Pftown- Articles and Information about Business and Finance.

According to a survey released in 2003, at least 7 million Americans have been victimized by identity theft. This number has been increasing recently by 30-40% yearly.
An independent study in 1999, by Image Data LLC , an identity theft prevention service, found that approx. 1 out of every 5 Americans, or a member of their families, have been victimized by identity theft.
An average victim will spend 175 hours and $808 to clear their names. Read the rest of this entry »

Wage garnishments are payments that are deducted from an employee’s check as a result of a court order. These payments can range in amount although they are usually limited by the amount of disposable income that the employee makes. Garnishments may be taken for any type of debt but common examples of debt that result in garnishments include,
Child Support , Credit Card , and Taxes. Read the rest of this entry »

An unsecured loan is a personal loan where the lender has no claim on a homeowner’s property should they fail to repay. Instead, the lender is relying solely on the ability of a borrower to meet their loan borrowing repayments.
The amount you are able to borrow can start from as little as £500 and go up to £25,000. Because you not securing the money you are borrowing, lenders tend to limit the value of unsecured loans to £25,000.
The repayment period will range from anywhere between six months and ten years. Unsecured loans are offered by traditional financial institutions like building societies and banks but also recently by the larger supermarkets chains.
An unsecured loan can be used for almost anything – a luxury holiday, a new car, a wedding, or home improvements.
An unsecured loan is good for people who are not homeowners and cannot obtain a secured loan for example; a tenant living in rented accommodation.
There are a few things to consider before applying for an unsecured loan: Read the rest of this entry »

Cut up your credit cards. You don’t need them. When is the last time you went out to purchase something with cash and they ran your credit? Never. Credit cards are the number one thing that is going to keep you from financial success. The average american carries $7,500 in credit card debt. For those of you who say you need your credit card in case of emergency, no you don’t. Save $1,000 to act in place of your credit card. After you save that money it’s time to set up your emergency fund. This is 6-12 months of income to act in place of income in case you lose your job so you can still mantain your current lifestyle. Pay any remaning debt this includes car loans, student loans, etc. Once you’ve saved and paid as mentioned about your ready to start investing. No need to invest money in the market your not sure is actually going to make money while you still owe creditors.

With today’s credit card companies, there are many opportunities to get your cards rate of 21% or more reduced. The higher the amount of interest your card charges will cost you more for a simple purchase and ultimately may take you years to pay off instead of months, should you make the minimum payment allowed. People often just pay the minimum balance as a way to improve their credit rating; this couldn’t be a more dangerous way to increase your credit score. Leveraging the credit card company to say “Uncle” to your ability to switch over is easier than you think. Read the rest of this entry »

Good credit is everyone’s dream. A wise use of credit can go a long way. It certainly makes certain goals in life (like acquiring business loan from bank) easily attainable. But the key question remains: “What does it take to achieve ‘Triple A’ credit?” First and foremost, it is important it is critical to point out where most people go wrong when it comes to their credit and credit report. People with bad credit will usually seek credit repair help. Most would seek credit expert advice and few will try to do it themselves by purchasing a credit repair book. Mainly, the problem is not the type of help you hire, rather the assumption you are left with after the whole credit repair process. Read the rest of this entry »

Ok, let’s face it, everybody hates high credit card rates, and they drain hard earned money out of your wallet. As a valued consumer, it is apparent that you learn how to negotiate to get the absolute best rate that you possibly can. The good news however is that it doesn’t have to be a difficult or time-consuming process. In fact, it can be very easy indeed if you know what you’re doing. In this article we will discuss the ins and outs of credit card negotiating to ensure that you get the best possible rate with the least amount of effort. Read the rest of this entry »

The number one reason people don’t get out of debt is they don’t try. This may apply to you. You want to, but never seem to do it. You put it off for whatever reason. You want to wait for your life to be just right before you make the attempt. You tell yourself, when I get the new job, when I receive the next promotion, or when I get my next raise, I’ll go to work on my debt. Read the rest of this entry »