Sunday, September 6, 2009

Saving Money With 0% APR Credit Cards By Morgan Hamilton

Morgan Hamilton

One great priority of a working individual is to save money out from the salary. May it be by means of buying cheaper products, keeping a little at the bank, and since we are in the credit card generation, acquiring these stuffs without too much burdens on our pockets.


Nowadays, a lot of lending companies and banks offer 0% APR credit cards and or 0% introductory rates. What is the truth behind these offerings?


Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is a rate used by credit card companies to compare loan programs from different lenders. APR is regarded by many brokers and bankers as very confusing numbers.


The real purpose of APR is to compute and measure the real cost of the loan. Different lending companies compute APR differently. This just means that the APR is not really a determinant of a loan with better rate.


In order to know whether your loan rate is cheap, you have to separate all independent fees of a loan (insurance, legal fees, title fees etc.) and sum up all remaining loan fees. Knowing all fees, you can now determine whether loan is cheap when the result is lower than that of the other lender’s loan fees.


Credit card companies that uses low or 0% APR may not be telling the truth in some aspects. It was just fifteen years ago, since these low interest rates sprouted out into the market and even captured the internet. There have been companies that offers 0% APR and other rates to lure debtors from grabbing the chance.


After some months or a year, the rates experience a dramatic boost. These lending companies, also known as monoline banks, only issue credit cards but not admit deposits or accept other types of loans. Sometimes they would offer low APR but only for the first 6 months to a year. As expected it will not last long.


These APR should not be regarded as merely additives. In the real sense, getting a low APR may in some way can save you money. There are also lenders that can be trusted where APR offerings are actually true. It is only for a limited time.


So to save money, grab the chance by getting the card before the offering expires. In doing so, you are saving a penny on your pocket. It is not easy to find lenders with good faith, so you had better take a little research. Asking an officemate or inquiring a bank will never be a bad idea.


After inquiring a couple or more banks, make some comparisons with some credit card companies’ promos on which best fits your ideals and of course your financial source.


Many lending companies offer same promos in a limited basis especially in the internet. No matter how eager they are at winning your attention, you will always be the one to choose whom you would make contract with.


Always remember that these APR computations vary in every lending institution. The surest way to get good low interest loans is to always remember the ABC of lending. This is the ask, balance and compute.


Nevertheless, having a good company to collaborate with is the best way to insure you of a low interest to pay. In some aspects, the consistency of a certain company in terms of implementation of rates is an essential factor that will surely save you not just a penny but bundles.


Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=56936&ca=Finances

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Six Common Mistakes Where People Leave Money on the Table By Fern LaRocca

Fern LaRocca

I have worked with very wealthy people and very poor people and one of the dividing lines that makes the difference is that wealthy people take the time to save a dime. The most precious resource that we have is time. And everyday we make decisions about how we want to spend our time and our money. We also have to live with the consequences of those decisions. Here are six common mistakes where people leave money on the table when they don't take the time.


1. When we don't take the time to find all of our receipts for our tax preparer, we leave money on the table. Keeping your finances organized is not a chore, it’s a money making activity. (No deductions equals no tax savings.)


2. When we don't take the time to shop for the proper mortgage, we leave money on the table. Many people didn’t shop for the best mortgage and ended up with adjustable rate mortgages that they knew nothing about and are in foreclosure now. Take the time to shop; it pays off. (Saving a quarter percent could possibly save you $6,000 on a $400,000 loan)


3. When we don't understand our 401K and fail to make tax deferred contributions, we leave money on the table. For every dollar we contribute to our 401k, we get money back in tax savings. You get to increase your retirement plan and increase your cash flow at the same time. (Less earnings get taxed so we get more back).


4. When we don't take the time to read that insurance policy we own and disaster strikes, we leave money on the table. Katrina victims who had good coverage were able to build at replacement value. If you didn’t have replacement value, then you only received what it cost you to buy. (No coverage means more out of pocket costs.)


5. When we don't take that bonus or refund check and add it to our retirement plan, we leave money on the table. (Not enough retirement funds equals a future lower standard of living.)


6. When we get the wrong kind of credit card because we don't take the time to read the fine print, we leave money on the table. Get the card with the best rates, the best cash rebates, and the best rewards. It pays to compare cards. (Higher interest means more cash out of your pocket.)


Stop making excuses for not having the time, and take advantage of using your time to increase your wealth. You must have a wealth building mindset to understand the importance of taking time to accumulate money. Most wealth starts with a penny here and a dollar there which grows into millions. Time is on your side if you are younger, then you can save small amounts to amass a fortune over a longer period of time. If you are older than you need to add larger amounts to build your nest egg over time. It doesn't matter when you start; it just matters that you get started. Wealth accumulation starts with simple steps.


Take the time- it's worth it!


Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=301764&ca=Finances