AnnualCreditReport.com

Back in 2004, Equifax, Experian and Transunion - all three credit reporting agencies joined forces to offer a one-stop free credit report center. This initiative was taken under terms of a new law that, among other things, guarantees every consumer a free yearly look at his/her credit record. The law is called the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, or FACT Act (visit www.ftc.gov/credit ).

The site for the credit report center is AnnualCreditReport.com which allows you to request, view and print one, two or all three of your credit reports via a secure internet site. Consumers should never provide their personal information to any other company or person for requesting free annual credit reports under the FACT Act.

You can also request the report by phone or mail (these will be processed within 15 days). Their toll-free telephone number (877) 322-8228 Mailing Address: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

6.00% APY from HSBCdirect

The HSBC Direct Online (HSBCdirect.com) announced that it would give 6.00% APY interest to new money deposited in any old or newly opened savings account until April 30th, 2007. Currently, this is the highest rate among all savings accounts in USA and it has no minimum deposit or fee requirements. It's even better than 3-month CD rates (highest level is near 5.5% APY) because you can withdraw your money anytime you want.

So if you have money that you need to invest for a short time, this is a good place to keep. Other banks like EmigrantDirect.com is offering 5.05% APY in savings accounts. Most money market funds (MMF) are offering similar yield rates.

Disclaimer: LiveInUSA has no connection whatsoever with the sites mentioned above. We give such information only because we think our readers may benefit from it.

To Stop Credit Card Offers

If you want relief from all those credit card offers that come to your mailbox, which, for example, are trying to attract you with 0% interest for 6 months, while taking away 4% of the amount as transaction fee which effectively becomes a loan for 8% APY? [They are not as Free as they look like.]

Well, there is a way. Simply remove your name from the lists credit bureaus provide to card-issuing banks by calling the toll-free number 1-888-5-OPTOUT.

Occasionally you may miss out some really good offer from competing banks. But a clutter-free mailbox may offer more pleasure to you.

Teach Finance and Savings to Kids

Many of us ignore the importance of teaching ideas and concepts of personal finance to our kids but it is a crucial part of their development and growing up as a responsible individual.

If they cannot manage their personal savings and planning for their future, just a good education may land them on a good job but they may fail to utilize that advantage of having a good job.

There is no hurry, of course. But you may slowly start ... probably as they enter Middle School. There are, of course, various courses/camps available for achieving this goal but they cost money and are not cheap (we'll have a posting on those some other day). But if you wish to start soon, the following websites may assist you in your endeavor:

For Middle School Students:
KidsBank.com, MoonJar.com and RichKidSmartKid.com teach about money and banking through fun characters and games.
YoungInvestor.com and StrongKids.com teach about earning, saving and investing money and also explains functioning of retirement accounts, trust funds, and savings accounts. These may also be used for high school students.

For High School Students:
YoungBiz.com has useful articles about student investors and student-run businesses and also career planning tips
www.ssa.gov/kids/faqs1.html can teach all about Social Security system.

Disclaimer: LiveInUSA does not have any connection whatsoever with the website(s) mentioned above. The information is provided only because we think this could be helpful to our readers.

College for Food

Berkeley, Caltech, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, Yale - Where will you send your junior Genius? Will that depend on the food quality of the canteens of those great universities?

This is probably the time when you are sitting with your (High School leaving) kid to select a college for his/her future and applying for his/her college aid (see our past posting). Probably you are taking into account pros and cons of financial matters, quality of education, closeness to home etc etc.

But do not forget about 'food' that your son or daughter would have to eat day after day. Here is a link to Nacufs Loyal E. Horton Dining Award for 2006. Visit it and you may find interesting information about one of the most important things of college life - Food!
http://www.nacufs.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3319 .
Apart from knowing which university canteens are serving the best food in various categories, the nacufs.org site provides many other useful information about college dining habit.

Disclaimer: LiveInUSA does not have any connection whatsoever with the website(s) mentioned above. The information is provided only because we think this could be helpful to our readers.

Pet Insurance

The veterinary care is an 18 billion dollar (per year) industry catering to more than 71 million U.S. households who have a cat or dog. As more and more prescriptions for pets are being written, the related business of pet health insurance is growing fast.

Pet policies are similar to our own health insurance with all familiar terms and phrases like annual premiums, deductibles prevalent in the trade. Depending on the company, you can get plans for different species of varying ages and lifestyles i.e., animals kept indoors vs. outdoors. Some also allow for pre-existing conditions. Policies can cover annual checkups, vaccinations, routine office visits, preventive medications (such as for heartworm), spay/neuter surgeries, treatments for accidents or illness, diagnostic tests, lab fees and flea control.

Most policies cost $7 to $10 a month per animal. Some offer discounted rates if you insure multiple animals. The American Veterinary Medical Association endorses the idea of pet health insurance and recommends looking for a company that allows you to choose your veterinarian, can offer referrals and is supported by professional organizations, individual veterinarians and other groups and individuals concerned with animal welfare.

For more information, speak with your veterinarian. He or she should be able to tell you what options are available in your state, and offer information on discount programs. You may visit the following websites to get price quotes for policies: PetInsurance, PetsHealthPlan, PetCareInsurance.

Disclaimer: LiveInUSA does not have any connection whatsoever with the website(s) mentioned above. The information is provided only because we think this could be helpful to our readers.

Free Mammograms

Not all insurance companies pay for mammograms, and not every woman is eligible for the government's program intended for low income families. The following organizations can help you identify free and low cost mammograms in your area:

1) The American Cancer Society www.cancer.org 800-ACS-2345. Contact their local office.
2) YWCA's Encore Plus program: Contact local office. The National office at 800-95-EPLUS .
3) National Cancer Institute: 800-4-CANCER www.nci.nih.gov .
4) State Office of Breast and Cervical Cancer: Contact your state Dept of Health.
5) October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month: Many mammogram facilities offer their services at special fees during this period. So, In September, you may call and see what kind of deal you can get or check online at www.nbcam.org .
6) Medicare coverage of mammograms: 800-MEDICARE

Website Offers Savings in Prescription Drug

Many Americans are finding out the hard way that even with healthcare insurance, they are not immune to the rising cost of prescription medications. As a result, nearly one out of five insured patients decides not to fill a prescription when met with a co-pay cost that they couldn't afford.

There are some programs available to assist the uninsured and/or with lower levels of income but consumers at all economic levels are struggling with ever escalating drug costs. Even if a patient has healthcare insurance, co-pays on prescribed medication can still represent a significant expense for the consumer, especially for patients who are required to take multiple medications or take medication over a lengthy period of time. But a new Web site may help you to get your prescription medications at the lowest possible price.

A group of physicians and healthcare veterans have launched OPTIMIZERx.com offering an innovative way for patients to access and participate in available co-pay savings, offers and other programs designed to help them better afford the drugs they need. Consumers may simply go to the site and select or type in the name of each branded prescription product they're taking. With that input OPTIMIZERx determines if there is an available savings plan for that product, or if not, any alternative products within that category that may offer savings. For example, if a patient is taking Protonix for digestive/stomach problems like ulcers and heartburn, he/she can select this drug from the list of medications on the Web site, click "get offers" and find a $30 rebate on this medication.

The amount of savings depends on the type of medication and available product offers. There are several ways to redeem offers, but most savings are received either at the point of sale or by way of rebate. Additionally, OPTIMIZERx also offers savings on over-the-counter medications and other healthcare products and services.

Disclaimer: LiveInUSA does not have any connection whatsoever with the website(s) mentioned above. The information is provided only because we think this could be helpful to our readers.

College Aid Application

If your youngsters are going to College this year, this is the time to start your work for submission of financial-aid paperwork. The deadline for such applications usually fall on a date between March 1 to March 15.

The key form involved in this process is called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You may download the form and related instructions from: FAFSA Form. This site also allows electronic filing of the form. It is a free form and you should apply even if you think that there might not be any chance for you. New scholarships are created every year and you may find some surprises.

You will need the data from your 2006 federal income tax return to fill out the application, but DO NOT wait until you file your 2006 tax - you may use estimates to complete the FAFSA form. Otherwise you may find yourself somewhere around the end of a long queue. That's because most states and colleges start allowing submission of FAFSA forms beginning Jan 1.

Applications received earliest are given top priority. Although the form is FREE to submit, Parents should remember that student financial aid is not meant to provide a free financial assistance to you. The system is set up to provide assistance to those who might not otherwise be able to attend college.

Passport Application/Renewal

From Tuesday, January 23rd U.S. travelers will need a passport to fly back into the country from any destination outside the U.S., including Mexico, the Caribbean and Canada. Until the new rules, travelers could often complete such a trip with the proper photo identification and birth certificate alone.

As a result, the number of people applying for passports is increasing. Despite the rush, passport agencies continue to promise their standard 6-week turnaround time. The State Department is also offering an expedited service with a turnaround time of about two weeks, for an additional $60 fee on top of the $97 to apply for a new passport (for kids under age 16, the cost is $82) or $67 to renew a passport.

If you're planning to travel abroad, and already possess a passport -- you may feel you need not worry about anything else. But beware of the fact that some countries require not only a valid passport, but one that will be valid for up to 6 months after you leave that country.

You must apply for a new passport in person at one of about 9,000 passport application acceptance facilities nationwide. You will need two photographs of yourself, proof of U.S. citizenship and a valid form of photo identification such as a driver's license.

U.S. passports are valid for 10 years and you might not remember exactly when your passport is going to expire. So, open your closet, look at your passport and, if needed, apply for a renewal. Passport renewals can be done either by mail, or in person at a passport agency. Visit this page to find a passport application acceptance facility near you.

Application by Mail: if you have an undamaged passport that was issued to you in the past 15 years and you were at least 16 years old when that passport was issued, and you still have the same legal name, you can apply by mail. You'll need to send: (i) completed application form (available here) (ii) Your most recent passport (iii) 2 color passport photos taken in the past 6 months (iv) Fees for processing the application ($67), payable to the Department of State (v) If your name has changed, you'll need to include a certified legal document specifying the change.

Apply in Person: If you do not meet the criteria to apply by mail, you must apply in person. Also if you have lost or damaged your passport, or need expedited service to receive your renewed passport, you need to do so. You must present the same materials as for a renewal by mail and the (i) Proof of U.S. citizenship, in the form of a certified U.S. birth certificate or your expired passport, as long as it is not damaged. (ii) Proof of identity, such as a driver's license or government or military ID. You may also present an expired passport if it is not damaged. (iii) Your Social Security number.

Real Emergency: If you want your passport within 24 hours, you can make an appointment at one of the 15 passport agencies nationwide that are open to the public and prove your emergency. If you have such a case, first call the State Department's toll-free number at 877-487-2778 for more information. Here is the list of 15 passport agencies that are open to the public.

Also visit this U.S. State Department page for more information.