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Save money today




On food

* Buy fresh produce from markets not supermarkets, they're almost always cheaper.
* If you do shop at the supermarket, make a list and stick to it, unless you see food that's massively reduced.
* Buy cheaper cuts of meat and tenderise them by cooking them more slowly, in casseroles, for example. They're just as nutritious.
* Make your own sandwiches. The pre-packed sandwich industry is worth £3.3 billion a year! At £2 a sandwich, someone who buys sandwiches for work every day spends more than £40 a month, or almost £500 a year! Home-made sandwiches freeze brilliantly too
* Don't waste leftover food. Be inventive - you can make very tasty and nourishing meals with it
* Batch cook. Cooking large amounts of food and freezing it is much more cost effective both in terms of ingredients and the energy used to cook the food
* Don't buy convenience food. It's usually high in salt, sugar and fat, but it's also very expensive and profitable for the supermarkets that sell it


At home

* Turn down the thermostat on your central heating by just one degree. This could save you almost ten per cent on your heating bill. And, according to the Environment Agency, over the year, this will save about 240kg of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere, equivalent to the amount absorbed by about 80 trees.
* Check your gas and electricity supplier to see if they're the cheapest. An average house could save more than £100 just by switching supplier.
* Don't heat rooms you don't use, or heat them gently.
* Don't fill the kettle full every time. It takes a kilowatt to heat a litre of water by 1°C (1.8°F). Just put the amount of water you need in your kettle.
* Ensure that you don't have leaky windows and doors.
* Fit loft insulation - some councils will offer grants in certain circumstances.
* Don't leave electrical equipment, such as TVs and stereos, on standby. It wastes electricity.
* Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
* Fit energy-saving light bulbs, they're kind to the environment and they save you money in the long run.
* Shower don't bath. It uses a lot less water and therefore saves on heating.
* Hanging out the washing is free, and saves you using the energy-thirsty tumble dryer.
* Buy things from charity shops or even shops at the council tip. They cost a fraction of the 'new' price and are often in very good condition. Toddlers soon grow out of their toys, so buying them ones from charity shops is a cheap way to give them an endless supply.


Going out

* Do you have to take the car? Could you walk?
* Can you buy it locally? Big shops may be cheaper but they might not be once you've added on petrol, bus and train fares. You'll also be supporting your local community.
* Happy hour! Many pubs, restaurants and cinemas have discounts for less popular times of the day. Taking advantage of this can save you up to 50 per cent of the cost.
* Off-peak travel. If you're planning to visit friends by train or bus, check out the savings made by going off-peak. For example, a peak return from Winchester to London Waterloo by train costs more than £35. An off-peak travel card costs just over £22 and if you have a travel card (which costs a one-off £20 a year) it only costs £15.
* Go 'out' to friends. You can have a great night out by taking a bottle of wine and a takeaway to a friend's house, or have them come to you. You'll save a fortune compared with going to a restaurant.
* Car share. If you commute to work, or do a school run, team up with neighbours and share the journey.
* Join a babysitting circle. If you want to leave the children at home, you can save money by joining a group of babysitters. The babysitting is therefore free, you just return the favour. This can save you about £20 for a long evening.
* Carry out research on the internet for the best bargains, before you go out to buy something. It'll save you the hassle of walking from shop to shop, saving time and petrol, and you'll be more likely to find the cheapest deal.


On finances

* Consolidate any debts you have. Don't pay ludicrous credit card interest rates. Talk to your bank about getting a loan to pay them off, or switch to a card that offers cheap rates for transferred balances. This can save you hundreds of pounds depending on the size of your debt.
* Pay all your bills by direct debit. This means they're paid on time, you get used to not having the money and you can budget properly. Often there are discounts for doing so too.
* Ensure your savings are in the best sort of account. If you don't need to touch it, put it in a higher interest account, although this does mean restrictions on getting your cash.
* If you can afford it, make use of your ISA allowances. You can save up to £3,000 in cash in any one tax year, and the interest is tax-free. You can also save in shares and life cover with an ISA. Get advice from a financial adviser.
* Make sure you're getting all the allowances that you're entitled to, including all the child credits if you have children. The Citizens Advice Bureau can help you with this.
* Save loose change. You'd be amazed how quickly coppers and silver in a piggy bank turn into notes.

Thank you for : http://www.bbc.co.uk/consumer/your_money/savetoday.shtml

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Need Money? You Asset Can Get You Cheap Secured Personal Loans

by: Amanda Thompson


In a world where money is playing such a critical role, you cannot afford to stay a single moment without sufficient fund. Money is needed for your each and every action that you perform. But imagine that in this scenario, if you face a cash shortage due to any reason, what would you do. The answer is simple- you will go for a loan that is affordable, is available at the right time and is convenient to repay. Such an opportunity is provided by cheap secured personal loans which will not only fill the cash gap but also make your financial life healthy. Let us see how it works.

Cheap secured personal loans are such loan products that offer you money for almost any kind of purpose. This is because personal loans are available for your personal needs which can be anything. When you are applying for these loans, you need not tell the lender the purpose of this loan. So whether you have to meet your medical bill or business expenses, or you have to purchase a home or a car, do not worry. Cheap secured personal loans are available for you.

In order to avail a cheap secured personal loan, you should firstly make up your mind as to what security you are going to put as collateral. Since it is a secured loan, you are required to put collateral against the loan amount. You can place any valuable property such as your home, car, jewelry, or any other asset that is equal to or greater than the loan value. This gives you an additional benefit of getting a good loan amount because collateral gives lender an assurance that his money is not at risk and that if you fail to repay, he can always repossess your asset.

You can get a cheap secured personal loan with an amount ranging from £3000-£25,000. However, the loan value can even extend up to £100,000 depending upon your requirements and the collateral that you put. The repayment term is usually 3-25 years.

The interest rate charged with secured personal loans depends on the loan amount and the repayment. However you can get a cheap and reasonable loan by applying to the online loan lending services. Online lenders provide you a list of lenders who offer secured personal loans at cheap rates. Among them you can easily compare and choose the best and reasonable lender. Online lenders also provide you ease in filling the application form. They offer you fund within as fast as 10-12 days. This is because it has a least number of paperwork and verification process.

Cheap secured personal loans provide funds for all. People with bad credit or no credit history can also apply. They will be offered a loan deal that will suit their financial situations.

Loans are available widely. But cheap secured personal loans provide you the best deal. Apply now and get maximum benefits.

About The Author
Amanda Thompson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from CPIT and has completed her master’s in Business Administration from IGNOU.She is working as financial consultant for chanceforloans . To find a Cheap secured personal loans ,Debt consolidation loans, Cheap rates, Personal loans,Secured loans, Unsecured loan visit http://www.chanceforloans.co.uk.

How To Save Money On Car Loans

by: Noel Hynes

Have you noticed that everyone seems to have a newer car than you? There's good news. You can find a way to upgrade your old clunker to a newer model. There are many ways to save money on your car loan. Lenders are competing for your business, and more and more car loans are approved to allow more people than ever to buy a car.

So now that you've decided to buy a newer car, the question on how to pay for it arises. If you're like most people, you don't have the cash needed to buy a new car. The other option is to borrow the money. There are certain guidelines to follow which could help you save money on a car loan. Careful planning, comparison-shopping and persistence are necessary to find the best deals.

If your credit rating is good, you should have no problem in negotiating a low interest rate. However, there are still basic principles, which apply during your search to find ways to save money on car loans. If you have a pile of credit card bills to pay and have made recent large purchases such as another car or a home, it is likely that your loan will have a higher interest rate. The object is to save money while negotiating your car loan.

Having a good credit report is an important asset and one of the basic requirements for saving money on car loans. You should always keep your payments current to avoid those nasty little "late" notices that appear on your credit report. It is especially important that your debts be paid on time for a few months prior to applying for a car loan. You will be asked to list financial institutions in which you have accounts, and it's nice to be able to show some savings, too. Your credit score may be reduced which could prevent you from saving money on your car loan. Your credit score also dictates the interest rate on your loan.

Another way to save money on a car loan is to have a sizable down payment or trade-in. The less money you borrow the lower your total interest will be. To save yourself from a hassle while negotiating arrangements for a car loan, it is helpful to be pre-approved for the amount of money you need to finance your car.

There are many financial institutions more than willing to finance a car for you. A reputable lender is obviously going to make some profit or they wouldn't be in the business of lending money. You can use a traditional lender such as banks, credit unions, etc., but you should also compare their interest rates with the online lenders as well.

Most car dealerships are very happy to arrange a loan for you. First, you choose the vehicle you want, test drive it and make the decision to buy it. The majority of car dealerships is honest and will gladly help you find a way to save money on a car loan. Be sure the dealer you select has a reputation for placing customer satisfaction first.

Naturally, a salesperson may want to sell you the more expensive models, but you should stay focused on your goal of getting the most for your money and saving money on your car loan.

About The Author

© Noel Hynes is the owner of http://easy-auto-loans-online.com. Easy online auto loan applications.

Bad Credit Loans – Much Needed Money in the Most Testing Times

by: James Taylor

For people who do not know much about bad credit, it will often be incomprehensible as to why a financial product has been devoted solely to cater to the class. Nonetheless, the proportions that bad credit people constitute of the population, justifies the creation of a separate loan category. It is however, contestable if bad credit loans have done enough justice to its customers.

The principal contention of the borrowers is the excessively high rate of interest that they have to shell out for bad credit loans. When compared with the terms offered to the regular customers, the terms on which bad credit loans come indeed look inflated. However, this is an erroneous perspective that things are being looked through. Regular customers are those who have perfect to good credit history. If past credit reports depict the credibility enjoyed by a borrower, then a person who has a good credit history will be relatively safer to lend. Thus, terms on which loans are offered to borrowers are fairly lenient than for the bad credit borrowers.

This does not discount instances when loan providers would intentionally peg the rate of interest higher. Sensing the urgency of the individual, many loan providers would fix the interest rates higher. Individuals, who have been refused loans from several lenders, will seldom believe that there are many deals available in bad credit loans. Had it not been for online lending, borrowers would have continued believing the same, and falling prey to the swindling tactics employed by certain loan providers.

Online lenders are not limited to a single county or region. Most of the loan providers have a nationwide presence, serving customers through their own branches or through a network of lenders having base in the specific county. This ensures that the purview of search is widened. The loan providers undertake to find the loan deals that suit the requirements of the borrowers. Though not impossible, it will be difficult for the borrowers to search individually for the desired bad credit loans. Refusal by a few loan providers is enough to undermine their fervour.

Online loan providers however utilise a different method of searching bad credit loan deals for its borrowers. When an application is received for a bad credit loan, the borrower will have to be responded within a short period (generally an hour) if he can qualify for the loan. Known as an in-principle decision, this is not a final approval of the loan. This is an intimation from the lender that, provided certain conditions are fulfilled, the borrower will be sanctioned the bad credit loan.

The loan providers after making a study of the case statistics of the borrower and determining the credibility that he enjoys, would match the borrowers’ requirements with the loan deals available. Even when lenders from the network are to be utilised, borrowers stand a chance of getting the best deals. The same lenders who would have feared offering loans to the bad credit customer, would easily lend when applications are routed through an online lender. This is because the online lenders guarantee as to the trustworthiness of the individual after conducting the relevant checks.

The amount that is actually sanctioned as a bad credit loan will be lesser than what is desired. This again depends on the lending policies prevalent among the loan providers of a particular region. There are certain lenders who do not consider bad credit people posing too much of a risk. Certain techniques will be utilised to cover the risk posed. Demanding a collateral of the borrower is one such technique.

A bad credit loan where the borrower has to present the lien to an asset is termed as secured bad credit loans. House is the most commonly used collateral. House also secures the largest amount for the borrowers. The other important assets used include automobiles, stocks and shares etc. The common practice is to hold the lien over the asset till the secured bad credit loan has been repaid in full. Homeowners who have pledged the home equity to serve as collateral will not have to move house. However, when the loan has been left unpaid, the borrower has the rights to repossess the home for recovering the due amount.

It is the fear of the home being repossessed that many borrower would look forward to unsecured loans. The relatively higher rates of interest and stricter terms are set aside to ensure that home is not endangered.

Bad credit loans facilitate a significant change in the credit history of the borrowers. The manner in which the decisions on the bad credit loan are made, and the discipline with which the decisions are implemented and adhered to has much bearing on whether or not a borrower is able to improve his credit ratings.

About The Author

James Taylor holds a Master’s degree in Commerce from JNU he is working as financial consultant for chance for loans.To find a personal loan,bad credit loans that best suits your needs visit http://www.chanceforloans.co.uk.

UK Loans: Borrowing The Right Kind Of Money

by: Amanda Thompson

Most people don’t think of loans until the need originates in their own lives.

Borrowing money is neither an easy decision nor a decision which has no serious repercussions. Taking loans will have an impact on almost all other decision and your future financial plans. With UK personal debt growing by £1 million every four minute it is likely that loan borrowing is becoming more famous than ever.

It is common that people over spend leaving financial gap which loans can fill. Average consumer in UK is borrowing via every possible way but loans still remain the most popular way and economical way of borrowing money. Loans are available for every purpose in UK.

One of the several loan types available in UK is bound to suit your purpose. The most basic loan type in UK is personal loans which are provided by financial institutions or banks with or without collateral. Personal loans serve to finance any sort of personal purpose like purchasing car, furniture etc. loans amount varies from £5,000-£75,000 (or more) with repayment term of 5-25 years.

Secured loans in UK entail security of some kind for their approval. Security usually is in the form of real estate (home or property), car etc. But alternative form of collateral like stocks and bonds are also acceptable by some lenders depending on the loan amount. Unsecured loans in UK are well-suited for tenants and homeowners who are unable to provide collateral. With unsecured loans one can borrow loan amounts from £5,000-£25,000. Repayment term is 5-10 years.

If UK residents are facing difficulty paying back debts which are two or more in number then debt consolidation is the way to deal with it. With debt consolidation loans all pending debts are rolled into a single debt at low interest rates. This makes repayment more easy and manageable.

Mortgage is the debt instrument for UK residents which require the borrower to offer his property as security. Mortgage has immense diversification to include the requirements of every loan borrower in UK. Repayment mortgages, interest only mortgages, pension mortgages, ISA mortgage, self certified loans are only few mortgages which accommodate the financial requirements of those looking for mortgages.

Remortgage is a loan type that will suit those UK homeowners who already have a mortgage. With remortgage they can have better interest rates and terms. Also remortgages can help in raising money, debt consolidation or extending loan term.

Payday loans are meant for those who want to borrow money instantly. Payday loans in UK get approved and the money gets transferred within less than 24 hrs. Bridging loans in UK are short term loans that enable people to pay for new property before they have sold their current property. Loan term is from one month to 12 months and you can borrow money from £100,000-£400,000.

Holiday loans enable UK residents to make their trip to any place they want to. Not everybody can afford to go to the place they want especially when they want to go. Holiday loans are especially designed to fund your dream trip.

Bad credit loans can help UK people to get over the effects of bad credit situation. Credit situation is usually checked by every lender and will be integral in every loan decision. Check your credit history and credit score so that you won’t be charged unduly for bad credit. Bad credit usually carries high interest rates than standard loans.

Interest rates for loans in UK are dependent on certain fundamentals factors:

· Collateral
· Credit worthiness
· Loan type
· Amount needed
· Loan restriction and limitations
· Loan application
· Loan lenders standards

Therefore, UK borrowers have to go from site to site looking for interest rates. Compare interest rates that apply to your financial condition and then decide. Know how much you should borrow without making loans a difficulty. Affordability is an issue which made loan borrowing a necessity for you. Make sure you can afford the loan.

Loan borrowing in UK can be one of the fundamental way to set your finances right. In fact it does make sense to take loans.

About The Author

Amanda Thompson holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from CPIT and has completed her master’s in Business Administration from IGNOU. She is as cautious about her finances as any person reading this is. She is working as financial consultant for chanceforloans .To find a Personal loans,bad credit loans,Debt consolidation,home equity loans at cheap rates that best suits your needs visit http://www.chanceforloans.co.uk.

Vehicle Loans - Save Money On Your Next Loan

by: Carrie Reeder

Everyone likes to save money. Auto loans can carry significant financial burdens for many people. One way to save money is to lower the financial burden these loans carry. The best way to save money on your next auto loan is to improve your credit score. A higher credit score means a lower auto loan interest rate. There are four basic tips for raising your credit score.

Regularly check report The first thing each and every individual should do before applying for an auto loan is get their own credit report. Checking credit reports for accuracy should occur once a year. If there are any mistakes that negatively affect your credit, corrections can take up to three months to fix. Staying on top of these mistakes will save you headache in the long run.

Reduce credit card balances An important factor in your FICO credit score is the ratio of owed amount to credit limit. If you have over 25% of your credit limit owed, this could lower your credit score. Try to limit the use of credit cards if this is your problem. Pay bills timelyPaying bills on time is one aspect of good credit in which most people are aware. Be sure you make timely payments on bills especially close to the time you apply for a loan. A late payment six years in the past will not affect you credit as heavily as a late payment in the present.

Pay off debt Many credit cards offer appealing balance transfer rates. Do not fall victim to these rates around loan time. If you cancel a credit card and transfer it's balance over to another credit card, you are increasing the debt to credit limit ratio. As stated earlier, this is not a good thing. Instead of transferring debt, work on paying off that debt before applying for an auto loan.

There are many reasons why improving your credit score is so important. Saving money on auto loans is just one of the many benefits of having great credit. Improving your credit not only improves the health of your current financial situation, but sets you up for future financial success.

About The Author

Carrie Reeder is the owner of http://www.abcloanguide.com, an informational website about various types of loans.

View our recommended lenders for Car Finance Loans http://www.abcloanguide.com/autoloans.shtml.

Five Ways Consolidating Student Loans Can Save You Money

by: Chris Studer

Most students take out numerous loans for college, each with its own interest rate and its own monthly amount. The plethora of different loan sources is a great benefit in terms of paying for college, but when it comes to credit rating, this long list of outstanding loans can put a serious damper on your overall score.

By consolidating student loans, your credit report will show one combined loan, usually with a much lower overall payment, which equates to a more favorable credit rating. By consolidating student loans, you most likely also benefit from a much lower payment, thus lowering your debt to income ratio.

Consolidating Student Loans Reduces Debt to Income Ratio and Increases Buying Power

Having a low debt to income ratio, or the monthly amount owed compared to the amount earned, makes an incredible impact on the amount of money you'll be able to borrow and afford for a first home or reliable transportation.

The total amount of household debt in the US last year was more than 100% of disposable income. Rising education costs have created a vicious cycle for today's graduating students. As your debt to income ratio rises, so do the interest rates of each new loan. Keeping this ratio low by reducing your monthly bills can literally save you tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime.

Consolidating Student Loans Reduces Dependence on Credit Cards

Having lower bills in the years following college means less reliance on high interest credit cards and other loans. The average college student carries a whopping 6 credit cards with a total balance over $2100.

This means that the $100 credit card purchase for new work attire could cost more than $200 over the 12 months it takes to pay the full balance. Fortunately, smart financial planning, including consolidating education loans, can help students and young professionals live a life free of high interest debts.

By Consolidating Student Loans, You are Locked into Today's Low Fixed Rates

Just because interest rates are low today doesn't mean they will stay that way. In fact rates over the last several years are lower than they've ever been in recent history. It's amazing how much a small percentage point can save or cost on a college education bill over the course of a loan repayment.

The Federal Consolidation Loan allows you to lock into today's low interest rates when consolidating student loans. Consolidation loans usually have a longer repayment period and a lower monthly payment than is available on the underlying education loans.

By Consolidating Student Loans, you can Receive Additional Interest Rate Discounts

Companies that specialize in consolidating student loans like ScholarPoint.com offer additional consolidation benefits such as auto payments, and consecutive payments.

Auto Payments: Receive a reduction in your interest rate for making your payments automatically from your bank account when you consolidate your student loans.

Consecutive Payments: Some student loan consolidation companies give you the opportunity to reduce your repayment interest rate up to one full percentage point by simply making payments on time.

No Interest Deferral: Take advantage of the flexibility of student loans by deferring loans during qualified times. While enrolled in graduate school, serving in the military, or volunteering with the Peace Corps, you can not only defer payments, but stop interest from accruing as well.

Grace Period: Consolidating during your grace period allows you to lock in a rate that is lower than the standard repayment rate.

About The Author

Chris Studer

ScholarPoint Financial, Inc. is a national online consumer lending company specializing in student loans. We believe in combining state-of-the-art technology with world class service to help students and parents easily gain access to data, become informed, and enjoy the process of obtaining a college loan. Learn more about Student Loan Consolidation at http://www.scholarpoint.com.