Filed under: World wide web, Web services, Social Software, web 2.0

Iterasi is a new bookmarking service that grants users to save dynamic web content. What does that mean? Once upon a time web pages were relatively static. If you wanted to see the content of a web page, all you had to do was enter a URL and up pops your news article, motion picture listings, or photo collection. But today more and more sites are packed with dynamic content which changes regularly while the page’s URL remains the same.

For example, imagine you’re searching Google Maps and you zoom in and drag the map around. When you bookmark the page, all you get is a link to the map you saw when you started. Or what about pages that are changing every day like Techmeme or the New York Times? Sure, you could bookmark pages for individual articles, but what if what you really want to save is the equivalent of today’s front page of the paper?

You could take a screenshot of those pages, but once you save the text content as an image file, you lose the ability to search the page. And that makes it pretty unlikely that you’ll be able to find that page again when you need it. Iterasi solves this problem (even if you didn’t know it was a problem) by creating snapshots of web sites using a process the company calls “notarizing.”

All you have to do is install a browser toolbar and click the notarize button any time you see a page you want to save. It will be saved in its current state to Iterasi’s on the internet service. The page includes active links, searchable text, and everything else you could need. You can find your content by logging into your account from any web browser. You can also add notes and tags to pages for easier indexing. And of course, you can share pages with your friends. Iterasi also includes a scheduling application for saving pages at regular intervals. So if you want to save the front page of your local paper once a day or 6 times a day, you can schedule automated backups.

[via Mashable]

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Filed under: Debt, The Dolans, Recession

Ken and Daria Dolan are widely known as America’s First Family of Personal Finance.

Do you hear that sound? Listen closely… it’s the sound of American consumers tightening their belts.

The endless barrage of troubling economic news and a badly bruised stock market have finally gotten everyone’s attention. (Anyone still want to argue that we aren’t in a recession?)

To protect your family and your finances during these very uncertain times, it is critical that you batten down the hatches and prepare to ride this out. One critical way to do that’s by tackling your credit card debt.

Now let’s be clear about something before we start… you DON’T need a lot of money to make an immediate dent in your debt. Armed with these three easy steps and even $10 extra a month, you can take a large bite out of your credit card debt. So let’s get started.

STEP 1: Make more than the minimum payment. 47% of credit card customers are making only minimum payments each month.

At that rate, a $1,000 balance with 18% interest and a $10 minimum payment will take you — GULP — 7.3 years and $516 in interest to pay off!

But here’s the good news: Add just an extra $10 a month — less than the cost of a trip or two to Starbucks — and you will shave off nearly 4 years and save more than $200 in interest!

Click here to use a handy tiny calculator that will figure out exactly how much you’ll save if you make more than the minimum payment on your balance.

When you make extra payments, pay off your highest interest rate cards first. This will give you the most bang for each extra buck and will actually eliminate your debt faster than paying off the card with the highest balance.

STEP 2: Lower your interest rate TODAY. If you are paying more than 15% interest, you can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars by lowering your rate.

Credit card companies are pulling out all the stops to sign up customers. And they’re not just after new customers… they’re doing cartwheels to keep existing customers. Use this competition to your advantage.

Over the next few days, take a peek at any credit card offers you get in the mail rather than throwing them right in the shredder. As soon as you find one with a lower interest rate than you’re currently paying, you’ve the ammunition you need.

Most of these flashy offers are only introductory interest rates that go up after six months or a year. To find out what your real interest rate will be, look for the “disclosure box,” or as we like to call it, the “all the things we don’t really want to tell you but we’re required to by law” box. In this box, you’ll find the card’s normal interest rate after the teaser rate ends.

With your account number in hand, call your credit card company and state, “I’m calling about account number XYZ. I have been a good customer for X number of years. I’ve gotten offers for credit cards with much lower interest rates than you are charging me. I would like to keep giving you my business but can’t do so unless you can lower my interest rate today.”

The person on the other end of the phone will probably state something like, “Oh, those are just introductory rates… you’ll end up paying much more when the real rate kicks in.” We want you to respond by saying, “I comprehend that this is an introductory rate, but even after the permanent rate kicks in, their rate is still lower than what you charge me. Can you lower my rate or should I take my business elsewhere?”

Worst-case scenario: They state no, and you still lower your interest rate by opening a new account someplace else. Is that so terrible? We don’t think so! Best-case scenario: They say yes and you immediately start saving money with a lower interest rate on your balance!

STEP 3: Eliminate temptation. Purge your wallet of unnecessary credit cards. Americans carry an average of 15 cards per household. You really need only two or three, so apply scissors liberally.

Which cards should go first? State goodbye to your department store cards. They usually charge outrageous interest rates, and almost any store this day will accept MasterCard and Visa.

Next up on the chopping block: any card with an annual fee. With all the card options out there, you simply don’t have to pay an annual fee these days. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

There you have it: three easy steps to taking a BIG bite out of your credit card debt today. Please, please don’t put it off. We anticipate rough waters ahead for some time, and getting rid of credit card debt is one of the smartest things you can do today for your family’s financial well-being.

Ken and Daria Dolan, America’s First Family of Finance, offer advice on everything from debt management to taxes to insurance at Dolans.com. This post is part of a series offering consumers advice on what to do during a recession.

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Filed under: Banks, Borrowing, Debt, Home, Recession

The first thing that I thought early last Tuesday morning, when I heard the news of the 3/4-point drop in interest rates, was that we were sure going to get a lot of mortgage companies dialing for dollars in the coming days. And sure enough, come 9 a.m., the phone calls started, so many mortgage brokers eager to convince me to consolidate my credit card debt, maybe take out some cash for renovations! And roll it all into a nice fixed-rate mortgage. Sounds lovely, hmmm?

Not so fast. I’m at the end of a five-year ARM, and my interest rate is about to begin floating — it can change monthly. While I’ve made my peace with this (there are maximum limits, but no minimum limits, to how far the rate can float; I remember my parents’ 14% mortgage and sigh happily), it’s really not about the sort of loan I have now. It’s about the uncertainty in the future.

Consolidating your credit card debt into your mortgage has lots of perks. You can deduct your mortgage interest, for starters, and it’s a good bet your interest rate on a home loan is far less than your credit card interest rate. It seems like a good idea, especially in an environment of plummeting rates.

But for all but the most disciplined and job-secure of folks, consolidating your debts into your mortgage in a recession environment is possibly the worst thing to do. Here’s why:

What got you into credit card debt in the first place, won’t go away in a recession. Whether you’re just the sort of person who needs things (and that Donna Karan suit is 60% off!), or if you can’t afford groceries and doctor’s bills some months, and put them on the credit cards: if you’re anything like me, or the vast majority of the rest of our nation, your behavior will continue. It wasn’t until I cut off my credit card supply that I stopped demanding them. I’m so glad I didn’t heap that debt on top of the roof that covers my family’s head.

If rates should go up, or you should suffer a sudden income reduction, it will be that much harder to cover your mortgage payments. My rule of thumb in debt: pay the mortgage first. It’s way better to have your credit cards refused than your house foreclosed upon. That payment that seemed so inexpensive when it was reducing your credit card debt could one day make your presence on the “home owner” list questionable; and, if you were wondering, that’s the worst that could happen.

Having a clean slate with credit cards has the wrong effect on most people. Think you’ll get your balance to zero and never go back? Instead, you’re more likely to see that quick, efficient wipe-out as a reason it’s ok to spend money. It would be so much more effective if you had to work to get the credit card debt to zero — by slicing them up and paying extra each month, depriving yourself of dinners out and new toys.

This post is part of a series offering consumers advice on what to do during a recession.

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Filed under: Borrowing, Cards, Debt, Home, Recession

While a recession creates many economic woes, those who are in the market for a loan (mortgage or otherwise) can often find value during these times. Here are a few suggestions for taking advantage of opportunities and hedging your bets.

Rates are low. In an effort to calm recession fears and boost the economy, interest rates have been lowered again. That’s good news for borrowers, who can find superior bargains than in the recent past.

Refinance your house. With lower rates, you might have an chance to refinance your home and save some money. If you currently have an adjustable rate mortgage that resets in the next year or two, you might think about refinancing early to lock in a good rate. Waiting another year or two to see where rates end up might not be the smartest move if you qualify for a competitive rate now.

Use home equity to help. If you were planning on borrowing money to attend school, start a business, or to fund some other long-term worthwhile venture, you might think about tapping into your home equity. While it might be harder to get an ordinary personal loan, it is probably a little easier to dip into home equity. Please do so responsibly though, as you don’t want to lose your home because of a failed business venture.

Beware using home equity to pay off credit cards. Tapping into home equity to ease the burden of credit card debt can be a financially savvy move, but you’ve got to be careful. Using home equity can lower your interest rate, and the interest is often tax deductible. However, if you do this, you’re swapping unsecured debt for secured debt. You’ve just pledged your house as security on that debt, and if you don’t pay, your home can be in jeopardy. Don’t roll credit card debts into home equity loans without thinking very carefully about it first.

Put off major purchases. If all else fails, think about putting off your major buy until the economy rebounds and your financial situation is a bit more secure. New appliances, home remodeling, and a better vehicle might be things you can do without for now. It’s better to be a little more cautious than to over-extend yourself when your finances are in flux.

Tracy L. Coenen, CPA, MBA, CFE performs fraud examinations and financial investigations for her company Sequence Inc. Forensic Bookkeeping, and is the author of Essentials of Corporate Fraud. This post is part of a series offering consumers advice on what to do during a recession.

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Filed under: World wide web, Social Software, web 2.0

The Twitter 100 is an easy way to keep track of all the people you’re following on twitter (or 100 of them at least) at once. To use Twitter 100 you just enter your Twitter user ID and are then taken to a page with 100 of the people you’re following and their most current tweet. You can set the refresh rate at each 3 minutes, 10 minutes, or every half hour.

Twitter 100 would be a lot superior if you were able to update your own Twitter page from the Twitter 100 page. As it stands you’ll still have to do your own tweeting from another source. If you’re away from Twitter for a while (you know for that sleeping thing) it can however be an excellent way to quickly catch up on everything you’ve missed while you were away.

For more great Twitter tools check out Twitter tips-tools for your tweets.

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