Don’t Waste Money On a Monthly Home Phone Bill – Get magic Jack Instead!

For years people have been over paying for home phone service but all of that ends today with the magic Jack. With the magic Jack you can now get phone service for just $19.95 per year! Yes, that’s per year not per month.

For a traditional landline most people pay $40-$50 per month for local calls with long distance calls costing extra per minute of use but over that last few years VoIP services have been popping up at various prices and with varying levels of quality.

One of the most widely known and reliable VoIP services is Vonage. Vonage was the first major VoIP phone company to burst onto the scene and at it was a huge success with low rates cutting landline costs in half to around $25 per month. Since then the VoIP market has undergone a major transformation that has allowed for cheaper and cheaper services. Read the rest of this entry »

Can bankruptcy stop foreclosure?

There are many today who are facing foreclosure of their home. Bankruptcy might be able to help. Filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy could stop foreclosure for months, and filing Chapter 13 may help you save your home.

Foreclosure usually begins when a home owner falls behind on mortgage payments. The lender will take possession of the house and sell it at auction to recover some of their losses. The process won’t usually begin until after you have missed three or four payments. During that time, you can try alternate solutions, such as a short sale, a loan forbearance, or a deed in lieu of foreclosure.

If these measures have not worked for you, it may be a good time to consider bankruptcy to avoid or put off foreclosure. When you file either a Chapter 13 or Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the court issues an order that includes something called an “automatic stay”. This tells your creditors to stop any collection activities they may have embarked upon. They must stop immediately, and if your home has been scheduled for an auction, the sale is postponed until the bankruptcy goes through, usually three or four months. The two exceptions would be a motion to lift the stay that is filed by the lender, or if the foreclosure notice is already filed, the lender could go through with the sale. Read the rest of this entry »

Settle Tax Debt But Avoid The Scam

There are many companies that would try to attract your attention with the help of the advertisement of their firm. There prime task would be to declare to settle tax debts. But before you take up their service make sure of the authenticity of these companies. You can expect to be associated with a fraud firm if they claim to settle on a low percentage that might be worth of a dollar.

If you are keen to lower the tax bills then make sure that you find a reputable firm and guidance of a proficient tax settler. There are many firms that show case their excellent service and brilliant result. These firms are generally termed as “tax settlement specialist”. These firms handle the various problems of the clients and save them from financial issues. They even low the tax debt from the principal balance by exhibiting a plan known as offer-in-compromise (OIC). Read the rest of this entry »

Hurdles To Overcome When Buying Your First Home

Today, with home prices and interest rates at an all time low, many first time home buyers are thinking of getting into a home of their own. However, there are some obstacles that first time home buyers face when getting a mortgage loan.

One of the first obstacles first time home buyers run into is insufficient money for a down payment. A conventional mortgage can require up to 20% down payment. A FHA mortgage, if you qualify for one, only requires 3.5%. Every state in the U.S. has a housing office that can help you with down payment assistance. In addition, there are non-profits and private lending companies that offer down payment assistance programs. Read the rest of this entry »

Using Credit Wisely

Using credit wisely is important, especially during the current economic difficulties.  Thankfully, there are still several steps you can take to make sure your credit score remains high.

First and foremost, make sure you use credit only when you must. This doesn’t mean using credit for everyday purchases such as food, gas or clothing.  In addition, make sure what you are purchasing is a “need” and not a “want”.  Too many times we confuse the two.  By purchasing items you don’t need and putting them on credit, you are only creating a large hole for yourself.

Secondly, only buy what you can afford.  If you can’t afford it now, you probably won’t be able to pay it off next month or even the next.  So you might want to consider getting rid of expensive but not really important things, like selling  your Timeshare. Read the rest of this entry »