http://www.comparecards.com/blog 2009-07-02T14:55:20Z ChargeResponsiblyhttp://feedburner.google.com 2009-07-02T14:55:20Z - No Author - 2009-07-02 14:55:20 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/thinking-of-buying-a-forclosed-home.html

Would you like to buy a foreclosed home, so you can live in it, resell it, or rent it to somebody else? If so, the 3rd (2008) Edition of Keys to Buying Foreclosed and Bargain Homes can prove very helpful, even though the recent federal actions have affected the situation to some degree. If you know little or nothing about buying foreclosures, the book’s glossary of 186 common terms can prove very useful. See if you can define the following; then see (below) what the book says: Forclosure

2009-06-29T19:04:25Z - No Author - 2009-06-29 19:04:25 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/credit-card-tips/how-to-choose-the-best-credit-card.html

The best-known credit cards in the U.S. carry the name of Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover—the Big Four. But Visa and MasterCard cards are not actually issued by either Visa or MasterCard. They’re issued by more than 20,000 individual financial institutions (mostly banks) that are licensed to do so. And each card issuer sets—and often changes—its own rules and rates in regard to finance charges, fees, benefits, credit limits, application approval, account re

2009-06-24T21:34:50Z - No Author - 2009-06-24 21:34:50 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/thinking-of-investing-in-gold.html

First, you have to learn the lingo. The 2009 book, Investing in Gold, by Jonathan Spall, has a helpful Glossary of Terms following 12 chapters that cover gold mining, refining, lenders and borrowers of gold, bullion banks, gold exchanges, myths and reality, etc. See if you can define the following, then see the book’s definitions (below): Terms: 1. Aliquot. 2. At the Money. 3. Backwardation. 4. Bear Market. 5. Bull Market. 6. Bullion. 7. Call option. 8. CIF. 9. Europea

2009-06-23T14:57:39Z - No Author - 2009-06-23 14:57:39 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/job-related/get-rich-and-famous-with-a-big-idea.html

You can become rich, famous or both if you come up with a “big idea” and then take action on it. So says Donny Deutsch in his newest book entitled, appropriately, The Big Idea. Since ideas—no matter how big—are useless if nothing is done with them, the former ad exec and current TV host (on CNBC) cites numerous examples of people who (sometimes when they were broke and desperate) came up with big ideas and developed them into various kinds of unusual, money-making ente

2009-06-16T13:37:35Z - No Author - 2009-06-16 13:37:35 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/a-humorous-look-at-personal-finance.html

Over the years, countless comics, humorists and others have made humorous comments about money, personal finance, the economy and other related topics. Here, from a giant new book entitled Make ‘Em Laugh, by Laurence Maslon and Michael Kantor, are a few of them... • “Unlike many other Broadway comedians (e.g., Groucho Marx; Eddie Cantor), W.C. Fields hadn’t been hurt by the stock market crash (of 1929). He saw the Wall Street bubble for the con it was. ‘If these s

2009-06-12T14:28:10Z - No Author - 2009-06-12 14:28:10 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/can-you-define-these-9-financial-terms.html

If someone asked you to explain them in simple terms, how would you define the following: 1. 401(k); 2. Annuity; 3. Dollar cost averaging; 4. Ex-date; 5. Gap Down; 6. Gap Up; 7. IRA; 8. Keogh plan; 9. Mortgage. Just published, Rule Your Freakin’ Retirement, by master stock trader Michael Paness, provides 255 pages of good advice on retirement accounts and related topics. But the five-page glossary of terms at the end is worth copying, in case you’re ever asked to briefly define an

2009-06-09T15:18:23Z - No Author - 2009-06-09 15:18:23 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/do-you-make-these-11-investing-mistakes.html

A top-rated stock picker and frequent guest on TV shows, Natalie Pace is the author of Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is: Investment Strategies for Lifetime Wealth, published last year. If you can believe the cover blurbs, it offers these benefits (among others): • Discover How to Turn Passion into Profit • Master Natalie’s 3-Part Investment Recipe • Develop Your Perfect 6-Step “Buy My Own Island Plan” • Learn the Magic of Stock Report Cards. Ac

2009-06-08T14:33:55Z - No Author - 2009-06-08 14:33:55 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/charging-responsibly/cr-on-new-credit-crunch.html

Just published, the July issue of Consumers Reports has a three-page article called The New Rules of Using Credit (on the front cover) and The New Credit Crunch (on the inside). Either way, it offers nine tips (some obvious, others easier said than done) on what to do and not do. Here, minus all the details, are their suggestions: 1. Clean up your credit score. Aim to raise your FICO score to at least 720—or better yet, 740—to qualify for the best credit-card terms and the lowest

2009-06-05T16:12:01Z - No Author - 2009-06-05 16:12:01 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/charging-responsibly/unusual-gift-for-mothers-and-fathers-day.html

Can’t think of what to give your parent(s) for Mother’s Day and/or Father’s Day? How about buying a long-term care (LTC) insurance policy? That’s the suggestion of Terry Savage in her syndicated personal finance column on May 4. She reported that “According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at least 70 percent of people over age 65 will require some long-term care services at some point in their lives.” She also noted that a recent study

2009-05-28T17:12:17Z - No Author - 2009-05-28 17:12:17 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/types-of-credit-cards/it-might-happen-to-you-too.html

Recently, everyone with an Advanta Business Card account received a notice that their account will be closed on May 30 (even if they always paid on time, used their card responsibly, and contributed their fair share, or more, to Advanta’s bottom line). According to the notice, “The card is funded by an independent trust which owns the balance you owe on your account and provides funding for new transactions. ...The trust also restricts our flexibility to fund activity on your acco

2009-05-25T14:25:15Z - No Author - 2009-05-25 14:25:15 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/getting-checks-to-clear-faster.html

Did you ever deposit a check for hundreds or thousands of dollars, and wish it would clear right away so you can write your own checks against it? Probably so. But often—even though the new Check 21 system has speeded things up—it takes several days for a check to clear, especially if it’s on an out-of-town bank. But there are three simple things you can do, to get checks cleared faster. 1. Know when your bank switches to the next business day— it’s usually at

2009-05-22T14:49:29Z - No Author - 2009-05-22 14:49:29 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/job-related/3-work-at-home-scams-exposed.html

Many work-at-home opportunities are legit. Many aren’t. How do you tell the difference? Often, you can’t, unless you spend money for the details and/or contact the Better Business Bureau to see if there are complaints on file. The new June issue of Consumer Reports reports on three biz opps they tried. Scam #1 advertised: “Stuff envelopes! Get paid $5 per envelope, up to $1,276.57 weekly...stuffing envelopes and mailing company circulars.” (Note the oddball dollar amou

2009-05-21T14:15:28Z - No Author - 2009-05-21 14:15:28 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/charging-responsibly/helpful-tips-on-buying-a-new-car.html

Long-time personal finance writers Ken and Daria Dolan offer 363 pages of helpful advice in their 2003 book, Don’t Mess with My Money. Even though many car dealers and certain makes of cars are going out of business these days, you still need to beware of the old tricks. So here are some edited quotes from the chapter, Don’t Buy Another Car Until You Read This... “• You know (from online research) what the dealer paid for the car, but in most cases the lowest profit

2009-05-20T18:09:43Z - No Author - 2009-05-20 18:09:43 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/charging-responsibly/how-to-cut-wedding-expenses.html

Planning a wedding? Want to cut expenses? You’ll find plenty of good ideas in the 2004 paperback book, 1000 Best Wedding Bargains, by Sharon Naylor. Packed with “insider tips from industry experts,” it can help you to “have a celebrity-style wedding without paying celebrity-style prices.” Here, condensed or paraphrased, are a few of those ideas... “ • Leave kids off the guest list for the official reception. • A smaller guest list can open

2009-05-19T15:52:47Z - No Author - 2009-05-19 15:52:47 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/charging-responsibly/does-a-college-degree-really-pay-off.html

If you apply for a job at most corporations, you may not even be considered if you don’t have a college degree, especially one that relates to whatever it is the potential employer sells or how they do business. However, if you can get a job with a company that doesn’t care that much about college, or if you start your own company and it’s successful, then the question is: Is it worth all that money to get a degree from a four-year (or more) college? Perhaps not, according to t

2009-05-18T13:46:14Z - No Author - 2009-05-18 13:46:14 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/charging-responsibly/buy-junk-and-resell-it.html

As the recession continues, more people are selling used stuff they don’t need in order to increase their income, and other people are buying used stuff because it’s cheaper than buying new in stores. If you could need some extra cash or want to cut expenses, you could buy and/or sell stuff on weekends at garage sales, auctions, estate sales, flea markets, yard sales and other places. Once in a while, if you can recognize great bargains, you may be able to buy something for $1 or $2

2009-05-14T17:24:21Z - No Author - 2009-05-14 17:24:21 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/job-related/think-big-to-make-more-money.html

A book published exactly 50 years ago is often quoted as “must reading” by many highly successful people. It’s The Magic of Thinking Big, by David J. Schwartz, who was an expert on motivation and a popular keynote speaker. According to the front-cover blurb: “You need not have great intellect or great talent to be a giant among men. But you do need the habit of thinking and acting in the manner that brings success.” Simply by reading the Table of Contents, you ca

2009-05-13T15:04:31Z - No Author - 2009-05-13 15:04:31 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/job-related/working-more-than-4-hours-a-week.html

Published two years ago, The 4-Hour Workweek, by Timothy Ferriss, is still on The New York Times list of Business Best Sellers (as of 5/3/09). So if you’re working more than four hours a week—or a lot more than that—you may want to read or re-read this book, subtitled, Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. As you might expect, Ferriss is a strong believer in the 80/20 Principle, a/k/a the 80/20 Rule or Pareto’s Law. As noted in The 4-Hour Workweek, “V

2009-05-13T14:57:44Z - No Author - 2009-05-13 14:57:44 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/charging-responsibly/what-you-can-learn-from-thomas-edison.html

Even if you’re not an inventor (he held over 1,000 patents), an innovator (he built an electrical network from the ground up), or a top executive (he controlled a diverse range of companies) as was Thomas Edison (1847-1931), you can benefit (e.g., improve your financial situation) by reading about what he did, how he did it, and why he did it. And in Alan Axelrod’s recent book, Edison on Innovation, you’ll find 102 Lessons in Creativity for Business and Beyond. Here are some ed

2009-05-12T15:06:42Z - No Author - 2009-05-12 15:06:42 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/do-you-suffer-from-money-madness.html

When financial adviser Spencer Sherman found himself crossing a police line to retrieve his work files from a burning office building, he realized he had money madness. He noticed it in his clients, too: irrational feelings about money that made otherwise rational adults behave foolishly—buying high, selling low, over-spending, equating their self-worth with their net worth, etc. Money madness can cause stress, poison relationships, and keep people from making as much money as they can.

2009-05-11T14:11:08Z - No Author - 2009-05-11 14:11:08 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/charging-responsibly/as-jobless-rate-hits-high-maybe-its-time-for-a-change.html

Job-hunting? Might you be soon? If so, you’re not alone. The U.S. jobless rate just hit 8.9%, the worst since 1983—up another 8.5% since the previous month. Losing your job is bad enough if you’re debt-free. But to have your income diminished or stopped and still have to pay credit card bills and all your other bills presents a big problem. So maybe it’s time to start a home-based business. There are several books that list dozens of small businesses you could start

2009-05-08T20:24:47Z - No Author - 2009-05-08 20:24:47 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/cliffnotes-on-budgeting.html

You’d expect to find CliffsNotes on algebra, chemistry, history, languages and Shakespeare. There’s even one on monopoly—not the game, but Monopolistic Competition and Oligopoly. But a CliffsNotes on budgeting? Yep. Published a decade ago, it’s titled Creating a Budget and offers over 100 pages on the subject, which is very popular these days as millions struggle to stay afloat despite less (or no) income. Topics include: • Figuring Out What You’re Wo

2009-05-08T16:45:46Z - No Author - 2009-05-08 16:45:46 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/the-fine-print/read-the-fine-print-on-student-loans.html

An article by personal finance expert Gretchen Morgenson in The New York Times on Sunday (5/3/09) was titled, Students’ First Lesson: Beware Loans’ Fine Print. If you (or a relative) had, have or will have a student loan, you should read it. It points out that “Disclosures on various lending practices differ vastly. For example, lenders do not disclose all fees charged in the servicing and collection of student loans, and loan contracts do not always include benefits that ar

2009-05-07T14:39:47Z - No Author - 2009-05-07 14:39:47 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/charging-responsibly/beware-of-the-costly-overdraft.html

No doubt you have at least one checking account. And, hopefully, you’ve never bounced a check. Still, it helps to know about overdrafts, because someday you may deposit a check from someone else or from a company, write checks against it, and then find out the check you deposited was no good, creating an overdraft. If your bank offers overdraft protection and you’ve signed up for it, that’s good. But if your account becomes overdrawn, you’ll be socked with an overdraft

2009-05-06T16:20:45Z - No Author - 2009-05-06 16:20:45 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/job-related/the-most-dreaded-question-in-job-interview.html

Looking for a job? If so, be prepared to answer the usual quesions taught in Hiring 101. Such as: "Why did you leave your last job?" "What can you tell me about your former boss?" And the most dreaded question of all: "What are your weaknesses?" You can’t say that you don’t have any, because everyone has some weaknesses and many people have many. But if you reveal all your weaknesses, and they’re relevant to the job you’re seeking, you&rsquo

2009-05-05T15:06:54Z - No Author - 2009-05-05 15:06:54 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/job-related/magic-johnson-on-growing-a-business.html

Do you run a small business, or do you hope to? In Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s 2008 book, 32 Ways to Be a Champion in Business, the former basketball star—now a highly successful entrepreneur—offers practical advice on starting, financing, marketing and growing a business. Among his 32 ways (minus the helpful text after each in the book) are these... “• Create a guiding vision of where you want to go and what you want to do in life. • To reap the rew

2009-05-05T15:04:15Z - No Author - 2009-05-05 15:04:15 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/a-millionaire-republican-speaks-out.html

Wayne Allyn Root is a self-made millionaire, TV celebrity and Las Vegas gambling legend. In his 2005 book, Millionaire Republican: Why Rich Republicans Get Rich—and How You Can Too!, he takes issue with Robert Kiyosaki’s best-selling book, Rich Dad, Poor Dad... “I am a fan of the book and agree with most of Kiyosaki’s advice. But I believe he was wrong about home ownership. He recommends owning income property (rentals) over your principal residence. He considers your ho

2009-05-04T14:13:58Z - No Author - 2009-05-04 14:13:58 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/job-related/create-your-own-resume-site.html

As the recession continues, more and more job-hunters are competing for fewer and fewer jobs. If you’re looking for a better job—or simply a job—it make sense to present the best-looking résumé you can, keeping in mind that a great résumé will not get you a job, only a job interview (or just a phone call or e-mail). Many job-hunters are now creating online résumé sites, to make a better impression on potential employers. As noted in T

2009-05-04T14:11:59Z - No Author - 2009-05-04 14:11:59 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/job-related/true-stories-of-rags-to-riches.html

If you’d like to know how some people went from rags (more or less) to riches, read the 2000 book, Rags to Riches: Motivating Stories of How Ordinary People Achieved Extraordinary Wealth. Among the 15 individuals and two couples profiled are poet and novelist Maya Angelou (born Marguerite Annie Johnson), illusionist David Copperfield (nee David Kotkin), entertainment mogul David Geffen, golfer Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, financial columnist Humberto Cruz, and business owner Jay T

2009-05-03T22:44:35Z - No Author - 2009-05-03 22:44:35 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/charging-responsibly/debit-or-credit-which-to-use.html

It may surprise you, but back in 2003, credit card and debit card purchases of retail goods and services exceeded purchases made using cash and checks. And now, Visa just reported, during the last three months of 2008, the total dollar volume of purchases made using Visa debit cards surpassed Visa credit card purchases for the first time ever. How come? According to a story in The Wall Street Journal (4/30/09), “The recession is giving many consumers second thoughts about their credit car

2009-05-03T22:43:05Z - No Author - 2009-05-03 22:43:05 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/wisdom-from-warren-buffets-silent-partner.html

If you’re not a Berkshire Hathaway stockholder and weren’t invited to their annual meeting on Saturday in Omaha, you probably know little or nothing about Warren Buffet’s longtime (since 1978) “silent partner”: 85-year-old Charles Munger (7 years older than Buffet). While Buffet’s face, words and actions are world-famous, Munger rarely makes public appearances. But he was scheduled to appear with Buffet onstage at the meeting, to help explain why 2008 was the

2009-05-01T15:43:03Z - No Author - 2009-05-01 15:43:03 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/hoping-or-even-planning-to-win-the-lottery.html

Despite the tremendous odds against it, every week or so somebody wins a state or multi-state lottery worth millions of dollars. A recent Mega Millions jackpot was worth a whopping $181 million. What would you do if you won? Well, the first thing you should do is read Susan Bradley’s 2000 book, Sudden Money: Managing a Financial Windfall. Here are some of her comments... “Contrary to what you might have heard, there is no way to avoid paying tax on lottery money. Even if you give it

2009-04-30T14:07:37Z - No Author - 2009-04-30 14:07:37 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/renting-when-you-would-rather-own.html

A recent book by financial adviser Doug Andrew is called Millionaire by Thirty. Here are some edited excerpts in regard to home ownership... “The millionaire mindset is that you should not rent for any longer than absolutely necessary....If you currently pay rent on your house or apartment rather than owning it, you’re tossing away money. There is no way to recoup it. You get nothing beyond your shelter....2006 Census Bureau data indicated that 25 percent of those currently under ag

2009-04-29T13:58:21Z - No Author - 2009-04-29 13:58:21 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/charging-responsibly/wise-words-about-good-and-bad-debt.html

In his 2005 book, Good Debt, Bad Debt, Jon Hanson offers comments, quotes and advice in regard to the subtitle: Knowing the Difference Can Save Your Financial Life. Here are some excerpts... “Take your net worth and divide it by the number of years you have worked. The answer is how much you are working for per year....Some believe that all debt on real estate is good debt. That is insane....In researching The Millionaire Next Door, (the authors) discovered that average self-made mill

2009-04-28T14:17:37Z - No Author - 2009-04-28 14:17:37 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/pt-barnum-wasnt-only-a-circus-guy.html

In addition to running a museum full of weird creatures (some of them real), operating a circus with a partner (Quick Quiz: What was Bailey’s first name? Answer: James), being mayor of Bridgeport, CT, and possibly making some often-quoted remarks (e.g., “There’s a sucker born every minute”), Phineas Taylor Barnum (1810-1891) went bankrupt due to a failed real estate venture. Then, to recoup his fortune, in 1880 he wrote (and widely delivered) a speech and a best-selling b

2009-04-28T14:15:48Z - No Author - 2009-04-28 14:15:48 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/charging-responsibly/postage-going-up-what-to-know.html

Last year, the U.S. Postal Service lost $2.8 billion. One reason: Most Americans have cut down on mailings and use e-mail instead. So, to increase revenue, the USPS is raising their prices a bit. As of May 11, it will cost you 2¢ more—44¢ instead of 42¢—to mail a letter (or a document, photos, etc.) weighing one ounce or less. Not a big deal, unless you do a lot of mailing. But there are four things you should know: 1. Until the rate increase takes effect, you c

2009-04-27T13:44:15Z - No Author - 2009-04-27 13:44:15 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/how-to-be-rich-like-them.html

Rich Like Them, a new book by Ryan D’Agostino, is subtitled My Door-to-Door Search for the Secrets of Wealth in America’s Richest Neighborhoods. For research, he knocked on 500 doors in 19 of the most affluent towns in America, in 11 states, and interviewed 50 “regular” (though very rich) men and women who built their wealth in 50 different ways. Among the proven “wealth secrets” he picked up were these: • Look for undiscovered territory. &bull

2009-04-22T15:23:14Z - No Author - 2009-04-22 15:23:14 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/how-to-break-your-bad-money-habits.html

According to Spencer Sherman, wealth advisor and author of the new book, The Cure for Money Madness, many of the messages or slogans about money we received long ago (or even recently) have negatively affected our ability to deal with money effectively. He urges his readers to challenge such statements as: Keep your assets liquid • You’re only as good as your last sale • Time is money • A penny saved is a penny earned • You get what you pay for &b

2009-04-21T13:58:42Z - No Author - 2009-04-21 13:58:42 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/beware-of-buying-a-forclosure.html

If you plan to buy a house in foreclosure, sooner or later you’re going to personally inspect it. But before you do, read the following, from the just-published 3rd Edition of Buying Real Estate Foreclosures, by attorney Melissa S. Kollen-Rice: “When you are inspecting vacant properties as part of your preliminary preparations for bidding, never enter a vacant house carrying a lighted cigarette. There may be a gas leak that no one is aware of, since no one lives there, and a light

2009-04-20T20:54:22Z - No Author - 2009-04-20 20:54:22 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/the-fine-print/you-cant-win-either-way.html

If you consistently pay only the minimum amount due on your credit card accounts, your balance is close to your credit limit, and your credit score is nothing to rave about, you’re wasting an awful lot of money on finance charges. How much? Look on your statement to find the amount you paid in finance charges last year, or call the card issuer to find out. But don’t envy those who can easily pay their credit card bills on time and in full each month, and have great credit. A

2009-04-20T15:06:24Z - No Author - 2009-04-20 15:06:24 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/credit-economy/quotes-that-may-help-improve-your-life.html

Throughout recorded history, words of wisdom from successful people (and others) have helped improve the lives—and finances—of those who were inspired and then took appropriate action. Here are a few of those quotes: • “We change when the pain to change is less than the pain to remain as we are.” — Ed Foreman, entrepreneur and U.S. congressman • “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might wind up someplace else.” —Yo

2009-04-19T14:59:38Z - No Author - 2009-04-19 14:59:38 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/insurance/do-you-have-enough-liability-insurance.html

Perhaps not. Most people have far too little, as noted in Managing Your Money All-In-One For Dummies—a 2009 book written by 16 experts, including one who has EA after her name (it stands for Enrolled Agent, helpful for tax matters) and another whose last name, appropriately, is Economy. According to the chapter on Auto Insurance Basics, “People who buy liability insurance that provides for their defense and pays legal judgments on their behalf frequently make two mistakes: &ld

2009-04-19T14:58:12Z - No Author - 2009-04-19 14:58:12 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/little-known-facts-about-money.html

The 2009 edition of The World Almanac and Book of Facts is packed with over 1,000 pages of information—much of it little known. For example (with our comments in parentheses), did you know that: • Among the top six leading U.S. advertisers in 2007 were GM and Ford. (Evidently, their ads weren’t very effective.) • Americans spent more money on beer, wine and liquor ($2,201 million) in 2007 than on education ($2,014 M). • The largest denomination of U.S. curre

2009-04-18T14:33:04Z - No Author - 2009-04-18 14:33:04 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/credit-economy/lose-fewer-millions-earn-millions-more.html

The lead article in the Money section of USA Today this week announced the results of a survey by Sallie Mae, a college-financing company with no relation to the U.S. Government. They used to be called the SLM Corporation, but evidently Sallie Mae sounds enough like Fannie Mae—which is connected to the government’s Federal Housing Finance Agency—to confuse some people and increase business. According to the survey—of only 292 private-loan applicants—college stu

2009-04-18T13:53:51Z - No Author - 2009-04-18 13:53:51 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/money-management/how-to-save-money-on-food.html

Are you spending too much money on food, leaving you less money to pay off credit cards and use for other purposes? If so, 25 money-saving tips in J.K. Lasser’s Guide for Tough Times, by Barbara Weltman, may help. Here, minus the brief (often obvious) details that follow each one in the book, are the 25 tips: 1. Be an organized shopper. 2. Eat in, not out. 3. Buy in bulk. 4. Grow your own. 5. Plan meals better. 6. Become coupon conscious. 7. Shop at discounte

2009-04-18T13:50:51Z Chris Mettler 2009-04-18 13:50:51 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/credit-card-tips/how-to-boost-your-small-business.html

Do you operate a small business, or plan to start one? If so, you need to constantly do everything you can to increase sales. Especially these days, when even those with good jobs and who believe they have job security are cutting back on purchases. To increase sales and profits, it all boils down to just three things: 1. Attract more customers. 2. Sell more to each customer. 3. Sell more often to each customer. Easier said than done, of course. But don’t be like those sma

2009-04-18T13:49:06Z - No Author - 2009-04-18 13:49:06 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/credit-economy/are-bill-collectors-calling-you.html

As more and more people fall behind on paying their bills—due to job loss or other problems—bill collectors (a/k/a debt collectors) are busier than ever. If any of them are calling you, here’s some advice from Sally Herigstad, C.P.A., from her book, Help! I Can’t Pay My Bills... “When debt collectors call, never forget that you have the ultimate weapon of defense: hanging up. You don’t have to talk to them, even if they tell you that you do. The only th

2009-04-17T15:01:15Z - No Author - 2009-04-17 15:01:15 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/credit-economy/tax-tip-think-home-based-business.html

Millions of people—including many who recently lost their job and can’t get another—operate a home-based business, part time, full time, or just some of the time. And, assuming they declare their income, they’re claiming a variety of tax deductions and/or tax credits when filing their tax returns. If you’re not in this group, perhaps you should be, because (for example) Uncle Sam might pay for some or all of a new computer, a new car or truck, or even an overseas

2009-04-17T14:28:11Z - No Author - 2009-04-17 14:28:11 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/insurance/insurance-advice-from-andrew-tobias.html

Andrew Tobias has been writing about personal finance for decades. In the 2005 edition of his classic, 30-year-old book, The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need, he offers the following advice about insurance: “Skip insurance you don’t need, including life insurance for children (a good buy only if your child is a movie star and you depend on his or her earning power); credit life insurance, offered as an option when you take out a loan (a good buy only for the elderly or

2009-04-17T14:26:34Z - No Author - 2009-04-17 14:26:34 http://www.comparecards.com/blog/credit-economy/what-if-you-had-a-million-dollars.html

If You Had a Million Dollars... is a slim, recently-published book by Evelyn McFarlane and James Saywell that poses 342 questions pertaining to how you think about money. It does not provide any answers, or help you determine if your answers are “right” or “wrong.” So here are some of the questions we found most interesting, along with the way we might answer them if we were forced to do so... • Do you act differently around rich people? Yes. We agree with wha