Households across the country are finding themselves in a similar situation. They lack the financial funds to make the necessary changes to their home and need to find a way to fund upgrades and eliminate debt. A popular way of financing these changes without killing themselves is by taking a home equity loan to pay down their debt. The Home Equity Loan has become a fast-track way of paying down large credit card debt, financing college education...more
If you are up to your neck in debt, there may seem like there is no relief in sight. In fact this is not necessarily the truth. There are ways to take all of your stifling bills and roll them up into one neat package by using debt consolidation in two very popular forms Home Equity Loans, Refinancing Loans, and a Consolidation Credit Card. All of these instruments provide the debtor with one thing "relief" from the current debt by shrinking it...more
"You've been approved!" The words you have always wanted to hear when you filled out the home loan application. It swirls through your mind the opportunities and memories you will cherish in your new home. Before you even start shopping for a home it is best to understand in real terms what you can afford. Your income level may make it tight for you every month to make the mortgage payment if you purchase too much home. You may wish to know how much the home may cost you before you sign your contract. So you will need to be a financial calculator to figure out the monthly paper in real-terms. There is an easier way. The Internet has become the best place for mathematical equations and there are some great websites that will do the figures for you should you know the absolute basics of the transaction. Here are some of the factors that can help you determine what your monthly interest rate will be: Amount of home Percentage of interest Duration of loan (5, 15 or 30 years) Down payment Insurance (percentage of loan) Start date of the loanSites like bankrate.com and countrywide.com provide free online calculators. Save yourself time and frustration trying to determine the...more
Some time in your life you will need a new car. You may not want to have the burden of a new car debt, but you may find there are very few alternatives. There are some simple things you can look for that will help reduce the amount of money every month. Depending on your credit situation, a car loan can be very easy or rather difficult. Even though...more
Chances are your bank is a virtual place. Since the invention of the Internet you can see your balances anywhere, at any time. Most banks think globally and have acted this way by creating secure portals to manage their account holder's information stored in their databases. This information stored usually shows account balances, previous...more
There will come a day when you need credit. You may want to buy a home or a car and your credit rating will become very important to help make these dreams come true. One of the first things you will need to learn is the basic principle of money management, especially the ability to repay your creditors on time within the 30-day grace period they establish for you. Most people secure credit cards as the first way to establish credit in High School or College. Upon getting the credit card, usually a low spending limit, the ability to repay the card in an orderly fashion will help you establish a positive credit rating with the major repositories. How your score is recordedUpon making your monthly payments to the Credit Card Company or bank, your information is electronically transmitted to a credit-reporting agency. Trans Union, Equifax and Experian are the three major credit agencies. Once you have made your payments consistently your rating will rise accordingly. Once your rating has hit 650 or better, your mailbox will become flooded with attractive offers for credit cards and loans. People will want to give you the world because you can pay your bills in a timely manner. What...more
You have finally found the home of your dreams. You have searched all over and are ready to purchase it. Before you even make your offer you should seek out the financing first. In some cases, it is easier to have a pre-approval in hand before making...more
With today's credit card companies, there are many opportunities to get your cards rate of 21% or more reduced. The higher the amount of interest your card charges will cost you more for a simple purchase and ultimately may take you years to pay...more
Chances are you may need a little extra money to get some work done around the home or perhaps your current interest rate is 7.5% and the prime interest rate is 6.0% there is a benefit to restart the clock on an existing mortgage and save thousands...more
What we now call "marketing" began long before the name was coined. In the mid-1800s, traveling salesmen dressed "snake oil" and other tonics in fancy packaging and extolled their virtues to a gullible public. New marketing applications soon...more
Tuition costs are climbing, housing costs are climbing, it seems like all the costs for students are climbing these days. Students can afford cost increases less than any other demographic in Canada. Because of this, parents and students alike are...more
One thing you can count on during the holiday season is the obligatory office party. No matter what the size of the organization, there is always an effort to bring coworkers together for one more moment of merriment. Some people look forward to the...more