By David Uffington

We're poised to hit the 1 million mark this year when it comes to home foreclosures, 100,000 more than last year.

Whether it's being caused by unemployment, or by lenders who aren't cooperating with homeowners in getting revised loans written, or lenders who are snowed under by the number of refinance applications they already have, the bottom line is that there are many houses that are sitting empty. It's a self-perpetuating cycle: When too many houses in a neighborhood are empty, the values in the whole neighborhood suffer. Homeowners find that they can't sell for enough to pay off their mortgage. When they walk away, the cycle continues.

BY David Uffington

How many long-distance minutes are on your pre-paid phone calling card? Are you sure? Millions of people might say they're certain what they've purchased, but the Federal Trade Commission has been pursuing one pre-paid card issuer after another for a laundry list of deceptive marketing infractions.

By David Uffington

Summer is a good time to do a mid-year financial checkup. Rather than waiting until the end of the year and discovering that you should have made adjustments, take a look at your finances now and see how you're doing.

Taxes:
► Did you have to pay taxes on top of what was deducted from your pay in 2009? Or was too much deducted and you received a refund? The key is to do the math and get as close to your actual taxes due and have that amount taken out during the year.

By David Uffington

If you have some extra vacation time coming, maybe just a few days that you could tack onto a weekend, consider some of the last-minute vacation deals that are available. The key is to be flexible about your destination and when you go.

There are two ways to find last-minute deals:

1) Call local travel agents. They might need a fill-in person for a trip due to a last-minute cancellation.

2) Use the Internet, with caution.

BY David Uffington

Along with making resolutions, the new year is a good time to plan how you'll handle your money in 2010.

Start by reviewing your savings goal from a year ago. Did you reach that goal? Tough as it can be to save, increasing your efforts to put money away can be a lifesaver should you become unemployed or in case of an emergency.

Review your rates on CDs that are coming due and research where you'll put your money next. Interest rates on CDs are extremely poor nowadays, but every dollar counts. Try not to lock in for more than six months.

BY David Uffington

You have another month to wrap up your 2009 tax year. Taking even a few steps now can give you more deductions from your taxes next April. Here are some ideas:

--Make an additional mortgage payment this year and get a larger mortgage interest statement. That amount gets deducted from your Schedule A, assuming you itemize and don't take the standard deduction. Be sure to send it early enough that it's included in your 2009 payments.

BY David Uffington

While a bankruptcy will stay on your credit report for 10 years, it doesn't mean you're out of luck for that whole time when it comes to getting new credit.

You'll likely get stacks of offers in the mail for secured credit cards as soon as your bankruptcy notice hits the legal ads. Secured cards can be a good first step, but not all cards are the same. With a secured card, you send the company money to keep on deposit, and it essentially loans you back your own funds (typically in the hundreds of dollars) in the form of a credit card.

By David Uffington

Health Savings Accounts offer a way to put aside money for medical expenses with pre-tax dollars. Not everyone qualifies for an HSA, but for those who do, it can be a way to save money and reduce your taxes.

The main requirement for an HSA is that you have a high-deductible health insurance policy, and that it is your only coverage. High-deductible policies are those with deductibles of more than $1,150 for individuals and $2,300 for families. One of the benefits of a high-deductible health policy is lower premium costs.

Another requirement is the cap on your out-of-pocket annual expenses (including deductibles and co-payments). For individuals that amount is $5,800 and $11,600 for families.

BY David Uffington

Typical costs for a new baby can run between $11,000 and $16,000 for the first year. By the time the child turns 18, you'll have spent more than $200,000. If you're thinking of starting a family but the state of the economy makes you hesitate, "The Wall Street Journal Financial Guidebook for New Parents" by Stacey L. Bradford (Three Rivers Press, $14.95) offers many how-to ideas and suggestions.
Here are some highlights:

By David Uffington



The netbook craze has swung into high gear as more and more people tote these small, inexpensive devices everywhere they go. Designed for Web browsing and e-mailing, netbooks have a lot to recommend them, but they're not miniature laptops. Before you buy, consider the pros and cons.

Pro:

■ Relatively inexpensive -- There are a few now at the $300 to $400 mark, with most not going over $500.

By David Uffington

Credit-card companies are scrambling fast and furious to get every dollar they can before new credit regulations take effect.

If you get a leaflet in your next credit card statement, read it. That information (which is required to be sent to you) is to let you know what is changing on your credit-card terms. Sit down with a red pen, read every single word and underline the important parts.

Changes described in those leaflets include:

BY David Uffington

As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, a new tax credit will allow first-time home buyers to claim up to $8,000. Unlike the tax credit plan of last year (which allowed an interest-free tax "loan" of $7,500), this one doesn't have to be paid back.

Qualifying homes must be purchased between Jan. 1, 2009, and Dec. 1, 2009. "Purchased" means that you actually close on the home, with settlement completed and title transferred to you.

With lending dollars tight, it's more important than ever to make sure your credit scores are as high as they can be.

A newly updated book, "Your Credit Score, Your Money and What's at Stake" (FT Press) walks you through everything you need to know about the three-digit number that shapes your financial future. Written by Liz Pulliam Weston, personal finance columnist for MSN Money, "Your Credit Score" is a valuable reference.

Here are some facts the book points out:

With lower interest rates on home mortgages, it's possible that refinancing your loan could save you money each month. If the prevailing interest rates are a full percentage point below the rate you currently pay, it might be in your best interest to refinance.

The first step is to look at your credit history. It used to be that a FICO score of 720 was enough to get you a good interest rate on a mortgage. Now you could need a score of 740 or higher.

Just a few years ago it was folks who lived paycheck to paycheck who were more likely to take out a payday loan. Not so anymore. With the down economy, many people are scrambling to get cash from anywhere they can -- including payday loans.

Payday loans aren't always the quick fix that borrowers hope. Sometimes they lead to increased debt.

Here's how a payday loan works:

By David Uffington

Every year since 1985, the American Institute for Economic Research has come out with a new edition of its book "What Your Car Really Costs." If you're about to shop for a car or wonder what your current one actually costs you, this book should be a piece of your information arsenal.

One of the first facts the book offers is something of a shock: The average American will spend approximately $320,000 on cars over a lifetime. That equates to 18 percent of a consumer's income. The only thing that costs more is our homes.

DOLLARS AND SENSE By David Uffington-- It might be warm outside, but across the country tens of thousands of people are already getting a chill when they think about the coming winter and their fuel bills.

If you know you'll need help paying your heating bills this winter, and if you haven't applied for assistance, do it now. Don't wait until you're in trouble. By then the available money could be gone.

By David Uffington

Many home sellers are finding this a grim market for sales. Houses sit ... and sit ... with For Sale signs in the yard. Knowing that the market will eventually come back, many families are instead deciding to dig in for the duration -- opting to make changes to their existing home rather than try to sell in a bad market.
Remodeling your home can do two things: It can give you more of the things you want in a house right now, and it can position you well for an eventual sale when the market comes back.

With remodeling, however, the trick is to avoid making expensive mistakes.

By David Uffington

Some of you have already received your stimulus rebate checks from the federal government. Others will get theirs in the next few weeks. Everyone should have theirs by mid-July. How are you going to spend your rebate?

Polls show that, despite the hope that consumers will jumpstart the economy by quickly spending the money, most are opting to make smarter choices. Here's what the experts recommend, and what most consumers say they will do: Pay off a high-interest credit card, or put the money into savings.

Retailers, however, have geared up to help you spend the money by offering special deals.