January 1, 2010. Today is the first day of a whole new year. It’s time to change those calendars, get used to writing dates with a new set of numbers, and start fulfilling those New Year’s resolutions.

Every year, a good number of us list down one or a few things we wish to change or improve in ourselves on the coming year. It could be anything from losing weight to being more patient with the people at work. If improving your credit scores is part of your list of New Year’s resolutions, here are some tips on how to successfully keep your financial promises this year.

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Prepaid MasterCard: A Versatile Credit Card Alternative

MasterCard is a powerful brand that allows users to pay for various products and services at establishments or through remote means, among other services that it provides. Now, a prepaid MasterCard is available with many of the same advantages, but with few of the inherent disadvantages.

Prepaid debit cards can be used to make purchases at a wide array of establishments including gas stations, restaurants and supermarkets. They can be used to pay bills via the Internet or a telephone, to withdraw cash at the millions of ATMs everywhere that display the MasterCard, Cirrus®, PULSE® and STAR® acceptance marks, and more.

Unlike with a credit card, there’s no risk of overdrafting or late fees.  There are also no interest charges, which can quickly create a scenario where it is hard to pay off the balance. The funds on the MiCash prepaid MasterCard are even insured by the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation).

For more information on the prepaid debit cards from MiCash, visit MiCash.net or call 1-866-642-2741.

Has it been a great year? 2009 is perhaps one of the most financially challenging years that we’ve seen so far, and today’s generation will look back to the year that is about to end as a very tough economic lesson that will teach them a great deal about finance in the same way that the Great Depression of the 1930s taught us about the volatility of the financial markets.

Despite the economic hardships, with some great financial tips, we were able to get by in one piece. This time, as the year closes, we will take a look at some of the best MiCash Blog posts that you voted as your favorite.

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Post-Holiday Blues. We all have them. It’s when we have to go back to work, get back to the grind and start the new year on a good foot, yet we’re all still a little hung over. We still rue all the food we ate, the gifts we didn’t get and that one drink too many we had on New Year’s Eve. Most critically of all, we all nurse that buyer’s remorse on all that money we blew on food and gifts and things. What happens next when we have a hole in our pockets, and need to get some of it back right away?

The smart way to get around it: Turn unwanted gifts into income!

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It’s that much awaited season of the year again. Perhaps there’s no other time in a year when people give a lot so much. In fact, every year billions of dollars are spent on Christmas and other holiday gifts in the US alone. Add to that figure the millions of others who also share the passion of gift giving each Christmas around the world.

However, money spent on these gifts are actually borrowed on credit. That is why after the holiday seasons, many people face post-holiday stress due to the huge amount of debt, making the joy that the season brought short-lived and seem negligible.

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Despite the many advances in e-mail security and online privacy, we still find a lot of scam e-mails being sent into our spam folders. Fictitious deals and unbelievable six-digit cash prizes pop into our accounts without us knowing how or why we were chosen. Sometimes, some of these bogus offers somehow slip into our inboxes. With the growing popularity of mobile phones as lifestyle accessory rather than a personal communication device, even our cellphone inboxes are no longer spared from spam.

We should always be wary of spam mails and messages. There have been many people who have found themselves sucked into the trap of credit card fraud because they unwittingly believed a shady e-mail or text message. Here are a few things to remember to avoid the same fate.

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Using a Prepaid Debit Card as a Payroll Card

SUMMARY: There are many benefits to using a prepaid debit card as your business’ payroll card. Prepaid payroll cards save both time and money for both employers and employees.

BODY: Most companies nowadays are turning toward electronic payment options such as direct deposit and the use of a prepaid debit card for payroll funds. By encouraging employees to opt for electronic of payroll funds, employers get to cut down on expenses. It costs around 1-2 dollars per pay period to issue paper check to company employees. That amount is cut down to just twenty cents per employee when the payment transfer is instead done through electronic accounts. While this seems like a miniscule deduction, the resulting savings are quite substantial.

While direct deposit remains as the most popular electronic payroll fund option, it is not exactly the most accessible. Unbanked workers who have no affiliation with a financial institution cannot avail of the direct deposit option. Issuing a prepaid debit card or paycard leverages the financial advantages of electronic funds transfer without having to force employees to open a bank account.

Aside from giving companies an efficient and cost-effective means of distributing payroll fund, prepaid debit payroll cards provide employees with the convenience of accessing their funds wherever and whenever needed, so long as there is a compatible ATM machine nearby. It also enables for a more secure method of bills payment and making purchases—even online.

Prepaid debit payroll cards work almost like a full service bank account card. The big difference here is that there are no strings attached to a prepaid debit card account. This is probably why paycards are usually issued to temps, freelancers or contractual employees.

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MiCash Inc. is one of the pioneering providers of prepaid debit card services. The company aims to allow everyone, even underserved citizens to have indiscriminate consumer access, security and convenience. To learn more about the company and its products and services, visit http://www.micash.net or call 866-642-2741.

It’s that time of the year again when merry-making is pretty much all around. We regularly find ourselves in a party hosted by our friends, our work colleagues or our relatives. Eventually, we may find ourselves in the nigh-inevitable position to host a party or two for them, and this year may not be an exception.

Hosting a party could be costly. However, you do not need to break the bank to host a great party that will make everyone talk about. You don’t even need to hire a professional party planner to throw a great party. All you need to do is use your imagination, creativity and good old common sense. After all, a great party need not be expensive; it just needs to be unforgettable and fun.

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Is it time to switch to a pre-paid Visa or MasterCard? Let’s face it: It is a known fact that managing a regular credit card is tough for many people. Many of us are guilty of maxing out our cards and putting off paying more than the minimum monthly dues for prolonged periods of time. For people who are not very savvy at managing their debts, keeping a credit card is just too much.

Fortunately Visa and MasterCard have created a means to help people simplify their cashless purchases with pre-paid Visa and MasterCard. These cards are used in a very similar way to regular credit cards. The difference is that pre-paid Visas and MasterCards are front-loaded, meaning your account must first have sufficient funds for you to be able to use them. For as long as your account has enough money loaded, you can use the card any way you want and in any place where Visa and MasterCard are accepted. With this type of card you can go shopping, dine at an accredited restaurant, book a flight or hotel room or purchase items online.

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The best way for your kids to become financially savvy in the future is to have them exposed to the basics of personal finance early on. And if you can teach them how to become financially independent at an age as early as pre-teen, you can also teach them the basics of how to become credit score-savvy as they go through their teenage years. As they go on with their lives independently after college, you could somehow assure yourself that while your child could encounter some financial bumps a few years down the road, your child won’t get into neck-deep financial troubles.

Without a doubt, part of becoming a responsible parent is to impress upon your children the ins and outs of a good credit score. You will not run out of solid examples to show your child the impact that a good and bad credit scores could create in his or her financial situation. The recent crash of major financial institutions across the globe gives us a classic statement that even the financial experts could fall victims to the disaster that a bad financial decision could cause. That is why it is of utmost importance to let your child know early on that while credit is a privilege that gives us financial leverage, it is also a huge responsibility, and it doesn’t and will never come free.

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