It’s no wonder that there are several myths floating around about how one can improve their credit scores.

So, here are 3 common credit score myths that should be ignored:

#1: You need to have a credit card balance if you want a good credit score

Your credit score has no knowledge of whether you have a balance or are paying it off in full every month as the last balance reported to the credit bureau is usually the balance from your last statement. It has nothing to do with what was left on your statement and so it is a good idea to pay the bill before the due date and save yourself the interest anyways.

#2:  Handling your finances well will ensure a good credit score

Your credit score only measures how you handle credit but it could suffer if you barely used credit in the first place by cutting your credit cards or maintaining all your balances. Unfortunately, your credit score is only in place to evaluate whether there is a possibility that you might default on your payments if given a loan or any other credit product.

#3: How you handle credit determines how trustworthy you are

Employers often perform credit checks in order to verify whether it is possible for employees to commit fraud but there hardly exists a link between the two because almost two-thirds of bankruptcies in the United States in 2007 was due to medical reasons. It should be obvious that people get into trouble for all the wrong reasons.

So, here are 3 things that you must haggle for, only of course, if you want to save those extra dollars:

#1: Home Repairs

A freelance writer Jen Miller, who needed to free up her clogged shower drain, was offered a price of $ 395 for which she said she couldn’t afford it. After much haggling, she brought the price down to $ 205 after the rooter guy called his manager to accept the price.

Moral of the story: haggle for a lower price and you’ll find that an acceptable compromise will be offered in the end.

#2: Auto Repairs

Finding a reliable mechanic is important especially if you don’t want to pay whatever they charge. One way to do this if you don’t have a reliable mechanic is to ‘shop around’ for estimates and better still, use RepairPal over the internet to check what a fair price for repairs would be. But make no mistake that you can haggle over smaller costs that are usually overlooked when added to auto repair bill. You just have to be firm about what you will accept or not accept as fair charges.

#3: Medical Bills

Paying your medical bills by credit card is probably the worst thing to do as the service provider already has the money. And if you don’t make very much money and have a hospital bill, one of the best ways to get a discounted price is to ask to speak with the hospital’s financial counselor.

If they give you a part-payment plan, remember that it will be better to take that option since there won’t be any interest charged as opposed to taking a loan from a bank and paying the entire bill in full.

Most of all, ask for discounts that medical providers offer major health insurers because that’s almot 30-70 % off the ‘sticker’ prices.

So here is a list of 3 common terms that every homebuyer must know about:

#1: Buyer Cost Sheet

Even though this sheet isn’t part of the sales agreement (or contract), there’s a reason why it is still important for every homebuyer to remember. This document contains the total amount that you will have to pay for, when it comes to the home that you’re interested in, and will be given to you by your lender or your real estate agent.

#2: Commission Authorization

Another cost that the buyer will have to incur is the commission that will be paid to the listing and the buyer’s agent. Of course, the fees are negotiable and are usually paid by the seller from the sale of the property.

#3: Disclosure/ Disclaimer

Most states require sellers to provide a sheet that will inform the buyer of any information that will affect the “value and desirability” of the property on sale. It’s a good idea to do so because as soon as a home inspection is done by a certified professional, the buyer will know if there are things that have not been disclosed.

So, here are 3 important tips from real estate professionals that will come in handy when you’re interested in buying a home:

#1: Find the right agent

Hiring the right agent can either cause you a lot of stress or relieve you of it, when looking for a home. Ask for recommendations from friends and family, and before hiring him or her, ensure that you ask them questions about their experience, experience and prior clients, if necessary. Also ensure that should be able to keep in touch with you at short notice.

#2: Get a Pre-approved Loan

Obtaining a pre-approved loan prior to purchasing a home can be the best thing to do before you go out looking for one. Since you’ll know how much you can afford, you’ll know what your budget is when buying a home. Doing this will prevent any disappointment, if you take the opposite approach.

#3: Carry out an inspection of the home and neighborhood compulsorily

Having a certified home inspector looking at the home you’re interested in can work to your advantage as they will leave no stone unturned in looking for problems that might be hidden to buyers but not to professionals. Also, ensure that you look around the neighborhood to see if you’re satisfied with the amenities in the vicinity and your neighbors, which will play a large part in not experiencing issue in day-to-day living.

Sadly, the profits that do come from a mutual fund are often minimized due to taxes and transaction costs, and according to a study, almost 80 % of all mutual funds underperformed by 2% in comparison to the stock market.

Young investors are actually trying options such as Exchange-traded funds, unlike mutual funds, which tend to save the investors a lot of money in terms of fees and transactional costs as well. Yes, you won’t have to pay fees for entering or exiting the fund, advertising fees or even commissions to brokers – or at least you will be able to bring your expenses down, unlike the situation where you invest in mutual funds.

However, it’s not true that mutual funds are on their way out as index mutual funds much like exchange traded funds are actually gaining in popularity these days. With such low expenses, it’s no surprise that investors are interested in index mutual funds, and which will mean that the aforementioned of underperformance does not play a role here.

Most experts believe that mutual funds will stick around for a while but the key to their survival depends on the fees that smart investors will not be willing to pay from here on.

So what could we expect in real estate trends in 2012?

#1: The rise of rents will continue throughout the year of 2012, and according to experts by about 2.5 %.

#2: The price of homes will continue to decline until the second quarter of 2012 and then the rates will stabilize for the rest of the year.

#3: Shadow inventory, in regards to real estate, means homes that are either in foreclosure or homes that are not yet sold. It could also mean homes that have not yet been put out for sale by owners as they are waiting for prices to lift again. This will remain a topic of much discussion throughout the year as experts believe that at least 1-2 years of shadow inventory remains.

#4:  While national real estate trends indicate an improvement, local housing markets depends strongly on the jobs market. While housing markets like Washington DC haven’t seen a recession at all, there are others like Las Vegas that have taken a real hit. So, once the job markets improve, this will spill over into local housing markets as well.

#5: Cash will continue to remain king, as it is only people with a lot of cash that are obtaining loans. This means that people have to put down more cash than they had to do so a few years ago.

So, here are three ways by which we can create wealth with you already have:

#1: Make your saving automatic

Your banker or employer can make sure that a certain amount of money is transferred to your savings account as soon as you receive your paycheck. Making your savings automatic ensures that you will put away some money every month, and won’t require any conscious effort to do so. Paying yourself first like this is the way to go.

#2: Pay yourself first

Most people pay off their bills and then think about depositing some money in their savings account. Yet doing just the opposite is recommended. First, you deposit some money in your savings account and then you use the rest of the money to pay off your bills. Sadly, for those who pay their bills first never get to save any money as the month progresses.

#3: Purchase items that grow in value

Saving money does not mean you don’t spend but could also cover spending money on things like stocks and your mortgage payments, which grow in value. If you save money while shopping, ensure that you put that money away to your savings as well. Making savings a habit is just what’s required.

So here are 5 tips that will help you to save extra money:

#1: Always look for reviews when buying products

If you’re looking to purchase any item, there are product reviews available on the internet. Whether the item you want to buy is an expensive or inexpensive one, you’ll know whether or not it is worth its value or is not worth buying at all.

#2: DIY Greeting Cards

Compared to the price of $ 3.99 per card, you can express yourself and creativity in new ways by making your cards at about 50 cents per piece. Not bad especially if you have a long list of well-wishers to remember.

#3: Dine out for special occasions only

Try sites like www.restaurant.com when you decide to dine out but if you really are serious about saving money, then remember that one meal at a restaurant is equal to a whole week of groceries that you can purchase at the supermarket.

#4: Avoid Financing and save instead

There are items that we would love to purchase and with the option of financing often do so. But what if we could control our impulsive purchases and save money to buy the product without incurring any extra charges? And that’s probably another way by which we can save money.

#5: Drive your Car until it stops working

You’ll enjoy lower insurance payments and avoid car payments and you’ll also sleep easy on the fact that you’ve used this depreciating asset to its fullest extent.

Think about it: you can’t turn back the clock when it comes to this aspect of finance, and which makes it even more crucial to get right.

So here are 3 retirement planning mistakes to avoid:

#1: Not having a retirement budget

As surprising as this will sound, most people don’t really know how much they are going to need when they have reached the age of retirement. This means that they are at the risk of living on a pittance in their old age, and might even have to ask their loved ones or friends to help them out. It’s wise to test run a budget well in advance of retirement so that you won’t have to worry about money in your old age.

#2: Not taking inflation into account

For those who do have a retirement plan, it is also important to take inflation into consideration. If there’s anything that’s certain, it is that prices will rise over time and it is therefore important to work this into your budget so you don’t have to struggle in old age.

#3: Depending on Social Security

Social Security will not last for every long, with the reduction of government spending on these services offered to the elderly. It is therefore important that one should either depend on it partially or ignore it completely.

The first thing you should know about California DUI laws is that like most of the nation, the legal definition of driving drunk means you will have a blood alcohol content or BAC greater than .08. It’s hard to say just how many drinks it takes for a person to have a .08 BAC or higher because each person metabolizes alcohol differently. Rest assured that no judge will accept the excuse that you know better when it comes to how many drinks you can “handle.”

As a qualified Orange County DUI attorney or Santa Ana DUI attorney will tell you, California treats DUI offenses very seriously. Anyone who is found guilty of a DUI charge can be facing an uphill battle of some very serious consequences. For instance, even with a single DUI guilty charge, you’ll be required to adjust your auto insurance to carry a SR22 restricted driver policy. The SR22 insurance riders will instantly cause your insurance premiums to skyrocket. Not to mention the fact that you will also be subjected to follow-up inspections and courses in alcohol abuse.

Then there is the issue of jail time. In California, a first time DUI offense can land you in jail for up to six months. Think about that for a moment? That extra drink you had before leaving your office Christmas party could actually mean going to jail for six months. This is why you need to have a qualified Orange County DUI attorney or Santa Ana DUI attorney representing you in any of these matters. The jail time is not automatic. It only occurs with a conviction.

You should also know that repeat DUI offenders are not looked upon favorably by the courts. Although you might think you can skate by a first time offense by paying a fine and taking some classes, with a second or third DUI conviction you might just be facing some mandatory jail time along with adding ignition devices to your car which won’t let you start the engine unless you blow a BAC lower than .08. That’s going to be a major hassle and that’s exactly why you need an experienced Orange County DUI attorney or Santa Ana DUI attorney on your case.

Read more about Legal Blogs.