Big banks have not favored African-Americans and Hispanics, says the Center for Responsible Lending. (Photo Credit: CC BY-ND/Velocity)

African-Americans and Hispanics are beginning to lose ground when it comes to the use of traditional banking, according to the Center for Responsible Lending. Discriminatory practices like redlining (denying access to credit) have once again risen up as the U.S. struggles to emerge from the economic recession. Such financial discrimination, which includes mortgage denial and lack of access to short term loans from banks, highlights an ever-present form of racism, critics suggest.

Minorities losing homes at twice the rate of Caucasians

Center for Responsible Lending President Michael Calhoun told USA Today that U.S. minorities have “received the worst treatment, at a very high cost.” Estimates that 20 percent of African-American and Hispanic householders will lose their homes in the mortgage crisis – a rate more than double that of white householders – suggest that the gap between the minority and the majority is growing.

In his 2008 study of household debt entitled “Credit Access, the Costs of Credit and Credit Market Discrimination,” Christian Weller of the University of Massachusetts and Center for American Progress found that African-Americans were 41.7 percent more likely than Caucasians to be denied a traditional bank loan. The gap widened considerably when mortgages were in question.

The inequity of a ‘dual system of finance’

John Taylor, CEO of National Community Reinvestment Coalition, sees a double standard.

“It’s about a dual system of finance,” he says. “People of color do not have the same access that most American citizens enjoy.

The alternative when traditional banks deny low- or middle-income minorities credit is frequently no credit check payday loans from payday lenders. While such short term loans are highly convenient in a financial emergency, the fees are generally higher than traditional prime loans, said NAACP Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Policy Hilary Shelton. Also, payday loans are small and can’t take the place of mortgage loans.

The legacy of banking deregulation

Redlining and similar practices gained much attention in the 1990s, when entire minority neighborhoods were shut out of being able to obtain bank loans, mortgages and insurance. Not coincidentally, banking and utility deregulation that occurred at the same time has been tied by numerous academic studies to the practice of redlining. While regulators installed such mechanisms as the Community Reinvestment Act and Home Mortgage Disclosure Act to help combat redlining, further loosening of the oversight belt allowed the practice to continue in various forms (such as reverse redlining, where short term bank loans are offered in minority neighborhoods, but at prohibitive rates). This ultimately led to the Wall Street crisis, from which the U.S. is still recovering.

What regulators are doing now to stem the tide

• The FDIC is trying out a two-year short term loan program at 28 volunteer banks.
• The Department of Justice has created a fair lending unit to police redlining.
• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will open in July 2011.

Sources

“Credit Access, the Costs of Credit and Credit Market Discrimination”

“Power Dereg Will Promote Customer Redlining”

USA Today

Did banking deregulation stack the deck against minorities?

Used responsibly, credit cards can help consumers build a credit history. (Photo Credit: CC BY/Andres Rueda/Flickr)

Many consumers looking to establish a credit history are denied credit because they don’t have enough credit to begin with. Even if a person has an excellent FICO score, it’s still possible to be denied something as weighty as a mortgage because the credit report reads more like a leaflet than a book.

Avoid being financially super-responsible with credit

People who are super-responsible can never enjoy their own parties, and the same is true for consumers who are financially super-responsible with their credit. Paying off student loans right out of the gate, avoiding excessive use of credit and generally living debt-free will save money in the long term, but some creditors do not view the credit-phobic kindly. Even for those who use credit but are choosy, an excessive number of credit inquiries can also have a negative impact on the credit score.

Having little credit history and being a serial credit card applicant can impact credit negatively, says Rod Griffin, public education director for the credit bureau Experian. Showing an ability to manage a reasonable number of open, active credit sources over time is paramount in illustrating credit-worthiness to creditors, including mortgage lenders.

Pay off loans, but keep some credit active

Griffin claims that contrary to what some so-called credit experts say, it doesn’t hurt to pay off loans early. Positive marks on the FICO report remain visible for approximately 10 years, whereas negative aspects generally only hang around for seven years. Paying off loans with excessive zeal can lead a consumer into the “No, thank you” zone with some potential creditors, however. If there aren’t at least three open, active accounts on the credit report that have been around for 24 months of more, it’s possible some creditors will pass on a credit application.

Use credit cards, but sparingly

It’s a myth that college students who are just beginning to build credit should take on multiple credit cards. Used responsibly and in moderation, having one credit card or two is a fine path toward building credit.

But the weather may be changing, says Griffin. Credit bureau insiders see the new Credit Card Act established under the Obama administration as a possible hindrance to young people’s ability to build a credit history. By restricting credit card company access to college students, some experts see more limited opportunities for building credit history.

Avoid the cash-only lifestyle if you want good credit

While you won’t rack up revolving debt by living a cash-only lifestyle, you also won’t build your credit. Maintain active credit accounts where you pay more than the minimum each month, and look to such products as installment loans and no credit check loans when emergency funding is necessary. While such products do not traditionally report to the credit bureaus – and hence do not provide an opportunity to record positive marks on a credit report – they will enable you to avoid building up excessive revolving debt on credit cards.

Sources

MSN Money
U.S. News and World Report

Understanding the Credit Card Act

Moving is tough. Deducting moving expenses on your taxes doesn't have to be. (Photo Credit: CC BY-SA/Claude Boucher/Wikipedia)

If you relocated for business purposes last year and are looking for a healthy tax deduction to tip the IRS scales in your favor, consider deducting moving expenses. Provided you’ve saved your receipts, it’s a great way to recoup the costs of such things as the moving van, packing materials, gasoline, lodging and more. Unfortunately, meals and sightseeing don’t count.

Take the moving expenses litmus test

Moving expenses can be tax deductions, provided they meet the following three criteria:

1. Relocation must quickly lead into the resumption of business at the new location.
2. The distance of the move must meet the IRS’s distance test.
3. The time frame in which the move occurs must pass the IRS time test.

It doesn’t matter whether the job is your first or whether you’re self-employed or an employee. The overall moving expense is declared on your 1040 form, without itemization, Schedule A or income-based restrictions. However, IRS Form 3903 – the Moving Expenses worksheet – is required. Form 3903 is where costs are detailed, possibly including loan fees on payday loans with no credit check if they apply toward the business-related move.

Getting there with Form 3903

If the move occurs entirely within the U.S., no special residency restrictions are required. However, if you’re moving outside the U.S. or a U.S. territory, you must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien in order to be eligible to deduct moving expenses on your 1040, says the IRS. If there are multiple business-related moves within the same tax year, a separate Form 3903 must be completed for each.

Pass the tests

The IRS requires tax filers to meet distance and time tests when it comes to moving expenses. See IRS Publication 521 for more details, particularly when it comes to special considerations for members of the military and whether loan fees from business-related no credit check payday loans apply for the tax deduction. The following rules apply to most circumstances.

Distance

A work-related move must take you at least 50 miles farther from your previous residence than your old place of work. If your old work was five miles away from your old home, the new location must be at least 55 miles away from the old home. If the job at the new location is your first, the job must be at least 50 miles away from your previous home. The IRS requests tax filers to calculate distances using the shortest common route available.

Time

For the first 12 months after your move is complete, you must work full time at your new place of employment for a minimum of 39 weeks. Self-employed tax filers must work a total of at least 78 weeks during the first 24 months, post-move. If you do not meet the time test before your return is due, filers can amend the return with Form 1040X. See Publication 521.

Sources

Bankrate.com – “Let Uncle Sam help pay for your move”

IRS.gov Form 3903 – Moving Expenses

IRS.gov Publication 521 – Moving Expenses

Only job-related moves apply

Mississippi legislators didn't buy the so-called Biblical argument against payday loans. (Photo Credit: CC BY-SA/Ken Lund/Flickr)

Opponents of no credit check payday loans frequently support their arguments by referencing religious documents, such as the Bible, that claim payday lenders practice usury – charging an “exorbitant or unlawful rate of interest.” Charlie Mitchell of the Mississippi Clarion-Ledger makes this mistake in his recent criticism of Mississippi House Bill 455, which will enable payday lenders to continue to do business in the state. Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that interest-bearing no credit check payday loans are neither usurious nor “sinful” in the Biblical sense.

No credit check payday loans and interest rates

The crux of Mitchell’s argument is that payday lenders charge too much interest on an annual basis, and short term loans are sinful devices that impoverish the working man. This ignores the fact that payday loans are not intended to be paid off over the course of 12 months; most have terms ranging from two weeks to 90 days. If the lender charges the borrower $15 to $25 per $100 loaned, the borrower is paying a 15 to 25 percent fee, not a 500 percent APR as Mitchell claims.

The Bible does not condemn payday loans

Because Mitchell’s facts regarding online payday loan terms are lacking, he is left with the Biblical avenue of attack. While it is true that there are numerous Bible scriptures that forbid usury (Exodus 22:25, Ezekiel 22:16-31, Ezekiel 18:8-17), the prime Biblical parable that critics as noteworthy as MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow have used to attack payday loans is found at Nehemiah 5:9-10. This frequently misinterpreted scripture refers to an excessive and unreasonable temple tax levied against the Jews by the Romans that caused the Jews to become financially destitute. Critics of online payday loans, like Maddow, mistakenly replace “tax” with “interest-bearing loans,” and claim that the interest is what brought dark days to the Israelites.

Not only were Hebrews not being oppressed by interest-bearing loans, their God permitted them to lend and charge interest. Consider Deuteronomy 23:30:

“Unto a foreigner thou mayest lend upon interest; but unto thy brother thou shalt not lend upon interest.”

So long as the borrower was a Gentile, everything was fine with God.

Are no credit check payday loans usurious?

Usury is often defined an “exorbitant” or “unlawful” rate of interest. No credit check payday loans are regulated by federal and state laws that clearly establish terms and fees that can be charged, so the product is not unlawful.

As to whether online payday loan fees are exorbitant, the answer is relative. If potential borrowers think an interest rate is unreasonable, they have the option to abstain. If an online payday loan originator cannot lend at a rate that is reasonable for business, loans will not be issued. A mutually agreeable interest rate will always be found in the U.S. free market economy. No credit check payday loans are neither exorbitant nor unlawful, thus not usurious.

Sources

Andrew Breitbart Presents Big Journalism

Crooks and Liars

Mississippi Clarion-Ledger

How no credit check payday loans work

(Photo: Purple Slog/Flickr/CC-BY)

Can parenting make you money-hungry? Some can’t deny their children’s requests to have whatever they wish, and many go through great lengths to keep them happy. Often if parents didn’t have a lot of material possessions when they were children, they try to make up for it by ensuring their children are able to get whatever their little hearts desire. Another factor could be that they are afraid that if the kids are not given what they want, they will ultimately lose their children’s love.

Parenting influenced by the media

To make matters worse, the media play a big role in enticing children with the newest gadgets, computers, iPods, games, the latest fashions in clothing, etc., in television commercials. They are also seen in glamor magazines, teen sitcom shows, at stores and on friends wearing the latest cool brand of clothing. This adds more pressure on parents to make sure their children fit in with the rest of their peers or community. This can often cause parents to take out no credit check payday loans to cover short term spending sprees.

Raising spoiled children

Experience has shown that when children get whatever they want, they tend to become spoiled. The children, instead of showing they care and love their parents, become very unappreciative of the efforts their parents have shown in providing the gifts they want. Many of the items or latest gadgets they do receive are quickly forgotten and are no longer used or wanted.

It has often been observed that when children get whatever they want, whenever they ask for it, they typically won’t have the needed skills to cope with denials or disappointments as they grow into adults, simply because they do not understand the hard work involved in earning money. They have never had to obtain an installment loan for people with bad credit to make ends meet for the week. They may not be able to make it financially on their own and would then be forced to rely on the parents to help them through all the different phases of life. It can affect their ability to handle money matters in a marriage, and all of these are due entirely to the fact they never learned how to during their early years.

"I thought I was fully covered ... but I needed at least $450 fast." (Photo: Thinkstock)

It was mid-August that I became acquainted with no credit check payday loans. My first year of college was under way, and things weren’t as simple as I had expected. When I originally decided to stop working and go to school, for some odd reason I thought I would simply need to show up and buy a couple of books. I soon found that college is the beginning of spending hundreds or thousands of dollars at a time on stuff you wish you didn’t have to buy. That would be the time in my life my parents learned about PersonalMoneystore.com, and I’m grateful they did.

How no credit check payday loans helped

After enrolling in 15 credits for fall quarter, I needed to purchase books for each class, and thankfully I was able to get the additional help I needed with no credit check payday loans. The cost varied depending on the course. The big, heavy, hardcover science and math books tended to be the most expensive – they were as much as $200 each. A good estimate for my book budget was about $350 per quarter.

Breaking it down

A bus pass and the necessities like pens, notebooks and a bookbag were added school expenses. Together they ran me about $140. You might be wondering why it was so much, so I’ll break it down. A three-month bus pass cost $90, a book bag $35, a multi-pack of pens $5 and six notebooks for $10. I am not including tuition here, which is paid via Pell and State Need Grants.

What do I do?

I applied for the student loans to cover the previously mentioned items like books, so I thought I was fully covered. Not quite! I quickly discovered that first-time students did not receive their student loan check until 30 days after the first day of the quarter. Needless to say, I was floored. Not only did I not have money for roughly $350 of books and more than $100 for supplies, but I spent the money I saved up over the summer on three months worth of food and three months of rent in advance, so I was strapped for cash. All I knew was that I needed at least $450 fast.

No credit check payday loans kept me in school

My parents did not make a lot of money, so they didn’t just have the money for me, but because they had jobs, they were willing to take out a loan for me. I then heard from my new roommate Sean that PersonalMoneystore.com helps all types of people in this sort of bad financial situation. My parents found it online and they were more than happy to help out with my current financial crunch. My parents got the money I needed in no credit check payday loans, and there was even a little left for extra notebooks and pencils. When I got my student loan, I paid back my parents who paid off the payday loan. Crisis over!

Apply for quick financing today | Start HERE!

No credit check payday loans critical as credit dries up

In the world of credit and lending, remarks by Federal Reserve Governor Elizabeth Duke have made a lot of headlines. Duke said that bank lending that shriveled during the recession continues to decline. She said it will take years for bank lending to recover from the financial crisis — even though banks, bailed out by the government, are raking in profits once again.

Banks rake in profits while consumers struggle

The ability to get easy instant cash for an emergency has never been more important. Lending by banks contracts further as the financial crisis slowly recovers. ABC News reports that Duke, a former banker, said that in April and May, total loans held by commercial banks shrank at an estimated 7.75 percent rate. She said bankers tell her that anxiety about financial reform and stricter government oversight is holding back lending. Shrinking availability of credit is also due to a weaker demand for credit as consumers, left broke by the recession, don’t spend, and small businesses that can’t get bank loans get hit the hardest.

Banks try, but can’t compete against direct payday lenders

Banks remain coldblooded in their pursuit of profits. As they pull back lending, they try to grab business away from short term lenders. The FDIC started a program called the Small Dollar Loan Pilot Program to do that. But as it turns out, Tom Brown at seekingalpha.com reports that the FDIC’s product fails as a replacement for payday loans. Approval usually takes 24 hours, for instance — sometimes too late to serve the very pressing needs of most payday borrowers. And the lender is required to pull a credit report.

Instant cash when you need it most

All that payday lenders online usually require, by contrast, are ID, checking account info and employment verification. And most important, payday lenders put the money in your bank account immediately. So the payday loan alternative the FDIC has dreamed up misrepresents itself.

The responsible, sensible payday loan solution

Payday lenders are getting targeted by politicians, with encouragement from banks, for providing a valuable financial service, economically. Brown cites this example:

Suppose I’m a cash-strapped consumer and my $100 utility bill is due tomorrow. I can either a) pay the bill late and incur a late fee of, say, $20, b) intentionally write a bad check and be hit with NSF charge of $29 (and break the law, to boot), or c) visit a payday lender and borrow the $100 with a promise to repay $115 next pay period.

What will you do?

Think banks will still love their customers after more stringent overdraft laws are in place? Don't be surprised when more banks simply fire their customers. (Photo: ThinkStock)

Bank overdraft fees have been a thorny issue for consumers who have argued long and hard that a single $.01 in the red transaction should not trigger a $35 penalty plus additional daily penalties. Congress has listened to consumers, and recent financial reforms voted into place will affect just how much banks are able to collect from customers who overdraw their accounts. According to Consumer Reports, losing such a major source of income may prompt banks to “fire” customers.

Banks without their overdraft fees will not go quietly

Instances of overdraft fees are at a 10-year high according to BBC News, and the numbers are similar in the United States. The Federal Reserve recently clarified the changes to come, reports the Kansas City Star, and one look at what’s to come could make a banker sweat like they do when they lose business to no credit check payday loans companies. If they can’t rake in obscene profits from overdraft fees, then banks need to stop the bleeding caused by careless customers. As new customers will by law no longer be automatically enrolled in overdraft protection schemes after July 1 (after August 15 for existing customers), bank income will decrease dramatically.

How dramatically?

The convenience of free checking is made possible by overdraft fees, claims the Boston consulting firm Celent. Their report “Reg, Reg, Go Away: Sorry Banks, They’re Here to Stay” indicates that up to 50 percent of all revenue generated for banks by retail checking accounts comes from overdraft fees. Consumer Reports points out that the new rules governing overdraft fees don’t eliminate fees charged to cover checks or recurring bill payments, but they will crack down on debit card purchases that induce overdraft. Considering that 41 percent of overdraft fees come from debit card transactions, that’s a big chunk of change that banks will lose.

Which leads to the friendly ‘banks fire customers’ policy

Celent advises banks to simply shut down accounts of customers who are simply too expensive to keep. Where that line will be drawn remains to be seen, but all banking customers should take heed and make sure that they have enough money in the bank when they go to make a purchase or payment. Of course, no credit check payday loans and military payday loans will always be an option for those emergency situations were fast cash is necessary. They are much better alternatives than being fired by your bank for overdrafting your account.

Sources:

Consumer Reports

BBC News

Kansas City Star

Related Video:

Will financial reform help the average consumer?

Several issues affecting everyday life are part of the financial reform bill. But what isn’t in the financial reform bill is important, too. Credit, when needed the most, was preserved after debate was rejected on an amendment regulating the pay day loans industry. And other aspects of the financial reform package may make a difference in the financial health of most Americans, including mortgage lending and debit and credit card fees.

Cheap pay day loans protected

Money lenders providing convenient access to online cash advances escaped restrictions on their business. Some politicians wanted to go after people who work for their money. The financial reform bill could have limited consumer access to same day cash advances and prohibited cash companies from offering additional products and services. Another provision forced federal regulation on the best practices of payday lenders, such as offering installment loans. Fortunately the Senate rejected the payday loan amendment.

Financial reform: debit and credit card use

Financial reform seeks to limit the fees banks charge retailers for debit card transactions. This could mean either lower prices, higher bank fees or both for consumers. The Christian Science Monitor reports that Visa and MasterCard charge retailers 1 to 2 percent of the cost of whatever people buy with their debit cards. That’s a lot more than what it costs for a computer at a bank to process the payment. The financial reform bill wants to make sure debit card fees are “reasonable and proportional to the processing costs incurred.” Or, in other words, lower. Retailers say they will pass the savings to consumers. But banks, deprived of such easy money, will probably turn the screws in other ways, such as increasing checking account fees. So it remains to be seen if the debit and credit card fee provision of the financial reform package delivers any benefits to most people.

Financial reform: mortgage loans

The financial reform bill could limit banks from lining their pockets when a borrower wants to pay off a mortgage early. For most mortgages, prepayment penalties would be allowed only in the first three years of the loan. For mortgages with balloon payments, prepayment penalties go away altogether. Plus, Reuters reports that the financial reform bill ends kickbacks to bankers and “liar loans,” two shady lending practices that led to so many bad mortgages in the housing bubble. Kickbacks known as “yield spread premiums” encouraged brokers to steer consumers into risky, high-interest loans even if they qualified for cheaper loans. Liar loans let consumers qualify for loans they could not possibly repay if they opted to simply state their income or other assets, rather than waiting for verification.

Financial reform: credit scores

Financial reform package provisions originally called for giving consumers free credit scores every year to go along with the three free credit reports, but this consumer benefit didn’t survive. However, the New York Times reports that an amendment requires those who use a credit score to deny credit to someone to give the score to that person free. When someone doesn’t have the best interest rate on a mortgage, credit card or auto loan, or gets stuck with a high insurance premium, they get to see the score that was used to make that judgment.

Payday loans: no credit score required

No credit check payday loans online often don’t require any sort of credit score. This is good because simply having one’s credit checked can have a bad effect on the credit score. A no credit check payday loan allows a person to get the quick cash they need without waiting for approval or damaging their credit score. Plus, the money can be in their bank account within 2 hours upon approval. Better yet, for people who may have bad credit or no credit, paying back the online cash advance on time can help raise that credit score.

Offshore oil drilling on rigs like Deepwater Horizon can be very dangerous. Image from Flickr.

Forty-one miles offshore of Louisiana at 10 p.m. central time April 20, an oil rig explosion rocked Deepwater Horizon, the Transocean oil drilling rig. The U.S. Coast Guard, Transocean Family and Emergency Response Teams, and BP Exploration and Production Inc. are all responding to the oil rig explosion on Deepwater Horizon. Transocean is withholding the names and hometowns of effected employees until no credit check payday loans can be arranged and families can be notified. Currently, 11 employees on Deepwater Horizon are listed as missing.

Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion

The oil rig explosion on Deepwater Horizon is currently listed as having an unknown cause. The fire on Deepwater Horizon is still burning, though it is being addressed by all responding agencies. Of the 126 crew members on the rig, seven were critically injured and 11 are still missing.

Transocean Deepwater Horizon

The oil-drilling rig known as Deepwater Horizon is owned and operated by Transocean. An offshore drilling contractor that owns 140 drilling units, Transocean was contracting with BP Exploration and Production Inc. to run Deepwater Horizon. The “semi-submersible” oil drilling rig was operating in the Gulf of Mexico.

Oil exploration on Deepwater Horizon

At the time of the oil rig explosion, Deepwater Horizon was on contract to do exploratory drilling. BP, the company that used to be British Petroleum, was providing payroll loans and other funding to Transocean. When Deepwater Horizon was rocked by the oil rig explosion, they had been drilling the Macondo prospect.

Dangers of oil drilling

Deep-sea oil prospecting, like all oil drilling, carries many risks. Natural gas often accompanies oil, and accidents on oil rigs are fairly common. The safety record of Transocean has been very good, with less than one “safety incident” per 200,000 hours worked. Offshore oil drilling is expected to ramp up under U.S. energy independence initiatives. Currently, about 1/3 of all oil consumed by the United States is produced domestically.

Sources:

Wall Street Journal
Marketwatch
TransOcean website

Spirit Airlines will soon be charging customers for carry-on and checked luggage. Image from Flickr.

Since 2008, many major airlines have started charging fees for checked baggage – now Spirit Airlines is taking those bag fees one step further. In a move sure to be watched closely by larger carriers, Florida-based regional carrier Spirit Airlines will be charging airline passengers for carry-on luggage. No word yet if the airlines will be offering no credit check payday loans to cover the cost of the new fees.

Spirit Airlines is a no-frills carrier

Spirit Airlines is an airline that specializes in no-frills service. With a $40 yearly membership, some customers can get Spirit airline fares for as little as $9 each way. Average Spirit Airline fares range from $50 to $150 each way. Spirit Airlines already charges $25 for the first checked bag, and $45 for the second checked bag. Spirit Airlines claims that at the same time the carry-on bag fee is instituted, it will drop their average fare by $40, saving some customers from getting payday loans no credit check to pay for their travel.

Spirit Airlines to charge for carry-on bags

Since many major airlines have started charging for checked baggage, many customers are carrying on more luggage. On Aug. 1, Spirit Airlines will begin charging for carry-on luggage. Spirit Airline “members” will be charged $20. Pre-registering the carry-on bag will cost $30. At the gate, passengers will be charged $45 for their one allowed carry-on bag. Spirit Airlines is also considering removing the front-counter service at some airports, replacing that service with self-service kiosks only. Spirit Airlines will not charge for “personal items” that fit in the space under the seat in front of passengers.

Will major airlines follow the example of Spirit Airlines?

Major airline carriers have not yet said if they plan to follow Spirit Airlines with these charges. Southwest and JetBlue have been the only two carriers to not use checked-bag fees. Since bag fees have been instituted by airlines, the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics has said that fees have brought in 11 percent additional income to airlines – $700 million in the third quarter of last year. In that same time period, average fares fell 14 percent from the same period last year.

Sources:

Market Watch
Chron

Image from Flickr.

New Year’s Eve is always a special day, but this year it is extra special. We’ve all heard the phrase “once in a blue moon,” and that “once” is happening on New Year’s Eve. A blue moon is when there are two full moons in one month, and it just so happens that not only will there me a full moon on New Year’s Eve, it will be the second one to occur in December 2009.

Brand X reports that a blue moon happens “just seven times every 19 years.” Huh? What kind of a screwed up statistic is that? That’s about once every 2.7 years. So next time someone says “once in a blue moon” to you, you’ll know what you’re dealing with. It’s about as often as people with jobs get denied no credit check payday loans.

Special keeps getting specialer

Just to make things more interesting, there will also be a partial lunar eclipse on New Year’s Eve. We won’t be able to see it from North America, but people in Asia, Africa and Europe will. A blue moon lunar eclipse is, of course, even less common than a blue moon, and it happens once every 15 to 20 years.

The Associated Press reports that a blue moon New Year’s Eve occurs only once every 19 years. Regarding a blue moon, lunar eclipse and New Year’s Eve ocurring at the same time, the web site Des Pardes says “Such a coincidence has not been witnessed on the planet in the present and previous centuries.”

Whoa. So does that mean this is the most special New Year’s Eve ever?

Be safe

In other super weird news, The Associated Press says a funeral home in Rome, Georgia, is offering free burials to anyone who signs a contract saying he or she will drink or take drugs and drive on New Year’s Eve.

Funeral home officials said the program is designed to save lives by making partygoers think twice about drinking and driving.

Well, it’s a strange way to do it, but reminding people that drinking and driving can have deadly consequences is important.

Don't let your fellow Americans end up on the streets.

I’m sure, at some time or another, everyone has felt badly for a person on the street asking for money. Maybe you even gave that person the change in your pocket. Usually, though, when handing out money to strangers, the person who gives the money is left wondering what the stranger will do with it. That’s where the Modest Needs Foundation comes in.

What if you knew your spare change was going toward someone who really needed it? Someone who would use it for something important? If a trusted neighbor told you he just needed $5 in order to get by, would you help him? The Modest Needs Foundation collects applications from people who just need a little extra cash to get through a rough time. The Modest Needs Foundation web site promises that “Client Advocacy Specialists have performed extensive due diligence” on every application for short-term financial help.

Examples of Modest Needs Foundation clients

Almost anyone who has a job can qualify for no credit check payday loans and get short-term financial help. But not everyone has the means to pay it back with so many people unemployed. Many of the applicants at Modest Needs Foundation need help with medical expenses, a month’s rent or car repairs.

Modest Needs Foundation applicants can only get one-time help. One applicant, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, is asking for help to buy a bed. Another says he is out of money after paying for his son’s surgery and now doesn’t have any cash to fix his truck. Though there are just a few sentences about each applicant, Modest Needs Foundation requires documentation showing the applicant needs money, so donors can be reassured that their donations are going to a good cause.

Small donations are a big help

Many people believe that unless they give hundreds of dollars to charity, it won’t make a difference. However, Modest Needs Foundation has story after story about families and individuals who have received help through several small donations. Most Modest Needs Foundation applicants need less than $1,000, and when people start to give, donations add up fast.

You might not have enough to fulfill a person’s application or donate hundreds of dollars, but if you have money to go out for coffee, that money could be put to better use. If you’ve got enough to pay your rent and buy groceries and heat your home, you probably have just a few dollars left over after that. Even $5 can make a difference.

Inspiring stories at Modest Needs Foundation

At modestneeds.org you can read through stories of people who have received help already through Modest Needs Foundation. You can also read about the approved applicants who are seeking help and could use your extra pocket change for shelter, medical bills, beds and other short-term expenses. Make sure you check out the Modest Needs Foundation web site. Here’s an excerpt:

Because Modest Needs has earned the highest possible charity ratings from both Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, you can give with confidence, knowing that we won’t abuse your kindness.

But more importantly, together, we can make sure that no hard-working person is ever forced to choose between taking a child to the doctor and putting food on the table.

There’s no better time for a no credit check payday loan than when a temporary financial setback strikes at home. With Personal Money Market’s online applications you have a secret weapon that’s timeless, and that can help you through any cash situation. You get even get out of the clink with a bail bond loan in the case you fall into the hands of the law on accident.

No Credit? No Problem!

Worried about less than perfect credit? Don’t, because with Personal Money Market your credit score doesn’t matter. In today’s economy a living wage is hard to find according to writer Betsy Z. Russell from the Spokesman review newspaper. Betsy states, “Any one lucky enough to find a job in 2008 likely ended up with one that doesn’t pay enough to support a family”. Today we all struggle to make ends meet, so it’s a blessing that payday loans and installment loans for people with bad credit can be a potential opportunity.

Completely Online Without the Hassle of a Fax Machine

Online payday loans are a great resource for all Americans. With Personal Money Market the process is safe, quick, and easy. Let’s face it, not all people have a fax machine at their beck and call, but getting a no credit check payday loan through Personal Money Market is easy because there’s no faxing and it’s completely online. With the economic conditions getting worse, you can feel secure that you can have cash advance that you need in the bank. Personal Money Market is a free online service that can help you get the no credit check payday loan that you need through one of its many reputable lenders and in most cases, in as little as two hours!

Reasons Why No Credit Check Payday Loans Can Help You

Not convinced? Well listen to a few compelling reasons to say yes!

1. Payday loans save your credit score from late payments.
2. Payday loans can help you avoid overdraft fees from you bank.
3. Payday loans can lower overall family financial stress.

I could go on and on about the benefits of an online payday loan, but you won’t know unless you try it out yourself. So check out the easy online application. It’s Safe and confidential. Your no credit check payday cash advance is waiting, just click Apply Now! and you’ll be on your way to financial freedom.

Start Your No Credit Check Application Here!