Small finance companies have been setting up operations in every major city, often in lower income areas, and have made a lot of money by offering  short term financial products that come with high interest rates, such as payday loans, cash advance loans, and loans on car titles. Be very careful in dealing with these companies, more often than not the terms are stacked against you and you would likely be able to get a better rate somewhere else.

This can also be true for companies that provide loans online. Some companies that offer loans online are simply another arm of a respected bank or credit union, but there are also a number of finance companies online that you should stay far away from. Make sure to read reviews of what a bank of finance company’s customers say about them before taking out a loan with a company. Your best bet is to find a few companies that you already know and respect and see if they offer online options if you want to get a loan online.

Another option that is becoming increasingly popular is peer to peer lending. Prosper Marketplace and Lending Club allow borrowers to place loan listings online, then individual investors can choose to partially fund those loans and take the interest that you pay on your loan as their rate of return. Peer to peer lending companies essentially take the bank and the profits that banks take out of the picture, resulting in a better rate for borrowers and sometimes a better rate for investors.

If you’re looking to get a loan, make sure that you can easily handle the payments and make sure to consider the total cost of the loan rather than the monthly payments. Also make sure you are signing up with a reputable company online and make sure that you’re getting the best rate and terms.

After earning lower salaries for fewer years women’s social security benefits are about half of men’s . Women had CD’s(Certificates of Deposit) in their retirement savings account when a more aggressive approach would have been beneficial.

Here are some more startling statistics to ponder:

• 1 in 4 women go broke just two months after their husband’s death. 75% of women are widowed . The average age it happens is 56. 87% of poverty stricken elderly are women.
• The facts are surprising, but it points out the need to take control of your financial future. More women are becoming informed, but many still leave it to the men or ignore it all together. Now is not the time to stand on the sidelines. Follow these steps to make sure your financial future looks brighter.
• Determine where you are financially before you make any decisions. You can’t embark on an ambitious investing plan if the funds are not available or you’re in debt.
• Organize all your financial records and statements before you embark on a financial plan. This includes :checking, savings, joint and non joint, non retirement,(other investments) retirement,(401k) credit cards including gas and store credit cards. Insurance statements, tax returns and the kids’ accounts and retirement as well. If you don’t have one already, set up a filing system. Usually a separate folder for reach account works best. Most institutions issue an annual statement, once you receive it discard your monthly ones. Keep your tax returns, state and federal, and supporting documentation for 7 years.

Track your spending for several weeks. Record every dime you spend. How much and on what. Don’t just record the withdrawals record what you spent it on. What are your monthly expenses fixed and variable? This list should include; housing, food utilities, car, insurance, personal care, education. Once your current financial picture is clear, it will be easier to set short term and long term financial goals with a financial advisor. Take charge it’s your financial health.

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This is a guest post written by Carol Traulsen, a student of MakeMoneyFromWriting.com.  Carol is learning how to turn her writing skills into a freelance writing business.

However, what amount of money are we talking about here?  Maybe to millionaires, a few thousand dollars more or less per year doesn’t make much difference to their level of happiness… but to a person living near the poverty line, it certainly does. 

Let’s take Japan, for example. Usually people believe that Japan is a
rich country where all people enjoy a high standard of life and are
able to buy everything they need. Aren’t the Japanese those people
who travel with expensive cameras around their necks and drive big
Toyotas?

Yes, some people enjoy a high standard of life but the income gap is
widening and the number of homeless people is increasing. The time
where everybody enjoyed lifetime employment is over.

After the bubble economy of the 1980s, companies dropped the lifetime
employment system and put a freeze on hiring full timers. Young
people who graduated from university in the 90′s found themselves
locked out of full time employment and became what is here known as
“freeters” – free-lancers aka part-timers who can be hired and fired
at will.

Now these freeters are in their 30′s and many of them still
live with their parents for the simple reason that their income does
not allow them to rent a place of their own. Consequently, on their
low incomes they can’t afford to go dating let alone get married and
start a family. Hence the birthrate in Japan is among the lowest in
the world at 1.18 and the Japanese government is seriously worried
about the aging of the population and the looming shortage of workers
and taxpayers to keep the social security and pension system going.

Maybe money cannot buy happiness but… it certainly can help avoiding a
lot of problems and unhappiness.

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This is a guest post written by Julian Hebbrecht, a student of MakeMoneyFromWriting.com.  Julian is learning how to turn writing skills into a successful freelance writing business with consistent income.

Money Answer Guy’s Answer:

Well, unless you know a person who works in the wholesale gasoline business, it is difficult to find cheap gas. The price difference among retailers is minimal, a 10 cent per gallon savings is probably the best you are going to find. So the real key is getting more miles from each tank of gas. And, with industry forecasters predicting that gas prices will hover around 4.00 a gallon for the next 1 1/2 years,(at least!), it might be wise to continue reading.

The most dramatic improvements in your gas mileage will come as a result of reducing your average driving speed. Car And Driver Magazine published a study that compared the gas mileage of two identical cars. One car was travelling an average speed of 70mph, while the other car was averaging 60mph. After 100 miles, the car averaging 60mph had used 13% less gas! Another factor related to speed involves acceleration. So called, “jack rabbit” starts will drain your gas tank in a hurry. Try to ease your foot very gently when accelerating, almost as if an egg was under the ball of your foot. Try it, it works!

Try to avoid lots of short trips. Try and consolidate your errands if possible. Short trips burn proportionately more gas than longer trips. A great gas saver is to form car pools with neighbors. This can be done for commutes to the same/or similar, job destinations, or even for errands. It just takes coordinating your schedule with your neighbor’s schedule. Finally, keep your tires properly inflated and use your car’s air conditioner sparingly.

I have never understood America’s preoccupation with the SUV. While a drastic move, perhaps it is time to purchase a vehicle which provides better gas mileage. You will find that many reasonably priced sedans offer great gas mileage and ample interior space. They ride better, too!

In conclusion, the gas crisis will be with us for the next couple of years, at least. It is time to change some of our driving habits for the sake of our bank accounts. In addition to improving our gas mileage, changing our driving habits will lead to safer roads. And, we ALL benefit from that!

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This question was answered by Mike Hutchins, a student of MakeMoneyFromWriting.com, where he is learning how to secure freelance writing jobs and establish a successful online writing business.