Archive for August, 2009

Payday Loans – An Expensive Form Of Lending?

Saturday, August 29th, 2009



In United States, ads in radio, television, newspaper, internet and hoardings all refer to payday loans. These loans may be handy but they come at a very high cost due to interest charges. These loans are known in various names like payday loan, check advance loan, post dated check loans, deferred deposit check loans. But their purpose are more or less same i.e. to offer small, short term, high rate loans.

The procedure in a nutshell, the borrower writes a check payable to the lender for an amount equal to the borrowing amount plus the fees. The company or lender pays the borrower the amount minus the fees against the check received and the fees are a percentage of the principal amount of loan taken.

Cash advance loan taken by giving a post-dated personal check is an expensive credit option. As an example, someone interested to borrow (say) $100 . He will have to pay the interest of (say) 15% for 14 days of loan period. That means he will have to write a post-dated check of $115 for getting the loan of $100. Once the stipulated period of 14 days expire, the lender will then cash the check and the borrower must ensure that the money is made available in the bank account or he will have to pay the cash.

However, if the borrower desires to extend the period, he may roll over the check by paying the fees or interest for another term of 14 days and so on. This way the interest or fees will mount in arithmetical progression. That means this payday loans suits to those who will be meticulous in repayment in scheduled time and borrow for exigencies only. One should remember and understand, as per the Truth and Lending Act, the lending Company must disclose the cost of the payday loans. The borrower must get in writing all the information about finance charges and annual percentage rate (APR).

Payday loans are widely discussed amongst salaried people and others, for its advantages and disadvantages. There are debates between the consumer group and financial companies especially lending companies. The former clamoring that the system is draining money from poor and enriching the powerful and rich while the latter affirmed that it is the ultimate in lending for customer’s convenience.

Therefore, the question is whether the pay day loan is good or bad. If we look into the positive side, it is the only easily and quickly small loan available for immediate and sudden needs although the rate of interest is high The Banks have no interest to cater to this segment at all. The personal loan facility that they offer is extremely cumbersome and time taking. The procedures sometime bordering to humiliation and the period of waiting is so much that the very purpose or intent of the loan is lost.

There are other aspects also which favors payday loan over others. A credit card deadline or check bounce prospects will amount to more overall financial losses. Further, by avoiding a bad credit report will keep your records clean for future bigger loan facilities from the bank. So, even apparent one time extra interest payment in payday loan is beneficial comparatively.

In the disadvantage side, the rate of interest is one on the higher side. It may be lower than credit card, but typical loan interests are much lower than payday loan. There are community loan, credit unions etc. which gives loan at a much cheaper rate. Payday loan customers are mostly uninformed citizens who are not aware of such facilities and gets easily impressed by the attractive ads of the lending companies.

Another disadvantage of the payday loan is, there are many one sided terms in the contract like automatic loan renewal on payday , hidden fees, high rate of interest for late payment etc. which are tactfully hidden in words in the contract . Some lending companies do not reveal their interest rates, which is illegal and forbidden by law. So, the borrower in proper assessment of contract clauses before finalizing the transaction should exercise extreme caution.

5 Things To Look For When Buying Health Insurance

Thursday, August 27th, 2009



The comfort and security of knowing you can see a doctor whenever the flu strikes or when you’ve broken your leg on the ski slopes is a privilege that many take for granted. Whether you have to select health insurance through your job or need to choose an independent company, there are plenty of factors that can affect your final decision. Weighing the pros and cons of various options is the best way to choose the health insurance that will accommodate your needs as an individual or family. Below are a few points to consider as you search for the best health insurance plan for you:

Know Your Choices

There are many different kinds of health insurance plans offered to the public. Knowing the various options you may qualify for will help satisfy your needs in the future. There are five type of health plans to consider: traditional indemnity, health maintenance organization (HMO), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), Point of Service Plan (POS), and Health Savings Account (HSA). You should familiarize yourself with each option.

Know the Advantages and Disadvantages

Out of the five main types of health insurance plans, each one contains their own set of advantages and disadvantages. For example, with a traditional indemnity plan, individuals seeking complete freedom in the medical providers they can select should choose this option. But freedom comes with a price; the insurance plans produce higher rates and costs. This means individuals will face few restrictions, but also have to cope with no financial incentives that lessen patient financial responsibility.

Coverage and Benefits

An important factor to consider when choosing a health insurance plan includes the type of benefits offered and whether or not they will accommodate your needs. Some of the coverage capabilities to ask about include maternity, prescription, childcare, immunizations, emergency visits, and annual checkups.

Costs

Seeking information on the premium or employee contribution associated with a particular health insurance plan is important to make an effective decision. The cost you are responsible for will depend on the type of plan you choose; the deductible, coinsurance and co-payment; lifetime maximums, and the limitation of plan benefit coverage.

Are You Considered “Hard to Insure?”

If you are labeled as a “hard to insure” case, you may not find the most cost-efficient or accommodating health coverage. A few things to keep in mind include: avoiding lifetime maximums of less than $500,000, straying from plans that only offer hospital and surgical benefits, seeking out an HMO plan that tend to be the least expensive, and researching health insurance coverage provided by professional organizations, school alumni programs or unions.

Credit Cards for Bad Credit – Rebuilding

Wednesday, August 26th, 2009



Needing credit cards for bad credit can be a real pain. It can really take a toll on your life and make you feel like you will never rise above it, that will always be a part of your life and gone are the days of loans, credit cards, and other forms of credit. This does not have to be true. Many companies in the world today understand that sometimes things beyond our control happen and we all need a second chance at rebuilding our lives. This is why some companies are now offering credit cards for bad credit.

These credit cards for bad credit are specific to those who have a tarnished credit history for one reason or another. Your credit score might be low because of bad decisions, loss of employment, reduction in wages, injury, or a host of many other things. However, everyone deserves a second change to prove themselves credit worthy once again. This is where credit cards for bad credit come in handy.

With these credit cards, even though you will have to pay an extremely high rate of interest on the card, are perfect for those looking to rebuild their credit and improve their credit ratings. While you will likely not have many of the same benefits as traditional credit cards such as, rewards, long grace periods, or even long introductory periods, you will still have the opportunity get your financial affairs back on the right track.

Credit cards for bad credit can be found on the internet. It is important that you do your homework and find the right credit cards for bad credit that suits your needs and situation. Using the internet for research is a great place to start. Check out the interest rates and benefits before you start applying for any credit cards for bad credit. Ideally, you will want to find a credit card that periodically checks your credit report. This way, if you are improving your credit rating, making your payments on time, and showing credit worthiness, they may consider lowering your interest rates or raising your credit line.

$500 Payday Loan – Cash in Emergencies

Monday, August 24th, 2009



If you are facing a financial emergency, a $500 payday loan can prove to be very useful to you. With this cash advance you can meet your financial responsibility without spoiling your credit history. These loans are short-term, and basically should be used for only emergency purposes. That emergency can be a sudden car breakdown, some unexpected utility bill, exam fees, any medical condition or any other situation where you require a few hundred dollars to meet the expenses.

Online Procedures Make It Fast

The procedures of application, approval and disbursement of the $500 payday loan are all speedy as everything can be done online. There are many online payday loan companies that process your loan application and ensure that you receive the money by the next working day. The loan companies do not run any credit check on you, thus even if you have not-so-good credit history, you will get approved. Here you do not need to fax or send any documents as all verification and dealing is done through online resources.

Payback Options

These loans are generally for a short time of 14 days or so, after that you have to pay the amount plus the flat fee charged by the company. If you are not comfortable with paying off the loan in one go, then there are some flexible pay-back options also available for the $500 payday loan. In this you can do part payment at a time, though in totality you will be paying more fee. So opt for the part payment only if you cannot afford to pay in one installment.

There are two ways in which you can pay-back the loan to the lending company. One is through a post-dated check that you have to give them at the time of receiving money. Another way is through direct account debit. You will have to provide your bank account number and give approval for them to withdraw the money on due date. This is a much easier and preferred way, but make sure that the lender’s site is encrypted and secured so that your data will not be misused.

Although you can file for loan extension if you are not able to pay back the $500 payday loan on the due-date, it comes out to be very expensive. You might have to pay some penalty or you will be issued a fresh loan where you will be charged even more fees. Try not to get into this loan-trap, it’s better to control your other expenses and pay-off the payday loan as soon as you receive your salary. This way, you will be able to reap the full benefits of the payday loan, by receiving it in times of emergency and paying it back as soon as possible.

High Risk Payday Loans – Cash Till Payday

Sunday, August 23rd, 2009



High risk payday loans are suitable for those of you with bad credit. You may be eligible to borrow up to $1500. You may not have any collateral to give a bank so the only other option would be to take a payday loan from a reputed lending company. The main feature of these loans is that their interest rates are higher than the other cash advance loans. This is necessary to ensure that you do not default on your payment.

Improve Credit Score

When you have a history of bad credit, you cannot apply for any long-term loan from a bank or financial institution. Many people take high risk payday loans so that their credit score improves. If you take a high risk cash advance, you will have to repay it on time otherwise you will be fined huge amounts. The high interest rates ensure that you pay back your payday loan on time. These loans will help you improve your credit scores so that you can take other long-term loans from banks if required.

There are two types of high-risk payday loans. These are the secured loans and the unsecured loans. Both types of loans have high interest rates but differ in some other features.

Secured and Unsecured

When you take a secured payday loan, you are required to deposit a certain amount in your bank account. This is for security purpose only. Your credit line will be calculated upon the amount you have deposited, usually between 30% and 70%. According to your credit line, the lender will give you a high risk payday loan of the same amount. In case you cannot repay the amount on the stipulated date, the lender will take the money that you had deposited earlier into your account as security. There are certain fees charged by the lenders in case of such a default.

If you take an unsecured payday loan, you do not have to deposit an amount as collateral in your savings account. The loan amount sanctioned is much lower and the fee is much higher. So even if you don’t need to deposit any amount as collateral, you still have to pay a large amount as fees.

Taking high risk payday loans may be a little expensive but it has its advantages. You can improve your credit score and it is the only way to get a loan if you desperately need one as you will not get a regular loan if you have a bad credit history.

The Origins of Health Insurance

Saturday, August 22nd, 2009



Health insurance has been around for five centuries, but it is only recently that it has evolved into its current form. The story of health insurance has now come to a major crossroads.

The story of health insurance might be said to have begun five centuries ago when Hugh the Elder Chamberlen first proposed the concept. It was not until the late 19th century, however, that the current form of insurance first began to develop. The first Insurance Company to offer a contract form of health insurance policy was the Franklin Health Assurance Company of Massachusetts which was founded in 1850. They provided coverage for railroad and steamboat accidents.

This early form of insurance was more on the model of disability insurance. The idea was protection against loss of income and the expenses associated with accidents. Many of the early companies followed this idea offering plans that would protect policy holders from the impact of a serious accident, but not really concerning themselves with routine medical care. By 1866, there were some 60 different organizations providing this type of service in the United States.

It was in 1890, that the idea of “sickness” coverage was first introduced and by 1911, Insurance policies were beginning to take on the more familiar form that included payments for routine, preventive, and emergency medical expenses. In the years leading up to World War II, the programs that would become the Blue Cross organizations first began. This was the golden age of health insurance. Employees were covered by policies that virtually removed all concern about meeting the costs of health care.

However, in recent years, the explosive increase in health care costs has wrought major changes in the health insurance industry. The insurance companies were forced to combat the costs increase by restructuring their policies and increasing premiums. Such things as exclusions and co-payments were introduced in order to try to hold premium costs down. Several innovative insurance plans were introduced and were known as Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO).

There was a time in the history of health insurance when the difference between free government health care and the low cost insurance policy were very minor. Since the health care industry was not regulated, health costs began to soar forcing insurance companies to struggle to provide their services and retain profitability. The industry appears to be at a major crossroads now as it still struggles to cope with the crisis in health care costs. Today, almost 47 million Americans are without any health insurance at all.

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