In a market place with both increasing power to the consumer thanks to the internet combined with economic instability, it should not come as any surprise to hear consumers are starting to make smarter decisions about spending their money. As the credit crunch sets in, businesses willing to diversify their product offerings are able to come out in front. Some businesses have been able to see the current conditions as an opportunity. We are...more
As new students head off to university and college each year they are presented with many challenges. Meeting new friends, encountering new ideas, and managing new responsibilities. Of these, perhaps it is managing money that is the most important. As a new student you'll find out pretty quick just how hard a weekend bender with the boys hits the pocket-book. So, once your head has cleared you may want to take a look at the...more
Spending beyond your means is something you are being programmed to do. Look around you at adverts on TV, junk mail through your door, spam email in your inbox and just about everywhere there is advertising space. We are all being encouraged to live beyond our means and spend more than we earn. Why on earth would the banks and credit companies want us to become in debt and stay that way for as long as possible? Shouldn't they be helping us make good financial decisions and develop responsible spending habits?Well when it comes to their profit margins, priorities are firmly on getting us to pay as much interest over the longest period of time possible. In some cases they even build consumer profiles of us based on criteria such as how much we earn, how much we spend, what patterns we follow and how likely we are to overstretch ourselves. Armed with this very useful information they aggressively market lending products to us with every intention of drawing us into debt paying them interest for as long as possible. So when they've created the debt situation and we find ourselves looking for ways out what options do we have then? Cue the debt management, consolidation...more
When you think of gas rebates, you most likely think of a gas rebate credit card. That is not the only type of rebate you can get. There is a relatively new type of gas rebate that is a customer loyalty gas rebate. Customer loyalty rebates are different than rebate credit cards in two respects.First and foremost, there is no credit card...more
In the UK press it is daily talking about a dip in consumer spending and gloom and doom but unlike the recession in the 80's and 90's souls are showing no sign of reducing spend on personal grooming and health care.Laser Teeth whitening treatment through a specialist is one of the best ways to achieve a Hollywood smile. Professional techniques...more
Credit card consolidation is a common practice these days as it can save an extremely large amount of cash over the life term of the credit card debt. This process entails transferring all outstanding balances from various high APR credit cards to credit cards with a much lower interest rate, or possibly even a credit card that is offering a zero percentage APR for balance transfers, of which there are many.The reasons why credit card consolidation could be the ideal solution for your debt issue are:Reduced Interest payments:As already highlighted, your credit card interest rates may well be extortionately high and are therefore costing you way too much in either APR or your annual fee. By switching to a credit card offering a better deal, even if it is only a short term offer you will save money and you can consolidate again, if needs be, once the low introductory rate ends on the card you have just switched to!Remove accumulated annual fees:Credit card consolidation can eliminate the number of annual fees you may be paying. It is not uncommon for people to use a number of credit cards and the annual fees can soon add up to a large amount of money.Credit cards...more
Your credit rating is calculated by a credit reference agency. The agency will carry out a credit rating check by compiling information based on a variety of sources, such as the electoral role, financial data and court records. This information is...more
The best way to get out of debt is to pay off your cards at low rates each month until you are free financially. This might sound like the perfect scenario, but we all know that it just is not realistic. No matter how hard you try, it...more
Are you in need of a good loan? How's your credit? If you're unsure about how your credit rating sits, you might want to figure that out as soon as possible because it will definitely affect the type of loan that you're able to qualify for. People...more
When your credit gets checked it is usually because you are trying to obtain some kind of credit. This could be an auto or home loan, 90 days same as cash, or a store credit card.The company with which you are working will check your credit to...more
How do credit bureaus compute one’s credit scores? A lot of credit reporting bureaus or agencies gathers information on the subject of the debtor’s credit history or files from reliable private and public sources. They also collect...more
In the United States, more credit scores means higher opportunities. You are considered lucky if you obtain and maintain high credit scores compared to those who have incurred no credits at all. It is a popular belief that having high...more