Free From Broke

A Personal Finance Blog for Regular Folks

Glen Craig

Stay on Top of Credit Card Payments – How to Make Sure You Pay Your Credit Card on Time

Published or updated by

If you’ve ever owned a credit card, and most people have at one point or another in their lives, they can be both a blessing and a curse.

If you are like me, you can probably recall that awful sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach when you receive your statement in the mail.  You frantically try to remember all of the purchases you made in the last month, and at the same time you scramble to remember if you made a payment and how much you put down towards the outstanding balance.

Oops, you didn’t.

Or how about that time you did some cleaning and found the credit card bill you swore you paid, but clearly you didn’t because, well, it’s sitting right there in you hand?

I’ve been there!

Missing payments on your credit card is a quick way to rack up late fee charges, hike up your interest rate, and possibly send your credit score into the dump.

I’m not even talking about whether you can afford what’s on your card or not.  That’s a whole other issue.  I’m talking about missing the due date on your credit card payments.
[Read more…] about Stay on Top of Credit Card Payments – How to Make Sure You Pay Your Credit Card on Time

What Are the Best Ways to Invest in Mutual Funds?

Published or updated by

Most of us have a pretty good idea what mutual funds are about, so maybe the more relevant question is, what are the best ways to invest in mutual funds?

There are different ways to own them, different times and methods to invest, and even other assets we might like to hold in addition to mutual funds.

Properly used, mutual funds can increase investment returns substantially.

But view them as passive, invest-and-forget vehicles, and they may be no better than owning individual stocks.

Mutual fund family vs. brokerage accounts

[Read more…] about What Are the Best Ways to Invest in Mutual Funds?

Mint.com Review – Manage Your Money Online Free

Published or updated by

Having trouble tracking and managing your finances? Maybe you need a little help!

There are web based financial management tools that can help you get the job done if that’s where you need to go.

At the top of the list is Mint.com.

Should you try it and see if it can help with your money management?  Millions of people are doing just that.

Mint.com Review

What is Mint.com?

[Read more…] about Mint.com Review – Manage Your Money Online Free

Senate Passes Bill to Extend Payroll Tax Cut Temporarily (and Other Provisions)

Published or updated by

On December 17th, after what were characterized as more heated, intense negotiations, Republicans and Democrats in Senate came to a compromise that extends the payroll tax cuts for just two months. 

The House still needs to pass the bill, then it’s up to the President to sign the bill.

The Obama Administration wanted further cuts that would save a household making $80,000 per year an additional $2,500 in tax liabilities.

If the payroll tax cuts haven’t been high on your reading list, there are a few reasons why that should change.

Within the bill there are winners and losers and much like the recent Supercommittee impasse, when this issue surfaces again in February, your paycheck could be at risk if both parties can’t come to a longer term agreement.

Here are a few reasons you might want to keep up with this issue. [Read more…] about Senate Passes Bill to Extend Payroll Tax Cut Temporarily (and Other Provisions)