Interest Only Mortgage Calculator
Wednesday March 29, 2006
With interest rates rising, it's harder and harder to get a mortgage. Interest only mortgages can alleviate the problem, but they're not the best long-term solution. See what ... Read More
529 Plans
Tuesday March 28, 2006
Know somebody who will be paying for college someday? Investigate 529 college savings plans and how they work. There are a few simple features that these plans offer, ... Read More
7 Ways to Join a Credit Union
Tuesday March 28, 2006
Are you looking for a new place to keep or borrow money? Try a credit union. Most people who don't have credit union accounts think they're not eligible ... Read More
Washington Mutual Free Checking Review
Sunday March 26, 2006
The Washington Mutual free checking offer is stirring things up in the banking world. While almost everybody has a free checking account, the Washington Mutual free checking account offers ... Read More
2nd Mortgage Quick Tips
Saturday March 25, 2006
Second mortgages are tempting because you can get a lot of money. However, there are some common pitfalls you should keep an eye out for. Take a quick glance ... Read More
Fast and Safe Tax Refunds
Friday March 24, 2006
Are you getting a refund this year? If so, you can get quick access to that money if you use direct deposit. The government will zap your refund dollars directly ... Read More
Uncle Sam Says "Check Your Credit"
Thursday March 23, 2006
Have you checked your credit reports lately? If not, you could be missing some really interesting stuff. The US Government really wants you to stay on top of ... Read More
Don't Get Surprised by CD Penalties
Wednesday March 22, 2006
Going somewhere with that money? Make sure you know what it'll cost you. Banks don't like for you to break out of a CD before the maturity date. ... Read More
Before You Print Your Own Checks
Tuesday March 21, 2006
Before you print your own checks, make sure you know how to do it correctly. You can save a lot of time and money, but simple mistakes can ruin ... Read More
Update Your Beneficiaries
Monday March 20, 2006
Digging through papers to get your taxes done? Going to make a phone call to your financial institution? This is a perfect time to make sure you have ... Read More
The Automatic Millionaire
Sunday March 19, 2006
Want some help on getting your bank account where it should be? Try The Automatic Millionaire, a book so simple I could understand it. David Bach takes a ... Read More
Customer Service to Improve in Banks?
Sunday March 19, 2006
Marketplace Money has a nice story this week about the banking industry. Economist Chris Farrell talks about how customer service might actually improve! If Wal Mart succeeds in ... Read More
How to Ruin Your Credit
Friday March 17, 2006
Having access to other people’s money is overrated. If you’re of the same mind, you may want to completely eliminate any chance of somebody lending you money. Here are some ... Read More
Savings Rate Poll So Far
Thursday March 16, 2006
Here's an update on our savings rate poll (see results) so far.
Last I checked, 20% of you don't know how much you're earning on your savings. That seems a ... Read More
How Much is Your Savings Account Paying?
Tuesday March 14, 2006
Poll: How much is your savings account paying you?
Click one of the choices below:
I have no idea
Less than 1%
Between 1% and 2.9%
Between 3% and 4.5%
More than 4.5%
View Results
Your FICO Credit Score
Monday March 13, 2006
One of the most commonly used scoring tools is the FICO credit score. It’s important to understand how the FICO credit score is determined. There are just a ... Read More
Is There a Credit Report for Bounced Checks?
Thursday March 9, 2006
Readers often ask what happens if you bounce a check. Will it affect your credit score? The answer is no, but you should still avoid writing rubber checks. ... Read More
PFBlogs.org: More Blogs Than You Can Shake a Stick At
Wednesday March 8, 2006
If you enjoy reading about how others are managing their finances, try PFBlogs.org ("PF" stands for Personal Finance). You'll find a wealth of information from bloggers around the world. ... Read More
GMAC Bank - 4.6% With Checking
Monday March 6, 2006
GMAC Bank has had mixed reviews. Some customers love it and some have had bad experiences. I personally haven't tried the account yet. However, with a 4.6% ... Read More
My Kind of Bankin'
Saturday March 4, 2006
I recently heard a song that I thought you might enjoy. A bluegrass band called Sweet Sunny South did a song titled Paonia State Bank Jingle (I'm not sure ... Read More
What Would a New Car Payment Be?
Friday March 3, 2006
Thinking of upgrading your auto? See what the payments look like and if they would fit your budget. Try the free online car payment calculator to run some ... Read More
How to Write a Tamper-Resistant Check
Thursday March 2, 2006
Feeling uneasy about the check you gave to that mysterious stranger? I hope you took actions to keep your checking balance safe. When writing checks, you can do ... Read More
Money Market Accounts vs Money Market Funds
Wednesday March 1, 2006
Money market accounts are bank alternatives to money market mutual funds. What’s the difference? The main factors are risk and choices. See a comparison of money market funds vs. money ... Read More