Changes in the student loan industry

A recent article detailed the current state of the student loan industry in relation to the credit market turmoil and also what it all means to current and potential student loan borrowers. It is a must-read for anyone currently seeking student loans.

Many lenders are currently cutting back on all or some of their student loan offerings, tightening their credit standards and/or raising interest rates. Some of these moves are directly connected to the state of the credit market at the present moment. All in all, it is getting tougher to find funding and options are getting slimmer.

See full article: Navigating student loans tricky in the wake of credit crunch

If you are currently seeking student loan funding or will be in the near future, it is recommended to stay on top of the situation by following the news and frequenting reliable sources of information on the topic. Good places to find this type of information are listed below.

Student Loan Resources

FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Find out what information you’ll need to apply, fill out the application and view your results online.

NSLDS.gov - National Student Loan Data System for Students
Provides a centralized place where students can access and inquire about their loans and/or grant data.

Student Aid on the Web - Federal Student Aid on the Web
Information, from the U.S. Department of Education, about preparing for and funding edcuation.

In addition to the above student loan resources, you can also make use of our student loan calculators and student loan advice center. Make your next student loan decision a knowledgeable one. A little research can help in many different ways.

Posted in News, Loans, Personal Finance | Permalink

Savers now feeling the credit crunch

A recent article detailed how yields on savings accounts and other deposit accounts have dropped recently, and what the falling yields mean for consumers right now.

According to the article, rates are dropping pretty much across the board, but how much the rates have dropped varies from bank to bank. All in all, it pays to shop around for the best rate if you are currently looking to put money away in a savings account, certificate of deposit or money market account.

See full article: Savers Feel Pinch of Tight Credit

It’s easy to analyze your savings situation with our savings calculators. These calculators can help you formulate a customized savings plan by allowing you to compare different savings options, set savings goals and more.

Once you have created a reasonable savings plan with reachable savings goals, you can compare savings options online. The comparisons include savings accounts, money market accounts and certificates of deposit that are available as online banking options.

Make your next banking decision a knowledgeable one. A little research and planning can really pay off in the end.

Posted in News, Personal Finance | Permalink

What are the three primary types of health insurance?

When choosing a health insurance provider, it can be beneficial to start with the basics and gradually work your way into the more complicated aspects before making a final decision. A good place to start is with a list of the primary types of health insurance.

Understand the differences and similarities between different types of plans and then see which types of plans may be suitable for you. And once those aspects are clear, you can move on to researching which types may available to you.

Main types of health insurance:
- Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)
- Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs)
- Fee-for-service Plans

Full answer: The Three Primary Types of Health Insurance Plans

Before choosing a health insurance provider, it is recommended to fully research all options that may be available to you. Visit our knowledge center for answers to questions that may arise in the research process. Our health insurance tips & advice area is filled with useful information that can help make your next insurance decision a knowledgeable one.

Posted in Insurance | Permalink

Compare the latest cell phone specials available right now

The most recent additon to our cell phone section is our cell phone specials section. In this frequently updated section, you will find specials that include a free cell phone with a new service contract, as well as “better than free” specials.

“Better than free” cell phone specials are those that include rebate deals in which you can not only recieve a free cell phone (with new service), but you can also receive addtional cash back as well (after rebate).

The new cell phone specials page contains up to ten of the latest and greatest wireless deals available online. But if you don’t find a good match for your needs on that list, you can also search wireless deals by zip code, browse cell phone deals by carrier, compare available wireless plans, or use our cell phone finder to locate a specific phone.

If any questions arise in the research process, be sure to visit our cell phone tips and advice center and/or our cell phone buying guide for help answering those questions. Make your next wireless purchase a knowledgeable one. Be aware of all of the options available to you before agreeing to your next wireless contract.

Posted in Site Updates, Cell Phones | Permalink

How much life insurance do you need?

One of the latest additions to our growing financial calculators collection is our fully customizable life insurance calculator. With this calculator, you can simply enter your current assets, expenses, income to get an estimate. You can also adjust the inflation rate and your expected rate of return to personalize the results even more.

Try it now: Life Insurance Calculator

Once you have a reliable estimate of the amount of life insurance that you many need, you can compare life insurance quotes from multiple insurance providers. Consider as many options as possible before making a final decision.

We now offer more than 25 financial calculators to help make financial decisions easier. At the very least, these adaptable calculators can help you to paint a clear picture of your current financial situation, which can ease the decision-making process.

Posted in Site Updates, Insurance, Personal Finance | Permalink

Protect Your Identity with an ID Theft Prevention Service

We’ve all heard the reports about the growing threat of identity theft and fraud. If your personal information is compromised, any fraudulent financial activity that happens as a result can negatively affect your credit score and ability to borrow for years. Not many can deny that the threat of ID theft should be taken seriously. But when is it time to consider signing up for an identity theft protection or prevention service?

The answer to that question varies from person to person. If you feel that your personal information either is or was vulnerable in the recent past, the answer should be easy. On the other hand, if you don’t have reason to believe that your personal information has been compromised, the answer depends more on your overall comfort level and how closely you wish to monitor your personal financial situation.

One thing that is certain, however, is the fact that identity protection and prevention services are beginning to offer more and more useful products to help individuals actively monitor their credit and also protect themselves from potential fraud.

We recently compiled a list of ID theft protection services for comparison purposes. You can easily compare the various products and services offered by each company to find a good fit for your specific situation, whatever it may be at this point in time.

Compare identity theft protection and prevention services now

For more information about credit monitoring and identity theft protection, see about credit monitoring, which is a subtopic within our credit tips and advice area. And be sure to visit our knowledge center for more information about any topic found on e-wisdom.com.

Posted in Site Updates, Credit Cards, Loans, Miscellaneous, Personal Finance | Permalink

New Web Hosting Tips and Advice Center

Our latest addition to our knowledge center will prove to be useful for anyone searching for advice about what type of hosting to purchase. Our Web hosting tips and advice area is filled with relevant topics - presented in a question-and-answer format - that can help to clarify the sometimes confusing world of Web hosting.

Topics include:
· Web Hosting Explained
· How to Choose the Best Host
· Web Hosting Terminology
· About Shared Web Hosting
· Compare Unix / Linux / Windows
· About Dedicated Web Hosting

Make sure that your next Web hosting decision is a smart one. You will find our easy, clear comparisons helpful whether you are searching for budget Web hosting or a more advanced, dedicated hosting solution. In addition, our knowledge center is filled with useful tools, resources, tips, advice, definitions and answers that can help to make your Web hosting choice that much easier.

Posted in Site Updates, Web Hosting | Permalink

Updated Credit Card Comparison Chart

We recently updated our credit card comparison chart to a more detailed format that can help make the credit card comparison process much quicker and easier.

The new and improved comparison chart now allows you to sort the top 15 consumer credit card offers and the top eight business credit card offers by the following features:

Introductory APR on Purchases
Sort credit card offers by the introductory annual percentage rate (APR) associated with purchases made with the card.

Introductory APR on Balance Transfers
Sort card offers by the introductory annual percentage rate (APR) associated with balance transfers made with the card.

Regular (Ongoing) APR
Sort offers by the regular (ongoing) annual percentage rate (APR) that will apply to all purchases and balance transfers after the introductory period ends (if applicable).

Annual Fee
Sort by the annual fee associated with the card.

In addition to browsing the latest deals on comparison chart, you can also compare credit card offers by feature, by bank/issuer, or by credit rating. We provide multiple search options to help you find the card that best fits your individual needs.

If any questions arise in the search process, visit our knowledge center for helpful tips, advice, answers, resources and tools.

Posted in Site Updates, Credit Cards, Small Business, Personal Finance | Permalink

Analyze your savings strategy and refine your savings goals

Three new savings calculators are the latest addition to our collection of financial calculators. These three calculators can help you assess your current savings strategy and decide whether or not any changes are necessary.

Savings Rate Calculator
See how different savings interest rates, the timing of your savings deposits and how different overall savings strategies can impact your cumulative savings over time.

Savings Account Calculator
See how consistent investments over a number of years can be an effective strategy to accumulate wealth. Compare how different contribution amounts and rates of return can impact your savings.

Savings Goals Calculator
What will it take to help reach your savings goals? Find out in a few simple steps how long it will take to reach your top savings goal.

Once you have a good savings strategy in place, compare online savings options, including savings accounts, money market accounts and certificates of deposit (CDs).

Posted in Site Updates, Personal Finance | Permalink