Is Consolidating Your Student Loan A Good Idea? By Bill Dufrane

Some students leave college and you expect them to heave a sigh of relief because at long last the long hurdle is over. No more sleepless nights studying for lessons, no more academic books to read, no more exams to take and most of all no more tuition fees to be paid. But what if the student just relied on student loans all throughout his or her studies? That must have been a lot of loans to pay. Fortunately there is a thing called student loan consolidation.

Student loan consolidation is combining all previous loans into one loan to make it easier for the students to pay the debts. If your loans are consolidated, you need not pay multiple loans every month, you only have a single loan to pay and this makes it less confusing and burdensome.

Through consolidation, a student or a graduate can have some sort of relief. Most student fret and think of their loans while still studying and often miss out on their education. On the other hand, fresh graduates that are in debt could not focus or advance in their careers because they have this huge debt to pay.

You may be wondering if student loan consolidation is a good idea. Here are a few reasons why you should consider consolidating your loans -

It lowers your monthly payment

Often times if a student has multiple loans to pay, it means paying higher as the student is paying for interest for multiple loans.

Lower interest rates

Consolidation offers students a fixed monthly interest that is usually lower than the interest rates of their previous loans.

New interest rates

Consolidating your loans will most likely mean that you are going to have a new interest rate. You may get lower interest rates because interest rates these days are decreasing.

More convenient payment scheme Because all the previous loans are combined into one, payment is easier and more convenient when student loans are consolidated.

Helps you save more money

Typically, consolidating your loans can help you reduce your monthly payments to as much as 54 percent depending on the interest rates. But no matter what the interest rate, bottom-line is your still going to save money.

Extends repayment period

Usually consolidation gives the students more time to pay their debts. This is a good thing so students wont feel pressured to pay their consolidated loans because it lowers the monthly payment.

Different types of loans can be consolidated

Student consolidation is not only limited to one or two types of loans. There are actually a lot of different types of loans that can be consolidated. Some loans that can be consolidated are direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans, federal insured student loans, federal Perkins loans, national defense student loans, etc.

While student loan consolidation provides a lot of advantages, there is also a negative side to it. You may want to consider these disadvantages before deciding to consolidate your loans.

Increases overall total amount paid Because consolidating all your loans extends repayment period, it will lower your monthly payments but this will result in an increased overall total amount paid.

Lose incentives

If you consolidate all your loans you may lose several incentives that are offered to you by your lenders.

Lose benefits for Perkins loans Consolidating Perkins loans means cancellation of your benefits and losing interest subsidy.

Reading the pros and cons of student consolidation may have given you an idea on whether or not consolidation is a good idea. The advantages obviously surpass the disadvantages but it is still up to you if you want to consolidate your loans.

Before indulging in the consolidation scene, you need to do research on that consolidation companies offer the best deals and will really help you lower your payments.

The best way to research is through the internet because you will be able to compare different plans conveniently. You can find information and news on consolidation. Some sites even offer quotes and this makes it easier for you to compare and choose among different companies.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=93575&ca=Finances

Cash Back Credit Cards Offer Equal Benefits By Robert Alan

Cash back credit cards are becoming more common as more and more merchants and retailers accept credit cards as a form of payment. Although cash back cards might seem like an altruistic move by card issuers, the reality is that these cards generate significant profits for them. But the truth is that these cards also provide the significant opportunity for cash back rewards and rebates, offering potentially equal benefits for all parties involved.

Thanks to the growing resurgence in online business (and thus the growing resurgence in online credit card transactions), the market is seeing a variety of new, individualized credit cards unprecedented in history. And, in keeping with the online retailing trend, one of the most prevalent of the new credit cards is the cash back credit card. Cash back credit cards work on a very simple principle: when you shop--using your cash back credit card--at certain targeted retailers or stores, a portion of the money you spend comes back to you, either in the form of a credit to your account or a check (or in some cases a gift certificate to a particular retailer.) Although the rewards are fairly small, the money you get at the end of the year amounts in some ways to a free gift from the credit card company: a way of saying 'thanks'. How generous the card issuer is, right--altruistic, even?

It's a bit more complex than that. Cash back credit cards can only function as a promotional mechanism for the card issuer and can only offer them as an incentive for increased purchase activity. You might think that the company just doles out these rewards from the money that cardholders inject into the company in the form of monthly interest, annual fees, and such, or simply from the credit card company's cash reserves. But that's not usually the case. The money that returns to you when you use a cash back credit card at a retailer wasn't originally your money, or the credit card company's money. It comes out of the retailers and merchants pocket where your transactions occur.

If you've ever had a credit card turned down at a restaurant or retailer because they don't take your particular credit card, here's why: in order to process credit card transactions, retailers pay a small percentage of the purchase amount as a fee that is payable to the credit card company. These fees are a significant profit center for the card issuers who have figured out how to co-op increased purchase activity be sharing a percentage of the merchants transaction costs with the cardholders. Ingenious, isn’t it?

If a credit card company has a cash back credit card that offers 5% of your money back on all gas purchases, you have a real incentive to buy gas from your local station more often and to buy it on credit. This means that the credit card company benefits, first because you're using their services more often (and thus accruing higher balances), and second because every time you use your card at a gas station, the station pays right along side you.

However, this is not a bad deal for the gas station, either, since more cardholders are frequenting their station and buying more gas, only a percentage of the price of which goes to the credit card companies. This means that they're more likely to deal with that particular credit card company, since doing so is now a powerful source of revenue for them (as well as a slightly more powerful source of expense.) And finally, once cardholders get their cash back, guess where they'll probably take at least a portion of it, using the freshly-added credit on their cash back cards?

It's a clever, yet symbiotic relationship. But everyone in the cash back credit card circle seems to benefit. The credit card company and the gas station generate more business, and the individual cardholder gets essentially a discount on purchases in the form of cash rebates or rewards. While the cost of these programs for card issuers will likely increase as more cardholders begin to understand and utilize these card products more effectively for their personal gain, the popularity of cash back credit cards with consumers is not likely to wane anytime soon. While not entirely altruistic, for everyone in the cash back benefit loop, cash back cards still make sense.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=94279&ca=Finances

Who Does Not Want To Make Money Quick? By Scott Michaels

Everyone wants to make money quick. I’m not sure what happened, but in this age of high speed internet access and instant online everything, everyone is looking for a way to make money quick as well. And why not? Who wouldn’t want to make money fast anyway? So long as no one gets hurt, there’s nothing wrong with making a fast buck.

Just make sure that when you’re looking for a way to make money quick you don’t become the target for someone else trying to make money quick. The almost universal desire to make money fast has created a huge market to be easily exploited by anyone with a little creative savvy. I see so many make money quick schemes exploding across the internet, it kind of scares me a little. I have to wonder at their popularity; is that a sign of their desperation, or is it a measure of their success? Picturing thousands of people across the world giving out their credit card numbers and falling prey to these little gimmicks makes me kind of sad.

Some of my favorite make money quick schemes pop up on the television at strange hours of the night. These are nothing short of hilarious. My favorite is that guy who’s selling ‘The Greatest Vitamin in the World’. That guy is the funniest guy I’ve ever seen, and represents everything you want to avoid when trying to make money quick.

A good general rule to keep in mind when perusing through different ‘make money quick’ ideas you see online or on TV; if it sounds too good to be true, it is. You can’t make money quick without knowing how to do something well, taking some risks, and yes, doing some work. Any make money quick offer you see that doesn’t require any work, skill, or risk on your part is more than likely a scam, and should be approached with a high degree of criticism.

I’m not going to suggest any ways to make money quick, because if I knew any I’d be out there doing it right now instead of writing this. My idea of a way to make money quick is to go to medical school, so what the heck do I know about fast money. 11 years of education, training, and a lifetime of debt isn’t really a good way to make money quick, but then again 11 years is just a blink of an eye with respect to the age of the universe.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=93875&ca=Finances

Dollar Drink Night: Boozing With Coworkers Could Help You Financially By Joseph Kenny

There’s a group in every office. They hit the nearby watering hole for happy hour once or twice a week after work to vent shared frustrations, talk about the boss behind his back, maybe even plot future career moves. Thumbing your nose at this carousing crew? Think twice, turning down an invite to grab a post-shift drink might be hazardous to your financial future.

A recent study published by The Journal of Labor Research shows that drinkers earn 10 to 14 percent more than those who avoid the bottle altogether. The reason? The study contends it’s something called social capital. That is, the more you’re out enjoying a drink, the more people you meet. The more people you meet, the more doors that are opened for you professionally. And as is the general rule in the business world—it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

The study contends that specifically, it’s drinkers who hit the bar that see the most benefits financially, as opposed to those who tip the glass at home. It’s all about social capital, which the study defines as “a person’s social characteristics, including social skills, charisma, and the size of his Rolodex, which enable him to reap market and nonmarket returns from interactions with others.” Drinkers who hit the bars have a lot of it, drinkers who sip alone have a little less, nondrinkers have less yet.

The study argues that it’s possible that abstainers may steer clear of social occasions involving drinking, and if not, they will socialize with other nondrinkers or less social people. It’s also possible that abstainers might be considered boring by drinkers, and not be invited to a gathering at all. Those who drink socially may have an easier time attaining a higher paying job or reinforce bonds with coworkers or associates who could have a direct impact on salary. Though the reasons behind nondrinkers’ lack of social capital weren’t specifically tackled in the study, one thing is clear—drinkers earn significantly more than those who abstain.

For example, female drinkers pull in 14 percent more than their nondrinking counterparts. Men who hit the bottle regularly earn 10 percent more than guys who stick with soft drinks.

The pot gets even sweeter for males who hit their favorite watering hole on a regular basis. Men who visited a bar at least once a month earned an additional 7 percent over the 10 percent advantage. That isn’t the case for women barflies, however. No marked advantage was shown for ladies who visited pubs regularly over those who did not.

Though not sponsored by any interests in the alcohol industry, the study was conducted as a response to recent anti-alcohol campaigns on college campuses, limits on alcohol advertising, and tax increases on liquor. Authors of the study contend that since their research shows that drinkers earn significantly more than nondrinkers, perhaps attempting to discourage drinking in society might have a negative impact on our ability to earn.

So next time your cubicle partner asks you to join the crew for a drink after work, think twice before you pass. According to the stats, it might be to your benefit to say “First round’s on me”.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=93477&ca=Finances

Three Easy Ways To Pay Your Way Through College By Garrick Banks

Education today is more expensive than it has ever been. In order to even be able to consider taking some post-secondary education you need to have the financial backing to do so. In fact, many students plan on working part or even full time while they go to school, but this can quickly lead to disaster because the student will be so busy that they will suffer burnout and be unable to juggle their responsibilities.

1. Money From Parents

The oldest, tried and tested method of paying your way through college is by getting money from mom and dad. Of course, nowadays this is more and more uncommon. Some parents invest in educational plans to surpass the heavy burden they might encounter later on.

2. Passport To Education

As a special incentive for having a B or better grade point average (typically, 75 percent or better overall GPA) you may be rewarded by your highschool by a grant that does not have to be repayed. The good news is, it's free money but the bad news is that it is usually for very small amounts of money, $300 or so - barely enough to cover one class and the cost of one textbook. Still, something is better than nothing and you can't argue with things that are free.

3. Scholarship Grants

Scholarship grants are a great way to finance your way through your post secondary education as they can pay for up to the complete amount that you require to go to school. The downside is that you will have to adhere to strict rules or else you might lose the scholarship entirely. College scholarships may be in a form of academic scholarship, athletic scholarships and other forms. There are also college scholarships that are funded by the government.

4. Ask Your Academic Advisor

Both your highschool academic advisor and the advisors at the post secondary school you plan on attended should be consulted. They are often a wealth of information and will be able to provide more information concicely about the subject that you are interested in than you would otherwise be able to achieve by yourself, given the same amount of time. Plus, theyre always free to consult and a simple consultation might save you lots of trouble in the long run.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=93574&ca=Finances

Business Credit Cards Offer The Ideal Choice By Robert Alan

Business credit cards are something that most business owners need to have. There are business trips and expenses to pay for. There are meals to cover and costs for rewards for good employees. To handle all of these needs, the right credit card should be in hand. Yet, if you are choosing credit cards simply based upon advertisements that you receive in the mail you may be missing out on some of the best card options out there. For large and small businesses, there are plenty of opportunities for success to consider with the right business credit card.

To gain the right benefits with these credit cards, you do need to consider all that they can offer you. Each and every one of them is quite different. To help you to sort through all of the benefits, take into consideration your needs as well as your needs when considering how to beef up the strength of your credit standing. Here are some tips to help you in your search:

* Determine flexibility in spending -- In many business credit card accounts, the goal is to have an open spending limit so that you and your employees can have the available credit necessary without worrying about hitting an over limit. Take some time to consider what opportunities either a charge card or a credit card can provide in terms of their charging limitations.

* Determine the Ongoing APR -- Even though this is a business credit card, you still should pay some attention to the APR that is being offered to you. In many cases, the slightest difference either way can make a huge difference if the balance is not paid for in full each month. Taking the time necessary to determine which card has the best ongoing APR is very important for your long-term success.

* Multiple Card Option -- Having the ability to give your employees the credit cards they need is also important. It is likely that you will want all of these cards managed under one plan. Yet, you may want to put restrictions on how much credit will be extended to each individual employee. That being the case, special consideration should be given to the card options that provide flexibility with multiple cards and customizable credit limits for individual employees.

* Fraud Protection -- Something that is being offered most card issuers is fraud protection. If someone should use a credit card in your name without your authorization, simply report the disputed charge and they will mark the disputed charges for further investigation, offering significant protection against fraudulent use.

* Access to Credit -- In the case of a small business, the right business credit cards will provide you with access to additional credit, and in some cases, substantial additional credit. Take some time to determine what it is that you need then apply for a credit card to help in making that happen. In many cases, these credit cards actually provide the means for getting over hurdles.

Business credit cards, like any credit card, should never be chosen without careful consideration. If you are looking for a means to securing the funds that you need to make things happen in your company, then consider this tool. You are sure to find several business credit card opportunities to call on to help you to do just that.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=94004&ca=Finances

Beg, Borrow Or Steal, Make That Mortgage Payment By Tristan Hunt

One of the most common things I hear when a prospective client contacts us for a mortgage refinance is 'I just missed a mortgage payment and I want to refinance before it's too late'. When I ask them about their credit, most of them reply 'Oh I pay everything on time, I just got behind this one month on the mortgage'.

It breaks my heart to tell them that in many cases, it already is too late. The reason is simple if you really think about it: If your home is your biggest investment, your greatest potential asset and your largest current liability, there is nothing more important than showing that you are able to make the payment on it every month. If you are in a cash crunch, you're better off missing or underpaying almost any other payment, such as a credit card bill, even your utility bill, instead of missing or even delaying your mortgage payment, because missing one mortgage payment can cost you tens of thousands of dollars over the years.

When you miss a mortgage payment, your credit score may not go down dramatically. But your mortgage credit quality will take a serious beating, and you'll carry it around for years. When you start out with a mortgage, regardless of what your FICO credit score is, you are rated an 'A', meaning you make your mortgage payments on time. If you miss a payment, and even if you're just late enough to qualify as 30 days late, the lateness is recorded and you will become an 'A-' or a 'B'. Just one mortgage lateness can keep you out of the refinance market for up to two years by automatically locking you out of the lowest payment programs such as Option ARMs or low-rate fixed mortgages, and you can forget about stated income programs, you will now have to prove where every penny comes from and you'll need more of them too. If it sounds a bit like high school, it is, but this time its for keeps. Keep missing or delaying payments, and you'll quickly see your mortgage quality decline to a 'C' or 'D', which could prevent you from refinancing entirely by eliminating your eligibility from even standard rate programs. I have seen customers who started out at 6% wind up at 10% or more solely because they chose making payments on cars or credit cards over making their mortgage payment on time.

This hurts the most when you refinance or are ready to buy a new house, because you are usually borrowing more money than you were previously, either to pay off bills or make home improvements, or because you're getting a bigger house. So not only are you moving to a higher balance, but your now derogatory mortgage credit will force you into a high rate. If you need the cash to pay off bills and improve your credit urgently, or to purchase a home in a new area because you are relocating for work, you can wind up in a horrible Catch 22, very often disqualified for financing entirely, or with financing so unaffordable that you would rather not.

So what can you do about this? If you do better with automatic payments, sign up for direct debit payment with your lender, or arrange for your bank to automatically pay your mortgage every month on a specific date which far enough ahead of the due dates for your other bills that you won't be tempted to pay something else. The day after payday is a great day to do it. And the date should be far enough ahead of your due date that the bill is paid and posted on time. It might hurt that first month, but it will even out once you get used to the new schedule.

And if you are even thinking that you might miss a mortgage payment, call up a loan officer, and not one who works for your current lender, and get refinanced today. Not only will this put a little extra cash in your pocket and help you pay off your other bills, but it will usually allow you to go a few extra weeks without making another payment out of pocket. In fact, for qualified borrowers, we even have Zero Payment & Zero Interest for 90 Day loans which are perfect for people who are at risk of missing their next payment. Because there are no payments for up to 90 days, this is a very popular product amongst our customers. Option ARMs and Fixed-Rate Option ARMs (Hybrids) are also excellent products for people who are having trouble making ends meet temporarily, but expect to get back on their feet within a few month sor a few years, respectively. Loans generally take 15 days to close, so you really need to think ahead a little bit, which is hard for all of us. But instead of freezing up, or scrambling around looking for money, call up an experienced professional and get out of that jam before you get into trouble. You're better off dealing with the issue in the present instead of regretting the past. And no matter what, make sure you satisfy your mortgage payment obligation. Everything else on your credit report can be repaired, negotiated, but not your mortgage lates. Don't wind up in a situation like many of my callers are in, ready to dance but too late to the party, plan ahead and as always, protect your financial future today!

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=93989&ca=Finances

Are 0 Interest Credit Cards Reality Or Myth? By Robert Alan

If you are looking at owning a new credit card then obviously 0 interest credit cards hold a lot of appeal for you. Anything with 0 interest does grab attention, for that matter! But in the name of 0 interest credit cards, there is a lot of subtle dodging that credit card companies are playing with,to ensure you catch the bait. The question is will you?

Admit it. You are hooked on the 0 APR credit card ad that you just saw in the morning newspaper,and your interest is piqued. Are these 0 interest credit cards a reality or are they just a myth?

The truth is, they are and they are not! They are for real because there are cards that live up to the promise to a certain degree, but the truth is also that this 0% interest does not last long. It might just be an initial gimmick to get you to apply and once you’re a cardholder, you will only have the 0 APR credit card for just a short time (3 months, 6 months, or if you’re very lucky 12 months) before they start charging you a higher rate of interest. Truly, this credit card game is an interesting one to watch, if you are the suffering player. Read on to know what you can do to make sure you are not the sufferer.

Understanding 0 APR Credit Cards

Admittedly, 0 APR credit cards hold a lot of enticement. But here’s what you’ve got to do when you find that a 0 APR card that has piqued your attention. Pay attention to how long the no-interest period will last, whether you can transfer other balances at the 0% rate, and, most important of all of these, what the APR rate will be when the offer ends! When you are done assessing these parameters you can properly finalize from the card options available.

The Luxuries of Owning a 0 APR Credit Card

If you’ve already accumulated a huge debt on your previous credit cards, there’s good news for you. A 0 APR credit card is known to benefit users with large outstanding card balances in a big way. Not only are these users able to cut down the amount of interest incurred upon their debt, but with the help of a 0 APR credit card they can also gain access to competitively priced cash advances, which can help consolidate outstanding high APR debt. There are fees and APR's attached to these cash advances, however.

Pitfalls of 0 Interest Credit Cards

*Most (in fact all) 0 interest credit cards offer 0% interest or no interest only for a limited amount of time, which varies between 6 to 12 months.

*If you’re thinking of transferring balances from high interest credit cards, some of these cards might not even allow you to do so during the introductory 0% offer period.

*Certain 0 APR credit cards might also charge expensive balance transfer fees.

*Some of these 0 interest credit cards also carry very high penalties for late payments and automatically switch you to a variable APR rate for a late payment.

*Certain 0 APR credit cards charge a very high interest rate after the introductory (read honeymoon) period expires.

Yes, the picture is definitely not all rosy, even though you can undoubtedly save money through the use of some 0 interest credit cards, not using them judiciously can be an expensive proposition. So choose and use them wisely.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=94009&ca=Finances

Budgeting For Charity By Morgan D. James

Money is tight, but you know that you should be supporting charities. How do you plan your budget in a way that gives a little back?

Choose your Donation Style

There are a few different ways that you can choose to donate for charity. You might choose one charity and donate every month using a pre-authorized payment plan. You might choose a set amount each month and donate to a different charity each month. You might even decide that instead of making regular payments to any charities, you will instead make a donation every time you are approached at the supermarket or at the office. Although this last one sounds like it might be less expensive, it often ends up costing you more because you do not keep track of how much you spend.

Regardless of how you choose to allot your charitable donations, be sure to budget in a little extra. You might want to buy a chocolate bar from the kid at the door, or you might want to pick something up at the bake sale.

Track your Donations

Keep your donation receipts. This will allow you track how much you’re spending, which can help you decide if your current amount of donation is too much or too little based on your earnings. Traditionally, people allotted 10% of their income to charity, but you can judge how much or how little you feel is appropriate.

Research your Charities

You want the money that you give to charity to be well-spent. Some of the large world-wide charities have overhead expenses of as much as 60%. Go to your charities’ websites to see their budgeting. You want to choose charities with a low overhead cost, so that you know your money is going directly to help those in need, or directly to research, rather than to administrative or advertising costs.

Donate Alternatives

Maybe you don’t have enough money to pay your bills, let alone donate to charity. Consider donating your time instead. You could volunteer to collect money, or to organize paperwork at a local charity. Often, charities will be more pleased to have your time because they need people to help out.

You can also donate clothes, furniture, and even old cars to charity. Find out what kind of collections happen in your neighbourhood. It might even be useful for you if you are doing spring cleaning to have someone come to take away your old things. Donate things that are no longer useful to you, but don’t donate garbage. If something is useless, throw it out. You would be surprise at how many items can be donated: soup labels, grocery store receipts, pop can tabs, and even eyeglasses.

Do it for Fun

Often, charities organize events that will be fun. You can go to a charity dinner and have a wonderful evening, especially because you know that you are doing it for the right reasons. You might buy a ticket for a 50/50 draw, because chances are when they call your number you might win. If a charity is selling something that you might not need, consider if you might be able to get it as a gift for someone else. Your friend might be pleased to have a newly knit baby-blanket, even though it would have been no use to you.

Choose Charity Options

Sometimes you need to spend money, so why not choose to spend it through a charity? For instance, if you need to get your car washed, you might consider doing the charity car wash rather than the gas station car wash.

Sometimes schools or churches do fundraising where they sell cheese or oranges. Instead of buying your cheese or citrus fruit at the grocery store, you can buy them from the charity and feel good about how you are spending your money.

No matter how much or how little you earn, you can always provide something for those who are more in need than you. You will feel better about yourself by doing small things can make a big difference.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=94428&ca=Finances

Foreclosure Houses Search These For Your First Home By Adam Masterson

Many people are flocking to the foreclosure home market. In it, you are able to buy homes that are quite inexpensive, fix them up, and sell them for a profit or use them for yourself. There are a few good reasons that foreclosure houses are great for people that are looking for their first property. It is much easier to get one of these homes mortgaged than any other home.

The price is the big drawing feature of these homes. Be on the lookout for foreclosed homes in your area. You can save thousands of dollars by purchasing foreclosure houses instead of more traditional properties. There is a good chance that you will find more than one home in your area that is discounted up to half of the actual market value.

In addition to the great price that you can get up front on foreclosure houses, they are also great investment properties. If you buy a foreclosed home as your first property, and pay it off in 15 or 30 years, you will have made quite the profit. When you go to resell the house you will be able to sell it for thousands more than what you paid for it initially. And all you have to do to take advantage of this profit is simply live in your house, and make the payments.

Foreclosure houses are also good properties to look into because there is a large selection available all over the country. Regardless of where you live, you will never have any problem finding foreclosure houses in your area. This means that when you are picking out your first home that you will not be restricted in the least bit. All you have to do is locate the foreclosure houses in your area, and then go through all of them to decide that one best suits your needs.

Dont discount foreclosed homes just because they may be real fixer-uppers. If you make sure the home will suit your needs, who cares if its not the palace you invisioned? Your first home hardly ever is your last home. Chances are that if you are buying your first home that you have other things to purchase as well. This can really free up a lot of cash and let you buy more appliances and other things of that nature that you need.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=93543&ca=Finances

My Car Just Got Ripped Off. How Much is My Car Insurance Company Going to Cover?

There's nothing quite as unpleasant as walking out of the mall late at night to find the windows to your car smashed, the door pried open, the wires ripped out like someone tried to hot wire it but couldn't find the right YouTube video and, worst of all, a black, empty hole where your car stereo used to be. Car theft is something that intrinsically violates your personal space and your personal belongings. As traumatizing as being the victim of theft can be, however, it's not the end of the world. After all, your car insurance company is standing behind you every step of the way.

Aren't they?

Many people don't realize it ahead of time, but just having car insurance isn't enough to guarantee that you're going to be able to recoup all of your losses. Car insurance companies have a vested interest in staying in business for longer than a year or two, which means they need to take in more than they pay out in car insurance claims. They have to have a certain amount of discretion in what they cover and, when they do, how much they're willing to cover.

First and foremost, let's talk about what car insurance companies are willing to cover when it comes to theft. Most companies will cover damages to your car. If they broke a window, smashed a tire, ripped out some wires, messed with your engine, did major damage trying to outsmart your fuel switch-whatever the case, they're going to take care of it for you. If the manufacturer included it in the car, it's probably going to be covered by your car insurance company.

And, of course, if they manage to get away with the entire car they'll pay to replace it for you. But that's about as far as your coverage goes.

When you think about it, unless they're trying to make off with the entire vehicle to get to a chop shop what is it that car thieves are usually after? Electronics. Stereos, GPS, Bluetooth, CD players, speakers, cell phones, DVD players...the list is endless. Anything they can resell out on the market for a profit is pretty much considered to be fair game.

Unfortunately, since these aren't part of the car they probably aren't going to be covered by your car insurance. The good news is, while your car insurance probably isn't going to take care of it your homeowners insurance is standing by, just waiting to step into the gap. See, most home insurance companies essentially consider your car to be a mobile extension of your house. By default, that means what's inside is covered.

Of course, there are a couple of conditions. Insurance companies are really cracking down on fraud these days, which means they're extremely careful about what insurance claims they pay out. If you can't prove your car was broken into you're not going to be able to receive the compensation you deserve. Why? It was too easy. Nobody trusts anything that comes easy.

Filing insurance claims after your car's been ripped off is going to send your car insurance rates skyrocketing, so it definitely pays to stay two steps ahead of the enemy camp on this one. Make sure your doors are locked, always park in well lit areas and never turn your back on your car with the windows wide open. If thieves can't get inside your car, they can't rob you blind.

Remember, the best defense is always a good offense.

Small Business Tax Tips By Jonathon Hardcastle

Any small business owner knows that they may live or die by the financial decisions that they make. While many cut corners by making prudent purchase decisions, few realize the opportunities that are available to them when it comes to working out the taxes for their business. In this article, we'll give you some tips to help you realize the best ways to optimize your taxes.

- One interesting write-off that many small business owners fail to realize is their health insurance. The taxing laws dictate that self employed people may write off a full sixty percent of their health insurance costs, saving them potentially thousands of dollars. In addition, medical savings accounts can be set up and the contributions made up until April 17th are considered by the IRS.

- When considering employees for your business, think family first. If there are people in your family that can help you to operate the business, you can allow them to take on some of the income of the business, allowing you to put your earnings into lower tax brackets, assuming the relative performs some type of service to the business.

- Another aspect often neglected by uninformed small business owners is the prospect of a retirement fund. You can contribute to a qualified self retirement fund which is completely tax deductible in your returns.

- The first year expense limitation for any small business is now $19,000. Don't forget to write off any business-related practices, including taking potential clients to lunch, or golfing, or whatever situation may merit as an expense. One technique often employed when it comes to lessening the taxes that you face is to buy supplies that you know that the office will need in the coming year early so that you can write them off. While it's not a permanent solution, it can defer the damage your taxes do to you.

Keeping track of your financial records and keeping a clear separation between expenses made for yourself and those made for your business can really ease your struggle come tax time. Being organized and having a plan can save you both time and all-important money.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=93669&ca=Finances