Posted February 25, 2009 - 13:07 by Linsey Knerl
CreditKarma.com recently released a report that concluded about a third of consumer's credit scores have increased (that's good) during a period of October 2008 until January 2009. Suprisingly, one third also took a dive, while the other third remained relatively unchanged. Where do you stand in this U.S. Statistic? And how can you increase your score for free?
Posted February 14, 2009 - 12:50 by Xin Lu
On Friday both the House and the Senate passed a new $789 billion stimulus package as a continuation of the efforts by the United States Government to jumpstart the economy. A significant portion of the package gives a tax cut of $400 to each individual worker and $800 to a couple starting in June 2009. This works out to a paltry $13 per week for individuals making $75,000 or under per year and couples making $150,000 or under per year. How will you stimulate the economy with $13 a week?
Posted February 2, 2009 - 13:11 by Nora Dunn
Are your credit card interest rates getting to you? Are those monthly cell phone bills a pain in the wallet? How about cable TV? Internet? Even the power bill? Would you like to reduce these charges without the hassle of changing suppliers? Read on, my frugal friend.
Posted January 22, 2009 - 19:56 by Lynn Truong
The other day as I was going through my monthly process of paying bills, I noticed one of my credit cards suddenly had an increase in the minimum payment by double. Additionally, I saw a "SERVICE CHARGE *FINANCE CHARGE" line item for $10!
Posted January 22, 2009 - 12:23 by Lynn Truong
Spending only the cash you have is the best way to maintaining financial independence. However, I've always wondered if the cash-only system works for people who suck at keeping records.
Posted December 23, 2008 - 05:33 by Will Chen
Debit cards might be better than credit cards because in theory, you'll spend less if you are only paying with money you have. But how do debit cards stack up in terms of fees and fraud protection?
Posted December 16, 2008 - 13:11 by Nora Dunn
It is easy enough to say that you have a goal of being debt free in “x” months or years. You have crunched the numbers, and your plan is realistic and achievable. But why is it so hard to actually put into practice? Getting out of debt is the plight of many people, and the goal in and of itself is the downfall of many more. Here are a few tips to align your goals of debt reduction with the reality of making it happen.
Posted December 10, 2008 - 19:51 by Linsey Knerl
I've always considered myself to be an educated credit card user. I keep my balances low, pay on time, and don't do anything that could potentially come back to haunt me.. Little did I know, that by playing it cool, I was putting myself at risk for being treated like a criminal.
Posted November 25, 2008 - 15:17 by Xin Lu
Today a new rescue program called the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF) was announced by the Treasury and Federal Reserve to support owners of securities backed by credit card debt, student loans, auto loans, and loans approved by the Small Business Administration. Supposedly this initiative will free up consumer credit, but the question is, are we really in need of more debt right now?
Posted November 18, 2008 - 07:47 by Julie Rains
Layaway never completely disappeared from the retail landscape but it’s become more prominent with promotions by some national chains and locally-owned shops. Instead of paying for merchandise in full with paper (cash, check) or plastic (credit card, debit card), you enter into an agreement to pay over time, taking possession of an item after you have finished paying. From a financial-discipline and delayed-gratification perspective, layaway is a great concept. Here are questions to ask to make sure a layaway program makes sense for you.
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