On the surface, I dont have a problem with states giving tax refunds on prepaid cards. The practice could save states lots of money that can be used for more important things, such as for education and healthcare.

If you go to a bank multiple times to withdraw small amounts of cash, youll really get dinged. The first withdrawal is free, but after that, youll pay $10 for each withdrawal. The way to avoid this is to visit the teller and withdraw all your cash at one time. Theres no fee for doing it this way.If you have a savings or checking account, you can also transfer the funds to one of your accounts for free.

Many other states are offering refunds on prepaid cards so be aware of fee traps.

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Searching for a good mortgage interest rate is something that can be very simple and easy. There are many different ways to go about comparing mortgage rates. Obviously there is the traditional option which is dealing with a brick and mortar bank, and then there is the recently more popular option: the internet. There are many different perks to using each kind of lending services. Online lenders are often times able to offer their borrowers much lower interest rates than their brick and mortar competitors. The reason for this is that online lenders have a much lower overhead cost that they operate under and as a result are better able to provide their clients with lower interest rates and monthly payments.

Using the internet will also allow newer buyers to learn how to compare mortgage rates before they actually make their final decision. Read more…

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Jan 03, 2012 With the start of 2012, there are droves of individuals and families resolving to get their financial house in order this year. Big banks have driven away many customers in poor public relations endeavors concerning increased fees. Customers continue to flock to smaller banks, credit unions and prepaid debit cards for their financial accounts. General Purpose Reloadable (GPR) prepaid cards are becoming the account of choice for many Americans to avoid traditional bank relationships, to stay on a budget, to avoid high bank or check cashing fees and even because it is just plain easy to get one.

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Its getting to be that time of year again that we all love to hate. No its not the six more weeks of winter that the ground hog predicted, its tax season. Ahh tax season, the time of year I dread. Let nights trying to get all your information together and wondering if you should have check box A vs B or did you do all your math correctly?  All the feelings of if you make a mistake the IRS will be knocking on your door, yeah OK so I may be a bit more paranoid of tax season than I should be but hey what can you do. Then to top that all off ID thieves are out to get you when you have your guard down!

Many of us use popular programs and services like Turbo Tax, or any of other great software systems on the market.

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Purveyors of plastic provide popular perks and promotions

Its quite common for credit card companies to come up with offers, promotions, perks and competitions. Theyre usually intended to attract publicity for the product, along with new business for the issuer. But theres nothing wrong with that, as long as you, the consumer, ultimately benefit. Here are three such offers that have recently been launched.

Capital One: Photo competition

First up, a photo/caption competition to promote the Capital One Venture card. You have until Mar.

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The UK lending industry is composed of hundreds if not thousands of different lenders. And for this reason borrowers are at advantage. That means that you can choose a lending company based on your personal preference. Choosing the right lender can be very overwhelming what with their flashy advertisements and enticing promos, borrowers are usually confused as to which company to send their application to. What’s even more confusing is the fact that lenders offer a wide variety of loans for different types of situations. Some examples of these loans are car mortgage loans for those who are planning to buy a vehicle, payday loans for those who need quick money assistance and home mortgage loans for those planning to buy a house. Read more…

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Chase rewards points now valid for Southwest flights

In the run-up to the 2011 holidays, many credit card companies ran special promotions and/or enhanced their rewards programs. That was understandable. Card issuers are strenuously competing both to attract new customers and to encourage existing ones to use their plastic as much as possible, and the holiday season must be their biggest opportunity to do those things.

So you might have expected the flow of promotions and enhancements to dry up at the start of the new year. But youd have been wrong.

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