RSS FeedMac Users Get Scammed, Too
There’s no question that the Internet is a great tool and a modern marvel. It’s made our lives much more convenient and given us the means to broaden our horizons personally, culturally and financially. But as with anything, there are pitfalls that can cause you a lot of trouble if you aren’t aware of how to avoid them.
Falling prey to online scams can, at the very least, render your computer nothing more than an expensive doorstop and at the very worst ruin your personal finances completely. A virus can ruin your hard drive, and identity theft can ruin your bank balance.
There is a popular belief floating around out there that Mac users are not susceptible to online threats, and that PC owners are the ones that really have to worry. This is only partly true. PC owners do have to worry, of course, but Mac users are definitely not immune to the dangers out there on the Internet. For example, studies have shown that Mac users fall prey to phishing scams at around the same rate PC users do. This is because Apple’s browser, Safari, has no phishing protection built in like major PC browsers do.
What’s more, since Mac users are often under the mistaken impression that they don’t need to worry about this stuff, they often do not take it upon themselves to acquire additional software that would protect them from phishing, other scams, and viruses. You still need to take care to never open attachments from people you don’t know, and certainly never give out banking information through email. Your financial institution is never going to email you to ask for your password to “check records,” or anything similar. If you get an email like that, you can safely assume it’s a threat and delete it immediately.
Until Safari’s security features catch up with those of the PC, you may consider using an alternate browser like Opera or Firefox, which offer more protection. If you are a Mac owner, never assume that your Mac is safe just by virtue of being a Mac. Doing so can put your financial health at major risk, not to mention your computer’s health, so keep a careful eye on what you and your family do online to protect yourself, and the Internet will remain a modern marvel instead of a costly monster wreaking havoc on your bank account.
How Much Car Insurance Do You Need?
Insuring your vehicle is not just a legal necessity. It is also just plain good sense. Unfortunately, car insurance is fairly expensive and what a plan does and doesn’t cover isn’t always obvious to the untrained eye. Therefore, to ensure that you the best possible protection for your dollar, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
You do not want to pay for something that’s unnecessary, of course. But how do you determine how much car insurance you really need? Nearly all states require a certain minimum amount of coverage. State minimum coverage is the very least you can get away with while still being able to drive legally, and it is generally the least expensive package to purchase. Least expensive is not always the best idea, though. If something happens, you may find that you’re in a lot of hot water and your state minimum coverage just isn’t enough.
A state minimum plan generally covers personal injury if you should be in an accident, as well as medical costs for your passengers and the other motorists involved in the accident, repair fees, attorney fees, and sometimes even monetary compensation for pain and suffering. The limits on these are often too low to do you any good, though, unless you have a very small income and no assets to speak of. For example, if you find yourself in an accident where you are responsible for the damage done to the other motorist’s car, your minimum coverage might only extend to half the cost of a new car. In order to avoid paying thousands of dollars out of pocket, you should aim for at least $25,000 in property damages coverage.
You’ll also want coverage that will get you a new set of wheels in the event of an accident. How much you decide to get, however, depends on how much your car is worth. If the car is worth under $5000, the insurance payments are likely going to be too high to make it worth it for you. Even if you total that car completely, it’ll be less expensive to just replace it in comparison to the premiums, and if the accident was the other guy’s fault, his insurance is the insurance that’s going to get you taken care of.
All in all, how much car insurance you need depends on how much your car is worth and how much you can afford. Shop around to find the best coverage at the best price, and you’ll feel much safer being out there on the roads.
Get Some Cash with a Garage Sale
Want some extra cash for that boat that you’ve been driving past every time you go into town? Maybe you have your heart set on a band that is going to be doing a concert in your neighboring larger city. What is a fast easy way to get the cash you need to do the things you want? A garage sale! What better way to make some quick money than to have a garage sale. After all, it also cleans out all those things that you don’t use any longer. Garage sales, regardless of your location, have a strong following. People will plan out a full weekend of garage selling. So, know that, if done correctly, you will have customers. A garage sale is also a lot of fun and can bring family and friends together.
Decide where you are going to have the sale. You want a location that is easily accessed. There is nothing worse to a garage sale customer than searching in and out for your location, and then finding that there isn’t anything they are interested in. Stay close to main roads, and make sure that it is a location that allows for easy directions on paper and on the phone.
Now, decide on the items that you are going to be offering in the sale. Go through all of your clothing that you no longer wear, shoes and accessories, furniture, the garage, attic, backyard, and even your office at work. Another great suggestion is to call up other family members and friends to see if they would like to get rid of some things, or if, perhaps, they would like to take part in the garage sale.
Make sure you do plenty of advertising. Take out an ad in the local papers. This should be the news paper as well as shopping papers that allow personal ads. Most of the papers will have a section dedicated to garage sales. Also, search online for sites that allow you to list garage sales. As the market for garage sells continues, it is managing to find its way to the online community.
Lastly, be prepared to have change as most people will be handing you ten and twenty dollar bills. Be prepared for this. Have your space laid out to both look pleasing and full from the road as well as to have a nice easy flow for those walking around the sale.
Understanding Different Types of Savings Accounts
Not all savings accounts serve the same purpose. In that same token, not all savings accounts are setup to cost the same to the account holder. Banks have come a long way, and have developed several types of accounts for their customers. Before you decide what account is best for you, you will want to have an understanding of the basic differences of savings accounts.
A lot of savings accounts will get your attention with flashy amazing interest rates, but that doesn’t mean that the account will continue to offer you what you are looking for in your savings account. Following is a look at a few basic savings account types to help you at least to be more prepared to ask appropriate questions to your banker when you are ready to open your next savings account.
How often are you going to putting money into the account? Is this account going to be receiving deposits on a monthly basis, or just here and there? Some accounts require you to pay a minimum amount each month. Some allow you to remove money whenever you want, and others, not at all until a certain amount of time has taken place. There are 401K’s where you can put a maximum amount away each year, and ideally not access it.
How often are you going to take money out? You can get a great rate of interest, but not usually if you plan to have your hands in it all the time. Can you do this? If you want to have access at any time you will probably have to settle for a lower rate of interest.
What will get out of the account? If you can put money in and not touch it, then a 401K is a great choice because you can get a great rate and get tax free interest as well. A regular savings account will reward you for putting money into the account each month, and standard accounts give you flexibility by letting you start with low amounts, and pay in and withdraw cash whenever you want.
Although, you can’t usually get a fixed interest rate forever, you can get a good rate and usually fix it for up to a year. This gives you a reason to get as much into it in the beginning as possible. These accounts usually limit the amount that you can put into them every month. Ideally, you want to find an account that has no limits, and a high fixed rate or longest term for that rate.
How can I start investing my money?
Investing early on in life is an excellent idea even if you don’t have a great deal of spare money lying around. Small investments now can literally turn into big cash over a stretched period of time especially if you take the necessary precautions to insure your strategy is rock-solid and designed to offer maximum return as the years go by.
When it comes to investing the secret is to start at an early age. Most beginner investors want to know exactly how much money is required to start investing and become somewhat surprised to learn that the amount can be as little as $100 per month. Where to start depends on each individual but perhaps a good alternative, especially if don’t have much to start off with, might be to take a look at mutual funds. There are many different mutual funds to choose from although you will have to do some research to discover one that suites your individual needs. The internet is the perfect place to start since there are literally thousands of sites completely dedicated to helping beginners get to grips with investing in mutual funds. If what you are interested in is stocks, you might want to take a look at online brokerage services. Accounts are normally free with trading fees and commissions averaging around $7 per trade. This alternative gives you total control over your investments while also providing you with a convenient solution that can be accessed from the convert of your home. Saving money to apply on a savings account or invest in a retirement plan is also an investment and an exceptional one if acquired at an early age. This might not be the most exiting alternative but the benefits you will reap when the time comes to retire are remarkable especially since there are no risks associated. Your money will grow no matter what.
Investing is all about self control and knowing how to minimize overheads. Cutting down on superfluous expenses, paying off debt and reducing fixed monthly bills are some of the fasted ways to save money. Your main objective should be to maximize investments so that when the time comes to take things easy, you will have a nice nest egg in which to rely on. In conclusion, remember that every little crumb counts towards reaching your ultimate goal, so think clear of how you spend of your money.
Saving Money When Going Back To School
There are definitely some costs involved in going back to school. Whether you are a college student, a parent of one child, or a parent of six children, you all have to face the costs, and effort of going back to school. There are school supplies that need to be purchased. School clothes are usually on the list regardless of your age. If you are attending college, be prepared to shell out big bucks for school books. If you are a mother of teenagers, be ready for all the latest in fashion, from manicures, hair cuts, hottest and usually expensive hair care products, and only the coolest accessories. While some of these costs are completely avoidable, others are not. The ones that are, like hot haircuts and cool accessories, don’t have to be as expensive as they usually are.
First of all if you are a college student, forget tuition! The price of books, alone, is enough to make you choke! Here is some great advice. Once you get registered for your classes, take your schedule to the bookstore at your campus. The bookstore can provide you with a list of all the required, as well as suggested books, available for your course. If the list doesn’t come with the book number, you can ask for that as well. With this information, you are able to go home and visit online sites that offer school books from other users at discounted prices.
When it comes to paying for school supplies, be ready to load your shopping cart down. But here is a tip. After you get your list, before going to the store, pull out all of your arts and crafts at home, along with your child’s school supplies from the previous year. You would be surprised with how little you will have to buy after you gather what you already have. What you do have to buy, make a visit the dollar store first. Then, try some of the larger stores.
All kids are going to want to look cool for school. First of all, take advantage of tax free weekends for both supplies and clothing. After that, make a day of “primping” for school. Take your kids to the salon for new hair cuts. Don’t go to the high end salons. Just a regular shampoo and cut is fine. While there, mention to the stylist that you are going to let the children color their hair, and ask for recommendations. Most stylists don’t mind suggesting store bought products. Be careful, and only do this if you’re comfortable with it. Also, run by the store and let your girls get manicures together. Make a party of it to include hair, nails, and face masks. It saves tons on going to get everything done by a professional, and can really help your kids and you bond before school starts.
Prevent Your Rent from Increasing
It is not uncommon for a tenants rent to increase by a certain percentage at the end of their lease. Whether you signed a six month lease or even an 18 month lease, rent will usually go up by the end of the lease. More often upon a six month leases’ end, rent will go up less than at the end of an 18 month lease. This isn’t always true, but it is common. If a tenant requests to remain a tenant on a month to month basis, this usually ends up being an even higher monthly increase. There are, however, a few things you can do that might gain you a different outcome. Usually, A++ tenants are hard to come by. If a landlord manages to get a perfect tenant in his property, he will usually bend over backwards to keep them. There have been occasions where a tenant actually goes month to month for several months with no rental increase at all. This is because the landlord was so satisfied with his tenant that he hoped to keep them longer by not increasing rent.
So, what are some of the ways to gain A++ status with your landlord? The first is so simple: pay your rent in advance. Pay at least one to one and a half weeks in advance. This will automatically make you stick out in the landlords mind. You would be surprised how much trouble a landlord goes through to collect rent.
Do repairs for free. They don’t have to be major repairs, but every time a tenant calls the landlord about a leaky faucet, the landlord usually has to pay large amounts to get a repair man out there, unless he covers it himself. Fixing a leaky faucet is simple. If you do fix a lead, replace a door hinge, spackle a hole in the wall, or any other small repair, send a friendly note with your payment. Be sure to include a smiley face, and never ask for compensation.
When you do small projects like these, don’t forget to send it in a note. Ask the landlord, on occasion, if there are some small projects that he would like help with. Ask him if he would like to get paint, so you can do the painting for him. If he has the lawn taken care of, surprise him, and let him know that does not have to pay for this month’s lawn care service, because it was a autumn day, and you took care of it for him.
By the time your lease is up, this landlord will be ready to do what it takes to keep you in the property. While this is not a guaranteed method of keeping your rent low, it sure helps, gives you a great reference, and definitely makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Get Your Car Sold Fast?
Too many people decide to sell their vehicles, and not do it the right way. Many things can go wrong when you decide to sell your car. You can list it in the wrong places, not prep it to be sold, or even not have a clue as to how much you should ask. Car buying is very completive, and you are not just competing against other individual sellers, but also hundreds of car lots that have professional sales people to sell the car. To top things off, with the boom of the internet, car buyers are now buying most of their cars online. If they do not purchase the car online, the interest is usually originates online. Read on for some car selling tips that will keep you on top of the game, and get your car sold quickly and easily.
First, and MOST important, don’t plan to sell a messy car. It just isn’t in your best interest. Clean it out. Take a trash bag and get rid of all the things that you don’t need to have in the car. Then place the things that you do need in the car, in an uncluttered, organized way. Dust, wipe, and vacuum the entire thing. Take it to a car wash. If you want to make sure the car looks its best, you can also invest in a detail shop. They do an amazing job that is sometime hard to beat.
When you car is ready for presentation, it’s time to let the world know it is out on the market. You need to advertise this is many ways. The first, and easiest, is the location of the car itself. If you are driving it on a daily basis, that is great, but do make sure you have for sale signs on all four sides of the car. Make sure the signs list all the features of the car (nice and neatly), and also list two good phone numbers, not just one. Make sure that you have researched your price, and it is priced competitively for its condition.
If you plan to park your car to be sold, chose a very busy highway. Ask yourself if there is anywhere you can park it that it might be seen more. If not, then you chose the perfect location.
Now, advertise in the paper. Make sure you get the car in the newspaper as well as the local shopping papers. Be descriptive of the car, and when you are done, ask yourself if you would be intrigued enough to call about it. Again, list two phone numbers.
Overdraft Protection: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
“Overdraft protection” is a seemingly benign feature your bank likely provides to you with your checking account. With overdraft protection, if you spend more money than your checking account has funds to cover, the bank will allow the purchase and your account balance then goes into the hole. Consequently, your rent check might not bounce if you don’t have the money to cover it. The bank then charges you an overdraft fee for helping you out.
On the surface, that doesn’t sound too bad. After all, if the check you wrote for the electric bill bounces, then you incur a fee from them, still owe the original amount of the payment, incur a fee from your bank, and run the risk of having the utility shut off for non-payment. With overdraft protection in place, the check will clear and you will only incur the bank’s fee.
In that situation, overdraft protection is useful. If you don’t regularly make a habit of overspending, then the help the protection provides on occasion for accidents like that is worth the fee your bank charges. The problem comes in when you have a debit card attached to your account. Most overdraft fees are charged due to debit card purchases, and the majority of them are for small amounts – meaning the amount you went in the hole is often much less than the fee itself. Banks make money off of you in this way, because they don’t deny your purchases with the debit card, even if they’re just digging you deeper and deeper into the hole without you realizing it.
The average overdraft charge in America is 34 dollars. By your purchases not being denied for insufficient funds, you could theoretically rack up several overdraft fees in one day before you even realize your balance is below zero. Furthermore, if you do not deposit more money right away to get yourself back out of the hole, your bank may also charge you additional fees per day until you do, and it can get very expensive.
Overdraft protection can be very useful, when used sparingly and for emergencies only. To avoid falling into the overdraft trap, make sure you are aware of your bank’s policies and keep a close eye on your bank balance so a 5 dollar latte doesn’t end up costing you 40 dollars. It’s also often possible to opt out of the overdraft program, having your bank be set to deny a purchase if there are insufficient funds. If you don’t want to opt out entirely, you can also often attach another bank account that you can draw from automatically if one runs out of money. A little vigilance will save you from costly mistakes.
The Importance of Estate Planning
No one likes to think about it, but we all know that at some point, we will pass away. When we do, we will likely leave family behind, and because of that, it is extremely important to have some estate planning in place well before anyone is in a position to need it. Regardless of your net worth – whether it’s a few hundred dollars or a few million – you need an estate plan to make sure your loved ones are taken care of to the best of your ability.
Basic estate plans generally contain three different parts: a will, a designation of power of attorney, and a designation of medical power of attorney/living will. There are federal laws governing these things, as well as individual state laws depending on where you live, so you will likely want to consult an attorney to make sure your estate plan is compliant with all applicable legal guidelines.
To get started putting your estate plan together, you need to take stock of your assets. Your assets include any real estate, insurance plans, savings, investments and anything else of that nature. The will in your estate plan outlines what you want to have done with your assets after you die, so you must then consider whom you want to have inherit your assets. If it is more than one person that will inherit them, then you must consider how they should be divided among those people.
Wills are not simply for allocating your assets, though. If you have children, then your will is also the place to outline who should take care of your children after you pass away. Setting this out clearly well before it’s something that’s necessary will ensure your children are taken care of, which is one main reason that estate planning is so very important, regardless of how much your estate is worth monetarily. Dying intestate – without a will – can create conflict within your family and means you have less say over what you want done after you’re gone.
Dying isn’t a subject most of us care to think about, especially when we’re young, but having a basic estate plan in place is the responsible thing to do, particularly if you have children. The plan will ensure that your assets are divided in the way you want them to be, and that your family and loved ones are taken care of after you’re gone, which is something we all need whether we’re rich or poor.
