Financial Tips and Tricks

Check Out Your Library For Some Cool Freebies

2010-05-15T17:00:00.000-06:00

Check Out Your Library For Some Cool Freebies

By: Larry Lane

Your local library has gone under some big changes the last couple of
years. You can now find not only books, but a wide variety of
entertainment. Of course there are books, magazines, newspapers from
around the country to browse through. Want to dive into the new hot book?
Don't pay $20, check it out for 2 weeks free of charge. If your library
doesn't currently have it on hand, you can special order it; again at no
cost. If you don't complete your reading you can simply renew for another
2 weeks.

Free internet! Tired of paying $40-$60 per month ($500 or more per year),
you can get free high speed internet service at your library for free. If
you have a laptop, you can tap into their free wifi. No need to go to
your local coffee store and spend $3.00 on coffee. If you've read
previous blogs, you've already had your coffee for a few pennies at home.

Cds-Most libraries now carry Cds. While you're not going to get the
selection you'll see at a typical music store, you'd be surprised what
you'll find.

Movies-Don't spend $5.00 for movie night at home. Instead, check out the
movie section at your local library. Most libraries carry DVDs as well as
VHS. You'll see current titles as well as PBS documentaries you won't
find anywhere else.

Books on Cd/tape-Are you a traveling salesman or do you spend long
periods of times in your car? Turn your mind numbing drive into an
intellectual experience. Your local library may have hundreds of books on
Cds.

Check out your local library and you'll leave with a plethora of
entertainment choices. Most importantly, they're all FREE!

Larry Lane is the editor for InvestorZoo.com,
a social networking site specializing in personal finance

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y-for-some-cool-freebies-2166606.html

Larry Lane - About the Author:

Larry Lane is the editor for
www.InvestorZoo.com, a social networking site dedicated to personal
finance.

Investorzoo brings you weekly deals on credit cards, high yield checking
accounts as well as CD and money market yields. You'll also find over a
directory of over 10,000 financial professionals in many categories in
all 50 states.

Are you a financial professional looking to help people with money issues
and gain world wide exposure? InvestorZoo.com is the 1st true social
network dedicated to the world of personal finance. Answer questions on
our public forums, receive leads and start a profile. We are accepting
profiles from any licensed professional (in good FINRA standing) or
published financial author.

If you have any questions, please drop me an email at
larry.lane@InvestorZoo.com or 425-591-9315..

7 Ways To Improve Your Gas Mileage And Save Money

2010-05-02T17:00:00.000-06:00

7 Ways To Improve Your Gas Mileage And Save Money

By: Larry Lane

Americans love their cars. The typical family with 2 cars spends about
$3,000 per year on gasoline. While you can't control the price of gas,
you can control your gas mileage and the efficiency of your vehicle.
Here's a brief checklist to improving your gas mileage.

1) Gas prices vary by a couple of cents to a dime from station
to station. Do a search on your favorite search engine for "best gas
prices." Saving just $5.00 per week will put $250 in your pocket per year.

2) Tune ups: Only get a tune-up if you need one. You may
increase your mileage by a few percent; however the average tune up may
cost $200 or more. If it is time for a tune-up, don't ignore you car's
needs. It will help keep your car efficient, on the road longer and
improve your overall mileage 5-10%.

3) Drive 55 or the local speed limit. Every 5 miles per hour
over 55 will cost you 5% or more in fuel efficiency.

4) Replace your old oil and air filters. Oil filters should be
changed with each oil change and air filters about every 5,000 miles.
They're cheap and pretty easy to change.

5) Properly inflate your tires. People made fun of John McCain
when he suggested everyone inflate their tires correctly during the
Presidential race. However his advice was 100% correct. Properly inflate
your tires and you'll increase your gas mileage by about 3%. Check your
owner's manual for proper recommended levels.

6) Oil Changes: The cheapest oil change may cost you long term.
By going to the local $9.95 oil change garage, you may be doing more harm
than good. Cheap oil and cheap filters may leave sludge in your engine
and decrease the lifetime of your car as well as your fuel effiency. My
mechanic recommends high grade Mobile Oil or synthetic oil.

7) If you don't need your air conditioner, don't use it. Air
conditioning and open windows will decrease your mileage by 2-6%.

If you can improve your mileage just 10%, you can pocket $300 or more
annually. In addition, you'll keep your car happy and prolong the
lifespan of your vehicle.

Larry Lane is the editor for InvestorZoo.com,
a social media website specializing in personal finance. Email comments
and questions to Larry.Lane@InvestorZoo.com

Retrieved from:
"
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r-gas-mileage-and-save-money-2167256.html

Larry Lane - About the Author:

Larry Lane is the head blogger and biz dev for

InvestorZoo

a social networking site dedicated to personal finance.

Are you a financial professional looking to help people with money issues
and gain world wide exposure? Please drop me an email at
larry.lane@InvestorZoo.com or call me directly at 425-591-9315.

Basic Information On The Federal Homebuyer Tax Credit

2010-04-12T17:00:00.000-06:00

Basic Information On The Federal Homebuyer Tax Credit

By: Paul
Escobedo

With April coming to an end soon, so follows the expected expiration of
the Homebuyer Tax Credit offered by the federal government for first-time
homebuyers and existing homeowners. The last iteration of the tax credit
was set to expire on November 30, 2009. On November 6, 2009 the tax
credit was extended and expanded through spring of 2010. Presently, the
tax credit is available for first-time homebuyers and existing homeowners
who sign the purchase contract on a primary residence by April 30, 2010
with the closing completed by June 30, 2010.

For in depth information on the federal tax credit for homeowners view
the site at IRS.gov. As far as basic information goes, the federal
government is offering a tax credit for first-time homebuyers and
existing homeowners who enter into a binding contract to purchase a new
home by April 30, 2010 with the closing completed by June 30, 2010.

A first-time homebuyer is defined as a buyer who has not owned a home
during the last three years up to the date of the purchase of the
residence. First-time homebuyers are able to claim a tax credit for 10%
of the purchase price of a home up to a maximum of $8,000. The home
purchased cannot exceed the $800,000 price cap. The full credit will be
available if taxpayer has a modified adjusted gross income up to $125,000
if filing as single and up to $225,000 if filing jointly. A partial
credit will still be available if a single filers MAGI exceeds the
$125,000 as long as it stays between $125,000.01 and $145,000. Joint
filers can receive a partial credit if their MAGI are between $225,000.01
and $245,000.

An existing homeowner is defined as someone who has lived in a home for a
period of 5 consecutive years out of an S year period ending on the
purchase date of the home. Existing homeowners purchasing a new primary
residence may claim 10% of the purchase price of the residence up to a
maximum of $6,500. The home purchased must not exceed the $800,000 price
cap. As with the first-time buyer credit, the full credit will be
available for existing homeowners if the taxpayer has a modified adjusted
gross income up to $125,000 if filing as single and up to $225,000 if
filing jointly. A partial credit will still be available if a single
filers MAGI exceeds the $125,000 as long as it stays between $125,000.01
and $145,000. Joint filers can receive a partial credit if their MAGI are
between $225,000.01 and $245,000.

Retrieved from:

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ederal-homebuyer-tax-credit-2166018.html

Paul Escobedo

Chicago home builders.

A Student’s Guide to Getting a Loan

2010-04-10T20:00:00.000-06:00

A Student’s Guide to Getting a Loan

Courtesy of:
Free Articles for Websites

When you are putting yourself through college, it can become quite
expensive. Do not think that you cannot afford college. All you need to
look into is getting a student loan. Use this as your simple guide to
help you along throughout your education. There are certain loans that
will allow you to go through school without worrying about
href="http://www.studentloan4less.com/payingback.html">paying back student
loans right away.

Sit Down with a Counselor

Your school is going to be your first stop when finding the right loan.
By making an appointment with a counselor you will be able to get the
inside scoop to student loans. They will also be able to show you the
href="http://www.studentloan4less.com/">best student loans that you will need
to look into. Your counselor is going to show you how much you need in
terms of tuition, books and living expenses. Take their services for
advantage and let them help you.

Types of Loans

Now, once you know how much you need to get for your school tuition, you
need to look for the right type of student loans. Look for
href="http://www.studentloan4less.com/deferred.html">deferred student loans
that will allow you to get the money you need without having to pay it
back right away. This means that you can get your degree and go through
college without worrying about a monthly payment on the loan.

Picking a Loan Company – The best loan company is going to give the best
student loans. You want to find a lender that will work for you. Choose a
lender that gives you the right terms and the right amount of money. Try
not to get in over your head with student loans. Getting education does
not have to be put on hold because of money, so start looking at student
loans right now!

Big Tax Refund? Big Mistake!

2010-01-13T20:00:00.001-07:00

Big Tax Refund? Big Mistake!

by FiGuy

So you are anxiously awaiting your W-2, so you can file your taxes, and get that big refund. Is this a mistake? Filing for the refund isn't, but if you are consistently getting a big refund, you aren't making the most of your money. Would you loan a total stranger money for a year, at no interest? If you are getting large refunds, that is exactly what you are doing. You are giving Uncle Sam a loan, and getting no interest on it. Even worse, you are tying up your own money, instead of putting it to work for you. You earned it, you should be able to use it when you need it.

If you are due a large refund, by all means claim it. You should file for, and get back, every dollar you are legitimately entitled to. Don't pad your claim, but do go after what the rules say you are due. If you really enjoy the forced savings aspect of the refund process, you may want to leave well enough alone, but most of us could use a little more money in our pay envelope. If you are one of them, but don't know how to go about getting it, read on. You will need to be cautious when you make the adjustments I'm going to recommend. If you overdo it, you will wind up owing money, and that is something none of us wants! Consult your tax professional, or if you do your own, run the numbers yourself - carefully - before you commit. You want to shoot for break-even, leaning towards a small refund, rather than owing anything.

Why do this? Well, you don't have to, and after I've explained things you may still decide you don't want to, but you should know you can so you can make an informed decision. Let's say for the last few years you have gotten a refund of around $1700. If you reduced that amount to $500, you would be seeing an extra $100 a month in your paychecks, which I'm sure you could put to good use, and you'd still be getting something back from Uncle Sam, rather than having to pay him come April 15th. Sounds like a winner to me! The IRS page I'm going to send you to later lists "Employees who would like to change their withholding to reduce their tax refund or their balance due" first on the list of people who could benefit from reviewing their withholding situation. If you get small refunds, then you do not want to make any adjustments to your situation, you are already in great shape.

So, how do we do this? Form W-4. That is the form you fill out when you first start work for an employer, listing the number of exemptions you take. The higher the number of exemptions, the less money is automatically deducted from your paycheck. File a new one, and claim a larger number than you currently do. Simply tell the folks in payroll that you want to do this, they'll know what you want, and should have the appropriate form on hand. They may caution you about doing this, and rightly so, but if you have your numbers down solidly, go ahead and go for it. This generally needs to be done at the beginning of the year so your numbers will be accurate, or when you start a new job, so this is the time to do it. You shouldn't need to do so again, unless you add to your family or get a raise or have something else change your tax situation, then you will need to look at your tax status again and decide if you need to adjust the number up or down accordingly.

The W-4 is a powerful tool, so again I warn you to be cautious, but the results can be well worth it. If you claim too many exemptions, you'll get a lot less deducted from your paycheck, but you could wind up owing big money at tax time. That's the potential downside risk. The upside is you will immediately see more money in your paycheck. If you have a complicated income situation, multiple jobs, self-employment, will be leaving your job before the end of the year, or have other factors that keep your tax status less than simple, a review will do you good as well, but you don't want to make any adjustments without understanding what the results could be, and that's a little beyond the scope of this article.

A quick way to find out what adjusting your W-4 exemptions will do for you is to go to this IRS page:

IRS Withholding Calculator

They have solid advice, and will give you good numbers to work with. You can also run numbers through a past years version of whatever tax preparation software you use. Don't just wing it, use your pay stubs and the appropriate tables to get real numbers, estimations may bite you later.

So, if you consistently get large refunds, reduce them in the future, and put a little more in your pocket each month while staying square with Uncle Sam by adjusting your exemptions on your W-4. Just make sure you've got a handle on the numbers so you don't wind up owing when April 15th rolls around.

Standard CYA Disclaimer:
You should always consult a tax professional before making any changes that may change your tax situation.

('')

Consider Charitable Giving

2009-12-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

Consider Charitable Giving
by FiGuy

Hopefully you have been out shopping, and helping to stimulate the economy - without overspending and breaking your budget. Most folks know that the Christmas season is make or break time for retailers, with Black Friday being the day they hopefully get out of the red ink and into the black, indicating profits rather than losses. The holiday season is make or break time for many charities, too. If you have the means, consider making a contribution to your favorite cause.

If you've already tightened your belt to the last notch, and just don't have any spare cash, drop a couple loose coins in a bell ringer's bucket, and don't let the guilties get you. If, however, you've been a prudent consumer, saved a little money to spend at this time of year, found a few real bargains, and managed to have more on hand that you thought you would, you could go buy a few more trinkets, or you could help make a difference in a cause near and dear to your heart. Part with a few bucks, giving feels good!

Don't consider giving just for the tax deduction, but if you do give, there is no reason not to take any available deductions that are offered. Depending on where you live, and your tax status and filing practices (you need to itemize), you might even wind up getting more bang for your buck than the value of your contribution. State income taxes are often affected by what happens with your Federal taxes, which can act as a multiplying factor. If you are always close to break even (which you *should* be - more on that next year!) and neither paying a large amount, nor receiving a large refund, that small contribution might just keep you from having to write a check come April 15th. It won't make much of a difference monetarily, but it may be very convenient. Why not pay out a little now, while you have it, rather than later, when you may not?

Make sure the charity of your choice is a 501c or other qualifying organization if you are planning to take a deduction, but there are many worthwhile causes to give money to that are not necessarily tax deductible, so don't let tax status alone determine if the charity is a worthwhile one to you! Pick things you care about, and help out with what you can within your means. If contributions are deductible, get a receipt so you can make the claim when you file. If they are not, enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling of giving and don't worry about it.

Seek out the charity, and give directly. Don't respond to cold calls or middlemen! At best they will be eating up some of your contribution for their own overhead (and you will be encouraging folks to interrupt your dinner to pester you). At the worst, they are scam artists who will pass along nothing to the charity, but will be lining their own pockets. Direct giving avoids all that, and makes sure the charity gets the most potential from your gift, however small.

Don't break the bank because you feel guilty, but if you do have some money to spare, however little it may be, do consider making a gift to a worthwhile cause.

Have a Merry Christmas (or your particular holiday celebration of choice), and a Happy New Year!

Secret Santa Shopping Tips

2009-12-10T20:00:00.002-07:00

Secret Santa Shopping Tips
by FiGuy

You've been designated someone's Secret Santa. Here are a few tips to help you fulfill your role, without having to work at it too hard...

If there is an established limit on spending, keep to it. While things you might like to receive yourself can be a good place to start, remember that tastes do vary, and the person you are buying for may not share yours.

Try to keep your gifts practical and useful, it will be appreciated. Stay away from gag gifts, and decorative or cutesy items. That singing teddy bear might be adorable, but the novelty will wear off quickly. After that it collects dust or winds up in the landfill. Also avoid beauty or hygiene items - you'll almost never get the right brands, and you might accidentally send the wrong message: you stink! you're ugly and your mother dresses you funny! etc.

Edible is credible. Most people enjoy getting good things to eat. Unless you know for certain the person likes fruitcake (I'm one of those weird people who does), avoid it. There are more complaints and jokes about fruitcake than just about any other holiday gift. Try to find out if the person you are buying for has any special needs before you buy. Do they have allergies? Are they diabetic? Do they observe a restricted diet for religious or personal reasons (Kosher, Vegan, etc.)? You don't want to give a glazed ham to someone that doesn't eat pork, and those premium steaks won't go over well with a vegetarian! Chocolate is overdone, but there is a reason for that, and sometimes a cliche will work in your favor.

Consider giving an assortment of small items, and perhaps throwing in a bar of chocolate or some candy to sweeten the deal. This increases your odds of hitting on some item that they will like and use, and you have the tasty treat as a backup in case you missed. Are they always borrowing something from their co-workers? Clue!

Go spy on their workplace for some other hints. Do they have lots of pictures of their family? Perhaps a small electronic picture frame would make a nice gift. Page-a-day calendars are almost always useful. Is their workplace plastered with Dilbert or Garfield cartoons? Bingo! Do they have quotes and inspirational sayings tacked up? Bingo! Now you can pick out a calendar to match their tastes.

Flash thumb drives, those little memory gadgets that plug into a USB port, are a wonderful item that has come down into Secret Santa price range. They come in all sorts of colors and graphic schemes these days, and are quite useful. Unless the person you are buying for already has a drawer full of them, this item should go over quite well.

Keep it simple, try to tailor to the person you are buying for, have fun with it. A little creativity, and a little snooping, can have everyone commenting on what a wonderful gift you picked out - and even if they don't know who did the picking, you'll know and feel good about it.

Now go out and stimulate the economy!

Gift Cards - Why They Suck

2009-12-05T20:00:00.003-07:00

Gift Cards - Why They Suck
by FiGuy

OK, so the title is a little strong, but would I get your attention with "Gift Cards - Pros and Cons"? Gift cards can be a nice way to give, but they do have many negatives. You should examine your situation to decide if the negatives outweigh the positives, and you might just be surprised at the answer you come up with.

Lets look at the plus side first.

Gift cards are convenient. They can be purchased just about anywhere these days, and with the credit card branded variety, the recipient isn't bound to just one place to shop. You may even be able to use them online, as many merchants are trying to do anything to get a little extra business. Some retailers still won't take anything but a very established standard credit card, but the number of those who are more flexible is growing.

Gift cards can add a little security. If you are sending gifts through the mail, and a theft occurs, a gift card may be able to be replaced (this varies from card to card, read the details before you purchase), whereas cash that is stolen is gone for good.

The restrictiveness of a store branded gift card, which can only be used at the retailer it was purchased from, can be a positive factor. If you don't want a teenage recipient running out to get a ring through their nose or a nifty new tattoo, their being stuck shopping at a certain store has advantages.

Sometimes the cards are offered at a discount, so you pay less than the card amount and can get more bang for your dollar. There is a reason the retailers can afford to do this, and we'll get to that shortly.

Now for the downside.

For smaller children, and some of us fully grown children, a gift card just doesn't have the same emotional impact as that special toy. If you want to watch your grandchildren bounce off the walls with excitement, a gift card is unlikely to do the trick. Someone with their heart set on getting that robotic hamster just isn't going to react the same way to a gift card, even though it might buy them five of the silly things. It isn't logical, but you aren't giving gifts to Spock, are you?

Gift cards are restrictive. Store branded cards are only good at that store, so if the latest fashion or trendy item isn't available at that store, the card bearer isn't going to get it. Even the credit card variety, which can be used wherever credit or debit cards are accepted, has its limitations. Many online retailers won't accept debit cards, only established credit cards, and may not recognize the gift card as valid. There are still businesses that do only cash business. You won't be getting a cart vended pretzel or banana on a stick while you are shopping with a gift card, for example.

There may be fees. Most retailer branded cards don't do this, but there are exceptions. The credit card branded cards can get hit by this the worst. Debit fees and transaction fees can eat away at the value of the card, and the recipient won't get the full benefit of your purchase. If you want the person you are giving a gift to have $20, they may not get the whole $20 after fees have been applied to their purchases.

Gift cards aren't as safe as many advertisers might like you to believe. If there is no security method in place, like a PIN number, once the card is being used, it can be stolen just as easily as cash. It may look like a credit card, but undoing unauthorized purchases mostly doesn't work like a credit card.

The worst factor by far is that even without fees or additional charges, it may be hard to use the whole value of the card. Remember I said the retailers had a reason they could offer the cards at a discount? This is why. Every penny of value you don't use is pure profit for them. While many states have laws that help protect the consumer, many still do not. There are some new rules at the Federal level, but they don't go into effect until 2010, and mostly apply to the credit card branded general purpose cards. A card may expire before the whole value is used up. If the card isn't used in a timely manner, monthly "dormancy" fees may be applied, and quickly drain the value of the card. The store may make it difficult to split a payment across cards, or between a card and cash, so it may not be easy to purchase something that cost more than the remaining value on the gift card. A recent study by the Consumer Federation of America showed that 17% of gift card recipients had trouble using the whole balance on their card because the store wouldn't allow split payments for purchases greater than the value on the card.

The numbers bear out this last negative factor, even in places that have rules protecting the consumer. Every year X dollars are spent on gift cards (this year estimated to be in the 40-50 billion dollar range), and quite a bit less than X dollars are ever redeemed. The difference represents lost value. Now, whomever you may be giving a card to may be a smart and responsible consumer who will use the card in a timely manner, and make sure they get every penny out of it, but the numbers say many, if not most, people do not.

That sucks.

To quote Dilbert: "You are buying something that works like cash, only not as well".

Some of the card vendors are addressing these problems, and laws are also being passed to further protect consumers, so the situation may not be quite as bleak as I'm telling you, but there is still a lot of room for improvement.

Take a look at your specific situation, and carefully read the terms and restrictions of the card you are considering, before you make that purchase. If you will be mailing the gift, if you can buy the card at a decent discount off face value, if the card you are looking at makes a point of addressing some or most of these common problems, or you are happy about some of the imposed restrictions because of your circumstances, a gift card may well be the best way to go. Otherwise cash is probably your best option.

It is hard to go wrong with pictures of dead Presidents!

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are done - what now?

2009-12-01T20:00:00.001-07:00

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are done - what now?
by FiGuy

OK, so the big shopping days have come and gone, and you weren't part of the throngs. Have you missed out on all the good deals? Thankfully, no. So where and when are the bargains? Having played the Black Friday game a few times, only to see much lower prices (even on loss-leader items) later, I can tell you the best shopping times still lay ahead.

Even with really good retail sales figures, the big stores will still be fighting for your business until after the January clearance sales. In leaner years they will fight harder, and price reductions will be more drastic, but there will be reductions and enticements for sure no matter what the economic climate.

If you can hold off until after Christmas, the year end sales almost always offer the best bang for the buck. Of course, that doesn't put presents under the tree on the 25th, so many of us will pay a little more than rock bottom for tradition's sake.

So, if you want presents under the tree, should you wait until the last minute, say the 23rd or 24th, in order to get the best prices on the things we want to buy? Not necessarily. You might find a slightly better price, but not find the item you wanted in stock! That late in the game most retailers are not expecting or placing any major orders - they are running with what stock they already planned to have on hand, with the possible exception of one or two super-popular items, especially the toy du jour (this year it appears to be a robotic hamster). They will be getting more stock for the end of year sales, but it isn't going to show up in the stores right before the big day (Christmas).

You might get lucky, and find exactly what you want on the 24th at a deep discount, but the odds are against you. Experienced shoppers most frequently recommend the week containing December 15th as your best bet for finding a nice price, and finding the item you want still on the shelf. This year the 15th falls on a Tuesday, so shopping from the 14th through the 20th should get you the best results in terms of price and availability. Monday the 14th is likely to be the last major delivery of fresh stock to the stores until after Christmas, and with time running out the discounts aren't likely to get much better than those you'll find that week.

Of course there are always exceptions, and if you feel the need to explore right up until the last day, you might score something special. However, if you want to do better than just get lucky, go hit the stores sometime between the 14th and the 20th, that's when you'll have the most opportunities.

Good luck, happy hunting, go stimulate the economy!

FiGuy

Six Mistakes to Avoid in the Coming Recovery

2009-10-23T20:00:00.000-06:00

Six Mistakes to Avoid in the Coming Recovery
by: Ed Biernat

While the Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke noted last week that the
recession is "very likely over", the recovery is just beginning. Many
executives and business owners want to get through these changes and get
back to 'business as usual,' and therein lies the problem. "Business as
usual" has caused (or at least exacerbated) the issue, so going back may
not be in the company's long term interest.

Productivity normally rises during a downturn, since everyone is watching
the books more and the organization works hard to do more with less. The
normal increase in productivity in past recessions (1970 - present)
averages about .8 , or 3X the average of the prior six recessions. While
part of this increase is the significant cuts to worker pay and benefits,
part of this increased productivity may be from better utilization of
your human capital and smarter business processes. Don't sacrifice this
gain by retrenching into past practices. Here are some pitfalls to avoid.

Repopulating the company 1 for 1.

The majority of companies have had to lay off a higher number of
employees than in past downturns. And now that things are turning around,
they want to bring them back as quickly as possible. One reason for that
desire is loyalty to the individual, and that is highly commendable. Part
of it is that the manager is using an old paradigm that if sales increase
X%, I will need to restaff with Y number of people. That paradigm may
have been shattered.

· The tasks we do in an organization can be divided into value added [VA]
(those that service the customer) and non value added [NVA] (consume
resources but do not add value). Capture what is being done right now.
How are you able to get it all done with a skeleton crew? What isn't
getting done? Evaluate if it ever needs to come back.

· If it needs to be done, be creative on the how and the who. Who needs
to do it? Typically we have highly skilled workers doing a mix of value
added and non value added work. What if you pulled most of the NVA work
from them and pooled it into a less skilled (and preferably temporary)
person? And how does it need to be done? Instead of adding staff, could
these NVA jobs be automated? Outsourced?

· Remember the bargaining agreement if you have one. Work within it or
start setting the stage for changes. The goal is to get the bulk of the
people back in productive work as needed while giving them some better
assurance that they are on board for the long haul. The mechanisms to
redistribute the NVA tasks are up to you. Think out of the box.

· What about those employees that you couldn't move because they knew too
much or had a special skill set that the organization couldn't live
without? Now is the time to correct that by getting them to put it in
writing the magic that they do. Unless, of course, you want to be held
hostage again sometime in the future.

Being too slow to add resources.

· Stay ahead of the curve when adding resources. This will allow you go
after the NVA activities as you identify them. You will need the extra
bandwidth to follow recommendations and use this recovery time to
continuously improve the organization.

· Focus on servicing your current customers extremely well. Now is the
chance to delight them - you need them more than ever. Make sure the
front line customer support team has the resources to do the job right.
This is particularly true since you are looking to attract new customers
to replace ones you may have lost. First impressions are key and may be a
major differentiator for your company against its competitors.

· Some resources will take a while to get due to lead time on equipment
or locating the right skill set. Start those earlier than you might
otherwise to make sure they are there when you need them and that they
are the best available. (First movers here will probably get a great deal
on critical resources, both human and physical.)

· As you replace lost personnel, hire for behaviors first, skill set
second. If the individual has the right attitude and some expertise and
ability in the area, the specific nuances of the job can be acquired. It
is much harder to change a person's behavior - what you hire is what you
get. If you are a first mover to acquire these individuals, you will have
a greater chance to find people with both the right behaviors and the
right skill set.

Ignoring your suppliers.

· You may have had to add some in haste since your original ones went out
of business. Now is the time to do due diligence to make sure they are
the ones for the long haul.

· These suppliers helped you through the hard times. As the money
returns, be sure to pay them closer to the original terms. They have
probably earned it. But, if the new reality really is net 60 versus the
old net 30, start that dialogue now.

· As you look at NVA activities, you may find a fit with suppliers. It
may not be your core skills but it might one of theirs. It may not be a
bad thing to select a few key suppliers and work to partner with them
more.

Failing to reevaluate your customers.

· Stay close to your key customers. They kept you going. Continue to
service them well through the recovery. The general tendency is to flock
to the newest customers most often. Resist the temptation. Make all your
customers priority customers.

· But take a good long look at them. Are they really the customers of
your future? Some of them may need to get replaced, not today, but over
time. Identifying them early will allow you the most flexibility in your
future agreements.

· Work with them like your suppliers but in reverse. Is there a way that
you can take some of their perceived NVA activities that fit your skill
set? How can you integrate your company into their day to day activities
more?

· Now is also the time to understand what is their view of the new
reality. Your organization probably made concessions to keep the
business. You need to understand what concessions are parts of their
business model going forward, and which ones will return to normal and
when. It is hard to do while you are still starving, but don't wait too
long or you may lose some bargaining room.

Being blind to potential infrastructure issues.

· Since you probably stripped your resources (lived off of inventory,
stock, etc.), think before you bring it all back in kind. Take a snapshot
of what you currently are using and what you didn't use at all. During
this recovery, some things may be difficult to get quickly. Be the first
mover to replace what you will need eventually. On the flip side, you may
have items that you don't need and that may be in demand. Somewhere
during this ramp up may be a great time to rid yourself of these at a
profit if you have them identified and have that as part of your game
plan.

· What corners did you cut that still got the job done? You may have
stopped all preventive maintenance, for example, but you know that isn't
a sustainable answer. Evaluate what was done and not done, and do your
VA/NVA analysis. If it falls into the NVA side, figure out how to get rid
of it or automate it. If it is a VA activity, put it on your priority
list to restart as soon as practical.

· That includes ERP/MRP protocols as well as what equipment to bring back
on line. If you are getting along without it, think twice before bringing
that practice back. Anne Mulchahy, Chairman of Xerox, noted in a recent
interview that the company is evaluating the new ways that things are
getting done as a result of the recession and making the ideas and
process changes that make sense part of the company culture. Never waste
a good idea!

· Take time to evaluate the overall impact of the recession on your
infrastructure. Don't be one of those companies that have to stutter-step
their recovery because of infrastructure snafus. That especially goes for
critical equipment, processes and people. As you regain bandwidth, make
sure that either they are made robust or add some redundancy.

Maintaining a management mindset focused on returning to "business as
usual".

· Your management team just went through a graduate course on how to
survive a significant downturn, so why wouldn't you use that knowledge
going forward? We did a straw poll on how managers are reacting to this
downturn. The overwhelming response was, "I can't wait to get this behind
us to get back to business as usual." So much for the diploma.

· If you followed the advice of most change guru's, you got very close to
your employees during this time and communicated a lot more than you have
historically. Don't throw this one aside as things start back up.
Managing by Wandering Around, visible management and Going to Gemba work
ALL the time. Make this part of the new management paradigm.

· You may have reduced your management headcount as well as the first
line workers. Rethink how you restaff your support team. This is an
opportunity to make some of the structural changes that you may have been
considering. Also, decide what your company culture will look like going
forward. Have you started to rely more on teams versus command and
control? Make sure that you bring back only those individuals that will
reinforce this new way of working.

This has been a challenging time for management at every level, and hard
time for everyone in the organization. Now is the opportunity to turn the
time, effort and money that the recession cost the company for a
investment into a smarter and more solid future. What would you like your
organization to look like and act like three years from now? Today is the
day to start making that vision a reality.

About The Author
Edward Biernat started Consulting With Impact in 1998 after seeing a need
to help businesses stream line their production. His credits include
being a successful quality manager at Bausch & Lomb, and having a
certified black belt with Lean Six Sigma.

The author invites you to visit: http://www.consultingwithimpact.com

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Can Give you a Fresh Start

2009-10-21T20:00:00.000-06:00

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Can Give you a Fresh Start
by: Nick Messe

If you think there are more people filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy this
year than in the past you are correct. With Chapter 7 bankruptcy your
available personal assets are used to pay off your unsecured debts and
the unpaid balance is wiped clean. Some states, however, do allow the
filer to keep a vehicle and their primary residence. The rules are
slightly different from state to state, so be sure to check with your
court or a local bankruptcy attorney to see how it works in your state.

Most bankruptcy attorneys encourage people to take a good hard look at
their finances before considering bankruptcy. Although many of your
immediate financial problems will be wiped clean, the bankruptcy will
have a negative impact on your credit score and you might find it hard to
borrow money for a while. So at what point should you go ahead and file
for bankruptcy?

When your debts become so problematic that you can't make a dent in them
and your attempts to hold off your creditors are no longer working, you
might be a candidate for bankruptcy. When you do a tally of your assets
and liabilities and you find that your liabilities are significantly more
than your assets, it is probably time to take action. If your debts are
endangering your IRA or any other retirement accounts, filing for
bankruptcy may protect them.

Filing for bankruptcy doesn't carry the same stigma it used to and has
become almost common these days. If your debts are simply unmanageable
and there is no way to get out from under them, there is nothing to be
gained by not facing this fact. There is no point in hiding from the
facts and letting a completely unworkable situation carry on any longer
than necessary. Chapter 7 could be a tool to restart your life without
debt. Just remember not to repeat the same financial mistakes that got
you into this mess in the first place.

Finding a bankruptcy attorney to help you regain control of your finances
could be the best decision you've ever made. Debt can completely take
over your time and attention and the reasons for getting into this kind
of debt are at that point less important than just being able to simply
get on with your life. With unemployment rising and inflation on the way,
Chapter 7 could save your home, your health and your peace of mind.

Many bankruptcy lawyers offer free consultation before it is necessary to
choose who you want to use. This is the best way to find a lawyer who is
sympathetic to your situation and one you feel comfortable working with.
You can also find out the terms and conditions of engaging an attorney
and also what he or she expects of you as a client.

Take the time to consult with two or three different lawyers. compare
prices and reputations then make your decision. Check with the state bar
association to be sure the attorney you're considering is in good
standing and has no complaints filed against them. Choosing an attorney
to advise you and represent you is an important decision that should not
be taken without proper consideration.

Bankruptcy can bring an end to your financial woes and can also be the
start of a new life, especially since credit counseling is usually
required as part of the proceedings. Hopefully you will come out of it
with a better understanding of the dangers of credit, and a commitment to
avoid letting it happen again.

About The Author
In the Milwaukee and Waukesha area Michael Burr specializes in bankruptcy
and debt relief services. Milwaukee Chapter 7 bankruptcy is an effective
way to eliminate many types of debt and have a fresh financial start.
Contact Attorney Michael Burr directly. He understands what you are going
through and can help you get on with your life. - http://www.burrlawoffice.com

The author invites you to visit: http://www.burrlawoffice.com

Your Family Budget - The 3 Steps To Do It Right

2009-10-04T20:00:00.000-06:00

Your Family Budget - The 3 Steps To Do It Right
by Shevach Pepper

If you are reading this article then your financial situation is probably in pretty bad shape and you want to change it. Don't we all? One of the main reasons that people don't even attempt to make a budget (there are other simpler reasons why they don't implement it) is that they think it is a very complicated process to make a family budget. They reason, "If I can't succeed why even try?" I understand their reasoning but it is not really so complicated. In this article I will show you the 3 basic elements of a family budget and how to do them.

To make an effective family budget there are only three things you have to know; your income, your expenses, and how to bring about and keep that your expenses become less than your income. That's all there is too it. But you have to make sure that you know exactly these three things, rough estimates based on your feelings and not solid data is not acceptable. Without cold numbers our mind plays too many tricks on us. Once your income is greater than your expenses then you will enjoy financial security. The question only is; how to do this?

The first step to doing this is to track ALL of your expenses for about a month. This means to record; what goes out of your bank account (such as your mortgage or your insurance payments) , what you buy in the grocery store, what you spend on entertainment, what you spend on transportation, etc. You can write it on pieces of papers and save them in your pocket, your wallet, or your pocket book. If you want you can put it into a spread sheet on your computer. It makes no difference. The only thing that is important is that you write down somewhere where every penny goes.

At the same time, track and write down all of your incomes; pay checks, presents, stock dividends. Any money that you receive has to be written down.

The third step is, that at he end of the month write down (or enter into your computer) all of these figures into 4 columns. Write in the first column on what you spent your money. In the next column, corresponding to the first one, how much money was spent for each thing. After that in the next column from where you got money. And in the last column; how much money you received. Tally both of these columns and see which one is bigger. If the total of your income is bigger than your expenses, then you are in good shape. If not, then you have to see where you can cut your expenses or raise your income.

Start today tracking and recording all of your expenses. It might be a little annoying in the beginning, but it isn't at all overwhelming. After a few months of doing this you will feel less annoyed at the process and the more you adjust your expenses to be less than your income you will be able to begin to live a happy life of financial security.

If you are having trouble keeping to your budget or are experiencing other family pressures then Click here learn practical tips, techniques,and strategies to help you successfully deal with family problems.

Contact the Author
Shevach Pepper
family relations
More Details about family budget here.

How Does Refinancing A Car Work?

2009-10-02T20:00:00.000-06:00

How Does Refinancing A Car Work?
by Jennifer Quilter

Happy to have a new vehicle, but not so sure about your new interest rate? Let's look at how does refinancing a car work and what it can do for you.

If you know much about refinancing a home, then I'd like to start off by telling you that a vehicle will be much simpler. With a home there are large upfront costs and math to be done to ensure it will be worth it.

With a vehicle things are much more straight forward.

Refinancing means to finance again. You are replacing your old loan with a new one, and using the new on to pay off the old one. When you go out to look for a new loan the biggest thing you are looking for is a lower interest rate. The lowest interest rates are usually found at credit unions, but to ensure you get the lowest rate possible I suggest searching for five rates and comparing. This way you know you'll have found the best possible deal.

So, how does refinancing a car work? Once you find your new, lower rate, you pay off your old loan with the new one and then start making the payments on your new loan. It's that simple.

Another benefit some people look for is extending the life of the loan. Because the loan amount is probably lower now, when you get the new loan you can look at spanning it out over a longer period of time. This will give you lower monthly payments now, but will also mean you'll be paying more total interest in the end.

With a new loan you have all new options and possibilities. Anything you don't currently like about your current financing can be changed by starting over. When we look at how does refinancing a car work we see it is starting over.

If you still want to know more check out How Does Refinancing Work? for more helpful information,
including explanations for refinancing a mortgage and the pros and cons of refinancing.

After spending her post college years climbing out of debt, Jennifer
Quilter has spent a great deal of time reading up on finances. She now
combines that knowledge with her love of writing and helping other people
understand the complicated world of finances.

Contact the Author
Jennifer Quilter
finances
More Details about How Does Refinancing a Car Work
here.

Money Saving Tips - 7 Super Simple Ways to Save Money

2009-09-28T20:00:00.001-06:00

Money Saving Tips - 7 Super Simple Ways to Save Money
by Heidi DeCoux

#1 -- Go out for dessert instead of dinner. Dinners out can get expensive but it's not fun to stay in every night. Eat dinner at home and go out for dessert. To save time and reduce the temptation to go out to eat, make up large batches of food and freeze it in individual serving
containers. This way you can heat up a homemade gourmet meal in minutes then go out for a yummy dessert after wards.

#2 -- Borrow instead of Buy. Need a special tool for a project or maybe a hedge trimmer or tent. Go to NeighBorrow.com to find someone near you that will happily lend you theirs, free of charge.

#3 -- Turn down (or up, depending on the season and climate you live in) your thermostat before you leave your house. Shut the vents off in rooms that you do not use during the day, such as, bedrooms or family room and keep the doors closed. No sense in heating or cooling rooms that are not being used.

#4 -- Have a Clothing Swap with friends. Invite your friends to clean out their closets, bring over their unwanted clothing and accessories along with a dish to pass. Lay out everyone's clothes. Eat, mingle and shop - for FREE! You'll probably leave with at least a couple of new fun pieces
to add to your wardrobe, and you'll have a fun and free night out. Simply donate all of the left over items to charity.

#5 -- Unplug items you are not using. Even if they are off they are still pulling current. This cost savings will add up to more than you think. If you don't want to continually be unplugging items, invest in a Smart Strip (different than a standard power strip). It does not allow your items to pull electric current when off. You will probably cut your electric bill in half. For more info on Smart Strips go to http://clearsimpleliving.com/page/smartbuys .

#6 -- Wash all your clothes in cold water. It's better for your clothes, especially darks, and generally they come out just as clean. Just use a little pre-spot if needed. Also, stop running your water continuously when brushing your teeth or washing dishes.

#7 -- Consider buying gently used versus new, check Craigslist.org, Ebay.com or HandMeDowns.com before paying retail. You can save a bundle!

Added bonus: It's great for our environment when we re-distribute items instead of tossing things out and re-manufacturing new things.

Cheers to saving our planet and saving money!

Heidi DeCoux is the publisher of the Life Made Simple E-zine and a
professional organizer in Minneapolis http://www.HeidiDeCoux.com
specializing in home organization http://www.clearsimpleliving.com.
Heidi energizes her readers’ lives by simplifying their homes and
schedules. For more info, free tips on how to find more time in your day,
and to receive her FREE Report: The Fast & Easy Way to Get Organized and
Stay Organized Forever, visit www.ClearSimpleLiving.com and discover how
to end the frustration of endless searching for things and find what you
want fast so you can have more fun!

Contact the Author
Heidi DeCoux
Home Organization & Personal Time Management
heidi@heididecoux.com
More Details about Money Saving Tips here.

Survive the Economy with Shared Housing

2009-09-15T20:00:00.000-06:00

Survive the Economy with Shared Housing

by Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D.

Multi-generational households are making a comeback for Boomers in the
Sandwich Generation - especially with the lack of jobs available for new
college graduates and the financial pinch felt by aging parents as their
retirement incomes dwindle. Don't be disappointed if you were dreaming
about the empty nest. This new living arrangement can reduce stress, with
more family members sharing household responsibilities, financial
expenses and emotional support. That is, as long as guidelines are
clearly set in the beginning and upheld.

Families today are facing a new kind of housing crisis as the economy
continues to be problematic. When one spouse in a two-career marriage
loses a job, making the monthly mortgage payment becomes difficult,
especially for Sandwiched Boomers. Senior citizens who have been able to
pay for housing from their retirement accounts must cut back on that
expense when their retirement funds are down by 50 percent. When a
mortgage begun with an artificially low interest figure calls for a rate
increase or a balloon payment, the cost becomes prohibitive for the
nuclear family.

These scenarios are not about Gen X and Gen Y kidults boomeranging back
home, with connotations of immaturity or irresponsibility. Rather they
reflect adults struggling with the real effects of a global financial
meltdown not faced in over 75 years. An AARP study revealed that more
than ¼ of the foreclosures and delinquencies last year occurred among
those 50 and over. These seniors and their adult children are looking
carefully at what to do to ease the economic woes that have hit everyone
hard.

Some younger families are moving in with their parents, pooling their
funds for mortgage payments. In other cases, seniors are giving up their
individual, larger homes and moving into 'granny flats' or guest suites
on their children's property. Irrespective of the type of arrangement and
reason for combining two families into one home, some serious planning is
needed before taking the plunge. Here are 6 tips to put into play before
sharing daily life with extended family:

1. Have a family meeting to set guidelines before you move in together.
Be frank and honest about your needs. You'll each be giving up some
autonomy and control so you can expect to have situations where push
comes to shove. Present your positions for the best and worst case
scenarios. Then decide how you want to compromise so that everyone gets
some of what they want. Put any absolute deal breakers out on the table
so they can be discussed in detail.

2. Set boundaries so that everyone's privacy is respected. Living
together with roommates in a college dorm is one thing but sharing space
with adult family members can get awkward. Identify signals to use when
one of you wants to be alone. The last time you all lived together, the
circumstances were quite different. Old issues around power or dependency
can resurface in this close environment, particularly when there may be a
difference of opinion about how to handle issues with
children/grandchildren.

3. Work out a schedule for shared responsibilities, chores and finances.
Gain consensus about making the division of labor equitable. When
children/grandchildren are part of the mix, arrive at a clear timetable
with regard to babysitting so that no one feels exploited. The
multi-generational experience can foster a closer relationship between
grandparents and grandchildren, with the middle generation being able to
step away from some care-giving tasks.

4. Respect the needs of everyone involved. When each person feels heard,
it takes away some of the frustration stemming from the lack of control.
You can be supportive to one another just by listening even if you don't
agree with the reason for the complaint. Use the techniques of active
listening and sending I-messages.

5. Think about the problems that can arise and make a Plan B. Just
because you all are having some difficulty with the new living
arrangements doesn't mean you have to discard the entire idea. Continue
to schedule family meetings to discuss the issues and conflicts. Lack of
privacy, intruding on other family members' boundaries and unwanted
advice are often sore points.

6. Be flexible and learn to love compromise and cooperation. Look at the
situation from the perspective of other family members as you work on
understanding their positions. You are all in this together and while you
may not get exactly what you want, you can work out a solution that is
good for everyone.

Generations living together can lead to a win-win situation. Even with
the potential costs of remodeling to accommodate both families,
maintaining one household rather than two creates considerable savings.
And other positive outcomes develop. Support generated on both sides can
serve as the foundation for resolving past misunderstandings, making
forgiveness easier to accomplish. The close bonding allows for building
rich memories to savor over the years. And the expression of gratitude is
good for both giver and receiver. As the older generation continues to
age, these times can be the impetus for planning care by a newly
sandwiched generation, with grandchildren pitching in to help.

(c) 2009, Her Mentor Center

Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D. & Phyllis Goldberg, Ph.D. are co-founders of
www.HerMentorCenter.com, a website dedicated to the issues of mid-life women and www.NourishingRelationships.Blogspot.com, a Blog for the Sandwich Generation. They are co-authors of a forthcoming book about Baby Boomer women and their family relationships. As psychotherapists, they
have over 40 years of collective private practice experience.

Contact the Author
Rosemary Lichtman, Ph.D.

Tips for the Sandwich Generation
Mentors@HerMentorCenter.com
More Details about shared family housing
here.

Save Energy and Save Money

2009-09-13T20:00:00.002-06:00

Save Energy and Save Money

by Jane Cocker

Check out these instant FREE ways to save money and energy:

Cost: Your laundry hides two appliances that cost you a load! Your
washing machine and clothes dryer cost you money and energy savings on a
daily basis. A hot wash with warm rinse for example, will set you back
about 80 cents a pop; a quick load in the clothes dryer has you paying
about 45 cents each time.

Freebie: Replace your hot water with cold, instantly saving up to 50
cents per wash. Over a year this could be as much as $167.00 in savings!
Switch to air-drying your clothing rather than operating the dryer and
put another $135.00 away a year for rainy days!

Cost: A typical 75 watt incandescent light globe uses about 5 cents an
hour to run. Households use multiple light fittings and we ‘flick the
switch' so often that these little power suckers are guilty of costing us
up to $110 a year to run.

Freebie: If you aren't in the room, switch your lights off. Simple!
Replace standard bulbs with energy savings; energy-efficient bulbs last
up to six times longer and use 80 percent less energy. What a great idea!

Cost: Are you still running your 1972 cooler-box as a ‘beer fridge'?
Older appliances are energy-hungry, gobbling up to $90 more a year to run
than current energy-efficient models. If you have an ice-chest from the
Ice Age that you keep bait in too, then add another $75 a year to your
energy costs. Freebie: Get rid of your aging or faulty appliances and
replace them with star-rated energy efficient ones. And finally, you'll
have a lot more money left over for fresh bait and cold beers if you just
get rid of that rusted fridge in your back shed!

British writer living and working in Buenos Aires.

Contact the Author
Jane Cocker

More Details about how to save energy and money
here.

What if my store doesn't double coupons?!

2009-09-11T20:00:00.001-06:00

What if my store doesn't double coupons?!

by Becky Sandefur

Some of the large chain stores have made coupon shopping much more
tantalizing by offering double and triple coupons. They are banking on
the fact that most people will come to their store for that extra
savings, use some coupons in their stores, then fill their grocery cart
with other high priced products. Let's face the facts, corporate America
is in it to make money. Thank goodness, that's not where the story ends!
While double and triple coupons are a great asset to lowering your
grocery bill, you'll end up actually paying more overall if you don't
watch it. The magic happens when you understand the strategy and match
those coupons with the stores lowest priced sales. Sometimes there are
even extra bonus manufacturer savings if you purchase a certain number of
their products in one transaction. Those are the times you load up and
pay little to nothing for those products.

I've heard so many people say that it isn't worth it for them because
their store doesn't double coupons. Drop the anchor . . . Don't jump off
the boat just yet! All over this great country of ours is a plethora of
opportunities just waiting for you to grab hold of. You can look from one
state to another and from one rural area to the suburbs to find the
savings you need. Some places double coupons worth up to .50 while others
will double $1 and $2 coupons; Then others don't double at all. However,
what I have found is that where one place might give those great double
deals, the other place has better sales to make up for it. Also,
different regions get coupons of different values. So where my .50 coupon
might be doubled to make it worth $1, another part of the country has
that same coupon already worth $1 or even more!

In all actuality, some of the very best deals are not even the deals you
get with double couponing. I love it, for instance, when there is a $4
coupon to save on razors and the store runs a special for those same
razors for sale at $4. You can't beat free . . . all it costs is the tax!
Then there's not even the hassle of trying to figure out how many you can
purchase if your store will only double up to three coupons on same items
per transaction. Don't limit yourself or your shopping opportunities.

With prices everywhere skyrocketing, you really can take charge of what
you pay. All it takes is keeping your eyes and ears open to sales and
available coupons. As with anything new, it might take some time to get
used to coupon shopping. Before you know it you'll be breezing through
the stores with keen observation and knowledge while paying just a
fraction of the price, double coupons or not.

Becky Sandefur is an entrepreneur known for her gift of helping others
reach their money-saving goals. Her expertise is in the area of Home
Economics, budgeting, and household management. She is the business owner
of "The Coupon Detective" that trains people how to Save Hundreds on
their Grocery Bill.

Contact the Author
Becky Sandefur
thrifty shopping
More Details about coupon shopping http://www.MyCouponDetective.com.

Coupon shopping…cut your grocery bill in half!

2009-09-10T20:00:00.000-06:00

Coupon shopping…cut your grocery bill in half!

by Becky Sandefur

As grocery prices are on the rise, one homeschool mom of three beats the
odds by saving thousands of dollars every year on groceries and showing
others how they can get the same results. Becky Sandefur and her family
have lived in the DFW metroplex for the past 13 years. Sandefur's
coupon-shopping spree began several years ago. "I had tried using
coupons, but never seemed to be able to make that much of a difference on
my grocery bill," she says.

Trial and error paid off and she soon discovered that coupon shopping and
saving money is not just about the coupons. It is also about the stores,
the sales, the timing, the organization, and understanding the system.
Sandefur claims it is "not as hard as it seems and totally worth it!"

That's when she became known as, The Coupon Detective. Sandefur began her
business with a website at www.MyCouponDetective.com to help others learn
how they can also easily save hundreds of dollars a month. Many ideas are
simple, yet often overlooked. "The problem most people have with coupon
shopping is the organization," Sandefur says. "They don't have a system,
so it gets too time-consuming or they lose track of the coupons and
really don't save all that much before giving up."

Shoppers all over the United States have benefited from the Coupon
Detective's practical training and inspiration. Academy students
regularly send in testimonials and emails with "thank you's" and
appreciation for helping them save so much on their grocery bill.
Sandefur claims "with the right plan of action, you should be saving a
minimum of 50% on your grocery bill."

Becky Sandefur is an entrepreneur known for her gift of helping others
reach their money-saving goals. Her expertise is in the area of Home
Economics, budgeting, and household management. She is the business owner
of "The Coupon Detective" and trains people how to Save Hundreds on their
Grocery Bill. You can get your free report at
http://www.MyCouponDetective.com

Contact:
Becky Sandefur

More Details about coupon shopping
here.

Five New Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store

2009-09-09T20:00:00.000-06:00

Five New Ways to Save Money at the Grocery Store

by Chris Robertson

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), average weekly
home food costs for a family of four with two children under five years
old rose from $85.60 in March 1999 to $118.30 in March 2009. That's an
increase of nearly 28 percent in ten years. Unless your income has
increased 28 percent or more, you are spending a greater portion of your
earnings on grocery shopping than you were ten years ago.

Other household expenses, such as heating costs, have risen even more
recently. That means there is simply less money to go around and every
opportunity for saving money is worth considering. You probably already
use coupons and look for sales. That's great; keep it up! If you want to
save even more, here are five fresh ideas for lowering your grocery costs.

1. Aisle-by-aisle shopping. Organize your shopping trip by setting up a
virtual aisle-by-aisle grocery list. You'll spend less time in the
grocery store and avoid impulse purchases. Using an aisle-by-aisle
organizer makes shopping so much easier you can bring your children and
save money on baby sitters. Plus, with a virtual shopping list, more than
one person can contribute to the list and that means fewer trips to the
store.

2. Favorites list. Keeping a virtual list of food favorites helps you
avoid the return trip for a forgotten item. Do you always buy a dozen
eggs every week? Do you always buy a jar of peanut butter when your jar
is half empty? The favorites list reminds you of items that should go on
your shopping list. You'll save gas money if you don't have to go back to
the grocery store, not to mention the time you will save and frustration
you will prevent.

3. Pay attention to the store's food recipes. Grocery stores often have
recipes for featured foods. If tilapia is on sale in the fish department,
but you don't know how to cook it, look for a recipe at the store.

4. Set up a grocery coupon organizer and a food recipe organizer. There's
no doubt about it - organizing saves money. When you organize your food
recipes you can easily find a recipe for whatever is on sale that week.
Is pork tenderloin on sale? Just go to the meat section of your recipe
organizer, or look under pork, and there you have it. Same with coupons:
with a grocery coupon organizer you'll know if you have the right coupons
for your purchases. You can also be sure to use those coupons before they
expire.

5. Start a grocery delivery service. Share your shopping expertise. Folks
who are too busy to shop or who are house bond will actually save money
by paying you to do their shopping because you have the skills to save
them serious money. Your customers can email their grocery lists to you,
making it even easier for you to shop for them.

Eating healthy food is important for everyone. Before you cut back on the
quality of the food you buy, consider these and other clever ways of
saving grocery money, so you can still buy the food you want for your
family.

Chris Robertson is a published author of Majon International. Majon
International is one of the world's MOST popular internet marketing and
internet advertising companies on the web. Visit their main business
resource web site at: http://www.majon.com (NOTE: Content article shown above may be linked and circulated freely on web sites, ezines and other publications as long as ALL article content, links and author information
remain UNCHANGED in any way whatsoever.)

Contact the Author
Chris Robertson

More Details about grocery http://www.aislebyaisle.com here.

9 Ways to Guard against Identity Theft

2009-09-01T20:00:00.000-06:00

9 Ways to Guard against Identity Theft
by Vernon Williams

The following steps will help avoid being a victim of identity theft:

1. Protect your Social Security number.

* Never carry your Social Security card in your wallet.

* Never have your social security number preprinted on your checks.

* Only give your Social Security number when it is absolutely necessary.

* If asked for your social security number, suggest an alternative form
of identification.

* If your state uses your Social Security number as your driver's license
number, ask them to substitute another number.

* If your health insurance company uses your Social Security number as
your policy number, ask them to substitute another number Before giving
over your social security number, ask:

o Why do you need my Social Security number?

o How will my Social Security number be used?

o How do you protect my Social Security number from being stolen?

2. Shred sensitive documents before putting them in the trash

Shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications, insurance
forms, physician statements, checks and bank statements, expired charge
cards that you're discarding, and credit offers you get in the mail.

3. Cancel prescreened credit offers.

Call: 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) to stop receiving prescreened
offers of credit in the mail.

4. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox.

If you're planning to be away from home and can't pick up your mail,
contact the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777 or online at
www.usps.com, to request a vacation hold. They will hold your mail at
your local post office until you can pick it up or are home to receive it.

5. Protect your passwords on credit card, bank and telephone accounts.

* Keep your passwords in a secure place, and out of plain sight. Don't
share them on the Internet, over email, or on the phone. Your Internet
Service Provider (ISP) should never ask for your password.

* Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden
name, your birth date, the last four digits of your Social Security
number or your phone number or a series of consecutive numbers.

To make it tougher for hackers to try to figure out your passwords:

* Use passwords that have at least eight characters and include numbers
or symbols. The longer the password, the tougher it is to crack. A
12-character password is stronger than one with eight characters.

* Avoid common words: some hackers use programs that can try every word
in the dictionary.

* Don't use your personal information, your login name, or adjacent keys
on the keyboard as passwords.

* Change your passwords regularly (at a minimum, every 90 days).

* Don't use the same password for each online account you access.

6. Verify a source before sharing information.

Don't give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or on
the Internet unless you've initiated the contact and are sure you know
who you're dealing with. Identity thieves are clever, and may pose as
representatives of banks, Internet service providers (ISPs), and even
government agencies to get people to reveal their Social Security number,
mother's maiden name, account numbers, and other identifying information.

7. Include on the essentials in your purse and wallet

Carry only the identification information and the credit and debit cards
that you'll actually need when you go out.

8. Store information in secure locations.

* Keep your personal information in a secure place at home, especially if
you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your
house.

* Share your personal information only with those family members who have
a legitimate need for it.

* Keep your purse or wallet in a safe place at work; do the same with
copies of administrative forms that have your sensitive personal
information.

9. Determine security procedures in your workplace or at businesses,
doctor's offices or other institutions that collect personally
identifying information.

* Determine who has access to your personal information.

* Verify that it is handled securely.

* Determine the disposal procedures for those records.

* Determine if your information will be shared with anyone else. If so,
ask how your information can be kept confidential.

Get additional ways to protect yourself at
http://www.howtocutyourexpenses.com/identity-theft.html

With over 20 years of experience as a personal financial educator and
counselor, Vernon Williams has developed in depth knowledge of what it
takes to achieve financial success. Today, he is a sought after trainer
and speaker by organizations from both the public and private sector. He
is the author of 425 Ways to Stretch Your $$$$ and 3 Rules that Guarantee
Financial Success. Visit him at http://www.howtocutexpenses.com
[http://www.howtocutexpenses.com]

Contact the Author
Vernon Williams

Finances/Money
vwilliams64@comcast.net
More Details about Identity Theft
here.

0 Balance Transfer Cards, What are they and How do they Work?

2009-08-31T20:00:00.000-06:00

0 Balance Transfer Cards, What are they and How do they Work?
by Daniel Major

0 balance transfer cards are extremely popular as they offer a means to
actually save money by simply transferring your credit card balance or
balances, to the credit card provider making the offer, well at least for
a period of time anyway.

If you take into consideration the current state of the economy, it is
somewhat surprising that the number of people who have large credit card
balances increases year on year and this trend shows no sign of slowing
down in the future. Unfortunately, many of these people are paying high
interest repayments for the privilege of having this debt so it is
understandable that 0 balance transfer cards are highly sought after. If
you listen to the statistics often cited by the media and political
figures the average APR of a US credit card is around 15 percent and the
average debt for a US credit card holder is $8000. This figure is very
misleading as most US households probably owe 25 percent or less of this
figure; a more realistic statement would be to say 5 percent of credit
card users have credit debt of $8000 or greater which is a far more
accurate assessment of this situation.

5 percent of credit card holders still adds-up to a large number of
people that have a high combined credit card balance all of whom would
benefit greatly from the use of 0 balance transfer cards.

Although emphasis is generally placed upon the size of a debt it must be
stated that the size of a debt is irrespective; $1000 of debt is as
difficult to deal with for someone with no money as $10000 of debt is and
as a result the benefits of zero interest balance transfer credit cards
are there for all to use.

How do 0 balance transfer cards work?

Quite simply, credit card companies need customers in order to make money
therefore, to entice new customers from their competitors; they offer 0
percent interest balance transfer deals. These deals usually run for a
fixed period of time, usually between 6 to 18 months and offer zero
interest on balances that are transferred over from other cards, and may
even cover purchases made during the same period.

The removal of the interest element of the repayment benefits the card
user as monthly interest makes up quite a large chunk of the monthly
repayment saving the user a considerable amount of money for the period
of the deal.

If it seems too good to be true it usually is, 0 balance transfer cards
are no exception.

Obviously, credit card companies are in business to make profit and for
them to totally eliminate their 'pot of gold' would be nothing short of
business suicide so there are certain methods they use to make money.

The first method of recouping some lost revenue is by charging for the
balance transfer. Usually, a charge of 3 percent for the balance to be
transferred is incurred. If you are transferring a large amount you
should be cautious as 3 percent could be a substantial amount of money
although many companies do put a cap or a ceiling on this charge. It is
advisable, therefore, that before signing up for any deal, that this is
checked out properly.

Another method that is used is to impose a very high APR upon purchases,
in this situation it may be wise to have a secondary card that is
designed to benefit the shoppers amongst us and use this solely for that
purpose, this will avoid any unpleasant hikes in your bills.

Conclusion

0 balance transfer cards are a fantastic way to reduce your monthly
outgoings for a fixed period of time but it is also advisable to maintain
the same levels of repayments that were made before the transfer
therefore reducing your debt quicker.

Always check the terms of the card, an ideal card deal will run for at
least 12 months, have few costs for the transfer process, apply to
purchases made during the offer period and have an OK APR when the deal
is over which is very important.

Unfortunately, these deals are generally only available to people with a
good credit history so check before applying.

And finally; credit card companies have become wise to the 'card jumper'.
When these deals first began many people used to jump from one card
issuer to the next and as a result card issuers were losing out on
revenue left, right and center.

Your credit history is scrutinized for the tell-tale patterns of this
type of behavior and you will be declined more often than approved if you
are seen to be jumping, which doesn't do your credit score any good, so
make sure you sign up for a good deal.

Finding good 0 balance transfer cards that offer a deal is one of the
best steps towards gaining control over your finances but for a method of
debt elimination that has a more long term effect in the battle against
debt visit www.creditcardconsolidationloanssite.com
here you will find
links to information about methods of debt elimination so good that they
could have you debt free in as little as three years.
www.debtconsolidationinformationonline.com

Contact the Author
Daniel Major
More Details about 0 balance transfer cards
here.

Saving money in hard economic times with free coupon codes

2009-08-30T20:00:00.000-06:00

Saving money in hard economic times with free coupon codes
by Gen Wright

The market can be bearish, or it can be bullish. When the market is
bullish, everybody is happy. There are no lack of well paying jobs, and
with money in the pocket, one can do what the heart desires. But it is
during bearish times that most people are having trouble coping.

For starters, people worry about their jobs. In an economic downturn,
many businesses are adversely affected. This is especially true for big
corporations. Chances are, when times are good, companies start to expand
by bringing more employees on-board. Sometimes, this happens due to
foolish business executives, who never plan for the downturn, which will
surely come.

Unfortunately, this happens all the time. Often, the victims are the ones
who are asked to leave the company. Without jobs, financial commitments
start creeping up slowly. If finances are not properly managed and
savings are used up, the position that the victim is in is certainly an
uncomfortable one.

However, there are various measures that everyone can adopt to help save
money. It's important for one to take an active (as oppose to passive)
stand here to help tide through the bad times. In hard economic times, it
is always wise to adopt a more prudent and active approach when making
any purchase.

An active approach means that one should be actively seeking out the best
deals. A prudent approach means that one should buy only what one needs,
and not spending unnecessarily. In fact, prudent spending habits should
be adopted at all times, regardless of whether economic times are good or
bad. During good times, a person with more prudent spending habits can
fatten up his or her bank account. When the downturn comes, this very
same person is in a better position to tide through the hard times.

One surefire way of saving is to always seek out free coupon codes. Free
coupon codes are easily available on the Internet. Many retailers
actively promote their products and services through many different
online channels. For example, they may join online discount aggregators,
whose sole function is to list promotions from merchants.

Using free coupon codes allow you to save lots of money. You may get to
enjoy free shipping, free gifts, and other great discounts. That means
you will always get more and spend less when you use coupon codes.

There are coupon codes available for almost every type of product you can
think of. Health products, books, electronics, MP3 players, food, gifts,
insurance, and so on.

If you think about it, as consumers, we all need different products at
different times of our lives. So it's definitely great that such discount
coupons are easily available for such a wide range of products.

Don't underestimate the substantial savings you can get from using these
coupon codes. It's a simple act of copying and pasting some code before
making a payment using your credit card. But if each act can save you 50
dollars, think about how much savings you would enjoy if you use 10 or
more coupons a month. That will amount to at least 500 dollars savings
each month.

You can use the money you save to pay off bills, mortgages, or simply
keep them in the bank.

For immediate access to Free Shipping Coupons
and Free Coupon Codes, please visit our
website.

Contact the Author
Gen Wright

Ten Steps To Building A Good Credit History

2009-08-07T20:00:00.000-06:00

Ten Steps To Building A Good Credit History
by: Drahcir Semaj

Are you thinking of buying a house? Do you want to buy a new car to
replace that old wreck? Trying to get insurance on you home, auto, or
life? In each of these situations, what’s on your credit report will
determine if you can get a loan or insurance and what rates you’ll have
to pay.

If you’re trying to build or repair your credit history, you have a
daunting but not impossible task in front of you. Lots of people have
been where you are and today they have good credit. With time,
discipline, hard work, and by taking the proper steps, you’ll be able to
build a good credit history too.

To build or rebuild your credit history you need to take certain steps:

Develop a budget and live by it. Whether your building credit for the
first time or rebuilding credit, you need to know how much money you have
coming in each month and how you’re spending it.

Start by listing your income from all sources. Next list all fixed
expenses (rent, mortgage, car payments…). Finally list all of your
variable expenses (entertainment, recreation, clothing…) no matter how
small they are. Writing down and tracking your expenses will help you to
understand your spending patterns and you’ll be able to see where you can
save money by making lifestyle changes.

Open a checking account and use it responsibly. Lenders want to know that
you have a relationship with a financial institution and that you have a
checking account available to pay your bills. Don’t overdraw your bank
account; in addition to possible damaging your credit record, you’ll be
charged fees.

Pay your current bills on-time and pay them in full. Paying your bill
on-time puts positive information on your credit record. Late payments or
missed payments count against you.

Review your credit report annually. Contact Equifax, Experian, and Trans
Union to get copies of your credit report. You should get a copy of your
credit report from all three reporting agencies because some creditors
don’t report to all three agencies. If you’re a member of a credit union,
check to see if your credit union offers discounted credit report
ordering for its members.

Fix any errors on your credit report. If you find errors on your credit
report, contact the credit reporting agency and the creditor (in writing)
to get the errors fixed. Check your credit report to make sure that
negative information like late payments, delinquencies, liens, and
judgments against you have been removed after 7 years; bankruptcies
should be removed after ten years.

For more information on how to dispute errors on your credit report,
visit the Federal Trade Commission website at:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/crdtdis.htm.

Apply for a credit card. If you’re rebuilding your credit history,
consider applying for a secured credit card. To get a secured credit
card, you’ll need to deposit funds with the credit card issuer and your
credit limit is usually equal to the amount you deposit. A secured card
can be used the same way as an unsecured card and your timely payments
will help to improve your credit history.

Apply for a department store or gasoline card. These cards are usually
easier to get than major credit cards and they come with smaller credit
limits.

Establish an account at a credit union and take a loan out on it. This is
a secured loan. You’ll have to pay interest on the loan, but if your
payments are reported to the credit bureaus, the small interest fees will
be worth the positive information that is added to your credit record.

Don’t max out your credit cards. Maxing out your credit cards can hurt
your credit score. Try not to use more than 30% of the credit you have
available to you. Part of your credit score measures the amount of credit
that your have available to you and how much you’re using. The more
credit you’re using, the more negative impact on your credit score.

If you get into trouble with your credit, get help. Don’t wait until
creditors send your accounts to debt collectors. If you can’t make a
payment contact the creditor and make arrangements to make the payment.
If you feel that you’re over your head in debt get help from a debt
counselor.

You can contact Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union at:

Equifax: http://www.equifax.com/

Experian: http://www.experian.com/

Trans Union: http://www.tuc.com/

About The Author

Drahcir Semaj is a freelance writer. You can contact him at
drahcir@drahcirsemaj.com . Or visit his
website at http://www.drahcirsemaj.com

What Paper or Computer Files Should You Keep?

2009-08-06T20:00:00.000-06:00

What Paper or Computer Files Should You Keep?
by: Judy Cullins

As business people we must deal with a great deal of paper and
information from email and the net every day. You need to know however,
that according to the "Pareto Time Management Rule," only 20% of all
paper and information is important. That leaves 80% that is not
important. It's just another decision to make as to whether this
information makes your life better or not.

Does this shock you? It did me at first, but now I subscribe to this
motto and let go of all paper and information that doesn't serve me. It's
my new mantra. If the information is important I make sure it gets
filed--either in paper files or on my computer. More and more I don't use
paper files and have learned how to make new folders of important people
or specific information I need to keep track of.

If you are a stacker, slinger, or stuffer, you can now expand your power
by keeping only what is important to you.

How to File these Important Pieces

If in a paper file organize them alphabetically and vertically and put a
complete name at the top of the manila file folder. Categorize the kinds
of files too: one for household information, another for the teleclasses
and speaking engagements, another for coaching clients, and another for
promotion Online and off.

In a computer word folder organize information alphabetically too. "My
documents" includes these and many more, but with this technique you will
always know where to find the important information because it's
organized and categorized in folders Examples include: articles to
submit, contacts influential, ClickBank, promotion campaigns by month and
of course folders for books in word and PDF. These folders are the
lifeblood of any business.

Make sure you keep only information that supports your best life. With
that 20% make sure you file it so you can find it in less than two
minutes!

Judy Cullins c. 2004 All Rights Reserved

About The Author

Judy Cullins: 20-year author, speaker, book coach
Helps entrepreneurs manifest their book and web dreams
eBk: "Ten Non-techie Ways to Market Your Book Online"
http://www.bookcoaching.com
To receive FREE "The Book Coach Says..."
or Business Tip of the Month go to
http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml
Judy@bookcoaching.com
Orders: 866/200-9743

The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 4

2009-08-05T20:00:00.000-06:00

The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 4
by: Palyn Peterson

At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy,
no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate
is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true.

Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely
new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not,
it will be well worth your while to put them into effect in your own
life. The magic they will work on your financial life is guaranteed. I
urge you to put them to work - any one of these could change your life!
Big changes come from small steps. One plus one does equal two, so if you
add one from eleven different places, you will see big results.

This is a four part series giving you advice on saving your hard-earned
money in a variety of down-to-earth ways. Nothing here is anything that
anyone can't do on a daily basis.

Amazing Money Tip #9 You must set short-term goals and long-term goals.
If you don't know where you are going, how do you expect to get there?
It's simple but powerful logic. When you have a target sitting out there
somewhere in the future, a target which is your goal, it can almost act
like a magnet that pulls you toward it.

Setting solid goals which are attainable, yet still a challenge, have
proved time and time again to be one of the most powerful methods of
achieving wealth and success ever developed. It has been demonstrated in
corporate training schemes. It has been used successfully again and again
by countless individuals. Setting both short term goals and long-term
goals has the effect of focusing your mind like a laser beam. It pulls
you along toward higher and better things. It gives solidity to what you
are trying to accomplish, and thus makes that which you want more real
and likely to come into your life.

As you have probably heard, it is best to write your short- term and
long-term goals down on paper and then post them somewhere in your
workplace and home. The first thing you should do every morning is look
over your goal list, and then put together your Top 10 to do list which
will move you toward your goal. The last thing you should do every
evening is review your short-term and long-term goals, and tell yourself
as you go to sleep that you are going to do everything in your power to
make those goals a reality in your life. Amazing Money Tip #10 Invest
your money and make it work at multiplying itself. Saving money in a
savings account is important as we said above, but the 2.3 percent
interest rates most banks give you is not even enough to keep pace with
inflation.

You must do more than save your money -- you must invest it. That means
financial vehicles with super-high rates of return, such as mutual funds
and stocks, or the more risky commodity markets.

A $5,000 investment in commodities can return you 10 times that amount --
$50,000 --in just a few weeks, although you could easily lose it as well.
Invest your savings into a long term certificate (CD). You can often get
one with an interest rate up 4.5-5%. They are 100% safe, and still give
you a much better return than normal savings accounts.

The bottom line is, you should take a portion of your savings and put it
in a high interest or high risk investment plans. That's the way to
really get ahead. Amazing Money Tip #11 Have fun! Yes, this tip
easily makes my list because it is so essential to your success. The
great writer Ray Bradbury once said in an interview: "If you are not
having fun, you might as well forget it. Do everything you do with joy
and you'll be successful." You need to be having fun to stay positive,
and you need to stay positive to make money. So come on! Get out their:
laugh, clap your hands, live! Have a blast and rake in the cash! The
world is waiting for you!

I hope you have learned many new ways to save your hard- earned money,
and enjoy your day-to-day life more. Remember, nothing discussed in this
4 part series is anything that you can't do. If you put this information
to good use, it is guaranteed that you will benefit from it.

Copyright © by Palyn Peterson

mailto:palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com

About The Author

Palyn Peterson publishes the acclaimed Advanced Internet Marketing News.
A professional newsletter with a refreshing perspective and a strong
focus on no-cost techniques. http://FutureInternetMarketing.com. FREE Tips, Tricks, Tools,
Resources, eBooks, and More!

The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 3

2009-08-04T20:00:00.000-06:00

The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 3
by: Palyn Peterson

At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy,
no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate
is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true.

Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely
new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not,
it will be well worth your while to put them into effect in your own
life. The magic they will work on your financial life is guaranteed. I
urge you to put them to work - any one of these could change your life!
Big changes come from small steps. One plus one does equal two, so if you
add one from eleven different places, you will see big results.

This is a four part series giving you advice on saving your hard-earned
money in a variety of down-to-earth ways. Nothing here is anything that
anyone can't do on a daily basis.

Amazing Money Tip #6

Do what you love and the money will follow. I think there's a book by
that title. At any rate, it's true. One of the primary reasons that many
people live paycheck to paycheck, and are broke despite working very hard
at their jobs, is the fact that they hate what they do.

If you hate your job, you will not have a positive attitude toward money.
You will associate money with that dreadful sound of the alarm clock
every morning. Once you tie up your source of wealth and income with
drudgery, that's exactly what the majority of your life will become:
drudgery.

Starting today, you should begin planning your escape. The first thing
you should ask yourself is: "If money were no object, what would I be
doing? What do I like to do most for fun, and is it possible that I could
get paid for it?"

Sound ludicrous? It's not. In fact, if your work is not also your play,
you are fighting against yourself. You will eventually burn out and hate
the world. On the other hand, if you get up every day being exciting,
positive and looking forward to what you are going to be doing - and
making money at it - you will automatically move toward doing more and
more of what you love, and making more and more money at it. If your
dream job means starting your own business, don't let that stop you
either! It is much easier than most people think. Look in to it, it could
literally change your life.

Amazing Money Tip #7

You must get organized. Being a tidy, efficient person has more influence
on how much money you make more than you can ever imagine.

If you want to have a lot of money, you can't afford to be a slob. Think
about it. Let's say you are at your desk trying to get some work done.
You need to find the stapler, but because your office is such a pit, you
spend 15 minutes looking for it. You've just spent 15 unproductive
minutes. Next you may need to locate a file, and that takes you 20
minutes of sifting through paper. Another 20 minutes down the tube. By
the end of the day, you may easily burn up two or three hours doing
something as trivial as looking for things. The same goes for any kind of
job you might have. If you are an auto mechanic, how much time do you
spend trying to find a nine-sixteenth wrench, when you could have it at
your fingertips.

It's disorganized people who are always saying at the end of the day: "I
seem to work so hard but get very little done!" Of course! You spent the
entire day looking for the Scotch tape!

The fact is, time is money. The more time you spend unproductively, the
less time you are earning money. Clean up your office. Organize your tool
shed. Get your bookwork organized. Think of every minute saved as a buck
in your pocket.

Amazing Money Tip #8

Make your own daily top 10 list. Speaking of getting organized, you
should sit down every morning with your cup of coffee and list the top 10
things you would like to get done that day. Then organize them in
priority of importance. Start at item #1 and go down the list as fast as
you can.

Make no doubt about it - this is a powerful way to get work done. It will
put hoards of cash in your pocket. The reason is that making money is all
about movement - forward movement. As the famous novelist Ayn Rand told
us, in a capitalist society the most important things a person can do is
move forward every day!

Having a top ten list will ensure that you accomplish something every
day. You may not get through the whole list every day, nor should you
necessarily try. Just do your best. At the end of the day, you should be
able to look at your list with pride, examine the scratched off items and
say: "That's what I got done today! I did something to better my life and
create wealth!"

Again, this method has been used by a majority of the most wealthy and
successful people in history. Shouldn't you join the club?

The next of the 11 best money saving ideas of all time will be discussed
in part 4. Until then, take note of what you have learned so far and put
this information to good use. Read and reread this article; I bet you
will notice a difference sooner than you think.

Copyright © by Palyn Peterson

mailto:palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com

The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 2

2009-08-03T20:00:00.000-06:00

The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 2
by: Palyn Peterson

At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy,
no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate
is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true.

Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely
new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not,
it will be well worth your while to put them into effect in your own
life. The magic they will work on your financial life is guaranteed. I
urge you to put them to work - any one of these could change your life!
Big changes come from small steps. One plus one does equal two, so if you
add one from eleven different places, you will see big results.

This is a four part series giving you advice on saving your hard-earned
money in a variety of down-to-earth ways. Nothing here is anything that
anyone can't do on a daily basis.

Amazing Money Tip #4

Ben Franklin said it long ago: "A penny saved is a penny earned." Yes,
it's still true, and still one of the most powerful money-making tips in
all history.

Implied within Franklin's famous statement is the difficulty of saving.
It's tough to save and easy to spend! You know that! That's why every
penny saved truly is earned - because it takes so much effort to hold on
to that cash! But if you can do it, it will work magic in your life.
Having a savings account will de-stress your life. Imagine being ahead of
your bills, rather than behind. When you are ahead of your bills, you
entire life comes under your control. You sleep better at night. Your
mind is freer to come up with new ways to make more money and save more.
Saving is contagious - once you let it get started!

Here are some tips to help you save:

1. Don't settle for interest checking. Have a separate savings account
that can't be as easily accessed as a checking account.

2. Keep your savings in another bank - one that's off your regular
route, or perhaps even in another town. That way you won't be tempted
to dip into it every time you visit the bank to make a checking
deposit.

3. Buy short-term savings bonds, which have 6-month to one- year
maturity dates. That way you will get a higher rate, while at the same
time keeping your money close in case of real emergencies.

4. If you can, open the account under two names and require that both
signatures be required to make a withdrawal. Two people can debate
each withdrawal and keep each other in line.

5. When you get your paycheck, immediately put a minimum of 5% in your
savings account. After just a year, you'll be surprised by how much
you have actually saved and feel great about it.

Amazing Money Tip #5

Visualize wealth and abundance everyday. Am I actually suggesting that
you practice some sort of airy-fairy mysticism that will make you into a
"money magnet"? Maybe yes, maybe no. Call it what you will - a mind game,
mysticism, New Age ga-ga -- but the solid fact is that behind every
wealthy man and woman is a positive attitude toward money. Here's a quick
demonstration:

(1) Person One with a negative money attitude has daily thoughts which go
this way: "Jeez! $20 bucks is hard to come by! I seem to work so hard and
get so little for it. Money just slips through my fingers. It's amazing
how much money you have to earn to just get by these days. I'm never
going to be able to afford that new car on my limited salary, but this
job is still the best thing going for me right now. It's easy for some
people to make a lot of money, but I'm not one of those people ..." and
on and on.

(2) Person Two with a positive money attitude has daily thoughts which go
this way: "You know, I bet if I work my butt off I can get a raise next
month, and then I'll take half of the extra money I make and toss it in a
savings account. There must be a 100 other ways I can bring in some extra
cash. Money is not all that hard to earn if you work hard, watch your
spending and save a little at a time. There's enough wealth for everybody
in this country, and I can easily get my share, and more ..." and on and
on.

Okay. Which person do you think will have a better chance of success? You
don't need to be a Rhodes Scholar to see how Person One is dragging
himself down with his thoughts, and how Person Two is giving himself a
fighting chance.

Look at it this way: It costs nothing one way or the other to have either
negative or positive thoughts. So why not have positive thoughts?

There have been many studies done on the thought patterns and the frames
of mind of some of the richest, most successful people in the world. The
one thing they all had in common was a positive attitude toward money and
their ability to earn it.

The next of the 11 best money saving ideas of all time will be discussed
in part 3. Until then, take note of what you have learned so far and put
this information to good use. Read and reread this article; I bet you
will notice a difference sooner than you think.

Copyright © by Palyn Peterson

mailto:palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com

About The Author

Sign up for Palyn Peterson's FREE 13 day intensive email course and
discover the 16 necessary basics and 8 advanced internet marketing
techniques. You'll also receive a free $gift$.
http://FutureInternetMarketing.com/guide.htm
palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com

The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 1

2009-08-02T20:00:00.000-06:00

The 11 Best Money Saving Ideas of All Time - Part 1
by: Palyn Peterson

At any time in history, no matter what the current state of the economy,
no matter what the current trends, no matter what the unemployment rate
is or where interest rates lurk, some money-saving ideas stay true.

Some of you may have heard of these ideas before, others may be entirely
new to you. But whether you are familiar with these super secrets or not,
it will be well worth your while to put them into effect in your own
life. The magic they will work on your financial life is guaranteed. I
urge you to put them to work - any one of these could change your life!
Big changes come from small steps. One plus one does equal two, so if you
add one from eleven different places, you will see big results.

This is a four part series giving you advice on saving your hard-earned
money in a variety of down-to-earth ways. Nothing here is anything that
anyone can't do on a daily basis.

Amazing Money Tip #1:

The great scientist Albert Einstein once said, "It takes a genius to see
the obvious." What he meant by that is that sometimes the simplest things
in life are the most powerful ... but because they are so simple, we tend
to ignore them, and not let them work for us.

One of the simplest but most powerful money making ideas is this: keep a
daily log of everything you spend. Go to the dollar store and buy a
little notebook and carry it with you wherever you go. Write down every
penny - every single penny - you spend. It's as simple as that.

If you do this, you will find something magic happening in your financial
life in just a few weeks.

There is something incredibly powerful about writing down all your
expenditures. It makes the flow of money through your life more real and
exact. It shows you simply and clearly just where you are spending your
money, on what and why. Once you know that, it becomes much easier to
control your spending.

Many people who have taken up this practice have not only learned
something about themselves which they never knew before, but they are
often astounded.

For example, a person could realized through examining their notebook
that they actually spent nearly $2,000 throughout the year on diet soft
drinks, snacks and candy bars! Since their job only brings in $25,000 per
year, they realized that 8% of their entire income was being frittered
away on something entirely frivolous. The person gave up the snacks and
drinks, and found they had enough money to go on vacation the following
year. If you had the choice between snacks or a much needed vacation,
which would you choose?

The point is, it was their daily expense log that helped achieve the
insight and clarity they needed to get control of their finances. That's
what a simple spending record will do for you - it will give you control
over your spending, and thus your financial life. There may be nothing
but a 75-cent notebook and a ballpoint pen between your life of financial
struggle and financial freedom.

Amazing Money Tip #2:

Stop deficit spending! We all know how much trouble Uncle Sam has been
creating spending more money than our country takes in. It's called
deficit spending. Well, don't fool yourself. The same rules apply to you.
Using those evil little plastic cards may be the "American Way," but it's
a darn poor way.

Today, the average credit card holder is carrying $8,000 in plastic debt!

Spending yourself into debt with a credit card is unbelievably easy, as
many of you already know. The reason is psychological. When you give that
clerk a credit card, it's just not the same as handing over a stack of
green dollar bills. Would you as readily hand over a fistful of ten
dollar bills as flip a credit card across a counter? Probably not.

Credit cards put you in the hole and keep you there. Even for people with
good incomes, paying your credit card debt down to zero is amazingly
difficult. And make no bones about it, credit card debt will sap your
financial strength just as readily as an open vein will deplete your
physical body of its very life force. Using a credit card by choice can
quickly turn to using it for need. Once you get to that point, you are
already in trouble.

There is no secret to freeing yourself from the credit card game. You
must take out a pair of scissors today, cut your cards in half, and begin
paying them back, slowly but surely. Be sure to always pay more than the
minimum amount due, even if it is just $10 more. Once you stop adding to
the debt, even small payments will eventually add up. You can get out of
debt if you are patient and disciplined. Once your cards are history, you
must adopt a strict pay-as- you go policy. Instead of buying now and
paying later, save now and buy when you have the full amount.

Once again, this is not rocket science, but stopping credit- oriented
consuming is one of the most powerful financial tools available to anyone
today. Why not pick up this tool and use it?

Amazing Money Tip #3:

Sell your junk. That's right, it's high past time for a major yard sale.
Search through your house or apartment for every single item you don't
need, and could sell at a flea market or yard sale.

Take an inventory. The truth is, most people are astounded by what they
own - and how much money they have tied up in useless stuff. Why let it
collect dust in your attic while it could collect interest in a savings
account.

You could easily be $500, $1,000 ... even $3,000 richer by the end of the
week. As an added bonus, you'd have your place cleaned up, and you will
have a fresh feeling of starting over. A garage sale is an excellent way
to not only clean out your house, but it often gives a psychological
boost that helps people get control of their life and money.

The next of the 11 best money saving ideas of all time will be discussed
in part 2. Until then, take note of what you have learned so far and put
this information to good use. Read and reread this article; I bet you
will notice a difference sooner than you think.

Copyright © by Palyn Peterson
palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com

About The Author

Get the very same internet marketing techniques that many "guru's" are
asking you $200 for -- FREE. Discover 24 necessary techniques. You'll
also receive a free $gift$.
http://FutureInternetMarketing.com/guide.htm
palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com

Get a Job! Tips for Organizing Your Resume

2009-08-01T20:00:00.000-06:00

Get a Job! Tips for Organizing Your Resume
by: Stacey Agin Murray

Whether you're a Vice President of Marketing or a recent college grad,
your resume is the 'key' to opening the doors of employment. It is an
employer's first impression of you and believe it or not, many hiring
officials spend less than thirty seconds reviewing it. With only fleeting
moments to make a first impression, it is imperative that your resume be
organized.

Polish your shoes, practice your handshake, and take note of some tips
for creating an organized resume that will catch the eye of even the most
weary of HR associates:
* Start by sitting down with your old resume and a timer. Give yourself
fifteen seconds to read it. How far did you get? Were you able to read
the whole page? Besides 'getting your foot in the door,' your goal is
to create a resume that can be scanned top to bottom in less than 30
seconds. It must be organized to punctuate your strengths and highlight
your employment-related achievements. Next, give yourself another
fifteen seconds but this time skim your resume as if you were the
person doing the hiring. What parts stood out? Was it a bold or italic
phrase? Was it a tabbed column of words or a dollar sign? Think about
what words or sections jumped out at you, circle them in red, and use
them within the body of your new resume. For another opinion, take a
fresh copy and ask a friend or family member to do the same.
* On scrap paper, create a chart and write all of your past jobs across
the top of the page. Below each job title list at least 2-4
duties/accomplishments relating to the position. Analyze each of those
and ask yourself: Does this achievement have any relevance to the job
I'm now pursuing? Will the reader of my resume be impressed by the
money I've saved the company/the body of work I created/the skills I've
acquired? If your answer is yes, the next step is to prioritize those
duties and/or accomplishments.

For example, let's say you are an administrative assistant listing
relevant duties and achievements from your last job. This is your
newly-brainstormed, non-prioritized list:
* answered phone calls
* created and color-coded filing system to support VP of Sales
* coordinated supervisor's travel arrangements
* saved Sales department $12,000 by researching companies and switching
office supply vendors

Now, take a moment to prioritize your list. Which description should be
listed first? Which of the four will quickly catch the reader's eye?
Depending upon the type of job you're applying for, if you saved your
former company any money or increased their productivity in any way, that
fact should be listed first.

Now read the list:
* saved Sales department $12,000 by researching companies and switching
office supply vendors
* created and color-coded filing system to support VP of Sales
* coordinated supervisor's travel arrangements
* answered phone calls

Always position your strongest achievement first. Either they'll be
impressed and move on or think 'Wow!' and continue reading directly
below. An eye-catching first statement will positively affect every
statement listed beneath it so choose wisely.
* Use Bulleted Lists. As opposed to a sea of text, a bulleted list
focuses the eye to a specific area on the page. They are often used to
highlight your accomplishments instead of hiding them within bulky
paragraphs.

Example:

Saved Sales department $12,000 by researching companies and switching
office supply vendors. Created and color-coded filing system to support
VP of Sales. Coordinated supervisor's travel arrangements. Answered phone
calls vs.
* saved Sales department $12,000 by researching companies and switching
office supply vendors
* created and color-coded filing system to support VP of Sales
* coordinated supervisor's travel arrangements
* answered phone calls

Remember, one of your goals is to make reading your resume as easy as
possible. The reader's eye will dart straight to the bullet and focus on
what is written to it's immediate right. If you want to hold the reader's
attention, use 'action words' (verbs) next to a bullet (see example
above). Employing strong action words will assist the reader in
visualizing you carrying out those tasks for their company.

To an HR official, an organized resume can be interpreted as the sign of
an organized person. An organized person has the potential to have an
organized desktop, organized file cabinets and organized work habits.
These are skills and qualities that employers desire in an employee. If
you can present a company/organization with an organized resume it will
put you one step ahead of your less organized competition.

BONUS TIP:
* Do not make 100 copies of your resume until at least one other person
has reviewed it for errors and inconsistencies. Five minutes of
'editorial prevention' can mean the difference between getting an
interview or getting a rejection letter.

About The Author

Stacey Agin Murray, professional organizer and owner of Organized
Artistry, LLC, transforms 'mess' into 'masterpiece' with patience,
organizing know-how, and a sense of humor. For more articles and to get
your FREE e-list of 'Top Ten Tips for Organized Living' visit
http://www.organizedartistry.com
stacey@organizedartistry.com

Shocking Facts - What Debt Settlement Companies Don't Tell You

2009-07-31T20:00:00.000-06:00

Shocking Facts - What Debt Settlement Companies Don't Tell You
by: Denise Hall

If you're thinking about using a debt consolidation or debt settlement
service to help you get out of debt faster and save money on your monthly
payments, make sure you do your homework before choosing a company. There
are definitely shams and scams out there.

First let me say that debt consolidation is *not* the same as debt
settlement/negotiation, which most people don't realize.

Debt settlement companies charge hundreds of dollars as an initial "admin
fee" to set up your account, plus a monthly service fee. The fees vary
depending on the company and the amount of your debts.

Such companies take your money every month, but don't make monthly
payments to your creditors! Instead, they put it in a trust account,
negotiate your debts with your creditors, then make a lump-sum payment
when there's enough in your account to pay a creditor in full.

That can take *years* depending on the amount of debt you have with each
creditor. Meanwhile, you can be sued by your creditors and your wages can
be garnished! (Or just don't make payments to your creditors. You'll end
up in the same spot without paying someone to help you get there!)

Settlement companies don't ask your creditors to stop all interest, late
fees and overlimit fees from accruing. That means while the negotiations
are ongoing, your bills will continue to grow! So if you're sued and a
judgement is brought against you, you'll owe more money than before!

And shoddy companies, which there are alot of, don't tell you *any* of
this up front. I call it "getting permission by ommission" because they
simply don't tell you how their program works *before* you sign an
agreement with them. Or after, for that matter. But if you ask the right
questions, eventually you'll figure it out. (Or when the crap hits the
fan. Whichever comes first.)

Let me give you an example of how debt settlement works.

Let's say you have $20,000 in unsecured credit card debt. You owe $10,000
to one credit card company, $6,000 to another and $4,000 to a third. You
agree to a 5 year plan where you pay $250 a month to the settlement
company. (After all, $250 a month for 60 months is only $15,000, so
you're saving $5,000 and you'll be debt-free in 5 years, right?)

The admin fee will cost you $750. Your first 3 monthly payments go
towards that and nothing gets put into your trust account until your 4th
month.

The settlement company keeps $50 of your $250 payment each month for the
service fee. That means $200 a month is being added to your trust account.

Most debt settlement companies claim to be able to negotiate your debt
for about 50% of what you owe. So let's use the lowest credit card debt
as an example.

If you owe $4,000 and your creditor agrees to accept $2,000 as payment in
full, it will take 10 months at $200 per month to have enough in your
trust account to pay off just that one credit card.

But remember, your first 3 payments to the settlement company only paid
the admin fee. That means your first credit card settlement is 14 months
*after* you started sending them money.

So what's the problem? It's simple. Your creditor won't agree to accept
half of your actual debt unless, or until, it can be paid in full.
Otherwise, you're expected to make your normal monthly payments.

Since you don't have $2,000 in your trust account, and you won't have it
until more than a year after you stopped paying your creditor directly,
they'll probably take you to court and request that your wages be
garnished long before you have that $2,000 built up.

And what about your other creditors? Well, they'll be waiting even longer
to get their money from the settlement company. The $6,000 debt will take
15 *more* months to pay off, assuming your creditor waits that long and
agrees to 50%. And that $10,000 bill? You do the math.

On the other hand, if you signed up for a 3 year plan with the settlement
company, your debts would be paid off sooner. But, the question is, will
your creditors wait that long? Probably not.

The facts are, you can negotiate with your creditors yourself. Most will
agree to take a smaller monthly payment from you and stop all interest
and fees from accruing. And, of course, you'll save thousands of dollars
in fees to a settlement company.

Before signing up for any service, please be sure you check out the
company thoroughly. And don't let the words "non-profit" fool you either.
Alot of debt settlement companies claim to be non-profit.

Going back to the example above, if you pay them $15,000 over a 5 year
time frame and they settle your debts at half of what you owed, they'll
make $5,000 from you. I'd call that a profit, especially since they might
not have actually helped you in any way.

Most companies will allow you to cancel your account and get a refund of
what you've paid, less the non-refundable admin fee and the monthly
service fees. If you feel you've been mislead about their program, don't
hesitate to argue til the cows come home. File a complaint with the
Better Business Bureau or hire an attorney if you feel you're getting
nowhere.

You can visit the Better Business Bureau's website (http://www.bbb.org) and find reports on hundreds of companies. Here's a
small listing of companies that have poor reputations with the BBB:

National Consumer Debt Council LLC - Irvine, CA (A.K.A. NCDC, United
Consumer Law Group)

Financial Rescue Services - Burbank, CA

Debt Legal Services - Anaheim, CA

American Debt Relief - Los Angeles, CA (A.K.A. A M Debt, American Debts
Relief, Debt Relief)

Please be very cautious when choosing a debt help company and ask lots of
questions before agreeing to anything. If you find they're evading your
questions, run fast and run far. There are reputable companies out there,
so keep looking until you find one.

About The Author

Denise Hall is the owner of Home Business on a Budget which specializes
in tools and resources for your home business needs. Visit
http://www.home-business-on-a-budget.com today. Subscribe to Home
Business on a Budget Newsletter for weekly articles, tips, information
and resources. To Subscribe mailto:hbb_newsletter@a1ebiz.com

If you would like to receive her new articles when they are written,
please mailto:denise_hall@freeautobot.com

This article may be reprinted in its entirety with this resource box
included.
dmh0226@voyager.net

Slam the Door on Debt

2009-07-30T20:00:00.001-06:00

Slam the Door on Debt
by: ARA Content

http://IHateFinancialPlanning.com offers ten
tips to help you get out and stay out

(ARA) - According to American Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc., the
average balance on a credit card is $7,000, offering an average interest
rate of 18.9 percent.

Additional statistics show that the average household has 10 credit cards
and, not surprisingly, over half of those households report having
trouble paying their minimum monthly payments.

Common indicators of a debt problem include not knowing the state of your
personal finances; not knowing how much you owe or what interest rate you
are paying; missing payments; having poor savings habits; using one
credit card to pay another, or living paycheck-to-paycheck.

For many Americans, the statistics and debt problem indicators hit even
closer to home with the conclusion of the holiday shopping season and the
onset of the ever-dreaded tax season. Facing debts is one of the major
barriers for people in dealing with their personal finances.

One organization that understands the problems associated with debt
management is IHateFinancialPlanning.com
(www.IHateFinancialPlanning.com), a Web site intended for the 3 out of 4
Americans who hate financial planning. The site offers helpful tips for
eliminating debt and staying out of debt in the future.

"Millions of Americans love the instant gratification of using their
credit card and hate thinking about the serious consequences of
accumulating debt," says Randy Schuldt, a vice president with
IHateFinancialPlanning.com. "Debt can paralyze people from moving
forward. But, with a solid plan and the right tools, paying off their
credit cards and eliminating their debts can be tolerable and even
enjoyable."

Numerous options are available for those who are struggling to shut the
door on debt. Declaring bankruptcy is not necessarily the best option.
Sites such as IHateFinancialPlanning.com provide advice, tools and
resources for those needing assistance. Visitors to the site also have
the option of e-mailing their questions and receiving a free answer from
a professional with no strings or sales pitches attached.

To help you get started on the road to less debt and greater
gratification, IHateFinancialPlanning.com offers the following tips:

Put Yourself First

That's right! It sounds a bit surprising, but according to Debtors
Anonymous (www.debtorsanonymous.org), it's critical to take care of
yourself while eliminating debt. No, this doesn't mean that you can go on
a spending spree if you are feeling depressed. Instead, get plenty of
rest and eat well to keep energized while focusing on your goal of being
debt free.

Keep a Record and Prioritize

Keep track of every nickel you spend for a month and record amounts spent
in appropriate categories - i.e. housing, transportation, food, clothes,
entertainment, etc. It doesn't have to be a fancy software program - just
a pencil and a pad of paper will suffice. At the end of the month,
analyze where your money is going. Decide if the items purchased are
necessities or niceties. Be realistic. What spending can you eliminate or
reduce in order to reach your goal of being debt free? Perhaps you can
pack your lunch rather than eat out every day, rent a movie rather than
see the latest release, or scale down on your clothing budget. Do you
really need another tie or an additional pair of black shoes?

List Your Debts

Create a list of your debts - the amount you owe and the interest rate.
Make the minimum payment each month - but more importantly, make a
commitment to pay off the debt with the highest interest rate first by
making an extra payment. After you've paid off that debt, apply the
amount you were paying on the old debt to your next debt with the next
highest interest rate. Don't reduce the total debt payment amount just
because one debt is paid off.

Create a Spending Plan

Once you have made a record of how you spend your money and have
concluded which expenses are necessary, then you are ready to create a
spending plan. Start by projecting how much money you will spend in each
category for the month. Change the amount if your situation changes.
Didn't expect to break your arm and dent your vehicle's bumper in the
same month? Make adjustments and move forward. Create a new plan for each
month. This is the best tool to stay in control of your spending.
Remember that some of these tips are appropriate for your lifestyle, some
of them are not. Personalize your plan and keep focused.

Cut Up and Cancel

Get rid of those credit cards! Cut them up and cancel them. Be aware that
when you try to cancel your credit card, the company may offer you an
extended line of credit or a lower interest rate. Do not be tempted! It's
not your glowing personality that entices them to do business with you.
If you can handle having one, keep a credit card for emergency purposes
(which doesn't include a last-minute trip to the Bahamas to beat the
winter blahs). Pay off that one credit card each and every month - or
else be back in the same shipwrecked boat of debt. Minimum monthly
payments are not acceptable.

Debit Not Credit

Love the feel of plastic sliding through your fingers while making a
purchase? Worried you will have withdrawal? Use a debit card that
immediately withdraws money from your checking account. Experience the
feeling of gratification knowing you've paid for the item you just picked
out.

Income-producing Investments

Use credit to purchase items that give you some income-producing
potential. There is such a thing as good debt - a mortgage for a home, a
loan for an education or the start of a new business. Sorry, payments on
an expensive new SUV don't count unless you make a living as a chauffeur.

Credit is Not Income

If you apply for one of the seven credit card applications that arrive
annually in an average American's mail, and receive a $5000 line of
credit, don't consider it a raise. It's not your money and you haven't
earned it. You have simply been given the opportunity to accumulate debt
at the lender's benefit. Americans paid out approximately $65 billion in
interest last year alone. With the exception of your mortgage, credit
payments should never exceed 10 percent of your income.

Shop Around and Be Smart

Take a look at other interest rates. Be smart. Don't finance your car
with a credit card if you can get a car loan at a lower interest rate. If
your current interest rate on your credit card is 15 percent and another
company is offering you 8 percent, contact your credit card company and
see if they will meet the competitor's rate. If not, take advantage of
offers to transfer your higher interest rate cards to lower interest rate
cards. It's worth the time to shop around while you are lowering your
debt.

Save, Save and Then Save Some More

Start saving today. If your credit card payment of $500 per month was
eliminated and you were able to invest that amount in a savings vehicle
earning a 10 percent return, you would save over $1 million in 30 years.
That's real money in your piggy bank.

Leave the Piggy Bank Alone

If you have already started a 401K plan or have a savings account, resist
the temptation of using your investments to pay off your debt. Take
advantage of the good side of interest - the compounding side - and keep
your investments on track. Think long-term, not short-term, while paying
off your debts.

About The Author

Courtesy ARA Content, http://www.ARAcontent.com;
e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information contact Maclaren Latta, Carmichael
Lynch Spong, (612) 375-8570, mlatta@clynch.com
or Stephen Dupont, Carmichael Lynch Spong, (612) 375-8525,
sdupont@clynch.com.

Securities available through PrimeVest Financial Services, Inc., Member
NASD/SIPC. Call (320) 656-4300, ext. 64691, for a prospectus, which
contains complete information on expenses and charges. Read it carefully
before you send money or invest. IHateFinancialPlanning.com is part of
the ING Group, a worldwide leader in the fields of insurance, banking and
asset management, with more than 100,000 employees in 65 countries.

How Do You Put a Value on Your Time?

2009-07-29T20:00:00.000-06:00

How Do You Put a Value on Your Time?
by: Janice D. Byer, MVA

As a small business owner, does the following paragraph sound familiar to
you…?

“Other than doing the technical ‘fix-its’ with my computer…I do it all! I
have found that this keeps me very limited in growing my business and
taking on new clients. I wish I had someone to help but how can I justify
hiring someone when I can do the work myself…when I have the time?”

This is a very common issue for many small business owners. All the work,
whether revenue generating or not, needs to be done to keep the business
running smoothly.

We need to reconnect with our goals for our business and our vision for
its future. We need to focus on why we started this business in the first
place. Focusing includes deciding how much our time is worth.

But, how do you put a value on your time? How much is each hour of each
day worth, especially when you are doing projects that are not generating
revenue or increasing your customer base?

Is your time worth $25, $50, $100 per hour….or more? When you get busy
doing those tasks that don’t directly generate revenue, consider how much
it is costing you.

For example:

You charge $75 per hour for your services/time. You spend a total of 5
hours trying to catch up on your correspondence…entering information into
a database, typing and re-typing your letters and preparing them to be
mailed.

$75/hr X 5 hours = $375.00 of your valuable time and profit

If it would cost you less to outsource, why not do it? Why not allow a
professional to handle some of your tasks leaving you with more time to
generate revenue?

$25/hr (sample cost to outsource) X 5 hours = $125.00

$375 - $125 = $250 + the $ of the contract you signed while a
professional took care of the non-revenue generating tasks.

Although you are spending some of your hard earned money, you are gaining
so much more. Outsourcing gives you professional assistance, which in
turn saves you both time and money...the two things that most small
business owners need more of.

About The Author

Janice Byer is a certified Master Virtual Assistant and owner of
Docu-Type Administrative & Web Design Services (http://www.docutype.net). See this and other articles on her website.
jbyer@docutype.net

Credit Report And Correction Techniques

2009-07-28T20:00:00.000-06:00

Credit Report And Correction Techniques
by: Virginia Broobin

The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and Trans Union are
similar and feature a "Credit Score", which is created from credit report
data submitted to them about you. Their report includes where you live,
your bill-paying habits, and bankruptcy and arrest information. The
information compiled by them is used to determine whether you would be a
good borrower. It may also be used by a business to decide whether you
would be a good employee.

Credit report repair involves techniques for removing negative credit
records from your credit report. These are the exact same methods credit
score repair clinics and attorneys may charge up to $3,500 to perform. It
is also possible to outsmart creditors who are damaging your credit score.

1. Many times the creditor does not re-verify in time or the credit
bureau is busy and does not handle your dispute properly. This credit
record must then be deleted from your credit report.

2. Every negative credit record on your credit report can be negated by
you at any time. The credit bureau must reinvestigate and if that item
cannot be verified within a reasonable amount of time, that credit record
must be removed from the credit file (credit report).

3. Challenged credit record when challenged can be erased by mistake.

4. The credit bureau must prove each credit record on your credit report.
If this is not possible, it must be stricken from the credit report. So,
if the credit bureau cannot verify the credit record when investigated,
it must be removed from your credit file (credit report) even if it is
true.

5. It is possible that a very old credit records cannot be verified
because records may no longer exist after 1 or 2 years on credit report.

Your credit score is important for obtaining credit. Your credit score is
important to know, whether you need a new credit card, an auto loan, or a
mortgage. Lenders use your credit scores to decide whether you are a good
credit risk. If you have a high credit score, you are more likely to
obtain the best rates.

To obtain the excellent credit report service, correct your credit, get
FREE online Credit Report, make your Credit Score higher or avoid
becoming a Victim of Identity Theft visit Legalhelper.ws (
http://www.legalhelper.ws ).

About The Author

Virginia Broobin- Financial marketing specialist.
contact@legalhelper.ws

Details about Refinancing a Second Mortgage

2009-07-27T20:00:00.000-06:00

Details about Refinancing a Second Mortgage
by: Allan Young

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, 2009 will see the amount
of mortgage refinances rise from about $850 billion to over $1.9
trillion. While most of those refinanced mortgages will be primary
mortgages, there are many good reasons to consider refinancing a second
mortgage on your home. If you are making payments on a second mortgage,
also referred to as a home equity loan, refinancing could save you a good
deal of money on your loan repayment.

Why Refinance a Second Mortgage?

The reasons for refinancing a second mortgage are no different than the
reasons for refinancing a primary mortgage. When refinancing a second
mortgage you can potentially lower monthly loan payments, get into a
fixed rate loan from an adjustable rate loan, shorten the term of your
loan, and even get cash back at the closing. In addition to these
reasons, refinancing for a second mortgage also helps to combine your
first and second mortgage into one loan, so that you will have only one
payment to make. Refinancing for a second mortgage can also help to get
rid of private mortgage insurance. It is most important to know that
refinancing for a second mortgage is essentially the same process as
refinancing for your primary mortgage.

Does Refinancing Your Second Mortgage Make Sense?

There are many factors to consider when deciding whether or not to
refinance a second mortgage. Before you apply for a loan, you should
carefully weigh the costs versus the benefits, to see if it makes
financial sense for you. In order for a mortgage refinance to make sense,
most financial experts suggest that you follow some basic rules of thumb:

- A mortgage refinance may be a good idea if the interest rates have
dropped at least one percentage point below your current second mortgage
rate.

- A mortgage refinance only makes sense if you plan to remain in your
house for at least four more years.

- The costs of taking out a new loan plus any penalties for early
repayment of your old mortgage are less than your savings if you
refinance.

- Your financial circumstances have changed enough that you can qualify
for an interest rate that is at least one percent lower than your current
second mortgage interest rate.

How to Refinance a Second Mortgage

Before you decide on a second mortgage, you should first assess your own
financial health. Check your credit report to be sure that it accurately
reflects your current circumstances. If there are inaccuracies or
discrepancies on your credit report that may lower your credit score,
contact the credit bureaus to have the situation dealt with and removed.

If your credit is shaky, do what you can to rehab your credit score. Try
to pay off credit card balances as much as you can, and bring all of your
accounts to current standings. In certain cases, you may have to resolve
to make regular payments on all of your accounts for several months
before actually applying for a mortgage refinance loan.

You also want to decide what your aim is for refinancing your second
mortgage in order to figure out what kind of new loan to seek. For
example, if you want to lower your monthly payment and save money on your
overall mortgage, look for a mortgage refinance with a lower interest
rate. If you want to lower your monthly payment but the overall mortgage
is not important to you, try to refinance into a longer term second
mortgage. If your intent is to pay off your mortgage more quickly, look
for a mortgage with a shorter term. Your monthly payments will be larger,
but you will save a considerable amount of money over the life of your
loan. Lastly, if you want to combine your primary and second mortgage,
look for the lowest interest rates and shortest term that you can afford.

You will also want to get loan quotes from several lenders in order to
find the best deal. You do not have to refinance your current second
mortgage with the original lender, although your current lender may offer
you the best terms. Since each lender has their own criteria for
approving loans and deciding on interest rates, the loans that you are
offered can vary by as much as a full percentage point. It is to your
benefit to shop around and compare several different loan quotes. Not
only will you have a wider variety of choices of loans, but you will also
have bargaining power if you choose to negotiate with a particular loan
company.

Lastly, you want to choose the best second mortgage refinance loan that
you are offered. Once you have all of your loan quotes in line, compare
them carefully to choose the best one for your needs. Be sure to count in
the closing costs and any special incentives offered by the various loan
companies into your calculations. When you have made your choice, contact
the winning lender and finalize the arrangements for your mortgage
refinance.

About The Author
Allan Young is a freelance writer who writes about mortgages and home
ownership, often discussing a specific aspect of owning a home such as
refinancing home mortgage .

The author invites you to visit: http://www.absolutemortgageco.com

Why Your Mutual Fund Doesn't Return as Much as You Think

2009-07-26T20:00:00.000-06:00

Why Your Mutual Fund Doesn't Return as Much as You Think
by: ARA Content

(ARA) - As tax time nears, many mutual fund investors are starting to
wince. While most mutual funds' returns were down last year, their tax
bill remains high.

After years under-performing the S&P 500, the average US stock mutual
fund finally beat the index last year. But while the average fund was
down just 0.37% v. the S&P 500's 9.1% drop, investors in the average fund
actually lost around 3% when you add in the fees and capital gains taxes
they must pay, says James O'Shaughnessy, CEO of Netfolio.com
[http://Netfolio.com] and author of the bestseller What Works on Wall
Street.

"Mutual fund performance figures often leave out the taxes and some fees
you are required to pay as an investor," says O'Shaughnessy, a former
mutual fund manager and architect of a new investment service that
eliminates the big drawbacks of mutual funds. "The little guy is left
thinking he didn't do too badly when in fact he didn't do nearly as well
as he thought."

Even the Securities and Exchange Commission is fed up. Just weeks ago,
the SEC set new rules requiring mutual funds to disclose what they
haven't disclosed for years -- the impact of income taxes on a fund's
performance.

In the 1990s, investors all but overlooked their tax hit and the hidden
costs in mutual fund investing. Strong and steady bull market fund
returns made taxes a non-issue. But now, as investors gear up to pay
taxes in April, many are discovering the inequity of paying high taxes on
funds that declined in value.

How do taxes eat into fund returns? Let's say you invested $1,000 in the
average mutual fund in January 2000. You would think that because the
fund declined 0.37%, it left you with about $996 in December. Not too
bad, you say, it could have been worse.

But not so fast. Throughout the year, the manager of the average mutual
fund commonly sells 92% of his fund's stocks in an attempt to boost
returns. Who pays the capital gains taxes on his giddy trading activity?
You do. In fact, you'll have to pay a higher, short-term tax rate on the
gains from assets the manger held for less than a year.

That means you'll have to use your income tax bracket to calculate your
bill rather than the lower 20% rate charged on long-term gains. Your tax
rate on these gains could be as high as 50% after you add up the your
federal, state and local tax rates.

But taxes are only half the story. The typical mutual fund also charges
annual fees, an expense ratio it uses to pay the fund manager, and
transaction costs it uses to pay the fund's brokerage expenses.

Now let's revisit that $1,000 you invested in the average mutual fund
last January. By December, you would have paid about $18 in fees and
about $12 in capital gains taxes. So you lost about $30 on your $1,000
investment, not $3.70. That's about a 3% decline rather than the 0.37%
drop reported recently by fund-tracking firm Lipper Inc. The 0.37%
decline is the gross return of the average US stock fund and does not
include taxes or fees.

"Mutual fund investors should be offended by the amount of taxes and fees
they have to pay," says O'Shaughnessy. "Mutual funds may seem like
no-brainer investments but they can compromise your long-term savings
potential. All the money you spend on fees and short-term capital gains
taxes could have remained invested and compounding."

O'Shaughnessy has identified five big mutual fund drawbacks:

1. High expense ratios. Investors pay a fee for the privilege of
owning shares. That fee goes to the fund's manager. But instead of a
flat amount, the fee is based on your assets in the fund. The more
money you have invested, the higher your fee.

2. Undisclosed transaction costs. This is the fee that a mutual fund
pays to its broker to buy and sell stocks. The fee is not found in a
fund's prospectus and is deducted from the fund's returns. The higher
the fund's portfolio turnover rate, the higher its transaction costs.

3. No control. You have no say over what stocks the fund owns. Some
stocks may be ideal for you while others are not.

4. Little knowledge. Because you don't know what specific assets a
mutual fund owns on a daily basis, you could wind up owning the same
stocks in several different funds. Or the types of stocks the fund
buys now may differ from the ones it set out to buy when you
originally invested.

5. Significant tax hits. In addition to the capital gains taxes you
pay when your fund manager actively trades stocks, you also face
"embedded capital gains." These can occur when a fund you recently
bought sells a stock it has held for many years. Your tax hit on that
trade will be equal to someone who has the same amount invested but
owned the fund for many years and profited from that stock's long
run-up in price.

What's the average mutual fund investor to do? Alternatives are emerging
that provide individuals with more control over their investments and
taxes. The Web-based services in this new "personal fund" sector offer
stock portfolios that are tailored to an individual investor's personal
financial goals.

Instead of buying mutual fund shares, investors in personal funds buy an
entire portfolio of stocks for a relatively low minimum investment. By
owning the stocks in a personal fund, you control your capital gains
taxes by choosing when to buy and sell stocks. You also know at all times
the stocks you own.

The low cost of ownership and individual control of tax responsibilities
offer individuals significant advantages over mutual funds and other
popular investment vehicles. As such, Forrester Research, an e-commerce
research firm in Cambridge, Mass., predicted that more than $1 trillion
will be invested in personalized funds rather than mutual funds over the
next 10 years.

"The days when mutual fund investors have to eat what they are served are
over," says O'Shaughnessy of Netfolio.com. "Personal funds make it
possible for every individual investor to own a professionally selected
stock portfolio that is reasonably priced and designed for their needs
and goals."

***************************************************************************
*******************

Netfolio.com is one of several new services offering individual investors
personalized fund portfolios and -- surprise -- the first headed by a
former mutual fund manager.

To begin investing at Netfolio, you pay $200 a year or $20 a month to
subscribe to its service. Then you open a Bear Stearns account online at
the Netfolio site at no additional cost.

To invest, you ask Netfolio to recommend personal funds that suit your
investment objectives. Or you can pick them on your own from Netfolio's
list. Each personal fund comes with a recommended stock portfolio that
you can customize prior to investment.

You can buy an entire portfolio of stocks in a personal fund with a
minimum investment of just $5,000. And there are no commissions when you
invest in Netfolio's personal funds online through Bear Stearns.

"This type of personalized investment advice used to be available only to
the superwealthy," O'Shaughnessy says. "Now, thanks to the Internet,
individual investors everywhere can access the same type of service
through their computer."

About The Author

Courtesy ARA Content, http://www.ARAcontent.com;
e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com

Mr. Cheapie's Frugal Budget Tips

2009-07-25T20:00:00.000-06:00

Mr. Cheapie's Frugal Budget Tips
by: David Leonhardt

So you feel like a hamster spinning your wheel? The faster you run, the
faster the wheel spins. Just when you get a raise, you notice the price
of hamster wheels jumps!

Mr. Cheapie is here with his super-charged budget-cutting tips.

One of the biggest wastes of money is restaurant meals. You can cook a
meal at home for about 2 cents a plate. Just put leftovers in the
microwave, and Presto!

Those same leftovers cost a lot more at a restaurant. They call it "the
buffet", and they sell it to you for $10.95.

Consider also the steak dinner that costs, say, $7 at home. At the
restaurant, you pay $13.95 for the same meal. Or, if you want fancy
napkins, $39.95.

Plus tax.

Funny thing about eating at home; you don't pay tax. But step into a
restaurant, and guess who jumps in: "Hello, my name is Taxman. I'll be
your waiter tonight. Would you like to start with something to drink?
Perhaps a very nice glass of wine? That will be 50 cents, plus the price
of the wine, of course."

"Why would you tax my wine?" Mr. Cheapie wonders. "It's not like the
government made it."

"Who do you think keeps this country free and safe so that you can enjoy
your wine?" Taxman demands. "Do you think Saddam Hussein would let you
drink wine if he was still in power?"

"I don't see how he could stop me."

"Hah!" Taxman replies. "He has spies everywhere. He knows you drink wine
and he has targeted this very bottle to self destruct."

"Actually, I don't drink wine. His spies must run on the same technology
as his scud missiles," Mr. Cheapie muses. "How about a steak dinner?"

"An excellent choice," Taxman beams. "That will be $1.73, plus the price
of the meal."

"Now what?" Mr. Cheapie demands. "Are you saying that Saddam is targeting
my steak."

"Of course not," Taxman giggles. "We have him locked away. But watch out
for North Korea."

"Why?"

"North Koreans are starving," Taxman explains. "They don't have steaks."

"Ah, so the North Korean government wants to take my steak and give it to
their citizens."

"Not a chance. That would violate the official North Korean policy of
starvation for all. They would never feed your steak to the people. But
they would hold it up to taunt them," Taxman grins. "Then they would
throw it into the fire to fuel a nuclear missile trained on this very
table you are sitting at."

"Which is why you need to tax my steak."

"Exactly," Taxman nods.

"It's like a security deposit."

"That's right," Taxman smiles.

"It's protection money."

"You understand," Taxman winks.

"It's your tip."

"That's what I sa ... no it's not! It's national defense," Taxman insists.

At home, you never have to tip the microwave. But, at the restaurant,
your waiter expects 15%.

Mr. Cheapie has discovered a legal loophole to save 15% on your
restaurant bill. According to a national Mr. Cheapie survey, your plate
usually has 15% too much food on it. Set aside 15% of your meal. When
your waiter comes to collect his tip, pay him in food. Your waiter raved
about today's special, so Mr. Cheapie is sure he will appreciate having
some for himself.

If Taxman is your waiter, don't actually give him the food. Just taunt
him with it -- then mail it to North Korea. Then they won't have to blow
up your table to get it themselves. Why pay for national defense when the
postal service can protect your freedom to eat for just the cost of a
stamp?

Aren't you glad Mr. Cheapie offers such useful, free advice?

About The Author

The author is David Leonhardt. Sign up for his weekly satire column up at
http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/positive-thinking-free-ezine.html or read
more columns at
http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/self-actualization-articles.html. Or join in
the happiness at http://www.thehappyguy.com.
info@thehappyguy.com

Financial Tips for Trying Times

2009-07-24T20:00:00.000-06:00

Financial Tips for Trying Times
by: ARA Content

IHateFinancialPlanning.com offers advice on managing your money

(ARA) - When life gets unpredictable, there's one thing Americans always
want to hang onto: their money.

During times of national uncertainty, it's only natural to want to hunker
down and hang on to your cash -- or at a minimum, squeeze as much as
possible out of every paycheck (that is, if you're still getting one).

Many Americans are feeling less secure about their lives than ever. In
fact, 63 percent feel they will have to make changes in their day-to-day
lifestyle, according to a survey by Wirthlin Worldwide, a McLean,
Va.-based research firm. Fears of the unknown, job loss or having less
income are also on people's minds.

"If you hated financial planning to begin with, the thought of managing
your money in trying times can be even more intimidating," says Randy
Schuldt, vice president with IHateFinancialPlanning.com, a Web site for
the three out of four Americans who hate financial planning. "Although it
may seem impossible to predict what the future will bring, there are some
simple steps you can take to give you more control of your money in a
changing world."

To give you and your family something to hang onto during uncertain or
changing times, IHateFinancialPlanning.com offers the following tips:

Put it in perspective. If history is any indication, the economy may not
suffer long-term ill effects from recent events. The Dow Jones industrial
average -- the oldest U.S. market benchmark -- typically falls for a
short time, but it has traditionally rebounded within six months. It
happened after Pearl Harbor, the Gulf War, the World Trade Center bombing
in 1993 and the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Past performance doesn't
guarantee future results, but there's a possibility that history may
repeat itself. Fearful reactions will only make the short-term last
longer.

Reduce your deficit. The nation's economic outlook is nothing you can
control, but you do have control over your own situation. If you've got
credit card debt, take steps to pay it down. Start with the cards with
the highest interest rate and pay more than the minimum on all your cards
with balances. Instead of using a credit card for future purchases, get a
debit card, which subtracts purchases directly from a bank account.

Protect future income. You owe it to yourself and family to protect your
earning power with disability income insurance and/or life insurance. The
lack of disability income insurance is the single biggest threat to the
financial well-being of the American workforce, according to the Consumer
Federation of America. It reports that 80 percent of U.S. workers either
have no long-term disability income coverage or their coverage is
inadequate.

Resist the urge to borrow from your 401(k). Many people are tempted to
borrow from their 401(k) as a first resort, but it should be the last
resort. Many people think because it's 'borrowing from themselves' that
no harm is done, but actually, they lose the chance to benefit from the
tax deferral and compound interest on potential growth of their 401(k).
That means your account will be much smaller when you retire. Also, if
you quit your job or are fired, you may be required to pay back the
entire loan immediately. If you are unable to do so, be prepared to pay
income taxes and a 10 percent early withdrawal penalty on the loan.

Balance your budget. Now is a good time to get in the habit of budgeting
your money. Track your expenses and spending for a month or so. It could
reveal some money habits that need changing. And it can help you shape
future habits, such as saving, charitable giving or just paying your
bills on time.

Save for emergencies. Many people put off saving for a rainy day. It may
not be raining on the economy yet, but the storms are brewing. A good
rule of thumb is to have at least three months' salary in the bank where
you can access it for emergencies ranging from a leaky roof to layoffs at
work.

Have a plan in case of layoff. During these tough times, more and more
companies are cutting jobs, and yours could be next. If you haven't done
so already, update your resume. Be sure you understand what you'll need
to do to maintain health insurance coverage after a layoff. You might
want to apply for a home equity line of credit. You don't have to use it,
but it's hard to get approved after you've become unemployed.

Write a will. It was a good idea before the world changed, and it's a
good idea now. As long as you're thinking about your family's financial
future, this is also a good time to formally declare your wishes about
who gets what, and how much, after you've passed away. It's also the only
way you'll be sure your wishes are carried out. You can modify your will
as often as you like, for as long as you live. You may also need a
durable power of attorney (POA), which formalizes who will make decisions
on your behalf, if you are unable to do so.

Invest in the future. Resist the urge to put future plans on hold. If you
want to buy a small business, adopt a child or retire early, put those
goals on paper and follow through with a savings plan. It's easier to
stay on track if you have something to shoot for. Regardless of the
condition of the world, keep improving the condition of your personal
finances. An investment in your future is also an investment in America's
future.

Courtesy of ARA Content, www.ARAcontent.com, e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: For More Information, contact Maclaren Latta, Carmichael
Lynch Spong, (612) 375-8570, mlatta@clynch.com or Stephen Dupont,
Carmichael Lynch Spong, (612) 375-8525, sdupont@clynch.com.

About IHateFinancialPlanning.com IHateFinancialPlanning.com is a Web site
that's already helped more than one million people who hate financial
planning make sense of their personal finances through fun, friendly,
easy-to-understand content and financial planning tools. The Web site was
developed by ReliaStar Financial Corp., a member of the ING Group.

About ING Group ING Group is a global financial institution active in the
fields of insurance, banking and asset management, with more than 100,000
employees in 65 countries. ING provides a full range of integrated
financial services for its clients through a variety of distribution
channels. In the United States, ING's product and service portfolio
includes banking, fixed and variable annuities, investment management,
life insurance, mutual funds, personal finance education seminars, and
trust services. For employers, ING businesses also offer a full range of
retirement and other worksite benefits, including group insurance
products. For more information, visit www.ing-usa.com.

Securities available through PrimeVest Financial Services, Inc., Member
NASD/SIPC. Carmichael Lynch Spong is not affiliated with PrimeVest
Financial Services, INC. and is not a member of the ING Group.

About The Author

Courtesy ARA Content, http://www.ARAcontent.com;
e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com

Home Office Tips (Part 1)

2009-07-23T20:00:00.000-06:00

Home Office Tips (Part 1)
by: BB Lee

Tip One:

Welcome To Part One In A Series Of "Home Office Tip Articles."

Most will find the following Home Office Tips very practical and
effective if they take them into due consideration, and use these basic
strategies to improve their at home office space.

Lighting: Medical science discovered that light has a profound effect on
work output. This probably has to do with two very vital areas in the
brain, the pineal gland and hypothalamus which react strongly to the
colors around us and affect our moods.

Consequently, the lighting in your home office is very important. Place
the light source near your computer to brighten the work area. Remember
not to place it directly in front of your eyes. This might cause
unnecessary eyestrain.

Remember to adjust the lighting in your home office to help increase your
productivity by experimenting until you find the proper light intensity
that works for you.

About The Author

BB Lee is Editor Publisher Of SmallBizBits FREE Home Business Newsletter.
Visit at: http://www.angelfire.com/zine/smallbiz
smallbiz@angelfire.com

Keep Your Credit History Clean. Remove A Negative Credit Record From Credit Report

2009-07-22T20:00:00.000-06:00

Keep Your Credit History Clean. Remove A Negative Credit Record From
Credit Report
by: Jeffrey Broobin

The three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and Trans Union are
similar and feature a "Credit Score", which is created from credit report
data submitted to them about you.

But very often your credit report includes inaccurate, wrong or
incomplete information (credit records).

In this situation you have to prepare and send letters to each of the
credit bureaus. Also learn your credit rights by familiarizing yourself
with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

The FCRA gives you the right to dispute inaccuracies or omissions, and it
requires credit bureaus to investigate your complaint (generally within
30 days), send you a prompt response and correct any errors. The law also
requires the source of inaccurate information (such as a bank) to correct
the record at the credit bureaus to which it initially provided the
erroneous information.

Consumers working on their credit reports say many times their letters
are ignored by the credit bureaus. Consumer’s say even with proof a
credit record is not theirs; its removal from their credit report can
take three or four challenge letters, because the credit bureaus may have
only verified it in their computers and not on the credit report.

Send your dispute letter by CERTIFIED RETURN RECEIPT MAIL. This should
not be done with the first attempt.

Keep a record of when you sent the dispute letters and what date you
should expect a response.

If you have received no answer to your dispute after 30 to 37 days, send
a certified return receipt letter requesting an updated credit report
demanding the disputed credit record be deleted.

If the bureaus do not reply within the 30 days, it must be that the
information was either inaccurate, or it could not be verified. In either
case, according to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the credit record must
be immediately deleted from credit report.

Some consumers have eliminated negative marks on credit reports simply by
going through this process of disputing credit records several times.
Since some creditors will not take the time to respond, you may be able
to win by default.

In addition, some consumers working on their credit report have seen
another negative credit record or two disappeared. Usually some progress
is made each time you challenge. Remember, the credit bureau would like
you to quit bothering them because if you aren't disputing the credit
report, they can legally continue selling it as profitable information.

To obtain the excellent credit report service, correct your credit, get
FREE online Credit Report, make your Credit Score higher or avoid
becoming a Victim of Identity Theft visit Legal Helper website http://www.legalhelper.ws/credit-report.aspx.

Your credit score is important for obtaining credit. Your credit score is
important to know, whether you need a new credit card, an auto loan, or a
mortgage. Lenders use your credit scores to decide whether you are a good
credit risk. If you have a high credit score, you are more likely to
obtain the best rates.

About The Author

Jeffrey Broobin is a free-lance writer on family and finance issues; his
main goal is to help people during their complicated period of life.
Website: http://www.legalhelper.ws
jeffreyb@legalhelper.ws

How to Draw a Personal Budget that Works

2009-07-21T20:00:00.000-06:00

How to Draw a Personal Budget that Works
by: Abdallah Khamis Abdallah

Many people spend their little income haphazardly without any planning
and end up getting broke before month-end. They then borrow to make ends
meet and end up with more problems that they fail to repay their debts
promptly.

However, this is not a prudent way of managing your personal financial
affairs. Planning your personal financial affairs through prioritization
of needs and budgeting income and expenses is the best way to achieving
success in managing your financial affairs.

It is important first to assess your financial needs in the short, medium
and long term. What are your financial objectives? What do you want to
achieve in the course of time? Do you have any targets? What is your
short, medium and long term needs? List all of them down.

Next categorize income and expenses on a monthly basis. Then prioritize
expenses into most important, important and most important. You can use
any other weighting or prioritization formula that works best for you.

After this assess costs based on consumption per month. Put figures to
the expense items. Then write down your income sources and the amount you
earn per month from them. List the income on the left and the expenses on
the right. Add up income amounts against expense amounts and find the
difference to determine surplus or deficit.

Once you have added and reduced items and figures several times and you
are finally satisfied with the results, type your figures on a computer
spreadsheet or word processor table and save it. You may also print it
and file it for regular reference.

To make it work successfully for you, you must vow to stick to the
budget. Any deviation must be absolutely necessary and funds should be
made available separately to meet the extra expenditure. Where no funds
are available, some cutbacks or borrowing from other expense votes. You
should ensure that you refund any funds borrowed from any expense votes
to enable the votes to be expended.

To be frank, most people would want to spend more and more irrespective
of their financial ability. However, arbitrary unbudgeted spending may be
hazardous to your financial health.

About The Author

Abdallah Khamis Abdallah is a freelance copywriter and ghostwriter. To
learn more about how you and your business can benefit from viral and
credibility marketing solutions visit his website at:
http://www.qualitywritingsolutions.com.
quantumpro@lycos.com

How To Choose The Right Resume Format

2009-07-20T20:00:00.000-06:00

How To Choose The Right Resume Format
by: Fayola Peters

After a thirty (30) second glance lots of resumes get thrown into the
wastebasket. One of the reasons this happens is because the resume writer
has failed to use the appropriate resume format.

Each individual has different work experiences and objectives. You may
have gaps in your work history. You may be changing careers or have had
jobs progressively in the same field.

You need to choose a format that is to your advantage and shows you as
the best candidate for the job.

Here are the two (2) main resume formats used. Decide which is best for
you.

1. The Chronological Resume Format:
* Objective
* Summary
* Experience
* Education
* References

The chronological resume format is the most popular format used by
persons, especially those who write their own resume. However, it’s not
for everyone.

This resume format is for you if;
* you have constantly moved to better and better jobs;
* all your jobs have been in the same field (more or less);
* you have no significant periods of unemployment.

From the information above, should your resume format be a chronological
one? If your answer is yes then you’re good to go. If however your answer
is no then the following format is for you.

2. The Functional Resume Format:
* Objective
* Accomplishments
* Capabilities
* Employment History
* Education
* References

The functional resume format is designed to emphasize your
accomplishments and skills needed to do the job you’re applying for. This
takes the spotlight of your work history, especially if there are gaps in
you work history.

This resume format is for you if;
* you’re changing careers;
* you’re re-entering the job market;
* you’re skills and accomplishments are stronger than your work
experience;
* you have little work experience.

A functional resume format works especially well if you’re a recent
graduate. Here’s a variation of this resume format.
* Objective
* Skills
* Education
* Work Experience
* Activities and Honors
* References

Choosing the right resume format for you is a critical step in making a
winning resume. And a resume is what get you a job interview, which in
turn gets you the job. So be vigilant and know which resume format suits
you best and use it.

About The Author

Fayola Peters is a professional resume writer with A+ Resumes. You can
check them out at http://best-online-resumes.the-free-resume.com
fayolap@yahoo.com

Financial Planning for the MTV Generation

2009-07-19T20:00:00.000-06:00

Financial Planning for the MTV Generation
by: ARA Content

(ARA) - So, you were born between 1965 and 1978. Are you tired of the
Generation X label and being portrayed by the media as a cynical, Xtreme
sports-loving, body-piercing slacker? If you're one of the 76 million
Americans that are considered to be "Xers," you may see yourself more as
an independent, career-minded, technologically savvy, young adult. As
someone between the age of 22 and 35, "Xers" most likely tune out the
thousands of marketers with retirement messages geared towards "boomers."
Insurance providers, investment companies and financial planners are
virtually ignoring the millions of Americans considered to be "Xers."
Meanwhile this misunderstood group continues to buy homes and select
mortgage companies and retirement plans with little attention and
relevant advice.

So, are boomers the only generation that should be concerned about their
future? Absolutely not. Planning for your future can be tough for anyone,
no matter what his or her age. But individuals between the ages of 22 and
35 need to recognize the important opportunity they have of starting
early and understanding the basics, according to Randy Schuldt, vice
president with IHateFinancialPlanning.com, a new Web site geared to the
more than 75 percent of Americans who hate financial planning.

Schuldt offers some additional financial planning tips for Generation
Xers:

Think Retirement

According to the 1990 U.S. census, the average American worker has only
saved $1000 towards retirement. Pretty sad, isn't it? To make matters
worse, the average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker
in 2000 was $804 (Source: U.S. Social Security Administration). You've
heard it before, the sooner you start saving for your future, the better.
So where do you start? First of all, just start. Consider putting away a
little at a time -- $25 or $50 a month - in a mutual fund or 401(K)
account. If you're 25 years old and put $25 away each month into an
account earning 8.0 percent, you will have saved $58,099 by retirement at
age 60. Compare this amount to the $14,940 you would save by starting
when you're 40.

Develop a Financial Plan

Whether you're graduating from college, getting married or having a baby,
you need to set specific goals (home ownership, vacation property,
college education, retirement, etc.) and develop a financial plan for the
future. To get started, consider meeting with a financial professional. A
financial professional can help you get off on the right foot, by helping
you develop a long-term financial plan that will make your hard earned
money work harder for you.

Explore Life Insurance

If you're still living the "Friends" lifestyle and spend most of your
time at coffee shops like Monica, Joey, Phoebe, Chandler, Ross and
Rachel, you may not need to think about life insurance just yet. However,
"Xers" do settle down, get married and start families. If you have
dependents (a spouse, children or aging parents) you need life insurance.
The good news is that many employers offer life insurance as an employee
benefit. But this may not be enough. First, talk to your benefits or
human resources manager to learn more about their offerings and how to
enroll. Then, see an insurance agent who offers insurance from major
providers to determine if you may need more.

Deal with Debt

"Debt is one of the biggest financial problems facing young adults," says
Chris Newell, principal of Newell Financial Corp. in Little Rock, Ark.
When it comes to paying off debt, Newell says to start high. Rather than
concentrating on paying down a little of each credit card balance, find
out the interest rate for each card -- it should say on the monthly
statement -- and pay down the cards with the highest debt and interest
rates.

"First, make a pledge, 'no more additional credit card debt,'" Newell
says. "Then, start paying off the highest debt cards. As soon as one card
is eliminated, continue the same payments on the other cards. Never
reduce this monthly debt payment amount until they are all paid off. You
will have to be disciplined and pay substantially more each month than
the minimum balance."

Contribute the Maximum

401K plans and IRAs offer the best opportunities to take advantage of
tax-deferred savings and contributions from your employer. If you're
working, ideally you should contribute the full amount to your 401K plan
that you can. But at the very least, contribute up to the match offered
by your employer.

An IRA provides tax efficiency to set aside money for retirement. For
example, by contributing to a Roth IRA (just one type of IRA), you don't
pay income tax when you withdraw the money (including gains, dividends
and interest) assuming you are age 59- and the account has been open for
five years. If your annual income is less than $95,000 for a single
taxpayer or $150,000 for married couples filing jointly, you can
contribute to a Roth IRA.

Develop a Support Network

This is the age of information. Most likely, you may have a cell phone,
voice mail, pager and a handheld computer. You prefer to learn through
conversation and communities rather than reading text books and reports.
The same goes for financial planning. "Xers" are much more willing to
talk about their financial situation than their grandparents or even,
parents. Embrace this new freedom. Schuldt recommends creating a
community, either online or an old-fashioned investment club, and learn
from each other. Whether you pool your money and start investing in the
stock market or share investment tips and advice, communities offer a
fun, easy way to get interested in your financial future. Or go to
IHateFinancialPlanning.com to plug into a growing community of people who
share a similar hatred for financial planning.

Keep Dreaming

What is that you really want? Home ownership? Early retirement? Financial
independence? It's important to understand your financial goals and to
realize that your actions today either bring you one step closer to -- or
pull you one step back from -- your goals. If you plan to buy a home in
five to ten years, are your actions today helping or damaging your credit
rating? Not only do you need a down payment to buy a house, you need an
established credit history and a record of on-time payments.

The bottom line for "Xers" is that you should ignore the marketing
messages geared towards cynical, unmotivated slackers. It's not too early
to start planning for your future and saving for retirement, says
Schuldt. Consider the big picture. The decisions you make today about
your career, education, debt and retirement will stick with you and shape
your future. So, invest in yourself. Start small. And ignore the
stereotypes.

Securities available through PrimeVest Financial Services, Inc., an
affiliated registered broker dealer, Member NASD/SIPC. Call (320)
656-4300, ext. 64691, for a prospectus, which contains complete
information on expenses and charges. Read it carefully before you send
money or invest.

About The Author

Courtesy ARA Content, http://www.ARAcontent.com;
e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: http://IHateFinancialPlanning.com is part of the ING Group, a worldwide
leader in the fields of insurance, banking and asset management, with
more than 100,000 employees in 65 countries.

Credit Repair Scams

2009-07-18T20:00:00.000-06:00

Credit Repair Scams
by: James H. Dimmitt

“Erase Bad Debt !”

“Remove Negative Items From Your Report”

You’ve probably seen these headlines and others just like it promising to
clean up or “fix” bad credit. For someone who suffers from a bad or poor
credit rating, these headlines are certainly an appealing offer.

Imagine finally being able to buy that new car, get debt collectors off
your back, and enjoy a new found freedom from your past debts.

Sound to good to be true ? It probably is. Once you fall prey to the
credit repair offer and pay the hefty fees involved to clean up your
record, here’s what happens -

1) The credit repair scam artist contacts the credit bureaus and reports
that the negative information in your file is false.

2) The credit bureau removes this negative information from your report
while they investigate the claim.

3) The scam artist will then show you the cleaned up version of your
credit report and “ta-da” your credit history has been fixed!

But here’s what the scammer doesn’t tell or show you. After the credit
bureau completes their investigation the negative information is placed
back on your credit report.

Negative but accurate information cannot be removed from your credit
profile. Only incorrect information can be removed.

Accurate information remains on your credit file for a period of 7 years
from the time it is reported to the credit agencies; a bankruptcy appears
for a 10 year period.

Many legitimate companies exist that can help you with your debt
problems. But how do you spot a scam offer ? Easy, they’ll ask you for
their fees up front. By law, credit repair agencies cannot ask for
payment until they’ve provided the service they promised.

Additionally many states require that a credit repair service, whether
they are for-profit or not-for-profit, must provide you with a detailed
written contract, an explanation of your legal rights, and the
opportunity to cancel any signed contract within 3 days.

Also, be aware that a “credit repair offer” could be an attempt to steal
your identity by getting you to provide personal information such as a
Social Security number, bank account and credit card account numbers.

Always make sure you know who you are dealing with before accepting any
offer to help you repair your credit. Those who don’t can have their
credit ruined further and create more debt problems.

About The Author

© 2003, Your Free Credit Report Now
Author: James H. Dimmitt.
Get your FREE credit report online now and subscribe to our FREE weekly
newsletter “TO YOUR CREDIT”.
Visit http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com for more information.
jimdim815@aol.com

9 Tips on Creating a Professional Emailed Job Application

2009-07-17T20:00:00.000-06:00

9 Tips on Creating a Professional Emailed Job Application
by: Angela Wu

With the advent of the Internet, many of us have the opportunity to apply
for work through email.

However, just because this is the Internet and email is so fast and
convenient, that does NOT mean you should give up professionalism and
polish!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT. I recently looked over a few emailed
applications, and let me tell you, it was an eye-opening experience! Here
are a few examples of how *not* to do things...

* One person simply forwarded the job description to the hiring
company. There was no explanatory letter, no name (just some garbled
email address), no nothing. Why should a company want to hire someone
who can't be bothered to make an effort?

* Several people got the name of the hiring party wrong. Some
misspelled it, others substituted someone else's name.

* Spelling mistakes, typos, grammatical errors, and formatting problems
like you wouldn't believe. One person said that her greatest strength
was her attention to 'detal' (should have been 'DETAIL'); another said
it was his responsibility to 'a tent to customers' ('ATTEND to
customers').

It almost goes without saying that you should always follow the
application instructions provided. If you're inquiring or applying for a
job - regardless of whether it's online or in the 'real world' - there
are certain rules of etiquette that apply:

1. GREET THE PERSON. Don't just barge in and start writing. A simple
"Dear ___" is great.

2. CORRECTLY SPELL THE COMPANY NAME AND THAT OF THE HIRING MANAGER. If
you don't know how to spell them, take a few seconds and find out.

3. INDICATE WHAT POSITION YOU'RE APPLYING FOR. Be specific; the
company may be hiring for more than one job.

4. PROVIDE A BRIEF SUMMARY OF YOUR RELEVANT SKILLS. Keep it short and
to the point.

5. CHECK YOUR SPELLING AND GRAMMAR. It takes just a few minutes. If
you are not confident about doing this yourself, ask a friend or
family member to check it over for you.

6. BE COURTEOUS! Don't make demands. Remember that the *only* thing
the hiring manager sees is your email - he or she can't see your
facial expressions or body language, so take extra care in the words
you select and how you put them together.

7. FORMAT YOUR EMAIL TO 60 CHARACTERS PER LINE. Many email programs
automatically 'word-wrap' somewhere between 60 and 70 characters. Add
a hard return when you reach 60 characters on a line; this will ensure
the company gets a nicely formatted application, just like you
intended.

8. TELL THEM HOW TO CONTACT YOU. As the bare minimum, leave your phone
number and email address.

9. AND FOR GOODNESS SAKES, TELL THEM YOUR *NAME*. This is so obvious
it's painful, yet I've seen dozens of applications there are not
signed. End your letter with 'Sincerely', 'Regards' or 'Yours Truly',
and then sign your name.

Competition for home based jobs is fierce, and companies can afford to be
choosy. Don't give them a reason to pass you by! Professionalism still
counts - even on the web.

About The Author

Angela is the editor of Online Business Basics, a practical guide for
eBusiness beginners. You can find OBB along with solid home business
ideas, freelance and telecommuting job updates, free magazine
subscriptions, and much more at eWorkingWomen, http://www.eworkingwomen.com/join.html. Come find out how you too can
work from home!

After July 8, Pay This Amount...

2009-07-16T20:00:00.000-06:00

After July 8, Pay This Amount...
by: Robert F. Abbott

You undoubtedly go through this, too. A few times a month you gather up
the bills coming due and write checks or pay them online.

As I was doing some bill payments recently, I noticed the tactic one
company uses to get its customers to pay by the due date. It was very
simple: "If you pay by this date, pay this amount. If you pay after this
date, pay this amount."

Now, this was a small bill so the penalty for paying beyond the due date
was just a matter of a few pennies, but still, I got the point.

While other companies might list the late charge in percentage terms,
this one wisely adopted the dollars and cents approach.

We see here a case in which a company crosses the sometimes critical
divide between the abstract and the concrete. Listing a percentage fee
shows the penalty in abstract terms. Listing it in dollars and cents
shows the penalty in concrete terms.

I don't know about you, but I'm certainly more sensitive to the dollars
and cents than to a percentage, if I'm late making my payment. How about
you: would you feel more motivated to pay on time if it costs $1.17 or if
it costs 2.5% per month?

As communicators, we should remain alert to the differences between the
abstract and the concrete. It's sometimes a subtle difference, but a
critical one.

Here are a couple of applications of these differences:

When you give instructions, try to work on the concrete side of the
abstract-concrete continuum. For example, if you ask a subordinate to
carry out a task, then provide details and specifics. In many cases, this
might be summed up with four of the five Ws: Who, What, Where, and When,
as well as How (we'll get the fifth W in a moment).

Or, if you're selling, aim to be more concrete than abstract. For
example, I've been writing short ads for my book about newsletters. In
writing them, I've found that "Communicating for Results" isn't enough by
itself -- I need to spell out what those results might be (such as more
sales, greater employee retention, and better membership renewal ratios).

On the other hand, if you want to provide context, you might find it more
productive to move more toward the abstract end of the abstract-concrete
continuum. For example, if you're trying to explain a new strategic
direction for your organization, you might refer to conceptual issues
like positioning and competitive advantage. This, you'll find, is where
Why? -- the fifth W -- fits rather nicely.

In a sales situation, you may want to get a prospect to envision a new
and better future. In that case, too, you would emphasize the abstract,
rather than the concrete. For example, if you're selling a retirement
fund, you would likely emphasize the idea of spending more time on
tropical islands or with family, rather than going into actuarial details.

Finally, remember that abstract and concrete represent two ends of a
continuum, and you can choose any point between them.

About The Author

Robert F. Abbott, the author of A Manager's Guide to Newsletters:
Communicating for Results, writes about business communication issues in
the free online ezine, Abbott's Communication Letter
http://www.abbottletter.com
abbottr@managersguide.com

Perspective Please...

2009-07-15T20:00:00.000-06:00

Perspective Please...
by: Marcus Garcia

[http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php]

I just logged on to CNN.com and found a Breaking News headline that read:
“Regulators shut six more banks; closures for 2009 reach 51, more than
twice as many as all of last year.”

And for good measure this headline was in a big bright red box at the top
of the page to make sure I noticed it…and noticed that it was probably
bad news.

It certainly isn’t good news. So I guess that makes it bad news. Of
course that begs the question of just exactly how bad this news really
is. The way this headline reads one would assume it is catastrophically
bad news.

If I was a lawyer and this information was introduced by opposing council
I would object to it on the grounds that it is “leading the witness”.
(For the record, I’m not a lawyer; but I’ve watched so many episodes of
Boston Legal that I think I could be.)

All of this got me to wondering how many people read that headline,
swallowed it whole and are now sitting depressed in their homes awaiting
some impending doom. And further, how many of us actually stop to think
deeply and critically about the information that is fed to us in today's
24/7 non-stop news cycle?

So in the interest of trying to preserve everyone’s sanity…what do you
say we actually put this headline into broader perspective and see what
happens?

By the way…since I first saw this “Breaking News” announcement, the
number was corrected upwards to a total of 52 failed banks in what is
essentially the first half of 2009 vs. a total of 25 bank failures in all
of 2008.

That’s not good.

How “not good” is it? To have any understanding of that we need to ask a
few questions…

Question one: what does the number 52 represent relative to all banks? Is
that a big number? Is that a small number? Is it half? With no
perspective it doesn’t really mean anything.

So let’s get some perspective.

There are approximately 8,300 FDIC insured banks today. Thus, 52 banks
represent a failure rate of 0.0063%.

That doesn’t sound so scary.

But the media is fond of ensuring that nobody forgets that we are in the
worst economic crisis since the great depression and absolutely the worst
recession in the past 25 years.

That sounds scary; and it leads us to our next question…

Question 2: how does today’s number of bank failures compare to bank
failures during the great depression? And how does it compare to bank
failures during the recession that started in the 1980’s?

Have a look at these two charts both of which are from a site called
Calculated Risk (a very worthwhile site to visit I might add):

This one shows the number of bank and thrift failures dating back to
1921. This data includes banking failures from 1921 to 1933 which was
prior to the formation of the FDIC. The FDIC was formed Jan 1, 1934
specifically to insure bank deposits and to bolster confidence in the US
Financial System in response to the thousands (yes, thousands) of bank
failures during the 1920’s and early 30’s.

52 bank failures is barely a blip on the radar compared to depression era
bank failures; which were literally thousands per year. The same is true
relative to bank failures from the recession that started in the 1980’s
which included more than 500 bank failures in 1989 alone.

Even if we continue at the same pace (or an accelerated pace) we aren’t
going to come close to the number of bank failures that took place back
in the 80’s and 90’s.

Maybe it’s not so scary after all; and that leads us to our third
question…

Question 3: if it isn’t scary then what is it? Besides providing
confirmation of a recession we already know we are in, what does any of
this tell us?

Good question.

The best answer that I could find is that it doesn’t really tell us much
of anything. If you take a look at this chart you’ll see that there is no
systematic relationship between FDIC interventions and annual US stock
returns. (You can even check out the pretty scatter diagram complete with
the Pearson correlation and the R2 statistic if you are totally into
overly complex statistical modeling)

In fact, the FDIC bank intervention rate can only explain about 1% of the
variation in stock returns, even when you include the extreme
intervention cases during the great depression and the recession during
the 80’s.

In other words…this news, while being newsworthy, is not a predictor of
anything. In this case, it’s just news. Like the score of a baseball
game; it has no bearing on what the score will be tomorrow.

So what should we do with all this new found perspective?

First…can we please stop beating this dead horse? We’re in a recession.
We know already. You don’t have to tell me all day, every day.

Second…did you notice we got out of that last recession without
nationalizing everything under the sun? Can we stop with all the auto
bailouts, the farming subsidies, the idiotic stimulus spending projects
(like under highway turtle crossings…not joking) for a while and see if
this patient (the economy) really needs more of that medicine? You do
realize there is such a thing as over-medicating don’t you?

And finally…relax. We say the economy is cyclical for a reason; that
being that when the economy needs to correct it will swing down, the
market corrects, and then it goes up again. Always has...and if we let
it...always will.

So why don’t we let the mechanism that has worked for the past 200 years
- a free(ish) market – get us the rest of the way back.

Otherwise I’m afraid the number 52 is going to become awfully scary;
because it will no longer be a 0.0063% failure rate…it will be our tax
rate.

About The Author
economics politics society

The author invites you to visit: http://www.mandatorymarcus.blogspot.com

Do You Really Need the Services of a Loan Modification Company?

2009-07-14T20:00:00.000-06:00

Do You Really Need the Services of a Loan Modification Company?
by: Bridget Toomey

Every homeowner who is thinking of modifying their existing mortgage in
order to save their home from foreclosure is probably wondering whether
they should apply for a loan modification on their own or utilize the
services of a loan modification company.

The arguments for and against using a loan modification company always
comes down to two factors – time and money. If you study those two
factors carefully, you will realize that it makes more sense to take help
from a professional loan modification company or consultant to process
and handle the loan modification application.

Time

Let us take the first factor into consideration which is of time. Loan
modifications take a long time to complete. Even before you complete your
application, there are a number of things you need to do to give yourself
the best chance at a modification. Studying the correct prescribed format
set by the bank, arranging for all the required documents, following up
with the bank to make sure you have all paperwork completed properly
before applying for a loan modification etc.

Once you do file your application, then it takes a considerable amount of
time before you even start the negotiations with your mortgage lender.
The overall modification process takes a minimum of 90-120 days to
complete and you need to follow up with your lender at least once a week
to make sure your lender stays on top of your loan. In addition, you need
to constantly make your lender aware of your current situation, repeat
why you need to modify your loan, check on what are the best possible
modified loan packages being offered by your lender etc. Given the
millions of applications received by lenders already, it is imperative
that you follow up on your application to make sure it doesn’t fall to
the back of the line or worst canceled out of their system if you don’t
follow up.

You will also have to take time from work to make sure you call your
lender during business hours because that is typically when any
processors or negotiators work on modification files. Given the state of
the economy, it is not a good idea to take frequent time away from your
work as you don’t want to risk losing your job altogether. If any of the
points above apply to you, it is probably better if you have a
professional loan modification consultant do all this work for you. Let
them run around the lenders and get them to discuss and negotiate a
modified mortgage plan on your behalf.

This not only saves you a lot of time which you can utilize for much more
constructive things, it also gives you a chance for a better modification
as a professional loan modification consultant will be able to work the
lender for the best possible modification. Furthermore, imagine if you
spend months calling your lender just to learn later that your
application has been rejected. All the hard work will go to waste and it
is better you let a professional handle the application while you
concentrate on your work and family.

Money

Most families are aware of the time factor of loan modifications. Yet
they choose to modify the loans themselves as they are not in a position
to pay the huge upfront fees charged by the loan modification companies.
Of course the number of scams that have been reported lately has also
been a big factor in homeowners choosing to modify their loan on their
own.

The fact however, is that there are a few companies who absolutely do not
charge any kind of fees until your loan modification is actually approved
by your lender. This means that you do not have to pay anything upfront
until you know that you have a loan modification approved by your lender.
This makes it so much easier for you as not only do you save on time, you
save on paying a company an upfront fee until you absolutely know your
lender will be able to modify your loan and make it affordable for you to
live in your home.

It is highly advisable that you search for such companies who guarantee
no fees until your application is approved by your lender and utilize
their services to apply for a loan modification.

About The Author
Bridget Toomey is the founder of The Loan Modification Foundation, a home
loan modification company backed by attorneys and real estate consultants
specializing in loan resolution and modification services. We guarantee
no fees until your Loan Modification is approved by your mortgage lender.
For more information visit www.LoanModificationFoundation.com

The author invites you to visit: http://www.loanmodificationfoundation.com

Unsecured Personal Loan: The Loan For Everyone

2009-07-13T20:00:00.000-06:00

Unsecured Personal Loan: The Loan For Everyone
by: Rick Goldfeller

You’re probably reading this article because you’ve been rejected by
countless creditors. You’re desperate need for money and somebody to lend
it is what drove you to the internet, in search for the answer to you
problems. Well you came to the right place, my financially crippled
friend, coz I’ve got good news for you: you’ll finally be able to get
your hands on the cash you need to get out of the overwhelming debt
problems you’re handling. The answer to your worries is the unsecured
personal loan. Here, there’s no need to place assets for collateral,
well, coz the service doesn’t require any.

This is great for those not owning a house of their own, renting, or
having plans of living with their parents for the rest of their lives.
You may be having serious hesitations due to the rejection you’ve been
receiving from bountiful money lenders everywhere, right? Well it’s
probably coz they’re only offering secured loans, and not the unsecured
personal loan service. You’ve probably got rejected on spot for the bad
credit history you’ve worked “hard” to achieve – creditors do get second
thoughts when they see a pathetic FICO score, and a long history of
default payments and bad accounts.

That won’t be an issue with the unsecured personal loan, given the fact
that they can lend money to almost anybody with a job, regardless of your
cred record. Another thing that you may hate about borrowing dough from
some fancy organization is the idea of you waiting some time for the
approval of the money that’ll be extended to you. This is true, since
it’ll take time for them to evaluate the asset you’ve placed as
collateral for availing the cash you intend to borrow. As I’ve said
earlier, there isn’t any need whatsoever to put up security, which means
that there won’t be an asset evaluation process to be conducted.

That ultimately means that the time you get approved for the unsecured
personal loan is much faster. In some cases, you can get the money as
early as the day you’ve applied for it – ain’t that great? Now, you don’t
have to get yourself into some financial crisis in order to apply for the
said service. Here, you’re given the freedom to do whatever you please
with what you’ve borrowed. Whether it’s paying for a child’s tuition,
paying the bills, buying grocery items, or even paying off other debts,
feel free to do what you want with it – just as long as you pay it back.

Having brought that up, one method that you make use of is known as
unsecured debt consolidation loan. What’s done here is you take the
multiple running debts you’ve occurred and combine them as one – this
means you’ll be making single monthly to pay all of them off. But before
you leap for joy, there’s one thing that you need to know: the annual
percentage rate charged here has to be raised. That means you’ll be
paying more interest here than you would if you were to go for the
secured type of loan (which isn’t an option if you don’t have any valid
assets to use as security).

The best thing for you to do would be to shop around for a lender
offering the best rates and terms. That way you’ll be making the most of
your efforts, and won’t end up paying for more than what you have to.

About The Author
The author of this article Rick Goldfeller is a successful underground
Financial Analyst who has been advising and coaching individuals for many
years. Rick recently published a book on how to manage your money and
attract Wealth and Financial Freedom. More info on his Finance Planning
course is available at http://www.SaveWhileYouSpend.com.

The author invites you to visit: http://www.finanzine.com

Seller Financing is BAD – Right?

2009-07-12T20:00:00.000-06:00

Seller Financing is BAD – Right?
by: Dean Dretske

The real answer is ‘it depends’. It depends on the situation and the
parties involved in the transaction. Let’s talk about it from the
Seller’s perspective and the Buyer’s perspective. We’ll also talk about
the investor’s perspective in each of these roles. Remember, I am an
investor, not an accountant – please check with your own accountant to
confirm how this would apply to your own situation!

For the purposes of our discussion, suppose that a house sells for $150K
and the seller takes back $100K as a mortgage as part of the sale (the
buyer pays the other $50K as cash to keep this simple). The Seller owned
this property free and clear – or owed less than the net cash received.
Say the note has an interest rate of 6%, interest only payments (or
more), with a balloon payment of the outstanding balance in 15 years.
This makes the payments equal $500 per month – assuming only the interest
is paid.

Seller – The Good:

The Seller can reduce the amount of tax they pay on the sale. When the
Seller ‘takes back paper’ at the sale, that part of the equity of the
house is not counted towards their capital gain. As payments come in over
time, the principal received in each tax period is considered a capital
gain for that tax period. Since our note is interest only payments, the
$100K capital gain will be deferred for 15 years. This means that a
seller can lower the tax they would need to pay for the house sale – both
immediately and possibly as a total over time.

The seller gains an income stream from the note. For the next 15 years,
the Seller will have $500 each month to spend – minus ordinary income tax
(which will depend on the Sellers financial situation). The Seller
actually makes more money for the sale of the house. The total amount
this Seller earns is $150K + 15 years * $6000/yr = $240K.

As an investor Seller, this kind of financing can help you stabilize your
income stream and result in better returns on your initial investment.
Also, by offering seller financing, you may be able to demand a higher
sales price at the time of the sale.

Seller – The Bad:

The Seller is still ‘attached’ to the house for the length of time that
the note is collateralized by the house. This can be bad if the quality
of the house is suspect, or the neighborhood value is declining – as the
house decays or the defects are discovered, the security for the note
(the house) looses value. This can be countered by requiring a larger
down payment, charging a higher interest rate or doing more qualifying of
the Buyer. For example, a Buyer who lives in the property is generally
more likely to maintain or improve the property while a non-occupying
Buyer may not have the same incentive to maintain the property (and the
renter likely has no incentive at all).

The Seller may not receive payments on time. Ultimately, the Seller can
solve this by foreclosing – which is a process defined by the area where
the house is located. For example, in Washington the foreclosure process
takes about 4 months while in Oklahoma it averages about 7 months. During
this time, the Seller will not receive payments and the house may be
vacant or damaged. Again, the Seller can mitigate some of these risks by
requiring larger down payments or charging higher interest rates. In our
example, the $50K down payment can mitigate some losses. For instance, if
the payments stop and it takes a year to foreclose, the Seller will have
lost out on $6K worth of payments. Since the foreclosure process is not
free, let’s assume $10K cost (remember that the cost will depend on the
location of the property). This means that the Seller still has $34K in
cash and now can resell the property. If the Seller can sell the house
for more than $116K, then the Seller is still ahead (remember to also add
the amount of payments that were received prior to the foreclosure).

As a rehabber, I feel that investor sellers can also mitigate the quality
/ damage issues more easily than a homeowner. Part of a rehabber’s job is
to manage the quality and costs of repairs and to focus our buying in
areas of town that are more likely to appreciate.

Buyer – The Good:

It can be easier for a Buyer to qualify for the loan. Mostly because the
lender has already qualified the property – the lender/seller agrees on
the current value of the property and they have some history with the
property’s quality. Additionally, many Sellers do not require as much
documentation as an institutional lender would require to qualify the
Buyer. Institutional lenders have a process that they use to qualify
Buyers – this process is supposed to reduce the risk to the lender (the
current economic situation was caused by a loosening of this process).
Most sellers who do Seller Financing don’t have a process but instead do
just enough to feel comfortable with the Buyer’s promise to pay.

Seller Financing can reduce the amount of money needed to buy a property.
Some financing situations can result in zero down payment. For example,
in a ’subject to’ purchase, the seller may loan you all of their equity.
For example, the seller may owe $100K on a house that is in disrepair.
This house may require $20K of repairs and when fixed up may be worth
$200K. A deal could be crafted for a total of $120K where the Buyer takes
over payments on the $100K and owes the Seller $20K (to be paid when the
Buyer completes repairs and refinances or sells the house).

Seller Financing allows an investor to buy a wider range of properties.
An institutional lender may not qualify a property if it is in need of
some serious rehab work. As an investor Buyer, this means that I may not
be able to get a bank to lend me the money needed to buy the property
(they may be more accommodating for construction loans, but there are
limitations there as well).

Seller Financing allows an investor to hold more properties. Currently,
institutional lenders limit the number of loans that a Buyer may have in
their name. As an investor Buyer, this limits the number of properties
you can own at any one time. The current limit is actually 10, but the
qualifying process for more than 4 loans is very difficult – making a
practical limit of 4 loans. Most Sellers don’t have similar limitations
and Seller financing often does not show on a credit report, so this can
be a nice way to avoid this limitation.

Buyer – The Bad:

It can be difficult to find a Seller that is willing to accept Seller
Financing. The most common objection I hear is that they just want to
cash out. When I dig deeper, often the resistance comes from not really
understanding the good and bad aspects (Why did I write this article?!).

About The Author
Dean Dretske invites you to subscribe for more real estate tips and to
learn about available properties at http://www.MoneyMakingProperties.com. Subscribe now and get a free
report that will help your investing!

The author invites you to visit: http://www.RealEstateForFunAndProfit.com

Earn Money Consigning Children’s Items

2009-07-11T20:00:00.000-06:00

Earn Money Consigning Children’s Items
by: David C. DuPont

Children clothing, toys, children furniture, etc. is expensive and often
under used. A great way to earn extra money is to consign your children’s
new & gently used furniture, clothing, toys, books, sporting equipment,
DVD’s etc. Consignment shops and consignment events will sell your
child’s items for you and you will almost always make more money than you
would selling your child’s equipment, child’s clothing & toys in a yard
sale.

Consigning is easy. All you have to do is clean house!!

You will be amazed at the quantity of unused and outgrown toys, children
clothes, children shoes, etc. you will find in your closet! Once you have
gathered your child’s gently used clothes, toys, etc together, inspect
them for wear, tear, stains, etc. Resale shops & resale event only take
items that are in great shape. All electronics will need to work and must
include operational batteries. Remember: Only sell items that you would
purchase.

Children’s consignment shops will inspect, price and sell children’s
furniture, shoes, toys, equipment, sporting goods, accessories, etc. They
will usually keep your money on your account and will mail a check only
when requested. Typical children’s consignment shops will keep 50% to 80%
of the sale and if your items do not sell within 90 days they become
property of the consignment shop.

Children’s consignment events operate like a consignment shop but
consignment events only last 2 to 14 days and often have a whole lot more
consignors and items. You prepare your child’s items, tag them & you name
your own price. You make 60% to 80% of your sales and a check is either
presented the last day of the sale or your check is mailed within 2 weeks
of the end of the sale. Unclaimed items are usually donated to a charity.

Due to our economic climate, more and more parents are discovering
consignment. Consignment shops are expanding and consignment events are
popping up all over the country. Consigning your child’s unused or gently
used clothing, toys, shoes, etc is a great way to earn lots of money! To
find a child’s consignment shop or children’s resale event near you do an
internet search….you’ll be surprised at how many consignment shops are in
your area! You’ll also be surprised at how easy it is to make money
consigning. All you need to do is to prepare your items (clean them and
visually inspect for wear, tears, stains, etc) and consign. Happy
consigning!!

Buffy the Bargain Queen never pays retail!! She founded “Children’s
Resale – Kids Consignment” in Houston Texas – Houston’s largest
children’s consignment sale. After decades of bargain shopping &
consigning she decided to start her own children’s consignment sale and
has been excited to offer Houstonians great bargains and an exciting
option to retail & consignment shops! Her next sale is July 30th – August
1st at the Houston Farm and Ranch Club. To find out more information
about this event or to sign up as a consignor go to
http://www.ChildrensResaleHouston.com.

About The Author
I’m Buffy the Bargain Queen and I have always had the “bargain
bug”.During a recent visit to my sister,Stephanie, I learned about resale
events.When I came home I looked for a children’s resale event in Houston
but did not find one.I decided to create my own event!I think that this
will be the best sale in Texas because between my husband (David the
Safety Step Stool Guy) and I, we bring years of marketing & business
experience.

The author invites you to visit:
http://www.ChildrensResaleHouston.com

Live The Simple Life And Eliminate The Debt In Your Life

2009-07-10T20:00:00.000-06:00

Live The Simple Life And Eliminate The Debt In Your Life
by: Jane Bennett

Almost everyone I know has debt in their life. Many dream of the day they
can kiss that debt goodbye, but don’t know how they are ever going to
achieve it.

My tip to these people is - become debt free by simply living

Simply living is all about living a happy, fulfilled life. One with
purpose and meaning. You wnat to have control over how and where you
spend your money and how you spend your time. The easiest way to do this
is set up some goals that will help you lead a satisfying life. Goals
allow you to take control of the rpesent and the future. Base your goals
on something other than money and you will quickly learn that ‘less is
more’.

Remember, it is not just being debt free that helps you lead a more
satisfying life - although it it is a very nice by-product!

Living the life you desire invloves much more than money. In a world
based greatly on material possessions you will need to create a life that
encompasses:

1. Financial wealth
2. Mental wealth
3. Physical wealth
4. Spiritual wealth

By looking at the 4 areas of wealth you can wake up each morning and look
forward to a life of fulfillment and joy. You can be happy with money but
it is also very easy to be unhappy with money. When all aspects of your
life are fulfilled - work, family, life and yourself - you will become
more productive and creative.

This in turn allows you to identify new ways to build wealth in other
areas of your life. Your focus will no longer be on where you are on the
social ladder or how many material possessions you own. It will be about
living your life to the fullest, with purpose and meaning.

Escape the bondage of consumerism!

Open your eyes to the world of pleasure and enjoyment.

Rid yourself of debt!

Throughout this process you will learn how to enjoy the simple things in
life. You can nurture your mental capabilities and cultivate your
spiritual self. Thereby leading a happier, more fulfilled life.

I have many more great hints and tips for leading a simpler life within
my ebook “Eliminate Debt - Simply Living Debt Free“. Download your FREE
mini debt elimination ebook NOW >>

About The Author
As an expert in family wellness, Jane Bennett aims to provide instantly
downloadable, up-to-date and relevant information to create holistic
harmony in every household.

To access you FREE mini debt elimination ebook go to
http://www.harmoniusebooks.com/self-improvement/debtconsolidation

2009-07-09T20:00:00.000-06:00

Money Saving Tips For Seniors
by: Catharine D. Allado

Times are hard. With this economic condition, it is very important to use
your money wisely. Spending less money means more savings for you.

As a Senior Citizen, you can take advantage of all the discount
privileges available to you. Many stores, hotels, theaters, restaurants,
airlines and other establishments offer senior citizen discounts but do
not advertise it. They don't even give you the discount automatically,
unless you ask for it. Make sure you ask, otherwise, you'll miss out.

Here are important Money-Saving tips for senior citizens. Tips that can
potentially save you thousands of money annually.

Shopping

1. Check the store if they have any Senior Discount Policy. This is
getting popular nowadays. Some stores offer discounts on purchases made
by seniors. Make sure you ask about it so you don't miss out on any
discounts. Remember, there's no harm in asking.

2. Make a list and stick to it. Be sure to write down the things that you
need before going to the grocery to avoid any unnecessary purchases. Be
sure to update this list frequently.

3. Buy the store brand or the generic version. Most likely, the store
brand is as good as the name brand. This will help a lot lowering your
regular grocery bill.

4. Compare the price of items you buy in your local grocery with other
stores in your area. You will be surprised on how much money you can save
by shopping in the cheaper grocery store.

5. Do not go to the grocery when you are hungry, otherwise, you will
end-up buying more than you actually need.

6. Sign-up for any free rewards program. You might not shop that much at
that store, but you will accumulate points every time you do. Plus, the
nice thing about this is that most likely the store would send you
coupons and discounts as part of their promotions.

7. For online shopping, be sure to search the web for any online coupon
codes and discounts before finalizing your order. There lots of websites
out there that maintain a list of coupon and discount codes for hundreds
of online stores.

8. Shop the clearance or bargain department, most online stores have
this. Be sure to check if they have a free-shipping promotion (usually
stores require a minimum purchase amount).

Food and Entertainment

1. Prepare meals at home instead of dining out. It's cheaper this way
plus its healthier.

2. Dine-out only during special occasions. You will be surprised on the
amount of money you can save.

3. Take advantage of senior discounts. Most theaters and restaurants
offer discounts for Senior Citizens so be sure to ask.

4. Check the newspaper and the Internet for any restaurant coupons.

Prescription Drugs

1. Always ask your doctor for the generic versions. It is much cheaper
compared to brand name drugs.

2. Ask your doctor for several free samples.

3. Check the Internet for coupons. Some manufacturers provide coupons for
their products.

4. Check with your pharmacy if they offer any Senior Citizen discounts or
any discounts from organizations you belong to.

5. Pill-splitting. Most of the time prescription drugs cost almost the
same regardless of the dosage. As your doctor if he can give you a
prescription for twice the amount of dose you need so you can split it in
half before taking it. Be very cautious when doing this. Make sure to ask
your doctor and pharmacist for advice before doing this. They should be
able to tell you whether or not you can cut each pill in half before
taking it.

Insurance

1. Use the same insurance company for your home and car. Most Insurance
Companies give a big discount when you use the same company for insuring
your home(s) and car(s).

2. Before scheduling your medical visit, be sure to check if your doctor
is part of the "In-network" of your insurance company and if the
procedure will be covered. Most of the time if you go to an "Out of
Network" Provider, you end up paying a higher deductible and more
out-of-pocket expense.

3. Medicare recipients can save money by getting a Medigap Policy. This
is an insurance policy sold by private insurance companies to help pay
for some medical services not covered by Medicare. To read more about
Medigap Policies, click here .

Vacation and Travel

1. Always check the Internet for the lowest plane fares. Sometimes, the
Senior Citizen discount that airlines offer may not be the best deal.

2. Some hotels offer Senior Citizen discounts. It would be best to call
and check with the hotel if they offer this kind of discount before
making your reservation. It will also be wise to check the Internet for
any on-going promotions for comparison purposes.

3. Take advantage of Senior Citizen discounts for car rentals and public
transportation.

Banks and Credit Cards

1. Call your bank and ask them for the best program that will suit your
banking needs. Most of the banks now have no fees if you maintain a
certain amount.

2. Call your credit card company and ask for an interest rate reduction.
Most of the time, they will give you a lower rate.

3. Negotiate with your credit card company about waiving or lowering your
annual fee. Most of the time, they would accommodate you, but if not, at
least you tried.

4. Pay your bills online. It's completely free and convenient. Plus it
will save you money from postage.

Home

1. Consider using fluorescent bulbs as this will save you up to 50% in
lighting bills.

2. Be sure to turn-off the lights and other appliances when not in use to
save money on electricity.

3. Replace your old appliances with energy efficient appliances. Look for
the "Energy Star" label as you may be eligible to receive rebates,
credits or sales tax exemptions just by buying qualified energy efficient
appliances.

4. Have a yard sale to get rid of things you don't need. As the popular
saying goes: "Another man's trash is another man's treasure."

5. Rule of thumb: Anything you haven't used or worn for a year or so need
to be given away.

6. Wash your hands thoroughly. Keeping your hands clean will prevent you
from acquiring all kinds of bacteria and viruses. This will help save a
lot on medical bills.

Copyright © 2008 La Dolce Living, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

About The Author
Catharine D. Allado writes articles for http://www.ladolceliving.com, the most trusted and comprehensive online
service helping seniors and families find FREE and RELIABLE information
from senior housing care such as assisted living and nursing homes,
in-home care, articles and tips, health information, senior discounts and
services, a senior online community, plus more...

How to Detect False Promises Made by Loan Modification Companies

2009-07-08T20:00:00.000-06:00

How to Detect False Promises Made by Loan Modification Companies
by: Bridget Toomey

Over 3-million American families who have been affected by the current
economic downturn and are struggling with their mortgages are looking at
getting their loans modified in order to save their homes from going into
foreclosure.

While loan modifications remain one of the best options for saving your
home, many homeowners complain about falling victim to false promises
made by certain loan modification companies. Families should be careful
of companies who would say almost anything just to get your business only
to run away with your money or complicate things further. It is very
important for homeowners to learn how to differentiate between the
legitimate companies with the ones that are only after your money.

The following points are a few things that you can check while talking to
a loan modification consultant to know whether they are telling the truth
or simply trying to show you the best case scenario in order for you to
pay them an upfront fee without getting an approval from your mortgage
lender:

1) Loan modifications on an average take about 3 to 4 months to complete.
From preparing the application with required documents to actually
applying and then following up with the mortgage lender, it takes a lot
of time. The loan modification consultant also needs to spend time in
negotiating with your lender to get the best possible modified mortgage
plan.

All of the above takes about 90 to 120 days to complete depending on the
lender and their own schedule. While talking to a loan modification
consultant, if they keep telling you that they can get your loan approved
for a modification within a month or so, then it is quite clear that they
are not telling the truth. It is also dangerous to sign up with a company
who says it takes about a month to complete an application as they might
miss important details on your modification which lead to your
application being rejected. Since the loan modification consultant
already has your money for their services, they would not care if the
application was approved or rejected, they would just simply try to rush
things and move to the next client.

2) Another thing you must keep in mind is that not all loan modification
applications are approved by the lenders. Approval depends on a number of
factors such as the reason for your difficulty in not keeping up with
your mortgage payment, ability to pay the modified plan if approved,
current situation in terms of job, savings etc.

Many companies would tell you that you will be approved by the bank and
take their huge sign up fee. This is just another false promise as the
company needs to check your situation and consult with your lender and
their team of consultants before determining whether you qualify. Only
after completing all of the necessary steps can you truly know the
outcome of the loan modification application.

You need to work with a company who is honest about the application
process with you from the beginning. Learning whether you qualify for a
loan modification is one of the most valuable services a loan
modification consultant can offer to you as it would then save you a lot
of money and time which can be utilized on other options to save your
home.

3) The last point you need to check is whether a company tells you that
you need to pay a fee before your loan modification can be approved. This
is not true at all and you should work with only those companies that
guarantee no fees until your loan modification application is actually
approved by your mortgage lender.

Why Monitor your Credit Report?

2009-07-07T20:00:00.000-06:00

Why Monitor your Credit Report?
by: Bernz Jayma P.

The number of identity scams these days is very alarming. If you watch
the news, there isn’t a day that you don’t hear reports about identities
being stolen. What is more disturbing is the fact that many techniques
are used to steal your personal information. Some criminals go as far as
stealing a laptop that stores hundreds of personal records. Meanwhile,
there are also those who hack the database of larger organizations.
Unfortunately, anyone can be a victim of identity theft including you.
But probably the most unfortunate part is that it is highly unlikely for
you to discover the crime immediately. Most people only find out they are
victim months after the crime happened.

One way to protect yourself from being a victim of this 21st century
crime is to monitor your credit report regularly and check all the
information it contains. In the United States, there are three major
credit bureaus that provide you with a free credit report every year. It
is better to spend some time checking all three reports. Take note that
there are cases when important information show up in one report but not
on the other.

If you think that these measures are too time-consuming, it is possible
to eliminate these hassles. You can hire a credit report agency to do the
job for you. Getting a credit monitoring service isn’t complicated at
all. For an agreed upon fee, the credit report agency will check your
credit and if something negative appears on it, the agency will help you
find out which activity caused that negative rating. The agency will
immediately notify you in case something suspicious occurs on your report
and you can dispute it right away. Remember, the longer that negative
activity stays in your report, the more ‘real’ it appears in front of the
law.

About The Author
Author and entrepreneur Bernz Jayma P. is the owner of an identity theft
blog , Learn up -to-date information on how you can stop and prevent
identity theft by visiting http://www.IdentityTheftProtection.org.

Start Putting An End To Credit Card Debt Now

2009-07-06T20:00:00.000-06:00

Start Putting An End To Credit Card Debt Now
by: Michael Redbourn

The steps below clearly explain how to create a realistic budget; how to
consolidate your credit cards; how to reduce the amount of interest that
you're paying; and how to make fewer payments.

Step one involves creating a realistic monthly budget, with "realistic"
being the keyword, because just like a diet, if you can't maintain it,
then it's not only worthless, but it can in fact be damaging.

Before we get underway, you'll need are your last 3 months of bank
statements and if you don't have them, you should be able to download
them, or get them from your bank within a day or two.

Now that you have the three bank statements, make a list of all your
expenses, and I mean all of them.

When you've done that, I want you to divide them into three separate
categories. The first one is for your fixed monthly payments, which will
include things such as your mortgage or rent, a car payment, and maybe
your phone and TV payments. The second category is for monthly payments
that vary, and it should include such things as, groceries, gas,
electricity, vehicle maintenance, and perhaps home repair. The third
category should contain items over which you hopefully have much more
control, like, eating out, entertainment, impulse shopping, and
everything else that doesn't fit into either of the first two categories.

Now make a list of any income that you have regardless of whether it's
salary, welfare, stocks and shares, or a rental property etc.

You've more than likely guessed the next step, which is to compare your
total expenses, to your total net income.

If your expenses are more than your income, then you'll obviously have to
look at the third category and decide how to cut back on some of the
items that are in it.

If after reducing the amounts in the third category, your expenses still
exceed your income then it's high time to consider making serious changes
to your lifestyle, because if you don't then you're going to get deeper
into debt every month, and no amount of reading or effort will help you
until you make those changes.

With any luck your income is more than your expenditure, and if it is
then we can begin to reduce your credit card debt, and the first real
decision you'll have to make, is how much more you're ready to add your
monthly credit card payments.

The bigger the payments the better, and here's why.

If your balance is $10,000 and you pay the present minimum repayment of
$200 per month, then based on an APR of 15% it will take you 6 years and
7 months to pay off the card, and you'll have paid $5,791.21 in interest.
If you'd paid $300 per month instead, it would have taken three years and
eight months to pay off, and you'd have paid $3,017.07 in interest.

If you have several credit cards, which is likely, then the next step is
to consolidate all your credit cards, so that you'll only have one or two
of them to make payments on, and those payments will only be on cards
that have the lowest interest rates.

Deciding which credit cards to keep and which ones to get rid of is not
as simple as you might think because the differences between APR and EAR
make figuring out the actual interest rate fairly complicated.

If we assume a stable balance, and all other conditions remain the same,
an APR of 12.99 percent over the course of a year's worth of compound
interest is the same as an EAR of 13.79 percent which might not seem like
a lot, but if your balance is a large one, or if the repayment time will
be lengthy, then the difference will be significant.

It's easy to find a 'Credit Card Repayment Calculator' on the web, and if
some of your card companies use EAR and others use APR, then simply use
one of the calculators to figure out which cards are costing you more,
and don't forget to take into account the annual cost of the card.

It's almost certain that you receive offers from rival credit card
companies several times a year that ask you to transfer your balances
from other cards to them, and they almost always offer you several months
of a low or even zero percent interest, and it's very important that you
take advantage of these offers. The transfer process is simple, and it
can be done with checks that are supplied by the company, or online, and
you should do it every time the period of low or free interest is close
to expiring.

At the time of writing this article, lots of credit card companies are
doubling the minimum monthly payments, and while it will make it
difficult for many people to make them, it will of course benefit them,
if it doesn't completely ruin their lives first. The problem with the
credit card companies enforcing the change, is that it will force people
to make much higher payments than they'd anticipated, which is a far cry
from the planned method that is suggested here, and one which is still
entirely valid.

So if you're really determined to get rid of your credit card debt,
create your budget; cut down on the number of cards that you have to the
lowest number that's possible; decide how much you're going to add to the
minimum monthly payments; and then smile as you watch your balances come
down quickly.

About The Author
More and more people want to lower their debts and two different ways are
currently available. If you want to get out of debt fast then go look at
http://free-from-debts.org and discover how
to eliminate 90% of your debts just by sending a one page letter. But if
you have time and want to slowly reduce debt, whilst also improving your
credit rating, then check out http://pay-off-debts.org which features the famous Debt Free In Three
System.

2009-07-05T20:00:00.000-06:00

Pre Paid Credit Cards - Fantastic Plastic Without the Bills
by: Margaret Winfrey

[http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php]

Pre paid credit cards have been around for a few years now, but it's just
recently that they have seen a significant rise in popularity. With the
economic world feeling the pinch, and spiralling credit problems facing
almost everyone, pre pay credit cards have become one of the most useful
ways of receiving and making payments, without the risk of running up
credit card bills for the future.

There is no doubt at all that paying by plastic is quick and convenient.
Unlike carrying money with you, a credit or debit card presents great
convenience and security. You might lose your wallet, and then your money
will certainly be lost. However, your card is generally only of any use
if someone knows your PIN.

Increasingly retailers are preferring credit card payments, with some now
no longer accepting checks as payment. Cash is obviously still accepted,
but there are some people who have expressed a certain degree of
scepticism as far as how long even this might remain, at least as a main
form of payment rather than a mere novelty!

Paying by plastic helps to increase security and speed up payments. There
is also the online advantage to consider. These days very few people
would trust sending cash by post in order to pay for something online,
and in any case, one of the benefits of buying online is the ability to
pay for, and complete, the entire transaction at the same time.

But the only way in which you can pay for items and services online
securely is to use a card of some kind. This can prove very difficult for
those people who are unable to obtain a credit card.

There are many reasons why someone may not be able to open a standard
credit card account. Some people may be too young, with those just having
left school and with no job being refused, especially during the current
financial situation. Of course, those with poor credit will always have
found it difficult to obtain credit, and credit cards may well have been
entirely beyond their reach.

Today, with credit companies increasingly feeling the strain and
pressure, it has become even harder to obtain credit, and those with even
moderate issues on their credit file are finding it harder, or even
impossible, to obtain such a facility.

It may even be that someone may not have a credit file at all, or at
least one with no data on it. If somebody with no previous credit record
applies for a credit card they will normally be declined the card. It
must also be accepted that there are plenty of people who, for personal
reasons, have no desire to have a regular credit card and offer
themselves the potential access to thousands of dollars that they neither
have nor need.

Pre paid credit cards get round all of these solutions, because there is
usually no need for any kind of credit check to be carried out. There is
therefore virtually no age limit, no problem with people having poor or
disastrous credit records, and even those who have judgements or previous
bankruptcy might be able to be given such a card.

This means that, within a certain degree of reason, almost anyone can
successfully apply for a pre paid credit card, providing them with
immediate access to the same facilities granted to those who have a
standard credit card facility. Pre paid cards offer those who do not
qualify for a regular credit card to use plastic to pay for goods and
services when needed.

Since there is no actual credit facility, there is no danger in running
up a bill. You simply credit the card in the same way as you would put
credit onto a pr-paid cell phone. Once the funds have cleared they are
then immediately available, and the card will work in exactly the same
way as any standard credit card. The store owner will never know whether
the card is pre paid or not, as they work in exactly the same way as a
standard card.

You may well find that there are certain charges associated with using
pre paid credit cards, and this might include an initial fee to open the
account, fees for topping up the card, and fees for using the card. These
fees can vary widely, and so it might be worth shopping around to compare
rates and charges. This is fair enough, because there is no interest rate
on such cards, and that is how regular cards are financed - from the
interest rate.

For instance, you may find that some pre paid credit cards have lower
rates, but charge quite high fees for withdrawing cash from an ATM. If
this isn't a facility you're likely to want to use, then you will need to
decide how you intend to use the pre pay card, and which combination of
charges and costs represents the best deal for you personally.

About The Author
For more information on pre paid credit cards and more, go to
MyCreditCard.com where you can compare pre paid credit cards and other
credit card offers and applications from major banks and issuers.

Visit the author's web site at: http://www.mycreditcard.com

Reasons to Shop for Wholesale School and Office Supplies

2009-07-04T20:00:00.000-06:00

Reasons to Shop for Wholesale School and Office Supplies
by: Marc Joseph

School and office supplies are important for efficient and effective
work. There are tons of office and school supplies out there for you to
choose from including items such as pencils and markers to folders and
backpacks. You can find a wide variety to meet all of your needs. One of
the best decisions you can make when purchasing such goods is to buy
cheap and discounted supplies. This article will cover some basic
information on purchasing wholesale school and office supplies.

Basics on wholesale school and office supplies Some people try to avoid
buying cheap school supplies as well as discount office supplies because
they think that cheap prices equate to low quality. In some cases, it may
be true that cheap supplies are not of good quality, but this is not true
for all products. The trick to finding good quality yet cheap products is
to look for items that are being sold wholesale or on discount. Wholesale
and discounted items are practically the same as regularly priced items,
except for the fact that they are much cheaper.

Advantages of wholesale school supplies

One of the advantages of purchasing wholesale school supplies is that you
can use the money that you saved on the purchase for tuition or other
school expenses. Whether you are a parent putting your child through
school or you are an adult paying for your own tuition, every penny
counts when it comes to school fees. Another benefit of wholesale school
supplies is that you can buy wholesale to last you for the entire
semester or year. It's easy to go through entire reams of paper, packs of
pencils and pens, and loads of other supplies while in school. By
purchasing your school supplies in bulk, you can be sure that you will
have supplies to last you throughout the school term.

Benefits of buying discount office supplies

Office supplies often account for a significant part of a company's
expenses. To cut down on office expenses and maximize profit, why not buy
discount office supplies at cheap prices? Business owners can minimize
company expenses just by purchasing wholesale or discount goods.
Employees, on the other hand, can also look forward to extra savings. For
large offices, buying wholesale and in bulk is the way to go. Savings
tend to increase as you purchase more, so you may want to fill up that
office stock room for maximum savings. If you are buying office supplies
for your home, you may not be able to make complete use of bulk
purchases, so it would be best to go for cheap and discounted items.

Things to keep in mind when buying discount supplies

When purchasing discount office and school supplies, it is important to
take time and calculate your usage. You can easily overspend by buying
too many of these items. If you monitor your use, you can make more
accurate purchases that can help you save money and avoid overstocking,
which may just end up in the trash bin.

If you are buying school supplies for children, you may want to involve
them in the process so they can choose the colors and products that they
enjoy using. Your savings and your purchases can quickly turn to waste if
your child refuses to use the cheap school supplies that you buy.

Finally, remember to have a good time while buying your discounted items.
Your main goal should be to save a little money while being able to
purchase all of the supplies that you need. Be sure to take your time
while shopping, so you can budget well and get great deals on things you
need.

About The Author
This article was written by Marc Joseph who has long been buying discount
school supplies and discount office supplies. Throughout the years, he
has saved thousands of dollars by purchasing cheap school supplies.

http://www.dollardays.com/wholesale-office-and-school-supplies.html

Tips for Getting a Mortgage with Bad Credit

2009-07-03T20:00:00.000-06:00

Tips for Getting a Mortgage with Bad Credit
by: Rachel Jackson

When it comes to applying for a mortgage, good credit is perhaps the best
and most effective tool to have at your disposal. In fact, your credit
rating is so important that many experts say you should make sure your
credit is good before you start applying for mortgages at all.

Your credit rating, while it may be the most important factor, is by no
means the only factor that lenders consider when deciding whether to
grant you a loan. That means it’s still possible to get a mortgage even
if your credit rating is not optimal. So how do you go about this?

Understanding your Credit Rating

The first step to getting a mortgage with bad credit is understanding how
credit scores actually work, and why they affect your ability to get a
mortgage.

Your credit score is based on several different factors, the amount of
available credit you have, how much of the available credit you have
used, the length of your credit history, your employment history, and
whether you pay bills and debt repayments on time. Your credit rating is
a number between 300 and 850, with 850 being the best credit score you
can achieve.

As far as lenders are concerned, anyone with a credit rating of 700 or
more is a “good risk,” meaning someone who is likely to make mortgage
repayments on time every month until the loan has been repaid. Below that
level, lenders consider you are more of a risk in terms of whether or not
you will continue to make payments on time. If your credit score is below
around 620, you’ll find it difficult to get an affordable mortgage, and
below 500, most lenders aren’t willing to offer loans at all.

Repairing Your Bad Credit

So what can you do if you have bad credit? First, know that if you have
bad credit and you want to apply for a mortgage, it’s important to do
whatever you can to repair your credit before you apply. A second
important point is that it can take six months to a year to rebuild bad
credit enough that it will positively affect your ability to get a
mortgage. So it’s also vital that you’re willing to be patient, and take
the time to repair your credit before applying.

Repairing bad credit has two main steps: first, check your credit report
for errors, and second, repairing any damage done.

To check your credit score for errors, simply obtain a copy of your
report from one of the three main credit-reporting agencies – Equifax,
Experian and TransUnion. Examine the report thoroughly, and check for
errors or out-of-date information. Even a single error can reduce your
score by a significant margin, so this is a worthwhile step to take. To
fix the error, call the creditor involved and explain why you think the
item should be removed from your report. Make sure the creditor agrees to
send you a letter verifying that the item was removed, to provide proof
for the credit bureau.

Next, it’s time to start repairing your credit score. The most effective
way to do this is simply to pay your bills on time, and keep your debt
total low, while maintaining a small amount of available credit. Lenders
like to see a fairly small amount of available credit, with a wide gap
between the amount of credit you have, and the amount you actually use.
Another point lenders look for is a long credit history, so if you have
old credit card accounts that are in good standing, keep those open and
active in preference to newer accounts.

Getting a Mortgage with Sub-Optimal Credit

Even if you’ve taken steps to repair your bad credit, it might not be
good enough for lenders to consider you an excellent risk. If your credit
is still below 700, you may find you have to do some serious shopping
around to find a lender willing to accept your application. If you’re
able to make a larger down-payment, this can help off-set the negative
effects of a lower credit score. Other factors that may help include a
good income-to-debt ratio, and a stable employment history.

Lower than 620, you’ll probably be limited to what are known as sub-prime
lenders. These offer loans to people with bad credit and other issues,
but the loans typically have higher interest rates. The problem here is
that if your credit is bad due to tight finances, you’re less likely to
be able to afford the higher repayments that come with the higher
interest rate. If you’re in a situation where a sub-prime mortgage is
your only option, it’s very wise to stop and think about whether it might
be a better option to wait until your credit is higher.

About The Author
Rachel Jackson is a freelance writer who writes about topics and
pertaining to the mortgage industry such as how to refinance home
mortgage.

http://www.absolutemortgageco.com

Your Retirement Account: Why You Should Save It For Retirement

2009-07-02T20:00:00.000-06:00

Your Retirement Account: Why You Should Save It For Retirement
by: Michelle L. Marrs

A frustrating situation that bankruptcy attorneys are often faced with is
meeting clients who have drained their retirements in an effort to avoid
bankruptcy, only to end up filing anyway. In a bankruptcy situation,
funds in a qualified retirement account are exempt to over $1 million
dollars - a limit not generally approached by most debtors.

People sometimes use loans and disbursements as a band-aid for their
financial troubles. If this approach is not going to “cure” the problem,
then you should avoid these false “solutions”. The best decision you
could make in considering resolution of your financial difficulties is to
seek the advice of an experienced bankruptcy attorney.

There is extensive planning that can be done to seek to maximize the
amount of assets you keep while minimizing the repayment to creditors.
Your number one goal should be to seek a fresh start with as many assets
as possible.

Speaking to a bankruptcy attorney doesn’t mean that you will need to or
should file a bankruptcy. A good bankruptcy attorney is experienced in
many different areas of financial distress and can offer a comprehensive
and creative approach to solving the problem. They deal with these issues
on a daily basis and will have a broader range of experience and insight
than the average person.

There may also be additional relief available to you in stripping
mortgages, adjusting interest rates, IRS issues and so on that can be
explained by a bankruptcy attorney. People often are misled by false
information on the Internet or from well intentioned friends with only
partially true information.

In short, meet with someone experienced in financial issues before
raiding your retirement, you may be surprised at the options available to
you.

About The Author
Ms. Marrs is a 1992 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
with a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Economics. She
received her law degree from Thomas M Cooley in 1998. Ms. Marrs practices
in the areas of bankruptcy including adversary proceedings.

Visit the author's web site at: http://www.marrsterry.net

Debt Consolidation Program: A Useful Means To Become Debt Free

2009-07-01T20:00:00.005-06:00

Debt Consolidation Program: A Useful Means To Become Debt Free

Is your debt problem taking away your good night’s sleep? If yes, you must be desperately looking for solutions to get out of it. A debt consolidation program can drive away your anxieties associated with debt repayment. Anyone can have debt. Financial problems starting from excessive credit card debt to a poor credit rating are not essentially the consequences of bad money management.

Unavoidable circumstances like unprecedented bills, unexpected job loss, divorce, medical contingencies or death of a family member can result in financial hardships.

A debt consolidation program can effectively make you debt free. It involves obtaining a single loan to pay off your multiple outstanding loans through one manageable monthly payment. Once you enroll into such a program, qualified debt counselors would assist you to reorganize your bills and set up a repayment strategy that can reduce a number of years and thousands of dollars from your long term debts like mortgages, credit card debts and other loans.

Some debt consolidation companies also offer debt management programs (DMPs) for the consumers that are a useful means to clear up your debts. The debt management professionals would help you formulate a budget, find out your financial alternatives, save money on late fees and interest, stop creditor harassment and offer you with helpful details.

A debt consolidation program works for your benefit and not the creditors. Following are some of the salient advantages offered by a debt consolidation program:

Reduction of monthly payments by 25%-50%
Shortening of your repayment term
Significant reduction of interest rates
Maintaining your credit rating
The opportunity of bringing back your account status to current
Permanent elimination of debt

You must get into action and knock off your debts with the help of such a program. It is better if you find a non-profit debt consolidation company that would ask for moderate fees against their services. You can also avail free credit counseling sessions from these agencies.

VA Mortgage Loan Scams

2009-06-30T20:00:00.000-06:00

VA Mortgage Loan Scams
by: Cachet Gomes

VA mortgage loans have proved to be very beneficial for veterans and a
veteran can now enjoy a dream home of his own. The main advantage of VA
mortgage loans is you don’t have to make any down payment. VA mortgage
loan scams are on the rise and consumers are required to keep track of
the proceedings while opting for a veteran mortgage loan.

A VA mortgage loan is guaranteed by Veterans Administration. These loans
are extended only to the veterans. The surviving spouses of veterans are
also entitled to receive the loan guaranteed by the VA. This loan allows
veterans to own a home of their own by making zero down payments.

In order to avail the veteran mortgage loan, you need to qualify and the
eligibility criteria may vary from one person to another. The difference
may be due to duration for which you were in service or type of military
service you were engaged in. You can avail a VA mortgage loan of up to
USD$417,000. In few areas the amount can be higher. If you are a
potential home buyer, you can avail a 100% mortgage loan without shelling
out private mortgage insurance. In case you are a homeowner already, you
can avail 90% for refinancing.

VA mortgage loans are issued by qualified lenders and banks. However,
recently several instances of VA mortgage loan scams have been reported.

Scenario 1

A real estate broker was sent to prison for victimizing innocent people
who had availed VA mortgage loans. The incident occurred in Atlanta when
the real estate broker misappropriated approximately USD$900,000. She
operated in the Atlanta area and arranged for at least 20 real estate
transactions offered by Veteran Administration's Lender Vendor Program.
She operated under 3 different names. She had made false documents, bank
records, wage statements and submitted to the VA so that the VA mortgage
loans get approved. Her main intention was to help veterans get a loan
even if they didn’t qualify for one.

Scenario 2

In another instance involving VA mortgage loans, an officer of the VA
Regional Loan Office was found guilty of carrying out fraudulent
activities. The main work of the officer was to hire contractors for the
repair work and maintenance of residential property, the VA intended to
buy if the veterans fell behind on payments. These loans were only
partially guaranteed by the VA. The officer was imprisoned for a period
of 63 months. He was arrested on the charges that he had accepted bribe
from contractors and hired their services for the maintenance work even
though the quality of work they would be doing wasn't good. The
contractors were paid as much as USD$4 million over a period of 5 years.
In return, the officer received cash payments of more than USD$100,000.
Since the incidence of VA mortgage loan scams is on the rise, every
possible effort is being made to minimize misappropriation of funds.

About The Author
Cachet Gomes is a contributing Financial Writer of Mortgagecases. With
her knowledge on http://www.mortgagecases.com/mortgage
[http://www.mortgagecases.com/mortgage] cases, laws and sub prime
mortgage crisis related issues, she provides information on mortgage
calculators, consumer rights, how to fight out cases and avoid
http://www.mortgagecases.com/frauds/avoid-valoan-scams.html
[http://www.mortgagecases.com/frauds/avoid-valoan-scams.html] VA Mortgage
Loan Scams.

by: Cachet Gomes

VA mortgage loans have proved to be very beneficial for veterans and a
veteran can now enjoy a dream home of his own. The main advantage of VA
mortgage loans is you don’t have to make any down payment. VA mortgage
loan scams are on the rise and consumers are required to keep track of
the proceedings while opting for a veteran mortgage loan.

A VA mortgage loan is guaranteed by Veterans Administration. These loans
are extended only to the veterans. The surviving spouses of veterans are
also entitled to receive the loan guaranteed by the VA. This loan allows
veterans to own a home of their own by making zero down payments.

In order to avail the veteran mortgage loan, you need to qualify and the
eligibility criteria may vary from one person to another. The difference
may be due to duration for which you were in service or type of military
service you were engaged in. You can avail a VA mortgage loan of up to
USD$417,000. In few areas the amount can be higher. If you are a
potential home buyer, you can avail a 100% mortgage loan without shelling
out private mortgage insurance. In case you are a homeowner already, you
can avail 90% for refinancing.

VA mortgage loans are issued by qualified lenders and banks. However,
recently several instances of VA mortgage loan scams have been reported.

Scenario 1

A real estate broker was sent to prison for victimizing innocent people
who had availed VA mortgage loans. The incident occurred in Atlanta when
the real estate broker misappropriated approximately USD$900,000. She
operated in the Atlanta area and arranged for at least 20 real estate
transactions offered by Veteran Administration's Lender Vendor Program.
She operated under 3 different names. She had made false documents, bank
records, wage statements and submitted to the VA so that the VA mortgage
loans get approved. Her main intention was to help veterans get a loan
even if they didn’t qualify for one.

Scenario 2

In another instance involving VA mortgage loans, an officer of the VA
Regional Loan Office was found guilty of carrying out fraudulent
activities. The main work of the officer was to hire contractors for the
repair work and maintenance of residential property, the VA intended to
buy if the veterans fell behind on payments. These loans were only
partially guaranteed by the VA. The officer was imprisoned for a period
of 63 months. He was arrested on the charges that he had accepted bribe
from contractors and hired their services for the maintenance work even
though the quality of work they would be doing wasn't good. The
contractors were paid as much as USD$4 million over a period of 5 years.
In return, the officer received cash payments of more than USD$100,000.
Since the incidence of VA mortgage loan scams is on the rise, every
possible effort is being made to minimize misappropriation of funds.

About The Author
Cachet Gomes is a contributing Financial Writer of Mortgagecases. With
her knowledge on http://www.mortgagecases.com/mortgage cases, laws and sub prime
mortgage crisis related issues, she provides information on mortgage
calculators, consumer rights, how to fight out cases and avoid
http://www.mortgagecases.com/frauds/avoid-valoan-scams.html VA Mortgage
Loan Scams.

The Top Three Ways to Raise Your Credit Score Without Losing Your Sanity

2009-06-29T20:00:00.000-06:00

The Top Three Ways to Raise Your Credit Score Without Losing Your Sanity
by: Charrissa Cawley

A critical part of your success as a real estate investor is your ability
to obtain the financing you need to fund your real estate activities, so
it’s imperative that your credit score be as high as possible. Regardless
of what your score is right now, it can almost always be higher. Here are
three powerful ways to quickly boost your credit score and increase the
likelihood that you’ll always be able to get your loan applications
approved, without losing your sanity:

Pay Your Bills on time – The most important thing you can do to increase
your credit score is to pay your bills on-time. Your FICO score is an
up-to-date snapshot of your creditworthiness, so it changes almost daily.
Today’s late payment may not seem like a big deal, but it can have a
dramatic impact on your ability to get loan approvals when you need them.

By making it a practice to always pay your bills on-time, you are setting
yourself up for continued financial success. Good credit isn’t an
accident that just happens. It takes work, effort, and attention to
detail. Make the commitment TODAY that from now on you will ALWAYS pay
your bills on or before their due-date. Nobody’s perfect, but by putting
on-time bill payment at the very top of your financial agenda you will
steadily see your credit score increase. A few points can save – or cost
– you a small fortune in late fees and missed investing opportunities.

Spice Up Your Credit Life – It’s been said that variety is the spice of
life, and the same is true of your credit mix. While it’s great that you
have a credit card or two in your wallet, it’s more important that you
have – and utilize – a variety of different kinds of credit.

Most of us have at least one mortgage loan, but it’s also important that
you utilize installment and revolving credit accounts. An example of an
installment loan would be your auto loan. You have a fixed number of
payments over a specific period of time in order to pay off that loan.
With revolving credit, the balance can go up or down each month depending
on how it is utilized. For instance, a credit card is a prime example of
revolving credit. One month you might not have a balance at all; the
following month could see several thousand dollars in new charges. Mix
things up and make sure you use different types of credit regularly for
best results.

Find the Credit Accounts You Like – and Keep Them – Some people like to
play musical chairs with their credit accounts. We all know someone like
this; you may even be one of them. While shopping, they see a sudden
opportunity to save 10% off their purchases simply for applying for a
credit account.

Unless you have every intention of opening and using a credit account,
save your time and your credit score. When you open credit accounts that
you don’t use – only to close them a month or two later – your credit
score will actually drop. So settle on the credit accounts you’re going
to have – and then keep them.

This doesn’t mean you should never take advantage of that great zero
percent financing offer you got in the mail. What it does mean, however,
is that if you’re going to take advantage of an offer like this, utilize
it – and then keep the card for the long haul. The longer you’ve had a
credit account, the greater the impact on your credit score. Rather than
close a credit card account with a seven year track record of on-time
payments in order to save a few dollars in interest charges, keep that
account open. It’s doing you a lot of good.

These may seem like simple steps, but they can have a profound impact on
your credit score – and the size of your investing portfolio. Put this
simple three step process into effect today and watch your real estate
investing career grow by leaps and bounds!

About The Author
Charrissa Cawley offers accurate and proven strategies to investors of
all different levels and is the founder of http://www.reiconferences.com, one of the fastest growing real estate
investment training organizations in the US in addition to http://www.rewexclub.com , the top rated Real
Estate Investor Community on the web today.

Tapping Home Equity to Pay Debts is Foolhardy Move Right Now

2009-06-28T20:00:00.001-06:00

Tapping Home Equity to Pay Debts is Foolhardy Move Right Now
by: Greg Pesetsky

Over the years, you have been a faithfully paying your home mortgage –
and all the while building up valuable equity in your most prized
possession, your home. This equity often provides a quick line of credit
that many homeowners are encouraged to tap into to pay off their existing
debts (or even to pay for things like education, weddings, vacations,
home improvements, and so on). However, tapping home equity to pay debts
is a foolhardy move that can put your home at risk for foreclosure and
leave you in even worse financial straits than you are currently in.

Home Equity Loan Myths

Many ill-advised homeowners are told that they should open up a home
equity line of credit due to the current state of the economy. In fact, a
recent article on SayEducate.com argues that because of the recent
economic downturn that those Americans who have built up equity and are
facing job loss should open up an equity line immediately! Worse advice
was never given. If you have no job, you will have no money to pay for
the equity loan. Although rates are at all time lows, those who are
looking to be out of work would be jumping from the frying pan into the
fire to take out a home equity loan or line of credit that they might not
be able to repay.

Home Equity Loan Scams

Even for those homeowners who feel secure in their job but are in need of
cash fast, there are hidden hazards involved in tapping into your home’s
equity. Home equity loans typically are written with variable rates of
interest and/or teaser rates that entice borrowers to borrow, borrow, and
borrow. These variable interest rate home equity loans often feature
initially low costs but culminate with a huge balloon payment at the end
of the loan’s term. And a variable rate of interest is just that –
variable. It varies based on current market conditions and adjusts at
different intervals of time to a new rate, giving you an unpredictable
payment that is hard to budget for or may be more than your income will
allow you to make. This puts your biggest and most valuable asset, your
home, at risk, if you should fail to make your required payments,
including these huge balloon type payments, your home can be foreclosed
upon, you could end up in bankruptcy, and your financial life would be a
living nightmare. Make sure you don’t fall victim to predatory lenders
who are looking to fleece homeowners with home equity loans that they
cannot afford. Protect yourself from home equity loan threats by
reviewing the guidelines that follow.

Home Equity Loan Guidelines

• Never, ever, under any circumstances, take out a home equity loan that
is based on the value of your home instead of on your ability to repay
the money being loaned to you or the credit extended on your behalf.

• When considering a home equity loan, look at the total package you’re
being offered. This means looking at more than an initial offer of a low
monthly payment, or no payments for a period of time. Read all the fine
print. Can you really afford a balloon payment of several thousand
dollars five years from now, seven years from now, or ever?

• Never consider a home equity loan that is offered via an unsolicited
telephone call. The same holds true for mailers that you receive from
lending companies who want to solve all of your financial problems with a
home equity loan.

• Ignore high pressure sales tactics used by most home equity lenders,
claiming that their offer is good only for a limited time – sometimes
only hours. This technique is laughable – the company will offer you the
same deal a year from now.

• Consider credit counseling to help you get your financial life back on
track instead of absorbing the risk of losing your home to foreclosure.

• Avoid loans that might be billed as interest only, partially amortizing
or non-amortizing. This is legal jargon that simply means that you’ll
still owe money after all of your payments have been made, usually a
balloon payment. Fail to pay it – lose your home.

• Never sign a deed of trust of quitclaim deed with a contractor. This is
a tactic used among many contractors/lenders that will legally allow them
to trick you out of your home. The only contract you should sign with
someone doing repairs or renovations is a contract for home improvement
services.

• If you have just signed a home equity loan, the federal government
gives you three business days to back out of a loan contract when your
home is used as security for the loan (legally known as the right of
rescission). Cancellation of the loan must be done within three days in
writing.

About The Author
Greg Pesetsky has worked in Debt Settlement for 8 years and is considered
an expert in the industry by his peers. Greg is IAPDA Certified and has a
good standing in the industry. He owns and manages Practical Debt Relief.

Visit the author's web site at: http://www.practicaldebtrelief.com

3 Sides of “I Have Already Submitted My Resume”

2009-06-27T20:00:00.001-06:00

3 Sides of “I Have Already Submitted My Resume”
by: Brett Stevens

You are interviewing a candidate about a position for your client, and
then you get to the part about interviewing. You ask,” Who have you
submitted your resume too?” I have submitted it to A, B, and C companies.

There are 3 major problems with submitting your resume to a company or
Job Board.

Number One: The Company loses if they haven’t seen the resume. Typically
the recruiter is now out of the process. There is no need to continue the
conversation, because it’s now in the clients resume “abyss.” Therefore
the recruiter is not entitled to a fee. Some clients have honored our
pointing out that the resume has been previously submitted, and had it
not been for the recruiter bringing it to the attention of the client
company this person was currently being overlooked. Other companies don’t
want to know about a candidate that has been submitted, and they are not
entertaining the candidate and you know they have a solid background for
the position. There needs to be a policy in place to handle candidates
that have submitted their resumes in the past, and they are currently not
under consideration.

Number Two: The candidate loses out because the resume is lost, and they
can’t get a shot at the position. I have had candidates actually say,
“Well if you don’t want to represent me, then it’s your loss. The resume
is probably being overlooked.” Both points are valid and have probably
crossed the recruiters mind once or twice during the conversation.

Sending your resume to a several companies has both positive and negative
effects. The positive is you can land a great position. The negatives are
that you are not sure “where in cyberspace” your information is floating
around.

I have had several potential candidates and I have asked them if they
have previously submitted their resume to my client and they say no or
the amnesia surfaces and they can’t remember so it slows the process
down. A couple of weeks ago, I interview a candidate and cover submitting
his resume. He said he had not submitted his resume, and I submit his
credentials and my client calls me back almost immediately and tells me
when they received it. It was just two days prior to our conversation.
Coincidentally, he gets a couple of interviews. He didn’t get the job.

Now I look like I am not qualifying my candidates, and the candidate
lessens his/her qualifications. Then the candidate calls back two or
three weeks later and wants to know about other opportunities. What would
you do?

Another problem occurs when someone sends the resume to a company. The
candidate sends the resume in to a company in the past. As long as six
months prior to the new position opening and the candidate has not been
reactivated.

I was working on a search. The client needed someone with very specific
technical skills. I submit a candidate that had submitted his resume six
months prior to our conversation. Once I submitted it, I get a call from
the client stating they already had the resume on file and I wouldn’t be
entitled to a fee. After some negotiations and stressing the fact that we
brought the candidate to attention of the candidate we should be entitled
to a fee. What is the right thing to do?

Conversely, we hear the hiring manager knows this person. The candidate
takes the initiative to call the person after we have revealed the have
an opening for the same skill sets. Would they have reconnected if the
recruiter had not spent time with the candidate?

Tips for using Job Boards:

Job boards like Monster can be very helpful, but from a recruiters stand
point it’s like using the phone book. We have to search for the right
person, then the screen the person. We will get hundreds of resumes sent
to us. We will narrow down the number of viable resumes by background and
skill sets required. We’ll call five people and amazing only 2 or 3
people will return the call.

• Monitor where you have sent your resume
• Don’t submit your resume for a position that you are not qualified for
• Remove your resume if you are no longer interested in a new opportunity
• Check your resume for spelling errors
• Make sure your contact information is current
• Be realistic about your requirements i.e. salary, relocation, commute
• Be aware that your current employer can find you on job boards like
Monster

Several times we have qualified a candidate and submitted the resume only
to find out it had already been submitted by someone else without their
knowledge. There are recruiters who will submit a resume to “test the
validity” of a search. Hopefully it wasn’t your resume.

Some companies ask recruiters not to use Monster. I feel that is like
asking a recruiter not to use the telephone. Job Boards are like phone
books. You need to “dig out” the proper person. We often hear, “If you
use Monster we will know.” Good but we all have job boards to utilize and
it’s like finding a needle in a haystack. It’s just another resource for
finding the right person for the client.

Submitting your resume if like using the telephone. If someone answers
and takes your call then congratulations. If you keep calling and no one
answers or returns your calls then don’t be disappointed. This goes for
both companies and potential candidates. Think carefully about
“submitting you resume” and then make the best move for your career.

About The Author
Brett Stevens is founder and President of The SearchLogix Group.

http://www.searchlogixgroup.com

Brett has enjoyed remarkable success in the executive search business in
the fields of Software Sales, Logistics, Supply Chain Management,
Distribution, Warehousing, and Transportation. He has achieved the
industry's highest level of professional certification: Certified Senior
Account Manager (CSAM). He has received numerous regional, national, and
international awards through meeting the needs of his clients. He
continues to achieve record breaking performance and has been nationally
recognized for those results with The SearchLogix Group. Brett is a
member of The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, formerly
The Council of Logistics Management (CLM), The Association for Operations
Management, The Warehousing Education and Research Council, and The
Institute of Industrial Engineers. He has been recognized in many trade
and online magazines and is a notable guest speaker. Most recently, Brett
was recognized internationally by both the American Stroke Association
and the Prostate Cancer Foundation for his fundraising efforts. You can
email Brett at brett.stevenspr@searchlogixgroup.com or telephone him at
770-517-2660 x20.

Business Deductions - What You Need to Learn About Tax Deductions in Small Businesses

2009-06-26T20:00:00.001-06:00

Business Deductions - What You Need to Learn About Tax Deductions in
Small Businesses
by: James A Karl

Today's economic problems have focused on the fact that it is important
more than ever to save every penny you produce in your small business.
With revenues becoming hard to earn, it is no wonder businesses try to
find ways on how to trim costs as much as learning ways to increase
business earnings. Therefore, as a small business you need to determine
the deductions that are required of your business so you can take
advantage of them and also save money in the process. Here are some of
them:

• Running a business includes advertising expenses such as office
supplies, repairs and utilities. These can be deducted as business
expenses but not so before you officially open your business. One tip
wherein you can make a profit immediately is to work around this rule by
delaying paying some of the bills until after you are in business.

• Legal and professional fees such as lawyers and tax consultants' fees
are deducted in the year incurred. But if the overall work relates to the
future years, then they are deducted over the life of the benefit.

• If traveling is required for your business, then you can deduct many
expenses such as cost of the plane ticket, the taxi expenses, lodging
meals, telephone calls and tips.

• Educational expenses can also be included if they are related to your
current business, but you must follow by the strict rules. The education
you will be receiving should be a necessity which can improve your skills
for the advancement of your business.

• Taxes associated with your present business are deductible but this
will usually depend on the type of tax. For instance, the fuel taxes used
for your business car are separately deducted as expenses. In the case of
real estate tax on property, this is deductible along with any special
assessments for maintenance and repairs.

• Advertising costs of goods and services such as yellow pages ads and
business cards are deductible as a current expense. This is also
applicable to promotional costs that helps create business goodwill such
as sponsoring an event which is directly related to your business.

• Like many other small businesses, you may use credit finance business
purchases. In this case, the interest and carrying charges are fully-tax
deductible. This is also pertinent if you are using a personal loan and
will be using it for your business. But you must make sure that you keep
a complete record showing that the proceeds of the loan were really used
for your business. Otherwise, if this is audited later the interest
deductions will not be allowed because it will be considered as a
personal expense.

• Regarding car expenses, the good news is that if you use your car for
business, you can deduct some of the cost of keeping it on the road. This
process can be quite tricky but will be well worth your time.

These are only some of the deductible costs that you can use for your
advantage. Learn them well and rest assured you will be able to save
money and decrease the cost of your expenses in the most beneficial way.

About The Author
For more tips about tax deductions, please check out:
http://www.atouchofbusiness.com/

Debt Relief for Service Members

2009-06-25T20:00:00.000-06:00

Debt Relief for Service Members
by: Lisa Zapalac

Americans' personal debt reached $2.6 trillion earlier this year, and the
men and women of the nation's armed forces have felt their share of
financial pain. However, a nearly 70-year-old law is helping to ease the
debt burden for those called to actively serve their country.

Financial protections for service members exist in the form of the
Servicemembers' Civil Relief Act (SCRA). Under the law, called the
Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act when it was written in 1940 until
it was renamed and updated in 2003, lenders must cap at 6 percent the
interest rates on loans military service members incurred prior to
becoming active.

The 6 percent interest cap applies to any charges -- including credit
card debt, service charges and renewal charges or fees -- except bona
fide insurance. The act specifies that in order to receive the interest
rate reduction, a service member must request it in writing and include a
copy of his or her military orders. Additional protections include:

Reduced interest rates on mortgage payments.

Protection from eviction if your rent is $1,200 or less.

Delay of all civil court actions, such as bankruptcy, foreclosure or
divorce proceedings.

The promise that service members who claim any of the law's protections
would not feel adverse effects on their credit reports or be refused
future credit because of it. (This protection was added during the 2003
revision of the law.)

Some credit card companies even go beyond what the law requires and offer
additional benefits to service members. However, many lenders simply
ignore its requirements, says Cari Auclair, who runs the American
Military Debt Management Services, a service unaffiliated with the
military but that counsels and advises members of the military who are
struggling with debt. There are criminal penalties in many sections of
the SCRA for violations of the act. Additionally, many sections preserve
service members' basic right to bring lawsuits to protect additional
legal rights independent of the SCRA.

Numbers show that U.S. military men and women can use the help, even
though there is some dispute regarding the extent of their debt
difficulties. A 2006 Associated Press review of records from the Navy,
Marines and Air Force revealed a staggering increase in the number of
soldiers who had their clearances to be deployed around the world revoked
as a result of personal debt. The AP found that among the branches that
provided information, the number of clearances revoked because of debt
climbed from 284 in 2002 to 2,654 in 2005 -- a 935 percent spike.

On the other hand, surveys conducted between 2002 and April 2007 by the
Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) and the Department of Defense reveal
quite the opposite.

"Data show a downward trend in active-duty service members reporting
difficulty maintaining their finances,"

says Defense Department spokeswoman Eileen M. Lainez. "Information on
financial health gathered at that time shows that the vast majority of
military members were not reporting financial difficulty paying their
rent or mortgage. Over the past three years, more service members have
reported saving for their future."

Air Force Staff Sgt. Brandon Jacobson also denies that personal debt is
any bigger a problem in the military than in the civilian world. He runs
a financial blog called Money for Military and points out that servicemen
and women even have some extra advantages that can help them steer clear
of debt.

"The military is actually provided more protections: free education,
financial assistance that civilian companies would love to charge for,
the service members' Civil Relief Act, and lending protection," says
Jacobson, currently stationed at Beale Air Force Base outside Sacramento,
Calif. "I wouldn't say we're any more susceptible to being in debt than
civilians."

However, Jacobson did recently help a friend on base claim the act's
interest rate reduction. When the friend approached Jacobson for some
financial advice regarding her mounting personal debt, Jacobson noticed
that the majority of her debt -- including credit card debt and car
payments compounding at 16 percent interest -- had accrued before she
joined the Air Force.

"Four of the credit card companies dropped the interest rate down to 6
percent right away," says Jacobson. "On the car loan, she faxed them her
military orders, and they dropped it to 6 percent right away. That's a
better rate than I had on my first car."

The interest cap provision also targets the common practice of payday
lending, which has been shown to prey upon service members with the
promise of a same-day cash loan in exchange for any form of
identification and a post-dated check. The catch: sky-high annual
interest rates that can exceed 400 percent.

And in a time when home foreclosures in the military outnumber those in
the civilian world four-to-one, the SCRA provides the same 6 percent cap
to pre-service mortgages and prevents foreclosure while a service member
is on active duty.

This is serious business to the armed forces. As a rule, the military
views personal debt as a risk to both individual service members and the
interests of the armed forces overseas, as the stress of soldiers'
financial battles back home may distract them from their primary mission
or -- even worse - tempt them to sell secrets to our enemies.

American Military Debt Management Services' Auclair points to what she
views as low pay in the military, the difficulty for spouses seeking new
jobs when a service member is transferred, and the rising cost of living
as contributing to the problem of military personnel's increased debt
load.

"It's a mess," says Auclair. "I've had clients over in Hawaii who can't
even afford to turn their cable on because of the cost of living over
there, and the stipend that the government gives doesn't cover what the
actual cost of living is in an area that is over inflated."

Auclair also dispels the myth that the victims of military debt are
primarily the younger, lower-ranked soldiers who are seeing a steady
income for the first time in their lives.

"After looking at this industry over the last 10 years, I think that the
majority of our clients are not the younger soldiers," she says. "They
are the mid-level officers -- generally not second lieutenants, usually
first lieutenants and up. The reason being, they've had time now to
establish a family and the increases that they're supposed to get paid
don't cover the family costs, and they've had time to rack up the debt."

"Very rarely do we get a younger service member who's just gone hog wild."

To get more details on the act, and to begin the process of applying for
relief, visit the military's Civil Relief Act Web site, run by the
Defense Manpower Data Center.

About The Author
Lisa Zapalac
Vice President, Co-Founder
Public Relations Community/Realtor Affairs
281-692-1400
http://www.casanuevaguide.com

Factors To Consider When Deciding Between HMO And PPO Health Care Plans

2009-06-24T20:00:00.000-06:00

Factors To Consider When Deciding Between HMO And PPO Health Care Plans
by: Christine O'Kelly

Faced with ever-increasing medical costs, selecting the best health plan
for you and your family requires informed decision-making on your part.
There are two basic forms of employer sponsored health care plans: HMO &
PPO. Both of them have distinct advantages and disadvantages that you
must be aware of in order to be able to make the best decision possible.

Families without a health plan receive far less preventative health care
and very often, they are not diagnosed with a disease until it reaches
later, less treatable stages. Compounding the problem, individuals
without a health insurance plan, even after diagnosis, receive less
treatment. Studies have shown that approximately 18,000 people die each
year from inadequate medical care. Studies also show that individuals
without a health care plan are hospitalized 30-50% more often for
avoidable conditions. With an average emergency room visit costing
$3,300, the investment in a health insurance is clearly worthwhile.

Managed Health Care Benefits

Managed health care plans reduce medical costs to enrollees, allowing
them to receive medical care that they might not otherwise be able to
afford without a medical plan. Health insurance companies develop
contracts with health care providers, promising to provide specific
doctors and hospitals with more business through their health insurance.
In return, doctors and hospitals agree to provide those services at a
lower cost.

HMOs and PPOs are both managed health care plans that reduce the cost of
medical treatment by combining contributions of enrollees and gaining the
benefits of scale. There are other medical plan mechanisms put into place
to reduce medical costs by encouraging such incentives as preventative
care, enforcing limitations to coverage and increased beneficiary cost
sharing. Each health care plan has advantages and disadvantages that must
be considered. There are significant price, service, and flexibility
differences between these two types of medical plans. Whichever medical
plan you select, you will be able to receive more medical care for far
less money than if you had no insurance at all.

HMOs Are An Inexpensive Option

HMOs, or Health Maintenance Organizations, are health plans characterized
as cooperatives of doctors, hospitals, and other medical providers. HMOs
such as Kaiser Permanente and Aetna are your least expensive and most
restrictive health care plan. Under HMO policies, health insurance
providers have agreed to provide their services at fixed prices and
copayments are generally very low. Since health care providers receive
less money for their services, they tend to see as many patients as
possible.

There are many rules covering HMO medical plan services, the most
important one being the requirement that your physician be a member of
the HMO. If you need to see a specialist, you must see your primary
physician for a referral. HMOs focus primarily upon preventative health
care services such as immunizations and physicals. HMO doctors are paid
on a per office visit basis.

PPOs Cost More And Provide More

PPOs, or Preferred Provider Organizations, are health care plans that
have contracts with insurance companies to reduce medical expenses to
enrollees. PPOs like Blue Cross Blue Shield are more expensive than HMOs,
but you have much more freedom about who you see. Referrals are not
needed to see a specialist, but your medical plan will require that you
pay more to see a doctor that is not a member of the PPO medical plan.

Enrolling in a PPO provides you with more control over your health care
plan as well as greater autonomy. Unlike HMOs, emergency room visits are
generally covered under PPO medical plans. PPO doctors are paid on a
retainer basis, thereby providing them with no incentive to unnecessarily
prolong treatment.

One aspect of a managed health care plan is that treatments are reviewed
by the insurer. In some cases, this can eliminate unnecessary procedures
and overcharging, thereby saving both the insurer and enrollees' time and
money. Whichever coverage you select, you will provide your family with
access to the benefits of regular, preventative care and early diagnosis
of more serious conditions, increasing the likelihood of recovery. Eat
right, stay fit, and enroll in a health care plan!

About The Author
Christine O'Kelly is a contributor writer for Health Insurance Finders.
She conducts in depth research on topics such as HMO Health Insurance
Plans http://www.healthinsurancefinders.com/hmo_plans.html and PPO Personal
Health Insurance
http://www.healthinsurancefinders.com/ppo_plans.html.

Visit the author's web site at: http://www.healthinsurancefinders.com

Four Things to Understand About Prepayment Penalties

2009-06-23T20:00:00.000-06:00

Four Things to Understand About Prepayment Penalties
by: John Steely

If you have a mortgage, of any type, many people will give you the advice
to make extra payments on the mortgage in order to pay off the mortgage
that much sooner. Indeed, depending on the interest rate of the mortgage,
making extra payments has a return in line with the best money market
accounts. And you get debt free that much sooner. Whether or not you
should pay extra on your mortgage depends on many factors, and there are
many articles written about doing that; one of the factors involved is
whether there are prepayment penalties in your mortgage or not.

So, if you are going to make an informed decision about paying off your
mortgage early, whether through extra payments or through refinancing
your mortgage (which mortgage companies would love for you to do), you
need to understand what prepayment penalties are, how they work, and why
do they exist.

Types of Prepayment Penalties

If your mortgage has prepayment penalties, they are in place for a period
of time at the beginning of the mortgage. That period of time is anywhere
from two to five years; after that period is done, the penalty no longer
applies. The reason the prepayment penalty only exists for the first few
years of the mortgage is because the mortgage company has incurred
certain expenses in making the mortgage, above and beyond what you are
charged when the mortgage is closed. One example of such expenses is the
commissions paid to the people involved in originating the mortgage. The
mortgage company wants to make sure they get enough interest to cover
such expenses, so if you pay off the mortgage too early, they will put a
prepayment penalty to collect enough money to cover such expenses.

There are two types of prepayment penalties. The hard prepayment penalty
is one that is charged regardless of how the loan is paid off. No matter
what the circumstances, a hard prepayment penalty will be charged in
addition to the monies needed to pay off the principal. The soft
prepayment will not be charged under certain conditions; the two most
common ways to avoid a soft prepayment penalty are either to sell the
house or to refinance the mortgage through the original lender. If you
simply put enough extra money into the mortgage or if you refinance
through another company, the soft prepayment penalty will be charged.

How is the Penalty Calculated

Prepayment penalties will be triggered when one of two conditions is met;
the mortgage must specify which conditions apply. The first type of
penalty will is called a first dollar penalty, and it will be triggered
whenever any extra money is applied to the principal. The usual
calculation with this type of penalty is 80% of the interest owed on the
extra money. Let us say you have a loan at 7% and you put an extra $100
on the principal one month. This type of penalty will charge you 80% of
the 7% interest due on the extra $100, or $5.60. The exact details are in
your mortgage. This penalty will be due every time you make extra
payments on the principal.

The second type of penalty is called the 20% penalty. In this case, the
penalty is triggered when you have paid an extra 20% of the principal.
Again, let us say you have a mortgage of $150,000 at 7% interest. With
this penalty, nothing will be charged until you have made extra payments
totaling $30,000. When this amount is reached, you will be charged 6
months interest on 80% of the remaining principal. For example, let say
in the above mortgage you made regular payments and reduced the principal
down to $140,000, and then you came into an inheritance and put $30,000
on the loan, thus reducing the principal down to $110,000. Your penalty
will be 6 months interest of 7% on $88,000, or $3,080. This penalty will
be due the first time the trigger event occurs, but only the first time.

Many states put a cap on the size of the prepayment penalty. For example,
my state, Virginia, has a cap of 2% of the owing principal as a penalty.

Why should I accept a Prepayment Penalty

Many people will tell you to never accept a mortgage with a prepayment
penalty of any type; they will tell you it limits your options. However,
the mortgage company will compensate you for a prepayment penalty in one
of two ways; they will either reduce the interest rate of the mortgage
by, say, half a percentage point, which could save you several thousand
dollars over the life time of the mortgage, or they will reduce the loan
points at the time of closing by one or two points, which again can save
you a couple of thousand dollars.

The issue is where you see yourself heading. If you are planning on
moving in the period covered by the prepayment penalty, then it may be
worth your while to accept the higher rate or points so that you will not
incur the penalty. If you are comfortable with the idea of not moving
during the prepayment penalty period of two to five years, take the
penalty and the lower rate and/or points.

Explicit Penalties Only

In either case, whether you have a mortgage now or not, the prepayment
penalties must be spelled out in detail in the mortgage contract. If you
are unsure, have a financial professional look at the mortgage; such a
professional is trained at understanding this type of clause.

If someone comes to you with a deal, particularly a refinancing deal,
make sure you know what you would have to pay before you accept the
promised loan. You may be surprised to find all your supposed savings
eaten up by these kinds of penalties and fees. A lower rate does not
always make the best deal.

About The Author
John Steely has been a teacher for over 25 years, in such areas as
mathematics, finance, and leadership. For the last 5 years, he has been
providing services as a financial planner.

Visit the author's web site at: http://www.learningmoneybasics.com

Understanding REITs - How Real Estate Mutual Funds Work

2009-06-22T20:00:00.000-06:00

Understanding REITs - How Real Estate Mutual Funds Work
by: Robert Shumake

If you are new to the world of investing, you probably have a lot of
questions about how it all works. What's the difference between stocks,
bonds, and mutual funds? What really is happening in the stock market and
which investments are the wise ones to make? Here's a look at the smart
side of investing as well as a deeper look into the world of real estate
mutual funds.

First, it is wise to understand what real estate mutual funds are. Real
estate mutual funds are essentially portfolios where shares of a variety
of stocks and bonds are purchased and put in one package that you can
then purchase shares of. In the case of real estate mutual funds you are
purchasing shares of stocks and bonds that are specifically in the real
estate arena.

There are two types of mutual funds – open and closed-end mutual funds.
Open-end mutual funds are those that can grow and have unlimited numbers
of shares. The way it works is, as new shareholders want to buy in, the
fund will purchase more and more shares of the assets inside of it. On
the other hand, closed end funds have a set number of shares when they go
up for an IPO. Once those shares are purchased someone has to sell shares
in order for someone else to be able to buy into the fund.

A similar item to purchase is real estate investment trusts, also known
as REITs. These generally are shares in particular real estate interests.
This could mean that you are purchasing shares into a series of apartment
complexes, condos or commercial properties. Your shares in this case are
used to purchase property, maintain it and then profit from it. The
profits that come from the REITs are mostly given back to the
shareholders in the form of dividends. At least 90 percent of the profit
must be returned to shareholders.

If you are pretty sure you want to purchase real estate mutual funds, you
may be wondering where you should purchase them and when? No one wants to
buy into something just to have it drop.

When it comes to the where of purchasing, consider a brokerage firm that
is only focused on real estate mutual funds and REITS. REITBuyer.com is
one such company. They are the only site that just does REITs and real
estate mutual funds. As an online brokerage that specializes in REITs and
real estate mutual funds, you know they will have the type of focus and
attention to detail on the investments you are planning to sink your
money into. The more the brokerage knows about these things, the more you
can learn about them, meaning you can make much wiser investments.

As for the when of buying into real estate mutual funds, this is the
perfect time to buy. Right now the markets are at a record low. That
means they will soon start moving back up again. Those who have the money
to invest right now stand to be able to make great profits when the
market rises again.

About The Author
Robert Shumake's mission is to inform the public about mortgage fraud and
real estate scams and to provide tips on how to avoid being a victim.
"Sometimes people will commit identity theft to obtain a housing loan,
sell someone else's house or take over someone else's property," says
Shumake. "It is my goal to inform the public on how to protect themselves
from being victims of this crime."

http://reitbuyer.com

Tips That You Can Use To Buy A Top Annuity

2009-06-21T20:00:00.000-06:00

Tips That You Can Use To Buy A Top Annuity
by: Steven Hart

There are different investments that you can have, and buy annuities is
one of them. Annuities can be a good investment for individuals looking
to save for retirement. On the other hand, they may be a tragedy for
individuals that are not aware of the drawbacks and dangers that can
easily occur with them. If you are looking for annuities that you can use
as your retirement plan or an investment for your vehicles, then you must
think about several things so that you can avail the top annuity that you
can use.

Safety measures that should be considered

There are different things that should be put into consideration when
shopping for a top annuity. One of these things is that individuals ought
not to buy annuities that have long surrender periods. The reason for
that is the money will be locked up for a long time and that you will
have to surrender money for a long period. Moreover, it is important not
to buy such annuities because there are other similar annuities with the
similar interest rates yet the surrender period is much shorter.

In addition, if you are talked into a top annuity that offers first year
bonus interest rates, it is best that you do not buy one. This is due to
that companies that offer bonus interest rates on the first year deposit
usually have long surrender periods. Moreover, it is important to have
knowledge about the importance of the partial 1035 exchange and the
exclusion ratios. This part is important yet to a certain extent is a
complex matter. You have to properly structure the annuity contract from
the starting day. This is so that you can maximize the taxable exclusion
ratios. This will greatly help if you decide to take an annuitization
income from your pensions in the future.

Furthermore, when buying a top annuity, it is best that you do not use
small companies especially if the company has dubious financial ratings.
It is vital to know the paying ability of the companies to those that are
collecting their claims. This is what many people often forget. They buy
annuities without even factoring things such as bankruptcy of the
insuring company. There is a possibility that bankruptcy may happen
especially if the insuring company has financial troubles. For that
reason, it is best to consider this factor.

It is also vital to know the assured coverage for every individual for
every insurance company. If the insuring company becomes bankrupt, there
should be a guaranteed cover for every person for every insuring company.
If the insuring company does not provide such coverage, then you should
not invest with that company. The reason for this is if the company goes
bankrupt, the individual that has invested in it can lose his or her
savings.

Overall, you must choose the right insuring company when buying annuities
that you need. Moreover, it is best to have safety measures when looking
for companies where you will buy annuities. You can look into
http://www.freeannuityrates.com
to have more idea on how to buy a top annuity.

About The Author
Steven Hart is author of this article on Top Annuity. Find more
information about Buy Annuities here http://www.freeannuityrates.com

REITs and Real Estate Mutual Funds Investing - Scams

2009-06-20T20:00:00.001-06:00

REITs and Real Estate Mutual Funds Investing - Scams
by: Robert Shumake

As you begin your investing life, you may have a lot of thoughts in your
head about how investing works and how you acquire and sell stocks,
bonds, mutual funds and other commodities on the stock market. Before you
start throwing your money around you need to understand that most days on
the stock market are not like what you have seen in the movies.

Often in the movies you see a person get a 'great tip' and run to buy up
that stock and make a fortune. They are buying and selling as quick as
they can when tips come in and while they may have started with a few
dollars, suddenly they are a millionaire.

Real life is not like the movies. In real life more often than not those
great investing tips are scams. They may come in the form of e-mails that
offer just you a hot tip about the next big thing that will be hitting
the market.

The only person who is going to profit from this deal is the person who
sent you the e-mail. Usually they are the owner of a company that will
profit when everyone jumps onto that stock. They will sell to you for a
higher price and then when the stock goes to it's real value, which is
much lower than the hype has made it, they will reap the profits while
you will lose your hard earned money.

Instead, you should only put your money into wise investments. One of the
wisest is real estate. Sure, real estate, like every other market, is
dealing with a tough time right now. But that does not mean it is going
to fall through the floor. Instead real estate mutual funds and REITs
have the benefit of a little more stability since they are built on the
foundation of a tangible asset – real estate.

In addition to knowing which market to invest in, there are plenty of
avenues in those markets. While you could purchase individual stocks or
bonds, you may want to go with something a little more solid and diverse
like real estate mutual funds and REITs or real estate investment trusts.
The reason these are more solid is that they are not putting all of their
eggs in one basket. Instead the real estate mutual fund or REIT basket is
filled with a number of real estate related stocks and bonds and
therefore you are getting a lot of shares for one buy in.

The hard part is often picking which one you want. By going onto a
website like REITBuyer.com you can look at the latest news and research
on real estate mutual funds and REITs. REITBuyer.com is the first and
only online brokerage specializing in REITs and real estate mutual funds
so you will have all the information you need at your fingertips without
having to dig through information that is useless to you. Once you've
selected the real estate mutual fund or REIT that is right for you, you
will also be able to make a purchase and watch your portfolio in the same
place.

A Guide to Credit Card Counseling

2009-06-19T20:00:00.000-06:00

A Guide to Credit Card Counseling
by: Justin Narin

Credit cards are one of the leading causes of consumer debt.
Unfortunately, 2005 bankruptcy reform laws made it harder than ever to
reduce credit card debt through bankruptcy. Fortunately, you can still
find a way out of debt if you’re committed. Credit counseling can help.

If you’re drowning in debt, you have to stop using your cards. Paying
cash is the only way to get a true picture of how and where you spend
money. Paying cash also curbs your spending because it feels like “real
money.” Once you’ve reduced your spending, you’ll have more money to pay
off the debts.

Start by cutting up your credit cards. Then contact your creditors and
ask them to reduce your interest rates. You should also consider debt
consolidation to further lower your interest rates and streamline your
payments.

If that doesn’t help you begin to pay down your debt, then it’s time to
get professional help from a credit counseling service.

Professional Credit Card Counseling

When you visit a credit counseling service, don’t expect a magic bullet
that will eliminate your debts and allow you to keep spending the way you
always have. Instead, you’ll be expected to change your spending habits
and work had to pay off your debt. Most counselors will walk you through
the following steps:

* Stop using credit cards. You can’t get out of debt while you continue
to create new debt.

* Analyze your income and expenses. As the counselor goes over your
budget with you, she’ll recommend places you can cut your spending to
free up more money for debt payments. For example, she may suggest
cancelling cable, eating out less, driving less, or not buying clothes,
accessories, and entertainment products while you work on your debt.

* Create a debt solution. Most counselors will recommend one of three
debt solutions: credit card consolidation, debt management, and debt
settlement.

* With debt consolidation, the counselor will arrange for a personal or
home equity loan that will be used to pay off your other debts. You’ll
then have the responsibility of paying off the consolidation loan.

* With a debt management plan, all of your debts will be enrolled in a
2-4 year program. The counselor negotiates with your creditors to lower
your interest rates. You then pay the service every month, which
distributes the funds appropriately. You’re barred from using the cards
or acquiring new debt while in the program.

* With debt settlement, your counselor will negotiate with your creditors
to reduce the total balance due. This option is reserved for very serious
situations because it will damage your credit history and credit score
significantly. There may also be tax implications.

The solution recommended by the debt counselor depends largely on your
current income, necessary expenses, and the size of your debt. Try to
find the solution with the lowest fees and fastest resolution so that you
can get out of debt and move forward with your new-debt free life.

You should also work hard to change your spending habits so that you
don’t find yourself in debt again. Ask your counselor for educational
materials about budgeting, money management, and financial planning. The
credit counseling service may also offer free or low-cost classes on
controlling even your required expenses, like groceries. The more you
save on your expenses, the more you have to pay off those credit cards.

If you need to get your debt under control, and the DIY options aren’t
right for you, contact a credit counseling service for help finding the
best solution for you. You can get out of debt.

For more articles on credit card counseling, please visit:
http://www.bills.com/credit-card-counseling/

About The Author
Justin Narin has 5 years of experience as a financial adviser; his key
areas are loan consolidation, debt relief, mortgages etc. For more free
articles and advice visit http://www.Bills.com.

Improve Your Financial Health by Spending Less and Increasing Your Income

2009-06-18T20:00:00.000-06:00

Improve Your Financial Health by Spending Less and Increasing Your Income
by: Elizabeth Williams

In a tough economic climate such as the one we're living in, there is a
lot of advice about how to cut expenses or increase income. Both concepts
are good and can improve your financial situation, but combining the two
concepts and working together during a specific time period will catapult
your results. You'll be amazed at how possible it is to live on less
money and actually enjoy it more.

1. Think about shopping in a different way. Instead of mindlessly heading
to the grocery store each week, start questioning your purchasing habits.
Make a shopping list of necessities, use up what's in your pantry,
freezer or cabinets, and shop the sales with coupons to further your
savings. You'd be surprised how much you buy each shopping trip that
really isn't needed to make your meals. At first it will feel like a
major lifestyle change, but after a few weeks it will become habit and
you'll have taken great strides for reducing your expenses.

2. Look at your checkbook register carefully. This is a common place that
you can see all of your expenses and probably find areas you are
overspending, especially if you are a debit card user. It tells so much
about who you are and what you do with your money. If you see a number of
small purchases with the debit card for coffee and other treats, consider
giving yourself a weekly cash allowance and don't dip into the checking
account. That will keep you on track and avoid spending money that you
aren't even aware of how much it's adding up to at the end of the month.

3. Eliminate anything that isn't a necessity. This takes discipline and a
keen eye for what is really legitimate and that which can be trimmed out
to help with the budget. Basically, if it isn't a monthly living expense
like mortgage or rent, debt repayments or utility or food bills – it's
not a necessity. This may seem too strict, but taking a radical approach
just might be the thing that forces you to think differently about your
lifestyle and how you spend money. Give yourself a 30 day no spending
challenge – make sure you've got enough groceries to make it through a
month (or set aside a few dollars for dairy products and produce
throughout the month) and don't spend anything except for monthly
recurring living expenses and your existing debt repayments.

4. Pretend you've lost your job. What would you do if this happened? You
would reduce your expenses to the bare minimum right? Pretend you've lost
your job, but without the loss of income, you suddenly have more money
available. Start an emergency fund in case you really do lose your job
with the savings of living more frugally, or pay off credit card debt.
Look for balance transfer offers to save on interest and expenses for
debt you can't pay off immediately.

5. Increase income creatively. Declutter your house and sell things on
ebay or in yard sales. Bring items to consignment shops. Consider a
temporary part time job or a way to start another income source online or
otherwise.

If you just choose lowering expenses over income generation, the synergy
between the two is lost. Doing both will maximize your savings and give
you additional money to pay off debt and increase the money you have
saved.

About The Author
Elizabeth Williams, Editor-in-Chief for http://www.CreditCardFlyers.com

Need to transfer higher interest credit to a lower interest credit card
to save money? http://www.CreditCardFlyers.com is the leader in online balance transfer
offers. Compare balance transfers and find the one that meets your needs.

What's Better 401(k) or Roth IRA?

2009-06-17T20:00:00.000-06:00

What's Better 401(k) or Roth IRA?
by: Rocco Beatrice

One of the most frequently asked questions planners get about retirement
planning is what's better for retirement planning: a 401(k) or a Roth
IRA. The answer may not be as straightforward as it might seem.

WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS?

401(K)

Under section 401(k) of the IRS code, a 401(k) is an employer-sponsored
deferred contribution plan for retirement. In your workplace, you set up
a 401(k) plan with human resources and choose options within the defined
plan. Your employer takes money out of your paycheck prior to income
taxes being taken out and deposits this into your 401(k) plan. Some
employers even match your contributions. When you retire, you can decide
to withdraw money out of the 401(k), but those withdrawals are subject to
income tax when they are taken out 10,20, 30 years later. Currently,
there are no income limitations on who can contribute, but an individual
can contribute at most $15,500 to their 401(k) in 2008. $46,000 is the
maximum aggregate amount that can be contributed between employer and
employee in 2008.

ROTH IRA

Senator William Roth was the chief sponsor of this movement. A Roth IRA
is an individual retirement account independent from your employer that
you create directly with a custodian firm. After a Roth IRA account is
set up, these plans have a much wider investment selection typically, and
then directly deposit after-tax money from your checking account into the
Roth IRA. Then, after you turn 59 1/2 years old and have had the plan for
at least five years, you can withdraw from the account entirely tax free.
In 2009, the maximum you can contribute is $5,000 a year (unless you're
over 50). There is one big qualification: if you make more than $99,000
individually or $156,000 as a married couple, you cannot contribute the
full amount (and may not be able to contribute at all).

401(K) OR ROTH IRA: THE LARGEST DIFFERENCES (PROS & CONS)

The largest differences between the two plans are workplace
contributions, investment options/management, and taxes. Let's walk
through each feature.

1) Workplace contributions - Employers with a 401(k) retirement plan may
or may not match contributions made by an employee. For example, a 401(k)
program may offer a 50% match for every dollar the employee contributes
to a 401(k) up to 4% of the salary. Therefore, if the employee
contributes 4% of their salary to their 401(k), the employer also puts in
an extra 2% of your salary, effectively increasing your contribution by
50%. In short, employers that offer matching contributions to your 401(k)
should be revered. This typically trumps any other consideration
regarding the decision to contribute to a 401(k). It's free money, like a
year-end bonus that comes every 2 weeks - don't turn it down.

2) Investment options - With a 401(k), you're forced into whatever
management and investment options are offered to you by the plan your
employer offers which usually mean the investment choices are restrictive
and expensive. Things to watch out for in these investment plans are
mutual fund expense ratios and investment options. A Roth IRA is
extremely flexible and allows one to choose investment options - you even
pick the custodian you want to use. Roth IRAs offer an advantage with
regards to flexibility of investment choices, though if your 401(k)
offers solid options, this may not be a great advantage â€“ but most
don't.

3) Taxes - This is really the tough one out of the three because it
involves a level of prediction of what the future holds for you. If you
think your income tax rate will be higher at the time of withdrawal than
it is currently, a Roth IRA is the better choice and will save you in the
long run.

How can someone expect to know future tax rates? Here are a few things to
consider:

Will my income grow significantly between now and retirement? If you
believe it will, you'll likely be in a higher tax bracket at that time,
which favors the Roth. If you feel that you are near your peak, you'll
probably be in the same bracket or lower, which could favor the 401(k).

Do I expect to be working in my retirement years? If you believe that you
will, you have a high chance of being in the same tax bracket or higher
than you are now. If the answer is no, likely your income will be lower.

Will the political landscape shift towards higher tax rates? It is easy
to speculate that with the expected budget deficits, tax rates will go
up, and that favors the Roth IRA. If you believe they will decline, that
would favor the 401(k).

401(K) OR ROTH IRA: SO WHAT SHOULD I DO?

If your employer offers 401(k) matching, always max it out. This is free
money.

The question really revolves around what to do with additional retirement
money. Given all the above factors, and also assuming you're young and
have many years of income growth ahead of you, a great option is a Roth
IRA.

Finally, there are other tax-free retirement options to consider such as
Roth IRA on Roids for slightly more sophisticated investors. It has all
the benefits of a Roth IRA with no restrictions and guaranteed principal.

Whichever you decide to pursue, by simply putting money away, you're
ahead of the game. Don't let the deliberation keep you from saving - if
all else fails, start making contributions immediately to one or the
other now and then finalize decisions later - you can always change your
mind in the future.

About The Author
Best IRA Rescue provides services on your IRA investments and traditional
IRA and will help you reduce your inherited and beneficiary independent
retirement account taxes in your estate assets. Roth on ROIDS is your
advanced Roth IRA retirement planning strategy and one of the best IRA
tax-savings strategies with benefits of a guaranteed death benefit,
guaranteed principal, tax-free growth, and tax-free distributions from
policy loans.

Contact us if you have any questions on your IRA retirement planning.
http://bestirarescue.com. Original
article:
http://roth-ira.bestirarescue.com/whats-better-401k-or-roth-ira.html

Boston, MA: 71 Commercial Street #150 Boston, MA 02109
California: 543 Victoria Ste. J, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
toll-free: 888-93ULTRA (888-938-5872)
tel: (508) 429-0011
fax: (508) 429-3034

Visit the author's web site at: http://bestirarescue.com

Selling Secrets From The Farmer's Market

2009-06-16T20:00:00.000-06:00

Selling Secrets From The Farmer's Market
by: Robert Schneider

I love going to the Farmer's Market. It’s a weekly ritual that forces me
out of my cave and into the sunlight. I get to stretch my legs, buy fresh
produce, and meet people in the heat of personal one-to-one sales.

There are about 15-30 vendors at the two markets close to my house. They
range from veggies and fruits to tamales and carrot cakes. Most f the
food is organic, locally grown and the guy selling it is the guy who
picked it. I feel so much closer to my food.

Okay, so I'm a little bit sentimental. But the Ralph's clerk just doesn't
give a rip about what they are selling. The market vendors are intimately
connected to their wares. And their attitudes and behaviors reflect that
connection. I think the closeness makes the food more satisfying.

As always, there are a few lessons to learn from this weekly trek. Most
of these folks are farmers and artists. They haven't been school in
selling. Most of the good things they do are instinctual rather than
purposeful. And many of the things they do wrong are a result of no
training. But ALL the lessons can help you.

Massive competition

The bulk of these vendors are selling produce. Potatoes, celery, carrots,
lettuce and peaches. It's all seasonal so everything changes throughout
the year. Which is a bummer because I wish avocados were always "in
season." I'm going to chat with God about that one.

A good half of the vendors at both markets are selling the same stuff.
Different farms, different crews, identical product. It's displayed the
same way, looks the same, and probably is grown the same. So, what makes
me choose one vendor of the other? Proximity. That one is 5 feet closer.

There is nothing distinctive about these vendors. Not even their charisma
(farmers, not performers). This is most businesses. You and ten other
companies are selling the same product to the same prospect. You set up
shop and hope that the guy walks closer to your stand.

Very few people are able to sell in a vacuum. The environment where you
have virtually no competition. Usually, if you have that, it's because
nobody wants your product. And if you do, it won't last for long.

Differentiate your product. Any of these vendors could do more to set
themselves apart. Instead of putting all their products on the table in a
pile, they could bundle them. Maybe create a "dinner" kit that has a
variety of items for this weeks menu. They could even provide yummy
recipes for the different items. Consultative selling for produce.
Perfect.

Of course, they can grow organic products and charge a higher price,
which some do. How about telling the story of the farm? Show pictures of
the facilities and the workers. Create a stronger bond between the
shopper and the creator. Give a feeling of involvement in the life of the
worker.

One of the fruit vendors gives me a couple extra pieces of fruit with my
purchase. I ALWAYS go to them while the place across the market is
wondering why nobody is over there.

What can you do to be different from the competition? You don't need to
change your product even. Just focus on changing the presentation.

Personal Relationships
Most of the vendors miss this. A few get it. The mystic of the market
experience is personally connecting with the people who make your food.
That's one of the reasons people enjoy shopping there.
The vendors that recognize me, acknowledge I'm a regular shopping and
show appreciation get my business. If they ask (and remember) my name
it's even better.

The fish guy stopped me a couple weeks ago and asked where I had been the
last couple weeks. He doesn't know my name, but he knows I'm a regular.
And he showed me that he notices if I'm not there. He values my business.
And he gets it.

People want these personal relationships. They crave them. They want an
authentic, connective buying experience in EVERY industry. What are you
doing to create that environment in your business? Social media? Events?
Community building? Consistent personal interactions?

Exclusivity

As I said before most of the vendors sell exactly the same thing. They
just hope that I walk by their booth first. The fish guy, the tamale man,
and the juice lady have an exclusive presence. They're it.

Sure, not as many people come to the market for those items. But these
folks can charge any price, get all the business.

You must develop an edge of exclusivity. If you can't change WHAT you
sell, change WHERE you sell, of WHO you sell to. There are other tamale
companies, but not at this market. This guy has essentially eliminated
any competition by NOT selling in the traditional stores. And oh those
tamales are tasty.

What if another vendor had fresh avocados or guacamole in the off-season.
How about selling a unique vegetable that no one else has? What other
kind of non-produce items would fit (art, groceries, etc)? How can you be
exclusive?

Pride

Most of the folks there are the ones that planted the seeds and harvested
the fruit. Part of your problem is you didn't make what you're selling
(in most cases). Your product was made in a sweat shop in China or a hick
in Alabama. You have very little connection to your product.

But pride sells. If you are proud, you'll be excited, confident and a
fervent evangelist. Those attitudes are contagious. I'll go back to the
tamale man. He yelled at me across the market to taste a sample (another
hint). After he reeled me in, he began spinning the story of how they
created these unique tamales. The ingredients are fresh, organic and
pure. They are hand crafted by his mother and daughter. They are the most
tasty I'll ever experience. Oh, and here's a convenient three pack.

My wife enjoyed the tamales. As far as I could tell, they were made of
chicken and corn—like every other tamale around. But I really like the
guy. And I need to eat. He gets my business over Ralph's.

Are you proud of your product. Can you talk about it like parent of a
newborn? Do you get a twinkle in your eye when people ask questions? Do
people have to tell you to STOP talking about your business? That's a
good sign, by the way.

The vendors that do well, are very intentional about how they sell. The
others are accidental. Sitting in their booth hoping that someone will
walk by and desperately need their carrots. Guess what…they don't. You
need to help reveal that need. Position your product as the only solution
to that need. And make an irresistible offer.

I encourage you to find a local farmer's market. Walk around for awhile.
Watch. Learn. And get some really great food. Experience a sales
environment where every dollar counts. It's a fantastic experience.

About The Author
~Robert Schneider - http://www.AccidentalSelling.com - http://www.VisionPipeline.com

I’m passionate about sales, marketing, and business strategy. Nothing
thrills me more than seeing people and businesses thrive. I spend a lot
of time thinking, observing, and writing about my experiences in the
trenches of the entrepreneurial battlefield. Hopefully, some of the stuff
I've learned can help you!