations about your investments. It is true that the stock market does not create overnight millionaires very often, unless you get lucky with a high-risk investment that actually pays off. Expecting such an occurrence for yourself is like seeking a needle in a haystack. You are far more likely to lose money then to gain any. When you keep your risk reasonable, you will increase your chance for success.

If you want to split your time between making your own picks and a broker who offers full service, work with one who offers online options and full service. You can allow a professional to manage a portion of your money while doing your own investing with the rest. This strategy gives you both control and professional assistance in your investing.

Anyone can find the stock market appealing; the temptation is almost too hard to pass up. Before doing so, it is important to learn as much as possible about smart investment strategies. What you’ve read here is just a start, so keep reading and have fun!

There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in Staten Island , New York where you can make the most impact on the youth in the community.

Tips And Strategies When It Comes To The Stock Market

Buying stocks can be both exciting and profitable. There are many avenues to profitability which all depend on your goals and the amount of money you can risk. However you invest, you should have a thorough knowledge of exactly how the market operates. Continue on for some helpful investing tips that can be a guide to get you started in the market.

Basically when investing in stocks, the keep it simple approach works best. Reduce your risk by keeping all investment activities, including examining data points, predicting and trading, extremely simple.

Before getting into the stock market, carefully observe it. Keeping track of the market before you decide to buy can help you know what you’re doing. The best advise is to watch the upswings and downswings for a period of three years before investing. This will give you a good idea of how the market is working and increase your chances of making wise investments.

Create a plan that you can meet long-term when you are trying to maximize your investment profits. Try to set realistic goals in order to have more success in your endeavors. Hold your stocks as long as you can to make profits.

Before signing up with brokers or placing investments through traders, find out the fees you must pay. And not only the entry fees, what ones will be deducted at the time of exiting, as well. These costs can really add up over time.

Diversify your portfolio a bit. Avoid placing all of your eggs into one basket, like the familiar saying goes. As an example, suppose you invest all of your money into one stock only to have it tank. You wind up losing your hard-earned savings.

Potential Return

Make sure that you spread your investments around a little. Putting all of your eggs in the same basket can be quite foolish, as the old adage implies. This is especially true in the stock market. If you purchase stocks in only one company and it fails, you have lost all of your money.

Set your sights on stocks that produce more than the historical 10% average, which an index fund can just as easily supply. To project the potential return percentage you might get from a specific stock, look for its projected dividend yield and growth rate for earnings, then add them together. A stock whose earnings are growing at 12% that also yields 2% in dividends offers you a potential return of 14%, for example.

Becoming involved in the stock market can be an exciting endeavor. The tips you have read in this article will help your investments succeed, no matter what form they take.

There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in Los Angeles , California where you can make the most impact on the environment in the community.

Personal Finance Tips And Tricks Anyone Can Use

Millions of people do not take care of their money matters correctly. Do you think that you’re not good at managing your money? With a little advice, you’ll be able to. The article below will provide some solid advice to help get your finances under control. Read through this article and see what you should be doing.

Proper budgeting is a huge part of being successful. Work to protect your profits and invest capital. You will see a return on your investments by managing profits. It can be helpful to create a formula to guide your reallocation of profits and evaluate your results regularly.

When using a broker, it is very important that you choose someone that you can really trust. Verify that they have great references and make sure they are honest and upfront with you. Experience is good attribute to look for in a broker as well.

To make your financial life better, don’t pay full price. Don’t be a brand loyalist and use coupons whenever possible. For example, if Coke is your brand of choice but Pepsi is offering a one dollar off coupon, the Pepsi choice will save you money.

If you are looking for ways to spend less money on food while traveling abroad, you should find out where the locals eat. The restaurants in hotels and tourist areas tend to overprice their food, that is why it is good to research on places on where locals eat. The food will taste better and it will likely be cheaper, as well.

In these volatile times, spreading your savings around into multiple areas is a good idea. Spread that money to different accounts such as checking, savings, stocks, gold and other high-interest bearing accounts. Use these ideas to safeguard your money.

Avoid large fees when investing. Most brokers have hefty fees for the services that they render. These fees can really take a chunk out of the money you make. Avoid funds that have high management costs as well as brokers who depend on large commissions.

Be sure to remember to file your taxes on time. If you anticipate a refund and want your money from a refund faster, you need to file your taxes as early as possible. It’s better to file closer to the due date of April 15 if you owe money to the government.

Big lifetime purchases include buying a car and a home. Payments and interest on these things will be the thing you spend the most on every month. You can reduce the amount of interest you pay by increasing your monthly payment.

Holding a garage or yard sale can help one clear out some old items, as well as earning some extra cash. Also, talk to neighbors to find out some of the items that they would like to sell. You can be as entrepreneurial as you want during a garage or yard sale.

Although it can be a great deal, loading up on sale items at the store can be wasteful of both food and money if you go overboard and buy too much. You will only save by stocking up on groceries if you eat everything before it spoils. Be reasonable when hunting for ways to save money at the grocery store.

Sometimes your score will actually drop for no good reason. This does not mean that you have done anything wrong. Keep adding good information to your credit report and you will see your score go up over time.

Since you have a great idea on how to go about your finances, you need to start feeling better when it comes to your financial future. The future is yours to determine, so you should make the decision to improve the future of your finances.

There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in
Phoenix, Arizona
where you can make the most impact on education in the community.

Simple Steps To Help You With Your Personal Finance

Do you want to be better at handling your money? Truly attaining control of money matters is a milestone in life. With these tips, you can get the most for your money, establish sound financial goals and keep your money matters under control.

When using a broker, it is very important that you choose someone that you can really trust. Check their references and listen to what they say to judge their honesty. Do not let your broker think you have no knowledge or skills related to financing.

Keep a small envelope in your wallet or purse. You can store receipts, business cards, and other important items in it. This will make it easier to keep a hold of them and record them. You may need them to compare to your credit card statements in the small chance that you are double charged.

Keep an eye on world news for key information about global market trends. Americans typically ignore markets outside the United States, but they are especially important to note if trading currencies. If you decide to get involved in the stock market, make sure to keep up with world events.

Avoid debt whenever you can. Some debt is unavoidable; however, if you can avoid those sources of debt that are problematic, like credit cards, you will save yourself headaches later. The less money you borrow, the less you will waste in interest and fees.

Make sure you are aware of when you should file income taxes. To get your money faster, file your refund as early as you can if you are expecting a refund. However, you should wait until April to file if you plan on owing taxes.

Make concrete financial plans to ensure your personal finances are managed effectively. Sticking to a set of objectives is a great way to stay on track and remain within your budget.

Do not sell stocks at the wrong time! If you are getting money from one stock more than another, let that one stay. Instead, look at stocks that are doing worse and determine whether you want to move them around.

A home and a car are probably going to be the largest purchases you have to make. A huge factor of your budget each month will be not only the payments, but the interest rates of these things. You can reduce the amount of interest you pay by increasing your monthly payment.

If your have junk debt buyers breathing down your neck about old debt, know that in many cases, the debt is already uncollectible or will soon become uncollectible. Ask experts when your debt expires and avoid paying collection agencies that attempt to collect money for older debt.

As you have read, learning sensible money skills is very important. Our financial situation can be bettered by following the tips above. You can gain control over your finances and budget, set financial goals and use the money you have wisely.

If you are in collections, then your debt will someday be written off, even if you don’t pay. There are consequences to this, however, and you need to be sure you are ready to face them. Talk to a professional about the timeline for your debt to expire. Know these deadlines and never pay out to collection agencies that attempt to collect expired debt.

There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in San Francisco, California where you can make the most impact on children in the community.

Simple Solutions To Help You Become Good At Managing Money

Personal finances are one of the major causes of stress and frustration for many people. Once you get some background knowledge, however, you’ll be more prepared. Provided below is some sound advice that you might use to reach your money management goals.

Getting your finances in order is a great way to improve your quality of life. You should invest your capital and protect your profits. If you are able to properly manage your profits, you will see a return from your investment. Decide on a plan ahead of time regarding your profits and capital.

When choosing a broker, you need to pick someone who is trustworthy. Check their references, and ensure that they tell you everything you want to know. Your level of experience is important in this situation.

If you have been contacted by collection agencies, be aware that debt cannot be held on your record past a certain number of years. Find out if the statute of limitations on your debt has passed, and don’t pay a collector who tries to collect time-barred debt.

If you do not feel comfortable selling, hold off. If a stock is making you money, and increasing in value, avoid selling it too soon. Take a look at stocks that are performing less well, and think about making some changes with them.

Use market trends in your Forex analysis. You need to constantly stay up to date on the market. You want to purchase when prices are at their lowest and sell when they have reached a peak. Make sure that you do not sell during an upswing or a downswing. Be clear in what you want when you are not going all the way through a trend.

If debt collectors constantly contact you, then you should know that your debts do legally expire if they are not collected within a certain time frame. Ask an expert about when your debt will expire and do not pay anything to a collection agency that tries to get your money for an old debt.

When you get paid, the first thing you need to do is put some money into savings. Leaving this money aside will keep you from spending it. Once you put the money aside, your brain tends to see it as unavailable.

Try to hold a garage sale, where you can sell all of your unwanted goods for additional cash. Also, ask your neighbors to see if they have items that they would like to sell. With a little creativity, your sale can be the talk of the town!

Make sure that your checking account is free. Go to your local banks or look into credit unions or online banks.

You have to get out of debt before you can rebuild your credit score. You’ll need to pay off what you owe first. For example, you might want to eat at home instead of going out, even on the weekend. Packing your lunch and avoiding weekend outings can result in great savings, and anyone who really wants to improve their credit should be willing to do so.

Investigate and switch to a fee free checking account. Credit unions and local banks are a good place to start looking.

As mentioned above, facing the reality of your finances can be a stressful thing to do. Taking control of your finances is the best way to ease the stress of financial difficulties. The above article was created to help you breathe a little easier when it comes to your finances.

There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in
Dallas, Texas
where you can make the most impact on children in the community.

Manage Your Finances With These Helpful Tips

Ready to get back in control of your finances? Being in control of your personal finances is an important step in your life. Some of the information provided here will help you manage your money, establish goals, and make sure you get the most you can for your money.

Do not make charges on a credit card that you are having trouble paying off. Cut out as many expenses as you can, and use something other than your credit card to pay your bills. Before you charge anything to your credit card, you should pay your balance in full.

If debt collectors constantly contact you, then you should know that your debts do legally expire if they are not collected within a certain time frame. Ask experts when your debt expires and avoid paying collection agencies that attempt to collect money for older debt.

Success in business can be directly related to money management. Protect your current assets and act to increase them. Turning profits into capital allows for growth but those profits must be managed wisely in order for you receive returns from your investment. You should always invest the same percentage of your profit.

Always put away money to save first when you get paid. Leaving this money aside will keep you from spending it. Knowing how much money is already used makes budgeting easier. There will be less temptation to spend it and more encouragement to save it.

Credit Card

Credit card rules have changed recently, especially for people under 21 years of age. It used to be easy for college-age students to get a credit card. A cosigner or verifiable income is required these days. Research the requirements for a specific card before applying.

Pay attention to trends when investing in forex. Remember that you should always sell high and buy low. You do not want to sell when the market is swinging wildly in either direction – high or low. If not wanting to ride out a trend all the way, have clear goals.

Being aware of the value of your possessions will make a huge difference in the way you choose to dispose of the item. Selling a valuable antique sofa, for instance, is a much better financial decision than tossing it in the dumpster or giving it away out of ignorance.

You may want to talk with a friend or family member that either currently works in, or did in the past, a financial position, so they can teach you how to manage your finances from their personal experiences. If one does not know any people who fit that description a family member of friend who is good with their money can often be the next best thing.

Good money management will improve your whole life. Your financial position can be reformed by using the advice above. These tips will enable you to gain control over your financial life and achieve your financial goals through effective money management.

File your taxes as soon as possible to abide by the IRS’s regulations. If you will be receiving a refund, file early to receive your money more quickly. If you owe money, then you may want to file your taxes closer to the April 15 due date.

There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in
Rhode Island
where you can make the most impact on the youth in the community.

Get Debt Consolidation Answers With These Tips

Dealing with mounds of debt is never fun. Dealing with it by yourself isn’t always simple to do, and can even be downright daunting without enlisting some help. That means you need to consider how debt consolidation can assist you with your task. This piece can point you in the right direction.

Don’t choose a debt consolidation on the grounds that they claim to be a non-profit. Non-profit does not equate to good business practices. It is a good idea to check with your Better Business Bureau to find out their ratings and reputation.

If you are looking for a debt consolidation loan, attempt to obtain one with a fixed rate you can manage. If the rate is not fixed, you may not know how much you’ll need to pay monthly. Seek out a loan that offers terms that are favorable; this way you more easily afford to pay it back each month.

If you are looking towards debt consolidation to take of your bills, never fully trust a company that says they are non-profit, or you run the risk of being over-charged for the service. Scammers often find a way to get the non-profit label in order to trick unsuspecting people into bad loans. Check with the BBB or go with a personally recommended group.

When you’re looking for debt consolidation firms, you must research the companies and read reviews on them. When you do that, you can make a smarter decision, because you are more sure your finances are being taken care of by a reputable company.

Consider a loan to get rid of your debt, and then you are in a position to negotiate settlements with creditors. They may accept a lump sum which is reduced by as much as thirty percent! This process won’t harm your credit score and might even increase it.

You may decide not to consolidate all of your debts. For example, it makes little sense to consolidate loans with zero percent interest onto higher interest loans. Walk through each loan you currently have with your lender to make sure you are making smart decisions.

As you choose a debt consolidation agency, think long-term. You want to fix your current issues, but you need to know whether a company can work with you as time goes on, as well. This will help you improve your financial situation tremendously.

Look for a debt consolidating company has counselors that are certified. You can find certified counselors and companies at the NFCC. By doing this, you can feel better about the people you are working with.

If you’re really struggling with debt, you may be able to borrow against your 401k to help you pay your debts. This allows you to borrow money from yourself instead of turning to a traditional bank for a consolidation loan. Get all the details first though; it can be risky because it can deplete your retirement funds.

Debt Consolidation

Avoid picking any debt consolidation company just because it claims to be non-profit. “Non-profit” doesn’t always mean great things. You can easily check to see if the company is reputable by contacting the BBB, which stands for Better Business Bureau.

To make debt consolidation a part of your life, you have to know all about it. This article is a great first step towards debt recovery. Learning about debt consolidation will help you if you find yourself struggling with debt.

There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in Queens County , New York where you can make the most impact on education in the community.

Want To Better Understand Debt Consolidation? Check This Out

Are you overwhelmed with debt? Is it time to gain control? Debt consolidation is a great process to help you achieve this. The article below can help you learn about debt consolidation. The information here is sure to point you in a useful direction.

When considering your choices for consolidating your debts, keep in mind that even a company who claims to be a non-profit will have substantial fees associated with their service. These types of companies can be predatory, and your loan terms can be very unfavorable. Check the BBB.org website to find a highly reputable firm.

You must make sure the loan counselors at a company are certified and qualified. Find out if an organization that certifies debt counselors has approved this organization. Do they have a reputable institution backing them to prove legitimacy or strength. Researching the counselors can help you figure out if a company is right for you.

Check out your credit reports closely. To start boosting your credit, you must know why it’s where it is now. This helps you avoid making the same mistakes again.

Avoid picking any debt consolidation company just because it claims to be non-profit. Do not assume that a non-profit automatically means reliable. If you’re trying to learn more about a company, you should always look them up using the BBB, or Better Business Bureau.

Do you have life insurance? Many life insurance policies allow you to cash in your policy. Get in touch with your insurance agent and determine the amount of money you can obtain against your policy. Sometimes, you can borrow part of what’s invested in the policy to help pay off debt.

Inform creditors that you’re working with a consolidation service. They may make you an offer so you don’t have to go this route. They need to know when you are considering other options. By telling them this, they will see that you’re trying to get your financial debts under control.

Debt consolidation is a long-term plan. Obviously, you want to get the current situation straightened out, but find out whether or not the company will work with you in the future as well. Many companies offer services that will show you how to avoid financial problems after you’re debt free.

Try filing for bankruptcy. This option can negatively effect your credit, and you should be aware of that. That said, if you can’t pay off a consolidated loan, you’ll end up with bad credit anyway. Bankruptcy is a good way to get rid of your debt and start improving your financial situation.

See if the debt consolidator will customize payment programs. Too many firms use a single approach to all clients, and this can be a recipe for failure. Rather, look for firms offering customized plans. Although their fees may be higher, you should eventually save money because of their help.

Negotiate as much as possible to get the best possible deal. You could ask creditors to reduce your interest rate if you offer to stop using the card and pay down the balance. Without trying, you’ll never know what could be offered.

Don’t be fooled by debt consolidators just because they claim to be nonprofit. Non-profit does not always mean that it’s great. You can easily check to see if the company is reputable by contacting the BBB, which stands for Better Business Bureau.

Debt Consolidation

There are a lot of things that you need to know when considering debt consolidation. The tips located above will help teach you everything about debt consolidation. Utilize the information you’ve read about so that you can experience financial peace.

There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in Marin County , California where you can make the most impact on arts in the community.

Debt Consolidation Advice For Those Dealing With It

Most people have no idea what debt consolidation can do for them. If you are thinking about participating in one of these programs, it is crucial that you are knowledgeable on them in order to make the best possible decisions for your personal situation. This article will provide you with plenty of information about debt consolidation.

Getting money that you can borrow from someone may help you to pay debts off. You should get in touch with a loan provider and ask about the kind of interest rates you can get. You can use a vehicle as a collateral for the loan and use the money you borrow to pay your creditors. Be sure your loan is paid off within the right amount of time.

Your creditors need to know if you are in consultation with either a debt consolidation business or a credit counseling professional. They may be willing to discuss alternative arrangements with you. This is crucial, as they’re probably unaware you’re speaking with others. By telling them this, they will see that you’re trying to get your financial debts under control.

When signing up with a debt consolidation company, you should make sure that the workers there are qualified to do their job. Do these counselors have certification from a certain organization. Are they backed by places that are reputable so they can be trusted and are strongly backed? This is a great way to figure out whether the company you are considering is worth your time.

An offer for a new credit card that features a low interest rate can be a powerful asset in a plan to consolidate your debts. Making only one payment monthly can be helpful, and it can save you a lot of interest, too. Once you’ve consolidated your debt onto one card, focus on completely paying it off prior to the expiration of the introductory interest rate.

You might want to think about refinancing your house loan and using this cash to pay off your debts. Mortgage rates are low right now; it’s the right time to take advantage of this method. Your mortgage payment might also be lower now than it was before.

Never borrow money from someone totally unfamiliar to you. Loan sharks know you need them. If you choose to consolidate debt by borrowing money, be sure you get a lender who has a good rep and be sure the interest rates go well with the creditors’ charges.

Don’t try to work with a company doing debt consolidation because they’re a non profit one. Even though it may seem like a good deal, non profit doesn’t always mean good deal for the consumer. You can easily check to see if the company is reputable by contacting the BBB, which stands for Better Business Bureau.

Debt Consolidation

Though many people discuss debt consolidation, few know how it works, what it offers and what to avoid. Fortunately, you now have an understanding of debt consolidation programs. Using this advice, you will be able to make the best decisions when it comes to eliminating your debt. Go over your options, and choose the right one.

There are tremendous opportunities for small businesses and social entrepreneurs to support their communities through community foundations, donor advised funds and other means of giving back. Find the neighborhoods in Cleveland , Ohio where you can make the most impact on the environment in the community.