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Sunday, February 22, 2009

Add On To Your Income From Paid Online Surveys

By Cache Spencer

Deep crisis has affected the world economy which is expected to get worse in the forth coming days. In some way or the other, every individualas life has been affected by this crisis. The prolonged unsound financial management has turned down many middle class families to streets.

Every individual in the family is ready to contribute his best to surmount the present critical situation and have already started to limit their expenditure by all means. When the kids to the old are prepared to contribute their best, can a mom just keep watching without giving her part?

Can a mom contribute financially apart from limiting and controlling the expenses? The answer is definitely a Yes, which is seen as an opportunity shown by the almighty for the house wives and mom to earn money while sitting in their home.

You can convert your free time in your own style into valuable money earning time if you have the basic knowledge about computer and internet browsing. As economic policies are placing emphasis on consumption and competition between traders is very high, they have taken several steps to attract customers to their shops.

Many of the shops that are seen to sell their products and services via web sites are now vanishing from the market. Those shops that have a sound back ground and high reputation put in their efforts to analyze the score of the public for their products and services through paid online surveys.

Many of the sustaining corporate pays adequate importance to customer opinion before developing new products and services and are read to pay for the valuable feedback through paid online surveys. Customer feedback serves as a means to improve product quality of many products and services.

You can join and contribute your suggestions and opinion in many survey sites that has a predefined format which makes you feel convenient and passes your opinion to the corresponding product vendor or manufacturer. Being a home mom, she can enroll her membership in all possible survey sites as she can spend more time in these activities. She can meet her day to day expenditure by just filling a pre designed format honestly.

In addition to earning money by giving your quality feedback in paid online surveys which helps improve product and service quality, you are also doing a service to your fellow human being. Answering a single survey may not bring you more money but many such surveys can collectively add on to your earnings.

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Right Time to Purchase Dallas Condos

By A. Kim

With the federal government offering $15,000 in tax credits for first time home buyers, coupled with the lowest interest rate in recent times have many looking at Dallas condos. The recession has created distressed properties in greater Dallas area for condos. Many Americans are replacing their single family homes with these convenient condos. They have plenty of options because of the building boom of the early and mid 2000's.

The easy maintenance has fueled a building booms in Downtown Dallas and it vicinity to be filled with available condos. The price of these condos are very affordable and the prices have come down from it's highs of year ago.

With many boomer's in nearing or close to retirement, many have sold their larger single family homes for convenience of Dallas condos. Giving them more time to enjoy their retirement rather than thinking about repair and maintenance their homes. With some condos starting around $150,000, you don't have to worry about hefty mortgage payments while you enjoy high quality life.

Long commutes have been traditionally linked with a larger metropolitan areas like Dallas. Dallas is no exception with many people moving into the area. It has caused a high traffic time for those who commute to their work in downtown offices. These Dallas condos make it attractive to live close, so you don't have to sit in your car for long time to commute to work.

Downtown Dallas is getting more fancy as restaurants , upscale boutiques, high class clubs and bars spring up. Young hip professional singles tend to flock to these areas and some of the hip areas in downtown vicinity are West Village and Mockingbird Station closer to East Dallas.

Some of the higher end condos start as high as $1 million, but you can get a nice high rise for about $300,000 or less if you do your due diligence. So think about buying aDallas condos, so that you can enjoy the balance between life and work.

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Is an Interest-only Loan Right For You?

By WIC

The IO loan has become very popular in recent times. Despite it's popularity, not everyone is right for an IO loan. In this article, we'll look at a few factors you can consider when thinking about an IO-loan.

An IO-loan is a great option when you're expecting an increase in income. You can have low monthly payments now and be ready for the higher monthly payments when your income has increased. If this fits your picture, an IO-loan is one of the best options for you.

Maybe your in a situation where you have ups and downs in your income. If this is the case, an IO-loan gives you the option of paying only interest in the leanest months and paying more when times are good. With an IO-loan, you can pay off principle without a penalty. But be sure to pay off principle when you can, or you will be unpleasantly surprised by the rise in payments when your Interest-only loan ends.

Many first-time home buyers choose an IO-loan because they can get more home with this mortgage option. Many first-time homebuyers buy a small house with an IO-loan, wait until it appreciates and then sell it for a profit. Then, they can buy a bigger house with a 'regular' mortgage because.

An IO-loan has many advantages, but only if you have the financial discipline that is needed. You have to keep in mind that you should pay off the principle whenever you can. If you decide to spend the money on something else, this will come back to bite you when your Interest-only loan ends.

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Four Easy ways to Start Getting Rid of Credit Card Debt

By PJ Easton

Credit card debt can create a large amount of stress in your life. It can break families, hurt marriages and generally make life painful. Sometimes quick decisions like this can create problems for years for years to come. Here a 4 simple ways to get started in getting rid of the debt:

1. Cut up the cards! - Very simple steps you can do right now, you have to stop any increase of the debt. At the same time you have to commit to not getting any more cards. You have to be able to look at your position so you can see a way out. If the debt still increases while you are trying to reduce it, it becomes a vicious circle of pain

2. Get rid of what you don't need- that's right sell it! Have a yard sale, a garage sale, and ebay sale but make it move! Anything to move stuff you don't need any more. Get the whole family involved, make it a game. Even you only make few dollars, make sure it all goes to reducing your debt.

3. Set up a debt repayment plan- Use the bank to set up automatic payments into your card, a set amount every time you get paid. This way you can set and forget it and know that an amount is set up every time you get paid, and it will be paid with you having to take any action.

4. Reduce out goings- Reduce how much you spend- this means instead of buying that daily meal at Starbucks, could you make something more healthy and take it with you? This means you will have to more organized. At the same time, you have to commit to putting aside the money you would have spent, otherwise you will find the money disappearing and you wont know where its gone.

Its is important to learn the lesson of what happened to get you the position you are in and also look at the changes you have to make as the result of your own actions. Your accountability, from your actions- yours to fix, not the city, the countries or anyone else- your actions to fix it.

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Tips about refinancing your mortgage

By Guy Winsley

If you've been thinking about refinancing your mortgage, these low interest days may be the ideal time to take the plunge. The decision to refinance your mortgage can save you a lot of money if done the right way. Always contact your current lender when considering a refinance, to get to know the correct way to do a refinance. Check out this article for a few solid mortgage refinance tips.

Always do your research on interest rates and terms when considering a refinance. You will see that there are many ways to get better terms on your mortgage refinance.

The cleaner and better your credit score is, the better the terms you will get for your mortgage refinance. A good, solid credit score helps keep interest rates low. A good credit score signifies to a lender that you're a person that pays the bills, pays them on time and takes credit responsibilities serious.

Always make sure to ask multiple lenders for a comparison of quotes and rates. Many times, when a lender realizes he is not the only one you're asking for a quote, you will get a better offer than usual. Be sure to get a complete quote, with all the lender fees included.

When considering a mortgage refinance, consider loan amount, payment options and interest rates. You can go online and compare rates and terms in a very short time period. Many lenders advertise online and make it easy for you to compare rates.

A solid mortgage company can be worth it's weight in gold when you have mortgage questions. In these days of crumbling banks and unstable companies, make sure that your lender has a good reputation.

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Tips on Buying San Francisco Home Insurance

By R. Lee

When shopping for San Francisco Home Insurance it is important to make sure that you are really trying to get the best deal possible. Some people believe that insurance rates are insurance rates and there are no variations. This is simply not the case though as you can shop around to make sure that you are getting a policy that not only fits your coverage needs but also your yearly premium budget.

If your a first time home buyer, you can always ask your mortgage lender for recommendations. You can also ask friends or family for recommendations. Experienced insurance agent will help you in the long run. It is good idea to go with someone that knows and lives in the neighborhood.

This does not mean you have to use the mortgage companies preferred list of insurance carriers. Make sure you look at the internet, many websites offer free quote from many insurance companies. You can also talk to your independent agent who can give your quotes from multiple companies.

Even though the price is low, make sure the coverage is sufficient for all the replacement of your home and personal belongings. You do not want to sacrifice coverage for low price, which is short sited.

Being cautious is a good practice when purchasing a San Francisco Home Insurance. Also, make sure you can pay your yearly premiums, you do not want to lapse on your insurance because of non payment. If yearly premium is too much ask the insurance company if monthly installment payment is an option. Your mortgage company can include this on the monthly mortgage payment, but it will be more expensive than if you purchased on your own.

Many mortgage companies are able to provide you with escrowed insurance. You are still in charge of selecting the particular San Francisco Home Insurance that you want to go with. All they do is break up your yearly premium and spread it over your monthly mortgage payments.

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Bad Credit : Find Aid With A Non Profit Bill Consolidation

By Frank Froggatt

Are you drowning in debt--finding it harder and harder to keep your head above water? If you're in a spiraling cycle of debt and can't get the funds to pay your bills any longerand are falling behind so fast the light at the end of the tunnel is getting dimmer and dimmer, you should earnestly consider non profit debt consolidation services. You might be amazed at the options you have.

Non profit debt consolidation companies supply you with a certified credit counselor to assist you through your financial difficulties. Your counselor will need all of your financial information; all past due accounts,balances, and you gross income you receive in a month. After you finish that you will receive a schedule of payments designed to fit your budget.

When a plan is agreed upon, They get a hold of all of your creditors for you and work to get all of the fees and interest penalties and fees waived, many times as much as 50% sometimes even more. All the debt that you owe is consolidated into one payment that you send to the debt consolidation company. They spread your payment out among your creditors as agreed and keep their service fees out of that as well.

As long as the company that you have selected is legitimate, you can rest assured that your payments will be made on time--you do nothing but pay that one monthly bill to the company; everything else is handled by them. You'll get a statement every month so you can monitor your progress and watch your debt disappear.

This is a genuinely big decision to make, as you can see, to trust someone with your finances that way. You absolutely must research these companies beforehand; look in the rip off reports and other online sources including but not limited to the BBB and consumer reports.

The company you choose should also provide opportunities for financial education for those who wish to learn proper money management skills.Be given the opportunity to learn about the correct use of credit and what it is essentially for should also be available.

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Understanding Bad Credit Lender

By Kim Lucas

Do you have problems in your finance? Are you just a short of just a couple of thousands to pay them off? Your repayment is due but your payday is 3 weeks away? Finally, is your credit ratings lower than 580?

If you said yes to most of the questions above, perhaps the solution for you is look for a bad credit lender. Luckily, there are many companies who will give loans to borrowers with low credit ratings. Just give a call to the banks or lending houses and you may be surprised to hear how many of them actually offers them.

When it comes to loans, people are always skeptical. Correct, the loans are given to people who have bad credit ratings with higher chances of default payment, they tend to give a higher than normal interest rates for the loans.

So do you really need a loan? If so, do heed the following advice:

1. Do not just sign up with the first lender you come across, consider a number of sources. Research and shop around, that is the key.

2. Read and understand the repayment schedule and see if you can really pay up. Bad credit loans can be very favorable to you but if your monthly salary cannot handle it, think twice before you sign the dotted line.

3. Clarify any other fees that are hidden like documentation fees and agent fees.

4. Get a loan agent to understand your loan if you are not clear about the agreement.

I know, it is not easy to get a loan, if you have bad credit. Rest assured that there are still a number of bad credit lenders who will want to help you. Finding that lender is important so that you do not fall into deeper debts. Remember, bad credit lender is a good consideration.

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American Express Charge Card Services History

By Graham Hawthorne

American Express executives discussed the possibility of launching a travel charge card as early as 1946, but it was not until Diners Club launched their card in March 1950 that American Express began to consider seriously the possibility. At the end of 1957, American Express CEO Ralph Reed decided to get into the card business, and by the launch date of October 1, 1958 public interest had become so significant that they issued 250,000 cards prior to the official launch date. The card was launched with an annual fee of $6, $1 higher than Diners Club, to be seen as a premium product. The first cards were paper, with the account number and cardmember's name typed. It was not until 1959 that American Express began issuing embossed ISO 7810 plastic cards, an industry first.

In 1966, American Express introduced the Gold Card and in 1984 the Platinum Card, clearly defining different market segments within its own business, a practice that has proliferated across a broad array of industries. The Platinum Card was billed as super-exclusive and had a $250 annual fee (it is currently $450). It was offered by invitation only to American Express customers with at least 2 years of tenure, significant spending, and excellent payment history.

In 1987, American Express introduced the Optima card, their first credit card product. Previously, all American Express cards had to be paid in full each month, but Optima allowed customers to carry a balance (the charge cards also now allow extended payment options on qualifying charges based on credit availability). Although Optima is no longer heavily promoted, Optima and Optima Platinum cards are still available on the American Express website. Today American Express offers a wide range of other credit card products including co-branded cards like the JetBlue Card and the Starwood Preferred Guest Card, as well as other credit cards promoting customer rewards like the Blue from American Express Card and the Blue Cash Rebate Card.

In 1994, the Optima True Grace card was introduced. The card was unique in that it offered a grace period on all purchases whether a balance was carried on the card or not (as opposed to traditional revolving credit cards which charge interest on new purchases if so much as $1 was carried over.) The card was discontinued a few years later; however, the currently-available One from American Express card offers a similar feature called "Interest Protection."

In 1999, American Express introduced the Centurion Card which is often referred to as the "black card," catering to an even more affluent and elite customer segment. The card charged a $1,000 annual fee at the time of its introduction (today, it is $2,500 with an additional one-time initiation fee of $5000) and offered (and continues to offer) a variety of exclusive benefits. There have always been rumors of a super-exclusive card that gives American Express' richest and most powerful customers special perks. It was this rumor that caused Amex to profit from the word-of-mouth and sparked the launch of Centurion.

The company made another addition to its products in 1999 by introducing Blue from American Express, which quickly became a popular card among young adults due to an appealing marketing campaign directed towards a youthful demographic. Based on a successful product for the European market, Blue had no annual fee, a rewards program, and a multi-functional onboard chip. A cashback version, "Blue Cash", quickly followed.

American Express also launched an exclusive agreement with Costco in 1999, replacing their earlier agreement with Discover Card. Under the agreement, American Express cards replaced Discover as the only credit/charge card accepted at the warehouse club in the US, and American Express became the first credit/charge card accepted at Costco's locations outside the US. To introduce Costco members to American Express, a co-branded cashback credit card was also introduced with no annual fee with a valid Costco membership. An added benefit of the agreement is that Costco membership fees can also be paid for with the card. At present, the consumer version of the card offers 3% back on gasoline & dining out, 2% on travel, and 1% on other charges. Business versions of the card offer similar benefits, with the gasoline benefit earning 5% back instead of 3%. The cash back rebate is issued annually as part of the February statement in the form of a rebate check which must be redeemed at a Costco location. The rebate check can be redeemed for cash, merchandise, or any combination thereof. The agreement was highly successful and was renewed in 2004 for an additional 10 years.

As of 2005, the US Centurion card has a $2500 annual fee, while other American Express cards range between no annual fee (for Blue the Blue Sky Canadian Credit Card and many other consumer and business cards) and a $450 annual fee (for the Platinum Card.) Annual fees for the Green card start at $95, while Gold card annual fees start at $150.

In 2005, American Express introduced Clear, advertised as the first credit card with no fees of any kind. It also incorporates the ExpressPay technology premiered with the Blue card. Also in 2005, American Express introduced One, a credit card with a "Savings Accelerator Plan" that contributes 1% of eligible purchases into an FDIC-insured High-Yield Savings Account. Other cards introduced in 2005 included "The Knot" and "The Nest" Credit Cards from American Express, co-branded cards developed with the wedding planning website theknot.com. They have also introduced City Reward Cards that earn INSIDE Rewards points to eat, drink, and play at New York, Chicago and LA hot spots. American Express began phasing out the INSIDE cards in mid-2008, with no new applications being taken as of July 2008.

Also in 2005, American Express introduced ExpressPay, a MasterCard PayPass clone, based on a wireless RFID payment method, that requires a card to simply be waved in front of a special reader and not swiped. This technology replaced the smart chip on the Blue card. Many U.S. merchant and restaurant partners including 7-Eleven, CVS/pharmacy, McDonald's, Regal Entertainment Group, and Ritz Camera, now offer ExpressPay at most or all of their locations. The technology was tested on the ski bus from Salt Lake City to local resorts.

In 2006, the UK division of American Express licensed the Product Red brand and began to issue a Red Card. With each card member purchase the company contributes to good causes through The Global Fund to help African women and children suffering from HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases.

In 2007, American Express again raised the annual fee for their American Platinum charge cards, moving the Personal cards fee to $450 and the Business division to $395. With the increase, customers now receive four complimentary companion coach tickets per calendar year. Additionally, a long-rumored[citation needed] "relationship" fee of $5,000 to establish a Centurion card was added. The annual fee of $2,500 remains the same, however. In late 2007, they announced their new Plum Card as the latest addition to their card line for small business owners. The card provides a 2% early pay discount or up to two months to defer payment on purchases. However, the 2% discount is only available for billing periods where the cardmember spends at least $5,000. The first 10,000 cards began to be issued to members on December 16, 2007.

In late 2008, American Express announced they were discontinuing their "domestic companion airfare" program, which previously offered four complimentary companion coach tickets per year.

Some versions of the card include various features such as damage waiver on cars rented with the card, and accident insurance during travel bought with the card.

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Improve your Credit Score

By Steven James

Having a good credit score is very important in today's society. It is something that many people should have and it is also something that people today would consider to be worthy to be doing. By having a good credit score, applying for loans and unsecured credit cards is much easier.

If you already have good credit, you will want to boost it in order to obtain the best loan and credit card deals possible. For example, if you have a credit score of 688 and the loan company may reduce the interest rate if you get a credit score of 690. The two points can mean thousands of dollars in savings from paying interest.

It is very important for you to improve your credit score even if you already have a good credit score. It will mean lower interest rates and also more chances of getting the loans you need.

There are several ways you can significantly improve your credit score. Some take time to achieve, however, if you start working on it as soon as possible, you will see that it will be worth all the effort.

So, here are some of the ways you can boost your credit score.

Check credit reports for errors. Even minor errors can significantly hurt your credit rating. So, if you ever suspect that your low credit score is caused by an error, you should contact the credit reporting agencies and challenge them about the report. It is part of the law that the reporting agency should investigate and correct the errors within thirty days if there is any.

The next step on how you can boost your credit score is to pay off your balances every month. This can keep you out of debt and save a lot of money on interest rate. Also, this will demonstrate that you can manage your debt effectively and therefore, increase your credit score.

By having only a few credit cards, two at most, will improve your credit score. Having five or more credit cards will in fact, lower your credit score. This is why it is important for you to have only two credit cards.

If you borrowed money it is important for you to pay it on time. This will have a positive impact on your credit score because it will show credit reporting agencies and also creditors that you can manage your debt effectively. However, if you have borrowed money before and is long overdue, you should pay it immediately.

Another way to boost your credit score is by managing your credit cards effectively. Dont use your entire credit limit on each of the credit card you own. If you have credit cards with a credit limit of 2000, 2500 and 3000 dollars, it is better to use 600 dollars on each card rather than 1800 dollars in one card. Always keep one thing in mind; it is best for your credit score if you only use less than 50% of your credit card limit.

These are some of the methods you can use to boost your credit card score. Following all these will ensure you that your credit score will increase and will result in better opportunities in the future.

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Loan modification tips for getting it approved

By Julie Green

Many people believe they have little or no control over whether a lender approves their loan modification application? This might be partially right, but you can do everything in your power to present the paperwork Well, so you stand a bigger chance of getting the loan. There are many things you can do to speed up the process and increase your chances of getting a loan approved. Here are a few tips:

When you suspect that you may get in trouble with your mortgage payments, contact your bank. It's never a good idea to sit passively and wait until problems arrive on your doorstep. Even if you don't feel like speaking to the bank, get over it and try to work out a solution. Most lenders will be glad that you came in time while there are still many solutions possible. This will only get harder when you start getting behind on your mortgage.

Always make sure to study approval guidelines before submitting the paperwork. If you don't even take the time to go through the approval guidelines before preparing your paperwork, why should a lender sort out your mess. He won't and your application will be denied.

Also, when you're negotiating about a solution with your bank or a lender, don't try to get away with extremely low monthly payments. When you get in trouble, banks will try to help you out, but only when you are reasonable. Be sure to offer a well thought out payment that's fair to both parties.

Do not try to lie about your income or assets. If the bank finds out (and there's a pretty serious chance they will), you'll get in trouble. This is a prime cause of denial, so don't underestimate the consequences of omitting information. Your bank has quite a bit of information they can use, so trying to keep something from them is likely to fail.

Take the time to complete your loan modification application properly. This preparation will increase your chances of acceptance greatly and is most efficient for everyone involved. Just make sure you make a reasonable offer and there is a good chance your loan modification will be approved.

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Credit Restoration For A Better Credit Score

By Carlton Markkrite

You may have recently tried to make a large purchase; a vehicle, for example. You may have been turned down on the grounds that your credit could use some work before you will qualify for credit for this purchase. There are ways of securing credit even if your record is not spotless, but credit restoration can be a great help to people looking to improve their financial standing. If you can get lower interest rates, this means lower prices for you. If your credit needs a little work, how can you get started with credit repair?

The first step to credit restoration is to catch up with any late payments you may have.; Regardless of how your credit record has been in the past, your most recent credit history is what creditors will look at the most closely. Getting behind on payments can really hurt your credit score.

You'll have to be willing to do whatever it takes to get back on track with your payments. Think of selling unused items or even taking on a second job if this will help you to catch up with late payments. This is an important part of credit repair and will make a big difference in how you look to prospective creditors.

Getting back on track with payments should be your first step, but you should also be sure to get a copy of your credit report from one or all of the credit reporting bureaus. Look them over carefully to make sure that they are accurate. If you see errors here, write to the credit reporting bureaus immediately to have these matters resolved - the credit bureau will have 30 days after receiving your letter to look into the discrepancy on your credit report.

If you see any debts you had forgotten about on your credit reports, be sure to pay them off.

When looking at your credit report, try to view it like a creditor will. Take your credit limits, for instance. Are they maxed out? If so, start paying as much as possible on these lines of credit to reduce the balance. Creditors look for people with large lines of credit, yes - but they prefer to see unused credit to accounts which are maxed out. Paying down these outstanding balances will help you with your credit restoration.

Once you have paid off credit cards and other accounts, be sure to keep them open. A lot of people choose to close these accounts after paying them off - but an open account with a zero balance is much better for your credit score.

Credit repair can take some time but is well worth the effort. Although it can take more than a year, you can improve your credit score and start to feel a weight lifted from your shoulders. Stay dedicated to reaching your goal and you'll eventually achieve financial freedom.

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Mortgages For Home Buyers

By Evan Sage

A mortgage is an agreement between a lender and borrower where the borrower puts up a piece of real estate as collateral for a loan to purchase that property. There exist many different types of mortgages with many different options. Outlined below is a handful of different mortgage types and some of the options you may find.

A mortgage is considered conventional when the total loan amount is issued by an institutional lender (trust company, bank, etc.) and is less than seventy five percent of the purchase price or the approved value of the property. To put it simply when you put down twenty five percent or more as you down payment than you qualify for a conventional mortgage.

A mortgage is considered high ratio when you put down less than twenty five percent lesser of the purchase price or the appraised property value as a down payment. A high ratio mortgage must be insured, as required by The Bank Act.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is one of the institutions that is eligible to insure high ratio mortgages. The mortgagee risk is lessened as the insurance pays if the mortgagor defaults. Borrowers are required to pay an application fee, an insurance fee that is typically added to the principal amount of the mortgage, and the cost of a property appraisal.

The cost to insure a high ration mortgage can range from 0.5% to 3.75% of the mortgage amount, the insurance premiums are hefty and can include other administrative and appraisal fees in addition. To receive up-to-date restrictions, requirements and/or additional information that borrowers will need to meet to obtain NHA backing speak to your bank or mortgage broker.

It may potentially be financially beneficial to arrange a second mortgage instead of a high ratio first mortgage, as second mortgages fill the gap between the amount of the first mortgage and the total down payment. It may be advantageous to place a second mortgage on a home when the first is at a very attractive rate for situations like home improvements as they generally have a shorter term and higher interest rates than the first.

Many fees can get reduced or waived if you assume an existing mortgage so it may be to your advantage to look into any opportunities such as these that you come across. If a vendor has an existing mortgage that aligns with your overall financing requirements you may find yourself benefiting in more ways than one.

By Assuming existing financing, legal fees and appraisals are lessened, and the vendor may save by not having to pay a penalty for discharging his or mortgage. As most buyers find low interest rates enticing, existing mortgages are a good way to go, though one will likely still have to qualify as a borrower by the lender.

A low interest rate and liberal pre-payment privileges in combination with negligible fees make vendor take-back mortgages very enticing. They can be issued as a large first mortgage or a small second as the homeowner is the one who offers the financing themselves.

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Has the Bankruptcy law changed that much?

By Josh Ramos

Many people are currently under the impression that bankruptcy is no longer an option for them because of recent changes to the bankruptcy law. They have been told through word of mouth about the bankruptcy reform law, and they assume that this option for a new financial start is no longer available.

It's true that there have been some changes, but bankruptcy remains an option that you can and probably should discuss with a lawyer (and possibly a financial adviser if you can afford it). Bankruptcy is certainly not appropriate in every situation, but it can be a lifesaver for many individuals with overwhelming amounts of debt.

In 2005, Congress passed a law which reformed the bankruptcy code. The law is pretty complex, even for attorneys, and many have criticized it for making things tougher on consumers. Nevertheless, the credit industry was successful in convincing Congress to pass the law.

The law places additional requirements for those trying to declare bankruptcy, and these requirements include mandatory counseling and having to prove your income and your need for bankruptcy. Still, bankruptcy has not been eliminated as an option for most people. You may have to go through some additional requirements, however, such as the means test.

If your annual income is lower than the median income for your state, then you don't even have to worry about this so called bankruptcy means test. That's because if your income is very low, it's not hard to believe you when you say that you're broke. If your income is higher than the median, you will have to go through a more rigorous process to prove that you need to declare bankruptcy.

This really boils down to putting together a well documented list of all of your income and expenses. Be careful not to make any omissions, or this can come back to bite you later on.

Your lawyer should be able to help you with specifics, but it can be quite a tedious process. Going through this without a lawyer is not an option, especially with the latest changes in the bankruptcy code. The new law simply makes things too complex for the average person.

Of course, it helps to be as informed as possible before going to visit any lawyer. Reading more articles like this one will help you make a more informed choice and will help your visit with a lawyer go more smoothly. This can even end up being less work for the lawyer, which means a lower cost for you.

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Two Secrets: How to Budget When the Money's Almost Gone

By Jesse Mecham

I was speaking with my mother-in-law the other day and she mentioned that she doesn't budget because she knows she'll be in the red. She was basically implying that it wouldn't do any good.

A mindset like this terribly prevalent. I suppose that's a valid concern. Why would you budget when there isn't enough money? Read further to find out exactly why.

If you'll do the exercise of taking a look at what you have in your account and deciding BEFORE you spend, what that money should be doing, you'll make progress -- even when there are more bills than money to help! Don't give up! Look at that pile of money in your checking account (even a small pile) and make sure every dollar is given a purpose: rent, eating out, utilities, etc. The mental process that you go through here is vital.

Given the situation that there's not enough money, you'll likely run out of money before you run out of bills. The whole process will still produce great results though! Prioritizing your money means you're maximizing what it can do for you at any given moment. That's important in figuring out how to budget.

Besides planning ahead, you'll also want to make sure you record what your spending. Again, it doesn't matter if you're spending in to the red because the exercise of MANUALLY recording what you're spending will be like a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. You may still be bleeding a little bit, but it won't be nearly as bad.

The exercise of manual recording increases awareness and strengthens the psychological connection between you and your money. These days, every other interest out there wants you to spend your money without considering your own circumstances. This is hardly a way to budget! Record your spending and you'll become painfuly conscious of where you can shave spending.

So remember, looking toward the future and then writing down what's happening currently will help you budget in any circumstance. You'll keep the pain to a minimum and will buy yourself more time to execute a longer-term plan to get you operating in the black on a consistent basis.

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