03.1
10
by admin ·
People throw away hundreds of dollars a week without even realizing they are doing it. Lottery tickets, coffee, movie tickets, lunch or car washes are all hidden factors. Not to mention all the money that is spent on outings on the weekend such as dinner, drinks or going out to a bar. So if you are in need of paying off a debt and have no money to do it, you shouldn’t worry because if you have enough money for eating out for lunch each day, you have enough money to put into savings. The following tricks can help make saving not only seem easier, but almost effortless.
One easy way to save money is to write a check to yourself as soon as you get paid so that money is automatically taken out when you cash the check. Then add this money to another account such as savings, or anything that will not be included in your total balance. This way, you will be saving a bunch of money but since you don’t see it in your account balance, you won’t be tempted to spend it.
You can also try saving bills as a twist to the classic change savings in a jar. Try putting any small bills you get into a jar (such as fives or tens) and soon you will have saved up a lot of money without realizing it.
You can also try making a family piggy bank. Have a piggy bank set up and make a rule that each family member has to put in one dollar a day. By one year you will have enough money saved up to pay for all you Christmas presents or take a vacation.
Another easy way to save money is by collecting the money that you save from grocery shopping by using coupons, or discounts. For example, after you get the bill most grocery stores will have printed out exactly how much you saved. Instead of pocketing that money, put it into savings. Its just like shopping without the discount and still having enough money saved up to take a trip or pay off an outstanding debt!
As you can see there are many unique ways of saving money that can even seem fun. So instead of buying lunch with that ten dollar bill you just got in change, save it and take that trip you’ve been dying for.
03.1
10
by admin ·
Credit cards have long been a popular form of purchasing items on a chargeable or borrowed term. Let’s look at some of the advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages of having a credit card are:
1. Security, since one does not have to carry a large amount of cash to purchase certain items.
2. Convenience. In case one has to purchase an item that is immediately needed (and is out of cash), these can be purchased using a credit card
3. Cash advances. Purchases that require cash payments may still be accommodated by the credit card through the cash advance feature. This works like a regular ATM transaction (with of course a corresponding interest rate)
Disadvantages
1. Interest rate. Unlike purchasing with cash, credit card charges come with a corresponding interest (unless paid before the due date). The consumer should be aware of the various interest rates offered by the different credit card companies. One has to choose the mode of payment (plus the interest rate) that would best suit his or her capacity to pay.
2. Overuse. A consumer tends to purchase items that are not really needed or included in their budget if they have a credit card that is ready to use.
3. Annual fees. Whether one chooses to use his or her card, after activation, annual fees will be charged.
4. Other charges. A delay in the payment during one billing period would incur you additional charges.
Credit card online approval usually is far easier than manual applications that require various forms to be completed before it can be processed. The company likewise is more likely to receive your application on a shorter period of time as compared to snail-mailing your forms.
For a faster credit card online approval, take into consideration the following:
1. Do not leave any unanswered line, especially those marked with a red asterisk.
2. After completion of the online application, immediately send either through email or facsimile the additional requirements needed.
3. Take into consideration that credit card companies prioritize applications of the following group of people:
- married couple
- persons with a mortgaged house or car
- persons with several dependents
4. Choose credit card companies that have a promotional offer in the application process, chances are, promos are offered due to low application rate, thus prioritization your entry is a sure shot.
The logic here is that the more obligations an applicant has, the more they are likely to use the credit card, which equivalents to higher earnings (through interest charges) on their part.
02.18
10
by admin ·
Merchant cash advances are unconventional loans that help struggling businesses to put cash in their pockets fast. They tend to work well with businesses that have trouble putting up assets or that may have a poor credit history. With conventional loans, a business owner’s credit history may be paramount to an approval and the process of obtaining a loan can be difficult and time-consuming. For cash-strapped owners that need cash today, they will find that turning to merchant lenders may be the solution to their problems.
Easy Approval Process
A merchant loan is going to be based on the credit card receivable history of a company, not the credit history of the owner. This makes it far easier to qualify and the approval process can be far quicker than a conventional loan, sometimes the very next day. As long as your business is the type that can collect credit card receivables and can prove the income flowing in, then it’s not that hard to establish this type of loan as a ready line of credit. In fact, about 95% of applications are approved once the merchant lender works out a plan that will work with your business model.
Getting Set Up
It will take about a week to actually get your funds, after approval. There may also be some costs to retrofit your business to credit card equipment that can do the types of transactions that pay back your lender a portion of each credit card transaction processed from then on. However, once this is accomplished, you don’t have to worry about sending in payments, as it is all automatic. You can instead pay attention to running your business, instead of fielding credit issues. Once a loan is paid back, and your business set up, you have the option to do this type of loan again in the future for any time you run short of cash and need instant funds.
01.26
10
by admin ·
Debt Management plans offer credit counseling clients a different and new approach to tackle their finances. Finding out if a debt management plan is right for you can take some time. However looking into the pros and cons now will help you know if entering into a debt management plan is right for you.
Pros
Consolidated monthly payment debt management plans consist of one monthly payment of an individuals credit card debt and other unsecured debt. Instead of several payments that are sent out monthly the credit counseling agency will receive your monthly payment and break it down to individual payments to all of your creditors.
Reduced interest rates although some creditors have tightened what they will as far as an interest rate reduction for a client who is working with a debt management plan there are still some credit card companies that will reduce rates as far as charging no interest while on the debt management plan. However that is not the norm so it is reasonable to expect a slight decrease in interest rates and if you receive a larger break in rates that is more of a benefit to you.
Reduced monthly payments The days of a creditor reducing the monthly payment by half or more seem to be over, however several creditors reduce payments required by several percentage points for a customer of theirs that is enrolled into a debt management plan. This can help free up money to apply elsewhere such as a savings account or a retirement account.
Stopped Late & Over Limit Fees This is probably the most beneficial portion of the debt management plan for a credit counseling client who is behind with their payments to their creditors. The average late or over limit fee is about $29 so if you combine that with an average of six credit card accounts the savings on the fees alone could be up to $174 dollars for that example.
Customer Service Often overlooked by a person researching a debt management plan that is appropriate for them, customer service means that all of your credit card accounts should be accessible by the credit counseling agency you are working with and any questions you have regarding those accounts should be answered in a timely fashion. A well rounded customer service staff will go a long way as far as assisting you to get out of debt.
Con
Accounts Closed – All of your credit card accounts are closed to further charging. This can be initially looked at as a con by the consumer because it takes away their ability to charge, however in the long run this portion of the debt management plan should be viewed as a pro because it allows the client to rely more upon the income they are bringing in and will result in less overall debt that is accumulated while on the debt management program.
Debt management programs offer an array of help with little to consider as negative. The service is designed to assist anyone in need from freeing themselves of the burden of debt. One important factor is that a debt management plan has no negative impact on your credit score. This is according to Fair, Isaac the nations credit scoring system, also known as the FICO Score.
These are a few points to consider in determining if a debt management plan is the best option for you. Contact an agency to determine if their plan can meet your needs.
01.26
10
by admin ·
If you’re like most people, you have plenty of credit cards, and you have stacks of offers for more. The credit card industry is so competitive that, whatever card you have, the chances are that somewhere out there is one that would be cheaper or better for you – and you can change as often as you want!
Take Up Teaser Offers.
To try and get customers, credit cards are still offering massive discount rates when you transfer balances over to them. These ‘teaser’ rates will only last for a set period (check the terms and conditions), but they can still save you a lot of money – especially if you switch to another card’s teaser rate each time one ends.
Yes, this does mean applying for a new card relatively often – but if you do it online, you’ll find it’s quite painless. Is it really worth hundreds of dollars to save the trouble of applying for a new card?
Extend Your Offers.
You might not even need to move to another card to get a teaser offer for longer. If you phone and ask, many lenders will extend the preferential rate for longer, in an effort to get you to stick around.
Check the Small Print.
You might find that the ‘low, low rate’ only lasts a few months, and you might also find that it only applies to balance transfers, not new purchases. A common trap is for a card to allow you to transfer your balance of thousands at 0% APR, only to charge you 20% or more on anything new you buy with it. Of course, as soon as you ditch that card and move to the next, the new purchases become a balance transfer again.
A more nasty thing you might find is that you’re signing up to a minimum term to get the teaser offer – they won’t let you transfer your balance away again for a year, or even more. Avoid these cards like the plague.
Keep Track of Time.
Your card issuer isn’t going to go out of their way to alert you when your teaser rate is over. Make sure you keep track: make a mark on the calendar. Months can go by far more quickly than you’d think, and missing the end of the teaser period by even a day will mean that you’ll end up paying interest at the normal rate.
Moving Around and Your Credit Rating.
Moving debt around between cards often affects your credit rating in an odd way. On the one hand, it shows that you could be an unprofitable customer – after all, you change cards before they can make a profit from you. On the other hand, it also shows that you’re likely to take up offers that you’re sent, and companies tend to believe that they have a great strategy to keep you with them where others have failed.
In other words, some companies will hate you for it, and some will love you. Bear in mind, though, that the longer you do it for, the fewer companies will want to send you their very best teaser rates.
