Sunday, November 30, 2008

How To Compare Low Cost Car Insurance In California

The most important thing to note when you are ready to undertake this low rate finding mission is what coverage do you absolutely need and what coverage is optional. Although the process of contacting several agents to get quotes may seem a bit tedious and time consuming it can result in a substantial savings. Without a doubt the best way to find low cost car insurance in California is to compare prices.

Obviously this coverage isn???t going to be enough if you happen to hit a late model mini van and injure an entire family. This amounts to $15,000 for the medical expenses of two or more injured people and then an additional $5,000 which would be used to cover the vehicle of the person you hit. If you drive an older vehicle you may want to purchase only the minimum amount of liability insurance required by law in the state.

A better approach is to compare low cost insurance rates for a policy that provides enough coverage that should you cause a collision, you won???t be facing bankruptcy. If you have a newer car, you???ll also want to ask about collision and comprehensive coverage. These protect you in the event that your own vehicle is damaged and needs repair or replacement.

You???ll need to divulge any prior accidents you???ve been responsible for as well as how many speeding tickets you???ve accumulated while driving. The agents will also ask questions pertaining to your age, the average number of miles you travel each week or month as well as the type of car you want to insure.

Ask each agent you contact about the length of the policy they are quoting you on as well as what payment arrangements they prefer. This will help you to determine which company has the lowest rates per six month period or perhaps even per year.

Unfortunately for many people living in California, automobile insurance is one expense they simply can???t afford. For some of these people, the alternative to not driving at all is to drive without insurance. This is never advised and many people who fall into this category are actually eligible for coverage under California???s Low Cost Auto Insurance Program. The determining factors regarding who does and doesn???t qualify include the age of the car as well as the income of everyone residing within the home.

For people who aren???t eligible for this coverage they need to find suitable insurance that isn???t too expensive. Finding the best rates on automobile insurance in California primarily involves being prepared when you go shopping for quotes.

Even though insurance agents quote a price when asked, motorists should be aware that this is rarely the lowest price they can get. The reason is that most insurance companies offering automobile coverage in the state of California have discount programs in place. This means that if the driver qualifies for the discount, their quoted price will be reduced.

A few examples of possible discounts include:

??? Low mileage discount.

??? Air bag and anti-lock brakes discount.

??? Safety discount which generally is offered when a vehicle either has a security system installed or is parked in a garage.

??? Multi-policy discount. This is offered to individuals who choose one insurance company for more than one type of coverage. For instance, taking out policies for both health and automobile insurance from one insurer.

In addition, mature drivers can also enjoy a discount if they take a defensive driving course once they reach the age of retirement. Many insurance companies offer a retirement discount. When an individual retires it tends to mean less time commuting each day.

Retirement discount. ???


This makes it easier for the driver to ensure they are getting the best coverage for their dollar, as they can choose the company they feel offers the best rates for the most coverage. Asking several different insurance agents for quotes will likely yield different prices.


Saturday, November 29, 2008

It May Be Time To Apply For A Credit Card

Are you deciding whether you should apply for a credit card as well?

For certain, credit cards offer many benefits. This is made possible by the relationship between credit card companies and merchants. For most people, convenience is the primary reason they apply for a credit card include free rewards and shopping discounts for using your credit card. Seemingly, the most important benefit a credit card offers is convenience.

You will have to admit, if you think about it, there are a lot of benefits associated with credit cards.


When you apply for a credit card in person, on You may choose to apply for a credit card application form (which is easy to fill-in). After you have submitted your application, the credit card company makes credibility checks into your financial background and if everything is fine, you receive a credit card. When you apply for a credit card and fill-in an application form, you are entering into a formal agreement with the credit card issuer, basically stating you will uphold you side of the agreement, which is to pay your monthly credit card bill, on time.

Often enough, you will, as such, be approached by sales representatives, whom will ask you to apply for a credit card application form (which is easy to fill-in). You may choose to apply for a credit card, you must fill-in a credit card in person, on the internet or, by phone. You may choose to apply for a credit card. There are a few ways to apply for a credit card and fill-in an application form, you are entering into a formal agreement with the credit card company makes credibility checks into your financial background and if everything is fine, you receive a credit card.


Still, for most people who don't have a credit card is easy, however, you may or Still, for most people who don't have a credit card yet, the recommendation is, for greater financial power, apply for a credit card, it is a matter of personal choice. Still, for most people who don't have a credit card is easy, however, you may or may not desire a credit card, it is a matter of personal choice. Still, for most people who don't have a credit card is easy, however, you may or may not desire a credit card, it is a matter of personal choice.

Still, for most people who don't have a credit card yet, the recommendation is, for greater financial power, apply for a credit card yet, the recommendation is, for greater financial power, apply for a credit card, it is a matter of personal choice. Still, for most people who don't have a credit card is easy, however, you may or may not desire a credit card, it is a matter of personal choice. The process of applying for a credit card is easy, however, you may or may not desire a credit card, it is a matter of personal choice.



Friday, November 28, 2008

Basic Home Loan Terms Explained

Though some or all of these terms may seem somewhat foreign to you, do not get overwhelmed, there are simple explanations for each and every one of them. ARMS, points, interest rates, good faith estimates, pay-downs, lock-in dates, so on and so forth. They are inundated with information riddled with terms of art. The wonderful world of home buying can sometimes overwhelm the first time home buyer.

So a mortgage is a loan against property that is secured with a lien against it. This "mortgage" is basically a lien against the property until such time that loan is satisfied. Mortgages are simply a loan against property that is secured with a "mortgage". Typically all home loans fall into two basic categories: mortgages and home equity loans.

Let us start with the different types of loans there are.


A home equity loan is a loan that is also secured with a lien against the property. The home equity loan lien is secondary to the first mortgage on the home. This type of loan is based on the amount of equity in the house. Equity is the difference in dollars between the value of the home and the amount owed on it. Equity can be a positive number (the house is worth more than what is owed) or can be a negative number (negative equity) which means that there is more owed on the house than the house is worth.

A lien is simply a legal term that indicates that someone other than the homeowner has a legal right and interest in the property. So, if the property is ever sold, all liens need to be satisfied - any money owed to anyone with a lien must be paid, otherwise the new owner may become obligated to pay the amount owed. A lien is against property, not a person. Typically in all real estate transactions there will be a title search that will reveal any liens against the property. This title search is basically an examination over anyone and anything that may have some legal interest, obligation or right to the property.

If there are multiple home loans on a property the order they are paid in is the oldest to the newest. This is only a factor if the property is being sold for below what is owed. This is either through a "short sale" where the house is being sold by the homeowner for below the amount that is owed in the house. They will need approval from all lien holders in order to do this. This is also an issue if a house falls into foreclosure.

Within these two types of loans you will want to know the difference between a fixed-rate mortgage and a variable rate mortgage. A variable or adjustable rate mortgage is an ARM. Fixed-rate mortgages have the same interest rate from the first day of the loan to the last day of the loan unless it is refinanced. A fixed rate or variable rate loan will generally start off for a period of time at a specified rate and then after that period ends, if the loan has not been paid off or refinanced then the rate becomes adjustable based on specific conditions set forth in advance - typically tied to the federal interest rate. An ARM loan will have typically a 3 or 5 year period during which the rate is lower than the going rate. This is used to entice would-be borrowers or help borrowers have lower payments for the initial period.

"Points" are often discussed in connection with loan packages and interest rates. You can "pay down" an interest rate by paying points for example. What this means is you can pay for a lower interest rate if you pay a specified number of points. Points are simply one percent of the loan amount. So a $100,000 loan equates to $1000 for every point.

Another term you will often here is PMI, private mortgage insurance. PMI is insurance for your lender when the amount you borrow is more than 80% of the value of the property. In these cases the borrower needs to pay for this insurance policy. The calculation for your monthly PMI payment is 0.5% of your loan amount divided by twelve.

Tied to the calculation of PMI, as well as many other factors of the loan is an appraisal. An appraisal is a determination by a real estate professional of what the value of the property is. They will evaluate the property and similar properties in the area. They will consider market trends, recent sales and other factors to give an estimate on what the property is worth and would sell for.

Typically your lender will have a cushion in the escrow account of 2 - 3 months in case you fall behind in your payments. Your lender then makes your required tax payments. Your lender will collect 1/12 of your yearly taxes every month in order to be assured that your taxes are paid. Escrow is money that is being held typically to pay taxes.

Another potential add-on to your monthly payments is escrow payments.


The more you know the better off you will be. During the home loan process, however, you should never feel embarrassed or ashamed to ask what a term means. Though there are many more terms you may encounter these are the most often used, misunderstood terms.


Thursday, November 27, 2008

Debt Settlement - The Truth

Many find their search leading to alternatives such debt settlement, which has been growing in popularity in recent years. Obviously, those individuals faced with such challenges have no choice but to find the best solution to become debt-free, and put their money worries behind them. There are currently many people who find themselves in a very difficult financial situation, where they?re faced with mounting debt and not nearly enough income to meet their monthly financial obligations.

Unfortunately, there happens to be a great deal of untruths to be found, regarding the process of debt settlement, and if you?re considering this route it?s important to be well informed of the facts before reaching a final decision regarding the best way to resolve your credit accounts.

Additionally, I recently encountered some information regarding debt settlement that happens to be a complete fabrication. The author of a recently published article claims that debt settlement companies convince your creditors to ?re-age? your accounts so that they appear current. This information is simply not true, nor has it ever been true; as a matter of fact the author of this article is either a liar or someone who shouldn?t be writing about a topic with which they?re not completely familiar and informed. It is the job of debt settlement firms to simply negotiate with your creditors to settle your accounts for less than the full balance (usually 50% or less). There?s no logic in re-aging your accounts (nor will creditors agree to do so) during the process of debt settlement.

If you want to learn more about income taxes as If you?d like to learn more about income taxes as a result of debt settlement click here. Both of these are indeed plausible concerns if you?re considering debt settlement. If you?d like to learn more about income taxes as a result of debt settlement, such as possible tax liabilities and a potential for a decreased credit score. Both of these are indeed plausible concerns if you?re considering debt settlement.

If you want to learn more about income taxes as a result of debt settlement, such as possible tax liabilities and a potential for a decreased credit score. If you want to learn more about the possibility of a temporarily decreased credit score as a result of debt settlement click here. If you want to learn more about income taxes as a result of debt settlement click here. If you?d like to learn more about income taxes as a result of debt settlement click here. Both of these are indeed plausible concerns if you?re considering debt settlement.

I?m sure you?ve heard or read about some of the consequences of debt settlement, such as possible tax liabilities and a potential for a decreased credit score.


Before hiring a company be certain to interview many firms, and please beware of companies whose representatives appear to be more interested in collecting your money than legitimately assisting you to resolve your current predicament and overcome your financial hardship. These same reputable companies will agree to work for you on a contingency basis, allowing you to pay for services rendered only after a satisfactory agreement has been reached with your creditor. There are many debt settlement companies that don?t require large up-front fees, or even that you make monthly payments to a trust account. It?s time to put your money concerns behind you, but it?s equally important to conduct sufficient research so you?ll be well-informed before attempting to follow a course of action with which you?re not familiar.


Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Your Credit Score And A Low Interest Debt Consolidation Loan

Introduction

In this regard, you may be wondering how and why your credit score might effect your overall ability to obtain a low interest debt consolidation loan. In this regard, you may be wondering how and why your credit score might effect your overall ability to obtain a low interest debt consolidation loan is right for you, you likely have a number of questions. If you are wondering whether or not a low interest debt consolidation loan is right for you, you likely have a number of questions.

Through this article, you are provided with an informational overview of the role your credit score plays when it comes to applying and qualifying for a low interest debt consolidation loan. By considering this information, you will be in a better position to determine whether or not it will be worth your while to make application for a low interest debt consolidation loan at this point in time.

How Your Credit Score Works

You credit score -- or FICO score as it is called from time to time -- is computed based upon your credit history. In point of fact, the specific manner in which your credit score is determined is a proprietary secret of the Fair Issac and Company, the entity that worked with the three major credit reporting agencies to develop the credit or FICO score system in the first instance.

It is generally appropriate to consider your credit score as being something akin to a grade based on the manner in which you???ve used credit and dealt with your debt in the past. Of course, this is a simplistic explanation about how your credit score works ??? but, it is also an accurate way of explaining the way the credit or FICO score does work.

How Your Credit Score Will Impact Your Low Interest Debt Consolidation Loan Eligibility

If you credit score dips too low, you no longer will be able to obtain a low interest debt consolidation loan. In fact, your credit score really does need to be in the good to excellent range for you to have the ability to qualify for a low interest debt consolidation loan. In other words, if you are interested in consolidating your debt as part of an overall debt management program or plan, you need to be proactive and actually seek out a low interest debt consolidation loan before your financial situation becomes out of line, negatively impacting your credit score and rendering it unlikely that you will be able to obtain a low interest debt consolidation loan.

Dealing with a Low Credit Score

You will also want to make certain that there is no incorrect information on your credit report that is negatively impacting your credit score. If you do have a credit score that falls below that point at which you would be more likely to be approved for a low interest debt consolidation loan, you will want to consider taking include bringing all of your credit accounts.


Sunday, November 23, 2008

How Business Factoring Makes Your Business Successful

Here is how business factoring makes your business successful. Whereas bank loans come with their own set of conditions like arranging for collateral or guarantees, etc, business factoring or invoice factoring as it is also known, offers a flexible financial tool that provides instant funds against credit invoices. The main constraint in any business that deals with credit clients is maintaining a healthy cash flow.

If your profit margin can tolerate the factoring fees then you can go for this arrangement. There may not be any restriction on the minimum amount that you might need to provide to your factoring company every month. The factoring fee is usually between 1.5 to 5% of the invoice amount and depends on a variety of factors such as the credit rating of your client according to the factoring company 's records, the credit period provided to your client, and the total amount of business that you can generate for your factoring company. This means that you do not have to wait until the due date of that invoice to get your money.

This is a process wherein a factoring company will buy your credit invoice and wire you the amount mentioned in the credit invoice within 24 to 48 hours minus their factoring fee. What Is Business Factoring?


How Does It Improve My Cash Flow? Since the factoring company provides you with immediate money against your credit invoice, you will not have to wait until the due date and this means that you have instant money for every credit invoice that you generate. This will improve your cash flow and enable you to meet your various business expenses such as salary payments, expansions or even get the advantage of bulk discounts. This will enable you to grow faster and even accept larger sales orders that would have previously restrained your business due to lack of finances.

How Does It Differ From A Bank Loan? A bank loan will require collateral or guarantors. You would also have to submit your financial statements of previous 3 years, which would not be possible if you had just started your business. The loan would be for a fixed term and you would have to pay interest as well as maintain your monthly re-payment schedule. On the other hand, business factoring pays you per value of your invoices. There are no collateral or guarantors involved. The credit worthiness of your clients is more important for the factoring company.

The factoring company will provide service even if you are new in the business. There are no monthly installments or fixed terms involved. In fact, the amount that you receive will grow along with your increase in credit invoices that you issue to your clients. Thus, business factoring is much more flexible than a bank loan and also has the ability to grow along with your increase in business.

This means that you can dismantle your collection department and use that staff to increase business and even be spared of the tensions related This means that you can dismantle your collection department and use that staff to increase business and even be spared of the tensions related to collection of payments. This means that you can dismantle your collection department and use that staff to increase business and even be spared of the tensions related to collection of payments. This means that you can dismantle your collection department and use that staff to increase business and even be spared of the tensions related to collection of payments.

This means that you can dismantle your collection department and use that staff to increase business and even be spared of the tensions related to collection of payments. This means that you can dismantle your collection department and use that staff to increase business and even be spared of the tensions related to collection of payments. These factoring companies also provide additional services such as handling collection of payments. By providing you with ready cash, your business factoring company will ensure that you maintain a positive cash flow.

How Will It Make My Business Successful?


Thus, business factoring can provide a financial boost for your business. Business factoring provides an easy way of arranging for instant finance and this facility will keep pace with your business growth.


Friday, November 21, 2008

Planning Food Cost For Retirement-How To Achieve The Money You Need To Retire Comfortably On

This is exactly the reason the vast majority of Americans get to their retirement years and find they don???t have enough money to retire on. Many people forget during their retirement planning to plan for each and every expense that will arise during their retirement.

Unfortunately, this stat could have been alleviated by most people from some simple and thorough planning for the costs they will be faced with after retirement. According to the Social security administration, 95% of people will not be able to retire comfortably.

Of course, food cost is one of the biggies that most people overlook when planning this important stage. Most people get so caught up in planning for their housing, cars, and other larger expenses, they forget about this everyday, seemingly trivial expenses. Obviously, as I???m sure you are aware of now, food costs can really add up if you???re not careful.

In planning for these food costs for retirement, first of all, sit down and figure out exactly what you spend on food every week now. Now figure out how much that figure is per month, and then per year. You should already be doing this process now in keeping track of your expenses, and most people do a very poor job of tracking their expenses before retirement as well. However, that???s another story for another day.

Once you???ve gotten this figured out, now simply multiply that number by about 25 or 30 (usually safe) and you???ve got about how much money you will need for your food expenses when you retire. Of course, this number isn???t perfect, depending on how long you live once you retire. Obviously, you don???t know this, so you have to at least do what you can.

Once you know this, that???s great, but you also have to take into consideration your other expenses as well. In your retirement planning process, every expense must be accounted for; without this clarity, you can never achieve your retirement goals, whatever they may be. Unfortunately, it???s this same lack of clarity that stops most people from having enough money when they retire.

In this process, there is a lot of great retirement planning software that will make this stage much easier. Also, you might try doing a quick internet search for retirement planning calculator, and you will get up literally millions of results. There are many financial companies that will offer you these calculators for free so that you use them and hopefully get hooked on ultimately hiring that company and their services. Whether you do this or not, you can certainly still benefit from the free software available.

Now, once you know this info, you need to figure out how you plan on getting that money to live on. For most people, this will be achieved thought the stock market, whether it be mutual funds, savings bonds, foreign currency exchange, futures, or regular stock investing.

Of course, you can also invest in real estate and other assets as well. If you aren???t financially educated and don???t know how to tell a good investment from a bad one, you???ll either want to read books and educate yourself, or hire a financial advisor to tell you the best investments to put your money into. Obviously, becoming financially educated yourself is certainly preferably, because you will have the opportunity to spot investment opportunities on your own.

However, the most important part at this state is to either use your own or somebody else???s expertise to help you find the top investment vehicle to help you achieve your goals. Remember, nobody else will ever care as much about your financial situation as you, so being able to do this is invaluable.

Now it???s simply time to take action. Once you???ve done these planning food cost for retirement and other expenses steps, and decided on the right investment vehicle to get you there, you are well on your way to achieving your goals.


Thursday, November 20, 2008

Finding Spectacular Gains From Forex And Shares

Whether you are investing in shares or Forex your main gains will be capital appreciation: The investor in this category is not interested in dividends but in seeing the market price of his stock increase or one currency improving against another.

This represents nearly seven years' worth of dividends from the $30 stock yielding a conventional 5 per cent. For example, the man who buys 100 shares at $30 and sells even at a 10-point profit has $1,000 (less commissions) to show for his year 's work. First, if your judgment has been good, you make more money faster than by relying on dividends. There are three advantages to this kind of operation.

Secondly, if you hold your investment for more than six months, your profit is considered a long-term capital gain, taxable at a maximum 25 per cent rate for many people, a saving over straight-income rates.

Finally, if your stock doesn't go up as anticipated, there is always the chance that it will at least be a decent income-producer.

This is something of a rationalization, of course. There is no use pretending to be in the capital-appreciation business if a little mess of dividends is all you have to show for your efforts. The more consistent course is to drop the non-producing stock (losses, if any, are tax deductible) and shop around for a winner. This, to be sure, takes guts. There 's nothing like a couple of growth stocks that don't grow to take the steam out of a capital-appreciation man

On the other hand, the gloriously rising market since World War II has simplified the task of discovering and getting aboard a company with promising prospects. And, as noted, an investor could wait five years for his 10-point gain and still be ahead of the plugger piling up dividends.

Capital appreciation, it should be noted, is an omnibus term covering any change or advance in a company 's position which might be reflected in the market price. It may mean the emergence of a new company in a new industry, the coming of age of a speculative youngster of a decade or two ago, or even new evidence of vitality in an
established veteran.

Recently for instance, the stock of Ampex, Inc., a bright little California company manufacturing top notch equipment for the booming tape-recorder industry, has more than doubled in value.

Dozens of small companies dealing in electronics, precision equipment, and other fruits of current scientific research (Tracerlab, National Research, Beckman Instruments, etc.) are similarly attracting attention and consequent jumps in price.

Somewhat more established and riding crests of speculative interest are such stocks as General Dynamics, builder of atomic submarines and Convair airplanes; Owens-Corning Fiberglas, manufacturer of insulation, filters and textiles, and glass fiber boats, and Bendix Aviation, no infant, but investing heavily in diversification and new-product development. Dow and Minnesota Mining might also be grouped here, although possibly by now they should be included among the older companies Corning Glass, Goodrich, Union Carbide, Westinghouse, National Lead, Minneapolis Honeywell, Eastman Kodak???whose youthful spirit and astonishing technological resources have kept them in the forefront of American industry for years.

All of these examples would qualify as growth stocks, as the kind of investment that would tempt the investor seeking capital appreciation.

But appreciation can also follow from subtle and complicated changes in a company 's structure. In these cases, appreciation may have nothing to do with a new product or even with the company 's prospects within its industry. Rather it is the anticipated result of a merger, a spin-off (distribution of assets), a reorganization, or any one of a number of procedures available to the complex institution known as a corporation.

Talk of a merger between Bethlehem Steel and Youngstown Sheet & Tube made both stocks interesting possibilities. U.S. Foil "B" (American Stock Exchange), representing about 48 per cent control of Reynolds Aluminum; duPont, which is having to divest itself of 63 million shares of General Motors stock; Northern Pacific Railway, which has important oil interests in the booming Williston Basin of North Dakota; El Paso Natural Gas, which has formed a subsidiary, Rare Metals Corp., for uranium exploration and processing; and many others are examples of stocks with potential capital-gains features.

It is not possible to say exactly how or if the gains will be realized. Mergers require an adjustment of the stock prices of the participants which may benefit one or the other; or public interest in the prospects of the combined company may cause the stock to spurt.

An as yet undeveloped asset, such as Northern Pacific 's oil, or Inland Steel 's Steep Rock iron interest in Ontario, might mean an eventual bonanza which would be reflected in stock prices or a capital distribution of cash or stock. Several years back, Andes Copper, an Anaconda subsidiary operating in Chile, made a capital distribution of $6 per share at a time when the stock 's market price was hovering between $12 and $15.

Profits can be spectacular, but it is worth Most gains on Forex are capital gains, where the currency trader is hoping for an increase in the value of one currency against another.
having good Forex software to prevent large losses.


Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Baby Boomers ? The Future Of The Stock Market

The United States, New Zealand and Canada all experienced Baby Booms at a similar time. Australia was not alone in this phenomenon. Following World War II, Australia?s population grew at record levels. You have no doubt heard of the ?Baby Boomers?, those individuals born between 1943 and 1963.

For this reason, it is important to understand some of the background on this interesting group of people. They have had dramatic effects on society and will substantially impact the way the stock market performs over the next 20 years. The Baby Boomers are an important phenomenon to understand.

As mentioned, the Baby Boom was experienced in various countries around the world. Part of the reason for the ?Boom? was that these countries were immigrant receivers and immigrants tend to be in their 20?s, the prime childbearing years. At its peak in 1957, the US boom hit 3.7 children per family. Canada hit its peak in 1959 with Canadian women averaging 4 offspring each; that was over 479,000 new births that year alone! Australia?s boom was not quite as big as the Canadian or US booms; however, we still have a disproportionate number of people who are today in their 40?s and 50?s. Following the Baby Boom, we had a Baby Bust. Far fewer children were born during the late sixties, leaving Australia with an asymmetrical population graph.

The Baby Bust group, born between 1964 and 1976 are a much smaller group than their predecessors and are commonly referred to as Generation X.

Baby Boomers are a very significant and important group. It is not that, individually, they are any different than any other group who preceded them, it?s just that there are so many of them. Due to their large numbers, Baby Boomers have had a significant impact on our society, making substantial changes as they grew. They have changed the economy, driven housing and other markets and transformed social attitudes and lifestyles.

In Australia and North America today, the fastest growing industries, apart from technology, are financial management, leisure activities and health care. It is very easy to see why. Boomers have been working all their adult lives, usually for someone else. They have raised their children and are now focusing on their retirement. They have had a magnificent time. They have not endured wars, or a depression like their parents and grandparents. They have enjoyed fantastic luxuries such as cars, world holidays and computers. They have been at the forefront of the age of discovery.

Unfortunately, the majority have not prepared themselves financially for their retirements, believing instead that like their parents, they would enjoy a comfortable pension from their employers and/or government. The stark realities are now coming to light. Everybody, especially the Boomers, must take responsibility for their financial futures. Our government will simply not be in a position to provide adequate pension incomes for a growing number of retirees. Today, for every person who is retired, there are four people working, providing income to the government. By 2025, there will be only 2 people working for every retiree. What?s more, the Boomers, as they start to retire, will live longer than any group before them, well into their 70?s and 80?s on average. As a result, it is up to each of us as individuals to take responsibility of our own personal financial planning.

The Australian government has made substantial improvements and preparations for the growing populations. They have introduced a compulsory superannuation scheme which all employers and employees must participate in and which is gradually rising in required contributions, but it will be too little, too late. The key to investment growth is time, a luxury many Boomers no longer possess.

Unfortunately, many members of the public require a much greater return on their investments to adequately improve their financial positions before they retire (if they can ever afford to!). Many people consider these returns appropriate and even good! We often see managed funds, superannuation schemes, bank term deposits and property investments offering such results. Most investment strategies commonly promoted to the public boast returns of 4% to 10% per annum.

Consider this fact, that at a return of 8% per annum, net of tax, an investment of $30,000 would require over 15 years to triple in value, not even considering the effects of inflation.


In future issues we will explore ways of generating high returns and how to self manage your own super.


Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Consolidation Loans: Get The Best Interest Rates

This is more convenient than making minimum payments to your creditor or missing payments altogether. If you're looking for a smart way to get out of debt, a consolidation loan is to consolidate your credit card, car loan, or other debts and make just one payment a month.

Finance Charges

When you choose the right consolidation loan, you will save money in the long run. Creditors expect you to pay interest on your balance each month; these finance charges can add up. This makes it more difficult to eliminate your debts. As long as the consolidation loan interest is reasonable, you will save from having to pay high interest rates.

Those with good credit can easily secure consolidation loans with a great interest rate. The lender will usually issue a check so you can pay off remaining balances. Your obligation from that point on is to repay the consolidation loan once a month until your loan is paid off in full.

If your credit is modest, you may have a difficult time finding a lender who will give you a good interest rate. However, if your interest rate on credit cards and other debts is high, it still might be better to take on a high interest consolidation loan. As long as the consolidation loan interest is lower than your current rates, you will be saving money.

Collateral

Sometimes, your lender will require you to have collateral as a backup, just in case you fail to pay your consolidation loan. When collateral is required, the loan is considered to be a secured loan. Collaterals may come in the form of a home, car, or other personal property. It is used as extra assurance for the lender, knowing that they will somehow be paid, even if you fail to make your payments. Those with less-than-perfect credit may have to opt for a secured consolidation loan.

When it comes to consolidation loans, you should shop around to ensure that you get the best interest rate possible. The lower your interest rate, the more money you'll save in the long run. These days, it is easy to get loan quotes. You can usually fill out an application online and receive a quote within a few minutes. Use your favorite search engine to search for consolidation loan specialists or lenders. Watch out for lenders who charge excessive application fees, or fees to receive a quote.

Low Interest Rate

You can go about it in many different ways, as long as the interest from the new loan is less than your current interest rates. In other instances, you can get a personal loan or a home equity loan to pay off credit cards and other bills. Some individuals with good credit can open a low interest rate credit card to transfer balances from high interest cards.

Consolidation loans don't always come with the title.


You can avoid bankruptcy, missed payments, or repossession by getting a consolidation loan early on. You can avoid bankruptcy, missed payments, or repossession by getting a consolidation loan can simplify your financial situation and get it under control. Taking out a consolidation loan can simplify your financial situation and get it under control.


Monday, November 17, 2008

Why Are Currencies And Forex So Popular?

This makes it one of the most exciting, volatile, and engaging markets in the investment world. However, with almost $2 trillion dollars being exchanged on the Forex each and every day it is open (from Sunday through Friday, the market trades 24 hours a day), those pips can quickly add up to big profits???or big losses???really quick. Now you might find yourself wondering what the Forex market actually is and why anyone would possibly think chasing pips was ever going to be a profitable endeavor. A pip in the Japanese Yen is 0.01.

It is called a pip and its value is the equivalent of 0.0001 of a dollar, in most currency pairs, and it is the smallest increment on the Forex market.


dollar does not equal a Euro. However, one U.S. dollars into Euros. For instance, if an American corporation wanted to fund their payroll account for an office in Paris, they would need to convert U.S.

Well, the Forex is just a big market where corporations, nations, and investors can exchange money. So what exactly is the Forex anyway?


To convert the money, the business would need to buy Euros with dollars on the Forex. The USD/EUR currency pair is what the company would need to buy in order to raise the money for payroll. A typical transaction on the Forex is called a lot and is $100,000 and the USD is behind 90% of all trades on this volatile market. So, if the currency pair was valued at 1.2500USD, that means that the business would receive 80,000 Euros for every $100,000 lot of the USD/EUR currency pair at that exchange rate.

Now remember those pips? Although a pip is a very small number, the sheer size of the lot means that a 1 pip movement equals $10 ($100,000 X .0001). Thus, an investor can get in and out of a position very quickly if the price fluctuates by only a few pips and still make a profit (Forex scalping). It is very possible for a Forex trader to double their investment in a very short period of time???but they can lose it just as easily!

Until recently, retail Forex investors did not exist. Because of the size of the transactions, traders on the Forex used to be limited to large investment firms, central banks, etc. Now, however, a Forex investor can typically secure a position for as little as $1,000 (or 1/100th of the total transaction amount). However, because there are always interest charges associated with any leveraged position, that means that an investor can quickly lose their capital if things swing the wrong way.

No matter what investment strategy you choose to use when trading on the Forex???it is very wise to place stops on every order because the volatility of the market can sap a highly leveraged account very quickly. While profit potential is unlimited, stops are typically placed on orders to prevent unacceptable losses. Of course, no one has a crystal ball and can predict the future but Forex traders use a number of strategies to help them determine when to exit and enter positions.

New investors are highly encouraged to start out with mock accounts or even mini-lots ($10,000) in order to learn the market better before jumping in with both feet. However, because of the margins and volatility of the market itself, the Forex can make or break an investor quickly. Trading currencies on the Forex is so popular because the action is non-stop and the opportunity for profit is unlimited.


Friday, November 14, 2008

Payday Cash Loans Are Too Good To Pass Up

Surprisingly, they already spent what they earned and are depending entirely on their next paycheck. Everybody anticipates it for the reason that some Americans find themselves running short before next payday. Payday.

These advertisements pertain to payday cash loans. This is the very reason why television, radio, bulletin boards, newspapers and Internet have advertisements screaming that one need not wait for their next payday because they can get enough cash that will tide them over.

It may sound interesting but payday cash loans come with a price. Remember how your parents used to say that if it sounds so good to be true, it probably is. Payday cash loans are fine examples of this adage.

You must do background checks ? especially if you are entering an agreement that involves money. Check the cashers, the finance companies and the other establishments that are involved in this short term yet high-rate loans. Do not be too overwhelmed by their various names. Be it check advance loans, cash advance loans, payday loans, deferred deposit check loans or post-dated check loans, they all mean the same thing.

Normally, a borrower prepares a check that is payable to the demands of the lender and indicates the amount he wishes to borrow. There is an additional fee. The company then gives the borrower his preferred amount after subtracting the additional fee.

Additional fees for payday loans are a particular percentage of the check at face value. It can also be a fee that is charged to the borrower depending on the amount of what the check states. Whatever condition is agreed on, the borrower pays additional fees for his payday cash loans.

The borrower has the right to receive any information. These may be in the form of writing or finance charge. The APR or the annual percentage rate of the transaction must also be stated.

Payday cash advance loans are secured by personal checks issued by the borrower. Consider this as an expensive kind of credit. Let?s take this example. A borrower writes a check for $215 in order for him to borrow $200 for two weeks. The payday lender or check casher holds the check until the borrower?s next payday.

Here is when the whole plan takes place. The lender is the one who deposits and redeems the check by giving the borrower $215 ? the cash which is stated on the check. This rolls over by the borrower paying the fee the very minute he gets his paycheck. It may sound so convenient but because of the additional charges, in reality, the borrower is losing more than he thought he is gaining.

There are alternatives to payday cash loans. Various options are out there. You can consider the following possibilities before resorting to payday cash loans:

1. When you need some kind of credit, take the time to shop and look around. It is wise to compare the offers presented to you. Look for the offer that has a low APR. If possible, get one with the lowest. You should also take into account the small loans from smaller loan companies or credit unions.

This is usually termed as ?late charge.? Find out whether they have additional charges for granting you this request. You can ask the lenders to give you more time to pay what you owe.

Compare the finance charge and the APR, alongside the interest and the loan fees of the offers coming your way. 2.


But if you can budget your money to last you all throughout next payday, then do so in order for you to not encounter the problem of running short. Decide on the best payday cash loan available.


Thursday, November 13, 2008

How To Get Cheap Health Insurance Online In Florida

Fortunately there are ways for you to stay insured or to get health insurance if you aren't insured now, even if you have little spare money each month. Approximately 17% of all Floridians can't afford health insurance of any kind.

it may be possible for you to get them very low cost state-sponsored health insurance through a program known as KidCare. even if one or more of them has a pre-existing condition ??? If you have children 19 years of age or younger who are not covered by any health insurance ???

Let 's start with your kids.


To see if your children qualify for KidCare health coverage simply go to: http://www.floridakidcare.org/

If your place of employment doesn't offer group health insurance then check around with any organizations that you belong to. Many times automobile clubs, fraternal organizations, even churches have some form of group health insurance that they can offer to members at a tremendous discount over individual health care.

Group health care has one other advantage ??? they often accept pre-existing conditions that individual health care does not.

If you own your own home-based business and you've been operating for at least six months there is a special Florida law that may allow you to get group health insurance even if you have no employees or if your only employee is your spouse who helps out on even a part-time basis. Check with your insurance agent to see if you qualify.

While you're talking with your insurance agent ask if you qualify for a multi-policy discount on your health insurance. If you have more than one insurance policy with the same company you may be entitled to a break on your monthly health care premiums.

Also, if you have been with the same insurance company for at least 5 years ask if you qualify for a long-term policy discount. Most insurance companies will give you one if you ask for it.

If you smoke or use any tobacco product ??? stop. Period. You will never get the cheapest health care available if you smoke, use chew or any other tobacco product.

Your weight also plays a role in how much you pay for health insurance. Losing weight is more difficult than quitting smoking for most people, but losing even a little weight can drop you into a lower weight and cost category and can save you hundreds of dollars each and every year in premium costs.

Don't participate in dangerous or extreme sports if you want to get cheap health insurance. Obviously if you go out of your way to put your health in jeopardy you're not going to get the cheapest rate available for your health insurance.

Consider carefully what the maximum percentage is that you can afford as a co-payment each time you see your doctor. If you can afford a 50% co-payment you'll get a good break on your monthly premium. This is an extremely good idea for people who do not see their doctor on a regular basis.

Another important question to ask is how large of a deductible can you afford to pay? Your deductible is cash that you have to pull out of your own pocket to pay for your own health care each year, so think about this carefully and be honest about how much you can really afford to pay. The more you can pay ??? the larger your deductible ??? then the less your insurance company will charge you each month in health insurance premiums.

Once you've done that then get online and find at least 3 different websites that let you make side-by-side comparisons of health insurance policies and their prices from different insurance companies. Now take everything you've learned in this article and create a health insurance policy that is designed to save you the most money possible.

Once you've done that then you can easily get cheap health insurance online in Florida and feel confident that you have gotten the very best price you can possibly find. Make comparisons of the same policy on at least 3 different sites.


Wednesday, November 12, 2008

How To Start Forex Trading

Many individuals have turned to FOREX to replace their stock activities and to supplement their If you're looking for a smart, new way of investing your money, look no further than FOREX!
When done correctly, you can see a big return on your investment. income.

What is FOREX?
FOREX is short for foreign exchange. The best way to understand FOREX is to think of it as buying and selling money. This is done through the international foreign exchange market.

Participants of the FOREX market buy a specific currency and sell it when it is favorable to do so. Your best bet as a FOREX trader is to understand and analyze trends so you can pick up on a rising currency, whether it is the Japanese Yen, the Euro, or another currency.

Practice Makes Perfect
Because there is real money involved in FOREX trading, it is understandable that many people are hesitant to join in on the action. The good news is there are ways to practice without investing real money. You should read up on various trading techniques and thoroughly do your homework. When you are ready, download some demo software and give it a whirl.

During the demo period, you can use play money to trade currencies. You can use the time to better understand the FOREX market and how to use the software. There are many web resources
that you can find that offer advice on the foreign exchange market and how you can analyze information and predict changes in currency. Once you have a good system going, you can use
real money to give it a go.

What is the Risk?
As with any investment, there are risks. Even if you research techniques, study trends, and learn to predict changes, things can still go sour. The best advice here is to use your head and better judgment. Many people will see the power of FOREX within a few short hours and go in over their heads and gamble away their investment. As a FOREX trader, you will have to learn when
to sell. Many a FOREX trader become too greedy and hold onto a currency for a second too long.

You can use the stop loss order to better control your trading activities and limit your losses. You can set up specific numbers, and the trading software will sell the currency when it has reached a certain point. This goes both ways; you can set an upper limit and a lower limit so the system can
automatically sell when the numbers are comfortably high or low.

How to Start in FOREX trading
Online platforms have become a great way of taking part in FOREX, so you won't find a shortage of platforms or brokerage firms online. This way, you have greater control and access to your investments and can make changes and adjustments any time of the day or night. The most popular way of trading in the FOREX market is to do it online from your home computer.

Always test the software to make sure that you can use it properly. Make sure you find out about fees or commissions that you might be responsible for paying.


Tuesday, November 11, 2008

7 Elements for BetterTrades

However, it took me years of study, mistakes and the school of hard knocks to get to where I am today - a world known successful trader. The excitement of hope for a better life, the power to control your future at your fingertips, and the awe of finding out you can trade with a strategy is so awesome when you see first see the light. I will never forget what it was like to be brand new!

Lately I have had a lot of new traders in my online webshops.


I am going to break each one down for you, and let you know what I have made available to help you speed up your learning process light years ahead of what it took me. In reviewing what has made me successful, I have come up with seven things I did that were critical elements to me becoming a successful trader.

ONE
EDUCATION


I took the time to educate myself (and I made sure I learned from successful traders). It amazes me how many students say they are serious about trading, but they don't treat it like a business or college education. If they only knew how powerful the market can be financially, they would take the time to LEARN everything they could before they EARN.

I have often used an example of a brain surgeon. A brain surgeon would never get away with saying "let me just do a few brain surgeries and then I when I have made enough money I will go to medical school". No serious income producing profession works this way. You study, practice then do business. Why would the stock market be any different. And here is a secret" the stock market pays so much BETTER than most highly paid professions do!

Please don't put the cart before the horse. Take the time to learn, so you can properly practice, then you will be ready to do real trades. If you have to deal with a spouse or significant other that wants you to make money before this process, sit them down, look them straight in the eye and talk from your heart. Explain this is really important to you, then tell them the benefits (what 's in it for them) once you can make money trading. Explain to them that it is necessary to do this right, and how you need to treat it like a business or a college education. Trading before you are ready is backwards and very costly. Most businesses don't even break even for a profit the first three years, but trading can pay off fast if you study quick and hard, and perfectly practice first. I studied and practiced for two months, before I did my first real trade.

TWO
TRADING TOOLS


Tools are critical! Set yourself up with the right trading tools you need to be successful. Just like starting a business or going to college, there are costs involved. For trading, the costs are so small compared to years in college or opening a new business. There are basically three tools you need to trade properly.

1.
A charting program I use TRADE NAVIGATOR
2.
A research site I use THE DEDICATED TRADER
3.
Real Time Data I use REAL TIME MARKETS
(intra-day charts, stock & news alerts)


It is easy to make an excuse and short change yourself to skip a tool or two, but it only comes back to hurt you. Practicing without the right tools makes for bad practice, and this is one situation where I see a lot of "wanna be traders" mess up. They skip the tools to cut costs, but they can't trade right without them. What often happens is they lose their money and quit trading permanently. If you really want to make trading work, invest in yourself and set yourself up to win with the right tools. Trust me - YOU ARE WORTH IT!

THREE
Pick one strategy and Perfectly Practice


You must pick one strategy, and PERFECTLY PRACTICE it before you use real funds. I just wish, for all of you new traders, that you did not have a dime to trade with. Why? Because then you would be forced to PRACTICE! I know many of you are cheating and trading real money right now and you are not ready too!

Here is what I know, and have witnessed over the last 7 years of teaching students how to trade. If you practice trading with real money, you will likely lose it learning, and lose it FAST. When you are new, you think you know what you are doing but you DON'T and you are DANGEROUS! At this point most people who have lost their money just give up and go back to working hard for a living.

If instead, you practice perfectly first, you should get to the point that you are so excited you can't stand it. Bottom line, when you know you know it works" because you win all the time, it will drive you crazy. It is just not fun spending pretend money, so at this point, you will find a way to get money! You will sell something, get a second job, whatever it takes, because you know beyond a shadow of a doubt trading does work! It is at this stage you are actually ready to start trading with real money and not a minute sooner! Get the proper education, perfectly practice first and then you will have the solid ground critical to become the successful trader you want and deserve to be. All I can say, is make it work, because you WANT my lifestyle!

FOUR
Use a PROVEN TRADING SYSTEM


A strategy alone is not enough! You must have a proven system to trade a strategy successfully. The system must:

Record your trade in writing
Be your back up brain
Alert you to entrance and exits points in real time data
Have safety nets in place
Include insurance for any trades you stay in overnight
Keep you on track with your trade, al all times and in all places
Must be easy to use



I teach you this POWER SYSTEM in my LEAPS two day class, also available on DVD'S. This system is my simple secret weapon, to powerful trading. Call 1-800-346-9039 for details and pricing (or for anything I mentioned).


Here is what Normal Griffin of Weimar, CA had to say about my system after years of struggling with trading:

From using Darlene 's
SIMPLE SECRET WEAPON
her proven system from her LEAPS CLASS

I went from
one out of five
to
four out of five
winning trades
And it gets better" I now make
four times as much money
on each trade"
[and my trades that cost money
cost so much less then they use to!]


FIVE
LEARN HOW TO TRADE THE MARKET


It is critical that you learn how to actually trade the market. It is not enough to just pick a strategy, and have a system. You also need to understand how to trade the market itself!

This may be a new thought process for many of you, but basically the market in and of itself is an amazing animal. Understanding how the market works will allow you powerful entry and exit opportunities. There are tips that you need to learn and use for profitable entries and exits in and out of your trades. Things I teach in my Q 's class such as the first and last hour secrets, and trading indicators. These are trading opportunities you can't afford to miss. They help you to see when a trade is not good to enter, how to know when there is no need to panic on a trade you are in, and to fine tune your trigger finger to exit fast when it is critical turning point in your trade. I have had seasoned traders who have been trading for years tell me that they can't believe they ever traded before without this information. They basically said they were trading blind and didn't even know it.

My LIFESTYLE TRADING THE Q 's class live (or DVD 's ) is all about teaching you how to trade the market. I just wish someone had taught me this when I was learning. It took me over 8 years to learn this, and now you can learn it in one day and be up and running for huge profits light years ahead of what it took me.

SIX
PROSPERITY


Take the time to study prosperity. If you want to be financially solid, and you are not' take the time to find out what has been holding you back and fix it fast! A great place to start is reading the book:

THE DYNAMIC LAWS OF PROSPERITY

It does not matter how great your strategy is, how useful your trading system is or how good you are at understanding the market" if deep down inside you feel you don't deserve to be wealthy, you are not going to be able to be successful at anything, including the stock market. This type of a program running in you will sabotage your success every time. This book was a major turning point in my life and success came so fast after I realized I DID DESERVE TO BE WEALTHY!

SEVEN
FORM A MASTERMIND TEAM


A very important proven factor that financially successful people do, is they set themselves up with a team of like-minded people.

You need a mastermind team to be successful at trading.

This is a group of people you keep in contact with, that trade and can be supportive (versus friends that laugh at you and think your stupid trading, and tell you that you will lose your money).

I have a group called Darlene 's TRADER TALK that meets twice a week, we talk about trades, market conditions, and everything about the market. It is very powerful. I can hand hold and help you in these classes until you are ready to be on your own, but even then many students stay for the mastermind team of it.

I hope you use this information for direction you need to take in your trading. If you are lacking in any of these seven areas I encourage you to step up to the plate and dare to make trading work! I think one of the hardest things about trading is just to commit. Once you have decided you are serious about trading, it become easy to treat it like a business and the results will follow fast!

I look forward to seeing you soon in one of my live or on-line classes. Hang in there, and never give up. If you need help reach out and get it and learn from your mistakes. Remember though"

EXPERIENCE IS A GREAT TEACHER"
AS LONG AS IT'S SOMEONE ELSE'S EXPERIENCE



Happy Trading,

Darlene with BetterTrades


Monday, November 10, 2008

Finding A Great Forex Broker

Finding a great Forex broker can make the difference between a hard slog on your own with little reward and a smooth trading experience with hansom profits.

If you have decided to go that route, then there are a few basic considerations that you may want to keep in mind as you search for just the right currency broker to help you do well in the market. Just as you have investment brokers to manage your portfolio, you may find it advantageous to sign on with a Forex broker.

One of the first things you will want to look for in any broker you hire to help you with currency exchange would be accessibility.

There is no value whatsoever in having a broker that is too busy to return your calls or respond to email queries.

The whole point of having the broker is so you have an expert who is able to interact with you on what currency to buy and to sell, and when.

A broker that considers their time too valuable to spend with you is not a broker that you need to do business with.

An attribute that you want to seek out is that of being a partner in a financial venture.

The bottom line is that if you are not making money, then your broker is not likely to be doing all that well either.

If you eventually lose your shirt and have to drop out, then the broker has lost a client.

It is in the best interests of both you and your broker to make sure you are making money and increasing your portfolio. Interestingly enough, not all brokers have this mind set.

Look for the ones that are interested in seeing your assets grow over the long haul and stay away from the ones that are looking to make a quick buck with you before moving on to the next person.

Accountability is another trait you want to look for in your broker. When making a recommendation to buy or sell a particular currency, a broker with this attribute will be able to articulate to you all the reasons why this would be a positive move for you.

While "trust me" may be all you need if you are playing a board game with a friend, it is not enough when you are talking about your money. A solid reputable broker will know that and always has some very good reasons for the advice he or she gives you.

Essentially, a great deal of what you are looking for is simply honesty, integrity, and an obvious knowledge of how currency trading works.

When you are able to find someone who exhibits all these characteristics, as well as being dedicated to making money with the customer, not off the customer, then you have found a Forex broker that is worth doing business with.

If you need help locating a good broker, a good place to start your search is the internet.
Insert Forex forums into a search engine and look for good reccommendations from other Forex traders.

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


Friday, November 7, 2008

Forex Trading - Should You Invest?

Forex trading does involve other assets along with money, but because you are investing in other countries and in other businesses that are dealing in other currencies the basis for the money you make or lose will be based on the trading of money. Forex trading is all about putting your money into other currencies, so you can gain the interest for the night, for time period or the difference in trading money all around.

What happens in one market will have an effect on the other countries forex markets, but it is not always bad or good, sometimes the margins of trading are near each other. Constant trading is done in the forex markets as time zones will vary and the markets will open in one country while another is near closing.

A forex market will be present when two countries are involved in trading, and when money is traded for goods, services or a combination of these things. Currency is the money that trades hands, from one to another. Often times, a bank is going to be the source of forex trading, as millions of dollars are traded daily. There is nearly two trillion dollars traded daily on the forex market. Should you get involved in forex trading? If you are already involved in the stock market, you have some idea of what forex trading really is all about.

The stock market involves buying shares of a company, and you watch how that company does, waiting for a bigger return. In the forex markets, you are purchasing items or products, or goods, and you are paying money for them. As you do this, you are gaining or losing as the currency exchange differs daily from country to country. To better prepare you for the forex markets you can learn about trading and purchasing online using free 'game' like software.

You will log on and create an account. Entering information about what you are interested in and what you want to do. The 'game' will allow you to make purchases and trades, involving different currencies, so you can then see first hand what a gain or loss will be like. As you continue on with this fake account you will see first hand how to make decisions based on what you know, which means you will have to read about the market changes or you will have to take a brokers information at value and play from there.

If you, as an individual want to be involved in forex trading, you must get involved through broker, or a financial institution. Individuals are also known as spectators, even if you are investing money because the amount of money you are investing is minimal compared to the millions of dollars that are invested by governments and by banks at any given time. This does not mean you can't get involved.

Your broker or investment advisor will be able to tell you more about how you can be involved in forex trading. In the US, there are many regulations and laws in regards to who can handle forex trading for US citizens so if you are searching the internet for a broker, are sure you read the print, and the information about where the company is located and if it is legal for you to do business with that company.

For more information and resource links on FOREX visit:Free Forex Training



Thursday, November 6, 2008

Invest In Yourself ? Your Career, Future Income Stream, Education And Training

Even if you have to borrow and go into debt is Even if you have to borrow and go into debt is this not money well spent? Even if you have to borrow and go into debt is this not money well spent? Even if you have to borrow and go into debt is this not money well spent? Even if you have to borrow and go into debt is this not money well spent?

Even if you have to borrow and go into debt is this not money well spent? Even if you have to borrow and go into debt is this not money well spent? Even if you have to borrow and go into debt is this not money well spent? Is this not money well spent?

Is this not getting ahead in life? But what of investing in your own future in terms of an investment in your personal education or training as well as investments in your own personal career. If you cannot afford it- then do not buy the item. The same basic advice should be heeded by many. The advice often given to young couples starting off in life is ?Not to buy what you cannot afford?.


Indeed it is and can well be. ? satisfaction is this not money, time and effort well spent and allocated.

and ?personal? If at the end of the day , year or decade you will be much further ahead in position , salary as well as benefits in addition to ?job?


In the case of your education a dollar borrowed now will result in better jobs- that you will most likely find more challenging and enjoyable , and have a lot more financial reward than a job on the status scale ? say as a bus driver or a technician doing oil jobs at your local Wal-Mart. In the case of a vehicle or car loan it may be a godsend. If your vehicle is not reliable ? then how can you show up on time, keep your job without an image and reputation of reliability? Not only do you want to keep your employment and income associated with the job but also the job references from your employment superiors for use with other employers for better positions and pay, or for promotion within your present organization. You may even run into a case of promotion within your present firm to another branch office or plant. Not having reliable transport may limit your promotion offerings and flexibility. In addition, if you take out a loan to purchase that vehicle, you may well have upscaled and upgraded your car or SUV, from the models that you most likely would have purchased. By doing so, and driving a higher grade auto model, you may well appear as a more established, senior, more experienced and established employee as well as individual. Fortunately or unfortunately in life most comes down to appearances and perceptions.

There may be a much better and / or better paying job but its way across town, or in an area not served by the bus transit system. Or it may be the case that there is bus service - but if devours a good two to three hours a day of travel time. Good bye to your personal social life. You may have all the money in the world ? the wealth of Bill Gates Himself and yet no time or energy to enjoy it. So much for all that pay of that new wonderful job.

A real step foreword as they say. It is always a case of reward versus cost or cost versus benefit. It is a case by case analysis.

Incorporate the price of gas into your final net salary not as an aside. Many people will drive across town for a bargain to save a dollar and spend $ 10 on gas costs in the process. The same analysis of benefit versus costs prevails in the car / transport / job scenario situation.

Don?t break the bank so to speak at the first step. be at bank, savings and loan, credit union or even parents or relatives. Leave a buffer of funding both for yourself and as well with the agency that provided the loan ? Or you may even have to repeat a course or change plans along the way necessitating longer time duration of studies. ditto for time delay.

A course may be full ? you will have to complete your schooling fully at a later date than expected. A course at university may not be offered in your calendar year ? financially.

Do not stretch yourself too thin ? In addition you should think of additional or add on costs.


To borrow for yourself and personal gain make prudent sense. To not take the exercise seriously is to shortchange yourself and your future opportunities as well as income stream in the future. an investment in yourself. Remember the whole point of the exercise was your self improvement ?

Make a commitment and follow through. Explain the situation honestly. If you are really stuck then contact the lender. If you cannot pay in full, then at least pay a bit above the minimum payment.

whether they are for rent, mortgage, utility bills, bank loans, charge card payments or student loans. This applies to all loans ? even earlier than required. Pay your bills on time ? Your credibility itself is on the line, in addition to your personal honor and integrity and reputation.

It?s not only a matter of convenience. Before making that commitment for a loan or undertaking always evaluate carefully before signing on the bottom line. Never take on more than you can chew, or in this case afford. always pay your bills.

Lastly and most importantly ?



Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Why Are Business Loans Important?

To help you to learn more about business loans and their importance, here are some useful hints and tips. Although some people think that taking out a business loan is risky, if you want your business to have good cash flow and to become a success, then they can really help. Although some people think that taking out a business loan. If this is the case, then you might have thought about taking out a business loan.

If you are running your own business, then you probably know that it can sometimes be hard to find the funding you need to make your business work.


Importance of a business loan

Business loans are extremely important; because they allow you to have the cash you need in your business whilst still paying for expenses. Although many businesses have enough money to pay for their equipment and expenses, many businesses are ruined by their lack of cash flow. If you spend all your money on expenses and something unexpected happens, you don???t have the capital to make changes. However, if you take out a loan, you still have your own capital left to deal with the unexpected, and your company will be better off for it. Although you are technically in debt, you are giving your business the ability to adapt and improve.

Getting a business loan

Getting a business loan is slightly more complicated than getting a personal loan, as it requires the construction of a business plan. Just as a personal loan looks at the risks of lending to you as a person, a business loan needs to assess whether or not your business is stable enough to loan money to. In order to get a business loan, there are a number of steps you need to take to be successful.

Write a good covering letter

It is important to get off on the right foot with potential lenders, so writing a good covering letter explaining your reasons for applying, as this will be the first impression of you and your company that the lender sees. A good covering letter will give a favourable impression and make them take you more seriously.

A good business plan is key

The biggest factor in securing a great deal on a business loan is to construct a solid and accurate business plan. If you can show the lender your company is sold and has definite financial plans for the next few years, then you are much more likely to get a business loan at favourable rates. If you keep the plan focussed and show your organisation???s ability to repay the loan, then you should get the terms you need.

What are the costs of a business loan?

The costs of a business loan for funding is an excellent way of giving your business the flexibility and cash flow that it needs to be successful.


Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Don't Be An Average Trader, Use Better Trades

It is all enough to drive the average trader nuts. Then, add into the mix an Iraqi dictator whose defiant stance has the whole world wondering when the first bomb will be dropped, by whom and what will be in it? Many of the basic economic indicators are weak and the latest rumor on the street is that the Fed MAY cut interest rates another 25 basis points to a 60 year low of 1%. This week the housing sector posted good permit applications and sales numbers, two indicators that bode well for a continued strong housing market.

Today, most of the stocks that were reporting posted better than anticipated earnings and the Dow managed to break a 5-day losing streak. We are in the midst of earning 's season and the market could not be any more crazy.


Miagi 's advice to Daniel san in "The Karate Kid"; "Daniel san, the best defense is to not be there when the punch is thrown." Trade different stocks or indices, trade different strategies that adapt to the current market environment and follow Mr. The answer is, "Don't be average!" Don't do what everyone else is doing. So, what are you going to do?

In this market I think that there are two tacks that bear your scrutiny. The first is to take a look at defensive sectors, sectors where money goes to hide when there is so much uncertainty. Precious metals are one area you should watch. From the end of 2000 to mid 2002 most of the gold stocks doubled in price while the rest of the equities market hemorrhaged. Many of these stocks have consolidated or gone down slightly as we have had a weak recovery in the equities over the last few months. Today, amid fears of war in Iraq the gold stocks surged. This could be an area well worth your attention.

Another sector that has often been a hiding place for capital is the pharmaceutical stocks. These companies have a license to steal and they exercise their license well. Case in point, many drugs that sell across the counter in the U.S. sell at 50-75% discounts in Canada. There is a thriving business by Canadian companies selling prescription drugs across the border. The drug makers are threatening to boycott companies in Canada who participate in this practice and there appears to be a trade war brewing. The point is that these companies will go to any means to protect their bottom line at the expense of the consumer, many of which are held captive by the drugs they take. If you are on the drug consumption side of the market it is not a pleasing position to be in. However, if you are on the investing side of the market, not many positions could be better. Add to that the fact that the pharmaceutical lobby is one of the largest in the nation 's capitol and contribute heavily to both parties. It is unlikely, no matter how much the politicians profess pending change; that any drastic changes will be made that will adversely affect this powerful industry. You might want to head for this protective harbor right now!

Before I leave this chain of sectors to watch I will add one more suggestion that may have merit. I have been promoting the utility sector for three months. It is also a defensive sector which appears to still have some upside potential.

Now to my second tack that you might take. For the last four months I have been trading "Under the Radar" stocks. Stocks that are undervalued and have improving fundamentals. It has been a real winning combination so far. I have created a scan that lays these undervalued stocks at my feet and when the technical indicators present themselves I pick up a bargain.

A couple of cases in point. I invested $1000 of my daughter 's savings in Corning when the stock was trading at $3.33, the dollars into the trade were $999. Four days later I sold 200 of her shares for $4.33 that was a 20% profit. I have held onto 100 of those shares for her portfolio. I fully anticipate that when she returns from her mission to Brazil that this stock will be trading well above the $4.33 price where I sold her other 200 shares.

Part of my reasons for buying the stock was that the company lost $1.42 for the last 12 months and the estimate going forward was for a loss of $.11. That is a BIG change. I know it is still a loss, but boy are they getting better at not losing so much! Add to that the fact that they were trading at a price to book of .74. That means that if I were capable of buying every outstanding share of stock, I could sell off all the assets and make a 26% return on my money. With this fundamental information in hand I waited for the technical indicators to show the right time to buy the stock, jumped in and four days later jumped out with a nice profit!

A similar thing happened with Vitesse Semiconductor VTSS. I bought my daughter 300 shares of stock for $2.64 and five days later sold it for $3.13. Fundamentally the stock was a value when the stock was trading just barely above its book value. It was 42% institutionally held and showed it was going to go from losing $4.78 a share to just losing $.15 a share. It was also trading at a current ratio 20% above the rest of the sector.

The point to all this is that many of the most closely scrutinized stocks have been trading "Above the Radar". EVERYONE watches them and they are subject to every whim of the market. In the meantime, many of these little "Under the Radar" stocks just keep doing what they have been doing because they are not nearly as closely watched.

So far it has been a highly profitable strategy to be trading, especially in these turbulent times. Join me at www.marketmastergroup.com for more commentary and access to a list of my upcoming events.

Good luck and good trading

Doug Sutton


Monday, November 3, 2008

10 Surefire Ways To Make An Investment Fortune, Part II

Below, I present Part II of my original article, "10 Surefire Ways to Make an Investment Fortune."

(6)Understand Why You Own Everything You Own, Then Stand Firm in Your Convictions

Since most people never take the time to learn how to invest properly, or are fed a bunch of misinformation by the so-called industry professionals, they waffle as much as a shady politician when making investment decisions. They don???t know if they should hold, sell or buy during corrections, or hold or sell during steep runs higher. Primarily they don???t know because they don???t understand what they own because they have allowed someone else to make those decisions. I???ve always found it odd how people will refuse to allow other people to do the most trivial of things for their companies, preferring to take care of them him or herself, or will consult 20 people before buying a car, but will gladly hand over $2 million in cash to a stranger to manage.

Yet, just having conviction is not enough. Being wrong in your convictions can be just as devastating to your portfolio performance than having no conviction at all. For example, in June, July, and August of 2007, many housing analysts repeatedly called bottoms in housing stocks, and many investors, just like sheep, jumped in and bought up shares in housing related stocks. Some even kept increasing position in shares of sub-prime mortgage companies that had plummeted 70% believing they were acquiring the stock for pennies on the dollar. Most of these investors, instead of profiting, lost a great deal of money from stocks that did not stop hemorrhaging and some lost 100% of their money from investing in companies that eventually went bankrupt. This is the lazy man or woman???s way out and almost never ends up well.

When I say ???Stand Firm in Your Conviction???, do so only after gaining expertise in a subject matter. Do not blindly follow someone else???s advice just because they appear on Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal or Reuters. Just because someone has the appearance of an ???authority??? does not make him or her one. In fact, often there are shameless self-promotion reasons behind media appearances and the only person that is bound to get hurt by blindly listening to these people is you. Only after you take the time to truly learn everything you need to know to become an expert in a particular industry or asset class, then don???t be afraid of going against the grain of the majority opinion. You???ve taken the time to become an expert, so utilize your knowledge in how you manage your portfolio. More times than not, you will be correct when everyone else is wrong.

(7)Make Volatility Your Friend

Most people have been taught that volatility equals risk. Baloney. If you remember that market timing in asset class cycles is possible, then you can basically negate much of the risk of volatility by buying close to the troughs instead of close to the peaks. Furthermore, you can never make any money by buying a bunch of stocks that plod along at 6% to 10% growth a year. Thus, you need volatility in your portfolio in order to make money. In fact, I advocate even owning some speculative stocks to boost the performance of your portfolio. Again, with due diligence, a fair batting average with speculative stocks is not only feasible but very likely. I???ve only been able to obtain 25% to 35% annual gains in stock portfolios by devoting a percentage of my portfolio to speculative stocks that have returned 280%, 260% and 190% a year. At the end of the day I don???t care if I have some speculative stocks that go belly up (meaning they got stopped out at 40% losses) if I have enough stocks that earn several hundred percent that significantly add to the absolute return of my portfolio. Like I said, make volatility your friend.

(8)Never Listen to the Government

Government statistics do move the market. But that doesn???t make the statistics right or truthful. The Consumer Price Index, Housing Starts, Job Growth, the Consumer Confidence Index, and so on all influence the markets. Markets always await with bated breath for the release of these numbers, then are accordingly swayed higher or lower depending upon whether the reported numbers miss or exceed analysts??? targets. Knowing that these government statistics affect market movements, why would I say disregard them? Here???s the answer.

Rarely are these statistics every forthcoming and aboveboard. Instead they are manufactured to sway markets to react in certain ways. For example, the formula to determine the CPI in the U.S. was tinkered with greatly under President Clinton. Current U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has been reported to be tinkering with the formula even more. If the CPI formula used 15 years ago would report a drastically different number than the CPI formula used today simple due to significant differences in how the CPI is now calculated, how much confidence doest that grant you in the validity of this statistic? Other major benchmark government statistics aren???t even based upon real surveys of actual transactions, but rely heavily on government estimates. Thus, the government just estimates the statistic to be whatever they want it to be so that it will serve their purposes and will steer the economy and the stock markets in the desired direction.

This is why when stock markets turn abruptly and experience sharp corrections, everyone states, ???we never saw it coming???. Disregard government statistics, do your own digging to understand the true economic conditions of whatever market you are planning to invest in, and you???ll never suffer destruction of wealth due to unforeseen surprises. Instead, you???ll see the surprises coming from miles away. Especially today (September 2007), with an imminent global economic crisis on the way, it is especially important to disregard the government and prepare accordingly. If you do, you???ll make a fortune while your neighbors will be rocked by ???shocking??? and ???surprise??? downturns in stock markets.

(9)Follow the Money Trail

As a means of validation, but certainly not as a primary strategy, occasionally dig down deep and see where the elite money in your country is heading. For example, in early 2006, you would have discovered that Bill Gates and George Soros were shorting the dollar tremendously, a good sign to get rid of any dollars you had and to diversify into Euros, Sterling and gold. With gold mining companies, if you discover that the best, most successful companies in the industry are buying 3 million shares of a speculative stock, well, basically you know that the best minds in the business would never just dump millions into a stock without performing their due diligence. So if your own personal due diligence tells you the stock is a buy, then certainly the discovery of this additional information is reassuring.

However, the number one rule, Rule (6), is always to understand what you own. Thus, you can???t just look at the equity portfolio of Warren Buffet and think that you can duplicate his returns without understanding why you would buy the same stocks he holds. If you don???t understand, you won???t know whether to buy more, sell everything, or hold on to your current position during market downturns and what to do during strong runs higher. If you don???t understand this, you just can???t make money.

(10) Expand Your Investment Horizons Across Global Borders

But it was ignored, un-researched, and I doubt if more than 1% of all investors in America benefited from the tremendous run of this asset class. When one of the major indexes in the U.S., the S&P; 500 shed 49% of its value from 200-2003, there was another little followed index in the same country that gained 58% during this time. Sometimes, you won???t even have to look outside your country, but just look where no one else is looking. Broaden your investment borders and you greatly increase your chances of being highly profitable every year.

Often, one market may be down in one region of the world but soaring in another. They think that if the markets in their country are bad, that they must suffer losses as well too. Too many investors suffer from myopia.


So change not only your investment life today with the application of the above rules, but forever change your beliefs about the types of investment returns that are possible and achievable. All the number crunching, fundamental analysis, and technical analysis in the world will not provide you with better returns than simply being creative with the 10 rules above. Realize that investing is not a science, but an art.

After I started employing the rules above, 20% annual returns a year started seeming like poor returns. Before I employed the 10 rules above five years ago, I never made much more than 10% a year when investing in stocks. All the rules above demand a certain level of creativity. One last word.



Sunday, November 2, 2008

How To Find The Best Van Insurance

Some of the insurance companies today state they have the best van insurance you will find just to get your business so you won?t shop around. Don?t go with the first insurance company you find. Some of the insurance companies today state they have the best van insurance, the best thing to do is shop around. Don?t go with the first insurance company you find.

In order to find the best van insurance, the best thing to do is shop around.


There are different ways to find the best van insurance is to actually do a search on the Internet, and you will receive numerous search results.

Go through the results you feel can offer you the best in your find of the best van insurance possible and then go to that web site and read about what that company has to offer you. Some insurance companies on the internet will not give you a direct quote online, instead they will ask for a phone number so one of their representatives will call you and get the details so they can help you find the best van insurance for you.

Remember, you should have all your details ready, such things as the year of your van and the make of your van, and other additional information such as your age, previous tickets or violations, and anything else to help you find the best van insurance that fits your needs.

Some UK insurance companies will offer you a ten percent discount if you have a good driving record and allow you different benefits when you find the best van insurance. It is always a good thing to be honest about your driving history, as these things can all be looked up on their computers as soon as they ask you your name and social security number. Which in most cases these are some of the questions they do ask you in your search to find the best van insurance for you.

After you have gotten a quote from one insurance company, select another one that you feel will give you the best in van insurance. In the UK there is more than one insurance company that will meet your needs to find the best van insurance so you don?t have to go with the first one; instead you can get quotes from a few and then compare them, and go with the one that will best meet your needs. This is how you find the best van insurance available.

Additionally, some insurance companies will ultimately compete for your business so they will offer you a better quote for finding the best van insurance, depending on other insurance companies. And, when they compete for your business then you benefit from this. There?s a point where you essentially have to decide which insurance company to go with however this is another way of finding the best van insurance.

Considering different rules apply to residents in UK as to those in the USA for example, this doesn?t mean it is impossible for an American to get UK insurance if they move to the UK, is simply means you would have to go through the same procedures as if you have lived in the UK all along in order to find the best van insurance of course and better.

Its comparative shopping to finding the best van insurance that will meet all your needs. Find out all this information and compare it with other insurance companies before deciding. This also includes the annual fee they charge or the monthly fee as well.


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