Nobody likes tax time. This is particularly true for the small business owner who has to deal with business taxes in addition to personal taxes. However, there are things that you can do throughout the year to reduce the stress that is felt at tax time. One of those things is to use a business credit card for all purchases that are made throughout the year. This keeps expenses easily organized and reduces the time that you'll spend trying to sort...more
You have almost certainly received a credit card 0 apr offer in your mailbox or email inbox. Some people apply for every 0 apr credit card that comes their way. Others opt to avoid applying for these cards altogether. What both types of people will find is that there are good offers and bad offers when it comes to 0 apr credit cards. More importantly, there are things that you can do to maximize the benefit that you get from these credit cards....more
It's a little bit exciting to get credit card cash back money. After all, you already made those credit card purchases and forgot about them so it's not like you're really expecting to get anything else. The cash back credit card offers you a little bit of a reward in addition to your purchase so that you can have some spending money in your pocket. But what do you want to spend that money on? Different people find that different purchases can make their cash back credit cards really benefit them.Pay Your Credit Card BillSome people find that the best use of their credit card cash back money is to pay off their credit card bill with it. Many cash back credit cards make this easy by offering that as an option in your rewards package. In other words, when you sign into your online account to see what your dollar amount cash back is, you'll also see an option to "use this amount to pay your bill". This allows you to save the money that you would've normally spent on your monthly credit card bill and to use it for something else down the line.Get Rewards Other than Cash BackMany cash back credit cards offer a certain percentage of your purchase amount back to you in cash but will give...more
To paraphrase an old saying, "When the going gets tough, retailers start slashing operational costs." Ironically, cost slashing usually exposes a retailer to even greater risks instead of fortifying it against economic uncertainties. All businesses have felt the impact of today's volatile economy. Retail has been hit especially hard, with sales in...more
What's the greatest risk to your portfolio during bad markets? Surprise! It's probably your advisor.The other week, a friend of mine sent me an article from a financial advisor in the U.S. asking me for my opinion. In the article, the advisor stated two things that stood out to me like a two-ton boulder falling out of a clear blue sky. They were...more
These days, many similar businesses are in competition with each other to win the crusade for the customer. With the construction of each new restaurant, supermarket and department store, people are offered more and more options on where they can go. Many stores and restaurants carry or offer alike items and thus, there is little that can distinguish one venue from the next.However, one thing that does offer distinction is the level of customer service and, more notably, the level of customer disservice.When I first stared this article, I asked several people I knew what kind of experiences they have had with poor customer service. While some of their experiences were extreme - with one instance where a photo lab cashier punched an irate customer - most relayed occurrences consistent with my own experience. I narrowed it down to four behaviors of customer disservice. When these behaviors are continually maintained, the ability to drive customers away will surely be in the bag.People who act as if their customers are invisible - When I was in high school, my father sent my friend Jenny and me to a hardware store to fetch a plastic tube for the senior physics project he was building...more
Are you tired of being held hostage to your debt? Use these simple solutions to pay down your debt and eventually eliminate it forever.Cutting up your credit cardsAre you fed up with credit card companies? Are you having trouble paying off your...more
Don't get trapped by credit card debt forever. By making easy moves towards financial freedom, you can be debt-free in less than 2 years.Approaching credit card debt with a planHave you accumulated a ton of credit card debt over the years and simply...more
Did you know that you could be hurting yourself by consolidating your debt with the wrong company? Here's how you could be suffering.Unnecessary debt consolidation feesIf you're in the market for a good debt consolidation company, chances are you're...more
Understanding and taking the right approach to eliminating debt is the most important step you need to take. Learn that now and get started.Realizing that you have a debt problemFace it: You don't want to be saddled with debt anymore! But like some...more
Debt consolidation? Debt settlement? Bankruptcy? They can all hurt your credit score, but which way is the best way to eliminate debt?Consolidating debt with the wrong companyIf you're in a bind with debt, struggling to maintain a healthy credit...more
Regardless of whether this is your first or tenth time negotiating with your creditors, there are some things you simply should not say.Making unnecessary demands on your debt paymentsAre you preparing to try and negotiate lower debt payments with...more