Consumer Articles

1. Home Buyers Need the Right Information When Buying a Home

By Don Berthiaume Use Google right now and do a search on, "Home Buying Guide". Take a few minutes to click some of the links to see what's out there and then come right back. Now, try "Home Buyer Guide" and do the same thing. Overwhelming, isn’t it? And that’s exactly the problem facing today’s prospective home buyers; not knowing how to sort through all of the information that is offered to them wh... read more

2. Avoiding Credit Card Traps

By James H. Dimmitt Avoiding Credit Card Traps Copyright 2005, http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com Author: James H. Dimmitt The next time you open your credit card statement, take a closer look at the small insert titled “changes to your credit card agreement”. You know the one I’m speaking about. It’s that small, folded paper written in legalese that you promise to read some other time (but of course that ... read more

3. Seeking Grant Proposals for your Fundraiser

By Michelle Pearson An essential part of fundraising is writing grant proposals and grant applications. An effectively written grant application can result in large sums of money for your fundraising group. Grant applications can be a long and tiresome journey, but in the end it will be worth it for your group! In the following article, we are going to help you understand grants and what they entail. Grant Appl... read more

4. Modular Homes - Affordable Housing

By Dan Lewis With soaring real estate prices, many Americans are looking to alternative home options. Modular homes are one of the popular affordable housing options. Modular Homes Modular homes represent almost 8% of all new U.S. home sales, with nearly 43,000 of them built in 2004 alone. In the Northeast today, 10% of the houses constructed are modular. It is primarily the states of North Carolina, Mi... read more

5. Convenience Can Be Costly: Understanding Cash Advances

By James H. Dimmitt Article: Convenience Can Be Costly: Understanding Cash Advances Author: James H. Dimmitt Author e-mail: jimdim815@aol.com word count: 413 characters per line: 60 Permission to reprint this article for your e-zine or on your web site, as long as byline and resource box at end of article remains intact. Please keep links active on web sites or in e-mail. Courtesy copy of your reprint to:... read more

6. Consumer Action: Putting the “Freeze” on Credit Files

By James H. Dimmitt Consumer Action: Putting the “Freeze” on Credit Files Copyright 2005, http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com Author: James H. Dimmitt In the wake of 40 million MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express accounts recently being breached, consumers and legislators are scrambling for ways to protect their personal and financial information from being hijacked and used fraudulently by hacke... read more

7. Negotiate Your Way To A Lower Credit Card APR !

By James H. Dimmitt Negotiate Your Way To Lower Credit Card APR'S ! Copyright 2005, http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com Author: James H. Dimmitt I have three major credit card accounts that I've had for many years. The other night I was reconciling my monthly statements and noticed a large discrepancy in the APR's (annual percentage rate) I was paying on these three accounts. My first card, card "A"... read more

8. 7 Frugal Activities for Bored Kids!

By Cyndi Roberts Christmas is over, but the kids are still home from school for a few more days. You're all tired of playing the new games, but what else is there to do? Try these fun, frugal activities! 1. Go to the park and feed the ducks. Bundle up and take along some stale bread, rolls (leftover from Christmas dinner) or crackers. The kids will love it and the ducks will be glad to see you! 2.... read more

9. Avoiding College Credit Card Traps

By James H. Dimmitt Avoiding College Credit Card Traps Copyright 2005, http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com Author: James H. Dimmitt Congratulations college freshman! You’re about to embark on one of the most exciting times of your life. By now your parents, siblings, and friends have offered you all kinds of advice on how to make your transition to college smoother - how to get along with your roommate, wha... read more

10. Tips to make your vehicle go the distance

By Kyle Busch © 2003 by Kyle Busch, author of: "Drive the Best for the Price ..." http:www.drivethebestbook.com If you are on a tight budget, or even on an unlimited budget, you know how important it is to make the most of what you have. ... read more

11. Credit Repair Scams

By James H. Dimmitt Article: Credit Repair Scams word count: 401 characters per line: 60 per line Permission to reprint this article for your e-zine or on your web site, as long as byline and resource box at end of article remains intact. Courtesy copy of your reprint to: articles@yourfreecreditreportnow.com is appreciated. ************************************************************ Credit Repair Scams b... read more

12. Identity Theft Scams

By James H. Dimmitt Article: Identity Theft Scams word count: 273 characters per line: 60 per line author email: jimdim815@aol.com Permission to reprint this article for your e-zine or on your web site, as long as byline and resource box at end of article remains intact. Courtesy copy of your reprint to: articles@yourfreecreditreportnow.com is appreciated. *************************************************... read more

13. Tougher Bankruptcy Laws Take Effect October 2005

By James H. Dimmitt In just a few short weeks, President Bush’s Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act will take effect. In a nutshell, the new law, which goes into effect on October 17, 2005, makes it more difficult to cancel your debts under Chapter 7 Bankruptcy protection. Instead, consumers will find themselves having to file for Chapter 13 Bankruptcy protection and paying back their creditor... read more

14. Selling Your Home - Don't Be A Victim

By Dan Lewis Selling your home can be a complex process. If you make mistakes, you may be unable to sell you home or have seller's remorse. There's no need for this if you keep in mind the following. Overpricing Your Home It's important to be realistic about the value of your home. Sellers should insist their realtors present them with objective criteria for pricing. Comparative information is most criti... read more

15. Personal Injury Claim - Win Without A Doubt!

By Mumtaz Shah Everyone likes winning! If you win by an inch or a mile, winning is winning! Now winning at personal injury is a different ball game altogether. Do you want to claim compensation in direct result of an accident or injury? Okay, that's fine go ahead, you deserve it! Life Before A Personal Injury Claim I bet it was awesome… You were having the time of your life. Winning at everything, football... read more

16. Why Consumers Need a Nationwide Credit Freeze NOW

By James H. Dimmitt What do a shoe retailer, an online discount broker, and a popular clothing retailer all have in common? All three - DSW Shoe Warehouse, Ameritrade, and Polo Ralph Lauren - sustained breaches to their customers’ accounts. Unfortunately, these three are not alone when it comes to security breaches. CitiFinancial, Bank of America, LexisNexis and other companies have also experienced similar events... read more

17. Caution - I Brake for Yard Sales!

By Cyndi Roberts In some areas they are called garage sales, or rummage sales. Sometimes they are called yard sales. In Britain, they have what they call "car-boot" sales. Whatever the name, it is a fun part of a frugal lifestyle. Here are some of the ways I have found to save money by shopping yard sales. Expecting your first child? Yard sales can be a great place to stock up on necessities. Ever... read more

18. Injury Compensation - How To Get Back What You Lost?

By Mumtaz Shah Life is always better before an accident injury, actually much better. Ask anyone who is suffering from an accident or injury? Discover how to get back on your feet by claiming compensation the right way. An injury compensation claim is a common procedure for those who have been unfortunate to suffer the consequences of a personal injury and know only too well the life-altering effects it can h... read more

19. Bankruptcy Basics

By James H. Dimmitt Article: Bankruptcy Basics word count: 479 characters per line: 60 Author email: jimdim815@aol.com Permission to reprint this article for your e-zine or on your web site, as long as byline and resource box at end of article remains intact. Please keep links active on web sites or in e-mail. Courtesy copy of your reprint to: jimdim815@aol.com is appreciated. ****************************... read more

20. Frugal Outdoor Cooking!

By Cyndi Roberts Firing up the grill is a great way to cook in the summer! Here are a few grilling tips and a couple of recipes, too. For great grilled burgers, form the patty gently. Smashing the meat forces out moisture. Sear both sides of the burger on both sides, then move the burger and cook with indirect heat till done. Use a meat thermometer to gauge when the meat is done. Ground beef shoul... read more

21. Dish Network deals consumer guide

By Teddy First, what's Dish Network? Dish Network, owned by company Echostar, is the United States second biggest Satellite TV provider. Dish Network provides up to 256 TV channels of 100% digital picture. Satellite broadcast licensed in 1987, Dish Network currently dish up about 10 million satellite TV customers with their free Dish Network offer in United States. With up to 256 TV channels served i... read more

22. 10 Tips To Prevent You From Being A Victim Of Credit Card Fraud

By Jeff Brown Victims of credit card fraud can tell you just how traumatic it can be. It's not just the potential money loss, it can also leave a bad mark on your credit report that can take years to sort out. Most people think that credit card fraud is when your wallet or purse is stolen, and the thief uses your credit cards to buy all sorts of goods and services. However, the number of purchases made on... read more

23. Consumers, Beware the New “Wave” of Credit Cards

By James H. Dimmitt Consumers, Beware the New “Wave” of Credit Cards Copyright 2005, http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com Author: James H. Dimmitt J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., the nation’s #2 bank and leading issuer of credit cards, has announced it will issue new “contactless credit cards” to its account holders beginning June 1. The new cards can be “waved” in front of a special reader instead of being swiped t... read more

24. Monitoring Your Credit Is Easy As 1-2-3!

By James H. Dimmitt Monitoring Your Credit Is Easy As 1-2-3 Copyright 2005, http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com Author: James H. Dimmitt Thanks to the FACT(Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions) Act, all U.S. residents will be allowed one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting agencies - Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. This legislation makes it easy for you to keep an ... read more