Sally Summers

If you want to make shopping much, much easier -- whether you're looking for the best mutual fund, car insurance, cell phone, television or toaster...If you want to know the pros and cons about products and services -- before you shell out your hard-earned money...If you want to know the healthiest, most nutritious foods for you and your family...

When you put Consumer Reports to work for you, you get more than 100 car experts, engineers, chemists, statisticians, nutritionists, money advisors and safety gurus you can count on!

Live healthier, wealthier and wiser with the facts you find only in Consumer Reports:

* How to lose weight without feeling hungry
* What the car salesman doesn't want you to know
* Ways to save $700 on your annual cell phone bill
* What the guy in the stereo store won't tell you
* Strategies to protect your nest egg against a volatile stock market
* What your car mechanic might not tell you
* The scary reality about chicken safety and salmonella poisoning
* What your travel agent won't tell you
* The top-rated 27-inch television
* Ways to slash your car insurance costs
* What the appliance store salesman won't tell you
* The expensive secret about premium gasoline
* The only airline consistently rated high for good service and low prices
* The truth the diet gurus refuse to tell you
* Best picks for this year's new cars
* And much, much more!

Consumer Reports compares features, sorts through the choices, analyzes the options and reports back to you. You benefit from the clear advice. Useful recommendations. Wise insights. Simple, easy-to-understand information.

You'll discover new products. New technology. New ideas. New ways to make your life better, safer, easier and more enjoyable, too. You'll know powerful facts. You'll avoid problems. Spot scams. Get the best value for your money.

Consumer Reports is the only magazine of its kind!

Consumer Reports is 100% nonprofit. And Consumer Reports doesn't have to worry about big car companies, big manufacturers, big financial institutions or big airlines pulling their advertising dollars. That's because Consumer Reports doesn't carry any advertising. Consumer Reports is paid by you only and works for you only! Consumer Reports tells you the truth -- in plain English -- straight from the experts at the world's largest consumer product testing center.

About the Author

Sally Summers is Editorial Director at www.BlueDolphin-Magazines.com and www.Magazine-Supermarket.com. You can read her weekly blog at http://sallysummers.blogspot.com where she talks about today's most popular magazines and how they can enrich your daily life.

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James H. Dimmitt

Kick off 2004 with these 7 money resolutions and get a fresh financial start to the new year. At year's end, you'll be surprised at how much you've reduced your debt load and the money you've saved!

1) I will create and use a budget.

A budget helps you see exactly where your money is going from week to week and month to month. Creating and using a budget, no matter what your income level, will help you reach your financial goals more easily than without one.

2) I will use my budget to help reduce my credit card debts.

Let's say you are able to save $20 a month by budgeting your money. You could take that $20 and place it in a savings account where you would earn minimal interest. Or you could use that same $20 and add it to your budgeted credit card payment reducing your credit debt in two ways. You'll be reducing the amount you owe your creditor and you'll also reduce the finance charge on next month's bill.

3) I will pay more than the minimum due on my credit card bills.

If you just pay the minimum due on credit card bills, you'll barely cover the interest you owe. It will take you years to pay off your balance and you'll end up spending thousands of dollars more than the original amount you charged.

4) I will make my payments on time and avoid late fees.

Making late payments adds to your debt load and may increase the annual percentage rate (APR) your creditors charge you. Additionally, late payments are reported to the credit reporting agencies and negatively affect your credit rating.

5) I will not use my credit card at an ATM or a bank for a cash advance.

Cash advances on credit cards are assessed special fees and higher interest rates than what you pay for purchases made with your credit card. Creditors apply the majority of your monthly payment to your purchase debt rather than cash advance debt which increases the overall amount of interest you'll pay to your creditor.

6) I will spend my money sensibly.

Using your budget, you may find that you're spending a good chunk of your income on discretionary items: morning coffee and donut, a weekly magazine, fast food lunches, etc. Each purchase seems like a small amount of money at the time, maybe $3-5. But these small purchases add up quickly and amount to hundreds of dollars a year. Ask yourself if you really need these items and reduce your amount of discretionary spending. Use your savings to pay down credit card debt.

7) I will live within my means.

Are you an impulse buyer? Do you use your credit cards to supplement your income? Do you feel the need to have the latest fashions, cars, stereos, etc.? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are good that you are overspending. And overspending means more debt - debt that will keep you from achieving your financial goals.

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Carrie Reeder

If you have a current mortgage and are unhappy with the interest rate or the amount of the monthly payments, it is possible to refinance your home and eliminate your problems. But before you call your lender, there are some questions that you should ask yourself in order to determine whether or not it's the right time for refinancing your mortgage loan.

The first question that you should ask yourself is if you have the cash on hand to pay the fees. Depending on the amount of your mortgage, and the specific fees that your lender will charge, you could pay anywhere from a couple of hundreds dollars to a few thousand. Be sure that you're financially ready for the move before applying for the loan.

Next, you should take a look at the current interest rates compared to the ones on your existing mortgage, and then decide whether or not a refinance would help your situation. For example, if you have an ARM mortgage, and the interest rates are at an all-time low, you might want to refinance your loan and turn it into a fixed rate so your payments won't go up again as rates rise. In addition, if you have a fixed rate, but bought your home when interest rates were higher, you might want to refinance in order to lower yours.

If you find yourself with a lot extra debt, you could take advantage of a cash-out refinance loan. With this type of loan, you add on an amount to your home loan, refinance the entire thing at a lower interest rate, and then take the "extra" money out and pay off your debt. This will allow you to reduce the amount of debt you owe (because the interest rate will be lower), and at the same time, reduce the amount of the monthly payment.

Most experts agree that you shouldn't go to the trouble or expense of refinancing your home if you don't intend to stay in it for at least three years. Otherwise the cost of the process would likely be more than the overall savings.

To view our recommended sources for mortgage refinance loans, visit: Recommended
Refinance Mortgage Lenders Online

About the Author

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an
informational website with articles and the latest news about various types of loans.

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Carrie Reeder

When going to refinance or get a mortgage loan quote, the internet can be a useful tool to shop around for the best interest rate. The reason the internet is a good place to start applying, is because most mortgage applications online do not typically pull your credit with the first application. Most of the time, the application will ask you to describe your credit. Once you have received an initial offer, then, the mortgage loan consultant who contacts you will ask you if they can pull your credit.

The point is, there is really no risk in applying to many different mortgage companies or lenders online. This can help you compare refinance quotes from multiple lenders.

There are quite a few mortgage companies out there that will submit your pre-approval application to hundreds of lenders and then forward you the 4 best mortgage loan refinance quotes. To see a list of these companies, click on the link below. If you do this pre-approval process with about 3-4 companies, in less than 24 hours, you could have mortgage refinance quotes from about 12-16 lenders. Imagine how comfortable you would feel knowing what all of your refinance options are. If you had over 10 mortgage loan offers, you would not make the mistake of settling for a refinance loan that is not the best you can get.

When refinancing, you absolutely want to make sure of a few things before you settle on an offer:

1. Make absolutely sure that you are getting the lowest mortgage rate possible for your qualifications. With mortgage rates slowly on the rise, you want to make sure that you are not getting a mortgage loan any higher than you can qualify for. If you go direct through the lender and not use a broker middleman, sometimes that can help you get a lower interest rate.

2. Find out what your closing costs are going to be. You may be going back and forth with different lenders to get the lowest interest rate and then get dinged at the closing table with massive closing costs. Ask each lender that makes you an offer to give you an estimate on what the closing costs are going to be and compare the lenders.

3. Make sure the terms of the financing are what you want. If you want to have a variable interest rate, then get one. If you are more comfortable with a 5 year fixed rate, then make sure that you don't get talked into settling for something less. You can't refinance as often as you want, so you want to make sure you do it right, because once your done, you are locked in.

Take advantage of the internet and apply to many different mortgage companies that will provide you multiple offers. Do this to make sure you can compare offers from many different companies instead of taking a chance of getting what you don't want.

To see our list of highly recommended refinance mortgage lenders who can give you quotes from multiple lenders, visit this page: Recommended Refinance
Mortgage Lenders.

About the Author

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide. ABC Loan Guide is an informational loan website with informative articles and lists of recommended lenders for all different kinds of loans.

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Carrie Reeder

A 2nd mortgage is a secured loan on your property, with your home serving as collateral. Depending on the particular terms of your second mortgage, you could be able to refinance if you wish to reduce your monthly payments or are in need of extra cash. Refinancing a 2nd mortgage can be an option for those who want to pay off their mortgage (excluding any home equity lines of credit), reduce the interest rate they currently pay on their second mortgage, or simply want reduce their monthly payments. Refinancing a 2nd mortgage can also be an option if the homeowner wants to pay off the mortgage, including home equity lines of credit, and receive cash.

You can refinance your second mortgage even if your credit is less than perfect. Second mortgages are an excellent means of reducing monthly payments and getting extra cash for bills, remodeling needs, or any reason the homeowner sees fit. If your interest rate on your 2nd mortgage is substantially above the current interest rates being offered by most lenders, you may be able to refinance your second mortgage. Sub-prime loans are available for second mortgage refinances and even with adverse credit, you may be able to lower the amount of interest you pay on your second mortgage. A poor credit rating is no reason not to explore the possibility of refinancing your 2nd mortgage.

Lenders are standing by to give you a no-obligation quote on refinancing your second mortgage. You can get quotes from several different lenders with one simple application, reducing the number of inquiries on your credit report. Often you can submit your application with no initial credit inquiry at all. Now is the perfect time to think about refinancing your second mortgage. You could be approved in less than twenty-four hours and begin saving money each and every month.

Refinancing your second mortgage is a fast, easy process and with the availability of multiple quotes from one simple application you will be assured you are receiving the lowest rate and best terms possible for your individual situation. If you have poor credit, you may still be able to refinance your 2nd mortgage. Mortgage lenders work with any credit situation and may be able to save you money by refinancing at a much lower interest rate that you currently pay. Get multiple quotes on refinancing your second mortgage from one fast, simple online application. The potential decrease in your interest rate could save you money on your payments each and every month.

To view our list of recommended second mortgage refinance lenders, visit this
page: Recommended 2nd
Mortgage Refinance Lenders.

About the Author

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan
Guide, an informational website with articles and the latest news about
various types of loans.

To stop further mailings or to change your details, click here.

Carrie Reeder

If you have seen all the advertisements regarding refinancing your house you may be wondering if refinancing can actually save you money. The answer is yes! Interest rates are at the lowest levels in decades and there has never been a better time to refinance your home. Before choosing a lender to refinance your current mortgage, consider a few key factors and analyze your options. Your current interest rate, the length of time you plan to stay in your home, your credit rating, and the value of your home are all important issues to consider when looking to refinance your house.

Refinancing your house can save you thousands of dollars over the length of your mortgage. Depending on your current interest rate, your monthly house payment could drop by a substantial amount. Even if you have adverse credit, lenders are waiting to give you a quote on refinancing your house. There is no need to apply to many lenders to get the lowest rate possible. Online mortgage companies can often give you quotes from multiple lenders, eliminating concerns about multiple inquiries on your credit report.

Refinancing your house can allow you to shorten the term of your mortgage without drastically increasing the amount of your monthly mortgage payments. If your current interest rate is substantially higher than the present prime rate, you could refinance for a shorter term and with the potential decrease in the amount of interest you pay, your house payments could stay the same or increase only slightly. Mortgage brokers are available to give you an accurate analysis of your financial situation. You can receive quotes from multiple lenders, get expert advice on refinancing your mortgage, and save money each and every month.

Now is the perfect time to refinance your house. Interest rates have never been lower and the availability of multiple quotes from different lenders will ensure you of getting the lowest rate possible. If your credit is less than perfect, you can still refinance your home. Sub-prime lenders can help you lower your interest rate, even with adverse credit. If you are considering refinancing your house, get multiple quotes today and you could be on your way to saving money each and every month. Interest rates have never been lower, and even if you have adverse credit, you can still refinance your home and save thousands of dollars over the length of your mortgage.

To view our list of recommended refinance lenders online, visit this page:
Recommended Refinance
Lenders.

About the Author

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan
Guide, an informational loan website with articles and the latest news about
various types of loans.

To stop further mailings or to change your details, click here.