Having money troubles? Then don’t suffer in silence

Posted on May 14th, 2013 by Jaxon Hewlett

Not talking about money is a bit of a National Joke we Brits are gently ridiculed for – a bit like all of us having bad teeth, cockney accents and tittering at anything a bit smutty.

Except Barbara Windsor and Austin Powers aren’t harmful to your health – while a stiff upper lip where finances are concerned can cause damage to our relationships, jobs and confidence, and in extreme cases lead to mental illness.

According to new figures from debt charity StepChange more than a third of respondents who had reached out to the charity said that unmanageable debt had led to their relationships breaking up – while eight out of 10 said their financial problems had affected their self-confidence and ability to support their families.

Despite these consequences, a third also admitted that they had not spoken to anyone else about their debt problems – and four out of 10 had waited a year before seeking any sort of help.

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Barnes and Noble Announces PIN Pads in 63 Stores Have Been Compromised

Posted on May 12th, 2013 by Alexander Zepps

The nation’s largest brick and mortar book store, Barnes and Noble, has announced that pin pads on credit card terminals in 63 of its stores have been hacked to steal customer information.

The number of breached accounts is currently unknown, but the New York Times has reported that unauthorized purchases have been discovered on some of the compromised accounts.

The infiltration was discovered on Sept. 14, after which the company immediately disconnected all pin pads in all of its stores nationwide. For now, customers will have to hand their debit or credit cards over to clerks to be swiped for all transactions.

The company is assuring customers that its online transaction and those made with the company’s Nook devices are secure, including its customer database.

The FBI New York agency is currently investigating the breach. Bar

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New Choices Available For Borrowers Seeking Loans

Posted on May 11th, 2013 by Hugo Gullett

A new development in the financial world is the rising popularity of private moneylenders utilizing new technology to offer loans to consumers. These loans are the same or comparative to the credit obtained from traditional lending institutions. The private loan lenders are joined with borrowers through associations like Prosper, a company that matches individuals looking to obtain cash with individuals intrigued by loaning cash to consumers and acquiring a profit for their venture.

Individuals are deserting traditional banks and lending institutions in extensive numbers. Some simply do not want to work with those banks any longer after hearing the details of their recent actions in news reports. Some make the choice based on their financial assessment of their situation or have past credit issues that could make traditional loans difficult to obtain.

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Higher Home Ownership Linked to Higher Unemployment

Posted on May 10th, 2013 by Alexander Zepps

American culture has long promoted the idea that home ownership is key to the fulfilling middle-class lifestyle. You can be sure the National Association of Realtors will continue to do its darnedest to keep this interpretation of the American Dream alive; whether youre buying or selling, its always a good time for Realtors to earn their livings.

The government wants its citizens to own houses. All recent presidents have promoted the idea of homeownership, through speeches and policies. To my memory, only Obama has said that not everybody should own a home. Nevertheless, the policies that encourage home ownership remain in place, like federal support for banks that lend money to prospective home buyers and like the mortgage interest tax deduction for owners.

Only half of all home owners claim the tax deduction either because they dont know about it or they dont have enough itemized deductions to be able to take the deduction.

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War Imminent in Straits of Hormuz? $200 a Barrel Oil?

Posted on May 8th, 2013 by Hugo Gullett

 The pieces and policies for potential conflict in the Persian Gulf are seemingly drawing inexorably together.

 Since 24 December the Iranian Navy has been holding its ten-day Velayat 90 naval exercises, covering an area in the Arabian Sea stretching from east of the Strait of Hormuz entrance to the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Aden. The day the maneuvers opened Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari told a press conference that the exercises were intended to show “Iran’s military prowess and defense capabilities in international waters, convey a message of peace and friendship to regional countries, and test the newest military equipment.” The exercise is Iran’s first naval training drill since May 2010, when the country held its Velayat 89 naval maneuvers in the same area. Velayat 90 is the largest naval exercise the country has ever held. The Read more…