Networth Debt Update!

I have been hacking away, at all of my debts this year and have really made a dent! I think my biggest milestone was paying 75% of my credit card debt down, pushing 10% into my 401K at work and getting a new-to-me used car that was very affordable with low insurance. Here is my spiffy new graph…I like the part where the line goes up, up, up! More updates soon, promise! I need to do some pruning on the site, take down some old ads, upload new posts, photos, resources, goals and so on…

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Totally in Love with Mint - Online Finance Manager

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Last week I signed up with Mint, a money management site. I was immediatly smitten when I saw the sexy pie chart that graphed out spending habits from my checking account. I can now track my 401k, savings, checking and credit card accounts all in one place and be as OCD about it was I want :)

When you first log in you are presented with a main dashboard where you can see a quick snapshot of what your money’s been doing: recent account activity, budget trends, alerts, balances, etc. From there you can dig deeper and view a detailed list of recent transactions, balances and spending trends. In my opinion its just as powerful as Quicken with all the bells and whistles and without all the confusion and complexity. So if you want to kill some time this weekend, why not take 20 minutes, set up an account and refocus on your financial goals? I had a hard time resisting all of those pretty graphs and believe it or not, actually have FUN using it. Go figure?!



UPrinting Giveaway! Win Free Business Cards or Brochures.

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As a reward for you hard work at paying down debt or making money online, Somewhere Over the Debt has teamed up with UPrinting to bring you an awesome giveaway!

UPrinting is a popular online printing company that offers business card printing, brochures, calendars, posters, letterhead, banners and pretty much anything you would need for your small business, events or family gifts. Now they want you to try out their goods and is giving away free business cards or brochures to 1 lucky Somewhere Over the Debt reader.


How to Enter

1. Leave a comment at the end of the blog post, describing what you would use the free printing for.

2. Deadline to enter is 11:59am (CST) Sunday, April 19th. A winner will be randomly chosen and be notified via email on Monday, April 20th!



Prize

1,000 free standard size business cards for one reader and 500 free standard size brochures for one reader. You can choose from any of our stocks for these items.



Rules

Winners in the United States and Canada qualify for free shipping. Shipping fees will apply to winners outside these areas.



Making the Credit Card Companies Work for You

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Believe it or not, there is a way to come out ahead in the credit card game instead of it being one-sided. If you are able to be financial saavy and resist temptation, then there are actually many benefits and was to save money!

The first rule of thumb is to always treat your credit card bill like a utility bill or rent/mortage payment…pay it in full, on time all the time. If you are there emotionally and financially with your budget then the world is yours…and your credit rating can do nothing but go up.

Decide what you really want the credit card for…they all have different perks and offers to consider. On the road a lot? Then check out gas credit cards or cards that offer airline miles or hotel rewards. If you have a family to feed, there are some offering grocery and dining discounts.

Also, don’t just snatch your first offer or settle with the cards you have, go out and take the time to compare credit cards so that you aren’t screwing yourself over with hidden fees. When’s the last time you looked at your APR, late fees or annual fees on your statement? You are probably overpaying and missing out.

once you start using your credit cards wisely, you’ll see the impact when you start to receive good offers, not junk ones. I’m talking the premium cards with cash back bonuses and other lucrative rewards that come a long with your good credit rating that will reflect your responsible credit habits. Just don’t fall back into old spending habits or stop paying balances in full every month or it can become a credit nightmare…we’ve all been there and that’s what these companies are just waiting for…to jack up your rates and cash in on late and over the limit payments. Don’t do it, stay in charge and they will be putty in your hands :)