03 Dec 09 How to Be Wise with Credit Card Usage

Credit cards have made our life quite easy for the most part of the month, except in those times when will miss the due date or get calls from credit card issuing company. You feel you are being cheated, and these buggers (read credit card companies) are sucking money out of your wallet.

Well, I will not say that they are not doing so, they are very much doing that, but you are also responsible for that (more or less responsible, if not equally). You can avoid being taken for the ride, and for this, all you need to do is become a little wiser.

Know your bill cycle

Swiping your card is much easier then remembering the due date for the bill payment, while former helps us accumulate a lot of payable dues, the latter adds stress to that (along with interests, fine, and calls, etc.). It is prudent to know what your bill cycle is and plan your purchase accordingly.

If say, your bill cycle is 12nd of a month to 13rd of the next month, then I will suggest you should do the big ticket purchasing on 13th or 14th, this will give you maximum credit period (which is around 45-50 days), as against making a purchase of 11th or 12th. In this case, you will hardly get 10-15 days time to pay your bill.

Get it converted into interest-free EMI

If you are making a big purchase from your credit card then I will suggest you to get it converted in easy monthly installments (EMIs).Some credit card company charges only processing fee for the conversion. Paying in EMIs are far more convenient then paying a lump sum, and it will also save you from paying interest on balance payable.

Make full payment

Your credit card company set a trap in each bill, which is known as “minimum amount due”. This is done to lure you in making a part payment while making you pay interest on the rest. Do not fall for this, and try to make full payment at once. If you cannot then get the amount converted in EMI (read above).

“Minimum amount due” is a trap that is set to reduce your guilt feeling of not paying the bills, avoid it at all cost.

Know your card

Do you know how much interest you will have to pay on credit card dues? Or what is the grace period for payment? How much fine will be levied if you miss a payment? Read the fine prints, talk to credit card companies, and know everything that is there to know about your card.

The above written steps will help you reduce your monthly credit card bill, of which interest and fine is the major part.

Tags: Bill Payment, Buggers, Conversion, Credit Card Companies, Credit Card Company, Credit Card Usage, Credit Cards, Credit Period, Due Date, Emi, Guilt, Installments, Issuing Company, Lump Sum, Maximum Credit, Money, Stress, Sucking, Wallet

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20 Jun 09 Kill Weeds Without Harmful Chemicals

The heat is rising, the weather is getting nicer, and as any homeowner knows, that means that the weeds in are in prime form to stick up from the gaps in your sidewalk, and to try and take over your lawn or garden. A constant plague, one that will drive you to use any number of weed killing products and chemicals. No doubt doing more damage than you think to your garden and lawn. But before you turn to those products that are so harmful to your plants and even yourself, keep in mind there are plenty of environmentally friendly alternatives that will still yield the same positive results.

Take water for example, you wouldn’t think water would be an effective exterminator for weeds would you? Well at room temperature water isn’t going to do anything but help the weeds grow, but boil that water and you have one of the most effective natural weed killing weapons. You’ll want to boil the water, and while it’s still steaming hot, pour it directly onto those troublesome weeds. Obviously this strategy isn’t going to work well on lawn weeds or garden, because of the surface area the weeds usually encompass. But on any of those troublesome buggers that are pushing up around or between cracks in your pavement, this is the perfect solution.

For a wider dispersal to kill weeds in places like gardens and on your lawn, a solution of lemon juice or even saline is your best bet. Both are 100% biodegradable, won’t harm the environment or your health with harmful chemicals, and are extremely effective at killing weeds. Spraying weeds with either will slowly destroy them, and stop them from cropping up again. Usually either solution won’t kill the weeds as fast as the harmful chemicals, but rest assured those weeds will be eradicated eventually.

Plus you’ll have the added benefit of a healthier yard and local environment for having not poured more unnecessary chemicals into the ground.

Tags: Added Benefit, alternative, Best Bet, Buggers, Cracks, Dispersal, environmentally friendly, Exterminator, Gaps, green, Harmful Chemicals, Hot Water, Killing Weeds, Lawn Weeds, Lemon Juice, Pavement, Perfect Solution, Plague, Room Temperature Water, Saline, Sidewalk, Surface Area, Troublesome Weeds, Unnecessary Chemicals

Filed in Go Green with 0 Comments

03 Dec 09 How to Be Wise with Credit Card Usage

Know your bill cycle

Get it converted into interest-free EMI

Make full payment

Know your card

20 Jun 09 Kill Weeds Without Harmful Chemicals

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