There is something about me..
The Mortgage Assignment Program...
Archive for December, 2011
Don’t Let That Summer Getaway Get Away
Is summer is passing you by this year, turning your stay-cation into blah-cation? With Labor Day right around the corner, it’s not too late to put some adventure into your summer by taking a last minute trip or vacation.
Last-minute getaways may sound expensive, but cheap deals are there for the taking if you are willing to be flexible. Here are some tips.
Go with the flow. Whether you are flying, taking the train, or shipping out on a cruise, the more flexible you are with your travel plans, the better. Leave late at night or on a different day to get the cheapest flight. And if you are willing to go standby, or fly into a less popular city or airport, you can score big time. The same is true of cruises – if you cruise the web to find ads for last-minute vacancies, or travel “shoulder” times, before or after traditional summer and Christmastime rushes, you may find a vacation deal that costs less than staying home.
Embrace the web. Check your favorite internet travel sites, and check them often. Prices fluctuate from day to day and from city to city. But do your research and watch out for pitfalls. Sites like PriceLine.com and SkyAuction.com let you name your own price, but know the range available elsewhere so you don’t end up overpaying. On AirBnB.com, find a place to rent for just one night from a real person, for less.
Tweet for a sweet deal. Use Twitter’s search box to look for special discounts and coupons. Just enter a hashtag followed by your destination and the word discount to locate deals near you. Also, follow travel deals sites like @TravelZoo on Twitter for up-to-the-minute deals.
Travel solo. If you are looking for a single ticket on an airline or to an event, you’ll find it easier to nab a deal. You can make arrangements to meet your friends at the destination, even though you won’t be sitting together.
Call ahead. You’ll find some good hotel deals by calling ahead and calling around. Don’t just arrive with your baggage in the hotel lobby, since clerks will quote you higher prices since they know you don’t want to schlep those bags all over town.
Go off-season and off-beat. Visiting a summer attraction in the winter or a ski resort in the summer will save big bucks in lodging and meals. Or stay nearby your destination, not right in town. Camping out will trim your costs, and you can save on meals by packing a lunch and enjoying a picnic. If you splurge on a meal at a well-known restaurant, go for lunch instead of dinner or enjoy the early bird special to cut the tab by up to 40%.
Free works for me. There are many free attractions wherever you go, and many inexpensive ones as well. A hootenanny or a free concert in the park, a walking tour or nature walk, all can make for a pleasant afternoon. At historic destinations such as Washington DC, Philadelphia and Boston you’ll find that many of the great attractions are free.
Above all, enjoy the hunt. Traveling cheap is a game, so take pleasure in the experience. If you miss one deal, don’t fret, there’s another one around the corner.
The Battle of the Black Cards: American Express’ Centurion Card vs. Barclays’ Visa Black Card
In one corner, we have the Black Card. In the other, we have, uh, the Black Card. Confused? Most likely, and that’s exactly why American Express recently engaged in a legal battle for the right to use the name that has come to signify wealth and status not only in the credit card industry, but throughout society and pop culture as well. Rappers routinely crow about their Black Cards in songs, athletes and movie stars are spotted using them by the paparazzi, and they’re even employed in shows like “The OC” and “Entourage” to signal things like prosperity, greed, or overspending to viewers. While Amex was successful in nullifying the Black Card LLC’s trademark on the term “Blackcard,” several trademark infringement and false advertising claims remain unsettled, as does the ultimate question: Which is the better Black Card?
American Express Centurion CardThough the American Express Centurion Card has long been shrouded in secrecy – an Amex representative responded to a request for comment by saying, We actually can’t confirm much about the Centurion Card as we don’t talk about its services or benefits – a few things are substantiated, including its fee structure and the fact that it is available by invitation only. The rest we can only glea
The Daily Docket: Thornburg Trustee Renews $1.9 Billion Attack on Banks
The House Financial Services Committee on Thursday is set to hold the third congressional hearing into the Oct.
Percentage of seniors filing for bankruptcy on the rise
Several recent bankruptcy studies have concluded that the percentage of seniors seeking bankruptcy protection is on the rise.
For instance, one study says that in 2006, seniors accounted for 7.8 percent of the nation’s total bankruptcy filings. In 2009, the number of seniors filing for bankruptcy increased to 8.3 percent of the total amount of bankruptcies filed in the U.S.
Experts in bankruptcy say that the demographic of people age 65 and older is the fast growing demographic choosing bankruptcy. One study notes, “While health issues and medical debts are also contributing to bankruptcy filings by the elderly, credit card debt among the elderly has also risen, with a median of $22,562 being owed to credit card companies among filers 65 years and older.”
Contact the Birmingham personal bankruptcy lawyers of Greenway Law, LLC at 205-324-4000 today, if your or someone you love is seeking experienced legal representation to assist them in filing for bankruptcy.
Corporate Recruitment: What Resumes Won’t Reveal
As corporate recruitment practices go, resumes are pretty much the primary contact between the company and a potential candidate. From the candidate’s point-of-view, the resume is the main tool that they use search for jobs and introduce themselves to would-be interviewers, if it comes to that stage. The candidate, on the other hand, would easily find a lot of information on the company. Theres the website and the corporate blog, there are industry news reports, and a plethora of data out there on the WWW.
After all, if the old adage about just how long first impressions last is true, the amount work that goes into making and refining a resume is hardly surprising. However, this opportunity for repeated refinement is what makes the resume an unreliable tool for assessing a candidate, something that the managers in charge of corporate recruitment understand well. It presents an incompleted, and all too often, overtly embellished picture of the person.
Yes, it does bring the folks in corporate recruitment up to date with the salient points of an applicant’s education and work details. The
Some advantages of Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy over other debt relief alternatives.
Many debtors often wonder if unmanageable debt can be handled without bankruptcy. Since it is such a good idea to check out the facts about alternatives to bankruptcy, there’s a pre-bankruptcy education course that is required before filing. These courses will teach you about some alternatives to bankruptcy, as well as the bankruptcy process itself.
- Outright Scams. As the number of homeowners who are facing home foreclosure rises, so do the number of scam artists who want to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. Recently in New Jersey, seven scam artists were brought up on charges of fraud. The alleged fraudsters contacted people with pending home foreclosures, offering to negotiate on their behalf, to get the lender to lower the principle and interest rate on the mortgage.
A Good Credit Report is Vital
When you are trying to make a major purchase of any kind you will more than likely need to take out a loan. In fact, when buying a car or home most people require some kind of financing to actually make the purchase. Credit is one of the main things that lenders bear in mind when they are considering a perspective loan applicant. If you do not have a good credit report then you could potentially be turned down for the loan and not be able to complete the task that you set out to, or you may have to settle for something less desirable.
Obviously, keeping a clean credit report is very important if you are going to be a productive, functional and most importantly, successful member of society. If you have managed to fall into debt you may feel as though there is no end in sight and some people have even described the feeling as though there is no light at the end of the tunnel. However, it is not necessary to be so bleak. Getting out of debt is possible no matter how far into debt you have fallen.
The objective for most people in regards to getting out of debt is to also avoid bankruptcy. Read more…
Video: Jon Corzine’s Prepared Testimony on MF Global Collapse (Excerpts)
Jon S. Corzine, former chairman and chief executive officer of MF Global Holdings Ltd., testifies before the House Agriculture Committee about the collapse of the firm and the strategy that led to a bankruptcy filing on Oct. 31. Corzine, who resigned his positions on Nov. 4, said in his statement that he never intended to break any rules. Read more…
TLC singer T-Boz seeks bankruptcy protection
Last month, former TLC singer 41-year old Tionne Watkins, or T-Boz, filed for personal bankruptcy with $768,643 in debt.
The bankruptcy filing shows that most of the singers debt is related to mortgage payments on a $1.2 million home. Watkins, a four-time Grammy award winner, and the rest of TLC filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1995 at the height of their popularity.
Now, the singer earns about $1,200 a month in royalties for the bands music. Sources report that she is owed around $250,000 in child support from her ex-husband.
Furthermore, the bankruptcy filing reveals that the singers current monthly income is $11,700. The filing also shows that Watkins spends around $8,821 every month.