US Finance World

A month ago, I asked readers to share their stories about how they have created multiple diversified income streams by choice.

15 readers shared their stories in the comments and I really enjoyed hearing what others were doing. I am sure you will too, so I decided to provide some highlights and boil down each story into a strategy-type.

Hopefully it gets your creative juices flowing, as it did mine.

The Best of Both Worlds Strategy:

Rita quit her corporate job, but maintained much of the same clientelle on her own. Her income was roughly the same on much less hours. Rita didnt mention this, but this is also a great way to diversify employers (instead of having one employer, she has a number of clients, distributing her risk of getting laid off).

With all of her new found free time, she started up a dog grooming and walking business because she loves dogs.

More freedom, time, passion, and diversification.

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Pet ownership is a wonderful experience, but it is one that doesn’t come cheap. The ongoing costs of providing your pet with food, hygiene and vaccinations are compounded by unexpected costs for medication and emergency care. Can you really afford to keep your pet? Probably, but you should get smart about doing so when money is tight.

photo credit: Tricia Wang ???

Invest in Proper Basic Care

The most important thing that a pet owner can do when living on a budget is to avoid the temptation to skimp on a pet’s basic care. Don’t get cheap dog food or skip your dog’s vaccinations. These things end up costing you because they mean that you have to pay vet bills down the line when your animal gets ill. By investing in the proper care of your pet, you will actually save yourself money in the long run.

Make sure that you understand the minimum care required to keep your pet healthy:

• Provide your pet with healthy, nutritious pet food.
• Take the time to properly groom your pet. A clean

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Credit card interest rates have hit a 13 year high; is it time for you to ditch and switch?

13. Unlucky for some, but not the credit card industry.

That’s because credit card interest rates are at their highest levels in 13 years, soaring 2% in the past four months to 19.1%. Figures from moneyfacts.co.uk show that, despite the Bank of England base remaining at a record low of 0.5%, no fewer than 18 credit cards have had their rates upped since the turn of the year.

So to help you ensure that you’re getting the best possible deal on your credit card, I’m going to outline some real rip-off accounts and show you where to find the cheapest deals…

High interest store cards are a pet hate here at lovemoney.com. Yes,

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Whether moving into your first house or replacing an older lawn mower, youve probably been debating how youre going to cut your lawn this year.

Having used both push reel mowers and gasoline powered mowers, the two offer completely different experiences. In fact, I just upgraded my reel mower to a Fiskars Momentum.

I can tell you, without hesitation, I prefer the push reel mower. Here are 5 great benefits that push reel mowers have over gas powered mowers (as well as some caveats to be aware of if you make the switch).

1. Push Reel Mowers are Cheaper than Gas Powered

Push reel mowers range in price from $80 to $200. Most are below $125. Gas powered mowers are generally $200+ and some of the more advanced push models can be as pricey as $500.

But initial price is not where the costs end. With gasoline over $4 a gallon, you can expect to pay a significant amount every year for fuel. You will also have to pay for oil to change the oil.

Not only that, but gas-powered mowers usually dont last as long as reel mowers.

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Top three credit bureaus that provide authentic and most reliable credit report are Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union.

Credit bureaus provide credit reports that are used by individuals, prospective borrowers, other consumers, lenders, as well as the financing institutions. Information offered in the report helps the lenders to decide the credit worthiness of the prospective borrowers.

Top Three Credit Bureaus

Top three credit bureaus in the country are –

- Equifax;
- Experian; and
- Trans Union.

Since these bureaus have the reputation of providing authentic and near error-free credit records of all the citizens, the law also provides that they will provide each citizen of United States, an yearly credit report.

About The Top Three Bureaus

It would be good for the prospective borrowers and lenders to learn a bit about the top three credit bureaus in the country.

· Equifax has its headquarters in Atlanta while the agency operates in United States, Europe, and Latin America. In Read more…

In a world where everyone is after your money, it’s easy to pay out more than you need to. Here’s how to avoid getting ripped-off ever again!

These days, when everyone is trying to save money, the last thing you want is to get poor value for money, or to feel like you’ve just poured your life-savings down the drain.

So here, I’m going to show you how you can avoid ever getting ripped off again!

With so many different credit cards on the market, it can be a tad tricky to know which one to plump for. However, it’s really important that you choose the right credit card to suit your needs if you want to avoid paying interest when you don’t need to.

Many credit cards charge interest rates in the region of 16%. So if you’re going to be doing a lot of spending, the best way to avoid paying these high interest rates is by choosing a 0% on new purchases credit card, such as the M&S Credit Card. This card off

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If you like the hazelnut tortamisu at Rioja, the top-rated Denver restaurant, thank pastry chef Eric Dale, who garnishes his sticky invention with gianduja chocolate and espresso crème anglaise. If you’re fond of the “flight of artisan water buffalo cheeses,” that’s him. And if you happen to pop your head into the bakery room and admire the tile job on the floor, you can thank Dale for that, too.

Ever since his boss, chef Jen Jasinski, discovered that Dale is handy, she’s had him doing double duty as the maintenance man. He’s spent hours repainting the oven, fixing the plumbing and installing a garbage disposal. And that’s just the start. He used to manage the dessert operation at one restaurant. When the recession hit, his boss asked him to take on a second location; now he’s up to three. All told, Dale says, his hours have expanded by a third, to more than 60 a week.

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We look at the top things to consider when picking which fund to invest in.

Returns on savings accounts are still pretty pitiful, so it can be very tempting to consider other areas where you may be able to make a better return on your money.

One such area is investment. Perhaps the simplest way to get a taste of investing is by doing so through a fund – rather than you having to pick out the individual stocks and shares to invest in, you put your money into a fund which is already invested into various areas of the market.

However, funds come in all different shapes and sizes, and can offer markedly different things. So how do you go about picking a decent one?

A good starting place is working out your own attitude to risk.

Are you happy to dip your toes into more volatile waters, in order to potentially make more significant profits? Or do you want a more conservative approach, with less chance of losing cash but equally less chance of monumental gains? A

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