Living On What's Left
by Terry Rigg
Let's talk about how much money you have to cover your household expenses after you pay all of those bills. Your household expenses would include your groceries, car gas, school lunches, and all of the other stuff that it takes to run a household. Do you have enough to pay this bill? All to often, people tend to...
Household Math™: Fast Pay Mortgage
by Scott Bilker
You have a $100,000 mortgage at 6% APR for 15 years. How many extra monthly payments must you send each year to be able to pay off this loan in exactly 5 years? Note: All extra payments are sent along with the year's last monthly payment.
DebtSmart Email Newsletter: 2/26/03
by DebtSmart Email Newsletter
In This Issue; Cool Quote; Letter from the Publisher; Get Started On The Path To Financial Freedom! What is Creative Frugality?; Household Math™: Sandwich Coupons Cost The Truth About Mortgage Loans Higher Fuel Prices? Wheels That Will Keep You Rolling; DebtSmart Resources; Subscribe/Disclaimer Information
The Truth About Mortgage Loans
by Doris Dobkins
When you close on a new mortgage, your loan papers state the interest rate you will be paying for your loan. But is that interest rate really as good as it looks? Out of your monthly payment that you faithfully make each month, do you know how much of that amount is actually going towards interest?
Higher Fuel Prices? Wheels That Will Keep You Rolling
by Kyle Busch
The cost of transportation can be expensive, and higher fuel prices do not help matters. The following vehicles have good ratings, and they will help to stretch your fuel dollars.
What is Creative Frugality?
by Nancy Twigg
Most people understand what creativity is, and have a good idea what it means to be frugal. But the idea of putting the two together is a little hard to grasp. Because creative frugality is one of those things that is easier to show than to tell, here is a quick list of dead giveaways for identifying creative frugality in action.
Tricky Insurance Pays Off
by Scott Bilker
I found out after renewing a credit card that I had been paying for insurance that I wasn't aware of. This insurance would pay benefits in case I died or became disabled. I had the card since 1997 and became disabled in 1998 (Parkinson's). I called a credit card rep and she advised me to put in a claim. She also stated if there were any other balances to transfer I could transfer them and clear them up also.
How Do You Want To Live?
by Scott Bilker
People always ask kids, "What do you want to do/be when you grow up?" I'm sure you remember the question well. A fireman, policeman, scientist, doctor, social worker, teacher, superhero, etc. The truth is that people have many interests and talents. Someone may be just as happy being a lawyer as a teacher. That's why I believe the better question to ask is "How do you want to live?" Do you want...
Household Math™: Home Equity vs. Credit Card
by Scott Bilker
Donna and Kyle need $10,000 to remodel their kitchen. They will be able to repay this in 12 months. Donna gets an offer on her credit card of 0% for 12 months with a $10,000 max and no fees. Kyle's college buddy Vinnie, is a mortgage broker and tells Kyle that he can get him a home equity line of credit at the Prime rate, currently 4.25%, with no application charges or other fees. Kyle tells Vinnie that his wife has a 0% credit card offer and asks him which is better. Vinnie says that in their case the home equity line will have full tax benefits, however they would remain in the same tax bracket. Which option is better? The 0% credit card deal or the home-equity line of credit?
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