I'll Save You Money

by Edward Galstyan

As the real estate market continues to struggle, I felt this short video, quite humorously, illustrates what people have gone through as a result of the inevitable real estate downfall. I personally know several people who have either lost their house or are in the process of losing it and it’s certainly not a rosy time for them. Sure, they’re responsible for the most part as they signed for the mortgage, but it’s still a challenging time for everyone involved. Let’s find some humor in all of this with the following video.

I’m going to miss those granite countertops

by Edward Galstyan

I found a deal with Fry’s Electronics, who’s offering Norton Internet Security 2009 for free. There are, however, two caveats to this in the form of two rebates.

The product itself is $69.99 and Fry’s is offering an instant $20 off bringing your total down to $49.99. There is a $30.00 mail in rebate offer which is good only until October 19, 2009 which would bring your total down to $19.99. The last rebate is the real catch and is for $20.00. That rebate is a competitive upgrade rebate meaning you must already own a previous version of Norton. Symantec or a competitor’s brand of software to qualify.

That’s still a good deal for those without an existing anti-virus software. Check out the link below to get it while it’s good and make sure you read the terms and send the mail in rebate in time to get your reward!

Free Norton Internet Security 2009

by Edward Galstyan

Another year, yet another release by JD Power for the top credit cards. Take a peek in your wallet, are one of your cards on the list?

American Express took the top spot for the year with best in customer satisfaction, best overall fees, billing and payment process, and best rewards program. I personally hold an American Express card and I am very happy with my card. I am getting 3% cash back on gas, 5% on cell phone bills, 5% on office supplies and 1% on everything else. The best part about it is the rewards are credited to my account each and every month, automatically. Not to mention the ridiculously low APR of Prime + 1.99%.

Discover card took the 2nd spot on the list followed by National City and Wells Fargo.

It would be a good idea to carry either an American Express or Discover card, but also make sure to have a Visa or Mastercard as well, since the former two are not as widely accepted. If used responsibly, credit cards are convenient and a great way to pay.

Check out the rest of the list by visiting the link below:

JD Power Credit Card Ratings

by Edward Galstyan

So you received a letter in the mail that you’ve been pre-qualified or pre-approved for a loan application. Great. So what does this mean, exactly?  Let’s dive right in and take a look.

The terms pre-qualify and pre-approval are typically used in real estate when someone wishes to obtain a loan for the purchase of a property. Think about these two terms in terms of sequence. First, you must be pre-qualified to then be pre-approved. With pre-qualification, your lender does a preliminary evaluation of your ability to pay for a home, providing an estimate of your mortgage amount.

»» Continue reading → Pre-Qualification vs Pre-Approval ««

by Matthew Manorothkul

Summer is just around the corner! Bright sunny, warm days ahead. Time to head to the beaches, take a nice swim, go on road trips, and travel with friends and family! However, higher gas prices make us rethink our plans and sometimes we end up not planning anything at all. What a shame! Here are some ways to help save on gas so that the saved money could be spent on you! Apply these tips to all types of situations as well, such as running errands, driving to and from work, picking up the children, etc.

»» Continue reading → Saving on Gas ««

by Matthew Manorothkul

Father’s Day is creeping up pretty soon! June 21st to be exact. Not sure what to get? Not sure how much to spend? You might think you have to break the bank by getting your father something great, but more likely than not, any gift would make him happy. It is also the thought that counts so why not take some time now to think of great gift ideas and save some money while you are at it. By doing so, the gifts would be more thoughtful because you had more time to think about it and besides, most people are going to rush and try to get something last minute. That usually doesn’t end up too well. How would you feel if you gave your father a “that’s all they had left” gift?

»» Continue reading → Save money on Father’s Day Gifts ««

by Edward Galstyan

So what are mortgage points, exactly?

Mortgage points are sold by the lender when purchasing a house. Mortgage points are also called discount points. The purpose of purchasing mortgage points is to reduce the fixed APR on your loan. For each point you pay up-front, you obtain a lower interest rate. Essentially, purchasing mortgage points is paying interest up-front which then results in a lower interest rate in the long run. The general rule is paying one point results in .125% rate reduction or 1/8th of the overall mortgage rate. Multiple mortgage points may be purchased, depending on the lender.

»» Continue reading → Mortgage Points Explained — How it may save you money ««

by Jeffrey Jung

Dining out is probably one of the most social things  you can do with friends. Problem for a lot of us is that it is really expensive. Aside from restricting yourself by chowing down on McDonalds or KFC, what are some ways to cut down on restaurant dining costs? Here are some of the ways I’ve managed to make dining a fiscally bearable task.

»» Continue reading → Save Some Cash While Dining Out! ««

by Matthew Manorothkul

With the economy we are facing now, who wouldn’t want to keep more money in their pockets? Going to a movie theater with a date or family can be rather expensive. A movie with a date can cost about $20 without any food! Going with family can be about $50! These prices are just for tickets. Imagine if they want something to eat. It almost seems like a day’s worth of work to watch a two hour movie. Why not find a way to watch them at a cheaper price?

»» Continue reading → Save Money at the Movies ««

by Edward Galstyan

So you’re saving money — care to learn an easy finance trick?

The rule of 72 is an easy way to determine how long an investment might take to double with a given, fixed annual rate of return. To figure out a rough estimate of how many years it will take an investment to double, use the following formula:

Number of years investment will take to double = 72/Given Interest Rate

»» Continue reading → The Rule of 72 ««