Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Our 5 Best Tips For Getting Rid Of Debt
Our 5 Best Tips For Getting Rid Of Debt:Did you know that the debt of the average household is over $15,000 just in credit cards?
So, what are the solutions to the growing debt problem? Here’s our list of 5 ways to stop the debt cycle.
1. Stop Spending
It’s true that you must have money to survive, but many people havefallen into a habit of consumerism. We run to the mallfor entertainment on a rainy day, we eat out because we don’t have time to prepare a meal, and we shop fordealsonline that are just too good to pass up.
Even if you use cash for your expenditures, you’re hurting your financial health. Add up just for one month how much you spend on your Starbucks coffee. Now think about how you should have used that money more wisely . Even a smallamount invested over time can add up to a large sum.
2. Kill The Extra Cards
Are you aware that that the average number of credit cards per person is 3.5 credit cards? Keep just one credit card, which you don't keep with you. That card will be used for actual emergencies, to rent a car or reserve a hotel room and other necessary uses. Even if your credit cards have a balance, cut the actual cards upas you work on getting out from under the debt.
Don’t even consider the pre-approved or pre-selected offers you get in the mail. There are very few individuals who need more credit cards.
3. Stop Using the Credit Card Account
We all know people who get rid of the credit cards and begin working on debt but discover they can still spend using their credit card number. Many online sites can keep your credit card information saved, so it’s very easy to click buy without much thought.
First things first if you have online accounts that have stored credit card information, go into your account and delete thatinformation. Not only does that save you if the website servers are compromised, but it ensures that you can’t make a bad buying decision. When you don’t have the cash to pay for it, you don’t buy the item.
4. Follow A Plan
Whatever process you choose, set up a payment plan and stick to it.
You may choose to get a consolidation loan, or work with a debt reduction company that will help you reduce payments and pay off debt, or you may set up your own payment plan using the debt snowball method to reduce your debt. If you do consolidate, choose a nonprofit debt consolidation company and look for the free debt consolidation option. Whatever strategy you choose, choose it carefully and then follow the plan.
5. Cultivate New Habits
The average credit card user has debt that is 14 years old. Habits have developed around managing debt in payments instead of payoffs.
It can be difficult to change that dynamic with debt . It’s imperative to understand that easy debt solutions don’t really exist without avoiding additional expenditures, constantly working to reduce debt and developing a change in spending habits over time.
So, what are the solutions to the growing debt problem? Here’s our list of 5 ways to stop the debt cycle.
1. Stop Spending
It’s true that you must have money to survive, but many people havefallen into a habit of consumerism. We run to the mallfor entertainment on a rainy day, we eat out because we don’t have time to prepare a meal, and we shop fordealsonline that are just too good to pass up.
Even if you use cash for your expenditures, you’re hurting your financial health. Add up just for one month how much you spend on your Starbucks coffee. Now think about how you should have used that money more wisely . Even a smallamount invested over time can add up to a large sum.
2. Kill The Extra Cards
Are you aware that that the average number of credit cards per person is 3.5 credit cards? Keep just one credit card, which you don't keep with you. That card will be used for actual emergencies, to rent a car or reserve a hotel room and other necessary uses. Even if your credit cards have a balance, cut the actual cards upas you work on getting out from under the debt.
Don’t even consider the pre-approved or pre-selected offers you get in the mail. There are very few individuals who need more credit cards.
3. Stop Using the Credit Card Account
We all know people who get rid of the credit cards and begin working on debt but discover they can still spend using their credit card number. Many online sites can keep your credit card information saved, so it’s very easy to click buy without much thought.
First things first if you have online accounts that have stored credit card information, go into your account and delete thatinformation. Not only does that save you if the website servers are compromised, but it ensures that you can’t make a bad buying decision. When you don’t have the cash to pay for it, you don’t buy the item.
4. Follow A Plan
Whatever process you choose, set up a payment plan and stick to it.
You may choose to get a consolidation loan, or work with a debt reduction company that will help you reduce payments and pay off debt, or you may set up your own payment plan using the debt snowball method to reduce your debt. If you do consolidate, choose a nonprofit debt consolidation company and look for the free debt consolidation option. Whatever strategy you choose, choose it carefully and then follow the plan.
5. Cultivate New Habits
The average credit card user has debt that is 14 years old. Habits have developed around managing debt in payments instead of payoffs.
It can be difficult to change that dynamic with debt . It’s imperative to understand that easy debt solutions don’t really exist without avoiding additional expenditures, constantly working to reduce debt and developing a change in spending habits over time.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Friday, August 13, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Monday, August 9, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Monday, August 2, 2010
Suggestions To Guard From Identity Theft
Identity theft may be the fastest growing criminal activity in the 20th Century, replacing illegal drug sales.
How Big is this Issue?
Banks, charge card companies and businesses that house servers storing passwords or other sensitive info all statement “break-ins”through Trojan viruses or other on the internet hacking methods – resulting within the loss of millions of pieces of info. Situations of lost information are employees promoting it and other lax protection measures resulting in thieves having entry to your identity.
Identity Thieves Want
- Your Name
- Date of Birth
- Home Address
- Phone Quantities
- Social Protection Number
- Driver’s License Number
- Charge card Numbers
- CW2 Security Code (the amount on the back of the charge card)
- Your Credit score Report
- ATM Charge cards
- Phone Calling Cards
- Home loan Details
Where Are They Obtaining Your Info?
- Banks
- Credit-Reference Agencies
- Retailers
- Credit card Networks
- Data-Brokerage Companies
- Payment Processing Companies
- Telephone Companies
- Schools
- Your Employer
- Doctors, Clinics and Health Departments
- Government Companies
There are other effective techniques:
- Dumpster Diving
- Mail Theft
- Retail Theft
- “Phishing”/pretexting/pretending
- Purse/Wallet Theft
What are Thieves Using Your Information For?
- Creating charges to your current credit charge cards
- Opening new credit cards inside your name
- Having telephone or utilities turned on
- Withdrawing cash from your current bank accounts
- Employment purposes
- Driver’s Licenses
- Tax Fraud
- Social Service benefits
- Student loans
- Company or Individual loans
- Health care
- Mortgage loans/leases
- Auto loans
- Using your ID when caught committing a crime
How Can You Protect Yourself?
- Maintain a photocopy of your credit cards, financial institution account quantities and expense account quantities in a secure
place
- Maintain your credit card receipts
- Set a “fraud alert” on all your credit score reports
- If you apply for credit score and the card doesn’t arrive on time, call the greeting card issuer
- Select difficult PIN quantities or passwords. (Don’t use birth dates, your mother’s maiden name, etc.)
- Never give personal info to anyone who sends you an email, a letter or calls you asking for it
- Shred individual information
- Do not use the ATM machine if someone is watching you
- Pay attention to what’s going on close to you – cell phones often have cameras in them. If somebody is standing by you having a cell telephone while you're entering a PIN number, block their view
- Review your bills every month. If there’s something you do not remember, call the creditor.
- Check your credit score statement at least as soon as a year
- Shop your cancelled checks safely.
- Do not leave your purse in plain sight when driving
- Maintain your valuables locked in the trunk or glove box when driving
- Make all personal information in your computer password protected
- Don’t carry info about your PIN quantities, passwords and account quantities inside your purse or wallet
Warning Signs that Your Identity May be Stolen:
- A loan application is denied, or you’re refused extended credit requests
- You are contacted by a debt-collection agency
- Your purse or wallet may be stolen, or your home broken into
- Unfamiliar activity on your credit score report
What to do if it Occurs to You:
- If your purse or wallet is stolen, call the police
- Contact your bank, charge card and other credit score extending companies and statement the theft
- Close accounts
- Contact the credit-reporting companies
- Have fraudulent activity removed immediately and monitor your credit statement each and every 90 days for that next year
- Set everything in writing
- File a report using the Federal Trade Commission
- Alter passwords in your existing accounts and produce new ones for new accounts
Discover identity theft protection. There are no guarantees you can maintain your information safe, by getting proactive actions to guard yourself, you are able to minimize your chances of having an “identity crisis”.
How Big is this Issue?
Banks, charge card companies and businesses that house servers storing passwords or other sensitive info all statement “break-ins”through Trojan viruses or other on the internet hacking methods – resulting within the loss of millions of pieces of info. Situations of lost information are employees promoting it and other lax protection measures resulting in thieves having entry to your identity.
Identity Thieves Want
- Your Name
- Date of Birth
- Home Address
- Phone Quantities
- Social Protection Number
- Driver’s License Number
- Charge card Numbers
- CW2 Security Code (the amount on the back of the charge card)
- Your Credit score Report
- ATM Charge cards
- Phone Calling Cards
- Home loan Details
Where Are They Obtaining Your Info?
- Banks
- Credit-Reference Agencies
- Retailers
- Credit card Networks
- Data-Brokerage Companies
- Payment Processing Companies
- Telephone Companies
- Schools
- Your Employer
- Doctors, Clinics and Health Departments
- Government Companies
There are other effective techniques:
- Dumpster Diving
- Mail Theft
- Retail Theft
- “Phishing”/pretexting/pretending
- Purse/Wallet Theft
What are Thieves Using Your Information For?
- Creating charges to your current credit charge cards
- Opening new credit cards inside your name
- Having telephone or utilities turned on
- Withdrawing cash from your current bank accounts
- Employment purposes
- Driver’s Licenses
- Tax Fraud
- Social Service benefits
- Student loans
- Company or Individual loans
- Health care
- Mortgage loans/leases
- Auto loans
- Using your ID when caught committing a crime
How Can You Protect Yourself?
- Maintain a photocopy of your credit cards, financial institution account quantities and expense account quantities in a secure
place
- Maintain your credit card receipts
- Set a “fraud alert” on all your credit score reports
- If you apply for credit score and the card doesn’t arrive on time, call the greeting card issuer
- Select difficult PIN quantities or passwords. (Don’t use birth dates, your mother’s maiden name, etc.)
- Never give personal info to anyone who sends you an email, a letter or calls you asking for it
- Shred individual information
- Do not use the ATM machine if someone is watching you
- Pay attention to what’s going on close to you – cell phones often have cameras in them. If somebody is standing by you having a cell telephone while you're entering a PIN number, block their view
- Review your bills every month. If there’s something you do not remember, call the creditor.
- Check your credit score statement at least as soon as a year
- Shop your cancelled checks safely.
- Do not leave your purse in plain sight when driving
- Maintain your valuables locked in the trunk or glove box when driving
- Make all personal information in your computer password protected
- Don’t carry info about your PIN quantities, passwords and account quantities inside your purse or wallet
Warning Signs that Your Identity May be Stolen:
- A loan application is denied, or you’re refused extended credit requests
- You are contacted by a debt-collection agency
- Your purse or wallet may be stolen, or your home broken into
- Unfamiliar activity on your credit score report
What to do if it Occurs to You:
- If your purse or wallet is stolen, call the police
- Contact your bank, charge card and other credit score extending companies and statement the theft
- Close accounts
- Contact the credit-reporting companies
- Have fraudulent activity removed immediately and monitor your credit statement each and every 90 days for that next year
- Set everything in writing
- File a report using the Federal Trade Commission
- Alter passwords in your existing accounts and produce new ones for new accounts
Discover identity theft protection. There are no guarantees you can maintain your information safe, by getting proactive actions to guard yourself, you are able to minimize your chances of having an “identity crisis”.
Use the internet to find the best insurance for you
If you ever got into a car accident or if you ever needed medical assistance then you know just how important insurance is. Insurance has basically become a basic need in everyone’s life. Even so, a person has to be very selective when choosing insurance because too much of it means wasting money and too little insurance leads to a financial loss.
But can you truly dedicate enough time as to find the best fitted insurance for you? And above that, you could spend days going from insurance company to insurance company to check out their offers. Lucky for you, the internet has solved the problem and you can now search for insurance offers and quotes right from your personal computer.
For the plethora of insurance types that the companies have to offer, the website owners came up with the superb solution to offer the people at home a way to compare all these offers and quotes. Thousands and thousands of visitors come to these sites every day to get their insurance quotes and rates online.
For people that didn’t have time for such things, the websites which offered insurance comparison services were a heaven-sent. Every last bit of information about the policy prices and offer details can be accessed by logging in to the insurance comparison sites.
The great advantage of these sites is that you are able to shop for insurance from the comfort of your own home, without having to actually go to the insurance companies yourself. Many people have acknowledged that and are now using their services daily. Don't blank out to check the insurance company as well. This is another benefit of using comparison sites because you can research the companies themselves. New companies may have good offers but they may also go bankrupt in a few months so you should research well before investing in insurance. You will do yourself a favor if you do proper research before investing in insurance. Do your research well before committing to an insurance company.
Forget about visiting the insurance companies’ websites and head directly to the comparison sites. This way you make sure that you don’t spend a lot of money on something you could get cheaper somewhere else.
Also, do not forget that you can qualify for premiums, provided you live somewhere where the criminality rate is not up through the roof. Check every offer carefully.
But can you truly dedicate enough time as to find the best fitted insurance for you? And above that, you could spend days going from insurance company to insurance company to check out their offers. Lucky for you, the internet has solved the problem and you can now search for insurance offers and quotes right from your personal computer.
For the plethora of insurance types that the companies have to offer, the website owners came up with the superb solution to offer the people at home a way to compare all these offers and quotes. Thousands and thousands of visitors come to these sites every day to get their insurance quotes and rates online.
For people that didn’t have time for such things, the websites which offered insurance comparison services were a heaven-sent. Every last bit of information about the policy prices and offer details can be accessed by logging in to the insurance comparison sites.
The great advantage of these sites is that you are able to shop for insurance from the comfort of your own home, without having to actually go to the insurance companies yourself. Many people have acknowledged that and are now using their services daily. Don't blank out to check the insurance company as well. This is another benefit of using comparison sites because you can research the companies themselves. New companies may have good offers but they may also go bankrupt in a few months so you should research well before investing in insurance. You will do yourself a favor if you do proper research before investing in insurance. Do your research well before committing to an insurance company.
Forget about visiting the insurance companies’ websites and head directly to the comparison sites. This way you make sure that you don’t spend a lot of money on something you could get cheaper somewhere else.
Also, do not forget that you can qualify for premiums, provided you live somewhere where the criminality rate is not up through the roof. Check every offer carefully.
How to Balance Your Credit Rating and Student Loans
It's hard now a days to pay for school without a loan. The time is now to plan to pay off the debt while you are in school instead of worrying about it and putting it off afterwards. Most students neglect their loans and don't even think about it until it's time to pay it off. There are also a lot of different kinds of students loans you need to look into.
Make sure you check your student loan credit score to stay on top of the game. With a good credit score, you can get better opportunities in the financial world.
With a better credit rating you will get better interest rates and pay less in interest over time. Lenders will determine how likely you will pay off the loan you borrow and then pad the interest just in case you do not. If you have the highest credit score, then you will be one of the few with a score of 850. You can get an 850 as your credit score if you try hard to get up there and don't make any mistakes.
You don't necessarily need to know what you want to do in college right away, but at least have some general idea. Definitely do not go to a college because all your friends go there or your boyfriend or girlfriend from high school. A better reason is if the school is known to be excellent in the particular major that you are going for. With better schools and private schools, they may be more expensive and you'll need to take out loans to pay for it.
The regulations in the US allow you to get free credit report government which will cover your needs. It will feel confident if you send in that student loan application when you know your credit score is high.
The main points of this article are that hopefully you will be successful in your life in school and not have too much debt to worry about after you graduate.
These are useless acts and seldom accomplish any positive results. If we have to give feedback, we must make sure it is constructive and useful. Criticism is one of the greatest causes of limitations in our lives.
We should learn to be tolerant of the behavior of others even if it does not fit the pattern of our opinions. Learn to savor the differences between people. Imagine how dull the world would be if we all thought, spoke, and acted the same way!
If we are on the receiving end of destructive criticisms, it is normal to feel upset but we should evaluate the purpose or motive of the person who expressed his thoughts. If we are upset with people who do not have anything good to say about us, we might as well avoid them. Let us try to associate with people that naturally please us. More importantly, always keep in mind that we cannot please everybody; hence, we should not let destructive criticisms be a cause of worry and sleepless nights.
Take the time to examine your feeling. Why are you really unhappy? The key is knowing the cause. Once you know the cause, you’ll be able to work out a plan to overcome it. That is the secret to happiness.
Make sure you check your student loan credit score to stay on top of the game. With a good credit score, you can get better opportunities in the financial world.
With a better credit rating you will get better interest rates and pay less in interest over time. Lenders will determine how likely you will pay off the loan you borrow and then pad the interest just in case you do not. If you have the highest credit score, then you will be one of the few with a score of 850. You can get an 850 as your credit score if you try hard to get up there and don't make any mistakes.
You don't necessarily need to know what you want to do in college right away, but at least have some general idea. Definitely do not go to a college because all your friends go there or your boyfriend or girlfriend from high school. A better reason is if the school is known to be excellent in the particular major that you are going for. With better schools and private schools, they may be more expensive and you'll need to take out loans to pay for it.
The regulations in the US allow you to get free credit report government which will cover your needs. It will feel confident if you send in that student loan application when you know your credit score is high.
The main points of this article are that hopefully you will be successful in your life in school and not have too much debt to worry about after you graduate.
These are useless acts and seldom accomplish any positive results. If we have to give feedback, we must make sure it is constructive and useful. Criticism is one of the greatest causes of limitations in our lives.
We should learn to be tolerant of the behavior of others even if it does not fit the pattern of our opinions. Learn to savor the differences between people. Imagine how dull the world would be if we all thought, spoke, and acted the same way!
If we are on the receiving end of destructive criticisms, it is normal to feel upset but we should evaluate the purpose or motive of the person who expressed his thoughts. If we are upset with people who do not have anything good to say about us, we might as well avoid them. Let us try to associate with people that naturally please us. More importantly, always keep in mind that we cannot please everybody; hence, we should not let destructive criticisms be a cause of worry and sleepless nights.
Take the time to examine your feeling. Why are you really unhappy? The key is knowing the cause. Once you know the cause, you’ll be able to work out a plan to overcome it. That is the secret to happiness.
How To Easily Reduce Credit Card Debt
Do you have like millions of Americans, that you have too much personal debt , take comfort : You’re not alone , and there ways to eliminate debt . Credit card debt reduction, in fact, doesn’t have to be a dream, but an easy reality.
These days, the average American with debt holds more than $12,000 in debt on credit cards. ( Home mortgages, car loans and student loans do not count in the averages. ) For a lot of people, this causes them no worry , but the majority of people worry about the amount of debt they carry and for good reason – learning to control and eliminate debt is one step toward financial freedom, something many of us would love to accomplish.
In this article, we’ll look at many solutions for reducing credit card debt including nonprofit debt consolidation and options for free debt consolidation. Some may not work for you , while others will strike you as something you can do .
Let’s talk about buying habits first.
To reduce your credit card debt, you will have to quit using them for purchases . This is a difficult one. Maybe you pay some of your bills with your credit cards. You try to tell yourself it’s for the “rewards” like hotel credits and airline miles. But if using your credit cards for these purposes adds to your debt, you should pay a different way. Stop any automatic payments that go on your credit card and use a debit cardinstead.
Many people fall into the trap of paying for things with their credit cards with the good intention of paying the charge back off when the bill comes, but when the bill comes , the cash is not available. They then pay the minimum payment and their credit card balance continues to increase.
Credit card debt reduction means working towardreducing your debt , of course, but you can’t do that without working toward reducing your expensesas a primary focus .
Once you quit using your credit cards for bills and expensesthat you have been used to pulling out a credit card for , you also must stop using your credit cards for daily spending. That means if cash is short and you want to take a trip , you simply don’t go, if going means pulling out a credit card to pay for it. You forgo dinners out, and the new shoes you don’t really need.
If eliminating debt is a priority then the sacrifice will be worth it.
After spending is under control , you need to start working on the debt . If you are only making minimum payments, find a way to increase the amount you pay . Financial experts say that if you make payments of 2% of your balance each month – many times the minimum payment is about 2% of your balance – it may take as long as 22 years to pay off a $1,000 debt!
If you double you monthly payment you could quickly cut your payoff by more than half.
Paying so much more on your debt might seem hard , but as you see your credit card balances go down , you’ll be pleased with your efforts.
If you can afford to do more, think about focusing on one debt at a time. If you have more that one credit card you are looking to reduce the balance on, or pay off, here are some tips:
* Focus on paying extra on one bill or credit card at a time, while paying only minimum payments on the others.
* When you get extra money, say a unexpected payment , or a rebate, apply that toward the one credit card you are working on.
* Put as many extra payments as possible on the one bill you are working to retire. You can make more than one payment per month. Set up your account online so can quickly and easily make payments from your checking account.
* Look for ways to make additional money in order to to pay down debt. Have a garage sale or if you are really serious take a part time job delivering pizzas or as a waiter or waitress.
As each debt is paid off you will feel more in control of your finances and the payments that you no longer have can be applied to existing debt to reduce it even faster . This is known as the "debt snowball" method of debt repayment.
Reducing debt is more about forming good habits and continuing them over a long period of time. Start today to make smart financial habits and you will be surprised how quickly your debt will be in the past.
These days, the average American with debt holds more than $12,000 in debt on credit cards. ( Home mortgages, car loans and student loans do not count in the averages. ) For a lot of people, this causes them no worry , but the majority of people worry about the amount of debt they carry and for good reason – learning to control and eliminate debt is one step toward financial freedom, something many of us would love to accomplish.
In this article, we’ll look at many solutions for reducing credit card debt including nonprofit debt consolidation and options for free debt consolidation. Some may not work for you , while others will strike you as something you can do .
Let’s talk about buying habits first.
To reduce your credit card debt, you will have to quit using them for purchases . This is a difficult one. Maybe you pay some of your bills with your credit cards. You try to tell yourself it’s for the “rewards” like hotel credits and airline miles. But if using your credit cards for these purposes adds to your debt, you should pay a different way. Stop any automatic payments that go on your credit card and use a debit cardinstead.
Many people fall into the trap of paying for things with their credit cards with the good intention of paying the charge back off when the bill comes, but when the bill comes , the cash is not available. They then pay the minimum payment and their credit card balance continues to increase.
Credit card debt reduction means working towardreducing your debt , of course, but you can’t do that without working toward reducing your expensesas a primary focus .
Once you quit using your credit cards for bills and expensesthat you have been used to pulling out a credit card for , you also must stop using your credit cards for daily spending. That means if cash is short and you want to take a trip , you simply don’t go, if going means pulling out a credit card to pay for it. You forgo dinners out, and the new shoes you don’t really need.
If eliminating debt is a priority then the sacrifice will be worth it.
After spending is under control , you need to start working on the debt . If you are only making minimum payments, find a way to increase the amount you pay . Financial experts say that if you make payments of 2% of your balance each month – many times the minimum payment is about 2% of your balance – it may take as long as 22 years to pay off a $1,000 debt!
If you double you monthly payment you could quickly cut your payoff by more than half.
Paying so much more on your debt might seem hard , but as you see your credit card balances go down , you’ll be pleased with your efforts.
If you can afford to do more, think about focusing on one debt at a time. If you have more that one credit card you are looking to reduce the balance on, or pay off, here are some tips:
* Focus on paying extra on one bill or credit card at a time, while paying only minimum payments on the others.
* When you get extra money, say a unexpected payment , or a rebate, apply that toward the one credit card you are working on.
* Put as many extra payments as possible on the one bill you are working to retire. You can make more than one payment per month. Set up your account online so can quickly and easily make payments from your checking account.
* Look for ways to make additional money in order to to pay down debt. Have a garage sale or if you are really serious take a part time job delivering pizzas or as a waiter or waitress.
As each debt is paid off you will feel more in control of your finances and the payments that you no longer have can be applied to existing debt to reduce it even faster . This is known as the "debt snowball" method of debt repayment.
Reducing debt is more about forming good habits and continuing them over a long period of time. Start today to make smart financial habits and you will be surprised how quickly your debt will be in the past.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
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