One thing we always need in life is a way to make some quick cash. There are no sure fire schemes to do this but there are methods we can use if we have the skills. If you are a good writer for example have you ever considered writing articles for money?

There are plenty of freelance article writing websites online that offer jobs for people who can prove they can write proficiently well. Prove yourself and this will lead to you making some fast cash before you even realise it. If you have ever fancied yourself as a story writer or just enjoy writing as a hobby this could be a way for you to make money for yourself.

Writing articles like this are not only a way to make some fast cash but they are a way for you to improve your skills. The more articles you write the better you will become. The more exposure you get to the people requiring writers the more jobs you will be offered and in the end this will lead to more work and of course more cash.

In the end all it will take is a few articles and buyers will start to notice you. Read more…

In recent weeks, online bank savings APYs have plummeted. Our five favorite online savings accounts Ally Financial Online Savings, American Express High-Yield Savings, ING Direct Orange Savings, Discover Online Savings, and SmartyPig Savings have all dropped their annual percentage yields by a substantial amount, shedding basis points like its going out of style.

From our basket of five online savings accounts, 131 basis points have disappeared from aggregate APY in the last six months an average of 26 basis points per account. The biggest loser was former industry leader SmartyPig, which boasted a 1.35% APY in early June; starting December 9th, SmartyPigs savings product will offer only 0.70% APY a 65 basis point loss. 

Ally Financial, formerly GMAC, offered a more stable savings product; their online savings account only dropped from 1.00% APY to 0.89% over the second half of 2011.  See the table below:

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Chorley & District BS has launched a couple of new one year bonds which will raise the interest of savers looking for a fixed or variable return.

The new one year fixed rate bond offers 3.20% on maturity or monthly.

The one year tracker account offers 3.00% on maturity or monthly and is guaranteed to be 2.50% above base rate.

Both bonds can be operated online or via post, with no additions or early access allowed.

A nominated account for maturity proceeds must be opened at the same time for both accounts and a minimum of £1K must be invested (£5K for monthly options).

Four out of five Moneyfacts stars have been awarded.

You might not even have your first Christmas gift wrapped yet, but now is the time to start thinking ahead to next year’s holiday season.

With some planning in advance, you can avoid running up a huge stack of credit card debt to fund next year’s holiday gift giving and celebrations, and instead start tucking money aside today in an old-fashioned Christmas club account. They’re still around at your neighborhood bank or credit union.

“It’s one of the best moves consumers can make when they think about budgeting for the holidays,” says Mike Schenk, senior economist with the Credit Union National Association (CUNA).

But before you open such an account, Schenk recommends that you “go into it with forethought” and set up a budget, outlining how much you’d like to spend for each gift recipient so you can avoid “spending more than you envisioned.”

Unlike a traditional savings account, Christmas club or holiday club accounts often have strict limitations, such as requirements that you make regular deposits and caps on how much you can deposit each month. Read more…

Audiologist jobs might not be as hard as you think to find, however building a career as an audiologist could turn out to be a bit more challenging.

Apart from clinical audiology, you might like to take a look at retail job opportunities. This could include hearing device manufacturers along with sales and support of audiological equipment. If that isnt ample diversification, look into research options this might be audiological equipment research and technology or research in diagnostic or pathology audiology or similar.

The thing is, there are many areas in which you can specialize in the audiology sector. Its not always clear to all of us, which career direction to follow initially, but an ideal place to begin is to subscribe to newsletters, magazines and job alerts in your area of interest.

Stay current with changes, new research, studies and the demand for audiologists.

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Owning a credit card takes a lot of discipline and good financial planning. If you use the credit card responsibly, it opens up a whole world of convenience. You will be able to make purchases over the Internet and take advantage of the discounts and rewards. The credit card is also very useful for paying utility bills timely and in emergency expenditure.

But with the freedom that comes with the credit card, one is also at risk of being in debt. If you can’t afford paying the monthly repayments and you have reached your limit, your credit card will freeze. A credit card freeze is when the company or bank prevents you from making any purchases via your credit card.

Getting out of a credit freeze need not be complicated. Understand that the freeze is one of the tools the creditor use to get some sort of payment from you. Read more…