According to doomsday predictions, 2012 is the year when the world ends. This being said, any forms of man-influenced activities are doomed to go haywire. This includes the rise and fall of the economic market, as well as the liquidity of loans and investments.

However, the future is anything but bleak in Integrity First Financial Group. From the looks of it, their mortgage rates remain to be very competitive, and there is no way else for them to go but up.

How These Rates Compare

If you’re putting off buying your first house for next year, you might want to think again. The US Bank and CitiMortgage Group fixes their mortgage rates at 3.625% and 4.125%, and their APR at 3.820% and 4.275% respectively. These high rates seem to be trending along with Quicken Loans’ 4.625% rate and 4.897% APR. Here’s the sweet surprise – if you begin your mortgage with the Integrity First Financial Group, you can get a rate as low as 3.500%. Plus, the fixed mortgage rate for 30 years is set at only 3.63%. Sounds like a good offer, indeed.

Aside from these rates, the other loan plans are equally competitively low as well. Some are set at 15 year- or 10 year –fixed mortgage rates. For those who are planning on only 5-years worth of payment, they offer an AMR rate. This differs in the fixed rate in such a way that interest and APR prices depend on the market trend.

One thing to note however, is that the APR does not include all the closing fees, which may extend to appraisals, document preparation, and other paperwork.

About Integrity First

This California-based lending group has several branches all across the state. If you can’t find one in your area, don’t panic. You can always get a sample quote from their official website to help give you a clear picture of the desired amounts you want. Once you are satisfied with the results, the company can schedule a meeting with one of their agents to guide you through the process of agreement in a place that is most convenient for you. This company can offer closing of deals in as little time as possible – saving you from all the hassle of waiting.

The Integrity First Financial Group is an approved member of the FHA, or Federal Housing Administration, making it a steady and secure place for you to set your financial loans on.

It’s the start of a new year, and there’s no better time to start your investment than today. To help you get better returns, Freedom Credit Union offers some competitive rates for long term CDs. The benefit of investing in longer term CDs is that you get to enjoy a higher interest rate which, when it comes to investments, is the thing that matters most.

CD Rates from Freedom Credit Union

6 Month - .75 % APY
12 Month - 1.00 % APY
18 Month - 1.10 % APY
24 Month - 1.30 % APY
36 Month - 1.75 % APY
48 Month - 2.20 % APY
60 Month - 2.50 % APY

Freedom Credit Union is one of the best places to invest your money for the long term. They offer some of the highest rates for long term CDs. For example, the best rate nationally available from banks for the 5 year CD is 1.95% from Intervest National Bank. Freedom Credit Union’s rates are considerably higher. The highest for 3 year CDs is also Doral Bnak which only offers 1.65% APY as opposed to Freedom’s 1.75%. 4 year CD rates are also uncommon among banks, so if you think 5 years is too long, you can still avail of a high interest long term CD with the 4 year CD.

The downside is that those who are looking for a temporary place to park their money, can only invest to the minimum term of 6 months. Freedom Credit Union does not offer certificates of deposit lower than that.

Can Anyone Join Freedom Credit Union?

The only downside of credit unions is their membership. Unfortunately Freedom Credit Union does not open its doors to just about anyone. Membership is available to anyone who works, lives, performs volunteer service, worships or attends school in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia Counties. Also eligible are individuals in our SEGs or in their Members’ families.

About Freedom Credit Union

The credit union was established in Philadelphia since 1934. It is insured by the NCUA for deposits up to $250,000. The credit union has been given a 5 star rating from Bauer Financial and it currently has over 57,000 members and $500 million in assets.

Are you always on the look out for competitive CD rates? F&A Credit Union is joining the ranks of banks and credit unions who are giving out competitive rates that allow your hard earned money to earn much more. Below are the current rates for F&A Credit Union:

Current Rates:

6-11 months – 1.16%
12-17 months – 1.26%
18-23 months – 1.36%
24-35 months – 1.46%
36-47 months – 1.77%
48-59 months – 2.07%
60 months – 2.43%

All rates and terms have a minimum deposit of $1,000 and are compounded daily and credited monthly at maturity.

How These Rates Compare:

Credit unions have always been known for giving out better rates than banks. F&A Credit Union is holding true to this reputation by offering rates at different terms that are consistently higher than the national average available at banks. In fact, most rates are higher than what the best rates at banks are offering. For example, the highest 1 year CD from banks is from CIT bank at 1.16%. F&A’s 1 year CD rate is being offered at 1.26%. The highest 2 year CD’s from banks is at 1.30% also from CIT, whereas F&A gives it at 1.46%. The trend continues with the 3 year CD rate and the 5 year CD where F&A’s rate are consistently higher than what the best of the banks can offer.

Another good thing to note is that the credit union provides more flexible terms. Usually other financial institutions would give rates for specific terms such as 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, etc. But F&A has a larger bracket for terms, if you think 2 years is too long, you can invest for only a year and a half. And if 6 months is too short, you can place your money for 10 and so on.

Membership

Credit unions usually have restrictive membership. F&A Credit Union offers its services to individuals who belong to any of the following institutions below:

* County of Los Angeles Fire Department
* Office of the Farm Advisory
* County of Los Angeles Agricultural Commissioner / Weights and Measures
* Cooperative AgriculturalExtension Program of the University of California
* Los Angeles County Fire Fighters Local 1014
* Los Angeles County Lifeguards

Eligibility is also extended to family members of members and to employees of cities which contract the L.A. Fire Department for protection.

About F&A Credit Union

F&A Credit Union was originally chartered in 1936 with a meager opening asset of only $26. Today it serves over 40,000 members with a whopping $1 billion in assets. The credit union is federally insured by the NCUA, insuring your money for the maximum amount allowed by the NCUA.

If you’re eligible for membership, then you may want to start thinking about putting some funds with F&A. With a sound reputation and tantalizing rates, investing shouldn’t be too hard a decision to make.

Nowadays it can be difficult to qualify for a good loan because of how our credit score looks like. Some people are unable to get good interest rates because they are forever haunted by bad credit built up in the past. Since it’s almost the start of a new year, it’s about time you rebuilt your credit. And the perfect way to do that is by using a card that helps you rebuild your credit score such as the First Progress Platinum Credit Card.

What is The First Progress Platinum Credit Card?

This credit card offers full feature platinum Master Card but with a credit line that is based on a security deposit rather than that of a credit score. The card is made in such a way that it reports your activities to all three of the major card bureaus every month, helping you establish a good record with them. Aside from this extra feature, the First Progress Platinum Secured card also offers the usual services available in other Master Card credit cards.

This card is being issued by Synovus Bank, Columbus, GA, which is a member of the FDIC.

How Does It Work?

This card prevents you from getting into credit card debt because the card’s limit is established by the amount of security deposit that is made. The minimum amount acceptable is $300 where it is maintained in an account in Synovus Bank that bears no interest. The initial maximum credit limit is at $2,000, which can be increased for up to $5,000 upon approval of the management at Synovus Bank.

More Information

APR for purchases with this card is at 14.99%, while balance transfers is at 19.99%. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and must have a Social Security number. The card also charges an annual fee of $39 and a deposit of at least $300 must be maintained.

Synovus bank has been in business since 1888 and has been insured by the FDIC starting Januaray 1, 1934. It currently has 297 branches located all over the nation.

Christmas is just around the corner and although we each have our individual wish lists, there’s one thing that we’d all like to have – winning hundreds to thousands of dollars in cash! This holiday season, Citi Bank gives their credit card customers the chance to win something close to that. Instead of winning cold hard cash, their consumers can win “money” through a Citi Prepaid Card, which is well, just about equivalent to cash.

If you already have a credit card with Citi Bank, all you have to do is register and use your card for a chance to win $10 to $10,000 in Citi Prepaid Cards. Use your registered Citi card on any eligible purchase starting from November 1 to December 31st of this year. Each eligible online purchase will be worth 5 entries, while all other purchases will be worth one entry.

Some Fine Print

Eligible cards include any Citi branded credit card, AT&T Universal Card and/or Citi American Express card. This promotion will exclude the Citi Business Card and Citi Business Advantage Card in which the card is issued to a business establishment. Card holders must also be aged 18 and above.

It is also possible to enter the promotion even without a purchase by simply writing down your full name, complete billing address, day and evening phone numbers (including area code), email address, date of birth, plus the last four (4) digits of your Eligible Citi Credit Card on a 3″ x 5″ piece of paper and mail it, with proper postage to the postal address which can be found on Citi’s promotional page.

If you already have a card with Citi Bank then it would be advisable to register your card as soon as possible so you can already start earning entries with every purchase that you make. The more you buy gifts for your loved ones, the more you can expect money to come to you. After all, Citi Bank does promise thousands of winners every week. You might just get lucky.

Had a blast with Cyber Monday? If you still haven’t had enough of the deals and sales, there’s still a little something you can scrape to wrap up your pre-December shopping. Discover bank is currently giving out $150 on their Discover More card. This promotion is set to end in November 30th, so you’ve got a little more time left before this deal closes out on you. Here’s what you need to do to get the card and the extra $150:

* Open a Discover More Credit Card
* Spend at least $1,000 on the first 90 days of account opening

Easy right? And if you really do the math, getting $150 while purchasing the things you love and need with your $1,000 actually gives you a 15% return which beats most other investments. Plus, you can avail of the different perks that the card has to offer. The Discover More Card is best known for the following perks:

* 5% Cash back on rotating categories such as travel, gas, shopping, groceries, home improvement, and more.
* 1% Cash Back on other puchases
* 0% APR on both purchases and balance transfers for the first 6 months, varied interest from 11.99 to 20.99% will apply after the introductory period.
* No annual fee, no additional card fees, no redemption fees

20% Cash Back from Online Retailers

And if the regular perks and the extra $150 aren’t enough to brighten up your holiday season, Discover even adds more to the benefits that their card holders can receive. If consumers shop at Discover’s online shop, ShopDiscover.com, they are eligible to get a huge 20% cash back on their purchases. Plus, it won’t be difficult to find what you need to buy since Discover’s network of affiliate retailers is definitely large and growing. You can enjoy online shopping at Sears, BestBuy, Barnes & Noble, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sears, and many more.

About Discover Card

Card holders from Discover certainly won’t be disappointed since Discover has ranked #1 in customer loyalty for 15 years straight according to Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index Reports.

Considering how good the deal sounds, there’s really no time to waste. This limited time offer will expire in two days (November 30th), so go ahead and sign up to Discover’s promotional link and enjoy the wonderful benefits that Discover More has to offer.

If you open a Kids Savings and MONEY Account for your kids, you don’t only save for future use but you also teach them where money should be kept and how it earns interest. ING Direct not only gives their Black Friday deals to adults, but also to kids. Here are some of the perks:

• No minimums
• No fees
• Great rate

This holiday season, you can give your kid an extra $27 in cash or get a $27 bonus if you open an account this November 25th – 27th. Take note that you can only avail of this once you open a new account with at least one new Customer, which will be either you or your kid to sign up.

The $27 bonus automatically adds up into your account the moment you become a member, and the bonus will be available for withdrawal after 30 days.

EXTRA Deals

• $100 bonus once you open a new ShareBuilder account on November 25 – 27 and by January 31 you completed two trades. This isn’t insured by the FDIC mainly because it is an investment account. To add, stock and ETF trades cost $9.95.
• Once you roll over your old 401(k) into a ShareBuilder IRA, get up to $100 bonus. Again, this is an investment account, thus, it isn’t insured by FDIC.

$32 bonus for Teens

Get your teens into the saving habit, open MONEY and get a $32 bonus.

• No minimum or fees
• Access to over 35,000 Free ATMs
• Manage online or get text updates

How MONEY works

• This November 25th – 27th, open MONEY and make 1 Card transaction (either signature, PIN-based or with PayPassTM) using the MONEY Card within 30 days, and the $32 bonus will automatically be added into your new account. Take note that the teen gets the Card.

• On day 35, the $32 bonus will be automatically deposited into your account.

What are you waiting for? Just because it isn’t Friday anymore, doesn’t mean that the deals have to end. Today is the last day to avail of these interesting deals, so head on to ING Direct’s website for more information.

Velocity Credit Union is presently offering promotional CD rates that are higher than the national average and what other banks and credit unions are offering. This promotion was extended up until November 30, 2011.The promotional rates are as follows:

1.51% for a 2 year CD
2.12% for a 3 year CD
2.83% for a 5 year CD

How These Rates Compare:

The highest rates for 2 year CDs that are nationally available from banks is 1.30% from CIT Bank and AloStar Bank of Commerce. Velocity Credit Union’s promotional rates are considerably higher at 1.51% APY. The same also rings true for their 3 year CD rates where the highest available from banks is 1.65% from Doral Bank, and 5 year CDs are at 1.99% from Intervest National Bank. The large gap just goes to show that there’s a good reason why Velocity Credit Union’s rate is called a promotion.

Customer Feedback

According to one consumer, the promotional rates are not available online. Because of how the website is set up, the link from the promo takes you to a 2.32% rate instead of the 2.83% promotional rate. The consumer had to call customer service to verify that he got the promotional rate. His initial rate was set to only 2.32%, but after he called, the customer service representative immediately changed his rate.

About Velocity Credit Union

The credit union was originally chartered in 1947 to serve employees of the City of Austin. Today it is one of the largest and strongest financial institutions in Texas. It has over 70,000 members with $500 million in assets.

Membership

Credit unions have always been somewhat restrictive in membership. For this case, Velocity Credit Union is open for those living in certain areas, and employees and members of certain companies and organizations. Relatives of existing members may also join. For a complete list of companies and locations, you may visit their website and click on the membership category.

These rates are some of the highest available for long term CDs. The promo has already been extended and will run only until November 30 of this year. For those who are looking to get great returns while capitalizing on safety, Velocity Credit Union may just be the place for you.