Credit Scores are King... Follow These Tips

By Johnny Bodeen

We all know the importance of a strong credit history but many haven't the foggiest idea of how to work their credit to make it look as good as possible.

When getting a home mortgage you will be evaluated primarily by the Fair Isaac credit scoring system. This is a proprietary credit scoring system out of which comes scores associated with your history.

Were all aware of this, but few of us really know how these scores are generated. Most think the scores are just about payment history.

This is only partially true. Your credit score is generated from numerous factors in combination. Thereafter, no one knows except the developer and those in the real know.

Since we started with payment history you should be aware that you're not late until thirty days post the due date. Keep that in mind when in a pinch. You pay all the way up til the end and still have a clean payment history.

When you have lots of available credit which is relatively unused it looks better on your scores. It basically means you have discipline and cushion to fall back on if in need.

Along these lines avoid going all the way up to your limit on your plastic. Even with timely payments it signals trouble to your scores.

If you don't have much credit it's a good idea to get some by opening up several credit cards. Open trade lines with good payment histories is positive.

Remember, credit scoring is somewhat sensible in what it factors. That being the case do not run out and get 10 credit cards. This could be seen as trouble by the scoring system.

You want to use your new credit cards every single month and every month you want to pay off the balance. You'll be shocked at how much your scores rise in a very short time.

Credit scores frown heavily on recent foul ups. The more recent the foul up the more the scoring system believes you to be in the middle of a financial storm. Be very careful if you are looking to use your credit soon.

These are just some basic tips. Be sensible about how you develop your credit and your scores will go to the moon.

About the Author:

Head hear for an Austinhome mortgage refinance calculator. Make sure you go there.

Discipline your Lifestyle by using your own Cash

By Paul J. Easton

Debt is something that can be explained by one's personal financial management. Some people with certain spending habits are much more to be lead to debt. We can recognize the habits of these folks with their frequent use of their credit cards but have recurrent missed payments.

These folks need the help to untangle themselves from the destined future financial collapse. But some of them might be in denial of their financial situation as this can be very humiliating.

Distinguishing the existence of this situation, even on the personal level, is extremely important for one to wake up and restrain their spending habits before it is too late.

One of the fastest ways to get further into debt is to use your credit cards even if you have the cash to purchase something. This type of mindset where you buy something with nothing is a typical human tendency to seek for convenience. The down side however is that if one doesn't want to pay today with the purchase, he will not likely pay for it in the future. That is where the methods of restraining oneself in the aspect of personal finance are so important.

Always use cash whenever you make the everyday purchases like groceries and keep your credit cards away from the scene. If one can't resist the appeal of credit cards, it is very advisable that these must be avoided completely. If one is in a large balance that even the minimum payment is difficult to pay, it is suggested not to use the card anymore. Cut up the cards and use debit cards instead while you are still paying for the balances.

Why use cash? Because with credit cards, you are less likely to pay your credit card bills for things you have had already consumed. Most ordinary purchases belong to this category. Another reason to avoid using credit cards is if you don't pay your bills in full each month. Paying only the minimum accumulates your debt and you are the type of person not advisable to make use of these instruments.

Getting rid of one's debt should be everyone's main goal in this time. By giving up your credit cards and living the life without access for credit while you are facing the problem, you will be disciplining yourself hardly with your financial mess. Until you reach the goal of being debt free, you will learn a valuable lesson you will always remember in your life. So pay it with cash for now and you will be rewarded soon. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here.

For more information on how to get rid of debt during the recession, go to http://www.Howtogetridofdebt.net/ by Paul J. Easton.

About the Author:

Debt - Bonus Credit Reports coming soon!

Mortgage Refinance Suggestions

By Madeline Zidan

Below I have mentioned few terms to become familiar with to help increase your knowledge and help you become prepared and learn what to expect as you approach a Mortgage Refinance for a commercial property.

Two of the main reasons people look at Mortgage Refinance, is to help reduce monthly payments and interest, in my opinion one of the most important items to look at is how closing costs will affect the equity you have built over the years.

The initial thought process you had used before will be slightly different from the one used to prepare for a Mortgage Refinance. You had to think about the time it will take to secure a loan this size. It is possible for the amount of time specified on the contract to purchase could expire before you get funded, protection from default on such a large loan, not to mention collateral, down payment, closing costs and so on, not too unlike a mortgage on a house. Although, some of these items are the same, it can become very complicated on a loan this size for a commercial property as you get further along.

Long before you ever thought of a Loan Refinance you had to make sure you can handle such responsibility with the original commercial loan by speaking to your Financial Advisor and your Accountant about how long your finances could carry the loan if things don't go as planned.

Before we move on to Mortgage Refinance terms let's recap what terms you had to learn before, such as 1031 Tax Exchange, Environmental Reports, what type of commercial property qualifies for what type of loan, which is a lot for one to learn, the difference between Conduit and Mezzanine Loans, and so on.

Let's recap what terms you had to learn before, such as 1031 Tax Exchange, Environmental Reports, what type of commercial property qualifies for what type of loan, which is a lot for one to learn, the difference between Conduit and Mezzanine Loans, and so on. Most importantly, you had to find a great Broker that offers a variety of innovative loan programs for your specific need. So now, it is time to look at Mortgage Refinance.

The terminology is somewhat different when it comes to Loan Refinance. You start looking at possible Prepayment Penalties, Cash out Proceeds, and maybe you want to inject the money you cash out into another business venture or update your current property, what is the Discounted Cash Flow, Current vs. Proposed Loan to Value Ratio.

Remember, knowledge is power, stay informed by reading and researching your topic. Be very clear about your reasons for Mortgage Refinance so you won't make mistakes that could cost you more in the long run.

About the Author:

This article is brought to you by the experts at EFD Commercial Investments Inc. For more free information about loan refinance, visit their Mortgage Refinance page.

Buying a Indianapolis Condominiums

By J. Kim

Indianapolis is the capital of Indiana, the heartland of America and home to the Indianapolis Colts of NFL. It is the 14th largest city in the US and with over 2 million people calling metro Indianapolis home.

In current economic condition, if you would like to purchase a home, Indianapolis condominiums are the best bet. If you are moving to Indianapolis consider purchasing a condo instead of a single family home out in the suburbs, you can check out downtown Indianapolis condos.

Looking for a home is not an easy task, it takes lots of research and patience to find the perfect on that fits your needs. One of the best way to research is online at many of the websites that list Indianapolis condominiums for sale, places like Indy.com where you can find available real estate.

Due to recent economic crisis in the financial market, the current housing market has taken a beating, the market declined is largest in recent years. But the market should rebound by the end of 2009 and early 2010. So, you should be ahead of the rebound and purchase one before the market recovers from the recent lows.

Downtown Indianapolis is one of the areas you should be checking out, the market in downtown is very hot and will continue to pick up steam as the market recovers for Indianapolis condominiums. The life in downtown offers many luxurious living as well as nightlife and beautiful skyline of Indianapolis. You are in great location with IUPUI, Clarion Hospital and many museums and art galleries within short distance.

One of the advantages of owning a condo is the convenience factor, where all is taken care by the association for small fees. You can live without caring for the building or maintenance of the building that is why it makes for a great place to live for families and retirees.

About the Author:

When your in the market for Indianapolis condominiums, please review Indianapolis Condominiums, and Indianapolis Condominiums

The simple steps to better credit

By Mark Taylor

There isn't one person out there that has never experienced a bad credit mark. Yes, some people have a larger list of bad marks than others, every one of us is in one of just a few possible places with regard to bad credit marks. Your reports are either perfect / nearly perfect, or they need some help fast, or they are shot to hell, and credit is a thing of the past.

It doesn't matter where you fall in the list or how you got there, the bottom line is having the ability to remove these bad marks, your or not, is truly an asset. Even if your Mr./Mrs. Perfect you will someday be faced with at least an error on your report and knowing the steps to remove such an error is quite necessary.

There are no guarantees when it comes to fixing your credit, but a little knowledge of the following and some persistence can provide you with some amazing results and those results can save you literally thousands of dollars, even thousands of dollars a year. Think about it.

Step one is to order all of your reports. You can either find an online resource for this or write to the credit reporting agencies directly. You will need a current copy of your Experian, Trans-union, and Equifax reports. Step 1 is to thoroughly go through the reports and identify the marks that are injurious. Next you want challenge the accuracy of the mark. You must use a little common sense here. Not all marks are going to just fall off.

If it's a large debt that is not that old chances are your challenge will be met with a phone call from a debt collector to pay up. Sometimes this is welcome because negotiating the payoff and getting the account listed as paid, makes it far more easy to remove.

Ideally you want your bad mark to be at a point where there is no reason for an office worker to get off their lazy butt and respond to the credit bureaus about your challenge. If $5,000 is on the line they may put down the hamburger and reply, if however it's a situation that's been settled or so old they don't have any information they may choose to finish their burger instead.

At the point that the bad mark becomes settled then there is no real benefit for the creditor to respond to your challenge. I've seen a 70% success rate at this point. Beyond that it's a matter of thoroughly challenging the mark.

I personally like to write directly on the credit report - "This item is not accurate, I have never been late on any payments to this company. - Please verify and remove and forwarded me an updated copy of my credit report upon completion of your investigation."

The fact is, repairing credit is fun and rewarding. If you want to provide a good service to the community get good at this and offer your services to your community. Let's face it, in the coming years this will be a service everyone need, and finding someone that knows how to do it isn't that easy.

About the Author:

credit repair skills are important to every person on the planet. You ought to have some personal knowledge of how to repair bad credit, just like you ought to understand how to balance a check book. Think of the potential benefits. For a complete manual on credit repair strategies visit us at http://www.creditfixing.com

College Students: How to Protect Yourself from Identity Thieves

By Daniel Z. Kane

It should really be no surprise that since 2005, more than a third of the victims of identity theft in the United States are college students. That's because students rarely take precautions to protect themselves agains identity theft, because lots of people have potential access to their personal information, and because they are the recipients of a ton of credit card and other commercial junk mailings.

Here are some suggestions from LifeLock CEO Todd Davis on how college students can protect themselves against identity thieves.

1. Purchasing and using a shredder is a must. Shred everything which can identify you before discarding it. Everything...no exceptions.

2. Most students have at least one roommate. They and their roommate(s) frequently bring lots of people into their living areas. And, many others generally live in close proximity. Everyone wants to trust the people around us, but residing in an apartment or dormitory puts us among folks we don't really know. Therefore, it's smart to limit the information left out in the open or on a computer.

3. Parents...college students won't order or check credit reports. So, do it for them. Before the first semester starts, parents should have their students order free credit reports to be sent to their homes. Parents can then check the reports for accuracy and identify any potential problems. Major credit bureaus are required by law to give consumers one free credit report a year. If you discover a problem on a credit report, investigate further. Be aware that checking your credit report won't prevent thieves from opening new accounts in your name, but it is a good start.

4. Even with increased awareness and security, colleges, lenders, school systems, and other institutions lose a significant number of student Social Security numbers and other pieces of information to potential thieves each and every year. That's why it's important to take steps to protect yourself if your identification is lost to thieves.

5. Opt out of all junk mail, as soon as possible. Identity thieves can steal credit card offers from your mailbox or garbage (if you fail to shred), fill in the applications with your name and their address, and charge thousands of dollars of goods and services to you. It happens every day.

6. Place fraud alerts...they're free...on your personal information. Just contact the 3 major credit bureaus and renew every three months to assure that credit agencies will contact you before opening a new account in your name or changing information...like an address... in a current account. Or, you can hire a credit protection agency, some of which offer monetary guarantees against identity theft, to request and maintain fraud alerts for you.

Identity thieves are persistent. They are constantly attempting to acquire the confidential information they need to assume your identity, but if you are vigilant and if you take some simple steps to protect yourself, you are far less likely to become one of their victims.

About the Author:

Daniel Z. Kane is a university dean who advises students on online college degree programs and online degree programs.

Enter your details " avoid the hazards of Internet transactions

By Henry Jones

Recent headlines in the newspapers have painted a dark portrait of personal details being either stolen, discarded in rubbish bins by banks or cleverly extracted by criminal masterminds, all using the Internet as a means of getting hold of your personal banking details. Credit card transactions on the Internet have never been higher, as the high street sales crash and online sales rocket. So how safe are your details when using a credit card online?

Despite the frightening headlines of identity theft and credit card scams, its actually relatively safe to use your credit card to make purchases online, as long as you exercise a little caution. There are plenty of precautions you can take to protect yourself against unscrupulous businesses or even those businesses that are genuine but may collapse before your transaction has been completed. Even some of the biggest online companies are at risk (the recent collapse of XL Leisure, Britains third largest tour operator is a case in point), so it pays to take steps to avoid getting caught out before you type in your credit card number and hit enter.

Ironically enough, the first tip is " always use a credit card rather than a debit card. The Consumer Credit Act 1974 Section 75 states that if something does go wrong with a transaction the credit card company is jointly and severally liable with the retailer. This covers transactions from 100 up to a maximum of 30,000 and gives consumers some peace of mind. If a company does go out of business before youve received your goods then you can claim the amount back from the card provider. A recent court ruling has also determined that purchases from overseas companies are also covered, which is particularly reassuring for online customers. However, these regulations may not be applicable if you have made your purchase through PayPal or other similar payment systems. Debit card transactions do not have this protection and are at far more risk.

Before you log on, check your computer. If you do not have up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall installed, your computer is vulnerable to attack from spyware, which can skim your details either through a virus or by counting the keystrokes you make as you enter your details. If an email (even one that appears to be from your bank) asks you to confirm your details by clicking on a link, the chances are that it is a phishing email sent to the unwary consumer and designed to part them and their money surprisingly quickly. Your bank or credit card provider will never ask you to provide sensitive details by email or phone, so any email that does ask for this kind of information is a scam.

Check your computer itself before (and after) buying online. If you do not have up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall installed then your computer is vulnerable to spyware, which can lift your details from your computer by counting the keystrokes when installing passwords or sensitive financial information. If an email asks you to confirm your details by clicking on a link, there is a very high probability that it is a phishing email, designed to part the unwary from their details. The first you will know about it is when your bank account or credit card is magically emptied, so never give your details out. Your bank will not ask you to confirm details except by direct contact, so any email (even if it appears to come from your provider) that does ask for this information is a scam. It goes without saying that all passwords should be kept secure, but dont make the common mistake of having the same password for all your Internet functions. Once that password becomes common knowledge, your entire system (including your credit card details) are vulnerable.

When using a credit card online, look for two indicators that you are using a secure site. The first is the inclusion of the letter s in the URL address (a secure site will start with the prefix https) and the second is a padlock icon in the browser frame of your screen. If either of these are missing, the site is not secure and your details are vulnerable. Check the company you are buying from, ensuring that they have a real address and telephone number and not just a cyber-address. By following a few guidelines and being aware that the responsibility for your financial security is down to you, using a credit card online can be both safe and easy to do.

About the Author:

Henry Jones is a financial writer that likes to bring forward issues and information within the financial market. You can find further information on credit cards online here.

How Reverse Mortgage Rate Increase Changes Things

By Matt Vanrock

If all else fails in the economy at least we can turn the TV on and see how interest rate continue to decline in the Fed's effort to stimulate the economy.

Seniors more so than others keep track of these things. So, I get a lot of phone calls asking me how the low rate will alter their loan. They assume it will change it for the better.

Much to their shugrin I explain that rates have gone the other way.

Their logic is not incorrect. In actuality interest rates have come down. In fact the Constant Maturity Treasure Index is now down to point forty-four percent. The thing is this not the only factor.

The part not talked about on the news is that investors in reverse mortgage backed securities are backing off purchasing these securities.

So, Fannie Mae has increased their profit margins by 1% in the last two weeks. This is not a minor change.

The former margin was set at 1.75%. Currently at 2.75% and probably going up. That is a 36% increase.

The higher interest rate results in a couple different effects. The first being the reverse mortgage borrowers loses equity in the home that much quicker.

And secondly, would-be borrowers will receive smaller loans.

The two affects are related in the fact that the higher rates eat into the house equity more rapidly.

A reverse mortgage lender must take the home's equity very seriously. It is the lender's security. Therefore the lender lends less when rates go up.

How mortgage companies go out of business, as we know from recent financial trouble, is when more is owed than the home is actually worth.

The lender is stuck in this case. All they can get out of the loan, at that time, is the sale price minus closing costs. The law prohibits any more.

Who this rate increase will effect most dramatically are those currently in escrow who have already been told how much money they will receive with the former low rates.

A good number of these people are in difficult financial positions and are attempting to pay off their forward mortgage with a reverse. This may not happen now.

We'll see how this plays out, but it's pretty tough right now.

About the Author:

The reverse mortgage is a great option. Infuse your noodle with education about the Texas reverse mortgage at this link. Also, the writer of this article is touting a strong 12 page guide to the Texas reverse mortgage here.

Tips On Finding The Right Fixed Rate Mortgage

By James Redder

There is always a debate when home buyers have to decide on the merits of 15 or 30 year fixed mortgage rates. Many people wait until they are older before taking on the responsibility of a mortgage so an early payment of this large debt is an important issue to think about. In a situation as important as this time needs to be spent considering all the available options. Home buyers looking into this need to be assured their monthly payments will not increase.

It is not uncommon to see lenders offering deals that are too good to be true. For loans that have 15 year fixed mortgage rates, the same amount of interest is maintained throughout the life of the loan. This is of great benefit for anyone that does not like surprises. Both my wife and I decided to research fixed rate mortgages when we started looking at homes for sale.

It was always our intention to clear our mortgage debt as early as we could but we didn't want to over extend ourselves at the same time. This meant we had to consider 30 year fixed rate mortgage plans as well as those of 15 years. The problem was that we weren't very happy about having a mortgage close to when we both retired so it was our hope a 15 year fixed mortgage rate would still be available to us. There was a lot of pressure to have the house paid off as soon as possible.

We thought about it long and hard and despite the pressure we decided to go with the 30 year loan plan. Although a number of things had to be pondered over, eventually the choice was made for us. Discovering my wife was having a baby was the most important reason. As she intended to raise our child at home we couldn't rely on her financial income to the monthly expenditure. The problem we could see was the increased financial commitment on a monthly basis if we had opted for the 15 year fixed mortgage rate. We knew that it just wasn't an option and the risk was too great. Despite the trepidation of having a longer term loan, it did reduce the repayments considerably.

We found that if we could make a few extra payments throughout each year then it would gradually reduce the principle sum owed. To our surprise we also discovered that we could knock years off our loan by doing this. This is well worth it in the long term but it does require some discipline. Taking our needs and abilities into account was more important than our desire for a shorter term mortgage plan. All things considered, it all worked out for the best in the end.

About the Author:

James Redder facilitates a Personal Finance website. If you liked the finance info, GET the powerful info RIGHT NOW. Goto Auto Refinance website.

Buying a Houston Condominiums

By R. Kim

Houston Texas is the fourth largest city in the entire United States and it is the largest city in Texas. This makes it a bustling city with many options for living and many homes to chose from. NASA Space Center, museums, and downtown aquarium makes Houston an attractive place to enjoy life.

Houston is just a one hour drive from Galveston and the Gulf of Mexico. Just 20 south of downtown Houston is where the Battle of San Jacinto took place and Texas won its independence from Mexico.

When it comes time to look for a home in Houston, you will want to examine all possibilities. One option would be a condominium. Whether you rent or buy, a Houston condominium is an excellent choice. From the modest, suburban home to the luxurious, downtown high-rise, condos are available for every taste and price range.

If you decide to purchase a Houston condominium, the average selling price is $216,499. The average price per square foot is $132.68. However, the range is large. You can find a bargain at $60,000 or, if money is no object, you can spend more than one million dollars on a single condo.

If you don't want to purchase a Houston condominiums, renting one will be a good options, although home ownership is better for your financial situation but if yo can't come up with down payment this can be perfect option to choose. Average rental price is around $1,100, but the rental price can range from $600 to four or five thousand dollars.

With population of nearly three million, the job market is viable and the home market is not as weak as rest of the country. There is also lots of entertainment and activities for you family to enjoy. Texas a friendly state and you can feel the southern hospitality from your neighbors. A Houston condo will be waiting for your occupancy.

About the Author:

Before purchasing a Houston condominiums, please review Houston Condominiums, and Houston Condominiums

Invoice Factoring Could Help Survival in this Recession

By Phillip Evans

There is no avoiding the issue the UK Economy is in recession and if you are a business owner you must have a plan to survive this economic slump or you will most certainly fail.

Tough trading over Christmas and the New Year period has seen an unprecedented number of high street retails go into administration or liquidation.

The following stores and Companies, to name a few, have gone into administration. Wedgewood the fine China and tableware manufacturer has gone along with Savvi, USC the Fashion store and MFI the furniture retailer.

Possible one of the most high profile causalities of the economic collapse has been woolworths that went into administration in December 2007 and finally closed all retail outlets in January which has put 27,000 out of work.

How can a business survive this recession? Well Alan Tilley of the Turnaround Management Association says that for a business to achieve a successful turnaround it needs four things; a viable business core, credible management team, a valid business plan and appropriate finance.

The credit crunch and lack of liquidity within the financial money markets has restricted traditional forms of lending from Banks into Businesses to very dangerous levels. This limitation of funding has implemented a Cash Flow Squeeze on British Business.

As a business owner one of the first things you should do to survive a economic downturn is cut costs. Carefully review expenditure to identify any areas of your business where savings can be made. Look at transport costs, advertising, marketing, business location and even the smallest things such as turning off the office lights at the end of the working day. Simple measures can give rise to immediate benefits for little or no pain.

Business owners interested in surviving a recession should look for alternative and appropriate sources of finance. The old clich of cash is king has never been more important than at the present time, although most businesses nowadays rely on some form of third party funding whether it be bank overdraft or business loans. Now may be the time to consider alternative sources of funding such as invoice factoring, which is increasingly popular for small to medium businesses. While not suitable for all businesses, the huge benefit of debt factoring is that rather than have money tied up in invoices that are yet to be paid, you can receive an initial payment up front, typically 80% - 85% of the gross value, and the remainder when the customer pays the invoices to an invoice finance provider, less the service fee which has been negotiated with them. However, if the customer defaults on payment, then the factoring company will recover the money provided to you initially from any further invoices which are factored. This can lead to erratic cash flow if customers are slow payers or they go into insolvency.

About the Author:

Invoice Factoring is provided by the Asset Based Finance team of Enable Finance Ltd. Enable Finance are professional corporate finance company providing UK business access to traditional and alternative sources of finance. For a free consultation please contact the Business Refinance Team.

Logical Spending with Cash

By Paul J. Easton

Turning your finances around is a logical game. It is very workable only with some great effort from the part of the debtor. Most importantly, paying off your debt should be a hard learning process for every one who undergoes the process. By undergoing the emotional ride of paying for a debt, you try your best next time to avoid committing the same financial pitfall.

In today's recession, getting rid of debt should be dream for you. Take the time to think if you were not devoting a sizable chunk of your budget for the debt payments. What will you probably are doing with the extra money if you don't have a debt? What will you probably do with the extra time if you don't have that part time work to pay off those bills?

Paying the repayment with the interests can kill our peace of mind. We all hope that those debts will just go away. But the credit card companies will never stop calling you until you get paid. But what had been the problem why this occurred?

Spending for the next designer's clothes seems logical. It is expensive but it is your stress reliever. After a long week of tiring work, you need some therapeutic shopping. After a month, you are being chased by your bills. Is that the true stress reliever?

Spending, like a lot of things in life, should be moderated. When you have a monthly income of $1,000 a month, how logical is spending $1,200 for that month? But most of us fall trap with this mistake. It's easier right now to spend with your credit cards. But paying them is another story.

That's where the bad news comes in. You need the ultimate discipline to protect yourself from spending haphazardly with your credit cards. If you can't use it wisely, you have to better ditch it off. Buy only the vital things you need with cash or a debit card. I'll emphasize again that you need to buy the things that you only need, not the things that you want.

Use the strict regimen of "buy as needed" until you have reduced a large portion of your debt. Keep monitoring through a list all the bills you pay. Eliminate the things that you do not necessarily need like that gym membership you really don't attend to or that pricey cable TV package.

By keeping it up with the effort to revolutionize your spending habits in your pursuit for a debt-free life, you will soon be rewarded with the life without the hassles from debt paying. Only by having the relief of living a life debt-free, will you get more out of life. Get debt-free today with tips on how to get rid of debt here.

For information on how to get rid of debt, check out the http://www.Howtogetridofdebt.net/ by Paul J. Easton.

About the Author:

We can Show you How to get rid of

The Basic Steps for Building a Budget

By William Blake

If you want to start living a more frugal life, you will need to start the process by doing some important planning. The most important part of planning for your finances is making a solid budget. Regardless of how much you make, how you make it, and how much you have now, you can make a budget that will work for you. Consider the following steps that will help you take the first step to a thriftier lifestyle: making a budget.

1. Keep track of your spending. You need to know what your current spending habits are before you can adjust them by means of a budget. Bring a small notepad with you wherever you go and note how much you spend every time you make a purchase. That way you can track your spending.

2. List out your expenses. This will include monthly bills as well as the money spent that has been written down in your notepad. Organize the purchases you have made into categories and then total them up to see how much you have spent.

3. Write out all of your income and how it arrives (monthly, weekly, bi-weekly). Total up your income.

4. Write out your budget (based on the last month that you recorded). Compare that budget with your income. If you have more going out than coming in, then it's time to make some changes. You can either cut your expenses or you can make more money.

5. Take some time to think about the budget you have planned. You might find some that some changes need to be made. For instance, if you tend to watch a very small amount of TV each week, you might decide that you don't need to pay for cable each month. If your closet seems overly full, plan to shop less.

6. Once you have cut out all possible expenses, look at your budgeted totals for earnings and spending. If you still wind up spending more than you earn, you might consider getting a better or second job. Your budget will not be able to help you save money if you plan to spend more than you earn.

7. Review your budget regularly. Your situation will continue to change and so should your budget. As you learn to live a frugal life, you may well find that items on your budget are no longer important to you and can be removed.

If you want to live a frugal life then it is important to understand your spending and learn to get it under control. Setting up a budget is a first step towards that prosperous way of life.

About the Author:

Do you need reliable information about how to cancel credit card account? Visit http://www.debtopedia.com for more tips about consolidating credit cards and other credit card payoff ideas.

Total Visa Card

By Daniel Moskel

The Total Visa is a bad credit unsecured card. It was designed for individuals with blemishes on their credit report.

It will report to the major credit bureaus. You can start to build a positive payment history by making on time monthly payments.

This is very important when your score is calculated. Your utilization ratio will determine another large part of your score.

This ratio is how the credit bureaus decide if you are in over your head financially. It compares your amount of debt to your amount of available credit.

They estimate that your utilization ratio and payment history make up to 80% of your score. It will help if you have unused credit.

However it is still a priority to remove any negative marks from your report. This will help to show a positive payment history.

This card is issued by the Plains Commerce Bank a member of the FDIC. It has an initial credit limit of $250, and a 19.92% APR. There is an annual fee of $48.

There is a 19.92% APR for a cash advance, should you have a financial emergency. Also you will be eligible for a limit increase four times a year.

As of late, we have seen a rise in interest rates. This has been happening to customers that have never paid late, their rates have jumped to 20% and higher.

Law makers have responded however these new laws do not go into effect until 2010. We have also seen the lending institutions tighten their requirements for approval.

With your card you will have free online account access and fraud protection. It is accepted everywhere Visa is.

If you use your card or a new credit line responsibly it can help your score. However if you use it irresponsibly and can also hurt your score.

You should really look at your current expenses and income and decide if you really should take on a new line of credit.

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For more about the Total Visa or for a free credit repair consultation visit us or call 1-800-253-3735, or for more about Online Credit Cards.

Buying San Francisco Condominiums

By R. Kim

Many condo buyers were priced out of San Francisco condominiums in the past. But because of the recent downturn in the economy and turmoil in the financial market, many of these condos are now becoming available to many more buyers. Short sales and discounted foreclosure on rampant in San Francisco bay area.

According to real estate information services, the bay area condos have fallen in price by as much as 6.7 percent to average sales price of $375,000 in late 2008. It is down almost 44.4 percent from November 2007 when the price was highest at $629,000. You can see why these condos are affordable now as before many were priced out of the market.

This is causing a frenzy among buyers of condominiums that were prices out of the market in the last few years. San Francisco condos are in location where many of the areas top restaurants, bars, and entertainments are in downtown. Downtown offers unique urban living with excitement of a big city. It is much better than renting an apartment, which was better options when the prices were high, but with decline of prices it is making it more affordable for those with cash.

The average sale price of San Francisco condominiums is between $400,000 to over a $1,000,000. In recent years many new condo developments have gone up in places like Sea Cliff, Sunset, and St Francis Wood.

Because of good weather all year around and many local places to visit like Lake Tahoe, it makes these condos more desirable and are good investments.

Luxury high rise San Francisco condos market has not taken much a hit. These luxurious high priced condominiums that are in south of the Market area are still in high demands. Even with the recession, luxury condominiums and penthouses have been selling, majority of them being in upper part of the building. These have been increasing in value anywhere from 15 to 20 percent with strong demands. Because of proximity to work many executives have preferred these condos.

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When buying San Francisco condominiums, please review San Francisco Condominiums, and San Francisco Condominiums