|
My Credit Card Blog
Learn about credit, credit cards, saving money, debt help and more.
Unless you've just moved into a brand new house, home improvement is a never-ending job. When one project is complete, we always find something else that needs work. The improvements add value to our homes, but they come with a hefty price tag.
Many homeowners feel that they must have a professional come in for each job. But if you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty, you can make many improvements on your own. And since you won’t have to pay for labor, you could save hundreds to thousands of dollars on each project.
Here are some common home improvements that we can often do ourselves.
1. Painting – You don’t have to be an artist to paint the inside or outside … continue reading.
Disability insurance is an income replacement insurance policy which is dispensed to you if you are injured or too ill to return to work. It’s the only insurance available which keeps all other assets protected. Without insuring your income, any investments and/or insurance you have been contributing to for possibly many years will no longer have a source of funding for their upkeep. There is potentially a risk you could lose not only your home, but your car, insurance plans and any ability to plan or fund your retirement.
From accumulating assets to long-term financial plans, you have worked hard as you have gone through life. Have you given any thought to how you are going to keep these assets as well as your long-term … continue reading.
Being frugal has lots of benefits. It can help us save up money for emergencies and retirement. When we lose a source of income, it can help us survive until it is replaced. And it allows us to get more for our money. The biggest drawback is that sometimes it’s not very much fun.
Even though we know we don’t need it, it can be disheartening to see that stylish jacket or great laptop that we’ve been dreaming about and know it’s not practical to buy it. We may feel deprived when we see friends and co-workers going out to dinner at fancy restaurants and buying the things they want. Yet in the interest of frugality, we resist the urge to emulate them.
But when frugality … continue reading.
Learning to use credit responsibly is important for every young adult. If one starts out on the right foot, he is less likely to let debt get out of control than if he starts charging everything in sight as soon as the opportunity presents itself. But at what age are credit cards appropriate?
According to credit card companies, allowing teens access to plastic is a good thing. They say that learning about credit with parental supervision gives them a better chance of managing it successfully when they’re on their own. But we all know that credit card companies have a financial stake in getting their cards into the hands of as many people as possible.
Still, there is a lot of talk about the merits of … continue reading.
When it comes to finances, few things are as unnerving as losing a credit card or having it stolen. By the time you realize it’s gone, someone could be living the good life and charging it to you. But by taking action quickly, you can avoid most, if not all, liability for unauthorized charges.
When their cards go missing, cardholders are protected by the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA). This law mandates that as long as you report your card missing or stolen in a timely manner, you can be held liable for no more than $50 in unauthorized charges. And if you report it before the card is used, you can’t be held responsible for any charges made.
If you find that one or more … continue reading.
If you’ve ever been hit with an unexpected expense, you know that you need some source of funding to fall back on at all times. A savings account makes the most sense, because it gains interest. But many consumers use their credit cards as a safety net, even though they know it will cost them more in the long run.
Those who are saddled with credit card debt, either because of using them for emergencies or simply overusing them, are painfully aware of how interest and fees accumulate. They swear that when they get out of debt, they will start saving money to avoid having their finances fall back into ruin. And if they’re serious about it, they might put every spare dollar toward paying … continue reading.
Credit cards have gotten a bit of a bad rap. With so many people drowning in credit card debt, and with penalties and fees piling up to keep them there, it’s not too hard to understand. But that doesn’t stop us from applying for cards and using them.
Credit cards themselves are not so bad. In fact, they have many good points. They make it possible for us to buy things and use them right away, and make payments later. They keep us from having to carry large amounts of cash when we plan on making big purchases. And they provide a way to build up our credit scores. When used responsibly, they can be an asset rather than a liability.
Unfortunately, many consumers fail to … continue reading.
|
|
