Shopping for a vehicle can be an exciting time, but it is also a daunting task that can leave the consumer confused, exhausted, and afraid to make a move on going through with the purchase. The first instinct for many auto shoppers is to head to the local auto dealership. This can be an easy one-stop shop to check out what’s available, even before you’re ready to buy. But beware that by merely setting foot in...
The truth about Medical Discount PlansThe Federal Trade Commission announced today that they’ve charged another defendant in an alleged health care scam. The FTC claims that the organization misled consumers into believing they were buying low-cost health insurance, when in fact, all the organization was offering was a medical discount plan.While a medical discount plan can benefit certain consumers, it is vastly different from a health insurance plan. Consumers should be aware of what type of...
The job market began to show signs of recovery in December 2010 as the unemployment rate fell to its lowest point in nineteen months. The national unemployment rate fell significantly in December to 9.4%, down from 9.8% in November, the Labor Department’s Bureau of of Labor Statistics (BLS) stated in its latest employment report. Last month’s unemployment rate was a half percent below its reported level in December 2009 when it was 9.9% - just two...
Getting your first job is a big step. Before you even begin to submit job applications, you may be daydreaming about a fun, exciting job where you are appreciated by everyone, and all the money you make to buy the things you need and want.But landing your first job can be very frustrating, and even more so if you aren't prepared when you begin your search. Let's go over a few things to help you increase...
When looking for your first job, it’s important to project an image that shows you are responsible, mature, and hard-working. Appearance does matter. It's just a fact that people do judge you by how you take care of yourself.Look at it from the prospective employer's view: A person who goes job hunting while looking like they just crawled out of bed isn't likely to put in much more effort once they've been hired. Your family and...
It’s the new year, and for many, it’s the time to start thinking about preparing our income tax returns.And while it’s business as usual for the majority of taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service announced that certain taxpayers will need to delay filing their returns until mid to late-February if they are affected by any of the three recent changes in the tax law.The changes are deductions that were reinstated by Congress in the Tax Relief, Unemployment...
The new year is a time to start fresh for many, with resolutions to do things better than they were done in the past. But what if you start the new year with a constant reminder of yesteryear’s indulgences, such as a credit card balance that will take months or even years to knock down to zero? It can be a little frustrating when you’re dedicated to reducing your debts but it’s happening at a paltry...
So, you have come upon unfortunate circumstances and can no longer afford to pay your auto loan payments.As you already know, the lender has the right to repossess the car once you begin to miss payments. And they are likely to act upon that right within a couple of months of non-payment, or possibly even within a matter of days if the lender specializes in loans for people with poor credit - such as a buy...
Consumers with an auto loan already know that the vehicle can be repossessed if you don’t abide by the terms of the loan. You’ll never have to worry about this happening as long as you keep paying the monthly installment on time and abide by other terms of the loan, such as - in some states - keeping the lender-required insurance coverage up-to-date. But sometimes things don’t go as planned. Job loss, medical bills, or other...
A bogus sweepstakes that duped consumers into paying a “processing fee” to collect “prize money” has been halted by a federal judge at the request of the Federal Trade Commission, the agency reported on Wednesday. According to FTC allegations, the company sometimes posed as a government agency, and used tricky language and official-looking documents and seals to fool consumers into paying $20 to collect a fake multi-million dollar sweepstakes prize. According to the FTC’s complaint, the...
