Consumer Financing
Using Your Stimulus Check For Home Improvements
Tweet When the U.S. Treasury starts sending out economic stimulus package checks this June, the hope is that the billions of dollars of money received by eligible citizens will be
I.D. Theft Remains #1 Consumer Complaint
Tweet What was the chief complaint received by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2007? If you guessed “identity theft” then you answered correctly. Last year, the FTC tallied more
Car Loan Applications Done Right
Tweet You’ve found the car that you want and at a price that you can afford. Well, at a price that you can afford if you are able to wrap
Payday Lending Under Legislative Scrutiny
Tweet Payday loans, those easy to get but expensive to pay off unsecured personal loans, are coming under intense scrutiny in many states across America. Consumer advocates are pushing for
Explaining Your Loan Qualifying Ratios
Tweet If you are planning to refinance your home, get your first mortgage, or apply for any other type of consumer credit, your housing and debt-income ratios will be tightly
Unearthing Terrific Deals On Luxury Cars
Tweet The recent drop in car sales for the month of January 2008 (4.3% according to Autodata Corp. which tracks auto sales) wasn’t a surprise to industry experts. Mostly everyone
What Are No Credit Credit Cards?
Tweet There are thousands upon thousands of credit cards available to consumers, a dizzying array of choices virtually impossible to compare side by side. Airline rewards cards, cash back cards,
Fixed Rate Mortgages Trump Adjustables
Tweet On the surface, adjustable (variable) rate mortgages (ARMs) look like a better deal, particularly as these loans allow buyers to afford a larger home and/or receive a lower interest
Christmas Is A Memory, The Bills Are Not
Tweet If you delayed your Christmas shopping until the days just before the holiday, then you probably escaped the early January credit card bills that tend to show up around
Your Credit Score and Mortgage Qualifying
Tweet This is one in a series of articles related to the sub-prime mortgage mess that dominated the news in 2007 and will likely continue to be big news throughout
Fed Rate Cut Opens A Window For Refinancers
Tweet The Federal Reserve Bank cut interest rates by three quarters of a point this week, opening a window for consumers who need to refinance their homes. With hundreds of
Refinance Your Mortgage Before The New Higher Rate Kicks In
Tweet If you took out an adjustable rate loan within the past three to five years, 2008 could be the year of reckoning for you. That 3/1 or 5/1 mortgage
Say “Good-Bye” To No-Doc Mortgages!
Tweet This is one in a series of articles related to the sub-prime mortgage mess that dominated the news in 2007 and will likely continue to be big news throughout
Financing Guides Are A Smart Idea
Tweet Before you take out a loan, apply for credit or consider any other borrowing mechanism, how thorough are you in researching all of your options? With the internet, it
Finding & Buying Your Next Car
Tweet What are your financing options? Last month, a few weeks before the year came to a close, I decided to track via my auto blog many of the major
