My Personal Finance Blog

Whether you are applying directly to your lender or claiming eligibility under HAMP, the practical decisions are all to be made by the lender. You do whatever you can to set out your side of the proposed bargain with a clear set of accounts showing money in and money out. The need is to demonstrate a guaranteed slice of your monthly income that can be devoted to paying a reduced instalment. So list everything you are obliged to pay to keep body and soul together, from food to utilities to transport to health insurance, and so on.

Without the modification, this is going to be negative, i.e. on paper, you are spending more than you earn. The “trick” is to show enough to cover a modified instalment, perhaps with a tiny slice of money left over for the inevitable emergencies. If the modified instalment you prove can be paid is enough to keep the lender less unhappy, the modification will be agreed on a trial basis. But if the minimum instalment the lender requires will leave you in negative territory, your offer to modify will be rejected. Why reject a good faith offer? Because people who have to juggle monthly payments to fit into the available money almost always default again. Your income must cover all outgoings.

If the modification is agreed in principle, it moves on to a formal trial basis. In theory, this is a three-month trial, but the reality is that the lenders usually drag their feet and are very slow to convert the trial into a permanent modification. This ought not to affect you. After all, you are paying the agreed amount. But there is a problem. Until the modification is made permanent, the lender will report you to the credit rating agencies as still delinquent. This is grossly unfair.

You are paying what is agreed. But, as the law stands, the unpaid balance each month will be reported as late. Thus, the longer the trial period is allowed to drift the worse your credit score will become. This requires action. You should contact the three major agencies, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, and ask that details of the trial be added to your credit file. That way, even though your score will continue to decline, all other lenders will be able to see what is going on.

So what is happening during the trial other than you proving your ability to pay the reduced instalments on time? The answer is slightly disheartening. It is always in the lender’s interest to collect as much money from you as possible on your mortgage. But, while you stay in default, the lender is entitled to foreclose at any time. If the lender judges it will make more money by foreclosing rather than accepting the reduced payments over the rest of the term, it will always foreclose.

It is simply collecting as much cash from you as possible before triggering your eviction. No-one said the home loan industry had to work fairly, and it does not. The only time the lender will accept a permanent modification is when the accounts clearly show more profit in keeping the mortgage alive. While the housing market remains depressed, the odds are in your favor. But if resale prices start to rise, the odds will swing against you.

Searching for car rental online has never been easier with the help of the internet. You can easily search and compare prices from various car rental suppliers, often on the same website.

 

Car rental rates often vary considerably depending on what is included in the rate. Look out for those too-good-to-be-true prices – they probably are. You may think you have found a bargain, but it will be a different story when you go to pick up the rental car, only to be told you have to pay for lots of additional charges.

 

So when you are comparing car rental costs online, ensure you are comparing like with like. There are various extra charges which can push up the price of your rental car, so make sure you look out for them. Often if you add these on to that oh-so-low rate, it doesn’t look so appealing anymore.

 

What is Included

 

Most car rental websites will list the inclusions with the rental. These will vary depending on suppliers but generally standard rates include basic insurance and tax.

 

What is Extra

 

Again this will vary but look out for the following:

 

Airport Fees

 

Also known as a Premium Location Fee, you will be charged extra to pick up a rental car at an airport location. This charge varies depending on supplier and location, but in the UK for example could cost as much as 13% of the rental value.

 

Vehicle Licensing Fee

 

This is a Government imposed levy for rental cars to partially recover the registration costs. Approximate cost in the UK: GBP1.22 per day, which over a long period can add up.

 

Additional Driver Fees

 

If you want to have more than one driver for your rental car, this is often an extra charge. Daily charges range from GBP4-20 in the UK, EUR4-8 in Italy and from USD3-10 in the States.

 

Young Driver Surcharge

 

This is often charged if the driver of the rental car is under the age of 25. In Australia, this ranges from AUD13-22 per day. In France, the Young Driver Surcharge varies from EUR20-35 per day, GBP10-25 in the UK and USD5-45 in the USA.

 

Excess Reduction

 

Each rental car often comes with an Insurance Excess which is the amount you would be responsible for if the rental vehicle is damaged. This can often be a few thousand dollars but can be reduced with an optional excess reduction charge which can be paid daily to reduce your excess to a few hundred dollars or even to zero.

 

Additional Equipment

 

Things like child seats, ski racks and snow chains are often available at an extra charge.

 

One Way Rentals

 

If you want to drop off your rental car in a different city from where you picked it up, there may be a one way fee. Again, this varies depending on the supplier and destination. Ensure you ask before you pay!

 

All these extras can add up. Sometimes a standard rate may be right for you but if you are picking up at the airport and want an extra driver, for example, it may make sense for you to go with an inclusive rate.

 

Read the Small Print

 

Be sure to read inclusions carefully to see what the rental rate covers and which one is right for you. Look for possible restrictions and additional costs and find out what exactly they are before you pay. If you find a low car rental rate, make sure that the additional costs do not outweigh the savings.

 

At DriveAway Holidays, each car choice will show clearly if it is a Standard or Inclusive rate and will give you a list of what is and what is not included.

 

People often talk about the “hidden costs” of car rental, but the reality is, they are not hidden at all – you just need to know what to look for.

 

 

Article by TL Kleban

Let’s face facts, we all aren’t born rich. That doesn’t mean you can’t buy designer clothes or items; quite the contrary, as a matter of fact. Thanks to some crafty discount shopping, you can double or triple your dollar’s buying capabilities. It is not only a fun activity but also a rewarding one that can benefit you and your friends. You just need to know where to look and where to start.

Discount shopping is a way of life for some people. They get everything they own due to great deals on lots of different items. It takes a steady routine of bargain hunting that will eventually bring you face to face with a great deal. Discount shopping is a lot of hard work, but the great bargains you can find provide reason enough for the effort. Here are a few ways you can get started today:

Let’s not kid ourselves here. Nearly everyone goes discount shopping, with most of them only settling on buying items if they cost wholesale or less. If one of your friends tells you they are running to a discount store, I can guarantee you they are discount shopping. If you plan on going discount shopping, then you better dress for a long day walking around and on your feet. That’s why it is so important to wear comfortable clothes. Don’t be afraid of getting them dirty either since serious discount shopping may mean searching through piles of merchandise to find the best deal. You may even find yourself dirtying your behind sitting on the floor if some of the racks are located at knee height.I cannot stress this point enough but you need to leave your kids at home. Discount shopping means searching through racks of clothing for a designer original and it requires concentration and stamina, both of which you won’t have with your kids running around. Plus, most of these discount stores are not really an environment best suited for children. There will come a time when you will need to fight the urge to argue or confront in any way someone else over an item you both want. The last thing you want to do is have a physical altercation due to aggressive shopping, no matter how much of a bargain it is. Keep your dignity and walk away before any problems occur. Do you really want to be that person on the news because you got in a physical fight over a sale item? One well known secret is to use coupons and multiple discounts as much as possible. The goal of a successful discount shopping trip is frugality. Who cares if you look cheap? You’re there on a mission. Be sure to read over your receipt before leaving the store and confirm you received all of the discounts you were supposed to. Never get intimidated by any sales associates or personnel are you are skimming through the sales racks. Don’t go into this with any expectations of personal customer service. As a matter of fact, most discount stores offer little to no customer service but plenty of long waiting lines at the check out counter. Stay calm and relaxed.

There are many things you can do with second hand items, from decorating your house, home improvement, purchasing second hand furniture, finding piano lessons and other distinct services, second hand mobiles and much more. Second hand finds gives you a chance to have a quality item for less, so that you can transform yourself, your home and anything you might want to, even your car.

They can be found from generally many online second hand stores resembling a yard sale, but there are some that are suitable than others. This is because some charge for their services, but the most suitable where you are bound to get what you want, from second hand furniture to basically anything else in your mind, are those that hardly charge a dime for posting ads or purchasing anything. With second hand equipment, you can continue working as well as if you were using a new one, while the most appealing thing is you have a chance for a bargain for a quality item.

In the case of furniture, second hand furniture might be a little bit worn but the basics are still in shape and just a slight repair might give you one of the best items in your house by far. Items such as old dressers could add something to your bedroom while they can play a part in your kitchen as well. You could use them today as storage or buffet. A small home or a small apartment could be ideal for dressers as a storage item and as decorative aspects in the house.

Each second hand vans found in a small home can be maximized in use as storage spaces, where old dressers come in, since they are ideal for this kind of work. With second hand items, you might even earn from them, as you make a good income just like others are doing online. You can purchase items such as second hand equipment and second hand mobile phones and repair them. After giving them a facelift, you can then resell them at a higher price, and if the repairs are good, you should get an interested buyer in a very short time. It is something that many people are doing and you might want to try it out.

With a second hand store comes a place where basically everything is sold, and it might give you a chance to have that piano training you have desired. This is because piano lessons, or generally other services can be found in the right online resale hub, where you can even buy a second hand piano and start lessons on a strong front. There is so much to second hand furniture that you can purchase and re-use in your home, or even repair them and resell them again. With furniture you have a lot and checking around will definitely give you a right idea on the furniture to choose. Transforming your home with second hand antiques and a whole range of second hand items at your disposal has never been this easy.

Looking for the best place to buy lexmark printer cartridges? Follow these simple rules:

Make sure they are Lexmark Cartridges

You may see some people selling knock offs of Lexmark Printer cartridges on some internet auction sites. Beware of these because very often they do not work. They look just like Lexmark cartridges, they pop into your printer just like Lexmark printer cartridges but they do not work. You might be attracted by a super low price, but you are not getting anything of value. If the printer cartridge does not work, it is useless. Look for the name brand when you are buying printer cartridges otherwise you are taking a chance of them not working in your printer.

Know your model number

Yes, all Lexmark printer cartridges look alike. They all have the same square body and top. They have color cartridges and black and white. Some printers have photo color cartridges. All of these are made for certain printers. In order to get a printer cartridge for your printer, you have to know the name and number of your printer. Do not get a printer cartridge that looks like it will fit your printer. If you do not know your printer model name and number, wait until you can write it down before you buy printer cartridges. If you get a bargain at the store because printer cartridges are on sale, it will be no bargain if they do not work in your printer.

Shop online

You can generally get a better deal online when it comes to buying Lexmark printer cartridges than you can in any store. As a matter of fact, you can expect to pay at least 50 percent less than what you would pay in the store, especially if you have an older model printer. Because Lexmark printers are built to last, many people have older model printers. The cartridges for these printers that were once priced at $50 are now around $15 at some online outlets, although the prices in the stores have not dropped that dramatically. If you want to get the best value, shop online for Lexmark printer cartridges.

Keep the above tips in mind when you are seeking to purchase Lexmark printer cartridges for your quality Lexmark printer. By shopping carefully and especially by taking advantage of the online prices, you can get the best deals for cartridges for your quality Lexmark printer.