The Top 10 Ways to Take Back Control of Your Finances

If you're like many people these days you have a least some issues regarding your personal finances. Far too many people are living paycheck to paycheck and are barely keeping their heads above water. These people often find themselves being just one missed paycheck from financial disaster.

Perhaps you are only making the minimum payment on your credit cards each month. You could be one of the unfortunate people who are finding they need to use their credit cards for regular expenses like groceries. Or maybe you just feel like no matter how much you make, you seem to spend it as fast as you get it.

Whatever your situation you probably just want to regain control of your personal finances. There is the way to control your spending, get out of debt and build savings. Yes. I said it. Build your savings.

There is a relatively simple way of taking back control of your money. Like all endeavors, it starts at the beginning. Here are the Top 10 ways to begin to get your finances under your control.

1. Decide to do it.
This can be as hard or as simple as you want it to be. There are many people who will read this article with the intention of taking back their financial future. Too many will read all of the suggestions and then they will do nothing. Don't be one of those people. Make your decision now.

2. Commit to do it.
Unlike the 1st suggestion, this one may not be as easy for some. Only your commitment to take control of your finances will lead to success. You can't wish it, want it, hope for it or just say you'll do it. You must commit to doing it and committing means taking action immediately. Like as soon as you are finished reading this article. You will only succeed by taking action.

3. Make a list of all spending.
No, I didn't say expenses, I said spending. All of it from food, prescriptions, credit cards, mortgage, car payments and car insurance, newspaper and magazine subscriptions, etc. Take your time. It is likely that you will miss a few things the first time you sit down to make your list. Don't worry about that. You can always add in the things you may have forgotten later on.

4. Really know where the money goes.
Now, you might think I'm repeating number 3 but I'm not. The best way to know where your money is going is very simple. For one month you will record in writing every check you write, every credit card purchase and every dollar and cent that you spend. This is the only accurate way to know how much you are spending each month.

5. Separate the needs from the wants. Like step 1, this step will be as easy or as hard as you choose to make it. But it is very simple. Food = need. Fast-Food = want. You don't need expensive clothing, shoes, etc. You want them. If you're committed to this, you'll find that your wants are things you can do without, at least for a while. Master this and you've gone a long way to regaining control of your finances.

6. Make a realistic budget.
And stick to it. It is not about depriving yourself but it is about money management.

7. Pay yourself first.
Yes, you're reading that right. You get paid first. This will become what the rest of the world calls savings. It is to be used for your future or unplanned emergencies should they arise and too often they do. Having some money in the bank can help cushion the blow.

8. Find ways to save on your needs.
If you want control of your spending then rid yourself of any issues you may have about shopping at discount stores, using coupons any buying store brand items over name brand.

9. Reduce your debts.
To reduce your revolving debt such as credit cards, you should either pay off the smallest balances first or pay off the debts with the highest interest first. There are different schools of thought on this, but you have to decide which is best for you.

10. Set goals and when you reach them, reward yourself.
This last one may sound contrary to all the suggestions that have come before, but it is not. As I said in number 6, this is not about depriving yourself. It's about properly managing your money. If you're following these suggestions and succeeding in getting back control of your money then rewarding yourself a little now and then is a good thing. It adds incentive to reach your goals.

And there you have it. The top ten ways to begin gaining control of your personal finances and in doing so, take back control of your life. It's your money. It should under your control.

Tom Schaffer is an ex-Bill Collector who has escaped from the corporate world to pursue affiliate marketing at http://www.jerseyshoremarketing.com. He's using his powers for good helping people regain their financial freedom. One way to do that is http://www.jerseyshoremarketing.com/redirect77.html

Can I Really Afford to Be a Stay at Home Mom?

Whether you've been a stay at home mom for a while or are just starting out, this is one of those questions that can really hit you hard. Going down to a single income as a family is quite a tough choice in most cases. And in the current uncertain economy it can be even easier to feel guilty about not contributing to the family's finances.

Directly, that is. As in earning money.

Indirectly, there's plenty a stay at home mom can do. She is often the one to handle all the shopping and keeping track of all the bills. If you don't think that has an impact on the family finances, think again.

Your first consideration is always how the family will manage to get by with one income rather than two. Sometimes the answer is quite surprising. Depending on what you earn, by the time taxes and the costs of wardrobe, eating out, childcare and so forth come out, you aren't bringing that much home. Sometimes it can easily be made up for; other times it will take more planning.

If having one parent stay at home is going to be a huge sacrifice for your family, take a look at what can be cut. Don't start with the grocery bill. Just because you have to buy food every week doesn't mean it's the most important bill.

Instead, start with your regular bills and figure out what can be cut. Cutting your cable plan down to basic can save you a nice chunk of money every month, and you probably won't even miss most of the channels you drop. Decide if you really need both a landline telephone and a cell phone. Then decide if one or the other should be dropped.

Cutting those monthly expenses makes a lot of sense. It's savings you won't have to think about every time you go shopping.

But the biggest savings of all can be in paying down credit card debt.

Credit card debt, as a rule, is expensive. Much worse than paying for a mortgage. If you can get it paid down, your budget will have far more leeway, and that's vital if you have only one income coming in.

You should also take some time to think about the things you spend money on, but really shouldn't. A lot of people, for example, get new cell phones regularly, even though the old one is perfectly good. Same goes for televisions when they decide it's time for a big screen unit. The list goes on and the numbers add up.

Get those other expenses in control as well as thinking about how you spend money at the grocery store. The broader your efforts the more you will save.

Handling the "What Ifs"

There are a lot of what ifs that you should face if you want to be a stay at home mom. The biggest one is "What if the situation changes?"

"What if your husband loses his job?"

"What if the two of you separate or divorce?"

"What if a medical issue comes up?"

You do need to have a backup plan in case anything happens. Obviously you hope that none do, but life happens. Better to plan ahead than to be caught unawares.

This means keeping up your own job skills, whether or not you work at home. Having savings. Talking about how potential problems will be handled. Not panicking if something does happen.

You may never need your backup plans. But if you do, you will be very grateful to have some idea what to do to keep your family going. The middle of a crisis is a rotten time to have to figure all this out.

Being a stay at home mom has its own challenges. Just due to personality differences it's not for everyone. But many learn to love it, and soon have trouble imagining doing anything else.

Stephanie Foster runs http://www.homewiththekids.com/ as a resource for stay at home moms. She offers more ways to afford to stay at home at her site.

Debt Collections: How To Pay Off Accounts In Collections

Next to bankruptcy, having an account in collections is the worst entry you can have on your credit report. It will lower your score, and make it difficult- if not impossible- to obtain new credit. Creditors realize that if you have an account in collections that it went unpaid for a long period of time, and it makes them fear that if they lent you money they would not receive payments on time, either. Once you have an account in collections, your goal is to improve your credit and get the collections accounts deleted, or at the very least, updated on the credit report to say "Paid as agreed", "Current", or "Settled".

The damage is done the moment the account is reported as being in collections. Before you pay off that collection account, you want to negotiate with the debt collector to have the credit report updated to one of the more favorable notations, as described above. You do not want to deal with the nightmare that many people face because they didn't negotiate with the creditor and get the intention in writing for the update of your credit report- some people have paid accounts off that are in collections and their credit report is not updated. For at least seven years after the account is paid off; the individuals end up having problems getting new credit because the account still appears in negative status on the credit report.

The Best Scenario for You

The best you can hope for in terms of improving your credit is to have the collector delete the account from your credit report entirely. Send a "pay for delete" letter to the collector, and offer a settlement payment that you will pay them in exchange for the deletion of the account from your credit report. Get the collectors response in writing before you make a payment, to be sure you have proof of the arrangement in the event they don't follow through with their end of the bargain.

If you prefer to call the debt collector, you chance being recorded saying something that can be used against you in a judgement case. You'll want to get the agreement from the collector in writing anyway, so it's a good idea to do this in writing anyway.

Debt collectors do not have to remove accurate entries from your credit report, even if you offer a settlement, so not all debt collectors will agree to this scenario.

Second Best Scenario for You

There are a number of collectors who will hold out in hopes of getting the payment in full and will refuse to delete the account from your credit report in exchange for a settlement (less than amount owed) payment. If this is your situation, you'll have to offer to pay the full amount to get the collector to delete the account from your credit history report.

Not as Good, But Acceptable!

There are some collectors who simply refuse to remove an entry from your credit report, even when you've made payment. You would then want to get the collector to agree to update the notation to "Paid in Full"; whether you make a settlement payment or the full amount.

Unfortunately, a number of collectors won't report it as "paid in full" if you settle. If you get the debt collector to agree to a settlement payment, but not "paid in full", it would still be acceptable and better than your current situation to have the account reflect "Paid- Settled" on your credit report. It will not result in an instant, huge boost in your credit score, but it is certainly better than the situation you're in now (having the account in collections) and is the best alternative if you can't get it deleted or marked "Paid in full" for making a partial payment. (If you have the money to pay the account in full, do it because the notation on your credit report for an account paid in full is much better for you over the long term!)

This article has been provided courtesy of Destroy Debt, http://www.destroydebt.com

Use The Statute Of Limitations Of Debt To Your Advantage

Debt collectors do not have an indefinite period of time to continue trying to collect payments from old debts. There is an "expiration date", called the Statute of Limitations, that prevents debt collectors and/or the original lender, from pursuing you for the rest of your life on old debts. Before you go ahead and send in a payment on an old debt, check to be sure that the statute of limitations hasn't expired. If the expiration date has passed, you may be protected by law and not liable for that debt.

Use the Statute to your Advantage

The statute of limitations starts for the date of "last activity" on the account, as presented on your credit report. This is not always the last date of your payment. If you've communicated with the debt collector beyond the date you made the payment, and they've updated your credit report to show the new date as the date of last activity, the statute of limitations will start from that date.

Sometimes the statute of limitations has expired but debt collectors continue their attempts to collect because they hope the debtors do not know about the statute and that they'll pay with enough threats. If you are 100% certain the statute of limitations has expired, you can simply ignore them. If a lawsuit is brought against you, you'll have justification in that the time limit has expired for the collection of that debt.

If you enter a payment agreement, talk to the collectors or promise to make a payment; you will restart the statute of limitations to day one!

How Do You Know Your Statute of Limitations?

Each state has a different time period that collectors are allowed to pursue the collection of old debts. Check The Statute of Limitations on Debt for your states statute of limitations. Keep in mind if you move from one state to another, the debt collector may attempt to restart the statute of limitations for the new state; or extend the time period under the laws of the new state if they happen to be longer!

What the Statute of Limitations Can't Do For You

Many people think the statute of limitations is their free ticket out of repaying a debt. Unfortunately, while it can help it certainly is not the magic solution.

It cannot:

* Prevent the debt from being reported on a credit report. The reporting of bad debt follows the credit reporting time limit allowances, so even if the debt has passed the statute of limitations, it can appear for several more years and affect your credit score.

* Erase debt. If you really owe that amount, the statute of limitations doesn't indicate that you don't owe the debt.

* Prevent a debt collector from filing a lawsuit against you. They will not be able to win (in most cases!) if the statute of limitations has passed, but you may still have to go through the ordeal of a court case.

This article has been provided courtesy of Destroy Debt, http://www.destroydebt.com

Frugal in Small Things, Credit Card Lover for Big Things

I know a lot of people who carry a rather large amount of debt, yet they claim to be frugal. And they are... with small things. They try not to eat out a lot, keep driving that same old paid off car, and watch what they spend on groceries.

But where they go wrong is with the technology.

A lot of people get into debt because they want the latest and greatest technology. This has become particularly prevalent in areas such as home theater, cell phones, video gaming systems and MP3 players. Even people who don't have a lot of money too often have the latest gadgets in these areas.

And it means they carry quite a bit of debt.

Having nice things is wonderful, but as a rule if it's making you go into debt you need to rethink your money strategies. For example:

* Do you really need a big screen television, or can you keep using your old one until either it dies or you have the money saved up for the big screen. Try to avoid putting it on credit.

This is particularly challenging for people right now, with the upcoming switch to digital broadcasting that will make some televisions require additional equipment to receive signals. Many would rather just upgrade the whole set. But if you don't have the money for a new set, be financially smart and start saving. There's still time, and there are coupons from the government for the equipment to adapt your old TV.

* Video games and movies get expensive fast if you buy them. But if you're buying several a month, consider a Netflix, Blockbuster or GameFly subscription. Just think how often you really watch even your favorite movies, or how many games you really need to have available to play at any one time. If you're spending more than the cost of a monthly subscription to one of these services on purchases, they can probably save you money and give you a greater variety.

* Think before you upgrade. People love to upgrade cell phones, MP3 players and such because they want all the new features? How much do you really need those features? Can it wait another year or two?

My own cell phone is 3 years old. It doesn't take pictures, although it does have a color screen. I've never downloaded a ringtone or texted anyone. Sure, some of those features would be nice, but do they matter on my budget? No.

Learning to be frugal even in these areas can be a huge help to your overall financial picture. It takes some self control, and you have to remember that having the latest technology is really not that important. Just think of the money you could save so that you have a cushion in case of a lost job, an illness or other circumstance. Spread out your frugality to cover all the ways you spend your money, while still enjoying your life.

Stephanie Foster blogs at http://credit-blog.findcreditonline.com/ about using money and credit wisely. Get more tips on spending your money wisely at her site.

Is Your Home at Risk?

How can a homeowner know that their greatest asset - their house - is in danger? What are some of the early warning signs of foreclosure? There are a couple clear signs that can't be ignored, but some signals of financial peril are a bit more subtle. Whether you live in San Diego or the Bronx, foreclosures are happening around you every day. Knowing what the warning signs are will ensure that you'll know if your home is at risk.

An obvious sign of clear and present danger is missed mortgage payments. Unlike a late water bill or a missed payment on a store credit card, lenders take mortgage payments very seriously. Missing a mortgage payment is serious business. Lenders will usually begin calling you when the grace period passes after your first missed mortgage payment.

Although it's an embarrassing situation, do not avoid their calls. Tell them exactly what's going on, and they may be surprisingly understanding. Good communication is very important, so be sure to let them know the state of things and when you hope to make your payment. Missing even just one mortgage payment will damage your credit score considerably, so try to set up a payment plan rather than avoid your lender's phone calls and letters. If you ignore the lender, they will send your information to a loss mitigation company or lawyer.

Watching time lapse without taking action is the single worst thing you can do. Once your mortgage isn't completely current, your lender may begin the foreclosure process by filing a "notice of default," which pretty much means pay up or get out. This officially starts your reinstatement period, which means you need to pay all of the fees and late payments or else a date of sale will be established. If more time is allowed to pass, you will receive a "notice of sale" and your home will be put up for sale by your lender. You and your family will be evicted once the process has gone this far.

There are also more subtle signs that your home is in danger. When you purchased your home, did you sign on for a 30 year fixed mortgage, or did you sign up for "creative" financing to lower your payment? If your payments are slated to increase and you can barely afford the bills you currently have, it's time to consider getting out of your house before it's too late. Selling a home in today's market may take a long time, so don't wait until you're in over your head to make a move.

The worst thing you can do during this process is to pretend that there isn't a problem. If you don't take actions to prevent foreclosure, you and your family will most certainly lose your home. As soon as you think there is a slight chance you won't be able to make your mortgage payment in the future, you need to look into your options. Don't just bury your head in the sand and hope it will all work out for the best. The longer you wait, the fewer the options available to you.

Don't let foreclosure happen to you. It is possible to sell your home long before the foreclosure process reaches its ugly end. Find a trusted realtor or foreclosure counselor and find out your options before your credit is totally destroyed and you lose your home. It is better to sell your home than to have it taken away from you. A little bit of planning and the help of an expert realtor in this situation can make or break your financial situation for the rest of your life.

Kari Shea, of Shea Real Estate & Investment Group, is an accomplished business professional and community leader in the San Diego, California area. With more than 45 years of collective sales, marketing and consulting experience; the Group are master negotiators in the marketing and selling of real properties. Learn more about their services at: www.shea-realestate.com.

How You Can Put Your Debts On Autopilot & Concentrate On Wealth

If you have seen or read about the Law of Attraction within the last 12 months then you will be aware that one of the principles explained about the way most people have been dealing with their credit card and loan debts is actually wrong.

According to the teachings of the Law of Attraction, you will bring about what you think about and if you are thinking about debt in anyway then you will attract more debt.

You may say that it is get out if debt, but if you truly understand the principles of applying this law to your life you will know that the universe does not distinguish any difference between get out of debt or get in debt, it just hears the word debt.

The only way you can truly get out of debt is to set up an automatic debt repayment programme and focus on wealth and prosperity. This is not as hard as it may sound and there are plenty of products and advice to help you do just that if you know where to look.

As the emotions attached to debt are usually negative ones, such as worry, doubt and anxiety these types of negative thoughts produce negative emotions and feelings. Debt has a way of dominating your every thought and every more to the point where you can find yourself worrying so much that it may even result in depression.

You see reasons why you cannot do something rather than ways that you can. You expect bills in the mail all the time and you are being constantly reminded by the credit card companies that there is an overdue payment.

Unless you can replace these negative emotions with positive ones you may spend a very long time trapped in debt and all that goes with it. However as revealed through the study of The Law of Attraction, by putting those debts on the back burner, you will free up your mind and thoughts to be able to focus on wealth and prosperity.

It is only when our bodies are completely at ease that energy can flow freely through it and you may suddenly find yourself with that million dollar idea once you able to shift your thoughts and emotions from negative ones to positive ones.

This is not to say that being in debt is not to be taken seriously, it is about changing the way you feel about being in debt. By being able to deal with your debt so that it is not out of control and is going day by day without having to use your energy on it you will soon find that you feel more in control of everything you do and regain a positive outlook on life.

Diane Cossie has creatively brought together an imaginative way to put your debts on autopilot. The manual is available to download straight from the website at http://www.debt-on-autopilot.co.uk

A Money Transfer Comparison of Xoom, Moneybookers, Western Union and Ikobo

Here is a comparison of four of the main companies providing money transfer services around the globe:

Ikobo cards: This is a re-loadable prepaid visa debit card. It is in no way linked to your bank account meaning there is no need for any credit checks; very useful for those people with a bad credit rating. You can transfer money on to the card and then this can be withdrawn from any ATM anywhere in the world which has the Visa sign. To gain an Ikobo card you simply order one directly from them and have it sent to whom ever you want.

The Ikobo card works as follows: the card is sent via FEDEX to any individual in the world and can only be utilized by using the four digit pin code which only the recipient will be aware of. There is virtually no risk of more than the available amount of money being used as it is not linked directly to a bank account. The card can simply be reloaded using a secure online service where you can transfer funds instantaneously from any of the many supported currencies.

Main Advantages: cash withdrawals from visa atms worldwide, minimal reload costs, assignable to anyone worldwide, minimal credit checks required, avoids the need to carry large amounts of travelers cheques.

Main Disadvantages: these cards can only be used with Visa atms (occasionally limited and there is no credit limit available).

Western Union: Fund transfers with western union can be done either online or physically at a money transfer agent. Usually the funds will be available within minutes however to comply with anti money-laundering laws sometimes you are required to making a confirmation phone call before the money is released. A confirmation of money collection is also sent to the sender.

For online transfers and transfers made from an agent location the only information required are the personal names and details of the sender and the receiver. The send if at a agent location needs to provide their passport as must the receiver on collection. When the sender sends the money they receive a personal MTCN number (Money Control Number) which they then need to pass on to the receiver so that they can make the collection.

Main Advantages: funds transferred within minutes, transfers can be made online or offline, receiver will collect the money inn local currency, there is a huge network of agent locations around the world, receiver does not need a bank account to receive funds and there are other message services available as well.

Main Disadvantages: Generally this is one of the most costly money transfer providers; you may be required to make a phone call from your home address to confirm a transfer.

Xoom Money Transfer: This service works through the following process online: enter the recipients contact information, enter the amount you wish to send, select a delivery method- money can be collected, hand delivered or entered into your bank, credit card or paypal account. Enter your payment details bank, credit card or paypal account details. Press send and then let your recipient know the money is on the way. You will then be issued with a Xoom tracking number.

Main Advantages: the transfer fees are more competitive than from other companies, online transactions and the ability to transfer direct into US bank accounts also make it a very attractive option.

Main Disadvantages: The main limitatation is that they do not operate in as many countries as do some of the other companies, for example no service is available to transfer money to Thailand a very popular destination for sending and receiving money.

Moneybookers: With this company again you are required to register but the web-site has been created with similar security levels as sites containing banking services and share trading services.

After registering all you need is your email address and password to make payments and the receiver doesn't need a money bookers account. You follow the onscreen process to register your cards and then you are able to pay at over 3500 online shops so you don't need to show them each time you want to make purchases.

Money bookers supports 12 languages and payment in local currency is available in over 30 countries. They provide customer support through an online messaging which deals with enquiries quickly and efficiently.

Main Advantages: Very competitive transfer fees, additional services like sending SMS and faxes are available and instantaneous money transmissions as borderless as the internet.

Main Disadvantages: They don't quite have the scale or mass network as other more established companies do.

So, there you have four of the main companies available for money transfers outlined for you. There are plenty of other options besides; this is just to show you the variety and scope of services available. Both the number of money transfer companies and services available are growing daily so if you need to make a money transfer don't rush, have a look at a few different companies, check the small print and find the one that suits you the most.

Money transfer review provides money saving comparison charts and money transfer advice and tips, simply click:
Money Transfer to discover more.

How To Be Responsible With Credit Cards

Credit cards are wonderful little things, but in order to get the most out of one, the best thing to do is just not use it at all. Yes, I know it sounds backwards, but the best way for a credit card to benefit you is to simply put it up somewhere and not use it unless you absolutely have to. If you do have to use it, pay it off every month and watch your credit score skyrocket.

The problem with credit cards is that when people get them, they automatically feel the urge to use them and quite often, that urge is not easily quieted by a simple small purchase here and there. No, you want to use it on something big. You have a $3,000 credit line, right? Why not spend half of it on a new big screen TV?

Interest. That's why not.

The interest that you can accumulate by purchasing a big ticket item such as a new television or an entertainment system can be huge and unless you are sure you are going to have the money to pay the purchase off quickly, steer clear of these things.

Another thing to steer clear of completely is using the card all the time for small purchases, because this can become even more habitual. You do not see the harm in using it for a $5 purchase here, a $10 purchase there, but those quickly add up into balances of hundreds or thousands of dollars and you will wonder how you spent all that money.

Unless you are responsible enough to keep your debt in other areas under control (such as house payments or rent, car payments, bills, services, and etcetera) without using the credit card to play keep up, then having a credit card is really not for you. Stay away from them until you learn to manage your finances well without them.

Credit cards are very useful for those responsible few of us who can handle them, but no one needs one. If you want the convenience of not having to carry cash, you could carry a debit card instead, but make sure you do not leave your pin number anywhere in your wallet or purse where a thief could gain access to it and your checking account. You can cancel your credit card, but it's harder to cancel the cash in your checking account if your debit card is stolen.

Dror Klar is a writer in the field of finances and is currently assisting those in need of cash advances and payday loans, particularly in the state of New York.

Maximizing Your Grocery Coupons Results In These Big Savings

How I saved $92.89 last week. With the rising cost of gas and personal dwindling savings, I have found it even more imperative to find ways to cut cost and save. In reassessing my financial state, I noticed that one of my greatest expenses was in the area of grocery. A hundred dollars a week in groceries can easily add up to over $500 a month! Yes, this is one of those necessary expenses we have that tend to reach deep into our pockets and leave behind only a few pieces of chump change after all is said and done.

So what is the solution since everyone needs to eat and groceries need to be bought? I have found that what worked well in the past still works well today. You guessed it, GROCERY COUPONS! I used to clip coupons at one point but took a hiatus because I stopped receiving the Sunday newspaper which housed the coupons. Recently, I have started printing free coupons and clipping them again and am carefully watching my savings grow. Let me give you a concrete example of a grocery receipt that I had recently:

Total Cost $140.65
Balance $47.76
Total number is items sold = 29
VERIFIED TOTAL SAVINGS $92.89

My purchases at Ralphs Grocery store totaled $140.65. I used free printable coupons and regular coupons which saved me a total of $48. However, I ended up only paying $47.76 with a verified total savings of $92.89.

How did I do that?

I saved more than the coupon value because of double coupons. Double coupons are coupons that are scanned twice to save the customer double the amount. For example, if the grocery coupon was good for $1.00 off, you would end up saving $2.00 because of double coupons, imagine if you had printed a coupon that was $2.00 off! This is an automatic savings feature at the grocery store. But note that not all grocery stores are the same!

As of today, in my area, only Ralphs doubles all their coupons automatically. It used to be that both Ralphs and Vons doubled their coupons but Vons Grocery Store had discontinued their program. Couple the double coupon savings at Ralphs with their Ralphs Club program (a program with free membership that allows additional savings) and you can save up to triple the coupon amount.

Using this method, I ended up paying

* $1.00 for laundry detergents
* $4.50 for jumbo size Pull-up diapers
* $5.00 for jumbo size Huggies & Pamper diapers
* $1.00 for a large container of baby wipes
* $0.00 (free) for a 64 oz bottle of Juicy Juice

and so forth.

What is the work involved in clipping coupons, free printable coupons and using them to their maximum capacity?

* First, print your free printable coupons.
* Second, check the grocery advertisements that are mailed out each week. Look for items on sale and use the coupon then.
* Third, make sure you use the coupons at Ralphs Grocery Store (or any other grocery stores with double coupon offer) if they are having sales on the item in which you have the coupon. Sometimes other grocery store (which does not have the double coupon program) may have an item on sale that Ralphs does not. In this case, using the grocery coupons at the other grocery stores may end up giving you a greater savings.

Furthermore, you can save even more when you purchase your groceries with a credit card that give 5% or 6% cash back (please refer to my credit card article). If you pay $100 in groceries with a cash back credit card, you can get $5 or $6 cash back.

Since doing all these steps, I have found that my grocery costs have dropped down to a third or half of what it used to cost. I am able to save money as well as buy more quantity and higher quality foods for my family because of this and I get to try new foods that I would not otherwise buy!

For those with children on a low income budget, consider government assisted programs such as WIC. WIC stands for Women, Infants, and Children. This program helps families with children to buy the necessary foods without cost. For more information, go to the WIC Program

Min Zhu, the author, offers tips to help moms provide for their family.
Grocery Coupons

Tips For Women Lending Money To Family Or Friends For Investments

Having raised three sons I can remember the words loud and clear, a, can I borrow a dollar? As they grew so did the amount. Never once in thirty-seven years did I plan on seeing any of that money I loaned to them again.

They are grown men now and wear the white cowboy hats of the family. If anyone of them requested funds there would be no questions asked because they have proven over and over their integrity, honesty and loyalty to us. And all three make quite a handsome income compared to their dear old parents.

Lending money is inherently an emotional situation for all parties involved and usually more so for the female member. It is a common practice for a female to be the caregiver and to please loved ones and friends.

There are other family members that wear the black cowboy hats and have caused much friction, disappointment and family rifts that have spread deep roots within the relations.

Holidays, graduations, births, baptisms and all other family gatherings can become strained.

A temporary crisis isnt always so temporary and can quickly become an uncomfortable situation if the lender has to ask for the money to be repaid. It's the same rule as gambling: Don't loan what you can't afford to lose. If you don't have cash lying around, a loan might not be feasible.

Everyone wants to be a good friend, but no one enjoys feeling like someone is taking advantage of their generosity. It is better not to lend and have a friend, than to lend and lose both. Therefore, as a couple we have set up rules for conducting successful financial transactions with friends and family. Perhaps they will help you also.

Tips To Consider Before Lending Money

If you are lending money to someone close to you and if you're financially able, consider making it a gift rather than a loan. This way it will not be a burden upon your mind nor your heart. (If it is repaid fine, however, certain people in your life are special enough for this deed without them even knowing.)

To make collecting a debt easier and more comfortable for all use a service called PayPal. This makes it possible to send and receive payments online. With PayPal, you can send email reminders to the borrower. The lender can then get the money back instantly via email.

Never co-sign a loan or credit card application for someone else without clear, WRITTEN parameters and possible assets involved. And always maintain a business-like environment.

Don't lend beyond your means. Only lend money that you do not need back immediately so as not to ruin your credit or your relationship with the borrower. And always have the agreement in writing.

These are the only four items that we could agree upon. Perhaps there are many more or far less for your family or situation. If we are approached for funds and feel uncomfortable with the person or we cannot accommodate within our plan, we decline and all associated go on with their lives.

Court provides information about student loan consolidation and helps people refine their strategic internet marketing.

Do You Owe A Debt To The Federal Government?

After you throw the cap and gown into the air and strut down the aisle, you may not be thinking about the debt you will have to repay. It comes in the form of a prepayment booklet of sorts in the mailbox.

Finding yourself in debt is not a fun experience for anyone, but finding that you owe the government money and are behind in the payments can be devastating. For those facing bad federal debt, relief may be available in many forms, but caution must be exercised when deciding which road to travel. Some of the avenues with signs pointing to bad federal debt relief may simply be a detour to additional financial anxiety.

There are two major areas that can produce federal debt for individuals, being behind in paying their income taxes and defaulting on federal student loans. Legal troubles can also add to the debt if federal fines have been added to a criminal history. However, for the vast majority of individuals bad federal debt relief is about finding ways out of owing tons of money in past due taxes and fines as well as over due education loans.

While bankruptcy is the most efficient tool for eliminating unsecured debt, new federal laws, as well as the old ones, do not allow for bad federal debt relief on money owed for taxes and defaulted school loans. There are certain circumstances in which a portion of past due taxes may be included in a petition for bankruptcy, but a lot depends on how long the debt has been owed and amount that has accumulated.

There is No Such Thing As A Free Education, we all wind up paying for it sooner or later!

In the recent past, many students would take out federally insured student loans for their higher education and after graduation, before they starting working would file for bankruptcy, leaving their Uncle Sam holding the bill for their education. Today, eliminating this bad federal debt relief on loans on which they have defaulted is considerably tougher. It is alot harder to walk away and not pay your dues. You borrowed it, now you must repay it. What you borrow in good faith must be repaid in the same way.

Before a student loan is even considered for bankruptcy, the student has to prove that being required to repay the loan would place them in a serious financial hardship. However, finding bad federal debt relief for student loans is often made tougher through bankruptcy, with the government arguing that with all other financial obligations removed through the court, the hardship of paying back the loans is reduced.

Similar to bad loans in the private sector, when dealing with bad federal debt relief it is best to be in contact with the office to which the debt is owed and try to make arrangements to minimize the affects of the potential collection process. In most cases, explaining how you arrived in the current position and what you are doing to recover is usually enough to find at least temporary bad federal debt relief. Don't ignore the notices, keep in close contact with them so they know you are not trying to abandonment your debt responsibilities.

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Will A Loan Help You Dig Your Way Out?

Its hard to make a living in this world, I dunno about you folks but for me, I have trouble putting away much savings from each pay cheque. I worry a lot about my future and how I will be able to afford to keep myself in a decent state of living let alone providing for kids, pets and other family members I may have soon.

Well, there are options of course there is budgeting but you are still not left with more money, there are loans. Some people cringe at the thought, but I am here to tell you that you shouldn't. Take out a loan knowing the risks and with goals in mind and it can change your life.

The loan could be for anything, from a vehicle to get you to work to a student loan to get you through school so you can get a better job and earn more money. You could even get a personal or payday loan to tide you over till your next pay cheque. You may even need one for unforeseen costs like medical bills or repair bills.

I decided enough was enough working a nine to five job everyday that landed me barely above the poverty line, I barely had enough money to get by each month let alone to save, this was not the life for me. I wanted to get back to school but had no idea how to go about paying for it. That's when I was told to start looking for student loans.

They offer to pay for all your schooling needs from tuition to cost of living to food and even offer you money to spend each month on yourself, for things like clothes, a quick pint with the buddies or that new mps player you wanted. All you have to do is budget and remember you will have to pay it all off once your schooling is complete.

That's alright though, if you planned it out well enough you will have a nice job after school paying much more then your nine to five job at a gas station or what have you. So not only will you be enjoying a better standard of life, you will be able to pay off that loan as well.

Well there are tonnes of loan companies out there and many are less then savory, I am here to tell you about a great collection of loan sites that have the absolute lowest terms which means you pay back less and pay off sooner. A loan can easily change a persons life, it did for me. I highly recommend you check out my site and get a feel for how a loan can help you out.

If you plan out the whole process, know what you are getting into and are conscious of it all the time a loan can really turn your life around and may be the option for you. Keep it in mind and check out my links for the best and cheapest loan sites out there. Good luck!

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Building A Future For You And Your Children

Do you have that ambitious streak in you. Do you want to do something with your life, leave a mark so that when you are gone people will say Joe Blow was here.

If you just go to work or don't work, go home, sit and watch TV, and live life day to day not caring about the future, what legacy are you leaving for your family and the wider community. You have done nothing to leave a mark on the world so that when you are gone people will remember you. What is the point of your existence if you don't care that you will be missed and that you won't be remembered.

If you are like me you do care, and do want to be remembered, so you buy a house, invest, donate some of your time to a good cause, spend time with your children trying to teach them how to be good citizens, and generally try to live a useful and productive life.

I know very few people who are born rich, so what the majority of people have to do is save for a deposit, then borrow the balance of the purchase price of the home you wish to buy, and probably spend the next 20 or so years paying the mortgage. Then you start to think about investment properties.

My wife and I have tried to jump the queue in this cycle. We had to borrow the deposit to buy our first home, because we were terrible at saving. Once we have a debt we are good at paying it, but no good at leaving money sit in a bank.

We got our first home, a real doer upper. We renovated extensively, doing most of the work ourselves. After 2yrs we used the equity on that home to purchase another doer upper, correcting the mistakes we made while renovating the first house.

This process required the procurement of 2 mortgages. Values rose dramatically in our area, so it was only another year that we were able to use the equity on these 2 homes to buy a home on 79 acres. Which we are now developing into a caravan park, so now we have 3 mortgages and a further debt to help us develop the park. Yes we are taking huge risks, but they are calculated. We didn't buy either of the houses in town without working out what our repayments would be, and what rental we would receive, and whether or not the cost of the renovations would add value or equity to the properties. We got ourselves in a position where once the properties were rented out, the income was enough to service the loans.

The whole point is that we are at the mercy of the banks, interest rates, etc. But we are still determined to continue what we are doing. Between the 2 of us we have 6 children and a growing number of grandchildren, and with the way property values are going, not many young people will be able to purchase a home of their own without the help of their parents. The whole point of having children in our mind is so that they will have a future, and that is what we are trying to give them, or at least a start to that future.

All this said and done, we are still at the mercy of the banks. Luckily we feel that we have a very helpful bank manager, she has become almost like a friend, but she still works for the bank and has her limitations.

Today I was made aware of a pro gramme that helps you search through your bank statements to see if the bank has been charging you more than they should be. The investment strategy that we are using has us just keeping our noses above our debt, not as people say up to our necks in debt, we are such risk takers that we are up to our nostrils in debt. What if by no fault of our bank manager or ourselves, someone or something is adding more water than needs to be added. What if the bank, in its calculations, is charging us more interest or charges than they are allowable. You hear all of the time where a bank has had to refund money to clients because they have charged too much, but if you are like us, you don't know how to check up on them, or you just trust that they are incapable of making a mistake.

But lets face facts why would you trust someone you don't know, and the only reason you have contact with them is so that they can make money out of you, they don't care about you or your family's welfare. Their only interest in you is their profit. Let them make a fair and reasonable profit, but not one cent more. You Can easily fix this problem by calculating your own daily interest and breaking out over the length of the loan or just find out more visit http://www.makeyourich.com.au

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Seven Ways For Journalists To Save Money

Being a journalist can involve a lot of travel to do interviews for newspapers, television or radio and can rack up many expenses that can occur at the last minute that may not be covered by your job. These expenses can make it difficult to make ends meet. To save money, create a budget and look for ways to reduce expenses. Here are seven ways for journalists to save money:

1. Travel Discounts. Comparison shop for discounts on parking or air, hotel and rental cars or buy as packages. Some companies that provide discount fares LongTermParking, HotDeals, SideStep, and Kayak. Sign up for online alerts with airlines to learn about their weekly specials. Search for fares early in the morning or on weekends. Check to see if they accept discounts for membership to Diner's Clubs, AAA, AARP, etc. This can save you $30 to $175 per transaction.

2. Supplies and Expenses. Shop for office supplies at Costco or online sites such as Amazon. Consider setting up a home office. You can write off a portion of your mortgage, and utility bills. If you do not have space for a home office consider using a telecommuting or telework center at companies such as Virtual Office Center, Regus or the World Environmental Organization and search for telecommuting sites. This can save you $50 to $100 per week in supplies, wear and tear on your car and gas.

3. Food. Pack you own drinks such as water and juice along with your favorite snacks. Search online for coupons to your favorite restaurants. Sign up for a free newsletter from restaurants to receive coupons. This can save you $30 to $200 per month.

4. Car Maintenance. Perform regular maintenance on your car by keeping your tires properly inflated and balanced, which improves mileage. Save money on gas by using the lowest octane which is usually 87. Fill up your gas tank before going to work or in the evening when it is cool. This can save you $.05 to $.30 per gallon.

5. Insurance. Make sure you have health and disability insurance. If you need to see a doctor you won't have to worry about paying medical bills. If you become sick for an extended period of time you won't have to worry about how you will pay your bills. Contact eHealthInsurance for health insurance quotes. If you need disability insurance contact the Assurity company. This can save you $20 to $200 per month.

6. Use coupons. Use coupons to save money when shopping. Search for online coupons at sites such as Visit MyCoupons, CoolSavings, and CouponSurfer. This can save you $20 to $250 per month on your grocery bills and other household costs.

7. Go green. Try eco-friendly ways to save money. Visit sites such as Bankrate and search for ways to save money going green. This can save you $20 to $500 a month.

If you receive an advance, spend the money wisely and plan ahead. These seven tips can reduce many of your work related expenses and stress, allow you to focus more on your work assignments and become more productive as a journalist.

Harrine Freeman is the CEO of H.E. Freeman Enterprises, a credit repair and personal finance services company and author of "How to Get Out of Debt: Get an "A" Credit Rating for Free." Visit http://www.hefreemanenterprises.com.

Negotiating With Creditors - DIY Handbook

Negotiating with creditors. 'Gulp!... I can't do that... I wouldn't know where to start... Even if I did, there's no way they would listen to me... I'd rather take the easy option and get a debt management company to do it for me.'

Sound familiar? Many people reason this way. Yet for those who have been willing to give it a go, many have been surprised at how much they achieved without the help of a debt management company. Lots of people have successfully negotiated reduced payments with their creditors, even getting them to freeze interest and charges on their accounts. Granted, you may not be the right kind of person for this approach. We are not recommending this to everyone - you will need a little bit of cheek and a lot of determination to succeed. But if you think you can be persistent enough, if you are confident in going it alone, the following guide will provide you with valuable advice on how to do this successfully.

If you don't think this is for you, use some of the helpful links at the end of this article for more information on debt management plans, companies and other debt solutions.

How to successfully negotiate with creditors

Step 1
Make a list of your debts

The first thing you need to do if you are considering negotiating with your creditors yourself is to make a list of your debts. You need to know exactly who you owe money to and how much each of these creditors is owed. If you go into this fully aware of your financial situation, you are much less likely to be taken advantage of.

Once you have made this list, you need to work out which ones to deal with first. These are called 'priority debts'. For example:

· Mortgage/rent
· Gas, electricity and water
· Income tax
· Council tax

These are called 'priority debts' because the consequences of not paying them are far more serious than your 'non-priority' debts (see below). By not paying your mortgage your home could be repossessed. If you do not pay your council tax, a court can send bailiffs to take your belongings to the value of the amount owed. If you do not pay your gas, electricity and water rates, these services can be disconnected. You can also be sent to prison if you do not pay your income tax.

Far less serious are 'non-priority debts'. Some examples are:

· Credit cards
· Store cards
· Personal loans

First and foremost, you cannot be sent to prison for not paying non-priority debts, though your creditors can still take action if you do not pay. They could take you to court, where you can be ordered to pay. Failing this, your creditors can then get a court order, which allows them to send bailiffs round to take your belongings away. Neither option is particularly pleasant, but by sorting out you priority debts first, at least you will still have a roof over your head, a warm home, hot/cold running water and of course, stay out of jail.

Step 2
Work out what you can afford to pay

Once you have made your list of debts, you need to work out how much money you earn and how much is left over after paying all your essentials. This can be used to pay your non-priority debts.

When working out how much you earn, try to include everything:

· Your wage
· Benefits or tax credits
· Any other form of income

Then work out your expenses:

· Mortgage or rent
· Gas, electricity and water
· Council tax
· Housekeeping (Food, cleaning materials, toiletries, pet food)
· Buildings and contents insurance
· Travel expenses (Public transport, fuel, tax, insurance, servicing and MOT)
· TV license
· Childcare
· Clothing
· Any other essentials such as medical expenses

Once you have deducted your expenses from your income, you will see how much money you have left over to pay your non-priority debts. It may also be worthwhile checking to see if you can make any savings. When you add up all your expenses, it can sometimes be surprising how much you actually spend on things like food and clothing which could be saved.

Step 3
Contact your creditors

Now you know how much you can afford to offer each creditor, it's time to get in contact with them. You will need to send them a list of all your creditors and the amounts you are offering so they can see how you have worked out your budget. Remember to keep copies of all correspondence.

For detailed help in dealing with creditors read the following article, 'Negotiating with Creditors'(http://www.debtadvice4free.co.uk/negotiating-with-creditors.shtml). This Handbook has been produced on behalf of Debt Advice 4 Free (http://www.debtadvice4free.co.uk)

How To Shop For A Mortgage Loan In A Down Economy

The chaos in the subprime-mortgage market means tighter standards for everyone. While prospective home buyers with perfect credit records won't feel the pinch as much, first-time home buyers or borrowers with less-than-perfect credit are going to need help shopping for that first mortgage.

Basically, thanks to lenders reining in their underwriting rules, a borrower without a significant down payment or a less-than-standard verified income may have to shop around a little harder. Though this takes more diligence, you may still be able to find a loan that suits your budget and overall financial capability.

So, how exactly will these tighter standards affect you and how you shop for a mortgage loan? In this article, we'll answer some frequently asked questions about how to shop and prepare for a mortgage loan in a recessed economy.

1. Can I still get 100% financing?

The widespread availability of 100% financing and 80/20 loans (where 80% was financed by one loan and 20% by another) is fundamentally over. While this kind of financing is still available, it depends heavily on your credit score. If your score dips below that 700 mark, then those options begin to disappear and you will need to meet more stringent borrowing requirements.

2. So, it's better to make a down payment?

It's always better to make a down payment. Ideally, you want to have at least 5% of the home value as a bare minimum along with at least 2-3 months of PITI (principal, interest, taxes and insurance) payments in your reserve savings. Any financial assets like investments qualify toward that PITI requirement. Additionally, a greater down payment will save you a lot of money over the life of the mortgage. So if you are able to place a higher down payment on the table without making yourself "house poor," you will put yourself in a more comfortable financial position.

3. Before I buy a home, should I pay down my debt?

Your overall debt isn't as important to lenders as your credit score and down payment. It's still important, but when it comes to assessing risk, lenders want to see how you handle that debt. The standard debt-to-income ratio is 28/36, meaning a monthly mortgage payment needs to be within 28% of your total monthly income, and overall debt payments may not exceed 36%.

Having said this, there is little good about debt. The more quickly you pay back any outstanding loans, the more financially free you become. Then instead of wasting money on monthly interest payment for non-appreciating items, you have those funds available instead for more useful family expenditures.

4. Should I wait until I can improve my credit score?

Probably. The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is usually 1.5 percentage points lower for someone with a credit score of 760 to 850 than for someone with a score of 620 to 639. On a $220,000 loan, a borrower with a high credit score could save almost $3000 per year over a borrower near the bottom the credit score range.

5. Should I buy now before mortgage rates go higher?

Interest rates can rise at any time, and that could shut a low-level buyer out of the fixed rate market. However, adjustable-rate mortgages can save a lot of money for borrowers who are either going to sell before rates go up or who can get themselves in a better financial position to refinance later.

An adjustable rate mortgage (ARM), though, has its own inherent risks. Lenders offer them at rates lower than fixed-rate mortgages to entice you in. But from the second year of the loan onward, the ARM can increase well beyond the initial agreement.

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Three Common Credit Problems And How To Fix Them

Bad credit doesn't necessarily mean you can't get credit; you just can't get credit at a reasonable cost. The interest rates you are charged are sky high because you had some financial difficulties in the past. In this article we will give you three methods for repairing your credit. The method that is best for you will depend on the severity of your financial problems.

Problem: Incorrect information on your credit report.
Method #1: Contact the credit bureaus.

Let's say you've requested a copy of your credit report from the three credit bureaus, and you find that there is a negative entry or two from your past lenders. It could be the negative information is just, plain wrong. The lender reported you still had an outstanding balance, when in fact, you have proof you have paid off the loan. This is an easy problem to fix. Well-written letters to the credit bureaus, with proof of your claim, should correct the problem.

Problem: Multiple overdraft fees.
Method #2: Pick your bank carefully.

As if it's not painful enough to be hit by multiple overdraft fees for your checking account, if your bank reports them to the credit bureau your credit score suffers too. Unfortunately, it's all too easy to withdraw more money from an ATM than you have in your checking account. Most banks encourage it by including "bounce protection" in their terms and conditions. After all, the bank gets another $20 to $35 overdraft fee each time.

You could stop and check your balance at the ATM before making the withdrawal, but when you're in a hurry that often doesn't happen. A fail-safe method is to just pick a bank that doesn't automatically include bounce protection with all their accounts. That way, if you're low on funds, the ATM won't dispense, and you'll avoid yet another overdraft fee.

Problem: Low ceiling on your line of credit
Method #3: Sub-prime merchandise cards.

Maybe you're having trouble getting credit because of some past financial difficulties. You want to build up your line of credit, but new lenders are keeping their distance from you.

An easy way to increase your line of credit without getting into a financial bind is to get a sub-prime merchandise card. This is nothing more than a card attached to a line of credit that allows you to buy merchandise from a specific vendor (usually the company that sold you the card). You're required to put down a deposit on whatever you purchase, and the remaining balance is financed on the card.

The advantage of the sub-prime merchandise card is that this new credit line will be reported to the major credit bureaus, and your credit report will reflect this good news. For example, if you get a $5,000 card and you finance a $500 purchase, your high credit limit will be increased by $5,000 almost overnight. And the small outstanding balance on the sub-prime merchandise card will also positively impact your credit report by showing potential lenders that you are credit worthy once again.

Pick the method that is best suited for your bad credit problem, and enjoy the financial advantages that an improved credit report will bring.

To learn the inside secrets to fixing your credit fast, visit the author's website at: http://credit-secrets-bible-online.com

Balloon Mortgages: What You Need To Know

This article will go over the basics of balloon mortgages - explaining how they work, the benefits and drawbacks of balloon financing and how you can apply for one. Keep reading to learn more.

What are balloon mortgages?

Balloon financing is intended to be short-term financing, but the initial monthly payments work like a fixed-rate mortgage. Basically, a balloon mortgage has a short term loan agreement, from just a short year to a more typical term of five or seven years, but the total amount borrowed reflects a longer term loan.

In such an agreement, the remaining balance is due at the end of this short term. So, while the regular payments would typically match that of a fixed-rate mortgage, the remaining balance is due as the final payment, meaning the last payment is your "balloon" payment. Balloon financing is popular for people dealing with commercial or investment real estate properties, but not usually residential properties.

How do you apply for one?

First, ask at the financial institution to see if they offer balloon financing options. If so, you can proceed with the application. If you're familiar with the loan application process, you'll find that applying for a balloon mortgage is similar - you'll need to provide the same documents and sign similar forms as in other borrowing situations.

What do I need to know when applying for a balloon agreement?

Before you sign anything, make sure you have a clear understanding of exactly when the balance is due and how much your final, balloon payment will be. You will pay part of your balance in payments over the course of your term, but once that term is up you will be required to pay the remainder in full.

Can I refinance at the end of the loan?

This is a question you should ask your lender before you agree to any terms. Typically, there is an option to refinance your final payment, provided there have been no late payments or liens against the property. Check with your lending institution to find out what conditions you must meet in order to retain your refinancing options.

Do I need to prepare for a worst-case scenario?

Before agreeing to a balloon mortgage, you need to analyze all the worst-case scenarios to make sure you can handle them. Whether it's losing your job, not being able to find a buyer on an investment property or a general downturn in the economy, will you still be able to maintain the payments (including the balloon payment) on the property? If not, you may want to consider other financing options.

I've gone over every detail and I feel confident - what now?

The next step is to file for the loan. Again, be sure you understand all the requirements and never be afraid to ask questions. Once you're ready, you can sign the application form with confidence and proceed with your financing.

It is not uncommon for enthusiastic buyers to enter a balloon agreement with undue confidence in their ability to repay the final payment at the end of the loan term. So weigh the balloon option with a sober mindset before signing a contract.

For practical info on home mortgage preparation see http://www.home-mortgage-preparation.com for insights about home loans, such as private money lenders - http://www.home-mortgage-preparation.com/private-money-lenders.shtml, FHA loan limits - http://www.home-mortgage-preparation.com/fha-loan-limits.shtml and many more!

Ensure You Understand The Exclusions Associated With Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance

Exclusions are the number one reason why individuals find themselves not being able to make a claim on their mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI) policy. Often, they take out cover alongside the money they borrow, believing that the mortgage is dependent on buying protection. It might be true that the lender asks that you protect the borrowing, but you can choose to take out a policy that is independent of your mortgage.

When cover is pushed alongside the loan often those selling it have very little experience in payment protection products. If the consumer is not aware that certain exclusions exist in a policy and these exclusions have not been explained at the time of buying, then protection could be useless to them. Some of the most frequent exclusions found in policies include if you work part time, are self-employed, suffer from a pre-existing medical condition or are retired. However, even these exclusions are not as straightforward as the sound. For example, if you are self-employed but have to cease trading on a permanent basis due to involuntary unemployment, a policy would cover you. In addition, the pre-existing illness exclusion would not apply if the illness had not resurfaced within the last two years.

The best way to get all the necessary information relating to the exclusions and all aspects of mortgage protection policies is to go online to an independent provider. A specialist will ensure that all consumers have access to the information needed to decide if payment protection would be suitable. They will also give quick quotes based on the amount of your monthly mortgage repayments and your age.

The income that mortgage payment cover gives would then protect your repayments and outgoings that are related to the loan, such as insurance. A policy would cover being unable to work due to unemployment or being unfortunate enough to suffer from an accident or an illness. You would have to wait a certain period of time, which is generally between 30 to 90 days of continually being unable to attend work. Once the protection has started to pay out it would provide security for between 12 to 24 months, depending on the provider. The tax-free income the policy provides gives enormous peace of mind and security during a stressful period of time. It allows the policy holder to relax and concentrate on recovering from the illness, accident or unemployment with certainty that they would not be at risk of losing their home to repossession.

Some individuals believe that mortgage payment protection insurance is not needed because the State would provide you with benefits. But there are criteria you have to meet when applying to the State for help. If you have a partner who is working in a full-time position then you would not be eligible for State support. The same would apply if you had accumulated savings of more than £8,000. Even those who are eligible to receive financial assistance would only be entitled to benefit for up to the first £100,000 of their mortgage, and this only applies to the interest part. If you want peace of mind and the security of knowing the roof over your head would not be at risk, you should consider other options when it comes to protecting your repayments. Providing your circumstances are right, then mortgage protection could be a good choice.

Simon Burgess is Managing Director of the award-winning British Insurance (http://www.britishinsurance.com), a specialist provider of low cost income payment protection insurance (PPI), mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI) and loan payment protection insurance.

Know How To Prevent Getting Tricked On Your Home Loan Refinance

Home loan refinance can be one of your best options if you still want to have ownership over your home. However, you should also be very careful on the different traps that go along with it.

At least once in your life you dream of living in a comfortable home. It can be located in a city or suburb, where you can raise your family well. Yet with the increasing prices of homes today and the way income hardly changes, there will always come a time when it is going to be very difficult for you to settle your monthly home mortgage loan. Hence, before you become another victim of foreclosure, consider a home refinancing.

A home loan refinance carries a number of benefits. For one, you can have enough cash to pay off whatever pending dues you have, even including interest. Moreover, you can have the opportunity to extend your payment term, so you will be able to lower down your payments every month and save enough funds to pay off other debts. Nevertheless, there are also several traps that you need to avoid, if you do not want to consider your application for a home refinancing totally futile:

1. Do not apply for a home loan refinance in your current lending company. It is actually simple logic. Why would you consider submitting an application for a home refinancing in your old lending institution when it cannot provide you of better interest rates? At first glance, you may realize that the lender can present small interest charges than before; however, the payment term can be extended that it almost appears as if you are still paying the same amount as with your previous loan.

2. Do not go for variable rates for your home loan refinance. There are some companies that can offer you variable interest rates for your refinance. This can happen at the early part of the mortgage. The problem, however, is since it is variable it can increase tremendously, which may mean you will even be paying more interest compared to what you usually pay with your old loan.

3. Know if you will be able to really save money with the options you have for home loan refinance. It is important that you can conduct a break-even analysis before finally choosing your lender. The process is very simple. All you need to do is to divide the cost of your transaction to the savings you can get every month. This way, you will be able to know how long you will likely break even from your expenses. For example, if the cost is $1,500 and you will likely save $40 every month, then you can recuperate from the cost around 38 months. If you think you want to live at the same house within that period, then you have to refinance.

4. Avoid going for a loan with higher interest rate. When the interest rate is high, you can shorten your payment term. Nevertheless, before you say go, ensure first that you have made the right decision. One way to check is to look at the APR of your recent mortgage. The interest rate should be lower than what is being offered in your old loan.

You need the help of an expert when it comes to home refinancing. This is to ensure that you don't end up getting the worst end of the deal. At http://www.homemortgageloan-refinance.com/Bad-Credit-Home-Loan-Refinance.php, we can offer you options that will suit your needs and your preference.

Ten Tips To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

In the world today, there are many unscrupulous people who are more than willing to take advantage and steal your identity. There are steps that you can take to make it more difficult for these people to steal what belongs to you. If you make it difficult, it is less likely that you will become a victim.

It is important that you keep your mail safe. Stealing mail is the number one way that thieves get their information. It is important that you lock your mailbox or even better, open a post office box. Throughout the country, there are postal mailbox companies that offer a safe and secure way to receive your mail. If a thief gains access to your to your credit card statements, he or she will know when the statements are mailed, and can loot your mailbox every month. They may even be able to change the method of receipt of the statement to online to an untraceable email address. You may not be aware of fraudulent charges until it is too late.

It is recommended that you shred all of your important documents such as credit card statements, utility bills and bank statements. Often, thieves will go dumpster diving to obtain information that they feel may be useful. Even pre approved credit card junk mail can be used to steal your identity.

When you use your ATM card at a machine, be aware of your surroundings. Make sure that there isn't anyone watching you use your pin number. If you suspect that someone has obtained it, go right to your bank and have the pin number changed.

It is not recommended that you give any information verbally, however for those times when it is necessary, make sure that no one can over hear you.

When you are doing business over the Internet, email or by telephone, it is not recommended that you give out your personal information. These methods are not secure and information can be stolen very easily.

When you are out for a night on the town or just a quick shopping trip, do not give your credit card to service people. Instead, bring it to the check out yourself.

A clever crook can use any type of personal information to steal your identity; even the plates on your car. By simply changing the screws to a type that needs a special wrench to remove, you are reducing your chances of becoming a victim.

It is important to check your balances and transaction histories more than once a month when the statements come in. by checking them often, you will be aware of any abnormal purchases before the statement comes in.

On the Internet today, every site requires you to have a password and a secret question. By making your password and secret question obscure, you are making it more difficult to steal.

Check your credit score often; you can access it in many different ways. By checking this information, you can determine if you have been a victim of identity theft.

Get your Your Free Copy of the Identity Theft Protection Checklist Today and Discover Important Tips for Protecting Your Identity, and the Identity of Your Family at http://www.preventidentitytheftfraud.com/checklist.html

Leon Edward's provides detail information on preventing identity theft, recognizing signs and resources at his website http://www.usidentitytheft.org/preventidentitytheft.html Learn the secrets to love, life, awesome success and wealth from the greatest minds in the field of personal achievement. Leon Edward recommends you visit http://www.awesomesuccess.org .

Secrets To Fast Credit Repair

When you have bad credit or a low credit score, the faster you can fix the problem, the faster you'll have more money in your pocket. The interest rates you pay on loans will start falling, and you might even find the premiums you pay on life, health, and auto insurance will drop. So, what's the fastest way to repair your credit problems? There isn't a single solution, but many small steps you can take. Here are a few:

Secret #1: The piggyback method. If you are a married woman with some or no credit, and your husband has excellent credit, read on. You can leverage his credit with the piggyback method. It lets you build credit in your own name, and at a much faster pace than if you had to build it all by yourself. Have your husband add you as an "authorized user" or "secondary account holder" to his account. In most cases, his entire account history gets posted to your credit report. The piggyback method is easy, effective, and extremely fast.

Secret #2: Remove (some) negative items from your credit report. Let's say you request copies of your credit reports, and discover five bad accounts you can get removed. Don't remove them all immediately, because then you'll end up with no credit history. The secret is to replace them with good accounts first.

The fastest way to add a good account to your credit report is through sub-prime merchandise cards. These are nothing more than a card attached to a line of credit that allows you to buy merchandise from a specific vendor (usually the company that sold you the card). You're required to put down a deposit on whatever you purchase, and the remaining balance is financed on the card. The advantage of the sub-prime merchandise card is that this new credit line will be reported to the major credit bureaus, and your credit report will reflect this good news fast.

Secret #3: Do not pay off your credit cards in full each month. If you do, you'll actually end up with less credit. Think about it. Lenders make their money by charging you interest. If you pay off your balance each month, they don't earn any interest. Pay down your balances, but don't pay them off. This is a fast way to demonstrate to potential new lenders that you are credit-worthy.

Secret #4: Automated dispute letters. The credit bureaus and debt collection companies all require written correspondence from you before they will act on any complaint you may have. If you've tried to write effective dispute letters from scratch, you know how time consuming it can be. Technology comes to your aid! You can now get entire CD's filled with hard-hitting credit repair letters that you can customize for your credit repair battle. Now, creating highly effective letters is as fast as pressing a few keys. You simply enter your name, the creditors name, and other relevant information. Then hit print. It just doesn't get any faster than that.

These are a just a few secrets for fixing your credit problems fast. The sooner you get started, the sooner your credit score improves, and your financial picture gets brighter.

To learn the inside secrets to fixing your credit fast, visit the author's website at: http://credit-secrets-bible-online.com

4 Remarkable Ways Of How Debt Consolidation Can Help You

Debt consolidation is viewed as one of the best ways to manage your debt more effectively. Find out the many reasons why in this article.

It's not unusual for someone to incur debt. Even the richest do. After all, it's not all the time that you have the immediate funds to settle certain financial obligations. Debts, in forms of loans, also allow you to purchase certain needs of your family, such as a home.

The problems start to set in, however, when you can no longer manage your debt properly. This can happen when you're spending more than what you earn. Because your income will never be able to sustain payments to your debt, you are in a terrible financial burden. Worse, you can even go on default, a potential candidate for foreclosure.

Fortunately, you have a choice, and this can be in the form of debt consolidation. By definition, it simply means combining all your existing debts into one and applying for one loan for them. This method is popular among borrowers these days because of the many benefits they give them:

1. You will only be thinking about one payment. One of the reasons why people tend to be so hard-up is because they're finding it really difficult to keep track on their payment schedules. For example, you have different due dates for your credit card and home loan. However, with debt consolidation, you are given the opportunity to combine at least majority of them into one single loan, and you can start thinking about one single payment. What's more, you can completely close the account for your credit card, if you wish to do so, so you will stop incurring any more expenses.

2. Debt consolidation can lower down interest rates. Because debt consolidation loans are treated as brand-new ones, you can have the chance to lower down your interest rates and even extend your payment terms. This will surely guarantee you bigger savings every month, the money of which you can utilize to pay dues that are not covered by the debt consolidation. Another method of using your savings is to pay more on your loan. This way, you will cut down your number of payments and lower down your interest.

3. You can enjoy tax deductibles. Interestingly, debt consolidation loans can actually entitle you to tax deductions. Though it may never erase your debt, or even pay a portion of it, you can at least find great solace in knowing that you will be able to lower down your tax. Nevertheless, you must talk this over to a tax advisor. This way, you will not catch the ire or suspicion of the IRS.

4. You can get rid of warning calls. Debtors who are finding a hard time paying their debts will also be receiving lots of warning calls from lenders. Thankfully, there are also numerous companies that not only consolidate loans, but can also act as your representative to settle your debts with these lending organizations.

Indeed, consolidating your debt will save you from drowning yourself into your dues. Nevertheless, it should never be used as an excuse to not practice wise spending.

Do you want to consolidate your loans? Visit http://www.homemortgageloan-refinance.com/Debt-Consolidation-Loan-Benefits.php now and we will advise you not only the basics of this process, but will also provide you any assistance that you need. This way, you won't be forever burdened with your debts.

How To Further Save Money With Your Home Mortgage Refinance

The main goal of home mortgage refinance is to lower down your interest rate so you will also decrease your monthly repayments. To further improve your savings ability, here are more ways on how to save more money with refinancing.

You cannot expect for money to come flowing in anytime you want to. There will always be times when your bank account is drained, and you've already used whatever money you have in your pocket and wallet. Worse, your credit card is screaming and your home loan is already about to go on default. What should you do? You choose home mortgage refinance.

In general, a home refinancing is your perfect choice if you want to minimize your monthly repayments for your home. How? With it, you can choose to lower down your interest rate, which means you will also be reducing the amount that you're going to pay every month. What's more, you can also choose to shorten your loan term, allowing you to save more cash that you could use to pay other immediate bills.

But do you know that you can actually save bigger than what you can already accumulate if you combine any of these with your home mortgage refinance?

1. Get rid of the hidden costs that are often associated with private mortgage insurance. With your home mortgage refinance, there are certain costs that you have to pay. The problem, however, is that not all expenses become upfront. One of these is the private mortgage insurance. You need to pay this if you're going to borrow money that's worth over 80 percent of the total value of your home. This can cost a lot for you. If you want to get rid of this, you need to make sure that you can limit your home refinancing to about 30 percent of your home's equity. Hence, if you want to increase your refinancing loan, the best way is to also increase the overall value of your home by doing some improvements.

2. Close your account in your credit card. Credit cards can be truly pesky additions to your monthly bills. Besides dealing with various credit card collectors who never fail to call you almost 24 hours every day, you also have to shoulder huge interest payments every month. It will only add more to your dues especially when you decide to go for a home mortgage refinance. Hence, unless you need it very badly, it can be ideal to close it at least temporarily. You can open one again once you're done with one major payment. This will also improve your credit rating, which makes you even more qualified to obtain a smaller interest rate for your refinance.

3. Check your credit report. Your FICO score will be one of the bases for your home mortgage refinance. If you have a bad score, you will not likely obtain reduced interest rates compared to those who have better ratings. However, besides monitoring your credit score, double-check the information written in your report. Are they all accurate? You will find it very difficult to justify erroneous information once you submit the report to the mortgage refinance lender. If there are mistakes, please call the reporting agency immediately.

Save some of your cash for future use by going for home refinancing. Visit http://www.homemortgageloan-refinance.com today. This website has all the right techniques in place to make sure that you can obtain better financial freedom.

Taking Out A Cash Loan

If everyone had enough money for the things they wanted and needed, the world would not need payday advance companies. People would not have to seek emergency short term cash in the form of a cash loan or payday advance at a payday loan business. This is real life. People have emergency cash needs, and often have limited options. A fast cash payday loan company offers help for people who need money fast, as long as they meet the lender's criteria. It is quick, it is easy, but it is definitely not cheap. However, it can help you out when you need it most.

Here's how a cash advance (also known as a "cash loan", a "payday advance" or a "cash advance) works: a person in need of fast cash contacts a cash advance business (at a retail or brick and mortar store, over the phone, or over the Internet). A loan application is filled out (often referred to as a "TILA" or "truth in lending agreement") and the customer promises (via a signed contract) to repay the loan amount. The loan amount is usually due on the customer's next payday. Often, the cash advance business gets an agreement that they can debit the customer's bank account on the day the customer's paycheck gets deposited. The customer gets their loan principal (usually betwee $100 and $500, but some lenders provide $1500 cash advances). On the customer's next paydate, the balance plus a fee is debited or deducted from the customers account (or the customer's paycheck is cashed). One problem with cash advance loans is that they are very short term (usually between 7 days and 31 days long) and the fee is high. This results in a very high percentage rate cost.

These loan services are meant to be used only in an emergency. A payday loan is a loan against your hard earned paycheck... that means that you are paying someone for the privilege of getting your next paycheck. When payday arrives, you will need to bring cash to pick up your check that is being held. If you do not return, then the business will deposit the check (or will directly debit your account). Some payday cash companies require that you come in and pay cash for the check. Such places as Cash Advance America will only allow you to have a check deposited a few times before they revoke your loan privileges. You need to pay attention to the rules at each cash advance company.

While you are paying attention, you will also need to be keeping a careful eye on your incoming money. Do not stretch yourself too thin, in case you find yourself in need of the cash advance again. The more times you take it out, the higher the amount of interest you will pay. They make their money on the interest and love to have repeat customers come in for more advances.

If you do not truly need the money (ask yourself "is this really an emergency situation?"), then don't waste your hard earned paycheck on a cash loan from a payday loan company. You might find yourself in over your head and unable to repay the debt when it comes time. If your budget is that thin, then creating an extra bill is not the answer. Pay that loan off as quickly as possible because you are throwing away money if you don't. Money that could have been saved for a rainy day.

Kurt Lehmann writes financial services articles for http://www.nextdaycheck.com, http://www.pdlsecrets.com and http://www.stopchex.com.

Looking For That House Insurance Deal That Is Right For You

The cost of rebuilding your home should it be damaged or destroyed could prove very expensive and yet a large number of homeowners have too little or no house insurance. Statistics have revealed that in the UK one in three of us are likely to fall victim to burglary. Are you covered by insurance to protect against the financial loss these events cause? It could prove prudent to investigate purchasing cover or at lease review, the level of house insurance you have. When undertaking this task, a specialist broker could be helpful when looking for the best level of cover and at a price that suits your budget.

So what exactly is house insurance? At its most basic, an insurance policy that provides cover for the structure of your home, your personal possessions, liability protection and assistance with the living expenses incurred should you temporarily be unable to live in your home because of an insured event, like fire.

Ideally when obtaining house insurance we wish to enjoy the maximum coverage with the minimum premiums and there are a number of things that we can do for ourselves to achieve lower premiums. By simply changing insurance providers could make savings as there are many insurers competing in the marketplace. It could prove wise to explore thoroughly what they have to offer before making a choice; it could be more efficient to use a broker to do this.

Some areas are considered to be of a low risk when obtaining insurance policies. You should be aware if your home is in a flood risk area or has a history of subsidence in the location, as that may mean you are unable to obtain protection against that type of damage or it makes the premiums to expensive. Moving to a location that benefits from lower premiums could solve the problem of finding reasonably priced house insurance.

Making your home safer and more secure is encouraged by insurance companies as this lowers the risk of you making a claim. Not claiming in the last three or more years is often rewarded with discounts against the cost of your policy. There are various things that you can do to your home which will assist with the reduction of risk and make you feel safer. You could make your home physically more secure by fitting good quality mortise locks on all external doors and bolt locks on windows. Extra security could be achieved by the installation of a recognised security system; even the fitting of a working smoke alarm would not only give you peace of mind but also reduce the risk. The insurance companies when looking to issue a house insurance policy assess all these details.

If it is the price of house insurance, that is off-putting then you need to weigh up the costs involved. Could you really afford to rebuild your home?

If the answer is no, then house insurance could be the solution. If you have done all the things possible to reduce the insurance risk of your home but the price of the policy still seems expensive. Then you could lower your premiums by increasing the excess amount that you are prepared to pay in the event of a claim. House insurance does not have to be expensive, a specialist broker can help you collect and compare the best quotes and choose the most appropriate cover for your needs.

David Thomson is Chief Executive of BestDealInsurance (http://www.bestdealinsurance.co.uk) an independent specialist broker dedicated to providing their clients with the best deal on their home, motor and life insurance.