Ways to Find a Secure Online Lender

Financial emergencies can strike at anytime. They occur without any warning and happen to anyone - let's face it, that is just how life works sometimes. The ideal situation would be to have a nice savings account ready for those emergency situations, but unfortunately... that is not the case for most folks.

There are some options out there for those needing cash in a hurry. There's the trusty bank loan, but with the way that the economy has been going lately, it is harder than ever to get approved for a typical bank loan. Luckily, online lenders are there to provide cash help during crises and provide even faster access to financial assistance. Online loans are getting more and more popular, mostly because they are convenient, there's no waiting period, and in most cases - you can get money deposited directly into your bank account or loaded on a cash card. Most online loan companies don’t require faxing or a lot of personal information to get you started.

All of this can be enticing and with the rise of the online loan industry, consumers now have the ability to get the personal loans they need, in a convenient and secure manner. Also, many people with less than perfect credit have benefited greatly from online lending. Online secure loans have allowed consumers the freedom to get the money they need without the hassle of credit checks or waiting in line.

BUT, consumers should still be careful when making the choice to apply for an online loan and keep a few important things in mind when looking for an online lender:

1) You want to make sure that the website is an actual company and not just a marketer. Read the about us page for more information and see what the company says about themselves.

2) Make sure the company is legitimate. Look for a clearly posted phone number or additional contact information.

3) Give the company a call and see if the greeting you receive includes the company name.

4) Look for a business address that is clearly posted on the website. Some companies do not have an actual physical address because they operate solely online. In this case refer to number three.

5) Look to see if the company has posted their business hours on the site.

6) When you go to fill out an application, make sure your personal information is being processed in a Secure Socket Layer. This encrypts the data that you give in your application so that no one else can see it. You’ll know if your date is safe if the http at the top of the page reads https. The S stands for secure.

For more information on secure online lending, please visit Wikipedia and refer to the “Key components of safe eLending.” (Number 9 in the contents list)

College Rules – getting your first credit card

Your first day of college is such an exciting time. Meeting new people, rushing around from class to class and signing up for as many fun organizations that you can find, are all part of the college experience. But another part of college often involves starting your financial path and there’s always temptation to apply for a credit card. Before making the decision to apply for a credit card, ask yourself a few simple questions.

What is the interest rate? Some credit cards offer rates as low as 12% APR, but a lot of rates for first time card holders can soar into the high 20’s.

Can I make the payment each month? Get one credit card and pay off the balance each month. It’s best to pay off the full amount when the bill is due, but if you can only pay the minimum amount, be prepared to pay a very expensive finance charge. Letting a balance accrue over time not only wastes your money with all of the interests and finance charges, it can also be stressful knowing that you are responsible for paying off huge debt. And with high balances, your credit score can take a downturn. You’ll quickly find yourself in a mountain of bills with no source for paying them all off.

Am I responsible enough to handle this right now? If you are a full time student, you’re probably not working too much. Not working usually means no money. Always keep in mind that, when you use your credit card to make purchases, you will have to pay the amount back! So, don’t go crazy and keep the shopping within reason.

Does the card you’re applying for have any extra incentives? Get rewarded for the things you buy. Most credit card companies now offer point incentives for cash back, free gas or other gifts. Be sure that the card you choose gives you something back.

Although getting that first initial Visa or MasterCard can essentially build your credit, be prepared to follow a strict path to ensure that you don’t stumble into a credit card trap. Stay smart, stick to a plan and you’re sure to be heading down the right financial path!

Saving $100 a week is actually easy - seriously I mean it!

If you think you can’t save an extra $100 a week, think again. Even in hard financial times, there are some easy steps that you can take that won’t eat into your budget.

Pay yourself a percentage of your paycheck. It doesn’t matter if it’s 10% or 1%. As long as you put away some part of your paycheck consistently, your efforts will pay off in time. If you’re living from paycheck to paycheck and think it’s just not possible to spare another cent for savings, try again.

Think about that iced coffee you just bought – save the leftover change! Every time you buy something with cash, there’s usually some change involved. Instead of throwing that change into your pocket or under the seat, put it into a jar and save it up. You’ll be amazed by what you have after only a few weeks time. Collect your change for a few months and you’ll have a large sum to take to the bank.

Quit eating out for lunch! This may seem tough to do if you like to eat with your co-workers on a regular basis, but this is one of the biggest money drainers of them all. If we figure that the average lunch costs $8 to $10, over 5 working days, that’s $40 to $50 a week that you could be saving. Instead, start packing your lunch every day. With the $40 you would have spent on lunch, you can purchase enough groceries for a week’s worth of lunches and dinners. Why pay someone $10 to make you a sandwich when you can do it for $2 or less by yourself? You’ll also save on gasoline by not slogging through lunch hour traffic every day just to grab a bite to eat.

Get a wholesale club card. Buying in bulk can be a great way to save on things like paper towels, disposable diapers and other short-term usage items. There is a membership fee of $40, but the savings you’ll see in just a few months time will more than pay for it.

Need it or Want it? Magazine subscriptions, a new pair of shoes or the latest cell phone might be things you want, but do you really need them? Before making an impulse buy, evaluate the purchase and ask yourself if it’s absolutely necessary. When you stop and think about it, you might save yourself a lot of money on impulse buying.