Last week I brought up the story of a friend that needed help paying off debt. There were lots of great responses with different ways to get rid of the debt.
A recap of the situation (see the story for all the details):
Personal Line: $3,500 balance @ 15% - $7,000 limit
Credit Card #1: $2,300 […]
Have an emergency? Find the money from both expected and unexpected places!
Yesterday, I had an emergency: my computer hit the dust a second time in 2 years. The first time it croaked, my hard drive crashed but most of it was recoverable. I ended up spending close to $1,500 to […]
Original post on The Sun’s Financial Diary
Discover More Card $100 Bonus Offer
Found this Discover More Card deal on the Clipper Magazine in my mailbox.
Details of the offer are:
$100 Cashback bonus when you make $500 in purchase;
0% APR on balance transfer until June 2009;
5% Cashback bonus;
3% balance transfer fee.
I have discussed this card in my […]
Last night I got a call from a friend looking for some financial help. He has $14,300 in debt and has a goal to be debt free by November. Before I put together a plan for him, I’d like to hear what you have to say about it!
Debt Details
Here are the details of his debt:
Personal […]
That’s what a reader, Maha, wanted to know recently. Maha sent me a note and let me know that trying to find out exactly what credit card arbitrage is, is like reading the middle part of the book without being able to find the beginning.
So I’ve realized that I talk just like I write! […]
When we were getting ready to refinance our house I had a list of things to get in order first.
I wanted to be sure that we would pass the lender’s underwriting guidelines with flying colors. I’ve found that it’s much easier to get something fixed before applying for a new loan, than trying to […]
If you could save a lot of money on gas by trying something new would the hassle of learning a new system be worth the cost savings to you? I imagine several years ago most people would have answered no but with the high price of fuel everyone is looking for tips on how to […]
When you get engaged, you’re not just promising to marry a person; you’re also marrying their money habits, their debt, and credit history. If you’re not careful, unknown money issues can not only ruin a marriage but sink you deep into debt.
Hiding Credit Card DebtHere’s a sad story of a former co-worker whose life was turned […]
Original post on The Sun’s Financial Diary
Not just that they all want your money, but the way they treat you as a customer.
Last year, I had a nightmare with American Express over the fraudulent charges on my Costco TrueEarnings card. Though eventually, the issue seems to be resolved, I had to keep calling and calling […]
Saving money on gas is on everyone’s mind so I just had to share a tip I ran across yesterday that might help cut your gas costs. It won’t work for everyone but with this method I was able to save 6.9% on my gas bill, on top of the 5% cash back from our American Express Blue […]
I identified a target list of cards yesterday in the Credit Card Arbitrage Q&A. After more research here are the intro rates, details, balance transfer fees, and annual fees for each card.
Some of the cards are business cards; however, you don’t necessarily need a business to apply for the card. Most companies accept your […]
It’s credit card arbitrage turnover time! Wow, that is a mouthful. If you aren’t familiar with my credit card arbitrage here is some background information:
Our Credit Limits: Over $1,000,000!
Reallocating Credit Limits for Bigger Balance Transfers
When Does the 0% Credit Card Really Expire?
My cards are nearing the end of the promotional periods and I have […]
The best credit card for you will likely change along with your financial circumstances. As you graduate from college and get a job, you’ll want to do a review of your finances and your current credit cards to make sure you’re taking advantage of the benefits your new salary might bring.
Many people unfortunately rely heavily on credit […]
Original post on The Sun’s Financial Diary
I am a credit card person. Wherever possible, I use credit cards to pay for my purchases. To me, credit cards are my friend, not foe. The reasons for me to favor credit cards over debit cards or cash are twofold:
I know exactly where my money went,
I can get […]
Were you in class the day they handed out the financial tip sheet? You know, the one that covered how to buy insurance, invest your money, pay off your student loans, manage your credit cards, and budget out your new salary? I think most of us missed that day so here’s another copy you can […]
Gas credit cards can earn you rebates or cashback to help save money on your gas bill. We’ve recently looked at ways to make more money during bad economic times but the other side of the accounting equation is obviously to spend less money.
With high gas prices continuing to climb, saving money on gas is important to […]
I’ve written in the past how I’ve recieved applications from credit card companies for a card that’s branded with my college name and logo. I can only assume that someone in the university finance department is looking for ways to bring in more money and decided to cash in on their alumni database. I’m not […]
It’s Free Money Friday! Each Friday my goal is to put more money in your pocket!
Why not earn cash rewards on your credit card purchases? Here’s a few of the cashback credit cards that we use. In addition, I’ve added some others that looked promising so you can choose the ones that best meet […]
It’s Free Money Friday! Each Friday my goal is to put more money in your pocket!
Why not earn cash rewards on your credit card purchases? Here’s a few of the cashback credit cards that we use. In addition, I’ve added some others that looked promising so you can choose the ones that best meet […]
Original post on The Sun’s Financial Diary
As crude oil went over $110 a barrel, gasoline prices are also surging. According to GasBuddy.com, (BTW, a good site to find the cheapest gas in your area) the national average price of regular gas is $3.257 per gallon. Though New Jersey has the lowest gas prices in the […]
Considering the debt I am slowly paying off, I am probably the last person to being giving advice on how to spend money. But, since approximately 60% of American’s are in debt, I’m definitely not alone. Hopefully what I’ve learned, may help you before you find yourself digging out of a financial hole one […]
Original post on The Sun’s Financial Diary
Before I applied for a Citi Driver’s Edge card back in December, I thought I could take advantage of the no-fee 0% balance transfer offer for 12 months and use the money to payoff our car loan which has an interest rate of 4.90%. Since I have been a […]
Last week, I got a surprise bill in the mail. Based on my credit score, my auto insurance increased by 40%! Ouch!!! What is going on? I pay all of my bills on time, and I usually pay extra on my credit cards.
Recently, my credit rating plummeted. What did I do wrong? […]
Early last month, Blueprint for Financial Prosperity linked to a Consumerist article about Chase representative spilling the secrets. I enjoyed Jim’s article as well as the original Consumerist one.
Only two things mentioned in either article seemed scary to me as a credit card holder. Before I get to those, here’s what wasn’t a […]
Original post on The Sun’s Financial Diary
I usually don’t read too much the Costco Connection magazine I received every month as part of the benefit of being an Executive Member, because more than half of the magazine are ads while the rest are articles about stuff Costco offers . But a piece in the February […]
