Homeowner Loans – the Simple Way

Loan (Photo credit: Philip Taylor PT)It doesn’t matter what your reasons for needing the money are, the fact is, if you need some cash quickly, the last thing you want to do is jump through some hoops to get it. That’s what is so great about homeowner loans from Money QED, you don’t have to wait ages for a decision and you don’t have to reveal every intimate detail about your past life to be approved.

A homeowner loan is perfect for those with bad credit or CCJs. If you have a property with positive equity, it doesn’t normally matter what your credit history is because you will usually be approved because the loan is secured against your property. Nevertheless, you’ll still want to get the best deal possible on the amount you need to borrow, with the lowest APR. Rather than spending hours trawling the internet for a good deal and trying to work out who is offering the best terms, you should let someone else do the hard work for you. With homeowner loans from Money QED, they’ll search through all of the deals and let you know which is the best for your individual circumstances.

Finding out if you can be approved for a homeowner loan is really easy too. All you have to do is fill in a simple online form and one of their team will give you a call back just five minutes later with an ‘in principle’ decision. Rather than just providing you with a search list of quotes, Money QED has spent years building relationships with lenders and know which deal is the best for your individual circumstances. This saves you trying to get your head around loads of financial jargon and spending some quality time with a calculator attempting to figure out the APR. The average team member has around 10 years’ professional experience in the field, so they really do know what they’re talking about.

There are plenty of reasons why you might need a cash boost – a wedding, a family holiday, house maintenance or repairs, your child heading to university, or a new car. Quite frankly, as long as it’s legal, Money QED doesn’t really mind. You’ll be able to get a hold of your adviser easily too – there’s a straightforward landline number which won’t break the bank for you to call it.

Author Bio – Raymond Harper is an experienced writer. He has written in many crucial areas like homeowner loan, car loan, insurance and banking etc.

Related articles

• Advantages and Disadvantages of Auto Title Loans (50plusfinance.com)
• Budgeting, Saving, and Borrowing for Financial Safety (savealittlemoney.com)
• 5 Myths About Credit Reports (savealittlemoney.com)
• Understanding Pay Day Cash Loans (50plusfinance.com)

Top Ways to Make Money Online After Retiring

(Photo credit: Michael Kwan (Freelancer))

Introduction:

We live in a capitalist society. The most basic description of such a society is “you get what you pay for”. Everyone must find a way to make money in order to purchase any commodities that they may desire, and nothing is received for free with the exception of welfare and other such payments meant to help those without the possibility to work.

With the explosion of Internet popularity in the start of the 21st century, more and more people own a computer and are connected to the Internet. While it may be an excellent way of relaxing by playing video games, simply browsing, gambling and also a way of meeting new people, some manage to earn money online, mixing utility with comfort.

While there are many ways of earning money online, gambling at a crypto casino may be the way forward. Crypto casinos typically offer a higher level of privacy and security compared to traditional online casinos, as transactions are encrypted and decentralized. Players can also enjoy fast and low-cost transactions using cryptocurrencies, eliminating the need for lengthy processing times and high fees. Beyond this, many casinos actually offer wins high enough for a person to be able to sustain himself and/or his family through regular online work alone.

As such, most online work is part-time only, offering some pocket money for those who have the time. 

Surveys:

One of the most popular ways of making money online as of late is completing surveys. Internauts register using their personal information and they receive surveys provided by companies to the site which they complete in order to receive the money reward. Some survey sites pay in cash, while others prefer other payment methods such as gift cards for certain real-life or online stores. Some survey sites have been confirmed as legit, their payments are usually meager, and users report having to wait a long time before receiving a new survey to complete, thus making it necessary for the user to register on several survey sites in order to achieve any noticeable sum of money.

Online writing:

Another option is writing online. This method is older than surveys but is still around and is still a valid means of making money online. There are many specialized sites that offer writing jobs to freelancer authors even if they do not have any past experiences. There are many things to be written or re-written, from novels and articles to college work. However, if you want to start writing on your own after gaining some experience online, be aware that what you will mostly be doing is “ghostwriting”, which means that you write for another person but they will still be accredited for the work. Your name will not be featured anywhere, because you simply wrote something that they were supposed or expected to.

Online writing tends to have a higher payment rate than surveys, however it requires more creativity and work. While for surveys, you simply fill in personal data and tick some boxes, it requires some writing skill, some time for documentation and a lot of patience in order to write even a small article on a simple subject. If you’ve decided on a novel, however, it will take even more, and the payment sometimes depends on the success that the said novel has, so you may not get paid that much after all. All in all, online writing is a good part-time way of earning money online, but don’t count on it too much, as with surveys.

Online commodities trading:

Some people earn pocket money by trading items over E-bay. They try to find a low-price item which they think might pick up in price later on; they keep it and then re-sell it later for a higher price. While it’s a risky method as you can lose money if you make the wrong choices, it is a possibility if you’ve got a touch for trading. 

Other ways of earning money online:

There are many other ways of earning money online, not all of them legit or fair. These include, but are not limited to

· Binary options trading through online brokers; this method has increased in popularity over the past years. Users say that they are legit however there are many taxes and catches that make it feel more of a rip-off and less of an easy way to make money from the comfort of your own home.

· Online betting and gambling. These are meant more for enjoyment and less for actually earning money, however if you’ve got the skill, knowledge or luck you may still earn money from them while also enjoying yourself.

· Some employers may offer you to work from your own home, documenting, creating and sending your work to them through the Internet.

Related articles

• 6 Ways to Save Money Right Now (savealittlemoney.com)
• Why Boomers Are Not Saving Enough For Retirement (savealittlemoney.com)
• 8 Major Financial Mistakes Retirees Make (50plusfinance.com)

The Top 5 Personal Finance Apps That Can Help Protect Your Credit Cards

Credit Card (Photo credit: 401(K) 2012)It is not an easy task to keep a track of your personal finance and monitor your credit cards and debit cards 24x7 especially if you are living a busy life involving your studies, jobs, career or family. These days we have become very dependent on credit cards which are now termed as Plastic money rather than cash. Many of us think that transactions through credit cards are much more secure than carrying cash everywhere. But this not completely true and a number of credit card thefts and frauds have proved it, clearly.

Though we can somehow get an idea of our finances through online banking, which helps us to check our accounts, but that is not enough. Therefore, a number of applications have been developed to manage your personal finance accounts while maintaining the security of your credit cards at the same time.

The following are the latest applications which protect you from becoming the victim of credit card fraud and help you manage your personal finances:

Mint for OS X

This application keeps track of your personal finance details by recording every single transaction. The entire operation can be done simply with the help of the user friendly menu bar icon. The icon simply disappears when you do not want it and it appears again with the detailed information on where you are earning money from and how it is getting spent.

Billguard

This is another innovative application that has been developed to protect your credit cards from getting mishandled. It continuously alerts you when there is any suspicious activity related to your credit cards and it helps you in managing your accounts.

Personal Assistant Program

It is a mobile application which keeps a strict eye on your personal finance as well as all your credit card transactions. You will be alerted if any suspicious behavior is attempted on  your credit card accounts. Though both free and premium versions of this app are available, it is suggested that you should opt for the premium version to get more protection.

3D Secure

This is a XML based program developed specially to offer additional safety measures for online transactions of debit and credit cards.

EMV

The term stands for Europay, Master card and Visa and has been developed to provide adequate security for your credit cards and personal finances.

Personal finance apps have become quite important these days. With the growth of cyber crime, people are opting for more safety measures.


About the Author:

The above article was written by AB who is associated with many finance sites and blogs. She recommends to make online payment through discovercard com payment which is the most secured online platform for making any online transaction.

Related articles

• Paying Cash or by Credit Cards: Benefits and Drawbacks (whatisa529plan.com)
• Should Parents Co-sign On Their Kids Credit Card? (savealittlemoney.com)
• 5 Myths About Credit Reports (savealittlemoney.com)
• Understanding the July 2012 Credit Card Reform in Five Simple Steps (50plusfinance.com)

5 iPhone Apps to Help Manage Your Spending

Image via CrunchBaseDigital technology has changed the way people think about their finances. Instead of paper and coins, money is now little more than a number, a running tally that can't reach zero. Unfortunately, this fundamental shift in personal finances has led many individuals into greater debt and even bankruptcy. There are, however, ways to keep track of your spending on the go. These five iPhone apps will help you manage your budget and organize your finances like never before.

Ace Budget 2
The sequel to the popular budgeting application is packed with brand new features and a more intuitive user interface. Ace Budget 2 is a sleek and powerful all-around financial tool. It allows you to set your budget for anything from one day to one year. Then, Ace Budget 2 keeps track of your expenditures and organizes the information into a variety of printable graphs that present your spending habits in an easy-to-understand format.

Grocery Gadget
Nearly everyone overspends at the grocery store. No matter how determined a person is to stick to a list and come in under budget, there's always something extra thrown in or, even worse, something forgotten. Grocery Gadget seeks to make shopping a less stressful experience. Users create shopping lists, which can be shared with others, and are then able to note prices and locations for future reference. After a few trips to the store, Grocery Gadget makes it possible to predict your final cost down to the dollar.

My Weekly Budget
Sometimes it's easiest to focus on your income one week at a time. My Weekly Budget is the simplest app on this list, but it is nevertheless a powerful tool. My Weekly Budget lets its user set a goal, and then keeps a running tally throughout the week. Its uncomplicated layout makes keeping up with recording purchases easier than more intimidating applications, and it may be all that the average person needs.

HomeBudget
HomeBudget consolidates all of a household's finances into one application. Like Ace Budget 2, it factors in monthly bills, income and expenses to present a clear picture of a family's overall monetary health. The paid version has a sync feature that updates the application almost instantly. This means that multiple people can edit the same household at once to present more accurate and comprehensive information.

Mint
Mint is a popular website that has translated its most important services over to a mobile app. Mint securely connects to your bank accounts to provide up-to-date numbers no matter how far you are from a computer. It shows recent withdrawals and deposits, monitors budgets and even tracks stocks. All information gathered on your iPhone appears on the desktop version, making this an easy way to accurately check and update the powerful online service.

Dan is a financial blogger who has recently learned how to make an iPhone app to help him manage his money more efficiently.

8 Major Financial Mistakes Retirees Make

 (Photo credit: epSos.de)Ah, there’s nothing greater than walking out of your office for the last time of your working life. While many of you may have already experienced this situation, there are millions of us that have to wait months or even years. As we all know by now, money is king in retirement. Without it, how are you going to survive? To make sure that this money lasts until your last day on earth, here are some mistakes that you will want to avoid:

1. Retiring on age instead of your money

If you think about your retirement plan, do you want to retire on your birthday or do you want to retire with a certain amount of money? Sadly, many potential retirees want to retire at a certain age rather than have a certain amount of money. As we already mentioned above, money is KING. If you don’t have enough, you won’t enjoy retirement. Focus on a money number, and when the time comes, its then time to retire.

2. Watching your risk

As you grow older, do you really want to invest in stocks or bonds that are deemed risky? Sure, you can take the risk while your 20s or even in your 30s. Why? You have years ahead of you to make up for the losses (if they occurred.) As you grow older into your 50s or 60s, you will want to make sure that your portfolio is relatively safe. Whether you’re investing in dividend stocks, popular company stocks or CDs, it’s best to make sure that your money grows rather than go down the toilet.

3. Retiring with debt

When it’s time to walk out your office for the last time, you don’t want to have any debt. The problem with many retirees is that most have house payments, $10,000 on their credit card and two car payments. While you may be caught up in a spending frenzy, it’s extremely important that you have as little debt as possible. That way, if emergencies do pop up, you will have the money set aside to cover them. If you have a load of debt, it can be hard to do.

4. Avoiding the professionals

Yes, a lot of money professionals out there get a bad reputation but not all of them are bad. To make sure that you’re on the right path to a great retirement, make sure that you talk with a financial advisor at least once. No, you don’t have to have them invest your money for you, it’s just nice to get a view from the outside to make sure that you’re on the right path.

5. Managing your income stream

Once the paychecks stop coming in, it’s now time to tap into your retirement accounts. Whether you want to live off interest, dip into the principal or a little of both, it’s important to have a plan laid out. That way, you know exactly where you should be at the end of each year. If you start spending too much, you could exhaust your savings relatively fast. It’s important to have goals in mind and be sure to stick to them so that the money lasts.

6. Collecting social security

The future of social security is up in the air, but when the time comes, it should be here. The worst case scenario is either your benefits are cut in half or it’s intended for people that truly need it. Regardless of what the situation is, make sure that you know when the best time is to collect from the government. As of 2012, you’re eligible to collect at the age of 62, but if you wait until you’re 70, you can collect the biggest paycheck. In fact, by waiting nine years years, your check can almost be double compared to collecting at 62. Be sure to do the math to make the most out of your social security.

7. Watch inflation

While we may not see it in front of our eyes, inflation does exist! Over the past 30 years, inflation has grown at a steadily 3%. Be sure to factor in this with your prices because as time goes on, your dollar is going to be worth less and less. While your dollar won’t be worthless tomorrow, time will fly right by and before you know it, your spending power won’t be as strong.

8. Diversify

Don’t just set all of your money into a lousy CD collecting less than 2%. Instead, try to get into other markets that can make you some money. For example, dividend stocks can pay as much as 5%+ annually and many can be deemed relatively safe. By studying investments and investing in more than one thing, this can give you more eggs in your basket.

---

This was a post written by Hannah M. She is the co-founder of www.howmuchisit.org, a website that researches the price on everything ranging from home goods to surgeries.

Related articles

• 5 Websites Geared Toward Helping You Manage Your Retirement (50plusfinance.com)
• Insurance Tips for Soon-To-Be Retirees (50plusfinance.com)
• How to Avoid These 7 Crucial Retirement-Planning Mistakes (50plusfinance.com)
• Why Boomers Are Not Saving Enough For Retirement (savealittlemoney.com)

Online Education Balances Work and Masters Degree Pursuits

Distance education (Photo credit: mccoy) With three children in college the subject of graduation and the completion of the process is often a topic of conversation. It's quite possible and we are crossing our fingers because by next summer we could be attending 3 graduations. Our three in college are working hard on completing their education and soon we will be seeing a nursing, psychology and criminology degree. We are looking forward to their graduation and the landing of their first jobs. Of course this is our plan but our future graduates tell us in today's workplace a Masters degree is helpful in a very competitive job marketplace. We made a deal with our children that we would help and support them while they pursued their Bachelor degrees but any further education would come out of their own pocket.

I agree it would be a good idea to get a masters degree in their field of study. But holding a job and going to a university would be difficult to do because of time constraints. I recommended that attending an online university would be a good way to accomplish the continuing education they want. 

There is also the possibility that they take a slightly different path when earning their masters degrees, choosing to focus on something that is a little more specialized. The Master of Public Administration and Policy program, for example, accepts students with all different types of undergraduate degrees and prepares students for careers with government agencies or within private sector organizations that provide services for the public. By taking a specialized masters degree program online, I am confident that my children can fully take advantage of their education and find excellent jobs in the future.

What makes an online education more interesting than attending a conventional college is you are not restricted to a certain geographical location. You can really attend a school that is anywhere in the country. Your options are broadened because now you can attend online a university on the other side of the country or the world. All that while going to work everyday.

When you are attending an online college the classroom dynamic changes from one teacher to a possible 100 students to a one on one learning experience. It will be like your the only student in the classroom. This more personal interaction, enriches your education. With course material accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week students have the ability to read and re read lectures, discussions, explanations and comments. Often spoken material in the classroom passes students by due to a number of distractions, missed classes, tiredness or boredom.

Participating online is much more encouraging than in a classroom. All students play on a level playing field undisturbed by physical impediments. Using online chat rooms as part of a courses requirements allow students to no longer feel any uneasiness because of the pressure of a class room situation. You have more time to form your comments and questions in a more methodical way. Professors are more approachable through online chats, email and in new discussions, without waiting for office hours that may not be convenient. This option for communication provides enhanced contact between instructors and students.

Online classrooms also help group learning by providing chat rooms for meetings and group work. This solves the problems of mismatched schedules, finding a meeting location and distributing work for review between meetings.

Students often say that online education lets them attend class when fully awake and attend in increments of convenient time blocks, rather than rigid 2 or 4 hour stretches once or twice a week.

Because there are no geographic barriers to online education, students can find a broad array of course material that may not be available to them where they live or work. This is true for professional training such as medical billing training or purchasing training and for students in remote rural areas that cannot support college or vocational training centers.

It will be great to see our college graduates out in the world pursuing there masters programs in nursing, information assurance training, and psychology all while they work at their job.

Related articles

• Help Your College Graduate Decide - Work or Grad School (50plusfinance.com)
• A Roth IRA for College Expenses (whatisa529plan.com)
• Is There a Tax Deduction for College Costs? (whatisa529plan.com)
• Online College Degrees Becoming More Accepted By Employers (50plusfinance.com)