How To Keep Away From Credit Card Debt

By Ras Reed

Are you in credit card debt? No? Then that's fine for you. But that does not mean you should not make a deliberate commitment to stop yourself from getting in credit card debt in future. It's the easiest thing to become a victim of. There are ways that you can stay away from falling in credit card debt and they include;

- Read the fine print: Before you sign on for any credit card, you should be sure that you know about all the terms and conditions attached to it. The things that you should pay special attention to are the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) and the time for payments. When you are awake to what time you are expected to pay your credit card bills, you can easily start preparing towards it. Also, if the APR on the defaulted payments is way beyond your affordability level, try and look for another credit card deal that comes with a lower APR.

- Pay up on time: To stay away from credit card debt, the most indispensable thing that you should do after you have gotten a credit card is to pay up your monthly bills on time. Bear in mind that your failure to meet up with the payments each month will push you into debt faster than anything else. When you fail to meet up payments for one month, you get charged an interest on the money due. If you fail to meet up on the next month, the interest charge increases and you will be saddled with the responsibility of trying to pay off the accumulating interest plus the amount owned.

- Don't surpass the limit: Stay within the confines of your credit card limit. Moving outside what you can afford with your credit card will lead you to a state of debt in a matter of time. Remember that a credit card is genuinely supposed to help you curb any impulse to spend. Try to be judicious in the use of your credit card to pay for things.

Basically credit card debt can be relinquished with the true instruction and a fair share of discipline and determination. It's not impossible to own a credit card and be debt free.

About the Author:

It doesn't matter how much you think you are aware regarding Credit Cards information such as resources about 0 Interest Credit Card Balance Transfer , or 0 Credit Card Balance Transfer , see Ras Reed's site and be thrilled with really revealing information.

How To Evade Credit Card Debt

By Ras Reed

Are you in credit card debt? No? Then that's good for you. But that does not mean you should not make a deliberate plan to obstruct yourself from entering into credit card debt in future. It's the easiest thing to become a victim of. There are ways that you can shun falling in credit card debt and they include;

- Read the fine print: Before you sign on for any credit card, you should be sure that you fathom all the terms and conditions attached to it. The things that you should pay special attention to are the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) and the time for payments. When you are attentive to what time you are expected to pay your credit card bills, you can easily start preparing towards it. Also, if the APR on the defaulted payments is way beyond your affordability level, try and look for another credit card deal that comes with a lower APR.

- Pay up on time: To shun credit card debt, the most crucial thing that you should do after you have gotten a credit card is to pay up your monthly bills on time. Bear in mind that your failure to meet up with the payments each month will push you into debt faster than anything else. When you fail to meet up payments for one month, you get charged an interest on the money due. If you fail to meet up on the next month, the interest charge increases and you will be saddled with the responsibility of trying to pay off the accumulating interest plus the amount owned.

- Don't beat the limit: Stay within the confines of your credit card limit. Moving outside what you can afford with your credit card will lead you to a state of debt in a matter of time. Remember that a credit card is actually supposed to assist you curb any impulse to spend. Try to be judicious in the use of your credit card to pay money for things.

Basically credit card debt can be avoided with the accurate suggestion and a fair share of discipline and determination. It's not impossible to own a credit card and be debt free.

About the Author:

No matter how much you think you know as regards Credit Cards information such as information about No Fee Credit Cards For Bad Credit , or even Credit Cards With No Annual Fee , visit Ras Reed's site and be thrilled with very top information.

Dispute Credit Reports

By Justin Hutto

Disputing negative marks on your credit report is the most effective method of improving a low credit score. A better payment history accounts for up to 35% of your score. Disputing negative marks helps because it will show a better payment history.

To dispute a mark you need to contact the bureaus and send a dispute letter. A letter must be sent to each credit bureau. Often upon receipt of your letter the bureau will respond with a letter requesting more information about the item.

This is a stall tactic the bureaus use. They have found it more cost effective to delay instead of actually investigating the dispute. It is common for people to give up at this point and continue to pay outrageous interest rates.

In time, the bureaus will investigate the mark only if another dispute letter is sent with the requested information. While investigating, the bureau will contact the lender to verify the disputed mark.

The mark must be removed from your credit report by the bureau if the lender cannot verify it. Lenders frequently do not want to spend money and time verifying an uncollectable debt. Therefore, for the best results, we suggest you wait until the lender has received a payment for the outstanding debt.

For instance, the lender has no more use for a charged off credit card account that is sold to a collection agency. As a result, the lender will not take the time to verify the account when they are contacted by the bureau.

You can create a dispute letter and dispute your credit yourself or you can hire a service to dispute it for you. It is much easier to eliminate a charge off once it has been sold rather than outstanding.

The benefit of a service is that it provides you with more options to remove a mark if it is confirmed. Services can ask for creditor direct interventions, debt confirmation, escalate dispute information requests, and in severe cases, an attorney can go to court and fight on your behalf.

Your credit score is a very important number, as it impacts your finances, place of employment, residence, and many more. Approximately 25% of Americans have an error on their report and is costing them money in higher interest rates.

In conclusion, you can remove negative items from your credit report and stop paying the high cost of bad credit. This is accomplished by disputing your credit yourself with a dispute letter or by hiring a service to do it for you.

About the Author:

For a free credit consultation call 1-866-246-7311. Additionally you can visit us for free credit repair letters used to file a dispute with the bureaus or for info on how you can dispute Cavalry Portfolio Services a popular collection agency.

Stay Aware Debt Reduction Scams Abound

By Frank Froggatt

There are several debt consolidation companies accessible that are reputable companies and will handle your accounts right. Unfortunately though there are several that are crooks but look great from the outside.

There are 2 ways you can be defrauded by debt consolidation companies. One way to get victimized is the party will receive your money and not pay the requitals on your behalf. Although you can readily check to see if your creditors are taking in your payments, some people just assume that because the party acquired the requital that they also made the payment.

Another means to get swindled is by debt companies that induce you to omit a particular amount of requitals and then you will acquire a settlement deal. Often these people get your cash to save it for the settlement, which could be months away, but when it falls time for the settlement the party disappears with your funds.

Naturally there are honorable parties that practice what they promise, you just have to be suspicious. Cautiously explore each prospect before choosing. Be sure that any you are interested in are recorded with the Better Business Bureau and don't hold any ills lodged against them. Explore Google or Google Blogs to discover what different people have heard about them. In your research make sure that you can speak to a living soul on the telephone. Likewise your credit card parties and credit counseling services can advocate honored companies to you to keep off getting ripped off by those who are not.

You should also check and make a point you have picked out a company that is a debt consolidation company and not a debt reduction company. The deviations are rather significant and a debt reduction company is going to murder any good credit you might have. They sustain settlements with all your lenders and you end up paying less to get out of debt. In The Long Run though you will end up paying greatly because of the bad credit.

Just make sure you get all that is stated in writing, and you realize what is happening. Make a point you are keeping tabs of the parties receiving your payments, and perform your due diligence before selecting a place to execute your debt consolidation plan. If you pick out a healthy party you should be able to get access to a debt education program so you can learn how not to create the same debt once more.

While debt consolidation isn't always the best option, it is usually better than debt reduction and there will be less fear about being gypped. Simply don't give up looking for the optimal place to do your business and you will discover the respectable companies out there that wish to assist you.

About the Author:

This piece was penned by Frank Froggatt, an authority on Bad Credit Debt Consolidation. You can clear up a lot of your confusion about this topic while sitting at home in your easy chair by visiting mydebtconsolidationsite.us

Signature Loans

By David Douglas

Are you in need of a loan to help you cover life expenses? Signature loans are usually a good option to let you borrow money to pay for unexpected expenses, or even expenses that you have tried to plan for, but are just falling short of paying. This type of loan has a few different terms and qualifiers than other loans do. Depending on your need, it might be the right loan option for you.

Signature loans are usually issued in amounts ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 dollars. The term of the loan might be as little as a few months or as many as 60 months. If you are hoping to attend college, this type of loan might help you achieve that goal.

If you qualify for the loan, it will have a fixed interest rate and term. This is helpful because that means there won't be any surprise changes during the length of the loan. It helps you be able to plan for the repayment because you know exactly what you are getting yourself into.

Once you qualify for the loan, the entire amount is issued as soon as you sign the activation letter. This is in large part where the name of the loan comes from. Sometimes, they are referred to as character loans since they are issued based on you signing the document stating you'll repay it according to the terms and conditions.

The loan is issued once you sign the activation letter. The loan is nicknamed a character loan since you are being issued the loan basically on good faith. You agree to the terms and with your signature, promise to repay it. Obviously, this can be risky to the lender. Lenders are especially prone to offer the loan if they have a good relationship or history with you.

If you want this type of loan, you will need to have a specific thing you plan to use the loan for. This type of loan is issued only to be used for its intended purpose. Even though the loans might be issued for varying purposes, the lender will still want to know the specifics. , this might have some determining factors on the loan. The lender might still decide to loan you the money, but the terms and conditions of the loan might vary depending on what it is being used for

So if you find yourself in need of a loan, look at the options that are available to you. A signature loan just might be the right fit to meet your financial needs.

About the Author:

David can help you to find signature loans bad credit, auto loans bad credit, and many other types of loans.

Paying Minimum with Your Credit Card Debts Hurts you the Most

By Paul J. Easton

One of the most common mistakes, probably the most expensive as well, a creditor can make with their credit cards is habitually paying the minimum amount due each month. Without knowing this, it is unfairly burning you more money long term.

It is very easy to make only the minimum payments every time because it is affordable and gives you the chance to spend some amount to other expenses. By freeing up some cash flow, you can get that latest DVD player or that designer's dress you always wanted. Without knowing it, you are destined for a financial disaster short-cut.

The practice of paying the minimum is hurting a lot people who are not aware of their financial situation. Here's an example. If paid with minimum amount due for years, a previously low balance can turn into a very big debt when compounded with interests and hidden charges. This turns out to be a small problem turned into a nightmare and may get over a decade to repay. With multiple credit cards, this can lead to a true financial tragedy.

To fight this problem, you have to pay more than the minimum each due date, probably twice the minimum amount. Make an effort to send your payments promptly to avoid late charges. You perhaps won't notice the extra amount but it will go straight onto your principal. This deducts the debt faster and reduces the interests every time. The more you reduce the balances, the lesser you will have to deal with more interest.

With only the interests and other fees and charges as the ways for credit card lenders to earn profits, the habit of paying the minimum is what they subtly encourage from you. It's essential to know that the credit card companies never let you pay back your balances in small amounts just out of their kindheartedness. This is their business and this is how they make their money. Paying the usual 2% of your balance each month as minimum definitely assures that you will be substantially filling their cash coffers.

As you can afford squeezing it to your budget, increase the amount you pay every time gradually. Try increasing it each month with a certain amount like $10. Soon enough, you will notice that you are starting to actually put a dent in the balance. Trying this step will exactly cut off years of repayment period; thus, saving you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Credit Card Debt Sucks! How to get Rid of Credit Card Debt Fast with FREE Articles Tips at DollarGuides.com. Help tips and more Getting Rid Credit Card Debt Helpful tips and information

About the Author:

http://www.Howtogetridofdebt.net/

Best Ways to Send Money to El Salvador

By Chloe Banks

There are a variety of ways to send money quickly to El Salvador. The level of security, cost and amount of time it takes for money to arrive differ for each service.

Sometimes the amount of time it takes to send the money is the most important factor. In this instance it is important to know what options you have when sending money to El Salvador. The most pressing thing to remember is to prepare now to have everything in place for a transfer.

Often sending money online through services such as ATM Cash www.atmcash.com is the easiest and quickest way to get money when you need it. Services such as this allow you to send money 24/7 right from the comfort of your computer.

Another way to ensure a quick transfer of money to El Salvador is ensuring the recipient has an ATM or debit card. If the recipient is someone trusted, it's often useful for them to have a bank card linked to your checking or savings account.

As long as they have a card and the PIN number, they will have access to cash through an ATM machine. This is a possible option as long as you are comfortable with the cardholder having access to your account at all times. For situations where you do not want the intended recipient of funds to have access to the money in the checking account at all times, a pre-paid debit card is a solution. A pre-paid debit card is a card just like any other ATM card except for the fact that it is loaded with a specific amount of money.

Once that money has been withdrawn, the cardholder has no access to funds unless the person sending money refills the pre-paid card. The PIN number is given to the cardholder by the person sending money, so a phone call to notify the recipient that money has been added to the card is all it would require to gain access to the funds.

Another way to quickly send money to El Salvador is opening an account with a bank that has branches in both the U.S. and El Salvador. This would help facilitate easier transfers since you wouldn't have to deal with inter-bank transfers.

The above are some steps to ensure that money to El Salvador arrives quickly when you need it.

About the Author:

Understanding all there is to know about to send money to El Salvador is not always easy. Luckily you can get everything you need right here at money to El Salvador

Should People With Bad Credit Get Computer Financing?

By Terry Piper

It is hard to see everyone's situation, but in general computer financing for people with bad credit is yet another brick in a wall of doom. Regular credit usually isn't possible for one in this position for a reason.

If you are looking for a bad credit loan then it is safe to assume that the debt load for your household is out of control or was in trouble in the fairly recent past. This is a good time to reflect on your wants versus needs, and make sure you are headed in the right direction. Poor decisions with debt related matters can seriously alter lifestyles and relationships, so a second look at the situation is a really good idea.

After you have looked at your overall financial situation, if you still are looking for computer financing for people with bad credit you need to pay attention to what sort of deal you are signing up for. Unscrupulous individuals and businesses are always ready to prey on the weak.

The interest rate will be really high if you have bad credit. While this is fair since they are taking extra risk by dealing with you, some loans are excessively expensive. With an interest rate of more than twenty-eight percent, if you accept the wrong terms you will be paying for that outdated laptop when your grand children are getting married!

A big down payment will shorten the loan or lower your monthly payments, so you should always put as much down as you can up front. Zero down is a fancy way of saying, "be our slave" as you pay for your poor credit rating. with that large down-payment your monthly payments can be lower, or your loan length can be shorter, or both.

Take this loan over as short a term as you possibly can. Six months would be great, one year not bad, and two or three years a horrible idea. Imagine buying a machine for $1000 and then paying $3000 for it over three years! Talk about being taken to the cleaners.

After thinking about all of these points, I hope you can find the best decision for your financial situation. Good luck in finding computer financing for people with bad credit. Who knows, you may decide to save up and buy that laptop with cold hard cash.

About the Author:

Computer financing can be hard to get in current markets. That is why many turn to Computer financing for people with bad credit.

Holiday Home Insurance Spain Your Guide to Getting the Best Cover

By David Ball

If you are considering buying a second property as a future investment, it is worthwhile considering let your property as a holiday home or holiday let. You may do this for either short term monthly income, or you may decide to substitute the monthly income for long term capital gain. No matter which you choose, as with buying or investing money into anything of great value, you would be very wise to make sure that you secure adequate insurance for you holiday home.

When it comes time to decide which holiday home insurance to choose, there are a few things that you should consider. If your second home is overseas or abroad, there can be different requirements to holiday homes in the UK. For instance, your property may have external buildings that are part of the main property, or your property may have a covered or indoor swimming pool. These things are not necessarily automatically included in the average holiday home insurance.

Often people think that insurance is insurance, and you might as well just opt for the cheapest insurance. After all... it's just insurance, right? Wrong. Insurance can be a very complex thing to deal with, particularly when it comes to out of the ordinary cover. To be sure that you get the best and most comprehensive cover you must employ the services of specialist in holiday home insurance. Only through a specialist can you be guaranteed to get the most comprehensive cover at the best price.

Holiday homes located abroad and overseas are a favourite choice for many people buying their holiday properties with countries like France, Spain and Portugal being the most popular. Because the destinations have local brokers or notaries, the impulse is to use one of these to speed up the process and make it easier. This can often be a false economy. Because the notary is local does not mean they understand the insurance properly or are the best person to deal with. I you decide to use a broker or notary local to the area, make sure that they are totally versed in holiday home insurance, and that they speak English fluently.

The language used with insurance policies is often long-winded, complicated and not particularly easy to understand. While this is necessary for legal reasons, this does little to help the average customer or person in the street gain a good understanding of their policy and coverage. An important aspect of your holiday home insurance is that your policy is written in plain English and is easy for you to understand.

Buying holiday home insurance should be simple to arrange, your broker should be fluent in English and an expert or authority in holiday home insurance and your policy should be written in plain English and should be easy for you to understand. If you follow these rules, you should be able to find a really good broker who can guide through the intricacies of holiday home insurance, and one who can find you a really good policy with great coverage and a good price.

About the Author:

David Ball has many years experience advising people on holiday home insurance, expertly guiding investors in overseas property through how to get the best value for money when choosing their second home insurance.

Keep your Credit Clean while in College

By Samantha Asher

College is expensive. While in college, students are often broke because of low paying jobs and because they try to use whatever they can for tuition. Some students have no job during school and try to live off of what they earned at their job over the summer. It's a tough 4 years.

College is also notorious for flooding students with credit card application. This can do a lot of damage to a college student. Once they start charging, it's hard to stop, especially when they've never learned the true consequences of overcharging a credit card. In the long run, if they are unable to make the payments, they can end up really hurting their credit.

Bad credit can set you back years. Until you are able to mend your bad credit, you'll have a lot of trouble getting loans. It might even be impossible. This can keep you from buying a house or car, or from starting up a small business.

You need good credit in order to prosper in your life post-college. The first way you can prevent bad credit is to avoid credit cards. Credit cards should only be used as a quick way to pay, not as lent money. You should always pay off your entire balance every month, or else you will be paying a lot of money in interest.

Most college students use credit cards to buy things they can't afford otherwise. This will just make the cost of anything bought exponentially higher. Eventually, it may cost so much that you can't afford the payments and interest and your credit history suffers.

The other top way to stay away from bad credit is to always pay all your bills on time. This can also help mend poor credit. This includes everything from your cell phone to school tuition. Pay all utilities, bills, rent, everything on time! Even just one late payment can cause damage to your credit history.

Having all of these bills can either help or hurt you. Pay them on time and you can create credit if you don't have any and bring up possible to excellent. Don't pay them, and you can ruin your chances of ever getting a home or other loan.

Your credit history is important, so don't overlook it. College is an important time in your life. Focus on doing well and don't let having fun ruin your grades or your credit.

About the Author:

Did you graduate from college only to find a pile of student loans? Find out more about student loan consolidation services and government student loans. Don't let your student loans overwhelm you.

Some Suggestions On Researching Refinance Companies

By Nick Svengali

The following are a few tips on researching good quality refinance lenders:

- Points And Fees. Points are the fees of the lenders, generally included in the interest rate. Research the current industry fees and points. Fees like refinance origination or underwriting fees, settlement, and closing costs. Remember most of these are negotiable. There are also 'no-cost' deals, but they naturally charge a higher rate of interest.

- Negotiate With the provider. Providers are competing for your business. Get a detailed list of fees including the interest rate, points, closing costs and any refinancing fees. You may be able to get some fees lowered or waived, even if you have lousy credit.

- Be sure that there is no prepayment penalty associated with the refinance. If there is such a clause, get hold of your broker to discuss your options. Your loan is a package comprised of interest rates, fees, points, prepayment penalty clauses and balloon payment clauses. Be sure you grasp the language used. Know and comprehend your fees. Your refinance fees may include an application fee, points, appraisal fees, etc. If you are dealing with a respected provider most of these fees will be nominal.

- Is your goal to lower the monthly payment or to pay less interest? A lower interest rate can be translated into the same month payment, but with more of the payment being applied to the principal of the finance. This, of course, helps you pay the debt faster.

- Do your research: As in all other sectors, there is intense competition in lending. You might try for a refinance loan from your current broker, but they may not necessarily offer you the best offer.

- Up to approximately 30 to 35 per-cent of your credit score is determined by your payment history. If you miss just one month's payment, it can drop you 100 points. That 100 points could be the reason why you get that better interest rate on your finance. Your credit rating and score is made up of your demonstrated ability to pay off all your bills on time.

- Create a list of all your debts and the interest rates for each one. Utilize your house equity to get money back at closing. This extra money that you borrow may have a lower interest rate than some of your current debts. Employ the extra money to pay back high-interest debts and help cut down their periodical payments.

- Be mistrustful of 'free' application expenses. In terms of refinance, 'free' can come with a cost. Instead of focusing on looking for applications offered at zero cost, focus on the interest rates and points. You may get a shock when big fees smack you right before closing. Getting info about the periodical payment rate alone is not enough. Find out about the total refinance amount, terms and conditions, and type of finance that is being offered. This information will assistance you more accurately compare loans provided by different firms.

- Close credit accounts. The number of tradelines (accounts) that you have open is a determining factor in your credit score. Keep your oldest credit or charge card, for the credit history tied to it. Your credit card lender sends out a report once a month to the credit bureaux on your undischarged balance. By having a modest balance, or none at all, you are demonstrating you are financially responsible. This will improve your score.

I hope these few simple suggestions will be of some use to you in researching good quality refinance lenders.

About the Author:

Nicky Svengali is an author for refinance credit and offshore merchant account web sites in London, UK.

Is this the right time to refinance?

By Peter Daas

Because of interest rate lowerings, the interest rates for a mortgage refinance have gone down to all time lows. The national average interest rate for a mortgage refinance being around 5.5%, homeowners can save big time by making the decision to refinance. Refinancing can free up extra money that can be used for a variety of purposed, home oriented or not home oriented.

Many people refinance to save on their monthly payments because they want to use the money for an improvement in living conditions. An extra hundred dollars a month buys groceries, bigger car payment or achieves some other financial goal people might have. The money for the refinance might also be used to make improvements to the house so it will sell easier in the near or distant future.

Houses are not selling as quickly as they used to, so a couple of added improvements might mean your house will sell faster for a better price. In the current market you need all the help you can get, and a well finished home is a big help in selling. Using the money that is liberated by refinancing your mortgage for home improvement is a smart investment decision.

The process of refinancing can best be handled by an expert. Don't choose your lender based purely on the lowest rate, but look at the best mortgage for your situation. Choosing the right kind of mortgage will make you debt free, choosing the wrong type of mortgage will get you in trouble down the road.

About the Author:

Peter writes articles about mortgages in English. He writes articles about hypotheek tarief and oversluiten hypotheek in Dutch.

Give these Items to Appraiser at Inspection

By Marten W. Davis, SRPA

For a refinance or purchase, it is important that you have things ready for your appraiser's inspection. If you have some important items ready for the appraiser it will make his job much easier.

Have ready all items that you find. They will be extremely helpful to your appraiser.

These items that you should look for are: Mortgage Survey which is a small piece of paper with a drawing of the lot with the building outline. This document is usually prepared by a surveyor and has his stamp on it. The information on this document includes the specific measurements of improvements and lot, the legal description and the flood zone specifics.

Any previous appraisal for some physical characteristics information. If the dwelling is newer, any floor plan drawings (blueprints) is extremely helpful to the appraiser.

A list of recent improvements, date and cost. These will be helpful to itemize those items that have been upgraded and modernized. If you have a recent home inspection report, that would also be very helpful.

Any easements which the property has like shared driveways, etc. should be presented to the appraiser.

The appraiser can get the specifics of the property detailed much more accurately if you present the suggested items at time of inspection.

Marten W. Davis, SRPA

About the Author:

Important Items to give to the appraiser at time of physical inspection of your property. Marten Davis, SRPA serves the St Petersburg and Tampa Bay FL Market.

The College Student Guide To Personal Finance

By Jenni Snook

Before discussing personal finance for college students, it's vital that you first understand one concept: the things that makes one happy are usually things that are easy and things that one is good at. If you understand this idea, that you will see why personal finance is not easy nor enjoyable for college students.

For college students, personal finance typically concerns long term goals but most college students only have an objective of getting a job when they graduate and anything beyond that is unclear. At this point, you are most likely wondering how personal finance may ever be practiced by students in college. The average student at college will not keen on applying personal finance management in their lives unless it assures some form of happiness immediately or in the future for the student.

You can easily find information regarding how to save money for college students on campus, nevertheless, since most of this information has been prepared by people who have no idea about college life these days, college students are not able to apply this information in their lives.

Keeping that in mind, this article will provide some great steps one can take today that make personal finance for college students easy and most importantly, bring happiness in your life.

Make your account automatic: Once you have set up your savings account, you should set it up so that it withdraws a couple of dollars each week from your checking account. By doing this, the money will be automatically saved for you, a little bit at a time, and you want have to worry about the money or even think about it for that matter.

In addition to these two steps, you should also seek out cheaper entertainment, avoid applying for any credit cards, eat within the cafeteria, seek out free stuff, at the end of each day you should empty out your pockets, and whenever you go out to purchase something, you should ask around and see where the cheapest place to buy it is going to be.

In relationship to personal finance for college students, if it makes you feel really good, you should do it. This tip may come as a surprise to you, but it's vital that you experiment during your time in college. It's pretty certain that you will do some silly things as a college student with your personal finance that you may end up regretting and never forgetting.

About the Author:

Jenni Snook is the chief author of http://www.HealthyWealthySoul.com, a website dedicated to providing people advice and tools on personal finance for college students to attain both financial and spiritual bliss in their lives.

First A Mortgage Then A Realtor

By Linda Coombs

Securing a mortgage is often just another step to buying your new home. You may choose to use a realtor to help find your new home.

What kinds of things should I look for when I choose a realtor? There are many Realtors out there who will bend over backwards to accommodate you and satisfy your needs.

If you have any friends, co-workers or family members who have recently purchased a home, ask them if they can highly recommend the realtor who helped them. If you are for any reason not satisfied with the realtor you've been speaking with, by all means find another

It is a good idea to work with a Realtor that is local to the area you are interested in. A good Realtor should provide you with statistical reports regarding appreciation as well as be able to suggest the best local schools.

They should be trying to determine what your wants and needs are for the new house. A Realtor should ask you lots of questions when you meet them for your initial consultation.

What area do you want to live in? What type of home are you looking for? Do you have children that will be attending school in the area? How long do you plan to live in the home?

Waiting hours or days for a response can add too much stress to the home buying process. Look for a Realtor that responds quickly to emails and phone calls.

If you get a recommendation of a Realtor from your mortgage professional and you are not happy with that Realtor, by all means let the mortgage professional know. Customer service cannot be made better if people are not aware of a situation.

Working with a seasoned realtor will aid in your search to sell or purchase a home. A seasoned realtor will have the history of your neighborhood and information about a given area, which can help you determine the true value and likelihood of appreciation in a purchase.

With a sale of a home, a seasoned realtor will be able to truly assess the value of your home and have a better understanding of how to increase the potential of your home for sale

About the Author:

Linda Coombs frequently writes about mortgages personal finance . To learn more about the mortgage process visit Compare Mortgage Rates for tips on How to get cash out from a refinance mortgage

The Fair Credit Reporting Act for Consumers

By Rob Kosberg

See www.ftc.gov/s/statutes.feradoc.pdf for the details of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FRCA). This act is written, not for the credit reporting agencies, but for consumers.

You will learn that you have a right to see the information all credit reporting agencies have about you. All these credit agencies are in the business of making money and need to show a "profit." The FRCA explains what consumers are entitled to see and consumer rights.

There is much information on your credit report regarding your financial picture. Even though most of the entries may be accurate, it is possible that you may find false and/or outdated information in these documents. This could be an unwelcome surprise.

According to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) tells us that we can fix any problems with our credit reports ourselves without any help from a possibly disreputable company. According to the FCRA, the only "negative information" that can remain on your credit report is "negative information" that can be proven to be true.

Get your credit reports, compare, mark any entries that you believe are false. If it's negative and true, it has to stay. Then you will make your case for why information is false.

All of your data regarding inaccurate information will need to be documented and provide your proof of an error. This will be sent to the Credit Bureaus who must respond. It will be up to them to prove all information is true.

It is possible that you may decide that this project is really not something you can successfully complete on your own. Then you may consider "credit counseling." Do this very cautiously. "Overnight" credit fix is too good to be true and these companies could ask for a lot of money "upfront" and charge a monthly fee. Although it might sound really good, remember that these agencies are also "for profit" and need to make money. Think SCAM.

You can be sure that there are honest companies and people who will provide help. Try finding referrals from others to help find a reputable person who will address your needs.

About the Author:

With never before seen challenges in the credit markets it?s more important than ever to have excellent credit. For more information check out Rob Kosbergs' Detailed FREE Guide on Maintaining and Repairing your Credit Score by going to Bad Credit Repair for your FREE information.

Some Pointers On Finding Online Debt Consolidation

By Niccolo Svengali

The following are beginner pointers on finding worthwhile debt consolidation loans:

- You will consider the amount of money that you will owe of course, but you also need to consider any premium, interest rate or the amount of time that you have to pay a consolidation loan. Negotiating with a creditor is something that most people try hard to avoid. However, it is one of the easiest ways to get your fiscal situation in proper order. It is simply a matter of contacting the creditor by mail and offering to reconcile the account on your terms. You actually have the upper hand in these situations. The creditor wants you to pay the debt so that they don't lose cash. Be sure to send you letter via registered mail and request a receipt.

- Determine which debts are the most important and need to be paid off first. If you have secured debts, besides a mortgage, pay them off first. Debts with high interest or charges (like some credit-cards) should also be high on your list of priorities. Pay off the minimum cash payment each month on all of your debts except the one that you have given highest priority; the one with the highest interest rate. Put all your extra cash toward that debt, and continue to do so until it's paid off. If you get a pay bonus or windfall, consider putting it toward your debt as well. When you get one debt paid, start putting your extra money toward the next one. Repeat until all of your debts are paid in full.

- Study credit reports. You have to verify the report completely and then try to understand your consolidation. Get assistance from others and get the full picture since most areas in a credit score report are critical.

- Debt consolidation is the process of combining small existent debts into a single large one. The idea is to get a lower rate overall, so if you have existing loans which are on a low rate, keep them as is, and only consolidate the expensive ones. Do the computations yourself. Do not just leave it to the provider.

- Worthwhile consolidation loan brokers can cut interest rates. Because the resulting loan is treated as a brand-new one, you can lower your interest rate and extend your payment term. This ought to give bigger savings every month. You can utilise the cash saved to pay invoices that are not covered by the new loan, or pay back _more_ on the new loan. This way, you will reduce down the total of your repayments and lower your interest.

- What are the benefits of looking at unsecured debt consolidation? Well, you can get a considerably lower interest rate for your outstanding debt overall. You will also be able to get rid of debts that are unsecured or those that have very high monthly payments tied to them. Consolidating debts will also improve a bad credit valuation as you have already paid a lot of of your unpaid debt.

- How much does a debt consolidation loan cost? How much you are going to pay back will depend on the broker you have chosen. There are some who can offer you lower transaction expenses. They can offer you free consultations. Others pay back the closing costs on your behalf, provided that this will be addressed by your eventual periodic repayments. There are also some who bill upfront all of the related expenses.

- Take advantage of 0 per-cent interest rates of credit cards. Your charge card lender can also assist with the consolidation procedure by making sure that you do not incur any interest once you transfer your balance. However, you have to be very conscientious. You will only be entitled to utilize this as long as you can apply for a transfer between six and fifteen months. Otherwise, you will begin incurring interest. You also have to monitor the related fees. You need to estimate if it's worth proceeding with.

I hope these few simple tips will be of some use to you in getting worthwhile unsecured debt consolidation.

About the Author:

Nick Svengali is an author for debt consolidation loans and offshore bank account web sites in London, UK.

Advantages of Credit Cards

By Amanda Somrekli

Are you paying too much interest a month on credit cards? Does it seem like the money you are making, is going out in payments to card companies just as quickly as it came in? Then maybe it's time to look into transferring your balance to new company with a lower interest rate.

In the UK there are comforting credit laws to protect consumers. For the most part credit card providers offer protection on goods bought in the 100 to 30,000 range.

This covers you in the event of something going wrong with the transaction and enables you to claim against the credit card provider or the trader.

Before putting the tax bill on a business credit card it may be worth investigating this option first rather than incurring interest charges on the amount via the credit card.

You should also beware "fixed rate" credit cards on which the APR rises automatically on your entire balance if you go over the limit.

Although there are still plenty of opportunities for small businesses with a good credit record to take advantage of business credit cards, lenders will invariably be stricter in their acceptance criteria than during the credit boom of the eighties and nineties.

Before applying for any form of credit it would be wise to take the time first to ensure that you meet all the requirements for acceptance, as repeated refusals will damage your credit rating further.

Credit needs to be used wisely, and careful management of a business credit card is still a good option for small and medium size businesses that want an additional line of funding available to them for everyday use.

Armed with a credit card and a mouse, online shopping is convenient and easy but it comes with some potential traps for the unwary - from rogue traders to inadequate cover from your credit card when things go wrong.

There are some credit cards offering only minimal protection, or sometimes none at all, if you are unfortunate enough to strike a problem - non-delivery, or damage in transit for example - with goods you've ordered.

About the Author:

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How to Know if You Need a Credit Dispute Letter

By Kirk B. Mayors

What reasons would you have for writing a credit dispute letter? If you have received notice of poor credit you would write to dispute the credit report. And why did they decide you had bad credit? Well, assuming that you pay your bills on time, don't hold too many maxed out credit cards, are gainfully employed, and haven't had your car repossessed, then it must be a mistake.

Or, perhaps you're disputing a credit card billing error that led to a derogatory mark on your credit. Maybe you need to end bothersome phone calls from collection agencies who insist on pursuing you for expired or invalid debts. In general, a credit dispute letter is used to correct some kind of mistake that was made on a credit report; the credit reporting agencies are not free from error. You can even use a credit dispute letter as supporting documentation to negotiate lower monthly payments with your lenders.

Whatever reasons you may have for writing a credit dispute letter, you should be careful how you go about it. You want to take care not to anger the credit agency. If your letter is successful, you can restore credit far more quickly than you imagined. The thing to keep in mind is that if the information can't be verified, the agency is required to remove it.

Your letter should use a business-like tone, but it should be short, direct, and amiable. You don't need to include tons of personal details. Just stick to the facts, and send copies of the reports in question with the disputed items highlighted. Don't make any threats of legal action or hostility. If you are pleasant in your dealings with the agency, they are more likely to handle your claim quickly and with a satisfactory result. To get an idea of the type of letter you should write, you can look online for a credit repair sample letter that you can modify based on your own situation.

When you mail the letter, make sure it is registered or certified, and requires a signature card. That is proof that you handled it and in what time frame. Save copies of everything you do; originals, if you have them.

Something to watch for is to be very careful when you shop for big ticket items that require a credit card or loan. Do not give your name, address, and other information ? most especially your social security number ? until you are sure you will purchase the item. Otherwise, if you provide your information at multiple places, you might seriously hurt your credit with multiple inquiries for accounts that you never even open!

This is because whenever your credit report is pulled, your credit score is dinged to the tune of up to three points per inquiry! Now, if your credit score is a bit low, there are some strategies you can use to restore credit quickly. For one thing, make sure to bring any delinquent debts current. This will raise your credit score right away. You could even build a good payment history by charging something on a department store card, and paying it off in two payments.

Whatever else you may do, avoid being scammed by supposed credit repair companies. There are many of them online, and there are some less-than-honest attorneys too. Realize that credit agencies receive your information from all kinds of creditors, and there are no simple cures for bad credit.

But, if you feel a mistake has been made on your report, then you should write a credit dispute letter to either the lender, the credit reporting agency, or both. It's not hard to do, and it's the best way to ensure that your credit report contains accurate information.

About the Author:

We have a credit dispute letter thats right for you. Look up the credit restoration experts and benefit from their knowledge. Everything at the website is free so get what your looking for totally free.

Exchanging Currencies for Travel Abroad

By Graham Winborne

When traveling to foreign countries, travelers need to think about how and when they will convert their currency. Luckily, there are many options for travelers to choose from when it comes time to make the exchange. There are two major factors to look at when exchanging currency: the exchange rate and the amount of commission charged.

Travelers are often fooled into exchanging for the lowest rate, while being charged a high rate of commission on their transaction. The strength of the US dollar is an important concern when planning to pay for a trip. When the dollar is losing strength, it is best not carry the dollar. Also, if the dollar is losing strength, try to pay for expenses such as airfare and hotels in advance. This way, the large expenses are paid for when the dollar is at its potentially highest point, therefore benefiting you the most in terms of expense. Find out what the current exchange rate is at www.gocurrency.com.

Exchanging Currencies While Still in the States

While still in the states, travelers can exchange their currency at the local bank. Although this may seem to be a convenient way to prepare for your vacation, the costs associated with exchanging in this way can be large. Also, there are several online venues which allow you to pay American funds, and the currency you desire is then sent to your home. These sites generally offer decent exchange rates but charge fees and delivery charges. With these services, there is also the risk that the company is fraudulent or that the currency could be stolen while in transit. Exchanging a currency through this online medium may seem convenient, but be sure to weigh the risks involved.

Exchanging at Hotels and Airports

Your best bet is to exchange currency once you get to the country you'll be staying in. Your hotel may offer an exchange service, and once again, this may seem like a convenient alternative, but watch out. Hotels may charge fees of 20% or more to exchange currency, so try to stay away from hotel exchanges unless it is an emergency. Use one of the three free currency converters to find out how much extra your hotel is willing to charge you. Airports also offer an exchange, but as with hotel exchanges, airports tend to make a good deal of money off of the exchange.

Credit Cards

Many people travel abroad planning to put the majority of the charges on their credit card. Although credit cards generally offer the best exchange rates, you must be careful about using credit cards when the strength of the dollar is falling. Credit card transactions are not immediate, so when the dollar is falling you could end up with a less favorable exchange rate due to the time it takes for transactions to post. We recommend Canadian Credit Cards and Canadian Balance transfer credit cards with Travel Rewards Capabilities.

Don't Want to Carry Large Amounts of Cash?

If you don't feel like carrying cash all the time, ATM's are a convenient way to get foreign currencies. ATM's generally offer a good exchange rate, and are located in many places. One thing to consider before deciding to use an ATM to get cash is what fee your bank charges for withdrawing money abroad. These fees will add up, especially if you plan on using an ATM many different times throughout your trip.

Another alternative to cash is to bring travelers checks with you. Travelers checks can be replaced if they are lost or stolen, and can be used at exchanges to get the currency of the country you are in.

Banks

Another logical place to look to exchange currency is at banks. The exchange rate at banks is usually pretty good, although a bank has two alternatives as to what rate to provide. In some banks, the exchange rate depends on the supply and demand of the currency, and with this system, you end up with an exchange rate fairly close to the ones being offered in major exchanges. The second option is that the government of the country you are traveling sets the exchange rate, and all exchanges must stick to that rate. In either case, banks do offer a convenient way to exchange currency without incurring a large amount of costs.

No matter what way you plan on exchanging your money, be sure to bring along a list of current exchange rates. These rates can be found online or in many major newspapers. With this information in hand, you can judge where the best rates are being offered.

About the Author:

bchighway.com/financial-planning/canadian-credit-cards.html is dedicated to providing complete information on Canadian credit cards. Author Graham Winborne is a graduate of personal bankruptcy and continues to speak positively about getting out of debt

Tips for a Quick Cash Loan

By Chris Patterson

Stop the finical stress. There are always sudden, unexpected expenses weather they're an accident, death in the family, wedding, or medical bills. Be careful not to choose the wrong loan. It could easily cause more stress, and more problems in the future. When needed quick cash loans can be your new found friend, but you should to take sufficient time to be positive youre not going to end up in more financial trouble. Doing this will give you more confidence in your financial choices.

No body likes to pay the bills. When bills are due and late fees are inevitable, it may make more sense to find a temporary solution. Why pay the crazy late fees? Short term loans can help you, especially when late fees end up being more then the loan fees. Pull the facts together and weigh the pros, and cons, then make the most logical decision.

Relive financial deficit. Some how your a paycheck behind the bills and continue to gather. A quick cash loan could be your best way to get back on track. If done for the wrong reasons, or incorrectly it will cause a greater deficit, and even more problems.

Have a plan. Select your loan carefully, and compare multiple loans and lenders before making your decision. Your short term decision will effect your long term finical plans. Make sure to do your homework. Have a game plan to get back on track. Even if expenses need to be cut or dropped entirely or simple re-figured or simplified.

When it comes to this type of an emergency you can rush into something, or slow things down a bit. The dance moves quick, quick, slow suddenly come to mind. Seriously. When an emergency happens it happens quick, and then you need a quick solution. Well the next step is to slow down. Slow down long enough to make a quality decision. It's easy to make poor choices when youre stressed, and it's even harder to slow down. Chose to sleep on it, get a second opinion, and slow down.

About the Author:

Quick loans may be the solution you've been looking for. Learning more about a quick cash loan could save you money and relive stress.

Long-Term Care Insurance combined with Reverse Mortgages

By Terry Stanfield

As individuals age, the question of how to pay for their expenses in the troubling situation where they cannot take care of themselves comes up. Millions of seniors across America are beginning to look at the future and the possibility their children will have to pay the costs of their care, and some are doing something about it. Typically, it will come down to two choices for seniors. They can either go with long-term care insurance policies that will help keep them afloat financially while they are getting long-term care. The other option is they can look into a reverse mortgage to help finance their needs. The options of a reverse mortgage and long-term care insurance are becoming the two main ways seniors are paying for their own long-term care.

A reverse mortgage is a loan that is made to individuals 62 years and over in the United States, which is used to release home equity on a property in one large lump sum, or multiple payments. The homeowner is not obligated to repay the loan until they die, the home is sold or they leave into a nursing home.

For a typical mortgage, the owner of the house will pay a monthly payment to the lender, whereas in a reverse mortgage, the home owner makes no payments and all interest is added to the lien on the property. Now, it may seem odd that there are no payments on the reverse mortgage, but the way that the loan is paid off is that if the home owner moves, goes into a nursing home or dies, is from the proceeds in the sale of the house, or in the event the heirs refinance the estate of the homeowner. If the proceeds of the sale exceed the amount of the loan, the owner of the house gets the difference. In the case of the heirs, they would receive the difference. If the sale does not pay off the loan, then the bank will absorb the difference.

This option is becoming very popular with some seniors when they have to choose between reverse mortgages and long-term care insurance because they get a lot of the money upfront, which can then be applied to savings. The draw back is that it could severely effect the inheritance that you may want to leave behind. Long-term care insurance is an inexpensive way to insure that your family is taken care of.

Conclusion For many seniors, the possibility of their children paying out of their own pocket to take care of them is simply too much to bear. As a result, seniors will look at the options of reverse mortgages and long-term care insurance to find a way that they can pay their own way through either a loan or a government program. In the case of reverse mortgages, they will be able to get a loan that they will not have to pay back until they die or move, and even then the loan is paid off on the sale of the home. This allows them to get the money up front to help pay for their own long-term care at home. It is of little surprise it has become such a popular trend for seniors looking for a way to pay their own way.

About the Author:

Before you go out and buy a policy go to Long Term Care Insurance Quote, ask questions and request a long term care insurance. We represent 20 of the top LTCi providers. This gives you tremendous options.

Easy Pointers To Help You Achieve A Great Credit Score

By Frank Froggatt

If you are frightful of the millions of individuals across America who have wrecked their credit rating over the years, there are things you can execute to repair the harm.

Firstly and foremost, produce a replicate of your credit report and score. Every citizen is entitled to one free credit report annually. Once you've acquired your replicate, review it in detail to verify accuracy. They are genuinely rather easy, so taking note of faults or other discrepancies should be fairly easy. Any mistakes observed will need to be disputed and resolved since these mistakes will diminish your credit score.

The next affair you need to do in order to repair your credit report and score is to compensate your bills on time. Paying Off your charges is one of the most significant steps you can take to improve your credit score. Any charges that you have compensated late or had committed to a collecting bureau will show up on your credit report for several years.

It may be a good thought to set up an on-line bill pay account. This can often be done immediately through your online banking site and is relatively simple. This will help pay your accounts on time.

Credit cards should be paid on regularly and should not hold a balance of over 50% of the disposable limit. High balances and maxed out accounts will negatively affect your credit rating.

Preserve in mind that terrible credit determinations that are created of late will bear on your credit score even more than older credit problems. It is crucial to pay back all charges on time and not to default on loans and charge cards.

Likewise recognize that to many queries into your credit rating history by potential lenders will also have an unfavorable affect on your credit rating. Every query shows on your credit report and brings down your score.

If you have twelve diverse credit cards in your pocketbook probabilities are you are hurting your credit rating. It is good to sustain a small collection of credit cards that you yield standard payments to. It is not beneficial, however, to have innumerable cards from every mall vendor and company you have ever been through.

Make sure to be on your guard against swindles. When seeking to fix your credit score, be wary- there are masses out there merely looking for the opportunity to take advantage of you in your time of need. Get a credit fix book and then simply have a seat and get at it. With knowledge and purpose you will win.

About the Author:

You can get more FREE information on credit report monitoring services by browsing to www.creditfixrepairreport.com

Mortgages 101 For Home Buyers

By Evan Sage

A mortgage is an agreement between a lender and borrower where the borrower puts up a piece of real estate as collateral for a loan to purchase that property. There exist many different types of mortgages with many different options. Outlined below is a handful of different mortgage types and some of the options you may find.

A mortgage is considered conventional when the total loan amount is issued by an institutional lender (trust company, bank, etc.) and is less than seventy five percent of the purchase price or the approved value of the property. To put it simply when you put down twenty five percent or more as you down payment than you qualify for a conventional mortgage.

A mortgage is considered high ratio when you put down less than twenty five percent lesser of the purchase price or the appraised property value as a down payment. A high ratio mortgage must be insured, as required by The Bank Act.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is one of the institutions that is eligible to insure high ratio mortgages. The mortgagee risk is lessened as the insurance pays if the mortgagor defaults. Borrowers are required to pay an application fee, an insurance fee that is typically added to the principal amount of the mortgage, and the cost of a property appraisal.

The cost to insure a high ration mortgage can range from 0.5% to 3.75% of the mortgage amount, the insurance premiums are hefty and can include other administrative and appraisal fees in addition. To receive up-to-date restrictions, requirements and/or additional information that borrowers will need to meet to obtain NHA backing speak to your bank or mortgage broker.

It may potentially be financially beneficial to arrange a second mortgage instead of a high ratio first mortgage, as second mortgages fill the gap between the amount of the first mortgage and the total down payment. It may be advantageous to place a second mortgage on a home when the first is at a very attractive rate for situations like home improvements as they generally have a shorter term and higher interest rates than the first.

Many fees can get reduced or waived if you assume an existing mortgage so it may be to your advantage to look into any opportunities such as these that you come across. If a vendor has an existing mortgage that aligns with your overall financing requirements you may find yourself benefiting in more ways than one.

By Assuming existing financing, legal fees and appraisals are lessened, and the vendor may save by not having to pay a penalty for discharging his or mortgage. As most buyers find low interest rates enticing, existing mortgages are a good way to go, though one will likely still have to qualify as a borrower by the lender.

A low interest rate and liberal pre-payment privileges in combination with negligible fees make vendor take-back mortgages very enticing. They can be issued as a large first mortgage or a small second as the homeowner is the one who offers the financing themselves.

About the Author:

Evan Sage is an award winning Toronto Real Estate Agent specializing in working with clients who are downsizing their homes in Rosedale, and Lytton Park. Evan instills in his clients the confidence to make the right purchase or sale decision. He achieves this by demonstrating a superior knowledge of Toronto real estate and by educating his clients.

Filing for Bankruptcy: Some Important Things That You Should Know

By Michael Geoffrey

Often quite extensive, filing for bankruptcy is very rarely any sort of easy process. In fact, many people handling foreclosure proceedings run into some serious problems when they begin working on their claim. Even though it is true that a person who chooses to file for bankruptcy will be able to receive some legal protection, that does not mean that it is any less important to learn as much as is possible regarding the in depth process of filing for bankruptcy.

First off, is the need to ensure that there is in fact no other solution in sight because once you are bankrupt, it will reflect on your credit file for many years (as many as ten) to come?

Different Types of Bankruptcy

Having decided that you are indeed going to file bankruptcy, you next need to consider two important types of bankruptcy that will prove useful to you in your endeavors and which will also come in handy for you regarding how to file bankruptcy.

As an individual, you may learn that filing for chapter seven bankruptcies is the most popular option, while another option available is to file for chapter thirteen bankruptcies, and that because BAPCPA has more or less discouraged individuals from filing for chapter seven bankruptcies, you may be forced into filing for chapter thirteen bankruptcies instead.

It is also important to do thorough investigation on the various aspects of bankruptcy if you are seriously contemplating filing. Even though it might not be the most appealing choice, hiring a legal professional to assist you in the bankruptcy process may help you handle things in the best possible way. You should also investigate which lawyer or law firm you want to work with before making a choice.

After deciding which lawyer you are going to be working in conjunction with, speak with them about which chapter bankruptcy is right for you to file under. You need to know exactly what costs will be involved in your claiming bankruptcy. Besides the fees your lawyer will charge you, you will incur fees and charges related to the filing process.

Once you have spoken with your lawyer, make sure that all of your creditors understand that you have hired legal counsel and that their calls and questions should be directed to your attorney. This will prevent any creditors from getting in touch with you regarding debt after you file for bankruptcy.

About the Author:

Do you know how credit card reduction services can affect your credit score? There are some things you need to know before using these debt reduction services. Get the inside scoop on what you need to know on the Debt Smackdown website

Reverse Mortgage: Advantage and Disadvantages

By Matthew Sanz

Reverse mortgage is common in most home all over the country today. At the same time, house prices are also soaring while interest rates are at their record lows. Let's take a look at the reasons why despite the bad publicity that reverse mortgages had, they have managed to stay in the industry all these years to become the "in" thing for many borrowers today.

Nicknamed predatory loans, the reverse mortgage took more beating when it was embroiled in scandals. But in the last decade, it has earned more credibility after legislation required more upfront disclosures of costs.

A reverse mortgage is a mortgage product specially designed for homeowners aged 62 and older. Through this product, seniors can receive a loan against their home in the form of a lump sum, regular monthly checks or a line of credit. The loan is typically repaid with interest when the borrower sells the house, permanently moves, or dies.

Here are some of the reasons that borrowers resort to a reverse mortgage.

To Pay Down Remaining Mortgages - Homeowners use a reverse mortgage to pay down their remaining debt on their traditional mortgages and use the remainder to fund other retirement costs.

Unaffected Ownership - When the loan is accepted, the ownership of your house is not affected and you will still retain title to your home.

- The majority of the costs are paid for with the reverse mortgage loan.

Payment Period - Compared to a traditional home equity line of credit, a reverse mortgage allows debt payments, including interest and other costs, to be stalled until a later date, typically when the owner dies.

Price Changes - The debt can never go beyond the value of a home at the time that the loan is already repaid. This means that when soaring housing prices begin to drop, borrowers won't be held responsible for paying back a higher amount.

However, as more people become informed of the potential benefits that the reverse mortgage offers, they should also become aware that it has negative aspects.

Variable Rate - A reverse mortgage tends to be a variable rate mortgage loan that entails substantial front-end expenses to compensate for expenditures if ever the borrower exits early.

Higher Prices for Older Borrowers - The loan will be bigger for pricier homes and older borrowers.

Expensive and Complicated - According to advocates and financial planners, a reverse mortgage can become expensive and complicated. Therefore, seniors who are interested in applying for a reverse mortgage should first learn how it works. Before they look for a lender, they should be ready to receive independent counseling.

High Rates - Borrowers who choose to take the lump sum are slapped with higher interest payments compared to those who settle for installment checks or a line of credit. The reason for this is that, with the two latter choices, interest is only computed on the portion used.

While financial planners recommend that seniors only take a reverse mortgage if they plan to stay longer in their homes, evaluating the product's options may still be confusing. Before you apply for a reverse mortgage loan, make sure that you get impartial counseling first to help you decide if the product is right for you.

About the Author:

Check out more concerning the pros and cons of reverse mortgage. Find an online home loan equity mortgage calculator.

Making a Family Budget

By Samantha Asher

Whether you've just started a family and are new to the lifestyle, or you have several kids as old as high school age, it's likely your finances could use some help. If you are in debt, aside from a mortgage, you need to make some changes. If you have no retirement plan because you think you can't afford it, you need some help, too.

There are all kinds of debts. Some common debts of families include personal loans, auto loans, credit card debt, and any other types of debt or financing.

In order to pay off your debt, you have to cut back on spending, make more money, or do both. When you have all your debt paid off, you can begin saving an emergency fund and putting more money towards retirement and your kids' college.

By making a family budget, you can adjust your spending to start saving. I call it a family budget because your whole family needs to cooperate to make it work. You and your spouse need to be on the same page.

If you make a budget and your spouse continues to spend more than you planned, your hard work will go to waste. Likewise, if you continue handing cash to your kids whenever they ask, not only will you be wasting more money, but your kids will never learn to work for their money. Make them get a job and start earning their money.

Paying off debt is your first priority. Pay it off as soon as possible and save yourself a lot of money in interest. Open up a 401K or an IRA and start contributing towards retirement. The sooner you start, the more you'll have come retirement. If you set up a 401K with your employer, they might even match a percentage of or the entire amount of what you contribute, which means more free money.

If you feel trapped because you try to cut back and are still living barely within your means, take a serious look at your spending. Are you living in a house you can't afford? Your expenses are never as low as they can be if you can ever downgrade your living. Don't just look at cutting small expenses, also look to shave your big bills down.

Cut back wherever you can. Shop carefully and look for discounts wherever you can. Cut out any bills you don't need. For example, one cell phone for the entire family is more than enough. Do you really need cable? Do your errands all in one shot to save money.

About the Author:

Don't dismiss your family money management. It is very important. Get your personal money management and your families finances in order now.