By Joseph Barker

There are a number of great military loan deals out there if you are a member of the armed forces. If you are a in the US Army, Navy, or any other branch, you can land great personal loans at lower interest rates that can make your life easier. However, the very service to your country that makes you eligible for such great loans also makes you vulnerable to bad loans as well.

The general US population is taken for almost three and a half billion dollars per year in extra fees by payday lending companies. Since these companies have put together a business model made to reap rewards from repeat borrowers, they can be classified as predatory. One of their favorite targets are members of the US armed forces in the form of what they will call US military loans or sometimes Armed Forces loans.

These companies of found that members of the USAF, Marines, or even the National Guard are ideal as targets for these types of loans. You, as a government employee, have a steady income from the US government and you have a very little to spare in most cases. Then, deployment time comes, and your family needs money for extra expenses. That is where these companies step in. They offer your family a quick cash payday loan at a “military loan” rate. The truth is, though, that they are taking very little off the rate and are only offering you and your family a loan that will force you to borrow again down the road to cover the original loan. These places will happily “roll over” your loan for a fee each week. Eventually you are in a debt trap

The other thing that makes military personnel vulnerable to these payday loan traps is that they are often young and inexperienced with money. Then, as debt builds up, the indebted military personnel are embarrassed to admit their problem to their CO and end up continuing to borrow and pay only on interest and roll over fees. They are fearful for good reason, since failing to repay a loan violates a number of military codes that can result in jail time and or court marshal.

So what is the answer? Many of these fake military loan companies are being kept away from military bases. Additionally, they are being forbidden from using names that imply affiliation with the military, which is a common practice with these military loan payday check cashing stores.

In the end, it is up to you to beware. It is a good rule of thumb to simply avoid any payday loan store, but any that offer special military loans are likely just targeting you or your base for a cycle of debt you want no part of. If you have financial problems, many bases are even offering financial advice to young recruits. So ask for help, but avoid the trap that is payday military loans.

Personal military loans are available at reasonable interest rates if you know your facts. Army Loans or Air Force Loans are a great way for military members to get their needs met.

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Labels: loans, military

As kids we used to dream about the future and wonder how much like "The Jetsons" our lives would be. Would there be flying cars and entire meals encompassed in tiny capsules? Would all sidewalks be conveyor belts, and would be talking with loved ones through video phones? Well, we aren't exactly living like George, Jane, Judy and Elroy, but we are gaining some ground with a few technological wonders. My favorite is the personal digital assistant, or PDA.

Why do I love my PDA? It isn't difficult to come up with reasons, though I'll spare readers the time to wade through an entire novel and focus on the four main points that emphasize my gratitude for this invention and the ease it brings to my busy life.

1) Convenience - Decades ago computers used to take up entire rooms. The PDA, by comparison, is no bigger than the palm of my hand and goes with me everywhere. It is a personal date book, address book, memo pad, shopping list, and music player. Having it has helped me eliminate the clutter in my handbag. Now, when I need to take down any important information, I need only take out this hand held computer and jot notes with the stylus.

2) Wireless capability - As the world shrinks with Internet connectivity bringing people closer together, I can use my PDA to stay in touch with current events and family and friends. With its wireless capability I can step into any cafe or shop with a free wireless hub and check e-mail and download news alerts. It's like having a newspaper that never expires.

3) Usability and storage - Despite the size of the hand held device, there is plenty of memory to store important documents and phone numbers, a few favorite songs in MP3 format, and text messages from friends. What doesn't stay stored may be backed up into a portable, reusable drive, plus compatibility with my computer allows me to transfer files with ease.

4) Reading books - Used to be I would carry a bag full of books on vacation. Having a PDA, however, eliminates the need for extra luggage. With many bestsellers in eBook format and public domain eBooks available on the Web for free, I can download as many as ten books into my PDA and read to my heart's content. I can also adjust the font size on the screen to suit my eyes and use the back light feature for night reading - I can't do that with a book!

For convenience and usability, my PDA is an absolutely necessity. For work and entertainment, I don't need to look further than the one device that does everything.

Labels: computers, pda

With the push of a button, a good color scanner can copy any type of document, report, or photograph you need transferred to the Internet or computer file. With the many different brands and types of scanners on the market, however, can you be certain which one you need for work or home use?

It may seem like a daunting task, but determining the type of scanner best suited for your work is not really difficult to do. A quick survey of the two major types of scanners can help you decide what computer hardware needs to be added to your home or work office before you spend too much money on something you don't need.

Here is a brief look at scanners:

The Sheet-Fed Scanner This scanner is reminiscent of the mimeograph of old, where a paper document is threaded into a rolling mechanism. As the paper moves through the scanner the information is collected and presented in its original format on your screen. Depending upon the accompanying software, the material may be presented in a word processing document or image viewer. The sheet-fed scanner is ideal for the person who doesn't have a lot of desk space to spare - these scanners are compact and easily portable. For people who have a need to scan book pages and magazines, however, this device will not work. Depending upon the brand, not all of these scanners may accept photographs.

Flatbed Scanners These scanners look remarkably like a copying machine with the similar glass surface and scanning mechanisms. Instead of producing a paper replica of the document, the material is transferred to the computer, into a word processing program or image editor. Flat bed scanners are perhaps the most versatile, as they can scan book pages, magazines, and photographs with ease. The only caveat to the flatbed scanner is size. These devices are large and bulky and do take up a lot of desk space. If you don't have much to spare, consider carefully the decision to buy one.

Usability, size and price are the main determining factors when buying a scanner. Consider your needs for scanner, and the space you can offer one, before you buy. A scanner can be a good investment for a business, just make sure it is the right one.

Labels: computers, pc, scanners