1. My Chase bank does offer free online banking. I use it every month to pay off my bills. It is very convenient, because I don't have to deal with writing checks or mailing the bills through the mail. I have all of the information set up for each bill (name, address, phone #), and once I am ready to pay them, I simply click on the box next to the bill's name and I enter the exact dollar figure that I want to send them. Chase displays a message on how long the money will take to reach them (usually 1, 2, or 3 days). Chase is a very secure site, so I trust it.
2. I visited the budgeting tools that were displayed and they are very similar. They keep your finances in order by being your balance sheet, you can see what purchases or deposits you have made to your account. I signed up for Mint.com, but once I got past registering my e-mail address and password, the site wanted me to tell them my bank account information, so they could upload it into their site. I didn't feel comfortable doing this, so I didn't. I browsed around the site and I like the feature that allows you to see the current promotions of many credit card companies.
3. I enjoyed reading the article on ways to cut back on spending, it was very informative. Under the Groceries section, the article mentioned that it is best to purchase store brands and to stock up on sale items that you would normally use. But it is essential to pay attention to the expiration dates, you don't want to go home with the product and then notice that it expires that same day or in that week. Also, it would be smart not to purchase nonfood items at the supermarket, such as batteries or cleaning products, since they tend to be more expensive. Buying bottled water is a no-no, since your home tap water is much more less expensive. The Utilities section recommended setting the thermostat in your home to no lower than 72 degrees during the summer when you are home, and then switch it over to 80-85 when no one is home. Washing clothes in cold water and removing clothes from the dryer when they are damp and also energy savers. Using a microwave, instead of a stove, saves a ton of energy. A microwave consumes 20% of the energy required by an oven. In the Personal Finance section, it stated that it would not be a good idea to pay an annual fee for a credit card, since many do not charge any fees. Also, ask the credit card issuer to lower your interest rate if it is too high. If they give you a hard time, threaten to balance transfer your debt over to another credit card company.
2. I visited the budgeting tools that were displayed and they are very similar. They keep your finances in order by being your balance sheet, you can see what purchases or deposits you have made to your account. I signed up for Mint.com, but once I got past registering my e-mail address and password, the site wanted me to tell them my bank account information, so they could upload it into their site. I didn't feel comfortable doing this, so I didn't. I browsed around the site and I like the feature that allows you to see the current promotions of many credit card companies.
3. I enjoyed reading the article on ways to cut back on spending, it was very informative. Under the Groceries section, the article mentioned that it is best to purchase store brands and to stock up on sale items that you would normally use. But it is essential to pay attention to the expiration dates, you don't want to go home with the product and then notice that it expires that same day or in that week. Also, it would be smart not to purchase nonfood items at the supermarket, such as batteries or cleaning products, since they tend to be more expensive. Buying bottled water is a no-no, since your home tap water is much more less expensive. The Utilities section recommended setting the thermostat in your home to no lower than 72 degrees during the summer when you are home, and then switch it over to 80-85 when no one is home. Washing clothes in cold water and removing clothes from the dryer when they are damp and also energy savers. Using a microwave, instead of a stove, saves a ton of energy. A microwave consumes 20% of the energy required by an oven. In the Personal Finance section, it stated that it would not be a good idea to pay an annual fee for a credit card, since many do not charge any fees. Also, ask the credit card issuer to lower your interest rate if it is too high. If they give you a hard time, threaten to balance transfer your debt over to another credit card company.
