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I have used the same insurance broker ever since I had my first car and I needed to arrange cover. They always seemed to work very hard trying to get me the most competitive premiums and the process seemed to take an hour or so and I would always walk away with a hand written cover note and a feeling that it was very expensive but I had the best deal I could get. Looking back on those days, the trust I had in the staff in that office was based on nothing other than blind faith combined with the hope that if I thought it sounded absurdly expensive I might try the insurance broker along the road. Although having already taken an hour or more to get the insurance sorted out, the last thing I would want to do is to go through the entire process again and waste my entire day off. These days of course, like virtually everyone, I no longer use an insurance broker.

I use the online comparison sites and the rest of the population probably use the telephone. The online process is so advanced these days that, rather than taking half an hour, the time need to obtain a quotation is now down to 10 minutes and every form and cover notes are generated on a PDF file which arrived in your inbox within seconds. Whilst you’re on the website the system provides the facility to obtain other financial products as, from the comparisons site point of view, why stop with car insurance? Within minutes you make a Permanent Health Insurance comparison, arrange travel insurance and arrange a hire car to pick you up from the airport. The freedom the system allows is key, as you can access for your self a list of premiums and see for yourself how much cheaper one insurance company is over another.

Source: http://www.permanenthealthinsurance.uk.com/blog/2011/12/16/it-only-took-5-minutes-after-taking-part-permanent-health-insurance-comparison-i-saved-over-212pa/

Credit cards for bad credit are certainly not going to be the best credit deals, but credit cards for people with bad credit might be your only option available. The interest on credit cards for people with bad credit are usually much higher than on a regular credit card. These types of credit cards are especially designed for people with a bad credit history and don’t qualify for a regular credit card. If you are a young person just starting to build credit, or if you’ve had circumstances that has damaged your credit history, you usually can qualify for credit cards for bad credit.

Bad Credit Deals

Bad credit, credit card deals are readily available online with easy, secure applications. Bad credit deals are often divided into secured credit cards for bad credit that need a deposit and bad credit unsecured credit cards, a bad credit card with much higher fees. These types of bad credit offers people with a poor credit score or no previous credit history a quick and easy way to re-gain a good credit history with bad credit cards. If you keep your credit balance under the limit and make your payments on time, you’ll become eligible for much better deals on your credit card rates and improve your credit score.

Interest

There are many temptations by having credit cards and while using bad credit cards to hold you over in tight situations, remember it is only temporary relief as the interest rates on credit cards for bad credit are extremely high. Shop around and look for credit cards for bad credit with an interest rate that you are absolutely sure you will be able to pay. Probably the single most important part of picking credit cards is the interest rate, especially for people who will be rolling over balances from month to month.

Tips

A person must always keep in mind that credit cards for bad credit are very easy to use so don’t go overboard or you might find yourself in a much worse situation. Check out the interest rates and fees before you start applying for credit cards for bad credit. Don’t apply for every bad credit card there is as this will effect your credit score, only choose two of the best bad credit deals you can find.

We allow the credit card industry to make fools of us and we do nothing about it. If someone told you that you were being made a fool of, wouldnt you address the issue? I know I would.

Credit card companies have revenue of $76.03 billion dollars and the majority of this revenue comes from late penalties and over limit and cash advance fees. $29.2 billion came from late penalties, $15.2 billion from over credit limit fees and $3.04 billion from cash advance fees. This amount is 62% of the credit card companies revenue and this does not include finance charges. Nice profit!

The above is the reason why credit card companies can afford to mail over 5 billion credit card offers per year. This equals to 6 offers per household per month. Maybe the $2 billion in postage alone is a reason why our government does not look into the credit card industry seriously.

Every bank and retailer wants you to have their credit card. Having their credit card enables them to make huge profits. In 2001 both Sears and Circuit City reported that over half of their corporate profits were from finance related revenue. Do you think this could be the reason why retailers always have an employee at the front door of their store offering you to sign up for their credit card and in return you receive a special gift or extra so called discount? Most special gifts and extra discounts end up costing you more than the original purchase due to finance charges.

I may not be able to confront these institutions that are trying to make a fool of me, but I can fight back by believing that Cash is King and using cash instead of credit will save me money in the end.

Its a New Year and personal money management should be on the top of your list for 2006.

As the temperature rises, so does the cost of cooling your home. But a new federal law may help keep your home both cool and cost-effective.

In January, the U.S. Department of Energy raised the minimum efficiency standards for air conditioners and heat pumps from 10 to 13 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). Although homeowners aren’t required to replace systems that are less than 13 SEER, doing so could shave 23 percent off energy bills.

Think of SEER ratings like gas mileage: The higher the SEER or miles per gallon, the more energy “mileage” you get. So as SEER levels rise, your cooling and heating products use less energy, giving you more bang for your buck while providing real environmental benefits through decreased energy consumption.

“The new 13 SEER standard not only conserves energy but it also reduces associated carbon dioxide emissions,” says Rick Roetken, director of marketing at Indianapolis-based Bryant Heating & Cooling Systems.

Bryant recently introduced a new line of 13 SEER models that provide superb savings, efficiency and comfort. The improved top-of-the-line Evolution System reaches levels of up to 20 SEER while allowing users to control heating, cooling, humidity, indoor air quality, schedules and maintenance reminders from a single, easy-to-navigate source.

To keep your home cooling system at peak efficiency, Roetken recommends having it inspected at least once a year by a trained service technician. Here are some additional tips:

* Install more attic insulation. Upgrading from 3 inches to 12 inches can cut cooling costs by 10 percent.

* Plant a tree. One well-placed shade tree can reduce your cooling costs by 25 percent. Place leafy shade trees to the south and west and evergreens to the north.

* Use ceiling and box fans to help circulate air throughout the house.

* Set the fan on your central air conditioner to “on” rather than “auto.” This will circulate air continuously, keeping the temperature constant throughout the house and aiding in dehumidification.

* If you use a window air conditioning unit, make sure it’s the proper size. It’s better to get one that’s too small rather than too large. A larger unit will start up and turn off more frequently and won’t do as good a job dehumidifying the air.

* Invest in a programmable thermostat.

* If you don’t have central air conditioning, try a whole-house attic fan. This device pushes hot air out through the attic vents, lowering the temperature throughout your home by about 5 degrees in less than 10 minutes.

Even though Americans are feeling some relief at the gas pump from last fall’s record prices, their checkbooks are still likely to take a hit this winter as natural gas and heating oil prices continue to soar.

In fact, the Energy Department predicts that those using natural gas to heat their homes can expect to see their monthly bills rise 48 percent from last year. If it’s an especially cold winter, the cost will be even greater.

This can be a difficult thing for consumers to contemplate – especially when most homeowners already average $4,100 per year for energy.

While it is not always easy to understand the geopolitics and economics of energy, rising prices always indicate that there is too much demand, and for years there has not been enough domestic supply. Consequently, America has had to rely on foreign sources for its natural gas, due in large part to the fact that prices are so much cheaper.

In Saudi Arabia, for instance, the price of natural gas is 75 cents per million Btu, and in Kuwait, it is $1.25 per million Btu. Compare this with the U.S. price of almost $13 per million Btu and it is easy to see why America opts to import its gas.

But companies like Mammoth Resource Partners Inc., a Kentucky-based oil and gas exploration company, are beginning to put a dent in skyrocketing natural gas prices by tapping into the gas-rich Appalachian Basin.

“The Appalachian Basin, in my opinion, is the largest opportunity in North America to reduce America’s dependence on foreign gas,” said Mammoth President Dr. Roger L. Cory, a frequent guest speaker on the topic of “peak oil.”

Much of the rise in heating oil and natural gas prices can be attributed to last fall’s hurricanes, which disabled refineries and terminals in the Gulf Coast. Until hurricane Katrina, many did not understand that gas from overseas is liquefied and shipped to the Gulf Coast for offloading and re-gasifying, whereas domestic supply, such as that explored by Mammoth Resource Partners, can safely pass through inland pipelines directly to domestic markets for use in America’s homes.

Check Your Bank Statements Every Month, If You Don’t You May Be Losing Money In Unexpected Ways.

Awhile back I got the dreaded letter from the bank saying you are overdrawn. I couldn’t believe it, I wondered what the heck did I do?

Then I opened it up and I was overdrawn by over a thousand dollars and I was real concerned.

I called the bank and they told me the $3000 dollar check that I had written was insufficient. Well I did not write a check for that amount but they assured me I did and told me where to.

I couldn’t believe I could do something so foolish but I called the company that I had written the check to and they said yep, that was what I wrote it for, and I was overpaid on my account.

Then we had to start the process of me getting the money back that I had overpaid, in the meantime I needed to do a quick transfer or I would have more insufficient checks.

After I got the check covered and started the return process of getting my money back I got to thinking I couldn’t have done anything that dumb.

So I called the bank and asked them if they were sure I had wrote it for that amount and she assured me they check those kinds of things, I still didn’t believe her so I went down there and said I wanted a copy of the check.

Low and behold I HADN’T been stupid and wrote a 300 dollar check for 3000. The company I wrote it to had encoded it wrong and the bank didn’t catch it.

So after apologies from the bank and their assurance they would fix things right up for me I called the other company back and asked them if they were sure I had made the mistake. She also assured me they always check these kinds of things. Then I said then how come I am holding the check and it is obviously written for only 300.00. She didn’t have much to say then and they assured me they would fix things right up.

In talking to her she said she just assumed the fault was mine because even if they had made the mistake one of our banks would have caught it, yeah right.

So while most of you would notice a 2700 difference like I sure did, we may not notice those pennies and nickels if we don’t check every month.

Because the only one looking after your account carefully will be you!!

Most people want to do their part to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save on their energy bills, but don’t know what they can do. Using energy efficiently at home is an important start; and, it can be as easy as changing a light bulb. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) are calling on Americans to join the growing number of individuals switching their current lighting to energy-efficient light bulbs and fixtures.

Many people don’t realize it, but the average home is responsible for twice as many greenhouse gas emissions as the average car. In fact, if every American home replaced its five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with ENERGY STAR qualified ones, the amount of greenhouse gases we could prevent is equivalent to the emissions from more than 8 million cars. Not only does energy-efficient lighting help protect the environment, but it also saves consumers money since lighting accounts for nearly 20 percent of home electricity costs. Each home making this “5 light fixture change” could save about $60 a year in energy costs.

As part of the annual ENERGY STAR Change a Light, Change the World Campaign, the EPA and DOE have declared Oct. 4, 2006 “ENERGY STAR Change a Light Day.” Americans are invited to take a pledge online at energy star.gov/changealight and commit to replace at least one incandescent bulb or fixture in their home with one that has earned the government’s ENERGY STAR for energy efficiency. Individuals who have pledged are already having a dramatic combined impact. Pledges taken in 2005 alone will result in the reduction of 33 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. The goal is to encourage at least 500,000 individuals to join the community and take the ENERGY STAR Change a Light Pledge. This is a step in the right direction, to ensure that our children have a bright future ahead.

ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program helping individuals and businesses save energy and protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.

If you understand and follow the basic principle of Cash is King you can change your life forever. Your life will be less stressful financially and you will be taking your first major step toward financial peace of mind.

Cash is King is an easy principle to understand; however it may be difficult to follow. This principle is the key to less stress within your financial life. Many things tell us how to manage our finances and it seems that none of them address the root cause of our financial problems.

The biggest problem is that we live in a world of plastic and for all practical purposes we do not respect or understand the value of cash.

If you follow this simple but different principle of Cash is King you will start on the road to financial peace of mind. Here are two basic suggestions on how to follow the principle of Cash is King:

When you are paid make sure you allocate enough money to pay your rent/mortgage, utilities and any other fixed expenses you may have. Any amount of cash that is left should be withdrawn from your checking account to be used for food, clothing, gifts, entertainment, gas, etc. The best way for you to control this cash would be for you to divide and allocate certain amounts of cash for each variable expense and store this cash in labeled envelopes, like the envelopes found in the BUDGETkeeper SYSTEM.
Now remember that this cash is the only way you can spend. Once you have used all your cash there will be no spending until your next paycheck. This is tough! No credit/debit cards? You must be kidding! How will I ever get through to my next payday without using my credit/debit cards? They say smoking is hard to give up, I think sticking to the principle of Cash is King may even be harder!

Stick with Cash is King and manage your money. You will start by finding the cheapest places to buy gas, run your errands more logically and take your morning coffee from home instead of buying that latte every day. You will have to find many new ways to manage your cash and the first few weeks will be the toughest. You may even run out of cash before your next payday, however, you will stick to the principle Cash is King and eventually find financial peace of mind.

After several weeks it will get easier to manage your cash and you will be surprised to find extra cash available before your next paycheck. What will you do with that extra cash? Many say put the extra cash into a savings account or pay a little extra towards one of your debts. I say put it in a coffee can and let it accumulate then take yourself out and have one great party!

If you can follow this principle, you will be on your way to establishing a personal/family budget. Let the BUDGETkeeper SYSTEM show you the way to financial peace of mind.

Cash Advance Loans – Online Financial Help In A Hurry

Everybody at some point in their lives gets in a tight spot with money, which is where finding cash advance loans online can become helpful. What is a cash advance loan you might be asking and how will one help me?

A cash advance loan is also commonly referred to as a payday loan. When you have applied for a cash advance loan online you will need to have an active checking account or savings account, as this is the method that the loan company will use in order to collect the money that they are owed.

The term of cash advance loans online are normally between one to six weeks and usually no more then two or three months.

How can a cash advance loan help me?

A cash advance loan can have money in your hand in less then 24 hours, many times even the instant that you are approved. This can be very helpful if you have a dire need for money. You dont need to have stellar credit in order to qualify for a cash advance loan. Most all cash advance companies will only require and active checking (or savings) account and that you have proof of how much money you make in a month. Many companies additionally require that you have been at your current job for at least six months. Cash advance loans can also help you bring your credit score up if the company happens to report to any of the three major credit reporting agencies.

Why would a cash advance loan not be a good idea?

There are large fees associated with getting a cash advance loan. When you get your loan the loan company will be requiring you to pay anywhere from $15 to $50 per hundred dollars that you plan to borrow. If you need to extend a payday loan for whatever reason you will be charged additional fees each time you do so. You can end up paying more in fees then the amount that you wished to borrow in the first place.

Do thorough and complete research and make yourself well informed about how these types of loans will work. Then you will be able to be absolutely sure that cash advance loans are the best option for you to choose.

In the next 10 years, the first wave of America’s 76 million baby boomers will be retiring. Since today’s retirees are generally healthier and more active than their parents, they are looking forward to living longer and spending more time playing with grandchildren, pursuing hobbies or even trying new careers.

Investors enter retirement with more confidence if they have a thoughtful retirement strategy. Planning ahead helps those nearing retirement prepare for when company paychecks stop coming and the goal of accumulating assets gives way to generating income from those assets for retirement expenses.

While planning for and managing income in retirement may not sound like fun, it is the most effective way to be confident in your future. Consider the following.

* Calculate how long retirement will last. Since retirement doesn’t have a preset time limit, this first step can be particularly challenging. Many of our customers are surprised to learn that they are likely to live in retirement just as long as they worked. A 65-year-old couple retiring today, for example, should plan to have enough money to last at least 20 or 30 more years, according to a 2003 Fidelity study. When determining how long your money will need to last, realistically estimate the expenses that are likely in your own retirement and consider that you may live longer than you think – possibly into your 90s.

* Preserve and grow assets. Fear of a down market can cause some retirees to be too cautious, so they sell virtually all of their stock holdings. While they should protect their assets, retirees should recognize that they may also benefit from growth that can come from investing in the markets. In fact, long-term success may lie in a portfolio that includes an appropriate mix of stocks, bonds and cash. The key is to find an asset mix that is age-appropriate and generates enough income to help offset withdrawal requirements and the effects of inflation over time.

* Simplify to stay on track. Pre-retirees expect to manage an average of nine sources of income, including Social Security, multiple 401(k)s, annuities and personal savings, according to a 2004 Fidelity study. These assets are often held in multiple accounts at different financial institutions, making it difficult to develop and maintain a comprehensive investing strategy. For example, mutual funds from different firms may hold similar investments, potentially increasing risk to your portfolio through greater exposure to volatile markets or sectors.

To prevent this from happening, anyone five to seven years from retirement may want to consider consolidating various 401(k)s and other retirement accounts in one place, or finding a tool that easily provides a look at your entire financial picture in a single view.

Creating a thoughtful retirement strategy involves sharp focus and detailed calculations, and can force couples approaching retirement to face difficult considerations for the first time. Luckily, there are many resources available to help investors prepare their retirement strategy. Planning for the future is the key, however, and helps build financial confidence so that you can enjoy the retirement you have worked so hard to achieve.

Cynthia Egan is executive vice president, Fidelity Investments.