Monday, December 31, 2018


What Impacts Your Credit Rating




Making late payments or having credit card accounts in collections can hurt your credit scores.  But you might be shocked to learn that a lot of other seemingly innocent actions can also negatively impact your credit rating.  Here's a list of five surprising things that can lower your credit scores -- and keep you from having a stellar credit report.
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Renting a Car With a Debit Card
“I learned about this credit-busting issue the hard way: after I rented a car in 2009 from Avis using my debit card.  I thought I was being responsible by using a debit card linked to my checking account.  After all, I figured, a debit card would help me avoid unnecessary credit card debt bills and stick to my zero debt lifestyle.

But noooooo.  In the fine print of its rental agreements, Avis includes a clause that basically says the company has the right to pull your credit report if you use a debit card as opposed to a credit card.  Most other car rental companies have contracts with the same clause.  This makes absolutely no sense to me, especially since under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, companies that pull your credit rating are supposed to have a "permissible purpose" - as is the case when you're seeking a loan, credit or employment.

But renting a car doesn't fit into any of these categories.  Obviously, car rental businesses see it differently.  They want some extra protection for the privilege of "loaning" you a vehicle.  If that's the case, instead of pulling credit reports, why don't they simply ask debit card users for upfront deposits, just as they do with those who pay by cash or credit card?

Anyway, after I made the mistake of using my debit card to pay for my Avis car rental, the next day I received an email alert from my credit monitoring service.  It notified me that there was an "inquiry" on my credit report from Avis and that my FICO credit score had dropped by 14 points.  Needless to say, I've never used a debit card at a car rental company since.
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Saying Yes to a Department Store Credit Card…
When you're spending $50 or $100 at Macy's, Victoria's Secret or wherever you like to shop, I know it can be tempting to say yes to the nice lady behind the counter who offers you a 10% discount - if you just open an instant department store credit card. But believe me, you really should just say no.

Not only do department store cards carry much higher interest rates than do national brand cards, like Visa or MasterCard, but applying for that new store account definitely triggers a "hard inquiry" on your credit report because you're seeking credit.  The end result: You could wind up dinging your credit score.

Estimates are all over the place, but some experts say an inquiry can drop your credit score by 5 or so points, while others say a single inquiry could cost you up to 35 points, depending on your current credit standing. (Read more about how inquiries on your credit report impact your credit score).
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Closing a Credit Card With a Zero Balance
For many people who've struggled with debt, when they finally manage to pay off a credit card, their natural tendency is to think "Good riddance."  And many of those individuals will close a credit card balance once it's paid off.  But think twice about doing so - or else two quirks of the credit-scoring system could come back to haunt you.

The FICO scoring system operates based on a formula.  FICO hasn't revealed all the ingredients in their secret sauce, but they have disclosed some guidelines.

About 30% of your FICO credit score is based on the amount of credit card debt you've charged.  The lower the amount of credit card debt you're carrying, the better it is for your credit scores because you'll have a lower "credit utilization rate."  For instance, let's say you have just one credit card. It has a $5,000 credit limit, and your balance is $4,000.  Your credit utilization rate is 80% because you've charged 80% of your total credit line. Not good.  Try to keep your credit utilization rate around 25% or less.

By closing an account, you could throw off your credit utilization rate, inadvertently lowering your credit scores.  For example, let's assume you have two credit cards, each with a $5,000 limit.  You've charged $1,000 on each card.  So your total credit utilization rate is 20% ($2,000 divided by $10,000).

But now you decide to take advantage of a 0% balance transfer offer.  So you transfer the full $1,000 balance from one card onto the other card offering you the 0% deal.  Then you close the card with no balance.  Suddenly, your credit profile has changed - and not for the better.

With just one card boasting a $5,000 limit and a current total balance of $2,000, your credit utilization rate has now jumped to 40% from 20%.  Even though you haven't charged a single dime more, you appear "riskier" to the credit scoring system.
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Another Problem:
15% of your FICO score is determined by the length of your credit history.  Older, more established accounts boost your credit rating.  So closing an account - especially one you've had for a long time - could be detrimental to your credit health.

A closed account will still be included in your FICO score calculation.  But after 10 years, closed accounts are dropped from your credit reports so you won't get the benefit of that credit longevity when your FICO scores are tabulated down the road.
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Buying Furniture From a Local Merchant and Using Their Financing
You might think that debt is debt. But all debt is not created equal ñ particularly when it comes to your credit scores.
Credit card debt, also known as "revolving debt," is scored less favorably than, say, a home loan.  And lower-tier levels of debt, such as furniture store loans, are even further down on the credit totem pole.

So when you buy furniture from a mom-and-pop store, or even a big furniture retailer, and you finance it through this company, it can lower your credit rating because these firms are seen as lenders of last resort.  Also, furniture store loans are typically reported to the credit bureaus as "revolving debt."  Therefore, if you get a $1,000 credit limit from a furniture store and you proceed to buy a $900 sofa and love seat, you'll appear to be nearly maxed out, which is bad for your credit score.

Remember, too, that FICO's credit scoring system grades the type of loans you have in your credit reports.  The "mix" of credit you have, accounts for 10% of your FICO scores. So having a healthy mix of credit - for instance, a mortgage loan, an auto loan, a student loan and a credit card - is a good thing, as long as you pay all your bills on time.  But stay away from furniture loans and household finance companies.


Read more at DailyFinance:
http://bit.ly/2LzyWoS

Thursday, December 27, 2018


Year-end Deals: Kindle Unlimited for $0.99



3 Months of Unlimited Reading for $0.99

eBooks, Magazines, Audio Books



The offer is only available to customers located in the United States
Existing Kindle Unlimited subscribers with free trials or paid memberships 
are not eligible for this promotion
After the 3-month period, you authorize us to charge your credit card 
on file $9.99/month - until you cancel (any time)
You may cancel your subscription at any time by visiting
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Wednesday, December 26, 2018


TODAY: NY Times Best Sellers up to 82% OFF

Boxing Day Deal: Select New York Times Best Sellers, up to 82% off


Click on any of the following images
to see all the book deals: 
 


David Baldacci’s   Long Road to Mercy



Kate Atkinson’s  Transcription




Beth Macy’s  Dopesick





Andrew Sean Greer’s  Less (Pulitzer Prize Winner)




Liza Mundy’s  Code Girls





Happy reading - and don't forget to write reviews : )

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Friday, December 21, 2018


Senior Discounts in 2019




At most retailers, restaurants, parks, on public transport, and at hotels--simply ask the question, “Do you offer a senior discount?” and see how much you can save.  Here are just a handful of examples of a long listing of Senior discounts compiled by Prime8.com:

Get a Lower Auto Insurance Rate
If you’re currently paying more than $50 per month, and have had no accidents or tickets in the past two years, you can probably secure a much lower car insurance rate.  The best way to do that is to compare quotes from multiple insurers – let them compete for your business.

Stop Paying for Cable/TV Every Month
Switch to an online network subscription--use a BlueWire TV Antenna.

Discounts in (Fastfood) Restaurants
From fast food to steak restaurants, for example, IHOP, Perkins, Subway, Old Country Buffet, or MacDonalds will definitely help you make your choice.  Deals may vary at participating locations and can change without notice.


National Parks
Senior citizens can get an annual national park pass for just $20 and a lifetime pass for $80.

Health Insurance
Seniors can get Health Insurance from $9/month.  Use HealthInsurance.net to compare policies and prices, and find what's best for you.

See more here: http://prime8.com/seniors2b/

Tuesday, December 18, 2018


Tips to Save on Online Shopping




The most obvious way to save on holiday shopping is to avoid impulse buys. 
Start by making a list of the gifts you know you want to buy.  Comparison-shop with InvisibleHand a browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari that automatically scours the web for the lowest price on any item you’re looking at.


Also set up email alerts Moolah gives you the best links which let you know immediately when an item’s price drops.  You can search products on the site or get a browser plug-in (for Chrome, Safari, and Firefox) that also shows the three-month price history of any product on any retailer’s site as you’re viewing it.
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Knowing the price history of a product can help you cut through 

some of the “buy now!” hype and decide when to pull the trigger.
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Go Through the Right DoorWebsites like Ebates.com or TopCashback.com offer cash back for shopping certain retailers so long as you enter those online stores via the cash-back portal.  The best part about these sites is that you can also add coupon codes and other discounts to your purchases.  These sites’ agreements with retailers rotate. Check a few to see which is offering the best payout for where you’re shopping.
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Similar offers Through Your Credit Cards  Discover, for example, has hundreds of retailers in its ShopDiscover program, which offers 5% to 15% cash back if you click through Discover’s site to the retailer.  Find out if your card issuer offers a shopping portal, then add it to the rotation of rebate sites to check.
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Find the Best Coupons
You know that you should go to sites like RetailMeNot.com and CouponCabin.com to search for coupon codes before making any purchase. But sometimes fatigue sets in after you try five or six codes that don’t work, and sometimes you simply forget to check at all, right?  That’s why the smartest shoppers automate their coupon clipping, says Kyle James, founder of Rather-Be-Shopping.com.
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Use  CouponFollow.com’s coupons at Checkout extension—available for Chrome, Safari, Firefox at couponfollow.com/checkout
To find some of the best-unpublished codes and private sales, you might also sign up for email lists or loyalty cards from the stores and brands you know you’ll shop this holiday. “A lot of places will invite everyone on the email list to a sale not otherwise advertised,” says Cook of BensBargains.com.
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Also, you might follow the brands and retailers you’re planning to buy from on Facebook and Twitter, says Mark LoCastro of DealNews.com.  Cole Haan, for example, recently tweeted a 30% friends-and-family discount.  Just be aware that discounts through these channels tend to be better because of what you give up: your contact info and personal data, which retailers will use to market to you in the future.
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Pick the Right Kind of PlasticIf you’re not going through a specific credit card’s shopping portal, choose the card to use based on the rewards you’ll get. Two are particularly profitable for holiday shoppers—and neither has an annual fee.  Chase Freedom gives a hefty 5% cash back on department stores and at Zappos.com and Amazon through the end of the year.  Discover It pays 5% on online shopping and department stores for the same period.  Just pay the bill off on time so that interest charges don’t erase the rewards.
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Save on ShippingRetailers are generally raising the minimum you need to spend to qualify for free shipping, but there are still ways to avoid paying for delivery.  Target, for example, is waiving shipping fees on all orders through Dec. 20.  And there may be more promos like this during the competitive holiday season.  Look for codes at FreeShipping.org.
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See if your favorite retailer will give you a break on shipping if you check out through its mobile app (as Tory Burch and Sierra Trading Post do) or if you join the loyalty program (like Best Buy and Sperry Top-Sider do).  If you have an American Express card, you can get a membership to ShopRunner—which offers free two-day shipping from more than 100 e-tailers which normally costs $79—for free.
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Try for a Last-Ditch DealDon’t hit that purchase button just yet!  Load up your cart, start the checkout process by entering your credit card and shipping info, and then close your window. Retailers hate this.  Desperate to convert potential sales into actual ones, stores will often send emails with additional discounts to entice those who have not finalized a purchase to do so. Of course, this works only if you’re not in a rush.  But it works especially well if you are spending a lot.  They want that sale.
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Didn’t work or don’t have time to wait?  Before you finish checking out, ping a customer-service rep through live chat or by phone.  “Ask if they can offer you free shipping or a discount,” says James of Rather-Be-Shopping.com, who has had luck with this strategy at Foot Locker, J. Jill, Lands’ End, and Shutterfly.  “Say, ‘I really want to finish my order, but this is a little more than I can spend.’  It never hurts to ask.”
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Get an Adjustment
Save your receipts and don’t turn off the price alerts.  Some retailers—­including Target.com­—will give you a price adjustment if the price drops after you buy.  And if the site won’t do it, the credit card you used might.
Citi Price Rewind and any Discover or MasterCard offer price-protection programs.  Check your card’s terms.  Discover will give you a refund for any price change within 90 days so you could benefit from deep after-Christmas discounts.
This should make your new year a little happier : )
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Wednesday, December 5, 2018


Acer Aspire Desktop Computer - 33% LESS

TC-885-ACCFLi3 - 8GB - 1TB HDD - Windows 10 Home



Was: $449.99 
Deal of the Day: $299.99 
Ends in 16h 38m 06s
You Save: $150.00 (33%)

Click here to see more details and other Deals of the Day 

Saturday, December 1, 2018


Nimble Eco-Friendly 10-Day Portable Charger 40% OFF

Save 40% on this Nimble Portable Charger!


“The use of recycled materials, plastic-free packaging and the
electronic recycling program obviously reflects Nimble's ideals.”



Price:$99.95 
Deal of the Day:$59.97 

Reviewer: “The first time I used the 10 Day Fast Portable Charger I was going on a 7-day vacation to Mexico. The entire trip I didn't plug my iPhone Xs or Apple Watch into an outlet. I was able to go the entire time, including the plane trips, charging my devices using the Nimble Portable Charger. I didn't have to charge the Portable Charger once!”

Only Saturday, December 1, 2018
Cyber Week Top Specials

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