How Credit Card Reward Programs Can Help You Save Big

In today’s consumer-driven society, few people in the United States do not use credit cards on a regular basis. Credit cards have been increasingly prominent in the U.S. economy since the late 1970's and the concept of making purchases with a credit card dates back further than that. 

In recent years, credit cards have received a negative reputation due to the high levels of debt carried by many Americans and the fees and penalties card companies often impose. However, credit cards, especially rewards cards, can provide benefits far greater than the potential downsides if handled responsibly. 

To compare the top reward credit cards, utilizing comparison sites like www.ratesupermarket.ca can be very helpful. Comparing rewards, rates and understanding introductory periods can go a long way to helping you utilize the convenience of using a credit card, without offsetting the savings by tricking yourself into spending too much, too often. 

Background of Rewards Credit Cards 

Although credit cards were given to consumers far more freely prior to the market downturn in 2008, it is still fairly easy to secure credit so long as your credit history is not poor. Many different kinds of cards exist, but the card the average consumer will find to be most beneficial is the rewards card. Many different companies and banks offer rewards credit cards with a variety of different perks and privileges. These cards allow consumers to earn points, miles, or percentages off purchases with frequent use. 

Credit card companies benefit from these rewards cards as well: since customers are encouraged to pay with their credit cards to earn rewards, companies receive higher amounts in fees from their vendors with the increased use. The best cards are often only available to those with a high credit score, so be sure to keep an eye on your credit if you are hoping to earn big rewards from your purchases. If you have average credit, however, this does not mean you will not be approved for a rewards card. Many different rewards cards exist with varying credit expectations. 

Kinds of Rewards Cards 

Rewards credit cards come in many different varieties. Some are store- or vendor-specific, meaning that the rewards customers can earn are only valid at the retailer the card comes from. Some cards offer specific rewards, like airline miles that can be redeemed for flights. Other cards can be used anywhere and points can be accrued with use anywhere, but purchases at certain retailers can earn further rewards; for example, some cards offer more points when purchasing gas and groceries. 

With most cards, points earned for making purchases can be redeemed for cash, gift cards, or merchandise at the user’s discretion. Some cards offer rewards with any number of points, while others require you hit a certain benchmark. 

Differences Between Rewards Cards 

Some rewards cards are better than others, and the value of the rewards a card offers may relate directly to your personal situation. For example, if you fly frequently for personal reasons, an airline rewards card might make the most sense. If you do not have a specific use for a card in mind, it is best to find a generic rewards card geared toward your spending habits. 

Some cards offer double or triple points on purchases at commonly-used services like gas stations and restaurants. Other cards offer high rewards on certain purchases that rotate throughout the year. Evaluate your own spending habits and search for cards accordingly. Many credit card research sites and forums exist online that can help you compare cards, see what cards your credit score may qualify you for, and get feedback from current customers. 

Conclusion 

There are plenty of necessary expenditures consumers have to make every month, from rent to gas to groceries. When used responsibly, credit cards can be a great tool in helping with your monthly expenses and even building credit. With rewards cards, you can earn while you spend. If you have to spend regardless, why not get a little money back while you do so?

Contest a Will - Help and Advice

Many people are unaware about the grounds that make a Will valid under the law. Here we give help and advice for contesting a Will.

What is a valid Will?

It is a Will made by an individual above the age of eighteen and he/she is mentally capable as well as fully aware of the decisions he/she were making and the consequences of their actions. Persons should seek legal help and advice before making a Will because this is to make the Will more valid than by doing it themselves. A valid Will is that written with no undue influence from anyone and the provisions made by the document must begin with the instigation of the testator. The testator must sign the Will and 2 people who are not beneficiaries are required to sign as witnesses. More than just signing, the witnesses must be convinced with the validity of the Will and they must be happy to sign against the fact. In cases of assigning guardian for children, it must be dated. 

What is an invalid Will?

There are many situations where a Will is invalid and people can go for contesting it. If the Will does not meet the necessary conditions as per law, then there are grounds for challenging a Will. If it has not been signed by the late person and did not include 2 witnesses, then the Will can be considered invalid. Likewise, if you can prove that the testator was not of sound mind at the time of making the Will, then you can contest it. 

Cancelling a Will

Testator of a Will is authorized to cancel the Will at a future date if he/she wants to change the provisions included within the Will. However, it must be fully his or her, own idea to do so and the proper procedure must be completed to ensure that the former Will is no longer in use. Generally, a Will is canceled when a person gets married or entered to a civil partnership. Under this ground, a new Will needs to be made.

Keep in mind that people have the right of choice and are allowed to leave their asset to whomever they want. Close to the dead person does not mean that you are eligible to his/her inheritance unless you were financially dependent on him/her. If you were financially dependent on the dead person and you have been left out when making the Will, then you have the right grounds to contest the Will. In other way, the only cause for contesting a Will is when it is expressly invalid.

A will is an official document declaring the wishes of the testator to beneficiaries. People who believe that the Will was not made as per deceased’s legal rights or as per the actual wishes can contest the Will’s validity. There is a time frame determined by the government of law of countries to contest the Will. This can be 6 months from the reading of the Will or 6 months from grounds that proposes the Will is invalid and this is depending on the country.

Author bio: Gloria is an expert in writing law and finance articles online. She has worked for many businesses, firms, and agencies and has supplied them with her good writing services. She has submitted a white paper recently on topic – “can I contest a will”. She currently resides in Montana and is happy with her husband and young kid and uses Wikipedia's definition on Wills.

Is It Time to Invest in a Business?

If you are over 50, then you know that every finance decision in your life needs to be made with care. This is because you are getting ready for retirement and a bad investment could cost you. One of the things you should know is whether it is prudent to invest in a business. There are a few things you will want to take into consideration. 

The truth is that there is no one right answer to the question. You will have to look at the different options in front of you as well as the business that you are considering. The best way to understand this is to look at the benefits and compare them to the drawbacks of investing in a business later in life. This can help you to get the perspective you need. 

Benefits of Investing in a Business After 50

The first thing to realize that starting or investing in a business later in life is a lot like starting a business when you are young. You need to make sure that you have a great product or service, with a proper business plan and the necessary tools to put it to work. 

There are some differences that you will find to starting a job later in life affords you. For one, you will find that you have more experience than you had when you were young. There is a big difference in a finance business when you are 25 compared to when you are 50. This experience could be just what the business needs to succeed. Even if you do not have experience in the industry of the business you are investing in, you can always hire a firm to find you the best employees for the job. 

Another thing you will find when you invest in a business is the tax benefits that you receive. Having a business does allow for certain tax benefits that may benefit you. To find out what you can expect, talk with your accountant to find out how this will affect you and your business. 

There are many success stories of people who start a business after 50. Money can be made when you have a sound business. This is why many people find it easier to buy a business rather than start one of their own. 

You will get the chance to do something you love. Many people find that starting a business gives them the chance to have a career that they can be proud of and enjoy working at. While there will still be stressful periods, this can be the answer you are looking for if you are unhappy in your current position. 

Drawbacks

There are a few things you will want to keep in mind before you make the decision to invest in business. For instance, you need to think about how much risk you are comfortable with taking. Starting a business from the ground up will take many hours, which may mean that you have no other way to supplement income until the business picks up. However, if done properly, your business could make you a lot of money. 

You also need to think about what your financial goals are, as the business failing is a reality you may face. It is important to know how this will affect you. However, if you properly budget and find a business that will fit into the funds you have available, it may be a good investment. 

There is no way to know what investment will pay off in the long run. Often times, bigger risks can gain larger rewards, such as with investing in a business. This is why it is important to look at all the different risks and benefits you will have with the business to know if it is right for you. 

Author Bio Joshua Turner is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to the field of business. In this article, he offers advice to individual wishing to invest and aims to encourage further study with a master of public administration.

5 Tips to Restoring a Bad Credit Score

Good credit can open the door to many things, such as a nice home, a brand new vehicle, and furniture and electronics to furnish your home. It also allows you the opportunity to save money. However, bad credit keeps the door close to owning a home and saving money. Bad credit is a stain on many people’s credit reports that prevents them from obtaining many things.

Many people find themselves in a situation with bad credit due to a number of reasons, a loss of job, poorly paid jobs, lack of education, overspending, divorce, too many credit cards or debtors, health issues, etc. The list is long as to why many people find themselves in credit disarray. But there is a way to get out of the bad debt hole, and it’s by repairing your credit.

Credit repair can be a very long and complicated process that requires discipline and self-motivation. It also involves a basic and dramatic change in your spending habits. Many people can repair their credit by doing a number of things.

The first thing you can do is to obtain a copy of your credit report from the three major credit bureaus - Contact Transunion, Equifax, and Experian. Make sure you get a copy from all three of them. Often one of the bureaus will have information that the other one doesn’t. If you have recently been denied credit for whatever reason, you can obtain a free copy from each bureau. You can also sign up for a free trial with AnnualCreditRepair.com to view your credit report and credit score.

Carefully examine your credit reports for any inaccurate information. If you notice something that is not correct or current, contact the credit bureaus by mail to dispute the charges.

Contact the creditors listed on the report and try to arrange a payment plan. Most of them will work with you on a payment plan in order to pay the debt off. Many will offer a settlement, which will allow you to pay off the debt for an agreed upon amount that is a lot lower than the original debt amount. Make sure you get any settlement down in writing. Keep up your end of the settlement by setting up automatic payments. This will ensure that the exact payments are made to the creditors on-time. Before you agree to a payment plan, make sure you can make the payments.

Contact a free credit counseling credit debt management service to help you manage your bills, pay your creditors, and resolve your credit problems. Many people seek the assistance of companies like Advantage Credit Counseling Service to help them stay focus on repairing their credit and maintaining their improved credit. Advantage Credit Counseling Service offers free counseling for those who need to get out of debt.

Try changing your spending habits. Reevaluate your needs and wants. Look into downsizing to help reduce your budget. Carefully keep track of what you’re spending to see what things can be reduced or even eliminated. Focus on the long-term benefits of establishing and restoring your credit, and approach credit repair as a lifestyle change instead of a temporary fix.

Christmas Debt Still Have you Down - 3 Ways to Bridge that Financial Gap

Finance (Photo credit: Tax Credits)

Spending money at Christmas time can take a significant toll in the New Year, with many people starting January with serious debts from the previous year. From dealing with food bills to making payments towards presents, and including the need to meet high energy bills, many people choose to find ways to bridge their financial gaps after Christmas to avoid sliding further into their overdrafts. There are many ways to stabilise your finances in the New Year, which, while representing calculated risks, can help you to get a head start on 2013.

Short Term Loans

For most people, it can be necessary to take out some kind of short term loan in the New Year to cover their spending at the end of the year. There are a wide range of different options available to you for loans, but with the complication that you’ll need a good credit history and report to gain access to loans with favourable interest rates and repayment schedules. A short term personal loan from a bank can be taken out on a 12 to 18 month repayment schedule with fixed interest rates, but only if you’re able to provide a strong credit report.

If you have bad credit, then your loan options are going to be more limited to higher risk deals. Examples of these deals include payday loans, which are repayable when you receive your next wage slip; while payday loans are easy to apply for and receive, you face the problem of paying very high APR on your initial borrowing, as well as extensive minor fees and penalties. In this context, you’ll need to make a careful decision as to whether you actually need to borrow money for an emergency, or whether it’s better to avoid taking on further debt.

Pawnbroking

Another option when it comes to bridging your finances is to use a local pawnbrokers. It’s possible to boost your finances by taking part in a buy back scheme, where you use a valuable item as collateral on a loan; this might involve exchanging jewellery or gold for cash, and then buying back the item by paying for its resale value with interest added. Alternatively, you can use a pawnbroker to directly sell your items, while also taking advantage of short term cash loans and gold valuation services to make the most of any possessions that can be put forward as collateral for a loan.

Financial Management

In all these cases, however, you’ll have to decide whether a short term financial boost is really needed, and whether you’ll be incurring further debts after spending beyond your means at Christmas. The New Year should also represent an opportunity to start putting aside money for the rest of the year, and to target financial independence through savings and paying off existing debts; this can be achieved by making use of tax free savings accounts like ISAs, by seeking financial advice from credit unions, and by downloading personal finance apps that will help you to balance your short and long term budgets.



About the Author:Patrick Hegarty has been supporting his family on a low income for many years. He has found selling his unwanted items a great way to supplement his income. He can be found blogging about different subjects from balancing finances to family life.

How do Fast Personal Loans Work?

Our needs often don’t coincide with our savings. At some time or the other almost everyone has experienced an unexpected emergent expenditure. In such situations not everybody has the money needed to cover that expense, saved up and at their disposal. Even if someone has some savings, she/he may have been saving that money for some other purpose which is just as essential as any. So how does one get out of such a quandary? One viable option would be to take out a fast personal loan.

 

What is a fast personal loan?

Such a form of a credit is fast, effective and is issued without any collateral. Therefore, whether or not you have a material property to provide as security for the credit, you can apply for the same. The only issue you’ll have to take care of is that of your credit rating. This happens because here the lending institution is putting itself at risk by not seeking guarantee in the form of collateral, so naturally it will try to ensure that it is financing credit worthy individuals. A high credit individual as a client carries an implicit assurance of repayment, as he has a stable flow of income with which he will be able to repay back the credit issued to him through monthly installments. Hence this feature is an essential part of such a scheme. 

Types of fast personal loan

This kind of financing can be received for both a large sum of money as well as a small sum of money. In case your present status demands a large sum of money you can apply for:

• Typical personal loans 

But if your need can be sufficed by a relatively smaller amount of money you can opt for:

• Cash advance loans like payday loans. 

The former takes more time and paperwork than the latter. More information on these can be found in www.unitedfinances.com. 

Where can you get these from?

Once you have decided on availing this type of credit you’ll need to know where to get them from, following are listed some of the well known and common sources:

• Banks - These are one of the most reliable sources for obtaining easy cash of this sort. However, it helps your cause if you have a good credit score. Banks approve clients with good credit score, background and a stable source of employment and income. Hence if you’re in between jobs, you might not get approved. 
• Credit Unions- Another dependable source of easy flow of money in this case is credit unions, as they can even approve clients who are old customers of theirs with bad credit rating. This they do by checking the history of the client’s credit and documents stating the details about her/his present employment and income source’s status. 
• Private finance institutions- These are known for their fast service. They also cater to both categories of clients (i) High credit worthy, (ii) Low credit worthy. While if you’re fortunate enough to belong to the first group, you can seek the help of any such institution. But if you belong to the latter group, it is best if you approach those which are locally available. 
• Online sources- Sites like www.unitedfinances.com help you research whatever you need to find out about such credit and apply for the same from the comforts of your home or anywhere you can access their service from. 

A ready flow of cash like this can help you out when you really need it. But if you let the debt pile on by missing out on your monthly repayments, then in the end you will find yourself liable to pay hundreds of dollars in interest. Therefore it is advisable if you pay off your debt in a timely manner. To do so you can do the following:

• Increase the amount monthly installment – This way you will accumulate less interest as you pay off your debt in a short time by making a one or two time payments. 
• Obtain additional sources of cash- You can either pick up extra jobs to repay it or sell off some previously acquired object of notable economic worth that you can do without. If you’re unwilling to do any of these you can dip into your savings pool too. 

In any case you should make sure once your immediate crisis is dealt with you don’t create another one by missing out on the repayment of your loans. For more information on this topic you can visit UnitedFinances.com

Author’s Bio – Sam Payn is a regular contributor of UnitedFinances.com, an online loan community. He also writes for loan and finance blogs.