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Security breach: How to protect your credit

April 4, 2012

Few things you can do to monitor your credit and make sure that your cards aren’t being used without your permission.

Check your monthly statements. This should be a no-brainer, but the reality is that many people — and even small businesses — don’t rigorously check their credit card balances each month. It’s a best practice to ensure you don’t have unauthorized purchases.

Request your annual free credit report. You are eligible for one free credit report each year. If you haven’t done it yet, go ahead and request one now here.

Change your access information. This won’t directly avoid problems stemming from the Global Payments breach, but you should change your password for your credit card log-in information. Do this especially if you share a single password with multiple financial sites.

Remember that if you do find something amiss, you should contact your credit card company right away — you’re only responsible for the first $50 in charges, and credit card companies will sometimes waive even that for cases of fraud or theft. Read more

Source: CBS MoneyWatch

Marriage Maintenance When Money Is Tight

April 1, 2012

By Editor-in-Chief

New York Times

Chronic unemployment is putting many couples’ marital vows to the test — particularly the part that refers to “for richer, for poorer.”
With far less money coming in each month, many families have been forced to cut back, borrow money from family and friends and maybe even drain their savings. Millions, too, have lost their homes to foreclosure. And then there is the toll that joblessness is taking on their relationships. Read more

Financial Aid Tip

March 14, 2012

By Editor-in-Chief

Going to college, check for grants and scholarships first

This money doesn’t have to be repaid, so you want to see a healthy portion of grants and scholarships in a financial aid award.

Protect your privacy.

March 14, 2012

By Editor-in-Chief

Whenever someone asks for your Social Security number, question if it’s necessary to share it. Never give it to a solicitor on the telephone or in an email, and if you ever notice a suspicious charge on your credit card, follow up with your card company—it could be the first sign of identity theft.

10 Places You Can Always Get Freebies

March 14, 2012

By Editor-in-Chief

yahoo.com/finance

The only thing we like more than getting a deal is getting a freebie. And we’re not talking about those buy one, get one free deals, either we mean a true, no-purchase-necessary freebie.

So where should you go to find all this free stuff? There are websites like FreeStuffTimes and IHeartFreebies that aggregate free sample offers, and we also try to bring freebie offers to your attention on our Free Stuff page. But if you’d rather go right to the source, there are several retailers and companies that regularly give away freebies. Here are a few. Read more

10 Cheapest Cars to Own

March 14, 2012

By Editor-in-Chief

kiplinger.com

The price you negotiate for a car and the interest you pay on the car loan are only part of the cost equation. Insurance, depreciation, taxes and fees, what you pay over the years for fuel, service and repairs are all important ingredients in the cost of ownership. Even the opportunity cost of your out-of-pocket costs (what you’d make if you invested the money elsewhere), is part of the overall tally.

All the vehicles on our list are small — either compacts or subcompacts — because they tend to have the lowest market price, the best fuel economy and reasonable insurance rates (premiums tend to rise with horsepower). Read more

Tax strategies for families

March 14, 2012

By Editor-in-Chief

Good news for parents: Under the Child Tax Credit, parents can receive $1,000 for each qualifying child who qualifies as a dependent. The Child Tax Credit is in addition to the child’s dependency exemption. If you have three children, the credit can reduce your tax bill by $3,000.

Source: Society of Certified Public Accountants

A Good Rental History Can Help Borrowers

March 14, 2012

By Editor-in-Chief

New York Times

IF you’re planning to buy a home for the first time later this year, your chances of qualifying for a mortgage might be better if you’ve had a history of paying the rent on time. Last year Experian, one of the three leading credit-reporting companies, added a section to millions of credit reports showing on-time rent payments, and raised the credit scores of many people. The company said that this year it would add in negative marks, including mentions of bounced checks or of tenants’ leaving before a lease was up. Read more

Budget Tip of the Week

March 14, 2012

By Editor-in-Chief

Write a Grocery List

Simple, yes, but this one trick can make a big difference. If you often find yourself buying groceries that end up being thrown away, or if you get lured in by the cookies or ice-cream, then having a list will help. It also prevents repeated trips to the store to pick up that one thing you forgot.

Source: Ali Luke. Aliventures, productive and purposeful life blog

Budget & Savings Term of the Week

March 14, 2012

By Editor-in-Chief

Appreciate – to grow in value. Usually a term used in relation to investments: stocks, collectibles, etc., which are now worth more than you paid for them.