interest rates « Personal Finance Blog

Posts Tagged ‘interest rates’

How to Do the (Operation) Twist

September 23, 2011

In the early 1960s, a new dance craze gripped the nation: The Twist. Youngsters stopped slow dancing and started “twisting the night away.” At the same time, the American economy was slow dancing too and The Twist sounded like just the thing to get the economy moving.

Flash-forward to 2011, the economy has slowed again and the Fed is out of new dance moves. This has given rise to new talk of “Operation Twist,” a strategy used in the 1960s to spark a similarly stalled economy. Find out what it is and how it affects you and your wallet.

US Series I Savings Bonds: A Bad Idea for Your Tax Refund?

March 29, 2011

If you’re fortunate enough to receive a tax refund this year, you may be interested in stashing that money somewhere safe where it can grow. A US Series I Savings bond is considered by many to be a conservative investment for several reasons. Find out what perks the IRS is offering to put your tax refund into savings bonds, what the benefits of these investments are and if they’re right for you and your money.

3 Ways to Lower Your Mortgage Rate

March 3, 2011

If you’re planning to buy a new home, there are a few things you can do to save yourself a bundle of money before even walking into your first open house. By positioning yourself to get the lowest interest rate on your home loan, you can save thousands of dollars over the life of the mortgage. We show you how to do it.

5 Reasons Store Credit Cards Are a Bad Idea

January 27, 2011

Store credit cards charge high interest, have limited use, and provide fewer benefits than traditional credit cards. Are they ever a good idea?

5 Things You Need to Qualify for a Home Loan

October 26, 2010

Qualifying for a home loan these days isn’t easy and requires extensive documentation as well as some available cash. But know that some of your financial costs may very well be tax-deductible, so be sure to keep all receipts and obtain detailed accounting from your mortgage lender regarding all costs paid out of your pocket once you close the deal. Here are five things you’ll need to qualify for a home loan today.

Fed: Recovery Slow, Short-Term Rates to Remain Low

August 10, 2010

Our smart friends at the Federal Reserve announced today that they will once again hold its Fed funds rate at the 0 percent to 0.25 percent range. The following is an official press release from the Fed regarding its decision today and a translation (for the rest of us) from our Chief Quizzologist.

Fed Leaves Key Rate Unchanged, Says Economic Recovery Hurt by Problems Overseas

June 23, 2010

Our super smart friends at the Federal Reserve announced today that they will once again hold its Fed funds rate at the 0 percent to 0.25 percent range. The following is an official press release from the Fed regarding its decision today and a translation (for the rest of us) from our Chief Quizzologist.

Fed Holds Key Rate, Sees Strength in Economy

April 28, 2010

Our smarty-pants friends at the Federal Reserve announced today that they will once again hold its Fed funds rate at the 0 percent to 0.25 percent range. Here’s the official press release from the Fed regarding its decision today and a translation (for the rest of us) from Quicken Loans Chief Economist Bob Walters.

3 Ways to Avoid Foreclosure

March 2, 2010

By: Jenny Zhang With a national unemployment rate hovering around 10 percent and property values still down, many Americans are struggling to make their monthly mortgage payments. What’s worse is there’s a widespread belief that foreclosure is a way out. The reality is that foreclosure can significantly affect your credit score, prevent you from qualifying [...]

3 Major Money Mistakes that Can Cost You

February 10, 2010

Everyone makes mistakes, or so my mother tells me. But when it comes to making mistakes with your money, it can cost you. Avoid expensive mishaps by being in the know, particularly when it comes to your credit score, home loan and rainy day fund: Ignoring Your Credit Score Your credit score has never been [...]

What the Credit CARD Act Means for You and Your Wallet

February 4, 2010

By: Will Tumulty, CEO of Ready Financial Group The new Credit CARD Act recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama goes into effect just a few weeks from now on February 22, 2010. The CARD Act contains a number of provisions designed to make credit card disclosures more clear for consumers [...]