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How to Save Money on the Cost of a Hotel

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When you go on a trip or a vacation there are 2 big spends that you are looking at making, the first is on the flight or the mode of transport which you are going to be using and the second is on the hotel. We have already spoken on the blog about ways in which you can save money on your flights and today we are going to look into how you can save money on your hotel. It doesn’t matter if you are looking for a budget stay or a touch of luxury with someone like Auro hotels there are many ways in which you can ensure that you are able to bag yourself a room without paying top dollar, and here are some tips on doing just that.

Credit and Loyalty Cards

Many of he big hotel chains have partnership deals with credit card companies and you can use your credit card and put your money to work for you. Often they will allow you to earn points every time that you spend and you can then use these points to take dollars off the cost of a room at your favorite hotel. Something else which many hotels have done is to join together and offer a loyalty program which means that when you stay in any one of their hotels you will get bonuses and points or money off coupons which you can use with other hotels in the group.

Booking Late

There is a common misconception when it comes to flying that if you book late then you can get cheaper seats, this is not true and when flying you should look to book as early as possible. When it comes to hotels however, things are a little different. Now if you leave it right until the last minute then you may very well be able to get yourself a huge saving on your hotel room, as the hotel doesn’t want empty rooms. There is a snag here however and if you do decide to leave it until the last minute, you may very well find limited availability.

Coupon Codes

The internet is awash with opportunities to save money on hotel rooms and one of the best ways to do so in to do a quick search for coupon codes online. These coupon codes are free to obtain and they can give you some huge percentage savings on the overall cost of your stay. Simply type ‘coupon codes for X hotel’ and you’ll see a number of results, all of which will offer some great savings on the hotel that you want to stay in. Although these coupons are widely available they aren’t taken advantage of anywhere near as much as they should be, and you can really save big when you use them.

There you have it, 3 quick tips on how you can bag some great savings on your next hotel room.

 

5 Tips to Successful Debt Consolidation

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Do you have a few different debt accounts open? Are you having a tough time managing them all? Or maybe you know you can get a lower interest rate on a new, larger loan. Whatever your specific reasoning behind wanting to consolidate your debt, it is likely a great idea! Here are five important tips to help you successfully consolidate your debt.

Know The Amount

Before you look into debt consolidation options, figure out exactly how much debt you have. Add up all your credit card balances, car loan balances, student loan debt and even the money you may own to your family or friends. Once you have this total number, you will know how much you need to apply for in order to fully consolidate your debt. Do not take out more than this or you will just have excess debt to pay off for no reason! Also, be sure to take out enough so that you truly can consolidate all of your debt into one easier payment.

Decide When to Consolidate

Maybe you have a while before you need to consolidate your debt or maybe you want to pay off some debt immediately in order to avoid fines and fees. Consider your time frame and this can help determine the kind of loan you apply for to help with your debt. If you need instant money, look for fast cash loans or same day loan to help you get immediate cash. If instant money is not necessary, take your time and shop around for loans.

Know Your Score

Take a look at your credit report and learn what your current credit score is. The better your score, the more likely you are to get a loan to help you consolidate your debt. If your credit score is low, thoroughly look over your credit report and see what is bringing that number down. Dispute any mistakes that you find on your credit report and also start working to bring your score up. A higher score will help you get a better loan to consolidate your debt.

Direct Payment vs Cash Loans

When applying for a loan to consolidate your debt, some lenders may pay the other debt collectors directly. You will still apply for the loan but the money will go right toward your existing debt and never pass through your hands. This can be a great option and much easier since the lender is paying for you. However, you may feel better if you get a cash loan and then divvy up the cash yourself.

Know The New Rates and Monthly Payment

When you consolidate your debt using a loan, you will have a new monthly payment in addition to new interest rates to learn. Figure out what your new monthly payment will be, how long you will be paying of your new debt and what the specifics of the loan term are. Before you sign on to get instant money and consolidate your debt, be sure that doing so will save you money!

5 Reasons To Refinance Your Mortgage

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As a homeowner, you’ve probably heard people talking about refinancing your mortgage often. A lot of people may not be sure if it’s the right route for them, and as a result, they’re uncertain about whether to go forward with it. In some cases, you may not understand exactly what refinancing your mortgage involves.

In a nutshell, refinancing your loan is something people do with the intention of keeping more money in your bank account. Here are some of the most important reasons why you should consider refinancing too.

Lower Your Mortgage Rate

One of the most obvious perks to refinancing is to lower your current mortgage rate. It’s logical that if you’re paying more than what’s being offered by lenders, that you should consider refinancing. By paying a lower mortgage each month, you’ll have more money to put aside in savings, or even just enjoy living a more comfortable lifestyle.

Cash-out

If you are in need of money urgently, then refinancing is a great option for you. A cash-out refinance provides the chance to take your equity as cash to use for whatever you need it for. This can be a better option financially since mortgage rates are much lower than traditional personal loans. Rather than multiple debts, you’ll have one single payment to make each month.

Shorten Your Loan

A lot of people don’t think about the actual number of years attached to how long it will take them to pay off their mortgage. However, a simple equation on a calculator can quickly demonstrate just how long you’re really looking at.

Do you really want to be paying your mortgage for the next 50 years when you could cut that time down significantly? It’s in your best interest to find a loan with a lower interest rate so that you can pay it off even faster!

Pay Off Credit Card Debt

Credit card debt has a much higher interest rate than mortgages do. If you have a significant amount of credit card debt, then lowering your monthly mortgage payments can help you pay off your credit cards faster. The result? More money in your pocket to pay your mortgage off faster! What better goal than to be entirely debt-free?

Buy-Out Your Ex

If you own your home with an ex, then it’s in your best interest to get them off of the loan. You can do this by refinancing. Usually, when people get divorced, the person who keeps the home should refinance. This doesn’t only apply to divorced couples, either. You may need to refinance if you bought the property with anyone else from a relative to a friend.

 

Benefits of Choosing Car Finance Over Cash Payment 

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If you have enough savings and you can find a new car within your budget range, you can pay for it in cash. However, if you don’t think you can afford to do so, car financing is always an option. In fact, in many instances, it’s better than a cash payment.

You can divide the expense 

With financing, you can divide the expense over several months or years instead of spending everything in a year. When you don’t have enough savings, it would be a flexible payment method for you.

There’s no need to suspend your plans

When you wait until the time that you can afford to purchase a new car in cash, it might be too late. You might already have moved on to other priorities in life. Worse, the amount you have been saving will get spent on other things. As time goes by, you move further away from your goal. Eventually, you won’t be able to afford to buy a car anymore.

Receive a good interest rate

Just because you opted for car financing doesn’t mean your monthly payments are too high. It still depends on your chosen creditor and the specific car. You need to ask for the computation of the monthly fees. If you think you can afford the cost, you can pursue the transaction.

You don’t need to get additional loans

Picture this scenario. You have enough savings, and you decide to use all of them to pay for the car in cash. As a result, you don’t have any money left for a rainy day. You can barely pay for basic needs. Since you have no other choice, you get additional loans. You will even accept whatever loan is available because you’re desperate for money. Worse, you will end up selling the car you paid for in cash because you have no other source of income. With car financing, you will keep paying over time, but you will always have enough money for other expenses.

There’s payment flexibility

Depending on your chosen creditor, it’s possible for you to make advance payments. If there are instances when you can afford to pay beyond the required monthly fee, you can do it. If you keep making advance payments, you will soon finish off the loan. If you can’t afford to pay the loan at some point in the future, it’s okay since you already made advance payments.

Given these reasons, it’s in your best interest to get a car financing loan. You can even find a no deposit car loan like the ones offered by www.carfinancegiant.co.uk so that you pay nothing upfront. You will have higher monthly fees, but you won’t worry about where to begin. You can immediately drive your car.

Compare the choices and decide what’s best for you. Make sure that your decision to buy a car won’t compromise other expenses or bury you in debt. Prepare yourself before embarking on this new financial risk. Don’t forget to select a car that matches your personal needs.

 

Don’t Worry if Your Savings aren’t Enough as You Approach Retirement

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It’s scary to know that you’re already approaching retirement age and you are yet to save enough money. You might have started investing late or even completely forgotten about it. If you had other priorities in life while you were still working, there’s nothing you can do now. Since you still need money, these are some of the things you can do.

Get a part-time job

You can find companies or organisations that will accept you for a part-time job despite your age. If you excelled in a specific industry, you could try to apply for a university post. Your experience and credentials are highly valuable. It would be difficult to turn down someone like you. While it’s only a part-time job, it might still be enough to meet your financial needs.

Sell some of your property 

You can start selling things off especially if they’re valuable and you’re not using them anymore. For instance, if you have three cars, you only need one. Therefore, two can go. You might also have other collections that you don’t need anymore. They can also go to other people who might have an interest in them.

Consolidate your debts

Apart from not having enough savings, the worst part is when you ended up accumulating tons of debts. You no longer have a means of paying them off. The interest will continue to increase the overall debt. The best option is to consolidate the debts so that you will only pay one creditor. You will have peace of mind when there’s only one issue you need to deal with.

Sell your property 

You can also think about selling your property since it’s valuable. You can move to a smaller house which is enough to meet your needs. If you don’t like the idea of moving, you can consider equity release over 55. With this loan, you’re going to use your property as collateral, but there’s no need to leave any time soon. The creditor will only ask for the payment once you pass on. You give the full authority to sell the property to the creditor, and a part of the sale value will go to the payment of your loan. It’s a perfect option since there’s no need to leave and worry about what’s going to happen to you. Consult equity release advisers if you wish to get this type of loan now.

Look for short-term investments

Look for reliable investment companies that will allow you to save your money for a few months or years and get it back with a high-interest rate. You can keep the funds rolling until it’s huge enough. If you’re ready to take it back, or you’re in desperate need of money, you can pull the investments out.

The lesson is that you need to start saving at a young age. You can’t be too complacent because you’re young and you have many years left to work. Time flies fast, and you’ll be retiring before you know it. With these options, though, you still have hope for financial security at retirement. You will also stop worrying about what’s next for you.

Image: https://unsplash.com/photos/KRjDLU5j1K8

 

What to Look out for When a Third Party Makes an Insurance Claim Against You

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Perhaps you were involved in an accident and the other party placed a car insurance claim against you, or a stolen identity led to an insurance claim against you. There are many instances where claims are not your fault, or where the circumstances mean your insurance should not be the one claimed on.

Here are some things to consider before you admit culpability and have your premiums go up when they really shouldn’t have.

Home Insurance

         First things first, never accept that you’re at fault or admit liability in any situation.

One thing to look out for if a third party is laying an insurance claim against you is if the documents are sent by their insurance company or solicitor. When this happens, all you need to do is forward the documents to your insurance company.

Car Insurance

Car accident third party insurance claims happen more often than any other. If you’re involved in a car accident that may or may not be your fault and there’s no serious injury, it is important that at the scene of the accident, you:

         Note the extent of the damage to all vehicles involved.

         Take a picture or record a video of the entire scene.

         Do not accept liability for the accident.

         Get as much information as possible such as name and contact information of the parties involved, registration numbers, licence plate numbers, contact information of the witnesses, and insurance details of involved parties.

         Do not move vehicles unless necessary in which case photographic evidence is mandatory.

Accidents, robberies, and thefts are reported to the police. If a claim is made against you and there is no police report of the incident, then the claimer doesn’t have a case against you.

Company Insurance

Business insurance protects one’s assets against damage, risk or financial loss. If you want to secure contracts with other businesses or with the public sector, you will often be expected to properly and fully insured.

When facing a business insurance claim, it is important that you have all records, correspondence, and documents relating to the claim.

Every business owner hopes never to be sued or have insurance claims made against him. With these points outlined above, you’re a step closer to being able to determine the authenticity of a third-party insurance claim.

You must understand that an insurance claim will be assessed in relation to the legal status of the case. If you admit liability some of the assessments and investigations may be automatically halted. You need to allow the due process to proceed so that the correct insurance is billed, and that blame is correctly understood. Insurers will fight it out between themselves to argue who should foot the bill.

How To Save Money This Year

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One of the most common goals that people set at the beginning of a new year is to save more money and to improve their financial situation overall. As common as this goal is, it is one that many people fail to accomplish. If you want to make substantial progress toward achieving this goal going forward this year, adopting the right strategy is essential.

Create a Realistic Budget
A realistic budget is a cornerstone for financial health. It enables you to identify areas of wasteful spending, and it helps you to determine if you can afford to make purchases or take on new debts without impacting your ability to achieve your goals. Your budget may also include a regular allocation of funds toward a savings or investment account. However, it is not enough to create a budget. You also must know how to use your budget properly and refer to it regularly to make smart financial decisions.

Identify and Eliminate Waste 
Once you have created a realistic budget based on actual expenses, you can analyze your spending habits and identify ways to cut back. Keep in mind that most expenses may be reduced with proper effort. For example, you may adjust your meal plan at home to save money on groceries, or you may comparison shop to find a better insurance rate. When you reduce spending on your regular expenses in this way, you will have more money available to save and invest regularly. The alternative to reducing spending is to make more money with a side job and to save this money.

Maximize Tax Deductions 
Your tax liability is a major expense, but it is easy to overlook. Many people pay between 10 to 25 percent of their taxable income in state and federal taxes each year, so finding a way to maximize deductions and reduce this expense is helpful. One of many ideas is to purchase a receipt scanner so that you can easily document expenses. This may include gas receipts for a business mileage tax deduction, medical receipts for a medical expense tax deduction and more.

Take Advantage of Retirement Accounts
By taking these steps, you may be able to start making regular contributions to a savings or investment account. Through even modest contributions to these accounts, you may see your net worth slowly increase. If you are not also taking advantage of retirement account benefits, consider exploring these benefits today. For example, your employer may offer an employer-matching contribution for a tax-deferred retirement plan. This type of benefit results in free money that your employer deposits into your retirement account for you as well as tax benefits.

While many people may struggle to achieve their financial goals, you can see that having the right strategy may be helpful. In fact, each of these tips will help you to progress steadily toward achieving your goal in different ways. For the best results, apply these combined tips regularly to your financial efforts going forward.

Author Bio: Paige Jirsa– I work with Top10.Today, a shopping comparison site, where we strive to help consumers find the best quality and priced products.

Preparing Yourself for a Property Purchase

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Deciding to buy a new property is challenging. You need to consider several things since you are spending quite a massive amount of money. You will get a mortgage that could take years for you to pay. There are things you can do to prepare for buying a property and avoid having problems in the long run. Here are some of them.

Clear your debts

You are embarking on a new endeavour, and it entails a massive amount of debt. Therefore, you need to clear all other debts before you start a new one. Besides, if you have continuing obligations, banks and lending firms could reject your loan application. Having no commitments before getting a new loan will also give a positive impression since you have been responsible in handling your finances so that you don’t have debts right now.

Prepare your proof of income and other documents

Before you apply for a loan, you need all the documents required. Your proof of income is the most significant document since the bank will use it to decide if you can pay the loan or not. You will also need other documents to back your application. Have all of them ready ahead of time so that when you are prepared to get the loan, your records are good to go.

Prepare your down payment

In most cases, if you give a more significant deposit, you will receive better rates. You will also have more choices for mortgages. Therefore, you need to have enough savings for your down payment and worry less about the monthly payments that you will make for the remainder of the loan.

Straighten up your credit record

Ask about your current credit score, and make sure it is good enough. It will also be another document that banks will use to decide if you will receive the loan or not. If you have a low score right now, find a way to fix it. Pay your debts, or make a deal with your creditors. Applying with a low credit score comes with a risk. You will have limited options. Banks with extremely high-interest rates are willing to offer loans to you, but you don’t want this choice as it could be too risky.

Find a mortgage broker

Going through the entire process is not easy especially if it is your first time buying a property. You need someone helping you understand what you need to do. You also need a broker to match you with the right bank that is most suitable given your financial situation. Without a broker helping you, it is like deciding without any knowledge at all. You will fall into the wrong hands and suffer the consequences. A specialist mortgage broker, for instance, has specialised knowledge of property purchase, so you can’t go wrong with this person.

Don’t rush into buying property since it is a challenging endeavour. Take your time until you are ready to purchase the property.

Using Technology To Transfer The Way You Manage Money

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Money is important and essential for living. Unfortunately, not everyone is like Bill Gates, and has billions of dollars to spend. This is why it is important to budget, and manage your money efficiently.

Moneyfarm’s infographic on the wealthiest people in history shows the many different ways that people of inspiration like Bill Gates, and Oprah have built their wealth and success.

See what you can learn from some of the wealthiest people in history from past to present and in what ways they spent and managed their earnings.

If you’re interested in learning more about how you can manage your money like the icons in Moneyfarm’s infographic and in what ways you take advantage of technology in relation to your money, simply continue reading to discover 4 tips on how to harness the power of technology in order to positively affect your savings!

Using technology to transform the way you manage money:

  1. You can set up automatic payments within minutes, with little hassle

As an example, if you want to ensure that you save a reasonable portion of your income, you can set up your primary bank account to transfer a set amount of money to your long-term savings account. Which will make it far easier for you to save a portion of your income, which you can then choose to invest if you’re not happy with the interest rate which your bank currently offers you.

  1. You can use an app on your phone in order to quickly and effortlessly transfer money to your friends and family members

As an example, if you go out for dinner with friends and the restaurant asks your group to pay your bill as a single bill, you’ll easily be able to transfer your portion of the cost to your friend’s chosen bank account using your chosen bank’s app on your smartphone. Which means that you’ll never have to walk to an ATM in order to get out cash, in order to pay a friend back for money which they’ve spent on you, ever again.

  1. You can use Paypal in order to pay for any goods and services which your purchase online

If you ever feel comfortable giving out your bank details or your credit card details to online companies, it’s well worth signing up for a free Paypal account. As a large portion of online stores now offer Paypal as a payment option. You can even use Paypal to pay for any eBay auctions which you win.

Better yet, if a company doesn’t send you the item which you purchased or there is some kind of dispute with a purchase you’ve made through Paypal, you can contact Paypal’s friendly customer service team you’ll be able to reverse the charges which have been made. Which means that you should always select Paypal as your preferred payment option, in order to decrease your chances of being scammed online.

  1. You can keep up to date with your expenses on a daily basis

While in past decades you may have had to wait for a printed bank statement to be sent to your home address in order to see all of the transactions which you’ve been made, in today’s day and age you can log into your internet banking account as often as you’d like. Which will give you the chance to cut back on your spending, if you find that you’ve already exceeded your weekly budget. Which will help you keep on track of your monthly expenditure.

In conclusion, it’s well worth using all of the four tips listed above in order to harness the power of technology in order to help you manage your money better today!

Save Money By Avoiding Common Car Maintenance Problems

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Cars today come in a greater range of sizes and shapes than ever before, the choice is simply mind-boggling, and becomes greater every day. However, one common theme runs through them all, and that is increased complexity. In response to our demands for more power, more luxury and more gadgets, the cars manufactured today are more complex than ever. Most are run by powerful computers, and problems are diagnosed by them as well, making it more and more difficult to repair them yourselves!

In turn, the motorist of today is much less well educated about car maintenance than the driver of 30-40 years ago, simply because in that time they broke down so often you had to know how to fix them! Despite the DVLA adding in more mechanical parts to the driving test, such as changing oil and other fluids, it seems we are even more clueless that ever. Some might say this is a general theme with the younger generation, who are far more adept on their phones and online that with their hands!

However, despite the complexity of the modern car and the seeming lack of interest of the modern driver to fix them, there are still basics that everyone should know in case of emergency. These include simple fixes, but also what to look out for in order to diagnose more complex problems, which might turn into a serious accident if not fixed. We have compiled the most common car problems and some simple advice of what to do:

Won’t Start
– If the car wont turn over at all, the battery is likely dead. Jump start
– If the car does turn over but wont start, it could be the starter motor or a problem with the fuel. Call a garage

Steering
– If the steering feels very heavy, you may be low on fluid. Check power steering fluid, wheel alignment and tyre pressure
– If the steering feels light, check tyre wear and pressure

Braking
– If the brake pedal is stuck down or up, the brake booster likely needs work. Call a garage
– If the brakes feel spongy, check brake fluid levels
– If the stopping distance increases, or the car veers off to one side under braking, brake pads may need replacing

The AA has an excellent reference section on their website to diagnose simple car problems, and this infographic from Autodoc gives more detailed information and is a handy take away guide to possible braking problems.