Free Credit Report Repair Guide

A study put out by the Christian Science Monitor states Americans who make less than $20,000 give more. To qualify this stat, this group gives more in relationship to their income. I find this amazing, but at the same time its great to see everyone open their pocketbooks to those who have less.

Interesting fact: This year Americans will give away 260 Billion to charity. Yes that is “B” as in Billions.

Technorati Tags: Christian Science Monitor, Americans, income, Billion

This weekend we finished our Christmas shopping and yes we took part in Black Friday. We saved a lot but instead of going to the stores at the break of dawn we waited until mid day. Our theory was the hard core shoppers would be done by then. Sure enough it worked. Hardly any lines great prices and we got a TMX Elmo doll.

We also stayed with in budget, another added bonus in planning ahead. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving week/weekend.

Technorati Tags: Christmas, Black Friday, TMX Elmo, Thanksgiving

I have a friend who I have personally lent $12,000 to in the last 5 years. He is my best friend as you can tell… Of the $12,000 dollars I have lent him, he has paid back about $5000. Not bad but not great. Before you guys jump all over me I stopped lending him money about two years ago and have him on a monthly repayment plan. So far so good.

I really didn’t want to share this with every one but the fact is friends will ask for money and it can in many cases lead to the end of a friendship. I would highly recommend people learn from my mistakes.

Because my friend is on a monthly re-payment plan we are able to stay friends. If he just “shined” me there is no way we would still be friends today. Bottom line, think twice, three times and then thing again before lending substantial amounts of moneys to a friend. More likely than not lending money to a friend who is not capable of paying back the loan will be the end of the friendship.

Technorati Tags: money, lending money

In 2006 for the first time debt card usage outpaced credit card. People used their debt cards to purchase

26.6 billion dollars while at the same time they spent 24.4 billion dollars on credit cards.

Is this a new trend to pay now and avoid paying for it later? Let’s hope so. It means more people are paying cash

for things rather than put them on credit. Still 24.4 billion is way too much in credit but if this trend holds the American

consumer are getting themselves in a better position.

One troubling trend is more people used home equity lines to pay off high rate interest cards. Many

people will use this method to successfully pay off their debt but it does come with its own very serious risks.

When you use home equity to pay off unsecured credit card debt you have basically tied the debt to your house. What happens if you are unable to make your payments? A loss of the job, etc… Now your house is at risk.

I personally get great satisfaction in pushing the debt card button and not the credit button when I buy things. It sounds like

Americans are also is felling the same satisfaction in using CASH!

Technorati Tags: debt card, credit card, paying, home equity lines, high rate interest cards, unsecured credit card debt, CASH