Financial Schools Reviews

Do you have debt? If you do, you have the option to consolidate your credit cards. And if your debt is more than $5,000, you should seriously consider taking some type of action to eliminate your debt. Having debt can steal your dreams and limit your future, but there are things you can do to get out of debt and move forward. You have a few different choices as long as your debt situation has not gotten critical.

There are a lot of debt settlement companies advertising their services and they do have their place, but it is a better idea to checkout credit counseling first. While debt settlement says they can have you debt free in 3 years, but at what price? Full Article…

The information superhighway is getting easier and easier to jump on, as there seems to be free or inexpensive public internet access at new locations on a daily basis. I myself recently indulged in the replacement of my old computer, and my new state-of-the-art laptop with wireless capability has opened up what seems to be endless opportunities for me to use my new toy easily at multiple locations (translation: work more). On my recent vacation, I toted along my laptop and was able to find open wi-fi networks I could utilize at my hotel, restaurants, coffee shops, and of course the airport.

Full Article…

Australian economists believe that more interest rates are likely following the Australian central bank raising its growth forecasts for the Australian economy.

On Friday, the Reserve Bank of Australia issued its quarterly statement on monetary policy, in which it said that official interest rates remained relatively low.

The central bank has lifted rates twice over the last two months, hiking interest rates by 25 basis points in October and again at the start of November.

Many analysts believe that a further rate hike in December is likely, and would not pause the tightening cycle until mid 2010, or until the official interest rate stands at 4.25 per cent.

The central bank has forecast GDP growth of 1.75 per cent for the 2009 calendar year, and expects the economy to grow by 2.25 per cent for the year ending June 2010, and 3.25 per cent by the end of 2010.

Previously the RBA expected growth of 1 per cent and 2.25 per cent, respectively.

Despite the prospect of further interest rate hikes, some analysts suggest that mortgage borrowers will be spared an increase next month.

The central bank expects inflation to be moderated as a result of a slowdown in wage growth, and lower prices for imported good due to the stronger Australian dollar.

The RBA expects a further moderation in price pressures following a slowdown in wage growth and lower prices for imported goods.

The central bank has a target range for inflation of between two and three percent over the medium-term.

Credit card information can be leaked via networks. Online filesharing services can enhance customers’ chances of falling victim to credit card fraud, a technology expert has indicated.

Writing in his blog, IDTheftSecurity.com analyst Robert Siciliano said that people can unintentionally reveal sensitive personal information such as credit card data when they set the services up on their home computers.

To get on to a P2P network, users are commonly required to share software such as music files with other members.

However, Mr Siciliano pointed out that some people make important files viewable when they set up their network profiles to allow this sharing.

“This can result in data breaches, credit card fraud and identity theft,” he added.

“I’ve seen numerous reports of government agencies, drug companies, mortgage brokers and others discovering P2P software on their networks after sensitive data was leaked.”

The comments follow the accidental leaking of a confidential US Congress memo detailing House of Representatives members who are under investigation for ethical lapses.

It later emerged that the information had originally been made public through a junior official’s P2P account. Full Article…

Looking to boost sales in the month of November Chrysler announced a number of new incentive programs this week that also apply to bad credit car loan buyers.

New versus used

At Auto Credit Express, we’ve spent the past twenty years helping consumers with bad credit raise their FICO scores and reestablish their car credit by financing a vehicle with a bad credit auto loan. Along the way, we’ve tried to educate consumers on the loan process, since these very same consumers begin with a distinct disadvantage due to the high interest rates charged by these loans.

And while we realize that while most bad credit car loan shoppers will end up purchasing a used car, there are a number of affordable new cars on the market that, given the right incentives, can make a new vehicle nearly as affordable as may used cars. Chr

Full Article…