ALLENTOWN — With a sizable chunk of its business invested in its British Western Power Distribution subsidiary, PPL Corp. executives explained Wednesday how they plan to cope with the country's increasingly bumpy exit from the European Union, known as the Brexit.Based in downtown Allentown, PPL is the region's largest employer. It became the sole owner of Western Power Distribution in 2002, and In 2011, it expanded its British holdings by purchasing the United Kingdom-based [...]
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الأربعاء، 12 أكتوبر 2016
APCP POA donates $500 to Coolbaugh Township Fire Company
A Pocono Country Place POA recently made a donation of $500 to the Coolbaugh Township Fire Company.On behalf of the fire company, accepting the check, was Lieutenant Tomas Keane, John Catalano, fire police, future fireman Brendan Keane and Cathleen M. Dunn, APCP community manager.The association recognizes the commitment to the association members at large and appreciates all of their assistance when the call of need comes.
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Source Business - poconorecord.com http://ift.tt/2dXFuND
21 States That Guarantee You Paid Time Off to Hit the Polls on Election Day
This should be a Snapple fact: Some states (21 states, to be precise) guarantee registered voters paid time off to hit the polls.
That’s pretty awesome.
And thanks to VotePlz.org, you can find out if you fall into this category in about 0.3 seconds.
How To Know If You Get Paid Time Off To Vote
VotePlz.org is a nonprofit organization that aims to provide you with the information you need to get out there and vote. Basically, you have no more excuses. Register here.
The site has a nifty tool that tells you if your state guarantees paid time off for voting. All you have to do is type in your email address and zip code.
I typed in my information and got this response: “Florida is one of 22 states that does not guarantee time off to vote — the other 29 all do!”
Gee, thanks, Florida.
However, the site still let me know polling stations are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. And if I can’t make those hours? It links me to where I can sign up to vote early or request an absentee ballot.
Pretty neat, right?
Will You Get Paid to Take Time Off and Vote?
You can find all the information you need at VotePlz.org, but here’s the rundown:
- States that guarantee paid time off to vote: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming
- States that allow voters unpaid time off to vote: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts and Wisconsin
- States that don’t guarantee employees can take time off to vote: Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia and Vermont
- States that have bailed on the old system and adopted a vote-by-mail process: Colorado, Oregon and Washington
Does your state stink as much as mine? (Just kidding, Florida!) Or are you lucky enough to get paid to hit the polls?
Either way, we better see you there!
Your Turn: How will you hit the polls this election season?
Carson Kohler (@CarsonKohler) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. After recently completing graduate school, she focuses on saving money — and surviving the move back in with her parents.
The post 21 States That Guarantee You Paid Time Off to Hit the Polls on Election Day appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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The 11 Best Short Term Investments For Your Money
I have $65,000 that I need to invest but I want to make more than the bank is offering. Where can get a high return on a short-term investment with limited risk?
<Sigh.>
This exact question was asked of me just the other day.
You would be surprised how often I get asked something similar. It has definitely been more times than I can count!
We’re in an eventful time where the stock market is behaving like a schizophrenic and interest rates are at record lows – again. (I’ve refinanced my house twice!)
Low mortgage rates are great, but how do you actually make money fast in the short-term?
In such an unstable market, short term investing may be a safer alternative for investors. Short-term investing allows investors to invest their money, whether that be investing 10,000 or investing 100,000, with little or no risk, while knowing their money is not going to be tied up for long periods of time.
The typical short-term investment is expected to grow for several months, or a few years, and can be turned into cash or other short term investments when they reach maturity. (In the investing world, “long term” investments are really long term — often decades — which leaves room for short-term investments that can still last several years.)
Before I share the best short-term investments for your money, I first want to share where not to put your money: the stock market.
This can mean individual stocks, mutual funds, ETF’s – whatever. If you know you need the money back in the short-term, the stock market is the last place you need to be.
Even if you think the market is down or your eyeballing a stock that has recently spiked lower than usual – it’s not worth it.
Too much can happen in the short-term that can wipe out your principal with little time recover.
Peer to Peer Lending
Peer-to-peer lending websites allow investors to broaden their investment portfolio by spreading out the investments and reducing their risk. These websites work as tools to connect investors to qualified consumers in need of a loan and allow investors to become the bank, providing a small percentage of multiple borrowers’ loans. Investors purchase notes and receive a monthly income in the form of loan repayment and interest. In the end, this can easily be a win-win for everyone involved.
1. Lending Club
Lending Club sets the interest rate on notes based on specific credit criteria. And since they only accept desirable borrowers, they dramatically reduce the risk for default and potential losses for the lenders. Lenders may start out small and increase the amount of money they are willing to lend as their confidence in the company grows. Lending Club offers loans from a few hundred dollars to over $10,000; how much you should invest depends on the level of risk you’re comfortable with as well as your investment timeline.
Here’s a video that walk you through the Lending Club investment process. You can also see my review post on Lending Club.
2. Cash Back Rewards Offers
Although investing $65,000 has little to do with credit card rewards, we wanted to include this tip from our resident credit card expert, Holly Johnson. If you really want to earn some easy money in the short-term, Johnson says “credit card rewards can offer epic returns with almost no effort on your part.”
While pursuing rewards may not automatically come to mind when you think of short-term investments, the signup bonuses credit cards offer can actually be extremely lucrative. However, your “earnings” will be based on your spending instead of the dollars you invest.
Here’s how it works: Let’s say you signed up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® card in order to score the huge signup bonus. The current offer will award you with 50,000 points worth $500 after you spend $4,000 on the card with 90 days. And since the $95 annual fee is waived the first year, you can earn this bonus without paying anything out of-pocket to do so. Are you with me so far?
To make the most of an offer like this one, you’ll want to meet the minimum spending requirement with stuff you were going to buy anyway. Think groceries, gas, and your regularly monthly bills. Then you’ll simply pay off your card right away to avoid credit card interest. It’s as simple as that.
The thing is, there are so many ways you can spend 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points. For example, you could book $625 in travel through the Chase travel portal – that’s more than enough for a round-trip flight! Conversely, you could turn in those same 50,000 points for a $500 statement credit or $500 in gift cards.
And if the minimum spending requirement of $4,000 is a little high for you, here is another offer that makes it easy to get a lot of “bang for your buck”:
Chase Freedom Unlimited℠ – The Chase Freedom Unlimited℠ is a new Chase card that nearly anyone could benefit from. By signing up, you’ll earn a flat 1.5% back on every dollar you spend. Plus, you’ll earn a sweet $150 signup bonus after spending just $500 on your card within the first 90 days of card ownership. Best of all, this card doesn’t charge an annual fee, either. So, at the end of the day, the signup bonus and ongoing rewards are free for the taking – and with no risk on your part.
Read about cards that offer up to 6 percent cash back at CompareCards.com.
Short-Term Investment Account Options
Here’s what you need to know about the various short-term investment accounts available to you:
3a. Online Savings Accounts
Want to guarantee your investment will not lose any money while at the same time generating a little bit of a return? The online high yield savings accounts are a great fit for that goal.
In using this account for short term, investing you’ll get:
- Guarantee to never lose principal on your investment as long as you keep your total deposit at the bank below FDIC coverage of $250,000. Deposit your money and walk away knowing that it will be there when you’re ready to cash out.
- A small, risk-free return on your investment. Current interest rates are very low, and those low returns mean you won’t earn a lot of interest for the time being. For now, it won’t be enough to keep up with inflation. However, online savings accounts do offer a risk-free return you will never have to lose sleep over.
- High liquidity. Most of the high quality online banks allow 6 withdrawals per month from savings accounts. In other words, you can generally cash out your funds at any time without much hassle or expense involved. Meanwhile, you won’t have to worry about forking over part of your profits to sell your investment since it is safely tucked away in a low-risk savings account.
In using this account for short term investing you’ll miss out on:
- Potential higher returns from other types of investments. Since online savings accounts aren’t offering the best interest rates right now, you could potentially do better by putting your money elsewhere. However, that would require more risk, too, which is something you’ll want to avoid when it comes to short-term investing.
Not sure where to start? The best online savings accounts are available at online banks like Capital One 360.
3b. Online Checking Accounts
Just like online savings accounts, an online checking account can also serve short-term investment needs. You get many of the benefits of an online savings account with even more liquidity because the number of withdrawals isn’t limited. Since you would be storing your money in a checking account rather than a savings account, you do take a hit on the interest rate. Unfortunately (or fortunately!) interest rates are so low that the difference isn’t as significant as it could be. In using this account for short-term investing you’ll get:
- A guarantee to never lose principal on your investment as long as you keep your total deposit at the bank below FDIC coverage of $250,000.
- A small, risk-free return on your investment. Current online checking interest rates are very low. You probably won’t earn enough to keep up with inflation, but it is a risk-free return.
- Extremely high liquidity. You get unlimited withdrawals via transfer, debit card, or ATM use with online checking accounts. Get your money out at any time without paying a fee as long as you use a no-fee ATM.
- A hassle-free investment – Even though you don’t earn a lot of interest with this strategy, you won’t have to endure much of a hassle, either. Opening an online checking account is a fairly painless process that won’t stress you out or take up too much of your time.
In using this account for short-term investing you’ll miss out on:
- Potential higher returns from other types of investments, including savings accounts if you don’t need daily access to the money. When you park your money in a checking account, you miss out on higher returns elsewhere.
Looking for an online checking account? Check out the best online checking accounts currently available from EverBank and Capital One 360.
4. A Roth IRA
I know what you’re thinking, “Jeff, the Roth IRA is NOT an investment.” Trust me, I totally get it. But let me explain why one of my favorite retirement accounts also can work as a short term investing account. With all other types of retirement accounts — from 401ks to Traditional IRAs — you get hit with an early withdrawal penalty and income tax if you withdraw funds before retirement .
The Roth IRA is different. Since you fund your Roth with after-tax income, you are free to withdraw any contributions (not earnings on those contributions) at any time you want. It isn’t recommended because you would much rather the money stay invested, but it does give you the option to set money aside for retirement now but withdraw it if times got tough. I have seen far too many people not save enough for retirement, and pay heavily for it in their later years, which is why I came up with some great ways to save money for your reference! Funding your Roth IRA allows to get a huge head start on this. In using this account for short term investing you’ll get:
- The ability to withdraw funds. Transfers take a few days and you may have to sell investments at inopportune times in order to cash out. However, the fact that you can take your actual contributions out without a penalty does stand out as a huge benefit.
- Potentially higher rates of return. With a Roth IRA, you get access to other types of investments like mutual funds, ETFs, and bonds to earn a higher rate of return. If the market does well while dollars are invested, you can secure healthy returns and profit from your investment.
In using this account for short term investing you’ll miss out on:
- Risk-free returns. When you invest your money into stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs you are accepting risk for a potentially higher return.
- FDIC coverage. If your brokerage fails you will be able to file a claim with SIPC coverage, but it won’t cover investment losses — just losses from the failure of your broker. (That’s why it is so important to find a great place to open your Roth IRA.)
Just remember, if you think you need you’re money in the short-term, avoid the stock market for now. If you realize that part of the money can now go towards retirement, then you can shift it over. Think opening a Roth IRA is complicated? We’ve told you the best places to open a Roth IRA in the past. Brokerage firms like Scottrade and E*Trade are great and also have lots of options to choose from.
In summary, a Roth IRA can provide a solution for individuals who crave the potential for higher returns but want the ability to withdraw their contributions if the really needed to.
Definitely check out our reviews we have for your reference on great investing options:
5. Money Market Account
Money Markets are currently paying a very close APY to one year CD’s. Investors familiar with the discipline of owning a CD can earn a similar return with a Money Market and still have immediate access to their funds.
Money Market accounts provide depositors with ATM cards, checks and deposit slips. Money Market accounts are based on the account balance, not the length of time you invest your money. When CD rates begin to rise, clients can move their money from the Money Market without paying a penalty for early withdrawal.
All of these factors combined are why many people consider money market accounts as a type of “savings account on steroids.” While there isn’t much risk involved, you can potentially secure a higher rate of return.
Looking for an online bank that does Money Market Accounts? EveryBank is offering some of the best rates.
Short-Term Investment Options
Here are some investments you could use with the above accounts.
6. Short-Term Bond Funds and ETFs
Short-term bond funds are products that are usually only managed by a professional financial advisor. Bonds are not as stable as money markets, but they do offer the potential to earn a higher yield. These bonds are a product of the market and will pay out according to the market’s current condition in fluctuating monthly payments. Short-term bonds usually mature in terms within 2 years or less, which can make them an ideal choice for investors with that type of timeline. You’ll need a brokerage account like Scottrade or E*Trade to be able to trade bond funds and ETFs.
7. Certificate of Deposits (CD’s)
Banks offer a variety of terms for their deposit accounts, ranging from 3 months to 5 years. Which length of CD will work best for you depends on your timeline and how long you want your investment out of your hands. CD’s allow depositors to invest their cash for a specific length of time. The longer the term of investment, the higher the yield will be. A client wishing to receive monthly interest payments can elect to do so at the time of application. However, most individuals who buy CDs let the interest accrue until the CD matures.
The only downside to a Certificate of Deposit is the fact that, if you need to pull money out before the maturity date, you will pay a fee. The fee is usually equivalent to 3 months worth of interest, and that can take a huge bite out of your earnings. You can get the highest interest rates for Certificates of Deposit at online banks like Compass Bank and Discover Bank.
Short-Term Bonds
There are three main short-term investments within the bond category, and each is one you could consider.
8. 5-Year Treasury Inflation Protected Securities
Treasury Inflation Protected Securities, also known as TIPS, are government bonds that are indexed to inflation. The interest rate on a TIPS is fixed, but the underlying value of the security rises with inflation as measured through the Consumer Price Index.
You might only get 0.5% in interest (paid semiannually), but over 5 years the value of the bond might increase 2.5% per year. The end result is, at the end of the term, your initial investment will be worth as much as it was when you first invested. However, you will earn a small bit of interest on top of it.
You can buy TIPS directly from the government at TreasuryDirect.gov. However, due to TIPS interest being taxable, most investors prefer to invest in a TIPS ETF or mutual fund. To purchase shares of an ETF or mutual fund you will need a brokerage account. Again, Scottrade or E*Trade are good places to start if you want to open a new brokerage account.
9. Municipal Bonds and Corporate Bonds
Municipal bonds are slightly more risky than TIPS and other Treasury investments, yet a majority of municipalities do not default on their bonds. The more significant risk is “interest rate risk.” In a low interest rate environment, if rates rise in the marketplace, the value of the bond decreases to compensate.
If you could get 4% on a municipal bond today, that’s a great return. But if rates go up and your bond loses 6% of its value, you’re suddenly on the losing side of the equation. However, the decrease in the value of the bond only impacts you if you sell before maturity. If you hold the bond to maturity you will get 100% of your initial investment back plus the interest yielded to you.
If you’re looking for short-term investments, you could buy a bond from someone else that was closer to maturity through a major brokerage firm.
Likewise, corporate bonds are even more risky than municipals and Treasury bonds because they are not backed by a state, local, or Federal government. As always, increased risk can mean an increase in your rate of return. The same interest rate risk issue applies to corporate bonds; holding to maturity will eliminate this one piece of risk.
Where to Buy Individual Bonds?
You’ll need a brokerage account like Scottrade or E*Trade to be able to trade individual bonds, bond mutual funds, and bond ETFs.
10. Pay Off High Interest Debt
Looking for a great return on your investment? Pay off your high interest debt. If you have a credit card with a 15% interest rate carrying a $10,000 balance you have an opportunity for a great return on your investment. If you pay off that debt it is like getting a 15% return on $10,000.
There are few investments that will earn the high returns of paying off debt. Not only are you getting a great return on investment, you’re saving money from future costs and bettering your overall financial situation. It’s the ultimate win-win.
You can pay off high interest debt on your own. However, financial tools like Mint can help you manage your finances so you can see what kind of an impact your debt payoff is having.
Even better, you can transfer your high interest balance to a 0% APR balance transfer card to speed up the process. With these offers, you literally transfer your balance from one card to the next in order to score 0% APR for anywhere from 12-21 months. If you’re paying a lot of interest right now, going through with a balance transfer can improve your finances and get you out of debt that much faster.
Bonus Idea – Prosper
Prosper does not set a specific interest rate for borrowers. Instead, the website connects borrowers and lenders through online auction-style bidding. This set-up allows lenders to be more in control of their monthly income since they only accept interest rates they are comfortable with.
Borrowers list their loan and the highest amount of interest they are willing to pay. After that, lenders bid the interest rate down based on the lowest amount of interest they are willing to accept. This feature provides the stability of a predictable, high yield income on the notes.
If you need more info, check out our review post on investing with Prosper.
Have high interest debt? Consider these two offers:
Chase Slate® – The Chase Slate® card offers the best deal for balance transfers on the market. Not only do you get 15 months at 0% APR, but you can transfer balances with no balance transfer fees for the first 60 days. If you’re paying high interest rates on existing debts, consider how much money you could save if you paid no interest for 15 months. You might even be able to use those 15 months to get out of debt for good! Read here to learn more about the Chase Slate® card.
Discover it®- The Discover it® card gives you 18 months with 0% APR. That’s well over a year to pay down your high interest debts without paying interest at all. If you’re struggling to pay down high interest debts, you could save tons of money by transferring your balance and creating a plan to become debt-free once and for all. Read here for more details about the Discover it® card.
The Bottom Line
If you’re looking for a place to sock away some cash for the short-term, don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. Thanks to the constant evolution of the world wide web, you shouldn’t have trouble investing your funds in any number of innovative online platforms.
As I shared above, however, short-term investing is much different than investing for the long haul. When you need to invest your money for only several weeks or months, you don’t want to pour cash into investments that aren’t easy to liquidate, charge fees for withdrawals, or are too risky for the short-term.
How do you invest your dollars for the short-term? Have you ever used one of the strategies listed above?
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Get lost: Saylorsburg maze is a 'wanderful' experience
A crafty young man entered Mazezilla's Corn Maze in Saylorsburg early Saturday morning. He brought something with him, emerged a few minutes later, then left.The same young man showed up an hour later, when the maze opened to the public. This time he had his girlfriend along. The two walked into the maze, and at the first of 10 checkpoints, she found a sign with her name on it. It asked her if she would marry him.“Of course, she said yes,” maze owner and co- [...]
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Source Business - poconorecord.com http://ift.tt/2dkT8v7
How to Choose the Best Mortgage
You’ve found a home you love. That’s great! But for most buyers, it’s only half the battle — next you have to secure a mortgage. The idea of researching loans and rates, talking with lenders about points and other fine-print items, and gathering all the financial documents you’ll need just to apply for a mortgage might seem like a hair-pulling task, but it doesn’t have to be.
By understanding your own needs and taking stock of your situation, you can more easily find a home loan that’s right for you. If you’re wondering how to choose the best mortgage, start by asking yourself these three questions:
Question 1: How much can you put down?
You’ll hear “20% down” over and over as you research the home buying process. The reason is that, if you’re able to make a down payment of at least 20% of the home’s price, you’ll enjoy lower interest rates, and you’ll pay little or no private mortgage insurance (PMI). A good-sized down payment essentially protects the lender in case you stop paying your mortgage — in its absence, PMI is a type of insurance that offers lenders that protection instead. PMI can run as high as 1.5% of the entire loan annually — in addition to your loan payments — so it can really add up.
If you have enough cash saved up (or equity in your current home) to put down 20% toward the cost of your new home, and you have very good credit, you can take advantage of a conforming or conventional mortgage. Interest rates on conventional loans are typically among the best you’ll find, and you can avoid the added expense of PMI.
If you can’t afford to put down 20%, or if your credit score isn’t as stellar as you’d like, you don’t have to fret. There are many options still available (especially for first-time home buyers), including the conventional 97 LTV, a loan available through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac requiring as little as 3% down. The nice thing about the conventional 97 LTV loan is that you can use a cash gift toward your down payment, and it’s available to current homeowners as well as first-time home buyers. The downside is that it only applies to 30-year, fixed rate mortgages.
You can also look into a FHA loans, which are backed by the Federal Housing Administration. You can put down as little as 3.5% for this type of mortgage. You may also benefit from reduced closing costs, although your interest rate may then be higher. Two mortgage insurance premiums are required for FHA loans.
Veterans and their families have a great opportunity to purchase a house using a VA loan. You’re not required to put any money down with a VA loan, and you don’t have to pay mortgage insurance. One-time funding fees do apply, but these can be reduced by making a down payment.
Question 2: How long are you planning to stay in the home?
This is perhaps the biggest question you must ask yourself before buying a home — because if you’re only planning to stay somewhere for a couple of years, you’d probably be better off renting in most cases. But how long you intend to stay in your home can also determine which type of mortgage will work best for you: fixed or adjustable rate.
A fixed-rate mortgage is just that — fixed. The rate you agree to when you get your loan is the rate you will pay throughout the life of your mortgage, unless interest rates drop and you decide to refinance your mortgage. The advantage of having a fixed rate is that you know exactly what you’ll be paying now and in the future. This is especially appealing for those who plan to stay in their home for a decade or more. A 30-year, fixed interest rate loan often gets easier to pay the longer you own your house, as both your earnings and price inflation on everything else inch steadily upward, hopefully allowing you to add to your financial wealth.
However, the certainty that a fixed rate affords comes at a small price premium: Adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) typically start out with interest rates that are often about half a percentage point lower than fixed-rate loans. Most ARMs allow you to lock in that low interest rate for a set period of time — typically five or seven years – after which your rate will re-adjust annually based on market conditions, usually with caps on how much it can increase in a given year and overall. So on a 5/1 ARM, for example, you might lock in an enticing interest rate of 2.75% for the first five years, after which it could increase no more than two percentage points a year up to a cap of say, 10%, depending on market rates at the time.
If you sell or pay off your home before those five years are up, none of that matters. So if you’re looking to buy a “starter” home — one you expect to serve you well for about five to 10 years, but fully anticipate outgrowing at some point – an ARM may suit you best, as your rate and payments would likely be much lower those first five to seven years. And if you plan to pay off the house in short order, an ARM is a great way to go. Just remember that, once the initial fixed-rate period ends, you’ll largely be at the mercy of current interest rates – and your monthly mortgage payment could rise dramatically and indefinitely.
Question 3: How much is it really going to cost you?
You’ve figured out your needs and zeroed in on a mortgage that seems just right for you. You’re aware of the current interest rates and whether you’ll be be on the hook for private mortgage insurance. You’re feeling pretty knowledgeable about what will be expected of you financially. Nevertheless, you’d like to know if there are any other costs or obligations on your part. And, naturally, you want to be sure you’re making the best possible decision. That’s where a loan estimate comes in handy.
Within three days of applying for a mortgage, you’ll receive a loan estimate from the prospective lender — this replaces the good faith estimate that was previously used. A loan estimate will give you a clear idea of the interest rate, monthly payment, and closing costs of the loan. Estimates for any property taxes and home insurance you’re responsible for will also be stated. In addition, you’ll see if your mortgage has any special conditions that might positively or negatively affect the loan down the road.
While different lenders may offer you different mortgages and terms, even on the same home – for example, one might lump the closing costs and fees into the loan, so you’re paying for them over 30 years instead of upfront (but, be assured, you’re still paying for them) – the loan estimate is a standard form that all lenders use. That means you can use it to make an apples-to-apples comparison of mortgage offers from multiple lenders. Compare things like closing costs, fees, and the total interest paid over the life of the loan, and decide which mortgage is the best option for you.
Related Articles:
- How to Find the Best Mortgage Rates Right Now
- 10 Tips for First-Time Home Buyers
- Best Mortgage Lenders of 2016
- Five Things You Should Know About Working With a Mortgage Broker
The post How to Choose the Best Mortgage appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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39 Totally Free Ways to Treat Yo Self
A spontaneous weekend getaway.
A fancy dinner out, complete with three courses and two (or four) drinks.
Finally caving on the brand-new dress you’ve been eyeing at the mall.
Clicking “submit” on your Amazon shopping cart, full of wish list items.
Treating yourself is awesome — and important. But it can be expensive.
And since October 13th is Treat Yo Self day, we’re all geared up to celebrate… without betraying our frugal ways.
Don’t worry, we have good news for Penny Hoarders who enjoy the finer things in life: You don’t need to wreak havoc on your wallet to soothe your soul!
We’ve gathered 39 ways to pamper yourself — without spending a dime.
Treat Yo Self — For Free
It turns out the best things in life really are free.
Here are some of our best ideas to get you rolling.
1. Read a Book
When’s the last time you let yourself crack into a good, old-fashioned book?
You know, the kind with a cover and paper pages?
Set aside a few hours to curl up and get lost in one of those 18 titles on your shelf you’ve been meaning to read for years.
2. Write
Grab a pen and let yourself go.
You can journal or write fiction, maybe even try your hand at poetry! No one has to see it if you don’t want.
3. Draw
If words aren’t your thing, take your paper and pencil and just doodle.
Draw what you see around you, or recreate your favorite dream. Make up a new animal or draw someone you love.
The possibilities are endless!
4. Color
With the sudden ubiquity of adult coloring books, you may already have one on your bookshelf. No need to stay within the lines.
Don’t have one of these books? Don’t spend $10 or more: You can get tons of free adult coloring pages online.
5. Cook
Spending time in the kitchen doesn’t have to be a chore.
Really.
In fact, if you take your time and create something new with ingredients you already have, it can be a fun, creative way to treat yourself to something tasty (and maybe even nutritious).
6. Bake
You probably have flour, sugar, butter and eggs. You can make a delicious treat with those four ingredients alone — see?
If you’ve got chocolate chips, peanut butter and vanilla extract, you’re basically looking at a bakery’s worth of mouthwatering options. Hop to!
7. Girl, Put Your Records On
Music changes everything.
Sit and listen to your very favorite album, or check out the new one you’ve been meaning to get to for a while.
Even if you can’t spare the time to just listen, background music upgrades any experience, whether it’s driving, cleaning the house or even having dinner.
8. Dance
If you feel the urge to move while you’re queuing up those tunes… do it!
Grab a hairbrush and sing along, loudly. Dance around your apartment in your underwear.
Stereotypical chick flick material? Yes.
Actually cathartic and awesome? Also yes.
9. Sweat
Even if you don’t feel like it right now, you’re going to feel awesome after you exercise for an hour.
And if you pick the right activity, the exercise itself can even be fun — I promise!
An outdoor run is always free, but if you’re an indoorsy type, check out these great free yoga videos you can find online. There’s lots of other free fitness on the web, too!
10. Soak it Away
If you have a bathtub in your home, you have an instant treat-yo-self machine.
Fill ‘er up, lie back and let your troubles melt away.
If you have a bottle of wine, some candles and a good book, you’ve just amplified the pampering by a power of ten.
11. Wander Aimlessly
Put down the phone. Go to the door. Open it.
Walk around for a while.
Really observe the world around you — the plants growing through the cracks in the sidewalk; the kids playing in the neighbor’s front lawn.
Just make sure you don’t get lost — or at least not too lost.
12. Go Geocaching
If you’re not familiar with geocaching, it’s kind of like a worldwide anonymous scavenger hunt.
Follow others’ hints to find their stashed creations, which might be hidden in remote woods or just outside your front door.
Make your mark, then hide ‘em again to keep the fun going!
13. Enjoy Sunrise, Sunset
They’re beautiful and free, every single day.
Soak in a moment of solitude, or head out to watch the beginning or ending of the day with someone you love.
14. Find Free Stuff in Your City
From museums to community movie nights, there’s most likely a rich menu of 100% free things to do wherever you are!
Check your local newspaper or city website and see what you can get into — without paying a dime.
15. Go Outside
Beach! Mountains! Trees! Oceans!
They’re all free (unless you have to pay to get into the park), and they’re all just outside your four walls.
Go for a hike, swim or climb — or just go sit and listen to the sounds of the world. Either way, you’ll nourish your soul.
16. Sleep Under the Stars
Even if it’s only in your backyard, sleeping under the stars has restorative powers.
But if you already have camping gear, you can take an outdoor overnight anywhere.
Breathe the fresh air while you sleep. Commune with nature. Treat yourself.
17. Try Aromatherapy
Light some scented candles or incense for an instant indulgence.
Put some music on, too, and you’ve seriously upped your home atmosphere game!
18. Have an At-Home Spa Day
You don’t need to go to some fancy beauty parlor and spend a hundred bucks to feel like a hundred bucks.
Create your own nourishing hair conditioner out of coconut oil, or give yourself a facial with some of the ingredients around your kitchen.
Got course sea salt and olive oil? Mix some together, and soothe it over tired skin for an exfoliating treat.
19. Gussy Up
Tired of the same old eyeliner and mascara every day?
Open up that makeup case you never touch and play with eyeshadow, lipstick — even glitter! Do your hair up real big beauty-queen style to boot.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve got nowhere to go. Getting fancy can feel so luxurious.
20. Netflix and Nails
At least one night a week, you’ll find me parked in front of my laptop.
I’m soaking my feet and buffing my fingernails, while drinking in a Netflix title like “Fat Head” or “What Happened, Miss Simone?”
I get some new knowledge (or at least perspective) and a fresh, new nail color to sport for a week.
Win, win!
21. Rewatch Your Favorite Movie…
It doesn’t matter if you’ve seen “The Princess Bride” 80 times.
Number 81 is going to feel just as good.
22. … or Treat Yourself to a New One
You’ve been meaning to watch “Cloud Atlas” for four years now.
23. Go Ahead and Binge-Watch
Even if it’s the first season of “Orange is The New Black”
… Again.
24. Play
This can be as simple as breaking out the forgotten yo-yo in your junk drawer.
Don’t forget about video games, board games, sudoku — even jigsaw puzzles!
Adulting should not get in the way of playtime.
25. Go Through Old Family Photos
On a recent trip to my hometown to see my parents, my mother and I had plans to play a round or three of chess over champagne.
It’s our favorite way to play — since we’re both already pretty terrible. The effects of the wine don’t matter.
But when I went to the closet to get the board, I was distracted by the cases of old family photos from when I was three or four.
My parents and I ended up laughing and reminiscing around the table for a whole evening.
It was definitely a treat.
25. Enjoy Free Stuff at Your Gym or Apartment Complex
If you have a gym membership or a fitness lounge at your apartment complex, you might be missing out on lots of luxurious freebies.
Think tanning beds, massage chairs or complimentary personal training sessions.
Get down there and treat yourself!
26. Craft
If your sewing machine or yarn collection has been gathering dust, turn off your cell phone and pick up that long-forgotten project.
Even if you don’t keep crafting stuff on hand, you can turn a T-shirt into something fun with just a pair of scissors — needle and thread optional.
Check out these other easy, fun crafts, too!
27. Play With Your Kids
Get down on the floor and remember what it’s like to be a kid… by acting like one!
Fur kids count, too. The ball isn’t going to throw itself!
28. Call Someone You Love
No, a text message will not suffice.
It can be a long-lost friend or someone you speak to every day, but don’t ever set aside time to really have a conversation with.
Just 30 minutes will feel like a gift to both of you.
29. Volunteer
Treat yourself by treating others.
It’ll give you the warm and fuzzies — I guarantee it.
30. Eat Right and Exercise… For a Whole Week
I know, I know.
This sounds more like something you reward yourself for actually doing, rather than the treat. Hear me out.
If you commit to eating well and exercising for a whole week, you’re going to feel awesome when it’s over.
Refreshed, strong, energized and ready to take on anything. How better to treat yourself than well?
31. Quit Negative Self-Talk
Challenge and reward yourself at the same time by phasing out negative self-talk for a given amount of time.
No “I’m too fat/thin/tall/short/stupid/smart/poor/whatever.” No shoulda, coulda, wouldas.
It may be harder than you think, but it’ll feel great and improve your confidence.
Start with an hour, and graduate to a whole day — then, maybe a whole lifetime.
32. Go Screenless
No screens.
Lots of concentration, restoration and relaxation.
One happy heart.
33. Go Window Shopping
This one won’t work for everybody.
If you’re easily tempted, it might not end up being a free treat at all!
But I have a lot of fun just hanging out with the nice things I want at the mall, even if I can’t afford to have them.
Just don’t tell anyone I’m the girl feeling up all the soft blankets at Pottery Barn and mysteriously leaving without a trace, please…
34. (Re)decorate
You don’t have to buy anything new to make your space feel brand-new!
Move the furniture around or hang those paintings sitting in your closet, waiting for the perfect spot.
35. Barter
If you absolutely have to have something new to feel like you’ve really had a treat yo self experience, never fear!
Find a local used clothing exchange like Plato’s Closet. See what credit you can get for those old items in your closet. Then, use it to buy a new (but pre-loved) piece!
You could also hit up the Craigslist free section, or try to swap instead of buy on other sections.
Who knows how far you might get trading up?
36. Go to an Art Gallery
Although they aim to sell, most commercial art galleries are free to enter and browse.
Plus, in many downtown areas, there’s a whole neighborhood of art galleries, so you can hit several in a row.
37. Go to a Park
When’s the last time you went to the public park in your area?
You might be able to walk nature trails, goof around on a swing set, or just sit and watch the leaves fall.
38. Or a Dog Park
Treat yourself by treating Fido to some run-around time!
Bonus: The objects in your house will be safe(r) from the consequences of your pup’s excess energy.
Bonus number two: You could dress your dog in embarrassing pajamas first. Sorry, Odin.
39. Go to Sleep
Sleep makes every other thing you do better.
A lot better.
Grab yourself an hour-long nap and see how awesome you feel.
Your Turn: How do you treat yourself without spending any money?
Jamie Cattanach (@jamiecattanach) is a junior writer at The Penny Hoarder. She also writes other stuff, like wine reviews and poems. She is a staunch advocate of treating yo self.
The post 39 Totally Free Ways to Treat Yo Self appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Hey, Parents: Here’s a Free 2-Month Subscription to ABCMouse
This just in: Life is busy.
Doubly so if you have children.
But whether you’re a work-from-home parent whose sitter called in sick or you just need a second to get dinner together (or, you know, maybe take a moment to yourself), you want to keep your kids occupied in a positive way.
Yes, sticking them in front of the TV is easy, and you probably won’t hear any argument from them…
… but there are better ways for your kids to spend their time. And if you act quickly, you can access a great resource to help with this problem, absolutely free.
Right now, you can get a two-month subscription to online learning system ABCMouse — a $15.90 value — absolutely free.
Here’s how.
Groupon’s Offering a Free Two-Month Subscription to ABCMouse
For what Groupon nebulously lists as a “limited time,” you can “buy” a two-month subscription to ABCmouse.com for $0.
The online learning system, accessible via desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone, is designed for kids aged 2 through 7. Its fun and educational content aims to align with what they’re learning in school.
The colorful program helps kids develop their skills in reading and language arts, math, science and social studies, and even arts and colors.
“My 5-year-old son was hooked on ABCMouse.com from the moment we subscribed,” said TPH assistant editor Justin Cupler. “Between the interactive games, the sounds and colors, and the number of options he had, he was never bored. Unbeknownst to him, he was actually learning in the process!”
It looks like there’s a standing free 30-day trial deal on the homepage, but this Groupon gives you two months for free — although you do have to provide your credit card information upon registration, and you’ll be charged if you don’t cancel.
Even if you’re the type of Penny Hoarder who has free trial cancellations marked on your calendar (guilty), you may run into trouble when you tell Junior he’ll have to ditch his favorite games once they’re not free anymore.
So if an extra eight bucks per month just isn’t in the budget, you may want to think twice about this freebie — or start battening down the hatches for a tantrum!
If after the two-month trial you and your family decide you want to keep your subscription, it’ll cost you $7.95 monthly — but right now, you can get 38% off when you buy a year’s membership all at once for $59.95, or a monthly installment plan of four payments of $19.95 that saves you 17%.
Or, you can just take the two-month deal, cancel on time and run…
… and maybe see if you can interest your child in a good, old-fashioned book. Like, the kind with pages. As it turns out, they might help make your kids into Penny Hoarders, too!
Your Turn: Will you take advantage of this ABCMouse deal?
Jamie Cattanach is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. Her writing has also been featured at The Write Life, Word Riot, Nashville Review and elsewhere. Find @JamieCattanach on Twitter to wave hello.
The post Hey, Parents: Here’s a Free 2-Month Subscription to ABCMouse appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Should investors worry about Nutmeg losses?
Simplified investment service Nutmeg made a £9 million pre-tax loss in 2015, almost doubling its losses for the previous year.
The company is yet to make a profit, despite almost tripling its turnover to £1.7 million in 2015, from £635,000 in 2014.
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Some Thoughts on Hating Your Job and What You Can Do About It
With the exception of about two years of my adult life (split into two periods), I have never actually hated my job. I’ve usually been relatively happy about going into work. I’ve enjoyed the tasks I’ve had to work on and the people I’ve had to work with.
Those two periods where I hated my job, though? They were horrible.
During the first period, which lasted about six to eight months, I was in a small office with two other people. My boss actually worked in another building and was very hands-off. The three of us in this office were tasked with a standalone project that we were basically expected to pull off on our own. It was up to us to sink or swim, and it was a pretty challenging project.
One of my coworkers was an awesome person, someone I valued greatly and am still friends with more than a decade later. The other person was one of the most poisonous people I’ve ever interacted with. This poisonous person would claim to be working on specific tasks or sub-projects and produce nothing. This person would skip meetings and, on the occasions when this person would show up, would be acidly negative about everything and offer no positive ideas. This person would claim that we were “sabotaging” this person’s work, including such things as changing this person’s laptop password when this person wasn’t even in the office. There were negative comments, extremely critical emails to the boss (sometimes blind carbon copied to us, sometimes not), and almost-daily secret phone calls and meetings about how evil we both were.
This was all happening while the other guy and I were trying to build a successful prototype to solve a pretty difficult and multi-faceted problem in six months. The work itself was stressful, even without this third person. It reached a point where I didn’t want to go into work at times.
Eventually, that person was fired, primarily on the back of a presentation at the six month mark where that person literally knew nothing at all about the prototype.
During the second period, I was charged with essentially maintaining a large software project. It was one of those government jobs where you could just sit there and earn a paycheck if you were just quiet and willing to do very little. Most of my tasks involved paperwork shuffling. I liked the people I worked with quite well, but the truth was that the entire eighteen month (or so) period where I was doing this work was utterly soul-sucking. Every single day, I wanted to do anything other than go into work. I was basically restricted from actually even trying to do anything interesting – my work was pure maintenance, nothing else, and nothing else was welcome. I did maintenance and paperwork and twiddled my thumbs and hated my life. The sole bright spot of those days was that I liked my coworkers.
After a year and a half, I walked away from that job. I couldn’t take it any more. I am simply not psychologically built to sit there and just collect a paycheck. If I am not working on something or building something or creating something, I get very frustrated and negative.
This brings us back to the key question of what exactly do you do if you hate your job but you’re not in a financial position to just quit. It’s a tough spot to be in, but it’s a spot that a lot of people eventually find themselves in at some point or another in their career.
Some people can just stick with it. They can go in every day, deaden themselves, collect a paycheck, and go home. Other people force themselves to go to work each day. They hate the job, they hate themselves, but they feel forced to do it because they need the paycheck.
In either case, having a job that destroys your soul does not have to be the way life is. There are other options.
First of all, you can get off the financial tightrope. People often stay in jobs like this because they’re spending every dollar that they bring in. Often, much of that money is needed to pay actual bills – mortgage payments, car payments, credit card payments, huge cell phone bills, internet bills, energy bills, and so on and so forth.
People find themselves walking that financial tightrope because of a long history of personal spending choices and thus one of the most effective ways to get off of that tightrope is to change those choices. Cut back on your spending. Don’t trade in that car every three years. Downsize your home or rent out part of it. Eat out less and eat at home more. Have more modest vacations. Actually use a shopping list at the grocery store. All of those things will cut your spending by the hundreds of dollars a year.
Then, take that money and eliminate debt. Wipe out your credit card debts and your student loans and your car loans and, eventually, your mortgage. Build an emergency fund, too, so that when things go sideways, you have cold, hard cash to handle it. When your bills go down, don’t spend that money; instead, channel that extra money into even faster debt payoffs and into retirement savings or into savings for a small business. You’ll pretty quickly find that you don’t actually need that full paycheck as bad as you think you do.
Another strategy is to start a side gig that can earn money. What are you good at? Can you sell that skill on the side, or sell the things you produce with that skill? Can you at least talk about that thing with passion and insight and turn that into some income via a podcast or a Youtube video channel? There are lots of ways to start side businesses, whether it’s selling your art on Etsy or broadcasting your thoughts on a topic on Youtube or fixing computers in your community or countless other things.
This achieves the same effect as cutting back on spending. You can use this extra money to start trimming your bills so that you have fewer required expenses going forward. You can also use both strategies in parallel – improving your income while cutting your spending.
Another alternative version of starting a side gig is to simply get some education that will help you move into a better job in your current career. It might be that you love your current career in general, but you just hate your current position. In that case, more education often becomes the ticket for getting up and out of your situation.
Of course, neither one of these strategies is going to directly help with a situation in which you truly hate your job. They’re just going to help create some financial breathing room, but it is that very financial breathing room that is going to make all of the difference.
Once you have a little bit of financial breathing room, you can start searching for a different job with a much lower level of risk to your current job. You can afford to take a job that pays a little less for a huge increase in the quality of life. You can afford to be on shaky ground in your current workplace if they catch wind of your job search. You might even be able to afford the risk of jumping onto one of your side gigs as your full time employment, which is exactly what I did when I walked away from my second miserable job experience.
Sure, this is a long term plan, but the thing to remember is that it is a plan, and having a plan means that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Without a plan, a soul-killing job looks like it will keep cycling forever and ever without any hope. It can feel bleak.
Add a plan to that picture and you can begin to see that change is on the horizon. Rather than looking like a black hole of pain, your job can instead begin to look like a tool. It’s merely a tool that you use to convert your hours into money so that you can start moving toward a job that you actually want or a career shift you actually care about.
In the end, that’s the truth about a job that you hate: it’s just a way to convert your hours into dollars until you can find a more fulfilling opportunity in life. If you have a plan that gets you off of the financial tightrope, then you open the door to lots of fulfilling opportunities.
Good luck!
The post Some Thoughts on Hating Your Job and What You Can Do About It appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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Get Ready to Binge-Watch: Here’s How to Get Hulu for Free
If you were crushed when Hulu discontinued its free streaming service, I’ve got good news for you.
For a limited time only, Groupon is offering a free 45-day subscription to Hulu. You read that right — you’ll pay zero dollars.
How to Get Hulu for Free
This Groupon exclusive lets you “buy” a 45-day trial subscription to Hulu’s limited commercials plan (which normally costs $7.99 a month) for the low, low cost of nothing. You’ll get unlimited access to Hulu’s streaming service, which includes a full catalog of top shows both new and old, popular movies and original series.
This deal is only good for new customers, and you must provide a valid credit card number to claim it. Once the 45-day trial period expires, your plan will automatically renew and your card will be charged $7.99 a month going forward, but you always have the option to cancel before then and incur no charge.
I don’t know about you, but I could watch a ridiculous amount of New Girl, Parks and Rec and Scream Queens in 45 days. (Here’s what else is coming to Hulu in October.)
Groupon doesn’t mention exactly when this deal expires, but since it’s a limited-time offer, we suggest heading over there before it’s too late.
And if you love it enough to keep on watching even after your free trial ends, use this trick to keep streaming Hulu for free.
Your Turn: Are you ready to start binge-watching?
Kelly Gurnett is a freelance blogger, writer and editor who runs the blog Cordelia Calls It Quits, where she documents her attempts to rid her life of the things that don’t matter and focus more on the things that do. Follow her on Twitter @CordeliaCallsIt.
The post Get Ready to Binge-Watch: Here’s How to Get Hulu for Free appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Interactive Investor to buy TD Direct Investing
Interactive Investor, Moneywise’s parent company, has agreed to buy TD Direct Investing, TD Bank Group's European investing business, in a move that will create the second largest online stockbroker in the UK.
On completion of the deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, the combined business will serve 300,000 customers in the UK, with £18 billion investments.
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Got Pumpkin-Carving Skills? Enter to Win a $30 Amazon Gift Card
Time to Abe your pumpkin!
The Penny Hoarder is launching The Great #PennyPumpkin Carving Contest and the grand prize winner gets a $30 Amazon gift card. Do you have what it takes?
Download the stencil below, carve it and share your jack-o’-lantern on social media using #PennyPumpkin. We’ll announce the winner on Halloween.
Good luck!
The post Got Pumpkin-Carving Skills? Enter to Win a $30 Amazon Gift Card appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Can You Buy a Car with a Credit Card?
When you’re in the market for a new or used car, it’s smart to shop around. Beyond searching for the best price on the right car for your needs, however, you should also shop around for financing. Unless you have enough cash saved up to pay for your new ride, you’ll need an auto loan or personal loan to finance the purchase. And if you’re feeling adventurous, or are having trouble qualifying for such loans, you may even weigh the pros and cons of charging the car on your credit card.
Can You Buy a Car with a Credit Card?
But, is that really an option? And if so, is it a good one?
First thing first: Before you can charge your car to a credit card, you have to find out if your dealership even offers that option. Most of the time, they won’t let you charge the entire purchase price of your car – instead, they’ll allow you to put up to $5,000 of the purchase on a credit card. Second, you need to make sure your credit card limit is high enough to cover the amount you want to charge.
So, let’s say you still think it’s a good idea, are buying a $10,000 car, and have the ability to charge up to $5,000. To cover the rest of your car’s purchase price, you’ll need to come up with the cash or apply for a loan. If you’re buying a cheaper used car, on the other hand, you may be able to charge the entire purchase price.
Like anything else, just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Here are some instances where paying for a car with a credit card makes sense – and when it doesn’t.
Paying for a car with a credit card makes sense if…
You’re using a card with 0% interest on purchases.
With a 0% interest credit card, you could secure zero interest on your purchase for anywhere from 12 to 21 months. If you charge $5,000 on a card that falls into this category, you could feasibly pay that portion of your car loan down during that time without paying a dime in interest charges.
Before you go this route, however, you should make sure you can afford to pay off your car fairly quickly. If you don’t pay off your charged balance during your card’s 0% APR promotional period, you’ll wind up paying credit card interest when your card’s rate resets — which is going to far higher than the rate you’d receive on a good car loan.
You want rewards and have the cash to pay it off.
Let’s say you’re buying a car that’s relatively cheap to begin with and you have the cash on hand. By paying for an inexpensive car with a rewards credit card and paying off the balance right away, you could earn valuable rewards without much effort on your part. Since most rewards credit cards offer kickbacks worth between 1% and 5% of a purchase, you could benefit handsomely with this one small move.
Your credit is good.
With good credit, you can qualify for a credit card that may make charging your car purchase worthwhile. As mentioned above, zero-interest credit cards offer an excellent opportunity to avoid paying interest on at least part of your purchase. If you’re in it for the rewards, on the other hand, the best travel and rewards credit cards are usually only available to individuals with a FICO score of 720 or higher.
So, if you don’t have an awesome 0% APR or rewards credit card already, don’t despair. With a little research, you can apply for a great credit card before you walk into a dealership.
What’s more, some of these cards offer huge sign-up bonuses worth hundreds of dollars to new cardholders who meet certain spending criteria — for example, making $3,000 in purchases on a new credit card within the first 90 days. Charging part of your car purchase is a surefire way to meet those requirements in one fell swoop – as long as you can pay it off.
You should avoid using credit for a car purchase if…
Your credit card charges a high interest rate.
If your credit card charges a high interest rate, you should consider dealership or bank financing instead of using your card. Many car dealerships offer special promotions that make financing downright cheap, and you may be able to qualify for a better deal with your bank. According to an ongoing study from Bankrate.com, the average interest rate on credit cards is over 16% as of September 2016. Surely your bank or dealership could do better than that.
You want to pay off your car slowly if possible.
If you’re hoping to pay off your car at a leisurely place, a credit card probably isn’t ideal. Since the average interest rate is well into the double digits, you’ll pay a ton more interest over time if it takes you a while to pay it off. Most zero-interest credit cards offer 0% APR for 12 to 21 months, so these introductory offers aren’t long enough to help if you need four or five years to pay off your car.
You don’t have good credit.
If you have bad credit, you should proceed with caution no matter what type of financing you choose. With bad credit, you may not qualify for the best rates with a credit card, traditional bank, or even dealership financing.
The best thing you can do is shop around for the best rate you can find and save up the largest down payment you can muster. The larger the cash deposit you can come up with, the less you’ll need to borrow and less risk you’ll present to a lender. In the meantime, you can figure out ways to start boosting your credit score over time.
- Related: Best Bad Credit Car Loans
Final Thoughts
Buying a car with a credit card might seem like a good idea, but it’s not the ultimate solution you might think. Sure, you might earn rewards or even a lucrative signup bonus, but the additional interest you’ll pay if you’re not careful could easily wipe out those benefits and then some.
As always, you should explore all of your options, weigh the pros and cons, and think long and hard before you take out a loan or charge any large purchase on a credit card.
Buying a new or used car is definitely exciting, but the financial consequences can last for years. Before you jump in, you should arm yourself with as much information as you can.
Related Articles
- Best Credit Cards Right Now
- You Can Improve This Part of Your Credit Score Almost Immediately
- Why No One Should Get an 84-Month Car Loan
- Best Auto Loans
The post Can You Buy a Car with a Credit Card? appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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"Be fully invested in equities" says Nick Train, manager of Finsbury Growth & Income
In his latest podcast, the manager of this investment trust, which is a member of Moneywise’s First 50 Funds for beginners, tackles the question: “Why is it, given that Brexit is seen so potentially damaging for the UK economy, that the UK stock market is going up and
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Looking for Legit Work-at-Home Jobs? Here are 250 Companies with Flexible Positions
By Holly Reisem Hanna Are you ready to work from home? With advances in technology and with corporate attitudes towards telecommuting turning around, there are more remote positions than ever before! To help fast-track your job search, FlexJobs, an online job board that specializes in flexible, freelance, and remote positions has created an amazing list […]
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Overdraft cap 'needed' as spiralling charges add millions to problem debt
Overdraft users need to be protected from spiralling debt, as average charges for dipping into the red rack up to £225 a year, according to StepChange.
The debt charity is calling for the regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), to set a maximum monthly cap on overdraft charges.
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UK house prices eight times average wage
The average price of a property in the UK is eight times the average wage, according to analysis of Office for National Statistics and Land Registry data.
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