Friday, October 31, 2008

Ways To Cheat Credit Agencies

You are no different from a lot of other people. No. Is all this a crime?

You are no different from a lot of loan applications. No. Is all this a crime? You have also filled in a lot of loan applications.

You have missed payments. Your credit record is poor. You are a spendthrift. Just face it.


In most cases, one 's nature can't be changed. But, this article is not intended to change your nature. Sure, change yourself, if only you can. Some would suggest that you need to transform your thinking so that you change your spending habit.

But because of your spending habits, your poor rating is hurting you badly. You are really desperate to improve your rating, and fast. I am going to show you how you can fool the credit rating agencies into thinking you're becoming credit-worthy. Just follow these 7 tips religiously, only for the next 90 days. (Sure, you can continue to follow these even after 90 days, if only you can.)

1. Stay Within A Budget

For just the next 90 days, religiously stick to a budget. Regulate your expenditure, week by week. Don't buy anything you don't really need. Do this only for the next 90 days till your rating improves.

2. Keep Your Payment History In Check

Your credit card payment history has impacted your credit rating adversely, right? For the next 90 days, only buy things you need with your cards and repay card debts on time.

You draw the attention of the credit bureau when you own more than two to four cards. Rather than have many cards with large unpaid balances on each, take a low interest loan to pay off some of them. Hold on to older cards which count for more points when your rating improves.

3. Make Payments On Time

Only for the next 90 days, don't wait till the last moment to pay off loans or bills shown on your credit report. Even if there 's a grace period offered the loan will still appear on the report, thereby damaging your score. Fool the rating agencies by paying ahead of time.

4. Don't Restrict Payments To The Minimum Allowable

Another way of fooling the raters is to pay more than the minimum allowed. That way, you save interest and owe less. Make sure your card balance is well within the limit during the next 90 days.

5. Be Wary Of Consolidating Debts

The surest way to alert the credit bureau that you have a problem paying your debts is to keep applying for loans, to use to wipe out older ones. They get another warning sign when you get new cards frequently, tempted by offers. Do debt consolidation selectively, and only as a repair measure, for the next 90 days. Even if you are simply checking out on the best offers, never give out your name and address, if you can avoid it.

6. Beat Them To The Draw

If you have missed a payment, talk to them and explain before they set collection agencies after you, which would damage your rating like nothing else.

When you talk, you can negotiate better if you have something to offer. Assist them in devising a new payment plan. Given a choice, opt for a longer payment period if the lower instalment will make it more affordable for you, while telling them you intend to repay.

7. Get Errors Rectified

Sometimes there are errors on your credit report. If these are not corrected in time, they hurt your credit score. Follow up with the credit bureau to insure that such errors no longer appear on your credit report. You might have to convince them about the error, as people at the bureau may not always agree with you about the error.

Append your explanation to your report. Take care, however, to steer clear in your comments of finding fault with anyone. Always appear to assume that any errors could have been inadvertent.

Once the plan is agreed on, request that your debt not be reported to the credit bureau. If your payment record on the amended plan is good, they are likely to concede to your request.

Do all this only for the next 90 days, and savor the feeling of power and confidence it will give you.

If you require a still higher rating, perhaps you may have to extend this 90 day period to 180 days or more


Thursday, October 30, 2008

You Count On Your Bank, But The Bank Count On You Even More

Some people might wonder why the banks would not have enough money to pay every depositor out. We are well aware, that banks rely on the fact that not all their depositors will wish to withdraw their cash at the same time, because if they did, the banks would not have the cash available to meet all the demand.

They make money with your money, and they pay you a bit as well, so you are happy. Providing there is no situation where everybody wants their money out at once, the banks have nothing to worry about on that score. But if you did want to take it out, there is cash from other depositors which can be used to deal with it.

The chances are you will leave the cash in the bank without taking it out, or taking out only a part of it. They will credit your account with the sum you deposited with them, but the actual cash will have gone to earn more interest than you will get. When a client places cash into his or hers account, the bank will invest it for themselves.


This all works very well unless there is a time when people fail to meet their obligations, and do not keep up the payments on their loans. Banks expect the odd case here and there, when someone cannot pay because of a bad investment or sudden personal difficulties. When there is a situation due to certain economic problems which can cause trouble to thousands of people to meet regular promised repayments, the matter is serious because cash must keep coming for the banks to keep the show on the road. Without that expected cash, the machine can stop. Liquidity is the vital.

To understand it better, imagine that you need money and you get cash advances from a credit card which we will call A. When you reach the credit limit you will have to make a minimum payment which you have not available, so you decide to get cash from another credit card B, and when that is due to be repaid, you use credit card C and so on. There comes a time of course, when you run out of credit cards and you have to make repayments from somewhere. Unless you sell the car or an item of some value or obtain a loan from some good fairy, you are going to go under.

The banks have an easier task, inasmuch that they can turn to the central bank to borrow money to get them over their liquidity problem. Nobody wants to allow a run on a bank, since it can trigger off other stampedes. It is a bad idea to cause people to lose faith in the banking system as a whole. In other words, it is not prudent to allow banks to go to the wall, and help will invariably be found, unless there is absolutely no other way.

We are now reaching the point when shortage of money available to the banks spells out shortage of money available for them to lend out.

As a consequence for instance, the housing market gets slowed down. When the house prices suffer, it is largely because the borrowers cannot get the money to make a purchase and not because they do not wish to buy. And even if the prices go down further, they will still not buy, simply because they will still find it hard to get a mortgage in the present climate.

As usual, at the end of the day, people who have cash money will be able to snap up some real bargains and wait until conditions change and make their profit. The bargains will be available in America as well as here and in other parts of the world.

While banks make money from your money, they earn a little for you as well. They also provide a number of services without which, life would be hard. However, you must not belittle your role in all this, meaning that although you need them, they certainly need you!

Things were going right for a large number of people with ready cash at their disposal to step in soon.

Yes, cash is King. Based on realistic prices, a lot of the properties will be sold in the main to cash buyers able to get their foreign currency from the foreign currency exchange companies at very good rates, especially if they phone around for the best deal. These lucky people, will find terrific deals waiting in the offices of friendly and good realtors in USA, in the UK, on the Continent, as well as in other parts of the world.


Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Credit Card Types And How To Know The Best For You

Choosing the right credit card, you?ll be able to maximize your card benefits without getting into debt.

Which One Suits You Best? Credit Card Types ?

Low Interest Credit Card ? If you?re interested in having a credit card only so you can pay for emergency expenses when you run out of cash, this is the best type of card for you.

Reward Credit Card ? Every time you swipe your credit card, you get to enjoy an equivalent number of points depending on how much you?ve spent. The points you?ve accumulated can later be on exchanged for various prizes.

Airline Miles Credit Card ? This is a type of reward credit card that offers only airline miles as rewards. When you use this credit card to purchase your plane fare, you?ll be able to enjoy reward miles. Later on, you?ll be able to use them and get discounted plane fare or fly for free even! The same rule applies for gas credit cards.

Student Credit Card ? Credit card companies have lately been designing credit card offers exclusively for students. Although accompanied with higher interest rates, these cards often have funky designs and offer special reward programs developed primarily to provide maximum enjoyment for students. Proof of schooling is often required. It helps if you?re enrolled in an accredited school and you?ve got great grades.

Secured Credit Card ? If you?ve got bad credit, there?s still a chance for you to own a credit card?but only if you?re okay with having a secured one. This type of credit card requires you to make a deposit on your bank account and serves as collateral in the event that you fail to pay off your credit card debt. Your credit card limit may equal or be more than the amount you?ve deposited.

Prepaid Credit Card ? This isn?t a credit card per se, but it generally works like one. The limit of this card will depend on how much you?ve deposited in its account. You can?t spend more than what you?ve deposited. Its main difference with a secured credit card is that secured credit cards can have greater card limits beyond the value of its deposit.

Business Credit Card ? This works just like any other conventional credit card only with a few additional perks that make it extremely suitable for business use. A business credit card can automatically separate personal expenses from business expenditures, facilitating monthly tallies for your taxes. It can also provide expense reports for your business, special rewards for your business, and allow you to provide supplementary cards for your employees. You can also choose to modify the credit limit of your employees if necessary.

If you don?t get to pay off your credit card debt, you know what will happen to your home, don?t you? This works like a secured credit card, but only this time you?re using your home as collateral. Home-Secured Credit Card ?

This is a great way to salve your conscience if you feel guilty about your materialistic tendencies. Every time you purchase something using your credit card, a small amount of your money will be donated to the charity being sponsored by the credit card company. Think of it as shopping for a cause.

Charity Credit Card ?



Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Applying For A College Student Loan: How To Come Prepared

More students are applying for a college student loan these days than ever before, just to help cover such expenses. Not only can they spend hundreds of dollars per course unit, there 's also the added expense of books, student services, medical expenses and lab fees. Anyone who has looked at tuition prices lately knows how expensive college can be, whether a student carries a full course load or not.

The decision to apply for a student loan may be the only reasonable option that many people have to fund their college education, but there are several things to consider before shopping for one. Depending on the state and the college or university, expenses for a year 's course of study can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars, and the prices go up for State university locations. Student loans are available to all students, but that doesn't mean they're easy to come by.

First, take stock of your personal finances. Are you looking at the student loan to fund all of your school expenses, or only a portion of them? When figuring the amount you'll need, try to add in everything that involves school costs, even food and extracurricular events. If you already have a job, great, but if you don't, you need to sit down and figure out exactly what you need for class fees and right on down to paying for your school I.D. card. Many people forget such costs as student services, parking and the medical insurance that is offered by most school campuses, so make a list and check it twice.

When it comes time to shop around for your loan, try local banks in your area first, especially if you have an account in a local branch. The good thing about student loans is that you don't have to start paying them back until your schooling is finished, but keep an eye on the interest rate that is attached to your loan repayment plan. Interest rates may vary depending on state and area, but you may be able to obtain a lower interest rate if you have already established some sort of credit or banking history. If you have a job, so much the better.

Knowledge is power, and that goes for education and finances. Many universities and colleges also offer student financing, so check their interest rates too. If your local bank branch turns you down, try other lenders, most especially student government loans.

When you obtain that loan, you should already have a tentative plan in place to start paying it back. Earning a college degree is something that can't be measured with money, but unfortunately, it 's what makes the world go round. To increase your chances of not only obtaining a loan, but also getting the amount you asked for, try to go in with a good payment history to back up your claim that you'll be able to repay the loan when it becomes due.

Bad credit and overdue bills don't look good, no matter if you're nineteen or ninety.



Monday, October 27, 2008

How To Triple Your Stock Market Returns Using Options

On the other hand, if you are correct, your profits may well exceed three times the amount you would have made with just a straight investment in the stock. If you miscalculate on either of these values, you will either break even, or loose. The key to using options to increase your stock market profits is that you must be able to correctly predict both the direction that the stock will move, and the approximate time frame in which the move will take place.

More specifically, stock options are financial instruments that come in four varieties: Long or Short positions on a Put or Call. An option gives the owner the right but not the obligation to purchase something.

Long means a person purchases a Put or a Call. Short means a person sells or ?writes? a Put or Call. Option writing is a more advanced topic so this course will focus on the more common long or option buying and the following descriptions assume all positions are long.

A Put is the instrument that profits when the underlying stock declines in price. When the stock goes down, the value of a Put goes up. A Call is the reverse of a Put. The value of a Call goes up when the stock increases in price.

As you can see, if you expect the stock price to go up, you buy a call. If you expect the price to go down, you buy a put. There are two more parts to an option that need to be covered. First is the expiration date.

All options have a date in which they expire or become worthless. Remember that an option gives the owner the right to purchase something. This right is for a limited amount of time. Depending on the stock, different options might be available for several consecutive months into the future, or there may be a couple of months skipped. The specific day of the month that an option expires is always the third Friday of the month, unless it is a holiday, in which case the expiration is on Thursday.

The second element is the strike price. This is the price that the option will be exercised at. Again an option is the right to buy something, and the price at which something is bought is the strike or exercised price. Depending upon the option, these prices may be incremented by $2.50 up to $10.

This all adds up to a lot of choices when it comes to buying an option. Calls or puts plus different expiration months, and multiple strike prices within each month is a lot of different decisions.

This fact my limit your trading opportunities or may result in a large price spread between the bid and ask prices. With the abundance of choices, the number of contracts traded for a specific option can be small for a stock that is not particularly popular in the news.

Many investors have found such patterns and are making excellent profits by carefully selecting the right stock options. If you can identify certain situations that will influence the stock price within a defined time period, you may be able to use stock options to triple your returns.


Sunday, October 26, 2008

I Didn???t Buy That!

when we respond coat racks they in veritably say oh that???s right and that is the end of the problem. As a merchant that sells coat racks online we receive calls from time to time from people questioning a charge from us they ask ???What do you sell??? Have you ever opened your credit card company they will give the contact number for the merchant.

This is handled by the FDIC you can get more Credit card disputes are supposed to be resolved within 90 days after you call your credit card company and explain the situation all credit card purchases are covered by the Federal Truth in Lending Act and are covered under the Fair Credit Card Purchasing Act or commonly known as the Consumer Protection Act. This is handled by the FDIC you can get more detailed information from their web site at fdic.gov. Credit card disputes are supposed to be resolved within 90 days after you call your credit card company and explain the situation all credit card purchases are covered by the Federal Truth in Lending Act and are covered under the Fair Credit Card Purchasing Act or commonly known as the Consumer Protection Act.

This is handled by the FDIC you can get more detailed information from their web site at fdic.gov. If you can not get a good answer from the merchant call your credit card company and explain the situation all credit card purchases are covered by the Federal Truth in Lending Act and are covered under the Fair Credit Card Purchasing Act or commonly known as the Consumer Protection Act.


If your credit card company will reverse the charges.

The request for a new credit card will show up on your credit report if you see any new cards or loans issued in your name that you did not in fact open contact the lender who issued the loan and get it cancelled and any charges taken care of. The request for a new credit card issued to the thief with their signature and address. Many ID thefts are done so to get a new credit card issued to the thief with their signature and address.

Your credit report can possibly show you any fraudulent activity. You are allowed to get a new credit card will show up on your credit report once a year for free, it is a god idea to take advantage of this and actually set a date every year and request a copy on that date.



Saturday, October 25, 2008

Why is Insurance Important?

It can also provide protection from liability, damages, and financial loss, but in the end, it usually comes down to money. For the most part, this protection comes in the form of money. Insurance, of all kinds, is used to help protect consumers when certain things happen. Home, automobile, and life are just three of the various kinds of insurance policies that are available for consumers.

There are different types of insurance.


There are levels of coverage all along the way, and Moving up the scale, you could purchase a more comprehensive policy that pays for damages to both you and the other person, including medical awards and property damages. In other words, you can buy a simple liability policy that will pay a certain amount of money to someone that you have an accident with, but will pay nothing towards your own damages. There are levels of coverage all along the way, and this is why automobile insurance can be considered broad in nature. Moving up the scale, you could purchase a more comprehensive policy that pays for damages to both you and the other person, including medical awards and property damages.

In other words, you can buy a simple liability policy that will pay a certain amount of money to someone that you have an accident with, but will pay nothing towards your own damages. As with some other types of insurance, automobile insurance can be considered broad in nature. Many states require that automobile owners carry a minimum amount of insurance for each vehicle the person or business owns. Most consumers know that there are certain types of insurance that are mandatory.


In the case of automobile insurance, the reason insurance is important is that it protects you from having to pay damages in the event that you are found at fault for the accident. Without automobile insurance, you might lose everything that you have, including future earnings in order to pay these damages. Most consumers simply cannot afford to buy another vehicle for someone should they severely damage that person 's automobile. The same holds true for any medical costs that might be associated with an accident wherein you are found at fault.

With home owner 's insurance, the minimum coverage level is often determined by the lender. Many home owners will add to this level of coverage in order to protect such things as their furniture and other personal items against loss. Coverage will usually extend to people who may be on the property should they encounter an accident and sustain injuries. Again, the importance of insurance is to protect the owner from legal actions that may arise from outside parties as well as to protect the owner from real property damage such as fire.

Thousands upon thousands of homeowners have encountered severe financial loss because they assumed they were covered for flood damages when, in fact, they were not. The only way to know if you are covered for flooding is to ask the direct question to your insurance company and to read what is in the insurance contract. This is often assumed by home owners and can lead to severe losses should a flooding event occur.

Home owners should not assume that their policy covers damages due to flooding. In the area of home owner 's insurance, there is often controversy over what is known as flood insurance.


Some might suggest that there is virtually nothing that you cannot insure, but protecting yourself and your assets against loss is one of the most important reasons for having insurance. There are policies that insure against lost wages should you be injured; there are commercial policies used for businesses; there are specialty policies used for businesses; there are specialty policies used for businesses; there are specialty policies used for high-ticket items such as jewelry or art work. In addition to personal property insurance there are other types of insurance as well.


Friday, October 24, 2008

Using Your Card: What Is Its Purpose?

This can make a big difference in how you use it and what you will pay in charges and fees for using it. Before choosing a credit card, consider what it is that you plan to use it for. Not all credit cards are the same, and this goes beyond the APR that most people are aware of.

There is a wonderful feeling to having a credit card when you need one, but that blanket term "credit card" can be misleading at times.


If you pay in full, you do not incur finances charges which are based on the company APR. Keep in mind that finance charges do not kick in unless you carry over a balance. If you intend to follow this routine, then APR will not matter as much to you. There are some consumers who will pay off their bill each and every month, and rarely, if ever, carry the balance over into the next billing cycle.

For those who will be paying the full balance each month, consider a credit card that has a longer grace period and has no annual fees. This allows you to use the credit for little, if any, charge. Do keep in mind, however, that if you happen to lapse and carry a balance, you will have to pay the finance charges and then APR will matter to you.

Most people, however, do carry over a balance and for those individuals it is important to find the credit card that offers the lowest annual percentage rate (APR). The APR is the number that the credit card company will use to calculate your monthly finance charge so the lower this number the less money you will pay.

If you think that you may use your credit card to get cash advances, you will certainly want to look at the fees and charges for that service. It is important to remember that many, if not most, of the credit card companies charge a higher rate for cash advances than they do for purchases. Some companies will charge a substantial amount more and you would do well to avoid using these cards for cash advance purposes.

There is nothing wrong with opting into these programs if they are benefits that you will not use. These might include such things as frequent flyer miles, phone minutes, rebates and other things. Many people are lured into poor credit card choices by the promotions that many companies offer.

This information must be clearly printed and if you have to hunt for it, then you may want to avoid dealing with that company. Federal law requires that all solicitations and applications for credit cards include key information on the rates and fees that they charge consumers. In order to find out what the APR and other fees are for any particular company, you can visit their website or you can look at the information that comes to you through the mail.


Will Forex Trading Be Right For You?

When it comes to Forex currency trading, there are some basic character traits and lifestyle elements that need to be in place in order to make a go of this type of trading.

Here are some examples of traits and conditions that should exist in your life before you embark on a round of currency trading.

Many people are looking for a way to get rich overnight.

That there are many scams out there that continually lure people in with wild promises of instant wealth is easily demonstrated by watching television or checking the bulk folder of your email account.

While there are some people that attempt to make ridiculous promises about the money to be made in currency trading, the fact is that for many it is just like any other type of work.

You must be prepared to put in your time, have some success and also experience some failures now and then.

If you are looking for instant success and have visions of spending the rest of your life on the beach after making a killing with currency trading, then you need to do some serious rethinking.

In like manner, you will need to posses the attribute of patience if you are to get anywhere with currency trades.

While you may indeed experience incremental success with your transactions, your gains will come over time and usually will be rather small in and of themselves.

You may need to hang on to a currency for a period of time rather than trading it off, with an eye to the way you believe things will look a week or a month from now.

Make sure you can keep your cool and allow your better judgment to come into play. Patience tends to be rewarded handsomely.

The state of your finances also is a big factor when it comes to making a decision about getting involved with currency trading.

As with any type of investment, you need to make sure you can afford to lose what you invest without creating any problems with maintaining your current standard of living.

While some people like living on the edge, the fact is there is no glory in going for a deal and ending up having to sell the house in order to cover what turned out to be a bad deal.

If you are not able to keep your head when it comes, to only using your disposable resources, to fund your currency trading, then you need to rethink the whole idea.

There is a lot of money to be made with currency trading. However it is not a venture that is right for everyone.

If you are looking for a get rich quick scheme, have a problem thinking decisions through with a cool head, or have a tendency to not take care of your basic financial needs before you invest, then Forex currency trading is not the right choice for you.

If you are business minded and have the ability to make good logical decisions, then I am sure you will love trading currencies.

It should be noted that Forex trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors.


Thursday, October 23, 2008

Cheap Medical Insurance

In fact, fully 16% of all Americans today cannot afford any health care at all. Unfortunately it is getting harder and harder to find medical insurance that is affordable. It 's hard to imagine anyone who would not be interested in finding cheap medical insurance.

Many are now offering their members low-cost group health. If your place of employment doesn't have group health insurance then try asking around at any organizations, groups or associations that you belong to. Obviously group health care is going to be less expensive than individual health care.
Increasing your co-payment can lower the amount you pay every month. Obviously this is not as good of an option for people who see their doctor on a regular basis, but if you can afford to increase your co-pay to 50% then you will save money month after month.

Increasing your deductible will also reduce your monthly premium. Again, you have to weigh the cost and the benefits to know if paying more for your own health care each year before your insurance kicks in makes economic sense for you.

Don't smoke. You know as well as anyone that you are not going to get the best rate on your health insurance if you smoke or if you use chew or any other tobacco product. If you're serious about saving money on your health insurance then you're going to have to get serious about quitting the use of all tobacco products.

Your weight is also an issue when it comes to how much you pay for your health insurance. Part of your monthly premium is based on your Body Mass Index, or BMI. If you can shed even a few pounds then it is possible that you could slip down a rung on the insurance company 's BMI chart. If that happens you could save quite a bit each and every year on your health insurance. It 's certainly worth a try.

Getting exercise and eating better can also reduce how much you pay for your health insurance and how much you pay for your medical costs overall. Cut way back on the fast foods - and stop eating fried foods at all.

Exercise doesn't mean buying some fancy and expensive machine. Just walk. Or ride a bike to do your errands a few times each week. Did you know that there are groups you can join who walk the malls in the mornings? Exercise can be fun.

If all else fails how about setting up a Health Savings Account, or HSA? An HSA is a tax-free savings account that you can only use to pay for your medical needs. As part of your account you will purchase a low-cost super-high-deductible health insurance policy.

This policy will have a deductible of at least $1,200 for an individual or $2,200 for a family. These policies pay nothing toward your health costs in a normal year - you pay for all of your own health needs out of your tax-free savings account.

What these low-cost super-high-deductible policies do is they protect your home and other valuable assets in the event that you suffer a catastrophic illness or accident which results in medical bills in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Talk with your banker, or your employer or an insurance agent for details on how you can set up an HSA account.

The trick is to not rely on the results from just one website as each website only compares prices from a small number of companies. You will find no end to the number of websites that will let you compare the prices of health insurance policies from one company to another. If you purchase a tradition health policy you will save money if you purchase it online.

In this way you will see the prices from a lot more companies and you will have a better chance of finding the rock-bottom price for your health insurance needs. Instead, make price comparisons on at least 3 different websites.


Wednesday, October 22, 2008

You Can Make Money With Penny Stocks

I will now outline for you what you need to know about penny stocks and how to find the best one in which to invest. I, on the other hand, think that investing in a penny stock before that company becomes profitable company is the best way to invest, because you can make a lot more money with penny stocks than would ever be possible with blue-chip stocks. Most people consider penny stocks to be a poor investment.

But, generally speaking, a penny stock is any low-priced security that trades on one of two exchanges; the Pink Sheets or the OTC Bulletin Board. Regulatory agencies sometimes classify them as a stock with a price below $2. Stockbrokers define them as any stock that trades below $5 per share.

Penny stocks are defined differently depending on who you talk to.


The Pink Sheets are an exchange where most startup companies first get listed. There are no listing requirements to be traded on this exchange. A company does not have to have any sales, nor does it have to reveal how many shares outstanding it has to qualify for the Pink Sheets.

The reason why a company tries to get listed on the Pink Sheets, even though their stock will not go up in price because they have no sales to speak of, is because it gives their company more substance and credibility; it is typically easier to attract additional capital, obtain financing, and execute contracts and agreements if a company is publicly traded, even if it is on the Pink Sheets.

Also, it is easier to get transferred from the Pink Sheets to one of the larger exchanges than it is to go from being a private company to hopping directly on to one of the major exchanges, such as the NASDAQ or NYSE. Companies listed on the Pink Sheets trade as ridiculously low as $0.00001 per share, all the way up to $500 per share and sometimes beyond. Foreign companies often have some of their shares sold in the United States by listing them on the Pink Sheets.

The OTC (Over-The-Counter) Bulletin Board is similar to the Pink Sheets. This exchange consists of relatively young companies either with no sales or a small amount of sales. Companies listed on it are sometimes fully reporting (meaning that they reveal how many shares they have outstanding and what their balance sheet looks like). Often, companies go from the Pink Sheets to the Bulletin Board once they are ready to become fully or semi-reporting.

Most publicly traded companies that are now listed on one of the major exchanges (NASADAQ, AMEX, NYSE), at one time or another, were penny stocks listed on the Pink Sheets or Bulletin Board. Rarely does a company go from being private directly to one of the 3 major exchanges. Google is a rare example of a company that was able to do that, because they were so successful so quickly. But, most companies have to pay their dues and edge their way up from the penny stock exchanges to the bigger ones.

So, investing in penny stocks can be an excellent investment because some of these young companies will one day be worth a fortune. The hard part is finding the right company to invest in, because for every successful startup company, there is also one that fails within the first year or two.

To find the right company, there are a few things you need to look for. Number one, you need to do some research and try to find out how many shares the company has in its float. The float is the number of shares that are currently being traded. Companies listed on the Pink Sheets usually do not officially report this number to the public, but with a little research, you can usually find out. It is usually contained in articles written about the company, or in TV or radio interviews with company officials that are sometimes archived on certain websites.

You can also look for the information on message boards or forums where stock traders chat with each other. Simply do a search on Google and read every article ever written about the company, and you will likely find out about their float. This is important because you do not want to invest in a company that already has something like 500 million shares in its float. Companies with this kind of share count are likely having problems moving forward, so they have issued more and more shares to raise money just to stay alive. You want to look for companies that have approximately 5 to 100 million shares in their float.

Other things that you should look for in a new company are barriers to entry, patents, and consumer demand. Here are the questions you need to ask yourself when analyzing the probability that a company will be successful:

1) Barriers to Entry: Are there are obstacles that will make it difficult for the company to sell its products or services?

2) Patents: Is the product that the company is going to sell patented? A patent will prevent other companies from producing the exact same product.

Sometimes a company has a great new invention or an exciting technology, but if it is not something practical that consumers are going to want or need, then it does not matter how great it is. 3) Consumer Demand: Will there be a demand for what the company is selling?

Just make sure you do your homework before you invest and you should do extremely well. The earlier you get started, the more money you can make in the long run. Try to set aside some money for investing in penny stocks and start while you are still young.


How to Choose the Right Freight Bill Factoring Company

In order to lay your hands on ready cash, you can avail of the services offered by the right freight bill factoring company otherwise not only will you be in financial trouble but your reputation and relation with your clients could also be marred forever.

Here are a few things that should be taken up by you before you decide on a particular factoring company. This financial arrangement looks very tempting but a proper research is needed so that you do not land up with an inefficient factoring company. This can improve your cash flow immediately and help you to pay off drivers' salaries and other expenses such as fuel, servicing and repair charges on your truck fleet. So, instead of waiting for 30 to 60 days for your credit payments, you could now have access to that amount almost immediately after issuing the invoice.

They then transfer the invoice amount minus their invoice factoring charges into your bank account within 1 or 2 days. In freight bill factoring, your credit invoices, which you would have issued to your credit clients, are bought by these companies.


Cross-Check the Factoring Company. Take details of some of their existing and past clients and speak to them regarding the quality of services availed by the clients. You should also make a personal visit to the factoring company 's office and check out his setup. If he is operating from a trailer or a small, shady, rented office then avoid dealing with such a company.

The Factoring Company 's Charges Should Be Reasonable. The factoring company should charge a reasonable fee for its services. Try to zero in on a company where you do not have to sign a term contract so that you can exit the setup if you are not comfortable with them.

The Factoring Company Should Have Proper Experience. The freight bill factoring company should have prior experience in dealing with companies of your size and turnover and should also have handled clients similar to yours. They should pay you the amount promised and always on time. They should know how to handle difficult situations without aggravating them and your clients too should be comfortable handing over your payments to them.

The Factoring Company Should Be Efficient. The staff of the factoring company should be polite, tactful and efficient since they will collect your invoice amounts from your clients. They should ensure that your hard work of building up a relationship with your clients is not compromised by their rude behavior or their incompetence. They should have all the data required in their hands before they contact your clients for collection of payments.

That way, any queries or problems can be nipped in the bud before it assumes dangerous proportions. This staff should be well aware of the clients credit history or any other specific points related to that client. They should have specific staff to handle certain clients. The factoring company should be accessible to you and your clients if not on a 24/7 basis, then at least during normal working hours.

The Factoring Company Should Be Accessible.


Compromise a little on their charges but not on the quality of service, which is expected from them. So, check out the above factors before hiring the services of any freight bill factoring company.


Investing: Getting Started

Many people start a small investment businesses that start building wealth instantly. This is unfortunate. The allure and mystique of stock investing keeps many new investors from taking the plunge.

One of the best ways of generating a passive stream of income is by trading on the stock market.


But, this does not need to be the case. And yes, those who do not follow the proven formulas, and do their homework, will end up losing money. Yes, there are pitfalls the uninitiated will fall in. If you can follow patterns, are artistic, or are good at organizing then you should be able to follow the patterns and make money investing.

It is just a matter of mathematics. There is no secrets.


The Investor

The word investing means ??


Tuesday, October 21, 2008

What Is A Preapproved Auto Loan?

Here is what you need to know about a These auto loans will save you some time and money, partly because the auto dealer will be glad to see you already have the cash on hand. Here is what you need to know about a preapproved auto loan. These auto loans will save you some time and money, partly because the auto dealer will be glad to see you already have the cash on hand. Here is what you need to know about a preapproved auto loan.

These auto loans will save you some time and money, partly because the auto dealer will be glad to see you already have the cash on hand. Here is what you need to know about a preapproved auto loan. These auto loans will save you some time and money, partly because the auto dealer will be glad to see you already have the cash on hand. Here is what you need to know about a preapproved auto loan.

These auto loans will save you some time and money, partly because the auto dealer will be glad to see you already have the cash on hand. When you want to go and get a preapproved auto loan.


They know that if they do not deliver something that interests you quickly, then you will be out the door - and your money will be gone, too. It shows the seller that you are looking for a deal - right now. A preapproved auto loan is very similar to being preapproved for a house.

Going to your lender first allows you to know in advance just how much of an auto loan you can get. This will cut down your time in searching for a car because you will know what you have to work with in the way of cash from the start. After you fill out the application for a preapproved auto loan, the lender provides you with a blank check up to a certain credit limit. With that check in your pocket, you are free to look for the car of your choice.

You will also be given a limited time to spend the preapproved auto loan check. This check is usually good for only a few days. You do not even have to use the check at all. You are under no obligation to do so, and usually no charges will apply until you actually sign the check and use it to purchase your car.

You save money by knowing exactly what charges apply up front. Sometimes, when you deal with dealer financing, you may find that you get stuck with an unsatisfactory deal and higher interest rates than you wanted. But with a preapproved auto loan - if you do not like the rates - just do not use the check.

Before you sign the check, though, it would be a real good idea to find out the value of the car you want.

This will help you get the best interest rates possible. Also, don't forget to check your credit report first, and look for any mistakes and correct them before you apply. Each one has their own set prices and rates, but by shopping around, you can find that better interest rate and terms.

One more thing, before you go to any lender for your preapproved auto loan, remember that lenders are like auto dealers.



Monday, October 20, 2008

How To Get An Instant Approval Credit Card - Fast

Here is how you should choose which instant approval credit card you want. By going online, and filling out your information at a secure site, you can often get your response within minutes. Now, your approval on a new credit card can also be given quickly, too. Our TV programs need to be solved in an hour, or two for a movie.

We like our food to be fast, our lines to be short, our cash to be instantly accessible at an ATM, and service to be quick. Many things in our lives these days are fast, and that makes for great convenience.


You Need Good Credit

Before you apply for an instant approval credit card, you should check to make sure that you have good credit, or even better, excellent credit. If it is less than this, you should probably not apply because it will probably be rejected. Applying for too many credit cards will be reflected on your credit score - which could hurt you in the long run.

Select The Rewards You Want

The first thing you want to look at is the type of rewards that are offered. You may already have one in mind, but you should choose one that will do you the most good. If you travel a lot, you will either want a gas card, a hotel card, or an air miles card. It you are a student and have good credit, select a student credit card that will give you the things you buy the most - movie tickets, CD 's or DVD 's , amusement parks, clothes and more. If you are a good student, look for one that gives extra points for good grades.

For those who are in their car a lot, there are also driver 's cards. These not only give you points for the gas that you buy, but some also give points for car maintenance. In addition, some of them will allow you to use your points toward the purchase of another car - new or used.

Look At The Introductory Offer

On most credit cards, there is an introductory offer that can last anywhere from three months up to 15 months. You want to look at the length and apply for a credit card with an offer that lasts as long as possible - especially if you are going to transfer any balances. Get an instant approval credit card that has no fees for balance transfers.

Also, find out what the normal cash back percentages are. This will typically be anywhere from 1 to 6%, depending on different types of purchases, and which credit card you get. Remember, the higher the return - the better.

Consider The Interest Rate And Fees

Also look to see what fees there are, and do a comparison of other offers to get the best. This rate, however, is for the interest that you will pay on any balances left on the card each month. Your credit score will determine the actual credit rate you get.

Choose a credit card with as low an interest rate as possible.


After you are approved, you will probably receive it within a week. If there should be any question about your credit score, they will contact you to resolve the question before a credit card will be issued. Once you apply for your instant approval credit card online, you may even be able to have your response in a matter of minutes.


How Forex Affects Us All

You may not be involved in Forex trading directly, but the fact remains that you are affected by what occurs in foreign exchange trading every day.

Here are some examples of how this constant flow of currency trading makes an impact on your daily life.

Perhaps the most obvious impact is that currency trading makes an impact on the price you pay for goods and services.

Should you happen to live in a country where the comparative value of your currency falls in comparison to that of other countries, you could find yourself paying a higher price for items that you are used to purchasing at a relatively inexpensive rate.

The reason is that the rate of exchange for imported goods would have changed and chances are the brunt of that change will be passed on to you, the consumer.

These goods may include anything from petroleum products to underwear.

Another way that changes in trading currency impact you is the simple ability to obtain goods and services.

A severe enough change in the rate of exchange could mean that it is no longer viable for certain types of business commerce to continue.

The result will be that you may find that some items that you are used to purchasing regularly will at first become much scarcer and carry a higher price tag, but ultimately no longer be available to you at all.

This will require you to change your spending habits and settle for other goods that you may consider being of lesser quality.

An extreme example would be if you were no longer able to get the imported car parts you need for your vehicle and had to turn to either generic replacements or used parts.

Your investments may also be impacted as well.

While the stock exchange is a totally different process from currency exchange, the fact of the matter is that they do impact one another.

Adverse changes in the rate of exchange can mean your stocks may slow down their process of earning money for you, especially if the stocks happen to be investments in retail companies or any entity that relies heavily on foreign trade.

Changes in your portfolio of course make a difference to your overall financial health, and may especially hurt if your stock portfolio happens to also be your form of retirement plan.

Many people do not give the trading of currency a second thought. Nevertheless, this process that is in a constant flow every day does reach out and touch the lives of each of us in some way. We may find ourselves paying higher prices for goods or services that we are used to enjoying.

Keeping up with Forex trading is a good idea for all of us. We may see our overall financial health impacted, even to the point of wondering about our future and retirement. In some cases, we may have to substitute for a lesser product, due to lack of availability.

It should be noted Forex trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors.


How To Get The Best Rates On Homeowner 's Insurance In Florida

One way to protect your home and its contents is to purchase homeowner 's insurance. Therefore it 's only natural that they would want to do everything possible to protect their investment. For most homeowners in Florida their home represents their biggest investment and their most valuable and prized asset.

Even though everyone wants to protect their home in case of a disaster, everyone still wants to get the best rates on homeowner 's insurance in Florida that they possibly can.

The good news is there are several simple steps you can take that can help to reduce the cost of your homeowner 's policy.

Let start by reviewing how much insurance you need. You need enough insurance to rebuild your home from the foundation up and to replace the contents of your home. In other words, after a disaster you need enough money to put things back the way they were.

The one thing you do not want to pay for is homeowner 's insurance on the value of the land underneath your home. Your land doesn't need to be insured.

Keep in mind that here in Florida most homeowner 's policies have a wind exclusion and no standard homeowner 's policy covers your home in case of flooding. You need to speak with your agent about ways to get insurance for wind and flood.

If your home is more than 10 years old ask your agent how much of a savings you would realize each month if you upgraded the plumbing and the electrical systems. Often the savings can really add up over the course of a year.

Make sure all brush and weeds are cleared at least ten feet away from any structure on your property. This reduces the risk of fire and could result in a monthly savings.

Make certain that every exterior door has a working deadbolt and that every window, regardless of what floor it is on, has a working lock. Let your agent know about any upgrades or improvements that you make to your home or your property. Even new landscaping, fixing cracked or broken walkways or replacing loose floorboards or hand railings on porches or decks can reduce your monthly homeowner 's insurance premium.

Adding motion-sensitive outdoor floodlighting can also reduce your monthly premium as can trimming back bushes away from windows (making it more difficult for burglars to ply their trade).

Inside your home make certain that you have installed the proper number of smoke and fire detectors for the size and layout of your home and make sure they all have fresh batteries at least twice each year. Many people make a habit of replacing the batteries in their smoke and fire detectors every time they switch their clocks forward or backward an hour.

Buy a kitchen-rated fire extinguisher for your kitchen and mount it in a convenient place.

Keep your credit rating clean. Believe it or not, your credit rating affects how much you pay for your homeowner 's insurance. The higher your credit score the lower your monthly homeowner 's insurance premium.

If you have multiple insurance policies, such as auto and health with the same insurance company you should qualify for a special Multi-Policy Discount.

If you've been with the same insurance company for at least 5 years talk to your agent about a Long-Term Policy Discount on your Homeowner 's insurance.

If you can afford to install a home security system that monitors your home 24/7 for fire and burglary you could save a considerable amount on your insurance premium each month, but be sure to consult your agent before purchasing any such system as some systems qualify for a much larger discount than other systems.

If anyone in your household is 55 or older and retired you could be due another discount on your premium.

How long has it been since you reviewed your deductible? If you can afford to increase your deductible then you can save a good deal each year on your premium payments.

All that 's left now is to get online and find at least 3 different websites that allow you to compare the cost of your super-policy between different insurance companies and you'll be all set. O.K., that should be enough for you to put together a homeowner 's policy that saves you money month after month, year after year.

Once you've done that then you can rest easy at night in the knowledge that you have gotten the very best rates on homeowner Once you've done that then you can rest easy at night in the knowledge that you have gotten the very best rates on homeowner 's insurance here in Florida. Once you've done that then you can rest easy at night in the knowledge that you have gotten the very best rates on homeowner 's insurance here in Florida. Once you've done that then you can rest easy at night in the knowledge that you have gotten the very best rates on homeowner 's insurance here in Florida. Once you've done that then you can rest easy at night in the knowledge that you have gotten the very best rates on homeowner 's insurance here in Florida.

Once you've done that then you can rest easy at night in the knowledge that you have gotten the very best rates on homeowner 's insurance here in Florida. Take the extra time to make your comparisons on at least 3 different websites so you can be certain that you are seeing the prices of all the different insurance companies here in Florida.



Sunday, October 19, 2008

Prepaid Debit Cards Vs. Secured Credit Cards

I have listed these differences below. The truth is there are some distinct differences that may work better for people from different walks of life. Each of these cards will require funds to be deposited in advance before using them, so what?s the difference?

We get quite a bit of email asking about the differences between these two categories of credit cards so I decided to write a short article to explain the basics of each category.


Much like your bank debit cards they deplete funds in your account as you use them, they do not require monthly payments and do not charge interest. Prepaid Debit Cards - Prepaid debit cards are just that, debit cards that have the Mastercard or Visa logo on them and are accepted worldwide.

The major difference is how you qualify for one and how much it cost to use the card. Prepaid debit cards are not concerned with having card holders qualify for their cards. Most issuers do not verify employment, credit, addresses or even legal residency. This makes these types of cards very popular with immigrant workers in the United States illegally.

Debit cards are also more fee intensive than traditional secured credit cards. They have fees that are usually measured by transaction. Other fees include, loading fees, transfer fees, check deposit fees, annual fees and more. This is the price people have pay for convenience and anonymity. These cards will not report cardholder transactions to the credit bureaus, which is not ideal for those who are trying to establish credit.

In our society it is virtually impossible to live without some type of visa or Mastercard, debit cards fill this void. They offer a "de facto" banking system for those unable to qualify normally. They offer direct deposits for paychecks and many other features to a segment of society that traditional banks have left out in the cold. All in all, prepaid debit cards are pretty cool for some people.

Secured Credit Cards ? are credit cards that are specifically designed for people with bad credit. Most people that apply for these types of credit cards do so to build or rebuild their credit. The other advantages are they appear, look and act exactly like a regular credit card. Most prepaid cards are clearly marked as debit cards with outrageous designs and colors.

The price you pay for rebuilding your credit is interest. The worst thing is that you are paying interest on your own money! Unlike prepaid debit cards, secured cards usually carry pretty steep interest rate, usually around 15%. Secured credit cards are not usually ?re-loadable?. Meaning, once you make your initial deposit this becomes your ?credit limit?. Your payments will bring down the balance giving you more purchasing power.

Secured credit cards report to the credit bureaus exactly the same way a regular credit card does. Creditors that review your credit for purchases have no idea if your credit card is secured or not. Another thing to watch is that most people will fund their cards with money that they intend to use immediately. Meaning they send in $500 and expect to be able to go out and spend that $500 immediately on receipt of their card. This is not good borrowing practices and will actually bring down your credit score.

Credit cards are viewed as liabilities on your credit bureau once you borrow over half of your credit limit. The credit bureaus see this as a sign of credit dependency and discount your credit score 35%. When this happens you are hurting your credit, paying regular credit card fees, paying interest on your money and carrying around a maxed out credit card.

Credit bureaus do not show monthly payments; they only show the months you have had the account open and any months that you have been delinquent. This assumption could not be further than the truth. they can pay it back. Most people feel the need to charge something on the card to ?prove?

It will only cost you the price of the annual fee to keep it in their bank. Then leave it alone. Our advice to borrowers is to save up enough money so that your initial deposit is large enough to show a decent credit limit on your credit bureau, around $1000.


Unfortunately most people use them incorrectly and end up hurting their credit more than it was before getting the card. Secured credit cards can significantly help you rebuild your credit and have a positive impact on you overall credit score. When a future creditor sees your $1000 open line of credit, higher credit scores and the financial restraint you have demonstrated you will be much more likely to get the loan.


What Is Your Financial Worth?

An important question to ask yourself is whether you live to work or work to live.

Despite this reality, there are steps you can take to elevate your financial position. Ultimately, until you reach an income that allows you to be carefree about your finances, working is partly about obtaining money. I do enjoy my work, but the primary reason that of working is to fund my lifestyle. In my case, I fall quite neatly into the second category.

The first and foremost step is to consider your attitude towards money. Do you see money as the answer to your troubles or do you see it as societies method for control? Ultimately, the way you view money will have an effect on your finances.

If you view money as the key to your happiness you will never be satisfied with your financial situation. It is the same for those who see money as the root of the world?s evil. By viewing money as means of achieving your goals and dreams you will develop a healthy attitude towards money.

Setting goals for yourself will help clarify what you want out of life. This may be an intimidating task but it is a vital step. Essentially this will allow you to establish what income is necessary for you to achieve your goals.

It is crucial that you set realistic and attainable targets. Setting unreasonable goals will lead to disappointment when you fail. Taking this into account, it is also important that you set challenging goals. This ensures a feeling of self accomplishment so ensure that you?re not selling yourself too short.

Learning is the key to achieving your goals. Learning breeds experience, information and new ways of thinking. By refusing to learn the unknown, you are actively allowing others to step up and take over your position. Your experience and knowledge is becoming less important as each day goes by. In order to earn more you must increase your knowledge bank. Gaining new skills and experience will make you viewed highly as valuable employee. In turn, this will increase your salary potential.

After taking action to become considered a valued employee in your industry, you must look at your current and future employment situation. Are you likely to remain stagnant in your employment position or is there the possibility for a promotion in your company. If there is no possibility of advancement, you may have to seek opportunities elsewhere.

If you decide to stay with your current employer, your next step is to ask for a raise. Although a daunting task, you are only limiting your potential by settling for what you are currently earning. The potential rejection is enough to make even the most confident employee nervous. To combat this fear, make yourself knowledgeable on how your company deals with raises. If yearly salary increases exist, then record your achievements. This gives your employer evidence as to why a raise is deserved. It is important to be fully prepared and to calmly communicate your requests. Discuss your wants and why you deserve them. Researching into what others in your industry or profession are earning will give you something to compare your salary with. It will give you an idea of what you should be getting paid. The negotiation process will be easier once your preparation has increased your confidence levels. It is important not to threaten resignation as this will dampen your chances of a raise and affect your future career.

If it is deserved, then most employers will expect for you to request a raise. Remember that raise requests are predicted by most employers.

If this is the case, start to job search but make sure that you leave your current position on first-rate terms. A company?s budgeting restraints may have affected your raise request as apposed to your workplace performance. It may be time to start looking at positions elsewhere if your deserved raise is rejected.


Broadband Users Advised To Consider Costs Of Their Contract

Although it may not be the most exciting thing to do, it is important for broadband users to take the time to check the small print to their contract.

However such inaction could potentially leave customers out of pocket, as the price comparison website revealed that just under a quarter (24 per cent) of Britons have been hit with charges and fees which they were not expecting to pay. Meanwhile, one in four consumers were indicated as only skimming over the details of their contract. So claims moneysupermarket in which a recent study showed that some eight per cent of people state they not bother reading the terms and conditions of their broadband service.

Among the hidden charges that consumers often discover that they are landed with include moving and installation costs. Meanwhile, paying for bills, exceeding download limits and the expense of calling a helpline were pointed out as additional ways internet users might find themselves inuring financial pressure. However, moneysupermarket indicated that such charges vary among broadband suppliers.

It was pointed out that Direct Save and Virgin charge their consumers 40 and 30 pounds respectively in one-off set-up fees. Research from the firm also showed that Virgin charges an extra five pounds per month for those consumers who do not pay their bills via direct debit. Meanwhile, those who decide to cancel their contract within the first 12 months of opening it up will find themselves charged around 50 pounds if they are customers with either Be or Direct Save.

Following on from facing a broadband bill which is much higher than expected, it may be possible that people encounter greater difficulties in paying for other household utilities such as gas, electricity and water. In addition, this might impact upon their capacity to meet other areas of financial demand such as personal loans, credit and store cards and mortgage repayments.

Commenting on the research, Rob Barnes, head of mobile and broadband for the price comparison site, said: "With so many offers out there it 's easy to be blinded by the headlines and enter into a contract without thinking about what it entails. Remember, if something looks too good to be true, it probably is. With this in mind its so important customers read their contracts. By not doing this, people are clearly unaware of what extra costs may be lurking in the small print and as a result, could end up with a huge unexpected bill at the end of the month."

Meanwhile, people should also know how much they will be charged for calling for technical advice and exceeding download limits. In an attempt to counter receiving a shock bill, consumers were advised to check their contract to make sure they are aware of any charges for cancelling their service.

Last month, Chris Tapp from Credit Action reported that many consumers are not fully aware of the financial products they sign up to, only to come under financial pressure later on. However as with a broadband package, it is advisable for those looking to take out a loan to check the terms to their contract before signing on the dotted line. In selecting this type of loan, borrowers may find that they are able to merge demands for repayment across a number of sources, such as household bills and credit cards, into a single low-cost monthly outgoing.

For those consumers looking for a way in which to reduce financial pressures taking out a consolidation loan may be advisable.



Saturday, October 18, 2008

Bad Credit Mortgages And The Options You Have

The internet will also give you the most choices of lenders form which to choose. The internet is the best source for finding these mortgages. They may be harder to find then those for people with good credit, but they are available if you know where to look.

Bad credit mortgages exist.


They will also look at the amount of the loan requested and how it compares to the value of the home. They are looking for the highest score possible or as close to the highest score. Lenders will consider their credit score. Determining what makes a person become labelled a bad credit borrower is really a matter of a few factors.

They are wanting a home that is worth more than or equal to the amount being requested. Next they consider the person debt to income ratio. This will tell them if the borrower can afford the loan.

Once all of this information is tabulated the lender gets a clear picture of the borrowers financial state. They should be able to determine how risky this loan would be and they will base their decision upon it.

Once you have determined you are considered a bad credit borrower then you should start looking specifically for bad credit mortgages. You will want to shop around. You will want to read all the terms and conditions. You should understand that a bad credit mortgage is very costly and you will end up paying more interest and fees than with a traditional loan.

Make sure to shop around. There are plenty of good lenders, but there are also those who will take advantage of the vulnerable position you are in. Watch out for excessive fees and extremely high interest rates, which are signals of a bad lender. As long as you shop around, though, you should have no problems avoiding bad lenders.

It is also a very good idea to approach a number of large and reputable mortgage brokers. Such brokers have access to a large number of lenders that are not available on the high street to general public, but only through intermediaries and brokers.

Many such lenders specialise in finance for people that have a less than perfect credit history. These lenders are ideal. Just make sure you find out upfront how much the broker is going to charge.

Using a bad credit mortgage to your advantage is a great thing that can really help you out in the long run. You will be able to establish a better credit rating and possibly refinance for a better loan. Once you obtain the mortgage and you make regular, steady payments you will be building credit. Using a bad credit mortgage.

You will be able to establish a better credit rating and possibly refinance for a better loan. Once you obtain the mortgage and you make regular, steady payments you will be building credit. There is a way to benefit from a bad credit mortgage.


It is the only way they can get funding, so they use it to their advantage, build up a good payment history and then try for a cheaper, traditional loan down the road. It is the only way they can afford to buy a home. It is the only way they can afford to buy a home.

It is the only way they can afford to buy a home. For many people a bad credit mortgage is the only way they can afford to buy a home. They may cost a lot upfront, but in the end they are well worth it. Bad credit mortgages should be seen as a way to rebuild credit.



Ways To Get Out Of Credit Card Debt

As long as you have the discipline to tighten your belt and manage your finances, credit card debt can soon be completely and permanently eliminated from your life. Credit card debt is something that almost everyone suffers from, but it need not be a problem you have to suffer from the rest of your life.

Ways to Get Out of Credit Card Debt
Getting out of credit card debt is a slow and gradual process. It?s not something you can immediately cut off from your life. Be patient and diligent, and your efforts will pay off sooner later.

Step #1 Determining the Best First Step
In a practical point of view, the best credit card debt to tackle first is the one charging you the highest interest rate. Even if it doesn?t have the highest amount consumed of its limit, it?s still what you should start paying off first because it presents the greatest possible risk to yourself.

Some people, however, prefer to pay off the lowest total amount due on their credit cards first. Although this is not the most practical thing to do, mathematically speaking, it could still be a good choice for your first step if seeing your credit card statement reflecting zero debt could give you the boost you need.

The important thing to remember here is to take that first small step forward in cleaning your credit records. It?s going to be tougher, but at least you?re finally breaking free from the shackles of debt.

Step #2 Establishing a Budget
Take a long, good, and hard look at your finances. Trace your cash flow every month. How much are you earning all in all and how much you?re spending? Obviously, the inflow of cash should be greater than the outflow. If it?s not, you?ve got a bigger problem to solve.

List down your monthly expenses and then consider each item one by one. Which are necessities and which ones are mere frivolities? Necessities should be left alone, but frivolities must be reduced. While you don?t have to ruthlessly get rid of all the unnecessary things in your life, it?s important that you significantly reduce them to make way for the bigger payments you?ll be making for your credit card debt.

When you know how much you can afford to pay each month, make sure that a considerable amount of it will be used for settling the first credit card you?ve decided to pay off. The rest should be divided equally among your remaining credit cards.

Step #3 Controlling the Urge to Swipe
Don?t compound your problems by continuing with your swiping habit. There?s no way you can get rid of credit card debt if you continue using your credit cards, after all. For now, you should stick to paying cash for both necessities and luxuries.

Step #4 Change of Lifestyle
There are a lot of things you can change to live frugally, and we?ll leave it up to you to determine what you can and can?t live without. Lastly, make the needed adjustments to your lifestyle so that you can continue living within your budget.

Unless you want to become a victim of a vicious cycle of never ending debt, make sure you don?t commit the same mistakes you did in the past. Soon, you?ll find yourself liberated from your credit card woes.


Freight Factoring- the Easy Way to Finance Your Transportation Company

Unless the company has cash in the bank, they cannot afford to wait to be paid. This puts them into a tricky situation with regard the cash flow for their needs. The expenses have to be met urgently while the clients would delay paying the amount for many days. They have to pay the driver 's wages, fuel bills, and vehicle and tire repair expenses.

They have daily cash expenses to take care of. Transportation Company owners have to face a typical situation in dealing with clients who pay the freight bills in 30 to 60 days.


It is the factoring company who will buy the freight bills on delivery of the load and give you some percentage of the amount of the freight bills. It does not need the clients to pay early. It is a quick pay tool to convert slow paying client freight bills into cash. They have a better option than business loan in freight factoring.

So what other option does a freight company have? But the banks usually do not finance businesses that have less than three years of profit and financial statements to show. The owners try to sort this out by arranging for a loan from the bank.


They even collect the bills from the clients on the due date. Generally they would provide you an advance of 90% of the bill amount. The remaining 10% is paid after the customer makes the bill payment. A small factoring fee is taken from this 10% based on how long the invoice is factored and the monthly volume of factored invoices. Discount rates range between 1.5% and 4% per month depending upon the above factors.

Freight factoring is better than conventional loans in more ways than one. It is easy to get it and that too in just a few days. There are certain limitations to the amount of loan you are taking, but if you consider the freight factoring option it has no such limits. As your sales grow so does your factoring amount! Thus your financing is directly related to your transportation company 's growth. If you arrange with the factoring company to collect the bills on your behalf, you are relieved of credit collection. You can use that time and money to invest more in your business. Factoring companies also regularly provide you with receivables and payment statements, which help you to streamline your business.

Most factoring companies buy the bills using non-recourse invoice factoring. Under this agreement the factoring company bears the risk of non-payment due to insolvency of your customer.

You could check them out and make a long-term contract with a company that gives you and your customer quick and courteous service. There are many companies coming up, who advertise on the Internet also. However there are many new factoring companies coming up who have professionals working with them and offer good services and competitive prices. Not many banks provide factoring services.

Thus if you have a transportation company you may use the services of a factoring company and take your business to the next level. Freight factoring gives you the advantage of improving the cash flow and helps you to concentrate on the growth of your business.


Friday, October 17, 2008

Texas Medicare Supplement

Texas Medicare Supplements

As you search for the best possible options for Texas Medicare Supplement insurance, we can prove to be a valued asset in understanding your options and finding the best pricing from several trusted Medicare Supplement providers. Choosing the right policy can be a very important part of your retirement plan. Therefore, it becomes wise on our part to opt for suitable Medicare Supplement policies well in time.

Nevertheless, we cannot deny the very inevitable. It is true that we hate to think that way. Every day we are slowly but steadily progressing towards that older age. It is the most natural thing.

It is inevitable that everyone among us will age. Those who do not plan their health/medical insurances in due time know it too well. Still, there are numerous instances in our lives that lead us to the ever new realizations of this old maxim. Yes, it is an oft-repeated quote and perhaps overused to some extent too.

?teeth are valued when they are gone?. There is an age-old saying ?


It is true that these days we are increasingly becoming conscious about our health and all other things associated to health. Simultaneously, it is also an undeniable fact that healthcare costs are always hinting north ward. Therefore, a detailed research becomes all the more important so that you can come up with the best-suited policy Texas Medicare Supplement policy with the most reasonable premium. Because there seems to be an overwhelmingly number of companies offering Medicare Supplements in Texas it often gets a little difficult for one to discern and choose the most favorable deal. Because Medicare follows Federal guidelines things are no different in the state of Texas as well.

There are a great number of providers of Texas Medicare supplements. They also vary greatly in terms of the policies offered, financial stability, modes of premium, etc. However varied the Texas medicare supplements offerings might be there is at least one good thing about them. All the companies that offer Texas Medicare supplements have identical plans (by federal mandate). As a result, it is comparatively easier to choose the quote with the best price from any of the A-rated companies.

As you search through the available offerings, you need to keep in mind several important considerations. The entire process becomes rather easy if you qualify for guaranteed issue. That is always a privilege to have. Another very important thing is the factor of premiums. It is not always a great idea to consider just the initial price in mind. Experience shows that there are several companies offering an attractive rate for the first couple of years or so and then have a fairly significant increase in premium price once that two-year term is over. Therefore, do not consider the initial premium price alone. It may lead you down the wrong road.

As you go through the process take your time, consider multiple offerings, and use a good independent agent who represents several companies to walk you through the process. plan, pricing (initial and at older ages), financial stability, etc. All in all there are so many considerations when searching for the best plan for your situation and preferences ? These two plans do not cover the Part B premium but they are available at lower rates.

There are also many people who opt for the Plan G or Plan D. These plans cover all the gaps in Medicare (deductibles and coinsurance) for Medicare-covered expenses. However, the most popular plans seem to be Plan F or Plan J. As you carry on your search, you will come across several variations of Texas Medicare supplements.


To learn more about Texas Medicare Supplements please visit: http://www.texashealthandlife.com/texas-medicare-supplement-insurance.html








Trading Practice and Better Trades

Believe me, I so understand where you are at - I started the exact same way. I call this the READY - FIRE - AIM syndrome. It is so hard to watch students jump before they are ready, but I see it time after time. If you only knew what we know, after years of trading and teaching students, you would do whatever we tell you and never break a rule.

Milk not meat! When you are new at this game called the stock market, you will find it necessary to start off with the basics.


We start you off here, to help protect you from potentially more dangerous trades, until you can begin to grasp how the market works, to understand options a little better, and just get more comfortable with the language of the stock market. Using a delta of .70 to .90 is the basic starting point to work with. There are so many things to teach you in the beginning to only buy options with a high delta.

Once you have attained and can begin to comprehend the basic knowledge, and you have had a chance to get your feet a little wet, then I can teach you in my

how you can estimate how long you will want to stay in a trade, and how to modify your trading strategy to use options with lower deltas. This can become very powerful, not to mention profitable, when you learn this advanced but simple technique.

I have seen many new students buy what we refer to as "THE KISS OF DEATH" options" which is a front month (the next month to expire), out of the money option. I understand how attractive these options look, being so cheap to buy and so profitable if the trade works. But the key word here is "IF"! These short-term options can be very risky, since time is not on your side! As a new unskilled trader (even if you think you know what you are doing) your thought process isn't exactly perfect yet.

With so many market traps awaiting the new trader, it is imperative that you first use practice trades to hone your trading skills. Many students skip the critical step of practice trading, before getting down to the business of trading real money. This can quickly become one of their major downfalls and often take new traders out of the game permanently. If you practice trading with real money, and you discover your technique is wrong, you are now wrong and broke! It is so easy to give up at this point and say the stock market doesn't work. The bad news is that typically means you have to go back to your JOB!

There are only a few trades I would consider using risky front month, out of the money options for. They include:

* To buy Insurance on a trade (see LEAPS DVD 's )
* To do a strangle over earnings or expected serious news announcements
* To do a BULL PUT SPREAD (BUPS)

I don't think I could stress enough how critical it is for you to practice perfect trades before using real money. And NO cheating!

You are not ready to trade with real money until you have PERFECTLY PRACTICED trading on paper so well that it is driving you crazy! I mean absolutely wild. Why? Because it is at this point that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that trading works! You are winning most of the time, and it is not REAL money - it is pretend money! Now you are serious, and you will do whatever it takes to get the money to trade - sell something, take on a part time job, but you now know trading DOES WORK! It is at this point, and only at this point, that you are finally ready to start using real money to trade. Did it work that way for you, or have you been cheating yourself? If you have been cheating yourself, please stop the madness now and do it right!

It is interesting how professional traders realize the importance of practice trades, and continue to practice along with their real trades. This keeps them up on hot stocks they may have just started to notice. But they practice them on paper until they get to know the heartbeat of the stock. Then BINGO" they can get in on some sweet deals when the timing is perfect, while others sit on the sidelines wishing they made that sweet trade!

On the other hand, I find it funny that only amateur traders think they are too good to practice trade. Well here 's an important secret" overlooking this one element of practice trading (until you are perfect) is a critical error in judgment! So critical that many traders who cheat, by skipping practice trading, most likely will not make it in the market anyway! Is it worth the risk to take this terrible shortcut? Absolutely not!

I think there are three critical things that are needed to become a successful trader:

1. You need to study and pick one strategy to trade. One that fits your lifestyle and your personality. Once you have found your strategy, please take the time to PERFECTLY PRACTICE it first.
2. You need a system to monitor your practice trades (and eventually your real trades). This fine tunes your entrance and exit timing, in addition to using safety nets and insurance. (See my NEW LEAPS DVD 's if you are not familiar with how to use safety nets or how and why to buying insurance).
3. You also need to understand how the stock market itself works. (Learn this in my NEW Q 's DVD 's ).

In my next newsletter I am going to address how to understand the actual workings of what we call "AMATEUR HOUR", so you can use this for better entrance and exits into and out of trades, in addition to knowing when NOT TO PANIC if you think the trade might be turning around. I will address how "Amateur Hour" is not a time issue (an hour), but instead is a "THING"! You don't want to miss this discussion!

In parting, I just want to encourage you to stick to trading. Practice Perfectly first, and once you get this right" you will begin to see why I am so excited about my lifestyle" because it will become yours! I am just an ordinary person, who decided to follow the rules, and stick to it until my trades worked. I am so in awe of how my life has turned out, and even better how I have been able to help students learn what I know in a fraction of the time and cost it took me to learn it.

You deserve all that you ever dreamed of, so let 's go get it for you! I look forward to being a part of that process for you!

Happy Trading,
Darlene with BetterTrades



Tips On How To Consolidate Bills So You Can Maintain Family Life And Get Rid Of Credit Card Debt

If you currently own a home, and there is some equity in it that you can use, there are actually several low-cost options for you to consider, that are straightforward such as a simple debt consolidation loan. If you currently own a home, and there is some equity in it that you can do to help consolidate bills, and many different steps to take. There are many things that you can do to help consolidate bills, and many different steps to take. This is not always the case, however, because not all lenders have your best interest in mind.

You may have been led to believe that taking out a single loan to pay off all of your debt is the answer.


A fixed rate loan, for example, generally carries a term of around 15 years, and will require an origination fee, an appraisal fee and a title insurance fee. You can take out a home equity loan is actually tax deductible. 1.

2. You can complete a "cash out" refinancing. This is another option for people who have some equity in their home. What you do, is you refinance your property for an amount which is greater than what you owe, then you use the extra cash that you have earned in order to consolidate bills. By using this method, you actually manage to obtain a very low interest rate, but in the process you are stretching your monthly payments out over a span of between fifteen and thirty years depending on the terms of your individual mortgage loan. This is really a one time ever option, however, because the interest cost really tends to add up over the years making it an expensive option over time.

3. You can refinance your vehicle. Any secured loan can be borrowed against, and this includes your vehicle. The biggest danger associated with this form of debt consolidation is that you may actually run out of car, before you end up running out of debt. When you owe more than what your car is worth, it is generally pretty tough to buy a new one.

4. You can obtain a personal loan. If your credit is reasonably undamaged, you may be able to qualify for a loan, which is unsecured. You will generally find lower interest rates at credit unions than what you will find at banks, but you should still expect an interest rate of at least 11 percent or more. Still, this can be a lot less than the 20-or-so percent that you are paying to your current credit card companies.

5. You can negotiate better terms. This is something that you can easily do for yourself, simply by calling your credit card issuers, and asking them to help you negotiate a better term. Many regular customer service operators are authorized to do what it takes to reduce your rates right there while you are on the phone with them.

In certain cases, bankruptcy might be your best option, but it is by far not your only option. The actual creditors pay these debt consolidators, like NFCC,, which means that it is in their best interest to help you work out a plan for repayment, rather than advising you to take other options such as declaring bankruptcy. It is even possible to consult with someone at NFCC over the phone. The NFCC is a not for profit organization which provides debt management advice which is free, confidential, and available to anyone in the country who needs it.

The NFCC has branches located all over the country. There are a lot of people out there who would love to help you, including organizations like the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, also known as the NFCC. You can seek other alternatives. 6.


A debt consolidation loan will make your monthly payments manageable and help provide the financial stability you need for your family. Don't let your credit card debt affect you any longer. You have many different options available to you to consolidate bills and put control back into your finances.


Thursday, October 16, 2008

What Forex And Stock Brokers Can Learn From 1929

September 1929 felt the first shock waves of the earthquake that was to topple and destroy the great bull market of the Twenties.

Unheeding, still cheering each other on with the clich??s of the new prosperity, the speculators plunged in again on the premise, true so often in the past, that every dip heralded a rise to an even higher plateau.

This time they were wrong. The market danced erratically for a while, but over-all it was losing ground, losing momentum, failing to show the resilience on which the nation so desperately depended. By the third week of October, the Crash was in being.

Even today the events of the week culminating in the terrible Tuesday that was October 29 make sad and distressful reading. The only way to suggest them is in terms of the great natural disasters: the avalanche, the tidal wave, the volcanic eruption. And the human response was equally fundamental: terror, panic, despair, and here and there courage.

When it came, the Crash utterly reversed the pattern of the times. Up became down, high became low, rich became poor, success became failure, prosperity became depression. It happened, too, with bewildering speed, and nothing checked the descent.

It will be remembered that basic to all market action is the trade, the negotiated transaction between buyer and seller. With the Crash, the inconceivable occurred: suddenly, the buyers vanished. Suddenly, everyone was a seller. From all over the nation, almost as if on signal, the orders poured in: sell, sell, sell. Thousands upon thousands of shares were offered at the market???and there was no market.

Down tumbled issue after issue from the proud heights which supposedly were only foothills of the heights to come.

The pace of the market accelerated beyond human comprehension. The ticker lagged by hours. Prices dove vertically down, 10, 20, 30, 40 points. Inexorably, the great downward pressure grew. Margin calls went out, and went unanswered by thousands of speculators, big and small, whose entire fortunes were tied up in the stocks now diving through the floor. Facing the loss of the billions they had loaned, the brokers threw the collateral stock onto the market for whatever it would bring, thus swelling the floodtide of unwanted securities.

There was no safety anywhere. No stock was strong enough

to withstand the hammering. The best and bravest names in American industry were in full retreat, like any overblown utilities holding company, like any cat and dog.

The huge investment trusts, commonly regarded as financial Gibraltars impregnable against the waves of adversity, were crumbling like the rest. Then" reserves, supposedly a cushion under a falling market, were insufficient and ineffective. They, too, were dumping.

At the end of the day, 16,410,030 shares had changed hands at fantastically lower prices. And the end was not yet. On through November the slide continued. Amer Tel & Tel fell to 197, a loss of 138 points. Steel dropped to 150, a loss of 129 points. New York Central sank to 160, a loss of 96 points. General Motors fell to 36, a loss of 145 points. The values represented in the leading stock averages were cut in half. The Crash wiped out all the gains so spiritedly made since 1924???and more. In 1930 the market twitched feebly, trying to get off its back, but eventually sank even lower.

In 1931, it hit bottom, plumbing new depths that made even the 1929 lows look good.

A doleful story, a dark chapter in financial history. Even today, veterans of the Street speak of it wryly and with respect, like the survivors of a memorable battle or a fire at sea. The market, of course, did not cause the Crash.

The market never knew what hit it. No one can ever say what subtle shift in the thinking of thousands of stockholders across the nation changed the eager scramble for the sunlit summits of September into a stampede back down the slopes. Perhaps it was no one thing, and perhaps if it was, it is not important; jitters were evident on many occasions before the panic.

But whatever may have pulled the trigger, the fact remains that the market was powerless to withstand the blow. Surveys of the wreckage pointed up the unhealthy use of credit that had so disastrously accelerated the collapse when it came, pointed up the manipulative operations that had gone unchecked, pointed up the inadequate information available about listed securities.

Had none of these abuses existed, it is still likely that the Crash, as the signal of a general economic collapse, would have occurred. But it can be argued that the market would not have slid so far or so fast if, for instance, more stock holders had owned their shares outright and been able to ride out the storm.

The road back was long and hard. Principal steps toward recovery were the Securities Acts of 1933 and 1934, and the establishment of the Securities and Exchange Commission, a government agency, to administer them. Financial experts can see loopholes and deficiencies in the acts and some Wall Streeters squirm under the onus of Federal regulation, but it is generally acknowledged that tighter control of the securities market was essential, if only to restore public confidence after the debacle.

Actually, the provisions of the acts can also be viewed as not stringent enough.

They require, first, that all new securities offered to the public, with some exceptions (Federal and municipal bonds, national and state bank stocks, and, in some cases, issues under $300,000, to name a few), be registered with the SEC. Registration, it should be noted, does not make the SEC an arbiter of a security 's worth, and does not in any way constitute an endorsement.

It is merely a procedure to place on the public record a full and fair account of the financial, technical, commercial, and legal condition of the issuing company.

Capitalization, earnings, compensation of officers, stockholdings of officers or options and other benefits available to them ???all this and more must be disclosed. As anyone who has ever plowed through a stock prospectus knows, the material is often difficult to digest, but it is complete, and no one need feel he is buying a pig in a poke. The SEC 's only responsibility is to see that the information submitted is adequate and not misleading.

The acts also prohibit all manipulations, such as pools, fake sales, or any artificial trading which, by creating the appearance of activity, stimulates buying or selling by others.

Finally, they control, through the Federal Reserve Board, the flow of credit into the securities market. The Board must approve the source from which a broker borrows, and it is responsible for setting margin rates.

There are other powers which the SEC may exercise "in the public interest," but by and large the registration procedure, the ban on manipulation, and the control of credit have been the principal areas of government intervention to assure an orderly market.

Requirements for listing a stock on the Exchange have tightened up. At the same time, the exchanges???the New York Stock Exchange in particular???have undertaken to police themselves more rigorously.

Today we can also use software to help us predict price movements with regard to shares and the Forex.


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