Payday Loans Blog

Some families of popular television series' created to help struggling families in need may receive the initial help from the various shows, however, end up finding themselves in a heap of trouble later as their property taxes and other costs associated with a new home, start to build up. These cases are not the norm and are usually only problems with a small minority of the families that receive help from the shows.

This goes beyond those featured on such shows however, as regular home owners and buyers may make the same mistakes and forget that "beyond taxes, there are maintenance, repair and operational costs that go into running and owning a house. A bigger house can be quite a headache for residents who aren’t prepared to handle the responsibility of such ownership."  This is why long term financial planning is so important and owners must be prepared to take on the responsibilities of the newer, bigger home, in order to be successful in caring for it, and for the things that come with it. The next question then is:

What Can I do to Save for the Future & What are some of the Biggest Un-Planned Expenses after Purchasing  or Building a Home? 

In addition to getting a good Mortgage Rate, which you can obtain through Check City, and general financial planning, you may be surprised at the "little" things that can pop up after the purchase of a new home, and start piling into a much bigger problem. Here are a few of the most commonly overlooked moving expenses, and many of these can still apply to those who have been featured on the home make over shows. 

1. Moving In: The actual act of moving in is often overlooked, but not only can moving cost you gas, and rental truck money, it can cost you days of work as you have to take time off, even if you are just moving across town. Moving often requires you to purchase at least a few new pieces of furniture as well as having these items delivered, which will start to add up over time.
   
2. Paying the Bills: One word can describe the feeling that most people have when they see the word bills, and that word is "Yuck"! Bills are not fun, however these are less overlooked than the moving costs. Bills for water, gas, electric, garbage, internet, phone, cable, credit cards and loan payments are just a few of the bills that may come your way. You may want to ask a few months before you move in, for an estimate of the current owner's bills so that you can start saving early and be ready when you move in. 
3. Fix Up: Unless you built from the ground up, chances are that you will have some fixing up to do on the home you are purchasing. Those who have built or added on to an existing home, know as well that the fixing up and finishings seem to be endless. Set aside money each month towards unexpected appliance breakdowns and other problems that may arise.
   

These are just a few of the extra expenses that are often overlooked when moving or buying a home.  There are property and other new homeowner taxes as well that must be considered, especially when upgrading your assets. Be sure that you know the ins and outs of these things as much as you can so that you can prepare for them when they arise.

Check City can help you better understand your taxes and *mortgage solutions even though tax season is over for this year. We also have great insurance plans and short term payday loan options that can help you get the money you need, when you need it and save in the areas that traditionally would cost you most.   

* Mortgage Solutions apply to Utah customers only because of the complexity and detailed nature of the service being offered.  Visit CheckCity.com to learn  more. 

Mold and mildew can be a serious problem in your home if not taken care of properly.  It can create problems that can lead to chronic illness as well as bringing to the surface problems that may have not ever surfaced.  The good news is that you can ensure that these problems are taken car of or prevented all together.  It is easier than you may think, and doing these little steps can help you make sure that your family is taken care of and will help keep them healthy and happy.

Routinely Check for Mold and Mildew

Doing routine checks for mold and mildew in your home, especially in places that are often damp or dark is the first step in helping prevent the start and spread of mold and mildew.   It is especially important to check during wet or rainy seasons and to check thoroughly.

If you do find any water leaks, try to get them fixed as soon as possible and completely clean the area where the leak was occuring to prevent the buildup of mold or mildew.  If poor ventilation adds to the problem consider using a dehumidifier, fan or air conditioner to improve air flow and quality.  

Suggestions for removing existing mold include vaccuuming the mold off of the area or scrubbing it clean.  If the mold is in an area that can be mopped, sponged or scrubbed, do that as well. You can make a special mold remover using a half a cup of chlorine mixed with 2 gallons of water.  When the spot is clean, make sure you dry it completely, to prevent the mold from growing again.

Clean and Refurbish the Affected Area and Items

After the area has been completely cleaned and is free of mold, repaint the surface with mold resistant paint, to not only get rid of any mold stains or residue, but to ensure that it doesn't return.  If fabrics, furniture or clothing were affected, wash the stains out either by hand or in a machine and then air out for as long as possible in the sun.  You should wash laundry with hot water and laundry bleach and then in the machine following the washing instructions. 

Remember that the best way to stop mold is to prevent it in the first place. This is done most effectively by ensuring that your home is well aired out, has plenty of natural light and stays dry. 

Do you need help making repairs to your home, or are you looking for better Mortgage Options? Check City offers Mortgage Options that can help you save money so that you can have money to spend on making your house a home. Visit Check City Online to learn about our great Mortgage Options for our Utah customers. Our Mortgage Solutions are only offered to Utah customers because of the complexity of the service, but if you live outside of Utah we can help you with many of our other Financial Services and Solutions.                

Is your relationship stuck in the current bumps and holes of the recession? Try some of these tips and tricks for economically prepare and recession proof your relationship.   Arguments about money and other financial problems are the number one reason of divorce. Don't let a simple money disagreement ruin your marriage or get in the way of having a healthy and happy relationship. Here are five tips for keeping your relationship with your significant other, and with your finance on the up.

1. Talk to your partner about money and finances.  Find out what type of spender or saver your partner is. Know the history of your partner's finances and the financial atmosphere he or she was raised in. Does he or she know the value of a good, hard day's work or were they raised as a trust fund baby with everything constantly handed to them?
2. Assess your current spending and saving habits, including whether or not you are paying bills on time. Also assess whether or not you and your partner have any assets either individually or as a couple. Get these things in order before you move in together or get married, if you aren't already in one of these situations. 
   
3. Be willing to show your parenter your credit report so that you can decide together what to do if one or both of you are in debt. It is especially important to know whether or not your partner has unpaid back taxes so that you can take care of any underlying issues and get them all out in the open to discuss and fix.
4. Make a budget. I have discussed this idea in detail in other blogs and there are a lot of ways to ensure that you have a budget that you can not only live with, but will help you save money as well as still leaving you with money for the things you want and need. Decide if and when you will get a joint banking account. This can resolve spending problems, as well as unneccessary spending and arguments.
5. Visit a professional financial advisor for yourself to see where you stand in the financial area. Get advice for you and your partner as a couple and individually.  Be sure to speak with your partner however before going to speak with a financial advisor so that your partner can feel a part of the process. They may even choose to speak with the advisor as well.
   

Find solutions to your financial problems at Check City. Check City's Financial Services can help you save money in a number of places.  We can save you money on our great Mortgage Plans.  Mortgage Plans and services are only available to our Utah customers because of the complexity of the service.

Spirit Air announced Tuesday, April 6, 2010 that it would be the first airline to charge of carry-on baggage.  Spirit Airlines is a little known U.S. carrier, and will be the first to start charging for carry-on luggage, that is usually stored inside the planes overhead bins.  Right now, the airline has projected charge dates starting in August of 2010 but news is still coming forward about the proposed charge. The projected fees won't be cheap either. They are estimating fees of $45 when paying at the boarding gate, or $30 if paid for in advance.

The press release points out that you can still carry on a small purse or personal item for free as long as it fits under the seat.  Spirit Airlines is located in Florida and offers discount airline services. They say they are doing this to encourage people to check luggage and speed up boarding and de-planing time. Many people have resorted to carry-on luggage only to avoid the checked baggage fees, and airlines and customers alike are frustrated with the boarding and de-planning delays because of overhead storage, and attendants say that the overhead bins often don't fit all of the bags that people carry on now. 

Fees will also be lower if you are a member of their airline or baggage club. In fact, if you choose to join, you could save up to 50% per bag.  The Association of Flight Attendants (also known as CWA) has reported that 80% of flight attendants have been injured within the last year from overstuffed overhead bins, and hope that these new policies will reduce the amount of items people choose to carry with them. 

Check City offers financial services in a number of areas so that you can save the most money possible.  If you are having trouble finding affordable insurance, Mortgage Rates or even Tax Services, visit us at one of our Store Locations or at Check City Online and see what we can do for you today. 

According to an article published this week in the New York Times, the Federal Reserved confirmed its intentions of not buying mortgage-backed securities, in other words, mortgage rates today are as good as they will get for a long time. When the federal government halts the buying of these securities, rates will most likely go up. Lucky for you, rates right now are rather low at 5 percent and The Times says that they are so good that "they’ve helped change the age-old debate over whether homeowners should make extra mortgage payments to pay off their debt well before their loan periods are up."

How Do you Know when you Should make extra Mortgage Payments?

Only make those extra payments when you have already paid off higher interest debts and have extra money to pay other bills in advance.  It is also suggested to increase your savings in your 401k first so that your employer will match your payments.

Here you can read the Entire Article on the complexities of Mortgages and what will happen with them when the FTC stops buying the securities backed by them. 

Check City throgh Loan City offers great Mortgage Plans including:

    * 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

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. Click here to contact us or call 1-800-963-2511 to speak with a Loan City representative.

Se habla Espanol 

Are you looking for ways to burn off those extra calories you have built up in the long, cold winter months? There are plenty of fun and inventive ways to burn off those calories now that the weather is warming up and the sun is beginning to peak through the seeminly never-ending gray winter skies.  The best part is that you don't have to be inside a gym to do many of these activities, but you can do them inside if a cold spring morning is giving you the chills. These tips can be used no matter what time of the year, they are just always more fun to do when it gets warmer and you can move from the gym to the beautiful outdoors.

1. Move It: If you make a pledge to just get moving and start moving around more both outside and inside in the warmer weather, you should be able to burn a few of those annoying calories.
2. Walk the Dog: This easy, and fun task burns 3.5 calories a minute, if you are moving at a leisurely pace.  Ok so it isn't exactly heavy cardio, but every calorie counts when you are counting them.
   
3. Swim: Swimming, especially swimming laps, can burn up to 18 calories a minute.
   
4. Play: Remember those silly summer days of your childhood? Bring them back, pull out the sprinkler and play with your kids outside. 
5. Volleyball: Playing on a court can burn 5 calories per minute, and on sand will burn twice as much.
6. Biking: Biking through your neighborhood or on a trail can be a fun family activity as well as a great calorie burner.
7. Gardening: Gardening, and especially weeding, can burn calories. Also, using a push mower instead of a riding one to mow your lawn will help you burn a few extra calories as well.
8. Jump Rope: Jumping rope, whether it be for exercise only purposes or whether you are playing with your kids can help you burn some calories. Why do you think kids were so skinny in the 70s?
9. Rollerblade: Rollerblading can burn up to 11 calories a minute, and is a fun and quick way to get to wherever you want to go.
   
10. Run or Hike: Running or hiking can kill those left over calories that you haven't alread gotten rid of doing the other fun activities.

These are just a few of hundreds and thousands of ideas you can use to burn calories this spring and summer.  Even though you are trying to lose weight, you are probably looking for ways to save some money. Check City offers 11 different Financial Services to get you started saving today. We can help you save on your various Insurance Plans, Mortgage, and even your phone bill with our Prepaid Phone Cards.

Mortgage rates are a fickle thing. One day they are up, the next they are down, and this causes them to be misunderstood by many consumers. Many consumers see mortgages and mortgage rates as an uncontrollable and mystifying thing.  As such, they believe that there is nothing they can do about it, but this is a misconception.  Mortgage rates and the reasons they are constantly fluctuating really are not that hard of concepts to grasp, and Check City as a Financial Industry Leader would like to offer you our help when it comes to understanding and making the most of your mortgage.

• The mortgage lender that funds your loan (Check City) is called the originator. 
• When you receive the loan, it goes to the seller of the home you are purchasing.
• When the loan is funded, the originator has two options, they can either resell that mortgage into the secondary market or keep it in their portfolio to gain interest.
  • If the loan is sold then the lender has money to make a loan to other customers.
  • If they keep the loan, they will receive interest, (by way of your monthly payments).
• The secondary market keeps money circulating so that lenders can afford to continue to lend.
  • Secondary market companies include names such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as well as insurance companies and others.
• Now, depending on the economy, investors will either hold these accounts or sell them.  If the yeild is supposed to be higher in the coming months, investors will sit on the mortgage until that better rate comes around. This causes interest rates to be higher, because these mortgages are not being bought and sold as readily and lenders cannot sell their loans to these investors. When the economy is the other way around, investors will sell as much as they can to avoid being left with lower yeilds and therefore interest rates will drop because lenders have an easier time of selling their mortgages to the investors.
• As a homebuyer, understanding the rates, including how and why they change will help you to know when to lock in your rate.  When the economy is low or on a downturn, lock in that rate, and your interest rates will be a lot lower, and you will be able to save a bundle of money.

Hopefully that helped to demystify mortgage rates a little bit for you. Still, you need a great Mortgage Lender that is experienced in the financial industry and can help you get the best mortgage rates possible.  Check City is standing ready to help you out. We offer great deals on our Mortgage Services* and with our experienced and friendly staff you can get the help you need in a quick and professional manner. Visit one of our Check City Utah Locations to start saving today.

Knowing how and when to start a garden isn't easy, especially if you've never done it before. With the recent movements towards things green, and the economy is at a stressfully low level, gardening can not only be a healthy habit to start, but one that can save you money. So, how do you know exactly where and when to start a garden? Maybe you even want to know what you should put in the garden, or how those plants will grow in your area? It is more simple than it seems and can save you lots of money when you do it over a period of time.  Here are just a few tips and tricks on starting a garden, and making sure it grows.

Where can I put my Garden?

Maybe the most important part of gardening is deciding on a place to start your garden.  The spot you choose must be:

• Accessible- You must be able to easily get in to weed, water and fertilize your chosen crops and to do so, you must have a place that can be easily accessed.  You may also want to consider how easily accessible it is to pests, dogs, and neighbors so that problems cannot arise over whose dog did what, and who stole whose pumpkins.
• Sunlight- Your garden should also be in a place that gets plenty of sunlight. It doesn't have to be intense sunlight, just enough throughout the day to nourish your plants and keep them growing. (This is 5-6 hours a day for most plants) If there is shade nearby the garden consider using it as a work or compost area.
• Soil- Soil is the easiest to improve out of all of the things that your garden needs to survive. If the soil is not very fertile, you can add compost, sawdust or manure to it (the cheap options), or you can purchase fertilizers at your local lawn and garden stores.  If you can dig 12 inches into the soil on your property without hitting rocks, water or other matter, your soil is prime for planting. If not, you may want to consider a raised garden patch, in which you must purchase other soils and place them in a garden bed above the ground.
• Water- Even though you don't want your soil to become saturated, water is non-negotiable when it comes to your garden. Is there a water hose near where you are planting, if your area doesn't get a lot of rain? Is it going to be a hassle to carry water buckets or watering cans to your garden if there isn't a hose or spigot near by?

When Should I Plant my Garden?

The prime time for gardening depends on what crop you are planting, and where you live. The prime time for most planting is in the early spring, when the soil is soft from rain, but not dripping wet and muddy.  If your soil is always wet and marshy, you may want to consider digging out some drainage, or building a raised planter. Soil that is too dense with either clay or sand wll probably not be ideal for a garden, but adding organic material may help to improve it. Some crops must be started in very early spring, such as in March, as soon as the soil is de-thawed and ready for planting, and some plants should wait until May or even later, depending on ripening time and harvest season. Consult with a more detailed guide to find out more specifics.

What to Plant?

This is highly specific to where you live. Certain things will never grow well in the Northwest because of the temperatures and climate and other crops do better there.  Research is really the best way to find which crops will succeed in your garden and your specific area.  You can ask neighbors with gardens, or research it yourself at your local library or by asking around. Also you must be aware of how long the plants you choose take to sprout and grow and how often they flower and bloom. Some plants can take up to a year to appear in your garden, when planted as a seed, and other will only produce crops every other year or even less frequently.

Planting a garden can save you precious money that you need for other things such as insurance and your monthly mortgage payments. Check City can help you out with these as well. We offer great rates on Insurance and Mortgage Plans.  Check City is here to help and with our great rates and even better service you will notice the Check City Difference. Visit one of our Convenient Stores or Check City Online to learn about our various services along with our great Rates and Fees.

You only have about 17 days left to get your bills paid through the radio station 97.1 ZHT.  If you haven't heard about the special deal going on to get your bills paid, read on. Check City is currently partnered with the radio station 97.1 ZHT to help Utah customers in need pay their bills.  You must send in a copy of the bill you want paid to ZHT by postal mail, e-mail or fax and you will have the chance 5 times a day to get your bills paid.  Listen daily to 97.1 ZHT at 7:10 and 9:10am, and 1:10, 4:10 and 6:10pm for your name to be called as a winner. If you hear your name, you have only 30 minutes to call in and redeem your free bill pay.

Sending in your bills is easy, but please only use one of the following methods.

• Fax- (801)908-1561
• Mail/Drop Off- ZHT Studios/ Pay Your Bills c/o 971 ZHT 2801 S. Decker Lake Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84119
• E-mail- Attach the bill and email it through http://www.971zht.com/main.html
• Phone Number- To Redeem- (801) 470/570/670-1971

This contest ends April 1, 2010 so hurry and send your bills in so that you can take advantage of the great opportunity to save yourself some money. There are a few Official Rules that need to be followed when submitting your bills.

1. You must be a ZHT VIP. You may join for free at ZHT.com.
2. Your account number must be completely blacked out and no original copies of the bills will be accepted.
3. You must be 18 years old to enter.
4. Prizes (payment) will not exceed $500.

Check City offers other great ways for you to save on your bills. With our Insurance Program you can save on all types of insurance, from RV to Life.  We also offer Mortgages to our Utah customers which you can read more about by visiting today's blog post about Demystifying your Mortgage. We have a number of other services to help you out no matter what your situation, visit Check City online or come into one of our Store Locations to learn how we can help you with your finances today.

With all of the earthquakes and natural disasters plaguing our world today, it certainly wouldn't hurt for you and your family to be as prepared as you can.  Your home is one of the safest places you can be in during an earthquake, especially if it is a single family home. No matter how earthquake sound your home is, the structure may still falter, and glass may shatter and small items are subject to breakage and larger item may fall and hurt someone or damage something.

1. Find out if your home is bolted to its foundation. If it was built after 1935 chances are that it is probably bolted to its foundation. If not, you may want to have your home inspected and install bolts if necessary.
2. If you have a chimney, make sure it is structurally sound, and attached to your home. Chimneys can be one of the biggest causes of damage to your home when an earthquake occurs.
3. Bolt down the water heater to help prevent gas leaks.
4. Put childproof locks on your cabinets, at least at night, to prevent contents from spilling out.
5. Store heavy items in bottom shelves to avoid having them fall from tall heights; this would be a good idea for your television as well.
6. Don't place your bed next to a window in your room, if possible place it against the inside wall of the home to protect against shattered glass and walls with windows are less stable.

After doing all you can, you should also have a home inspector come to check for earthquake safety and make suggestions for improving your home.  Here is a map of the current fault lines in the United States. Is your home in need of some refinancing? Are you looking for a more affordable Mortgage Plan? Visit your nearest Check City Utah Location or read all about our great Mortgage Plans and Services on the Check City website. We however, regretfully only offer Mortgage Plans to our Utah customers because of the complexity of the service.