We are going South » Finance

Getting your prepaid visa

admin — Fri, 21 May 2010 18:54:49 +0000

I, like everyone else in the world, uses a credit card when ever needed for purchases that may take a while to pay off. I have 3 and they are all 0% balance transfer cards with the same on purchases. I find these through the mail and really had no idea that a website existed to point out where the best deals are. You can find rates and answers to the Prepaid Visa cards which are a great tool to help you manage your debt. If you own a business, then this site is great because they have business credit cards too. I found offers on mileage plans, double miles, no limit on miles, no annual fee for the first year. Perhaps the point is obvious, but why pay hundreds in interest payments when there are credit cards out there now who want your business? I see no need, plus you may earn some bonus miles along the way. Finally, there is a great resources page. Here I found links to credit help sites and a Life Event Management Center. How great that this site wants you save money on interest and then help you get help so that one can get control of there credit. I applaud them for this!

Life Settlement explained

admin — Sun, 02 May 2010 02:11:31 +0000

With uncertainty in the economy, seniors are looking to non traditional sources of money for their retirement years. A growing number of seniors are turning to the novel life settlement market for cash. While many don’t know life settlements are available, they offer large and readily accessible sums of money from unwanted or unneeded life insurance policies.

Life insurance policies are usually purchased to provide much needed financial security in the event of someone’s death. When a life insurance policy is no longer needed many people mistakenly assume the policy has little or no value. In years past policy owners had two options for their unwanted life insurance. First, they could stop paying premiums, which then allowed the policy to lapse. In this scenario, the policy owner gets nothing. Secondly, some life insurance allows for the policy to be returned to the insurance carrier for the “cash surrender value”. Unfortunately, the cash surrender value is often only a nominal amount of the policy’s death benefit.

Life settlements offer a third and more attractive option. A life settlement occurs when someone sells their existing life insurance policy for an immediate lump sum payment. The seller benefits by getting instant money which is often 200%-500% more than the cash surrender value offered by the insurance carrier. While the buyer, often a financial institution such as a bank or investment fund, pays the ongoing premiums and receives the death benefit when the policy matures. Unfortunately, many seniors don’t realize that life insurance policies can be bought and sold by their owner, like any other asset.

The life insurance settlement process is relatively straightforward and easy. Contacting a life settlement broker for a free analysis and consultation is the first step. These licensed professionals can provide an estimated value for a life insurance policy on the secondary market. After completing an application and collecting some documentation, the policy will be offered to a number of prospective buyers for consideration. From there, the policy seller simply chooses the most attractive offer and collects the life settlement proceeds.

Research Your Options

admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:15:27 +0000

As we become more financially independent, the reality of paying bills and taking care of our financial obligations becomes more and more urgent. It takes time to get used to that type of independence, but once we get the ball rolling, it gets easier and easier resulting in maturity and responsibility. Along the way, we may stumble and spend money that we should have used for more responsible spending. This frivolity can result in shortfalls in our budget and we end up needing some help. We can turn to family, but that can become old and somewhat tiresome. The bank is also a place where we can obtain small personal loans, but we often need impeccable credit and collateral to secure the loan for the bank. The risk that they take is often great, so the collateral is pledged to make sure that the bank gets their money back. Payday loans can be expensive, but the requirements are much less stringent and you can often walk in and out of a payday loan store with money in just a few minutes, making that source one of the most convenient.

Research is very important when you consider taking out a cash advance as you want the company to be reputable and not overcharge you for the loan itself. Laws require that interest and fees be plainly noticeable and that they disclose this information. An online cash advance is also a good option if you are considering a loan of this type. You can go to the lender’s website and they will let you know whatever it is you need to know and they always have customer service available to help you figure out if their service suits your needs. Compare the many online cash advance companies before moving forward as many offer same-day advances and the option to roll over the loan into the next period, which can be helpful if you do not expect to have the money for some time.

Bank Rates

admin — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:59:03 +0000

Now that we have a new economy upon us, I see nothing but opportunity but to take advantage of the new interest rates, say in refinancing a home or just saving more. In fact Americans are saving more now than ever. Its still a little low, but it is improvement. The web is full sites that can help us find the best interest rates and the one I recommend is monitorbankrates.com. What I needed first were good Financial Calculators that would help in the areas of Mortgage payments, CD Ladder ideas, Certificate of Deposit which is very popular these days for strong conservative banking. You find the Mortgage Calculator very easy to use in finding your payment with pmi and taxes. What was most interesting to me was one I had never used before and that was the Debt Consolidation Calculator. This was very intricate in helping you decide if consolidated all your car debt, credit card debt was a good idea by factoring your principal and the interest rate you are paying. Many of us do not have any equity or if we do, should we make this move. I would strongly recommend making these calculations before doing so! This a very nice, easy to use website which also dedicated to publishing good financial articles especially around credit cards, mortgage rates and What’s in the Stimulus Bill for you. This is a professional site that you will enjoy as well as find informational!

Kudos to Harry Markopolos

admin — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 22:06:32 +0000

I want to thank Mr Markopolos who first contacted the SEC on Bernard Madoff in 1999 questioning his Ponzi scheme. Sure he may been a rival, but facts are facts. Thanks to WSJ for his excellent reporting and using Mr Markopolos. Steady returns with a veil of exclusive clients making very nice money in a special club for years…how did it all get past the SEC? It appears this was a country club of sorts for the elite who ironically, it appears, kept their heads in the sand as long as the returns just kept coming. Now the WSJ has made a list of who’s who on the Madoff Investment club and it will shock you. Wake up America….but then again you have. You are tight with your money, you now examine what you buy and from whom. Perhaps now this type of scheme will be a thing of the past. It does not take more regulation. The rules are there. It take each of to look in the mirror and decide our actions and take responsibility for them. Let this be a lesson to us all.. gee if it sounds to good to be true, perhaps it is!

Housing Market

admin — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 06:27:52 +0000

I know its a very tired source of conversation but housing is in a real crunch. Interest rates are great if you can qualify. what I have found is that people have the money to buy homes but their down payment is in their home equity. How do you get that our, well by selling your home and unlocking that equity. Hence, the domino effect will begin. Who or what will be the initial tipping point to get things moving again. Could it be Obamas new plan to build roads, bridges hospitals? I think so. But how are we going to pay for all that investment in infrastructure? Raise taxes on wages that comefrom that construction? Does it really matter in these times. You see, we do not have a war or cold war to heat things up again. There is nothing to fall back on but on ourselves. We all need a home and are at a point where we can afford a mortgage so why not get back in market. I just dont get it. I will revisit this in my next post.

My Savings

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:49:14 +0000

Hey guys I just found a great site. All of us love free samples be it from the grocery store etc.
Free Samples and Savings
What I found: printable coupons for wal mart, home depot Dell and Marriot. I also found a community site where other great interet surfers have found great products like Niva, Wrigley Gum and dove products. My family likes to keep in our happy little habits at the grocery store without reaching out too much, like shopping out the box. I can try out the some of these name brand products either free or at a serious discount.

Under free samples, you can click on mulitple categories like baby, automotive, health, cooking, clothing and home and garden. Give it try. I was very fun and what I like are the user comments so I know if I should be wasting my time with a particular product.

Payday Loan

admin — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:57:04 +0000

I saw in the paper today that Oregon will begin to crackdown on the payday loan industry and I for one am happy about it. Legalized loan sharking, as I call it, is such a fraud to the poor and uneducated. However, even the educated I bet can get consumed by luring idea of getting paid now instead in two weeks when you pay check comes in. Cant you wait. Anyway, its sad to think we need to develop laws to keep payday loan interest rates down so as not to harm people too bad just after we developed laws to make such loans legal. Wow is that ironic!

Look up down the major streets of your town and you will see the store fronts of these lenders. Now watch the comes coming in and look at the people. It saddens me to see a parent walk in while the other parent stays in the car with the kids. Do they know the spiral downward?

Too be continued….