Payday Loans Blog

Thanks to the participation of Check City locations this year's Warm Hearts Coat Drive collected about 600 coats. 500 of those coats were distributed to the Catholic Community Services Organization and the rest (numbering around 100) were donated to refugees for the Human Rights Celebration at the mayor's office. Check City has participated in the coat drive for three years and would like to thank everyone for making this year a success once again. Special thank yous go out to our area store managers who collected and helped distribute the coats, Fox 13 News for covering the story, Catholic Community Services for distributing the coats, and all of those of you who donated to the coat drive. Your donation made a difference.

NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK

Check City Website Gets a New Look for a New Year 

The New Year brings a brand new look for Check City Online.  Check City Online (CCO) will be launching its new look today!

The new site comes with updated features such as a better FAQs page, an improved employment application section, and an easier to find services section.  Along with making it easier to locate, the services section itself has improved.  It now includes more concise, and informative information to help you understand exactly how all of our services work.  

With so many great visual and content changes the new design will provide consumers with easier site navigation, improved customer service and an easy way to keep up with us in the media.

Visit our new and improved website today at www.CheckCity.com to check it out for yourself.  Apply for a payday loan or learn all about our tax services while you are there.

In an article published by the Huffington Post the CEO of Plastyc Inc. Patrice Peyret makes a bold statement.  He says:

"There are many sources of prepaid accounts. Some non-for-profit organizations like the Community Financial Resources offer a one dollar per month prepaid card, which, when used occasionally for ATM withdrawals, amounts to about $50 per year. Credit Unions also strive to offer lower-cost services than traditional banks. They tend to be less Internet-ready than larger institutions, but several of them have low-cost prepaid cards that you can manage online.

And a new generation of online-only prepaid accounts offers many of the same services of a traditional checking account but with fewer fees and constraints. If you shop carefully and choose a service that offers FDIC insurance, you’ll get the same level of safety as a bank checking account. There’s no retail bank to visit, but you can log-in anytime via any Internet-connected PC or cell phone, and get email support at no cost.

How much exactly can you save? The example I know best is the iBankUP service offered by my company: its yearly cost for a usage pattern similar to the Bretton Woods study is $55. This is about $220 less than the median price of a checking account.

Using this kind of service instead of a bank checking account, the 51 million people in the 18 to 29 age range would collectively save $11 billion.

Finally, an $11 billion stimulus package from the banks to American consumers, not the other way round."  Click here to read the entire article.

Did you know that Check City offers netspend Prepaid Debit Cards? With great prices and low fees you can save money and keep yourself out of debt by getting a prepaid debit card. The best part is, our prepaid debit cards are accepted anywhere Visa and Mastercard are accepted worldwide, saving you time and money while still giving you the convenience a card offers.

Unfortunately it doesn't look as though the recession will end when the year is over no matter how much we want it to, so here are some New Years Eve party ideas that won't break your budget.

Celebrate with family. Stay home, order pizza, grab some drinks and other snacks and watch a movie or television and play party games until the ball drops.  Use disposable plates to minimize cleanup. 

Go to a friend's house or have a potluck party to save on expenses.

Have a special dinner with your significant other, enjoy each other's company. 

If these ideas sound a little too toned down for you here are are few others that are sure to make your party a success.

Decorate, but don't over decorate. Streamers and mood lighting can make your house festive without being expensive. 

Make sure to include music! Even if it is just playing in the background it adds life and filler to the party. You will find your party to be much more dull without it.

Have simple snacks such as popcorn, potato chips, cheese balls, cookies, and other finger foods that are easy to prepare and easy to clean up. As for drinks, you can never go wrong with punch.

No New Year's party is complete without games. Here is a link to some games that are sure to liven up your New Year's party.

The New Year brings changes for Check City as well. Check City will be launching its new look tomorrow! Follow this link to see the new site layout.  With the new site layout comes additional features and updates just for you and an easier site interface to make finding what you need a snap. With updated service links, testimonials and media you can learn everything you want to know about Check City and the Payday Loan industry.  It has all been updated and if the Check City difference wasn't apparent before it will be now. Check back with us tomorrow to see the new design in it's full splendor. 

One of the biggest financial problems facing Americans today is Credit Card debt.  How then can you avoid having this happen to you especially as the new year rolls around?

The hard scary truth is that there might not be a way to avoid having this happen to you and the fact of the matter is that it probably already has. 

Here are some facts that might shock you about Credit Cards. 

• The AVERAGE American family has 8 credit cards.  How many does your family have?
• Only 55 million people out of the 144 million who own and regularly use Credit Cards pay their card off in full each month and 35 million only pay the minimum payment each month. Do you fall into either one of those categories?
• On AVERAGE once again, most American families owe about $8,000 in credit card debt, adding up to be about $1,000 on each card.
  
• The Credit Card company is only required to give you 15 days notice when changing your or their credit card terms.
  
• Your card issuer may raise your APR automatically when fail to make payments on another card, or go over your credit limit on another card.
• You are only required to pay up to $50 if your credit card was stolen and used to make large purchases.
  
• A high FICO score is an indication of on time bill payment in addition to other good credit practices. 

As you begin the New Year then here is some advice for cutting your Credit Card bills and saving yourself from the high interest rates and monthly bills that come with Credit Card Debt.

1. Take out all of your Credit Cards and the bills that go with them.  If you do your bill pay online, find a way to include those.
   
2. Are there cards that you use more frequently than others?  Are there cards that charge a much higher interest rate? Are there cards that offer genuinely good benefits that help offset the use of the card?
3. If you fall into the category of a family who has 8 or more credit cards, cut the number of cards you have in half.  When you have decided which cards you would like to keep, call the other card companies, cancel the card, and cut it up!
4. Now, you must still pay off the bills that have built up on those credit cards, DO NOT do it using the remaining credit cards.  Even if you do have to make the minimum payment to each of these cards each month, pay them off as quickly as you can.
   
5. It might take a while to get these cards paid off, but as you are not accumulating more debt onto these cards, you are decreasing the amount of interest you are paying each month, therefore significantly reducing your debt.
6. Once you have paid off the cards you have decided to get rid of. Don't get more, use the ones you have decided were essential and try to pay for as much as possible using only cash or check, or even a debit card.

Now that Christmas is over you might be surprised at the great bargains you can find on Christmas decorations and other after Christmas sales. Many times stores do not sell all of their Christmas inventory before Christmas and after Christmas sales are a great way to save you money. If you didn't have enough time to get something for everyone on your list, or if there is still someone on your list who you haven't seen, now is the perfect time to go shopping. You can save money while still getting the presents you wanted to. When you are buying Christmas decorations however, be sure not to buy things that may not be useful or in season for the coming Christmas year.

Here are a few ideas for some timeless items that you could save money on by buying them in the after Christmas sales.

Dinner and cookware

Silverware (Plastic or Silver)

Decorative napkins or placemats

Christmas lights

Most outdoor decorations

Ornaments

If you are running low on cash from Christmas shopping, but still have things you need to buy, visit us at Check City today to see how we can help you out with the cash you need. We offer great rates on Cash advances as well as a way to get money for all your unwanted gold, silver and platinum precious metals with our new gold buying program. You can send your items to us by filling out an information sheet online and getting your gold packet in the mail, or you can simply bring them into your nearest Check City location. They will weigh and determine the precious metal content of your item and then hand you cash and send you on your way. 

The New Year is quickly coming upon us- and do you know what that 

means? 

That most New Years resolutions will be broken 

within the first week. If you  really want to make those changes you 

have to give real commitment to your resolutions and goals. Here are 

some tips to help you do that.

1) Identify things that you really want to change.

2) Be specific in your goal setting.

3) Make sure your progress is measurable.

4) Be realistic.

5) Set a deadline.

Whether you want to lose weight, exercise more, drink more water, 

quit smoking, get to bed earlier, become a better parent, drive less, 

pay off your credit cards, be more connected with your family, or 

whatever else- Good luck!

Check City can help you with some of your goals. If you want to 

stay in touch with friends, be  more in control of the unsure, improve 

your budgeting skills, declutter, or buy or refinance your home-

Check City offers your professional services to help the New Year 

be better than ever before. 

You don't want to be the one everything thinks of as Scrooge this Christmas. Here are some last minute gift ideas if you haven't finished your Christmas shopping yet.

Restaurant and store gift cards.  They aren't extremely personal, but it is better than forgetting someone all together, just try to stay away from fast food places. 

Rechargeable batteries with a charger.  Once again not personal, but very handy and a great money saver for the recipient. 

Emergency car radio and blanket. You can never know when you will have car trouble, it is a good idea to have emergency supplies for your car, and getting some for others lets them know you care. 

A gift certificate for a massage or other spa or relaxation treatment. 

A prepaid phone card! Check City offers prepaid phone cards as an easy way for you to stay in touch with your family no matter where in the world they are. You will save money on your long distance telephone bills and get to talk with the people who mean the most to you. It is a great way to say I love you. 

If you need extra cash before the Holiday (there are only 2 full days left!) bring your unwanted gold, silver and platinum jewelry into your nearest Check City location. They will weigh and determine the precious metal content of your items. Once they have determined the value of your items, you walk away with that value in cash!  Gold, silver and platinum are all at record high prices right now, and we offer you more for your gold, silver and platinum than all of our competitors. Visit us today!

Check City has partnered with Loan City to bring home financing, buying and building to our Utah customers.  We have the people with knowledge, experience and connections to help you fulfill your dream of owning a home.  Not only are we partnered with Loan City, but Loan city is partnered with a variety of lending services so that they are in the best possible position to help you secure a loan with payments and terms that you can meet according to your lifestyle and finances.

We can help you receive:

• Residential and construction loans
• Traditional 15-, 20-, 30-, and 40-year fixed-interest loans
• Adjustable-rate mortgages, including Pay Option ARMS
• Debt consolidation loans
• Equity lines of credit

Take the Next Step

Find out how we can help you reach your dream of building, buying, or refinancing a home-whether your credit is excellent or less than ideal.  Call 1-800-963-2511 to speak with a representative.

Se habla Espanol

Join Check City for the international percussion sensation- Stomp! This show is totally unique and has been performed in over 350 cities in 36 countries.

Several young performers “make a rhythm out of anything we can get our hands on that makes a sound,” said co-creator/director Luke Cresswell. This means that anything can be used stiff-bristle brooms become a sweeping orchestra; pipes become different notes; zippo lighters flip open and closed to create a fiery fugue; wooden poles thump and clack in a rhythmic explosion; and garbage cans turn into drums.

Audiences everywhere have been captivated and mesmerized by the lively rhythms of STOMP! 

What: STOMP

Where: Covey Center for the Arts

            425 West Center Street, Provo

When: January 11-13 @7:30 pm

Admission: $35-40 

Instead of stomping around, get a title loan from Check City. You get to choose from a variety of payment options and you get to keep driving your car.

Having insurance is important to cover your car from accidents or left. Get your insurance coverage from Check City and choose from a variety of options.