Lake Ariel Realty

A certificate of deposit (CD) is a product that gives an investor a fixed interest rate for anywhere from three months to five years. The longer the term, the higher the rate. CDs generally have higher interest rates than savings accounts, but money must be kept in a CD until its maturity date. If it’s withdrawn before then, a penalty applies. CDs are FDIC-insured, which makes them safer than investing in the stock market. In order to maximize returns while maintaining liquidity, investors often...

Charging too many expenses to your credit card can happen occasionally. It leads to what’s called a maxed out credit card, meaning you’ve gone over or are close to being over your assigned credit limit. 

It doesn’t mean your financial world will come crashing down around you. But it is something to take notice of and deal with. 

There’s nothing like the excitement of moving into a new home. There is a lot of promise to this fresh start, from decorating the living room to planning the first home improvement project. However, it’s essential not to overlook the importance of improving your home’s security after moving in. Use these tips to help heighten the safety of your new residence.

Change the locks

Overspending is easy to do with a credit card – way too easy – and can often lead to debt.

Researchers have found that even for people who don’t carry a balance each month on their credit card, they overspend when using a credit card instead of cash. Credit cards can make people more willing to spend twice as much for something than they would when using cash.

If you’ve checked your credit reports lately for errors, congratulations! That’s a smart first step to improving your credit score, which can make getting approved for home loans and credit cards, along with getting the best interest rates, a lot easier.

Errors can be as simple as a misspelled name, wrong phone number or address, or as serious as an account wrongly reported as delinquent.

The next step is to fix them. Here are some ways to resolve errors on your credit reports:

If you’re burdened by debt, the stress of having bills you can’t pay and receiving calls from creditors can be overwhelming. You might even be considering declaring bankruptcy. Before you take such a drastic step that could significantly lower your credit score and limit your future financial options, look for other solutions.

If you’re buried in credit card debt, there’s a reasonable solution that your credit card company may allow you to use, but only if you ask about it.

A hardship plan, also known as a credit card payment plan, can help dig you out of debt and ultimately improve your credit score. A hardship plan can also save you money in interest payments and reduce your monthly credit card bill.