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.

Cash Crisis Help - for ALL credit scores

When it comes to financial emergencies, experts suggest having at least three months salary saved in the bank and $200 cash available in your home. But let’s face it… most of us aren’t that prepared and getting caught up in a cash crisis can be a stressful time for anyone who doesn’t have a plan in place. Fortunately, there are some easily accessible funding options that can help people get out of debt and get back on track toward financial freedom…even with bad credit.

Traditional bank loans are the most popular choice for those needing to borrow funds, but applying for one can sometimes be a hassle with time wasted on tons of paper work. Bank lending also typically involves larger amounts of money loaned for longer periods of time. Paying off the loan over a longer period means varying interest rates.

Obtaining a credit card can sometimes seem like the easiest option. But beware… every time you apply for a credit card, your credit history is checked and your credit score takes a downturn! The more credit cards you have - the lower your credit rating.

Car title lenders offer a way to borrow cash against the equity in your vehicle. One of the many downsides to this type of lending is that it requires a vehicle that is less than 10 years old, as well as several other items to get started with the loan process. These items include the car title (free of all liens), drivers license, social security card, registration, proof of auto insurance, recent paycheck stub, current utility bills, four references and a spare set of car keys!

Payday loan lending is another option and it is, in my opinion, the least intrusive. It’s perfect for people with bad credit who need cash quick - less than 24 hours in most cases. Payday loan lending consists of small, short term loans and unlike bank loans, payday loans are unsecured, meaning that no collateral is required. A payday loan is typically much faster than a traditional loan, because of the absence of paperwork. With online payday loans, the customer fills out the application online and submits it for approval. Online payday loans offer even more benefits like convenience, privacy and quicker loan decision processing time.

The typical payday loan amount is $100 to $500 (although some lenders do offer loans up to $1500) and it is taken out for a two week period. The usual payday loan fee is $15 per $100. A few payday loan companies offer low introductory rates of around $9 to $10 per $100 borrowed by new customers. Many online payday loan companies do not conduct a detailed credit check, which provides another option for consumers with less than perfect credit. The only paperwork required for most payday loan lenders includes two recent pay stubs for proof of employment and a recent bank statement.

ALWAYS search around for the best rates before applying for any type of loan!

Beat the heat, without beating your bank account

Summertime is synonymous to fun, but one of the not so fun truths about summer is high utility bills. Cranking up the air conditioner and watering your lawn can add up to hundreds of dollars spent each summer. Some of those dollars can be saved with just a few quick adjustments around the house that may seem like obvious cost savers to some, but are often overlooked.

When you leave the house, turn off all of your small appliances. If you cook, be sure to turn the oven off when you’re finished and after leaving a room, switch off the lights. If you’re buying new appliances, be sure you buy ones with the “Energy Star” tag.

Going out of town? Be sure to turn off the cooling system before you leave. Old ideas out there told you that turning your air conditioner on and off can cost more that leaving it on at the highest temperature. But if you’ll be out of town for an extended amount of time, it is very wasteful to leave it running. When you’re simply running out for a quick errand or to work, increase the AC temperature and turn ceiling fans on for added circulation around the house. If it’s cool enough outside to have the windows open, you might think about leaving the fan on all day to help cool the inside and ditch the air conditioner completely.

Make sure the seal on your refrigerator is good and tight. If it isn’t, your refrigerator will be sucking more power to keep the inside temperature cool. Be sure to have your refrigerator in the coolest spot in the kitchen, away from the oven and out of the sun. If you live in a warm climate area, don’t put your refrigerator in the garage, as this could double your energy costs.

Also, turn off your computer when you’re gone. Unless you’re using your computer as a server or you just like having it on when you get home, there’s no point in running it all day long. The typical PC consumes around 300 watts. If you use your computer for about 4 hours a day, then that’s 20 hours of wasted energy if you leave it running all day. If electricity cost 10 cents per kilowatt-hour in your area, then the 20 hours represents 60 cents a day, which adds up to $219 per year.

Never let your finances force you to eat unhealthy food.

Eating healthy should never be a sacrifice, no matter what your financial circumstances may be. Eating from the dollar menu at McDonalds may have been an option for you when you were younger, but better food choices are a must as you begin to approach your 20’s and 30’s. Eating healthy isn’t always the easiest thing to do, and certainly not the cheapest. But, while it can be tough to find better food items for you and your family, there are a few things you can do to give yourself a step up on eating healthier and still save money!

• Try to shop right after eating a meal, in this way, you won’t have that hunger urge while you’re looking for healthy food. Many people have a tendency to want junk food when they’re hungry, instead of the healthy stuff. Reason being - it looks tastier.
• Before heading to the grocery store, plan out a week’s worth of meals. This will give you an idea of what you really need and lower the temptation to browse instead of shop. Research has shown that shoppers who don’t bring a list tend to buy more food, especially of the snacking variety.
• Look for a store’s weekly specials and clip coupons for in-store brands. Generic brands are less expensive and generally have the same nutritional value.
• Try growing your own fruits and veggies or find a local farmer’s market. Their produce should be cheaper and is usually fresh picked straight from the crop.
• Warehouse grocers, like Sam’s Club or Costco, have also started offering healthier, organic choices in bulk – so you pay a lot less.
• Swap out sugary snacks for some baby carrots, raisons, or unsalted nuts. These will fill you up a lot quicker than a Twinkie or a donut.

Easy (and CHEAP) ways to keep fun in the family!

In these harsh economical times, it’s easy to get down in the dumps about low cash flow. But it’s important to keep your head up and still make time to have some family fun. There are several ways to keep within a tight budget, while still showing the kids a great time.

1. Staying home for dinner and going out for dessert is a great way to save. If you really want to eat out, many family restaurants have nights where kids eat free or other discounts. In addition, sign up for a coupon book that contains all kinds of discounts for local eateries and other entertainment in the area. The Sunday paper usually contains lunch coupons, and if you don’t mind eating before the rush, you can save with early bird specials.

2. Instead of paying to see the latest big blockbuster, pick up movies that the entire family can watch from your local library or swap movies with friends to borrow for a few days. Make popcorn and other snacks to make it really special. If you want to enjoy that theater feeling, go for an afternoon movie or visit a $2 movie theater if it’s available in your city.

3. Forget about the expensive amusement parks or laser tag. Pack a lunch, take a football or Frisbee, and head out to a local park for an afternoon of fun in the sun. Beat the summer heat with a trip to the pool or other local watering hole. When the snow flurries start to fall, grab the inner tubes and head for the nearest sledding hill.

4. Set aside a specific day in the week to be game night. Have a special treat just for that evening. Whether its board games, card games, or a video game battle, this time can be great bonding that doesn’t cost you anything.