I am just like everyone else: I like nice things. I prefer to buy high quality items that will last a long time and provide me with a lot of use and value. But, I also realize that I can’t have everything that I want. They say patience is a virtue, and I agree. Waiting [...]
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My wife and I got our first mortgage bill for 2008 and our mortgage payment dropped $150 per month! We have a fixed rate mortgage and the lower mortgage bill is a result of a change in our property taxes and an adjustment in our escrow level. Changes in a mortgage payment are actually not [...]
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An escrow is a legal arrangement with a neutral third party where money or goods are deposited until a contract is legally satisfied. In layman’s terms, that means an escrow service is basically a middleman between a buyer and a seller, or in the case of a mortgage, a middleman between a homeowner and the [...]
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A Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) is a flexible line of against the value of your home – you use your home’s equity as collateral. Usually, the borrower agrees to a certain maximum amount they can borrow over a specified time period. In some ways it is similar to a credit card because the [...]
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Being frugal is about more than just saving money. To me, being frugal is about using your resources wisely and being more efficient with everything you do. Unless you are independently wealthy, you probably have a limited amount of time, money, and other resources - and you probably need to find a way to make the [...]
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If there is one thing I have learned in life it is this: life does not come with a blueprint. There is no clear path to happiness, wealth, or a successful career. Actually, I am inclined to believe that you shouldn’t be afraid to stray from the pack and create your own path. Sometimes the [...]
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I need to get organized! I was paying bills this weekend and did some other financial work and I struggled to remember passwords for the various accounts I need to log onto. My main bank account is easy to remember because I check it often and I can pay most of my bills through my [...]
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