Cell Phone Spending Suggestions To Save You Money
May 24, 2009 by admin · 2 Comments
Is your cell phone spending over the top? Are you using your cell phone to the point where you cringe when your bill arrives? The privilege of owning a cell phone is not a cheap endeavor by any means. Cell phone providers offer plenty of extra services such as texting, video messaging, video games and downloadable ring tones that are oh so tempting but albeit, not free.
What then do you do if you are spending far too much money using your cell phone on a regular basis? Getting rid of your cell phone and going back to just using a land line is not an option for most people as it is so easy to become addicted to the versatility and ease of convenience that a cell phone provides. There are things you can do though to ease the pain of cell phone spending (or overspending!). Read on for some ideas.
Texting
If you are fond of sending text messages then be aware that in some instances you will pay 10 cents for every text (and even more if you are texting someone in another country). You may even get charged for the messages that others send you!
If you do not want to give up texting because it is your lifeline, then look for a carrier who can offer you a special plan for text messaging. To use an example, Sprint/Nextel can offer you 100 text messages for the low price of five dollars a month. Or you can get 500 text messages for eight dollars a month. Or if you are a texting fanatic then you can sign up for the plan that offers unlimited texting for 15 dollars a month.
Choose a Family Friendly Provider
Choose the provider that is most popular amongst those you call most frequently. This is because many cell phone carriers are willing to offer unlimited in-network minutes to their subscribers- if they are talking to other subscribers. This means you can talk free for as long as you want to and you won’t pay anymore!
Prepaid Plans
If you tend to be more conservative with your cell phone and make as few calls as possible to keep your spending to a minimum then look to a prepaid plan to give you what you need. Most rate plans begin at around $39.99 a month. That is a great deal of money to pay if you will only be making two or three calls a month.
On the other hand, if you choose a prepaid plan then you spend a specified amount of money in order to pay for the minutes that you expect to need. To use an example of this, Virgin Mobile’s Minute2Minute prepaid plan charges 25 cents a minute but that is only for the first 10 minutes that you speak in a day. After that time has passed, you get charged 10 cents a minute.
The only downside to this is that if you don’t use up your minutes you lose them and the money you spent on them goes to waste. In most cases you have in the area of one to three months for a prepaid plan and then you must purchase more time. Virgin Mobile, as described above, is a classic example of this. Every three months you must load at least $20 on your plan in order to keep your phone in service.
Cell phone spending does not have to turn into spending a fortune if you can be mindful of how you use your phone and when. Don’t just be cell phone friendly but be cell phone savvy as well!
Low Mortgage Rates With Big Time Costs
March 23, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Just because a mortgage rate is low does not mean that the story ends there. According to Amy Bohutinsky, vice president of communications for Zillow.com, mortgage rates are low right now but lending standards are such that even those with excellent credit must adhere to very strict guidelines.
New rules have recently been put into place by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac whereby borrower’s fees are very high for individuals who have less than perfect credit. Lenders are trying to decrease the risks that they have to take on because of the uncertain market. Regardless of whether your credit is excellent, poor or in between, you can expect to pay more points (or prepaid interest), however the lowest refinance mortgage rates will always go to the persons with the best credit score
Pricing is on a risk-based system. Fees are added to mortgages based on credit scores. If you want to avoid paying exorbitant fees then you would be well advised to have a FICO score of 740, or higher if possible. These new rules take effect in April, according to Dan Green, a loan officer with Mobium Mortgage in Cincinnati, Ohio. However these new rules began being incorporated into rate sheets back in January.
Loan level price adjustments are new fees that are not making too many homeowners in search of low interest rates very happy. Prices vary from one consumer to another. For example you could be paying interest rates that are one or two percent higher than what a family member or friend is paying. Extra charges are likely whether you are buying a house or a condo. So how do you find the best mortgage rates ?
Paying Points
As reported by Freddie Mac’s weekly rate survey, in January 2009 the average rate on a 30 year fixed rate conforming mortgage was 5.05 percent. In order to get this rate your payment would need to be approximately 0.7 points. In 2008, 0.4 points would be required in order to get an interest rate of 5.76 percent.
Be aware that an inverse relationship exists between a rate and points. In other words, the more points that you are expected to pay, the lower will your rate drop. Of the amount paid on the mortgage, there is a one percent point that is then charged as prepaid interest.
Before you begin paying points take the time to consider the ramifications for yourself. Is it worth it to refinance ? Would it be a wiser move to pay no points but to have a higher interest rate on your mortgage? Consider how long you are thinking of living in the residence in question. You also need to consider how much time you will need to pay off the points. The concept of paying points makes more sense the longer you plan to reside in a particular house.
Added Fees
Borrowers can expect to pay higher fees in regards to underwriting and processing, which can range from $300 to $400 or higher. An appraisal fee for a refinance can set you back in the area of $300 or more. To save yourself money, use the same title insurance firm that you use when you first got your mortgage. Mortgage fees will likely cost you approximately three percent of the total of the mortgage loan.
Unemployment Expected To Reach 8 Percent
November 23, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
According to the statistics recently released unemployment shows no signs of slowing down in fact it is strengthening its grasp on working Americans. In data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 12 states, including Florida, Idaho, North Carolina and Illinois, reported a rise of at least two percentage points in unemployment rates over the past year. That is significant.
The downturn in rates applies to all industries. The current rate of 6.5 % nationwide is expected to swell to 8% in the coming months, according to economy experts. So who is hiring in this type of economy?
Health Care Careers, educational services and retail lead the way. The retail trade is spurred on by the holiday season. Health and education are natural by products of the times. More and more people will continue to change careers and health care never seems to have enough workers.
President Bush signed legislation for unemployment benefits , but that will serve as a temporary fix. We are in trouble economically and it seems it will get worse before it gets better.
Let The Democratic Games Begin
November 10, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
So it seems we need yet another 100 Billion in stimulus for the economy. However not before the Democrats try to add some social tweaking . According to CongressDaily ($), House Democrats are planning to include “federal matching funds for state Medicaid programs, an extension of unemployment benefits, expanded food stamp spending and money for infrastructure projects” in their new economic stimulus package.
These kinds of things will be a matter of course after january 20. Lets just keep spreading that wealth around
Sarah Palin At Home Now
November 9, 2008 by admin · Leave a Comment
Sarah Palin is at home now. That is not stopping political wimps from slinging mud. You can expect them to continue the smear campaign until 2012. It is the business she has chosen. She understands that. It is not popular to be a conservative these days
Plain has been accused with everything from being a fashion diva to causing the failure of John McCain to claim the White House. She has taken these attacks with grace and dignity. She will not go away quietly. Plain did not call McCain and plead pick me pick me! She was chosen by the same people who are now on the attack.
McCain has chosen to let it happen, with no comment, The silence is deafening. McCain is not a typical conservative Republican, He likes playing both sides of the fence. That’s one reason why McCain lost. What conservatives did choose to vote for McCain/Palin voted for Palin, not McCain. Somehow that does not matter to McCain now.