What Is a Line of Credit?

This is a good question and not one in which people understand very well when thinking about their financial lives. When you think about your finances and you think about buying different products in your life, you have the need for a loan at times and you will need for a line of credit at times.

Let's discuss when it is wise to use a line of credit versus when it is better to get a loan (or even an unsecured credit card for that matter).

A loan is when you receive a lump sum of money under set terms and conditions for repayment, with a set interest rate and monthly payment. For example, your mortgage is a loan. The terms of the loan are fully disclosed to you when you receive the money so you know exactly when you are expected to have the loan paid in full.

Another example is a car. You are able to choose how long you want the loan to go along with the payment you want by talking with your local banker or the car dealership. An important point to remember is that the shorter the loan duration will equal less interest paid over the life of the loan.

Of course, all of your monthly payment is not going toward paying down the principle of the loan. Much of that payment is applied to interest.

Starting with the first payment, only a small portion goes toward the principal and the lion's share goes toward interest. As you progress further into the loan, the amount going to principal increases.

A line of credit works differently in that it is an amount of money available to you to use when and as you see fit. You may set up a line of credit without having a specific purpose for the money at the time. Interest rates for lines of credit are figured based on prime, which is established by the Federal Reserve.

Knowing the difference between a line of credit and a loan is good financial planning help. It will help you to make good decisions as to which is best to choose to handle your financial needs.

Credit Info And Mortgages

bad credit scores

To mortgage lenders, your credit info is going to be very important. While it may feel invasive, your mortgage credit reports will tell the banks whether or not they can trust you to repay them. They'll look for late payments, missed payments, bankruptcy filings, previous foreclosures, loans, total available credit, types of credit, open accounts, closed accounts, collection accounts and pretty much everything financial you can think of, dating back 7-10 years. Low credit scores can be built back up through good behavior, but it may take 1-3 years for the worst offenders to be mortgage worthy again.

Once you know your credit scores, you can work out any blemishes before home shopping. This should be done six months to a year before you plan on buying. If you have a score higher than 700, you needn't worry. If you're in the 500s or 600s, then try to pull your score up 100 points to get the best mortgage interest rates. There are five ways you can do this in six months time. First, you can reduce your credit card balances down to 30% of their credit limits.

Secondly, you can cut your credit cards in half, but don't cancel your account because you'll lose points and increase the amount of available credit you're using up. Thirdly, it can boost your credit score to mix up your credit portfolio. A healthy portfolio may include three unsecured credit cards, as well as a form of secured credit, which is like a student loan, auto loan, home equity loan or installment loan. Lastly, you can negotiate with all of your creditors to remove late payments, which can improve your credit overnight.

Credit info on mortgage credit reports and your FICO number are very important in determining what kind of deal you're going to get on your house; however, it's not the only factor. Obviously, the more you've saved, the better off you are. You should have saved 3-5% of the list price to put as a down payment, although 20% will prevent you from having to pay for mortgage insurance. Other offsetting factors can balance low credit scores: a large down payment, large cash reserves or a low debt-to-income ratio can all work in your favor.

If you have suffered a foreclosure or bankruptcy, then your credit info will show scars of as much as 300 points. It may take 10 years to rebound, but many people can be ready for home ownership within 2-3 years. Your confidence is undoubtedly shaken by the dissipation of your slice of the American Dream, but you can rebuild poor credit scores over time. If you can't see yourself renting, then you may qualify for a Federal Housing Administration loan, which doesn't check in with the credit report services.

The Demon of Debt Is Out To Get You

If you are in tune with the daily news, or if you watch TV regularly, you might see different advertisements of financing and loaning companies claiming to be the savior for people with credit problems. Bad credit might come from incurred debts, unpaid loans, and many other financial crises that you should not have to experience. In fact, with a lot of practice, prudence, and good sense, bad credit does not have to be your problem.

No matter the cause, a string of unpaid bills or bankruptcy in the last 10 years, or a defaulted student loan, you can still rebuild your life. Some people just carry too much credit for their own good.

If you have bad credit, it's a good idea to start working to get it fixed now. Regardless, if your credit problems are because of mistakes on your credit report, a poor credit history from not paying your bills, or stolen identity, there are several steps you can take to fix your credit. And they do not require you to hire a bad credit repair counselor.

What happens when you find yourself all of a sudden swamped with bills and no money to pay them? What happens when your inability to pay is rapidly deteriorating your credit reports and you are sinking into an abyss of debts? The first thing that should come to your mind at that time is a loan that could bail you out but that may not be the best answer. Does debt beget more debt? That is not the answer.

Debt is demonising. It is becoming very easy to get into the debt trap nowadays. Credit card companies, car dealers, mortgage brokers, etc. etc. are all out to get your money. They are getting desperate to make sales and earn their commissions. Be on the alert as if your life depends on it; because it does.

What is a Secured Personal Loan?

So maybe you need to get a loan and you are trying to learn out more about all the different types so that you can decide on the one that is going to be best for you. One of the most popular loans is the secured personal loan.

What it is

A secured personal loan is a fixed interest rate personal loan that requires the person to give up collateral or security of a savings account, stocks, bonds, and so on, so that the lender has some sort of confidence knowing that even if the borrower does not make their payments on time, they will have this collateral to cover the costs.

Benefits of Secured Personal Loan

There are a bunch of benefits that are offered by a secured personal loan. For one, with a personal secured loan finance you are able to know that it is safer and easier to obtain than the unsecured ones. Really the only people that can get unsecured loans are those whose credit is in good standing.

Personal secured loans are those which you can avail by placing collateral with the credit, and make sure that you take the time to choose wisely as to what you are going to put up as collateral.

Another benefit to the secured personal loan is that these loans have a much wider loan market and you can definitely find a secured loan which will be customized to fit your needs. Secured loans are also easier to obtain than other loans because creditors will always prefer the option with security.

Also, as a secured personal loan is backed by collateral, most lenders will approve loans even in such cases as C.C.J’s, defaults, and arrears.

A personal secured loan can help you to free up equity that would otherwise remain dormant in your property, letting you make use of capital that would otherwise remain unobtainable. These loans are ideal for people with a not so great credit standing, and it even gives them the chance to redeem themselves and get their credit into at least remotely decent standing,

Just make sure that you are as educated as possible on something like this before going through with it, and that you clearly understand all the terms. There is not much danger to secured loans but even still, you want to make sure that you have read all the fine print before agreeing to and signing anything, especially when you are handing over collateral.

Click here to discover more about secured personal loan

The Benefits of Flipping Properties

Aside from the obvious financial rewards that go along with real estate investing and flipping houses there are a few more abstract benefits that can be gained when you embark on a house flipping adventure if you are looking for a little more incentive to get going in the direction of your dreams of real estate riches through flipping houses.

Most things in life have more than one pro or con to them and the same can be said when it comes to flipping houses. Whether you are doing this for a living or this is a one-time deal you will find that there are all kinds of little lessons you learn along the way. Knowledge is rarely a bad thing and the lessons you learn while flipping houses are lessons that can be applied in many aspects of your life.

1) Budgeting. There are only a couple of things that can give you a crash course in budgeting your money faster than flipping a house. In order to successfully flip the house you are working on you will need to learn to budget quickly or you will wind up literally hemorrhaging money. Learning to set a budget and making sure you stick with it are both very necessary skills for flipping houses but when they carry over into other real life situations you will find that this is a very useful skill that has you looking at everyday purchases through your new eyes.
2) Muscle Definition. Who knew that flipping houses would be such an excellent workout? This is especially true for those who traditionally hold jobs that aren't necessarily dependent upon physical labor and those that do much of the work themselves (which is highly recommended when you can in order to save expensive and profit eating labor costs). From heavy lifting to hammering and several other physical jobs in between you should discover that your labors are rewarded in more ways than simply watching your project come together.
3) Attention to Detail. This is a big advatage that comes from flipping houses and you can bet you will get better at this with every subsequent deal. The money, when flipping houses is often made in the small details that others will overlook such as new electric faceplates, proper staging, and a good eye for color throughout the property. These items make potential house buyers see a property that is loved and cared for rather than another house on their list of properties to see. If you pay attention to detail in your 9 to 5 job after flipping properties or into your tax preparing, event planning, and even organizing your home, you will find out that the experience you've gained while flipping properties is well worth the time, labor, and money that went into getting it.
4) Thinking Positive. You will hear it often in your life, but positive thinking is a very powerful tool. There are only a couple of areas that this holds true more than when it comes to flipping houses. You will definitely want to season your thinking positive with a BIG dose of reality but you should be well aware that thinking positive has many advantages to you when flipping houses and in almost every other area of your life. You don'tt want to spend your time that you could be repairing your property searching for problems or excuses+.
5) Just Do It. The old commercials from Nike had a point to them and if flipping houses doesn't teach you anything else it will teach you this lesson. Procrastination is a money waster. For every day that you own the property you carry the expenses of the house (electric, mortgage, interest, etc.) get in there, get it done, and move on to the next project. Procastinating on the tasks that you don't want to do, will not make them go away so you might as well just go ahead and complete them.

Flipping houses isn't rocket science but it does take a unique combination of luck, skills, and stubbornness to turn a profit in this particular business. Learning the lessons above will help you not only succeed when it comes to flipping houses but in other aspects of your life as well.

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Save Time And Hassle With Online Banking

Managing your finances can be difficult and time consuming at the best of times, and the last thing that most people want is to have to spend long periods of time on the phone to their bank, especially if it means being put through to a foreign call centre. People also tend to want to avoid having to keep rushing to the branch to sort out their banking issues, as this can take valuable time, especially if you work full time or have other full time commitments.

It is for reasons such as these that online banking has become increasingly popular over recent years, and more and more people have decided to save themselves time, hassle, and frustration when dealing with their finances by switching to online banking and enjoying a greater degree of control over their bank accounts. This saves many consumers from having to worry about lengthy phone calls and long queues when trying to deal with their bank by phone or at the local branch.

You will find that there are some major high street banks that offer traditional branch and phone banking facilities, as well as online banking facilities, enabling consumers to enjoy choice as well as convenience. There are also banks that operate exclusively online, offering a comprehensive banking service that you can access from your very own home or office.

There is very little in terms of operating your bank account that you cannot do using online banking. You will find that you can check and order statements, transfer money between accounts, cancel or set up direct debits and standing orders, make bill payments, order cheque books, and even apply for an overdraft, credit card, or loan.

Online banking has become increasingly popular over the past few years, and consumers are becoming more and more confidence with regards to the safety and security of online banking. You will receive your own password and security details when you register for online banking, and you should obviously exercise caution in terms of things such as saving your password and security details on a shared computer.

Providing you exercise common sense you should find that the security risks with online banking are low, and that his method of banking provides a fast, secure, and convenient way of allowing you to deal with your finances at any time of the day or night and from the comfort and privacy of your own home. One of the great things about online banking is that you are not restricted in terms of times, so you do not have to worry about getting in touch with your bank within certain timescales.

Most banks do offer online banking facilities to their customers, but there are some that do not so you should check with your bank whether this facility is available if you wish to register. You may even want to go for saving accounts with a bank that operates mainly online, such as First Direct, which offers a comprehensive online banking service.

Secured Credit Card Comparison Is Wise

As finances pretty much rule our lives, more and more of us need help to manage them, hence the wide variety of financial institutions set up purely for this purpose. For the vast majority of people, the only financial service they care about is their credit card and for good reason.

Curiously though, there is always an ulterior motive for someone when they apply for a credit card. Most people usually have something planned to use the credit card for before they apply, whether it's a new entertainment system of a short vacation. A credit card may be convenient but it also acts as a safety net for many people when they travel for instance. It is quite normal now for me to receive in the mail at least one you-have-been-approved credit card notification per week. Since people are quite vulnerable when they apply for a credit card, some credit card issuers lure these people by giving low introductory APR, no annual fee offers among numerous perks. It is a situation where it is easy for a person to be convinced they are doing the right thing when they are being offered so many incentives. Thats why it important to do thorough secured credit card comparison before you make your decision.

If you keep the three little rules in mind when you apply for a credit card then you can't go wrong. Fortunately, there are a number of web sites that can help you learn more about applying for a credit card and the responsibilities it entails. Next, you can compare numerous credit cards that would best serve your needs and meet your financial situation. Lastly before you apply for a credit card, make sure you study the credit card terms.

Do not go past this point if you are still not sure what a credit card is and what it means to have one. Whatever else you may consider a credit card agreement is, do not forget that it is a credit agreement that will create a financial burden on the owner. So, it's best to compare terms and fees before you apply for a credit card and agree to open an account.

One factor to be aware of is the APR and what it means to you. Don't let this crucial matter slip by as credit card issuers must inform you of this fact. Any balance and charges must be made clear to the customer in the form of a statement every month. Look out for any transaction fees plus the length of time the grace period is, which is when you will not be charged interest. If you're not the type of person who is patient enough to research on all these terms, make sure that before you apply for a credit card, the issuer gives you an explanation of how the balance is computed and it must appear on your monthly billing statements.

 

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Ways To Improve Your Finances

With many households really struggling to make their income stretch as far as it needs to in the current financial climate it has become increasingly important for consumers to take stock of their finances and try and cut back on the amount that is being paid out each month. You may find that there are a number of ways in which you can reduce your outgoings and save money on the amount that you have to pay out each month. A careful review of your finances should reveal some areas in which you may be able to make savings.

There is one effective way in which you could reduce the amount of money that you pay out on your debts each month, and this is through consolidation. With a low rate debt consolidation loan you can pay off all of your smaller, high interest debts such as credit cards and store cards, and you can then enjoy having to make just one debt repayment each month rather than several. More importantly you could find that consolidation could help you to save a considerable amount of money on the amount that you have to pay out on your debts every month.

Another way in which you could cut back on how much you pay out each month is by looking at switching some of your services such as your utility or broadband providers. The prices charges by different providers can vary considerably and you could find that you will pay far less with one provider than you are paying with your existing provider. You can check out deals and prices with ease using one of the various price comparison sites in operation today.

You could find that transferring your existing credit card balances on to one low rate or 0% balance transfer can also save you a lot of money in interest as well as offering the convenience of having just one credit card provider to deal with rather than several. In addition to saving you money transferring your credit card balances on to a balance transfer credit card could also help you to repay the debt more quickly as all of your repayment will be going towards the debt rather than a chunk of it going towards paying off interest.

You may find that every month you are paying a hefty chunk of your income on things such as late repayment fees on credit cards and catalogues or on overdraft fees for exceeding your limit. Make sure that you monitor your accounts very carefully and that you avoid making late repayments or exceeding credit limits, as you could save yourself a fortune in fees and charges simply be exercising more caution over your spending.

The cost of food has soared over the past year and many households have seen their shopping bills rocket. One way to try and cut back on the cost of shopping is to switch to one of the discount supermarkets for some or all of your groceries or household goods, as you could save around 20% on your shopping bill compared to the better known supermarket giants. Alternatively look out for the various promotions and special offers that the larger supermarket chains are running.

Finding The Most Suitable Loan

Taking on a loan in the current financial climate is a big commitment, and this is why it is important to make sure that you choose the right loan based on your circumstances and your needs. There are many different loans to choose from so it is important that you do your research and find out about each loan type and category before you make your application, as you could otherwise find that you are applying for a loan that is unsuitable or that you are not eligible for.

One of the things that you will need to work out is what you actually want the loan for, as this will help you to make a more informed decision with regards to which is the most suitable loan for your needs. You will find that there are loan available for all sorts of purposes, from any purpose personal loans to wedding loans, consolidation loans, home improvement loans, car loans and more.

These loans all come under different categories, and again you will need to look at your circumstances in order to decide which category of loan you wish to – or are able to – go for. The different loan categories that you can choose from based on your needs and circumstances include secured homeowner loans, unsecured loans, and payday loans, which are shorter term unsecured loans.

You will find a number of lenders that offer secured loans, and these loans are aimed at homeowners who have some level of equity in their property. The secured loan is secured against the equity in your home, and the amount that you can borrow will depend on how much equity you have. Whilst you can enjoy greater borrowing power and long repayment periods with these loans you also need to bear in mind that you risk losing your home if you do not keep up with repayments on the loan.

If you are a non-homeowner or you are a homeowner that does not want to secure finance against the home there are unsecured loans available. Again, there are certain criteria that you will need to meet in order to get an unsecured loan, and you will usually have to have good credit in order to get one of these loans. You should bear in mind that the monthly repayments may be higher because the repayment periods are not as long as with secured loans, and that the borrowing power is not as great.

Some people don't want to commit to a long term loan, and are looking for finance to pay for something unexpected that has come along, thus only requiring the money for a short period of time. In cases such as these payday loans may prove suitable, and with these loans you will not have to undergo a credit check. You must prove, however, that you have a bank account and that you are employed.