Using balance transfer to your advantage.

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Feb 052022
 

Your credit card arrives and a new idea is born; ‘pay off the balance every
month, and escape the interest’. Smart idea but putting it into practice
is quite often the only thing wrong with an idea as good as that.

As is most often the case, things never go according to plan. The unexpected
payment to fix the car, the plumber called out on a winters night are a few
of the endless ways that your wallet can get unexpectedly raided and may mean
the money set aside with good intentions to pay your credit card, gets spend
on more pressing matters.

And so you find yourself in the position many of us do, a credit card debt
that seems to be growing faster than your waist, but what can we do?

In today’s market, we are overwhelmed by the number of credit cards available,
every company from banks, football teams, charities, high street stores even
down to the petrol supplier seems to offer them, all claiming their card is
the one for you.


Although the free availability of credit cards is often seen as a bad thing
and encouraging yet more debt problems than people have already, one side effect
has emerged that can actually help, or at least ease, your finance problems
– competition.

Credit card companies have some serious competition and ways to attract you
to their particular card have had to be devised such as low interest rates,
cash back, free insurance the list seems endless. But perhaps the offer that
can be used best to actually help you with your problems is the balance transfer.

Companies appear to be extremely generous in allowing you to transfer your
debt to them and waiving interest but the reality is, they just want the interest
for themselves and a way for them to achieve this is to entice you over by offering
a zero or low interest rate. The minimum payment that has to be made barely
scrapes the surface and when the interest free period runs out, you have lots
of debt left and they get lots of your cash in the form of interest payments..

How to use this to your advantage:

1/ Balance
transfer can vary from 0% interest upwards with the period that this will
continue for from a few months to nearly a year. Spend time looking at all the
current providers offering this

2/ Determine how much you will need to pay off each month so that you clear
the debt on the last payment in the 0% grace period. If this is easier said
that done, try to pay off as much as you feel you can handle and look to transferring
the remaining balance onto a different card which is also offering special deals
when the current one finishes.

3/ Make sure you ALWAYS pay the minimum amount, failure to do this can blow
the whole deal and you’ll find the interest back in your life and potentially
a record stored in a dungeon somewhere preventing you getting another card.
Set up a standing order immediately you get the card to pay the minimum amount
so you don’t have to worry about meeting this and top up every month via
online banking or at any bank with the paying in slip up to the required amount.

4/ If you do have to use the card for new purchases, think about using a card
offering 0% interest on new purchase too but be careful to pick a card that
is offering a months interest free period on new purchases. There are many cards
that appear quite cheap, but reading the small print shows they will charge
you interest from the day you make your purchase. In the long run, they will
make up the difference by doing this.

5/ Spend a few hours examining all the cards on offer and write down which
things you need and which you don’t, calculate how much you can save by
using the free offers such as insurance, cashback and such, and how much you
can pay each month to clear your debt.

6/ If you have to use another card at the end of the offer, apply for it a
month before you need it and transfer your balance a few weeks before the first
one expires. These offers usually only allow a few weeks window to make a transfer,
make sure the 0% offer is actually what it seems and make the transfer quickly
after getting the card, that way you can avoid any problems and delays and ensure
you don’t get into any interest period by mistake.

Which credit card to use will be different for every one and will depend on
your current debt, how you live your life and your income. Remember, these offers
will NOT solve your debt problems, nor will they postpone repayment for ever,
they are however, a good, interest free way of gaining more time and can give
you breathing space while you concentrate on tackling the problem.

Finally, like the best diet plans, have a well thought out plan and stick to
it!

More information available at http://www.1st-uk-credit-cards.co.uk

When You Just Have Too Much Stuff

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Feb 042022
 

There’s a point at which your house has reached maximum load capacity. Perhaps
it’s when all the books on top of your refrigerator start sliding off; perhaps
it’s when the floor buckles. Or it could just be when the living room starts
looking junky because you have two sets of everything in it.

At this point, you have three choices: you can give everything you don’t
need right now away to charity; you can sell the things you don’t need;
or you can put your possessions into storage. Very often, the fact that you
have too much stuff to keep it comfortably in the house does not mean you want
to get rid of it; quite the contrary. You may not have the heart to get rid
of your mother’s antique living room set, but not have the space for it

It’s time to look at storage.

Building Your Own

You might not want to put your possessions too far away; for instance, if you
have a great library of books, you might want to be able to access them whenever
you want. Or if you have a motorcycle to store, or lawn equipment, that needs
to be fairly handy. In cases like this, provided you have enough space, you
should consider building your own storage shed or building.

Everyone has different needs; for you, it might be a shed with a dirt floor,
or it might be a boathouse. Regardless of your needs, you should check zoning
laws in your area to make sure you don’t need a waiver to build; and you
should decide whether you want to build your own building, purchase a prefabricated
building, or have a contractor build one on your site.

Moving Day

One of the most common reasons people need storage is because they’re
moving; obviously, if you’re moving, it’s not practical to build
your own storage facility. When you’re moving, call around to different
storage units in the area you’re moving to; get a good map of the area
so you’ll know for certain exactly where the storage facilities are in
relation to your new home; and look into special deals offered in conjunction
between storage facilities and moving companies. The last time I moved, I found
that my moving company had a special deal with a storage company that enabled
me to store my possessions for a dollar for the first month; since I only needed
the unit for a couple of weeks, it cost us about twenty dollars, after insurance,
to store our possessions.

Recently, another option has developed for people who are moving and need storage
– they’re called storage containers. For years, storage containers
have been used to conveninently ship merchandise and large items across long
distances; now they’re available to the general consumer. When you rent
a storage container, a large corrugated metal box is parked in your yard, and
you pack it at your leisure. The whole thing is then picked up by a semi truck,
transported to a train or boat, and shipped to your new home. It’s convenient,
cost-effective, and saves your possessions from the trauma of being packed and
unpacked multiple times during your move.

Storage Outside Your Home

Sometimes people who aren’t moving – at least, not yet –
don’t have room for storage on their properties, or perhaps they rent
and can’t get permission from their landlord to build another building
in the backyard. Or perhaps they have special storage needs, and don’t
want to invest the amount of money it would take to build a secure, environmentally
controlled storage unit in their backyards. If this is you, you should consider
renting a storage unit at a self-storage facility or in a storage building.

If you use self storage,
you’ll be renting a room easily accessible from outside, that you can
drive up to at your convenience and unload or load your possessions into storage.
It is open to heat and cold and humidity, and may not be good for delicate items;
it is, however, great for sturdier possessions like plastics, certain machinery,
and anything that can’t be easily damaged by the environment or any bugs
that may get into your facility. One of your primary concerns when renting a
self-storage unit is unit size; you may want to opt for a unit a little larger
than you think you need, especially if you’re not planning to store things
long-term; it will cost a little more, but you’ll be certain of having
enough room and you’ll be able to access your possessions more easily.

If you have more delicate items, you can rent space in a storage building.
Typically, storage buildings are multi-story units in which most units are accessible
primarily to employees. The buildings are free of pests, and they are heated
and air conditioned to protect your possessions from the environment. Storage
buildings are also a great choice for business storage.

If you get storage outside your home, you should keep in mind security and
storage insurance. In a storage building, you’re probably going to be
reasonably secure. But with self-storage, you need to make sure security is
tight; it’s too easy to cut locks off your storage unit if anyone can
get inside. Make sure that the storage facility has a good fence around it,
and that you can see cameras around the area. Also make certain that not just
anyone can come through the gate. Ask questions when you rent the facility;
get a good feel for the security.

You should also insure your possessions. If anything were to happen to them
and they were uninsured, you’d lose everything. Storage facilities do
not insure the belongings stored inside; that is the customer’s responsibility.

Outside Storage for Vehicles

If you have an RV or a travel trailer, you might not want to keep it stored
in your front yard or blocking your driveway, where it’s not only unsightly
but also in the way. Many storage facilities will rent storage space to you
for these items; you may also be able to find storage at an RV dealer.

More information available at www.unit-storage.com

Storage: A Need Everyone Has

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Feb 032022
 

Whether you move frequently or you just have too much for your house, everyone
eventually needs some storage space. And there are dozens of options available
for you. Whether you choose to rent storage space from someone or you decide it’s
more cost effective to build a temporary or permanent storage building of your
own, there’s an option out there for you.

Storing Things At Home

No matter how large your house, how much attic and basement space you have,
or how small your family, chances are excellent that you need to store something
outside the house. Maybe it’s Christmas decorations; maybe it’s
lawn care equipment. If you need to build a storage unit outside your house,
you can find them prefabricated, prebuilt, or in kits with detailed instructions
if you look. Things to check on prior to building include zoning codes, drainage
of your land, and how well your chosen building will blend in your landscaping.
You can do it yourself, or you can hire a contractor if you want to build a
more complex building with wiring and/or plumbing.

Storing Things Elsewhere

Sometimes a storage shed isn’t practical. Perhaps you rent rather than
own. Or maybe you have a large boat or RV that you want to store somewhere it
won’t be unsightly; or you just don’t have enough land to build
a shed suitable to your needs that will blend with your landscaping. In cases
like this, you need to rent space.

You have a variety of options. You can use a self-storage facility, in which
you drive up and put your possessions in a storage room easily accessed from
outside; this is an acceptable solution if you have items to store that can
take changes in temperature or humidity. It’s also a good solution to
storing items like motorcycles, boats, and snowmobiles in the off-season.

If you use a standard storage unit, you should pay attention to size issues.
If you get a unit that’s too large, you’re wasting money paying
for the extra space; but if you get one that’s too small, you’ll
probably not figure it out until you’ve already moved half your stuff
into it. A good rule of thumb for ensuring it’s large enough for your
needs is to visualize how much space you’ll need if you want to be able
to walk all the way to the back. For size specifications, you should speak to
the storage unit manager.

But you may have more delicate items: your grandmother’s furs, wooden
furniture, or books. In this case, you should probably consider an environmentally-controlled
storage building. These aren’t quite as convenient as self-storage facilities,
as they often need to be accessed by employees, and you can’t just wheel
things into them off the street; but they are air-conditioned and heated, and
the humidity will remain stable. For particularly delicate items, you should
consult a storage expert for advice. Environmentally-controlled units are also
perfect for business storage.

Outside Storage

Sometimes you just need a place to park it. If you have an RV or a traveling
trailer, you probably don’t want it blocking your entire driveway. You
can, however, find storage facilities that will allow you to park it on their
premises for a fee; you may also be able to rent parking space from an RV dealer.
You can get completely open-air storage, or you may be able to find carport-style
shelter for it.

Storage When You’re Moving

When you move, you will almost certainly need storage. Any storage facility
can give you excellent advice on what size storage space you need for your size
house. Look for special deals; some moving companies offer storage space for
free or for reduced rates on their lots if you use their moving service. Even
if you can’t find a special deal, you should certainly shop around. Rates
on storage facilities can vary widely, even within a small area. If you don’t
mind driving a little to get to your stored possessions, you might want to consider
a storage facility that’s some distance away.

A recent trend, and an exciting one, is the use of storage containers for both
moving and storage. With storage containers, a large semi truck trailer corrugated
metal box is parked on your property; you can pack it with your possessions
at your leisure. After it’s packed, the entire container can be shipped
via truck, train, or boat to your destination, delivered to your doorstep, and
left there while you unpack your possessions. This is a great and convenient
new way to move, reducing stress and also reducing the chances of breakage to
your possessions.

Storage Security and Insurance

Last but not least, you need to consider security at your storage facility,
and insurance on your stored items. Be certain you check out the security at
the storage facility; is it fenced in? Can people without the password break
in? Are there cameras in plain sight to guard the area? The better the security,
the safer your precious possessions.

And you should always have storage
insurance. Get a good idea of what your possessions are worth, and take
pictures of all the major items. Don’t forget to count things you might
not think about, like books, clothing, and media like CDs and DVDs. When you
know what it’s worth, you should be able to purchase insurance from the
storage facility itself; if you can’t get it there, they’ll be able
to tell you where to purchase it, and probably have a regular agent they work
with.

Remember: if you’re paying to have your possessions stored, you clearly
value the possessions. Be certain to protect them as well as you can, both from
the elements and from damage, theft, or misfortune.

More information available from http://www.unit-storage.com

How To Start a Super Efficient eBay Business

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Feb 022022
 

Starting an online business sounds like a daunting task. You start to think things like; I don’t know anything about internet marketing, e-commerce, search engine optimization… I can’t even create a website!

All of these, beyond the lack of knowledge of them, cost money. Something most of us don’t have enough of.

There is an online solution that bypasses the majority of what you need to start. It’s called eBay. Rarely unheard of, this enormous online marketplace is the perfect solution to starting a low cost, low risk online business.

The question is how exactly do you start an eBay business, or even start selling a few items? You would think the answer would be to go out to a Barnes & Noble or search through Amazon.com for a $20.00 how-to book for selling on eBay. However, what makes eBay even more efficient is that it is its own how-to book. In fact, the features and support provided by eBay are sufficient enough to start selling and making consistent supplemental income.

So your first step is to head on over to eBay.com, surf through the site and learn all you can and the best thing is that it is all free. Check out the Community section and you will find a wealth of information from other sellers.

After eBay has your business up and running, your next step is to search out the information that will improve your current entrepreneurial endeavor. This is where you might have to spend some money. Of course, you can use the money you made on eBay to buy a book that will improve your eBay business.

You’re in the business of making your market super efficient. eBay, as an enormous community of honest buyers and sellers, is itself a super efficient market, where sellers sell below retail and buyers get the best deal. The goal of your business should be to mimic eBay on a smaller scale.

With that in mind, finding a book that enhances your business should entail a strategic framework for your business. This includes taking a look at your business as a whole. The old adage, “You can’t see the forest for the trees” should apply. If you focus too much on certain details, you may just find your business going under fast.

In summary, browse through the eBay website, learn the most you can for free, begin to put auctions up and make some extra money. When you get used to that, use some of that extra money to buy a book to enhance your eBay business. This book should have foundational, strategic advice that will cause your business to evolve into a mini super efficient market. Then get ready to profit from you lowest cost, lowest risk, online business endeavor you have ever attempted.

Student Credit Card – What You Should Know Before You Sign Up

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Feb 012022
 

Student credit cards, particularly college student credit cards, are an extremely popular trend among credit card companies. The student credit cards are offered on college campuses around the country and usually come with a free T-shirt just for signing up. The major benefit to college students of obtaining a student credit card is that they are often pulled in with a low interest rate a no fees. Furthermore, the earlier you start using a credit card, the better credit you will have by the time you are ready to graduate. (Of course, having a great credit score will make it easy for you to negotiate a low mortgage rate or car loan rate.)


How to Get One


It is very easy to enroll in a student credit card program. Periodically throughout the semester, credit card companies will position representatives on your college campus. The majority of the time these representatives offer incentives for signing up with their programs. Buyer beware: while enrolling for a credit card offer sounds like a great deal if you get a free T-shirt, many credit card companies compel you to enroll and have you fill out lists of information. They will then sell your personal information to companies that then use it for marketing purposes. You should also be aware that the more you open and close credit card accounts, the greater the chances of a solid credit score being compromised. Therefore, it is advised that you enroll in a student credit card program only if you are serious about using the credit card.


How the Credit Card Companies Benefit


Credit card companies benefit from offering special student credit cards on a number of levels. First, the credit card companies will of course benefit from the high interest rates that many college students assume when they enroll in a student credit card program. Students are tended to spend and because many of them are on a fixed budget, they are not always in a position to pay off their credit cards right away. Therefore, if a credit card company can supply students with an appealing credit card deal, they are likely to reap the benefits of the usage. Also, credit card companies are serious about building a loyal clientele. The younger that they start with their clients, the more likely the clients will be loyal to the credit card company and want to stay for the long-term. Therefore, you can see how offering student credit cards can be a lucrative and beneficial market.


Where to Find Student Credit Cards


Most often, student credit cards are offered on college campuses by credit card companies. If there is not a college student credit card representative on your campus, then contact any credit card company directly to find out about available programs.


Using student credit cards not only helps you to establish a line of credit at an appropriate age, but it also helps you to build a history with a credit card company. By the time you graduate from college, chances are good that if you have several years worth of experience with a company, they will be likely to offer you a very nice interest rate in appreciation of your continued business. If you are a college student and do not have a college student credit card, then it is highly recommended that you investigate options for enrolling in such a program. After all, when it comes to obtaining a low interest rate, credit card companies care about your credit history. Enrolling in a student credit card program is a great way to start!

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