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Apache is functioning normally

June 3, 2023 by Brett Tams

It’s almost mid-December, which means it is time for another round of mortgage and real estate predictions for the upcoming year.

I think it’s safe to say that 2021 has been another stellar year for both the mortgage industry and the housing market.

But it’s going to be hard to top or even match what we’ve experienced this year in terms of mortgage origination volume and home price gains.

However, the party might not be over yet, with additional home price gains on the horizon due to similar factors in play.

Let’s see what 2022 might have in store as we once again look into the crystal ball.

1. Mortgage rates will go up, but only slightly.

Experts have been calling this for years to no avail. We have been told year in and year out that the low mortgage rates are leaving the station.

But year after year, they remain. In 2022, I do expect them to rise somewhat, but not by a meaningful amount.

Sure, your 30-year fixed rate may go from 3% to 3.5%, but that’s not a huge jump. And any 30-year fixed in the 3s is generally very favorable.

It will put pressure on prospective home buyers who also have to grapple with rising home prices and a lack of inventory.

And it will certainly dent mortgage refinance demand, as most existing homeowners have already locked in a lower rate.

However, as I said in my 2022 mortgage rate predictions post, there will likely be opportunities during the year to snag a very low mortgage rate.

Why? Because the economy continues to be a bit of a mess and we’re still sorting out COVID. Until we put that stuff behind us, interest rates could swing in both directions.

2. Home prices will continue to rise a lot

Don’t be fooled by the old mortgage rates up, home prices down fallacy. There’s not a negative correlation, despite what everyone plainly assumes.

Both can go up at the same time, and that’s exactly what I expect to happen in 2022. Granted, mortgage rates will probably only rise slightly, while home prices will continue to surge.

For some reason, a new year gives folks new hope that a trend will simply come to an end.

But why would home prices just stop going up because it’s a new calendar year? The answer is they won’t.

As I’ve said before, the same fundamentals that have been at play for some time, continue to be in play.

There’s a severe lack of inventory and a surplus of would-be home buyers out there. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what happens with prices.

When there’s a shortage of something people want/need, a premium must be paid until production ramps up.

Unfortunately, production (new home building) is still way behind and won’t catch up for a while.

In the meantime, expect more of the same, and higher 2022 home prices across the board.

The only difference is that estimates are all over the place, with some calling for just a 2.5% increase (CoreLogic) and others saying 11% (Zillow) or even 16% (Goldman Sachs) .

Personally, I’m bullish and going with the higher figures out there, but recognize gains will probably be lower in 2022 than they were this year.

3. Cash out refinances will finally get hot

cash out share

Housing pundits have been talking about the massive pile of collective home equity we’ve been sitting on for years now.

And it has only grown even larger since then, with equity levels the highest on record.

In short, American homeowners have a ton of equity in their properties that is ripe for tapping via a cash out refinance or a second mortgage, such as a HELOC.

But we have yet to see a massive cash out boom like the one experienced in the early 2000s housing market.

I expect cash out refis and HELOCs to have their day in the sun in 2022 as more and more homeowners realize how much their properties have appreciated.

Per Freddie Mac, about 42% of refinances resulted in cash out this year, which is up a bit from prior years, but nowhere close to the 80%+ share seen in 2006 and 2007.

Despite slightly higher mortgage rates, it may still be worth unlocking this valuable equity to pay for upgrades, college tuition, and other expenses.

After all, a 3% 30-year fixed rate is still phenomenal, and many homeowners can take out a large sum of money while keeping their loan-to-value (LTV) ratio very low.

And you can expect mortgage lenders to aggressively pitch this product now that rate and term refinances have mostly been exhausted.

4. The bidding wars will remain (and may even worsen)

It won’t get any easier buying a home next year. Even if mortgage rates are slightly higher, this won’t “bring prices down to earth.”

I keep hearing that line and it just doesn’t make any sense. Financing has never been the problem here. It’s always been a lack of supply.

And there will continue to be a lack of supply well into 2022, so why should competition be any less?

If anything, I could see more desperation fueled by these expected higher interest rates as buyers won’t want to miss out on their low rate too.

If you think about the last few years, at least mortgage rates were rock bottom. Now that you’ve got to worry about a rising rate and finding a home, the panic could be even more pronounced.

As always, prepare yourself adequately, start looking for a home immediately, and be aggressive if you want to win the bidding war.

Oh, and make sure you use an experienced real estate agent who knows how to get the job done.

5. Home sales volume will be flat or even lower next year

2022 home sales

While Redfin believes new listings will hit a 10-year high next year, I’m not so sure.

As much as there is motivation to sell a home due to sky-high asking prices, there remains the dilemma of where to go next.

Sure, you might be able to move to a different state, but those “cheap states” aren’t so cheap anymore.

At the same time, supply chain issues and a lack of workers is making it hard for home builders to ramp up supply of new homes.

Collectively, this will make it difficult for home sales to increase next year, as much as we all want to make a mint selling our homes.

This also reinforces the idea that home prices will continue to go up, and that the housing market will remain super competitive.

That being said, it will be a very lively housing market in 2022, just not one that necessarily sees a lot of growth.

6. Home buyers will continue to flock to new states

2022 hot housing markets

Yes, the cheap states aren’t so cheap anymore. But that won’t stop people from getting out of town.

Many young, prospective home buyers have been priced out of their local markets in California and other hot spots.

This, combined with the work-from-home new normal (sprinkle in some politics), will fuel a continuation of migration seen in recent years.

This means more folks from the Golden State will make the move to nearby states such as Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, Texas, and Utah.

While more affordable for them, it will exacerbate those local markets and make them more expensive for the people who already rent there.

Some of the hottest housing markets of 2022 include Salt Lake City, Utah, Boise, Idaho, Spokane, Washington, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Columbus, Ohio.

Basically any metropolitan area that was/is considered cheap and desirable will be less so next year as the out-of-state home buyers storm in.

So no matter where you happen to be, expect a fierce seller’s market.

7. First-time home buyers will purchase a second home or investment property (first)

This is an interesting one that I’m borrowing from Zillow because it’s seemingly odd, yet kind of savvy. And so 2021 and beyond.

Typically, a first-time home buyer will purchase a home to live in nearby where they work.

But because the real estate market is so hot and in such short supply, high-earning, cash-rich Millennials and Gen Zers may actually buy a second home or investment property instead.

The thinking is that they can get in on the real estate market by making an investment, even if it’s not in their overpriced backyard.

For example, a well-earning Gen Zer who lives in Santa Monica that may be priced out there could purchase a more affordable second home in Phoenix, Arizona, or an investment property in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Of course, this isn’t necessarily for the faint of heart, and this is exactly the type of thing that leads to trouble down the road.

But as long as mortgage lenders don’t get too careless with underwriting standards, it doesn’t signal the start of a housing crisis.

It does tell you just how crazy real estate has gotten though.

8. Home buyers will return to the city

condo search

While the suburbs have been hot in our post-COVID-19 world, I do believe more buyers will start to consider the city life again.

We will get through this pandemic, and once life returns to mostly normal, lots of folks will wish they owned in an urban center.

Prices in many once-hot areas close to lots of cool restaurants, bars, etc. have been deflated, but I expect that to reverse course in 2022.

The urban living trend isn’t going to disappear, even if more people work from home, or desire abundant outdoor space.

So look out for condo prices to see more price gains in 2022 and beyond, and play catch up with single-family residence gains.

There’s already proof in data here – Redfin noted that users filtered searches to single-family homes only (excluding condos/townhomes) in just 28% of searches in September.

That was down from a high of 37% in July 2020, when living in a city seemed unthinkable.

Condos also tend to appreciate the most at the tail end of a housing boom, which we could be approaching, so it all kind of makes sense.

9. There will be more layoffs, closures, and mergers

While there is some hope that cash out refis and home purchase loans will keep mortgage volumes afloat, it won’t be enough for all mortgage lenders out there.

For example, Freddie Mac is forecasting $2.1 trillion in home purchase origination in 2022, up from $1.9 trillion this year.

But also expects refinance origination volume to fall from $2.5 trillion to $995 billion. That’s gonna be a problem for the shops that specialize in refinances.

Ultimately, total volume dropping from $4.5 billion to $3 billion will be an issue and there’s no way around it.

As a result, you can expect more mortgage layoffs, similar to the Better.com layoffs, along with some outright closures.

I also believe there will be more consolidation in the fragmented mortgage market, with bigger banks and lenders swallowing up smaller ones.

10. The housing market won’t crash in 2022

I already said home prices will go up, but I’ll reiterate that the housing market won’t crash in 2022, either.

There is a large group of people who believe the housing market is due for a correction, mostly just because home prices have gone up a ton.

Sure, it’s easy to raise eyebrows these days when looking up what your house is worth, or your neighbor’s.

But that alone isn’t enough to make them reverse course, especially when there is a continued, historic lack of supply.

Additionally, mortgage lenders have yet to return to the loose underwriting that dominated the space in the early 2000s, and ultimately created the mortgage crisis.

For me, that means another year of strong housing appreciation, and another year without a housing market crash.

At the same time, it does mean we will be one year closer to a crash, which as history tells us, is inevitable.

(photo: Quinn Dombrowski)

Source: thetruthaboutmortgage.com

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Apache is functioning normally

June 2, 2023 by Brett Tams

While it’s still possible to request mortgage forbearance via the CARES Act if you’re having trouble making monthly payments, this option will eventually come to an end.

In fact, you might only have about two months left to contact your loan servicer for relief. So if you think you’ll need help, act sooner rather than later to avoid missing out.

This cutoff date depends on the type of mortgage you have, e.g. an FHA loan or a conventional loan.

What’s the Last Day to Apply for Mortgage Forbearance?

  • Fannie and Freddie loans – when the “national emergency” ends
  • FHA loans – June 30th, 2021
  • USDA loans – June 30th, 2021
  • VA loans – June 30th, 2021

Oddly, it’s not even known when that date is, at least when it comes to mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

That’s because the GSEs currently have the end date for relief set to the end of the national emergency. So it might be a moving target given COVID-19 seems to just be getting started.

Seeing that the other agencies have extended into the first six months of 2021, the hope is Fannie/Freddie will also do at least that.

The FHA had set a deadline of October 30th, 2020 (which was extended to December 31st , 2020, then Feb. 28th, 2021, then to March 31st, 2021, and now to June 30th).

Similarly, the USDA had announced a deadline of December 31st, 2020 for approving forbearance requests, then aligned it with the FHA’s February 28th, 2021 cutoff date, and has since extended it until June 30th, 2021.

With regard to VA loans, it’s the same story as the FHA as government-backed home loans appear to have the same cutoff dates (other than USDA).

Whether these end dates all get extended in light of the continued uncertainty and ongoing economic disruption remains to be seen.

They’ve already been extended several times, so it won’t be a surprise if they move them into the future again, especially with COVID continuing to keep the economy shuttered.

Loan Servicers Will Have Their Busiest Season Ever

I spoke to Sapan Bafna, senior leader, Advanced Delivery Engines for CoreLogic, who is responsible for developing IntelliMods, a web-based loan modification decisioning tool, to get his take on how things might go once the CARES Act forbearance option runs out.

In short, he believes loan servicers will experience “their busiest season ever” as they process post-forbearance requests for millions of homeowners.

He developed IntelliMods as a result of the 2008 economic crisis and believes the industry will be held accountable for underusing technology and available data.

In other words, they could make a complete mess out of things once borrowers exit their CARES Act forbearance plans.

And that won’t be good for the industry, which only recently got past the many loan modification and foreclosure snafus from the Great Recession.

Still, things don’t seem nearly as bad this time around, at least for most homeowners.

[How Is Mortgage Forbearance Paid Back?]

What Will Be the Most Common Outcome Post-Forbearance?

  • Fannie and Freddie loans will likely go the payment deferral route
  • FHA loans will use the COVID-19 Stand Alone Partial claim option
  • USDA and VA loans will have full suite of existing home retention options on the table

When asked what would be the most common outcome after forbearance ends, Bafna broke it down by loan type.

He believes borrowers with Fannie- and Freddie-backed mortgages will take advantage of the payment deferral option, followed by a loan modification if they’re unable to resume making their regular mortgage payments.

For FHA loans, he expects most to go with the COVID-19 Stand Alone Partial claim option, followed by four new modification options that have been specifically created for the COVID-19 pandemic.

For USDA loans and VA loans, he believes “homeowners will be offered the full suite of existing home retention options.”

If all else fails, it is possible that some homeowners will have to go the deed-in-lieu of foreclosure route, or simply be foreclosed on.

The good news for the overall market is because of severe inventory shortages, additional foreclosed properties likely won’t put much if any downward pressure on home prices.

Of course, he did say “Some local markets have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic recession and will experience elevated unemployment and home-price weakness in 2021.”

At the same time, more resilient metros will rebound and actually see additional home price appreciation next year.

With regard to short sales, which were big after the most recent housing crisis, Bafna believes they’ll be “a small component since we currently see only around 3% of mortgages with negative equity.”

The House Rich, Cash Poor Conundrum

While it sounds like most homeowners will see relatively positive outcomes post-forbearance, he highlighted another issue regarding the many borrowers nationwide who are now house rich and cash poor.

Because property values have increased significantly over the past several years, but incomes have lagged, some homeowners may have difficulty refinancing their mortgages or otherwise accessing their home equity.

As such, a borrower experiencing financial distress because of the pandemic-related recession will be at the greatest risk of losing their home.

And while they might be able to sell via traditional channels due to their amassed equity, they’ll still incur moving costs, lose any homeowner-related tax benefits, and “forego the opportunity to build equity in their homes as prices rise in the future.”

This exemplifies the problem with real estate, which is an illiquid asset. Often there’s a lot of money trapped inside that can’t be easily accessed.

There are some options out there, like reverse mortgages and innovate products like Noah’s home equity sharing program, but no one solution is totally ideal.

The good news, even if hard to access, is homeowners have lots of equity this time around, which is a big improvement from a decade ago when their mortgage balances grossly outweighed their property values.

That should allow the real estate market to absorb the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, even if it goes on for another year or longer.

Read more: There Will Be a 3-Month Waiting Period to Get a Mortgage After Forbearance

Source: thetruthaboutmortgage.com

Posted in: Mortgage News, Renting Tagged: 2021, About, Advanced, All, appreciation, asset, Benefits, big, borrowers, build, CARES Act, conventional loan, covid, COVID-19, COVID-19 pandemic, Crisis, data, deed, Economic Crisis, Economy, Emergency, equity, estate, existing, experience, Fannie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, FHA, FHA loan, FHA loans, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, Forbearance, foreclosure, Freddie Mac, future, Getting Started, good, government, great, GSEs, home, home equity, home loans, Home Price, home price appreciation, home prices, Homeowner, homeowners, homes, house, Housing, housing crisis, impact, improvement, in, industry, inventory, loan, loan modification, Loans, Local, local markets, Make, making, market, markets, mess, money, More, Mortgage, mortgage balances, mortgage forbearance, Mortgage News, mortgage payments, Mortgages, Move, Moving, moving costs, new, News, opportunity, or, Other, pandemic, payments, plans, poor, pressure, price, Prices, products, property, property values, Real Estate, real estate market, rebound, Recession, refinancing, resume, Reverse, reverse mortgages, rich, rise, risk, sales, Sell, short, Short Sales, shortages, story, suite, target, tax, tax benefits, Technology, The Economy, time, traditional, Unemployment, USDA, usda loans, VA, VA loans, will

Apache is functioning normally

May 29, 2023 by Brett Tams

How Amanda Paid Off $133,763 In Debt in 43 months #debtpayoff #payoffdebt

How Amanda Paid Off $133,763 In Debt in 43 months #debtpayoff #payoffdebt

My monthly Extraordinary Lives series has been a lot of fun, and I’m back with another inspiring interview. First up was JP Livingston, who retired with a net worth over $2,000,000 at the age of 28. Today’s interview is with Amanda, who is now living debt free after paying off $133,000 in three years and seven months.

I’ve been following Amanda – @debtfreeinsunnyca – on Instagram for quite some time, and I’m so happy that I was finally able to interview her!

In this interview, you’ll learn:

  • How Amanda got into debt.
  • Why she decided to get out of debt fast.
  • The expenses she cut so that she could pay off her debt quickly.
  • What she thinks about the cash envelope method.
  • The sacrifices she made to reach her goal.
  • What she did to stay motivated.

And more! This interview is packed full of valuable information!

I asked you, my readers, what questions I should ask her, so below are your questions (and some of mine) about Amanda’s story and how she has accomplished so much. Make sure you’re following me on Facebook so you have the opportunity to submit your own questions for the next interview.

Related content:

Tell me your story.

Hey Michelle! Thank you for the opportunity. Here is my story.

I was 22 years old and working as a massage therapist on a cruise ship when I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel and cubital (elbow) tunnel. The career that I had trained for was no longer an option. I had to start over and pick a new career. Tired of working commission jobs where your paycheck depends on how good of a salesperson you are, I sought out an in demand, well-paying career in cyber security.

Like any normal person would do, I took out student loans to cover my tuition. I didn’t pay any attention to how much I was borrowing or the interest rate. I figured I would be making the big bucks when I graduated and could afford the payments. To make that happen, I worked hard to get into my field and landed an internship during my first year in school. By the time I graduated, I had already been in the IT field for several years.

So, was I making the big bucks now? Nope, not even close. There was no big, fat pay raise when I graduated. Reality slapped me hard in the face when I realized I wasn’t going to be able to afford my student loan and car payments with my small salary in California.

I knew I had to do something to clean up my mess. Years before I had tried to get out of debt by following Dave Ramsey’s plan, but reverted to my old ways after going through some personal things. Wanting to give it another try, I enrolled in Financial Peace University. I also went back to school for my master’s degree. This allowed me to defer my loans while cleaning up my mess. The best part was the company I now worked for reimbursed tuition for degrees that are related to your field.

My debt was over $80,000 and consisted of student loans, a car, and a small credit card. Once I committed to doing a zero-based budget, I started to see some great progress. I was sharing all my progress with my then boyfriend, now husband. I tried to get him on board, but he wasn’t interested at the time. After a few months of hitting it hard, I started to get mad that my balance wasn’t going down as fast as I wanted it to. It was going to take me forever to get out of debt!

That’s when I had my second “I’ve had it” moment where I was now ready to take action. The Prius I was upside down on had to go. It was a drastic, but necessary move. I quickly saved up $5,000 for a used Honda Civic and sold my car. With one transaction I got rid of $17,000 worth of debt. It felt like I was getting somewhere now! Because of my past, dumb mistakes, I had to take out a $7,000 loan to cover the difference I was upside down on. Owing $7,000 is WAY better than owing $24,000. I consider this to be the best financial decision I’ve ever made. It catapulted my debt snowball and provided the motivation I needed to continue.

After seeing my progress and going through FPU, Josh got on board and started paying off his debt. He cash flowed my engagement ring and proposed several months later! We paused our debt free journey and cash flowed $14,000 in six months for our wedding and honeymoon.

With the wedding behind us, it was time to get to business. Together we had a total $133,763 in debt. Josh added a truck and multiple credit cards to the pile of debt. We combined our accounts, started doing a zero-based budget, and utilized cash envelopes to stay on track. We both worked to increase our income while keeping the same lifestyle. After three years and seven months of hard work, we became debt free on July 5th, 2018!

 

How much debt did you have and what was your debt from?

Our debt totaled $133,763 and consisted of 16 student loans, 8 credit cards, 2 vehicles, and 1 personal loan. Nearly half of our debt was my student loans from my associate’s and bachelor’s degrees.

Why did you want to get out of debt fast?

It’s an awful feeling not having enough money to pay your bills or having to tell your friends/family you can’t go out because you’re broke. I wanted to get out of debt fast so I could afford my bill and have money to do the things I enjoy.

My why evolved over time when Josh and I started talking about our future together. He almost bought a sailboat when he got out of the Army years ago. Josh ended up moving back to San Diego instead, and then we met. He shared his dream with me, and I was immediately on board. I had been obsessed with tiny house living, and having worked on cruise ships, I loved the water. Getting a sailboat and one day quitting our jobs to travel became our new why.

How long did it take you to pay off your debt and reach debt freedom?

We spent three years and seven months working on paying off all our debt. The first year I was on my own. We weren’t married yet, and it took some time to convince Josh to get on board. After getting engaged, we paused our debt payments for six months to cash flow our wedding. We finished up the remainder of our debt a year and a half after we were married.

How did you manage to get out of debt so fast?

Getting out of debt can be broken down into two areas: increasing your income and cutting your expenses. We did both during our journey.

Our income increased by $75,000 during our debt free journey. This was from raises, overtime, and on-call pay. How did we do this? I attribute a lot of my success to working while I was going to school. I landed a part-time internship when I was in my first year of school. It allowed me to work my way up the ladder faster and increase my income. While in my master’s program, I managed to get into the IT Security department at my company. It came with a significant pay increase and each yearly raise has been a generous amount.

Josh also works in IT. He doesn’t have a degree, but his eight years of experience in the Army and his drive more than make up for it. Josh manages critical applications and is one of the go-to people in the IT department. He’s on-call and often working overtime. His skills and work ethic have earned him well deserved pay increases over the years.

Cutting expenses also helped us reach debt freedom faster:

Housing

For most of our journey, we lived in a small 550 sq. ft house to keep rent low. This saved around $400 a month for the 2.5 years we lived there. That’s $12,000 saved!

Vacations

Other than a honeymoon, we didn’t go on a vacation during our whole debt free journey. We had a few small trips: graduation, a wedding, Christmas in Tennessee with my family, which my mom paid for because she wanted to see us while supporting our journey.

Instead of traveling, we found free things to do in San Diego. Going hiking with the dogs was one of our favorite things to do. We also hung out with friends at their house instead of going out. We would cook dinner and watch a movie or TV series.

Hobbies and fun

Josh has a lot of expensive hobbies that he put on hold during our debt free journey: spear fishing, fishing, tech stuff, etc. I didn’t have any hobbies since my life was consumed by work and school. We cut out restaurants, date nights, movies, and excessive clothing. If we wanted to go out to eat or buy booze, it would come out of our budgeted spending money. There were a lot of Netflix and chill nights! Our date nights consisted of grilling out in our yard and sitting by the fire pit. We did budget for date nights whenever we hit a big milestone.

Work perks

Josh and I work at the same company, which allowed us to carpool to save money. Additionally, our company has amazing benefits. Our health and dental insurance are extremely affordable, both of our cell phones are paid for because we’re on call, and we’re able to make up missed hours instead of taking PTO if we need to leave work for some reason.

Can you tell me about cash envelopes? How does it work and why do they help?

Cash envelopes are a budgeting method where you take out cash for specific categories instead of using your debit/credit card for purchases. Each payday we take out money for groceries, gas, spending money, and any sinking funds we’re saving for. For that two-week period, all groceries come out of the grocery envelope. Same with gas and spending money. Once it’s gone, it’s gone! There’s no money left in our accounts because it’s all been paid to debt, so you better spend the money wisely! We had our emergency fund in case anything happened, but spending too much on groceries is not an emergency.

This method really helps curb your spending because you feel it more when you use cash. It’s also easy to look in your wallet and see how much money you have for each category to stay on track. Josh is a spender and he’s had great success with cash envelopes. I had a wallet with several dividers made for him to make it easy.

A lot of people are scared to carry around cash. I think the benefits of using cash outweigh the risk of losing it or it being stolen. I suggest only carrying around the amount that you need and leaving the rest at home in a safe until you need it. If anything were to happen, you always have your emergency fund to fall back on.

What is your response to people that say, “You should invest that money instead of paying off the debt, you’ll earn more in the long run…” etc.?

Ahhh the age-old argument! My response is do what works best for YOU! Everyone’s situation and priorities are different.

When I started, I didn’t have a choice because I wasn’t going to be able to afford the minimum payments on my debt! As we got further into our journey, sure we could have invested, but paying off debt was more important to us. Becoming debt free is a sure thing and will force you to change your spending habits for the better. I never want to get in a bind and have to pull out investments early because of debt or bad spending habits.

What sacrifices did you have to make in order to become debt free?

The biggest sacrifice I made to become debt free was selling my beloved Prius for a 2005 Honda Civic. At first, I didn’t want to sell it. I was going to try and get out of debt while keeping the car. After eight months of paying down my car loan and not making a lot of progress, I realized I had to make some bigger sacrifices, otherwise I would fall back into my old spending habits and go further into debt. I still miss the ability to get into my car without taking the keys out of my purse and the convenience of Bluetooth! My used Honda is old and janky, but it’s paid off!

Often people paying off loads of debt feel they have to choose between “living life” and making payments. Were there any times during the journey that you chose to “splurge”?

There were a few times we splurged! We got sick and tired of living in a small house, so we moved into a bigger rental with office space and a yard for the dogs. Before moving we did a cost analysis on the expenses to determine if it was worth it to us to push back our debt free date by a few months or stick it out and continue living the same way.

Our new place was so empty when we moved in. Imagine going from 550 sq. ft to over 1,300! We didn’t even have a table. We spent a few weeks buying furniture and things that we needed for the house before getting back into the swing of things.

Another big splurge was a complete surprise to me! I had been eyeballing this nice Canon DSLR camera and planned on getting it as a debt free gift to myself. Right before I graduated with my master’s degree, my mom was in California on a travel nursing assignment. She knew we were on a strict budget and would say no to most things that cost money. My mom told me she won $150 gift card and wanted to use it to take us out to eat.

I agreed because who passes up free!? During dinner, I kept making comments about us going all out because we have to use up the gift card. Avocado eggrolls, pizza, and several beers later, Josh said he forgot his wallet out in the truck and went to grab it. He came in the door behind me and set a big present on my lap! I immediately knew it was the camera!

So, how did Josh get this big purchase by me? He’s a veteran and was in school at the time. Veterans get a housing allowance each month while in school per the Post-911 GI Bill. The money was deposited into his personal checking account, and then he moved it to our joint checking every month. He told me that the allowance was delayed that month because of paperwork! I completely bought it. Josh used the money to go in on my graduation gift with my mom.

And the gift card? There was no gift card! They knew the only way to get me to a restaurant during our debt free journey was to lie to me and say she had a gift card. The total with tip came out to just over $150.

What did you do to stay motivated?

It’s so important to find ways to stay motivated when you have years of work ahead of yourself. Because I had fallen off track once before, I knew I had to find better ways to stay motivated and focused.

Visuals were by far my favorite way to stay motivated. I had multiple charts, spreadsheets, and countdowns going at home and work. Every time we made a payment towards debt, I would get to color in charts, change Excel spreadsheets, and update the whiteboard at work. Having reminders where you’ll see them every day is extremely motivating.

I also sought to find other people on the same journey. Back in 2014, there weren’t a lot of people on Instagram sharing their progress and journey. I found a small group of people from searching #debtfree and #daveramsey, and started following them. The hashtags started to get polluted by people selling those skinny teas and weight loss wraps. I put out a call to the small community, and we decided to vote on our own hashtag. That’s how the #debtfreecommunity was born!

It’s so motivating to talk to people who are going through the same thing. In real life, none of my friends or coworkers were trying to get out of debt. Their eyes would gloss over when talking about budgets or paying off a debt. Every time I opened Instagram, I would immediately be motivated by another person’s journey or the lovely comments left on my posts.

If you were starting back at ground zero, what would you do differently?

There are so many things I would do differently! First off, instead of getting a $12,000 car when I was 16, I would save up a few thousand and buy a used, reliable car. That one decision would set my life on a much better path! I’d be able to save up money and pay for school upfront, which is my next point. I would spend more time figuring out what I want to do in life and researching schools. I’d make sure to pick a career that is not commission based and makes a great salary. I would start investing early in life, even if it was only $100 a month. I would continue to pay cash for purchases, save money, and invest.

What is your very best tip (or two) that you have for someone who wants to reach the same success as you?

Hands down the best tip I can give is to create a zero-based budget and stick to it. A budget doesn’t sound sexy or fun, but it gives you freedom to spend money on the things that matter to you. Budgeting doesn’t mean you have to cut out all your fun! Put it in the budget. The point is to know where your money is going and to spend it intentionally. Don’t resist the budget!

The second tip I can give is to find your people! It’s hard to stay motivated to pay off debt or save when all your friends are spending money left and right. Having a supportive group of people that get you is priceless.

What’s your next financial goal?

Our next financial goal is to save $25,000 for our 6-month emergency fund. We want to be prepared for anything that comes at us!

We keep $2,000 in a local savings account and the rest will be in a high interest savings account. Transferring money from our large emergency fund to our checking account takes a few days, which is great because it helps prevent us from dipping into it for non-emergencies.

The emergency fund will cover all of our expenses for six months with minimal cuts to the budget. It’s going to be a huge relief to have money set aside just in case. No more money fights when something unexpected happens!

Where can my readers go to learn more about you?

You can learn more about us by following along on Instagram.

Do you have any other questions for Amanda? Are you trying to pay off debt?

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Source: makingsenseofcents.com

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Apache is functioning normally

May 27, 2023 by Brett Tams

On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to advance a proposal that could retroactively end the student loan payment pause, kill the president’s debt cancellation plan and potentially force hundreds of thousands of public servants to return forgiven debt to the government.

But borrowers shouldn’t panic yet, because the proposal, pushed forward by Republican lawmakers under the Congressional Review Act, is unlikely to succeed.

Next, the Senate will vote on the proposal. A majority of lawmakers in the Democrat-held chamber would need to vote in favor in order for it to move to the president’s desk. If that happens, President Joe Biden vows to veto it. Both the House and Senate would need a two-thirds majority to overturn that veto.

Bottom line: Student loan borrowers shouldn’t worry that the CRA will force them to repay their debt immediately. Instead, put your energy into preparing for forbearance to end. Federal student loan payments are scheduled to resume in early fall.

What would the Congressional Review Act do to student loans?

The Congressional Review Act is a tool that allows lawmakers to overturn final rules issued by federal agencies — the Department of Education, in this case.

The GOP proposes using the CRA to reverse about nine months of interest-free forbearance, immediately restart monthly bills, block Biden’s student debt cancellation plan of up to $20,000 of relief per borrower and prevent the Education Department from enacting similar actions in the future.

“Tens of millions of people will be immediately hit with bills for past-due interest charges courtesy of congressional Republicans,” said Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center, in a press briefing on Tuesday.

The House voted 218-203 for the proposal; two Democrats, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine and Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington state, joined the Republican majority.

The consequences would be dire for some. Each month federal loans spent under forbearance has counted toward loan forgiveness eligibility under income-driven repayment plans and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness, or PSLF, program. Because the CRA would invalidate nine months of forbearance, it would reinstate the debt of more than 260,000 borrowers who have earned loan forgiveness under PSLF since September 2022 — averaging about $72,000 per person, according to a recent analysis by the American Federation of Teachers and the SBPC. It would also erase nine months of progress toward forgiveness under the PSLF program for 2 million additional borrowers, the report found.

“This will be a draconian mess,” AFT President Randi Weingarten said in the Tuesday press briefing.

How did we get here?

Student loans entered the political crosshairs during the pandemic. Forbearance began in March 2020 under the Trump administration. Although this spelled relief for 43.5 million federal student loan borrowers, it has come at a controversial cost: roughly $5 billion in revenue per month, according to a November 2022 estimate by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a think tank that supports lowering the deficit.

The CRA isn’t the only recent legal threat to the payment pause. In March, private student loan lender SoFi sued to end it, saying the latest forbearance extension has cost the bank millions in profits due to borrowers not refinancing. Conservative think tank The Mackinac Center for Public Policy filed a lawsuit calling the pause an “enormous expense to taxpayers” and asked a judge to immediately reinstate payments.

Prepare for payments to resume by early fall

Though this CRA proposal is unlikely to succeed, borrowers are still set to return to student loan payments soon. Expect bills and interest to resume by early fall. We don’t yet know the fate of Biden’s cancellation plan in the Supreme Court, so prepare to pay on your full loan balance.

Here’s how to get ready:

  • Locate your student loan servicer. The company that manages your student loans may have changed since forbearance began. Find your servicer by logging into StudentAid.gov.

  • Contact your servicer. Log in to your servicer’s website or give them a call. Update your contact information. Ask how much you might owe when payments resume, how much your monthly bills could be, and what payment plans are available to you. If you had automatic payments before forbearance, set those up again. Servicers expect a customer service bottleneck when payments resume, says Scott Buchanan, executive director of the Student Loan Servicing Alliance, so get ahead of traffic now.

  • Consider an income-driven repayment plan. Your servicer can help you sign up for an IDR plan. These plans lower your monthly bills to a set portion of your disposable income. Your payment could be as low as $0 per month. You can do the paperwork now so you’re set in an IDR plan when forbearance ends, Buchanan says.

  • Put money aside. If you can, consider putting aside your estimated student loan payment each month in a high-yield savings account. This can help you cover the first few months of student loan payments when they restart. 

Source: nerdwallet.com

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Apache is functioning normally

May 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

This post may contain affiliate links, which helps us to continue providing relevant content and we receive a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the full disclosure here.


When you are trying to tighten down the hatches on your spending, you are doing everything possible to stick to your budget.

You are determined to stick to your budget this time around. But, you always hear that budgeting can be hard.

Well, here are some quick budgeting tips that will make sure to stick to your budget.

As most new budgeters learn, they struggle to stick to a budget for their monthly expenses. It is a natural process everyone goes through.

Budget, if you are looking for an easy button, then learn which payment type is best if you are trying to stick to a budget.

Especially if you spend a lot of time on social media, studies have shown you are more likely to overspend. So, you must learn which payment type will have you stick to a budget.

Then, you may be wondering and wanting help deciding which payment type is best for you.

Which payment types is best if you are trying to stick to a budget? Do you want to stick to a budget but find it difficult in choosing which of the many options available including budget debit cards? This guide will help you decide among the different types of payments on the market.

The Optimal Solution Payment Type Solution

The most efficient payment type is something that is instantaneous and there are no fees associated with the transaction.

  • Cash is the most efficient payment type: Cash payments are usually the most efficient and convenient way to pay for goods or services.
  • Credit cards can be a less favorable option: Credit cards tend to have high-interest rates and can lead to financial disaster if used irresponsibly.
  • Debit cards are a great way to keep your spending within your budget: Debit cards should be considered a top priority for budgeting because they keep you within your spending limits.
  • Developing a budget will help you avoid financial disaster: A budget helps you stay organized and make informed decisions about which payment method works best for you.

Today, there are so many options on which payment type to use in today’s online world.

1. Cash

Cash is a payment type that can be used to reduce debt spending. It is versatile and can be used for a variety of expenses, such as groceries, medical bills, and gym memberships.

Cash is an excellent choice for people just starting to budget and save.

It is more restrained than credit or debit cards. The envelope method of cash budgeting can be used to train your brain to reduce spending. Cash is the most traditional payment method and has the fewest drawbacks. However, you need a safe place to store your cash, and some stores may not accept it.

Benefits of Cash:

  • Cash is an excellent payment type when your financial goals are to reduce debt spending.
  • Cash is a finite payment method that prevents you from overspending.
  • You have a set amount of money to spend each month, so there’s no chance of overspending.
  • Easy to track with the envelope method: Utilizing the envelope method ensures that you are tracking your spending (i.e groceries, gas, medical bills) and making sure that you aren’t overspending.
  • Cash is a quick and easy way to pay for goods and services.
  • No Fees. No maintenance fees or interest rates as credit cards. Cash is just plain cash – printed paper of currency.
  • You can avoid high fees associated with card transactions: There are no associated fees when paying with cash, making it the cheapest option overall.
  • Cash discounts may be available. Since you are paying with cash many small businesses offer a cash discount of 2-5%.
  • You can use cash at any store: No need to carry around extra cards or checks.
  • It’s easy to get cash: You can easily get cash and make extra cash.
  • There’s no need for bank account details: No need for bank account details means you’re free from identity theft risks and other inconveniences that come with having a bank account.
  • Cash allows you to skirt some financial regulations: Because cash payments don’t fall under the purview of many financial regulations, businesses can take advantage of loopholes in the law that allow them to charge higher interest rates on loans or engage in shady business practices. (highly recommended to stay above book)

Cons of Cash:

  • Possibility of losing or stolen cash: Keep your cash in a safe place!
  • You need a safe place to store your money: Another disadvantage of using cash is that you may need a safe place in which to keep it – some stores don’t accept it as a payment method.

Why Choose Cash?

  • Total control over your money, so there’s little chance of unexpectedly running out of funds.
  • Cash is a great way to stay on budget, as you can easily track your spending and see where you need to cut back.
  • Unpleasant to spend money with cash, which can help train your brain to reduce spending.
  • Cash is a quick and easy way to pay: Using cash eliminates the need for banks, credit cards, or other forms of payment.

Verdict: Paying with cash is the best method for budgeting and saving.

Overall, cash is a great payment type when it comes to budgeting. You can immediately see how much money you’ve spent and what needs to be cut back.

You can’t make impulsive buying decisions with debit cards or credit cards.

With a finite amount you can spend, cash is an excellent choice to prevent overspending. According to research, paying with cash can feel unpleasant, which can train your brain to reduce spending as much as possible.

2. Credit cards

Credit cards offer a number of benefits, including convenience, cash back, and the ability to make large purchases or pay bills in case of emergency. However, credit cards also come with credit card debt and can lead to overspending and financial problems if not used carefully.

For many, credit cards are the easiest way to blow your budget because you don’t have control over how much money you spend.

It is possible to overspend with credit cards if you are not mindful of what you charge.

On the flip side, this is a preferred method as many credit cards also offer rewards programs that give you cash back or points for purchases. If you make the conscious decision to use credit cards, you must make payments on time to avoid penalties.

Benefits of Credit Cards

  • Credit cards are convenient: Convenient to use and don’t have to worry about losing cash.
  • Use a credit card if you are disciplined and have strict spending habits: If you are disciplined and have strict spending habits, then using a credit card can work well for budgeting purposes.
  • Flexibility on larger purchases: Some benefits that come with having a credit card include more cash flow as well as being able to make larger purchases.
  • Credit cards provide support in times of crisis: Many credit cards offer extended services that can help like 24-hour fraud protection, lost wallet services, traveler’s insurance, and many other benefits – check each issuer for details.
  • $0 Liability on Unauthorized charges: Your credit card company will not be held responsible for any charges that were not authorized by you. This means that if you did not authorize a charge in person, online, or otherwise, you will not be responsible for it.
  • Fraud protection: Check your credit card issuer, but many offer fraud protection.
  • New card introductory APR is helpful to pay down debt: The introductory APR for the new card may not last long.
  • Payments on balance transfer should be manageable: Make sure that the payments on your balance transfer are manageable.
  • Points: You can accrue points along with your spending which can be a great perk.
  • Credit card interest rates are significantly lower than payday loans: Interest rates on credit cards are usually much lower than payday loans.
  • Due Date is After your statement closes. Since your bill cycle is at least another 21 days between the closing date for your statement and the due date, it gives you flexibility. Personally, I still account for the credit card bill in the same month that it was accrued.

Cons of Credit Cards

  • Potential for credit card debt: When using a credit card, be aware of your credit limit and the interest rate that you will have to pay on your debt. Also one of the categories of debt.
  • Credit limit often leads people to spend money: The credit limit often leads people to spend money by giving them a false sense of security, when they should stick to a budget and pay attention to their credit card statement and the billing cycle.
  • Credit card overspending can lead to debt: Consider the purchase if it is essential or delay it if possible.
  • Ability to easily purchase something you cannot afford. Buying something that you don’t have the money saved up for will cost you interest fees associated and maybe even with a credit card balance transfer.
  • There are a number of fees associated with a balance transfer: Transfer fee, interest on new purchases charged to the card.
  • Your introductory APR may not be valid if you make too many payments late: If you fall more than 60 days behind on payments your introductory APR might be canceled and you may face higher interest rates.
  • Credit score can suffer from debt: When you carry a credit card balance or don’t pay your monthly bills on time, you will lower your credit score.
  • Avoid carrying a balance: Pay your statement in full each month to avoid paying interest and maximize your grace period.

Key Takeaways on Credit Cards

  • Make sure to pay attention to the dates: Don’t spend more than you can afford, and make sure you’re making your minimum monthly payments on time so that your debt doesn’t increase over time.
  • A credit card can be used for budgeting only if you’re very disciplined: If you know that overspending is NOT an issue and you pay the credit card’s monthly balance in full, then using a credit card is fine.
  • Credit card transactions usually take several days to register in the feedback system: Something to look out for!
  • You can step back into debit cards or cash if needed: If credit cards are not for you, there are other options available such as debit cards or cash

3. Debit cards

Debit cards are a good option if you want to stick to a budget because the predetermined amount of funds can help you stay within your means. Additionally, debit cards are more convenient than cash and just as accepted as credit cards in most places.

A debit card works more similarly to cash than to credit cards.

They provide an easier way to track your spending and avoid having to carry a lot of cash.

Pros of Debit Cards:

  • No Need to Carry Cash: A debit card is better than cash because you don’t have to carry a lot of paper money and change around, and they’re also safer.
  • Debit cards are faster and easier to use: Debit cards work just like credit cards – withdrawing cash, making purchases, and paying bills – but they are linked directly to your bank account, so there is no need to carry around a separate cash envelope wallet or purse for them.
  • A debit card is a good option if you want to stick to a budget: Debit cards come with a predetermined amount of funds that you can spend from your bank account just like cash.
  • Tracking payments is easy with debit cards: Your debit payments will appear on your issuer’s dashboard, which you can monitor anytime from any location.
  • Convenience: Debit cards are more convenient to use and faster than needing to write a check or carry around cash. Plus they don’t add to your debt.
  • Shopping online is easy. You can use your debit card to make online purchases with your bank account, and digital banking tools make tracking your spending easy.
  • Points: Some debit cardholders can earn points for spending on their cards, which can be redeemable for rewards such as cash back or gift cards. This is new to compete with credit cards.
  • Fraud protection is typically offered for free with most debit cards—meaning if your card is stolen or used without your permission, you can get your money back.
  • No impact on your credit report. When you use a debit card, the funds are actually withdrawn from checking or savings accounts so there is no credit reporting occurring.

Cons of Debit Cards:

  • An overdraft on a debit card can happen when a purchase exceeds the amount of money in the checking account, leading to overdraft fees.
  • Funds on hold with fraudulent charges. If your account gets hacked, your losses will be limited since most banks protect their users against fraudulent charges and online purchases with their accounts. However, those funds will be held while they investigate and you may be liable for $50.
  • No chance to improve your credit score. Since you are not borrowing money, you are unable to improve your credit score.

Debit cards are a great way to keep your spending within your budget and avoid overspending which can lead to many detrimental issues.

Regardless of the overdraft fee, debit cards are still better than cash because they’re safer and easier to carry around.

4. Checks

Checks… do people still write checks? Why yes they do!

Checks offer a few benefits as a payment method, even though they are slowly being replaced by more modern options.

This can help you keep track of your spending and make sure you do not overspend. Additionally, if you ever need to dispute a charge, having a check can be helpful in proving what you paid for.

What is a check?

A check is a written, dated, and signed instrument that directs a bank to pay a specific sum of money to the bearer from the check writer’s account. The date is usually written in month/day/year format. The signature of the check writer is usually on the line below “Pay to the order of.”

There are three main types of checks:

  • A cashier’s check is a check guaranteed by a bank, drawn on the bank’s own funds, and signed by a cashier.
  • A certified check is a personal check for which the bank has verified that there are sufficient funds to cover the payment.
  • A personal check is one that you write yourself and that is not guaranteed by the bank.

Pros of Checks

  • Checks are still a payment option: Checks are one of the traditional payment methods, but it is slowly dying out because of modernization.
  • Physical written record. It can be helpful to have physical copies of checks in addition to digital records through the bank.
  • You need to make both digital and physical copies of the check: Save check stubs but also transfer the information to a budgeting system.

Cons of Checks

  • Saving check stubs is helpful, but you still need to transfer the information to a budgeting system: Useful for tracking spending, but you’ll likely want more detailed records than just check stubs.
  • Not as convenient as credit or debit cards.

5. Apple Pay or Apple Cash

Apple Pay is easy to use and convenient since you only need to connect your smartphone to your cards and bank accounts via the app.

It is easy to use since you just hold your phone up to the reader and wait for the payment screen to appear.

You can even get cash back with apple pay.

Pros of Apple Pay:

  • Apple Pay is easy to use and convenient: You only need to connect your iPhone to your cards and bank accounts via the app.
  • You don’t need to carry any extra cards or cash: No need for additional cards or cash when you’re out and about
  • You can use Apple Pay on different devices: You can use Apple Pay on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
  • Transactions are secure: Your transactions are secured with Touch ID or a passcode.
  • Set up Spending Limits for each user. This way you can make sure you (or others with authorized access) are not spending more than you intended. Learn how.
  • Protection of Data during transactions. Your actual credit card number is changed to a different digital number, which allows limits your card number’s exposure.

Cons of Apple Pay:

  • Not widely accepted (yet). This method of payment is 100 percent guaranteed. While many stores offer apple pay, not all do quite yet.
  • The same rules apply if you load apple pay with a debit or credit card drawbacks include late fees, interest rates, and overspending: Keep that in mind when choosing Apple Pay as your payment method.

6. Mobile wallets like Google Pay, Samsung Pay, Venmo, or Zelle

Mobile wallets are digital payment systems that allow you to pay for items with your smartphone. Many people find mobile wallets are very convenient and becoming a traditional method of payment (such as credit cards).

With mobile wallets, you are making digital payments without having to carry around cash or cards using just your smartphone.

Mobile wallets are easy to use and provide instant payment convenience, making them perfect for shopping online.

Pros of Mobile Wallets:

  • Mobile wallets use credit cards and debit cards: Connect your smartphone to your bank accounts and use it for digital payments.
  • Mobile wallets are easy to use and convenient: Instant payment convenience makes them perfect for shopping online as well.
  • No need for cash or cards: No need for cash or cards.
  • Strong secuirity features provide privacy and security features that ensure your personal information is safe from data breaches and unwanted charges.
  • You can make purchases without having to show your identification: You can make purchases without having to show your identification.
  • Additional Layer of Security. Additionally, mobile wallet data is protected with verification, such as fingerprints.

Cons of Mobile Wallets:

  • With Zelle and Venmo, it is easy to send money to the wrong person or add an extra zero and send more money from planned. More often than not, it is difficult to recover your money.
  • You need to be disciplined when using a mobile wallet: Pay attention to late fees and interest rates, as well as the amount you spend in a month.

7. Prepaid Cards or Gift Cards

A prepaid card or a gift card could be right for you. The advantage of these is the mere fact that you reached the limit is enough to deter overspending.

It can make you think twice about whether you need to purchase an item or not.

Pros of Prepaid Cards and Gift Cards

  • Easy to use: Prepaid and gift cards are easy to use and manage your finances with.
  • The mere fact that you reached the limit is enough to deter overspending: It can make you think twice about whether you need to purchase an item or not.
  • No strings attached: No need to worry about any fees associated with the prepaid card once activated.
  • Privacy: The prepaid card does not track your spending or use any personally identifiable information.
  • Credit Score Doesn’t Matter: Your credit score does not matter when obtaining a prepaid card.

Cons of Prepaid Cards or Gift Cards

  • Losing a prepaid card is not a fun experience. Contact the prepaid card issuer right away to protect the funds on the prepaid card.
  • Fraud protection: Consider whether your prepaid card issuer offers any theft or fraud protection, as not all providers offer this feature.
  • Prepaid cards have limits on how much money you can load onto them, which can be frustrating if you need to make a large purchase.

8. PayPal

PayPal is a very convenient way to pay for items online or in person. It is widely accepted and used by many people.

PayPal is a digital payment service that offers convenience and ease of use. You can use them to send money to people or pay for online purchases.

However, because these services can only be used online, they should not be relied on as your sole method of budgeting and tracking expenses. Instead, consider Paypal in combination with another budgeting tool, like a spreadsheet or app, to get a fuller picture of your spending.

Pros of PayPal:

  • PayPal is one of the most popular online payment methods: Widely accepted and used by many people.
  • You can use them to send money to people or pay for online purchases: Help you review your spending prior to purchase.

Cons of Paypal:

  • Easy Target for phishing scams. A phishing scam is when someone tries to trick you into giving them your personal information, like your password or credit card number. They might do this by sending you an email that looks like it’s from PayPal, but it’s not. Or they might create a fake website that looks like PayPal. If you enter your information on these sites, the scammers can then use your account to make purchases or send money to themselves.
  • Reputation for poor customer service. This is evident in their customer service ratings, which are some of the lowest in the industry. The majority of complaints against PayPal revolve around poor service received when asking for assistance with fund freezes and account holds.

9. Cryptocurrency (ie: Bitcoin)

Cryptocurrencies offer a new and innovative way of handling payments. They’re not yet widely accepted, so there’s potential for businesses to get in on the ground floor with this new technology.

However, because cryptocurrencies are so new, it’s uncertain if they will be regulated or not. This could pose a challenge for businesses down the road.

Pros of Crypto

  • Not subject to the same regulations as traditional currency, which makes them appealing to those who want to avoid government intervention.
  • The valuation of Crypto changes rapidly. If you are smart with crtyple this is a great way to spend your crypto coins.

Cons of Crypto

  • Cryptocurrencies are not accepted everywhere: Cryptocurrencies are not accepted by most organizations yet, which it makes it difficult to use them in day-to-day life.
  • It’s unclear if cryptocurrencies will be regulated: It’s uncertain if cryptocurrencies will be strictly regulated or not. This poses a challenge for those who want to use them as a payment method.
  • Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are still in their infancy: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have only been around for a few years, so they may still face challenges in the future.

Here are the most popular budget apps today:

Other Payment Methods:

ACH payments

ACH Payments is an excellent way to pay bills and other financial obligations: You can easily set up a billing cycle for recurring payments, making it safe and convenient.

Fewer people are aware of your transactions when using ACH payments, reducing the chances of fraud or theft.

Key Facts:

  • Fewer people know about your transactions when using ACH payments, reducing the chances of fraud or theft.
  • Your checking account information is not shared or accessed by the system in any way.
  • You can quickly pay bills and other expenses with ACH payment: Financial institutions offer this as part of their deals.
  • When setting up recurring bills with ACH payment, you are aying your bills on time is important for maintaining a good credit score.
  • Pay attention to your check account balances: Make sure you have enough funds in your check account to avoid paying overdraft fees.

Money orders

A money order is a document that orders the payment of a specified amount of money. Money orders are convenient because they can be bought at many locations, including post offices, banks, and convenience stores.

To get a money order, you will need to fill out a form with the payee’s name, the amount of the payment, and your contact information. You will then need to purchase the money order with cash or a debit card.

To cash a money order, you will need to take it to a bank or post office. You will need to show identification and sign the back of the money order. The teller will then give you the cash for the payment.

  • More secure than cash: Money orders are more secure than cash because they don’t require a bank to make the transaction.
  • Less convenient: money orders are less convenient because you must purchase them in person.
  • Able to trace. They are also more secure than cash because they can be traced if lost or stolen.

Wire Transfers

Wire transfers are a more secure way to transfer money than traditional methods like checks and cash. These are sent through the banking system and are usually processed within two business days.

Typically, wire transfers are used when sending and receiving large sums of money (over $10000).

  • More secure than cash: Wire transfers are more secure than cash as the bank verifies there is enough money to make the wire transfer.
  • Fees involved with using a wire transfer. Most institutions charge for handling a wire transfer.

What method of payment is best?

Cash is the most widely accepted form of payment, but debit and credit cards are very popular.

The payment method that is best for you depends on which one helps you to stick to your budget and spend less money. The goal is to be financially stable.

What method is best for sticking to a budget?

Picture of a lady determining what method is best for sticking to a budget

There are several different types of budgeting methods that people use in order to manage their finances. Many people focus on using the 50/30/20 method, in which each percent corresponds to a different category of expenses.

There are plenty of budgeting tools available today to make sure you stick to your budget.

You need to find what works best for you. At the end of the month, you want to spend less than you make. That is the winning combo!

1. Budgeting App

There are many budgeting tools available online, which can be helpful as it can be easier to track your progress and budget over time.

You can use various popular budgeting apps like Quicken, Qube Money, or Simplifi.

These apps can help you track your spending, set goals, and stay on track with your budget.

2. Paper and Pen or Simple Spreadsheet

Some people find that they prefer using a simple spreadsheet or paper budget. This may be due to personal preference or because they find it easier to understand and use.

Additionally, using a paper budget may help you stay more organized as you can physically see where your money is going.

Options to get you started include our own budgeting spreadsheets or using an automated system like Tiller.

3. Envelope budgeting method

The cash envelope system is a good way to stick to a budget because it is rigid and based on envelopes and cash. You can’t get more money until your cash payday. So, this system helps you track your spending and budget better.

However, using only cash can have drawbacks as having large amounts of cash on hand can be risky.

The envelope method gives you a sense of control over your spending and makes it more tedious to write down your transactions. If you find writing down your transactions tedious, the envelope method may be too much for you.

4. Know Your Budget Categories and Track expenses

Tracking expenses is essential to move ahead financially: Knowing what you have spent in each category will help you make better financial decisions.

Be specific with your budgeting categories. Don’t make it too complicated. Always remember to include household items, clothing, and groceries when tracking expenses.

5. Prioritize your Budget Plan

A budget can provide a realistic picture of your finances, help reduce stress related to money matters, and guide you toward achieving your goals.

Creating a budget can help ensure that you are able to meet your financial obligations and still have money left over for savings and other goals. A budget can also help you track your spending so that you can make adjustments if necessary.

  • Make a budget plan: This will help you stay on track and make sure that you are spending your money wisely.
  • You decide where to spend money: A budget helps you set future goals and achieve your financial goals.
  • Creating a budget can help reduce stress: If you tend to get stressed about money matters, creating a budget can give you peace of mind.
  • A budget has other benefits beyond financial ones: If you want to achieve something in life, creating a budget can help guide you in the right direction.
  • See where to cut back spending. You can also look at your past spending habits to see where you can cut back. Sometimes it may be necessary to save more in order to achieve long-term goals, like buying a house or having a wedding. Always be mindful of your budget when making payments and spending money.
  • It’s a three-step process that involves basic math: Making a budget is simple and requires only basic math skills.
  • Stay on track: Making a budget plan will help you stay organized and keep track of your expenses.

A budget plan will help you stay on track and make sure that you are using the best payment type for your budget.

Making a budget is an easy way to save money. By following a few simple steps, you can keep track of your expenses and make sure that you are spending your money wisely.

Which type of payment is best for sticking to a budget?

Picture of a calculator and graphs for which type of payment is best for sticking to a budget?

One of the main pros of using cash as a method of payment is that it is the most efficient way to keep track of your finances. This is because it is very easy to budget when you are only dealing with cash.

However, many people prefer debit or credit cards are the best type of payment. They are more convenient than cash and can help you keep track of your spending. However, if you have a bad credit history or a low credit score, credit cards may not be the best option for you.

  • Cash payments are the most efficient: Most convenient and easiest to keep track with cash envelopes.
  • Credit cards allow you to accrue points along with your spending: These are a great benefit and one that can be a perk if handled well as part of your budgeting process. As long as pay them off in full each month to avoid credit card debt, high-interest rates, and other negative consequences.
  • Debit cards are also a good option for sticking to a budget. They can be used like credit cards but with less risk of debt.
  • Cash-based payments are a newer option and are more reliable: May not have as many negative consequences as other payment methods such as credit cards or loans.

What Not to Use when you are Trying to Stick to a Budget

You need to steer clear of these types of payments if you want to be financially stable person.

Personal loans

Personal loans are a risky way to budget. However, if you need the money for an emergency or unexpected expense, a personal loan can be a lifesaver.

There are many risks to consider and other ways to lower your spending before resorting to a personal loan.

  • Loans can cause budgeting problems: Loans can mess up your budget and make it difficult to stick to spending plans.
  • Taking out a personal loan just for the sake of having money can disrupt your budgeting: Consumers often borrow money in order to pretend they’re doing better financially than they really are.
  • Borrowing money is usually not a good idea: When you borrow money, you may find that you cannot handle seeing low checking account balance, which can lead to deeper debt problems.

Payday Loans

Payday loans are a bad option for someone looking for a long-term solution. They are expensive, and there is a high chance that the person will not be able to pay back the loan.

The interest that is charged is also high, and it can add up quickly.

Write bullet points about what happens with a payday loan

  • Payday loans can trap people in a cycle of debt, as they are often unable to pay back the loan in full on the due date.
  • When someone takes out a payday loan, they are borrowing money from a lender in a short amount of time, usually two or three days.
  • Payday loans are often expensive, with interest rates that can be above 300%.

Debt Consolidation Loans

Debt consolidation can be a good way to manage your debt because it can result in a lower monthly payment and extended payments may impact your financial plan. You can use a debt consolidation calculator to estimate how much debt you can afford before taking out a consolidation loan.

Debt consolidation loans also provide convenience because they have lower interest rates than payday loans. However, be careful when consolidating your debt because it is possible to overspend and lose your introductory APR.

  • You may be able to pay off your debt with one monthly payment: A consolidation loan often results in a much lower monthly payment than all of your previous monthly payments combined.
  • Extended payments may impact your financial plan: Take a look at how these extended payments will impact your financial planning.
  • You can estimate how much debt you can comfortably afford: use this tool – Tally .
  • It is possible to overspend with debt consolidation: If you spend more money than you planned on your day-to-day expenses, this could increase your debt. Consider if the purchase is necessary or if it can be delayed.
  • You may lose your introductory APR: If you fall more than 60 days behind on payments, you will likely lose your introductory APR and may even trigger a penalty interest rate.
  • You need to be careful when transferring a balance: Transferring a balance can also forfeit your grace period and you’ll need to pay interest on new purchases charged to the new card.

What type of payment method is best for sticking to a budget?

Picture of a budget worksheet for what type of payment method is best for sticking to a budget.

There are a variety of payment methods available, and each has its own benefits and drawbacks. It’s important to choose the payment method that’s best suited for your business and budget.

A payment method that allows you to stick to a budget is the best option.

FAQs

There are three main types of payment methods: cash, debit cards, credit cards, and cash-based payments.

The envelope budgeting method is a simple way to create a budget. You will need envelopes and divide your money up into the different categories that you spend money on. You will then put the corresponding amount of money into each envelope. This method can be helpful if you have a hard time sticking to a budget.

The zero-based budgeting method is a more methodical way to create a budget. With this method, you track every penny that you earn and spend. This can help you to see where your money is going and make adjustments accordingly.

A debit card is a plastic card that is linked to a checking account. Customers can spend money by drawing on funds they have already deposited. An overdraft on a debit card can lead to overdraft fees, which have high-interest rates.

A credit card is a plastic card that allows customers to borrow money up to a certain limit in order to purchase items or withdraw cash. Using a credit card can help build credit or improve your credit score.

There are a few different ways to use a credit card. You can use it to check your balance and review your spending history, which can be helpful in staying accountable.

Credit cards also offer online tools which make the analysis of your spending easier which can be helpful in tracking your budget.

Finally, you can use a credit card to rebuild your credit score by using it responsibly and paying off the balance in full each month.

Which payment type can help you stick to a budget?

When it comes to choosing a payment type that will help you stick to a budget, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.

The best payment method for you will depend on your specific needs and preferences.

When you are creating a budget, it is important to consider which payment type will help you stay on budget. Different payment types work better for different people, so it is important to experiment and find the one that works best for you.

As I stated for me, I have learned how to use credit cards to maximize cash back. But, I learned how to budget with cash when first starting.

Please pay attention to your budget and how it changes over time, as different payment types may work better at different stages of your life.

Consequently, I hope that this guide has given you a better understanding of the different payment types available and helped you narrow down your options. There are a variety of payment types that can help you stick to a budget, so it’s important to research each one carefully.

I highly recommend using an app to track your expenses and know where you spend your money. By developing a budget and choosing the right payment type, you can stick to your financial goals.

Know someone else that needs this, too? Then, please share!!

Source: moneybliss.org

Posted in: Money Tips Tagged: 2, About, ACH, actual, All, Amazon, Amount Of Money, analysis, app, apple, apple pay, Apps, apr, bad credit, balance, balance transfer, Bank, bank account, bank accounts, Banking, banks, basic, before, Benefits, best, bills, bitcoin, book, Borrow, borrowing, borrowing money, Budget, Budget (Cents Plan), Budgeting, budgeting apps, budgeting tips, budgeting tools, build, build credit, business, Buying, Buying a house, calculator, cash back, categories, chance, Checking Account, choice, clear, closing, Clothing, commission, company, cons, Consumers, Convenience, cost, create a budget, creating a budget, Credit, credit card, credit card company, Credit Card Debt, credit card issuer, credit cards, credit history, credit limit, Credit Report, Credit Reporting, credit score, Crisis, crypto, cryptocurrencies, cryptocurrency, currency, customer service, data, Data breaches, Deals, Debit Card, debit cards, Debt, debt consolidation, decision, decisions, Digital, digital payments, disaster, disclosure, Discounts, efficient, Emergency, envelope system, expense, expenses, expensive, experience, Fall, Features, Fees, finances, Financial Goals, Financial Plan, Financial Planning, Financial Wize, FinancialWize, floor, fraud, Free, fun, fund, funds, future, gas, gift, Gift Cards, Giving, goal, goals, good, good credit, good credit score, Google, google pay, government, grace period, great, groceries, guide, gym, habits, helpful, history, hold, house, household, how much debt, How To, id, identity theft, impact, in, industry, Insurance, interest, interest rate, interest rates, iPhone, items, late fees, Law, Learn, learned, liability, Life, Links, loan, Loans, low, LOWER, Main, maintenance, Make, making, Making a Budget, manage, math, Media, Medical, medical bills, mess, mobile, modern, money, Money Matters, money order, monthly expenses, More, more money, most popular, Move, natural, needs, new, new technology, offer, offers, office, Offices, online purchases, or, Other, overdraft, overdraft fee, overdraft fees, password, pay bills, Payday Loans, payments, paypal, peace, penny, percent, Personal, personal information, personal loan, Personal Loans, place, plan, Planning, plans, points, poor, Popular, PRIOR, programs, pros, protect, protection, Purchase, rate, Rates, ratings, Research, Review, rewards, Rewards Programs, right, risk, running, safe, save, Save Money, Saving, savings, Savings Accounts, scam, scams, security, shopping, short, Side, simple, Sites, smart, social, Social Media, Spending, spending habits, spreadsheet, spreadsheets, stable, stress, Tally, target, Technology, the balance, theft, time, tips, tools, track expenses, tracking, traditional, Transaction, transfer money, under, venmo, Wedding, will, wire transfers, work, wrong, Zero-Based Budgeting

Apache is functioning normally

May 26, 2023 by Brett Tams

“He’s my little ball of sunshine,” Mallory Bartels says of her 13-year-old Boston terrier, Buddha. With his shiny black coat and white spots on his paws that look like socks, Bartels describes him as a sweet pup with a playful personality.

Buddha’s zest for life was apparent when he jumped off the couch in Bartels’ home near Seattle. The leap landed Buddha in urgent veterinary care with a ruptured disk and paralyzed legs that required spinal surgery.

On top of being “a bawling mess” at the vet, Bartels also received a vet bill for over $5,000. “I didn’t have savings or cash to pay for it,” she says.

According to the American Pet Products Association, Americans spent nearly $36 billion in veterinary care, surgical procedures, medication and other products through vet clinics in 2022. The APPA expects that number to increase by $1 billion in 2023.

How do pet owners pay for emergency pet care? Here are options plus tips to prepare when Fido or Fluffy takes a tumble and needs urgent help.

Ways to pay for emergency pet care

Savings

Savings is one of the best ways to pay for emergency vet care, says John Boyd, a certified financial planner and the founder of MDRN Wealth in Scottsdale, Arizona. He suggests clients have an emergency fund that totals three to six months of living expenses and includes money for pet care.

The type of pet can influence how much to put away. “If you’re like me and you have a Great Dane, and they’re prone to stomach issues that could cost up to $2,000, factor that into the equation when it comes to how much to save,” Boyd says.

Vet financing plans

Many vets and pet clinics offer financing plans, typically through a third party that partners with the vet. Some plans offer 0% interest financing and a quick approval process. Read the fine print to check the interest rate on the plan, and note that approval may require a hard credit check that will cause your score to dip a few points.

CareCredit Card

CareCredit is a financing option that specifically covers health care expenses for your family, including pets. You can apply online, and CareCredit typically offers 0% interest for six, 12, 18 or 24 months for expenses of $200 or more. However, if you don’t repay the full amount by the end of the promotional period, you’ll be charged interest retroactively from your original charge date.

Bartels used an existing CareCredit credit card to pay the vet bill for Buddha’s surgery. Because the account was already open, Bartels was outside the initial 0% interest period. She understood she’d be charged interest on the vet bill she put on CareCredit.

Buddha at the vet. (Photo courtesy Mallory Bartels)

Buddha, a 13-year-old Boston terrier, waits at a veterinarian’s office. (Photo courtesy Mallory Bartels)

Credit cards

A credit card can be a convenient way to pay for emergency veterinary care if you have the available credit. However, credit card rates can be high, so paying off any accrued balance as soon as possible is important to avoid high-interest charges.

To save on interest, Bartels transferred her CareCredit balance to a credit card with a 0% annual percentage rate for 12 months. She paid a balance transfer fee, which was offset by the savings in interest. She had to add the monthly payments to her household budget, but the balance transfer card gave Bartels breathing room to pay it off.

Pet loans

Banks, credit unions and online lenders offer personal loans that can help pay for unexpected veterinary expenses. Personal loans typically have interest rates from 6% to 36% and two- to seven-year repayment periods. Depending on how much you qualify for, loans start at $1,000 and go up to $50,000 or more. For quick cash, such as in the case of a pet emergency, some lenders provide next-day funding.

For borrowers with strong credit, a personal loan may have a lower interest rate than a credit card to pay large vet bills. A shorter loan term can mean higher monthly payments but less total interest cost. Use a personal loan calculator to estimate monthly payments based on the rate and term.

Local animal welfare organizations

Animal welfare organizations in your local area can be another option for caring for your pet. These organizations typically provide services at a lower cost than a regular vet, thanks to private funding and donations.

Regarding pet care, “we understand that not everybody has the money all the time, and we try to meet people halfway,” says Erin Johnson, clinic manager for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

In addition to preventive care, vet assistants at the SPCA offer a minor-needs clinic for pets that are feeling unwell, have an infection, are in minor pain or need an X-ray.

While the SPCA can help with minor injuries, Johnson recommends knowing where your nearest urgent care vet is in case of a major accident. “Have a relationship with a full-service vet so that when something does go wrong, you have somebody to go to,” Johnson says.

What about pet insurance?

Signing up for new pet insurance won’t help if you’re uninsured in an emergency, but depending on the plan and provider, pet insurance can cover a future accident.

Boyd says pet insurance can make sense if you don’t have enough emergency funds or if you have cash flow but not savings. In that situation, monthly premium payments can help provide coverage and peace of mind if something happens to your pet.

On the other hand, if you have savings for pet emergencies, “I would ditch the pet insurance and just self-insure, essentially,” Boyd says.

Buddha back in action

“He’s just been like a little pillar in my life,” says Bartels, who was relieved to have Buddha home after his operation. Although his spinal surgery was successful, the costs didn’t end. Bartels bought an orthopedic bed for Buddha to recuperate more comfortably and stairs to make it easier for him to go up or down from furniture.

Having learned the hard way about sudden emergency bills, Bartels opened a separate checking account for Buddha’s expenses. She deposits money monthly and uses the checking account’s debit card to pay for vet trips, food and other Buddha-related purchases.

“It helps me feel more comfortable that if we were put in the situation again, we’d at least have a cash buffer to help us out,” Bartels says.

Source: nerdwallet.com

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Apache is functioning normally

May 25, 2023 by Brett Tams

Businesses pay market research companies to gather information on what customers like you think. Those market research companies, in turn, pay customers like you to provide that information.

The good news is, this is no longer limited to in-person focus groups. You can now participate in market research from the comfort of your home. You can sign up for apps and sites that will pay you to answer questions.

But some survey apps pay more than others, and they don’t all offer the same types of rewards. Here’s my selection of the best survey apps for money out there if you’re looking to make a little extra money. 

What’s Ahead:

Survey Junkie

  • Rewards for: completing surveys, participating in focus groups, testing products, and sharing web behavior
  • Redemption options: PayPal credits, bank account transfers, and gift cards for brands like Amazon, Target, Walmart, etc.
  • Mobile app ratings: 4.6 App Store; 4.3 Google Play

Survey Junkie users start by filling out questionnaires and building their user profiles, which give the platform an idea of their interests and lifestyle. These profiles are then matched to survey opportunities.

Surveys show up in a user’s personal dashboard, and the user can choose which surveys they would like to participate in based on the survey’s pre-disclosed topic, point value, and estimated time of completion.

Completed surveys earn points, which can then be redeemed for PayPal credit, bank transfers, or gift cards. Those who complete three surveys per day can reportedly earn up to $40 worth of credits or gift cards per month. More time-consuming activities like focus groups can earn a higher number of points.

In addition to paid surveys, users can also elect to participate in ‘behavioral research,’ in which they share their web search, browsing, engagement, and shopping history with the platform to earn extra points.

SurveyJunkie is open to residents of the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, ages 16+.

Try Survey Junkie now.

MyPoints

Best Survey Apps And Sites To Make Easy Money - MyPoints

  • Rewards for: taking polls, doing online surveys, watching videos, playing games, online shopping, downloading coupons
  • Redemption options: gift cards for Visa, PayPal, or a number of popular retailers
  • Mobile app ratings: 4.3 App Store; 3.4 Google Play

MyPoints pays you to give your opinion on a wide range of consumer topics, from cars to clothes to home and garden supplies. Payouts for completed surveys range substantially, with some of the more time-consuming surveys offering up to $50 worth of points. Short surveys might yield $1 in points.

Aside from surveys, MyPoints also rewards you for shopping online, which is actually my favorite aspect of the app. It links up to popular retailers I already use, like Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Home Depot, among many others. That means I’m earning points for money I’d be spending anyway.

Best of all, MyPoints helps you save. Not only can you apply coupons to your purchases with your favorite retailers, but you actually earn rewards for downloading them. When combined with the points you’re getting for shopping, you can quickly rack up rewards.

MyPoints lets you cash in your rewards in a couple ways. You can choose gift cards from popular brands like Bath & Body Works, Sephora, or Walmart, or you can convert points to PayPal cash.

Try MyPoints or read our full review. 

Swagbucks

Best Survey Apps And Sites To Make Easy Money - Swagbucks

  • Rewards for: completing online surveys, in-home product surveys, playing games, shopping
  • Redemption options: gift cards from Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Visa or PayPal cash
  • Mobile app ratings: 4.4 App Store; 4.2 Google Play

If you want to earn dough just for browsing the internet, Swagbucks is a great option. You won’t be able to quit your day job, but it’s a great way to earn a little extra spending money each month. 100 Swagbucks points are worth $1, and most surveys pay out between 40 to 200 points each. Some active users report making a couple of hundred bucks a month with the app.

What I like most about Swagbucks is the variety of points-earning options. Sure, you can earn rewards for answering surveys and shopping, but you also earn by simply trading in Google for the Swagbucks search engine. You’ll be adding points to your total in the background while you search the web and browse various sites. 

Once you’ve earned enough points, you can trade them in for gift cards at some of the most popular retailers. You won’t see as many gift card options as you get with other survey sites, but all the big names are there. For instance, Amazon, Apple, Walmart, and Target gift cards are usually available.

Try Swagbucks now. 

YouGov

Best Survey Apps And Sites To Make Easy Money - YouGov

  • Rewards for: completing paid surveys
  • Redemption options: cash direct deposit, gift cards
  • Mobile app ratings: 4.7 App Store; 4.4 Google Play

What drew me to YouGov is the fact that the collected information is sometimes cited online and in news reports. Knowing I’m a part of the group that is referenced in, “According to a survey from YouGov” is an incentive to participate, especially if I’m paid for my feedback.

The biggest issue with YouGov is that it combines paid survey opportunities with those that pay nothing. You’re free to complete those just to take part in the information being collected and distributed. Some members found that paid opportunities were few and far between.

Despite its name, YouGov doesn’t just collect information on political issues. As with other survey sites, you’ll be polled about your thoughts on brands and services.

Try YouGov now.

Opinion Outpost

Best Survey Apps And Sites To Make Easy Money - Opinion Outpost

  • Rewards for: taking surveys, testing products, watching advertisements
  • Redemption options: PayPal cash, Visa prepaid cards, gift cards for popular merchants
  • Mobile app ratings: N/A

You can earn around 10 to 250 points per completed survey with Opinion Outpost, which can add up over the course of a day. 

Rewards can be redeemed for a relatively limited selection of gift cards, but the selection at least usually includes major brands like Amazon, Apple, Target, Macy’s, Home Depot, etc. Most gift cards require 100 points for a $10 card value.

One downside to Opinion Outpost is that you’ll have to prequalify before you can take a survey. This is done by answering a few questions before the survey’s available. If you don’t qualify, you’ll be entered in a drawing for a quarterly prize, but it can feel like you put more time in to find a survey you can finally complete.

Another potential downside is that Opinion Outpost isn’t available as a mobile app, so if you’re on the go a lot you’ll have to access the platform from a web browser on your phone. 

Join Opinion Outpost now.

Branded Surveys

Best Survey Apps And Sites To Make Easy Money - Branded Surveys

  • Rewards for: completing paid surveys
  • Redemption options: Amazon or Visa gift card, or a PayPal payment
  • Mobile app ratings: 1.5 App Store

Formerly known as MintVine, Branded Surveys offers rewards for survey participants in the U.S., Canada, and the UK. It partners with some of the top names in the industry, including Nielsen and Harris Interactive. As such, you’ll have more confidence that your feedback will make an impact.

One thing that sets Branded Surveys apart is the volume of surveys. You’ll have to qualify for each one, but having a wider range of options makes it more likely that you’ll find one that’s a match. A great thing about Branded Surveys is if you put time into completing a survey, only to ultimately find out that you don’t qualify, you’ll still be paid a few cents.

Branded Surveys typically pays between $0.50 to $5.00 per survey. You can cash out once you reach 500 points. Aside from the usual gift cards or PayPal credits, with Branded Surveys you can also choose to direct your accumulated points toward a US charity, which is unusual among survey apps.

Join Branded Surveys now. 

Pinecone Research

Best Survey Apps And Sites To Make Easy Money - Pinecone Research

  • Rewards for: online surveys
  • Redemption options: PayPal cash payments, paper checks, prepaid cards, or gift cards
  • Mobile app ratings: 2.4 App Store; 3.0 Google Play

From respected industry leader Nielsen (of Nielsen Ratings fame), Pinecone Research is a great way to earn rewards while also feeling as though your voice is being heard. To get started with Pinecone Research, you simply sign up and wait for approval. Once you’re approved, you’ll start receiving invitations to participate in surveys.

After you’ve set up an account, you’ll be able to view the rewards available, as well as the points you’ll need to earn them. You can trade your points in on small rewards or save up for something bigger. As long as your account remains active, your points never expire. You can also opt to trade your points in for cash, deposited to your account.

One thing that sets Pinecone Research apart is that sometimes members are mailed physical products to try out. In many cases, you get to keep the items after you’ve completed the survey. Some brands ask that you send the products back, though.

Surveys and products are distributed based on the questionnaire information you provide. Many brands request specific audience demographics, so some members receive more offers than others. This makes the questionnaire you complete at signup especially important.

Join Pinecone Research now. 

MySoapBox

  • Best Survey Apps And Sites To Make Easy Money - MySoapBoxRewards for: completing surveys
  • Redemption options: gift cards from popular merchants, including Amazon, Walmart, and Starbucks
  • Mobile app ratings: N/A

MySoapBox focuses on surveys, rewarding you for answering questions about products, services, and experiences. It’s available as a web app only, not a mobile app.

1,000 points equate to a $1 value, and you’ll generally get between 750 and 1,500 points per completed survey. You need a minimum of 25,000 points to redeem for a gift card.

MySoapBox is a part of Interviewing Service of America (ISA), one of the largest US-based market research companies. They’ve collected data for businesses since 1982, historically through telemarketing and in-person focus groups, and today facilitating an online option via MySoapBox.

Join MySoapBox now.

Intellizoom

Best Survey Apps And Sites To Make Easy Money - IntelliZoom

  • Rewards for: taking surveys
  • Redemption options: PayPal
  • Mobile app ratings: N/A

Intellizoom doesn’t mess with rewards and points; you’ll instead earn cash for completing surveys. They don’t send you actual dollar bills, of course. You’ll be paid electronically via PayPal within 21 business days of your survey responses being approved.

The amount you’re paid is based on the complexity of the survey. You can earn up to $10 for more challenging surveys, such as those that require you to record audio or video. Simple surveys usually pay around $2 each.

You may find yourself not as active as you want to be, though. As with other survey sites, you have to wait until you’re invited to participate. Typically, invitations are based on demographics, but you’ll also be graded on the quality of your surveys. You can boost your earnings by making an extra effort to provide useful, well-constructed feedback.

Without an app, you are limited to using the site in a browser. If you can get enough of the more challenging surveys, you could make a decent chunk of change from this site.

Join Intellizoom now.

How I came up with this list

Yes, some survey-for-cash sites can be scammy. It may even sound too good to be true. When I was researching top survey apps and sites, I first narrowed it down to the reputable ones, reading reviews and making sure people had actually gotten paid for their efforts.

Once I had a list of trustworthy sites, I further sharpened it to make sure you were getting the best of the best. Here are the features I considered in my research:

  • Options for earning points
  • Redemption options
  • Difficulty in earning enough points to get rewards
  • Turnaround time for getting paid after cashing in points

Keep in mind that scams aren’t the only thing to worry about with survey sites. You’ll find that with some sites, the amount of work you have to put in to get even a $10 gift card is far more than with other sites. You can speed up that turnaround time by choosing a site that lets you accumulate points for doing other things, including shopping, gaming, or participating in the site’s community.

How to take surveys for money

A survey app gathers information from consumers, often in exchange for a small amount of pay. You’ll sign up, provide some demographic information, then apply to complete surveys. Taking surveys that you qualify for might be rewarded with gift cards, prepaid cards, or PayPal transfers.

If you’re looking for a way to make a little extra money, a survey app can help. But some people sign up for the rewards, only to find that the real enjoyment comes from providing feedback. The information you provide is used to help businesses improve everything from product design to marketing efforts, so your opinion can be a huge benefit to all consumers.

Those with a little extra time on their hands will likely find a survey app is a great fit. If you’re looking to make hundreds of dollars a week, though, you’ll probably be disappointed.

Most important features of survey apps

Ready to get started? If so, here are some features to consider as you’re shopping around for a survey app.

Points-earning options

What do you have to do to earn points? Surveys are only one option. You can also find apps that will let you earn points for doing web searches, shopping online, watching videos, and more. Also, consider the types of surveys the site offers. Many will simply ask you about your feelings on products or services, but there are some that are political in nature.

Rewards offered

If you’re looking for cold, hard cash, you’ll need to first weed out the sites that only offer gift cards. Although if you’re like me, a gift card to a retailer like Amazon or Walmart can be as good as cash. Many survey apps also allow you to cash out via PayPal, which is accepted at a wide range of online retailers.

Ease of finding surveys

Ideally, you’ll sign up for a site and be able to complete as many surveys as you want. Unfortunately, that isn’t how it always works. Many companies are looking for data from a very specific demographic, so you’ll only be able to participate in some of the available surveys.

FAQs

Are paid survey apps legit?

Even when a survey site is legitimate, it may not pay as much for your time as you’d like. It’s important to note that you should never pay to participate in a survey site. You can find plenty that will let you sign up for free and will pay you, rather than the money flowing in the other direction.

Are survey websites worth it?

Paid survey websites can be a way to earn a little extra cash, but whether they are worth it depends on your personal situation and goals.

While taking surveys may not take a lot of effort, it can be time-consuming. You may need to spend a significant amount of time taking surveys to earn a meaningful amount of money. Most survey sites offer relatively low compensation, so it’s important to consider whether the payout is worth your time investment.

There may be quicker ways for you to make money.

How quickly do survey apps pay you?

Turnaround time can vary, but once you have your points, many of these sites will have your rewards to you within a few days of your request. Some sites that pay in cash may take as long as 21 days, so be sure to plan ahead if you’re depending on the money.

How do paid survey apps make their money?

For decades, companies have depended on focus groups to provide information on market sentiment. Survey apps simply take the process online, letting you participate in surveys without having to go to a designated physical location. Businesses pay market research companies to gather data and provide it, then use the information to inform their own business decisions moving forward.

How I came up with this list

Yes, some online survey sites can be scammy. It may even sound too good to be true. When I was researching top survey apps and sites, I first narrowed it down to the reputable ones, reading reviews and making sure people had actually gotten paid for their efforts.

Once I had a list of reputable survey apps, I further sharpened it to make sure you were getting the best of the best. Here are the features I considered in my research:

  • Options for earning points
  • Redemption options
  • Difficulty in earning enough points to get rewards
  • Turnaround time for getting paid after cashing in points

Keep in mind that scams aren’t the only thing to worry about with online survey sites. You’ll find that with some sites, the amount of work you have to put in to get even a $10 gift card is far more than with other sites. You can speed up that turnaround time by choosing a survey site that lets you accumulate points for doing other things, including shopping, gaming, or participating in the site’s community.

Summary

Survey apps can be a decent side hustle to make a little extra money within a low-stress framework. But even the highest paying survey apps don’t pay well enough to serve as a replacement for your regular job.

Aside from earning gift cards or cash for your completed surveys, participating in market research can be rewarding in other ways. You’ll know your feedback is being used to influence the direction businesses take, making any rewards you receive a bonus.

Read more:

Source: moneyunder30.com

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Apache is functioning normally

May 25, 2023 by Brett Tams

By Peter Anderson 1 Comment – The content of this website often contains affiliate links and I may be compensated if you buy through those links (at no cost to you!). Learn more about how we make money. Last edited January 21, 2019.

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Later this month we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving, and for many people the Thanksgiving week is a time to sit back and reflect on all of the blessings that we’ve been given throughout the year.  For some the week is about getting together with family and enjoying all of the good food. For others, however, Thanksgiving week is all about gearing up to go out and go shopping on Black Friday, or Cyber Monday.

I don’t usually go out on Black Friday, but I’m never one to say never when it comes to finding a deal.  There have been several years where I have gone out on Black Friday, with mixed results. In years where I planned ahead, knew exactly what I wanted, and got to the store plenty early, I didn’t have any issues. In years where I just decided last minute to show up and see if I could get a deal – it didn’t work out well at all.

So today I want to go over a few Black Friday shopping tips, and look at some things you can do to prepare for the hottest shopping weekend of the year.

black-friday-shopping-tips

black-friday-shopping-tips

Don’t Just Wing It, Plan Ahead

One of the biggest mistakes I’ve made when shopping on Black Friday was to not really make a plan ahead of time, and to just wing it when it came to getting a deal on the items I was shopping for. When I showed up at the store trying to get a deal, it was a complete mess. I didn’t know where the item I was looking for was going to be, others had showed up way before I did and the store in general was much busier than I had anticipated.

Here’s a video looking at my experience and the madness that ensued at Wal-Mart that night.

[embedded content]

View the video on YouTube

So as you can see it was complete madness and mayhem. I hadn’t planned ahead, and it was obvious others had.  I saw one family talking on walkie-talkies, coordinating their battle plan!

Websites To Research Your Black Friday Deals

As mentioned above it’s a good idea to plan ahead and to research all of the Black Friday sales ahead of time.  Track down and find the best deals on the items that you need.

So where can you go to do all your research? There are a ton of Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping sites you can check out, here are a few of the better ones:

This “most wanted” list from gottadeal.com – will give you an idea of what items are most wanted at each store. Using that information you can prioritize you list and make a battle plan.

Black Friday Most Wanted Deals

8 Tips For Black Friday Shopping

Black Friday shopping starts way ahead of the early morning hours on Friday following Thanksgiving. It starts by doing your homework ahead of black friday shopping tips

black friday shopping tipstime, and making a battle plan for where you’re going to go, and what you’re going to get.

  • Make a list in the order of importance:   Make a list of things you were planning to buy this year anyway, and then prioritize them in the order that you want them the most – so you can make sure to go and wait in line for those items first.
  • Make a budget and save up the cash: Make a spending budget for the day, and save up the cash ahead of time to pay for all your purchases.  Don’t spend more than you had planned!
  • Make sure the stores don’t have advance Black Friday deals: Some stores will give you the Black Friday price on the item ahead of time, they start the sales earlier in the week.  If you can avoid going to the store on the big day, do it!  Some stores also have rewards programs and members will sometimes get a preview shopping event and get Black Friday prices earlier in the week! (for example, Sears does this)
  • See if the item is available online too: Some stores will have Black Friday deals on their websites as well, so if you can get the deal online and avoid the store, go for it!
  • Go on a reconnaissance mission:  If you’re looking for an item that’s going to be extremely popular, you may even want to go to the store ahead of time and scout out the location of the item so you know where to go. Be careful, however, as some stores will place Black Friday deals throughout the store, so make sure to get that store’s Black Friday sales plan layout.
  • Go with a friend.. or two:  If you’re looking for more than one big ticket item, you may want to go to the store with the friend so you can wait in separate lines and get both of the items you wanted.
  • Bring some snacks: If you plan on waiting in line for a long time Friday morning, bring along some snacks, and maybe even some coffee (but don’t go overboard or you may lose your spot on line when you go to use the restroom!)
  • Figure out if you need a voucher for big items:  Some stores will hand out vouchers to people in line for more popular or big ticket items to avoid a scramble once the doors open. Find out if your items need a voucher at that store, and if so, make sure to be in line super early.

So start planning for your big shopping day today, and you’ll be sure to get the deals that you wanted and save on your Christmas shopping, unlike those poor slobs like me who just show up!

Cyber Monday Is Great For Deals Too!

If you don’t get the deal you wanted on Black Friday, don’t worry.  Cyber Monday  – the Monday after Black Friday – also has a ton of great deals, mainly at online stores.  Checking the sites linked above will also give you access to a lot of the best online deals to be found then.

Also, remember that while Black Friday has a lot of hype surrounding it, it isn’t always the best time to buy certain items.

When you do finally get around to buying the things you want, make sure you’re taking advantage of all available discounts to get the best possible deal!  Also, remember, you can always go the route of buying or making frugal Christmas gifts for your family as well!

Have your own Black Friday shopping tips? Tell us what they are in the comments!

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Source: biblemoneymatters.com

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Apache is functioning normally

May 23, 2023 by Brett Tams

Evelynn Escobar, spends most of her time in nature with her one-year-old Isla. She describes her decor style as youthful, expressive, colorful, and fun. “Simply, it’s giving tasteful inner child,” she says. As the founder of Hike Clerb, an intersectional women’s outdoor club, Evelynn has approached motherhood as a “natural extension of the life [she] had already created for [herself].” So her approach for home decor was no different. Inspired by the shadow work required to parent mindfully, Evelynn’s space evokes a warmth and whimsy that is indicative of the process of “surrendering to the journey and embodying what it means to be a mother, to be a cycle breaker, to rid myself of the limiting self beliefs placed on me,” as she wrote in a recent post on Instagram. “Absolutely everything changed from the moment I knew I was carrying Isla.” 

And Isla, who she affectionately refers to as a “GeminIcon,” enhanced Evelynn’s journey as a new mother, but also her design choices. “We buy the pieces she may need developmentally, but in general we’re not doing major changes often because we [had already] added things into the space with growth in mind,” she says. “We already had curated a fun bright vibe for our space and Isla’s little knickknacks fell right in line with that!” 

For Mai Nguyen, a mother of two under two living in Houston, Texas, there’s no tension in the interplay between kids’ objects and decor. “We let her mess around with anything with supervision,” says the designer and founder of Iamai. The I Chair, a sleek and playful dining chair that is made of solid walnut, was created with this in mind. “She climbs on it,” Mai says in regards to her daughter Aaliyah. “We make sure she understands and respects the furniture.”

Mai Nguyens carefully curated living room is a place for both rest and recreation.

Mai Nguyen’s carefully curated living room is a place for both rest and recreation.

Photo: Josh Aranda

Mais daughter Aaliyah gazes out the kitchen window.

Mai’s daughter Aaliyah gazes out of their bright kitchen window.

Photo: Josh Aranda

Kristy Scott, a social media personality, digital creator, entrepreneur, and mother of two sons under the age of five, juxtaposes her humorously playful social media content with modern, monochromatic and minimalist decor—which notably consists of a white Restoration Hardware Cloud sectional sofa. This has been her aesthetic of choice since before she had her first child. Instead of swapping her style, and the sofa, for practicality post-baby, Kristy opted for easy to clean modular decor which stays white because of machine washable slipcovers and Ruggable rugs. “To fit [the style] I like, I had to get the white,” she adds. Kristy’s advice is to “get the durable items in the colors that you want.” As for the interplay between colorful kids’ toys and her preferred decor palette, Kristy offers another solution: lots of storage. “They are everywhere,” she says of the multiuse storage pieces placed throughout her home. 

Ashley Lennon, mother to baby boy Sunny, relates to the necessity of storage pieces. Her lifestyle brand Museum of Peace and Quiet designs simplistic objects for everyday use—a commitment to “a clear state of mind.” Ashley and her husband Christion share a “love for design and minimalistic things,” so they gravitate toward vintage midcentury pieces and “rare objects that you find while traveling.” As a result, a lot of research goes into selecting pieces for their Orange County home. “If I’m looking at a storage unit I always think about pieces that serve more than one function.” Ashley considers, “How do I get the most out of this piece that I’m about to invest in?” Sustainability, therefore, is at the heart of her approach to design.

Source: architecturaldigest.com

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Apache is functioning normally

May 23, 2023 by Brett Tams

It’s almost spring, you guys. I don’t know about the weather in your neck of the woods, but that’s a welcome thought where I’m at, and I live in Texas!

(Northerners, feel free to make fun of my idea of a cold winter. I don’t care. I did not sign up for anything colder than highs of 50 degrees.)

At any rate, I’ve been on a cleaning and organizing kick, a bit of early spring cleaning, if you will. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. Maybe it’s that the days are getting a little longer and that we’ve finally had some consistent sunshine around here. And those might be the reasons we spring clean in the first place, according to TLC’s How Stuff Works:

“Ultimately, spring cleaning may have more to do with simple biology. During winter, we’re exposed to less sunlight due to shorter, often dreary days. With a lack of exposure to light, the pineal gland produces melatonin — a hormone that produces sleepiness in humans. Conversely, when we’re exposed to sunlight, our bodies produce much less melatonin. It’s possible that we spring clean simply because we wake up from a winter long melatonin-induced stupor and find more energy as the days grow longer when spring arrives. After all, it’s easy to allow a house to get a little gross around the edges when you’re sleepy.”

OK, I don’t know about gross. I am, after all, my mother’s daughter. Case in point: Last Christmas, my mother bought me a Roomba. And she did it because we had a lengthy conversation about how great it would be to have a robot vacuum for daily cleaning. In between real house cleaning, of course.

At any rate, when I awoke from my melatonin-induced stupor, I realized that my files, both physical and digital, were a bit of a mess.

Files, files everywhere

My husband and I are selling our vacant land, and we finally have buyers — yea! (Buyers who need things like our septic system design and copies of permits and title documents — boo!)

The good news was that I kept all of these things in a file folder. The bad news was that every scrap of paper related to the land was also shoved into that folder. So, I started organizing the file. That led to organizing our tax return files. Then I just did the whole stupid file cabinet.

Then I realized that some of my files live on the computer, like last year’s tax returns. But my digital file cabinet was a mess too, so I spent a few hours organizing those files.

Not so fresh and so clean

I was quite proud of my gangsta organizing skills. I labeled stuff. I purged. I digitized the heck outta some documents. My files were pristine.

But then I read a report from Experian’s ProtectMyID, and my bubble burst.

Now, as a financial writer, I get a lot of reports and studies in my inbox. I trash most of them (you’re welcome). But this one caught my attention. It was about tidying up files to safeguard your finances and your identity. And the reason that it caught my attention was that I wasn’t doing a lot the stuff they said I should be doing. Gasp! My financial house was gross around the edges!

So, I demanded some answers. Or rather, I kindly requested an interview. Here’s what I learned from Becky Frost, senior manager of Experian’s ProtectMyID.

1. Shred like Steve Vai. Spring cleaning is a good time to get rid of things you no longer need, including old documents. “You probably have documents that you no longer need to keep, like old financial statements from 1992,” says Frost.

But don’t just throw them away; shred sensitive personal documents you don’t need to keep. “If a document has your current address or an account number on it, for instance, you should shred it,” says Frost. “I highly advocate having a personal shredder at home, and today they’re pretty affordable.”

What to look for in a shredder? One that crosscuts, says Frost. “You don’t want a shredder that shreds in strips, which are easy for a thief to tape back together.”

Also, for tax documents, check with IRS.gov to find out how long you need to hold on to records before shredding.

2. As seasons change, so should passwords. Want to hear something sad? I’m so bad at remembering my own passwords that I tried using one of those services like LastPass that remembers your passwords for you. Then I somehow got locked out of that too. This was what that looked like.

So point is, I’m good at setting unique, strong passwords. I just don’t remember them. And to throw another wrench in this operation, I just learned that I need to change my passwords regularly. Double d’oh.

“We recommend changing passwords with the change of every season,” says Frost, “but that’s not something that everyone likes to do.” No, everyone does not.

But Frost had an old-school suggestion for me that she says is perfectly safe in a digital world: Write your passwords down on a piece of paper. It sounded dangerous, but she says it’s “completely fine as long as you store that piece of paper in a secure location, like a locked safe box.”

Other password tips?

  • Passwords should have at least eight characters, including numerals, upper and lowercase letters, and special characters.

  • They should never be obvious, like part of your name or your mother’s maiden name. “Unfortunately, one of the top five passwords people use is still ‘password,’” says Frost.

  • You should have a different password for every account.

“Also, if you’re using something like a bank app, remember to log out of the app each time and to password protect your mobile device’s lock screen,” says Frost. “Don’t give a thief easy access.”

3. Clean out your wallet. Most of us know that you shouldn’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet. If you didn’t know that, get that thing out of your wallet! Ditto for passports, birth certificates, and anything with your Social Security number printed on it.

But Frost goes a bit further, saying that we should only carry what we need on a daily basis. “If you have multiple credit cards, only carry the ones you use most often,” says Frost. “Keep the others in a safe place, which means a box or a drawer with a lock on it.”

And the lock is important. Many times fraudsters and thieves turn out to be family members, friends, or employees, and not masked bandits. “Put a lock on the drawer so you won’t give people the opportunity to commit a crime in the first place,” says Frost.

Another reason to carry the bare minimum? You might lose your wallet. That happened to my dad last week, and he had to remember what was in it to figure out whom to call and what to cancel.

So, after talking to Frost, it seems that I still have some cobwebs to clean. But what about you? Do your files and accounts need a good spring cleaning? Also, I’d like to ask for your paper shredder recommendations, if you have any!

Source: getrichslowly.org

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