Posts Tagged ‘second job’

Mortgage Interest Rates Start To Change

Saturday, June 6th, 2009

Mortgage rates are changing – what should you do?

There was big news within the mortgage industry recently as interest rates finally went back below 6%. The reaction was mixed, but the rate did prompt many people to rush to refinance their homes. For those that are stuck with variable rate mortgages, the current situation in the housing market has been volatile to say the least and many consumer advocates have been pushing the need to refinance if at all possible.

This has not been easy for many, especially since interest rates were quite high until this week. Every small drop helps however and the current resurgence for refinances could help bolster the struggling housing market. While much damage has been done, there is still light at the end of the tunnel, despite the decision to take over Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, two of the US’s biggest lenders.

While there is hope for some borrowers, those in a subprime position may not find it easy to refinance their homes, in spite of the drop in rates. Banks are shying away from this sub-set of borrowers and the specter of foreclosure still looms for many. For those that are unable to refinance, there are steps that can be taken to avoid foreclosure, but they must be taken quickly.

The first step is to determine how to free up enough cash to handle increased mortgage payments. For those that did not plan ahead for a switch to a variable rate, the shock of a much higher payment was a rude awakening. Although thousands knew that their fixed rates were only short term, there was a general lack of awareness of how this would affect them personally.

If you have been switched to a variable rate mortgage and are struggling to make your payments, foreclosure does not need to be the first option. In many cases, the difference in payments can be as small as $50, or as high as several hundred dollars. For those that are living above their means, simply curtailing some additional expenses can free up the funds necessary to make those higher payments.

Other options include getting a second job on a temporary basis until the rates do drop to a point where payments become livable again. For those that do not have the time for this option, selling a car, or other household items may be the best solution.

Today’s news was heartening to many and does show that rates may be on the way back down, at least temporarily. If you can get a refinance plan on a home loan, taking action now may be beneficial. If you cannot seek this type of assistance however there still are plenty of other options available that can help you keep your home, until the economic outlook brightens again. Housing changes and rate fluctuations are normal, and riding out the storm is typically the best solution.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2020-10-07 05:12:06. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Posted in Interest Rates, Money, Mortgage, Personal Finance, Second Job | 2 Comments »

3 Ways to Increase Your Cash Flow

Friday, June 5th, 2009

If you’re finding it difficult to get by, one of the easiest ways to combat this issue is by increasing your monthly cash flow. While you may not be able to make a huge difference right away, slowly building up the amount of money that you have coming in, building secondary income streams can have a dramatic effect on your finances over time. There are many different ways that you can increase your cash flow, and although each person’s situation is different there are some universal concepts you can apply to help you increase how much money you have coming in every month.

Start your own personal business.

1. The first place to start is with your job.

If you’re up for a raise, don’t be shy about asking for it. If you can work a few extra hours and make some overtime, go for it. This is probably the easiest way to get a little extra cash flowing in every month. While it may not make you a millionaire over night, getting some extra take home pay can free up your finances a bit and make it easier to get to your next paycheck.

Before you jump in however, you’ll have to remember the basic problem of overspending so you can avoid this issue. Getting paid more is not a license to run out and start spending more money. This is however the perfect opportunity to get more cash coming in that can be used for savings or to keep current on your bills.

2. Consider opening your own business.

If you have a skill that you can exploit for more income, this is the perfect answer to help increase your cash flow. Whether you are good at fixing cars, watching children or even cooking, there is a huge market for this kind of work. Pay attention to the needs of your local community and then see how you can help fill them with your expertise. Obtain a loan through Loanio to jumpstart your business.

You can also get a second job, at least temporarily, especially if money is particularly tight. This is a fast way to increase your cash flow, even if it does require more work on your part.

3. Set up some safe investments.

Creating multiple streams of income is always a good idea, and if you have some safe investments you can make that won’t put your finances in jeopardy, this is a very easy way to increase your cash flow and help you build up extra income that you can rely on for many years to come. Investments or annuities can be very useful when you’re caught short, and the money they bring in can easily be put to good use.

You don’t have to struggle to make ends meet if you don’t want to. Simply taking the time to build up your cash flow can produce terrific results and give you the peace of mind of knowing that you do have alternatives out there to reduce your reliance on your normal paycheck.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2020-10-06 16:16:35. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Posted in Extra Income, Investments, Money, Personal Finance, Raise, Second Job, Small Business | No Comments »

4 Ways To Get Out of Debt

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

Earn some extra money – hold a yard sale.

For thousands of people, the specter of debt is an all too real problem that affects not only their financial life, but the rest of their lives as well. However, there are steps that can be taken to get yourself out of debt, reasonably quickly, despite how much you owe. While the length of time needed to pay off those debts may vary, taking action as quickly as possible can help prevent debt from mounting up further. Let’s take a look at four easy ways that you can get out of debt, starting today.

1. Negotiate with Creditors and Consolidate.

Many creditors are willing to negotiate with you, especially if you have had a good payment history with them. The worst thing they can tell you is no, so it definitely pays to take the time to see if you can’t work out a better arrangement. Credit card companies, for example, will often reduce the interest, or they may be willing to take a partial lump sum on the balance.

If you are unsuccessful in negotiating your debts down yourself, you may want to consider consolidation by working with a reputable debt consolidation or debt relief organization. There are some questionable ones out there, so do your homework and be careful.

Finally, and arguably the best approach, is to get a lower interest rate loan (see #4) that will allow you to zero out your other debt and leave you with one simple monthly payment.

Consolidating your monthly payments and lowering the overall amount of interest you owe can have a dramatic effect on your finances.

2. Get a second job.

If you truly want to get out of debt quickly, one of the best ways is simply to get a second job until the debt has been paid off. You can funnel everything you make from your second job into paying off your debts and get them taken care of in short order. A second job doesn’t have to mean slaving away at McDonalds however.

You may be able to find ways of earning extra income from other avenues, such as leveraging your abilities to find work in your community, or by starting your own business to help you make enough money to pay off your debts in less time.

3. Reduce your junk.

Holding a yard sale may be a slower way of paying down your debt, but there are many ways that you can turn your household items into cash that can in turn be used to pay off your debts. You can sell items on Ebay, put ads in the paper and find people that are interested in buying your possessions. Depending on what you own, you may be able to quickly sell off everything to take care of your debts.

You may also want to consider cutting back on extraneous expenses, getting a cheaper car, and finding other ways to save money. With what you have left over, you can start using it to pay off your debts until you are completely caught up. Don’t let your debt control your life. You can find ways to get it paid off – and quickly.

4. Debt Consolidation via Loanio

Loanio is now open for for business! You could post a loan request there asking for a lower rate and then pay off your higher interest debts.

Loanio is an auction based, peer lending platform where individuals can borrow or lend money to each other. By cutting out “traditional lenders,” and adding an auction based element, borrowers can get lower rates and lenders can get higher returns than other banking options. Give it a try!Borrow money with Loanio.

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Originally posted 2020-10-03 16:40:17. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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7 Budgeting Examples

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

Remember to budget for travel, holidays, birthdays, and more as you find necessary.

When it comes to budgeting examples, one of the best things that you can do is to look at a successful budget and draw from it to establish your own. Everyone has a different idea of what makes a good working budget, and your budgeting examples need to be unique to your needs and wants if you want to get the most out of them. Here are some tips for creating working budgeting examples that will allow you to manage your money more wisely than before.

1 – Keep yourself busy after work in order to keep from overspending.

If you prevent yourself from overspending, then staying within your budget, so make sure to practice this. Find something else to do, like getting a fun second job, going back to school, volunteering, or getting into shape. The more you find to do, the less you will end up spending in the long run.

2 – Watch out for miscellaneous categories.

Make sure that you use well defined categories in your budget to capture how you are actually spending your money. If you put too much money into a miscellaneous category, it will make it significantly harder for you to track what you are spending, and it will make it significantly harder to control your spending in the process.

3 – Determine the difference between wanting and needing.

If you did not know that you needed it, you probably still do not need it. Do not buy things because they are on sale, or because you may eventually need them. If you didn’t want them or need them before they showed up on sale, then do you really need them?

4 – Budget for special occasions when forecasting your expenses.

Include gift giving occasions, eating out occasions, birthdays, anniversaries, traveling, and holidays among others. If you plan on spending money on any of these occasions, then you need to remember to include them in your budget for the best results.

5 – Do not use forms of debt to eliminate other forms of debt.

Taking out a consolidation loan may seem like a good idea, but doing this to pay off other debt is ludicrous. Why create new debt to eliminate old debt? Try consulting free debt counselor groups rather than paying in the long run with a pricey debt consolidation loan.

6 – Budget your time as well as your money.

Time is money; we have all heard this phrase. Well spent time can be just as big an investment as investing money. Take a few moments every day to figure out how you can save on bills by researching lower rates or cutting out unnecessary services. This is time spent that is well worth it.

7 – Keep track of your expenses daily to keep better control over your money.

Call your bank’s automated teller or check your online statement and get your banking settled before you go to bed. It only takes about ten minutes but it works wonders for your budget and making sure you have the money that you think you do.

Photo Credit: 1

Originally posted 2020-12-29 05:58:49. Republished by Old Post Promoter

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Posted in Loanio, Money, Overspending, Personal Budget Planning, Personal Finance | No Comments »