Matts Note: Like Tim, Im a proponent of saving money and delaying purchases but I also believe credit cards can and should be avoided altogether.

It is no secret that all credit card companies just love new customers. Why?  People love to spend money that they don’t ownso plastic cards fill that need!

Card companies like MasterCard and Visa are in the business of making money and who better to fleece than the unsuspecting novice. They know that once you’ve accepted their offer, you most likely will spend more than you originally thoughtand those that get approved for higher credit limits than they applied for will, sooner or later, use that higher credit limit option.

This article will focus on the areas you should learn about when get your first credit card.

First-time users must know the three uses of credit, listed here from worst to best.

Charging perishables to your credit card is the least desirable and most misused form of credit.  Payments linger long after the food, goods or services are used. If yo

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In a few hours Ill be leaving for Washington D.C. to attend the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.  I read the King James Bible and am proud of its historical significance and affect on my life.  In this article Ill share tips I use to pack light, along with a few cool stats about the good ole KJV.

Since my trip to D.C. w

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Tax laws vary from state to state, which means that the tax rate in Massachusetts may be very different from the tax rate in Mississippi. As April 15^th draws nearer, you may wonder just which states in the union offer the best tax rates, and the least. In fact, if the taxes in your area are bad enough, you might just consider moving!

States with No Income Tax or Sales Tax

Among the 50 states, a handful don’t charge income tax or sales tax. Texas, Nevada, Florida, Washington State, Tennessee, and Wyoming don’t have state income taxes. Oregon, Montana, and Delaware have no sales tax. New Hampshire and Alaska have neither kinds of sales tax; in fact, Alaskan residents also receive an oil dividend of $1654 per year.

Lowest and Highest States for Property Tax

Since purchasing a home is probably the single largest investment most families will make, it helps to check out the property taxes state by state. Fol

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There are so many people that hate their jobs and truly loathe getting up and going to work every day.  I used to be one of them.

So why do so many people continue doing something that makes them so unhappy?  Debt usually plays a huge roll.  A simple question to ask yourself is, If you didnt have any debt, and thus only needed a fraction of your current monthly income, would you still get up and go work at your current job every day? The answer is usually a resounding NO!

Besides being passionate about eliminating debt, I am also hugely passionate about figuring out how to earn money doing creative work I love and helping others do the same.  If you hate your job and need a change, then why not create that change?  No one is going to do it for you!

At the end of February 2011 I left the working world to become a full-time entrepreneur.  It is a risk, but I had a plan.  I have been blogging since January of 2009 and have been able to build up several sites with a decent amount of traffic.  Now my job is to consistently build those sites and to turn them into revenue producing assets that help people and provide for my family.  My goals include helping others, being able to work from anywhere with an Internet connection, earn money at all hours of the day rather than trading time for money, and to create something Im passionate about.

Who do I learn from?  Well, a lot of it has been trial and error over the years, but because I recently went full-time, Ive been receiving coaching from guys who have already become very successful at what Im trying to do.  Enter Bob Lotich of christianpf.com and Jonathan Milligan of cpacareercoach.com.

Bob and Jonathan have created a website called BloggingYourPassion.com and with the help of Andy Traub of andytraub.com are about to release a comprehensive webinar product to help you and I create, build, maintain, and earn money by blogging about things we are passionate about.  Im telling you about this product today because Im sick and tired of seeing people stuck in debt and stuck in jobs they hate.  YOU DONT HAVE TO KEEP DOING IT!  Break out and start building something youre proud of.

Bob and Jonathan have kindly offered a $50 discount to the first 50 people who sign up, and the webinar is only available to 100 people.  So if youre looking to make a change and have been looking for an excuse to get started make this your excuse.

Check out the life changing 5 part Blogging Your Passion webinar and use coupon code DFA for a shot at the $50 discount if youre one of the first 50 to sign up.

Here is a video of me talking about the course and the idea behind it.

Check out the life changing 5 part Blogging Your Passion webinar and use coupon code DFA for a shot at the $50 discount if youre one of the first 50 to sign up.

Here is a summary of the 5 part webinar Bob sent me:

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Check out the life changing 5 part Blogging Your Passion webinar and use coupon code DFA for a shot at the $50 discount if youre one of the first 50 to sign up.

Have you been thinking about starting a blog to help others and earn money?  Let us know by leaving a comment.

Japanese industrial output fell by 15.3% last month – the largest ever fall as disruptions in the supply chain brought the countrys car industry to a halt.

The previous record was an 8.6% fall in February 2009 – at the time of the global financial crisis – and was far worse than forecasts of an 11% decline.

The figures come as the Bank of Japan left its interest rates unchanged in a bid to boost growth.

The bank has kept the cost of borrowing at a historic low of between zero to 0.1% as the country struggles to recover from the aftermath of the devastation caused by last months earthquake and tsunami.

In related news, Standard Poor’s yesterday downgraded its outlook on Japan’s sovereign debt after suggesting reconstruction costs could pass the $600 billion mark.

Are you bankrupt and worried? Then check list certain things and you are all set to a new credit history altogether.

You need to survey and work out on the quotations received from several banks. Choose the bank with a comparatively low interest rate, lower security deposit, longer term period for repayment and rapid procedural scheme. Close all the open accounts.

However difficult to avoid these in terms of bankruptcy, once you select your bank and they call you for an interview, make sure you are able to justify the reasons behind bankruptcy and convince them of your capability for repayment within the stipulated time period. Unless you assure them of your credibility you will fail to get a loan for yourself. You might get a good deal if you have had a good credit history. There are online car loan lenders too.

So look ahead for a new beginning.

Savings Accounts and Money Market Rates provided by 21 April 2011 There has been seemingly endless political wrangling in Washington D.C. over the proper way to rein in surging health care costs. This March, lawmakers celebrated the one-year anniversary of the historic passing of President Obamas health care overhaul law. Among other stipulations, the legislation ensures all children in the U.S. will be covered and that insurance companies will not be allowed to unfairly hike premiums.

However, critics – and some backers – assert the bill is hard to read and requires a degree in health policy to full understand because of all of its intricacies. If youre trying to buy new health insurance and are unsure of where to turn, fear not: You are not alone. Though policies vary among states, there are guidelines that can help confused consumers.

CNN reports the first rule everyone should follow is to buy a health insurance plan. Read full post…