A bad credit history can wreak havoc on your life. Not only could you struggle to take out new credit in the form of credit cards and loans, but you could also find it a challenge to rent or buy a house, invest in a new or used vehicle, and even find a job! It is true that most employers run credit checks on potential employees before deciding whether or not to hire them. In short, one should avoid bad credit at all costs.

Read on to discover the various signs that you might have bad credit, along with advice regarding how best to remedy the situation going forward.

10 signs you have bad credit

• Your recent loan or credit card application has been rejected.
• You are being offered high Annual Percentage Rates (APRs) by lenders and your limit on your credit card is low.
• You frequently pay your bills after the provided due date or you have made late loan repayments in the past.
• You have skipped out on payments altogether without timeously notifying your lender and reaching a mutual agreement.
• You make minimum payments on your credit card.
• You routinely use more than 30% of the credit availed to you.
• You have had an account closed by a lender in recent times.
• You have received calls from debt collectors.
• You have applied for multiple loans in a short period of time, resulting in several ‘hard’ credit checks being conducted in your name.
• You have recently closed or opened a new credit account.

Ultimately, the only way to tell if you have bad credit for certain is to visit annualcreditreport.com and request your free credit report. You are entitled to a free report every 12 months.

How to improve your credit rating

It is essential that you understand that improving your credit rating takes plenty of work and certainly isn’t something that will happen overnight. However, the effort that you put in will prove to be well worth it both in the short- and long-term.

• Only borrow from reputable lenders: If you need to take out a loan despite your bad credit, avoid doing so via shady lenders. Always seek out bad credit personal loans from lenders with a clear, respectable reputation, such as SimplePersonalLoans.
• Reduce the balance owed on your credit card: Strive to use no more than 30% of your available credit at any given time.
• Negotiate: Negotiate with your credit card provider to see whether you can get penalties incurred through late payments removed.
• Manage your debt: Ensure that you take steps towards paying off all your debt. You might want to consider taking out a debt consolidation loan to help make this process easier. Another option is to apply for a zero APR credit card.
• Check your credit report: Do so at least once per year.
• Make payments on time: Avoid any new late payment penalties and always pay the full amount owed each month.

Put all this advice into practice and your credit rating is sure to improve significantly over time. Focus on more efficient financial management going forward and you should be just fine!

 

Jewelry is a great gift for any occasion, but its high cost often means that you either opt for the smallest choice or go for costume jewelry instead.

Knowing what you are looking for, what metal types and stone types mean, and, of course, exhausting your options to help get a good deal are all crucial aspects of buying jewelry at a great price.

Saving big is possible, so use these tips to find beautiful gifts for your loved ones:

Know the basics of jewelry

The first things you need to know are the basics. Understanding gold karats, for example, and plated gold options can help you get jewelry that is allergy-free (minus gold allergies, of course).

Silver, gold, white gold, gold plated – understanding what each of these means is key to getting a good deal. The most affordable gold jewelry, for example, is 9k gold plated jewelry, but for quality that lasts, you will want to go up to 14k, or even 24k, gold.

Know what pieces they need

Another way to get a good deal on jewelry is simply making sure that it is something they need. If they already have four pairs of hoop earrings, get them a stud earring, for example. Though this tip doesn’t help the upfront price, it does help ensure that the cost-to-wear value just continues to go down because you have gifted your loved one something they love and will wear often.

Know the right sellers

Jewelry is one of those items where the price can typically be negotiated. It is like buying a car, so knowing the right people or shopping at the right time can give you a better deal. Find local jewelers you can build a rapport with, or, better yet, find an online jeweler. As for buying at the right time, this tip will help you best in big-brand jewelers whose employees will have a quota they need to fill by the end of the month, quarter, or year.

Consider shopping second-hand

For great deals on beautiful pieces that would typically be out of your budget, you cannot beat shopping second-hand. These items are refurbished, cleaned, and perfect to gift, especially when sold through a reputable seller. Pre-owned jewellery allows you to save big on unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. The only downside is that to find something really special, you will want to keep checking in regularly.

Repair Old Treasures

Another great jewelry idea is to have any precious treasures fixed. If your loved one had a necklace and the clasp broke, it is far cheaper to get that fixed by a jeweler than to try to replace the item. It shows care, thought, and can be a great surprise for a birthday gift, anniversary gift, or even just a spontaneous gift.

Jewelry is hands-down one of the best gifts you can give, and with these top tips, you will be able to find great jewelry for a steal. Buy new, used, or repair old jewelry, and you have your gift-giving sorted for the year.

 

The usual happenings of life can catch up with you unexpectedly if you don’t plan well. A perfect example is failing or forgetting to update estate planning documents. You have to keep on checking your will, trust, power of attorney, and any other useful tool to ensure your last wishes are fulfilled. The process of estate planning is a complex one, and rushing to online service providers may not be a solution. They may not prepare your legal documents as you wish, which may frustrate you and even spend more looking for other solutions. Avoiding such may require you to hire an estate planning attorney to take you through the process of preparing legal documentation to keep your assets safe. Keep reading!

Necessary documentation updates

Any document that has to do with your assets needs regular reviews to ensure proper updates are made when required. Documents that need frequent reviews or updates include wills and trusts. Your financial situation can change any moment, thereby requiring you to make some adjustments to your will to fit your current status. This is why san antonio estate planning lawyers review documents keenly to determine if any necessary changes should be made to fulfill your plans or wishes. For instance, you may have mind changes on where to distribute your assets, forcing you to re-evaluate your estate plan.

Current law should favor your documents.

The documents should match with your current plans. If you want to fail thoroughly, contradict your ideas with what’s included in your will or trust. Estate planning is a process that needs careful review and knowledge when it comes to what an online form provider is asking. You don’t want to overspend and have regrets later when your documents do not reflect your wishes. Failing to update your records regularly presents with errors when you die. You need an estate planning lawyer to periodically check any area of your document that may require drafting to reflect your goals.

Asset and beneficiary titles

Don’t fall to the belief that wills cover every asset. For example, retirement accounts or life insurance go individually of your trust or will. But if you want them to work together, it may force you to hire an estate planning attorney to assist with retitling your accounts and assets. You have to ensure your estate plan covers each of your assets through an attorney to avoid costly and timewasting probate proceedings when a person dies.

Seek future answers from reliable resources for your loved one’s benefit

It is paramount to have an honest relationship with your estate planning attorneys. This will give you confidence and peace of mind knowing that they will be there for you when in need. Attorneys have the experience when it comes to handling your loved ones if you die or you become helpless. Also, they ensure a smooth run in your estate settlement.

Bottom Line

Estate planning attorneys are vital if you need your will or trust documents to reflect your final wish. Even though it is a complex process, their professionalism provides value for any step required to ensure your estate plan runs smoothly.

The silky-smooth latte with just enough caffeine to jolt you awake in the mornings has a bad rap. But how could something with adorable latte art have such a disastrous effect on your budget?

Ask David Bach, the millionaire and financial guru behind The Latte Factor. This financial principle exposes just how much money your daily cup of Joe costs you in the long run.

Bach casts it as the bad guy in your finances; it’s the reason why you don’t have savings and need to rely on an online personal line of credit when something goes wrong unexpectedly.

All in all, he says it swallows up $2,000 of your hard-earned money each year. He also claims that you could save $1 million for your retirement simply by skipping the latte and investing the money.

Sounds too good to be true? You’re onto something! Here are three reasons why the Latte Factor may not work.

Reason #1: It’s Bad Math

It’s easy to trust a talking head in a video hosted by CNBC and CNN who claims to have all the answers. But sometimes, it’s worth fact-checking what they have to say.

According to Bach, a $5 latte purchased every day for an entire year would cost you $2,000. But punch these into a calculator and you’ll see he’s fudged the numbers.

$5 x 365 = $1,825

Now let’s look at a Starbucks menu. Even accounting for the latest price hike, a Venti latte costs $4.15.

$4.15 x 365 = $1,514.75

That’s a difference of nearly $300! Admittedly, this may be a big boost to your budget. It would be a solid start to an emergency fund, a considerable payment against your online line of credit balance, or a way to knock out a loan from an online direct lender.

But when it comes to investing, a $300 difference may affect how long it will take you to reach $1 million.

Reason #2: It’s Unrealistic

However you invest it, $1,514.75 a year is a considerable sum. But no matter how you slice it, it’s not $1 million.

To reach this savings goal, Bach’s calculations rely on snagging an interest rate of 11 percent. Other financial experts think a rate of return this high in unlikely, and they may be right. The average 401(k) offers an annual return rate ranging between 5 and 8 percent.

Reason #3: It’s for Rich People

People are only poor because they aren’t working hard enough at budgeting. That’s a common belief underlining a lot of financial advice you read on the Internet.

While it’s true, some people are living paycheck to paycheck because of overspending on splurge items, most are in this position because they don’t earn enough for their immediate needs. They aren’t spending $5 a day (or $4.15, more accurately) on a latte because all their money goes towards rent, utilities, and other essentials.

Telling people they can solve their financial problems simply by eliminating what Bach calls “the daily extravagances that drain your resources” only works if you have the resources to make these luxury purchases in the first place.

For everyone else, the fixed costs of hard-to-change expenses (things like rent and healthcare) are what’s more likely draining your finances. Giving up an occasional latte won’t fix these chronic issues.

 

There are many activities we engage in daily that are important, necessary or for fun. In the past, doing some of these was very expensive, difficult and slow. However, people have continually brought up innovative solutions that aided the speed and ease of carrying such services while bringing down the price. All of these have made it easier to get a lot of things we want that we would not have known about or had access to at our standard of living a few years earlier. One of such things is money transfer services. Not too long ago, transferring money implied going to the bank, joining long queues, filling forms and the recipient getting the money days later. However, it is now possible to transfer money and the recipient will get the money within a few minutes. Here are the steps to enjoying these cheaper and faster transfer services.

Select a Money Transfer Company
Many companies provide money transfer services including those that provide such services locally, internationally and both ways. They also often have some features that could be slightly different as well as their charges. In most cases, you would want to either find the fastest companies or the cheapest companies as long as they are reliable. You could read more about finance companies to know which finance companies provide which services, at what price and at what speed. From here, you could choose the companies that you are most comfortable with and do further research on them by visiting their site and probably contacting their customer care if you have further questions till you settle for the one you are most comfortable with. Examples of the companies you might want to research include ripple, n26 and Transferwise.

Open an account
Once you know the one you are comfortable with, you would have to visit their platform which could be their website and/or their app to open an account. For most of these companies, opening an account is usually free. You would need to fill their form and in most cases, provide some form of verification that would be an official document from your country. Once you have properly and correctly filled the form and you are verified, you would be able to start using the account.

Sending money
To send money, you might be required to credit your wallet or link a credit card. If you are crediting your wallet, you would often have the option of crediting the wallet from your card and other alternatives. Once you have done that, you can easily select the amount that you want to transfer and it would be sent to the person. A major reason why the services of these money transfer platforms are cheaper is that they convert the money that you want to send to local currencies of the country of the recipient. Thus, the money enters the account without extra charges from the bank or a lower exchange rate that the bank will be using. The platforms strive to use the exact exchange rate, which most local banks would go a bit below.

 

 

Despite having the best intentions with your money, sometimes it’s not always easy to know how to best spend it. Over time it’s easy to find yourself struggling to pay the bills if you aren’t careful. It’s in your best interest to eliminate financial stress from your life, if possible.

Curbing your bad spending habits can not only bring more peace to your life but will also pave the way for a more comfortable future, like being able to buy a home. If you’re ready to take control of your finances, then take a look at some of the worst spending habits you should get rid of first.

 

Impulse Buying

 

If you frequently find yourself seeing something you just can’t live without buying, then you may be guilty of impulse purchases. Impulse buying is an impractical way to spend your money based on emotion. Stores know that people are susceptible to impulse buying; that’s why they put enticing products next to the cash registers. People who are smart with their money know how to purchase with a good head on their shoulders rather than buying something just because it sounds good.

 

If you suffer from an impulse buying problem, the best way to fix it is to recognize your triggers. Before you buy something for yourself, ask yourself whether you really need it. Unless you’ve been anticipating buying it for some time, force yourself to reflect before buying it. Giving yourself time to think about your decision will often lead to you realizing that you never really needed it in the first place.

 

Failing To Budget

 

A lot of people would rather not bother with the budget; however, the truth is that taking some time to create a budget for yourself can have a huge effect on your spending habits. One of the reasons you may be living hand to mouth is because you don’t have a budget to live off of.

A budget allows you to see exactly what’s coming in and going out of your bank account. It forces you to take a look at how you’re spending your money and make changes where necessary. It doesn’t have to be something that takes a lot of time out of her life. Nowadays, there are plenty of apps and automated spreadsheets that can do your accounting for you.

 

Using Your Credit Cards Too Much

 

There’s something to be said for credit, and it’s undoubtedly a part of modern life whether you want it to be or not. In fact, not using credit is the same as having bad credit. However, it’s important that you don’t rely on your credit cards too much.

 

Not only do you have to pay your credit cards back, but you have to pay interest on top of whatever you spend. Over time, you could end up getting yourself into unmanageable goodnight debt.

 

 

 

 

Having poor or non-existent credit can be a distressing and crippling situation. Not only do you fear having to go before a loan officer, but having poor credit could end up costing you a position or getting access to basic amenities in some cases.

However, you should know that there are concrete things everybody can do to improve their credit situation. Some of these only require a minor effort on your part, and many of them won’t cost you a thing. Here are some ways that you could start fixing your credit starting today.

Get Your Credit Report

This is the very first thing that you should do. There’s nothing worse than getting rejected for a loan or card application because you had an error on your report or an account you’ve paid off that is still showing.

Make sure that you get your hands on your credit report. All UK citizens are entitled to a free copy of their report from one of the three major agencies: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.

You are then free to report any issues and have them corrected within 28 days. Each service will have an easy to follow the procedure to dispute false information. It is your right to have these issues straightened, so make sure that you order your copy today and see if everything is in order.

Take Some Good Debt

First of all, you have to know that debt isn’t inherently bad. In fact, there are plenty of ways that you can improve your credit using debt. It’s also the only way that you can start building a credit history.

One of the ways that you can do this is by getting a secured credit card. This is a card that is backed by collateral. This collateral is usually a sum of money that you will be asked to deposit. This will eventually be the credit limit on the credit card.

The other option is to get a short-term loan. There are plenty of short-term loan providers in the UK that will allow you to borrow anywhere from £100-£1500 and pay it back over a short period of time. You can get short term loans UK from providers like Bingo Loans for instance, who will pay more attention to your current income when deciding if you’re eligible. So, this could be an option to consider if you have a steady income.

However, in order for both methods to be successful, you have to behave responsibly. Just one late payment could be enough to ruin your efforts, so make sure that you can handle the debt and pay on time each month.

Become an Authorised User

Another way that you can start improving your credit is to become an authorised user on someone else’s account. A lot of people don’t know this, but being an authorised user will allow you to benefit from the main user’s activity, and it will show on your report. On the other hand, any bad information will also show, so that could be a double-edged sword.

Just using these few tips could be enough to start turning your credit report around and slowly start rebuilding it. Make sure, however, that you follow through with some responsible spending and budgeting if you want to keep your good name.

If you are harmed or injured due to the negligence of some other person, you must file for a personal injury lawsuit as it is your right to get the compensation you deserve. There is a common notion in society that it is immoral to sue for personal injuries.

There is no doubt that there have been some immoral people who exploited this provision and led to recent changes in the law, but we need to understand that such lawsuits have also stirred a sense of accountability. Therefore, we have listed here eight vital steps you must follow to file a personal injury lawsuit so that you can get the compensation you deserve.

1. Put everything in writing:

You must jot down everything about the incident right down to the minor details, and it should be done as soon as possible because you will not be able to recall all the details after a while. As a result, the opposing attorney will be able to find the loopholes in your story even if it is true, and you may end up on the losing side.

2. Gather evidence to back your claim:

Once you have tended to your medical needs, it is paramount that you start collecting evidence to support your compensation claim. It would help if you took the pictures of your injuries and the place of injury as soon as possible. Moreover, you can also engage the people who have observed the accident because they can be presented as witnesses to reinforce your claim.

3. Hire an attorney:

After collecting the necessary pieces of evidence, hire a competent lawyer like a Seattle l&i attorney because he will be able to help you in many ways. For example, a relevant attorney will be able to understand the nuances of personal injury cases in dealing with the insurance company or understanding the delaying tactics used by the opposing counsel.

Moreover, these attorneys work on no win-no fee basis, which means that they are not going to get paid if they do not win; therefore, they will be more motivated to get you the best deal.

4. Settling the claim:

The next logical step would be to notify all the defendants and send the demand letter to the insurance company of the opposing party that will mention the number of damages they are required to pay. They will then decide the fate of this claim by accepting, renegotiating, or utterly rejecting the offer.

5. Filing the lawsuit:

In case you are not happy with the counteroffer or your offer is utterly rejected by the opposing party, your lawyer must move to file the lawsuit in the appropriate court.

6. Discovery:

In this phase, both plaintiffs and defendants will look to gather evidence to support their respective positions, which will then be shared for further proceedings. In this pre-trial phase, both parties will be subjected to depositions that will involve stern cross-questioning, which will eventually decide the future of the trial. Many lawsuits are settled in this phase, and if parties are unable to come to a mutual arrangement, your case will go to trial.

7. Trial:

During the trial, both parties will present their evidence in front of a judge or jury. They will analyze the details, determine the fault, and decide whether the plaintiff should be awarded for any damages.

 

In a nutshell, you must always know these steps to file a personal injury claim because there is every chance that you can get injured due to someone else’s negligence.

 

The biggest casino wins in history have come from slots which makes them nothing to sneeze at. Becoming a millionaire with a low bet and the push of a button sounds like a pretty good deal. Here are a couple of life changing wins that have turned slot players into millionaires. You can also play some and learn at topslotgames.com.

Online Slots

The online platform has revolutionised the way people gamble. It has produced winners that have walked away with substantial wins. The world record for the largest online slot win so far is from the Mega Moolah jackpot. A British man won £13.2 million in 2015.

An anonymous Australian slot player also won a life-changing cash prize of 10.4 million Australian dollars playing the Dark Knight online slot.

PokerStars Casino has a couple of slots that feature progressive jackpots. The smallest of these are currently valued at over $1 million. Since January 2017, there have been 12 lucky players that have become millionaires by playing on these slots. They come to an accumulative $23.6 million. The most recent winner was an online player (Anchor72) that pocketed more than $3 million while trying their luck playing Millionaires Island.

Slot Machines

It isn’t surprising that slots have such a high level of popularity as the chance to hit it big such low risks are enough to tempt anyone. The biggest slot wins have come from the Megabucks machines, 700 of these slots are scattered throughout the state of Nevada. These state-operated machines form a network and are connected by a progressive jackpot. Progressive jackpots are jackpots that are added to whenever a bet is placed at one of the machines. The pot keeps growing until someone wins it. This has made for some life changing wins; the current jackpot stands at a minimum amount of $10 million. The most recent win at one of these machines has been winning a jackpot to the value of $11.8 million.

The first mega win was back in 1998 when a retired flight attendant won the jackpot that had reached over $20 million. This player certainly doesn’t regret over spending $300 in Palace Station since it earned a return of $27.5 million.

A war vet hit the jackpot not once, but twice while playing the Megabucks slot. The first jackpot he won was valued at $4.6 million only ten hours after the venue opened to the public. The 76-year-old continued to hit the slots with the hope of becoming the first player to win the jackpot twice. Then, 16 years later, he won $21 million from the very same jackpot.

The biggest slot win in history is a win at another Megabucks slot in Excalibur in 2003. This player won a whopping $39.7 million. This is the biggest jackpot to this day. It had to be paid out in instalments over 25 years.

The biggest wins that have come from slots are jackpot wins, especially progressive jackpots. Slots might not be considered VIP games, but they are the most popular and profitable casino games both online and offline.

 

Living in New York City is expensive, especially when you’re going to school full time. You don’t have a lot of money to spare and what you do have is going to your education and living expenses. If you’re hoping to save a little extra money this year, here are a few simple ways.

Get A Roommate

One of the best ways to save money in NYC is to get a roommate. When you compare renting a one-bedroom apartment by yourself to renting a two-bedroom apartment with a roommate, you could save over $1,000 a month. Saving more than $12,000 a year could be huge for you, especially when you’re in school and not able to work full time. While you might not love the idea of sharing spaces with another person, the benefits do seem to outweigh the inconvenience.

Remember to decide on rules for shared living spaces, such as when they can be used and what food you’ll share (if any). Having a good relationship with your roommate means you’re able to discuss issues when they arise. It doesn’t mean you have to be best friends. See if your school has a way to match up potential roommates if you’re worried about finding someone trustworthy. The benefits of your savings account will be well worth it.

Sell Your Car

Less than half of New Yorkers own a car, and only 27% of workers use a car to commute. With its public transit system, New York City has plenty to offer for those who don’t own a car, and not owning a car can save you a lot of money. Depending on the car and how much you drive it, owning one could cost you thousands of dollars a year between the car payment, gas, and insurance. MTA’s unlimited ride cards will cost you much less than that a year. You certainly don’t need to own a car in the city, so save yourself the money and the hassle by selling it.

Focus On School

This might seem like a strange way to save money, but staying focused on school will actually help you in the long run. When you’re not focused, you spend time doing other things that cost money, like going out with friends. Keeping your nose in the books will actually prevent you from spending more money than you should. You’re also setting yourself up for success when you stay focused on your work. Keep yourself organized with custom pocket folders (which you can also easily use for a side hustle) and keep your mind on your schoolwork. Getting good grades and learning will help you land the perfect job out of school, which will help you stay happier and financially stable.

Get A Scholarship

Scholarships are meant to help students defray the costs of getting an education. Take advantage of the scholarships that are available and save yourself some money. If you’re majoring or minoring in the arts, head to https://www.todaytix.com/insider/nyc/posts/education-student-scholarship to see how you could win $1,000 for your education. When you’re in school, you want to be able to focus on your learning. If you don’t have the funds to pay for your education, you’ll have to get a job, if not several jobs. Scholarships allow you to attend school without stressing about money or adding to your student loans. Talk with your school about the TodayTix scholarship and any others that might be available.

Saving money while living in NYC is easier than you might think. If you follow these simple steps, you’ll have a little extra cash for school and fun.