Best Selling Financial Secrets Revealed!

Some of the most closely-guarded financial secrets are also some of the insider clues you can use to pay off debt and live a comfortable, secure life - no matter how much you may or how much you owe.

Entire books have been written just to scratch the surface on one particular "secret" - but we're revealing the best ones for free, right now.

1. Compound Interest - People who don't understand it, pay it. People who do understand it, can make an astounding amount of money from it. Compound interest is money that is paid on top of the principal - creating a "new" principle amount which then earns additional interest.

At first this may not seem like much, and the percentage of compound interest compared to "simple interest" is much lower - but over time, that small percentage can add up to a surprisingly large amount. Look for bank offers that advertise "interest compounded daily". It makes a considerable difference in the long run.

2. If you've been a longtime customer at a specific bank, credit card company or credit union, and you get hit with a fee for a minor slip-up, ask if you can have the charge waived. You may be surprised to find that many financial institutions are very accommodating to longtime customers if they only ask.

The same applies to getting a lower interest rate on your credit card or getting an annual fee waived. Inquire and see what it can do for you - you may end up paying considerably less in interest charges just by asking a simple question!

3. Bypass the Broker - Avoid paying high brokerage fees by buying government bonds, treasury notes or bills directly. The minimum investment for bonds and 5-10 year notes is $1,000. For notes with shorter maturity rates, the cost is $5,000 and bills are $10,000 (at minimum). The nearest branch of the Federal Reserve Bank can help set you up with a Treasury Direct account - saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars in broker commissions on unsafe or unsecure products you don't need.

4. Look for Bargain Banks - With such stiff competition between them, many banks offer no-fee checking and free ATM withdrawals. Use this to your advantage to avoid high monthly or per-transaction fees. Sometimes choosing to get your statement electronically can also reduce banking fees.

Remember, some of the best discounts and savings can be had just by asking or reading the fine print. What you learn could save you a bundle and keep you from paying questionable fees for services you don't remember signing up for.

These are just a few of the tips you can keep in mind to help you save more, invest wisely and start making your money work for you.
When you take the time to fully understand the service being offered, you put yourself in a much better financial position than those who don't - and that's advice you can bank on!

The More You Know,

Judy O'

How To Avoid Real Estate Foreclosure In Tough Economic Times...Before It's Too Late

If you're one of the millions of people whose homes have suddenly gone into foreclosure - it's hard not to panic. But you have options to stop foreclosure and protect your home.

Here are the steps you can take to avoid foreclosure. The sooner you act, the sooner you'll be able to keep from losing your home!

The first step in putting a home into foreclosure comes from the lender. The lender files a Notice of Default when you have failed to make your payments on time - or at all.

Once this happens, your options are limited, so it's best to work with your lender before they file the notice. Ignoring your lender's calls, letters or being too embarrassed to speak up can do more harm than good. Explain your situation to the lender and they may offer to work with you in one of the following ways:

1. Offering Forbearance - Forbearance is when the lender agrees to give you time to make up the payments. This is especially useful if outside circumstances, such as a lost job, medical emergency, divorce or other stressful situations have caused you to fall behind.

2. Creating a Repayment Plan - Some lenders will let you add an extra amount - say $100 or more - to each payment to make up the difference. The lender may even agree to lower the interest rate or even freeze it if it's adjustable to help make payments easier on you.

3. Refinance at a Lower Rate - The lender may increase your loan balance to include the back payments. Refinancing at a lower rate is ideal at a time when your adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) is high, and fixed rates are low.

If the lender is unwilling or unable to work with you on creating a payment plan or making the payments more flexible to meet your current situation, you still have other options.

For example, you could sell your home at its current market value. Consider a real estate agent carefully and ask for a comparable market analysis to find the selling price of your home. If your home's value is less than what you paid for it, you may be able to do a short sale.

A short sale happens when the lender is willing to accept less than the amount due. This kind of "debt forgiveness" is rare - especially when it makes more sense to foreclose, and the IRS could consider the amount you've been "forgiven" as income - so consult a CPA and a lawyer before considering a short sale.

If you're not sure where to turn during these troubling times, you may want to call a Housing Counseling agency. These non-profit organizations can help you restructure your bills and payments to make paying your mortgage easier and more straightforward so that you avoid foreclosure.

By following any one of these tips, you should be able to not only avoid foreclosure, but create a manageable budget and keep you home without any desperate measures affecting your future credit score.

That’s all for now. Hope this helps.

The More You Know,

Judy O'

It's Going To Be Fine In 09...If You Know What's Best For You!

You may think you know what's best for you; but, the question is, Do THEY?

(Do Financial Gurus Really Know What's Best for You?)

There's a lot of talk lately on the current financial situation and the economic ups and downs that come along with it. During times like these, many people turn to financial "gurus" to help them make sense (and cents!) of the situation.

But do the financial gurus really know what's best for you? The answer is yes - but only if you know where to look, and who to trust.

Because the fact is, the financial gurus who know what they're doing don't parade and promote themselves as "gurus". They simply work together with you to create a plan that makes sense, offer their recommendations and inform you of market trends and help you decide accordingly.

When plans like this work, people naturally proclaim that the person is a "guru" and he or she gets catapulted into near superstar-status. But the truth is, what it all comes down to is that these people have solid, reliable knowledge and are willing to share their insights to help you benefit and create a long-term financial plan you can live with.

Many financial gurus have written books or developed courses. If the advice you're getting, or the column you're reading makes sense and you agree with the "guru's" insights, it may be worth picking up their books or their course to learn more. Obviously you shouldn't have to spend your life savings to get straight-shooting financial advice, but at the same time, it pays to pay for good information.

The true financial experts likely draw from several financial areas to provide you with well-rounded advice. Avoid those who emphasize only one particular method for creating wealth (which is always their method!).

In addition, real financial "gurus" will give you straightforward steps to follow - not beat around the bush with theory and concepts. Be skeptical if all of the person's advice sounds repetitive and they throw in questionable or unethical methods under the guise of legitimate wealth. Some of the best advice in good old-fashioned saving will still ring true today.

Lastly, don't be afraid to check references. If all you've got are a few initials and a city name from a late-night infomercial, you have every right to be skeptical. Real financial experts won't be afraid to post testimonials with contact information where and when they can (keeping their clients' privacy in mind, of course!)

The fact is, the real professionals genuinely want you to get out of debt, pay off your credit cards, pay off your mortgage and enjoy a life free of financial worries - and they don't hesitate to offer you actionable steps to make that happen.

In the end, only you know what's best for your financial situation - but there's no reason not to have the help of a trusted, informed advisor to guide you. Learn from them and rely on their knowledge to help you make a more informed decision and then take the necessary steps to help yourself. That's the kind of good advice that costs you nothing but pays you back!

So, be careful about who you choose to listen to. As to whether or not they're telling the truth, I'll leave it up to you to decide.


The More You Know,

Judy O'