Finance Globe

When was the last time you reached out to your credit card company to ask a specific question? Were you happy with the answer, or left wanting more? There’s no reason to regularly contact your credit card company, but there are definitely times when it makes sense to do so. Here are three questions you should ask today: •    Is there any way to secure a lower interest rate? This is of particular importance if you...

As an entrepreneur, keeping your finances straight can make or break your business. Using a credit card can help you organize your expenses, keeping everything in one place so it’s easier to see what you’re spending. Having a separate credit card for your business helps you keep your business and personal expenses separate. This is key when it comes to accounting and filing your taxes. Keeping your expenses separate is also important for legally protecting your...

Are you the type of person who makes it a habit to file your tax return at the last minute? Are you hoping to get this off your plate earlier in 2019? Regardless of what you’ve done in the past, there are many reasons to file your taxes early next year. It’s a change to your typical system, but once you understand the benefits it’ll become second nature to you. 1. Faster Tax Refund There is...

Since it was created, the FICO score has been based only on consumer credit history. The score uses past credit information that's compiled by major credit bureaus to calculate a credit score that predicts a consumer’s likelihood of defaulting on a new credit or loan obligation. Next January, FICO plans to release the UltraFICO score, a score that could make it easier for millions of borrowers to qualify for loans they wouldn’t otherwise be able to qualify...

With the holiday season just about in full swing, now may be the best time for you to make your travel plans. While some people hop on a plane to reach their holiday destination, others get behind the wheel and hit the road. Taking a holiday road trip can be a lot of fun, however, it can also set you back quite a bit of money if you’re not careful about your approach. Here are three...

If you survived the Great Recession of 2008, then you know just how bad it can get. Companies layoff employees. Household income declines while unemployment and bankruptcies rises. The country and consumers experience financial hardship in a grand scale. A recession is happens when the economy declines six months in a row. It’s hard to predict exactly when a recession will hit or what will cause it, but knowing there’s a possibility means you should be...

With the holiday season approaching, now’s the time to plan out all the gifts you need to buy. In addition to knowing who to buy for, you must have a clear idea of what you can afford to spend. Taking your plan one step further, outline the manner in which you’ll pay for gifts. In a perfect world, you’re able to pay for everything with cash. Not only does this keep you on budget, but it...

You’re almost positive that a personal loan is exactly what you’ve been looking for. As excited as you may be, don’t jump into this just yet. Instead, take the time to answer a few key questions: 1. How will you use the loan? There’s no good reason to take out a personal loan unless you have a clear idea of how you’ll use the funds. Are you consolidating debt? Taking care of a medical emergency? Tackling...

There may come a point when you realize you’re unable to pay a creditor in full. While you could default, it’s much better to contact your creditor with the idea of negotiating your debt. As scary as it may be to make this call, once you’re on the right track you’ll realize that it’s not nearly as difficult as you thought. Here are five tips for negotiating with creditors: 1. Know Your Story Go into the...

Nowadays you can do so much on your phone, including your personal finances. There are also a ton of options out there and they are not all equal! Below are my favorite budget and personal finance apps. Mint: This is the gold standard app for your personal finance needs. The app is effectively an all-in-one resource for creating a budget, tracking your spending, and monitoring your overall finance needs. Mint lets you know when bills are...