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Job loss:
In today’s economy paying bills and staying afloat may prove to be more difficult than ever before. If you find yourself without a job one day owning a credit card can become your only lifeline until you get back on track. The ability to manage your finances with the help of credits cards can be very useful if done wisely.

Becoming educated about the process is highly recommended and widely practiced by credit card companies and consumers alike. Facing financial adversity has become popular; fortunately there are ways to combat the issue with the assistance of credit card companies.

Consumer and creditor relationship:
Monitoring the expenses is one of the most crucial aspects of financial management. Every credit card comes with its own terms which have to be met in order to keep the interest rate low, monthly payments affordable and credit score as high as possible. Meeting these requirements will assure a positive experience with the credit issuer and will keep additional expenses to a minimum.

Staying in close contact with the creditor will also provide full understanding of the rules and regulations and imperative information on how to effectively manage your finances while taking advantage of credit privileges during financial hardship.

Understanding the responsibility of credit card management:
Remaining financially responsible while facing economic challenges may be demanding but it is fully approachable. It will also help you build a strong credit history and prevent the accumulation of additional expenses. Prioritize your bills, limit your spending habits and accommodate to the current situation until your financial crisis are eliminated and addressed permanently.

Stay within your budget and credit cards can significantly help you to achieve that goal without leading you into more complicated predicament. When the source of income becomes available again you will not be faced with the credit card tab you cannot afford.

FICO score:

Owning several credit cards may be tempting to overextend yourself financially. You may want to consider applying and using just one instead of many as this will ensure keeping further expenses under control. Become familiar with the requirements of the company, annual fees, the ability to increase the credit limit if necessary and the accessibility of the customer service.

Then choose the option that best fits your needs and will guide you through any difficult time you might be facing. Closely supervise your credit limit and pay at least the minimum amount on time as to avoid the interest rate increase and keep the FICO score at the highest level possible as it will provide opportunities for more financial options.

Applying for the credit card:

It is easy to apply for a credit card.  You can send in an application or call a service center.

If you feel more at ease placing a request online most companies make it accessible around the clock and you will be able to receive the answer within a very short period of time.

When you receive the card read the instructions carefully, activate it according to the directions and contact the company directly to confirm their promotions and discounts.

If you suddenly lose your job and have credit cards do not hesitate to contact a credit company directly. Speaking to a representative may prove to meet and exceed your expectations and you might be able to battle your current difficulties with simplicity and comfort. . Most corporations are sympathetic to the current trend of job loss and are willing to incorporate their knowledge and experience to help financially restricted consumers.

Andrew Bennett is a financial consultant and writer who suggests obtaining a poor credit credit card with no fee to help save money and rebuild your blemished credit.

You ever get that nagging feeling that there is something you should remember to do, but you’re not sure what it is? This can apply to many things in life, but in this case we’re talking about auto insurance. According to Susan Combs, president of Combs & Company in New York City, people “tend to get complacent” with their auto insurance. Reviewing your auto insurance policy annually is a good way to make sure you’re getting the coverage you need at a price you can afford.

Circumstances Change Over Time

Even if you found a good deal on auto insurance when you first signed your policy, circumstances can change. If you overlooked something or made a few errors or omissions on your initial policy, those changes can carryover to the next year. Many insurance companies give you the opportunity to make changes in your coverage once a year. If you assume there is nothing wrong, however, you are not likely to change anything. Some changes that may affect your auto insurance needs include:

• Purchase of new, fuel-efficient car that may make you eligible for certain discounts.
• Sale of a second vehicle that is still listed on your coverage, meaning you are paying for a vehicle you no longer have.
• Additional drivers on your policy may no longer need to be on your policy. This usually includes a former minor who now has his or her own policy.
• No longer driving your car as much as you once did. This could make you eligible for discounts for putting fewer hours on your vehicle.
• Purchase of a new car. If you update to a more recent model year, you could be eligible for discounts since new cars tend to have fewer maintenance issues.
• Discounts you weren’t eligible for at the time your policy started. This typically includes safe driver discounts that you may be eligible for if you had no accidents during the coverage year.

Too Much or Too Little Coverage

A common error people make on their auto insurance policy, according to Combs, is to have too much or too little coverage. If you get auto insurance coverage with the same company that provides your health and life insurance coverage, you’re likely duplicating some of your coverage. You may save money by combining all your policies with a single company. To determine if you have too much or too little coverage, take a look at the types of auto insurance you have and who is covered under your policy.

Coverage Options

Take a look at what type of coverage you have. Common types of auto insurance are: liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist. Additional options include rental reimbursement and emergency road service. When it comes time to consider changes to your policy, look at which coverage options you are using and which you are not. Granted, the purpose of insurance is to protect against the unexpected, but you still may be able to eliminate some coverage options. If you already get emergency road service from a AAA membership, for example, there is no need to have the same coverage with your auto insurance.

Who Is Covered

Auto insurance typically covers you and your spouse, legal drivers under the age of 18 and other licensed drivers who have permission to use your insured vehicle. If circumstances have changed, there is no reason you should be paying for drivers who no longer use your vehicle. Conversely, if you have a child who just turned 16 and is driving, you may want to add them to your coverage. This could save you money in the event of an accident while they are driving your car. Adjusting coverage as needed can reduce your premiums – and that makes for a happier driver.

Payroll companies are one of the more popular services available to companies of all sizes.  Essentially, this type of partner takes over management of all the payroll functions, including providing an easy way to calculate wages and salaries for each of your employees.  Services of this type also take on the tasks of calculating taxes, withholding the right amounts and even making sure the money is sent on to the right tax agency.  Choosing to use a payroll provider instead of managing the process in house offers other benefits, some of which are directly related to the employees.

For business owners

Choosing to outsource the payroll can make a big difference to the bottom line.  Since there is no need to maintain full-time personnel to manage payroll functions, that helps to decrease company expenses.  Lower business expenses means more of the generated income is net profit, which is often the source that funds bonuses, commissions, and raises for employees.  Those savings also mean that the company can build more of a nest egg, which in turn means that employees can worry less about the company going out of business.

Since there is no in-house payroll team, that means the process of preparing the payroll is not slowed down by absenteeism or sickness.  There’s no need for another employee to take over and muddle through, while others try to cover his or her job responsibilities.  Outsource providers deal with that type of issue, and absorb the cost of making sure the weekly, biweekly, or monthly payroll is accurate and issued on time.  A bout of the flu going around the office does not mean anyone will be paid late.

Calculating and withholding taxes is a time consuming task, even for a small business

With a competent payroll service managing the job, all you have to do is make sure the money is on hand to pay the taxes.  The service prepares the forms and remits all the tax payments, including taxes withheld from employee wages and salary right along with the employer taxes.

Going with a service also means you always have access to the latest information regarding taxes and changes in payroll laws.  There’s no need to spend time and money making sure employees are up to date on these issues before they calculate a payroll, since the service is making sure their staff is constantly updated.

Employees often benefit from the use of a service simply because that typically means the option to enjoy direct deposit.  A competent service will ensure the payroll is calculated and the deposit is initiated in plenty of time for it to post to the employee’s checking or savings account without fail.  Many payroll service providers also offer online access to individual employee payroll accounts, allowing the employees to easily look up and even print data for tax purposes.

The right payroll service will take one concern off the shoulders of the business owner and make it possible to focus more on growing the company.  At the same time, the right service also makes life a lot easier for employees, since wages and salary are always received on time, taxes are calculated properly, and they can look at their payroll histories whenever they like.  Given that using a service is less expensive and also ensures access to fully qualified payroll professionals, looking into this option just makes sense.

Indie journalist Patrica H. Hugley frequently blogs about finances and payroll companies, this is one of her many great blogs – Enjoy!

The troubles of Greece and the eurozone are rarely far from the news these days. Dramatic images of mass disorder sparked by ECB mandated austerity measures regularly fill the television screen. The latest  bailout instalment was able to be delivered, but increasing discontent within the Greek populace poses the question as to whether public opinion will force what is being called a ‘disorderly default’. Surely investing in euro funds at a time like this (when what happens in Greece could cause dramatic ripples) is a dangerous game – but could it pay off?

Risk

There can be no doubt that a lot of very knowledgeable and experienced people are being extremely cautious about euro funds. The uncertainty hanging over the EU is putting off a lot of potential investors. On the other side of the coin, a £110bn bailout for Greece has been passed, and if everything goes to plan then those that had the bravery to go where others feared to tread will reap the rewards.

Choices

There are a lot of choices when it comes to funds that are investing in Europe. They are taking a wide variety of approaches, some of these being seen as higher risk plays than others. For those looking to put their money into these funds there are certainly a lot of variables to be considered.

One investment trust which seems to be opting for something of a high risk strategy is Montaro European Smaller Companies. This fund is buying up shares in eurozone based companies at the smaller end of the spectrum. This strategy has seen a shareholder return of 3% over the last five years.

Montaro European Smaller Companies is managed by the somewhat mercurial Charles Montanaro. Not everybody agrees with his approach, although among those who like to go against the flow of received opinion when investing his investment trust certainly holds appeal, with its share price increasing by 82% in the last 36 months.

Rob Burnett’s ‘Neptune European Opportunities’ appear to be taking a much more cautious tack. The European financial sector in particular is viewed by Burnett as being of concern. Worrying about the potential for further nasty surprises from banking is far from being an uncommon viewpoint at this juncture.

Despite the eurozone sharing a currency and monetary policy it has become increasingly clear that there are very different conditions prevailing in the various constituent parts.  Germany and the North are not exactly in the same boat as Greece and the beleaguered and debt addled countries on the South of the Continent.  Funds such as ‘BlackRock European Dynamic’ are seeking to capitalize on this by buying shares in companies based in the economically stronger regions, whilst leaving the weaker ones well alone.

All in all there are definitely opportunities to make money investing in Europe at the moment. There is also the opportunity to lose your shirt, with investors being, to a very large extent, hostages of fortune. Very careful consideration is needed.

Planning for retirement used to be fairly easy: You contribute to senior benefit plans through the government, and you put some aside in 401(k) plans. If you were really focused, you might have opened a stock and bond portfolio for private investments. After the financial crash of 2008, however, those nest eggs might be so financially nutritious right now, especially for females who live longer and get paid less than men. How can you, the average working female, strategize for an easier retirement?

Same Basic Rules Apply

First, don’t toss aside what worked in the past. Continue your private or employment investment strategy. You might want to closely examine how your retirement dollar is invested by looking at the individual companies in your 401(k) mutual funds and the overall risk categories.

The rule of paying yourself first and last still applies: Not only should you always deposit money in your savings and/or investment strategy but also whatever money is left in your budget at the end of the month. Allow those special-purchase savings as well; those amounts should be included in your budget already.

Change Retirement Paradigms

Rethink how you think of your retirement environment. Owning your own home in which you have lived for decades may be a comforting thought, but can your retirement withstand the extended home owner’s insurance, maintenance costs, landscaping costs and utility bills?

Have you planned for escalating medical costs from that longer life expectancy and the related drug costs? You have additional co-payments, deductibles and premium payments to budget and provide for on top of the extended living costs over males.

Would a communal living environment be more frugal or more suited for you? You might still have privacy in a separate abode or a private room, but you share dining space, food costs, utility costs and even entertainment costs and venues.

If living in a retirement community or assisted living environment doesn’t suit you, perhaps sharing the private home is a viable alternative. Two retirement incomes on communal costs cost less per person, after all.

Many retirees are turning to an RV life as well. Buying a small plot of land and arranging for power and water hook-ups are becoming more popular. Renting space at an RV campground is also very popular, and RV living provides the freedom of movement when desired or a stable living environment with virtually every convenience of a brick-and-mortar home but at less overall cost.

Change Location Considerations

Changing locations of your retirement is another possibility. Communities in Mexico or Central America where the cost of living and medical care are far lower are springing up or growing almost weekly. Quick trips home for visa requirements are easily handled, especially when it’s a group trip: Again, cost sharing helps.

Even if you choose to not live as an “expat,” investigate what part of your country has the lowest overall cost of living – rent, food, utilities and gas, for instance. The less money you have to pay to live, the longer your retirement nest eggs will last.