Great Way to Borrow Money
August 25, 2008
I discovered this great resource a couple of years ago and it never occurred to me to write about here until just now when I came across a borrower whose headline is “OOPS– lost a leg“. Seems the husband of this borrower is a recent amputee and they need to do some remodeling of their home to accommodate the new set of circumstances.
The site is called Prosper. Prosper connects people who are looking to borrow money with people all over willing to loan them money in increments as little as $50. Prosper has helped thousands of borrowers raise nearly $200 million dollars in the past few years.
They essentially cut the banks out of the middle and let average Joe’s and Jane’s lend directly to borrowers earning them more interest then they would otherwise find through money market funds, savings accounts or CDs. Once loans are fully funded bidding ensues and the interest rate charged on the loan falls. Competition for your loan actually helps you to lower the interest rate!
For example, the borrower behind the title “OOPS–I lost a leg“, rocket20229 in Virginia, has already raised the $25,000 they sought and the interest rate that started out at 16.17%, has been bid down to 12.9% with 4 days left for more wannabe lenders to jump in drive the rate down further.
There’s obviously no guarantee that a borrower will get the loan they’re after funded, but it’s worth looking into as an alternative to going to a bank or credit union. Especially if you have high interest credit card debt.
Couple of other points worth mentioning are:
1) you will remain completely anonymous to the lenders and others reviewing your request. Only Prosper has your personal information.
2) Prosper handles all paperwork, funding of the loan (i.e. one lump some), and receiving your 36 monthly payments. So it’s easy as apple pie.
Veterans with Brain Injuries
August 8, 2008
American Veterans with Brain Injuries (AVBI) is a grassroots* effort that offers support to brain injured American Veterans and their families. They offer support through their web site, on line forum, live chat, advocacy, and public awareness. Their site offers moving personal stories, resources, and announcements of services available to these American Veterans. The AVBI on line forum is designed for questions to be asked and information shared.
* Here are some links to the roots that make up the grass:
The following links will redirect you to personal websites. Please take the time to pay them the respect of a visit.
Be sure to watch this 4 minute video with pictures of some of the of these great young men and women!
Don’t forget these veterans. They’ve served us, we need to serve them.
Wounded Warrior Project
August 8, 2008
The Wounded Warrior Project - The greatest casualty is being forgotten…
The folks who run the Wounded Warrior Project are doing everything they can to muster up support and opportunities for the men and women who have been injured while serving our country. Sure we’ve all heard the statistics, but there’s a man or women behind each one of those numbers being rolled up into the tens of thousands of wounded that the media likes to harp on as if to say “We told you so”. These men and women are husbands, wifes, dads, moms, brothers and sisters. They deserve to not be forgotten!
Please visit their site and take advantage of the resources they offer and/or the ease with which you’ll be able to show your support for wounded vets. Look into their Warriors to Work program and ask your employer to get on board.
NMFA - National Military Family Association
August 8, 2008
It’s nice to come across an organization that’s all about military families. It’s not just the soldier who sacrifices during deployments especially during times of war. NMFA is a nonprofit dedicated to serving military personnel and their families. They offer information on available programs and services and a wealth of pertinent news for those living the military life.
NMFA - National Military Family Association
Be sure to checkout their new program called Operation Purple that was featured on Fox News and CNN.
