December 2015

The Best College Financial Planning Tips for Parents You Need to Know

The Best College Financial Planning Tips Parents Need To Know Now!

As a parent, you want only the best for your kids, which includes a college education. While they are likely stressing about SAT scores and college essays, you have to worry about finding the money to send them off to college. Today’s cost of higher education can be a financial drain on even the best-off families. The key is to start your financial planning for college early so when the time comes with these college financial planning tips, you will be prepared. The following college financial aid tips will help you plan for your kid’s college costs, without having to spend the rest of your life making payments. Getting college financial planning tips from a reputable professional like Robbert Yancovitch … Read more

Top Financial Mistakes People Make When Buying A Car

by Hank Coleman

We all make mistakes when buying a car, and a seemingly small mistake related to a car loan can actually cost quite a bit of money and erase the savings that have been negotiated on the actual purchase price of the vehicle selected.

If you want to get a great deal on your next car loan, you will need to do much more than just get a great deal by haggling with the salesperson or over the sticker cost.

The biggest mistakes related to a new car purchase relate directly to the finance side of the process. When you make the right decision and consider all the options, you will be able to save several thousand dollars – or more –over the life of the loan.

Top 5 Mistakes When Buying A Car

Trying to Make a Purchase with a Low Credit Score

Regardless of your credit score, there are lenders out there who will provide you with a loan. What you may not realize is the extreme amount of interest you are eventually going to have to pay. This is simply because you are considered a bigger risk. When you have good credit, it means you pay your bills on time, don’t exceed your credit limits and have a good grasp on your finances. This is reflected in a high credit rating, which lenders are willing to give a great interest rate, reducing the cost of the vehicle purchased.

However, those with low credit can wind up paying obscene amounts of money in terms of interest. This can cost them big in the long run and there are some who actually wind up paying more than twice or more of the original cost of the vehicle that is purchased.

Negotiating a Lower Monthly Cost Rather than the Actual Purchase Price

Purchasing a vehicle based on the expressed monthly payment is essentially a trap. While you do need to know what you are able to realistically afford each month, this is not something the salesperson should know. If you let them know this, then you will forfeit your entire power for negotiating a better deal. You should not let the sales person turn you into a buyer based on monthly payments.

How to Choose the Right Trading Platform For You

by Guest Contributor

The currency markets are fast-paced, volatile, and tempestuous, and they can pick you up and spit you back out in the blink of an eye. For those who are risk averse, lack commitment, or are unwilling to put the time into learning about them, they’re not the right investment. But, how do you choose the right trading platform for you?

However, they have much to redeem them. They offer dazzling opportunities for those that take the time to grasp how to play the game, and are not only accessible and flexible, but also fantastically thrilling. And, with the right strategy and set up, they can offer glorious triumphs.

A large part of learning how to trade them successfully comes down to the trading platform that you use, and if you don’t spend time and effort researching your options and finding the right fit, then it could end in disaster.

So, to stop that from happening, here’s a short guide to help you…

How to Choose the Right Trading Platform For You

Step One: Work Out a Budget

Although forex is monetarily accessible compared to many of its counterparts, it still costs to trade the currency markets, and you need to have a clear budget before you can begin to consider your options. Different brokers will charge various amounts for their skill and the degree of service you receive, and you’ll find that some trading platforms will also cost significantly more than others.

This means that it’s imperative to know how much you can afford before you begin considering the possibilities. So, take the time to realistically assess this before you start your search.

Step Two: Look at MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5

One of the main differences between various trading platforms is whether they use MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5, and there are some significant variances between the two. Although the latter was originally envisaged as a successor to the original, so many traders clung to the older version that they now exist side by side. Glenmore Investment is a top brokerage firm that uses MetaTrader 4, and the firm is an innovator in the financial field, offering clients the most advanced interfaces available.

Why Are You Seeing So Many Ford Transits on the Road?

by Jeremy

You may or may not be tuned in to automotive trends, but it’s hard not to notice all of the new Ford Transits out on the street these days. For those of us who don’t follow this sort of thing, why are so many people choosing this vehicle? And what’s the common denominator between them?

The answer is: business. Or, more specifically, the ever-evolving American small business. Cargo vans have long been the vehicle of choice for the American small business person.

But until now, they’ve had a rather uniform appearance and function. You know the stuff I’m talking about. We’re talking Chris Farley, van down the river kind of vans. While these vans could certainly hold a lot of stuff, they weren’t exactly the pinnacle of design, efficiency, or versatility. Ford has decided to change all of that.

Why Are You Seeing So Many Ford Transits on the Road?

With the new Ford Transit, small business owners can finally get what they want out of a cargo van. The Ford Transit is available in a variety of lengths and heights, which will be useful for many different kinds of businesses which wouldn’t have use for your run of the mill cargo van.

They also have a few different interior configurations to choose from. Do you need to ship people?

Ford Transits can pack in quite a few in comfortable seats. Do you need to move lots of tiny hardware components to a job site? There’s a Ford Transit interior which has efficient and organized shelving, which will stand up to the twists and turns of the road.

Check out Ford’s ad campaign aboutFord Transits to see how a handful of real live small business owners used the Ford Transit to give mobility and style to their businesses. If you’re an entrepreneur who frequently takes your show on the road, take a look at the Ford Transit, a new way to scale your vehicle to your business.

Why You Should Regularly Check Your Credit Report

by Guest Contributor

You need to check your credit report often. If you think you only need to think about your credit report when seeking a loan, think again.

Your credit report is a valuable tool in identifying reporting errors and is even an early warning for identity theft. Being proactive in monitoring your credit score can help you resolve previous credit problems faster and help you avoid future credit problems altogether.

When and How to Check Your Credit Report

It’s recommended that you check your credit score at least once a year. There are three major consumer reporting companies that can provide your credit score: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion.

You can contact any of them to sign up for a detailed credit score subscription. However, you’ll have to pay for such services, whereas the U.S. government provides free access to your credit report through each of the three consumer reporting companies once each year via AnnualCreditReport.com.

To make the most of this free service, you can check your Equifax credit report early in the year, your Experian credit report in the middle of the year and your TransUnion report later in the year, for example.90% of top lenders use FICO® Scores. What’s your FICO® Score? Find out now for $1 with enrollment in Experian Credit TrackerSM!

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Why You Should Regularly Check Your Credit Report

You need to look for errors in your reports.

Your credit report affects how much money your bank is willing to loan you (if any at all) and on what terms. If there is a reporting error from any of the three reporting companies, it’s important to take care of it immediately, before you try to apply for a loan. Aside from banks, potential employers also could request a copy of your credit report.

By regularly checking your report, you can spot discrepancies as soon as they arise and avoid a major headache when applying for a loan or a job. Check to make sure your name and basic information is up to date and spelled correctly and that all of the credit cards or loans that are listed are actually yours.

Your credit report can alert you to identity theft.

When looking for errors in your report, you might see that someone else’s social security number is listed, or that it includes loans that you never applied for. These mistakes could have been made by the consumer reporting company or by your creditors, or they could point to a much larger problem: identity theft.

Financial Checklist for Planning a Long Trip Overseas

by Jeremy

Congratulations! You’ve saved up money, gotten a promotion, snagged a job that allows for remote working, or any of a number of other situations. Whatever the case, you’ve decided to travel overseas long term, perhaps for the first time in your life. If this is the first time you’ve prepared for a journey like this, there are many things which will challenge you. You’ll save yourself a lot of trouble if you are able to plan these things out in advance. When everything goes smoothly later, you’ll have your earlier preparation to thank for it. Here are some things to think about now with a financial checklist. Travel. International travel is becoming a lot cheaper. Of course, we’re talking about … Read more