FINANCIAL HOUSEKEEPING | Print your own grocery coupons, but carefully
In an era where consumers are always looking for more ways to save money, one of the easiest is to browse shopping websites for coupons that can be used on your trips to the grocery store.
Consumer and computer experts caution that it’s important to be careful in signing up for these free services, lest you be swamped with spam e-mail or malicious computer spyware. But sites like www.coupons.com can be helpful and easy for finding coupons. And sites like www.mygrocerydeals.com can not only give you coupons, but will let you see the supermarket circular deals for your favorite grocery store in your area. A quick check of these sites can make for small-but-easy savings that will add up over time.
SHORT COURSE | Private mortgage insurance
Private mortgage insurance helps prospective homebuyers get a house with a low down payment, less than 20 percent of the purchase price. If the buyer stops making mortgage payments for any reason, PMI protects the lender from financial loss.
In general, PMI is required for all loans with less than a 20 percent down payment, even if the borrower has a good credit rating. Rules governing PMI changed dramatically in mid-1999. On loans originated since then, PMI coverage can be terminated on request when the mortgage balance reaches 80 percent of the home’s original value, as if the borrower had made a 20 percent down payment; if the coverage is not terminated at that point, most policies automatically are canceled once the mortgage balance reaches 78 percent of the home’s original value.
