Finance Globe

The recent Equifax data breach has many consumers questioning how worried they should be about identity theft. The answer is very worried. Think about all the credit-related transactions you’ve made - or plan to make - over the course of your life. Not only could a thief make these same transactions under your name, they could mess up your records so badly that you have a hard time making transactions of your own. Thieves can open...

Gone are the days when you had to contact your bank for a wire transfer to send money to a friend or family member, then wait two to three business days for the payment to show up in their bank account. Several mobile payment apps have entered the marketplace allowing you to make instant money transfers to other people. Another feature that makes mobile payment apps great is that you don’t need the recipient’s bank information...

Many people get so caught up in long term financial goals that they forget about planning for what they want to happen over the next 12 months. While there’s nothing wrong with looking deep into the future – such as by setting the goal of purchasing a home in five years – you don’t want to overlook the here and now. With all this in mind, you may need a push in the right direction. Here...

From hurricanes to tornadoes to earthquakes, there's almost no part of the world that's safe from natural disasters. In the wake of the destruction that comes along with natural disasters, many of us are inspired to help out by making a donation. No matter how big or small, we want our donations to make as much of a real impact as possible. Here are a few tips for donating money after a natural disasters. Check your...

Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you will ever make. Travel down the right path and you’ll be happy with where things end up. Travel down the wrong path and you may look back and wonder what you were thinking. For most people, buying a home comes down to one thing: finding the right property at a price they are willing to pay. While this sounds simple enough, especially if you keep...

Throughout our lives, we have to make certain financial decisions to ensure our current and future stability. It’s hard to plan for every single thing that happens in life, but you can make a few great decisions that cover the major bases. Here are seven financial moves you can’t afford to miss. Having a steady source of income. Having a job or some other source of income is a basic requirement of being an adult. Of...

Ever noticed how your local furniture store always seems to have some kind of zero down, zero percent interest financing deal going on? When you're on the market for a new set of furniture, you might recall the most recent deal as you consider how you're going to pay for the furniture. Here's why you should always skip in-store financing, no matter how great the promotional offer seems. They're only deferring interest. The zero interest offer...

After what seems like an eternity of car loan payments, you’ve finally mailed off the last payment on your loan. Now you fully own your car and you’re free of payments, what should you do next? Store your title away safely. In some states, the motor vehicle department will automatically mail a title to you once the lender has notified them of the lien release. In other states, you may have to actually go to the...

Even though shopping is a necessary part of life, it’s still important to steer clear the mistakes that will hurt our wallets. Watch out especially for these five shopping mistakes  Not shopping around. Never take for granted that the price you see posted is the price you have to pay, especially for big ticket items. Never underestimate the value of checking around for different prices. Even if you don't spot a better deal at least you can...

Budgeting for expenses that come every month is tough enough. Working in those irregular expenses that come only a few times a year can be even tougher. Property taxes, car tag renewal fees, annual insurance premiums, and holiday spending are a few examples of expenses that don’t come around that often. But if you’re not prepared for them, these irregular expenses can wreck your budget. Here’s how you can keep that from happening.  Know your irregular expenses...