Personal Finance Archives

Top 4 Credit Card Scams Every Consumer Should Watch Out For

The following is a guest post from Tina Roth, who is a freelance personal finance blogger who is an expert in personal finance and credit cards at writes at her blog, Pro Finance Blog. If you’d like to contribute an article to Money Q&A, be sure to check out Guest Posting Guidelines and send me an email. The number of credit card scams is on a rise because gullible cardholders unknowingly fall into the trap set by scammers. It may appear surprising that we don’t worry about credit card scams as much as we worry about our credit scores. The reason behind that is not many of us are aware of the magnitude of such credit card scams. We are living in a … Read more

Top 5 Simple Budgeting Tips For Cross Country Moves

by Hank Coleman

More and more people are deciding to move cross country. One area that’s on the up is Houston, Texas because of low house prices and favorable tax rates. If you’re heading to one of these housing hubs, you may find you have to move cross country. It’s costly to conduct cross country moves. We’re going to show you some of the ways you can save money on cross country moves. Budgeting Tips For Cross Country Moves 1. Hire Professional Movers Not only is it safer to hire professionals to handle moving, but it’s also cheaper. Hiring your own truck, if you want to do it alone, will cost you more than simply getting someone else to handle the job. The … Read more

How To See Sporting Events and Concerts For Free

by Hank Coleman

I love Major League Baseball. Unfortunately, I’m a diehard Atlanta Braves fan. They crush my spirits every fall with their pitiful play. But, I still try and see as many baseball games as I can. But, games are expensive. So, I’m always on the lookout how I can see sporting events and concerts for free or at a steeply reduced cost.

Baseball games are expensive. In fact, Major League Baseball’s average ticket price increased 3.3% last season to $28.94, the steepest rise in six years. It’s estimated to cost over $211 for a family of four to see a baseball game in America according to the TMR’s Fan Cost Index, which tracks total costs over the years.

But, I’m here to tell you that you can see your beloved team for free. Here’s how…

How To See Sporting Events For Free

Sell Bobbleheads on eBay

Each year, most Major League Baseball give freebies and giveaways to their fans during select games throughout the year. The Atlanta Braves just announced their game promotions and bobbleheads that they will giveaway for the upcoming season.

Why do I mention this? I’m a collector. I love swag, and baseball swag is no different. In fact, I’ve started collecting bobbleheads from my favorite teams and players. I have quite a few from the Atlanta Braves, several of my favorite player Hank Aaron, and even a few from the year I lived near Kansas City going to Royals games.

Here’s a photo of my collection of my bobbleheads and memorabilia in my home office.

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.

International Economics Are Opening Up, But Not All Countries Want the Same Thing [Infographic]

by Jeremy

There are few who don’t imagine some sort of future regulations by which international trade is expanded. If the Trans-Pacific Partnership didn’t exist, someone would have to create it for international economics. Even though international trade policy lags far behind international communication innovations which have occurred over the past decade, deeply entrenched cultural values make it difficult to roll out a real agreement. The factors of international economics are myriad. On the one hand, you’ve got an international culture that clearly favors trade fluidity across borders. Just check out the infographic courtesy of GrowthCrossings/The Economist. Most significant economies on the world stage and moving towards international trading freedom. There are also significant exceptions. Even as the US and Japan have … Read more

How to Cool Off Without Air Conditioning

by Guest Contributor

How to cool off without air conditioning Summer is fast approaching, and many regions of the country are already starting to feel the heat. As the dreary days of winter start to disappear, the climbing temperatures are encouraging more and more people to reach for their thermostats — only to find that their air conditioning units have fallen to pieces during the cold weather months.

Fortunately, air conditioning isn’t the only way to stay cool. Whether your unit is dead or you are looking for a low-cost way to beat the heat, here are a handful of ways you can survive spring and summer and cool off without air conditioning.

First, Call the Repair Company, Stat

More likely than not, you don’t know anything about what it takes to get an air conditioning unit up and running again. Instead of tinkering with the complex machinery, you should call your local AC repair company and make an appointment. The earlier in the year you request their assistance, the faster they will be able to respond; when the real dog days of summer begin, everyone will be clamoring for air conditioning help, so you shouldn’t procrastinate a known issue even while the weather is good.

Rethink Your Lighting

Traditional incandescent bulbs may produce that warm, comforting glow that you’re used to, but they also waste nearly 90 percent of their energy on heat rather than light. In the summer, when indoor temperatures can pass 90 degrees, you’ll be able to feel every watt of heat your lightbulbs produce. Instead of being unbearably warm and energy inefficient, you can switch to CFL or LED bulbs; they last longer, lower your energy bill, and are cool as cucumbers fresh from the fridge.

Sunlight during the day can also warm the house through windows. To prevent your own private greenhouse effect, you should keep your windows closed and shades drawn during daylight hours. This simple solution can cool your indoor temperature about 20 degrees.