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Your health care can be a source of huge bills, but it’s really not something you want to neglect. But what many people don’t realise is that most hospitals are happy to negotiate on costs. Here are some tips to help you save money on your health care without compromising the care that you receive: (more…)

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Scouring the internet is a great way to acquire knowledge, but there are few things better than a comprehensive book, written by an expert. That’s why, if you’re trying to build your personal finance library, it’s best to start with the basics. The following books pour are like a personable, accessible course in Personal Finance 101, giving you a solid base on which to grow your knowledge. (more…)

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Real estate prices across the United States have been hit really hard in recent times, but in some areas things are really starting to turn around. You have to keep a good eye on your local area to see when housing prices are starting to rebound, especially if you’re considering selling or buying. Money Magazine put out a list of signs that the housing market in your area is rebounding, so take a look at these indicators to figure out what’s happening to real estate around you: (more…)

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Many new mothers dream of being able to give up work completely and devote their full attention to bringing up their children, especially in their pre-school years. However, as Girls Just Wanna Have Funds points out, many women are not completely aware of what a financial risk this step could be. (more…)

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Make a late payment on your mortgage and your credit card interest rate goes up–even though you’ve been making timely payments on the card. (more…)

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For people who are about to get married or set up house with their partner, financial arrangements are one of those unromantic topics that do need to be talked about. One of the biggest decisions is whether you’ll set up a joint account or separate accounts, and the Financial Planning guys at About.com recently had some thoughts on the pros and cons of both sides of this decision. (more…)

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With home prices falling, you might think that now would be the perfect time to buy. But hold that thought: the fact is, though housing prices are on the way down, <a href=”http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25374401/”loan interest rates are on the rise, eating away at your real savings. (more…)

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It seems like a huge, unattainable goal, but a joint study between Merrill Lynch & Co. and the Capgemini Group reports that the world now houses more than 10 million millionaires. Indeed, their total net worth, not including real estate holdings, amounts to an astounding $41 trillion, an increase of 9 percent from the previous year. (more…)

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If you’re getting into trouble with your home mortgage repayments, you might be interested to know what kind of compromises lenders are prepared to make to find a way to keep your loan viable and avoid selling your house. Apparently, foreclosing on a loan can cost the lending authority around $50,000, so there’s often a real incentive for them to find a way to get the borrower paying back the loan on a regular basis. Plus, with house prices falling in some areas, the lender will be trying even harder to work out a loan rather than foreclose, because they may not fully recoup their money if they sell the property. (more…)

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It’s easy to take your home and its contents for granted - it’s there when you wake up and there when you get home at night. And the home insurance is just another bill that you pay every year with thinking too much about it. But that can sure lead to problems, which is why checking these tips could save you a whole lot of hassle: (more…)