You are here: Home >Archive for June, 2011

Smart Things to Spend Your Tax Return On

With many people anxiously awaiting their refund from the Canada Revenue Agency, now is a great time to think about how you can spend that tax return. The biggest mistake one can make is to look at the refund as free money. A tax refund is NOT free money, it’s YOUR money! When you view your refund as something other than a paycheque, you’re more likely to spend it on treating yourself. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself but here are just a few smart ways of spending your tax refund.

Credit Card Debt – If you’re getting collector calls then you know that ignoring them won’t make them go away. Use your refund to take care of those late payments. If you’re current on your bills, why not bring down or pay off your credit card debt balance. This way you have the chance to increase your credit score and be free of interest accumulating.

Mortgage – If you have a mortgage loan every extra payment you make reduces the length of your loan and the amount you pay in interest. Every extra payment will allow you to pay more in principal and less in interest in the long run.

Auto – If you have a car loan, this is a great opportunity to make an extra payment. If you are planning on selling your car, then use your refund or part of your refund to get your car detailed. Getting your car detailed can make a huge difference when you’re putting your car up for sale. You can also use the money to service your car properly. Many just put off servicing their car so this is a good time to get that oil change you’ve been putting off, check your tires and get that long awaiting tune-up. A well maintained vehicle with properly inflated tires burns less gas and saves you money in the long run.

You – Hopefully your tax refund is enough to cover one of the above and give yourself a little treatment but remember there’s always a balance. They key is to take care of your responsibilities first and then enjoy your money. If you and your family have been stressed because of daily life chores and haven’t had the time or money to enjoy a nice family meal at a restaurant then now is a good time for that. Buy tickets to a show or enjoy a day at the spa with your child. Buy yourself that one good suit you’ve always needed.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • RSS

Save Money By Boosting Your Credit Score

Did you know your credit score has a direct impact on how much money you pay on loans, credit cards, and certain other services? Banks and other businesses use credit scores as part of risk-based pricing. The lower your score, the riskier lenders think you are, and the more you’ll have to pay on loans and security deposits. Repairing your credit or even boosting it a few points can save you tens – and even hundreds – of thousands of dollars over the years.

Cost of a Low Credit Score

With a low score, you may be able to get approved for credit cards and loans but at a higher interest rate. With a credit score of 550, you would have the following interest rates and monthly payments:

· 30-year fixed $200K mortgage @ 10.85%: $1,883 per month.

· 60-month $20K auto loan @ 18.12%: $509 per month.

· $10K credit card debt @ 18.93%: $259 per month.

· Total Monthly Debt Payments: $2,651.

Example Savings With Credit Repair

With a score of 700, your interest rates and payments would be considerably lower, even with the same loan amounts:

· Mortgage @ 7.81%, $1441 per month. Savings = $442.

· Auto loan @13.05%, $455 per month. Savings = $54.

· Credit card debt @ 14.45%, $235 per month. Savings = $24.

· Total monthly savings: $519.

Over the life of these loans, you could save more than $160,000! If you invested $519 per month at 5% for 30 years, you would earn close to $250,000 in interest for an investment value of $433,742.90.

Example Credit Score Boost

Even if you already have a good score, e.g. 700, you can still receive savings by improving it just a few points. Consider the impact of raising your score from 700 to 760:

· Mortgage @ 6.57%, monthly payment: $1,273. Savings = $168.

· Auto loan @ 10.98%, monthly payment: $435. Savings = $20.

· Credit card debt @ 12.62%, monthly payment: $226. Savings = $9.

· Total monthly savings: $197.

· Total savings over loan terms: $62,379.

Investing $197 per months at 5% for 30 years would give you a future investment value of almost $165,000.

Tips to Raise Your Score

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • RSS

Quick Payday Cash Loans – Emergency Cash Solution

Quick payday cash loans (otherwise known as short-term loans, or cash advance) are personal loans in which you have a loan of a limited amount of cash that you would pay back on your next scheduled payday.

These are designed to be “quick-fix” loans that will help you out in emergency conditions. Maybe your car broke down or an surprising bill came about! Whatever the case is, payday loan cash advance can offer an ideal solution to rescue you from temporary emergencies.

Online payday loans are exclusively designed as simply enough that will help you to get by. They aren’t big loans by any stretch of the imagination (generally around $1000 or less). You mustn’t get carried away and start getting cash advances every time you turn around.

To qualify for quick cash payday loans, you are generally expected to be a minimum 18 years or older, have valid I.D. and telephone number, and you should be a legal citizen of the country during which you’ve applied for that loan.

Lenders also want one to be currently employed, and on a job for not less than six months (maybe less but typically six). Your monthly take home take-home pay requirement will vary.

However, should you bring home lower than $800 per month, lenders may be more hesitant to approve a loan for you. Also, quick payday cash loans lenders require you to possess an active checking or savings account. This account is needed for them to deposit your loan in, plus for them to automatically draft your settlement on your payday (or other contracted date).

These type of loans are designed to be for short-term needs only.

Loan costs may vary according to your salary and other variables. Payday Loans can offer a less expensive route than bank account overdraft charges and other loan methods. To avoid additional fees, always repay your loan promptly and avoid extending your loan.

Keep in mind: If your payments are behind schedule or you choose to extend your loan to the following month, you then can expect additional Interest & charges with quick payday cash loans

Overall, a payday cash advance is a great solution to get you out of tight emergency situations. If you are a responsible borrower and do not use them excessively, a payday loan can definitely be your trump card when there is no other foreseeable way for you to get the money.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • RSS

Get Your Instant Cash Loan The Easy Way!

Getting instant cash has now become easy. We are all used to the long and lengthy ordeal that one had to go through when applying to get a little extra money. The loan approval process was one big headache because there were too many processes involved. But there’s hope. You can still find places where you can get cheap loans and it doesn’t have to take longer than a few minutes of your time. Since 2008, with the economic retrogression that hit most of the families in the US, jobs and opportunities were ruined and generally a lot of troubles happened since then. From unemployment rates to people getting totally broke, it was a very tough time to every person living in the USA.

Fortunately, with the grind that the government and its agencies are going through, more and more people are now experiencing the effects of a slowly catching up economy. But still it is undeniable that these types of efforts are not enough. This is the main reason why people are searching for lending companies who are willing to help them. But we all know for a fact that some lending companies charge a great amount of interest, and also the amount they are willing to lend you is much too low. Fortunately, that has now changed. There are now companies that allow people to get as much as $1,000 without the hassle of the processes that lending companies are infamous for.

Today, there are sites in the online world that offer instant meet up for different lending firms and those who need money. They work something like this: An automated search is made through over 120 Credit Loan Providers like Financial Institutions, banks, and also Payday Lenders to find the highest loan amounts, as well as the lowest interest rates that are available. It’s that easy. The good thing is that unlike the ordinary transaction where you will need to present a good credit score, today they’ve become much more lenient. Now what are the benefits of this system?

  • When everything falls apart, with your job and with your bank account getting thinner every single day, it helps to have a helping hand. And starting over could be one of the most difficult things to do. Fortunately, it now works easier, especially today when most of us need it the most. Just imagine easily getting a crisis loan or instant cash when you need it the most.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • RSS

Seven Easy Steps to Cheap Homeowner's Insurance

Are you sick and tired of living on rice and Ramen to pay your homeowner’s insurance every month? All right, so your premiums probably aren’t that bad, but the bottom line is that most homeowners are paying much more than they should be for their homeowner’s insurance. Finding cheap homeowner’s insurance isn’t as difficult as it sounds. Just follow these seven easy steps and watch your insurance premiums fall faster than a boulder tumbling down the Grand Canyon.

1) Shop around. Sure, your fast paced, climbing the corporate ladder lifestyle might not leave you with a lot of time for sitting around on the phone comparing insurance quotes, but unless you’ve got a lucky leprechaun stashed in your pocket you’re probably not going to get the best deal on homeowner’s insurance your first time out. Take an afternoon to touch base with a number of small and large insurance providers, and don’t forget to take advantage of the power of the Internet-there are sites online that will let you compare multiple quotes at the click of a button.

2) Don’t slack on your maintenance. The real secret to finding cheap homeowner’s insurance is to minimize the chances that your insurance carrier will have to pay for a claim. Keeping your plumbing and electrical systems up to code, making sure your roof is in good repair and your foundation is sturdy will go a long way toward keeping your insurance premiums low.

3) Protect your home from natural disasters. Earthquakes, wildfires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes and hail can flatten your house before you know what hit you. Anchoring your foundation, securing your water heaters and securing your roof will minimize the damage your home suffers in a storm and make you a prime candidate for cheap homeowner’s insurance.

4) Raise your deductible. If you’re willing (and able) to pay for a larger percentage of your repairs if there’s a catastrophe you can send your insurance premiums plummeting in a matter of seconds.

5) Don’t diversify. It took them a while, but insurance carriers finally figured out that most people were shopping around for the best rates on their insurance and using a number of different providers to get the best deal. Most insurance companies will now offer a discount if you purchase your homeowner’s insurance, auto insurance, life insurance and any other form of insurance coverage they offer from the same provider, making cheap homeowner’s insurance easier than ever.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • StumbleUpon
  • Reddit
  • Twitter
  • RSS