Small Step To Prevent Overdrafts

Overdrafts on my checking account have plagued me for years. I don't know how much money I have wasted through NSF charges, but they would probably add up a pretty penny. I am being better about watching my balances online and transferring money when I need to, and I am also trying to use my debit card less. But I have taken another step to help stop overdrafts: opened a savings account and linked it to my checking account. Again, not rocket science. I should have opened a savings account years ago anyway (to be fair to myself, I do have a savings account at a credit union). But this savings account will help me avoid overdrafts. If I am a little short of money, it will draw it from the savings account and hopefully keep me from overdrawing in many cases.

Need A Good Web Host To Make Money Online

If you are wanting to make money online, like I am, you really need to be able to count on your computer, your website, and your web host. Because if your web host is no good, you may have an unreliable website! And then--you know--you can't make money off of it very well.

I am in the process of wanting to switch over some of my blogs to a new platform, and also start a website, so I have been researching some webhosting companies. I am not an uber geek, so I have to rely on either word of mouth recommendations as to things such as web hosts, or get my info from websites that compare different webhosts for me.

I actually have already bought my domain names from a company, but I am not sure if that means I get free webhosting automatically or not. Hmmmm? I guess I will have to find out. I hope it does it include webhosting, but my feeling it does not. Oh well. I guess I did the cart before the horse. But I can go back to the same company and buy a webhosting plan, I am sure.

At any rate, I am ready to become more professional in my blogs and websites and actually make money online!

Good Article On Becoming A Mystery Shopper

I found this article on mystery shopping today on msn.com:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveMoney/how-to-become-a-mystery-shopper.aspx

It is pretty good, because it gives you some good basic info. I have been mystery shopping for a year now and have earned more than $1,000. How much more, I am not sure. (Remember, I am a financial dufus!) I need to go back through my check stubs and online records and add it up. I may be surprised at how much I have made!

I haven't taken too many shops lately, but I almost feel like that is OK. I did a whole bunch in June and almost feel like I got slightly burnt out. I enjoy it, but when you add the time you do the shop, and then the time you take to make the report (and usually, you have to do the report pretty quickly) you can feel rushed. I will try to ramp back up soon.

Avoid These Money-Making Schemes

If you are reading my blog, chances are you are wanting to get out of debt or make some extra money to avoid getting in debt. There are some good ways to earn some extra money but avoid these at all costs:

http://www.fastweb.com/financial-aid/articles/1001-money-making-schemes-to-avoid?from_session=true

Considering ADT Home Security For My Condo

I am a single female, living by myself in the midtown part of the city. It is certainly not crime ridden--as a matter of fact, I can't remember the last time a horrible crime was committed anywhere around me. I think that has to do with the stepped-up police force in town, as well as the university police force that covers my neighborhood as well. In terms of police response time, my area is in good stead.

However, I still feel the need for a home security system. I used to have one, but I have let it lapse. To be honest, I was always too afraid I would set it off myself, and get penalized, or worse, it would go off willy nilly by itself during the wee hours of the night giving me cardiac arrest.

It is time for me to revisit the home security question again, and I am researching other companies. Part of my decision as to what company I would go with has to do with security system monitoring fees. I am on a budget, and I know some charge more fees than others.

Debt Prevents Lawyer From Being Admitted To Bar

This is the kind of article that would have sent chills down my spine even a few months ago: The fact that a lawyer has too much debt may be grounds for being denied admission to the bar. I have struggled with debt for years. I have carried "toxic debt" around longer than I care to admit. I used to have late payments out the wazoo. It never occurred to me when I entered law school that debt could ruin my plans of becoming a lawyer. It was only into my third or fourth year that this possibility stared me in the face. And I dreaded the character and fitness application process for this reason. And in my character and fitness interview, the subject of my debt came up. And the lawyer interviewing me did wince, when he saw the total. But he noticed that I had made payment arrangements and was caught up on everything. What I didn't tell him, and should have, is that I also cut up all my credit cards and haven't used credit in several years. That would have helped my case. But in the long run, I didn't need help. He recommended that I be admitted and I was. The scary part of this article is that the New York bar examiners did approve this man to be admitted to the bar, and a panel of judges reversed the decision.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/business/02lawyer.html

One Year Plan To Buying A House

Since I am wanting to buy a house, and wanting to do so within a year or two, the article below caught my attention. It gives a lot of good tips about making a gameplan to buy a house within one year. It offers a timeline of what to do when, which is what Ineed. I am not sure I can pay off my debt as fast as they suggest. I am hoping to pick up some freelance work so I can pay my debt off faster.

http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=13107796