Make Money From Offering a Service or Skill

Fiverr.com is a website where anyone can offer nearly anything for the price of five dollars. Fiverr takes one dollar as commission, and pays out four dollars. Nearly anything can be offered on the website, from services such as web design, article writing, and translation, to physical goods such as sculptures, paintings, drawings, clothing, and jewelry. Fiverr offers access to a marketplace full of potential customers, making it easy for anyone to make money online.

Make Money Designing and Selling Things

Websites such as CafePress.com and Zazzle.com offer everyone the ability to get creative and design their own t-shirts, sweatshirts, or other types of clothing, as well as items like coffee mugs, tote bags, stationery, art, and more. These items can be sold on the CafePress or Zazzle website, or they can be sold on people’s own personal websites. Personalized items can be completely unique, or they can be personalized for something simple, such as family reunions, class reunions, school mascots, churches, or any other organization’s logo. The possibilities are endless.

Start A Website and Use Google Adsense

For anyone who wants to make money in their sleep, setting up a personal website and then putting Google Adsense advertisements on it is one way to do that. This kind of money isn’t instantaneous, so it’s not for someone who wants or needs money right away; however, a person can do some initial work upfront on their website, put a few ads on it, and leave it alone, and it will most likely make them some money eventually. This is a great strategy for people who have a lot of knowledge about a particular area that they would like to share with the world, be it fishing, knitting, football, fashion, or any other topic, and don’t mind putting in some work upfront and reaping the financial rewards later.

Sell Magazine Subscriptions

Selling magazine subscriptions is a great way to make easy money online. Anyone can do it, and most people have at least a few friends and family members who purchase magazine subscriptions, so it’s not hard to make at least a few sales. The way it works is through a website called AcclaimSubscriptions.com. Anyone can sign up through their affiliate program on their website. After signing up for free, a person can put a referral link on any of their personal websites or social networking sites, such as Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter. Each time someone clicks on the link and purchases a magazine subscription from one of the over 200,000 magazines AcclaimSubscriptions.com offers, the owner of the referral link gets a percentage of the sale.

Francine Gomez is a career consultant and loves giving clients new ways to make money online from home. There are many opportunities to bring needed funds into the home – from doing paid surveys to writing articles for blogs.

This HARP Sings a Different Tune

HARP is an acronym for the Home Affordable Refinance Program that originated in 2009. The program was established to help those whose homes lost so much value in the housing crash they now owe more on their mortgage than their home is valued at. These homeowners are so deep underwater they have been unable to obtain conventional refinancing because their houses didn’t qualify. The creation of HARP made it possible for some distressed homeowners to arrange new mortgages with more affordable terms.

The program was only going to be available for a short time, but recently the government agreed to extend the program until December, 2013. They also lifted some restrictions and made it possible for more people to qualify for the program, so even if you didn’t meet the qualifications for HARP before, you might now.

How HARP 2 Adjustments Can Benefit You

The changes in HARP 2 have transformed many formerly unqualified candidates into eligible prospects. One of the most significant differences is that the Loan to Value (LTV) cap has been lifted. Before, only homeowners whose houses were worth at least 125% of what they owned on their mortgages met the criteria. Now there is no limit as long as you choose a fixed rate mortgage.
If the lifting of that limitation made you more eligible, you could now enjoy these benefits from the HARP program

* Lower payments
* Lower interest rates which means lower overall payout
* The ability to change to a fixed rate mortgage or to shorten the term of your mortgage
* You can use any mortgage company that participates in the program, so if you’re dissatisfied with your current lender, you may choose a different mortgage company

All these things could make it possible to remain in your home and ease your financial struggles.

Who Qualifies for HARP Now

Not all homeowners who need to refinance will be able to do so with HARP. There are still restrictions. To start with, your mortgage must be backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and it must have gone to them before April 1, 2009. You can find out if yours falls into this category by going to the Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac websites.
Other qualifications include:

* You must live in the home. It must be your primary residence, not an investment property or second home.

* You must be current on your loan payments, not have any late payments in the last 6 months or more than 1 payment less than 30 days tardy in the 6 months previous to that.

* You must be able to afford the new payment.

* You must benefit from the refinancing in the form of lower payments, lower interest rates, or a more stable form of financing, such as trading an adjustable rate mortgage for a fixed-rate one.
Remember, even if you are behind on your payments now, the program has been extended until the end of 2013. If you hustle, you could still be able to catch up and qualify for the program.

If you think this program may offer the help you need, find out more at the HARP website.

George Gallagher is an economy and loan analyst and writer. His main priority is helping answer student loan consolidation questions from recent graduates.

You can control your car insurance costs by adjusting your deductibles, but be careful not to save on premiums at the expense of appropriate coverage.

Do your homework, carefully assessing your needs and studying the nuances in car insurance jargon. First, calculate how much you really could afford to pay from your own assets if you had a serious accident. Do not set your deductibles any higher than you genuinely can spend. Then, study the language: Learn the difference, for example, between “fair market value” and “full replacement cost,” because the subtle difference in phrasing can mean thousands of dollars in a pay-out and hundreds of dollars in annual premiums. Similarly, if you insure teen-aged drivers, find out your company’s definition of “full-time student” and “good student.” Full-time students with B-averages typically pay less than their C-average classmates; and, yes, girls always pay less than boys. Then, follow the experts’ five strategic tips:

• Never leave yourself stranded. As you assess how much you should cut your premiums by raising your deductibles, observe the insurance industry’s cardinal rule: Do not set your deductible higher than you realistically could afford out-of-pocket to repair your car within a few days. A 2011 survey of American families revealed that more than 80% of households could not raise $1000 for an emergency expense within thirty days. If you number among the 80% and you absolutely depend on your car for transportation to school and work, then $1000 deductibles will leave you stranded and desperate. Find other ways to adjust your premiums: change the primary driver, join a carpool to cut your average commute, take a drivers’ training class, or add extra safety and anti-theft equipment.

• Learn the real cost of repairs for your car. Some of the world’s most dependable cars are, paradoxically, extremely expensive to repair because of their super-durable construction. At the other end of the scale, some of the world’s cheapest vehicles are also notorious for high repair costs. The more fiberglass replaces metal on your car, the more expensive your repairs may be. Make sure to find out about “uni-body” construction on many Asian and European imports, because one strategically placed dent in a “uni-body” can “total” an older Hyundai, Suzuki, or Kia. Also find out the cost of replacement parts, because so-called “small” items may carry shocking price tags. Common sense suggests tail-light lenses, for example, ought to cost only a few dollars—how expensive can red plastic be? Some, however, cost over $100 because of specially molded-in visibility features. Your deductible may not cover a significant proportion of you repair costs, and your premiums may rise as a result.

• Meet your lenders’ requirements. The finance company that granted your loan or lease naturally wants to protect its investment, and your lender knows your credit history and monthly expenses, so that your contract may include not only stipulations about the kind of overage you must carry but also limits on your deductibles. The average motorist sets his or her “comprehensive” and collision deductibles at $500; your lender may prohibit your going over the industry standard.

• Get uninsured motorist coverage. Because many cash-strapped families have battled their Great Recession woes by cutting their car insurance or skipping it altogether, you cannot afford to decline uninsured motorist coverage. You need it for your family’s protection against unexpected medical costs, and you need it for your own protection against catastrophic damage to your car. In fact, your need for uninsured motorist coverage is directly proportional to your family’s dependence on the car; how long could you go without your car if you had to pay for doctors and repairs out of your own pocket? If you must raise your deductibles to afford the extra coverage, do it.

• Cut frills. You do not need rental car coverage, because you can rent a car for less than the insurance company can provide one, and you can buy the rental company’s insurance for less than the price of extra coverage on your regular policy. You also may not need full-replacement insurance on the contents of your vehicle or the after-market accessories. Check to see what your homeowner’s coverage may replace, because your tools, laptop, and other workplace essentials may be covered by one of your other policies even if thieves take them from your car. As you cut frills, you also may save by adding security features to your car: GPS tracking devices and alarms substantially cut the cost of theft insurance.

If you’re a good driver with an unblemished record, you may sometimes feel as if you are throwing your money into a black hole as you pay for car insurance. The other guys, however, are not nearly as conscientious and trustworthy as you: On any given weekend, one in four drivers is over the legal limit for alcohol, one in seven is driving without insurance, and 30% of your fellow motorists are likely to hit and run. Protect yourself and your family accordingly.

Author Stephen Anderson is an insurance consultant who strongly sugggests that you search online to Compare Car Insurance quotes to make certain you get the best possible prices. Quotes are available by state or city, such as Birmingham Car Insurance.

So, I hear you cry, how do we go about becoming empowered credit card users? Well, the answer is actually a lot simpler than you may first think. You pick a credit card that rewards you for using it instead of penalising you for using it. What I mean by this is that you should find a credit card that offers incentives. Something like the Avios Credit Card that awards air miles or the American Express Card that offers cash back or the Shell Petroleum card that offers fuel points.

Before you pick your card you need to create a plan for maximising the gains you can take out of the credit card without incurring any penalties like interest on the balance or late payment charges. The best way to do this is to find a card that suits your personality that you can easily integrate your daily habits and purchases.

Top Tip: Remember to set up a direct debit from your current account to pay off the balance of your card in full every month. This will stop you incurring any interest payments.

If you are a regular traveller then a card that would fit into your lifestyle would be the Lloyds TSB Avios Duo Card. This card allows for you to collect
“avios points”, formally known as Airmiles that can be used on a variety of flights, holidays, days out and even electronic gifts and cases of wine. This card also lets you swap points from other schemes, like Tesco Club card points, into Avios points. Therefore, you can effectively use your year of grocery shopping to buy you a ticket to an exotic destination of your choice. Not bad, eh?

If you are not much of a traveller and prefer to just get some cold hard cash back at the end of the year then opting for a card such as the Santander Cash Back Credit card will pay you back 3% of your balance. Strangely, due to the worldwide recession interest rates from regular current accounts do not reach 3%. Therefore, if you are a savvy, empowered credit card user you could earn back a couple of hundred pounds over a year for just using your credit card to pay for your fuel and groceries every month, which is more than a standard current account would offer. Again, to benefit from this scheme you need to pay off the full amount of the card every month or the interest will cancel out the gains you make.

If you like a simpler way of benefitting from a credit card, it would be best to look into some stores that you frequently shop in. For example, if you regularly buy books on Amazon you can get a discount by using the Amazon credit card to make your purchases. Or if you shop in Tesco on a regular basis then you can collect additional club card points when you use a Tesco club card.

There are many great options out there if you a looking into becoming an empowered credit card user. However, it is important to remember that the most important actions you take to become an empowered user are organisation and research. Make sure you sort out your repayments and know the rules of each card inside out. After you have this knowledge you can effectively game the system to only get benefits from your card.

What does it mean to have a constant income stream? First let us establish what it does not include. A constant income stream does not include stock investments; those only provide you capital once you choose to sell. It also does not include people who get a yearly paid vacation, and thus are technically still making money as they sit on the beach. No, the person who can constantly have money added to his bank account – even if he is thousands of miles away – is one who pursues a certain type of investment. It is the person who can go on a vacation to a warm Caribbean island, sit on the beach while sipping pina coladas, and still be growing their bank account while doing so.

So what are some investments of this sort? Specifically, where should someone with a decent yet unspectacular amount of capital invest if they want to insure a regular income stream? Here are a few of the best options:

Minimal Capital Required: Vending Machines and ATMs

Yes, the vending machines you see in public places, schools, and office buildings are often owned by an outside investor. This investor provides the capital and then receives any surplus income once supplies, maintenance, and institutional fees have been paid. It is a great starting point for those with more limited amounts to invest. If you are interested, checking out a website such as www.1800Vending.com provides a great place to start. Owning an ATM is another possibility that works on a similar level.

Maximum Capital Required: Commercial Properties

Those with slightly more capital can be landlords on a larger level. Certainly, this could entail buying and renting out apartment complexes, but being an apartment landlord usually involves higher turnover rates, more difficult tenants, and dealing with kitchen and bathroom items that regularly need maintenance. In short, owning a residential property may not afford you the ability to earn money regularly with a minimal time investment. Owning and operating a strip mall or other commercial parcel, on the other hand, can be incredibly easy and profitable.

Moderate Capital Required: Boat Slips

Let’s say that you want an investment more profitable than a vending machine, but less expensive than a commercial property. Certainly, there are many opportunities that fall into this range. But we’re going to focus on one that is often reliable and hassle free: owning and renting out a boat slip in a river or harbor. People who own boats usually have money, but due to high demand many of them don’t own a place to dock their boats. As a result they rent out a space for their boat and pay the owner a regular rental fee. This demographic can be counted on to pay without problem and to accept higher rates and fees. Even if you don’t live near a body of water, you can still do some research and invest in a boat slip in a place that is.

There are certainly countless more ways to make money consistently, do so on the side, and put in minimal work in the process. These three are some of the best options at their respective capital levels. Next time you want to be able to grow your bank account while sitting on the beach, you may want to explore making one of the above investments.

Your money IS safe…

The UK compensation system has seriously toughened up is act following the financial crisis in 2007. Money now that has been saved into a savings account or cash ISA in a high street bank, credit union, or building society are all protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Up £85,000 per institution per person is covered and can be reclaimed should they go bust.

…but know the small details

The FSCS will cover any UK regulated bank. The majority of banks or building societies in the UK are UK regulated but foreign-owned ones such as Australian owned Clydesdale and Spain’s Santander are too. However, a few EU-owned banks can opt for a different ‘passport scheme’ meaning that a recovery of savings is entirely dependent on that particular country’s independent compensation scheme, if they have one at all. This includes Bank of Cyprus, ING Direct and Triodos. If you feel uncomfortable investing your money without the deposit guarantee scheme then you may want to avoid these banks.

Institutions and Banks – there’s a difference

It’s important to reiterate that the FSCS will cover up £85,000 per institution – not account – per person. So three accounts with one bank will still only get this £85k limit. On top of this, what constitutes an institution will depend on its banking licence. Many institutions operate under the same banking licence and it’s important to know which may be connected. For instance, Barclays and Standard Life are sister banks and therefore accounts are only covered up to £85k combined. However, although NatWest is a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) they remain separate. This means that the £85k limit applies to both banks.

The following providers are considered part of the the same bank for compensation purposes:

The AA, Bank of Scotland, Birmingham Midshres, Halifax, Saga, Intelligent Finance.
Alliance & Leicester, Cahoot, Santander.
Bank of Ireland, Post Office.
Barnsley Building Society, Chelsea, Egg, Yorkshire Building Society, Norwich & Peterborough Building Society.
Britannia Building Society, Co-op Bank, Smile.
Lloyds TSB, Cheltenham & Gloucester.

Other major banks such as Tesco Personal Finance, Sainsbury’s Bank and Natwest are all separate institutions.

The per-person rule of the FSCS means that joint-accounts will receive double the compensation – £170k.

Spreading your savings

As a consequence of the points mentioned above, savers with large amounts of money should consider spreading their savings across banks from different institutions. As a guide, savers should take interest into consideration and therefore should save a few thousand pounds less than the £85k limit. Whilst the FSCS can provide compensation up to this limit should anything go wrong, it could take anything from a week to over a month to sort out. Even savers with small amounts of money should consider spreading their money so that they have access to at least one account if another were to fold. Two accounts help mitigate the risk of total inaccessibility of your money.

Whilst this is meant as a guide, it may be of help to savers to seek independent financial advice when selecting different accounts to spread financial risk. You will still want accounts with competitive interest rates to maximise return.

This post was written by John Hughes who is the resident blogger at www.independentfinancialadvisor.co.uk, a UK based site that provides access to financial advisors as well as to debt advice charities for those struggling with their debts.

Bodily Injury and Property Damage

These are liability coverages that are included on an auto insurance policy. All states have mandates for bodily injury and property damage coverage. Bodily injury coverage pays for medical costs if the other driver in an accident is injured. Property damage liability coverage pays for the repair and replacement of damaged property. If you have a new vehicle the full amount for these coverages may be needed. 

Comprehensive and Collision 

Auto insurance policies include many types of coverage. Two that pertain directly to the vehicle include collision and comprehensive. Collision is coverage available when you are involved in an accident that involves another vehicle. Comprehensive is coverage for non-collision accidents such as fire and theft. You may only need full coverage on your auto policy for a new vehicle. If the actual case value of your vehicle is low because it is old you may only need minimum amounts or no coverage at all. 

Policy Level Discounts

Discounts are options for an auto insurance policy that are available to decrease the amount of premium that is paid. These are needed to reduce your costs and you should make sure that all discounts that you have available are on the policy. Examples of policy discounts include safe driving, accident free, having a good credit score, and using electronic funds transfer for payments. You can also receive a discount for combining multiple policies with the same insurance company. 

Minimum Coverage Requirements

Most states have minimum amounts that are required for coverages on an auto insurance policy. A state may have a minimum amount of coverage even if it is not needed by the policy holder. When you look into an auto insurance policy, the insurance agent or company representative will recommend you have more than the minimum amount of coverage. However, you are free to select any amount that you want down to the minimum required in your state. If you are involved in an accident and minimum coverage amounts do not cover the total costs to the injured person, you can be held responsible for the remainder, so only lower your coverage if you’re sure you will be able to obtain the money to cover any costs that might occur. 

Rental Car Coverage

Auto insurance includes coverages that you may not need on your policy. One type of coverage that you may not need on your auto insurance policy is rental coverage. This coverage may not be needed if you have full coverage on your policy. Check with your auto insurance company to see the coverage that is and is not available on the policy.

Personal Injury Protection

This is coverage on an auto insurance policy that pays medical expenses and lost wages that result from an accident. Coverage is provided to the driver, passengers in your vehicle, and pedestrians that suffer injury in an accident with your vehicle. States that have this coverage require minimum amounts on auto insurance policies. If you are in a state that does not require this coverage you can elect to have the minimum amount of coverage or no coverage at all.

Take some time to look at your policy and find out exactly what you’re paying for. In many cases, you have more insurance than you really need or will ever use, which is how insurance companies profit. Depending on your willingness to take risks, you may want to cut your current policy down to the bare minimum and rely on the likelihood that you won’t need to use the insurance for anything big. However, it’s important to be prepared and know how to get enough money to cover expenses if a situation does happen and you have to pay a large amount out-of-pocket.

Photo credit: My car crash by Craig Dennis

Gina Hamilton is an insurance consultant and content contributor for Kanetix. Check here for car insurance quotes from Kanetix, from the U.S. to Canada; see London insurance companies to compare rates for Toronto.

Prioritize Price Over Payments

A low price overall is always going to be preferable to lower payments. As long as you can actually afford the monthly payments, the quicker you get through those payments the lower the end cost of your car is going to be. Taking low payments over several decades is a surefire way to wind up paying more than your car is worth in the long run.

Pay Out of Pocket When Possible

Not everyone can do this, but if possible, buying a car with cash is really the best option. If you’re buying a used car, this will obviously be a little easier than saving up five figures before buying a car.

Improve Your Credit, First

If you start out with good credit, chances are you’re going to be paying far less in interest, fees and fines for your car. It’s sort of ironic that the people who can’t afford to keep their credit in good condition are the ones asked to pay more, but there you have it. The better your credit, the less of a risk you’ll be seen as by creditors so the first step to getting great rates is improving your credit. Even if you can’t make your credit spotless, improving it a little here and there isn’t a bad start.

Set Realistic Goals

Many people take out a loan with huge monthly payments because they’re expecting a new job or a promotion that will make those payments easier to cover. You need to take out a loan based on what you’re making now, not what you might be making in six months. Even if you don’t have to make any payments for a year, never borrow what you cannot pay back on your current income.

Explore Alternative Financing Options

You don’t always need to borrow through the dealership or a bank. There are also grants and loans for students, there are special funds for the disabled, minorities and various other people who fit into certain niches. There are rich uncles and sellers willing to take payments directly from the buyer, so explore these options and pursue the one that fits your means.

Bio: Philip writes for cashfortrucks.com a company who buys used cars.

The five most important budget tips to save money are as follows:

1. Check the competition.
2. Examine the necessity.
3. Act instead of react.
4. Make a budget.
5. Stick to the budget.

Following these five tips will not necessarily guarantee financial security, but they will help move your budget in the direction of being more stable.

Check the Competition

It may seem like a lot of work but effort is often rewarded. Everyone believes they know which company to use for a given service without needing to shop around but this can prove to be very costly. This is especially true with costs that can vary month to month like car insurance. A diligent consumer should check with multiple auto insurance companies every time their contract is due for renewal.

Not only does this help reassure that customer that they are getting the most bang for their buck but also gives the consumer leverage to negotiate a lower price with their current company.

This tactic should not be limited to car insurance. There are many bills to which this method can effectively be applied. This includes utilities such as gas and trash removal, telephone providers, cable, and internet providers. Most major areas have multiple companies vying for customers and those customers should use this to their advantage.

Examine the Necessity

Is a service vital? If a consumer is struggling to keep up with their bills then it is necessary for them to examine those bills and decide if it is really needed. Many bills are unavoidable such as electricity and water. That said, many are not vital at all. These include cell phones, television, and internet.

These luxury services certainly make life easier and more enjoyable but cutting them out for six months can result in a huge boost to a savings account. It may also help a consumer realize that the benefit to cost ratio is not as high as originally believed.

Act Instead of React

By thinking ahead, many financial problems can be avoided. If a car has been consistently having maintenance issues, then it is important to be prepared to purchase a new car or have money set aside for more issues. When these issues are seen coming, they can be far less devastating to financial stability.

When issues are ignored, people often find themselves begging and pleading for help or ending up in financial ruin. Nobody likes to pay bills, but ignoring the fact that they will crop up does not help the situation.

Make a Budget

It is just that simple. Everyone should make a budget. It should be set up so that the amount of money spent each month does not exceed the amount of money earned. The ideal budget should include some money to be set aside for a rainy day or for retirement.

Even if it is only ten dollars a month, it is better than saving absolutely nothing for the future. If the bills are greater than the income, it is important to return to one of the previous tips and determine what can be done to remedy this issue.

Stick to the Budget

The most tempting thing for anyone struggling financially is to say they will do better and plan to do better but never actually implement that plan. A budget is only useful if it is actually used. If the budget for groceries is only one hundred dollars, do not spend a dollar more on groceries. By not allowing these small budget violations, it creates a habitual method of spending that will last years.

All five of these tips are important steps on the road to financial security. If followed exactly and with diligence, anyone can find themselves in a much more comfortable financial situation, in which they are prepared for the worst. It also allows you to live much more comfortably in the long run. Ignoring financial problems does not make them go away, and everyone must be proactive to maintain their financial health.

Choosing The Right Company

You have to complete all their requirements in order to finish the application. Most companies offer low interest rates and high rewards. You should take in consideration the interest rates when applying for a credit card. This will lessen the charges in your bill.

When your credit card bill is already there, make sure to pay it right away with cash in order to prevent from paying high interest. All you have to pay is your credit purchase without any charges if you pay your credit card bill in the right time without overdue.

2 Ways To Help You Pay Your Credit Card Bill On Time

1. Having A Secured Credit Card

Another way to ensure that you can pay your credit card bill is by having a secured credit card. An example is the Chase secured credit card. Secured credit cards are those backed by a deposit made by the consumer, typically equal to the credit limit of the card. You won’t need to worry about paying your credit card bill because there is back-up money deposited already in your account that will be used if ever you can’t pay your bill.

2. Using The Credit Card To Pay Monthly Bills

Also by using your card only to pay monthly bills you will know how much your credit card bill will be at the end of the month and have the money ready to pay right away. This is a very clever way to build your credit by simply paying your monthly bills with your credit card and then pay the balance on the card right away.
There are advantages and disadvantages in having a credit card. By paying on time you will face no problem. You should also keep in mind the dates of payment to prevent any overdue charges. You just need to be a responsible credit card holder so that there will be no worries.