After Bankruptcy Blues- My husband and I got ourselves in a bad position a few
years ago. I lost my job and went from excellent credit
to bad credit in just under three months. We couldn't believe
that we had lost control of our financial future. How can
we get back to the "good standing" that we were so proud
of? Is it true we will have this hovering for ten years?
Ask The Experts- Ask your questions of The Family Corner.com experts.
Maybe yours will appear here too! Our financial expert, Gary Foreman, will help you to make wize financial decisions about investments, retirement, insurance, real estate, college planning and more.
Bartering For Bargains- It comes every year. Just like death and taxes, it's something we know is coming and can't do anything about. It's a time when we tend to reflect on our recent New Year's resolutions, decide which of those to save for next year, and which to pursue.
Before The Sale- You've decided to sell your home. But before you put a sign in the front yard and hire a real estate agent what can you do to make sure that you get the most for your property?
Cancel Our PMI?- My husband and I bought a house 18 months ago. We
went in with less than 20% down, and so are stuck paying
mortgage insurance to the tune of over $80 per month. What
exactly is mortgage insurance for, and is it possible for us
to "cancel" our mortgage insurance by showing a good history
of paying on time?
Canceling a Credit Card- Both my husband and I are recent college grads who are in over our heads in debt. My credit card is the worst and I was curious as to whether I need to cancel it or not. We never use it, so is it really necessary to cancel it? What exactly happens when you close an account? Is it a strike on your credit history to cancel a credit card? Is the only benefit of canceling a card the certainty of not using it?
Charity or Scam?- You want to help those who are less fortunate. That's good. And you're not alone. According to the American Association of Fund-Raising Counsel, giving in the U.S. by individuals rose to $135 billion in 1998.
Christmas Gift Challenge- "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..." You can tell because everywhere you go someone is trying to sell you something! Stores began decorating weeks ago and the TV commercials are starting to have that Christmas flavor, too. So what's a person to do? Well, you could go 'bah humbug' and hide until January or you could try taking the "Christmas Gift Challenge".
Dress Better For Less- Style. That elusive characteristic that helps define who you are. Some people have it in great abundance. Some people spend their lives searching for it. Whole magazines are dedicated to the subject. In fact, whole industries are dedicated to making money from style. We're even encouraged to 'dress for success'!
Drowning in Debt - Behind in Credit Card Bills- My husband and I have one credit card debt to the
tune of about $3500. I cancelled the account so we
can't charge any more. We have been making
payments of $100 every month which is well below
the minimum that the credit card company requests.
We ARE making payments so how we can stop the
badgering phone calls?
End of Lease: Now What?- My husband and I have really started getting serious about
getting out of debt. About 2 years ago we decided to lease
a maxed out Suburban. It has been a wonderful car for our
family of five, but we are trying to decide what our best strategy
should be now that our lease will be over next April.
Going Out For Less- How can I go out and have fun with my friends and not spend my entire paycheck in the process? It seems every time I go out to a movie or eat out, I spend a fortune! Help!
Grocery Budgets- I am looking for someone to tell me how to go about making a budget for our family's groceries. I have no idea as to how to even start. Any suggestions?
I'm Out of Money- I already buy items on sale. I don't make extra trips in the car. I do 2 or more errands during the same trip. I don't eat out, go to movies, rent movies, travel etc. I can barely pay my current bills and have medical expenses as well. What help is there for folks like me?
Is College Worthwhile?- "But, Mom, I don't want to go to college." Mary wasn't
surprised to hear her son talk that way. He had always
been a reluctant student and she often wondered what
he would choose for a career. "Look at Billy's older
brother. He didn't go on to college and he's doing just
fine. He's got a great car and his own apartment.
What's wrong with that?"
Realistic Credit Repair- My husband was out of work for 2 years. We were forced to live off credit cards, so we have 5 cards that are close to their limits, along with a mortgage and a car payment. Despite our circumstances, only a couple of credit card payments were late over that time, but our rates skyrocketed while our credit score dropped dramatically even though I had had a nearly perfect credit score before. My husband now has a job and our income has increased. What is the best way to get our financial life back on track? Does income count in calculating credit score or in assigning credit card rates? Is there something we can do besides paying off as much as we can as quickly as possible?
Should We Fix Our Mortgage?- My husband got us into a variable rate mortgage and I would like to change it to a fixed rate. We are paying 8% now and I am scared about the rate we will be at in the next 10 years. Can you give me some advice? We have only had the house for three years. We do not have the best credit either.
Vacation Savings- It's time to get the suitcases out of the attic and start thinking about the great family vacation! And we can expect to spend pretty freely to support that get-a-way. The average family will spend about $3,000 on food and lodging for a two week vacation.
Way Cool - Keeping Cool In Summer- It's that time of year when most of us begin to wonder how we'll keep cool in the summer without running up a huge electric bill. And there should be a way to do it. After all, the air conditioner wasn't common in homes until about forty years ago. So let's take a look at what we can do to keep cool that doesn't require large amounts of energy.
Way Cool - Keeping Cool In Summer- It's that time of year when most of us begin to wonder how we'll keep cool in the summer without running up a huge electric bill. And there should be a way to do it. After all, the air conditioner wasn't common in homes until about forty years ago. So let's take a look at what we can do to keep cool that doesn't require large amounts of energy.
What to Teach Your Teens About Money- Lessons learned now could save them a lot of grief later. So let's spend a little time talking about what to teach your teens about money.
Why Budgets Fail- Failure. Don't you just hate to fail? Especially when you've invested time and effort into a project. But it happens all the time. Especially for people who are starting to take control of their finances. So we thought we'd take a look at why budgets fail.
Summer Fun!
Summer heat is here. Whether you are looking for fun crafts, great recipes, fun family activities or travel tips, you'll find it all here. Here are a few examples to get you started...
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Send your own photos as an e-card
Watch slide shows
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Brag about and share pictures of your loving pets
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Create your own individual album and post in category albums
Keep your favorite pictures organized online
Rate images of other members
...more!
Join us in the FC Photo Gallery. It's completely free to use, just another fabulous reason to be a FamilyCorner subscriber.
Family Matters Radio
FMR is a nationally syndicated radio program developed to help you live your best life, hosted by Caroline & Jacquie. No rants and raves - you get enough of that from your kids. Choose a segment below to begin listening!
Ask your questions of The Family Corner.com experts.
Maybe yours will appear here too! Our financial expert, Gary Foreman, will help you to make wize financial decisions about investments, retirement, insurance, real estate, college planning and more.
I already buy items on sale. I don't make extra trips in the car. I do 2 or more errands during the same trip. I don't eat out, go to movies, rent movies, travel etc. I can barely pay my current bills and have medical expenses as well. What help is there for folks like me?
My husband was out of work for 2 years. We were forced to live off credit cards, so we have 5 cards that are close to their limits, along with a mortgage and a car payment. Despite our circumstances, only a couple of credit card payments were late over that time, but our rates skyrocketed while our credit score dropped dramatically even though I had had a nearly perfect credit score before. My husband now has a job and our income has increased. What is the best way to get our financial life back on track? Does income count in calculating credit score or in assigning credit card rates? Is there something we can do besides paying off as much as we can as quickly as possible?
Missed the last couple of newsletters? Haven't visited for a while? This section highlights articles and crafts that have recently been added to FC...
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