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Archive for April, 2009

Go Online for Banking and Savings Accounts

April 20th, 2009 at 02:27 pm

Online savings accounts and banking may be a good option for someone who does a lot of financial transactions online. Most ‘brick and mortar’ banks offer online banking, and there are numerous institutions that can only be found online.

The same services can be secured online as at a physical establishment, such as online savings accounts, checking accounts, credit and debit cards, etc., just make sure to check their credentials, for example; is the business a member of the FDIC? There are a number of internet sites that help find appropriate online banks and online savings accounts, they confirm such information as interest rates and monthly balance minimums.

There are other benefits to online banking, such as not having a paper trail, (which means less environmental waste.) The ability to do financial business anytime, from anywhere, usually faster and more efficient than at the counter or ATM, is also one of the benefits. Most online banks are even compatible with Quicken and Microsoft Money, making small business transactions more convenient. If there are trust issues, such as ‘did I click once or twice?’, all internet banking sights offer the option to print off a copy of the transaction and keep it with the rest of the banking documents, so even if a problem does arise, it can be taken care of without difficulty.

Anyone who does a lot of internet transactions, or even just pays their bills online, can benefit from online savings and banking. There are countless online institutions, check them out and see how convenient online banking really is!

Why You Should Compare Credit Cards

April 20th, 2009 at 08:41 am

It is a common practice for most of us to look for the best deal from any commitment we make but taking time to compare credit cards to choose the best is not practiced by many people; we just pick any card. The fact that credit cards might look the same doesn’t mean they are designed to suit the same needs. Each type of card has some feature incorporated to cater for a particular need. Since we all have different spending habits and different financial plans. In these hard economic times, we should be wary on how we make our financial choices. By comparing credit cards will lead us to choosing the right card that suits our needs.

Always the best card is that which suit your credit behavior and personal circumstances. If you are the type of person who transfers credit card debt to the next month then you are suitable having low interest credit card. Likewise if you are a high spender and clear your balance each month then you might go for high interest credit card that offer some reward programs and grace period.
Sometimes we get into trouble by fail to compare credit cards that we choose. If you can take time to look at different credit cards issued by different banks you will be able to identify different features of various cards e.g. Payment penalties interest rates, balance transfer, purchase interest rates, default interest rates.

Most Australian credit card issuers charge between 7%- 19% interest rates.
Apart from interest rates you will get to know other benefits and feature that different banks offer if you take time to compare credit cards.

Who is best qualified to give that financial advice?

April 20th, 2009 at 07:38 am



Many people these days need financial advice to get out of debt, or to negotiate the tricky waters of finance in their daily lives, including paying off that mortgage while still making ends meet. But who is best qualified to give that advice? Who should they listen to? It could be a friend, or even their grandparents if they are really good at budgeting and so can give the sort of advice that will help them. But when it comes to most financial problems, getting the help of a professional person trained and licensed to give advice in that area is the best solution.

People who have no training may be able to advise on certain aspects of finance, but their advice will certainly be limited. And if an untrained person gives you specific advice about what stocks and shares to buy, or which bank to deal with, then you need to be very wary. What happens if you follow their advice and it all goes wrong? You could easily lose all your money and even if you sue them, it's not that likely you'll get it back.

At least you know that a financial advisor who has certificates to prove he is qualified will be more likely to get it right. And if he is officially working for some financial company then there will most likely be insurance for some kind of protection.