Ben Edwards's Blog: Money Smart Life, page 24
July 29, 2013
How Much Does it Really Cost to Own a Car?
Do you ever find yourself wondering at the end of each month, where does all the money go? One place you might want to take a very close look at is your car expense. Most people look at their car expense as a list of separate expenses – car payments, gasoline, repairs, auto insurance, etc. Of course, some of these expenses are larger than others. But when you add them all together, your car expense easily becomes one of the largest expenses in your budget.
How large?
According to the Automobile...
July 26, 2013
How to Pay Off Your Car Loan Early
We often hear and read about the importance of paying off debt such as credit cards, student loans, and mortgages. Lost in the pay-off mania seems to be car loans. Perhaps it is that people have reluctantly accepted that having a car payment is just a fact of life, and therefore pay little attention to paying it off early. But there are compelling reasons why you should consider doing exactly that.
Why Pay Off Your Car Loan Early?
Dollar for dollar, a car loan is just about the most expensive l...
July 25, 2013
6 Business Ideas for Teenagers
If your teenager is having difficulty finding a part-time job, or at least finding one that they consider to be at least remotely interesting, you might suggest that they start a business instead. With a business, they can have almost unlimited options.
Why a Business and Not a Job?
You may be wondering why not just get a part-time job to earn some extra money? You certainly can and that’s always an option. But there are several advantages that a business has over a part-time job, especially in...
July 24, 2013
Barclaycard Rewards MasterCard vs American Express Blue Cash Everyday
Credit card rewards in the form of points and miles can be great, but there is no denying the appeal of simple cash back. There are many cash back cards on the market, and rewards can be distributed in several different ways. Cards can offer different rewards based on fixed bonus categories, merchant categories that change each quarter, or just a flat rate of return on all purchases. And the only thing better than earning cash back is doing so with a card that has no annual fee.
The Barclaycar...
July 23, 2013
Is Travel Insurance Worth It?
Traveling the country and seeing different cultures is a great thing – but there are significant costs involved. You don’t mind to spend the money assuming your trip goes well, but what happens when something goes wrong?
Travel insurance can step in during difficult circumstances while you are traveling to help make things right or to protect you. But tacking on extra costs to your trip might mean you have to scale back elsewhere. Is travel insurance worth the cost?
How to Determine If You Shou...
July 22, 2013
Are All-Inclusive Resorts Worth It?
If you’re looking to take a nice vacation in the the Caribbean or Mexico you will inevitably come across some all-inclusive resorts as an option for your accommodations. Are these pricier options a better deal than staying at a normal hotel and paying for your meals? Or are you better off separating the two expenses on your vacation? If you plan ahead and review all your options, you can lower your costs.
How to Determine if All-Inclusive is Right For Your Vacation
Here are four tactics you can...
July 19, 2013
Getting a Job When You’ve been Unemployed for a Long Time
There are some disturbing findings in the job market, particularly if you have been unemployed for a long time. A pair of studies have determined that the single worst attribute that a job seeker can have is to have been unemployed for more than six months. No other single factor has as much potential to disqualify you from the jobs you’re applying for.
If that describes your situation, read on . . . .
What Long-Term Unemployment Might be Telling You
There are several potential reasons why being...
July 18, 2013
Health Care and Insurance While Traveling
Not too long ago, I went on a camping trip with my extended family. At one point, my dad tripped and ended up with two puncture wounds in his leg. We administered first aid, got him in the back of my car and drove him a little more than an hour to the nearest emergency room.
Before we left, my mom had the presence of mind to quickly grab my dad’s insurance card. Dad needed stitches, but we made it back to camp (at about 2:30 am) and he was able to enjoy the rest of the trip (with the help of s...
July 17, 2013
Good Debt vs. Bad Debt: What’s the Difference?
A few years ago, you could walk into any bank and get a loan or go to any car dealer and get a preferred rate. Then the stock market went limp, the real estate market burst and instead of standing in line for a brand name coffee, you were in line for unemployment benefits.
Good people have fallen on hard times in every neighborhood of every town around the country. Some had to tap retirement funds and live on credit cards just to keep their heads above water. Now that things are starting to tu...
July 16, 2013
“Pump and Dump” is Back – and on Social Media
One of the classic investment scams is the “pump and dump.”
While this scam has declined somewhat in recent years, it’s starting to make a comeback, at least according to FINRA.
FINRA warns that pump and dump is on the rise in emails.On top of that, it appears that other social media outlets offer the chance for pump and dump to really take hold. What’s old is new again, and you need to be on your guard.
What is Pump and Dump?
Pump and dump is a classic investment scam in which paid promoters try...
