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Introduction to Credit Cards
You probably already know what a credit card is. You see the ads every day – in the television, on the radio, in the newspapers or on billboard advertisements. Your friends, parents and relatives use them all the time. But just to clear up any misinformation, lets look at what credit cards are, why you should have one and what risks are involved with using one.
Simply stated, a credit card is a financial arrangement between you the card holder and a financial institution such as a bank or credit union. The arrangement specifies that you can borrow money from the lender as long as you promise to pay them back in the future. The lender sets the terms for the deal, including how often payments are due, what the minimum payment will be and what interest rates will apply. Your payment will include not just the amount of money you borrowed, but also an additional charge based on that rate of interest.
Credit cards can be used as a tool, offering many benefits for consumers. Some of these benefits include:
Convenience: With a credit card, you can buy anything you want right away, whether or not you have the cash available at the time. If youre purchasing a big ticket item like a computer or a washing machine, you dont have to wait for months until you save up the money.
Emergency Protection: If youre ever in an emergency, youll see how helpful a credit card can be. Whether youre stuck with medical bills or auto repair fees, using a credit card can help you get back on your feet again.
Security: Large amounts of cash can be lost or stolen. But if your credit card goes missing, you can have the account cancelled and a new card issued without losing any of your money.
Building Your Credit: If you dream of buying a house or really nice car, you need to have a credit history that demonstrates you can take on debt and pay it back on schedule. You can use a credit card to make small purchases and build up your credit score by paying your statement on time.
When used responsibly, credit cards can help improve our daily lives. But the temptation to live beyond your means and max out your credit limit can be a problem. Thats why its important to think of your credit cards as tools that you can use, not free tickets for anything you want. Here are some simple tips to help you cope with your credit card debt:
Make a Budget: One of the first steps to financial freedom is a realistic budget. If you dont already have one, check out the article Creating a Budget on Smart Young Money and set one up for yourself. Sticking to a budget will help keep you from splurging with your credit card.
Set a Limit: Many analysts recommend keeping your credit card balance around 30% of your credit limit for maximum benefit in the formula used to calculate your credit score. Promise yourself not to exceed that limit and you wont have with out-of-control credit card debt.
Go Back to Cash: If youre having trouble keeping your credit card in your pocket, switch back to cash for awhile. When you use a credit card, you dont get the same feeling of having forked over your hard-earned cash, so youre prone to spending more. Using cash for a bit will help you remember that little purchases add up.
Get Credit Counseling: If your debt gets out of control, talk to someone! Ignoring your credit problems wont make them go away it will only make them worse. Talk to your parents or a trusted friend who may be able to help, or consider getting help from a group or institutions that can help you with your problems.
Credit cards can be helpful tools, but the potential for abuse always exists. Taking the time to learn how to use credit cards properly can help you prepare for a bright financial future.
Home Improvements With Free Grants
If you are like so many of today’s homeowners you may be considering greening up your home. Hey, why spend your own money to cut your carbon footprint when you can use free grants courtesy of the US government? After all, it is your tax dollars that you paid in!
Remember one thing and that’s that grants are not loans, so they will not have to be paid back. However there are two basic factors that they will want you to provide them information on. Also understand that there may be a fair amount of paper work.
The government will want to know how much it will take bring your project to completion. That is how extensive is the the work that will need to be done to cut your utility costs. They are also going to want to know how much it is estimated that it will raise the value of your home.
What many people are unaware of and you may be one of them, is that grants for straight forward non-energy related home improvements are also available. One of the most common and easy to get is a grant to make your home wheel chair accessible.
In many of these cases they may require you to have a specified contractor do the work. However; this is in most cases your best option, as the contractors have been pre-certified to do the work and in many cases their fees are also set or capped.
In some rare cases, people have gotten free grants for home improvements after having their home declared a historical landmark. It’s highly unlikely that this is something that you would qualify for but if you do, the amount of renovation and restorative work you can receive at no cost can be quite extensive.
You will not have to be concerned with your beacon score, or collateral or repayment terms, because there are none. The government is not worried about those factors either.
Many people apply for the free grants for home improvements when they are interested in larger home improvement projects. Like new heating or air conditioning units, weatherization or solar panels to conserve energy. These larger projects are the ones that interest homeowners in getting assistance with the bill, which usually comes back to the homeowner in the form of tax credits and decreased energy bills.
But, there are also straight forward grants, if you qualify, that you can get to upgrade your home and make it a safer, nicer place to live. As long as you have a solid plan on the reason for the money, you should be fine. But make sure you have thought it through. Talk to contractors and priced equipment. These will all need to be assessed in the grant application process.
And let’s not forget that the government is encouraging homeowners to weatherize their homes in order to help lower the energy bills and conserve the earth in the long run. When considering weatherization, make sure you think of the front all the way to the back. Remember, it does not help to weatherize part of it; you need to do all of it.
These grant application processes can be tricky, but just be certain that you review everything. Read everything and if you have any questions, ask someone. It is very important you understand what you are applying for. Once you are awarded one of these free grants for home improvements, have fun with your renovation and enjoy the final product.