We all know how difficult January can be, particularly if we have gone a little overboard with festive spending. With news that online sales increased by 17.8% compared with the same time last year, it’s not surprising that families all over the UK are reining in their purse strings and learning a little more about frugality. When it comes to tightening your money belt and being sensible with your cash, one of the first things you should do is retrieve any money that you have tied up in unadvisable places. Savings, premium bonds and investments are a fantastic thing to...
Financial experts urge consumers to check their credit reports and credit score at least once a year. This is the best way to stay on top of their credit. But sadly, many ignore this advice. In fact, some people don’t realize their bad credit status until they have trouble qualifying for a loan. Although having a low credit score doesn’t necessarily stop loan approvals, it limits your financing opportunities and results in higher interest rates. Is your credit score less than stellar? Fortunately, there are several ways to add points to your score and acquire better loan terms: 1. Apply...
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released a new set of rules for the taxes on investment income. These rules are geared towards capital gains as well as dividends that were earned by high-earners, or those individuals who have income that’s “higher than the average”. The rules were passed to the Congress and were also included on the Healthcare Reform Law of 2010. Read on to know the changes on the rules on taxes for investment income. Surtax will Be Applied on Healthcare The 3.8% investment income tax that will be applied on investment income is meant to pay for...
Mortgages — the infamous Jenna Marbles’ YouTube page once featured a song called “I Hate Being a Grownup,” in which one of the earlier verses equated knowing how a mortgage worked with being a wizard. Fortunately, Jenna was wrong, and anyone can in fact figure mortgages out with a little bit of work and a simple tool; the mortgage calculator. Your typical mortgage calculator takes just a few bits of data — the mortgage’s principle (i.e. the amount you owe on the home after your down payment), the amortization period (i.e. the duration of the mortgage; most often 30 years),...
There’s simply nothing worse than dealing with a client that owes you money and refuses to pay. This being said, anyone who has been in business for a fair amount of time knows that this is more common than most people would like to admit. Clients have a fair amount of reasons for avoiding making payments, and each one can make sense on occasion. For example, some clients fall under financial hardships, and simply need a bit more time to make a payment. When this occurs regularly, however, it’s fair to assume you’re being taken for a ride. Fortunately, there...
The economic recession of the past couple of years has been hard on people, especially those with families that they provide for. Those looking to make ends meet for their families have often run up credit card debt, because it’s much easier to go into debt than to allow your family to go hungry. However, if you have a family, and decent financial footing and like to travel, credit cards can actually end up saving you and your family a significant amount of money over the course of the year if used correctly. Here are the top 3 credit cards...
Many people have good intentions and they want to save their money. But when there’s a limited amount of disposable income each month, increasing one’s personal savings can prove difficult. Although many families recognize the value of coupon-ing and reducing unnecessary spending to save money, these are not the only options available. Several families have had success with less common methods of saving. Savings options with your bank Speak with your bank and you’ll discover that saving money is easier than you think. Practically every bank has a product to help increase your personal savings. While traditional bank accounts feature...
Smart couponing is an excellent way for you to save money. However, when you plan and organize how to shop with coupons, it not only increases your savings but you can do it easily and efficiently. With knowledge and practice, couponing becomes a way of life. Pretty soon, seeing great discounts online will become second nature! Coupons are everywhere and knowing where to look allows you to build a base of these money-savers, and the base soon becomes your supply. For example, look on the products container for a manufacturer’s coupon. For a store coupon, look on the shelf next...
Buying a home, even in these times, can be a great investment. At the very least, you’ll get tax benefits from the purchase. Plus, you can stop paying hundreds of dollars every month for rent and having nothing to show for it except a place to camp out every night. When you buy a home, those monthly mortgage payments build equity that – as long as there’s not another housing crisis – won’t go away. But with a mortgage will come a requirement that you didn’t have as a renter: Your lender will require you to buy a home insurance...
Earning college money is very important to a lot of college students to the point that it’s almost a part of college life. Let’s face the fact that not all college students have parents footing the bill. Most college students are paying for their college education and you know how expensive it can be especially with all the other needed expenses. What Can College Students Do? Well, you can do what most college students in your position are doing – earn college money! Fortunately, there are a lot of opportunities available for college students. It’s just a matter of knowing...
Staying on top of your cash flow can mean the difference between struggling financially for the rest of your life or living the life you have always wanted to live. Whether you’re making a million a month or 30k a year, the choice is yours. By choosing to stay on top of each and every dollar coming in versus every dollar going out you will remain in total control of your money and ultimately be able to save up enough money for just about anything you may desire or require. Budgeting, by definition, means itemizing every cent that comes in...
The use of gadgets is becoming increasingly popular in the 21st century, so having insurance for gadgets might also become a household essential – but what’s the likelihood of this happening? How many gadgets do you carry on a daily basis? At the moment my bag, which I carry to and from work on a daily basis, consists of my laptop and eBook, not to mention my phone that I carry in my pocket. There are a some people, you’ve probably seen them, that have some sort of touchscreen tablet and maybe a second exclusive work phone to add to...
In this age of frustration and hopelessness, everyone wants to know how to deal with stress. Our lives are full of dismay, hassle, demands, and deadlines. Stress is a common problem that targets all of us and is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. Stress can come from positive as well as negative things. For instance, if you have a new job, a new relationship, or a new apartment, you are likely to have an indescribable pressure or tension. However, this type of stress is quite positive. On the other hand, stress can be due to...
Most people understand that a family crisis can come at any time and wipe out the family’s checking savings and/or investment accounts. Many of the most common crises are often the ones that families do not plan for. These crises are often beyond the realm of insurance, or are notorious for stretching beyond the limits of the family policies. Other items create permanent damage to the family unit that prevents future recovery. Here are five family financial crises that every family should try an plan for, if they can. Marital Discord Divorce, child custody disputes and other issues between spouses...
Whether you have recently noticed you have a climbing amount of credit card debt, or if you have been struggling with debt for years, clearing up and eliminating your debt can help to ease your financial future and rid the stress and worry you may feel about the debt you have as well. If you are feeling the temptation to apply for a credit card again, you may want to think twice Understanding Your Current Financial Situation Eliminating credit card debt requires an understanding of your full financial picture and your future goals as well. Gather all of your financial...
Purchasing a home is one of the biggest financial moves that most individuals ever undertake, although it is also one of the most rewarding. Unless you can afford to pay cash for your home, you are going to need a mortgage to buy the property. While most consumers are familiar with the interest charges that will come with the mortgage, many don’t pay much attention to the closing costs that are charged as well. Closing costs can amount to a very big chunk of money that you have to pay on the front end of the deal. Although closing costs...
Creating a well endowed business organization usually streams from the single handed devotion, dedication and futuristic vision of an entrepreneur mind. While setting up a business organization based on specific skill sets or niche markets is one thing, to sustain the success of the business in the years to follow is quite another. A number of entrepreneurs armed with business plans and adequate funding jump into the untested waters and only some are able to survive the strenuous flow. Entrepreneurship is not something that a person is intrinsically born with but it can be developed over the years by keeping...
Whether you are facing criminal charges or want to pursue a settlement for your negligence case, having the right lawyer working on your case can make all the difference. Simply hiring the first lawyer that runs across your TV screen could lead to disastrous consequences, including a high bill and no settlement. In San Diego, where many of my friends live, attorneys are a dime a dozen–but quality legal representation that is affordable can be hard to come by. However, with a little bit of know how, you can hire the right lawyer for your case: Assess Your Needs Before...
Everyone has a few dings from the recession, particularly in their FICO credit scores. The good news is that they’re not permanent. You can take action now to help bring those scores back up; it just takes a little know-how. If you haven’t looked at your credit report in years, it’s time to order one up and find out what your score is and what is on the report. Armed with this knowledge and a few smart strategies, you can start to undo all the damage left behind by the chaos of the Great Recession. What to Look For Treat...
In the current financial climate, it is commonplace for our financial statuses to change for the worse at a moment’s notice, leaving us feeling trapped and incapable of alleviating the situation. Rising energy costs and fuel prices coupled with stagnating rates of pay mean outgoings can quickly get on top of us, and something has to give. Luckily for you, we are here to help you ease your financial worries quickly and effectively. Downgrade your home If it is the aforementioned energy bills that are the main drain on your finances, you may be wasting extra money heating and powering...
With the price of cable television services surging, many homes have cancelled their television service outright. Although adjusting to life without an always-on cable connection can be a challenge, cancelling the cable doesn’t mean learning to live without television altogether. Instead, there are several easy ways to stay current with popular television shows and programming content, all without spending a small fortune to do so. From streaming content online to signing up for unlimited subscription-based services, the following alternatives present a fantastic way to keep watching TV without a traditional contract. Network TV Online Many of the most popular television...
