It could be time to start shopping for a new policy if you recently committed a major traffic violation or your third minor violation. Your old carrier may raise your rates or deliver a non-renewal notice, choosing not to insure you going forward. Here’s how to find car insurance when you have a bad driving record. Be Upfront About Your Record A number of things can raise your rates or make it harder for you to get insurance....

Whether you’re producing a seller’s home inspection for the buyer or expecting the buyer’s home inspector to show up on your doorstep, it’s best to be thoroughly prepared. It’s also common for inspectors to start on the exterior of the home, so leave the shades down or drapes drawn until you’re dressed. More than one unprepared seller has been surprised by a stranger stomping around in the backyard. Some inspectors will charge the buyer a reinspection fee to make a return trip, and this can cause ill will, too....

As eager as you may be to get your first credit card, many credit card companies aren’t so eager to give you one. Rather than putting in several credit card applications to see who’s going to approve you, target just a few companies that are known for giving credit cards to first-timers. Don’t set yourself up for failure; learn all you can about credit cards before getting one. If you’re not ready, there are steps you can take to get there....

You might worry that if you get a job offer from one company, you will have to decide before you have a chance to interview for the second job. Job interview timing is tricky, especially when you’re very interested in more than one job. However, there are ways you can handle interviewing for more than one job at a time and end up with the job that’s right for you....

Frequency of Market Corrections The S&P 500 Index has recorded 54 market corrections and bear markets since 1928. The longest market correction on record lasted 929 days from March 2000 to October 2002; the highest loss was -59% from October 2007 to March 2009. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic rocked the stock market, sending it into another bear market. But within five months, the S&P 500 had made a full recovery and set new record highs....

It doesn’t take much to make an impression — good or bad. Interviewing is a competitive game, and even little things can make a big difference when you’re trying to get hired. If you haven’t taken the time to dress appropriately or if you say the “wrong” thing, it could be over before it starts. It’s important to be the candidate who makes the best impression, rather than the person who trips up in the interview and doesn’t get a shot at the job....

A job fair (also known as a career fair) provides job seekers opportunities to meet with many employers at one event. Learn some techniques to help you prepare yourself for introductions at a job fair. How to Prepare for a Job Fair Attending an event with lots of people you don’t know can be challenging, especially if you’re not the most outgoing person in the room. But it’s essential to moving forward in your career....

Do you like to analyze and research data or do you prefer the “set-it-and-forget it” approach? Do you like to be involved in processes or do you prefer to plant seeds and watch things grow from a distance? Does it take luck or skill (or both) to outperform the major market indexes? Do you find yourself getting excited about gains, but anxious about losses? Are you a do-it-yourselfer or might you feel better using an advisor?...

Steps To Take To Apply for a Savings Account There are a few ways you can open a savings account, depending on your bank’s policies. You may be able to open an account online, over the phone, or in person. The application process is similar across banks, so if you’ve opened a savings account before, the steps may be familiar to you. Verify Your Identity Banks are required to confirm your identity before allowing you to open an account....

Think About Why You Want to Refinance There are a few scenarios in which refinancing a home equity loan makes sense. Your reason will help determine which refinancing option to pursue. You want to reduce your interest rate or swap between a fixed- and adjustable-rate loan: Home equity loans, like mortgages, have interest rates based on market rates. If market rates have fallen, refinancing lets you replace your existing loan with a new one at a lower rate....

Accurate, or a Mistake? Late payments appear in your credit reports when lenders report that you paid late. That can happen in one of two ways: If the report is accurate, it can be difficult and time-consuming to get the late payment removed from your reports—and it likely won’t be removed for seven years. If the report of a late payment is incorrect, it can be relatively easy to fix the error....

The nationwide shutdown in 2020 has demonstrated the urgent need for small businesses to have emergency funds in order to continue operations or stay afloat while completely or partially closed. Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Kenneth Bucci told The Balance during a phone interview that many businesses use emergency funds when they see a downturn in revenue due to a recession or economic crisis. However, he said they can also be critical in keeping the business afloat in other circumstances, such as losing a major customer, industry changes, or even a lawsuit....

Switching to a cash-only budget is a move recommended by many financial experts. Here’s how to make the change. Choose the Categories to Switch to Cash The first step in switching to cash is to determine the budget categories that will actually work as cash-only. You may only be able to make certain payments, such as a mortgage or your student loan, online or at least by check. But for those categories where you are able to use cash, determine the ones in which you are consistently overspending....

The reason for the challenges involves the type of loan contingencies that are most common. For instance, in many places throughout the country, a homebuyer might look at several types of loan contingencies. Then, they may incorporate one or more of these contingencies into the purchase offer. Contingencies can be part of your due diligence. If not accomplished by either party, they can be contract-canceling events. As a buyer, it is important to know how these elements of homebuying work....

What To Watch For You may never know for certain if a check is good, but you can gather some good information to help you decide what to do with that check. There are a few items you can look into: Consider Where the Check Came From Before verifying anything else, you can learn a lot by examining where the check came from and who gave it to you. If the person contacted you out of the blue to send you a check, then there’s a good chance they’re a scammer and the check is fake....

A character reference is a reference from someone you know personally, rather than a former employer. You might be asked to write a personal reference for a neighbor, acquaintance, advisor, or someone you volunteer with. Review information on when to use a personal reference, what to include when you’re asked to write one, writing tips, and examples. When to Use a Personal Reference People often use character references in addition or as an alternative to employment reference letters....

How To Write an Executive Summary The executive summary goes near the beginning of the business plan but is written last. To include a summary of the different parts of your business plan, you’ll need to write them first. When you write the executive summary, keep it under two pages. The executive summary should contain brief summaries of other sections of the plan. The idea is to give a brief overview of your business first before going into detail about each of the different parts....

Defining Options Before getting into options terminology, it’s helpful to get some background on options themselves. Just like stocks and bonds, options are securities that trade on an exchange. They fall into a category called “derivatives” because they’re derived from, or linked to, another security, and their prices are dependent on the price changes of that security. You’ll also hear the security or asset the option is derived from called “the underlying asset” or “the underlying....

The industrials sector usually includes companies involved in such industries like (but not limited to) engineering, heavy machines, parts manufacturing, construction, electrical equipment, aerospace and defense, and general manufacturing. The companies can even be involved with cross sectors such as technology, utilities and even consumer discretionary. So if you feel this is an opportunity for your investment strategy, not only will you have specific access to the sector with industrial funds, but you’ll also get the benefit of the many advantages that come with ETF investing—tax advantages, cost advantages, and other advantages....

Seventy-three percent of people shopping for a home or selling one said they’d changed their plans one way or another because of inflation, according to a poll released Wednesday by real estate company Redfin. The responses varied, with some speeding up their timetables, others delaying them, and still others dropping out of the market altogether. The survey of 1,500 U.S. residents was taken Dec. 10-13 by research technology company Lucid on behalf of Redfin....