Finance Globe

  The start of the school year is just around the corner. Here are some strategies to help you save money on back to school shopping this year. Start by rounding up all of the school supplies you already own. You may already have plenty of school supplies lying around your house, forgotten at the bottom of a drawer or the back of a closet. Determine what can be reused this school year before you set...

Your credit score is an important number to keep up with, especially if you have a major loan coming up. For example, if you're planning to buy a house or car in the next few months, your credit score affects whether you're approved for a loan and the terms. Your credit score also impacts whether you have to pay a security deposit when you apply for utilities and similar services. Credit scores go up and down...

It is in the middle of the summer and many people are traveling on vacation with their families. You probably want to save a few dollars and not spend all of your money traveling. However, don’t let money stop you from traveling, there are tons of ways to travel cheap on a budget. Pay for your transportation with points: earning credit card points and miles will help you redeem them for travel. There are also lots...

The Federal Reserve recently announced that it cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point, the first cut since the 2008 financial crisis. The new short-term range will be between 2% and 2.25%. The rate they reduced is the federal funds rate, which is what banks and other financial institutions charge one another for very short-term borrowing. Most consumers don’t do that sort of overnight borrowing, but the Fed’s moves still affect the borrowing...

If you are young and healthy, you probably are not that concerned about medical coverage. However, that doesn’t mean you won’t have an unexpected medical emergency and get you stuck with a huge medical bill. Some medical expenses can be so high they reach over 5 figures. Below are a few helpful tips and ideas. Please feel free to write any questions in the comments section below. Understand what happens when bills go unpaid: After a...

There is a lot that goes into starting a small business, with the financial side of doing so requiring plenty of attention. In a perfect scenario, you’d have all the money you need to start and grow your business from the ground up. But, even if this isn’t the case, there are still things you can do to get up and running. Here are several ways to secure financing to start a small business: •    Friends...

If you're dealing with multiple debts on your credit report or you're getting calls and letters from debt collectors, you may wonder if the debt is still valid. Debts generally don't "go away" just because they get older. However, older debts do reach a period where they should no longer affect you or your credit. There's a one time limit that a debt can be listed on your credit report and another for the amount of...

A suspicious charge on your credit card. Calls from collectors about accounts you didn't know of. Alerts of new inquiries on your credit report. These can all be signs that someone has stolen your identity. Confirming identity theft can take time. But if you think someone may be using your personal information, you want to prevent them from leaving more damage for you to clean up. Here's what you should do if you think your identity...

Comparing credit cards is both easier and more difficult than ever before. On the plus side, there are two things working in your favor: •    The large number of credit card offers to compare and choose from•    The ability to gather information online Conversely, a large number of credit card offers can also lead to frustration, as there’s always something else to consider. This can lead to a situation in which you’re afraid to take the...

There are many reasons to consider a business loan. While it may sound like the perfect idea, this is a big financial decision that will affect your business on many levels. Before you wholeheartedly decide in favor of a business loan, here are some of the most important questions to answer: •    Are you familiar with the many types of business loan? From term loans to equipment loans, understanding each type of loan can help you...