http://www.ecoss24.org Finances for Students Thu, 05 Jun 2008 10:13:02 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Debt is something that most of us deal with on a daily basis. There are many of us who have become accustomed to paying a plethora of credit card bills every moth. Each of these bills has a minimum amount we must pay so that our good credit remains intact. ... http://www.ecoss24.org/index.php/2008/06/05/tackling-debt/ Giving gifts does not have to be spendthrift. As the old adage goes, “It is the thought that counts”. This goes to show that people can start cutting back on gifts that would cost them hundreds of dollars. It is best to opt for things that may not be that ... http://www.ecoss24.org/index.php/2008/05/27/how-to-save-money-on-gifts/ So you’ve gone through the long and terrible process of giving your details, only to find that you got turned down. This can feel a little insulting, like a rejection, especially if you feel like you could easily handle the card in question. So what can you do if it ... http://www.ecoss24.org/index.php/2008/05/20/what-should-you-do-if-you-get-turned-down-for-a-credit-card/ If you’re in a really bad situation, and you just can’t even make your minimum payments this month, don’t worry. You can negotiate your debts, and pay back much less than you owe – as long as they get their debt plus interest in the end, no-one is expecting you ... http://www.ecoss24.org/index.php/2008/05/13/negotiating-your-debts./ Do you have any idea just how common credit cards are? Let’s take a look at a few statistics from the USA. The average family carries a balance of between $5,000 and $8,000 on all their credit cards, depending on which figures you believe. Over $1,000 per family goes on interest ... http://www.ecoss24.org/index.php/2008/05/06/you%e2%80%99re-not-alone-credit-card-statistics./ If you are in charge of creating the family budget, chances are, you’ve had the unfortunate experience of having a brilliant budget plan that isn’t executed well. This happens to many families and couples, and with a little attitude tweaking, you can solicit the help of your family in making ... http://www.ecoss24.org/index.php/2008/04/29/we-are-family-budget-tips-for-today%e2%80%99s-familial-ties/ When you’re paying back debts, a little strategy can make a difference of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. The best strategy is simple, but effective. List Your Debts. Write down a list of every debt you have, how much it is, and what the interest rate is. You might have trouble ... http://www.ecoss24.org/index.php/2008/04/22/pay-it-back-strategically./ Credit cards, as part of the financial industry, use a massive array of jargon. You can’t be expected to recognise all these technical terms, and some of them are quite important – so here’s a quick guide, in alphabetical order. Affinity card. This is a credit card that gives a certain ... http://www.ecoss24.org/index.php/2008/04/15/a-credit-card-jargon-buster/ So you’ve got a few credit cards, and you’re quite happy with them overall. Still, wouldn’t it be nice to save a little money on interest? It all adds up over time, and more quickly than you’d think. If you’re a good customer, you’d be surprised how easy it is ... http://www.ecoss24.org/index.php/2008/04/08/how-to-get-the-best-rates-on-your-current-credit-cards/ Once you’ve been paying off a credit card for a while, you might be offered a ‘payment holiday’. You’ll get a letter, saying that since the company knows it’s difficult for some families around Christmas (or whatever other excuse they think up), they’re offering you a month off from paying, ... http://www.ecoss24.org/index.php/2008/04/01/always-avoid-payment-holidays./