Payday Loans Blog

Each spring Thanksgiving Point comes to life, literally, as hundreds of thousands of tulips take center stage with their bright colors and sweet smells.  The event displays over 250,000 tulips with over 95 different varieties of varying colors.  This is a great place to spend on a date, with family, or just by yourself enjoying the wonder and brilliance that the area has to offer.  This spectacular site spreads its joy over 55 acres for your viewing pleasure.  The event runs from April 16 through May 1 during the 2010 year and is located at Thanksgiving Point Gardens in Lehi, UT.

Points of Interest:

• This is the 6th annual Tulip Festival held at Thanksgiving Point Gardens. 
• On Fridays and Saturdays the festival also includes music, vendors, food and storytelling.
• You can also stop by a local famous artist; Sarah Samuelson's exhibit and show during the festival.

Thanksgiving Point Gardens
3003 North Thanksgiving Way
Lehi, UT, 84043
Phone: 801-768-2300
Price: $10 Adults, $8 Children

Do you need a cash advance loan with all of the same simplicity and beauty of a tulip? Apply for a payday loan online or at one of our many store locations today.  Check City also offers many other beautiful financial services to help you out when you need it most. Come in now and start saving!

America is now a country on the rebound. After months, adding up to years of financial and economic crisis, a global and economic crisis has been averted as the threat of a second great depression dissipates.  Economic analysts have projected the gains of this coming year to be about 4%, which is a higher projection than they had previously predicted. Growth however is projected to be uneven across the international front, with China leading the pack with economic growth projections at about 10 percent, with the projected growth of all European nations falling behind at about 1 percent combined, the United States at about 3.1 percent.

Caution comes as a warning label on the prescription for economic recovery however. This cautionary suggestion comes because of the sheer amount of money that federal  and local governments and programs are still pouring into the economy as an economic stimulus. So when these programs and stimuli drop off the radar or at least significantly decrease, there could be a slight dip in the economy, so we need to be cautious of this and prepare for it to happen.

Even though the initial threat of a worldwide depression is over, the problem has not disappeared, and now switches fronts to the problem of international debt and presidential and government borrowing. 

To keep yourself out of debt and depression, visit Check City Online or in Store to learn about our many financial solutions and discounts. 

According to Paste magazine these are the top ten "Chick Flicks" also known as romantic comedies of this decade.  These also might be the ones you can convince your boyfriend or significant other to rent with you and he might even enjoy it. Guys, just don't write off this blog yet, this may be a good way to impress a wife or girlfriend by bringing home one of these movies. I have included a brief summary with each one. If you want to take some time off and go on a date, but don't have the cash right now to do it. Try going through all of your old gold, silver, and platinum jewelry. Check City will buy your items for top dollar.  Since we deal locally we can guarantee you more money because we don't have to go through a middle man. Check City can offer you 3 to 5 times as much as other Gold Buying companies with our Gold Buying Program. Visit one of our Store Locations or send us your Gold Pack in the mail to get started.

The countdown starting with number ten:

10.  About a Boy: (2002) Starring Hugh Grant- Grant plays a womanizer who is transformed by his relationship with a teenaged girl and a little boy into a person capable of love and compassion.

9.  Juno: (2007) Starring Ellen Page and Michael Sera- Faced with an unplanned pregnancy, a teenage girl must make a decision about what to do with her unborn child. 

8.  Knocked Up: (2007) Starring Seth Rogen and Katherin Heigel-  A little more off-beat and not exactly your traditional romantic comedy, this movie may not appeal to everyone, but the reason it made the top ten is because of its charm and "inherent sweetness."

7.  Sideways: (2004) Starring Paul Giamatti and Virginia Madsen- Two middle aged men with really nothing to lose take a weekend trip to California wine country before one of them gets married and are surprised by what they find instead.

6.  Punch Drunk Love: (2002) Starring Adam Sandler and Emily Watson- Another off-beat comedy that aims to prove that no matter how hard you try to find love, sometimes it just finds you and it finally all makes sense. 

5.  High Fidelity: (2000) Starring John Cusak- Cusak plays a man who is revisiting his past girlfriends when he realizes he let the perfect girl go. 

4.  Wall-E: (2008) Starring Eva and Wall-E- A lonely robot on an abandoned planet, Wall-E meets Eva when she comes to determine whether life on earth can be re-established.  Eva and Wall-E aren't your traditional characters, but Wall-E has a charm that can't be beat. 

3.  Amélie: (2001) Starring Audrey Tautou- Paste magazine calls this easily the most romantic movie on the list. A french girl, takes a waitressing job where she develops a heavy crush and leaves him little clues and hints to her identity until she actually gets to meet him.

2.  Before Sunset: (2004) Starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy- A couple meet on a train and spend a night together romanticizing and philosiphising and then, as though by the hands of fate, meet ten years later. 

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: (2004) Starring Jim Carry and Kate Winslet- These two play a couple, who after a somewhat violent and messy break-up realize that deep down, after all of the hurt and pain, they love each other and are perfect together. 

According to an article from the-moneychanger.com there are ten golden rules you must follow when buying gold.  They are simple to understand and easy to follow and when you get them worked out they will be all you need to buy and sell your gold at the right time. Right now at Check City Online and at any of our many Check City Locations, there are Gold buying opportunities for you and your family through our Gold Buying Program. You can get top dollar for your unwanted Gold, Silver and Platinum precious metal items when you bring them into Check City. We can give you 3 to 5 times as much as other Gold buying places for your unwanted precious metal items. 

The Ten Commandments For Buying Gold & Silver as taken directly from the-moneychanger.com.

I.  Always take delivery

II.  Never buy premium if you can avoid it.

III.  Buy bullion for business, numismatics for fun.

IV.  Buy silver first, then gold.

V.  Buy small gold first, then large.

VI.  Never buy exotic coins or modern rarities or anything you don't understand.

VII.  Know your dealer.

VIII.  What governments can't find, they can't steal.

IX.  Never swap bullion coins for U.S. $20 gold pieces.

X.  Never break the law.

Do you have unanswered questions about selling your gold? Check City has a Gold Buying Program and you can learn all about our Gold Buying programs on our Check City Website.  You can also read the frequently asked questions and their answers on the Gold FAQs Page. 

Right now, it might just be ok to be a gold digger.  Gold prices hit a 1 and a half month high on Tuesday.  Gold so far for March has settled up by 1.71% according The Wall Street Journal.  What better time to sell your gold than now, with prices at record highs?  Why are these prices still rising, after almost constant gains for a few years? Well, analysts are saying that it spillover from crude oil buying and that it may just continue! To learn all about Check City's Gold Buying Program and what gold can do for you, continue reading.

Because of the fluctuation of the dollar, and even the euro, gold prices are continuing to rise as the value of the dollar can't seem to make up its mind. Gold isn't the only thing gaining ground right now however.  With the dollar being so volatile right now, silver and platinum are also jumping, and India trading companies are raising the value of their gold as well to increase their import and export profits. 

Spot market prices for Gold on Tuesday were $1,126.50/ oz up from $1,114/oz from the day before.

Check City has a great Gold Buying Program.  We deal locally, which gets you more money because we don't have to send our gold off to some factory in order for you to get your money back. You can bring it into one of our Conveniently Located Stores and we will weigh it and determine how much it is worth right in front of you.  We can then give you your cash on the spot. Also, if you don't live near one of our many Store Locations, you can send it to us in the mail. We offer our convenient Gold Pack which can be found on our Gold Buying Program page, which you can use to send us your Gold, Silver and other precious metal items.  We can guarantee we will pay you 3-5 times as much as other Gold Buying Companies! Visit us in one of our Stores or at CheckCity.com today to get started!

There is something a little different about Check City that makes it unique and different from the average payday loan company. We put extra care and concern into our business and helping our customers. Not only can the difference be seen in our services, but you can find it in our people, our stores, our technology, our approach to our customers and our promise. At Check City we do not set you up to fail; we want you to succeed and to do so without getting yourself locked up in revolving debt. We promise to serve you the very best we know how and to let you make the ultimate and final decisions. We care about our customers.

•      Our People.  At Check City you will immediately notice a difference with our impeccable customer service. We treat our customers with the respect they deserve. Our employees are well-trained, experienced, motivated, and friendly to better serve your needs. At Check City we are like family and we will do everything we can to help you and yours.

•     Our Stores. When you walk into a Check City store you will feel welcomed. Our stores and lobbies are kept clean, attractive, and comfortable just for you. Every customer feels right at home in our Check City stores.

•     Our Services. Are not limited to pay day loans or check cashing. At Check City we offer a wide range of financial services and solutions you simply will not find anywhere else. In any Check City store you can cash a check, transfer money to a friend, get a cash advance loan, refinance your home, get help with your tax preparation, and much more. Check City is the one stop shop for all of your financial needs.

•     Our Technology. Here at Check City we keep up to date with all of the latest technology. We want you to have the best services available in the quickest time possible. These services include, but are not limited to, alerts and reminders over your phone and through email for certain services, and the most up-to-date computer software currently available.

•    Our Approach. We take care of you. At Check City, we have built a reputation for providing top-notch services at a competitive price. We take care of you, our customers, and our employees; that is the Check City difference.Giving back to the community is also important to us, and a big part of who we are at Check City. We help you grow, by helping your community grow.
  

•     Our Promise. We promise to serve you without fancy gimmicks and pushy advertisements. We know your money is precious to you. We want to do everything we can to keep that money in your hands and to do things your way.
  

Visit one of our many locations in Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Virginia or Maryland to receive the great customer service we offer and learn all about our many services offered to you.  If there isn't a Check City location in your state, don't fear, we perform many of our services on our website or over the phone as well.  Visit CheckCity.com to learn more. 

Taxes are a way of life and they help us afford this great nation and the many services it provides.  But that doens't mean you should just pay without question or ignore ways you could decrease what Uncle Sam says he is due.Tax shelters have often been described as gimmicks or loopholes in the tax system that can help decrease what you owe.  While many times people manipulate them, they were made to serve a purpose and those so called loopholes may be beneficial to you. A tax shelter is any investment designed to reduce or avoid income taxes. This is not bad. Former IRS Commissioner Donald Alexander once said, "As a citizen, you have an obligation to the country's tax system, but you also have an obligation to yourself to know your rights under the law and possible tax deductions -- and to claim every one of them."

Real estate is one of the best shelters out there according to analysts. Traditional shelters include real estate investments, oil and gas, equipment leasing and cattle feeding and breeding programs. Real estate however remains one of the best.  Someone once said that it would "take a genius to invest in real estate and pay taxes."  Real estate provides leverage, cash flow and equity buildup. As your property rises or (appreciates) in value you are allowed a paper deduction for depreciation. If you put it together correctly, you buy the property with your down payment and your rents cover your mortgage, interest, taxes and operating expenses.

It is possible however to come out ahead, even if the property loses money. In the 28% tax bracket a $5,000 paper deduction for depreciation creates a tax cash savings of at least $1,400.  This tax cash can be used for any other expense deficit so you may come out on top. Don't forget that as you pay the mortgage you are building equity. Don't forget that Check City offers great mortgage rates for our Utah customers, our options are many and our fees are small. Visit Check City to see about your mortgage options today so that you can start to build equity through real estate.

Oil and gas investments are other popular tax shelters. With oil and gas, you're allowed to deduct as a current expense your investments in capital expenditures known as intangible drilling and developing costs. Nearly all the costs of drilling and completing a well are deductible in the year incurred. Normally, you would not be allowed to deduct these expenditures until the year that either the product was actually extracted from the wells or the drilling was abandoned. However oil and gas are not a sure thing and should not always be used as a tax shelter especially if you are investing in other properties and commodities. Visit this link for the full article on tax shelters and how they can help or hurt you.  

Also in addition to our mortgage services, Check City offers great tax services to save you money during tax season, we are currently running a 10% off promotion. Come by any of our locations and check it out. You can also print the coupon online for yourself. Visit the website today to see how. 

 Check City is proud to be ab le to offer Mortgage and Tax services to our instore customers. Due to the complexity of these services and the personal nature of the serice we do only offer these in our Utah stores. With our excellent customer service, you can never go wrong with Check City when getting your taxes done with Lightening Tax Services or getting started on the American Dream of owning a home.. We have mortgages for every type of customer and we offer flexible plans that best suit your needs.  Our tax services are excellent as well and we are currently offering 10% off Tax Services for a limited time.  At Check City we strive to offer personalized finacial services to fit your needs.

Mortgages:

Thanks to hundreds of lending alliances, we're in the best position to help you secure a loan with payments and terms that match your financial situation and lifestyle. From the moment you walk through our door, you can count on competent service, personalized attention, and plenty of good advice.

At Loan City, we specialize in:

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

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Tax Services:

At Check City, you'll work directly with a friendly, experienced and qualified tax professional who will guide you through the entire tax preparation process. We'll save you money by helping you take full advantage of the deductions you are entitled to and by charging you less that other tax preparation providers with no upfront costs to you.. And of course, we can eliminate the tax refund waiting game with a fast, convenient Refund Anticipation Loan.

To get started today and get your refund fast, visit a Check City Location today to speak with one of our qualified tax professionals, learn more about how we can save you money and accelerate the refund process, and start eliminating your tax-related stress.Or, if you are ready to take advantage of the buyers market and the great rates available in Utah right now, visit one of our Utah Check City Locations today.  For more information on these and other great services visit CheckCity.com

The new year brings new resolutions as we have already talked about plenty of times, one of my resolutions this year was to learn to take better pictures on my digital camera.  I have found some tips and tricks for taking better pictures that have helped me and hopefully they will help you too as you strive to make this year the best picture year ever for you and your family. Also, I have included some often used terminology when taking pictures that may help you if you are working with professionals developing your pictures.  It is important to remember that you can take just as great of pictures as the professionals, and with digital cameras it is easier than ever.  The biggest hint to taking great pictures is taking a lot of them. The professionals just keep taking and taking and they find a few good pictures in the many they take.  This is your goal.

That's right, you don't need a big camera to take good pictures.  A regular digital camera will work just as well as a fancy one as long as it has decent pixel quality.  Most cameras are about 5 pixel cameras now and I wouldn't go much lower than that.  Anything higher will be excellent quality and anything lower may make the pictures a little blurry. 

The biggest difference in the quality of your pictures is you! The framing of the photo is everything. Sometimes it isn't always better to be far away, sometimes a close up or a funky frame can make all the difference.

Learn the rule of thirds.  The rule of thirds involves learning where to place focal points in pictures. It is important to know where to focus so that your picture can come out superb. This is most often the point of interest in the picture, such as a person's eyes or a stream. Don't put that point in the middle of the picture, it is more interesting when you make it to one side. Make sure you have points of interest all around the center of the picture because it will make the picture look much better while still bringing out the parts you love. 

Learn about cropping. Cropping, i'm not going to lie, is kind of a big deal.  When you learn how to artistically crop a photo, you're pictures will come to life.  Many people leave way too much of the picture in their picture. Part of what makes a picture come to life is the close up and cropped details of it. Don't be afraid to be ruthless when cropping your photo.  In order to make a good crop on your photos. Look at your photo while covering part of the picture, if you don't miss the part you are covering it is probably a good crop. Check City can help you crop your bills with our prepaid phone plans. 

The angle of your shot changes a lot. The angle with which you take your picture changes a lot. Try shooting from above the object, below or even at eye level and see if it changes anything. You'll be surprised. 

Zoom in and don't be afraid to blur in the background. Details are ever so imprtant in pictures you take.  When you get the details you get more of the essence of the subject of the picture.  Don't cram things into a picture, instead take multiple pictures of multiple details you will thank yourself later. 

Add forground interest. When taking a picture of a landscape or building maybe add something to the front of it, such as a graveyard or a tree. 

These few tips should help you produce much better pictures.  Also always be aware of lighting and the effects it can have on the picture. Also the colors of the picture you are taking compared with other colors.  Overcast days are always better. 

In order to get the best cropping on your budget visit us at Check City and learn about our great Phone Cards. They give you an easy way to call loved ones serving overseas and still save money.  Keep your phone costs down with our prepaid phone cards now at Check City and read the latest blog with more details on our great deals. 

Money transfers that have been sent by family members to their loved ones in Haiti have slowed down and have almost completely stopped. This is not because the Haitians do not need the money or that their family members are not sending them money, but because the Haitians are unable to receive their money.  

Previous to the first Haitian earthquake almost $1.9 billion was sent to Haiti annually. Even before the earthquakes Haiti depended on the money transfers for daily living because they are one of the poorest countries in the world. Statistics have shown that over 1/3 of Haiti survives because of the money transfers sent from the United States.   

After the devastation of two earthquakes, there was only one money transfer firm that is able to fully open its door to the public. The other firms are able to function limitedly and are working hard to become fully functional. The money transfer firms realize that the Haitians need those money transfers even more now that many people are unable to work. 

In addition to struggling money transfer firms, Haiti’s banks have been closed. This has left everyone in the same desperate state for money. Transfer firms had to wait for cash to be flown in from the United States. Since the cash arrived, more transfer offices have begun to operate. Due to the circumstances, the transfer companies that are operating have been omitting transfer fees.

Fernand Amandi has been working for the United Nations and IDB in Haiti for the past several years. He says money transfers are“…the most direct form of aid, from family member to family member, and the need is so stark now.” Money transfer services are a vital part of the disaster relief program and they are working hard to become fully functional again. Meanwhile, they are operating to the best of their ability and Haiti depends on these money transfers. 

You could help these people to get the basic necessities of life by sending your own money transfer to Haiti. Check City can help you send a money transfer to any Western Union location in the world or to the recipient’s bank account. To send a transfer you will need your photo ID and either cash or a debit card. Find out more about how to send a money transfer by visiting Check City’s website.  

To find out more about how vital money transfers are to Haiti visit: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=9609180