When unexpected expenses come out of the blue and you’re not sure how best to pay, you may be tempted to take out a payday loan to get a hold of the money straight away and get the payment wrapped up. Here at Money Crashers, we are strongly against payday loans. If you’re not familiar with how they work, the basic idea is that you are temporarily loaned the money until your next payday. In most cases, you apply for the loan and are approved very quickly (often within one or two hours), and the money can usually be deposited into your bank account that same day. Sounds good, right? Think again. There are some pretty big downsides to payday loans that make them a very risky and unattractive prospect. Here are some of the reasons why we’re so set against payday loans:
Sally AquireSally is a UK-based freelance writer. As well as personal finance, she also writes on health & beauty and lifestyle topics. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, shopping, hanging out with friends and generally making the most of her downtime!
Why You Shouldn’t Take Out Payday Loans
Sally Aquire
Throwing a Budget Baby Shower
Sally Aquire
If you’re reading this post, there’s a pretty good chance that someone close to you has recently announced their pregnancy. Once the congratulations have been dished out, your thoughts might turn towards throwing a baby shower for the new mom. There is a common misconception that you have to spend a good deal of money to throw an enjoyable baby shower (or any type of party or celebration, for that matter) but this is simply not true. You can easily throw a great baby shower on a budget if you’re prepared to get creative, and here are some tips to help you do just that:
LendingTree Review – Taking The Hassle Away From Loan Shopping
Sally Aquire
As you can probably tell from the name, LendingTree deals with loans. More specifically, it acts as a convenient way for consumers to find loan options. I’ve had some personal experiences using LendingTree and want to give you some insight into the service.
Both personal and commercial loans can be taken out through the website. LendingTree doesn’t deal with loan requests directly. Instead, it gathers together your information (both personal and financial) and passes it over to member banks, who will then send you their rates from which you can compare and choose. This makes things a lot easier for you if you’re looking for a loan since you don’t have to spend a boatload of time shopping around to compare quotes.
Graduation Attire – What to Wear to a Graduation Ceremony (on a Budget)
Sally Aquire
Judging from the comments on my recent post about going to a wedding for less, it seems that graduation ceremonies are definitely hitting people hard at this time of the year. I’ve opted to focus this post on the outfit side of things, because this can soon send the costs soaring. Academic dress can be a big expense, especially when you are unlikely to have any need for it afterwards. Here are some tips to get prepared for a high school graduation (but this post applies to other levels of graduation as well), particularly if money is tight:
Academic Dress
How to Stop Expensive Friends Pushing You Into Debt
Sally Aquire
Are friends with expensive tastes encouraging you to spend more than you want to? I have one particular friend who always insists on going to expensive restaurants while she’s visiting. Granted, she only visits once or twice a year and I do have plenty of time to adjust my budget in preparation, but it’s still money that I wouldn’t otherwise be spending. Being someone who likes to spend as little money as possible, I still come to begrudge the expense even though it’s not a regular occurrence. For some people reading this post, the situation will be much worse. Accepting such an invitation might even be the difference between being in the red and in the black. So, how do you tackle the problem without losing the friendship? Communicate, don’t make a scene, be assertive, and take charge of the plans!
Personal Finance Roundup: How Much Life Insurance Should You Buy?
Money Crashers
If you’ve decided to take out a life insurance policy, are you clued in on how much coverage you’ll really need for adequate protection? It’s tempting to just pick the cheapest option but this is no good if the coverage isn’t broad enough for your particular circumstances. This post from Free From Broke discusses the subject in more detail and advises that you think about why you want to take out life insurance in the first place and use this to influence your decisions about coverage. Sure, this approach will take a bit of extra effort, but it’s worth it if it helps you to make an informed decision that benefits you in the long run.
Quicken Deluxe 2010 Review
Sally Aquire
The Quicken Deluxe personal finance software is designed to make it easy to budget and manage your money. In this respect, it sounds very similar to the You Need a Budget (YNAB) software, but it has some additional features that aren’t present in YNAB, such as investment tracking and tax preparation. This review focuses on the Quicken Deluxe 2010 software but you can also buy various other Quicken 2010 software, such as Quicken Premier, Quicken Home & Business and Quicken Home Inventory Manager.
How to Decorate a Baby Room On a Budget
Sally Aquire
Decorating a baby room may seem like an expensive proposition but don’t panic if your budget doesn’t stretch to creating the baby room of your dreams. Contrary to the messages put out by glossy advertising, you don’t need to spend a small fortune on brand new items when it comes to creating a baby room. If you’re prepared to put in a bit more legwork, you can find some lovely bargains that won’t break the budget. Here are a few ideas for decorating a baby room for less:
Angie’s List Review – Find Trusted Services in Your Area
Sally Aquire
Have you ever had a nightmare with a contractor, mechanic, or dentist? I’m sure we’ve all had a bad experience at some point in our lives, and it’s probably because you picked someone random, rather than from a referral. If you’re planning to spend a sizable amount of money on things like home repairs, home improvements or medical expenses, you’ll want to know that you’re not wasting your hard-earned cash.
Angie’s List was created with this in mind, and features reports and ratings from consumers who have used the service providers that they are reviewing to let others know if they should trust them. Because it’s not a free service, let’s take a more in-depth look at how it works so that you can assess whether it’s worth the expense.
Weekly Blog Round-Up: Frugality Doesn’t Equal Deprivation
Money Crashers
Many people assume that living a frugal lifestyle means never letting yourself enjoy treats and luxuries. This is a view point that I’ve never personally subscribed to, so I was glad to come across this article on ‘Frugality Doesn’t Mean Depriving Yourself’ on Free From Broke. This post is keen to highlight the fact that being frugal doesn’t mean denying yourself just because you’re on a limited budget. We often focus so much on the little things in our budget, when it’s the big bills and expenses that are killing the budget. As long as you’re sensible, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy little splurges now and again. In fact, it can be more damaging not to because there’s the definite danger that a self-imposed ban on absolutely anything that’s not deemed to be essential can make you miserable and potentially lead to a big spending spree further down the line if you can’t stick to it.
How To Get A Mortgage When You’re Self-Employed
Sally Aquire
Being approved for a mortgage can be challenging enough if you’re an employee, but it can be even harder to get a mortgage if you’re self-employed and don’t have a steady income to convince lenders of your ability to make the necessary payments. Being considered a risky lending proposition can result in higher interest rates because you’re considered to be a less attractive candidate for a mortgage. While it’s true that your mortgage options are more limited as a self-employed individual, it’s by no means impossible to get on the property ladder. Here are some things to expect if you’re looking to get a mortgage while you’re self-employed.
Discover More Credit Card Review – Get Up to 5% Cash Back on Purchases
Sally Aquire
Important Note: This card has been discontinued and replaced by the newer Discover it Card.
The Discover More card is a cash back rewards credit card, so you’ll get cash back on purchases made using it. It boasts an impressive opportunity to earn a 5% cash back bonus on purchases in certain spending categories (which rotate on a frequent basis, so you need to catch them right to be able to take advantage of this offer), along with up to 1% automatic cash back on purchases in general. There are other positives that make it a useful rewards credit card but you should be aware of the main pros and cons before you apply.
How to Enjoy a Romantic Weekend Getaway For Less
Sally Aquire
It can be challenging to find time together as a couple if life keeps getting in the way, but getting away for the weekend might be the solution that you’re looking for. A short weekend break can help you to inject some important romance back into your relationship and give you the chance to spend some quality time together away from the daily grind. But, it’s not always affordable to book a weekend away, even though you’ll only be there for a few days. If you’re worried about how much it’ll cost, you can stop worrying on that front. You really don’t need to spend lots of money to enjoy a romantic short break, because there are plenty of ways to get away on the cheap and still have a good time. Here are just a few ideas for enjoying a cheap weekend break.
How To Save Money Feeding Treats to Your Pets
Sally Aquire
Giving treats to your cat or dog can become expensive as they’re not always cheap to buy. If you don’t mind spending a bit of extra time and effort, you may consider making your own homemade pet food as “treats” every once in a while in order to save money and reward your pet. This can work out cheaper and at the very least, it allows you to take some control over what your pet is eating. However, make sure you do your research to make sure you are not overfeeding your pet a certain treat (this could be bad for the pet health-wise and might make them unwilling to eat their normal pet food, which contains some very essential nutrients to keep them healthy). Here are some recipes to try:
Health Insurance Options For the Self-Employed
Sally Aquire
A good proportion of large debts, especially those that lead to bankruptcy, are at least partially caused by big medical bills that couldn’t be paid. To avoid being placed in this situation, most of us look to take out health insurance for both ourselves and our families, but for the self-employed, the options can be much more expensive. Here are some of the options that you might want to explore:
1. Continue Your COBRA Coverage
