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It’s almost 2016 and the start of a new year and new beginnings. It got us thinking, is the “American Dream” what it used to be and is it in fact, still alive? Making up ⅓ of the American workforce, the millennial generation is working hard to pursue what they love and aren’t afraid to change the status quo set by former generations. They value old ideas, while striving to make a few new ones of their own.
Indeed, the idea of the “American Dream” is unique to everyone and that’s an awesome thing.
So now’s your chance to chime in. We want to hear what the “American Dream” means to you. All you need to do is take a few seconds to fill out our survey, share your brilliance with your friends using the hashtag #MyMintDream, and we will select a few lucky survey takers to win some Mint swag.
1 Dream. 4 Questions. Start here: What is YOUR American Dream Survey
*Survey will end on Monday, November 30, 2015
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Getting ahead of holiday shopping can be a little overwhelming. The lists get long. The stores get crowded. Time gets short. And does Dad really need another pair of socks or a men’s nail trimming kit yet again? I don’t think so. So this year, I’m taking a more creative approach. Now that I’ve got a little one, he’s the gift-for-grandparents jackpot. Never being one to do much in the DIY department, when it comes to creating personal gifts, it can be hard to know where to start. Thankfully, the internet has given rise to professionals who can figure these things out for you.
Enter Mpix. Having just returned from our Hawaiian vacation, what better way to capture those memories than to get them off my phone and turned into something tangible? Mpix is a professional photography lab that’s been family owned and operated in the heart of the mid-west for 75 years. Now they offer their photography printing services to the masses in the form of cards, home decor, gifts and photobooks.
This is a DIY novice’s dream come true. I could quickly upload images to the Mpix secure photo gallery, select from a variety of pre-designed book layouts, et voila; grandparent holiday gift gold. It didn’t take me long to figure out their online editing tools. There were a couple of images that printed across the fold so you’ll want to triple check your placements. But with easy zoom and cropping, you can find the perfect spot for each image.
The best part? The books ship to you in 24-48 hours. I’ve never gotten a photo print product back that quickly. Perfect for my last-second tendencies.
With most of our lives being captured electronically these days, it’s interesting to think about our kids growing up without having pictures to flip through. But it’s by looking through photos and telling (and retelling and retelling) stories that help children cement their memories. Now that I know it’s so easy to create keepsakes like this, I think I might start my own photo album collection. No glue sticks necessary.
For more holiday gift ideas CLICK HERE
This is post is in partnership with Mpix. all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. thanks for supporting collaborations we’re excited about and that have kept apartment34’s doors open.
The holidays are time for family. Here are some ideas from our friends at Quotacy on how to make the most of this holiday season with your loved ones.
Save more, spend smarter, and make your money go further
The holiday season is a very hectic time, and if you’re not careful, it can easily sneak up on you. If you’re like me, you’ve entered November without much money set aside for gifts or celebrations and you’re starting to sweat about your budget.
Scrambling for cash during the holidays can feel like treading water, but there are lots of opportunities to save money and cut costs if you know where to look.
Make a budget and stick to it
Setting limits on how much you’re willing to spend for each person on your list will help keep you focused on getting the most out of your holiday budget.
Speaking from experience, my family typically sets limits on how much you’re allowed to spend on one another – $50 max for your immediate family, $20 max for any extended family.
In practice, those limits tend to become more like guidelines, but they can help you set a baseline budget to plan for during the holiday months.
Start shopping ASAP
The longer you’re on the hunt for deals, the more likely you are to stumble across them. If you can get started before December actually begins, you can scoop up a few amazing deals during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Keeping your eyes peeled early on in the holiday season can give you more time to consider exactly what you want to get for each person. Being alert and keeping an eye on those items will help you pounce on flash deals as they come up.
Automate your savings
If you’ve got a savings account that offers automatic deposits, cranking up the rate at which money goes in can help you grow a holiday budget without even thinking about it.
When I need to save money in the short term, I tend to pump up my weekly contributions to my savings account. This helps me lock my money away until I’m sure I want to spend it.
Cancel a few subscriptions
Even though cold, snowy days are perfect for curling up on the couch and bingeing a show on Netflix or Hulu, taking a month-long break from a few of your subscription services can help give you a bit more breathing room for gifts and events.
Pick one service you absolutely can’t live without to keep you entertained, and use the subscription fees for the rest of them to spruce up your holiday party with a few extra treats. Then, when you come back to them in January, you’ll have a whole new set of shows to power through.
Cut down on trips out
This is an evergreen savings suggestion, but during the holidays, opting to stay in could help you save more than just the price of dinner.
If you’re in an area that gets snow, the increased traffic will make each trip out burn through more fuel. Additionally, bad weather increases your odds of being involved in an accident, so staying in can often mean staying safe.
Check your pockets
If you’re like me, you’ve probably forgotten about some of the things in your wallet. However, taking the time to dig past your go-to cards can reveal some hidden treasures.
First off: Gift cards. Got 5 bucks left at Starbucks? Surprise a family member with a bag of nice coffee. $3 left over at Target? That’s a couple of candy bars to fill a stocking.
If you’ve got rewards points or cash back built up on your cards, the holidays can be a good time to spend them. Performing a self-audit on your wallet can help you discover money that you didn’t know you had.
Combine your orders
Do you ever notice how stores start promoting big purchase sales around the holidays? “Spend over $300 and get 15% off!” This helps them incentivize shoppers to spend more. You can take advantage of this by teaming up with a friend to get both of your holiday shopping done at once.
In addition to saving more on a bulk order, you’ll be able to take full advantage of BOGO deals without having to find somewhere to put the second item.
Who knows, you might catch them eyeing something they want, and be able to take another trip back and cross them off your list.
Look everywhere for coupons and deals
Everyone knows about online coupons these days, but there are many more ways to save if you know where to look.
Digging through your junk mail can be a good way to scoop up deals from local stores. Local businesses will also offer discounts via local newspapers and magazines as well, so popping by a magazine rack can help you track down deals in your area.
Many crafters, artists, and other small creators who own Etsy stores or eBay accounts are also looking to make a bit of last-minute money to spend on their families.
Established creators often put their excess stock on sale in the weeks before the end of the year, and many artists take extra commissions to help them pay for their own celebrations.
Buy (or make) a few cheap “quickie” gifts
Going out and tracking down trinkets for everyone in your office can be time consuming, and it’ll drain your holiday savings, too.
Instead, taking one trip and buying several of the same inexpensive gift at once can help you be sure you aren’t empty handed when a surprise gift-giver catches you off-guard.
For example, you can wrap up cocoa packets, candy canes, and mini marshmallows, then give them out as instant cocoa sets. For bonus points, head to a thrift store and buy a few mugs to include as well.
Turn your holiday parties into pot lucks
Another perennial favorite – pot lucks! If you’re hosting a dinner party, asking your guests to help out with dishes can add variety to the meal, as well as saving you money.
Have your guests bring hot food in crock pots, or let them show up early with food that’s ready to cook. Appetizers and finger food work great for this, and a menu made out of those options often ends up being more fun than a sit-down dinner.
Change up your gift-giving traditions
Instead of spreading yourself thin to get your entire family or office gifts, organizing a secret Santa pool can help you focus on finding something meaningful for one person in particular.
If organizing a secret Santa exchange is too complicated, a white elephant party is a fun way to recycle old gifts you’ve never gotten around to using. Who knows, your secondhand waffle iron might be exactly what someone wants!
Eric Lindholm moved from sales to communications at Quotacy. His writing is informed by his experience guiding hundreds of people through their own life insurance buying journey. Eric lives in Minneapolis, where his coworkers are trying to convince him to start his own podcast, do stand-up, or take his humor into the spotlight. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
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The dreaded credit report. Scary, isn’t it? Much like your “permanent record” in every teen movie, it can often seem like your credit report determines your entire future.
What’s more is that, for most, your credit report is shrouded in mystery. Information surrounding how to access your credit report, what’s included on your credit report, and even what your credit report is used for may feel like a big question mark.
We’re here to demystify credit reports for you. Read on to learn about credit reports, how to access them, and why they’re important.
Have a particular question about the three credit bureaus? Jump to it using the links below:
What is a credit report and why does it matter?
What are credit bureaus?
Where do credit bureaus get their information?
What are the 3 major credit reporting agencies?
How do I get a copy of my free credit report?
What is a credit monitoring agency?
What do I do if my credit report has incorrect information?
What is a credit report and why does it matter?
Before diving into your credit report, it’s important to understand “credit” itself. Most associate credit with credit cards, but “credit” refers to more than that. Any loan you’ve taken is considered credit. That may be a loan in the form of a credit card, which you pay off monthly, or a student loan, car loan or lease, home loan, or any other type of money you’ve borrowed.
A credit report contains information about the historical and current status of all of the above. Creditors (those who lend you money) submit information to credit bureaus, also known as credit reporting agencies, who compile that credit information into your credit report.
Your credit report also may contain the following information:
Your personal information, including name, address(es), birthdate, SSN, and phone number(s)
Your credit accounts
Current and historical credit accounts
Creditors name
Credit limits
Account balance
Payment history
Your collection items
Your public records
Liens
Foreclosures
Bankruptcies
Civil suits
A list of inquiries – or companies that have accessed your credit report
Typically, negative information like late payments, delinquent accounts, charge offs, and more stay on your credit report for 7 years, and bankruptcies stay for 10.
What are credit bureaus?
Credit bureaus are for-profit companies that aggregate information from creditors, public records, and other companies, and then compile the information into your credit report. These reports are then sold to companies who would like to legally access your credit information, like a landlord or a creditor with whom you’re applying for a loan.
Credit bureaus are not government owned or related to banks in any way. That said, these companies are regulated by the government through a piece of legislation called the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
This act ensures the following:
You have the right to request access to your credit report once per year
Your credit report can only be accessed by those with a valid need and you have the right to know who accesses your credit report
You have the right to dispute anything in your credit report and the credit reporting agency must investigate and remove any inaccurate information
Negative information must be removed from your file in 7 years and bankruptcy in 10
Your credit report cannot contain medical information
You have the right to sue anyone who violates the Fair Credit Reporting Act and seek damages in court
And much more
Where do credit bureaus get their information?
Credit bureaus source their information from a number of different sources. First, creditors report your credit information to credit bureaus. This may be a bank or retailer with which you have a credit account or a loan company you’ve borrowed from in the past.
Creditors are not legally required to report information to all three of the major credit reporting agencies, which is why your credit information may vary from report to report. While most of the larger creditors relay your credit information to all three credit bureaus, smaller creditors may only relay their information to one.
Credit bureaus also source their information from debt collectors and public reports, like bankruptcies, liens, or court records.
What are the 3 major credit reporting agencies?
While the market used to be full of numerous credit reporting agencies, these days it’s dominated by 3 major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
As separate companies, credit bureaus don’t share information between each other, which is why your credit report may vary slightly from company to company. Each bureau collects its own information with slightly different focuses.
How do I get a copy of my free credit report?
The Fair Credit Reporting Act entitles you to one free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus each year.
But for many, accessing that credit report can feel like an impossible task. A quick search for credit report in any major search engine bombards you with credit reports for purchase.
In order to access your free annual credit report from each bureau, simply go to the aptly named www.annualcreditreport.com, or call (877) 322-8228. With a bit of identifying information, including your name, address, date of birth, and SSN, you’ll have your credit report in no time.
You may get all three of your free reports at once, or space them out as you choose—just remember that your information may vary from report to report.
For example, a report you access today from TransUnion may feature a particular blemish. When you download a separate credit report from Equifax 4 months later, you may no longer see that blemish on your report.
This may give you the false sense that the blemish has reached its full lifespan and fallen off your report. In reality, however, the blemish may have never existed on your Equifax report to begin with. It may, therefore be best to view all 3 in tandem.
What is a credit monitoring agency?
A credit monitoring agency or credit monitoring service is used to track an individual’s credit reports and scores and notify the individual of any changes. This may include the addition of new accounts or an inquiry into their credit report.
Credit monitoring agencies’ primary function is to monitor for illegal activity, such as identity theft. A criminal may open new credit accounts or make large purchases that require credit checks in your name, causing lasting damage to your credit report.
However, many offer additional services, including extensive credit score tracking and scans for personal information, including bank and social security information, across the web.
What do I do if my credit report has incorrect information?
If you spot incorrect information on your credit report, it’s important to dispute it.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act states that both the creditor and credit bureau are responsible for correcting inaccurate information, but they largely leave it in your hands to identify.
If you find inaccurate information, you may write a dispute letter to the credit bureau identifying the issue and explaining the dispute. You can also do this online at each credit reporting agency’s website, or file a dispute directly with the creditor who originally reported the wrong information.
Include documentation that supports your dispute and keep copies of everything for yourself.
Want to see a dispute in action? Let’s take a closer look at TransUnion’s dispute process, as TransUnion’s credit report is what Turbo uses to give you insight into your financial health.
You can file a dispute (fee-free) by phone, mail, or online.
Upon receiving your request, TransUnion initiates an investigation of any credit information that you are disputing. TransUnion may then alter your credit report based on the information you’ve provided, or contact the company that reported the information you’re disputing.
TransUnion will supply the company with any documentation you provided, along with any necessary supplemental information. The company is instructed to review the dispute, verify their information, provide a response, and update their records accordingly.
If you initiated your dispute using their online form, you’ll be notified via email when results are available online. If you initiated your dispute via mail or phone, you will receive results by mail.
Bottom Line
While most of the information collected by the three separate credit bureaus is similar, there are key differences to keep in mind when requesting a credit report.
Your information may vary between credit reporting agency, but it’s important to keep an eye out for errors and file a dispute if anything seems awry with your report.
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The average person spends around $900 on gifts for the holiday season, according to American Research Group. That amount doesn’t even account for other holiday spending, such as travel costs, food, get togethers, decorations, and more. Some people even go into credit card debt to spend for the holidays, but is that really worth it? […]
The post Are You Going To Spend Over $1,000 This Holiday Season? appeared first on Making Sense Of Cents.
âJohn, I recently applied for a mortgage loan and I thought the broker was going to pull my credit report. Instead, she pulled something she called an âRMCRâ credit report. When I looked at the report it didnât look anything like Iâve ever seen before. What exactly is an RMCR report?â Youâve just experienced what
The post Credit Alphabet Soup: Popular Credit Reporting Acronyms Explained appeared first on MintLife Blog.
What if you didnât give material gifts this year? While there are happy elves out there who love to shop for holiday gifts and have the bottomless wallets to support that effort, many of us are watching our every dollar just to make ends meet. Think of the time and money youâd save by not
The post Be Money Smart: Ditch Holiday Gift Giving appeared first on MintLife Blog.