Filed under: Debt, Bargain Babe
The sluggish economy is still a cloud over many of our heads. And for those still unemployed, paying a mortgage on an underwater house or desperate to get out from under credit card debt, a lean budget may be more than just temporary.
If you’re trying to make money stretch further in 2011, here are five tips and strategies. (Continue the story…)
Filed under: Banking, Saving Money, Travel, Economizer
These days, it seems as if everyone’s trying to squeeze every penny out of us. From banks to colleges, American consumers are being nickeled and dimed like never before. Here are some of the biggest offenders, and your best defense against them:
Filed under: Borrowing, Credit, Debt, Credit Reports
WalletPop readers already know that credit scores fall into a range between 300 and 850. While it can be difficult — if not impossible — for most of us to reach that “holy grail” of 850, it turns out that it’s even tougher to hit the bottom of the barrel. Even people who make every mistake in the book don’t drop to a 300 score, experts say.
Filed under: Insurance, Saving Money, Economizer, Insurance – Car Insurance, Insurance – Life Insurance, Insurance – Home Insurance, Insurance – Health Insurance
Insurance isn’t meant for the little hassles in life, but for the big events that can derail you financially.
Filed under: Debt, Consumer Ally
Getting a call from a debt collector can be unsettling in any circumstance. But what if the collector is chasing one of your relatives or a friend? Or what if they are trying to collect the debt from you, or have mistaken you for the person who owes? Is the phone call legal?
Yes, debt collectors can pursue third parties for information, according to government and privacy sources. But there are limitations, and if the debt collector doesn’t stick to the law, you can, in many circumstances, sue them.
Filed under: Retirement, Retirement Advice
As we’ve pointed out recently, many Americans aren’t making the right choices when it comes to being financially ready for retirement. A combination of misinformation and an unwillingness to confront sometimes difficult, expensive realities make it all too easy to just ignore our looming financial needs.
Unfortunately, those needs are likely to grow rather than go away, so we need to be ready and have a plan if our retirement years are to be economically comfortable. If you’re at all confused about just how much you should be saving for retirement and which financial products for retirees will help you get there, read on to find out where Americans who are nearing or already in retirement should focus their resources — and where they should skip. (Continue the story…)
Filed under: Banking, Extracurriculars, Insurance, Video, Credit Cards, In the News
The United States Postal Service is nosediving. In its last fiscal year, it lost $8.5 billion, which was $4.7 billion more than the year before. In an attempt to stem some of the losses, it’s planning on hiking rates in April. With the use of postal mail dwindling, America’s massive infrastructure of post offices can remain useful by imitating the diversity of products sold by the Post Office of the United Kingdom. I traveled there, where the local Post Office is innovating its services to stay relevant to its citizens.
Filed under: Banking, Extracurriculars, Insurance, Video, Credit Cards, In the News
The United States Postal Service is nosediving. In its last fiscal year, it lost $8.5 billion, which was $4.7 billion more than the year before. In an attempt to stem some of the losses, it’s planning on hiking rates in April. With the use of postal mail dwindling, America’s massive infrastructure of post offices can remain useful by imitating the diversity of products sold by the Post Office of the United Kingdom. I traveled there, where the local Post Office is innovating its services to stay relevant to its citizens.
Filed under: Retirement, Saving Money, Insurance – Life Insurance, Retirement Advice
It’s no secret that men and women communicate differently, but experts say these differences even carry over into how men and women approach — and talk about — retirement planning. For instance, a recent Country Financial survey showed that while men are more likely to say that communication about retirement budgets gets easier the closer they get to retirement age, women tend to say these discussions get harder.
Filed under: Banking, Banking – Checking Account
You might not think you have a lot in common with the largest banks. But in some ways you do, which is part of the reason why individual checking account holders and debit card users can expect to see their bank fees increase this year.
First, some history. Over the last couple of years, as the savings account interest rates at many leading banks have moved into the not-at-all-appealing category of slim-to-none, a new sort of bank account made headway: the high-interest rate checking account. These accounts, offered by smaller community banks and credit unions, were distinctly different. (Continue the story…)