I'm Going to the East Cost!

I'm going to have a trip to the East Coast! A family friend has invited me to visit her at her house in Parole, Maryland. It's really close to Annapolis and not far from Washington, DC. This is actually where I want to go. I went to DC for my senior trip in high school but it was so long ago! This time I want to see as many musems as possible. And the number one would be the American Indian Museum on the Mall. It's supposed to be one of the coolest mueseums in the world.
Traveling is great!

Credit Card Tips

Managing credit cards is not that difficult when you follow a few simple credit card tips:


- Do not have too many credit cards;


- Apply only for credit cards you are eligible for;


- Keep track of your credit history;


- Always plan how you are going to payyour credit card off;


and most importantly


- always carefully read credit card terms!

Change My Ways

Just like many adults I do miss the fascination of being a child with all those nice, naive games and fairy tales. I remember my mum reading me some interesting tale before I went to sleep.
And I was so surprised to find a blog with some really warm words on Irish fairy tales about love and friendship. They are really so kind and worth reading if you want to know that there is real love, goodness and compassion in the world.
By the way,there was a post once here about brown people and Muslims. I now feel that I was wrong maybe, saying all those tough words. I know that a man cannot change his views in a week or even a month but at least I'll reconsider them.

Ensure Your Car - Secure Yourself

I can't believe my car insurance cost me two times cheaper than I expected! Would you believe that the price of the insurance depends on the mileage you are going to cover and on the parking place? I'm happy that my work is no far from home and that I have a locked garage.
What about you? Was there anything special in the process of insuring your car?

The biggest purchase

Here I am at last, all busy with the endless formalities of getting a car loan. Yes I think it's time for me to start driving as I'm the only one among my friends without a car yet. By the way, I've digged out a new yet but surely a very promising cars blog where the owner is also going to become a care owner, just like me.
If you are going to purchase a car, too, you'll find it a very useful resource. News and interesting stories are expected there soon...

They Do It Legally

I saw such a scene the other day. A middle-aged man sitting on an electric chair shaking in fits with drops of blood dripping out his mouth. It was awful to watch but they showed it on TV and they declare it legal killing.
I came to think of the death penalty by electric chair and on its justification. Well, those people are guilty, no doubt and they deserve death but do we, human beings have any right to jeer at them in such a way.
Let's take their lives in exchange for those they killed but let them suffer without our envolvment.
What do you think?

On the Guard of Credit

I've been syffering from insomnia recently and the reason for this is my dear (until recently ) credit card. I do now realize, after a number of delayed credit card payments, that I lack some basic credit card education.
For me Internet is the place to come for help. Right now, I am studying a number of articles which I found especially useful for the trouble I am in. If you are facing credit card debt and you need sound advice on better credit card management, you can turn to the following:
Successful Credit Card Application;
Safe Credit Card Applications;
Credit Counseling;
Avoiding Bankruptcy;
Credit Card Terms;

Credit Card Disputes.
These articles are really great trainers for your credit card management skills, make sure to read them to the end...

More Options - More Convenience

Tax season approaching...And it is almost always a humdrum, isn't it? For most of us - it is. Bur, wait...your credit card comes to your rescue!
What does it mean? Today most credit card appear to be able to faciliate the process of tax paying for you. You just pull it out each time you want to pay taxes. And it is really much more secure and safer than doing it through e-filing or paper file. The IRS never stores your credit card number so you are fully potected.
But, that's not all! Enjoy rewards paying taxes with credit cards. A cash back credit card or a frequent flyer card - all allow you to get something back. Convenient and benefitial...I love credit cards

Credit Education Needed

Sometimes it seems to me that bankruptcy is allowed to thrive in order to keep an extensive market of bad and no credit cards which help you re-build your damaged credit rating. I think it's unfair to credit card holders because many of them have to file for bankruptcy for their poor knowledge of credit card management and bad spending habits.

I've heard that there are already some credit educational programs and I believe they do help much. But it woluld be just great if suchlike courses were introduced into the school program and children learnt the basics of credit card and financial management.

What do you think?

Believe it or not?

Wow, that was a great time we spent together! I'll never forget the magic evening my friend and I spent in the open year, recalling the old days...
By the way, do you believe in astrology? Are serious about what they predict and earnestly wait for it to happen. Personally I have never believed a word until I stumbled upon the MSN Astrology and read a forecast on me. They sounded really true and when their words came true I saw that being sceptical is not interesting and pessimistic. If you believe in the best, it is sure to come true, I know now..+)

At long last...

Well, it's a great day today, really. I've been waiting for long and it has happened! My former schoolmates and I are meeting today, and we haven't seen each other for about 8 years! That's a long time and I'm really afraid we've changed.

Good luck to me...

you won't wait long

Even the best credit card from the most respected credit card company cannot serve forever. There comes a day when your plastic friend stops functioning and you cannot any longer enjoy its convenience and benefits. But you do not need to worry about that.

Once your credit card gets out of order, you are certian to find a new and perhaps better credit card offer in your mailbox. But, be very careful now! A new credit card which is an adequate replacement of your previous one is always good news but there might be a trap.

It's important to remember that companies never do anything without self-profit, so they expect to gain at the new credit card offer. Consequently, you lose something.

So, if you like your new credit card, do accept it, but scrutinize the fine print. You are sure to find there something to give a thought to.

Does it need improvement?

What did I create my blog for? To help people solve financial problems and just talk on everyday life. But surfing the net and looking at what other blogs look, it came to me that it probably need some improvement.
Maybe I should add some more colour or pictures to make it look friendlier and more cheerful or maybe there should be more stories on my life and experience.
As to the financial information I present, it by no means belongs to professional advice and is based on my own experience. Thus, you shouldn't treat me as if i were an expert and shouldn't try to realize just every little piece of advice here until you have a professional consultation.
So, how do you find my blog? Do you like it completely or do you think it needs improvement? If you have something to share, please, leave a note.

online opportunities

Intrenet has obviously made our life easier. You can do lots of things in it - search for information, make business (such as buying things)and, what I like most of all, - share personal experience with people.

I first decided to create my blog when I stumbled on thinkingoflifeandchoice blog that helpd me a lot to solve some of my most serious problems I faced at the time. I then understood that blogs are really a very useful thing for all categories of people - students, businesses, simple workers and even housewives.

I'm constantly looking to improving my blog, thus I'm searching new blogs, compare them and make conclusions. For those creating their own blogs, I can recommend visiting Managing life and Money blog that I personally found very useful...

new games!

Hello to all gamers! Do you still enjoy sitting down in front of your PC to play some of your most favorite computer games, even if you are not in the age already and your work exhausts you to death? Great! I am an addictive gamer and there's good news for you and me...

Search the game market for absolutely new computer games out there! I mean such arrivals as "Spades", "Death on the Nile" and "Treasures of Montezuma". i've tried them and it is unforgettable!

I advise them to everyone who cannot imagine a home evening without virtual adventures!

Playing with Credit Card Debt

If you're a smart credit cardholder, you must know what transferring credit card balance is.

For those who don't, I'll say the following: imagine you have a credit card with outstanding balance on it which you are not likely to pay off soon and easily. you can, of course, cut all your expenses on this very credit card and set off paying on it each month more than just the minimum. It is a hard task, really.

So, why not move your current debt onto another credit card with a much lower interest rate and pay it off comfortably without much limiting yourself? Today credit card companies are quite ready and willing to offer you balance transfer credit card deals and wise customers sieze every little opportunity.

Some credit users manage to save hundreds in interest with such credit cards!

But it all is not that easy as it seems at first sight. The point is that there are cardholders who get too much involved in this game with credit card balances and they end up with a new debt apart from the one on the old credit card.

So, if you mean to get yourself a balance transfer credit card, be ready to use it only for most needed purchases and to pay it off in time and in full so as not to accumulate new debt.

Online or Offline?

And another hot story on the issue of ID and credit card information security...If online credit card operations lack decent protection, then what can be said about using your Visa or MasterCard for offline purchases?

I guess, you've already heard about the numerous security breaches at retailers and restaurants. And the breaches were caused by the staff themselves! They used special devices for scanning your card's information and were paid $30 for each plastic. They handed over the cards to fraudsters who used the information for making counterfeit credit cards! No wonder then, that you find charges in your credit card statement for purchases that you did not make at places that you never go...

So, who would you trust your credit card now - a human being or a machine?

A New Addiction

My cell-phone is not the only thing I am crazy about. Just recently I've found in myself a great desire to buy a car, a very good car, really. Today US car market offers you a wide choice of nice and quality models and I stopped at Ford Mustang Convertible (a used one, though). It's a great variant and I chose it as it's the most solid, best handling and most refined open-air version of the American legend. If you are in for buying a car, too, it would be your best deal!

Credit Card Use Online

If you are a holder of Discover or American Express credit cards, you seem to have more options when it comes to making purchases. I'll explain why.

More and more Americans are becoming credit card holders today but by no means all of them take risk of using their card for buying online. Why does it happen when online shopping with credit cards is generally considered more convenient and faster? Well, it's the concern about security and fraud issues that discourages online buyers.

When Discover did a survey of its cardholders, almost half of them worried about the security and 45% said they would shop online more if the protection were stronger.

Thus, Discover Bank, together with American Express, launched a program to win more trust of their customers.

So, if you shop online with a Discover or Amex card you enjoy zero liability. Now you're not responsible if someone steals your credit card number and makes unauthorised purchases. Discover offers one-time use passwords which also ensure more protection. It means you enter a new number each time you buy online. There are also extra passwords available which are known only to you and your card company when you buy from certain online merchants.

All these options target at making online shopping more secure. Well if you don't quite like it that you can use your card only for offline purchases, Discover and American Express cards are sure to give you more market.

And the last thing. If you are going to apply, read the fine print carefully and pay special attention to the fees.

Another Step to Equality

There are many groups that are discriminated against. Soon it will be illegal to deny US citizens jobs or insurance simply because they have an inherited illness, or a genetic predisposition to a particular disease.


It is still a secret for me how employer can get this type of information. Isn't it considered to be private? Anyhow, on 25 April, the House of Representatives voted 420 to 3 to pass the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). Passing the Senate won't be a problem for the bill. President Bush also speaks in its favor.


"Clearly the House finally understood the incredible significance this has. The American public can now access genetic tests, feel safe about their genetic information not being misused and participate in research that involves genetic information," says Sharon Terry, president of the Genetic Alliance, a charity lobbying for the rights of people with inherited illnesses.


Well, I guess it's another step to equality...

Credit Card Deals with No Annual Fee

Is there a point in applying for credit card deals with no annual fee?

There are fee free credit cards for all types of credit. That means that this offer is avaliable for any credit card applicant. Not having to pay an annual fee means that you save money. But is it really true? The credit cards that offer the no annual fee option usually have higher APR. There might be hidden fees credit card applicants are not always aware of.

When you are considering applying for a fee free credit card don't forget to analyze the other features so you won't have to pay twice.

Virginia Ends a Loophole in Gun Laws

Finally. Governor of Virginia closed the loophole in gun laws that allowed mentally ill people to buy guns. According to New York Times only 22 states send their mental health records to federal database. I guess we will nee 28 more massacars like the one in Virginia to solve the problem of mentally ill people buying guns.

Credit Cards and College Students?

Todays question is 'Are college students mature enough to use credit cards'?
I would say yes.
Yes:
- They can vote. They can surve in the military. They can get married and have kids. If they are mature enough to do all those things why cannot they be trusted with their own money?
- Using a credit card is experience. It can be good or bad but it is still experience in money management.

One Thought About Credit Card Score

Everyone knows that age is important for getting good credit score. The best age is 25-35. I can understand why. People in this age group have already achieved something professionally and financially. They are mature and have experience in perosnla finance management. On the other hand, they are still young, have fewer medical problems.
The funniest part is that people over 62 get the same credit score as those inbetween 25 and 35. It is requierd by he Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) to protect the elderly from discrimination. Are banks really so eager to give credit to people over 62? What about someone who is 90?

Addicted to My Cell-Phone

I am addicted to my cell-phone. I am absolutely sure. I take it with me everywhere. Even to the bathroom. It is always in my pocket (I know it's bad to carry cell-phones in a pocket, it might cause cancer, but what if i don't hear it in my purse?).
If I don't hear the familiar melody I feel uncomfortable. Sometimes I hear it when nobody is really calling. I guess I just want to hear it so much.
The most weird thing is that I am not waiting for a person to talk to. I am just waiting for my self-phone to ring. I am addicted to my self-phone.

How to Make Money with Balance Transfer

A balance transfer is an option offered by many credit cards issuers which enables the card holder to use their available credit from one card to pay off the balances due on one or more other cards. Most balance transfer offers will come with an artificially low introductory interest rate, such as 1% or 0%, for a fixed period of time. After that time period the interest rate will rise to whatever was permitted by the terms of the offer.
However, it is a good way to make money. For example, if your credit card offers 0% balance transfer you can use the money borrowed from a bank to invest in something. It works especially well if your credit limit allows you to transfer significant amounts of money. Some people make more than a thousand dollars this way.

My Friend's Blog

I have received an e-mail from a high school friend of mine. She lives in Louisville, KY now and goes to school there. And guess what - she has got a blog too. It's not on blogspost, it's a livejournal and it's brand (not too many postings). But it was nice to know how much we still have in common!

She Is Back!

I will be pretty busy this weekend - my best friend is coming over from Minneapolis. She moved there 6 months ago to live with her boyfriend. Financial problems almost made them break up but fortunatelly, everything worked out fine. She will be staying for less than three weeeks and that's way to little time to dicuss everything that has happened in half a year!

And One More Posting about Credit Cards: Some Useful Advice

Oh yes, this is one more posting about credit cards but I hope you'll find some useful advice in it.
People screw up their credit cards, don't pay off their loans and phone bills, etc, etc. I don't want to discuss why this happens but when it does it becomes quite difficult to get approved for another credit card. There are several options:
- apply for an instant approval credit card. However, your application will still be reviewed and you can not be 100% that you will be approved for the offer.
- apply for a secured credit card. You will have to open a bank deposit. Your credit limit will not exceed the amount of money on the deposit account.
- ask a family member or a friend to be your co-signer. The co-signer will not use your credit card but will be held responsible if you are not able to pay off your debt.
All of them will help you rebuild your credit history. Just choose the option that will work for you.

Good Credit Card Deal: How Should I Look for It?

What is a good credit card deal? It really depends on what you are looking for. Are you interested in instant approval? low interest? 0% APR? cash back?
First of all, consider your FICO score. Apply only to those deals that are meant for the kind of credit history you have. Take a close look at those top deals offered by specialized websites. These site are created for your convenience by professionals so you can use their knowledge to make the right decision. They also give you an opportunity to compare good deals offered by many banks unlike an official bank site.
Study the conditions carefully. It also helps to ask a friend or a relative to read the terms. Two heads are better than one!

Truth About Credit Cards

There has been a lot of talking about 'the truth' about credit cards. Why do banks lend you money for free? Why are banks so willing to give money to just about anyone? Who is paying the additional expenses accrued to the product's price when the retailer accepts credit card payment?
I can never know 'the truth' but here's what I think:
Banks want to give you money because they hope that you will screw up and they will charge you extra fees. Take any low interest deal, for example, a Chase bank offer for excellent and good credit. The default APR is more than twice as high as the ongoing APR. The late payment fee is $15.
And what about additional expenses? All of them are simply included in the price. Like any other expenses. There is nothing to do about it.
Bottom line: banks want to make money one you but you can avoid it by managing your account wisely.

My Dog

You shouldn't think that I am just a financial freak. There are many other things I enjoy. And one of them is spending time with my dog.
My dog is a sweet girl with beautiful eyes. Her name is Diva and she is a German Shepard. She is four but she is still a baby. It's a very big dog and that's what I especially like about her. It's like having a huge toy because she lets me whatever I want - use her as a floor-pillow, take a bone out of her mouth, etc.
Today she got in trouble. She stole and ate more than 3lb of meat! She ate it all! I don't feel sorry for the meat I just don't want her to get into a hospital. I haven't called a veterinarian yet, she seems to be quite cheerful. We'll see.

Online Application - Part II.

I have come across another article on the issue of online credit card application and management. Here are the major services online banking offers:
- Electronic bill payment
- Investment
- Account balance and history
- Credit card and loan applications and transactions
- Account aggregation which enables you to watch all your accounts in one place
- Bank statements, sometimes integrated with personal finance programs, such as Quicken etc.
- Funds transfer between the customer's savings and checking accounts
The article also gives some inspiring statistics:
"Latest survey showed that the percentage of people using online banking for credit card applications and other transactions increased more than twice since 2001 and goes on growing. At the same time, banking industry is expected to spend $248,1 bln this year on IT including hardware and software, IT services and telecommunications. That means each bank will have its online banking service every customer should be able to use."
So, I guess, there is no way to avoid using online banking service and no real reason to fear it.

Online Credit Card Application: Pros and Contras

More and more people apply for credit cards online. But there is a great discussion whether it is reasonable or not. The biggest pro is the convenience that special credit card sites offer. The main contra is the security issue.
Lets examine the process of applying for a credit card online. To be more objective we'll compare the two sites www.credit-card-online-offer.com and www.apply-online-credit-card.info.
Both sites provide you with basic information about credit cards. It's not very detailed but at least you can figure out the kind of credit history you have (if you know your score, of course, but if you don't there is the 'apply for a free credit report' option.
Then you need to consider the left navigation area. If you are looking for a specific type of reward credit cards choose the corresponding option. But in order to make the right decision you need to know exactly what for you need this card. Consider having several cards for different purchases: a gas card, a frequent flyer card , etc.
consider all the deals carefully. Make a separate chart and calculate everything.Always read the details.
You can also compare credit card offers by banks but I think this makes less sense than comparing credit cards by reward types.
If you have made up your mind to apply take a close look at the application form. Here comes the security issue. Identity theft is BIG. People feel very insecure applying for a credit card online because they don't want to show their personal information such as address or Social security number. Yes, it's dangerous. But remember that you are vulnerable every time you use your credit card! Nothing ventured, nothing gained! Credit cards are a necessity and getting paranoid won't do much good for you.
So, to apply or not to apply online? I will say apply. When using a good site you are able to get all the information you need, compare the best deals and even ask a question by using the immediate credit card care service. And as for the security issue, as I have said, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

How Bad Is Your Bad Credit?

If you spend sometime at answers yahoo com in the 'Credit' section you will see that most of the questions asked are about bad credit. It seems like most people in this country have problems with their credit score.
What credit is bad credit?
The widely used scale is the FICO system. Here it is:
Excellent Credit - 750-850
Good Credit - 660-749
Fair Credit - 620-659
Poor Credit - 350-619
No credit - 0
So, what is bad credit? I would say that anything below 660 is bad. Of course, fair credit is slightly better than poor credit but it won't allow you to get best credit card deals and will make you pay higher rates and fees for your credit cards.
Why is your credit score so important? Even if are not planning to apply for a credit card there are good reasons to check your credit report regularly. First of all, whenever you decided to borrow money - get a mortgage loan, etc - the lender will consider your credit score. You landlord might be interested in it, too. Even your boss might check your credit report if you are considered for promotion because bad credit history portrays you as an irresponsible person.
Of course, no matter how bad your credit is, you can always get a bad credit credit card . But I will strongly advise to wait and rebuilt your credit history first.

When Choosing a Credit Card

I have just read an article at www.requestcredit.com on what you need to know before applying for a credit card. Well, I think this article needs some explanation.
So, read Credit Card Deal Can Be A Pretty Set Back with me.
Lets start with Credit Terms Required by Law. Truth in Lending basically forces banks to disclose certain credit card information such as
- Finance Charge: the "finance charge" is defined as the cost of credit over the life of the loan, expressed as a dollar amount
- Annual Percentage Rate (APR): the APR is the cost of credit expressed as a percentage.
- Amount Financed: the "amount financed" is also expressed as a dollar amount
- Schedule of Payments: the "schedule of payments" tells you the day of the month, timing, number and dollar amount of payments due over the entire course of the loan
- Total of Payments: the "total of payments" is also expressed as a dollar amount
This information gives the borrower an opportunity to calculate the amount of money they will have to pay back.
For more information on Truth in Lending read Consumer Law: Truth in Lending: What you Must Be Told When Getting a Consumer Loan or Other Consumer Credit
There is also the Consumer Leasing disclosures that can help you compare the cost and terms of one lease with another and with the cost and terms of buying for cash or on credit.
Using a credit card means you are using the so-called 'open-end' credit. So you can use it over and over again till you reach your credit limit. The scheme provided helps you to evaluate the cost of your credit card deal.
Pay attention to the charging methods. They can considerably affect the cost of the credit deal, even for the same pattern of purchases and payments. I would go for the adjusted balance method as the most convenient for the borrower.
Anyway, when choosing a credit card you must consider all the terms and make sure that they will allow you to pay your credit back.

The Great Beginning

I got my first credit card when I turned twenty-one. Since I don't drink alcohol that became the final act of my initiation into adulthood. I felt the responsibility. I actually felt it was a burden.
Time has passed (not that much, I'm still young!). Things have changed. And now I know that:

Credit cards are not a burden. They are a challenge!

I love credit cards. Every time I get a cash back reward or make a 0% balance transfer I feel smart. I feel like a person who is able to analyze many different options and make the right decision. I feel like I am more intelligent than people working in banks who make money on immature consumers.
I don't want to offend anyone. I know, there are many people in debt because of some circumstances. But frankly speaking, the main problem is poor financial management. Don't blame the 'evil' credit card companies that make you borrow more money than you can pay back. They don't force you, they offer. The choice is always yours.
I want this blog to be a place where people can find information they need to manage their credit cards wisely, share their experience and have fun!