Archive for November, 2009

All About Identity Theft »

Here’s some good info about about identity theft and how to prevent yourself from getting taken:
An identity thief is someone who obtains some piece of your sensitive information, like your Social Security number, date of birth, address, and phone number, and uses it without your knowledge to commit fraud or theft.
How Identity Thieves Get [...]

Bonds – Are They Good Investments? »

Bonds are a security and are generally good investments for the older crowd who wants to earn higher interest rates for income. Bonds also belong in younger portfolios to enhance investment balance. But beware; the Big Bad Wolf may be knocking on the bond investing door.
In 2009 you couldn’t make 1% a year in the [...]

Fun and Frugal Family Outings »

The time we spend with our families is priceless. But most popular family activities are quite expensive. Even a simple night at the movies can put a serious dent in the budget by the time you buy tickets, popcorn and drinks for everyone.
Fortunately, there are cheaper alternatives to expensive family outings. They provide the opportunity [...]

Every Little Bit of Savings Adds Up »

Living on a budget is the key to financial freedom, but getting started can be frustrating. When we look at our expenses and see all of those bills we’re paying every month, it’s easy to throw our hands up in disgust. But what about all those little expenses we incur? You might be surprised to [...]

2 Tips to Help Improve Bad Credit »

In some cases, bad credit is a result of irresponsible money management. But it often occurs because of unexpected financial hardship. One day you might have all of your bills current, and the next you could become disabled or lose your job. And if you fall behind on your debts, it will wreak havoc on [...]

Debit vs. Credit Cards: How They Stack Up – Part 3 »

We’ve been comparing debit cards with credit cards in this series.  This time we’ll talk about credit cards and their potential benefits and drawbacks.  Then we’ll discuss some federal protections available to credit card users:
Potential Benefits of Credit Cards
A Fast, Unsecured Loan: Credit cards enable you to buy goods or services now and – unlike [...]

Debit vs. Credit Cards: How They Stack Up – Part 2 »

Last time we were talking about the potential benefits and drawbacks to using debit cards. This time well talk about about some of the consumer protections available to debit card users:
Consumer Protections for Debit Card users
Federal law includes protections against debit card errors and the loss or theft of your card, although consumers are [...]

Debit vs. Credit Cards: How They Stack Up – Part 1 »

Debit cards, which work like electronic checks, are becoming more widely used as an alternative to credit cards to pay for goods and services. In this two part series, we’ll help you better understand how the two types of cards work and the potential benefits and concerns. First let’s talk about debit cards, their potential [...]

Six Common Investing Mistakes and How to Get Around Them »

Here is a listing of some of the top 6 mistakes people make with their cash as well as pointers on what can be done to avoid these errors.
1) Racking Up Junk Debt: Credit card offers are ubiquitous in American society. They’re easy to use because most stores accept plastic, so a lot of people [...]