Debt

How Does a Payday Loan Work?

A Payday loan (also referred to a payday advance) is a small, short term loan which is secured against the borrower’s next pay check.  Most lenders will require some verification of employment or income, such as a pay stub or bank statement.

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5 Easy Ways to Pay Your Mortgage Early

Paying your mortgage early can be relatively pain free, but, before getting started, you need to take care of some basic prerequisites.  I recommend that you:

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Your Small Business Doesn’t Need A Loan

Something like 90% of small businesses fail. That’s a pretty pathetic statistic. I know this is a personal finance website, but (surprisingly?) small business loans are a personal finance issue. Let me explain.

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“18 Months Same as Cash!” … Really?

Is zero interest for 18 months REALLY zero interest?  If you can walk a tightrope while juggling flaming torches, then maybe.  But beware — many of these offers are fraught with conditions that will make your head spin. Best Buy, for example, is currently offering 18 months zero interest on all purchases over $429.  However, [...]

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3 Ways To Recover From Christmas Over-Spending

Even with all the advice here at Personal Finance By The Book, you still managed to overspend this holiday season. It’s not that surprising; one-in-three Americans put their holiday on credit cards. Many more used loans, credit lines, and same-as-cash deals to pay for the big day. And with presents, eating out, travel, and increased [...]

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Take Control of Your Debt by Setting a Time Goal

How do you feel when your bills pile up on you?  Overwhelmed?  Out of control?  Hopeless?  Even when you start making progress, do you run out of steam?   Is “getting started” something that you continually postpone? Yes, debt bondage can be overwhelming, but setting a time goal will help you take control of your [...]

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Surviving in a Sea of Debt

I read a fascinating article the other day from the Discovery Channel’s How Stuff Works website.  The article shared strategies for surviving adrift in the ocean.  While I don’t ever plan on being stranded in the ocean (who does, right?) it was still a captivating read.  I’ve never been a fan of the open waters [...]

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Difference Between Debt and Deficit

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the words debt and deficit thrown around on the news this year.  It seems like every time I turned on the TV or read an economic article, people would make it a point to talk about our nation’s debt and the budget deficits.  But what’s interesting [...]

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Stake Your Debt Free Claim by Having “The Talk” This Christmas

Fred and Angela have always loved Christmas, especially shopping for their kids and grandkids … unbridled shopping, as in thousands of dollars shopping. The problem is that Fred and Angela do not have thousands of dollars to spend on Christmas. To the contrary, they have tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt, car [...]

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