Holiday Spending Solutions

1. Avoid Department Store Offers for Instant Credit and Don't Open Up New Lines of Credit

"Would you like to save 10% today on your purchase today?". We have all been asked that question when paying for our purchases. Every store under the sun would like to offer you their own credit card. This is not good for your score. The damage to your score you'll incur by opening up a new line of credit is just not worth the few dollars you might save. Department score credit is poor quality credit and the credit scoring system frowns on it. Just don't apply for the card. You may want or need to apply for a new car loan, a new home loan, a re-finance a home loan. By applying for store credit to save a couple of dollars, you could be hurting your chance of getting an important loan at a good rate until the middle of next year.


2. Avoid Overspending

Spending affects credit. 30% of your credit score is made up of how you manage your debt, and when your credit card balances exceed 30% of their available limit, the credit scoring system red flags you and your score goes down instantly. The logic behind this is that if you suddenly max out your credit cards, it looks to the system as though you are in financial trouble. Only charge if you can pay the balance in full before the next statement date. Plus, overspending and overcharging will also cause you to carry larger balances longer. It is best to keep your balances low at all times.

3. Pay Your Bills On Time

Payment history is 35% of your credit score. One 30-day late can cost you 50 points or more. December is traditionally the busiest time of the year. Active calendars filled with work and social commitments for family and friends and the frenzy of the season can preoccupy you and cause you to be late in paying your bills. Make staying on top of your bills a priority. Put all of your bills in a file and make sure you pay them on time. In doing so, you will save points on your credit score and ridiculous late charges as much as $39 or more. Additionally, when you are late in paying your bills, you nullify any preferential finance rate and your account will default to a dramatically higher interest rate. A ding to your credit score, a high late fee, and a huge increase in interest rates are all big incentives to make sure you are on time with your bills. I recently got a call from a customer who had been late, but not 30 days late and the rate jumped on his card to over 30% annually!

4. Take the Time to Plan and Prepare Your Gift Giving

We all do it. We walk into a store ready to buy a specific item and end up getting lured into a spending vortex. Panic spending because the store does not have the item you went in to buy; deciding that if you buy this item for this person, then you have to buy this item for another person; succumbing to the temptation of the latest must-have gadget. You can prevent this well-woven retailer trap by doing your research online. By preparing before you even darken the automatic doorstep of the alluring retail establishment, you can determine where you can purchase specific items and for what price. In doing so, you can avoid the retail traps and retain control of your spending (and your sanity). Online shopping sites have grown tremendously in popularity. Traffic to those sites is up more than 30% from just last year. There is a wealth of information on the web. In fact, www.pricegrabber.com lists all of the hottest holiday items and tells you who sells them and for how much. Remember, if you pay your credit card bill prior to the statement date, it will help your scores. www.froogle.com is another great site to find the item for less.

5. Manage Your Credit Wisely

Keep track of your credit card balances and keep them as low as possible. Studies show that as consumers increase their credit card balances, they become increasingly apathetic about their balances and even about adding new debt. By tracking balances, you will maintain a sense of control over your credit score and your finances. Write out a chart of who you owe, how much you owe, and what the minimum payment is. It will help you to get a handle on your bills, and help start planning how to pay them off.

Remember that if you want to stay in touch with your family this season for a low price, contact National Access Long Distance.  We keep your long distance costs low.

Cutting Heating Costs

With temperatures cooling, National Access Long Distance presents some tips to cut your heating costs!

Proper furnace care and smart purchases can help you reduce the high costs of heating your home. That's good news considering that energy bills-which are already historically high-are expected to continue to climb. In fact, a recent article in USA Today reported that homeowners on average will see a 25.7 percent increase in heating costs compared to a year ago.

To reduce heating costs, experts say that the energy efficiency of your furnace is extremely important. According to Jim Miller of Amana brand furnaces, "Homeowners don't have much control over the price of natural gas, but they can take steps to minimize the impact of home heating costs." He offers these tips:

1. Have Your Furnace Checked. "If you haven't already done so this year, have a licensed HVAC contractor inspect your furnace now," Miller emphasized. "He can perform a safety inspection and clean your furnace so that it runs as efficiently as possible."

2. When Buying a New Furnace, Choose High-Efficiency. A furnace's efficiency is indicated by its Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency percentage, or "AFUE," a measurement developed by the U.S. Department of Energy. The higher a furnace's AFUE, the more efficient it is. "Furnaces older than 15 years operate at efficiencies of approximately 60% AFUE. This means that for every dollar spent on heating costs, only 60 cents actually helps warm your home, while the remaining 40 cents is wasted.

"If you were to replace that 60% AFUE furnace with a high-efficiency unit, such as the Amana brand AMV9 96% AFUE Variable-Speed Furnace, you would get 96 cents worth of warmth for every dollar you spend toward heating your home," said Miller.

He added that furnaces with a variable-speed blower are even more efficient because the blowers typically require up to 75 percent less electricity than a standard motor. In addition, a furnace's blower also works with the home's cooling system, meaning consumers experience increased efficiency year-round.

3. Investigate Tax Credits for High-Efficiency Furnace Purchases. Thanks to the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT), homeowners who purchase furnaces with an AFUE of 95% or higher in 2006 and 2007 may qualify for a tax credit of $150. And if that furnace uses a variable-speed blower, they may qualify for an additional $50 tax credit.

These tips brought to you by: National Access Long Distance!

Shopping for Credit-Tips

Find the best credit card for shopping this holiday with these great tips!

As much as the credit industry has changed in the last couple of years, the most important advice when shopping for credit has remained the same throughout the period. And that is, if you want to give yourself the very best chances of getting the best credit deals that are open to you, then you have to shop around.

Finding Credit Online

The good news is that the Internet has made this shopping around a lot easier in recent years. There are many websites now that specialize completely in finding you the best credit deals available. They compare all the offers from a wide range of lenders and guide you to exactly the offers that suit you most. In many cases you can apply or get a quote right there on the website and therefore you can do all your research, and shopping around, in a fraction of the time it used to take before the Internet was widely used.

Always Ask For The APR

Another development that has come about in recent years, and has really made shopping for credit a lot easier and more effective, is the introduction of rules regulating the calculation of APR.

APR, standing for annual percentage rate, is a fixed formula that by law, all lenders must use when they calculate the cost of a loan that they provide to you. This means that you can ask all lenders for their APR and they will have much less scope to hide their true costs and extra charges. They will have to give you the APR and you can take this with you and compare it to all the other APRs on the market.

Having Credit is Essential

Shopping for credit has become all the more important in recent years as credit has become more important. These days, there are many situations in which the only way to pay for a good or service is by credit card. Booking a hotel abroad, or shopping online, or even renting a car, are all impossible unless you have access to credit cards. Therefore, as the circumstances in which you need to use the cards have increased, the importance of being able to find the very best deals when you are shopping for credit has also increased.

These great tips brought to you by National Access Long Distance.

Foreclosure Shopping

With the biggest shopping day of the year coming up, we wanted to give you a different kind of shopping tip on a potential future house.

In Many Cases, The Lender Or Agency Simply Wants To Get Rid Of Foreclosure Bank Owned Properties Quickly – Even If It Means Selling At A Low Price
Upkeep of foreclosure bank owned properties costs more than selling them cheap. Whether you are a homebuyer or a foreclosure homes investor, foreclosure bank owned properties allow you to buy properties at a fraction of their market value. Lenders aren't chartered to own and manage property, so they face close scrutiny and pressure from state and federal regulators to dispose of foreclosed properties quickly - especially if they're on a regulator's "watch list".

The second reason why foreclosure bank owned properties are sold at below market value has to do with their condition. And because they're dealing directly with the bank they can eliminate the 6 percent sales commission if they act fast - before the bank lists the property with a real estate agent. Bank foreclosed homes are sought out by investors because of their profit potential.

In many cases, the lender or agency simply wants to get rid of foreclosure bank owned properties quickly – even if it means selling at a low price. Foreclosure bank owned properties are an excellent opportunity for anyone who wants to save money on their next real estate purchase. It is not uncommon to find bank foreclosed homes sold at prices much lower than their market value.

Foreclosure bank owned properties are priced at up to 5% to 50% off their market value, simply because of the way you can buy and sell foreclosure bank owned properties. It is possible to gain a nice return on your investment when you invest in bank foreclosed homes. Foreclosure bank owned properties are homes that have been repossessed by a government agency or lender due to non-payment of the mortgage. When their REO departments are loaded with foreclosures, investors are able to finagle below-market interest rates with little or no cash down.

When A Homeowner Cannot Pay The Mortgage For A Few Months At A Time, The Bank Will Initiate Foreclosure Proceedings Against The Owner
In order to get the best deals on foreclosure bank owned properties, you need to be prepared and shop wisely. The owner will be anxious to sell to avoid having a foreclosure as a black mark on their credit report. Bank foreclosed homes are homes that are owned by banks or other lending institutions because of the lender having foreclosed on the property. Once you find some foreclosure bank owned properties you like, though, you still need to research.

Researching foreclosure bank owned properties can help you tell the deals from the duds. After the foreclosure is final, the bank foreclosed home will be offered for sale, either directly by the bank, or through real estate auctions. When a homeowner cannot pay the mortgage for a few months at a time, the bank will initiate foreclosure proceedings against the owner.

You cannot let emotions rule your purchase, and you cannot assume that all foreclosure bank owned properties are sold at below market value. If the property has accumulated enough equity, the investor will make a very nice profit. What Are Bank Foreclosed Homes?

Bank Foreclosed Homes Auctions
Bank Foreclosed Homes Auctions. For each home you consider, determine your closing costs, actual house costs, incidental costs, and financing costs. Sometimes the bank foreclosed homes will be sold at real estate auctions.

Once you calculate the cost of any repairs needed, add it to the total cost of the property. Remember to account for the time that it will take to repair the bank foreclosed home.

This approach means that you wouldn't reimburse them for any accumulated charges such as interest, late charges, foreclosure fees, legal fees, nor any advances they might have made toward senior loans, property taxes, insurance. Sometimes an inspection is not possible, so you should only make bids that leave a nice margin for any unknown repairs. Get a market value for the home and an estimate for the repairs that need to be done.

To figure the number of loan payments made, start when the deed of trust recorded and end with the delinquency date that's listed on the recorded Notice of Default. On the other hand, if you do it carelessly, you could end up paying a lot more for the bank foreclosed home than it is worth. Hiring a professional assessor and inspector to examine the property for you.

Find out how much homes in the same neighborhood sell for as well. At the most, you shouldn't pay the bank any more for their equity in the property than what they originally lent on it minus the payments that were actually made on the loan.

If You Are Looking For An Investment, Make Sure That You Will Get At Least 15% Or More In Profit Through Renting Or Selling, And Remember That Many Foreclosure Bank Owned Properties Allow You To Earn More On Your Investment
An important aspect of investing in bank foreclosed homes is having good listings so that you can get to the properties before they are gone. Good bank foreclosed homes do not stay in the market long.

If you are seeking a home, look for foreclosure bank owned properties in areas you would like to live that have the amenities you want. A better use of your time and money is to sign up with an online bank foreclosed homes listings service.

Whether you are looking for foreclosure bank owned properties that are investments or a home will determine which foreclosure bank owned properties are deals for you. These foreclosure bank owned properties you are considering should save you money on your home so that you can enjoy equity fast. If you are looking for an investment, make sure that you will get at least 15% or more in profit through renting or selling, and remember that many foreclosure bank owned properties allow you to earn more on your investment.

Bank Foreclosed Homes Listings. Buying up lenders' REO's (real estate owned) is a workable approach when it's a Buyer's market and lenders have lots of REO's they are anxious to get rid of. Finally, insist that the lender provide you with all the customary buyer safeguards such as escrow, title insurance, homeowner's warranty, termite clearance. You can get bank foreclosed homes listings from courthouses, lending institutions, government agencies.

And Lender Deals Typically Include Title Insurance, Which Removes Much Of The Risk That Accompanies Buying Homes Earlier In The Foreclosure Process
If the property fails to sell at auction, or if the lender ends up as the highest bidder, the home becomes REO, or "real estate owned" by the bank. Often these homes are sold to buyers who don't even know they are buying a foreclosure, and go through the entire process as they would with any other home. And lender deals typically include title insurance, which removes much of the risk that accompanies buying homes earlier in the foreclosure process.

Don't forget to set up your new house with a great long distance plan from National Access Long Distance.

Money Saving Tips for the Homeowner

As the holidays quickly approach, we will continue providing you with money tips from National Access Long Distance.

Losing weight. Finding a new job. Spending more time with the family. A new year means setting new goals. Why not make saving money one of them?

If you're a homeowner, there are many ways you can cut costs and still live comfortably. The following tips will help lead you to financial success.

* First, set a budget. Figure out exactly how much you spend on the upkeep of your home. Compare each month's expenses with the previous month's to get a better idea of how much to budget for each necessity. Then, see what costs you can cut. Once you set a budget, stick to it.

* Save energy. You might be losing a substantial amount of energy dollars during the winter and summer because of air leaks. By caulking, sealing and weather-stripping all cracks and openings, you can save 10 percent or more on your energy bill.

Also, look into replacing older appliances with newer, more energy-efficient alternatives. Your light bulbs can make a difference, too. Fluorescent bulbs are four times more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs. 

* Refinance. Shop around to see if you can replace your existing home loan with one that has a lower interest rate. You can easily save hundreds of dollars each month by refinancing your home.

* Purchase a home warranty. Most homeowners don't account for possible repairs in their annual budget. There is a 68 percent likelihood of a home system or appliance failure in a given year. The average replacement cost of one of these systems or appliances is $1,085. A home warranty is your best defense against unexpected and costly repairs to your home's appliances and mechanical systems.

The American Home Shield Home Warranty, for example, ensures you get the best possible service through the company's network of pre-screened technicians. The minute something breaks down, you can contact American Home Shield and a local service technician will schedule an appointment that fits your schedule. The warranty covers a multitude of household systems and appliances, regardless of age.

The American Home Shield Home Warranty is a one-year contract that requires no home inspection to enroll. Several affordable plans are available to fit every budget.

Remember!  Save money also with the low rates on long distance from National Access Long Distance!

Balancing your Budget and Saving Money

Your finances are your business. But unfortunately it seems like you need an accountant to help you understand and decode the mysteries of balancing a budget or saving money. At some point you might need to get a loan. When that day comes, this article can help you understand which is the right one to get.

An unsecured loan is simply a loan you get based on your good name and your credit rating. Often the interest rates are higher on an unsecured loan than on a secured loan because the risk is higher to the lending institution. If, for some reason, you are unable to pay back the loan and the lending institution does not get any money back. However, your good name and your credit rating are potentially ruined.

On the other hand, a secured load is a low you get when you put up some assets. The advantage of a secured loan is that you often get more money at a lower interest rate for longer repayment period that you would with an unsecured loan. This is because you have some assets to backup your loan. The lending institution prefers this kind of loan because if you find yourself unable to make payments, they can see your assets as an alternative form of payment. Because the risk to them is diminished they are able to provide you with more attractive loans at a better rate.

You might think of a mortgage as a secured loan. The bank lends you money to buy a home and they use the home as a way to back up the loan. If you do not make your mortgage payments, the bank can seize your house.

Or you can think of a secured loan as a pawn shop that lends you the money you want but lets you still use the goods you pawned!

So which one is the right one for you? It’s a tough decision to make. In most cases, a secured loan will get you a better rate, so you just might prefer that.

However, perhaps you don’t have any assets available, or you don’t want to risk the seizure of certain assets if you are unable to make payments. In this case, you just might not mind paying a little more for the benefit of having an unsecured loan.

Both unsecured and secured loans are good options to have when you are doing your financial planning. You can use them to consolidate your outstanding bills, leverage your home investments, or get the things you need and want. And, with the choices between unsecured and secured loans, you have the benefit of being in total control of your financial destiny!

Saving money is hard and we know this!  We want to help you save money with great long distance rates for your landline.  Contact National Access Long Distance today to save money on your long distance bill.  

Your Service, Your Choice

          Have you ever had to make a choice on which phone company to go with?  Have you ever wondered how you even have that choice?  You may have heard of it.  It’s called deregulation.  Deregulation broke up big monopolies where one company gave customers one choice on one kind of service for their utilities, even the telecommunications.  The telecommunications act of 1996 opened up doors where customers had the choice of providers, advanced services, and competitive prices.  Deregulation was great for the marketplace and consumers alike and as you read on you will explore why.

          First of all deregulation gave customers the choice of providers.  This is great because a customer does not have to settle with one type of service.  If a customer is not satisfied with a provider in any way they have the right to shop around.  For this reason it forces companies to stay competitive and strive for higher quality assurance.  This is greatly beneficial to the customer and insures they have greater experiences with their chosen provider.

          Another great outcome of deregulation is the advanced services and technology that has become available.  Before when big companies controlled everything in their market it left little or no room for anyone or anything else.  For example, before the bell companies were forced to divest they controlled everything down to the actual phone in the house.  They would rent this out to the customers and not allow them to alter or change it in any way.  This hindered the creation of the answering machine and fax machine as well as the evolution of the technology that we have today.  Deregulation has helped clear the way for the advanced services we have today.

          Last and probably most importantly deregulation has forced companies to price competitively.  With most utilities the product is the same and a company must distinguish itself by its service and pricing.  It is simple to see that a company with better service at lower rates will gain more customers.  This competitive pricing leaves you with better service for less.

          Deregulated utilities are great and beneficial to all of us.  Remember the next time you are looking around for a utility company it was deregulation that made the choice of providers, advanced services, and competitive prices available for you.  For more information on saving money on your long distance bill contact National Access Long Distance. 

Family Safety Tips

National Access Long Distance presents Family Safety Tips!

Have a Plan

• Make sure your family has a plan for every type of emergency.
• Create mapped out scenarios and routes for each room of the house.
• Pick a meeting area for once the house is evacuated.
• Provide each family member with their own plan.

Build a Kit

• Create different kits for all different emergencies.  
• Research which emergencies are most common in your region and what would be needed for these.
• For hints and tips, visit www.redcross.org.

Suggestions to Include:

• Water
• Food
• Flashlight
• Candle
• Batteries
• First Aid Kit
• Tool Kit
• Hygiene Items
• Cell Phone and Chargers
• Radio
• Contact Information for Family Members
• Blankets, Pillows
• Map
• Cash

Stay Informed

• Make sure you are aware of weather during different seasons.
• Create a community or neighborhood weather watch so everyone is aware of emergencies.
• Download an app that alerts you of an emergency in your area.

Invest in a Landline

• Corded landlines work without power.
• When cell phone towers are jammed during emergencies, landlines are still able to make and take phone calls.
• Landlines give exact locations to the 911 dispatcher to increase accuracy and response time.

Who's the Boss At Home?

Businesses have entire staff divisions dedicated to watching the bottom line and company spending. At home the only person watching the budget is you. Phone service is a simple way to make a responsible decision in saving money.

                There are nearly endless options when it comes to how phone services can be used in the home setting. A driving factor for consumers in this tough economy is cost. While cell phones may seem to cover all of your needs, upon closer inspection a cell phone hardly provides the best option for the home telephone. Most calls from the home are local and rates for local landline calling are unparalleled, particularly when compared to cell phone rates. Cell phone service providers are notorious for charging users for any number of reasons like peak hours, international rates and roaming charges. Opening your phone bill each month should not be a nerve racking, painful experience. Landline services can be obtained for one flat fee each and every month which makes paying that monthly bill a routine experience.

                Another reason that landlines are far superior to cell phones in the home setting is the accessibility that they provide. The family usually has one telephone number with a landline and there is the capability to have a phone receiver in as many rooms as you would like.  The convenience of finding a receiver and answering the call is simple with a landline.  When the cell phone rings at home, everyone’s first thought is it my phone ringing, where is it?  That is if you hear the cell phone at all, especially with all the special ringtones and vibrate options that come standard with them these days.

                At the end of the day every home has different needs, but having a phone is a universal need in the home. A landline provides a low cost, convenient, reliable option that can best serve every home when set up appropriately. You can be the boss when it comes to how you spend your own hard earned money at home!