Finance Globe

You can use your credit card free, but it requires you to “color inside the lines” so to speak. Make a mistake and it could cost you. Paying on the due date. Normally, internet and phone credit card payments take a day or two to post to your account. Which means that if you make an internet or phone payment on the due date, it would actually be late. You can speak to a representative to...

Even with a great credit score, you’re not guaranteed to have your credit card and loan applications approved. Lenders consider a few other factors outside your credit score like your income and employment history. If you’re not a good candidate in all areas, your application could be denied. While being denied is disappointing, especially if you were hoping to be approved for a mortgage or car loan, the good news is that a denial won’t affect...

It’s hard to keep your credit intact when you’re going through a major life change like divorce, job loss, medical illness, or relocation. Your credit score can suffer in the process of these big changes, especially if you get behind on your bill payments. Foreclosure, repossession, bankruptcy, and debt collections are often the result of those big life changes that affect your finances and your ability to focus. The credit system may not always seem fair,...

Several major banks now offer a short-term loan product similar to payday loans. If you have a checking account in good standing with direct deposit, you may qualify for a checking account advance or direct deposit advance. You avoid the stigma of going to a payday loan store and the advance is repaid automatically with your next direct deposit or with 35 days. If your bank offers the service, you may find a link to request...

The total number of employers fell in the U.S. in 2010 for the third consecutive year in a row - but at a slower pace than earlier years, according to a government report released on Tuesday.There were 7.4 million U.S. businesses with paid employees in 2010 - a decline of 36,800 establishments from the year before, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. From 2008 to 2009 there was a decline of 168,000 establishments.In 2010, total employment...

If you have (or have thought about) a savings account at a traditional bank, odds are you aren’t getting a great rate. Savings accounts have one of the lowest rates of all types of investment and savings vehicles with rates as low as .10%. Put $1,000 in an account earning .10% annually and you’ll only earn $1 by the end of the year. In the past several years, a better type of savings account has become...

Your credit report contains a record of most of your financial decisions. It impacts more of your life than you’d imagine – some parts that aren’t directly related to your finances. If you want to get a credit card or a loan, your credit report will be considered. That means your ability to buy a house or car is influenced by your credit report. Some prospective employers use credit reports to screen job candidates. Your current...

Lower home values are contributing to the student loan crisis as parents can’t get the funding to help their kids through college, according to a report released by the National Association of Home Builders.“The rising student loan debt problem is another consequence of the housing downturn,” said NAHB Chairman Barry Rutenberg. “As more and more parents face tighter budget restraints as a result of lower home values, this is forcing an increasing number of students to...

Of all the types of information that can be stolen, thieves steal credit card numbers the most. According to an Identity Fraud Report from Javelin Strategy & Research, most data breach victims in 2011 had their credit card numbers stolen – 43%. And only 22% of debit card numbers were stolen. Fewer people had their social security numbers compromised – 16% - and only 9% of checking account numbers were compromised. Credit card numbers could be...

Key reports released this week point to the economy losing steam. Consumers are nervous about the economy despite the recent drop in fuel prices. Only 22 percent of people surveyed felt the economy was heading in the right direction in June - the lowest percentage in five months, according a Bloomberg consumer poll.“The steady drip of dreary economic data and deteriorating labor market is reshaping public expectations,” said Bloomberg LP senior economist Joseph Brusuelas in New...