RSS
 

Search results for ‘Saving’

Personal Finance Guidelines for Stretching Your Paycheck

12 Sep

In this post, I would like to present personal budget guidelines, and hopefully, point out some potential holes or problems in your budget. The goal here is of course, to help you find ways to increase your disposable income, or the amount of money left over after all bills are paid. After reviewing this post, I hope to ignite some ideas in your mind about ways to cut expenses, and the things that are really eating holes in your budget. The following chart is a mixture of what other personal budget experts think, and my personal opinion of how to allocate your money:


Percentage of Income


Expense Description

10% God / Church

25% Housing

10% Utilities

18% Transportation

10% Food

2% Clothing / Attire

5% Misc. (eg Phone, Internet)

5% Medical Expenses

5% Other Debt

6% Savings

4% Entertainment


In the above table, I have listed the expenses in order of importance (to me, anyway). There are a couple of key things I want you to notice in reference to the above table:


Taking God Out of the Equation


The absolute worst budget mistake you can make. Without God and his blessings on your life, you are doomed. Do not cut your budget here!


Housing


This is where many people make a huge mistake. Many lenders will allow you to borrow up to 50% of your monthly income towards a house. This is ludicrous! Buy something within your means, or wait, and offer on several different houses at a discounted price to fit into your budget.


Transportation


Most people will not be able to fit into the 18% allocation for transportation, because they have a car payment that is 10-20% of their monthly income already. By the time you add the cost of gasoline and general maintenance, you are well above the 18% mark.


Miscellaneous


Cable TV, Long Distance Service, House Alarm System Service, Incredibly High-Speed Internet Service, etc. are budget killers. Stick to the basics in every service, and do without as many of them as possible!


Food and Entertainment


Do you need fillet mignon, caviar and two nights and the Weston 2-3 times a month? Do you have to have name brand cereal, Netflix, and StarBucks? Count up the cost of these and you will be shocked. Stay with off brands in the grocery store, and limit or cut back the high dollar, high frequency entertainment, I guarantee it will come back to haunt you. On a personal note, buying movies at Walmart in the $5.50 bin is a much better bargain than paying $3.99 at the rental store for only 5 nights of viewing.


I think you will find it remarkable how implementing just one or more of these personal budget guidelines and suggestions can make a difference in your family budget. The main thing is to group and count the cost of all the various expenses in your budget, and start trimming the fat. I track all expenses in my budget (except for entertainment) to make sure I do not overextend myself. If you are wondering why I do not track my entertainment expenses, it is because I hate wasting money, thus I have no budget for entertainment. This forces me to think twice about any entertainment expense, because I know it will put me over my total personal budget!

Get more great finance and investing tips at Jeffry Evans’ personal finance blog. Personal Budget Guidelines is just one of many great articles you will find at Personal Finance Resources.

 
No Comments

Posted in Personal finance

 

Balance Transfers Primer

12 Sep

Are high credit card fees giving you sleepless nights? Think smart: balance transfers could be an intelligent short-term solution. The following article can be used as an introductory guide and a primer on the use of balance transfers that discusses the intricacies of balance transfer details. Transfer the weight off your shoulders and get a balance transfer credit card with a lower rate of interest. However, make sure to run through the terms and conditions of the new balance transfer card, to make sure you win in the long run.


If you are not really keen on getting a new card, tell your existing company that you want to transfer your balance to another card that offers a much lower rate. Your existing credit card company just might offer you a better deal. If not, then go ahead and call the competition!


So what is so great about balance transfers? Balance transfers to a card with a lower rate can significantly cut down your interest and fees. The most common rate of interest offered by companies on balance transfers is 0% for 3 to 12 months. If you are fortunate and your credit is good enough, you might qualify for a 0% interest card for 12 months on balance transfers and purchases. Be aware, however, that some cards, will link the introductory annual percentage rate (APR) to the billing cycle of the card.


There could be some additional perks available on your balance transfer card as well:

1) Your new card may charge no annual fees.

2) The grace period on payments might be longer.

3) Rewards like cash back on purchases might be available.

4) Discounts from certain retailers, identity theft protection, and even car insurance can be thrown in as well!


How Do I Get One?


You will be required to go through some basic application procedures and paperwork on a balance transfer. You could write a balance transfer on one of the convenience checks that the card issuer will provide after getting approval on the card. These function just like normal checks but there are some things to be aware of, such as expiration dates. Time can cost big money, in this case, with the old interest rates snapping at your heels. How much you can transfer will depend entirely on the credit limit of your new card.


The fees for balance transfers are similar to that of cash advances, but often times, fees will be waived for the very best card offers. If there are associated transfer fees on the card, it is advisable that you avoid transferring small balances, as the transaction fees might undercut your potential savings. Some additional fees on these cards might include:


1) Late Fees: Once the introductory period on your balance transfer ends, you will start incurring finance charges on the remaining balance. Late fees on these card offers are particularly expensive. In order to avoid these exorbitant fees, make sure that you mail payment well in advance of the due date. If you are using an ATM deposit, stay informed about the processing time of your payment. Banks either charge a flat fee, such as $10 or $15, or a percentage, such as 5%, of the minimum payment due, for example


2) Over-Credit Limit Fees: Each time you charge your card beyond the credit limit, the bank has the ability to impose a fee. It is possible that many of these aforementioned fees will gather simultaneously (in addition to interest charges) during the same billing period! Banks usually charge $10 or $15 for this fee or up to 5% of the amount on the exceeded limit amount.


3) Lost Card Replacement Fees: If you ever happen to lose your card, some banks might charge you anything between $5 and $10 for a replacement.


The most important thing to remember regarding balance transfer credit cards is to make all your payments on time and pay off the outstanding balance within the introductory time frame. Usually, there is no grace period offered up for balance transfers and unless you have snapped up an introductory 0% APR, interest will begin to accrue immediately. The calculation can get a little tricky too. Your initial repayments will first go towards clearing the balance transfer amount before making a dent in any outstanding balance created from recent purchases with the card. So if you want to avoid this mess, keep a separate card for balance transfers and another one for regular purchases.


When the Joyride Ends


You should be keenly observant of the expiration date of your promotional offer. Once it ends, you will be charged the normal rate of interest. All remaining purchase and balance transfer amounts will be subject to a much higher APR and significantly higher finance charges.


Your credit history will determine your post introductory APR on your balance transfer credit card. So if this APR is higher than the rate on your old balance transfer card, you could incur more expensive finance charges if you carry a balance from month to month. Just make sure that you transfer your balance to a new card that offers both a lower promotional rate as well as a lower ongoing APR.

Robert Alan recommends that you visit CreditCardAssist.com for more information on 0% balance transfers.

 
No Comments

Posted in business credit

 

Important Things to Consider When Taking Advantage of 0% Intro Apr Credit Card Balance Transfer Offers

12 Sep

All across the United States, consumers who are smart with their finances are taking advantage of zero percent credit card offers, and for good reason. By signing up for a 0% intro APR credit card deal, consumers with credit card debt and a good credit score can literally pay no interest on their lingering credit card debt for 12 months or more.

Here are some important things to remember when taking advantage of zero percent intro APR offers:

1. Many credit card companies will offer you an interest free period as a way of introducing you to their credit card. It is very important that you know and understand what the interest rate will be once that free period is over. If you are forced to pay a significantly higher interest rate after the free period you will likely wind up with a much worse deal than you had intended. If at all possible try to pay off your total credit card balance before the interest free period comes to an end. Try to find a balance transfer deal that gives you at least 6 months 0% introductory APR so that you don’t wind up making balance transfers too often.

2. Be sure that you read through all the fine print very carefully. A lot of the 0% balance transfer credit card offers include a catch: if you use the new card to make a purchase while you are in the interest free period, the APR or Annual Percentage Rate can often be quite high, even as high as 25%! Additionally, payments that you make on your new credit card with a low or zero percent intro APR will be applied to the transferred balance first, which often means you’ll get hammered with high interest charges for purchases and cash advances. A balance transfer can be a really good way to help you save money over the long term, but if you need to make new purchases you will be much better served by using cash, a pre-paid credit card, or your bank debit card.

3. Try to avoid using the convenience checks. Many credit cards will include convenience checks along with your regular credit card statements. A convenience checks is usually equivalent to a cash advance, and cash advances almost always carry the highest interest rate. Sometimes a credit card will give you a good interest rate if you use their convenience checks for making balance transfers. Just be sure that you read the fine print thoroughly so that you fully understand the terms before using their convenience checks.

There is good news about convenience checks. Some credit card companies will provide you with blank checks that are covered under their 0% intro APR balance transfer offer. These blank checks can be very useful as you can use them for whatever you want. A lot of consumers use these blank checks as a method of obtaining an interest free loan, but they can also be used to open a high-yield savings account or to purchase a certificate of deposit. Keep in mind that once the 0% introductory APR period is over interest charges will begin to accrue so it is recommended that you pay off the balance before, or as soon as, the interest-free period ends.

If you are not absolutely certain as to whether the checks you receive are included in the 0% introductory APR offer then take a few minutes and call the credit card company to ask. Whenever you call your credit card company, be sure to jot down the name of the person you speak to in case the representative makes a mistake.

4. Don’t get carried away with your credit card applications. Regardless of whether or not you are approved or rejected, if you file too many credit card applications within a short time period your credit rating could suffer a downgrade.

5. Many credit card companies own multiple credit card brands. Before submitting an application for a balance transfer, be sure that you are dealing with a credit card company that is different from the one you want to transfer a balance from. If you try to transfer a balance from one account to another, and one bank controls both credit card brands, then your application will almost certainly be rejected. Remember that inquiries into your credit report may have a negative effect on your credit rating; this is especially true if the inquiry results in an application being rejected.

If you already have two different credit cards that have been issued by the same bank or credit card company, you can usually consolidate the balances into one credit card account. If you have questions about this call your credit card company to discuss consolidating your credit cards.

6. It is very important that the account to which you’ll be transferring your balance has a high enough credit limit so as to avoid getting into trouble with fees. Some credit cards charge a fee for transferring balances, and if your new account’s credit limit isn’t high enough, you may get hit with an over-the-limit fee after e.g. the balance transfer transaction fee is added in. When shopping for a zero APR offer, try to find one that doesn’t charge a fee for transferring balances. If you go with an offer that does charge a balance transfer fee, then do your best to find out what your new account’s credit limit will be.

7. Always pay all of your bills on time. This may sound obvious, but it is very important. Credit card companies will offer the best terms to applicants with the best credit rating scores. Having a high credit score will also minimize the chances of having your application for a credit card rejected.

All the best 0%

APR credit card offers can be found at www.BalanceTransfer.cc. Information

about new

business credit cards can be found at www.BusinessCreditCards.cc

 
No Comments

Posted in business credit

 

Personal Finance – What Does The Money Get Spent On

12 Sep

Everyone spends his or her money differently. While one person may find eating out a necessity, another prefers to put a little extra aside for faraway vacations. How you ultimately spend your paycheck is up to you. However, when applying for a mortgage, or other large loan, you financial institution will be looking at some important spending ratios to determine if you qualify. It’s important to try and stay within these limits on certain spending items. Check with your particular lender for limits.


According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Spending Survey, most American consumers spend the following amounts on the following items:


Food: 14.1%

-At home: 7.7%

-Away from home: 5.4%

-Alcoholic beverages: 1.0%


Housing: 32.9%

-This includes mortgage/rent; utilities; insurances and upkeep/maintenance.


Transportation: 19.1%

-Vehicles: 9.1%

-Gasoline: 3.3% (In 2003)

-Insurance: 6.7%


Apparel and Services: 4.0%

-The cost of new clothes, dry cleaning expenses, etc.


Healthcare: 5.9%

-Doctors, dentists, eyewear expenses; over-the-counter-medications, medical co-pays and deductibles. This does not include healthcare premiums.


Entertainment: 5.0%

-Movies, outings, vacations.


Personal Care products and Services1: 1.3%

-Haircuts, salon fees, etc.


Reading: 0.3%

-Magazine subscriptions, books, etc.


Education: 1.9%


Tobacco Products: 0.7%


Miscellaneous: 1.5%


Cash Contributions: 3.4%

-Religious tithes, charitable contributions, etc.


Personal Insurances and Pensions: 9.9%

-Health insurance premiums, 401K contributions, life insurance, disability insurance, etc.


Every family’s expenditures will be different. However, if you notice one of your own spending accounts in excess of these national statistics, it may be time to reevaluate why you are spending so much in a particular area.


Some areas that may be cut, according to most financial experts include:


Transportation: if your transportation (car) costs are much higher than the 19.1% national average, the odds are you own too much car for your budget. Try downsizing to a less expensive vehicle. You’ll not only save on monthly loan payments, but also on insurance premiums, upkeep and gas.


Miscellaneous accounts can be a budget killer for many. This is where we spend on the most frivolous items: morning coffee; specialty items; expensive gifts; etc. Try and keep this percentage under 1.5%, warn experts.


Entertainment can be a budget buster for some. While the average percentage is 5% f your annual bring-home salary, that amount can be excessive, especially for higher wage earners. This is an easy area to bring down expenses. While it’s fun to g out every weekend with friends and pick up the tab, try staying at home or having a quieter, more low-key (and less expensive), get-together with friends instead.


Food. Most Americans spend more than 14% of their monthly income on food – regardless of their family size! Considering that more than half of that amount is spent eating out at restaurants and fast food joints, it ma be time to hit the grocery store and eat at home in order to save a bundle at the checkout.


Saving money doesn’t have to be difficult. Taking the time to see where the money waste in your household is spent can be a great way to streamline expenses and learn to save.

Want To Own a Website? Get Your Own Successful Niche Site Network at http://eWebCreator.com. Adsense Websites with eWebCreator.com

Incoming Search Terms:

 
No Comments

Posted in Personal finance

 

Can You Afford not to Look After Your Personal Finances?

12 Sep

Why should you start now?

Think about this. There are two ways to make money. You can exchange your time for money or you can make your money work for you. Most of us work 40 hours a week. In this case, you are trading your time for money. But wouldn’t you rather earn more than you are making? If you are making $1,000, wouldn’t you rather be earning $5,000? Most people think the only way to earn more is to work more. Work overtime is their motto! But there is more to life than working. Investing gives you the chance to let your money work for you—saving you time and earning you money.

But is the purpose of investing to get rich?

Some people don’t invest because they think that investing is something you do to get rich. They figure they’ll never earn enough to get rich, so why bother. But that’s not what investing is for. Investing is a way for you to be able to maintain your current lifestyle.

Think about this: what if the company you worked for suddenly closed down? What are you going to do when you get to retirement? Sometimes working more is not a viable option. Investing gives you another source of savings and earning income. You don’t invest to become a multi-millionaire (of course no one would stop you if that happens); you invest so that you can provide for yourself in the way you are accustomed to both before and after retirement.

Many people are convinced that investing is the right thing to do at this point, but, there are some misconceptions people have about investing that prevents them from actually doing it. These misconceptions are that:

Investing is too hard

Investing is too risky

You need a lot of money to invest

Let’s look at each one of these misconceptions.

Investing is too hard

You may think that investing is just too hard. But a lot of that has to do with the terminology of the investment industry. I mean who knows what Fed Fund rates, mutual funds, indexes, or blue chip stocks are? But you don’t need to be scared off by a bunch of words—in the end they are just words. Just like you probably didn’t know what PMI was before you bought your first house or what APR was before you got your first credit card, you can learn what these things are. And you will find that they aren’t so hard to learn. And if you seek the advice of a professional, they can explain it to you.

Read more on

http://myfreeinfo4u.com/finance/can_you_afford_not_to_look_after_your_personal_finances.html

Providing free information about several topics. Checkout my free tips on www.myfreeinfo4u.com

 
No Comments

Posted in Personal finance

 

Are You Practicing Financial Self-deception? a Personal Finance Quiz

12 Sep

Financial self-deception is a form of slow-motion financial self-destruction. If you keep ignoring reality, you’ll dig yourself a hole so deep you’ll never recover.

Take this brief quiz to learn if you’re on the brink of financial self-destruction.

1. Do you blame external forces, events or other people for your financial problems?

Example: “If the transmission on my car didn’t go, I would have been able to pay the rent this month.”

Example: “If the stock market didn’t nosedive last year, I could have retired by now.”

Change your outlook, change your life. We can’t predict mechanical breakdowns, stock market swings or unexpected health problems, but there are many steps we can take to protect ourselves financially if worst-case scenarios occur.

Allocate a fixed portion of each paycheck to an emergency savings fund so unanticipated expenses don’t mushroom into full-blown financial crises. Contribute as much as you can without seriously shortshrifting yourself elsewhere.

Millions of Americans have suffered substantial losses in the stock market or worse, as those who invested with Bernie Madoff can attest. Lingering regrets will keep you living in the past. The only practical thing to do is to learn from your mistakes and move forward.

2. Do you allow the full balance of your credit card bill to go unpaid?

Example: “The balance on my Visa bill can wait another month, because we need to buy [fill in the blank.]“

Change your outlook, change your life. If you don’t pay your credit card balances in full each month, you’re a darling of the credit card industry because you’re tolerating additional interest and late fees on unpaid balances. If you’re unable to pay monthly credit card bills, you’re clearly living beyond your means, and that can’t continue indefinitely. More than any other type of financing or loan (short of money obtained from loan sharks or payday lenders, which isn’t recommended), credit card rates and fees are exorbitant.

Used responsibly, credit cards are a convenient tool for making purchases when carrying large amounts of cash isn’t practical. But paying with plastic demands the same caution and risk awareness you use when lighting a fire in your woodstove, and carelessness in both instances could get you burned.

3. Did you buy a champagne house on a Pabst beer salary?

Example: “Yes, but our realtor said to buy as much house as we could afford.”

Change your outlook, change your life. You probably realize now that houses don’t always appreciate in value. And plunking down thousands more for that extra bedroom you don’t need, the third bath, or the finished basement isn’t just a one-time expense. You’ll be paying to heat that extra space in winter, and cool it in summer, for the rest of your life, not to mention paying higher property taxes for as long as you own the property. And since you probably won’t be content with an empty room, you’ll spend thousands more to furnish it.

There’s no better time than a recession to get rid of the “more is always better” mentality. Forget about weaning yourself off extravagances, do it cold turkey. As with all things in life, purchase only what you really need.

4. Do you take your full pay rather than setting something aside in your retirement accounts?

Example: “I’m young and just starting out. There’s so many things I need to save for; funding my 401(k) and IRA can wait.”

Example: “My husband and I are 40-somethings with a growing family. College tuition comes first, and we won’t have too many more vacations together as a family, so 3% is all I can afford to contribute to my 401(k).”

Example: “I’m scared. I’m 59 years old, and I only have $25,000 saved for retirement. I guess I’ll be working until I’m 80.”

Change your outlook, change your life. Ultimately, only you are responsible for saving for your retirement. Absent Congressional intervention, Social Security payouts will begin exceeding tax revenue not long after the huge number of baby boomers have retired, in roughly 32 years. With fewer young people paying into the system, cutbacks in benefits or an increase in eligibility age appears likely.

So do you want your golden years to truly sparkle, or will you settle for a steady diet of macaroni and cheese? Based on historical averages, a 20-year-old investing the maximum amount ($15,500) into a 401(k) earning 9% will save $1,000,000 before she’s 45. (The average annual return of the S&P 500 index from 1926 to 2007 was 10.36%, according to Ibbotson Associates. Of course, past performance is no guarantee of future results.) But if you wait a decade or more to start making contributions, reaching the big milestones becomes much harder.

Even if you can’t invest the maximum permitted by law, early and regular 401(k) contributions can substantially boost your rate of savings over time.

If you’re in mid-career, it’s also a great time to pump up your retirement savings. If you haven’t done a good job of doing so in the past, you can still catch up now while you’re in your peak earning years. Wouldn’t you rather suffer a little deprivation now, in terms of cutting back on eating out or the second annual vacation, instead of worrying about healthcare expenses in your 80s? The choice is yours.

Those less than 10 years away from retirement face the biggest retirement challenge. The bad timing of the stock market downturn means you’ll have to work double-time to build up your savings and make up for losses.

5. Have you “borrowed” money from sources already earmarked for other things?

Example: “I want to put in a swimming pool, so I’m going to tap my 401(k) and then pay it back later.”

Example: “When we refinanced, we leveraged our home equity to finance our trip to Thailand this year.”

Change your outlook, change our life. Your home is not a piggy bank. Neither is your 401(k). If, for some reason, you cannot pay back the 401(k) loan (think layoff or a half-dozen other common “stuff happens” scenarios), the IRS will consider your loan a withdrawal, taxing you on the entire amount and adding a 10% early withdrawal penalty if you’re under age 59 1/2. More important for the long term, you’ll have shortchanged your future retirement. Realistically, can you pay back that loan and continue building on it without falling behind?

If you refinance and “borrow” from your home equity to pay for something else, and then roll over the extra money into the mortgage, you’re diluting the benefit of refinancing at a lower rate. That’s because you’re adding to your mortgage balance and increasing the total amount you’ll pay in interest and principal, as well as the time needed to pay it off.

Wouldn’t you like to retire with a mortgage that’s been paid free and clear? If so, don’t extend your loan terms by tacking on additional borrowed money. If you can’t afford to pay cash for what you need now, then wait and save up.

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s time to take a hard look at your lifestyle, goals and priorities. Getting your finances in order is your personal responsibility.

Dawn Handschuh has earned a living putting pen to paper for 25 years, including 10 years in financial services, where she wrote widely on retirement planning, personal finance and specific investment products such as annuities, mutual funds and 401(k) plans. Dawn writes on CreditFYI and on CreditFYI’s Credit Blog.

 
No Comments

Posted in Personal finance

 

Should You Consult A Personal Finance Professional?

11 Sep

Credit card debt management can be a bit of a scary topic for some people. While there are always people that feel comfortable when dealing with financial issues, others shy away and prefer to seek outside help when it comes to things like personal finances.


For people that don’t feel comfortable with financial issues, there are various debt assistance companies that exist to either give out valuable advice, or to help create a debt management plan for their clients.


It is important to note, however, that these types of services can’t magically make your debt go away, generally what they do is construct controlled spending plans that you need to follow in order to get any value out of them. If you can’t follow the guidelines that are given to you then you may as well attempt to deal with your own finances.


Now, it isn’t a prerequisite that you be uncomfortable with financial issues since even people that are comfortable with financial issues could get value out of visiting a financial planning company or professional. The reason being that these companies or professionals deal with financial issues on a daily basis and so are much more aware of the ins and outs of personal finances than others. The personal finance professional will be able to help you discover tips and techniques that you may not be aware of with regard to personal finances.


Not only can you get creative and knowledgeable insights from personal finance professionals, but you will also be saving time. Why would you spend all that time doing research on debt management and trying to apply that research to your own credit card debt when someone else can do it for you. Also, the credit card debt management professional deal with this sort of thing on a daily basis and so can generally perform the required work in much less time than it would take you.


Of course, it is important to make sure you are dealing with a reputable professional or company. If you are unsure about which credit card debt management professional is appropriate, check with family members and friends or try and find customer testimonials since this will give you a better picture of the person that you are choosing to deal with. In short, personal finance companies and professionals can be very helpful when it comes to dealing with financial stress, just make sure that you do your research first.

Are you having problems with your credit card debt? If you’d like more information visit http://www.ultimateinfoproducts.com/credit/

 
No Comments

Posted in Personal finance

 

Personal Financing Creates Stability

11 Sep

Many people are searching for investment opportunities that will provide financial stability during the later years of life. The investment efforts might seem risky to those that are not very familiar with how investments work or how income is obtained after a certain amount of time of buying stocks and bonds. Most banking customers will use investment accounts to build a solid nest egg so that they can retire and live comfortably for the rest of their life. Using the sound advice of investment bankers, a banking customer can accumulate great wealth during a lifetime.


Personal financing creates stability and confidence over personal monies and those funds used for business. The online services offered by land-based banking institutions can allow people from all lifestyles to perform simple banking needs and keep a check on investments at any time of the day or night. Financial stability is recognized by steady streams of income provided by some investments and the large balances that remain in investment accounts. A banking customer feels very stable when there are large balances in several accounts at one time.


Most people do not want to take chances with the money they earn each week, but they are willing to deposit a small amount into certificates of deposit and personal savings accounts too. A large amount of each paycheck will be devoted to paying bills and buying items needed for the home. The money that is placed in savings and investments is money that will create a fortune if left unspent for a time. Some home investors are willing to devote six months to investments and see the interest earned as another form of investment income.


Identifying monthly budget needs and savings opportunity will aid homeowners into creating a stock portfolio that is stable and secure from losses. The small amounts invested in a mutual fund account will multiply if given the opportunity. Personal financing practices allow homeowners to finance home mortgage loans with low interest rates because prompt payment of bills using online bill paying services has provided the homeowner with a good credit rating. All bills can be paid on time through online services and give the homeowner a stable credit history.


Using credit cards wisely is another way that homeowners can develop a stable credit history. Using credit cards with low interest rates and other usage benefits will provide homeowners with discounts that leave more money available for other purchases that the family requires on a month-to-month basis. Some homeowners will use debit gift cards to control household costs and those pre-determined amounts will prove personal financing creates stability by allowing the homeowner to maintain a strict budget each month.


Home equity loans obtained with low interest rates will create financial stability because the homeowner can use the funds based on need. Some unforeseen repairs to the family automobile can be paid with cash and the family can use the funds as a down payment on a new automobile if the family finances are stable and sufficient enough to support the monthly payments for four or five years. Personal financing strategies create stable objectives and solutions that family can rely on every day of the year. Should education loans be needed one day, a family planner would know that the family budget is stable enough to assume that financial responsibility.

 
No Comments

Posted in Personal finance

 

Settling Personal Finances

11 Sep

Before one begins on any investing endeavors, one is encouraged to settle his or her personal finances. The first step in doing so is to eliminate one’s credit card debt. The average annual interest rate for the billion plus credit cards currently circulating in the United States is 16%-21%(data taken from www.fool.com).  If a person chooses to make only the minimum payment required, it will take many, many years for that person to pay off his or her principal balance; moreover, he or she will end up paying close to double, if not more, the principal in interest alone. The second step in settling one’s finances is to develop a regular savings plan. Consumers should  ideally set aside 10%, but more realistically 5%, of one’s annual income. The main implementation of this savings plan is to live below your means and don’t spend what you don’t have. The third step in settling one’s finances is to create short-term savings to “cushion” one-self from life’s unexpected, costly events. Once a short-term cash cushion is established, one is encouraged to begin long-term savings, preferably tax-deferred like an IRA or 401K retirement plan. The fourth step is to learn all aspects of one’s personal finances. For example, one should consider expenditures, such as one’s kids and/or college, insurance, home, and vehicles. The fifth step in settling one’s personal finances is to know when to consult a financial advisor. Consumers should consider using the services of an independent, flat-fee advisor for situations that are critical, complex, or require major decisions in a short amount of time.

If after reading the above steps on settling personal finances, you find yourself stuck at step 1, eliminating credit card debt, the law offices of Smith & Gromann, P.A. may be able to help you. CreditLawGroup  can also assist you with debt settlement or debt consolidation. Additionally, if you find that your credit scores have been lowered due to inaccurate, outdate, or misleading information on your credit report, please call the CreditLawGroup toll free at 800-508-0041.

The CreditLawGroup.com website of Smith & Gromann, P.A. is a multistate law firm whose practice is limited to federal consumer and banking law under which the credit reporting system operates. The firm provides cost efficient legal representation in disputing inaccurate, incorrect or unverifiable information contained on credit reports from the three major credit bureaus, Equifax®, Experian® and TransUnion® and their affiliates. The firm also provides legal representation to victims of identity theft. Visit http://www.creditlawgroup.com for more information.

Incoming Search Terms:

 
No Comments

Posted in Personal finance

 

Taking Advantage of Balance Transfer Credit Cards

11 Sep

You can really take good benefit of 0% preliminary APR’s on purchase and balance transfers for as long as 15 months. If you happen to be transportation an which ever interest-bearing equilibrium, you can think transfer the equilibrium to a 0% introductory offer card. 0% credit cards lists a wide range of balance transfer cards, and many also offer cash back, rebates, reward points, and high credit limits for qualified applicants.
Save Money with 0% Balance Transfer Cards

Receiving a 0% equilibrium transport card that does not blame whichever attention during the introductory era can help you increase your finances in several important ways: You will find that no interest credit cards allow you to consolidate high-interest debt. You can make use of the money from 0 balance transfer cards to pay off debts from higher interest cards. Some credit card applications may also have special offers of low interest rates on balance transfers made along with the application.

No interest credit cards can give your budget a cash inflow. When there is unusually high expenditures or need for extra cash, a 0 APR credit card can helps to tide you over until your income is able to catch up. Many 0 interest credit cards will even transfer money directly to your bank account or send you a check within the specified period.

Interest credit cards cannot help you make purchases earlier. A 0 APR credit card give you the alternative to make big purchases previous than you or else could do.
a lot of the 0 APR credit cards also present near to the ground interest, cash back, rewards or frequently flyer miles.

Getting the Most Out of 0% Balance Transfer Cards

To get the most out of your 0 APR credit card, always read the terms and conditions carefully before you sign up for the same. For all equilibrium move cards, the 0% introductory rate will expire after a designated period. Make sure that you are aware of precisely when that era ends by interpretation the terms of the balance transfer, so that you don’t annoyed with a high interest rate that will undermine your savings.

Also, make sure you are aware of what the transaction fee is for each balance transfer. In some cases there will be no fee, and that will be clearly indicated in the card benefits or terms and conditions. Otherwise, it is usually at $50 – $75 per transfer. Many credit cards consider convenience checks as balance transfers, but the money can go blindly into your checking account instead of paying off another credit card. So make sure you are aware of the 0% interest period for the convenience checks and for the transfer fee.

Taking advantage of these type of cards really isn’t that hard. Just do your research and make sure you read the fine print. By accomplishing this, a great card will come your way. Once you get the card, simply use it and not abuse it and you’ll be enjoying a nice 0% interest rate.

Find low apr credit cards and more of Tom’s work at FINDlowcards.com.
 
No Comments

Posted in business credit

 
 
SEO Powered by Platinum SEO from Techblissonline