Consumers more satisfied with credit cards these days


Written on November 19, 2011 – 10:10 am | by Antony Clark

Though many consumers may have had issues dealing with their credit card debt in the past, thats not as much the case these days, and the vast majority are now satisfied with their lender.

Consumers are generally pleased with their credit card accounts these days, as just 12 percent reported that they feel as though a lender has treated them unfairly, according to the latest annual study from the Consumer Reports National Research Center. Thats down from 14 percent last year and 22 percent in 2009.

In addition, lenders are now more willing to extend credit to prospective borrowers, the report said. This year, only 14 percent of those surveyed were denied a credit card, down from 24 percent last year.

However, 35 percent also noted that they have seen a new annual fee, higher interest rate, lower credit limit or restrictions on either redeeming or accruing rewards placed on their cards this year, the report said.

Changes such as these may make it difficult for consumers to reduce debt, particularly if they have a habit of carrying some of the balance they accrued over from one month to the next. Read more…

Tags: Days

More on Moneyball: Interview with an expert


Written on November 16, 2011 – 11:31 pm | by David Jones


In our last post, we pulled some some relevant financial advice from the new movie Moneyball. 
We did a pretty good job. But then we interviewed our old friend, economist and professor Nancy Jianakoplos, Ph. D. She is currently teaching a sports economics capstone, and needless to say, she did much better. 
Below is the interview. 
In the film, Billy Beane invests in players he considered undervalued. Can this method be seen used in other areas besides baseball?
An economist’s take on Moneyball is that baseball players were getting paid more for hitting home runs than for getting on base.  However, statistically, getting on base contributes more to winning.  By filling his team with relatively low-cost players who contributed more to winning (the on-base hitters), Billy Beane was able to build a winning team on a lower budget than managers who paid too much for “glamour” players.

 I think investors can use this approach when it comes to picking investments.  Firs Read more…

Tags: Moneyball, Moneyball Interview

The Best Methods for Getting Yourself out of Debt


Written on November 9, 2011 – 10:55 pm | by Carleen Anderson

Debt can often feel like a ball and chain around your ankle, weighing you down both mentally and emotionally. It can make you feel like a failure, cause you to lose sleep at night and can even destroy your credit record.

It doesn’t matter if it’s student loan debt, credit card debt, or money you owe to friends and family, it’s all debt. As I have learned over the years, there are many different ways to get yourself out of debt. One of these strategies may work best for your situation.

No matter how badly you are drowning in debt, there is always a way out. Take a look at these methods for getting yourself out of debt and find the one that works best for you.

In reality, just Google the word “debt” and you will come across pages upon pages of websites offering their advice on how to get rid of debt. Some of that advice will cost you, most of it is free. Can you say over-whelming? I know I found it daunting and confusing too. Where do I begin? Which advice is best?

I’ve taken the methods from some of the more popular experts on the subject of getting rid of debt to make it a little less confusing and because their advice is solid.

Read more…

Tags: Debt

Budgeting – Playing a Vital Role to Debt Handling.


Written on November 9, 2011 – 3:23 pm | by David Jones

During the past couple of years, weve all been inundated with pictures of the chaos due to gluttony. With the annihilation of the North American economy, the unbelievable jobless rate, and the stupid number of working American drowning in debt, the poison of greediness is a popular subject nowadays.

No-one wants to think about themselves greedy, particularly when everyone knows somebody fighting with no job and a not possible mortgage and debt payments. But is gluttony always a disagreeable thing? The issue with gluttony only incorporates and excess of gluttony. The company crooks splashed across the front pages are the extraordinary worst of entrepreneurs and management. The gluttony found in these eventualities developed slowly, compromising one little piece of ethicality at a time till using absolutely everyone appeared standard. You can obviously see it in the management of the gigantic banks, in the daft charges and ridiculous interest fees. Debt management solution. Its a strategic way of planning for spending and saving your cash. Budgeting is understood to be a necessary task in each people financial standpoint and lifestyle since budgeting is the major factor of where you are vis your economic standing.

Read more…

401K Withdrawal to Roth IRA


Written on November 8, 2011 – 3:21 pm | by admin

roth iraWhen converting a 401K account into Roth IRA, one may have to withdraw it to the newly created IRA account. One has to be at least 59.5 years and should not have conflicted any laws of 401K withdrawals. 401K withdrawals, that do not attract penalties are ones that are done while facing a medical emergency or financial crisis. Buying first home, or money needed to pay for tuition are eligible for ‘without penalty withdrawals.’ Converting to Roth IRA from 401K account is beneficial since the transferred amount is not accounted for tax after conversion, provided this conversion is an eligible one. The eligibility criteria can be reviewed at roth-ira.org.

These conversions from 401K to Roth IRA may also be penalty free, when they come under special conditions. Read more…

Tags: Roth Ira