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6 Ways to Make Your Mortgage Application Easier
Applying for a mortgage is a huge step in the homebuying process. After you’ve taken the steps to improve your credit, save for a down payment and even start shopping for homes, the most daunting step can be actually applying for the mortgage.
Because mortgages are the most expensive loan you’ll take out in your life, there are a bevy of regulations, loan terms, fees, steps and signatures required before you can close and start moving in. However, it doesn’t have to be as complicated as you believe it to be.
Ten Red Flags of Financial Infidelity and What to Do About It
Financial infidelity is one of the most dangerous things that can happen in a marriage. When one spouse is making significant financial moves without the knowlege of the other, it endangers the financial future of both people and exhibits a disregard for the most fundamental parts of a healthy marriage: trust and communication.
Financial infidelity can simply wreck a marriage when it is uncovered. When a partner discovers a credit card statement that’s charged up to the limit without ever knowing that card existed, their trust for their partner and their idea of financial security are tossed aside simultaneously.
The tricky aspect of financial infidelity is that it can be very hard to detect at times. You might have a sense that something is amiss with your finances, but actually finding out what’s wrong can be a real challenge.
Year-by-Year College Financial Checklist
Here’s a semester-by-semester glance at money moves to make and milestones not to miss. Photo: Francisco Osorio
While there are steps you can take to ease your student loan debt at any age, you may actually have the most control over it while you’re still in school. Here’s a semester-by-semester glance at money moves you should make and milestones not to miss.
How to Declutter Your Home in a Weekend Without Spending a Dime
Got clutter? Follow these steps to reclaim your home this weekend. Photo: distelfliege
When your home is a cluttered wreck, it can be hard to summon the motivation to tackle the chores you’ve been putting off and to toss or organize your scattered possessions. To make matters worse, you’re crunched for time and it’s tough to get anything done around the house, no matter how hard you try.
I never seem to have enough time, so I completely understand your frustration. But sooner or later — maybe after you trip on an errant toy or lose an important file — you’ll hit your breaking point. When you’ve had enough, it’s time to do something about it.
Best Car Insurance Companies of 2016
Price: It’s the single most important factor for a lot of car insurance shoppers. Choosing a policy based on rates alone could cost far more out of pocket when filing a claim, however, and, statistically speaking, that will happen to each driver at least once every 18 years. It pays to get the right amount of coverage, whether it’s the cheapest package or not.
The best auto insurance companies have more than just competitive prices; they also offer versatile coverage options, superior customer service, a solid financial report, and an excellent shopping experience. I researched all of those factors and discovered that only four of the nation’s biggest insurers impressed me enough that I would recommend them to family and friends.
Wine, Blind Taste Tests, and Your Money
You’re standing at the grocery store looking at a large selection of wines. You know you want a red wine to go well with your pasta meal this evening. One is $5.99 per bottle. Another is $19.99 per bottle and has a little tag bragging about the score it received in some wine magazine. Which one is likely to bring you more enjoyment?
Believe it or not, the difference between the wines amounts to a complete coin flip. Professional wine judges, when faced with duplicate blind taste tests, fail to accurately repeat their grading of wines. From this study, with my own emphasis added:
Are You Covered?
Insurance is essentially a form of protection for the things you value most. Photo: Jenny Downing
Insurance is a form of protection for the things you value most in life. It helps you manage risk by promising to assume some or all of the financial burden caused by unexpected events such as fire, accidents, illness, or death. But not everyone has the same insurance needs. As you accumulate more of value in your life — a car, a home, a child — there’s more you need or want to protect.
Best Cloud Storage Providers for 2014
Over the past 20 years, data has moved out of your hard drive and into the cloud. The world is becoming more and more mobile without compromising accessibility. Luckily, technology has quickly advanced to accommodate our newfound lifestyles.
Cloud storage providers enable individuals and businesses to easily transfer files to secure networks in order to free up device space while allowing for seamless collaboration between multiple parties.
This article is part of a series in which The Simple Dollar is doing some deep dive research into money saving tools that can help your business thrive.
In this article, I’ll discuss the what, why, and how of cloud storage for businesses. The “when” is clear: If you’re not utilizing the cloud, the time is now. We’ll also explore the best of the best cloud storage providers for business in specific arenas, as well as The Simple Dollar’s Top Picks based on overall performance.
Maternity Leave for Women Entrepreneurs
As an entrepreneur, you’ll have to create your own maternity leave. Plan ahead so you can enjoy your new baby without worrying about your business. Photo: Ray Dumas
In addition to the steady paycheck, another big perk of working in the corporate world is often the benefits package. For some, that includes six to 12 weeks of maternity leave.
When you become an entrepreneur, the safety net quickly vanishes, and you’re left all alone to find your way. For this reason, many female business owners barely take a break after giving birth — because they simply can’t afford to be away from their company for an extended period of time.
Ten Questions to Ask Yourself Before Making a Purchase
There are few things that leave me feeling worse than an impulsive purchase that wound up being a piece of junk or wound up sitting in the closet gathering dust.
Not only am I frustrated with the item itself, I’m also frustrated with me. It was my own personal choice to go ahead and make that purchase. It was my money that vanished into something poorly made or something that I didn’t find useful.
That money represents lost opportunity. I could have saved that for the future. I could have spent that on something that was genuinely useful or something that I genuinely enjoyed.
My solution to all of this is to be rather careful about how I spend my money. Before I buy anything at all, I ask myself at least a few of the questions on this list. Before any significant purchase, I ask myself all of the questions on this list.
I don’t make a purchase unless I can get honest answers to those questions.
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