Saving and Banking

how to not spend money

How To Not Spend Money

Photo by:stevendepolo How To Not Spend Money Is that money burning a hole in your wallet? Spend every dollar you make? Always broke? Can’t seem to save up for anything? Or maybe you find yourself earning thousands more than you did before, but there is not a dime more in your savings account. Then it’s time to plug up that leak in your wallet with our 9 water-tight tips on how to not spend money. Auto save. This is a super simple and extremely effective method of saving money by not having the money to spend to begin with. Every ...

how much should i save

How Much Should I Save

Photo by:401k How Much Should I Save   How much should I save? Answer: As much as you can so you don’t become a statistic like the ones below! Considering the numbers reported from a few recent survey’s, I would say most Americans are not saving nearly enough as they should. If you want to know what the average American is doing, according to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Personal Savings Rate from 1960 through the early eighties was around 8-10%. The rate then dramatically declined, bottoming out at less than 2% in 2006, then rebounding to the ...

Credit Union vs Bank

Credit Union vs Bank A battle of the financial institutions… Many people wonder what is the difference between a credit union vs a bank? In essence they both exist to accept deposits and then use those deposits for lending activities. Both banks and credit unions offer similar financial services, however, there are some important differences that you want to be aware of so that you can make an educated and informed decision. Keep reading to explore the characteristics of a credit union versus a bank so that you may determine which is the most appropriate for you. What is a ...

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Quick Banxodus to the Credit Unions!

Have you heard the news about the mass bank exodus – aka Banxodus? If you have not, it is the name of the movement that was ignited by the purposed $5 Bank of America debit card fee; people were upset at the thought of paying money to use their debit card. As a result, Bank of America haters emerged everywhere and people start closing their accounts at the major banks. There was actually a Facebook event created called Bank Transfer Day, in which 17,000+ people decided to move their money to credit unions on November 5th. And within September – ...

Calling Bank

Best Time to Call the Bank..

So it is 3 AM and you think now is a good time to take care of Finances. You log in to your bank’s online website and notice a charge. Holy shit, they charged you twice for an incoming wire transfer. You are mad and ready to argue with someone on the phone. This matter is so pressing you cannot wait until the morning, so you decide to call your bank. Good thing they are 24/7, right?  Wrong. Most banks have a 24/7 phone line, but you will get directed to a call center in India.  Trying to call and ...

Bank of America

Why you should leave Bank of America

Seriously, why is anyone still with Bank of America? They love charging extra fees and the front runner of introducing new ones, such as the $5 monthly debit card fee ( which will start next year). Just to give you some background on the $5 fee,  on October 1st 2011 the cap fees banks can charge merchants for processing debit card transactions was reduced. Well this is going to reduce the amount of revenue BoA can make with debit cards. So what do they do? Give the debit card users a $5 monthly fee for each month they use the ...

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Google Advisor your new best friend..

Have you used Google Advisor before?  If not you should check it out. Google Advisor provides free custom rates on Mortgages, Credit Cards, CDs, and Checking /Savings accounts.  The best part is how easily you can get rates and how transparent the rates are.  Other websites that provide the same service, like BankRate.com, are loaded with advertisements and other bullshit.  Google Advisor does not have advertisements and is extremely easy to navigate.  And if you are unsure about a certain rate, you can compare it side to side with others, and even send the lender a private message.  Why is ...

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Hate ATM Fees? Love Bacon?

Tired of getting charged $5 for using a non-branch ATM? You are not alone if you hate ATM fees. There’s support groups out there dedicated to victims of ATM fee rape. Luckily the Charles Schwab Platinum debit card reimburses ALL ATM fees regardless of the amount, how many times you used it, or where the ATM is located. I used this card when I traveled to SouthEast Asia. I didn’t bring a credit card with me, because maybe 1% of the merchants accept a card there; good luck trying to barter without cash. I just withdrew money from any ATM ...