Smart Family Finance

Cashback websites vs. rewards credit cards – which is best?

April 30, 2013

When it comes to choosing a credit card, UK customers have a huge range of options available to them. There are not just interest rates, fees and credit limits to compare – you should also look at the kinds of rewards some kinds of credit cards can offer you. This is a great way to make your money go further; another is using cashback websites when shopping online. But which is best? Cashback websites Cashback websites allow you to get cashback on purchases made online simply by clicking through a link on the cashback website. On the main cashback sites, a huge range of major retailers offer cashback on purchases, ranging from 1 per cent all the way up to 20 per cent or more. These sites are very easy to use, as all you need to do is go through the cashback site before shopping at the retailer’s...

Student Loan Information – Completing the FAFSA for Education Loans

April 19, 2013

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is your first step for securing education loans from the U.S. Department of Education. The FAFSA provides you with valuable information about the federal grants, college student loans and work-study programs you might qualify for. It also tells you what the government expects your family to contribute to your education in the upcoming year. Getting started with the FAFSA education loan process Start the financial aid process by visiting the FAFSA website and becoming familiar with the application deadlines. You can also familiarize yourself with the FAFSA filing process. This is especially important as the FAFSA is considered the application for the Federal Direct Loans. Then, you should decide which of the three application channels you want to use: You can complete the online FAFSA application, print a PDF version of the application, or call 1-800-4-FED-AID to have an application...

Best Cash Back Credit Cards for Students

April 1, 2013

It seems everyday we receive credit card offers in the mail, see them on tv or receive emails promoting the next and best credit card deal. On several instances, credit card companies tend to target students with sky rocketing interest rates and high annual fees. With student loans, textbooks to pay for, housing and a meal plan every student needs a credit card that benefits their lifestyle, not compromises it. We have compiled a list of simply the best cash back credit cards for students. Chase Freedom Card In addition to getting 20,000 points (or $200.00) when you spend $500.00 in three months, the Chase Freedom card offers 1% back on everyday purchases in addition to 5% back on selected categories! Several credit card companies offering 5% pick categories which are nearly impossible to see any return given that the offers are so rare. Chase actually offers 5% on...

3 Creative Attempts at Insurance Extortion

March 25, 2013

Regardless of if they succeed or fail, there certainly should be some credit given to certain individuals who really come up with some outlandishly creative attempts at insurance extortion. They don’t generally succeed—so don’t try these at home—but they certainly are interesting. 1. Ahh! There’s a Mouse in My Soup! At a Cracker Barrel in Virginia, Carla Patterson put on quite the head-turning performance for the dining patrons; unfortunately, it wasn’t sanctioned by the restaurant. After allegedly finding a dead mouse in her soup, Carla stood up from her table and screamed in horror and fright, alongside an equally compelling performance from her own son. To soothe her trauma from such a sight, she demanded that the restaurant’s insurance company dish out $500,000 in emotional damages. Not convinced by the performances, the insurance company ordered an autopsy of the mouse and the results showed that the mouse had not...

Which Online Degree is The Best?

March 25, 2013

There are three main online degree programs: ITT Tech, Devry, and University of Phoenix. All of these programs have their own advantages and disadvantages, and online degree programs as a whole still need to make a lot of headway. Which program is correct for you largely involves your industry and your field of study. There are also some other options for those who are willing to do some work offline, or are willing to take some extra steps to secure a position in a more traditional school. ITT Tech is mostly focused on technical degrees. This is the school of choice if you want a short-term degree that involves a technical field, such as automotive maintenance. Many ITT Tech degrees can be received in a matter of a couple of years. It is an accredited institution, and the degrees and certifications they give out are valid across the nation....

Saving on your Car Insurance

March 19, 2013

According to the February 2013 publication of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, transportation is the second greatest source of expense of the average American family next to housing. Monthly car payments, gasoline and maintenance cost a lot of money, indeed! Although it is possible to cut down on monthly payments by purchasing a cheaper car and to save on gasoline by adopting responsible behaviors on the road, an easier way to systematically save transportation money every month is to lower your car insurance premium. Combine your policies When it comes to car insurance, one way that generally leads to substantial savings is to combine your policies with one single company. In effect, if your household has more than one car in the driveway, insuring them with the same carrier can make you eligible for interesting discounts. Moreover, insuring your home and other assets at the same place as your cars...

How To Get Your Free FICO Score

March 18, 2013

There are many websites that will give you your FICO score for free, and some are much better than others. By choosing a website that offers a comprehensive and complete credit report along with the FICO score, a person can ensure that they get the most information as possible regarding their credit. Sign Up For The Website Most websites that provide a free FICO score require a person to sign up for the website. Usually, a person can sign up by filling out some basic information and giving their email address to the website. In addition, a person will usually be able to create a username and a password that they will use to log into the website in the future. Provide Credit Card Information This step is not always necessary, and not all websites require a person to provide their credit card or debit card information when they...

How to Save Money Every Month

March 11, 2013

We could all use a few extra buck each month, agree? Below are some great tips that will help you save money every month. Review Your Phone Plan Are you paying for a cell phone? If you spend at least $60 a month on your phone, that adds up to $720 a year. Get rid of the cell phone plan and try out a prepaid plan phone. The phone might not be as flashy as you have now, but you will save 75% more every month. If you have a home phone, get rid of it and subscribe to Skype for free. This will save you at least $30 a month. Look Over Your Car Insurance You are probably paying too much for insurance. Call your insurance broker or agent and ask them to look around for better offers. Or, take matters into your own hands by increasing the...

How to Qualify For Tax Debt Relief

March 8, 2013

Tax Debt Relief - Yes, you have to qualify for this. As strict and ruthless as the IRS seems, there is a way to get relief from taxes if your qualify. There are basically three options to look at, they are: 1. Extensions 2. Installment Plans 3. Offer in Compromise (OIC) After reading what each option has to offer, you will have a much better idea on what to expect in the event you need tax debt relief. Extensions Extensions are pretty much that – you can ask the IRS to extend the time past the normal filing deadline. It’s commonplace for many people to ask for extensions beyond the April 15th, filing deadline. What relief will this give you? If you owe money, you won’t be put on a collection notice. You won’t have to pay anything while being granted an extension (generally 6 months), but the meter on interest...

Meeting Rooms Rentals are a Great, Cost-efficient Choice

March 8, 2013

Most companies at one time or another will require a large space to hold a meeting. No matter what type of company, a meeting room is likely an excellent choice of venue for such an event. A small company may not use a traditional office but still have the need for personal interaction at a particular time. Even a large company may need extra space for a certain event. A meeting room can provide a positive atmosphere and even save a corporation some money. One of the best advantages that a meeting room rental can provide is modern equipment. If a presentation that requires a large screen is going to be shown, then a room with a wide screen monitor or television can be found. Perhaps a decision maker cannot attend an event. In such a case, a room that provides video conferencing can be rented. In addition, a...

Falling Behind With Payday Loans

January 30, 2013

If you’ve fallen in to the financially devastating world of payday loans, it can be a nightmare to escape from. The charges that can occur from an overdue payday loan account can be astronomical and so the cycle of getting one payday loan to pay off another can begin very easily if you are in financial difficulty. Who can help me? Here at Your Debt Expert our team of professional money advisors and financial insolvency practitioners are on hand to provide the very best of impartial debt advice for you. With a wide range of debt solutions, we might just have a solution that could get you on the road to financial security. What are my options? One of the most common debt solutions for those of us that have fallen into the damaging habit of racking up payday loans is a Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS). This is a...

How to Get the Best Rates on Life Insurance

January 24, 2013

I can still clearly remember many years ago that whenever some insurance agent approaches me and starts talking about getting myself a life insurance policy, I am starting to imagine dragging that man up to the topmost floor of the building, put his head inside a trash can and shove him out of the window and watch him fall down with grace. Well, you see, I considered people like this to be nuisances and in my mind, I always thought that they are just here for the money. Well, they are and it would be hypocrisy on their part if they say they are not in it for the money. But, when I finished college, found worked and married my love of my life for a decade and our love bore a beautiful daughter, I started to think about my future and I also started to think about those...

Investing Tips For Newlyweds

January 22, 2013

Investing by newlyweds is a marvelous opportunity to achieve financial independence at an earlier rather than later point in the marriage. However, odd as it may seem the first tip is to eliminate credit card debt and car loans and save the interest. The most that can be earned in a risk-free investment is about 2 percent on a multi-year CD. Compare this to the interest that is paid on consumer loans and credit cards. However, even with a load of debt if your employers offer a matching 401(K) it would be wise to start investing in those plans while eliminating the credit card debt and car loans. These plans offer the opportunity to invest pre-tax dollars and accumulate profit on the investment without paying taxes until you withdraw the money. Usually, the 401(k) plans are the first investments that newlyweds should make. Make sure that your mortgage interest...

4 Tips for Effectively Paying Off Credit Card Debt

January 16, 2013

2013 is upon us, and with the dawn of a New Year comes some New Year’s resolutions. If you’re carrying credit card debt, then paying down that debt should top the list of your New Year’s resolutions for 2013. Continually being saddled with large credit card balances can severely harm your credit score, making it near impossible to obtain a loan for a new home or automobile when the time comes. Navigating the ins and outs of credit card debt can be confusing, however, so here are four simple guidelines to keep in mind in order to most effectively pay down the debt on your credit cards. 1. Pay off your high interest credit card balances first. This guideline is simple. If you have multiple credit card accounts that you are carrying debt on, you want to make sure to pay off the card that is charging you the...

What is the Value of an RN to BSN Program

January 2, 2013

Registered nurses are an important part of health care, with excellent job prospects over the next eight years, according to the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. All RNs must have a state license to practice, but the amount of education gained, can vary from nurse to nurse. RN graduates of approved nursing programs or recipients of an associate’s degree in nursing have usually taken two to three years to get their education. BSN (Bachelor of Science, Nursing) degree holders usually take four years. So someone with a BSN is an RN, but not all RNs have a BSN. If they don’t already have one, many RNs decide to go on and get a BSN because of the greater opportunities available to a nurse with a BSN. For example, nurses who work for the Department of Veterans Affairs cannot advance beyond an entry level position without...

Putting Your College Degree to Work for You

December 21, 2012

Stuck in a job that’s completely unrelated to your degree? Or worse yet, still looking for a job; any job? I know many college grads in this situation and if you are looking for an explanation, I have a possible answer: You are have one of those common degrees, which has a corresponding career path with no job growth. To preface, this is not a dig at anyone’s degree or career choices. I am merely dispensing information that I wished I’d had before I started college and picked a degree. I should let you know that I commiserate and once had a social science degree, which did very little to open the doors of career opportunities. I corrected my error in degree selection with a Masters in accounting. If you are currently in college or high school, learn what many college graduates are now figuring out. For those with...

Growth of Online Spending Infographic

December 21, 2012

The dawn of the digital age has changed the way we prepare for Christmas. No longer are the days leading up to December 25th about braving the cold winter air as we trawl the high street looking for the perfect gift for our loved ones. After all, why go to all that trouble when a quicker and occasionally cheaper option is available with just a few clicks of a mouse? Research has shown that online shopping using mobile devices now accounts for an astounding 20 per cent of internet-based sales, suggesting that Brits are increasingly turning their back on traditional shops. But what impact is this having on the retail sector? Well, in 2011 it was estimated that 5,268 stores closed down – equating to around 14 shops pulling down the shutters for a final time each day. This infographic looks at just how online spending and consumer behavior has changed when...

3 Things to Consider Before Transferring Your Credit Card Debt

December 17, 2012

If you’re sick of paying interest each month on your credit card bill, then a credit card balance transfer is the easiest (and really the only) way to eliminate some or all of the interest fees attached to your credit debt. Credit card balance transfers are pretty simple once you find the right card for your debt situation. However, before you hit the apply button on a balance transfer credit card, there are a few things to consider… Am I positive the credit card I’m transferring my debt to includes 0% APR on balance transfers? This one sounds like a no-brainer, but skipping the fine print could be detrimental to your credit card debt reduction plan. Many credit cards offer balance transfers, but far fewer include transfers in the 0% intro period. Make sure balance transfers are included in your intro period or you’ll be in for a rude awakening come...

Benefits of General Liability Insurance

December 14, 2012

General liability insurance is a type of business or individual insurance that covers certain risks that may be imposed. These risks may include lawsuits for businesses or individuals. The complaints against the insured may include risks of negligence or a strict liability to certain tort claims. A general liability insurance policy usually does not include any conflicts of interest issues. Businesses may need general liability insurance because of a claim against the company. Individuals may require insurance because of a professional obligation or certain other requirements. Automobile drivers are required to have automobile insurance to protect against any claims. Homeowners may carry general liability insurance as well. If you own your own business, then company liability insurance in instrumental is protecting your assets. BUSINESS APPLICATIONS Certain business claims of negligence or professional liability claims may occur in the normal course of business. A liability insurance policy protects against the...

Never Underestimate the Value of Coupons

December 7, 2012

The benefits of coupons go above and beyond saving a few quick bucks here and there. It is unfortunate that so many people attach a stigma to using coupons. They find that it seems tacky, or that it isn’t worth the effort. They sometimes see that using coupons is a waste of time, and that it only saves them on products they properly didn’t really need in the first place. All of these are untrue- grossly untrue! But this is all the better for those who DO use coupons, as they remain a rather niche-like approach to saving money each and every single week. Coupons have value beyond just saving 50 cents on bleach. As you use coupons, you will undoubtedly uncover the multitude of benefits involved. Using free promo codes can save you masses amounts of money. One of the most obvious benefits is the sales. Many stores...

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