Saturday, July 9, 2011

Do You Have Coupon Etiquette ? - 5 Rules For Easy Coupon Shopping

Customers waiting in line to check out at the ...Image via WikipediaAre you one of those out of control coupon clippers like those found on the TLC show "Extreme Couponing"? Recently many stores have changed or updated their coupon rules to clear up any questions of how the coupons are to be used. Our local supermarket has published a new use of coupon rules in each store because things have gotten out of hand. The problem is some shoppers are abusing the use of coupons and this may make it harder for the average couponer to shop.

If you are an avid coupon user there are a few simple rules to follow to make the whole experience a little less stressful for the cashier and the people in line behind you.

Rule #1. Don't clear off the shelves when you make purchases. It's bad form for you and keeps other shoppers from cashing in on the great deals. Also the store may not know the shelves are emptied out, so its better to only purchase a small amount. If you must make a large purchase either call ahead to the store so they can arrange to put aside enough items for your purchase and not have bare shelves. Also make your large purchase not just in one store, but spread it over a couple of stores.

Rule #2. Be organized at check out. When checking out have all your coupons organized and not just in a messy pile facing all different ways. It shows respect for the cashier and the people waiting in line behind you. Also make sure the coupons are not expired and that you are following the rules of the store in their use.

Rule #3. Try to plan your shopping at a slow time of the day. Holding up the line with coupon redemption at the peak shopping times shows bad form and is inconsiderate of other people. It irritates other customers when you are trying to use so many coupons, so go when you know its the slowest time of the day.

Rule #4. Be polite to the cashier and other customers. You may know more about coupons than the cashier but it's no excuse to be rude or impatient. Use your manners and stay calm if there is a problem. Ask to speak to the head cashier if extra help is needed. Also alert customers behind you that you have coupons and that there may be a delay. Let people behind you in line go ahead if they only have a couple of items.

Rule #5. Follow the rules. Know the rules of the store your shopping at. Don't be pushy with your coupons. If you are having a problem with the use of the coupon just skip that particular one. It's not worth arguing over something like that, it's better to not be known as the neighborhood coupon freak. It's better to build a friendship with the store and the cashiers that work there. Also make sure you have the correct item for that coupon and that the coupon is not expired.

Shopping with coupons will save you a lot of money. Following these few rules will make the experience pleasant for all.



Friday, July 8, 2011

What's A Construction Loan and How Does it Work?

A upper class house in Niamey. Workers are lay...Image via WikipediaConstruction loans can sometimes seem confusing to the first time, do it yourself home builder. But in reality they are a simple tool for borrowing the money to build a home. A construction loan is a simple loan used to finance the construction of a home. When the home is completed the loan is due. So a mortgage loan must already be set up and take affect at that time. Traditionally, you apply for both loans at the same time and it's a good idea to lock down the mortgage interest rate at this time.

At the beginning of home construction, the borrowed money from the construction loan is placed in a bank account and checks are written, drawing on this money. You only pay interest to the bank on the money used. You do not pay principle, that happens when it converts to a mortgage, after the home is built.

Just as there are different kind of mortgages, there are variety of construction loans with different variables.

  • Construction loans are short term loans that can last between 6 months and 2 years depending on terms from your lender.
  • Some loans are construction only or construction to mortgage loan.
  • The credit score of the borrower determines the amount of funds that the banks will lend, it's not open ended.
  • Construction loans are usually variable-rate loans priced at a spread to the prime rate or some other short-term interest rate.

The construction loan funds are dispersed on a predetermined schedule or upon stages of completion. According to completion and inspections more money is released. At the end of construction a certificate of occupancy is issued by the municipality allowing occupancy of the home. This triggers the end of the construction loan.


Thursday, July 7, 2011

Why Does Dave Ramsey Recommend PerkStreet Financial For Checking and Rewards Debit Card?

Dave Ramsey the king of the debt free life recommends PerkStreet Financial. Dave Ramsey hates debt and on his radio show and many books he preaches the debt free life. Dave is adverse to debt because when he was a young real estate investor he lost everything and went bankrupt. He learned the way to prosper with your finances is to stay away from debt and live on what you make.


He has gone on to write several books about his experiences and all he has learned on his debt free journey. He has a website called DaveRamsey.com and has taught millions his money program "Financial Peace University". He is most famous for his "7 Baby Steps".

"7 Baby Steps"

  1. $1,000 to start an emergency fund
  2. Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball
  3. 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings
  4. Invest 15% of household income in Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement
  5. College funding for children
  6. Pay off home early
  7. Build wealth and give!
While using these steps, Dave recommends creating a budget and using the envelope system. The envelope system is where you have envelopes for groceries, gas, eating out, clothes, entertainment, etc. Once that cash is gone, you have no more money to spend on that category. It’s a great way to force yourself to stick to a budget. But you can't use that system when you need to buy something and can't use cash. You may not be able to use cash in a situation so credit cards are not allowed anymore, but a debit card is. You would need one to rent a car or make a purchase online. For these types of purchases Dave Ramsey rcommends using the PerkStreet Financial Rewards Debit Card.


Why Use PerkStreet Financial?

PerkStreet is one of the few rewards debit cards on the market, and is available to virtually anyone who wants to open a new checking account. PerkStreet is currently offering 2% cash back on all purchases, and up to 5% cash back on purchases in popular categories. This makes the rewards program better than many rewards credit cards.


How Does the Cash Back Work?

To receive 2% cash back, you need to have a minimum balance of $5,000 on the day you make the purchase. If your balance drops below $5,000 your cash back reward drops to 1%. The max cash rewards of 5% is for select spending categories and stores, which changes on a scheduled basis. You can redeem your rewards for cash, or for gift cards from popular retailers such as Amazon, Target, Best Buy, or a gift card.

How Can PerkStreet Afford To Give You So Much Cash Back?

Every year, banks spend $80 billion on branches. That equals nearly $1,000 for every family in the United States. You probably only walk into a branch to use the ATM or to talk to someone when you have a question. At PerkStreet, there are better ways to spend that money — like having even more ATMs and even better service.

Additional PerkStreet Financial benefits:


  • PerkStreet Financial is a FREE online checking account
  • No cap on the amount of perks you can earn
  • Nation’s Largest Surcharge-Free ATM Network
  • No Minimum Balance Requirement
  • No monthly fees when you use your account
  • Sign-Up In Just 5 Minutes
  • Free online banking and bill pay
  • FDIC Insured Up to $250,000 and Protected from Fraud
  • PerkStreet Financial Debit MasterCard® gives you up to 5% cash back

Sign up today for one of the most rewarding checking accounts and get the PerkStreet Financial Debit MasterCard® - the debit card that helps you get debt free. It gives you 5% cash back on certain categories and 2% on everything else.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Simplee.com Helps Manage Your Health Care Expenses

If your financially able to pay for health care, managing and understanding it is a difficult task. When you go to the doctor you may not be sure how much the doctor will charge, how much your insurance coverage will pay, and if your deductible is met yet. Juggling and keeping up with all these factors of your health care plan is a lot a work. Even if you wait till your explanation of benefits letter arrives in the mail , it can be still very confusing. You need an easy way to keep track of all these numbers.


Today we have Simplee.com to help. Simplee.com is an online personal health care management website. It's the Mint.com for health care. The way Simplee works is you simply let Simplee link to your health care providers website and it accesses the data and then it presents it to you in a simple and manageable way. The website will show you how much you were billed for a procedure, how much the insurance company will pay and what you are expected to pay. You don't have to enter any information because you allow the Simplee website to use your log on information for the health care providers website and Simplee just accesses the information itself.

You can use the information for multiple accounts and family members. It will keep track of your deductibles and even let you know what services your policy covers.



Simplee lets you drill down to individual claims to see what your insurance paid, the negotiated discount, and what you owe. It’s like a statement of benefits that actually makes sense. 

Simplee currently supports eight of the largest health plans in the U.S (including Aetna, United Healthcare, Cigna, Empire BlueCross BlueShield, and BlueCross BlueShield of California), and is adding more every week.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Why America Is Exceptional - Fourth of July

The Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments t...Image via WikipediaAsk yourself how it's possible, a group of men could sign a document 235 years ago, resulting in a country that eventually would dominate a world culturally, economically, societally, and militarily. Even though other nations had a 1000 year head start and they still couldn't attain the same result.

Is America exceptional or as President Obama stated in April 2009, "America was not any more exceptional than any other country."

The beginning of American exceptionalism started with the revolution. The founders wanted to write a Constitution that would not fail man as past documents have. They believed the rule of law was the basic foundation of a people who's success or failure depended on their own efforts. They believed government could not guarantee or provide anyones basic needs. They started with the premise that all men were created equal. This gave all men an even starting point in their lives. It would be up to them to make it work. It was the being of the American tradition of self reliance.

The founders new then that government was not the solution but the problem. Even today men still think government can cure all of the people problems. The founders knew that government needed to get out of the way of it's citizens because the people had it with in them to make their lives work. Anything the government touched would not be as efficient as men and women taking care of their own lives. Governments job was not help all citizens succeed, it was supposed to make the playing field level, giving all the opportunity to succeed, not guaranteeing success.

No government is like America. Most revolutions seek to destroy the existing class order and use all-powerful government to mandate an equality of result rather than of opportunity. The Founders were convinced that constitutionally protected freedom would allow the individual to create wealth apart from government. Such enlightened self-interest would then enrich society at large far more effectively that could an all-powerful state.

In America we trust in the common man, not the government. In other lands, the government is the nanny of the people. There is an innate distrust in the government and the elite bureaucracy it creates. Confidence in the common man is the backbone of our success in the past and the only way to a prosperous future.

Friday, July 1, 2011

6 Signs That Indicate Your Headed For A Financial Collision

First 4 digits of a credit cardImage via WikipediaGetting into trouble financially doesn't happen all of a sudden. It happens little by little. Dollar by dollar you increase the amount you owe on your credit cards. An emergency comes along and your savings doesn't cover the bill. You use your credit card like a piggy bank. You don't mean for it to happen but you are forced into a corner.

Being aware of the warning signs of trouble may help you avoid the trouble so here are 6 indicators that you may be on your way to financial ruin.

1. Using your home as a source of money. One of the causes of the financial crisis was homeowners borrowing on the equity in their home. They used the money for consumables like TVs, cars and vacations. Some used their home to pay off credit card and other debt. Doing this takes short term debt and makes it long term debt. It is like borrowing money for a car and taking 30 years to pay it of. If you are about to do this, find another way to borrow the money for your debts. Try negotiating a lower interest rate with your credit card company.

2. Using or borrowing from retirement accounts. If you borrowed from you 401(k) this is a sign of future financial problems. Most people use this as a last resort and it shows that you are having trouble with cash flow. It is only a patch on a problem. Doing this just exposes the serious financial problem you have. Using your retirement savings sets up future tax problems, you have to pay the loan back if you lose your job, and you lose the compounding that makes retirement savings grow. A better way would be to cut back in lifestyle and sell everything that's not nailed down.

3. Your paying overdraft fees and getting Non-sufficient funds notices from your bank. Another sign you are living on the financial edge and ready to go over. This is a big red flag that you have too little income and to many debts to pay. Your monthly bills are more than you make and just one more emergency and you will be underwater. Now is the time to seek professional credit counseling.

4. Fighting with your spouse about money. Nothing can end a relationship faster than money problems. An occasional fight now and then is fine but if you are having continual, never ending fights you are showing all the signs of an impending financial disaster. It's time to get to a marriage and financial counselor.

5. Credit Card Roulette. If you are juggling several credit card balance transfer offers and just moving balances from one to another card, this is a sign of impending financial trouble. You are not paying down your debts and you may be just increasing them. Here again a drastic reduction in lifestyle is the answer. You spending more than you make and it will never end unless you do something drastic and change your behaviors.

6. Paying late fees and juggling due dates. Timing your bills due dates shows you just don't have the money for what your spending money on. It's very hard to time your bills due dates. You may get some bills there on time but others like credit card companies sometimes hold back your payments and credit your account after due dates just to churn late fees. Late fees also trigger interest rate increases, just making the your minimum payments even higher.

If your tired of living with these kinds of behaviors and never having enough money to pay your bills maybe your sick and tired enough to do something about it today.




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