There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has done a number on personal finances. In fact, 10% of Americans feel like they’ll never recover from the financial damage.

The good news is that most consumers have the ability to improve their credit rating, replenish their savings, and more. Even if it doesn’t seem like it right now, over the long term there are strategies and Best Credit Monitoring Services that you can use to improve your situation.

Let’s take a look at how to get back on your feet after the financial impact of COVID.
Assess Where You Are Now
Sometimes the stress of a crisis, combined with the money we lose, makes it hard to take a realistic look at where we are now. We might mourn the fact that our savings aren’t where they once were, or that our retirement account has been lessened.

However, the first step to getting back on track is understanding where things stand now. You might find that the truth isn’t as dire as you expected!

Try to set aside your previous expectations of what your future would hold so that you can understand your position today and create a new plan for the future.
Reduce Debt
Many people struggled with job loss, lower income, or reduced hours during the two years we’ve been dealing with COVID. That means you might have racked up additional credit debt to make ends meet.

As the economy and job situation stabilizes, it’s time to start reducing your reliance on credit and creating a plan to pay down your debt. Set aside the emotions of this difficult time and focus on creating a logical, clear plan that you can follow.

As you reduce your debt, invest in a credit monitoring service that can help you keep an eye on your credit as you rebuild your finances.
Trim Waste From Your Budget
A lot of us bought things, subscribed to things, and invested in new hobbies to get us through the pandemic. There’s nothing wrong with finding coping mechanisms in a crisis, but it’s important to know when to pull back.

Now that you’re focused on getting your finances back on track, it’s time to look through your current subscriptions and expenses to see what you can get rid of. Can you shop around to get a better cell phone plan, eliminate a gym membership, or find a less expensive streaming service?

Many people are surprised at how many ways there are to save money in their budget. These changes will help you stay on track not just now, but over the long term as well. You can take the savings and put them toward your debt, which will help you fix your credit.
Replenish Your Emergency Fund
Once you have your immediate spending under control, it’s time to replenish your emergency fund. Many Americans used this money to get them through a period of job loss, fewer hours, and other economic problems.

Now that things are more stable, it’s time to start saving again. How does this impact your credit? An emergency fund allows you to handle unexpected expenses without having to go back to your credit card, so you can continue to build up your credit score.
Get Your Credit in Check
The COVID-19 crisis has lasted much longer than anyone expected. That means the economic impact has been worse as well. However, don’t give up hope — there’s a lot you can do to improve your credit.

Credit monitoring services can make a big difference as you get back on your feet. Learn more about IdentityIQ and sign up today!

How to Fix Your Credit After COVID

There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has done a number on personal finances. In fact, 10% of Americans feel like they’ll never recover from the financial damage.

The good news is that most consumers have the ability to improve their credit rating, replenish their savings, and more. Even if it doesn’t seem like it right now, over the long term there are strategies and credit monitoring services that you can use to improve your situation.

Let’s take a look at how to get back on your feet after the financial impact of COVID.
Assess Where You Are Now
Sometimes the stress of a crisis, combined with the money we lose, makes it hard to take a realistic look at where we are now. We might mourn the fact that our savings aren’t where they once were, or that our retirement account has been lessened.

However, the first step to getting back on track is understanding where things stand now. You might find that the truth isn’t as dire as you expected!

Try to set aside your previous expectations of what your future would hold so that you can understand your position today and create a new plan for the future.
Reduce Debt
Many people struggled with job loss, lower income, or reduced hours during the two years we’ve been dealing with COVID. That means you might have racked up additional credit debt to make ends meet.

As the economy and job situation stabilizes, it’s time to start reducing your reliance on credit and creating a plan to pay down your debt. Set aside the emotions of this difficult time and focus on creating a logical, clear plan that you can follow.

As you reduce your debt, invest in a credit monitoring service that can help you keep an eye on your credit as you rebuild your finances.
Trim Waste From Your Budget
A lot of us bought things, subscribed to things, and invested in new hobbies to get us through the pandemic. There’s nothing wrong with finding coping mechanisms in a crisis, but it’s important to know when to pull back.

Now that you’re focused on getting your finances back on track, it’s time to look through your current subscriptions and expenses to see what you can get rid of. Can you shop around to get a better cell phone plan, eliminate a gym membership, or find a less expensive streaming service?

Many people are surprised at how many ways there are to save money in their budget. These changes will help you stay on track not just now, but over the long term as well. You can take the savings and put them toward your debt, which will help you fix your credit.
Replenish Your Emergency Fund
Once you have your immediate spending under control, it’s time to replenish your emergency fund. Many Americans used this money to get them through a period of job loss, fewer hours, and other economic problems.

Now that things are more stable, it’s time to start saving again. How does this impact your credit? An emergency fund allows you to handle unexpected expenses without having to go back to your credit card, so you can continue to build up your credit score.
Get Your Credit in Check
The COVID-19 crisis has lasted much longer than anyone expected. That means the economic impact has been worse as well. However, don’t give up hope — there’s a lot you can do to improve your credit.

Credit monitoring services can make a big difference as you get back on your feet. Learn more about IdentityIQ and sign up today!

Selling timeshares: Bermudian style condominiums along the shore
Maybe your timeshare was fun for a while, and it’s time to move on. Maybe you’re just sick of the ever-increasing annual maintenance fees. Or maybe you just want to have real freedom in deciding what to do with your limited vacation time. Whatever the reason, vacation ownership is no longer offering you value, and you’ve decided that your timeshare needs to go.

If you’re a homeowner, you may have already experienced the real estate process with regard to your residence. As you are no doubt aware, though, a timeshare is a very different kind of real estate. When you sell your home, you are typically selling property fee simple — that is, you’re selling the right to use and exclude others from a certain piece of property forever.

Timeshares, on the other hand, are a much narrower (some would say lesser) form of property ownership. The traditional system of timeshare ownership splits properties into “weeks,” with different owners taking possession on specific weeks. More modern systems, like Marriott Vacation Club, use a point-based system to reserve time for different timeshare properties.

However your timeshare works, selling it can be a hassle. In this article, we’ll talk about different tools you can use to sell your timeshare. First, we’ll look at the decision many people make to try selling their units themselves, which often leads to frustration. Then, we’ll talk about a better option: finding a qualified realtor with experience in the timeshare resale process.

Of course, all of this discussion assumes that there is not another way to legally and ethically exit your timeshare based on your specific situation. If you cannot sell your timeshare, you should consider other methods of exit. Whatever route you choose, Centerstone Group is here to offer advice and guidance to make the experience as easy as possible.

Selling Timeshares by Yourself
selling timeshares: eBay signage on a post
Anyone who wonders about where to buy a used timeshare — or how desperate people can be to sell timeshares — should take a look at eBay or Craigslist. You can find timeshare units there for a couple thousand dollars, or in extreme cases even $1. Someone who doesn’t understand how timeshares work may think this sounds like the deal of a lifetime.

The truth is, though, that many owners consider these timeshares a disease that they can’t get rid of. The rock-bottom sale prices are all that owners can get on these websites. Without any targeted marketing or professional listing, a few thousand dollars is probably the best that a timeshare owner on eBay or Craigslist can hope for.

And if you do decide to go this route, don’t expect to sell your unit right away. These deeply discounted units can sit on auction websites for years before they sell — if they ever do. During all that time, who do you think is going to pay the annual maintenance fees and other charges associated with the unit? That’s right, you.

To put a finer point on it, listing through eBay, Craigslist, or some other website is likely going to involve waiting a long time for a very low offer if one ever comes. And the timeshare will be draining you of money the whole time. Not even the wealthiest person wants to throw good money after bad. There are better options that are far more likely to actually work.

Selling Timeshares With a Real Estate Agent
Timeshares are tricky beasts, and it’s not a sign of weakness to admit that you need help with selling one. After all, most of us wouldn’t try listing our homes on eBay. Get a professional real estate agent to help you with your timeshare resale. You still probably aren’t going to make a ton on the deal, but the transaction can be more efficient and save you money in the long run.

Watch Out for Timeshare Resale Scams
When you list your timeshare with a real estate agent, you still need to be careful about who you trust. The fact that a company advertises itself as a timeshare resale company does not mean they are qualified to help you.

Many of these companies run timeshare scams, taking advantage of desperate owners by promising they have buyers at the ready. Then they take thousands of dollars in upfront fees and vanish, leaving the owner high and dry. The problem has become so bad that the Attorneys general of Florida and other states are fighting back and pursuing these companies.

Get a Qualified Realtor
While all licensed realtors have the same basic competencies and adhere to the same code of ethics, not all of them are the best choice for timeshare sales. As you may have gathered from the discussion above (particularly the fact that so many owners are desperate to sell their units at online auctions), the timeshare resale market and pricing are a very niche specialization.

Your realtor may be the best there is at selling beach homes, but if they don’t have experience with marketing and selling fractional ownership properties, they may not be a great fit for this particular project.

While selling a timeshare should happen as quickly as possible to save you money, you do need to take the time to interview potential realtors and make sure they have the experience and track record you need to get the job done.

Getting Rid of Timeshares Without a Sale
Person ripping a contract
If you can How to sell a timeshare without too much sunk time or cost, that’s great. But selling timeshares is neither easy nor profitable. Because of this, it is worth your time to consider whether you have any other legal and ethical options for exiting your timeshare.

Unlike some other timeshare exit companies, Centerstone Group is a BBB-accredited business with an outstanding reputation. We’re dedicated to helping timeshare owners find solutions to their problems. Sometimes the best solution might in fact be a resale. Other times, however, there are more desirable options.

Maybe a resort will take timeshare units back but won’t implement the policy unless it is forced to do so by knowledgeable people. Or maybe there is a timeshare cancellation provision in your contract. Or perhaps there is a more complicated legal exit strategy that a lawyer can help with.

Centerstone Group offers free consultations so they can get to the bottom of your specific problem. We can help you weigh all of these possible solutions and more. We can also refer you to qualified, trusted professionals who will help you take care of your timeshare problem with as little expense and trouble as possible.

Once you have made up your mind that you need to get rid of your unit, be careful not to become fixated on one particular option. Keep your mind open and allow us to help you find the least stressful exit plan for your timeshare problem.

Freedom Feels Wonderful
When you are shackled to an unpleasant, expensive timeshare contract, it can seem like your troubles will never end. The good news is that they do end. The better news is that, just by being here, you have already started taking steps to free yourself from the headaches and expense of your timeshare mistake.

Let us take a look at your case and see what we can do for you — whether that’s helping you understand the process for selling timeshares or finding you another option. Contact Centerstone Group today for a free consultation and case evaluation.

Generally, the primary forms of homeowners insurance policies are:

HO-1
Due to those limitations, it’s not a preferred option for home insurance.

1000
Get quotes

Damage from vehicles or aircrafts
Explosions
Lightning and fire
Hail and windstorms
Riots
Smoke
Theft
Vandalism
Volcanic eruption

HO-2
Many insurance companies are going to cover your personal belongings regardless of where they’re at home, in the car of yours or even someplace else. To figure out whether your HO 2 policy contains liability coverage, get in touch with your insurance carrier straightaway.

Accidental discharge or perhaps overflow of steam or water within the home

Freezing of heating and pipes and air conditioning systems
Accidental and sudden harm from some electrical currents
A falling object

HO-3

It provides you’ open perils’ coverage for your house system, which shields you from all catastrophes unless the policy lists exclusions. Nevertheless, you receive’ called perils’ coverage for individual possessions, and that is true to catastrophes named in the policy.”

The home of yours and other structures usually possess the following perils excluded:

Defective development or perhaps maintenance
Foundation issues
Government actions
Pet or perhaps animal damage
Corrosion and pollution
Theft, vandalism as well as frozen pipes to come down with vacant houses
Wear and tear
Flood
Earth movement
War
Nuclear hazard
Intentional loss
Neglect
Mold, fungus, damp rot
Power failure
Law or ordinance
Physical breakdown
Smog, rust, and corrosion
Birds, rodents, varmint
Any creatures owned by the insured
Because the personal property of yours is actually included under named perils, the personal items of yours are often covered within the following circumstances:

Damage from vehicles or aircrafts
Damage from the pounds of ice or snow
Damages caused by an electric current
Explosions
Falling objects
Lightning and fire
Hail and windstorms
Pipes freezing
Riots
Smoke
Theft
Vandalism
Volcanic eruptions
Falling objects

Water heater damage

HO-4

Damage from vehicles or aircrafts
Damage from the pounds of ice or snow
Damages caused by an electric current
Volcanic eruptions
Explosions
Falling objects
Lightning and fire
Hail and windstorms
Pipes freezing
Riots
Smoke
Theft
Vandalism

Water heater damage

HO-5
In case you’re searching for the gold standard of household insurance, a HO 5 policy is it.

Physical breakdown
Mold
Nuclear hazard
Pets

War

HO-6
It covers all inside the unit of yours and individual liability and extra living expenses. Condo policies also generally include a bit of dwelling coverage, as condo proprietors might be to blame for the inside walls of the units of theirs. Because condo residents just own the unit of theirs, and not the entire structure, the condo association generally has a insurance policy which protects areas that are common, external parts and grounds of the construction. Condo owners generally help purchase the association’s insurance inside the type of condo or maybe HOA fees.

Damage from vehicles or aircrafts
Damage from the pounds of ice or snow
Damages caused by an electric current
Explosions
Falling objects
Lightning and fire
Hail and windstorms
Pipes freezing
Riots
Smoke
Theft
Vandalism
Volcanic eruptions
Falling objects

Water heater damage

HO-7
This particular policy type provides coverage for the home’s structure, the personal belongings of yours, liability, extra living costs and health payments.

The outside of your house is actually covered under a wide open perils policy, and that covers some scenario which isn’t explicitly stated in the insurance policy of yours.

Nevertheless, HO 7 policies cover the personal belongings of yours under a called perils policy. Which means the personal items of yours are just covered under a certain list of situations, including:

Damage from vehicles or aircrafts
Explosions
Lightning and fire
Hail and windstorms
Riots
Smoke
Theft
Vandalism
HO-8
If it will cost you far more to restore your damaged house than the current value of its, a HO 8 policy might be a suitable choice.

HO-8 policies include the regular coverage for dwelling, private property, liability, extra living costs and health payments. Both your home’s framework and the personal property of yours are actually covered under a called perils policy. This includes activities such as:

Damage from vehicles or aircraft
Explosions
Lightning and fire
Hail and windstorms
Riots
Smoke
Theft
Vandalism
Often asked questions What’s probably the cheapest home insurance?
The cost of yours for  homeowners insurance could change based on the place you live, just how old you’re, the importance of the home of yours and the credit score of yours, if permitted as a rating element in the state of yours. Nevertheless, you are able to attempt to locate the providers with probably the cheapest home insurance for the situation of yours.

Exactly how much must I be spending for homeowners insurance?
Homeowners insurance costs change considerably between folks. Nevertheless, the typical price of home insurance within the United States is actually $1,312 per season for $250,000 found dwelling coverage. You have to get a concept of just how much homeowners insurance bills in the area of yours by carrying out research and getting many quotes.

Just how many kinds of home insurance can be found?
There are 8 kinds of home insurance.

Each kind of homeowners insurance is actually targeted towards an unique homeowner, and every has limitations. Based on Adams, “No issue which kind of home insurance you’ve, the peril should be sudden and accidental. If you’ve damage brought on by negligence on the part of yours, it will not be covered.” Additionally, several natural catastrophes, like earthquakes and flood, are actually excluded from homeowners policies and can call for a separate earthquake or maybe flood insurance policy for coverage.

Will I choose to help make my homeowners insurance called peril or maybe open peril?
As a policyholder, you’re usually unable to amend the policy phrases unless it’s turning down specific coverage selections in writing. As a result, it can be advantageous to talk with an educated licensed agent in the area of yours.

Is homeowners insurance needed?
In case you’re buying a home using a mortgage, the financial institution of yours might require you to have an energetic homeowners insurance policy.

When you accept payments, you pretty much definitely process credit cards. But just how much would you know about the system when your client hits’ pay’? In the coming milliseconds, which fee passes through a number of methods. If it is successful, your client goes about the day of theirs. If it is not, effectively, you understand exactly how frustrating that’s for everybody.

The more you understand about your charge card processing, the greater number of control you’ve over its outcome. This content is going to walk you through a card transaction process and describe how, with the correct info and technology, you are able to improve your card approval rates, the conversions of yours, and eventually the revenue of yours. You will learn:

How charge card processing works
How you can optimise your internet credit card processing

The way we are able to help How does charge card processing work?
Here is a description of exactly how credit card processing functions step-by-step:

They get into their information via the transaction gateway (or maybe checkout) and also hit’ pay’.
The risk management device determines the transaction to make certain it isn’t fraudulent.

The payment processor gets a result from the acquirer and possibly processes the transaction or even directs the merchant it had been declined.
When the transaction is actually authorised, the money is actually settled straight into the merchant’s bank account.
That is an entire ton of action, which ought to occur incredibly quickly. If it goes nicely, neither you or the customer of yours should observe it. Nevertheless, as you are able to see, there are actually loads of possible disaster points in the process. This’s particularly the situation in case you’ve various providers taking proper care of each phase. Methods do not connect correctly, or perhaps they time out. The result: damaged payments.

Here is a sobering stat for you: twenty five % of declined flash memory card transactions don’t have reasons that are valid. That is the reason we do issues differently.

The approach of ours to charge card processing Adyen was created back in 2006 by a group who would worked in the planet of payments and finance for years. They were just very familiar with the current mess of legacy devices through what payments would trundle, blocked, getting stuck, or perhaps just lost. So they chose to create a brand new method which took care of charge card processing end-to-end.

Let us check out just how you are able to optimise charge card processing on the internet and in store.

Optimising internet credit card processing
Illustration of somebody shopping online Getting the customer of yours to the use of fee is actually an accomplishment in itself. An excellent checkout is going to make it simple for the consumer to finish the transaction, assisting you to close the sale. Allow me to share a number of options to make sure your internet credit card processing operates as efficiently as possible:

Speed your client through the checkout process with such sales optimisers:

Mobile-friendly, responsive design
Relevant solution of payment options, coming from cards, to local payment methods and ewallets in case you are selling overseas
No redirect: keep the customers of yours on the site of yours
Clearly displayed security logos
The solution lies in data. The more information points the risk manager of yours has, the more precise its response. With info like IP, postcode, phone number, and email address, a threat motor is able to run a check across the platform of its, determine patterns, and quit fraud before it occurs. Thus, the more information you are able to record at the checkout, the greater.

Here is how you can attain unstoppable subscriptions:

Automatically retry transactions which failed for complex reasons within milliseconds

Learn much more about subscription payments From films to meal systems, folks like the ease as well as delight of membership services. And brands surely do not care about the regular customer relationships. Investigate just how you are able to make the best value of this particular booming market.

Illustration of somebody shopping in market If you are accepting credit cards within store, or perhaps at the use of selling (POS), you will need to make certain the procedure is actually easy and quick. Long queues are actually a huge turn off for shoppers as well as, in a planet of social distancing, pointless interaction must be held to a bare minimum. Here is how you can optimise your charge card processing in deep store:

Contactless

Ewallets
Ewallets are very easy to use and secure.

Here is a description of your charge card fees:

Card pattern fee: Charged with the card schemes for making use of the network of theirs
Interchange fee: Charged through the customer’s bank
It is confusing, though it is able to have a major influence on your bottom line. Interchange charges are generally the biggest cost when you are looking at credit card processing. They are additionally the largest headache. The framework and charges vary for each sector, as do cards types (consumer debit, business debit, pre paid, along with so on). Thankfully, there are actually ways to take your interchange fees down:

It is safer to make use of a neighborhood acquirer where possible because this’s the sole method to benefit from local laws and incentivised fees.

For instance, In the US as well as Australia, Mastercard and Visa grant lower rates to certain companies as charities, streaming services, travel agents, and utilities.

Looking for a free credit card processor? At ZeroPoint Our merchants are the reason we exist We understand the complex nature of running a business. We know at the end of the day we are all trying to what is best for our company and customers. Credit card processing is an overly complex system designed to confuse to the point of giving up trying to understand. At ZeroPoint we make it easy to accept credit cards with he best and most user-friendly Point of Sale, Credit Card Terminals, and Gateways for online orders. Having a safe and secure credit card processor that makes the entire process from start to finish easy and secure is what ZeroPoint strives to achieve every day.
Address:
3980 W Florida St. Suite B
Mandeville, LA 70448
Phone: 1-800-481-5892
Mon-Fri 9:00am – 5:00pm