Smart Payment Plan Announces “Match Payments to Paydays” Program, Helps Consumers Pay off Loans Quicker, Save Money and Improve Credit

Smart Payment Plan recently announced some big news. Here’s the press release below from Marketwire.

LOS ANGELES, CA–(Marketwire – July 20, 2010) –  Smart Payment Plan has just made it easier to budget, pay off loans faster, save money and improve your credit score. The company has launched “Match Payments to Paydays,” a new and revolutionary service which schedules your bill payments immediately after you receive your paycheck, making paying your bills more reliable, easy, safe and hassle-free than ever. Smart Payment Plan is one of the first companies to implement such a system.

You can use Smart Payment Plan to pay off home mortgages, car loans, school loans, boat loans, personal loans, credit cards, and any other fixed monthly bills such as rent, cable, daycare or wireless plans. Why worry about bills all month long? Smart Payment Plan will electronically debit half of your loan payment every time you get paid. You can set-it-and-forget-it to pay down your loans faster, reduce interest charges and build equity faster. With convenient electronic payments, there’s no need for the hassle of mailing checks or buying stamps — and with federal banking laws, electronic payments are even safer than paper options.

Since 2003, Smart Payment Plan has helped people budget easier and reduce their debt quickly. A Better Business Bureau accredited business, Smart Payment Plan’s concept has been featured on Oprah and costs absolutely nothing upfront. A $1.95 transaction fee is included in each debit, and the debit amount never changes. The program is 100% satisfaction guaranteed, allowing users to cancel anytime. Scheduled debits may also be cancelled 3 days in advance.

About Smart Payment Plan
Smart Payment Plan allows you to gain more control over your finances. Also, making smaller payments that match your paydays towards your loans reduces the overall loan amount, helping you pay off your loan faster and saving you money. For more information, call 1-800-481-6863 or visit http://www.smartpaymentplan.com.

Media Contacts
Victoria Lyons
Director of Corporate Communications
(800) 481-6863

Joining The Email List: Do It!

I know, I know, you hate spam email. Yet, alas, this isn’t spam. Below are the pre-selected, personal filtered types of email lists you need to subscribe to and why:

MovieTickets.com – When I need to purchase movie tickets beforehand I go with movietickets.com. I am a creature of habit, the very first time I needed to do this, I went with movietickets.com and have stuck with them ever since. Especially now that I receive weekly emails for free movie showings. Sometimes they’re screenings of big budget/well known films a week or so before the launch date or screenings of unnamed films with famous named actors still in need of some editing. Of course you can opt out of these emails at any time. Showtimes are often scheduled during the week around 7pm at a big city near you.

AEG – For upcoming concert alerts and showdates. Not a lot of deals offered but always nice to be ahead of the pack when purchasing tickets for big acts.

Ticketmaster – Same deal as AEG, but you can receive notifications from specific artists/bands of your choice.

Boutiques – Usually, boutiques don’t have one, sole individual that can maintain an email newsletter. Which means they save all their announcements and deal specials for that one email sent to your inbox about every other week. You don’t hear from them a whole lot, but when you do, it’s always great.

Party and Event promoters – These people want you to come to their party because they need a packed house. So why not go? In the weekly party/club/event email scan through what venues and nights perk your interest. They’ll usually offer you the chance to RSVP beforehand with how many guests. You’re then put on a guest list and get to have a fabulous night at no cost to you.

Money Saving Tip: Go Green

These days “going green” isn’t just for the tree-huggers and the eco-activists, but rather it’s also for the smart money savers too. Whether it’s your car, your home or even what you eat, often times the green choice is also the economic choice. After all, the majority of green items are considered such because they are more efficient, and thus use less energy than their non-green peers. And since energy costs money, the less you use of it, the more you save.

Now, granted, sometimes the green choice can cost more up front. Well, oftentimes, really. But with regard to a light bulb, for example, even if you have to pay an extra $5 for the eco-friendly bulb, you’ll still save around $30 in energy bills over the lifetime of that bulb. So an extra of $25 in savings, and that’s just for one bulb. If you have ten to twenty bulbs in your home, that amounts to $250 to $500. And that’s just with light bulbs!

Same goes for more fuel-efficient vehicles — the better the gas mileage, the less you have to fill up, the less money you’re spending — as well as appliances and even windows.

For more money saving tips, check some of our past posts.

Five More Easy Ways To Save

Amidst our nation’s current economic troubles, many families have found themselves tightening their proverbial belts. And, for some, this tightening hasn’t been too comfortable — or pretty, for that matter. Fortunately, not every money saver has to be difficult. Some are even easy, in fact. Really! Last week I highlighted five quick and easy money savers; this week I’ll list five more.

Exercise From Home. Simple concept: gym memberships are expensive, especially when multiplied out over an entire year, whereas working out from home is not. It can even be free if need be! You just need to be a little more creative. Jog around the block, instead of on a treadmill, for example. Or swap the StairMaster for the stairs at a local park. Or instead of a stationary bike — well, I think you get the idea.

(Note: purchasing your own machine-filled exercise room is not the solution here — unless, of course you already have one that you just don’t use.)

Vacation During the Off Season. Life is stressful, especially these days. And yet, just when we need a vacation the most, we find ourselves unable to pay for one, which can be very demoralizing. Fortunately, all is not lost. Off-season vacations are not only still a lot of fun (really), they’re also quite cheap too.

Cut Back on the Drinks. Whether your poison drink of choice is coffee, alcohol or soda, there’s always some room to cut back, even if just a little. Now, I’m not saying you need to go cold turkey or even that you should cut your intake — I know better. Rather that you should finder cheaper alternatives. For example, consider swapping your daily Starbucks for some home brew, or slamming your daily beer (or three) at home instead of at the bar.

Go Generic. A few years ago it might have made sense to get the name-brand stuff for purposes of appearance, but I can only hope that mindset has since been dutifully put to rest. Because, really, appearance is all that differentiates the brand name cereal from the generic, the taste is the same. Same goes for medicine, clothing and other grocery items.

Buy in Bulk. Now, this probably isn’t a wise idea for produce and other perishables — unless you have a very large, very hungry, vegetable-eating family — but for non-perishables, stock up! Because the more you buy, the lower the price (per item).

5 Simple Money Savers

Saving money isn’t always easy, but it doesn’t have to be impossible either. The key is to set a few small goals, stick to them, and build off of your success. But it takes time. Just as weight loss doesn’t come overnight, neither does a balanced budget. Nevertheless, with a few smart, daily goals, you’ll find yourself reaching your goal before you know it. To get you started, here are five quick and simple money savers that really add up.

Track Your Expenses (The Easy Way). Yes, tracking your expenses can be easy — now more than ever. With free automated services like Mint.com leading the way, you no longer have to dig your way through old receipts or hire an accountant to keep track of what you spend. All you have to do is sign up and the program does the rest. Then, at the end of the month, you’re given easy to read graphs and charts letting you know where your money is going and how you can best save.

Bring Your Lunch To Work. Eating out daily, even if just for lunch, can add up fast. Let’s say you spend $10 a day on lunch (food, drink, tip and tax), multiply that over a year — only including work days — and that totals out at $2,600 a year! Even at just $5 a day you’d still be spending $1,300 each year. As you can see, it adds up. A lunch from home, on the other hand, tends to be in the two to three dollar range — and that’s for a good lunch too. Don’t think you have the time in the morning to pack a lunch? Just pack it the night before. It takes five minutes.

Bundle Your Errands. Gas is expensive these days, especially for larger vehicles. As such, driving everyday just for errands can eventually take a toll on your bank account. Instead, pick one or two days a week to get your errands done. That way you do all your driving at once, and aren’t driving to the store, back home, to the store, back home, and on and on.

Free Entertainment. Going to the movies, concerts and nice dinners can be fun, but they’re also expensive. Instead, look for cheap (or free) entertainment options. Rent a movie and eat popcorn at home, check out the local library (or park or museum), start cooking at home (actually pretty fun!), and so on. Need more ideas? Check the listings in your local paper, you’d be surprised how much goes on around you — and for free!

Online Billing. This one saves you money and time, a two-for-one. Easier now than ever, online billing not only does away with stamps, letters and paper all together, it also frees your time and your mind, giving you one less activity to worry about every month. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about late fees again — those things add up!

For more information on how to save money, check some of our earlier tips or visit our website.

Money Saving Tip: Review Your Credit Card Bills

In these economic times balancing a budget can be tough. Fortunately, even small measures can prove fruitful in the long run. Checking your credit card bills before you pay them, for example, can save you money, and easily — it only takes a few minutes to do, too. Even for those of you not worrying about your next paycheck, a quick review of your bills is still a smart financial move, and an excellent habit to keep. Here below are a few ways in which this easy practice can save you money. (Tips courtesy of the SaveMoneyBlog.)

Duplicate Charges. As much as we’d like to think technology would protect us from a double charge, it still happens. Whether by human error, equipment failure, or even malicious intent, double charges are known to appear on your bills from time to time. Some banks and credit unions check for these, but even still it’s possible for one or two to get by — trust me, they appear more than you might think. So be sure to check your credit card bills (or other bills) and flag any duplicate charges and alert your credit card company or bank.

Charges You Didn’t Make. Credit card fraud happens. In most cases your bank will take of you, fortunately, however, the bank may not always be aware of an unauthorized purchase, and unless you check yourself, you may find yourself unwittingly out of money. To protect yourself, just take a minute to scan your credit card bill for any purchase that looks strange or out of place.

Charges That Don’t Match Your Receipt. Often an honest mistake, it can still prove costly if you’re not paying attention. While it does take a little more effort to keep on top of this one — you have to keep your receipts and then check them against your bill — it is still a worthwhile practice for those looking to keep a balance budget.

Anytime you do find a mistake, honest or not, it is up to you to make the next move. In the United States all cardholders have up to 60 days from when they receive their statement to notify their credit card company. Your credit company then has to pay you back, or prove that the payment was authorized and legitimate within two payment cycles.

For more money saving tips, check our sister blog Smart Payment Plan Review or our parent site Smart Payment Plan.

How To Prepare For The Credit Card Act

Signed into law last May, the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act (CARD) will officially go into effect February 22, 2010. Once so, the law will (a) prohibit credit card companies from charging fees to customers who pay bills online or by phone, (b) prohibit interest rate hikes to customers who are less than 60 days late, (c) notify customers if they’re about to overdraft their account, and (d) target payments toward the highest interest rate first, if there is more than one interest rate on a customer’s card. All together, the CARD Act is designed to curb the worst practices of the credit card industry.

Not one to give up without a fight, however, some credit card companies have come up with new methods by which to capture profits — and some are trying to sneak these new provisions through before the CARD Act goes into effect next week. It’s not too late to act, though. Here are three suggestions, from billshrink.com, to stay ahead of the game.

1.) Annual Fees. Annual fees are predicted to become more and more regular, especially for customers with good credit. Already, both Bank of America and Chase are increasing the number of cards that will require an annual fee (usually between $50-100 a year), and there’s a good chance the other banks will follow suit. For customers with large existing balances and good rates, this shouldn’t be too problematic, but for those with smaller balances — or who rarely use their cards — these fees can start to add up, especially if you have more than one card.

2. Even More Hidden Fees. As the CARD Act knocks down some hidden fees, more have popped up in their place. Fees for inactivity have already started appearing, so to with reinstatement fees. And, again, if you have more than one card, this starts to add up, and quick.

3. Increased Balance Transfer Fees. Looking to move away from exorbitant new fees? Well, some credit card companies are increasing the fee for transferring your budget from one card to another, trying to skim off your balance even as you make your leave.

In all three cases, the solution is generally the same: consolidate your cards, moving from several cards to one or two. For more information on how to best consolidate your debt, try our main website www.smartpaymentplan.com.

23 Tips on How to Save Money Now

True, there are a lot of money saving tips out there. But here’s a quick view of some tips that I use myself and that work!

1. Combine your cable, internet and telephone service.
2. Send away for and follow up on rebates.
3. Buy a refurbished Mac. Did this and bought a 1 year old Macbook for $500. Apple freaks always need to have the newest Apple gear. You know you have a friend like that. When a new version Laptop comes out, ask him/her what they’ll do with the old one and then score!
5. Request a reduction in the interest rate on your credit cards.
6. Refinance you mortgage. My dad did this and saved over $300/month after the refinance.
7. Get your books from the library. Nuff said.
8. Get DVDs from the library.
9. Get DVDs from Red Box. $1, nuff said.
10. Read magazines online. Why buy US, People, Maxim when you can visit their site and read what’s found in the mag for free!
11. Never pay checking account fees.
12. Get a rewards card. Albertson’s, CVS, even Sephora, do it!
13. Don’t pay interest on credit cards.
14. Drive your car longer. Run that thing into the ground. I hate my monthly car payment with a passion.
15. Increase insurance deductibles.
16. Get rid of your home telephone.
17. Agree to limit gift giving.
18. Pass on extended warranties.
19. Take your lunch to work. I do this about 3-4 times/week. An average lunch can cost anywhere from $7-$10. That about $40 your saving/week if you start bringing leftovers for lunch.
20. Take advantage of employer 401(k) matches. I cannot stress how important it is to start a 401K. Stop waiting and just do it already.
21. Get organized and avoid missed payments.
22. Buy online when it saves you money. And usually when free shipping is involved.
23. Use Open Source software when possible.

About Smart Payment Plan

When consumers use loans to pay for houses, vehicles, college educations, healthcare, or other products and services, they often forget that monthly loan payments are long term commitments that can take a hefty toll on their budgets. SMART Payment Plan helps alleviate that burden by using biweekly half payments instead of full payments that are due at the end of each month. This often benefits consumers, but can also have a positive impact on dealers and lenders as well.

How SMART Payment Plan Helps Consumers

SMART Payment Plan uses biweekly half payments because it is easier for people to afford small payments every other week than large ones once a month. One of the reasons that it is easier for many SMART Payment Plan clients to make their biweekly payments is that they get paid every other week. They set up their SMART Payment Plan accounts to make their half payments when they know they will have plenty of money in their bank accounts. That way they never have to worry that they do not have enough or that they will unintentionally overdraw from their accounts.

SMART Payment Plan also helps consumers pay off their loans faster. Making 26 half payments a year leads to 13 full payments. That’s one more than consumers who use the traditional monthly payment schedule favored by most lenders. These extra payments through SMART Payment Plan means consumers can pay off their debts more quickly, which reduces the length of time that they have to pay interest on their debts.

How SMART Payment Plan Helps Lenders

SMART Payment Plan uses automatic bank deductions to make sure their customers make loan payments on time. This helps lenders because they do not need to worry that the debts will go unpaid. Since lenders can rely on SMART Payment Plan to transfer funds from client bank accounts with the most secure technology available, they do not have to worry about late or missing payments.

How SMART Payment Plan Helps Dealers

SMART Payment Plan helps dealers of products and services give their customers better payment options, which means more people will buy from them. Dealers who sell high priced items like houses and vehicles know that monthly payments are an important consideration for thoughtful consumers who do not want to overspend. These consumers think about whether they can afford the monthly payments and whether they are getting a good interest rate on loans.

SMART Payment Plan gives your customers one of the best possible payment options. The biweekly half payments are much more affordable for most people than full monthly payments. When your customers hear that they can even lower the amount that they spend on interest by using SMART Payment Plan, many of them will be much more willing to purchase items that they otherwise might not believe they can afford.

Using SMART Payment Plan

SMART Payment Plan is a win-win loan payment option for consumers, lenders, and dealers. Even if you are already making monthly payments on a loan, you can still switch to SMART Payment Plan’s easy-to-use system without even having to refinance.

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