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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.

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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.

 
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Simple Steps to Personal Finance

09 Sep

If you want to get wealthy, your first priority is not always how to land a job that will pay you big time. What you should concentrate on instead is coming to terms with personal finance. This is actually more important, because personal finance will determine how far your money will go for you, and how good you are at making something – even a small amount of cash – a whole lot more significant.

There are many things you can do right now in order to get wealthy, and the very first step that you should take when it comes to personal finance is to live beneath your means. Simple living is the first step to personal finance. Just have what you need and learn to want what you already have. If you adopt this mindset, you will discover that at the end of the month you will be able to set aside more money from your payroll for you to invest in a variety of ways.

Most people think that in order to get wealthy they need to keep saving and keep stashing their money in the bank account. While personal finance dictates that having a significant amount of money in the bank (for emergency purposes), the truth is that this really is not a good get-rich move. The reason for this is because banks only give a small percentage of interest per annum – so you are better off investing your money elsewhere!  Ideally, you should keep your money just a little below the maximum insurance the bank is guaranteeing each depositor, and no more than this should you put in one account.

With your extra fund, you can do a variety of things to get wealthy. Part of your personal finance portfolio is to put some of your money into mutual funds. If you want to get rich, mutual funds are a way to go. Diversify your personal finance portfolio by choosing two different kinds of funds – a low risk fund where you put a good sum if you are just a first timer and a medium risk fund if you have enough money to spare and would like a little bit more excitement in terms of highs and lows in gains. Having two different funds will mean you have the safety and excitement of investment working for you.

Another great method to get wealthy is to invest in real estate. Well recommended by real estate investors, this “get rich” strategy can’t fail especially at this moment in time. Investing in real estate today, when prices and interest rates are so low, will position you for great wealth not only through the rental income and future sale of the properties, but also from the many tax strategies available to investment property owners. Your personal finance situation will change considerably with such a smart move. Buying a property now when real estate prices are lower than usual due to economical factors, is a wise decision. As the owner of a real estate property you can rent it obtaining a constant income. When prices rise, you can sell the property making a profit and successfully completing a real estate investment to get wealthy.

Let us say that you really wanted to get rich and be in control of your personal finance, investing safely but want to up your efforts as well. What could probably work for you at this point is to put your money in stocks. Ideally, consulting with a financial planner is the best step to do before you embark on this particular journey of personal finance. A financial planner will be able to tell you which particular company you should try to put your stocks in and can save you a lot of funds if it is time to move out such funds and put them elsewhere.

If you want to get wealthy
, all you need is a good sense of personal” target=”_blank”>www.createspace.com/3388769″>personal finance – little things you can do to invest in your future and guarantee financial stability for tomorrow.

 
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Balance Transfer Credit Card – Benefits of Competition

09 Sep

The balance transfer credit card is one of the starkest examples of how competition benefits the end consumer. Consumers with good credit and high credit card usage can use balance transfer credit card to save dollars from a few hundred to much more depending on their credit card usage and the amount of balance transfer.

In simple terms, if you have good credit, companies are looking to provide the offer, even if they do so at a lower rate of interest. You benefit from low interest and they acquire a valuable customer. So, a balance transfer credit card enables you to transfer your existing balance or even debt to a credit card with low or no interest.

Credit Card Balance Transfers Math

A look at the math of a credit card balance transfer will make the situation clearer. For instance, suppose you apply for balance transfer credit card from a reputed online vendor. Now, your interest on credit card debt runs up to, say $1450 dollars a year at an average with your credit card that has an APR of 10.99% assuming you have a good credit rating. Now the competing credit card company offers you a credit card with a 0% introductory APR for the first 12 months. By making a simple balance transfer to your new credit card, you save on one year’s credit card interest. Now that is math that one can live with!

Shopping Guide To Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Initially consider the size of the balance transfers to be made, and correspondingly the amount of financial gain that follows. The period of 0% APR is important, how much credit do you expect to use, and correspondingly how much interest will you save from credit card balance transfers during the offer.
Do the balance transfers incur a transaction fee and if so how much? Consider how long the introductory APR lasts and the APR after that in your calculations. And, as always, be sure to read the fine print. You don’t want to encounter unexpected costs. The best offer sometimes is not the one with the lowest rate of interest.

Balance Transfer Trivia

The best type of balance transfer credit cards are the ones with a 0% rate of interest. Many companies have begun offering such cards, at an incredible introductory period of up to one year. It is possible to transfer your debt to a credit card with a 0% APR, and then retransfer it to another one at the end of the introductory APR period on the existing card. However this is not a recommended action as it can result in a lower credit rating for you. Credit card balance transfers can be done online; most companies offer this system of balance transfer.

Credit Card Balance Transfers In A Nutshell

Substantial savings can result if you get you balance transfer credit card arithmetic right. Before applying for one look, be sure to look at the fine print. Good financial sense with credit card balance transfers can make for good finances. If you have spent substantially utilizing “plastic” money, a balance transfer credit card just might make good financial sense for you.

For more on how a balance transfer credit card can save you money, Robert Alan recommends that you visit CreditCardAssist.com

 
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7 Proven Steps to Fix your Personal Finances That you Can Implement Right Now

08 Sep

Fixing your personal finances is not rocket science. You can do it if you apply some commitment and are prepared to stick to the plan. Imagine how your world could open up if you were debt free. Imagine all the options. Quit your job, work fewer hours, have more holidays or just help others.

The proven methods listed below will work for you if you are determined to succeed and implement them in your own circumstances.

Step 1. Imagine how good life will be once the debt is paid.

Imagine for a minute how good life would be to if you were debt free. Think what you could do with the money you currently use to pay off those credits cards. You could use it to save for your future, save for your retirement, hit the sales with a clear conscience, go on holidays or save for your children’s college education. Think on this often and visualize in your mind’s eye how your life would change for the better once the debt was gone. If you seriously want this to happen to you it will be easier to follow the next steps.

Step 2. Do a budget.

Unless you know what your financial position is currently you won’t know what targets to set, will you. Agreed? Good. The best, most simple way to do this is to set up a personal or family budget. A lot of people stop here and don’t progress any further. Bad idea! This can be done very simply. Just follow the points listed below:

a) Get out your latest credit card statements. Add up all the unpaid balances.

b) If there are any other unpaid debts (not home or car) include these balances as well.

c) Calculate your (or family) monthly income – just the amount brought home each month.

d) Calculate your monthly spending. Work out where all the money goes. Don’t leave any thing out.

e) Take the monthly spending total away from the monthly income total and review the answer.

Are you living beyond your means? Are you spending more than you earn each month? Are you putting any money aside for emergencies or saving to replace costly items such as the car or some major electrical appliances? Do you have any money left over to increase your monthly credit card payments? Set your self a goal of paying off your credit cards within a certain time.

The questions raised here can be addressed by putting Steps 3-7 into practice.

Step 3. Live within your means.

You can never get your finances under control if you continue to live beyond your means. The cost of living this way is the interest charged by the credit card provider. This is one of the major reasons you are suffering now. Commit yourself to live within your means. Once you have done the budget as outlined in Step 2 you can easily see what you have available to spend.

Step 4. Cut up your credit cards. (Well, maybe keep 1 for emergencies, if you have to.)

It is really important not to add more debt. Read that again. If you can live within your means, you can cut up your credit cards and focus on paying off the credit card balance as soon as possible. You may have items around the house that can be sold. Maybe a second car that is not a necessity. Sell these things and use the funds to pay down the credit card balances. Take on some extra hours at work, think of ways to earn extra income so that these extra funds can be applied to those credit card balances.

Step 5. Find bargains – have fun.

If this whole process becomes a drudgery then it will all become too hard and you won’t keep going. Don’t let this happen! Set some money aside so that you can, occasionally, buy those things you want. Learn how to only buy things you need and ensure they are at the cheapest price possible. Here are some hints that will help:

a) Look for sale items

b) Don’t buy on impulse

c) Only use free cash funds to buy – not by credit card

d) Ask yourself “Do I really need this?” twice or three times before you hand over your hard-earned cash.

e) If there is something you really want – wait for it to go on sale.

f) Don’t buy your items at the height of the fashion or the fad, wait a few weeks.

Step 6. Set aside a savings amount.

A target of 20% of your take-home salary is recommended. However, saving any of your salary is a good start. Set your goal and stick to it. The idea is to match your lifestyle to your income. Having some savings can help in emergencies, pay a larger deposit on your next car or be the beginnings of your holiday or retirement nest egg.

Step 7. Don’t compare yourself with others.

Your task of living within your means will be made easier if you don’t compare your lifestyle with others. You don’t know, but their finances may be in a worse state than yours. If you want a better lifestyle, then save for it and/or work out ways to increase your income.

These are just the very beginning steps that you can take towards getting your finances in shape. With a little commitment and the right tools, you will succeed.

Bruce Hokin has designed a simple budget tool called “5 Steps to Freedom Personal Budget.” It based on his extensive background as a qualified, experienced accountant, manager, consultant and financial adviser. You can download this powerful budget assistant today and be on your way to financial freedom within the hour. You can also click here for your FREE Mini-Budget.

 
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Test your Personal Finances Iq With This Quick Quiz

08 Sep

Managing your spending habits, saving sufficient funds and clearly seeing your personal financial situation are important elements in managing your personal finances correctly. This test will give you an idea whether you need some more help, or if you’re on top of this important part of your life. (The answers are listed at the end of this article.)

Question #1. What does “living within your means” really mean?

Question #2. What damage can only paying the minimum credit card payments each month do to your financial future?

Question #3. What is the most widely advocated and proven method of getting your finances in order?

Question #4. What are the most important financial goals you can set?

Question #5. Why is it not safe to spend all your income each month?

Question #6. What is the recommended percentage of my income that needs to be saved for emergencies and a savings nest egg?

Question #7. In what order should your bills be paid?

How did you fare with these questions? Did you know the answers? If not, or if you wish to check your responses, check out the answers listed below.

Answer to Question #1.

“Living within your means” means spending to live as comfortably as possible, from your income, while saving sufficient funds to adequately cater for emergencies and building your savings nest egg. It also means that you should not rely on external funding such as credit cards and bank finance just to live day-to-day.

Answer to Question #2.

Paying only the minimum credit card payment each month can condemn you to life-long poverty. It is that serious. If you only pay the minimum off your credit card each month you quickly start paying interest on the interest and the debt can spiral out of control. Live within your means, don’t add to your debts, pay cash and pay down that credit card debt as quickly as possible.

Answer to Question #3.

The most widely advocated and proven method to getting your finances in order is to prepare a budget. Please don’t go glassy-eyed and lose interest now. This is an easy task that can finally put you in control of your finances once and for all. There are many resources available on the Internet to help you quickly make a start.

Answer to Question #4.

The most important financial goals you can set are as follows:

a) Set a goal to pay down that credit card debt, both for the amount and the time period. For example, I am going to pay $5,000 off the credit card debt in the next 12 months. Commit to only living off my income starting today. I will always pay cash from today onwards.

b) The second most important goal is to set a savings target. A budget can show you how much you need to set aside for emergencies and that savings nest egg.

c) The third most important goal is to determine to be debt free. This will transform your life. Work out what you need to live and see how much better your life would be if there was no money being applied to debts each month. It’s like giving yourself a pay raise.

Answer to Question #5.

It is not safe to spend all your income each month for the simple reason that life is unpredictable. If you have no savings buffer then how will you afford the bills that occur when you least expect them? Will you pay for them with your credit card? Then how will you pay that bill?

Answer to Question #6. The most common percentage recommended to keep aside from your monthly income is 20%. This is a target of course. Not everyone can manage this immediately. Any amount you put aside will be better than nothing as long as you are shooting for a target.

Answer to Question #7.

If you are struggling with paying all your bills each month, the most vital bills are listed below in order of importance:

a) Housing – rent or house payments. If you don’t pay these you may have no home

b) vehicle

c) groceries

d) power, water, gas etc.

e) credit cards

The costs of shelter, food, clothing and transportation always come ahead of paying the credit cards.

Are you now a little more understanding of this critically important part of your life? Could you do with some help? There are many agencies and websites dedicated to offering advice and tools to help you better manage your finances. Check them out today. Financial success can be yours. Don’t you deserve it?

Bruce Hokin has designed a simple budget tool called “5 Steps to Freedom” Personal Budget. It’s based on his extensive background as a qualified, experienced accountant, manager, consultant and financial adviser. You can download this powerful budget assistant today and be on your way to financial freedom within the hour. You can also click here for your FREE Mini-Budget.

 
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Personal Finance Spreadsheet

08 Sep

One of the biggest challenges we face as adults is balancing a budget. Creating a personal finance spreadsheet can be one of the most valuable steps you can take to tackling this challenge head on. Even if you start with a simple format and a few details you can be well on your way to financial organization which can lead to financial security in the long run.


There are different methods for creating a personal finance spreadsheet and the decision on which to choose depends greatly on your personality in general. Many people like to keep record in a computer program like Excel. This is a wonderful way to stay organized while making a sound personal financial spreadsheet that is professional grade quality.


The Excel program is great because it allows you to work from a clean template. You have control of the input and you can cater your personal financial spreadsheet to your needs. Many of us have no idea how to use this program but it really takes just a few minutes to master and the results are great.


You can also use a program like Quicken to create a personal finance spreadsheet. This kind of program comes highly recommended for any individual who is serious about keeping track of all of his incoming and outgoing funds. The personal finance spreadsheet that you can produce from a program like Quicken will put your accountant to shame.


Many of us love the idea of keeping strict records of our spending habits and we really like the idea of a sound budget. However, we don’t like to work on the computer any more than we have to. If you spend all day at work at the monitor the last thing you want to do is go home and work on a personal finance spreadsheet on your personal computer.


There are those of us who are just not likely to keep things up to date when using this kind of personal finance spreadsheet. These individuals may embrace more traditional, hands on approach to keeping a budget record up to date. There are many items available at office supply stores to meet the traditional needs as well.


One thing to remember when it comes to your personal finance spreadsheet; if you are in a partnership or a marriage it is crucial to keep the lines of communication open. No personal finance spreadsheet will help you become clairvoyant. Good communication skills among partners is necessary.

There are different methods for creating a personal finance spreadsheet and the decision on which to choose depends greatly on your personality in general. Learn how to create and use a Personal Finance Spreadsheet||||Visit InternetBankingRevealed.com to find advice on all your financial needs: Internett Banking

 
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8 Great Personal Finance Sites

08 Sep

There’s lots of online information about personal finance. If you’re looking for advice on budgeting or investing, you’ll find plenty. If you want quotes for loans or insurance, they’re available. If you need help getting out of debt, you can find it online.


Predictably, some of the personal finance resources online are better than others. Some are frankly self-serving, trying to sell you some product or service. Others give information freely. Some of the information is good and some is not so good. You have to evaluate and discriminate when looking for authority and accuracy in personal finance information. After all, it’s your money that you’ll be risking if you follow bad advice. So be careful out there.


We can’t hope to list all the good online sites for personal finance. There are just too many. But here’s a short list to get you started in the right direction. We’ve included a few of the standard mega-sites plus some really good ones that are not so well known.


Necessary Virtues Personal Finance

http://finance.necessaryvirtues.com/

Specializes in information about how to manage your money efficiently and live a prosperous life. Offers several full-length books as free downloads, including these titles: “Solving the Money Puzzle: Personal Finance Made Simple,” “The Science of Getting Rich,” “Money for Life,” and the classic, “Think and Grow Rich.” Also offers free newsletter, “Your Money Plan.”


MSN Money

http://moneycentral.msn.com/

Specializes in information for investors, including free stock quotes and analysis tools. Also has sections on planning, banking, and taxes. Good investment advice columns and features. Some analysis tools require Internet Explorer for best results. (The site is owned by Microsoft.)


CNN Money

http://money.cnn.com/

More breadth than MSN Money but less depth on investing. Covers many areas and has quite a bit of unique content from Fortune and Money magazines. (This is a Time-Warner site so there is common ownership.)


Kiplinger.com

http://www.kiplinger.com/

Mostly about investing, but also has good articles on credit management, real estate, insurance, retirement. Do be aware that much of their focus is on selling subscriptions to their various newsletters, like the Kiplinger Report.


Zen Personal Finance

http://www.finance-weblog.com/

This is something completely different, a blog with a unique perspective on personal finance. Has sections on retirement, housing, credit, and investing (a mammoth 30-part series of posts on “How To Think Like Warren Buffet”). Not the place to go for everyday reference, but recommended for browsing.


The Motley Fool

http://www.fool.com/

Specializes in help with investing, particularly in stocks and mutual funds. Information is of high quality, but registration is required to access most of it, and payment is required for parts of the site and for some newsletters.


Yahoo Finance

http://finance.yahoo.com/

There’s a lot here, but most of it is conglomerated by Yahoo from various third-party sources. You’ll have to be discriminating.


Carnival of Personal Finance

http://carnivalofpersonalfinance.com/

A blog carnival that offers weekly collections of recent blog posts on topics like budgeting, saving money, earning money, managing debt, and living below your means. The quality is uneven so be prepared to dig deep.


So there you have it, a quick introduction to some of the best of the web when it comes to personal finance. Some of the big sites made our list as well as some smaller hidden gems. Here’s hoping you find it useful.

Steve Diamond is a computer consultant, a web developer, and a long-time web surfer. His consulting services are offered at http://consulting.necessaryvirtues.com/. Steve knows a good site when he sees one.

 
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Reform Aimed At Personal Finance And UK Savings

07 Sep

The Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) has issued a report which supports the Pension Commission’s recent demand for reform in the structure of the basic state pension. In fact the report goes further than simply backing the report, it calls for reforms to be implemented more rapidly than the Commission has recommended.

Essentially, the reforms that are proposed are for simplifications to be made to the current variations in available state pensions for those who are eligible. Means testing, currently used in determining eligibility and the extent of the pension available, would be dropped in favour of an across the board pension rate. Additionally, tax breaks for those who try to save for a personal pension would be put in place to encourage saving.

These reforms would serve to make pension availability, and budgeting for retirement, much clearer to understand and buy into, thereby preventing nasty surprises for the individual late in life, or the government as a generation becomes dependant on a state pension. A recent survey by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) concluded that very little provision is being made for the future by those aged 18-40 and that a very large number of UK citizens could well become dependant on state pensions.

Personal finance has become a boom sector amongst that same generation, with online access to personal finance databases such as Moneynet (http://www.moneynet.co.uk ) and Motley Fool (http://www.fool.co.uk ) providing a wealth of options for UK consumers. However despite the fact that many of those options include savings and pension schemes, it appears that they are rarely taken up, with consumers opting for credit card deals, mortgages, insurance, and personal loans instead.

Pension experts have showed their backing for the proposed Pension Commission reforms with their overwhelming response in the PPI report, and it is to be hoped that the simplifying of the state pension will bring the importance of the issue to the attention of the age range identified by the FSA.

Disclaimer

All information contained in this article is for general information purpose only and should not be construed as advice under the financial Services act 1986. You are strongly advised to take appropriate professional and legal advice before entering into any binding contracts.

Michael is a keen writer, and internet marketer living in Scotland: Contact details: E-mail: samqam@googlemail.com Phone: 0131 561 2251 Michael’s Website: Taxi Belfast

 
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Handle Your Personal Finance Easily

07 Sep

All too often people make the mistake of thinking that they are capable of handling their own finances without any worries at all. However, in most cases people learn rather quickly they cannot handle their own finances without help or assistance from anyone else. However, with some simple tips and advice people can now be assured that they can handle their personal finances quite easily.

College students are usually the worst people at managing their money and they need the most assistance. Some college students are away from home for the first time and they are eager to start spending their money on the various things that they want. Here are some tips that can help these people handle their money better and make it last longer. When you are in college it is very important to make your money stretch as far as it can.

There are some simple rules to personal finance that are intended to help and if used correctly they will lead you on your way to financial comfort and freedom.

1. You should always put money away for an emergency. The recommended amount of time that you should save money is anywhere between six months to a year. This should be put into an account in which you cannot withdraw money for a specified amount of time or for a specific reason. By having the money in such an account you know it will be there any time you need it.

2. You should always pay off credit cards that have the highest interest rates first. While doing this you can continue to make the minimum payment on the card that has lower interest rate while paying a little more each month on the higher card.

3. If you are not sure where you are spending all of your money then it might be a good idea to start keeping a diary of some sort where you record your spending each day. You should record everything that you spend than at the end of the week or month you can sit and determine where you spend the most money and if there are any areas that you can cut out.

4. While you are trying to save money people sometimes make the mistake of thinking that charging things to a credit card will help them save. This is completely wrong. If you want to save money then you need to stop charging and pay cash whenever you can. The cash may be gone but you don’t have to worry about making continuous monthly payments.

5. Avoid pressure to spend money. IF you do not want to spend the money then don’t. That is the simplest of all rules. Do not let others pressure you into spending money unnecessarily.

James Hunt has spent 15 years as a professional writer and researcher covering stories that cover a whole spectrum of interest.
Read more at www.1st-for-personal-finance.info
 
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