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8 Ugly Truths About Your Shopping cart

Just why does your bill soar over $100 every week? You walk into the store like a sitting duck with zero preparation. And buyer's remorse sets in as you load up the checkout dreadmill. If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail. Here's why your cart is an embarrassing mess and what you can do about it: 1. There are items in the cart you didn't intend to buy. Your first lesson to learn in Smart Shopping 101 is to enter every store armed with a list. No ifs, ands or buts. Do not set one foot inside without some sort of list, either in hand or on your phone. Sit in your car outside and do it there. Better yet, keep a running tally of needs, wants, and prices you'd pay for most of them on your refrigerator. What happens when you shop sans list is you'll see something that looks like a deal. The problem is you subject yourself to smartly crafted emotional and psychological tactics designed to make you buy more and forget why you came there in the first place. That&

How to Name your Life Insurance Beneficiary

One of the things that you will have to do when you get life insurance is to name your beneficiary. This is the person that will receive the benefits of your life insurance policy if you are to pass away. This seems like a fairly easy thing to do since most people know that they want their spouse or children to receive benefits if they die. However, choosing the beneficiary is not the same as officially naming the beneficiary. Doing this is also fairly easy but it requires that you understand a few things. Revocable vs. irrevocable beneficiaries First, you need to understand that there are two core types of different beneficiaries and you want to choose the right type for you. Those two types are: o Revocable beneficiaries. You can name them now but change this at any time that you want to in the future. o Irrevocable beneficiaries. Once you have named these, you can’t change them unless the person that you’ve named gives legal permission for you to make the change. Most people wil

Ways to avoid getting bad credit scores and tips for improving existing credit scores

With many financial bodies, banks and other lending institutions closing in on rules and regulations and making it even more difficult for people applying for any form of credit it's becoming increasingly important to make sure your finances are in good standing – especially when it comes to your credit score. There are a few simple steps to take to ensure your credit score is kept in the tip-top shape, or if you're concerned that your credit score is perhaps prohibiting you from borrowing this tips will also help. There are a great deal of factors that contribute to your credit score, as determined by Fair Isaac (the company responsible for determining your final credit score). They are as follows: payment history new credit length of credit history amounts owed types of credit used The score is marked between 300 and 850, and with payment history contributing about 35% it's paramount that you make sure you pay your bills on time, as the mor

Fixed Annuities Rates Ensure a Steady Source of Income

Annuities refer to contracts that insurance companies sell to people ensuring them a steady stream of income in retirement. Annuities are variable when the investment of annuity purchasers' money is done in the stock market and the amount of return is not certain or guaranteed. Among the available annuities rates, fixed rate is also there. Annuities with a fixed rate are invested to yield return at a fixed rate for a fixed period of time. If you are approaching the retirement age, to say clearly you are two or three years away from the retirement stage, you should look for the annuities rates which are not only best but also give access to the invested money. You should have a clear understanding of the rates of income from retirement annuities. In the current market, annuity companies are giving 3% rate of interest on annuities for a term of five years. The return is good considering the present economic scenario. You can withdraw the accumulated interest only during the five year

Lessons from the Credit Crunch

The credit crunch has wreaked havoc in US with people’s finances. It has successfully battered their businesses, cost them their favorite jobs and smashed the loan prospects of consumers and crushed their hopes of a quick deliverance from their debt issues even with programs like credit settlement . Overall it has driven the consumers crazy with depleting funds and increasing debts. While none of us have liked to be in such a deplorable situation, but you can always learn from your mistakes and arm yourself with better preparations to battle your financial hardships. Let us make ourselves more compliant with the lessons that we can probably learn from a credit crunch: * Have an alternative to fall back upon, no matter in whichever profession you may be or whatever business you are in and this is probably the most significant lesson that one may learn from the whole credit debacle. Bernard Shaw has rightly quoted “Expect the worst and get the best”. It is absolutely necessary to have

Credit cards: Facts you should keep in mind when using them

A credit card is a small plastic card issued to you for making non-cash payments for goods and services. Companies that issue a credit card to you offer you a credit limit on one when you make purchases. Your monthly payments range from a minimum amount to your total outstanding balance. Your credit card is issued by banks, trust companies, credit unions, financial institutions, finance companies and department stores. 7 Facts you should remember while using a credit card You can use your credit card well if you understand key features that can help you maximize your credit benefits. Some of these features are as follows: The APR: Know your credit card’s annual percentage rates (APRs) and whether these rates are fixed or variable. These APRs are annual charges that you pay as interest fees for an entire year. Balance transfer fees: You pay off credit card debt through balance transfer by lowering your payment rates on your credit balance by shifting debt from

Tax Attorneys Resolve IRS Tax Problems

IRS tax lawyers are definitely experts capable of resolving the majority of IRS tax problems. These attorneys adopt several strategies in order to deal with even the most difficult IRS tax problems. Thus they fetch you efficient tax relief and also protect your most important assets. By the moment maximum of the tax payers consider hiring a tax lawyer, the tax problems have worsened so much that the individuals start believing that they are struggling with such a campaign which they will certainly lose. Every individual understands the importance of repaying income taxes. But this does not prevent unexpected financial crisis from interfering with the chance to pay for. Moreover it is not always the tax payers fault behind so much suffering. Several times it is evident that individuals suddenly may get to know about the taxes they did not have any idea about. Individuals cannot even ask the IRS about these taxes as well. The IRS tax lawyer is certainly an authority who is capable to dea