Finance Globe

Purchasing a home has long been considered an essential part of the American Dream. That dream can turn into a nightmare in a matter of weeks if you purchase a home before you’re ready. Wondering whether you’re ready for a mortgage? Here are some signs you’re not. Your credit isn’t in great shape. Not only does your credit score influence whether you can get approved for a mortgage, it also plays a big role in the...

Do you have an emergency account? Do you add money to this on a regular basis? Do you need to get serious about growing the balance? Like many, you may add a few dollars to this account every now and again. For example, you do this when you have money leftover at the end of the month. However, if you really want to grow the balance, you need to get serious about adding large chunks as...

Credit and debit cards make it so easy to make purchases, but they also make it easy to overspend. You can go on shopping sprees without ever leaving the comfort of your home. You can pay bills with the click of button. Unless you’ve told your bank not to process overdraft transactions, they won’t stop you from spending more than what’s available in your checking account. And if you’re short on funds and have decent credit,...

Last month I rolled out a new series in which I will post monthly tips for saving money, which I’m calling “frugal flips.” So far, the first four I’ve proposed have the potential to save up to $1900 a year. Frugal Flip #5: Make your own soap Before you tune me out because this one sounds too complicated, hang on a moment. It’s actually super easy and will only take a few minutes of your time,...

According to Experian’s latest quarterly report the average amount financed on a new car loan is $30,621. With the average loan term and interest rate at 68 months and 4.69% respectively, an average car buyer would end up paying $4308.49 in overall interest. For many of us that’s a lot of money. It’s no wonder “tens of thousands of people” sign up for so-called loan payment acceleration plans who claim to help them pay off their...

As a homeowner, summer is often the season when you tackle renovation projects. This is particularly true when it comes to projects dealing with the exterior of your property. With the summer months on the way, it’s time to consider a variety of projects that can improve your home’s appearance while also boosting its value. Here are three renovation projects that many homeowners will be taking on this summer: •    Roof. When was your roof installed?...

Your rewards redemption options will probably include a statement credit. You might consider choosing a statement credit over other options to help reduce your debt without making extra payments. How Do Statement Credits Work The statement credit is applied to your credit card account the same way a payment would be. For example, if you redeem a $25 statement credit, your credit card balance would decrease by $25. You can redeem for a bigger statement credit...

It’s one thing to come to the conclusion that you need to invest your money with the idea of growth in mind. It’s another thing entirely to choose the right investments and make sound decisions as the days (and years) go by. With so many types of investments to consider, it’s never easy to make sense of what you should and should not be doing. Even if you decide on one type of investment, such as...

When you start missing payments on your bills, you'll begin receiving calls and letters asking you to pay for the debt. Depending on how late your payments are, this contact could come from one of two companies: the original creditor or a debt collector. As you may guess, the original creditor is the company who you originally had the account with. This is the credit card issuer, the lender, or another business you had a service with,...

It goes without saying that you invest with one goal in mind: to make money. While some investments are safer than others, there is always some level of risk involved. With all this in mind, it’s important to take a step back, assess your situation, and make changes that will allow you to invest like a pro. Your net worth may never approach investing gurus like Warren Buffett, but this doesn’t mean you can’t make decisions...