YourFinanceQuestions.com

If you’re like me, you might receive one or two credit card offers in the mail every day.  These annoying letters attempt to entice consumers to sign up for them with promises of a 0% APR for six months, sporting goods, or bonus frequent flyer airline miles.  While some people might enjoy receiving these mailings, the majority of people that get them do not.  In addition to creating more trash that needs to be thrown out, these credit card offers also increase the risk of identity theft.  Although it may appear to be overkill, shredding these pre-approved credit card offers is highly recommended, as it makes it harder for potential thieves to acquire your personal information.

If you are sick of these mailings there is help.  Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), a person is able to opt out of receiving these mailings.  In order to do this, one has to go to a website and enter some personal information.  The website is www.optoutprescreen.com and it works in conjunction with four consumer credit reporting companies (TransUnion, Equifax, Innovis, and Experian).  It will take up to a few months to completely stop receiving credit card offers, but the amount of junk mail one receives from credit card companies will be reduced significantly.

During the real estate boom of the mid-2000s many sellers were in the driver’s seat. With the collapse of the real estate market, homebuyers are now the ones in control. Many of them are making all sorts of requests from sellers including having the home heating oil tank filled, repaving driveways, and even covering the buyer’s closing costs. If you are in the process of looking to buy a new house, now could not be a better time when it comes to leverage in negotiations.