Hond Financial

Posts Tagged ‘savings’

Economic downturns are never especially fun, but as Adam Smith observed over two centuries ago, these cycles of paucity and plenty are a fact of life. Though none of us can say for sure when this most recent slump will reverse, there are at least sure ways of stretching your cash in the meantime. Here are some penny-preserving techniques tailored to our 21st-century lives:

 

1. Plenty of people are in the habit of cutting out paper coupons, but even though many of us do part of our shopping on the Internet now, not as many of us seem to have gotten into the habit of coupon-hunting on the Web. Sites such as CouponCabin.com, CouponMountain.com, and DealofDay.com offer thousands of current offers at retailers all across the Net.

 

2. Use price-comparison sites like Shopping.com, Pricegrabber.com, mySimon.com, and Google Product Search to find the best deals online.

 

3. When you’re at a store, send a text message to 46645 (Google’s number) and enter the letter “f” and then the name of the product you’re looking at. Google will reply with a message quoting the online prices. To compare prices at local stores, go to ShopLocal.com.

 

4. If you don’t already belong to one, consider joining a warehouse club like Costco or Sam’s and buying things in bulk. This can be especially helpful if you have a large family.

 

5. Buy generic instead of brand-name products. A lot of the difference is often in the marketing hoopla and not the products themselves, anyway.

 

6. Withdraw your cash from surcharge-free ATMs, which can be found on AllpointNetwork.com and MoneyPass.com.

 

7. Buy locally-raised food at farmer’s markets or stores that sell local produce. Prices are often lower there because the food doesn’t have to be transported far.

 

8. Shop at dollar stores. You shouldn’t have a difficult time finding one nearby since they’ve been popping up all over the place in the recent past.

 

9. Purchase discount prescription drugs at online pharmacies. You’ll often end up paying less than half as much for the generic medicines sold at these discount prescription drug stores than you would for the same brand-name pills at brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

 

10. If your vehicle is seven or more years old and/or worth $2,500 or less, consider dropping comprehensive and collision from your insurance.  Your deductible may be closing in on the worth of your car anyway, in which case a major collision would send your car to the junk yard and you to the dealership.

 

11. Keep cell-phone expenses under control. Today’s kids love to send text messages, so save yourself from unexpected high bills by paying the flat monthly fee for unlimited texting.

 

12. Use online classifieds to buy used items. Sites like CraigsList.org and Kijiji.com are great resources for finding everything you need, from vintage furniture to baby gear. By buying from locals, you can save on shipping costs as well.

 

13. Go to matinees. Matinee showings are often more reasonably-priced than peak-time showings.

 

14. Install Power Planners (see www.energycsi.com/energysmart) to lower the power consumption of your electrical appliances.

 

15. For your next date, plan a romantic picnic instead of going to a high-end restaurant. Pack a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite foods and you’ve got yourself a low-cost rendezvous. Spice it up a little with a bottle of vino.

 

16. Instead of paying for software, look for (legal) free software from places like Download.com and SourceForge.net. Depending on how you use a given type of application, the free alternatives will frequently be just as good as the commercial versions.

 

17. If anyone in your house is a student, get the Student Price Card from SPCLive.com. It’s only $8.50 and it will get the holder 10% to 15% off in dozens of participating stores.

 

18. Control your thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature will reduce energy usage when you’re sleeping and out of the house. Prices range from $30 to $120, but you’ll cut your bill by 10% to 20%.

 

19. Consider quitting your health club. Less expensive options might include a gym at your work, in your building or community, or at a nearby parks and recreation center.

 

20. Cut your water bill by installing low-flow showerheads and $1 toilet displacement bags.

 

21. When you go out to eat, choose waiter-less restaurants where you order up front and pick up your own food. You’ll avoid having to pay a tip, and these types of restaurants often have more reasonable prices as well.

 

22. Buy pre-owned books. Major online book retailers offer a “buy it used” option, where you can often find books in like-new condition at substantial discounts.

 

23. Have a friend or family member cut your hair. This works best for men and boys who like to keep their hair short and simple, because someone with no experience can do as good a job as a barber using a set of clippers. Professional clippers are sold in department stores for less than the cost of some high-end haircuts.

 

24. Swap babysitting responsibilities with neighbors. Instead of paying a teenager to do homework, send your children to the neighbors’ place on your nights out and take their kids into your place for a few hours when they need some couple-time alone.

 

25. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent lights). They use about 1/4 as much energy, last about 10 times longer, and can now often be found on sale for only $1 each if you shop around.

 

26. Use financial-planning software like Quicken or the free offerings at Rudder.com.

 

 

All rights reserved. Article may be reprinted as long as content remains unchanged and links remain active.

Economic downturns are never especially fun, but as Adam Smith noted centuries ago, these cycles of paucity and plenty are a fact of life. Although no one can say for sure when this latest slump will reverse, there are at least sure ways of sparing your wallet in the meantime. Here are some penny-preserving techniques tailored to our 21st-century lives:

 

1. Plenty of people are in the habit of cutting out paper coupons, but even though many of us do part of our shopping on the Web now, not as many of us seem to have learned to coupon-hunt on the Internet. Sites such as CouponCabin.com, CouponMountain.com, and DealofDay.com offer thousands of current offers at retailers all across the Web.

 

2. Use price-comparison websites such as Pricegrabber.com, Shopping.com, mySimon.com, and Google Product Search to find the best online deals.

 

3. When you’re out at a brick-and-mortar store, send a text message to 46645 (Google’s number) and enter the letter “f” and then the name of the product you’re interested in. Google will reply with a text message quoting the online prices. To compare prices at stores near you, use ShopLocal.com.

 

4. If you don’t already belong to one, consider joining a warehouse club like Costco or Sam’s Club and buying things in bulk. This can be especially helpful if you have a large family.

 

5. Buy generic instead of brand-name products. A lot of the difference is often in the marketing hoopla and not the products themselves, anyway.

 

6. Withdraw your green from surcharge-free ATMs, which can be found on AllpointNetwork.com and MoneyPass.com.

 

7. Buy locally-grown food at farmer’s markets or stores that sell local produce and meats. Prices there are often lower because the food doesn’t have to be transported very far.

 

8. Shop at dollar stores. You should have an easy time finding them since they’ve been popping up all over the place in the recent past.

 

9. Buy discount prescription drugs at online pharmacies. You’ll often end up paying less than half as much for the generic medications stocked by these discount prescription drug stores than you would for the same brand-name medicines at brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

 

10. If your car is seven years old or older and/or worth $2,500 or less, consider dropping comprehensive and collision from your insurance.  Your deductible may be closing in on the value of your vehicle anyway, in which case a major collision would send your car to the junk dealer and you to the dealership.

 

11. Keep cell-phone costs under control. Kids today love to send text messages, so save yourself from unexpectedly high bills by paying the flat monthly fee for unlimited text messages.

 

12. Use online classifieds to buy used items. Sites like CraigsList.org and Kijiji.com are superb resources for finding everything you need, from vintage furniture to baby gear. By buying from local sellers, you can save on shipping costs too.

 

13. Go to matinees. Matinee showings are usually more reasonably-priced than peak-time showings.

 

14. Install Power Planners (see www.energycsi.com/energysmart) to lower the energy consumption of your electrical appliances.

 

15. For your next date, plan a romantic picnic instead of going to a high-end restaurant. Pack a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite foods and you’ve got yourself a low-cost rendezvous. Spice it up a little with a bottle of wine.

 

16. Instead of paying for software, look for (legal) free software from websites like Download.com and SourceForge.net. Depending on how you use a given type of application, the free alternatives will often be just as good as the commercial versions.

 

17. If anybody in your house is a student, pick up the Student Price Card from SPCLive.com. It’s only $8.50 and will get the holder 10% to 15% off in dozens of participating stores.

 

18. Control your thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature will reduce energy usage when you’re sleeping and away. Prices range from $30 to $120, but you’ll cut your bill by 10% to 20%.

 

19. Consider leaving your health club. Less expensive options may include a gym at your work, in your building or community, or at a nearby park and recreation center.

 

20. Lower your water bill by installing low-flow showerheads and $1 toilet displacement bags.

 

21. When you go out to eat, choose waiter-less restaurants where you order up front and pick up your own food. You’ll avoid paying a tip, and these types of restaurants often have more reasonable prices as well.

 

22. Buy used books. Major online book sellers offer a “buy it used” option, where you can often find books in like-new condition at substantial markdowns.

 

23. Have a friend or family member cut your hair. This works best for men and boys who like to keep their hair short and simple, because someone without experience can do as good a job as a barber using a set of clippers. Professional clippers can be found in department stores for less than the price of some high-end haircuts.

 

24. Swap babysitting responsibilities with neighbors. Instead of paying a teenager to surf the Net, send the kids to the neighbors on your nights out and take their kids into your place for a few hours when they need some couple-time alone.

 

25. Replace your incandescent lightbulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent lightbulbs). They use about 1/4 as much electricity, last about 10 times longer, and can now often be found on sale for about $1 each if you shop around.

 

26. Use financial-planning software such as Quicken or the free programs at Rudder.com.

 

27. Exchange one-time-use items (such as books) with friends once you’re finished using them. If you each have things you’ll never use again but that the other wants, you can save yourselves the cost of buying them new.

 

28. Use public transport or a bike to get to work, if possible.

 

 

All rights reserved. Article may be reprinted as long as content remains unchanged and links remain active.

Economic downturns aren’t ever much fun, but as Adam Smith observed centuries ago, these cycles of paucity and plenty are a fact of life. Although no one can say for sure when this most recent slump will reverse, there are at least sure ways of stretching your cash in the meantime. Here are some penny-preserving techniques tailored to our 21st-century lives:

 

1. Plenty of people are in the habit of cutting out paper coupons, but even though many of us do some of our shopping on the Web now, not as many of us seem to have gotten into the habit of coupon-hunting on the Web. Sites such as CouponCabin.com, CouponMountain.com, and DealofDay.com offer thousands of current offers at merchants all over the Net.

 

2. Use price-comparison sites like Pricegrabber.com, Shopping.com, Google Product Search, and mySimon.com to find the best deals online.

 

3. When you’re out at a brick-and-mortar store, send a text message to 46645 (Google’s text number) and enter the letter “f” and then the name of the item you’re considering. Google will reply with a text message quoting the online prices. To compare prices at stores near you, use ShopLocal.com.

 

4. If you don’t already belong to one, consider joining a warehouse club like Costco or Sam’s and buying in bulk. This can be especially helpful if you have a sizable family.

 

5. Buy generic instead of brand-name products. A lot of the difference is often in the marketing ballyhoo and not the products, anyway.

 

6. Withdraw your green from surcharge-free ATMs, which can be located on AllpointNetwork.com and MoneyPass.com.

 

7. Buy locally-grown food at farmer’s markets or stores that sell local produce and meats. Prices are usually lower there because the food doesn’t have to be transported very far.

 

8. Shop at dollar stores. You shouldn’t have a difficult time finding one nearby since they’ve been turning up all over the place in the recent past.

 

9. Purchase discount prescription drugs from online pharmacies. You’ll often end up paying well under half as much for the generic medications available at these discount prescription drug stores than you would for the same brand-name medications at brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

 

10. If your vehicle is seven years old or older and/or worth less than $2,500, consider dropping comprehensive and collision from your insurance.  Your deductible may be approaching the worth of your car anyway, in which case a major collision would send your car to the junk yard and you to the dealership.

 

11. Keep cell-phone costs under control. Today’s kids love to send text messages, so save yourself from unexpected high bills by paying the flat monthly fee for unlimited text messages.

 

12. Use online classifieds to find used items. Sites like CraigsList.org and Kijiji.com are excellent resources for finding everything you need, from vintage furniture to baby gear. By buying from locals, you can save on shipping costs as well.

 

13. Go to matinees. The matinee showing is usually more reasonably-priced than peak-time showings.

 

14. Install Power Planners (see www.energycsi.com/energysmart) to lower the electricity consumption of your electrical appliances.

 

15. For your next date, plan a romantic picnic instead of going to an expensive restaurant. Pack a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite foods and you’ve got yourself an inexpensive rendezvous. Spice it up a little with a bottle of wine.

 

16. Instead of paying for software, look for (legal) free software from websites like Download.com and SourceForge.net. Depending on how you use a given type of application, the free alternatives will frequently be just as good as the commercial versions.

 

17. If someone in your house is a student, pick up the Student Price Card from SPCLive.com. It’s only $8.50 and will get the holder 10% to 15% discounts in scores of participating stores.

 

18. Control your thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature will save energy when you’re sleeping and away from the house. Prices range from $30 to $120, but you’ll lower your bill by 10% to 20%.

 

19. Consider quitting your health club. More economical options might include a gym at your work, in your building or community, or at a nearby park and recreation center.

 

20. Lower your water bill by installing low-flow showerheads and $1 toilet displacement bags.

 

21. When you eat out, choose waiter-less restaurants where you order up front and pick up your own food. You’ll avoid paying a tip, and these types of restaurants often have more reasonable prices as well.

 

22. Buy used books. Major online book dealers offer a “buy it used” option, where you can often find books in like-new condition at substantial markdowns.

 

23. Have a friend or family member cut your hair. This works best for men and boys who like to keep their hair short and uninvolved, because someone with no experience can do as good a job as a barber using a set of clippers. Professional clippers can be purchased in department stores for less than the expense of some high-end haircuts.

 

24. Swap babysitting responsibilities with neighbors. Instead of paying a teenager to do homework, send your kids to the neighbors’ place on your nights out and take their kids into your house for a few hours when they need some couple-time alone.

 

25. Replace your incandescent lightbulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent lights). They use about 1/4 as much electricity, last about 10 times longer, and can now often be found on sale for only $1 each if you shop around.

 

26. Use personal-finance software such as Quicken or the free programs at Rudder.com.

 

27. Trade one-time-use items (such as books) with friends once you’re done with them. If you each have things you’ll never use again but that the other wants, you can save yourselves the expense of buying them new.

 

 

All rights reserved. Article may be reprinted as long as content remains unchanged and links remain active.

Economic downturns aren’t ever especially fun, but as Adam Smith observed over two centuries ago, these cycles of paucity and plenty are a fact of life. Although none of us can say for sure when this latest slump will reverse, there are at least sure ways of saving your money in the meantime. Here are some penny-preserving ideas tailored to our 21st-century lives:

 

1. Plenty of people are in the habit of cutting out paper coupons, but even though many of us do part of our shopping on the Web now, not as many of us seem to have learned to coupon-hunt on the Web. Sites such as CouponCabin.com, CouponMountain.com, and DealofDay.com offer thousands of current offers at retailers all across the Net.

 

2. Use price-comparison websites such as Pricegrabber.com, Shopping.com, mySimon.com, and Google Product Search to find the best online deals.

 

3. When you’re out at a store, send a text message to 46645 (Google’s number) and enter the letter “f” and then the name of the product you’re considering. Google will reply with a text message quoting its online prices. To compare prices at stores near you, go to ShopLocal.com.

 

4. If you don’t already belong to one, consider joining a warehouse club such as Costco or Sam’s and buying in bulk. This can be especially helpful if you have a large family.

 

5. Buy generic instead of brand-name products. A lot of the difference is often in the marketing ballyhoo and not the products themselves, anyway.

 

6. Withdraw your cash from surcharge-free ATMs, which can be located on AllpointNetwork.com and MoneyPass.com.

 

7. Buy locally-sourced food at farmer’s markets or stores that sell local produce. Prices there are usually lower since the food doesn’t have to be transported far.

 

8. Shop at dollar stores. You shouldn’t have a difficult time finding them since they’ve been turning up all over the place in the recent past.

 

9. Purchase discount prescription drugs at online pharmacies. You’ll often end up paying considerably less than half as much for the generic pills stocked by these discount prescription drug stores than you would for the same brand-name medicines at brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

 

10. If your car is seven or more years old and/or worth less than $2,500, consider dropping comprehensive and collision from your insurance.  Your deductible may be closing in on the worth of your car anyway, in which case a major collision would send your car to the junk dealer and you to the dealership.

 

11. Keep cell-phone costs under control. Kids today love to send text messages, so save yourself from unexpectedly high bills by paying the flat monthly fee for unlimited text messaging.

 

12. Use online classifieds to buy used items. Sites like CraigsList.org and Kijiji.com are great resources for finding everything you need, from used furniture to baby gear. By buying from locals, you can save on shipping costs too.

 

13. Go to matinees. Matinee showings are usually more reasonably-priced than peak-time showings.

 

14. Install Power Planners (see www.energycsi.com/energysmart) to lower the electricity consumption of your electrical appliances.

 

15. For your next date, have a romantic picnic instead of going to an expensive restaurant. Pack a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite foods and you’ve got yourself an inexpensive rendezvous. Add some color with a bottle of vino.

 

16. Instead of spending money on software, look for (legal) free software from websites like Download.com and SourceForge.net. Depending on how you use a given type of program, the free alternatives will frequently be just as good as the paid versions.

 

17. If anybody in your house is a student, get the Student Price Card from SPCLive.com. It’s only $8.50 and will get the holder 10% to 15% discounts in scores of participating stores.

 

18. Control your thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature will save energy when you’re asleep and out of the house. Prices range from $30 to $120, but you’ll cut your bill by 10% to 20%.

 

19. Consider quitting your health club. Less expensive options might include a gym at your work, in your building or community, or at a nearby park and rec. center.

 

20. Cut your water bill by installing low-flow showerheads and $1 toilet displacement bags.

 

21. When you go out to eat, choose waiter-less restaurants where you order up front and pick up your own food. You’ll avoid having to pay a tip, and these types of restaurants often have more reasonable prices as well.

 

22. Buy pre-owned books. Major online book dealers offer a “buy it used” option, where you can often find books in like-new condition at substantial markdowns.

 

23. Have a friend or family member cut your hair. This works best for men and boys who like to keep their hair short and simple, because someone without experience can do as good a job as a barber using a set of clippers. Professional clippers are available in department stores for less than the cost of some high-end haircuts.

 

24. Swap babysitting responsibilities with other families. Instead of paying a teenager to watch TV, send your kids to the neighbors’ place on your nights out and take their kids into your house for a few hours when they need some couple-time alone.

 

25. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs). They use about 1/4 as much electricity, last about 10 times longer, and can now often be found on sale for about $1 each if you shop around.

 

26. Use financial-planning software like Quicken or the free applications from Rudder.com.

 

27. Exchange one-time-use items (such as books) with friends once you’re finished with them. If you each have things you’ll never use again but that the other wants, you can save yourselves the cost of buying them new.

 

28. Use public transportation or a bike to get to work, if feasible.

 

29. When you need to upgrade your electronic gadgets, trade the old ones in for money at sites such as Gazelle.com and CellforCash.com.

 

 

All rights reserved. Article may be reprinted as long as content remains unchanged and links remain active.

 

Economic downturns are never especially fun, but as Adam Smith observed over two centuries ago, these cycles of paucity and plenty are a fact of life. Although no one can say for sure when this latest slump will reverse, there are at least sure ways of sparing your wallet in the meantime. Here are some penny-preserving ideas tailored to our 21st-century lives:

 

1. Plenty of people are in the habit of cutting out paper coupons, but even though many of us do some of our shopping on the Internet now, not as many of us seem to have learned to coupon-hunt online. Sites such as CouponCabin.com, CouponMountain.com, and DealofDay.com list thousands of current offers at retailers all over the Net.

 

2. Use price-comparison sites such as Pricegrabber.com, Shopping.com, Google Product Search, and mySimon.com to find the best online deals.

 

3. When you’re out at a brick-and-mortar store, send a text message to 46645 (Google’s number) and enter the letter “f” and then the name of the product you’re shopping for. Google will reply with a message quoting the online prices. To compare prices at local stores, visit ShopLocal.com.

 

4. If you don’t already belong to one, consider joining a warehouse club such as Costco or Sam’s Club and buying in bulk. This can be especially helpful if you have a sizable family.

 

5. Buy generic instead of brand-name products. A lot of the difference is usually in the marketing ballyhoo and not the product itself, anyway.

 

6. Withdraw your green from surcharge-free ATMs, which can be located on AllpointNetwork.com and MoneyPass.com.

 

7. Buy locally-raised food at farmer’s markets or stores that sell local produce and meat. Prices are usually lower there since the food doesn’t have to be transported far.

 

8. Shop at dollar stores. You shouldn’t have a hard time finding one since they’ve been turning up all over the place recently.

 

9. Purchase discount prescription drugs from online pharmacies. You’ll often end up paying well under half as much for the generic pills available at these discount prescription drug stores than you would for the same brand-name medications at brick-and-mortar pharmacies.

 

10. If your vehicle is seven years old or older and/or worth $2,500 or less, consider dropping comprehensive and collision from your insurance.  Your deductible may be approaching the worth of your vehicle anyway, in which case a major collision would send your car to the junk dealer and you to the dealership.

 

11. Keep cell-phone costs under control. Kids today love to text message, so save yourself from unexpected high bills by paying the flat monthly fee for unlimited text messages.

 

12. Use online classifieds to find used items. Sites like CraigsList.org and Kijiji.com are excellent resources for finding everything you need, from pre-owned furniture to baby gear. By buying from locals, you can save on shipping costs too.

 

13. Go to matinees. The matinee showing is often more reasonably-priced than peak-time showings.

 

14. Install Power Planners (see www.energycsi.com/energysmart) to lower the energy consumption of your electrical appliances.

 

15. For your next date, plan a romantic picnic instead of going to a high-end restaurant. Pack a blanket and a cooler full of your favorite foods and you’ve got yourself an inexpensive rendezvous. Add some color with a bottle of wine.

 

16. Instead of spending money on software, look for (legal) free software from websites like Download.com and SourceForge.net. Depending on how you use a given type of software, the free alternatives will often be just as good as the paid versions.

 

17. If someone in your house is a student, pick up the Student Price Card from SPCLive.com. It’s only $8.50 and it will get the holder 10% to 15% discounts in scores of participating stores.

 

18. Control your thermostat. Using a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature will reduce energy usage when you’re asleep and away. Prices range from $30 to $120, but you’ll cut your bill by 10% to 20%.

 

19. Consider leaving your health club. More economical options may include a gym at your work, in your building or community, or at a nearby park and rec. center.

 

20. Lower your water bill by installing low-flow showerheads and $1 toilet displacement bags.

 

21. When you go out to eat, choose waiter-less restaurants where you order at the cash register and pick up your own food. You’ll avoid paying a tip, and these types of restaurants often have more reasonable prices as well.

 

22. Buy used books. Major online book dealers offer a “buy it used” option, where you can often find books in like-new condition at substantial discounts.

 

23. Have a friend or family member cut your hair. This works best for men and boys who like to keep their hair short and uninvolved, because someone with no experience can do as good a job as a barber using a set of clippers. Professional clippers can be purchased in department stores for less than the cost of some high-end haircuts.

 

24. Swap babysitting responsibilities with neighbors. Instead of paying a teenager to talk on the phone, send your children to the neighbors’ place on your nights out and take their kids into your place for a few hours when they need some couple-time alone.

 

25. Replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs). They use about 1/4 as much electricity, last about 10 times longer, and can now often be found on sale for only $1 each if you shop around.

 

26. Use personal-management software like Quicken or the free offerings from Rudder.com.

 

27. Exchange one-time-use items (such as books) with friends once you’re done using them. If you each have things you’ll never use again but that the other wants, you can save yourselves the expense of buying them new.

 

28. Use public transport or a bike to get to work, if feasible.

 

29. When you need to upgrade your digital gadgets, trade the old ones in for money at sites like Gazelle.com and CellforCash.com.

 

30. Don’t shop for food when you’re hungry. If you do, you’re likely to purchase more than you actually need.

 

 

All rights reserved. Article may be reprinted as long as content remains unchanged and links remain active.

 

CEO of Guardian Group Financial, Gary Forrest, has called for responsible consumer lending as a survey shows 25% increase in average credit card debt; BoE base rate 0.5% with APR’s up to 29.99% In a worrying turn of events, the average person’s debt to credit cards, store cards or bank loans in the UK has risen to £6,400 (excluding first mortgages) reveals a survey released June 23rd 2009  by YouGov for Guardian Group Financial.

Forrest said: “The shocking increase in average levels of personal debt is already taking its toll – over half of adults in the UK with these debts report being actively worried; some are losing sleep.   And only 23% have told their partner about their debts!  Guardian and it’s sister company Credit  Issues calls on credit card companies to be much more responsible lenders.Putting up interest rates is definitely not the way to go!”

Guardian can advise on debt management plans for all those experiencing any sort of debt problem, while Credit Issues has successfully challenged credit and store card debt as well as unsecured personal loans, often clearing the entire balance by using the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

The survey shows another shocking trend.The third and fifth largest areas where consumers are incurring debt on their credit cards are food and utilities respectively.This should be read as a very serious warning sign.Since April, the Bank of England base rate has remained at 0.5%.  yet in that same period, average credit card rates have increased disproportionately – some by as much as 10% over the last six month yet in that same period, average credit card rates have increased relentlessly – some by as much as 10% over the last six months.  Consumers increasingly need help to face up to and manage their debt problems and regain control over their lives – not to receive yet more pressure from the credit companies.

This dangerous trend has to cease. In the past six months, despite the Bank of England base rate of 0.5%, 12 credit cards have increased their interest rates: AMEX, Bank of Scotland, Capital One Bank, Halifax and Nationwide BS.  Some cards have increased charges by as much as 10%.APR with Capital One Bank can be as high as 29.99%.

Whether you are someone who writes checks frequently, or whether you use checks intermittently, chances are you you will need new checks sooner than later. Maybe you wanted something more striking or more colorful, or something that simply reflected you a little more closely than bland colors and indifferent design!There are so many options for printing personalized cheap checks when buying online.  Savings on online check purchased can be up to 75% compared to purchasing through a bank.

When you go online, you will find that there are many options open to you when it comes to getting some checks that are something more visually interesting than the norm. Why use plain checks over and over again that people gloss over when looking at them. When you search for checks, you can find personalized checks where you can upload your own photo or your company logo. If you have a business, having good-looking business checks is a great way to make your mark!

Purchasing checks online directly through the manufacturer rather than paying a middleman a premium will save you a lot of money and time. The bank’s first business is not printing checks and they are very much accustomed to people who don’t think twice about the design. However, when you look online and choose to look around for some great coupons to use, you will soon find that there are many different sites that can give you the results that you need when you order checks.

Take some time and also think about the factor of speed. When you think about getting your personalized printed checks from the bank, you will soon find that you also need to think about speed. Have you ever noticed that when you get printed checks from the bank that it seems to take forever and a day to get to you? Once again, keep in mind the fact that personalized, printed checks are never going to be part of a bank’s first priority. A huge plus for ordering online is the swift process of ordering online and delivery to your home or business because you are buying directly from the manufacturer!

Don’t settle for bland checks that blend in with everyone else’s. Take some time and think about some of the wonderfully affordable cheap checks that you can pick up online from dedicated vendors!

 

Many dream of an early retirement and a stress free life, but it is an all but impossible dream for most Americans. Traditional approaches to retirement planning will suggest having adequate savings and retirement income before retirement. But this is mostly sound advice for someone who is younger or for someone who has enough discretionary income.

Another approach is to develop a strategy to eliminate debt and begin savings after you retire. Of course, on a smaller and fixed income, this will be almost impossible to accomplish. This is contrary to traditional advice, so can it really be done?

The trick is to increase your discretionary income and apply it to pay off your debt. The strategy is simple: increase discretionary income, pay off your debt and then begin your savings plan. Is that practical without resorting to greatly reducing your standard of living?

A strategy that more and more people are beginning to explore is to retire outside of the United States. It’s quite possible to keep up your standard of living at a lower cost in many countries around the world. As an example, you could easily maintain a comfortable lifestyle on $700 a month in Thailand.

A typical retiree will have an income of about $1,700 a month with monthly living expenses in that same range.Living abroad may make it possible for you to reduce your living costs and use more of your income to paying off debts and eventually building your savings. On a monthly income of $1,700 how would your budget change? Overnight, you could suddenly have a discretionary income of $1,000 a month if you could reduce your living expenses to $700.

With a little discipline, even the average American on social security, may find it possible to eliminate debt and begin some kind of savings or investment plan by living abroad. Unfortunately, this usually means that you will have to postpone retirement and continue to work until your debt is gone and savings is built. The other alternative is to win the lottery. Unfortunately. the odds of this happening for most Americans is slim to none.

By living overseas in a country like Mexico, Thailand, or the Philippines it is possible for the typical retiree to climb out of debt and begin to build a nest egg.This is contrary to what most financial counselors would recommend. Those traditional planners are not wrong, but that traditional approach is just not viable for most Americans with lean budgets or a considerable amount of debt.

The credit crunch crisis has triggered a dramatic retreat from savings last year, as for the first time since 2000, British consumers are paying off more than they borrowed.

Last January, people borrowed 66 pence for every pound they saved. However, when financial turmoil struck in the summer, there was a rapid turnaround and by the last quarter of 2008, we were paying off £1.76 of debt for every pound saved.  New savings during this period almost halved.  Over the course of 2008, £38.6 billion of non-mortgage debt was paid off – more than was borrowed in 2007 and 2008 put together!  But, as a nation, we saved £103 billion – almost 30 per cent down on the savings figure for 2007.

For many people, the concept of “saving” is entirely alien in any event!Repaying and controlling debt is the obvious priority for almost everyone at present.  Surveys have shown that we are tightening our belts all round, taking steps like cancelling planned holidays, in order to reduce our debt burden.A large part of that non-mortgage or secured debt consists of credit cards or personal loans.Managing those unsecured debts is a priority, especially with the employment situation worsening (and will likely get worse still as floods of school leavers enter the workplace later this year).However, many of those unsecured credit card, store card or personal loan debts may be unenforceable and could be cleared entirely.

Credit Issues is continuing the fight against lenders pursuing legally unenforceable debts on behalf of a growing number of clients.  And with some success!So far during 2009 Credit Issues has successfully challenged over £1million worth of consumer credit card and personal loan debt with various high street names including the Co-op, Tesco, Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest, Mint, Lombard Direct, Littlewoods, Direct Line as well as various debt collection organisations.   Tools are available to consumers which mean that, if agreements do not comply with the strict requirements of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, some credit card or unsecured loans taken out prior to 6 April 2007 could be successfully challenged.  So by all means look at minimising your saving ratio, but it’s worth investigating how you could minimise your unsecured debt burden initially by contacting Credit Issues today. Find out how you could clear your unsecured debts and get back any mis-sold PPi into the bargain!

Saving Money

The economic downturn is unfortunately affecting us all. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just cut down on our routine spending? Well we  can.

If you think about it there are lots of ways to save money in these cash strapped times. Here are just a few suggestions:

Shop around for a new home loan. If you have a mortgage or home loan and you are not tied in to your bank or finance company you are likely to find that shopping around can get you a better deal. There are some incredibly low interest rates around at the moment so it really is worth taking advantage and ensuring you have the best deal available.

Minimise credit card bills. One crucial way to trim down your monthly outgoings is to pay off those credit card bills. If you can’t scrape together the funds to pay your bill look at moving to a new credit card that is offering 0% interest for as long as possible then set yourself the goal of paying off your bill before the 0% period expires.

Reduce your utility bills. It is likely that you are paying more for your gas and electricity than is necessary. A bit like your mortgage or home loan, it is worth shopping around for the best deal. It can take a little effort but there are some very helpful websites and the result will be good for your pocket.

Reduce transport costs. Many of us need to run cars for work etc. but we can all make some savings in this area. Rather than buy your next car why not consider car leasing. Personal car leasing has become immensely popular as an increasing number of people wake up to the benefits and savings that can be made. Also, why not think about car pooling for your journey to work. At the very least you could offer to give a lift to someone who must do the same daily journey so that you can split the cost of fuel.

Buy your groceries from a cheaper supermarket. The same basket of essential groceries can be sold at a variety of prices from different supermarkets. Make sure you are not paying too much by getting all your regular groceries from the cheapest source in town.

Do it yourself. Where possible do as much as you can for yourself. For example, rather than visit the car wash why not do the car wash yourself. Rather than take your car to the garage for a service why not do it yourself. Rather than employ a window cleaner or gardener or dog-walker simply do it yourself and save the cash.

Cut out expensive habits. If you smoke then stop. This is a no-brainer. Smoking is bad for your health, bad for your pocket and it can make you smell like an old ashtray? If you enjoy a drink then try cutting down. Maybe limit yourself to drinking only at the weekends.

Holiday at home. You may like to consider alternatives to your regular cruise or holiday abroad. Staying at home doesn’t have to be dull or boring. Take a week off work and pack your week with visits to museums, art galleries and free exhibitions. Wrap up in some good outdoor clothing and get out into the countryside or down on the beach for some nice long walks. While you may not be getting a Caribbean tan you will be saving a fortune while rediscovering your home town.

I hope that these simple suggestions and ideas provide some food for thought and maybe save you a few useful bucks. Making savings like this could make all the difference to your home finances, enabling you to avoid foreclosure or repossession.