Finance Globe

When in the market for a vehicle, it’s smart to consider buying from a private seller.The main benefit to purchasing from an individual is that you are more likely to get your auto for a good, or even great price compared to the price of a similar vehicle at a dealership. Many times, a private seller wants to sell their vehicle simply because they want to buy another one - either an upgrade or a downgrade,...

As Americans start the new year feeling better about the job situation, consumer confidence increased in January to its highest level in eight months. The Consumer Confidence Index reading of 60.6 is up from 53.3 in December, the Conference Board reported today. The Present Situation Index - which gauges how consumers feel about the current state of the economy - improved to 31.0 from 24.9 in December. The Expectations Index - which shows how consumers feel...

Want an easy way to check on the status of your refund this tax season? There’s an app for that. The Internal Revenue Service today announced the release of IRS2Go, the first smartphone application that lets taxpayers quickly get the status of their refund and other helpful tax information on both the iPhone and Android operating systems."This new smart phone app reflects our commitment to modernizing the agency and engaging taxpayers where they want when they...

Sales of existing homes jumped in December for the fifth month of sales increases within the past six months, a positive sign that the housing market continues to improve. Sales of existing homes, including single-family, townhomes, condos, and co-ops, increased by a healthy 12.3% in December according to a report released today by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). At December’s seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.28 million home sales, it was 2.9% lower than the...

Buying your next vehicle can be an exciting thing, but it can also be confusing thing if you don’t go in with at least some idea of what you’re looking for. A realistic attitude will help make car shopping go more smoothly. It can be frustrating to start with your heart set on a certain make and model if it isn’t what you really need. Ask yourself these questions to help narrow down your choices: What...

Shopping for a vehicle can be an exciting time, but it is also a daunting task that can leave the consumer confused, exhausted, and afraid to make a move on going through with the purchase. The first instinct for many auto shoppers is to head to the local auto dealership. This can be an easy one-stop shop to check out what’s available, even before you’re ready to buy. But beware that by merely setting foot in...

The truth about Medical Discount PlansThe Federal Trade Commission announced today that they’ve charged another defendant in an alleged health care scam. The FTC claims that the organization misled consumers into believing they were buying low-cost health insurance, when in fact, all the organization was offering was a medical discount plan.While a medical discount plan can benefit certain consumers, it is vastly different from a health insurance plan. Consumers should be aware of what type of...

The job market began to show signs of recovery in December 2010 as the unemployment rate fell to its lowest point in nineteen months. The national unemployment rate fell significantly in December to 9.4%, down from 9.8% in November, the Labor Department’s Bureau of of Labor Statistics (BLS) stated in its latest employment report. Last month’s unemployment rate was a half percent below its reported level in December 2009 when it was 9.9% - just two...

Getting your first job is a big step. Before you even begin to submit job applications, you may be daydreaming about a fun, exciting job where you are appreciated by everyone, and all the money you make to buy the things you need and want.But landing your first job can be very frustrating, and even more so if you aren't prepared when you begin your search. Let's go over a few things to help you increase...

When looking for your first job, it’s important to project an image that shows you are responsible, mature, and hard-working. Appearance does matter. It's just a fact that people do judge you by how you take care of yourself.Look at it from the prospective employer's view: A person who goes job hunting while looking like they just crawled out of bed isn't likely to put in much more effort once they've been hired. Your family and...