A lot of the gas and power companies offer their customers what's known as budget billing. The theory is that they will calculate what you spent in the course of the previous year, add 'X' amount to cover anticipated inflation, and then they divide that by 12 (months). The end result is that you pay - usually via your bank account - that sum every month so you're never presented with a big quarterly bill that requires paying all at once.
While it may be a good idea in principle, there are a number of things that can go wrong with budget billing. For example, if you use more than you did last year, then the following year, your payments may go up considerably. If on the other hand you don't use as much as you did last year, then your next year's monthly payments should go down. It's very rare to find a company who will refund you the money you under-spent in actual cash however.
Read More >>One of the best ways to find cheap property to buy is to check out the HUD (Dept of Housing and Urban Development).
Millions of people have bought HUD homes and the website is updated daily with new properties. These properties are specifically aimed at those on a low to average income as well as first time buyers. If you are eligible for a mortgage, or have the cash to buy outright, you are able to purchase HUD homes.
Read More >>You want your wedding to be a beautiful and special day and the good news is, it is possible to have the day of your dreams on a tight budget. Here are a few tips for doing just that-
College costs more than ever at the moment so it's little wonder that many students find themselves in a lot of debt very quickly. Some students find that they are able to get federal aid and don't need any further financial assistance but many more find that this grant or loan runs out long before the end of the year.
That being the case, many take out private loans, credit cards and overdrafts. It's then very easy for your finances to become out of control. Most young students aren't used to prioritizing or managing debt repayments, so here are a few tips for how best to manage student debt. Read More >>
It's amazing how many items can be tax deductible, yet we're not aware of them. You could be paying way too much tax, simply because you didn't realize you could list certain things.
So here are just a few of the items you should list on your tax return-
You can get tax deductions for:
If the SBA in your state isn’t able to offer you any financial help, there are plenty of other places to look. For example, if you are a member of a credit union, apply to them. They offer their members business loans at very low rates of interest and reasonable repayment options.
You can also apply for a home equity loan as mentioned in part 1 of this article. Don’t forget though that if your business doesn’t succeed, you are still eligible to repay the loan so be sure you can afford the repayments with or without an income from your new business.
Read More >>Starting a new business of your own is often a scary time. You may have a great idea and be absolutely sure you can make it work, but what if you just don’t have the money to back your idea?
There are a number of sources to help you get your business going including government help. Many states have money specifically allocated for new, small businesses, so that should be your first port of call. In addition to offering finance, you can get a ton of free advice and help with planning your business.
Read More >>Are your prescription medications costing you a fortune? The cost of physician issued drugs is rising at an alarming rate, so here are our top 10 tips to save on the cost of your meds. However, if you’re in any doubt about any issue with your medications, always check with your doctor.
Our electric bills seem to cost more every year so here’s our top 15 tips to reduce the amount of electric you use.
Read More >>When you\'re really struggling for money, pay day can seem a long way off so you might be tempted to get a Payday loan. These loans are usually fairly small amounts which you borrow until your next pay is due. You get cash and the lender asks you for a check - dated for your pay day - and a fee.
The fees differ with each lender but the average is around $20 for every $100 that you borrow. It\'s expensive but it gets worse; if when the check is due to be cashed, you find you don\'t have enough money and want to ‘roll over\' the loan, you\'ll be accumulating a huge amount of interest on it. The APR on Payday loans is often around 400%!
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