Author Archives: Dale Coltrane

Choose the Best Payday Lender

You are thinking of applying for a payday loan in Canada. Payday loans do come in handy in a jam; however, it won’t hurt for you to be careful about the process. Here is how you can do just that –

Reputation

Has your lender been in business for a long time?  Make sure they aren’t a fly by night operation, and check to see what their history is like.  There’s a handy timeline of payday loans available here that you could look at.

Interest Rates

Choose the lender who charges the lowest interest rates. This will give you more value for your money. Remember, payday lenders are private entities. In other words, such lenders are more at risk when it comes to these types of transactions. Therefore it isn’t surprising why they charge higher interest rates as compared to conventional financial institutes like banks. Of course, payday lenders also keep their rates competitive in order to draw borrowers. It shouldn’t be too hard to find a lender who offers interest rates that are more up your alley.

Is it Legal?

Make sure that you do a thorough background check on the lender that you choose. Your payday lender must be allowed to render services in your particular area. In other words, the lender must hold a license for your particular state. You may be held liable for doing business with an illegal business if you aren’t careful.

Online Privacy

Does your chosen payday lender protect your privacy? Does it use reputable software to do so? If it doesn’t its best that you keep looking. Scour each lender’s website and check privacy policies before you commit to anything. You will sleep better at night knowing that your personal information is safe.

Fees

Some payday lenders charge for loans. This is where the real differences in costs come from. Also analyze the maximum amount that each lender offers. Your payday loan might amount to a thousand dollars. Choose a lender that is willing to accommodate the amount you need.

Payday Loan Applications

A legitimate payday lender always states its loan application clearly on its website. If it doesn’t its best that you keep looking for one that does especially if you happen to be new to the process. The instructions should include everything from the application process, to submitting it and getting approved.

Some lenders require you to have a job and a checking account while others won’t check up on your credit history. You can opt for the latter if your credit report isn’t exactly squeaky clean.

Payday loans can come in handy when you are strapped for cash, need to make prompt payments on an investment but can’t wait for your employer to pay you at the end of the month. Of course, every financial entity comes with its fair share of risks and payday lenders are no different. Most Canadians tend to stick with the first payday lender they come across in their hurry to get paid immediately. This is a mistake to say the least. You can’t be too careful when it comes to your finances. Legitimate lenders can help you out of financial quandaries the legal way. Make sure that you do thorough background checks on each lender as well.

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Canada’s Payday Loan Consumer Protections

Until 2006, Canada’s payday loan industry was essentially unregulated. Then it was discovered that their interest charges, fees and other lending practices violated Canada’s usury laws. In 2006, the Criminal Code of Canada was adjusted to allow each of Canada’s provinces to regulate their own payday loan industry. New legislation has been shutterstock_69293371passed nearly every year since, and this has left Canada’s citizens better protected from unscrupulous payday lenders. So far, not all provinces have issued legislation on this matter, however payday loans in Ontario, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia are now all legalized.

U. K. Payday Lending Requirements:

There are few lending requirements in the U. K.’s exploding payday lending industry. There was, however, a reigning in of payday lending advertisements on social media, as this violated advertising regulations. Interestingly, their annual percentage rates, averaging out at 4, 214 percent, drew complaints from the financial industry because they were posted in a tiny fonts instead of being & quot; prominently & quot; placed on the ads. Children in the U. K. have even succeeded in getting online payday loans by misleading the system.

In the U. K., interest rates have no cap, and rollover loans are still allowed. A rollover loan is one that the borrower renews when he or she is unable to pay it off after the 14- day lending period has expired. A renewal fee is charged at approximately $15. 00 for every $100 borrowed. On a $500. 00 loan, this would amount to $75. 00 just to roll over a $500. 00 loan for two weeks.

U. S. Payday Lending Requirements:

In the United States, most payday regulation is left to each state to determine for its citizens. Some states have capped payday loan interest rates, while others haven & # 039; t. Much of the payday lending in the United States is done online, with the statewide interest limits often being circumvented via the Internet.

The U. S. has no regulations on rollover extensions, and many Americans end up trapped in an endless cycle of debt.

Canada:

Canada, by far, has the most comprehensive payday loan protections for the consumer. After initially passing some nationalized legislation, such as the eradication of rollover charges, as an umbrella protection for all of Canada, each province has passed their own payday loan legislation.

Saskatchewan has adopted a very thorough list of consumer protections that includes licensing, the consumer’s right to cancel a payday loan, the prohibition of taking collateral from borrowers and more. The rest of the provinces are putting forth caps on interest rates and fees in addition to regulations fitting for each province’s business and economic climate.

Posted in budgeting.

Styling Up Without Spending Too Much

 

Some of the best- quality clothes aren’t necessarily the most expensive ones, and the reverse is also true. In fact, many high- fashion brands tend to put out mediocre or bad quality products made of very thin cotton or faux leather. On top of that, they’ll mark it up for up t0 500 percent of the original cost of the product.

There are ways to get the same look without having to spend go over your budget or dig into your loans. For one, thrift stores can offer a better selection than many classy boutiques. There are literally tons of good items to be found in these shops. The downside is that for every good jacket or pair of pants found, you’ll have to wade through dozens or even hundred of bad- quality stuff.

If you would rather go with a more convenient option, there are always the knock- off fashion items that almost spell out the real brands but really aren’t the real thing. These knock- offs have gained a reputation for being very bad quality over the years, but in some rare cases, they’ve proven to be just as good as branded clothes.

Of course, there’s always the option of purchasing the real thing, but only during sales or slow periods. Many spring and summer items will go on sale during the autumn and winter months, and again, the reverse is true. Fashion websites are also a great way to look for discounts while still keeping everything within the budget.

 

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Paying Off Student Loans Sooner Rather Than Later

0416_student-loans_392x392It’s become almost impossible nowadays to graduate college without incurring student loans. Today’s graduates rack up loans of up to $20,000 by the time they have their first job. This has put many young professionals in a dilemma: should they start paying off their loans as soon as they can, or should they be saving money for a mortgage?

For most people, the best option is to pay off their debts slowly but regularly. One should first start off with the highest interest loans first, such as payday loans and then credit card debts, followed by mortgages and student loans. Consolidating your higher interest debts may help with this. If a student opts for the floating rate option, then chances are that the current interest rate will be lower, making it easier to pay off the debt sooner rather than later. Any interest payments will also go towards pushing down personal income tax rates, as long as the ownership is structured properly.

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How Does Teaching Help to Start a Side Business?

There are quite a few reasons why it is easier for teachers to start and successfully continue a side business. The first reason is that the teaching job gives a person a steady and stable income, based on which the person can start venturing out. However, the earning from this profession is different in different places. In Canada, this earning is quite handsome and so it is all the more lucrative for a person who wants to start a side business, to take up the profession of teaching.

Besides the salary, teachers receive various benefits such as life insurance and health insurance from their employers. Some of their benefits are highly subsidized. So they really need not have to spend much time in handling these important things of life themselves. When you are a teacher, these things are automatically taken care of. This provides the teachers extra time to spend on other interests.

Another important attraction of teaching is the long days of leave that you cannot get in any other profession. Summer vacation, spring break and Christmas vacation are just a few of them. These long vacations provide the teachers with ample opportunity and time to work on something else. You can even take a year long leave or apply for flexible hours.

A very important aspect of teaching is that teachers are backed by a very strong union. This union takes up their cases and benefits very strongly. You will enjoy a very high job security in this profession. So, what are you waiting for? Work hard as a teacher and venture into the world of business in your spare time.

Posted in employment.

Saving Up on Group Voucher Websites

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One of the biggest trends that has hit the Internet in the last few years is the group discount or voucher deal. These are websites that offer daily discounts for almost all kinds of products and services for as long as a minimum number of people accept the deal. These companies are able to give away extremely high discounts ( some even as high as 90 percent ) because they’re banking on dozens or even hundreds of people taking the deal. From a customer’s viewpoint however, are these vouchers worth it? If you ask the merchants, you would get a resounding no. This means that for the consumer, the deals must be especially great.
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The Pros and Cons of Bicycling to Work

I am an avid cyclist, so I do have a strong bias here. However, an increasing number of office goers are replacing their cars with bikes to go to their workplace. The main reasons for changing the mode of their transport are economy and health. Bicycling is much cheaper than driving a car and it is an excellent form of exercise. However, bicycling need not be as cheap as one might expect. Due to different reasons, cycling can become a costly affair. Let us look at those reasons:

The Bicycle

Bicycles of different make and model are available and the choice depends on the preferences of the rider. Depending upon the make and quality, their prices vary vastly. If it is speed that you want, a road bike will be the most suitable one for you. If comfort is what you are looking for, there is the commuting bike. A mountain bike will serve all your purposes if you make some alterations to it. The most expensive component of bicycling to work is the bicycle itself. But if you buy a used bicycle, you will be saving a lot in this regard.

Accessories to a Bicycle

A bicycle surely needs other accessories as well. There has to be a headlight, an inflator, extra tubes, comfortable seats and panniers (what are those? Uncommon word, I know). You may also have to buy a backpack to carry your personal belongings. All these things together will cost you a considerable amount of money. This is in addition to the cost of the bicycle itself.

Special Clothing

As a bicyclist, you must have special clothing to protect you from the elements of nature. The special clothing will also make bicycling comfortable. If you ride in your office dress, your dress will become dirty by the time you reach your office. Then there is the helmet, the gloves and so on. These items are again going to cost you dearly.

It now seems that the initial cost of riding on a bicycle to your office is quite high but since it doesn’t need any fuel and is almost maintenance free, you will be making huge savings in the long run. By bicycling to work every day, you will stay fit and there will be a marked improvement in your overall health. This is the bonus for you.

 

 

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Do you tip for poor service?

 

There are many occasions in your life that calls for you to pay a good tip. The services that you receive from restaurants, barber shops, taxi cabs, limousine services etc. are some of these common occasions. Now, some of these service providers can disappoint you with the poor quality of their services. In such occasions, some of you may be forced to think about withholding the tip altogether. How do you tackle these situations?

When you are satisfied with the service, you must pay a decent tip, assuming you are in a country where tips are paid. It can be anything from 15 % and up depending on your financial ability and generosity. Excellent service needs to be appreciated and paid for with a good tip. On the contrary, when you are poorly treated, you are likely to withhold the tip. That is a natural tendency of all human beings and no one is going to blame you for that. But, the server may not be responsible for the poor service provided for you. If the management is responsible for the poor training and facilities provided, then it is not fair on your part to put the blame on the poor server. In such circumstances, it would be better on your part to pay the tip promptly and file a complaint with the higher ups of the firm.

 

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