Travel has its payback in the form of reward credit cards. Choosing the best reward credit cards for yourself can be intimidating, and you should be guided by some factors that are personal to you. How do you choose and analyze THE travel reward credit card that suits your needs and lifestyle best? How do you, in fact, analyze reward credit cards in the first place?
Reward Credit Cards Should be Tailor Made for You
For one thing, the travel rewards companies work on the assumption that you want something – and they can give it to you. The problem is that most of us don’t know what that ‘something’ is and tend to lean towards fat, attractive packages that we may never use. For example, a travel reward credit card that offers you discounts on airfares might not be very attractive to a traveler whose airfare is paid for by his company. Then again, a reward credit card that offers exotic holiday cruises may remain unutilized in the hands of someone who does not enjoy sailing!
On the other hand, a frequent traveler might actually benefit from free upgrades on board if his card gives him that facility. Choosing a card according to how you would use it and benefit from the rewards would be most important. Are the rewards offered suited to your lifestyle?
Best Reward Credit Cards Offer Value and Usage
To begin, analyze your travel patterns. If a particular airline gives you special privileges on a particular rewards credit card, and if you frequently use that airline, it makes sense to go in for that credit card. Being faithful to a particular airline would result in accruing rewards that might actually result in much higher value in the form of points, cash back etc. Other credit cards may offer fancy rewards on airlines that you would prefer to avoid or which do not service the destinations you frequent. So choose a reward credit card where the value increases with usage.
Hidden Costs of a Reward Credit Card
The hidden costs need to be worked out too. Travel reward credit cards often come with hefty fees attached.
* Does the reward that you are likely to earn over a year cover the cost of maintaining the credit card?
* Are you going to be able to cash your rewards?
* Is there a time limit for earning and cashing the rewards?
* How easy is it to redeem your reward points?
* Is there a complicated process or is there an online or phone-based system?
The answers to these questions will dictate the kind of card you want.
Research Reward Credit Cards
Do not hesitate to ask such probing questions to the sales rep of the card company. Most prospects will not hesitate to ask for references from existing cardholders. Check forums and blogs online about the public opinion about the card. Do everything in your control to ensure that you are signing up for what you expected.
Reward credit cards come in several shapes, sizes, colors, and forms. It is easy to be tempted by a ‘once in a lifetime offer’. However, try to keep a sensible view of what YOU need from the reward credit card of your choice. The bottom line is - if you are going to travel you might as well make it work for you through the best reward credit cards you can find for yourself. Truth is, if you do not make a reward credit work for you, you may soon see that is working against you. Then, a reward credit card becomes almost equivalent to a penalty card – which should be avoided at all costs.
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Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
0% APR Credit Cards Make It Possible To Save Money
I'm sure you've seen direct mail offers, promotional brochures and Internet ads announcing:
"0% APR credit cards. Limited time offer. Apply today!"
You can't beat that for a credit card. That's just like buying something with cash. A great deal, especially if you don't have cash on hand. But you may be wondering, "How can the credit card companies and banks make money if they aren't charging interest?" Well, read on to find out whether or not these 0% APR credit card offers are just pulling your leg.
Deal Or No Deal
Every time you buy something using 0% APR credit cards, you pay absolutely no finance charges or interest rate charges on your entire credit card balance. Just think... you can refurnish your home, pay for your child's college tuition or go out on a spending spree without paying a penny more.
However, most 0% APR credit cards offer only "introductory rates" at 0%. This low rate may be limited to a specific time period, such as 3 months or as long as a year. In addition, 0% APR credit cards often allow you to transfer balances (up to a specific amount) from another credit card to take advantage of the zero interest deal. Once the introductory rate period ends, then the APR can go through the roof.
Okay, so maybe you can't get 0% interest into eternity. But, if you play your card right, you can still reap the benefits of these unique offers.
Making Zero Interest Work For You
You may already have several credit cards and can't imagine what you'd do with another. After all... personal finance experts advise against having too many credit cards. Before getting a 0% APR credit card ask yourself, "What is the APR on my credit cards?" and "Do I carry a balance on my cards from month to month?"
The average interest rate for credit cards is around 14%. On the low end, you may have a card that charges as little as 5% interest, whereas cards for those with bad credit or no credit can be a whopping 29%. Retail credit cards tend to have a high interest rate around 19%, even if you have A1 credit. If the interest rates on your cards are up into the teens, then you definitely need to consider other options (a 0% APR credit card), unless you pay off your balances on a monthly basis.
Don't throw money out the window and into the pockets of the credit card companies. If you have high interest cards and pay only the minimum balance, then it can take years to pay off. $1000 spent could nearly double to almost $2000 by the time it's paid off. The best thing to do is transfer the balance to a 0% APR credit cards.
Where To Find 0% APR Credit Cards
If you have good credit, chances are you've already been bombarded with mail offers. You might even find these special values available through organizations you belong to or companies that you do business with regularly. Other sources include your local banks and credit unions. And don't forget to search the Internet. It's a great place to comparison shop for numerous credit cards. Keep in mind that you usually need to have good credit to qualify for a 0% APR Credit Card.
0% APR credit cards allow you to avoid finance charges altogether. If you are in debt, this is especially helpful in that you can pay down your balance much more quickly. But be sure you don't end up in a situation where you transfer balances from one card only to fill the old card back up again with new purchases. If you've been thinking about making a large purchase but don't yet have the funds and don't want to take out a loan, then a 0% APR credit card will be like paying cash. Just be sure to pay off your balance before the introductory rate ends and finance charges begin.
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"0% APR credit cards. Limited time offer. Apply today!"
You can't beat that for a credit card. That's just like buying something with cash. A great deal, especially if you don't have cash on hand. But you may be wondering, "How can the credit card companies and banks make money if they aren't charging interest?" Well, read on to find out whether or not these 0% APR credit card offers are just pulling your leg.
Deal Or No Deal
Every time you buy something using 0% APR credit cards, you pay absolutely no finance charges or interest rate charges on your entire credit card balance. Just think... you can refurnish your home, pay for your child's college tuition or go out on a spending spree without paying a penny more.
However, most 0% APR credit cards offer only "introductory rates" at 0%. This low rate may be limited to a specific time period, such as 3 months or as long as a year. In addition, 0% APR credit cards often allow you to transfer balances (up to a specific amount) from another credit card to take advantage of the zero interest deal. Once the introductory rate period ends, then the APR can go through the roof.
Okay, so maybe you can't get 0% interest into eternity. But, if you play your card right, you can still reap the benefits of these unique offers.
Making Zero Interest Work For You
You may already have several credit cards and can't imagine what you'd do with another. After all... personal finance experts advise against having too many credit cards. Before getting a 0% APR credit card ask yourself, "What is the APR on my credit cards?" and "Do I carry a balance on my cards from month to month?"
The average interest rate for credit cards is around 14%. On the low end, you may have a card that charges as little as 5% interest, whereas cards for those with bad credit or no credit can be a whopping 29%. Retail credit cards tend to have a high interest rate around 19%, even if you have A1 credit. If the interest rates on your cards are up into the teens, then you definitely need to consider other options (a 0% APR credit card), unless you pay off your balances on a monthly basis.
Don't throw money out the window and into the pockets of the credit card companies. If you have high interest cards and pay only the minimum balance, then it can take years to pay off. $1000 spent could nearly double to almost $2000 by the time it's paid off. The best thing to do is transfer the balance to a 0% APR credit cards.
Where To Find 0% APR Credit Cards
If you have good credit, chances are you've already been bombarded with mail offers. You might even find these special values available through organizations you belong to or companies that you do business with regularly. Other sources include your local banks and credit unions. And don't forget to search the Internet. It's a great place to comparison shop for numerous credit cards. Keep in mind that you usually need to have good credit to qualify for a 0% APR Credit Card.
0% APR credit cards allow you to avoid finance charges altogether. If you are in debt, this is especially helpful in that you can pay down your balance much more quickly. But be sure you don't end up in a situation where you transfer balances from one card only to fill the old card back up again with new purchases. If you've been thinking about making a large purchase but don't yet have the funds and don't want to take out a loan, then a 0% APR credit card will be like paying cash. Just be sure to pay off your balance before the introductory rate ends and finance charges begin.
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Friday, September 10, 2010
How to Keep Your Jewelry Clean And Sparkling Throughout The Year
Everybody, especially women, loves jewelry. It's an accessory that one cannot simply do without. However, people are hard-pressed to keep it clean and sparkling. You can of course take the help of a professional jewelry cleaner, but these can be pretty expensive.
There are numerous ways and means thorough which you can keep your jewelry in ship shape throughout the year. What’s more you can employ these methods from the comforts of your home. They are easy to do, and easy to learn. Here are a few tips on keeping your jewelry clean and sparkling throughout the year:
Cleaning Your Precious Diamonds
The process is quite simple. Take a glass bowl, and pour some Vodka into it. Take your diamond jewelry and swish it inside the bowl. Take it out and then rinse it with clean, clear water and wipe it dry with a soft cloth. Moreover, if your diamond jewelry is really very dirty, then it is advisable that you dip a soft toothbrush in the vodka and scrub the jewelry delicately. This process will clean and add the requisite sparkle to the diamond jewelry in no time at all.
Cleaning Gold Jewelry
This is again a process that is simplicity itself. All that is required is a cup of warm water, a teaspoon of liquid dish soap and a teaspoon of household ammonia. Your gold jewelry must be then immersed in this mixture and allowed to rest in it for a period of around ten minutes. After this, you must use a soft cloth to wipe them dry. You will be amazed by the efficacy of this simple process.
The Silver Jewelry Tip
Your silver jewelry might just be the hardest item to clean. Many people try and clean it with a silver paste, but in the hands of the amateur, it usually ends up as a messy failure. An easier way would be to use a glass casserole whose bottom must be lined with an aluminum foil.
You must then add two tablespoons of baking soda and a tablespoon of salt and some boiling water inside the glass casserole. The silver jewelry then needs to be added to this mixture and allowed to sit in it, till the water cools down. After that, remove the silver pieces and buff them with a soft cloth.
If you use this process, it's a surety that all the crevices and creases of the silver will be cleaned of all the dirt and the jewelry will sparkle anew. The best part about this method is that there is absolutely no need to keep rubbing the finish. This helps in prolonging the life of the jewelry and it will last longer.
Your Precious Pearls
There is no intricate process that will help you keep your pearls sparkling throughout the year. They will only be kept clean and shiny, if you wear them often. There is a scientific reason for this. The oil from your skin will help their luster and keep them soft.
However, there are times when there is simply very little opportunity for you to wear your pearls. In this case, you can keep them in good condition by sprinkling some olive oil on a soft cloth and then wiping them gently.
Moisture: The Dust Trap
Always remove your jewelry before you take a bath or head for a sauna. This must be especially taken care of, in the case of gemstone jewelry. Such jewelry is quite sensitive to moisture and any exposure to it might lead to the jewelry pieces losing their sparkle and newness.
Any amount of water on the jewelry pieces acts as a trap for dust particles and other residual matter.
A Simple Solution
If you don't want to put in too much of an effort with regards to your cleaning process then you can clean your gold and silver jewelry using a solution of soap and water. The cleaning powder must not be strong, as the presence of hard chemicals will have a detrimental effect on your jewelry.
Proceed with caution with respect to cleaning your jewelry with a soap solution. Be well aware of the chemical content of your soap solution. If you are not to sure about this, then the best thing would be to apply the solution on an area of the jewelry that is less conspicuous.
Jewelry Storage
Due importance must also be given to where you store your jewelry. This would ensure the cleanliness of the jewelry. You must keep your jewelry in an enclosed storage space that is also dry and cool. Any sustained exposure to heat will cause an irrevocable damage to your jewelry.
Use the above mentioned tips to regularly clean your jewelry, so it looks as good as new. The results of these tips might just surprise you with their brilliance.
profile
There are numerous ways and means thorough which you can keep your jewelry in ship shape throughout the year. What’s more you can employ these methods from the comforts of your home. They are easy to do, and easy to learn. Here are a few tips on keeping your jewelry clean and sparkling throughout the year:
Cleaning Your Precious Diamonds
The process is quite simple. Take a glass bowl, and pour some Vodka into it. Take your diamond jewelry and swish it inside the bowl. Take it out and then rinse it with clean, clear water and wipe it dry with a soft cloth. Moreover, if your diamond jewelry is really very dirty, then it is advisable that you dip a soft toothbrush in the vodka and scrub the jewelry delicately. This process will clean and add the requisite sparkle to the diamond jewelry in no time at all.
Cleaning Gold Jewelry
This is again a process that is simplicity itself. All that is required is a cup of warm water, a teaspoon of liquid dish soap and a teaspoon of household ammonia. Your gold jewelry must be then immersed in this mixture and allowed to rest in it for a period of around ten minutes. After this, you must use a soft cloth to wipe them dry. You will be amazed by the efficacy of this simple process.
The Silver Jewelry Tip
Your silver jewelry might just be the hardest item to clean. Many people try and clean it with a silver paste, but in the hands of the amateur, it usually ends up as a messy failure. An easier way would be to use a glass casserole whose bottom must be lined with an aluminum foil.
You must then add two tablespoons of baking soda and a tablespoon of salt and some boiling water inside the glass casserole. The silver jewelry then needs to be added to this mixture and allowed to sit in it, till the water cools down. After that, remove the silver pieces and buff them with a soft cloth.
If you use this process, it's a surety that all the crevices and creases of the silver will be cleaned of all the dirt and the jewelry will sparkle anew. The best part about this method is that there is absolutely no need to keep rubbing the finish. This helps in prolonging the life of the jewelry and it will last longer.
Your Precious Pearls
There is no intricate process that will help you keep your pearls sparkling throughout the year. They will only be kept clean and shiny, if you wear them often. There is a scientific reason for this. The oil from your skin will help their luster and keep them soft.
However, there are times when there is simply very little opportunity for you to wear your pearls. In this case, you can keep them in good condition by sprinkling some olive oil on a soft cloth and then wiping them gently.
Moisture: The Dust Trap
Always remove your jewelry before you take a bath or head for a sauna. This must be especially taken care of, in the case of gemstone jewelry. Such jewelry is quite sensitive to moisture and any exposure to it might lead to the jewelry pieces losing their sparkle and newness.
Any amount of water on the jewelry pieces acts as a trap for dust particles and other residual matter.
A Simple Solution
If you don't want to put in too much of an effort with regards to your cleaning process then you can clean your gold and silver jewelry using a solution of soap and water. The cleaning powder must not be strong, as the presence of hard chemicals will have a detrimental effect on your jewelry.
Proceed with caution with respect to cleaning your jewelry with a soap solution. Be well aware of the chemical content of your soap solution. If you are not to sure about this, then the best thing would be to apply the solution on an area of the jewelry that is less conspicuous.
Jewelry Storage
Due importance must also be given to where you store your jewelry. This would ensure the cleanliness of the jewelry. You must keep your jewelry in an enclosed storage space that is also dry and cool. Any sustained exposure to heat will cause an irrevocable damage to your jewelry.
Use the above mentioned tips to regularly clean your jewelry, so it looks as good as new. The results of these tips might just surprise you with their brilliance.
profile
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Investors Are Finding Opportunities Beyond Their U.S. Borders
Experts say global and international mutual funds can represent a world of opportunity for investors.
Foreign-based companies now comprise fully half of the world's equity market capitalization, up from about one-third in 1970, and many key industries such as oil and gas, wireless telecommunications and building construction are dominated by foreign companies.
However, despite the investment opportunities presented by these companies, research shows that international stocks remain significantly underrepresented in most U.S. portfolios. It's estimated that on average Americans hold only about 5 percent of their portfolios in foreign stocks and funds.
Even if they do not realize it, the lives of Americans are influenced by global companies. Perhaps it was the medication taken before bedtime, the car driven to work or the soft drink that accompanied lunch. All are likely to have been products of companies that operate beyond the U.S.
According to ING Funds, the U.S. retail mutual fund unit of ING Group, one of the largest financial service organizations in the world, international equity markets offer investors exposure to many key industries that countries other than the U.S. dominate.
The mutual fund unit has recently embarked on a "Going Global" campaign to introduce more people to international investing.
"ING is working hard to help more people understand how the world of investing is changing," said Bob Boulware, president and CEO of ING Funds. According to Boulware, "Those that are not thinking globally may be missing out."
Just as the domestic portion of an investor's portfolio is typically allocated to include a range of investment options, investors may wish to apply that same logic to their international portfolio, selecting an array of sub-asset classes to better position themselves for changing international market conditions. One way to get started would be for investors to consider global and international mutual funds.
Global funds can provide exposure to opportunities around the world-both international and domestic. International mutual funds may be better suited for individuals seeking purely foreign holdings to complement their existing domestic portfolio.
Among both global and international funds, an investor may want to consider:
Market Style. Determine if you are seeking value or growth stocks or a blend of both in your international portfolio.
Market Capitalization. Select from small, mid or large "size" companies based on the total dollar value of all its outstanding shares.
Specialty Funds. Designed for investors who wish to target their investments either geographically or to include certain key markets, such as real estate. Some investors may wish to consider a fund-of-funds that includes a diversified portfolio of international holdings. An international fund-of-funds gives investors a footing in a variety of important international asset classes with one investment.
For example, the ING Diversified International Fund is a fund-of-funds that incorporates a range of international market segments, including international growth, international value, international small capitalization stocks and emerging markets. With underlying portfolios managed by some of the world's most respected international portfolio managers, the fund makes it easier to build international asset allocation into your investment plans.
As a recognized leader in global asset management, ING Funds has been focused on providing a mix of global and international investing opportunities for U.S. investors through mutual funds, in part because of its access to more than 700 investment professionals located worldwide with insight into the dynamics of markets in Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas.
The company's latest white paper, "Seeing the Big Picture: A Global Approach to Investing," provides a primer on a variety of aspects of international investing.
profile
Foreign-based companies now comprise fully half of the world's equity market capitalization, up from about one-third in 1970, and many key industries such as oil and gas, wireless telecommunications and building construction are dominated by foreign companies.
However, despite the investment opportunities presented by these companies, research shows that international stocks remain significantly underrepresented in most U.S. portfolios. It's estimated that on average Americans hold only about 5 percent of their portfolios in foreign stocks and funds.
Even if they do not realize it, the lives of Americans are influenced by global companies. Perhaps it was the medication taken before bedtime, the car driven to work or the soft drink that accompanied lunch. All are likely to have been products of companies that operate beyond the U.S.
According to ING Funds, the U.S. retail mutual fund unit of ING Group, one of the largest financial service organizations in the world, international equity markets offer investors exposure to many key industries that countries other than the U.S. dominate.
The mutual fund unit has recently embarked on a "Going Global" campaign to introduce more people to international investing.
"ING is working hard to help more people understand how the world of investing is changing," said Bob Boulware, president and CEO of ING Funds. According to Boulware, "Those that are not thinking globally may be missing out."
Just as the domestic portion of an investor's portfolio is typically allocated to include a range of investment options, investors may wish to apply that same logic to their international portfolio, selecting an array of sub-asset classes to better position themselves for changing international market conditions. One way to get started would be for investors to consider global and international mutual funds.
Global funds can provide exposure to opportunities around the world-both international and domestic. International mutual funds may be better suited for individuals seeking purely foreign holdings to complement their existing domestic portfolio.
Among both global and international funds, an investor may want to consider:
Market Style. Determine if you are seeking value or growth stocks or a blend of both in your international portfolio.
Market Capitalization. Select from small, mid or large "size" companies based on the total dollar value of all its outstanding shares.
Specialty Funds. Designed for investors who wish to target their investments either geographically or to include certain key markets, such as real estate. Some investors may wish to consider a fund-of-funds that includes a diversified portfolio of international holdings. An international fund-of-funds gives investors a footing in a variety of important international asset classes with one investment.
For example, the ING Diversified International Fund is a fund-of-funds that incorporates a range of international market segments, including international growth, international value, international small capitalization stocks and emerging markets. With underlying portfolios managed by some of the world's most respected international portfolio managers, the fund makes it easier to build international asset allocation into your investment plans.
As a recognized leader in global asset management, ING Funds has been focused on providing a mix of global and international investing opportunities for U.S. investors through mutual funds, in part because of its access to more than 700 investment professionals located worldwide with insight into the dynamics of markets in Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas.
The company's latest white paper, "Seeing the Big Picture: A Global Approach to Investing," provides a primer on a variety of aspects of international investing.
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Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Accounts Payable Outsourcing: things you need to check out
Every individual running a business wants to be free of the burden of paying money which they owe to anyone as soon as possible. Accounts payable literally means the money which a business owes to sellers for products and services which have been bought from them on credit. If not paid in time accounts payable can pile up and spell trouble for any business. If you are finding it difficult to keep a track of the amount of your accounts payable, then get accounts payable outsourcing service from an outsourcing company. This is the perfect way to deal with this condition.
When you are running a business, keeping track and managing of things like accounts payable, can become very demanding and hectic. Nonetheless this is an important aspect of any business process and has to done and done in time. Accounts payable outsourcing services are offered by many companies which deal with finance and accounting outsourcing.
The best way for searching a firm providing accounts payable outsourcing services is through the internet. The internet is a storehouse of information, and all you will have to do go online and search for information. The numerous options which you will find in the internet can confuse you. Take some time out from your busy schedule and do a proper research about the companies offer accounts payable outsourcing to clients. I am sure you want the best services for your business. Get an in depth analysis of the services offered by the firm before you actually decide to take up services from the company.
Make sure to check the security arrangements the company has in place for its clients. See for yourself and find out if the security measures are adequate to protect customers personal identify and financial data. Online security in this internet age is vital and you must never compromise on this aspect. Make checks and cross checks about the security arrangements of the firm providing accounts payable outsourcing, before you actually outsource your work to the outsourcing company.
Accounts payable outsourcing has many advantages. One of the main advantages is that you can save huge amounts of revenue through the outsourcing work. Work is outsourced mostly to developing countries where there is abundance of manpower and labor is cheap. This automatically means that your accounts payable outsourcing work will be handled by trained professionals at a very cheap rate. The revenue which you will save in this manner is the profit for your business.
There are some outsourcing companies which offer free trails for prospective clients. You can check out such companies and get some of your work done under the free trail offer. See for yourself the type of work done, the amount of money charged and then decide if the company is capable of handling your accounts payable outsourcing work or not. If you are not satisfied with one company, there are plenty of others for you to choose from.
Accounts payable must always be handled properly and every account must be in place for you to make payments timely. Piling up accounts payable will only put you under a huge amount of strain. Accounts payable outsourcing is a simple way for you to keep all your accounts in good shape. Go ahead, rest easy and earn revenue for your business by accounts payable outsourcing.
profile
When you are running a business, keeping track and managing of things like accounts payable, can become very demanding and hectic. Nonetheless this is an important aspect of any business process and has to done and done in time. Accounts payable outsourcing services are offered by many companies which deal with finance and accounting outsourcing.
The best way for searching a firm providing accounts payable outsourcing services is through the internet. The internet is a storehouse of information, and all you will have to do go online and search for information. The numerous options which you will find in the internet can confuse you. Take some time out from your busy schedule and do a proper research about the companies offer accounts payable outsourcing to clients. I am sure you want the best services for your business. Get an in depth analysis of the services offered by the firm before you actually decide to take up services from the company.
Make sure to check the security arrangements the company has in place for its clients. See for yourself and find out if the security measures are adequate to protect customers personal identify and financial data. Online security in this internet age is vital and you must never compromise on this aspect. Make checks and cross checks about the security arrangements of the firm providing accounts payable outsourcing, before you actually outsource your work to the outsourcing company.
Accounts payable outsourcing has many advantages. One of the main advantages is that you can save huge amounts of revenue through the outsourcing work. Work is outsourced mostly to developing countries where there is abundance of manpower and labor is cheap. This automatically means that your accounts payable outsourcing work will be handled by trained professionals at a very cheap rate. The revenue which you will save in this manner is the profit for your business.
There are some outsourcing companies which offer free trails for prospective clients. You can check out such companies and get some of your work done under the free trail offer. See for yourself the type of work done, the amount of money charged and then decide if the company is capable of handling your accounts payable outsourcing work or not. If you are not satisfied with one company, there are plenty of others for you to choose from.
Accounts payable must always be handled properly and every account must be in place for you to make payments timely. Piling up accounts payable will only put you under a huge amount of strain. Accounts payable outsourcing is a simple way for you to keep all your accounts in good shape. Go ahead, rest easy and earn revenue for your business by accounts payable outsourcing.
profile
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Everything You Need To Know About Construction Equipment Leasing...And How To Get It!
As a decision-maker in the construction industry, weighing all equipment acquisition options is a critical aspect of the job - especially given today's fluid marketplace.
With construction equipment leasing you don't have to worry about the overhead of the purchase while keeping your cash accessible. No matter how big or small your project you can always find leasing options from the financial institutions who specialise in this type of product. Plus, payments you make under an operating lease are tax deductible.
65% of the top businesses lease equipment, according to an ELA survey. The top reasons these businesses cite for leasing include consistent expenses in budget management, increased cash flow, and the ability to have the latest equipment.
As businesses prepare to compete and grow in a new millennium, many are searching for proven new ways to address their equipment financing needs. And the choice for an increasing number in construction is clear: equipment leasing.
If structured properly, as a "true" lease, construction equipment leasing has some very important tax benefits. The payments can be considered a rental resulting in a 100% expense write-off. At the end of the year you would simply total your payments and deduct them entirely as an expense. This is a much more rapid write-off than interest expense and depreciation.
Most leases do not have to be shown on your financial statement as a liability, since theoretically it is a contingent liability, and only has to be shown as a footnote. This keeps your financial statement from becoming overloaded with debt and is important if your bank lines require maintaining certain ratios.
The biggest benefit, however, is that you can get the most money with the least information.... Up to approx. $100,000 with a single page application!
For many in construction equipment leasing makes perfect sense. Especially when you consider the upside: Leasing allows you to keep your machine stock flexible. When your work changes, your machines can too.
It provides a planned schedule for equipment replacement, helping you run newer, up-to-date equipment so you'll have less downtime. It generally requires smaller amounts of money up front and monthly payments on your construction equipment leasing are generally lower than installment payments, thus freeing up cash and increasing the liquidity of your assets. And it doesn't lock you into a long-term commitment to purchase.
It would therefore be wise for any business executive to investigate the advantages to equipment leasing in order to make the best use of current financial resources.
profile
With construction equipment leasing you don't have to worry about the overhead of the purchase while keeping your cash accessible. No matter how big or small your project you can always find leasing options from the financial institutions who specialise in this type of product. Plus, payments you make under an operating lease are tax deductible.
65% of the top businesses lease equipment, according to an ELA survey. The top reasons these businesses cite for leasing include consistent expenses in budget management, increased cash flow, and the ability to have the latest equipment.
As businesses prepare to compete and grow in a new millennium, many are searching for proven new ways to address their equipment financing needs. And the choice for an increasing number in construction is clear: equipment leasing.
If structured properly, as a "true" lease, construction equipment leasing has some very important tax benefits. The payments can be considered a rental resulting in a 100% expense write-off. At the end of the year you would simply total your payments and deduct them entirely as an expense. This is a much more rapid write-off than interest expense and depreciation.
Most leases do not have to be shown on your financial statement as a liability, since theoretically it is a contingent liability, and only has to be shown as a footnote. This keeps your financial statement from becoming overloaded with debt and is important if your bank lines require maintaining certain ratios.
The biggest benefit, however, is that you can get the most money with the least information.... Up to approx. $100,000 with a single page application!
For many in construction equipment leasing makes perfect sense. Especially when you consider the upside: Leasing allows you to keep your machine stock flexible. When your work changes, your machines can too.
It provides a planned schedule for equipment replacement, helping you run newer, up-to-date equipment so you'll have less downtime. It generally requires smaller amounts of money up front and monthly payments on your construction equipment leasing are generally lower than installment payments, thus freeing up cash and increasing the liquidity of your assets. And it doesn't lock you into a long-term commitment to purchase.
It would therefore be wise for any business executive to investigate the advantages to equipment leasing in order to make the best use of current financial resources.
profile
Monday, September 6, 2010
Minimize Disruption Of Personal Finances After Natural Disasters
With the recent increase of incapacitating natural disasters, it's vital to prepare now for what might happen down the road. The best way to avoid a major disruption in your financial life after a disaster is to automate critical transactions that are currently done on paper. With tornado season from April through June, hurricane and typhoon season from June through November and the potential for earthquakes at any time during the year, there is no time like the present to ensure that you will have access to your money and personal documents in case of emergency. The following are five things you can do now to prepare for the next natural disaster:
1. Sign up for Direct Deposit of your paycheck or Social Security benefit. One of the major problems in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was that people paid by checks had no access to their money. On the other hand, people paid through Direct Deposit were paid on time automatically. If your employer doesn't offer Direct Deposit, send them to the business section of www.electronicpay ments.org to see the benefits of offering the service, not only to their employees, but also to the bottom line of the company.
2. Consider online banking so that you have access to your account records if your paper records are destroyed and/or if your bank branch is not accessible. In the aftermath of a disaster, phone lines, cell towers and businesses could be shut down for months while online access to your bank accounts will be virtually uninterrupted by the natural disaster.
3. Ensure that your insurance premiums, car payments, mortgage and other important bills are paid automatically even if you don't have access to the mail or to your checkbook. Sign up with your billers for Direct Payment. Your bills are paid automatically each month, so you are assured that you will have insurance when you need it and that your car and house payments will remain in good standing.
4. Make a photocopy of everything in your wallet, scan the copies into your computer and save them on a disk. Keep the disk with your preparedness supplies. This takes 15 minutes to do and will save you if your wallet and financial records are destroyed or stolen. In case of power outage, also keep a paper copy of these records in a safe place like a bank vault. It's vitally important to have this information if you need to cancel credit cards, have proof of identification and insurance coverage.
5. Get an ATM card or Checkcard even if you only plan to use it in an emergency. In a disaster, cash is king with some retailers, at least for the short term. If you need immediate supplies, you will want to have access to cash through an ATM. In the days after a disaster, it can be virtually impossible to cash a check or to find retailers whose credit card systems are working.
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1. Sign up for Direct Deposit of your paycheck or Social Security benefit. One of the major problems in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina was that people paid by checks had no access to their money. On the other hand, people paid through Direct Deposit were paid on time automatically. If your employer doesn't offer Direct Deposit, send them to the business section of www.electronicpay ments.org to see the benefits of offering the service, not only to their employees, but also to the bottom line of the company.
2. Consider online banking so that you have access to your account records if your paper records are destroyed and/or if your bank branch is not accessible. In the aftermath of a disaster, phone lines, cell towers and businesses could be shut down for months while online access to your bank accounts will be virtually uninterrupted by the natural disaster.
3. Ensure that your insurance premiums, car payments, mortgage and other important bills are paid automatically even if you don't have access to the mail or to your checkbook. Sign up with your billers for Direct Payment. Your bills are paid automatically each month, so you are assured that you will have insurance when you need it and that your car and house payments will remain in good standing.
4. Make a photocopy of everything in your wallet, scan the copies into your computer and save them on a disk. Keep the disk with your preparedness supplies. This takes 15 minutes to do and will save you if your wallet and financial records are destroyed or stolen. In case of power outage, also keep a paper copy of these records in a safe place like a bank vault. It's vitally important to have this information if you need to cancel credit cards, have proof of identification and insurance coverage.
5. Get an ATM card or Checkcard even if you only plan to use it in an emergency. In a disaster, cash is king with some retailers, at least for the short term. If you need immediate supplies, you will want to have access to cash through an ATM. In the days after a disaster, it can be virtually impossible to cash a check or to find retailers whose credit card systems are working.
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Sunday, September 5, 2010
Just Fill Survey and Get Paid Cash, It is That Simple!
Fill survey and get paid cash: many of us are wondering if it really can be that simple. Actually, it is just that simple!
You can get paid money for simply filling out a survey. Getting money for filling out a questionnaire is not a new concept. In fact it has been around for many years. Recently with the introduction of the Internet survey companies have started incorporating online surveys as part of their market research.
To earn money for complete a survey you are basically agreeing to be one of the statistics that a company is going to use for their own purposes. There are a variety of reasons for companies to use paid surveys to gather their market research, but the biggest reason is the variety of survey responses they will get.
To earn a survey pay day, you need to be registered with an online company that can match you up with paying surveys. There are a variety of ways to earn money through this type of system. But the easiest way is to find someone else who is earning money for filling out surveys and ask them to recommend a company you could work through. If you work hard, it is possible to earn a high level of pay as a full-time survey taker.
After you have found a good company to work with, then it is your responsibility to register with all the individual companies that need survey takers. This process should never cost you money, but it can take up a lot of your time. You need to register with all the individual companies that you would like to receive surveys from in order to get a cash paid survey.
Once you have registered with the individual companies, they will begin sending you surveys to start filling out for money. Simply respond to all the questions on the survey and follow all the directions and you will get paid. It is really as simple as that!
After you have filled out a few surveys, you may start to get a feel for it and actually want to work more. It is easy to increase your survey workload and start earning some really good money. Just add one or two more surveys a day to your regular routine until you have reached the amount of money you are happy with.
Many people also find they can earn good money referring other people to the survey website that they are using. Most survey companies pay very well for their referrals. Referrals are also the best way for you to learn about other good paying survey companies.
Paid surveys are real and they are available to anybody that is willing to take the time to fill them out. If you are dedicated to making money doing online surveys, then you will be able to make money. The more dedicated you are the more money you can make! It really is just as simple as that.
profile
You can get paid money for simply filling out a survey. Getting money for filling out a questionnaire is not a new concept. In fact it has been around for many years. Recently with the introduction of the Internet survey companies have started incorporating online surveys as part of their market research.
To earn money for complete a survey you are basically agreeing to be one of the statistics that a company is going to use for their own purposes. There are a variety of reasons for companies to use paid surveys to gather their market research, but the biggest reason is the variety of survey responses they will get.
To earn a survey pay day, you need to be registered with an online company that can match you up with paying surveys. There are a variety of ways to earn money through this type of system. But the easiest way is to find someone else who is earning money for filling out surveys and ask them to recommend a company you could work through. If you work hard, it is possible to earn a high level of pay as a full-time survey taker.
After you have found a good company to work with, then it is your responsibility to register with all the individual companies that need survey takers. This process should never cost you money, but it can take up a lot of your time. You need to register with all the individual companies that you would like to receive surveys from in order to get a cash paid survey.
Once you have registered with the individual companies, they will begin sending you surveys to start filling out for money. Simply respond to all the questions on the survey and follow all the directions and you will get paid. It is really as simple as that!
After you have filled out a few surveys, you may start to get a feel for it and actually want to work more. It is easy to increase your survey workload and start earning some really good money. Just add one or two more surveys a day to your regular routine until you have reached the amount of money you are happy with.
Many people also find they can earn good money referring other people to the survey website that they are using. Most survey companies pay very well for their referrals. Referrals are also the best way for you to learn about other good paying survey companies.
Paid surveys are real and they are available to anybody that is willing to take the time to fill them out. If you are dedicated to making money doing online surveys, then you will be able to make money. The more dedicated you are the more money you can make! It really is just as simple as that.
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Saturday, September 4, 2010
Money is About Life: Life is About Mastering Money
Too often we get caught up in our lives to worry about finances. The problem is that finances are in many cases why our lives are so hectic. This phenomenon is all too common. I say "we" because I face the very same difficulties - even though I am a financial advisor.
I like most people would like to live a life where someone else did the things around the house and at the office that I don't want to do, I would like to be able to spend time at an emotionally meaningful and challenging profession, I would like to spend time with my wife and kids, and I would like some down time to do whatever I opt to do.
Given these financial goals I often wonder what I (and my clients) are doing to work towards those goals. I (and most of my clients) spend a lot of time around the house and office doing things I (we) don't want to do. I find excuses for not hiring someone to do those things.
Instead of focusing my energies at work on things that are emotionally meaningful (such as stewarding money towards charitable causes) and challenging (such as structuring complex partnership agreements), I tend to spend my days pushing paperwork and setting up accounts. Yet, I have spent very little time thinking about how to remedy this situation. When I start thinking about these issues, I often make excuses (such as "if I want it done right, I have to do it myself").
I spend a lot of hours in the office and even when I am at home I end up doing tasks that are away from my wife and children (such as mowing the lawn or repairing a leaky faucet). I could easily hire this type of work out, but somehow I always end up just doing it myself.
I have a lot of interests, such as coaching my son's soccer team, reading classic literature (especially 18th century thrillers), and restoring old run down Volvos. Other than the coaching, I never seem to find time to do these things that I enjoy.
At this point you might be thinking, "so what does that have to do with finances?" The answer is that it has everything to do with finances. Each decision is predicated on either earning more money or spending less money. That is the rub. The dirty secret that is all too taboo in our society. Money, if used properly, can in fact make your life better.
In all of the financial advice I give my clients, one message remains the same: your money is your happiness. Secure your money and you will secure your life. Of course this advice means different things to different people. The "do-it-yourselfer" may read this to mean that they should be frugal and save every penny, to have a brighter tomorrow. The "fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants" kind of person might read it to mean that they should spend everything to have a brighter today.
Luckily they are both right. Each individual can and should examine what is important to them. They should set out (I mean by actually writing it down) a plan in light of what is important to them. They should take steps over time to fully implement that plan and they should review the plan periodically to ensure that they are still pursuing goals that are important to them. This is what I teach clients and this is what I try to implement in my own life.
I spend more time at home with my family and I hire rather than do some things myself. In short I force myself to do what is not what I would normally do. After exploring my (and my wife's) goals, that was what was important to us. Having made a lot of progress towards these goals, I can tell you that my life is a thousand times better today than when I started. I fully expect it to be a thousand times greater in the future.
This is what true financial planning is all about. If you have not explored your goals, I urge you to do so now. If you haven't met with a financial professional to discuss your goals, I urge you to do so today. Once you start making progress towards your goals, you will wonder why you didn't do so sooner.
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I like most people would like to live a life where someone else did the things around the house and at the office that I don't want to do, I would like to be able to spend time at an emotionally meaningful and challenging profession, I would like to spend time with my wife and kids, and I would like some down time to do whatever I opt to do.
Given these financial goals I often wonder what I (and my clients) are doing to work towards those goals. I (and most of my clients) spend a lot of time around the house and office doing things I (we) don't want to do. I find excuses for not hiring someone to do those things.
Instead of focusing my energies at work on things that are emotionally meaningful (such as stewarding money towards charitable causes) and challenging (such as structuring complex partnership agreements), I tend to spend my days pushing paperwork and setting up accounts. Yet, I have spent very little time thinking about how to remedy this situation. When I start thinking about these issues, I often make excuses (such as "if I want it done right, I have to do it myself").
I spend a lot of hours in the office and even when I am at home I end up doing tasks that are away from my wife and children (such as mowing the lawn or repairing a leaky faucet). I could easily hire this type of work out, but somehow I always end up just doing it myself.
I have a lot of interests, such as coaching my son's soccer team, reading classic literature (especially 18th century thrillers), and restoring old run down Volvos. Other than the coaching, I never seem to find time to do these things that I enjoy.
At this point you might be thinking, "so what does that have to do with finances?" The answer is that it has everything to do with finances. Each decision is predicated on either earning more money or spending less money. That is the rub. The dirty secret that is all too taboo in our society. Money, if used properly, can in fact make your life better.
In all of the financial advice I give my clients, one message remains the same: your money is your happiness. Secure your money and you will secure your life. Of course this advice means different things to different people. The "do-it-yourselfer" may read this to mean that they should be frugal and save every penny, to have a brighter tomorrow. The "fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants" kind of person might read it to mean that they should spend everything to have a brighter today.
Luckily they are both right. Each individual can and should examine what is important to them. They should set out (I mean by actually writing it down) a plan in light of what is important to them. They should take steps over time to fully implement that plan and they should review the plan periodically to ensure that they are still pursuing goals that are important to them. This is what I teach clients and this is what I try to implement in my own life.
I spend more time at home with my family and I hire rather than do some things myself. In short I force myself to do what is not what I would normally do. After exploring my (and my wife's) goals, that was what was important to us. Having made a lot of progress towards these goals, I can tell you that my life is a thousand times better today than when I started. I fully expect it to be a thousand times greater in the future.
This is what true financial planning is all about. If you have not explored your goals, I urge you to do so now. If you haven't met with a financial professional to discuss your goals, I urge you to do so today. Once you start making progress towards your goals, you will wonder why you didn't do so sooner.
profile
Friday, September 3, 2010
On Valley National Bancorp
Valley National Bancorp (VLY) is a conservative bank with a strong position in northern New Jersey and a presence in Manhattan. The bank, founded in 1927, has about $12 billion in assets.
Valley has consistently earned extraordinary returns on assets and equity. Over the last twenty years, Valley has averaged a 1.74% return on assets and a 21.12% return on equity.
Valley’s worst two-year performance occurred in 1990 and 1991. During that period, Valley’s return on equity dropped as low as 14.54% and its ROA dropped as low as 1.29%. Even in Valley’s worst year (1991), the company still managed to roughly match the average long-term performance of most of its peers. In other words, Valley’s worst year was a close to typical year for many other banks.
It was at this low-point in 1991 that the board of directors decided not to increase the cash dividend. That was the only year in the last 37 that Valley did not increase its dividend.
The company has 79 consecutive years of profitable operations. That’s over 300 quarters (Valley has yet to post a quarterly loss). More importantly, Valley has a record of earning great returns on both assets and equity over long periods of time. So, what’s the company’s secret?
Location
Northern New Jersey is about the best place in the world to situate a bank. This isn’t hyperbole; if there’s a better location, I’ve yet to hear of it. As you know, American banks are unusually profitable. The market is large and highly fragmented. So, naturally the best place to situate a bank would be in the United States. But, why north Jersey in particular?
In a September 20th, 2001 interview with The Wall Street Transcript, Valley’s chairman, Gerald Lipkin explained why northern New Jersey is such an attractive market:
"Northern New Jersey is the single most densely populated area on earth. There are more people per square mile in northern New Jersey than there are in India, China, Japan or anyplace else. We have the highest median family income in the United States in that area. So, we serve a very densely populated and affluent area, which is not dominated by any single industry."
Focus
Valley maintains a narrow focus both in terms of geography and services. The company’s offices are kept within one hour of the bank’s headquarters in Wayne, NJ. In the same interview, Mr. Lipkin explained why this geographic concentration is important: “We like to make it very convenient for our client base to meet with senior management as well as the other members of our staff."
Valley focuses on relationship banking. The company has residency requirements for its directors. The majority of directors are to live within 100 miles of the corporate headquarters. Furthermore, each board member is required to use Valley for both business and personal accounts. Theoretically, these two requirements ensure board members are familiar with the bank’s services and are best able to understand the needs of local businesses.
Discipline
Valley has a history of highly disciplined lending. Charge-offs are immaterial. Current reserves are adequate to cover many years of future charge-offs with little difficulty. The company’s asset quality ratios and loan to value ratios both indicate Valley has a more conservative approach to lending than many of its peers.
Undoubtedly, the local economy is helpful in this regard. Valley does not need to make questionable loans, because there is an abundance of opportunity in the local area. It is possible for the bank to remain fairly selective without forfeiting growth entirely. For instance, despite having $12 billion in assets, Valley only has about a 6% market share in northern New Jersey.
Management
Banking, like insurance, is a business where a particularly good or particularly poor management can greatly affect long-term results. The current Chairman, President, and CEO, Gerald Lipkin, has served for just over thirty years now. His record is unblemished.
Of course, the real responsibility for avoiding mistakes lies with others in the organization. There are few businesses where individual employees can do as much harm as they can within a bank. Valley’s past record and the level of experience of its top managers suggests investors should encounter very few unpleasant surprises resulting from human error.
Mr. Lipkin made his management philosophy quite clear with his concluding remarks in the aforementioned 2001 interview with The Wall Street Transcript:
"We never bet the ranch – we never put the bank in harms way on any single issue that could really harm it. Lending money is a risk taking business. So, obviously we at times have problems, situations with individual loans, but we try to avoid concentrations that could create major problems."
Valuation
Valley National Bancorp is a solid, well-run bank operating in a geographic area with excellent economics. The company’s physical footprint and its existing relationships give it a narrow moat in a highly profitable (and increasingly competitive) region.
Unfortunately, the company is trading at more than three times book. Three times book is a lot to pay for any bank. Valley’s future growth will likely be somewhat restrained by the company’s conservative approach. Therefore, dividends are going to make up a significant portion of an investor’s total returns.
Conclusion
Valley is a good bank. It has a real moat, albeit a narrow one. Competition is increasing within Valley’s territory. However, the company has been able to compete successfully with new entrants (who tend to take on far less profitable business).
The stock isn’t cheap today, but there is one wrinkle worth keeping in mind. Valley is more dependent upon interest rate spreads than most banks. If the yield curve was to become significantly steeper, Valley would reap outsized rewards.
The current dividend yield on a share of Valley National Bancorp is a little less than 3.5%. Considering the company’s limited growth prospects, this is an unattractive yield. If, during a period of general uncertainty within the banking industry, shares of VLY were to trade closer to two times book, investors would have an opportunity to make a long-term commitment in a quality bank.
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Valley has consistently earned extraordinary returns on assets and equity. Over the last twenty years, Valley has averaged a 1.74% return on assets and a 21.12% return on equity.
Valley’s worst two-year performance occurred in 1990 and 1991. During that period, Valley’s return on equity dropped as low as 14.54% and its ROA dropped as low as 1.29%. Even in Valley’s worst year (1991), the company still managed to roughly match the average long-term performance of most of its peers. In other words, Valley’s worst year was a close to typical year for many other banks.
It was at this low-point in 1991 that the board of directors decided not to increase the cash dividend. That was the only year in the last 37 that Valley did not increase its dividend.
The company has 79 consecutive years of profitable operations. That’s over 300 quarters (Valley has yet to post a quarterly loss). More importantly, Valley has a record of earning great returns on both assets and equity over long periods of time. So, what’s the company’s secret?
Location
Northern New Jersey is about the best place in the world to situate a bank. This isn’t hyperbole; if there’s a better location, I’ve yet to hear of it. As you know, American banks are unusually profitable. The market is large and highly fragmented. So, naturally the best place to situate a bank would be in the United States. But, why north Jersey in particular?
In a September 20th, 2001 interview with The Wall Street Transcript, Valley’s chairman, Gerald Lipkin explained why northern New Jersey is such an attractive market:
"Northern New Jersey is the single most densely populated area on earth. There are more people per square mile in northern New Jersey than there are in India, China, Japan or anyplace else. We have the highest median family income in the United States in that area. So, we serve a very densely populated and affluent area, which is not dominated by any single industry."
Focus
Valley maintains a narrow focus both in terms of geography and services. The company’s offices are kept within one hour of the bank’s headquarters in Wayne, NJ. In the same interview, Mr. Lipkin explained why this geographic concentration is important: “We like to make it very convenient for our client base to meet with senior management as well as the other members of our staff."
Valley focuses on relationship banking. The company has residency requirements for its directors. The majority of directors are to live within 100 miles of the corporate headquarters. Furthermore, each board member is required to use Valley for both business and personal accounts. Theoretically, these two requirements ensure board members are familiar with the bank’s services and are best able to understand the needs of local businesses.
Discipline
Valley has a history of highly disciplined lending. Charge-offs are immaterial. Current reserves are adequate to cover many years of future charge-offs with little difficulty. The company’s asset quality ratios and loan to value ratios both indicate Valley has a more conservative approach to lending than many of its peers.
Undoubtedly, the local economy is helpful in this regard. Valley does not need to make questionable loans, because there is an abundance of opportunity in the local area. It is possible for the bank to remain fairly selective without forfeiting growth entirely. For instance, despite having $12 billion in assets, Valley only has about a 6% market share in northern New Jersey.
Management
Banking, like insurance, is a business where a particularly good or particularly poor management can greatly affect long-term results. The current Chairman, President, and CEO, Gerald Lipkin, has served for just over thirty years now. His record is unblemished.
Of course, the real responsibility for avoiding mistakes lies with others in the organization. There are few businesses where individual employees can do as much harm as they can within a bank. Valley’s past record and the level of experience of its top managers suggests investors should encounter very few unpleasant surprises resulting from human error.
Mr. Lipkin made his management philosophy quite clear with his concluding remarks in the aforementioned 2001 interview with The Wall Street Transcript:
"We never bet the ranch – we never put the bank in harms way on any single issue that could really harm it. Lending money is a risk taking business. So, obviously we at times have problems, situations with individual loans, but we try to avoid concentrations that could create major problems."
Valuation
Valley National Bancorp is a solid, well-run bank operating in a geographic area with excellent economics. The company’s physical footprint and its existing relationships give it a narrow moat in a highly profitable (and increasingly competitive) region.
Unfortunately, the company is trading at more than three times book. Three times book is a lot to pay for any bank. Valley’s future growth will likely be somewhat restrained by the company’s conservative approach. Therefore, dividends are going to make up a significant portion of an investor’s total returns.
Conclusion
Valley is a good bank. It has a real moat, albeit a narrow one. Competition is increasing within Valley’s territory. However, the company has been able to compete successfully with new entrants (who tend to take on far less profitable business).
The stock isn’t cheap today, but there is one wrinkle worth keeping in mind. Valley is more dependent upon interest rate spreads than most banks. If the yield curve was to become significantly steeper, Valley would reap outsized rewards.
The current dividend yield on a share of Valley National Bancorp is a little less than 3.5%. Considering the company’s limited growth prospects, this is an unattractive yield. If, during a period of general uncertainty within the banking industry, shares of VLY were to trade closer to two times book, investors would have an opportunity to make a long-term commitment in a quality bank.
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Thursday, September 2, 2010
Auto Insurance – risk your car free
Shopping for auto insurance is the only way to save on the auto insurance. Car Insurance is the perfect solution for your problem on car theft, accidents etc. People are quite dependent on their vehicles and losing a vehicle by an accident or theft will be a financial loss. Moreover it will affect our day to day activities like office, school, doctor's appointment etc.
Auto Insurance provides property, liability and medical coverage:
• Property coverage pays for damage to or theft of your car.
• Liability coverage pays for your legal responsibility to cover for injury or property damage
• Medical coverage pays for the cost of treating injuries, rehabilitation. It also pays for any lost wages and funeral expenses
A standard form of auto insurance is a package of different kinds of coverage. Some insurance policies offer number of standard benefits, while other benefits are available as optional covers in return for an extra premium. Some of the more common Car insurance policy benefits are:
• Windscreen
• Driving other cars
• Medical expenses
• Personal effects
• New car benefits
• Lock replacement
Additional auto Insurance policy services include
• Motoring protection
This service pays for personal injuries that you have sustained from the accident and also we pay for injuries that others might have sustained. This service also covers for any kind of property loss. This service also handles any legal technicalities.
• Breakdown assistance
This services provides assistance incase your car breakdown and more often than not at a worst possible time. Complete details of these services are available when you get your car insurance quote or renew your policy online.
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Auto Insurance provides property, liability and medical coverage:
• Property coverage pays for damage to or theft of your car.
• Liability coverage pays for your legal responsibility to cover for injury or property damage
• Medical coverage pays for the cost of treating injuries, rehabilitation. It also pays for any lost wages and funeral expenses
A standard form of auto insurance is a package of different kinds of coverage. Some insurance policies offer number of standard benefits, while other benefits are available as optional covers in return for an extra premium. Some of the more common Car insurance policy benefits are:
• Windscreen
• Driving other cars
• Medical expenses
• Personal effects
• New car benefits
• Lock replacement
Additional auto Insurance policy services include
• Motoring protection
This service pays for personal injuries that you have sustained from the accident and also we pay for injuries that others might have sustained. This service also covers for any kind of property loss. This service also handles any legal technicalities.
• Breakdown assistance
This services provides assistance incase your car breakdown and more often than not at a worst possible time. Complete details of these services are available when you get your car insurance quote or renew your policy online.
profile
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
How to Get a Game Bundle Cheaply?
Game in any form is exciting and tactical. Whether you play against your local soccer club or you play online against somebody sitting far away in front of your console, the intensity of playing game is almost similar. In real game the player needs to involve directly and in virtual game, the player controls the game as a third party. Though the intensity of the game remains same, but risk involved in playing real game is more than playing virtual games and playing virtual gain is not that strenuous in comparison to playing real game. That might be the reason behind growing popularity behind virtual game. 3D animation and advanced gaming accessories have made game playing really a great experience and as competitive as a real could be. Let's discuss some of the facts related to gaming accessories and how do they contribute to the popularity of the virtual gaming.
The history of virtual game is not that old as it has just crop up during the mid 20th century. The first ever gaming device invented was in 1947 and the idea of a "Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device" was realized by T. Goldsmith Jr. and Estle Ray Mann. Sinse then, the gaming industry has never looked back and every day some new concept has been innovated and some new technology has been invented. From analog devices to sophisticated Xbox 360 gaming console, the gaming world has created so many historical milestones which need days to script down.
Though there are so many companies are manufacturing gaming bundles including consoles and other accessories, but the industry is dominated and lead by three major gaming accessories manufacturers: Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. Microsoft's Xbox series, Sony's PlayStation series and Nintendo's Wii series are the most popular gaming consoles in the world. The latest console of Xbox series is Xbox 360. It has lot of advanced features that can make your gaming experience great. All three gaming consoles are of seventh generation gaming consoles.
Basically a video game console bundle consists of gaming accessories like controllers, power supply, console (i.e. Core Unit), game media and memory card. You can even purchase any of the above mentioned accessories individually. Visit BlueBearToys store at your locality or log on to our website for thousands of great alarm clocks products with exciting price range that enables you saving up to 50% on your purchase.
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Monday, August 30, 2010
How to Put Video on your Website: Video File Types
If you want to put video on your website you must have a good knowledge of the basic video file types. What video file type to use? what are the pros and cons of each file type? These are just some of the questions you should ask yourself before proceeding with video implementation on your webpages.
There are three basic video file types on the internet. Mpeg, AVI and Quicktime. I believe the Quicktime file type is the most popular since a lot of huge entertainment and news sites use it exclusively on their web pages.
AVI is the oldest of the three main file types. It is a windows oriented video format but it's not the most popular because of the sound and video compatibility and synchronizing problems. Because the Quicktime format can be used on either a windows or a macintosh computer, the AVI video file type loses it's popularity every day.
The mpeg format is a popular video file type that uses it's high output quality to increase it's popularity over the Quicktime format. Mpeg is used on video games, cd-roms and other media that require high output quality. One disadvantage of mpeg is that it sacrifices file size to gain in digital quality. The mpeg video files are usually large.
Another disadvantage of the mpeg format is that you really need time and sophisticated hardware and software to convert plain video into mpeg. And let's not forget that the mpeg format is not supported by apple and macintosh meaning that if you put mpeg video on your website, those users with macintosh will not be able to see it.
Quicktime is by far the most popular video file type developed by apple for macintosh users, but is also compatible with the IBM-compatible machines and the windows operating systems. The hardware and software you need to digitize video into the Quicktime format is very inexpensive, compared to the mpeg format. So its much easier and cheaper to create video and put it on your website using the Quicktime format.
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There are three basic video file types on the internet. Mpeg, AVI and Quicktime. I believe the Quicktime file type is the most popular since a lot of huge entertainment and news sites use it exclusively on their web pages.
AVI is the oldest of the three main file types. It is a windows oriented video format but it's not the most popular because of the sound and video compatibility and synchronizing problems. Because the Quicktime format can be used on either a windows or a macintosh computer, the AVI video file type loses it's popularity every day.
The mpeg format is a popular video file type that uses it's high output quality to increase it's popularity over the Quicktime format. Mpeg is used on video games, cd-roms and other media that require high output quality. One disadvantage of mpeg is that it sacrifices file size to gain in digital quality. The mpeg video files are usually large.
Another disadvantage of the mpeg format is that you really need time and sophisticated hardware and software to convert plain video into mpeg. And let's not forget that the mpeg format is not supported by apple and macintosh meaning that if you put mpeg video on your website, those users with macintosh will not be able to see it.
Quicktime is by far the most popular video file type developed by apple for macintosh users, but is also compatible with the IBM-compatible machines and the windows operating systems. The hardware and software you need to digitize video into the Quicktime format is very inexpensive, compared to the mpeg format. So its much easier and cheaper to create video and put it on your website using the Quicktime format.
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Sunday, August 29, 2010
Watching TV on Pc
There has been a big trend these days on watching TV on Pc. This is a convergence between computers, internet (broadband) and the television universe.
Most of the people are using PC-TV to watch their favorite: sports, movies and many other programs not always shown on the local TV channels. With the emergence of Broadband, the quality has improved enormously, bringing high-resolution and crystal clear sound. We are talking here about PC TV-via-the-Internet and not TV Tuner card.
IPTV - Internet Protocol Television - is around the corner: BT and Microsoft having recently announced a partnership to deliver a range of services covering sports, entertainment and news direct to your home via the internet.
But you do not need to wait for this IPTV or Venice Project (by Skype creators).
Today there are many sites, proclaiming to provide you the necessary software and know how for enabling you to watch shows that otherwise wouldn't be available.
We have checked several of them. The first question is that real? Yes it is. In addition the cost is very low.
There are many sites offering you such a service, not all of them are good, but few are worth your money.
The one we consider to be one of the best is called watchtvpc.net. They are offering you a subscription of one year at a very low price and they give you all the needed software and instructions.
They have also a lot of updates. Weakness, they are not always Apple compatible.
profile
Most of the people are using PC-TV to watch their favorite: sports, movies and many other programs not always shown on the local TV channels. With the emergence of Broadband, the quality has improved enormously, bringing high-resolution and crystal clear sound. We are talking here about PC TV-via-the-Internet and not TV Tuner card.
IPTV - Internet Protocol Television - is around the corner: BT and Microsoft having recently announced a partnership to deliver a range of services covering sports, entertainment and news direct to your home via the internet.
But you do not need to wait for this IPTV or Venice Project (by Skype creators).
Today there are many sites, proclaiming to provide you the necessary software and know how for enabling you to watch shows that otherwise wouldn't be available.
We have checked several of them. The first question is that real? Yes it is. In addition the cost is very low.
There are many sites offering you such a service, not all of them are good, but few are worth your money.
The one we consider to be one of the best is called watchtvpc.net. They are offering you a subscription of one year at a very low price and they give you all the needed software and instructions.
They have also a lot of updates. Weakness, they are not always Apple compatible.
profile
Saturday, August 28, 2010
How To Effectively Market With Video On The Web
Online video publishing has indeed taken the Internet by storm in recent years, making the use of video for marketing, promotion, news and PR online a true key strategic component and a key business differentiator for internet marketers who want to communicate effectively about their product profile and benefits within the shortest possible of time.
Internet is full of information and the average attention span of a web user today is measured in seconds. When web users search for their information at a search engine, they will get thousands of search results; when they visit your website, they may only spend a few seconds and little efforts to scan through what you are selling or proposing and decide whether your content, style, look and approach are a good fit for what they were actually looking for. These first few seconds are crucial and if you can delivery clear and targeted message by offering a fast, highly visual way to get their further attention and engage their interest, you have done bingo.
Does this mean that you just need to simply put up 10-min video tutorial on your website or just slamming some video contents up on your web pages, you will instantly sell more products or services? If this is your way of marketing with video on the web and hoping to get high conversion rate of traffic-to-sales, you will more toward getting disappointments than good news.
In order to make your video to effectively market your products/services online and convey your product/service key traits and characteristics within a very short amount of time in a unique, memorable way. These are a few rules of thumb to follow:
1. Get Your Video Seen
If you want your video to be your effective marketing tool, it must be able to see by as many web users as possible. Hence, don't just keep and tight your video inside your web site borders. Let your video content be free and distributed to the majors video sharing websites such as YouTube and Google video so that not only others can watch and talk about it, but they can easily download it, redistribute it, if not even publish it directly on their own sites.
2. Small File & Load Fast
Statistics show that average web users spend their time waiting for a page to load is about 7 seconds. Web pages that take longer than 7 seconds to load, their visitors normally are on the verge of clicking away and visit other website. Hence, you need to make sure your video file is small enough, ideally less than 1 megabyte and load almost in real time to keep the interest your visitors. AVI is the most common video format, the file size can easily exist 10 megabytes for a short 2-3 minutes video; hence if you share your video in this format, you most probably will get "click away" from you visitors because of long loading time of your video file. Hence, you must get a video format conversion tool to convert your video to a more internet friendly format such as SWF format.
3. Let Them Know It's A Video, A Short Video
If the web users do not know that it is a video, they won't click it and play it; hence your video will get watch. So, you must let the web users know that the "box" is a video; the best way is to make it look like a video / VCR-like by having a play and stop button where the web users can click to play the video and stop it whenever they want to stop it.
Let the web users know also this is a short video. No one wants to sit through a 30 minute presentation on the history of your company; be focused on your products/services and deliver your messages preferable within 2 minutes.
In Summary
Effectively market with video on the web is not just slamming some video content up on your web pages, it more toward effective video communication through video publishing & sharing on the web.
profile
Internet is full of information and the average attention span of a web user today is measured in seconds. When web users search for their information at a search engine, they will get thousands of search results; when they visit your website, they may only spend a few seconds and little efforts to scan through what you are selling or proposing and decide whether your content, style, look and approach are a good fit for what they were actually looking for. These first few seconds are crucial and if you can delivery clear and targeted message by offering a fast, highly visual way to get their further attention and engage their interest, you have done bingo.
Does this mean that you just need to simply put up 10-min video tutorial on your website or just slamming some video contents up on your web pages, you will instantly sell more products or services? If this is your way of marketing with video on the web and hoping to get high conversion rate of traffic-to-sales, you will more toward getting disappointments than good news.
In order to make your video to effectively market your products/services online and convey your product/service key traits and characteristics within a very short amount of time in a unique, memorable way. These are a few rules of thumb to follow:
1. Get Your Video Seen
If you want your video to be your effective marketing tool, it must be able to see by as many web users as possible. Hence, don't just keep and tight your video inside your web site borders. Let your video content be free and distributed to the majors video sharing websites such as YouTube and Google video so that not only others can watch and talk about it, but they can easily download it, redistribute it, if not even publish it directly on their own sites.
2. Small File & Load Fast
Statistics show that average web users spend their time waiting for a page to load is about 7 seconds. Web pages that take longer than 7 seconds to load, their visitors normally are on the verge of clicking away and visit other website. Hence, you need to make sure your video file is small enough, ideally less than 1 megabyte and load almost in real time to keep the interest your visitors. AVI is the most common video format, the file size can easily exist 10 megabytes for a short 2-3 minutes video; hence if you share your video in this format, you most probably will get "click away" from you visitors because of long loading time of your video file. Hence, you must get a video format conversion tool to convert your video to a more internet friendly format such as SWF format.
3. Let Them Know It's A Video, A Short Video
If the web users do not know that it is a video, they won't click it and play it; hence your video will get watch. So, you must let the web users know that the "box" is a video; the best way is to make it look like a video / VCR-like by having a play and stop button where the web users can click to play the video and stop it whenever they want to stop it.
Let the web users know also this is a short video. No one wants to sit through a 30 minute presentation on the history of your company; be focused on your products/services and deliver your messages preferable within 2 minutes.
In Summary
Effectively market with video on the web is not just slamming some video content up on your web pages, it more toward effective video communication through video publishing & sharing on the web.
profile
Friday, August 27, 2010
Create your own Streaming Audio studio for under $50.00
Creating your own Streaming Audio audio studio has never been easier. There are so many great products around today that will allow you to produce high quality streaming audio for a fraction of the price it used to cost.
HARDWARE
The first thing you will need is a compatible computer. Today every new computer is already set up with everything you will need. A basic sound card with a mic and line in jack. If you do not have a sound card they are very cheap and you can get a good one from any standard computer shop.
Next you will need a good mic. These come in all sizes and shapes with different configurations however a general all round mic like the Logitech Noise-canceling microphone is fine for beginners. I suggest you get a desk top one to start with, as you may want to move into video later and so you wont want a headset in your videos.
Of course you could go up a stage and get a preamp with a professional mic but this will start running into dollars and the whole aim of this article is to help you get started.
Next you will want to get some cables to connect up your tape recorder and other audio equipment. Again the computer stores now have packs that will connect up pretty well any device into your computer to digitalise your sound. You want to record directly onto your computer however you can get those old tapes and Vinyl records into a digital format also.
SOFTWARE - RECORDING
Recording your audio is probably one of the most critical parts of this process and again you can get software that ranges from free to many thousands of dollars. For this exercise I suggest you download the free copy of Audacity. This is an excellent free software package that will allow you to record from your microphone or any equipment you have.
It provides excellent editing capabilities and also will allow you to edit multiple tracks and then combine them into one single track. For a quick overview of how to do this you can watch this video and also download the software
http://mp3soundstream.com/Audacity_Tutorial_-_Free_Audio_Editing_Software.html
SOFTWARE - CONVERTING
The next piece of software you will need for your studio is a converting program that will allow you to convert different formats. For example you may have a real audio file and you want to convert it to mp3. dBpoweramp is like the Swiss army knife for the audio industry and will convert just about any file to any other file format.
Convert from one format to another, just about every audio type is supported: mp3, mp4, Windows Media Audio (wma), Ogg Vorbis, AAC, Monkeys Audio, FLAC and many others whilst preserving ID Tags. It will also rip CDs for you.
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/dmc.htm
SOFTWARE - REDUCTION
If you are going to stream an mp3 direct then you may want to recompile the file to a smaller format. RazorLame is a so-called "front-end" for use with LAME. LAME is a great MP3-Encoder, it's very fast, it produces high-quality files, has many advanced features (like Variable Bitrates and Joint-Stereo), and it's open source. Unfortunately, it is a command line utility, and that is where RazorLame comes in: It provides an easy-to-use graphical user-interface which makes MP3-encoding even easier!
The best way to use this software is to get one file and compile in a number of different formats to test the size against quality.
http://www.dors.de/razorlame/download.php
SOFTWARE – STREAMING
There are a few different ways of streaming your new audio files. If you have Macromedia products you can simple organize this your self however there are some great third party programs around that will do it all for you at a fraction of the cost.
MP3 SOUND STREAM
This is a simple piece of software that takes any mp3 or wav audio and converts the whole file into a swf file and then attaches a button so that viewers can listen on a web page without needing to download any extra software. This is because the flash plugin is on 98% of computes and if not it will automatically detect and load the small plugin. This is great for anyone not wanting to get into all the technical aspects of streaming audio.
You will not need to reduce your files at all with this program as it does it all for you. This is perfect for anyone wanting to stream one file at a time and wants to do it quickly and efficiently. It will stream even over most modem connections.
http://www.mp3soundstream.com
MSIJUKEBOX
For people wanting to stream a number of files then MSIJukebox is a great alternative. This software lets you choose any number of mp3 files and then organises them using an XML file. By using the above free programs you can significantly reduce the size of these files to save on bandwidth.
Because MSIJukebox streams the actual mp3 you can also have a lot higher quality playback including stereo files. This is much better for those wanting to stream a number of very high quality mp3 files.
http://www.msijukebox.com
SUMMARY
So there you have it. A complete studio set up for under $100. Just download all the free software and purchase any of the streaming audio products that you want. You can then create, edit and manipulate any audio files you like. You will also be able to add these audios to your website.
With the web surfer becoming much more "web savvy" than they were a year ago, they are expecting not only information but also an entertaining web experience.
profile
HARDWARE
The first thing you will need is a compatible computer. Today every new computer is already set up with everything you will need. A basic sound card with a mic and line in jack. If you do not have a sound card they are very cheap and you can get a good one from any standard computer shop.
Next you will need a good mic. These come in all sizes and shapes with different configurations however a general all round mic like the Logitech Noise-canceling microphone is fine for beginners. I suggest you get a desk top one to start with, as you may want to move into video later and so you wont want a headset in your videos.
Of course you could go up a stage and get a preamp with a professional mic but this will start running into dollars and the whole aim of this article is to help you get started.
Next you will want to get some cables to connect up your tape recorder and other audio equipment. Again the computer stores now have packs that will connect up pretty well any device into your computer to digitalise your sound. You want to record directly onto your computer however you can get those old tapes and Vinyl records into a digital format also.
SOFTWARE - RECORDING
Recording your audio is probably one of the most critical parts of this process and again you can get software that ranges from free to many thousands of dollars. For this exercise I suggest you download the free copy of Audacity. This is an excellent free software package that will allow you to record from your microphone or any equipment you have.
It provides excellent editing capabilities and also will allow you to edit multiple tracks and then combine them into one single track. For a quick overview of how to do this you can watch this video and also download the software
http://mp3soundstream.com/Audacity_Tutorial_-_Free_Audio_Editing_Software.html
SOFTWARE - CONVERTING
The next piece of software you will need for your studio is a converting program that will allow you to convert different formats. For example you may have a real audio file and you want to convert it to mp3. dBpoweramp is like the Swiss army knife for the audio industry and will convert just about any file to any other file format.
Convert from one format to another, just about every audio type is supported: mp3, mp4, Windows Media Audio (wma), Ogg Vorbis, AAC, Monkeys Audio, FLAC and many others whilst preserving ID Tags. It will also rip CDs for you.
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/dmc.htm
SOFTWARE - REDUCTION
If you are going to stream an mp3 direct then you may want to recompile the file to a smaller format. RazorLame is a so-called "front-end" for use with LAME. LAME is a great MP3-Encoder, it's very fast, it produces high-quality files, has many advanced features (like Variable Bitrates and Joint-Stereo), and it's open source. Unfortunately, it is a command line utility, and that is where RazorLame comes in: It provides an easy-to-use graphical user-interface which makes MP3-encoding even easier!
The best way to use this software is to get one file and compile in a number of different formats to test the size against quality.
http://www.dors.de/razorlame/download.php
SOFTWARE – STREAMING
There are a few different ways of streaming your new audio files. If you have Macromedia products you can simple organize this your self however there are some great third party programs around that will do it all for you at a fraction of the cost.
MP3 SOUND STREAM
This is a simple piece of software that takes any mp3 or wav audio and converts the whole file into a swf file and then attaches a button so that viewers can listen on a web page without needing to download any extra software. This is because the flash plugin is on 98% of computes and if not it will automatically detect and load the small plugin. This is great for anyone not wanting to get into all the technical aspects of streaming audio.
You will not need to reduce your files at all with this program as it does it all for you. This is perfect for anyone wanting to stream one file at a time and wants to do it quickly and efficiently. It will stream even over most modem connections.
http://www.mp3soundstream.com
MSIJUKEBOX
For people wanting to stream a number of files then MSIJukebox is a great alternative. This software lets you choose any number of mp3 files and then organises them using an XML file. By using the above free programs you can significantly reduce the size of these files to save on bandwidth.
Because MSIJukebox streams the actual mp3 you can also have a lot higher quality playback including stereo files. This is much better for those wanting to stream a number of very high quality mp3 files.
http://www.msijukebox.com
SUMMARY
So there you have it. A complete studio set up for under $100. Just download all the free software and purchase any of the streaming audio products that you want. You can then create, edit and manipulate any audio files you like. You will also be able to add these audios to your website.
With the web surfer becoming much more "web savvy" than they were a year ago, they are expecting not only information but also an entertaining web experience.
profile
Thursday, August 26, 2010
3 Things You Must Have In Order To Profit From Your Hobby
With over 70% of people who responded to a recent survey revealing that they were thinking about starting a business of some sort, working from home is becoming more the norm than ever before.
The problem for many people is that they don’t really know where to start and how to turn their dream into something tangible.
3 critical things you'll need in order to turn your hobby into a profitable business are -
#1 – A Positive Attitude
By far your biggest asset in turning your favorite hobby into a thriving business is a positive attitude. I think it was Harry F. Banks who said, “Attitude determines your altitude”.
If you are going to pursue your dream and make it a reality, you must have a positive attitude and the willingness to commit to what it takes to make it happen.
So many people start out on the road to turning their hobby into a business, and then at the first sign of an obstacle, they give up, often just before they start to see results.
A positive attitude will help you to break through the barriers and temporary setbacks and reach your desired goal.
#2 – The Determination To Succeed
Many people who fall in love with the idea of turning their hobby into a business are looking for an easy way out and at the first problem, they give up and let circumstances crush their dreams.
By developing a fierce determination to succeed, your chances of creating a profitable business are infinitely higher and you are virtually setting yourself up for success.
While there are not guarantees that you will eventually make it, having the determination to push on regardless of minor problems and find solutions is the mark of a true winner.
Determination and a positive attitude can work together to help a dedicated person succeed where others have failed
#3 – A Proven System
The final and some would say most important thing you’ll need is a proven system for marketing your products and/or services.
You need a step by step process that you can follow to ensure your success; something that other’s have used successfully to achieve the same goal you have.
It’s no use having an incredibly positive attitude and loads of determination if you choose a system that’s flawed and never had a chance of working in the first place.
Look for proof that other people have followed any system you are considering and become successful.
Unfortunately, many people waste money, and more importantly, valuable time, chasing the latest fad or scheme offered by unscrupulous promoters. Most of these schemes haven't agot hope of succeeding, but people fall for them every day.
Don’t ever take the promoter’s word that it will work for you…demand unquestionable PROOF that many people, from all walks of life, have been able to use what he or she is offering to turn their hobby or passion into a profitable business.
When it comes to the system, results are the only thing that matters…
profile
The problem for many people is that they don’t really know where to start and how to turn their dream into something tangible.
3 critical things you'll need in order to turn your hobby into a profitable business are -
#1 – A Positive Attitude
By far your biggest asset in turning your favorite hobby into a thriving business is a positive attitude. I think it was Harry F. Banks who said, “Attitude determines your altitude”.
If you are going to pursue your dream and make it a reality, you must have a positive attitude and the willingness to commit to what it takes to make it happen.
So many people start out on the road to turning their hobby into a business, and then at the first sign of an obstacle, they give up, often just before they start to see results.
A positive attitude will help you to break through the barriers and temporary setbacks and reach your desired goal.
#2 – The Determination To Succeed
Many people who fall in love with the idea of turning their hobby into a business are looking for an easy way out and at the first problem, they give up and let circumstances crush their dreams.
By developing a fierce determination to succeed, your chances of creating a profitable business are infinitely higher and you are virtually setting yourself up for success.
While there are not guarantees that you will eventually make it, having the determination to push on regardless of minor problems and find solutions is the mark of a true winner.
Determination and a positive attitude can work together to help a dedicated person succeed where others have failed
#3 – A Proven System
The final and some would say most important thing you’ll need is a proven system for marketing your products and/or services.
You need a step by step process that you can follow to ensure your success; something that other’s have used successfully to achieve the same goal you have.
It’s no use having an incredibly positive attitude and loads of determination if you choose a system that’s flawed and never had a chance of working in the first place.
Look for proof that other people have followed any system you are considering and become successful.
Unfortunately, many people waste money, and more importantly, valuable time, chasing the latest fad or scheme offered by unscrupulous promoters. Most of these schemes haven't agot hope of succeeding, but people fall for them every day.
Don’t ever take the promoter’s word that it will work for you…demand unquestionable PROOF that many people, from all walks of life, have been able to use what he or she is offering to turn their hobby or passion into a profitable business.
When it comes to the system, results are the only thing that matters…
profile
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Debt Relief Part 1
Most of us will face some type financial crisis in our lifetime. It may be caused by personal or family illness, loss of your job, or just overspending. Whatever reason, the first thing that must be done is creating a budget.
Make an income column and list all sources and the amount of income. If the income is from a salary at work, only include your bring home pay, not your gross. Only bring home or net pay is available to spend.
Next, make an expense column. In this column, first list what is called fixed expenses. These are things that you have no control over. Home mortgage, electric bill, insurance, vehicle payments, taxes etc. are expenses that occur each month and must be paid on a timely basis. Now, list all other things you spend money for each month. Everything! Yes, no matter how small amount or how insignificant it seems, it is an expense.
Look at the total of income and the total expenses. The expenses probably scare you, but you can take control with some planning and possibly a little restructuring.
The next step, ask yourself is just how bad is the situation. If it is minor, then adjust your budget accordingly. The main thing is to make the budget and adjust and then stick to it. Don’t fudge. That will put you right back to where you were. There is no instant fix. You did not get her overnight and you will not recover overnight. It takes discipline.
The focus on my business is teaching people to follow their dream by becoming debt free and remaining debt free. We should not be a slave to our bills or debt. Most programs deal with managing your money, paying the bills but remaining in debt, broke and unhappy. I have discovered some cool videos that is filled with FREE information that will train you to take $300 and turn it into $30,000 in 6 months. That alone could get you out of debt, but there is even more video training available that could put you in financial position to retire in 12 months. I know that sounds too good to be true, however it is possible. You must believe you can do it and work at it until it happens.
profile
Make an income column and list all sources and the amount of income. If the income is from a salary at work, only include your bring home pay, not your gross. Only bring home or net pay is available to spend.
Next, make an expense column. In this column, first list what is called fixed expenses. These are things that you have no control over. Home mortgage, electric bill, insurance, vehicle payments, taxes etc. are expenses that occur each month and must be paid on a timely basis. Now, list all other things you spend money for each month. Everything! Yes, no matter how small amount or how insignificant it seems, it is an expense.
Look at the total of income and the total expenses. The expenses probably scare you, but you can take control with some planning and possibly a little restructuring.
The next step, ask yourself is just how bad is the situation. If it is minor, then adjust your budget accordingly. The main thing is to make the budget and adjust and then stick to it. Don’t fudge. That will put you right back to where you were. There is no instant fix. You did not get her overnight and you will not recover overnight. It takes discipline.
The focus on my business is teaching people to follow their dream by becoming debt free and remaining debt free. We should not be a slave to our bills or debt. Most programs deal with managing your money, paying the bills but remaining in debt, broke and unhappy. I have discovered some cool videos that is filled with FREE information that will train you to take $300 and turn it into $30,000 in 6 months. That alone could get you out of debt, but there is even more video training available that could put you in financial position to retire in 12 months. I know that sounds too good to be true, however it is possible. You must believe you can do it and work at it until it happens.
profile
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Do You Really Need Disaster Insurance?
The expenses involved with owning a home can be overwhelming at times - routine maintenance, repairs, seasonal preparations, improvements. Not to mention taxes, fees, and all those monthly bills. Some homeowners, in trying to reduce their expenses, wonder if they really need disaster insurance.
Disaster insurance is typically defined as additional homeowner's insurance to cover events like hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and floods. Home insurance policies typically cover hurricanes and tornadoes (review your policy to be certain in covers damage from such events). But often damage from floods and earthquakes isn't covered. This extra insurance, if desired, must be purchased in addition to your standard homeowner policy, and it can be expensive, depending on where you live.
Because disaster insurance can be expensive, it's a type of coverage some homeowners opt not to buy. But in some cases they are required to buy. For example, mortgaged homes in the US that are located in designated flood hazard areas are required to buy flood insurance through the US National Flood Insurance Program. Of course, once those mortgages are paid, there is no longer a requirement to buy such insurance. But homeowners in those areas should carefully consider whether they really want to take the risk that their home and everything in it could be swept away, leaving them with nothing but an empty lot. Homeowners that aren't in designated flood hazard areas should still know that floods can cause plumbing problems, like sewer and septic backups. These often aren't covered in a standard homeowner's policy, and they may want to consider an endorsement for coverage.
In the US, many tend to think that only the area along the west coast is subject to earthquakes. This isn't true however, and 39 US states have some potential for earthquakes. Coverage for seismic events can be very expensive in California and other western states, but homeowners in other states should evaluate the cost vs. the earthquake risk for the area where they live.
profile
Disaster insurance is typically defined as additional homeowner's insurance to cover events like hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and floods. Home insurance policies typically cover hurricanes and tornadoes (review your policy to be certain in covers damage from such events). But often damage from floods and earthquakes isn't covered. This extra insurance, if desired, must be purchased in addition to your standard homeowner policy, and it can be expensive, depending on where you live.
Because disaster insurance can be expensive, it's a type of coverage some homeowners opt not to buy. But in some cases they are required to buy. For example, mortgaged homes in the US that are located in designated flood hazard areas are required to buy flood insurance through the US National Flood Insurance Program. Of course, once those mortgages are paid, there is no longer a requirement to buy such insurance. But homeowners in those areas should carefully consider whether they really want to take the risk that their home and everything in it could be swept away, leaving them with nothing but an empty lot. Homeowners that aren't in designated flood hazard areas should still know that floods can cause plumbing problems, like sewer and septic backups. These often aren't covered in a standard homeowner's policy, and they may want to consider an endorsement for coverage.
In the US, many tend to think that only the area along the west coast is subject to earthquakes. This isn't true however, and 39 US states have some potential for earthquakes. Coverage for seismic events can be very expensive in California and other western states, but homeowners in other states should evaluate the cost vs. the earthquake risk for the area where they live.
profile
Monday, August 23, 2010
Insurance Leads Services Pave the Way for Success
Insurance agents playing a numbers game are not playing with the odds in their favor when they are focusing on old-style marketing techniques. Without proven, cutting edge strategies; seasoned professionals and new agents alike will have little choice over investing their money in expensive marketing such as:
Agents working in the insurance business whether they are with a career company or working independently can benefit equally for the following reasons:
Leads can play into the numbers game by generating a quantity of prospects that are already quality. Agents who understand their business know that the more people they see, the greater their chances are of making sales. The chance for making sales is increased even further when the prospects are actually interested in the service or product the agents represent.
Higher Interest Equals Higher Income
By diversifying their marketing investment to include a lead service; agents can literally increase their opportunities to close a sale. While the odds favor sales when using a lead service, the agent still needs to speak to the prospect and close the deal. By recognizing that prospects may be shopping their insurance needs for a number of reasons, the agent must demonstrate knowledge of their product or services as well as generous people skills.
Focusing their target market to prospects that are already qualified will limit the amount of time that might otherwise be wasted spent chasing the wrong prospects. When an insurance agent chases down the wrong prospects, they not only face discouragement, but also frustration and a loss of time they can ill afford to waste. While there are no magic cures to finding the perfect sale, an insurance lead service maximizes the opportunity.
Realize that over 90% of the insurance agents chasing the wrong prospects in the insurance business are out of business in less than 5 years. The average insurance agent generates less than $40,000 a year in income. Mounting frustration and time wasted contributes to that number. So if 90% are out, why are 10% still in the business?
The Ten-Percent Solution
The ten percent still in the business aren’t wasting their time on the wrong leads. They diversify their marketing budgets to include a lead service. That lead service gives them ample opportunities to speak to prospects that are primed to buy what they are offering. They are not treating their business like a numbers game. They are focusing on personally touching base with an interested market. They can then turn those interested prospects into real sales that generate real income.
Higher income gives an agent a competitive edge. A career company agent can improve their leverage and position within a corporation. This gives them the opportunity to gain promotion within their corporation. For the independent agent, this can increase their independence. They set their own hours; using their time wisely and still see their profits increase.
No matter what area an insurance agent is working in, a lead service will provide them with the best business opportunity to maximize not only their investment but also their time. Insurance agents, not limited by preconceived marketing notions, can still play the numbers game. The game they play, however, will be stacked in their favor.
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- Direct Mail
- Phone Dialers
- Fax Blasting
- Post Cards
- Seminars
Agents working in the insurance business whether they are with a career company or working independently can benefit equally for the following reasons:
- Leads provide high quality prospects
- Prospects can be turned into sales
- Sales generate income
- Income increases profits and competitive edge
Leads can play into the numbers game by generating a quantity of prospects that are already quality. Agents who understand their business know that the more people they see, the greater their chances are of making sales. The chance for making sales is increased even further when the prospects are actually interested in the service or product the agents represent.
Higher Interest Equals Higher Income
By diversifying their marketing investment to include a lead service; agents can literally increase their opportunities to close a sale. While the odds favor sales when using a lead service, the agent still needs to speak to the prospect and close the deal. By recognizing that prospects may be shopping their insurance needs for a number of reasons, the agent must demonstrate knowledge of their product or services as well as generous people skills.
Focusing their target market to prospects that are already qualified will limit the amount of time that might otherwise be wasted spent chasing the wrong prospects. When an insurance agent chases down the wrong prospects, they not only face discouragement, but also frustration and a loss of time they can ill afford to waste. While there are no magic cures to finding the perfect sale, an insurance lead service maximizes the opportunity.
Realize that over 90% of the insurance agents chasing the wrong prospects in the insurance business are out of business in less than 5 years. The average insurance agent generates less than $40,000 a year in income. Mounting frustration and time wasted contributes to that number. So if 90% are out, why are 10% still in the business?
The Ten-Percent Solution
The ten percent still in the business aren’t wasting their time on the wrong leads. They diversify their marketing budgets to include a lead service. That lead service gives them ample opportunities to speak to prospects that are primed to buy what they are offering. They are not treating their business like a numbers game. They are focusing on personally touching base with an interested market. They can then turn those interested prospects into real sales that generate real income.
Higher income gives an agent a competitive edge. A career company agent can improve their leverage and position within a corporation. This gives them the opportunity to gain promotion within their corporation. For the independent agent, this can increase their independence. They set their own hours; using their time wisely and still see their profits increase.
No matter what area an insurance agent is working in, a lead service will provide them with the best business opportunity to maximize not only their investment but also their time. Insurance agents, not limited by preconceived marketing notions, can still play the numbers game. The game they play, however, will be stacked in their favor.
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Sunday, August 22, 2010
Supposition and Credit Repair
When it comes down to it, the majority of people are always assuming, and most of them assume the worst. Creditors or anyone today all base their theories on suppositions, and suppositions have forever caused failure. When people fail to pay their bills on time, many of the creditors suppose that the debtor doesn't have the ability to pay the debt. Many creditors with the supposition that you are not capable of paying your bills will sometimes make arrangements or lower the amount so that you can repay the debt.
This is one possible step to credit repair, however in this case you must contact your creditor to let them know your situation. If you have several bills on hand and all the bills are pressing, it makes sense to payoff the debt that benefits you the most. After this bill is paid you can set aside an amount the following paycheck to payoff another of the bills. If you follow this strategy it allows you to work your bills down gradually therefor repairing your credit.
If you don’t have the money to repay the bill in full, atleast pay the minimum so that you can continue using the service. Most debtors suppose they are in debt and there is nothing they can do to resolve the problems that ravage their lives day in and day out. Creditors are always on their back, and their paychecks are never enough to make ends meet. This is a process of giving up on life. When we give up it usually leads to stress. The answer is often right in front of them or comes to them sometime in the future. Sometimes we see Credit Counseling or Debt Consolidation advertisments and think, "how can they help me.” The fact is Debt Consolidation is only a lead to get creditors off your back for a while. Credit Counselors are more likely to help you find a solution to repairing your credit.
Credit Counselors can be the solution when you can't find a way out on your own. These professionals work with your creditors, and work toward a solution. This is absolutely a way to get creditors off your back, work out an arrangement with your debtors, and reduce the stress that comes with financial burdens. Some credit counseling services offer a low fee for their services and provide you with a financial managing solution. These services often offer help with managing your cash, as well as offering counseling to homeowners, students, and so forth. There are many solutions for debt relief so the key then is not assuming the worst. Again the important solution is paying off the debts that are the highest priorities. If you have secured loans it is always smart to find a way to pay these bills before any others. Unsecured loans can pose a threat, but nothing compared to secured loans or debts. Some of the nonessential bills can include credit cards. Although you are responsible for this bill, the worst that happens with credit cards is that you loose your privileges.
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This is one possible step to credit repair, however in this case you must contact your creditor to let them know your situation. If you have several bills on hand and all the bills are pressing, it makes sense to payoff the debt that benefits you the most. After this bill is paid you can set aside an amount the following paycheck to payoff another of the bills. If you follow this strategy it allows you to work your bills down gradually therefor repairing your credit.
If you don’t have the money to repay the bill in full, atleast pay the minimum so that you can continue using the service. Most debtors suppose they are in debt and there is nothing they can do to resolve the problems that ravage their lives day in and day out. Creditors are always on their back, and their paychecks are never enough to make ends meet. This is a process of giving up on life. When we give up it usually leads to stress. The answer is often right in front of them or comes to them sometime in the future. Sometimes we see Credit Counseling or Debt Consolidation advertisments and think, "how can they help me.” The fact is Debt Consolidation is only a lead to get creditors off your back for a while. Credit Counselors are more likely to help you find a solution to repairing your credit.
Credit Counselors can be the solution when you can't find a way out on your own. These professionals work with your creditors, and work toward a solution. This is absolutely a way to get creditors off your back, work out an arrangement with your debtors, and reduce the stress that comes with financial burdens. Some credit counseling services offer a low fee for their services and provide you with a financial managing solution. These services often offer help with managing your cash, as well as offering counseling to homeowners, students, and so forth. There are many solutions for debt relief so the key then is not assuming the worst. Again the important solution is paying off the debts that are the highest priorities. If you have secured loans it is always smart to find a way to pay these bills before any others. Unsecured loans can pose a threat, but nothing compared to secured loans or debts. Some of the nonessential bills can include credit cards. Although you are responsible for this bill, the worst that happens with credit cards is that you loose your privileges.
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Saturday, August 21, 2010
Super Balance Transfer Credit Cards
Credit cards are a great way to spend money that you do not have and we all know that so it is nothing new to us. A credit card is a spending tool that many of us would feel as if we had had a limb cut off if we could no longer have one, would also ring true to a lot of people.
Start Making Money
There are ways to make money from credit cards, rather than them being a drain on your finances. One such way that many may do not know about is the 0% “Super Balance Transfer”, another step up from the 0% Balance Transfer, which lets you move your debt around to save you from paying interest charges. The 0% “Super Balance Transfer” allows you to pay other debts.
This is how it works, a 0% “Super Balance Transfer” can be used to pay off any debts that you have that are not credit card related. This is done by paying the money that you will get from the new credit card straight into your bank account, leaving you free to pay off any manner of debt that you have, this is where it differs from the normal 0% Balance Transfer facility.
You can pay off any debt that suits
This cash can also be transferred into your account even if you are free from any debt, which means that you can place your credit limit into a high savings account, then once the 0% interest period is almost over, you take the cash that the credit card company “lent” you and pay it back into and thus clearing the credit card debt. Always remember though that while this cash is lying in your savings account gathering interest you will still have to meet the minimum payment set by the credit card issuer, which is normally 2% of the balance or a minimum of £5.00.
The golden rule! Do not use this card to make purchases!
Once you have paid off the credit card you will be left with a profit for borrowing someone else’s cash, but what you have to remember is that you don’t spend on the credit card, this will only eat into the profits that are there to be made and could defeat the whole purpose of why you were doing it in the first place.
Finding the credit card companies who offer this service wont be too difficult, but most will require a fee to transfer your credit limit into your account, this will normally be a 2% charge to a maximum of £50, though you may find that a few credit card companies will not be charging as much as this.
profile
Start Making Money
There are ways to make money from credit cards, rather than them being a drain on your finances. One such way that many may do not know about is the 0% “Super Balance Transfer”, another step up from the 0% Balance Transfer, which lets you move your debt around to save you from paying interest charges. The 0% “Super Balance Transfer” allows you to pay other debts.
This is how it works, a 0% “Super Balance Transfer” can be used to pay off any debts that you have that are not credit card related. This is done by paying the money that you will get from the new credit card straight into your bank account, leaving you free to pay off any manner of debt that you have, this is where it differs from the normal 0% Balance Transfer facility.
You can pay off any debt that suits
This cash can also be transferred into your account even if you are free from any debt, which means that you can place your credit limit into a high savings account, then once the 0% interest period is almost over, you take the cash that the credit card company “lent” you and pay it back into and thus clearing the credit card debt. Always remember though that while this cash is lying in your savings account gathering interest you will still have to meet the minimum payment set by the credit card issuer, which is normally 2% of the balance or a minimum of £5.00.
The golden rule! Do not use this card to make purchases!
Once you have paid off the credit card you will be left with a profit for borrowing someone else’s cash, but what you have to remember is that you don’t spend on the credit card, this will only eat into the profits that are there to be made and could defeat the whole purpose of why you were doing it in the first place.
Finding the credit card companies who offer this service wont be too difficult, but most will require a fee to transfer your credit limit into your account, this will normally be a 2% charge to a maximum of £50, though you may find that a few credit card companies will not be charging as much as this.
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Friday, August 20, 2010
Successful Credit Cards For A Successful You!
There are tons of competing credit card companies around. For the consumer in you and me, separating the wheat from them tares among these companies will be quite an enormous task. What should one look for anyway when considering what credit card company to avail of?
As with most smart consumers, the key to finding the best credit card company is to stick with the best. Among the hundreds of credit card companies that exist, only about 10 to 20 can be considered truly successful. Identifying these companies will narrow down your choices to the select few credit cards that are worth applying for.
Here are some of the characteristics of successful credit card companies.
1) No Annual Fee – Some credit card companies are confident enough in their status that they do not need to collect annual fees. When you consider applying for a card, make sure you consider those that do not have annual fees first. Remember, if these companies that require annual fees are not content to make money off of the interest on your purchases, then they are not financially reliable to bank on. If the card you are looking at has annual fees, steer clear of them unless they offer some fantastic feature that you just can’t miss.
2) Extended Interest Days- Upon purchase of an item using your credit card, you will not be charged interest unless you are unable to pay before the set interest day deadline. The most successful credit card companies offer longer periods of grace. This means that you do no have to pay interest until that day comes. Often enough, the standard for this period is 25 days.
To avoid having to pay interest, you have to pay within 25 days after your billing statement. For large purchases that require numerous months to pay, you can swallow the interest for its sake.
3) Low Annual Percentage Rate – Some credit card companies offer low annual percentage rates. These companies can attract more customers because they have the financial clout to wag such a deal in front of consumers. Consumers will benefit from lower APR. Companies that offer lower APRs hint of larger consumer bases that make such offers possible.
If you plan to pay your balance on credit cards in full, the APR may not be much of a factor in your selection of a credit card.
4) Consult Feedbacks and Industry Profiles – most successful credit card companies are featured in business journals and other media. This will also give you an idea of who’s who in the credit card business.
profile
As with most smart consumers, the key to finding the best credit card company is to stick with the best. Among the hundreds of credit card companies that exist, only about 10 to 20 can be considered truly successful. Identifying these companies will narrow down your choices to the select few credit cards that are worth applying for.
Here are some of the characteristics of successful credit card companies.
1) No Annual Fee – Some credit card companies are confident enough in their status that they do not need to collect annual fees. When you consider applying for a card, make sure you consider those that do not have annual fees first. Remember, if these companies that require annual fees are not content to make money off of the interest on your purchases, then they are not financially reliable to bank on. If the card you are looking at has annual fees, steer clear of them unless they offer some fantastic feature that you just can’t miss.
2) Extended Interest Days- Upon purchase of an item using your credit card, you will not be charged interest unless you are unable to pay before the set interest day deadline. The most successful credit card companies offer longer periods of grace. This means that you do no have to pay interest until that day comes. Often enough, the standard for this period is 25 days.
To avoid having to pay interest, you have to pay within 25 days after your billing statement. For large purchases that require numerous months to pay, you can swallow the interest for its sake.
3) Low Annual Percentage Rate – Some credit card companies offer low annual percentage rates. These companies can attract more customers because they have the financial clout to wag such a deal in front of consumers. Consumers will benefit from lower APR. Companies that offer lower APRs hint of larger consumer bases that make such offers possible.
If you plan to pay your balance on credit cards in full, the APR may not be much of a factor in your selection of a credit card.
4) Consult Feedbacks and Industry Profiles – most successful credit card companies are featured in business journals and other media. This will also give you an idea of who’s who in the credit card business.
profile
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Adjustable Rate Mortgages – Determining Rates
Adjustable rate mortgages are to home buyers as carrots are to bunnies – very tempting. The secret to figuring out if an adjustable rate mortgage is a good deal is the rate index used.
Indexes – Setting Rates
Lenders really want your business and are willing to create enticing loan products to get it. Occasionally, lenders will offer adjustable rate mortgages that offer a lot of carrot on the front end, but none on the back end. These loans are typically offered to you with an insanely low initial interest rate, which has you looking at mansions and other structures completely out of your realistic price range. The problem with these loans is the rate rises dramatically after six months or a year when the rate becomes pegged to an index.
Indexes are a unique animal when it comes to the mortgage industry. An index is a calculation of general interest rates charged across a number of financial markets that a bank uses to set a real interest rate on your loan. Common financial markets or products considered in this index include six month certificate deposit rates at local banks, LIBOR, T-Bills and so on. Let’s take a closer look.
1. Certificate Deposits – Better known as “CDs”, these are the fixed time period investing vehicles you can get at your local bank. You agree to deposit a certain amount for six months and the bank gives you a guaranteed interest rate of return such as three percent.
2. T-Bills – Officially known as Treasury Bills, T-Bills are the credit cards for the federal government. Currently, Uncle Sam owes trillions of dollars on his and pays a certain interest rate on the debit. The interest rate is used by lenders in calculating your ARM rates.
3. Cost of Funds Index – It gets a bit technical, but this index represents the rates being used by banks in Nevada, Arizona and California as an average.
4. LIBOR – Officially known as the London Interbank Offered Rate Index, LIBOR is a popular index upon which to base ARM rates. Now, you are probably wondering what London has to do with the United States real estate market. LIBOR represents the interest rate international banks charge to borrow U.S. dollars on the London currency markets. LIBOR rates move quickly and can result in unstable interest rate moves for your adjustable mortgage.
Why Indexes Matter
Indexes matter because they set the base of the interest rates charged on your loan. Assume you apply for an adjustable rate mortgage based on a LIBOR index. Assume the LIBOR rate is 2.2 percent when you apply. The 2.2 percent is your starting interest rate. If the LIBOR shoots up one percent in eight months, your loan will do the same.
Importantly, the index rate used for your loan is not the interest rate you will pay. Instead, you have to add the banks margin on top of the index rate. Most banks will charge two to three percent on top of the index rate. Using our LIBOR example, the initial interest rate of your loan would be 2.2 percent plus whatever the bank is using as a spread. Obviously, this means you need to closely read the loan documents to figure out how the game is being played!
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Indexes – Setting Rates
Lenders really want your business and are willing to create enticing loan products to get it. Occasionally, lenders will offer adjustable rate mortgages that offer a lot of carrot on the front end, but none on the back end. These loans are typically offered to you with an insanely low initial interest rate, which has you looking at mansions and other structures completely out of your realistic price range. The problem with these loans is the rate rises dramatically after six months or a year when the rate becomes pegged to an index.
Indexes are a unique animal when it comes to the mortgage industry. An index is a calculation of general interest rates charged across a number of financial markets that a bank uses to set a real interest rate on your loan. Common financial markets or products considered in this index include six month certificate deposit rates at local banks, LIBOR, T-Bills and so on. Let’s take a closer look.
1. Certificate Deposits – Better known as “CDs”, these are the fixed time period investing vehicles you can get at your local bank. You agree to deposit a certain amount for six months and the bank gives you a guaranteed interest rate of return such as three percent.
2. T-Bills – Officially known as Treasury Bills, T-Bills are the credit cards for the federal government. Currently, Uncle Sam owes trillions of dollars on his and pays a certain interest rate on the debit. The interest rate is used by lenders in calculating your ARM rates.
3. Cost of Funds Index – It gets a bit technical, but this index represents the rates being used by banks in Nevada, Arizona and California as an average.
4. LIBOR – Officially known as the London Interbank Offered Rate Index, LIBOR is a popular index upon which to base ARM rates. Now, you are probably wondering what London has to do with the United States real estate market. LIBOR represents the interest rate international banks charge to borrow U.S. dollars on the London currency markets. LIBOR rates move quickly and can result in unstable interest rate moves for your adjustable mortgage.
Why Indexes Matter
Indexes matter because they set the base of the interest rates charged on your loan. Assume you apply for an adjustable rate mortgage based on a LIBOR index. Assume the LIBOR rate is 2.2 percent when you apply. The 2.2 percent is your starting interest rate. If the LIBOR shoots up one percent in eight months, your loan will do the same.
Importantly, the index rate used for your loan is not the interest rate you will pay. Instead, you have to add the banks margin on top of the index rate. Most banks will charge two to three percent on top of the index rate. Using our LIBOR example, the initial interest rate of your loan would be 2.2 percent plus whatever the bank is using as a spread. Obviously, this means you need to closely read the loan documents to figure out how the game is being played!
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Wednesday, August 18, 2010
3 Lifesaving Tactics to Stay Afloat In a Constantly Changing Marketplace
Let’s face the facts... old-fashioned marketing tools aren’t going to keep your business a growing and prosperous entity in today’s marketplace. Hey, this month’s hottest techniques and information will be obsolete in six months. Now, I’m not saying that old marketing principals can’t be upgraded and incorporated successfully, but as a rule marketers have to stay on top of the latest marketing trends.
If you’re wanting to stay ahead of your business savvy competitors you’ll need to implement 3 tactics to stay one step ahead.
1. Watch For New Advertising Methods
You never know what will work for you unless you take the time to experiment! Who knows? The next marketing experiment you test may be a million dollar idea. Keep your eyes peeled for the latest marketing news.
It never pays to put all of your eggs in one basket. Don’t neglect the tried and true marketing tools that have been successful in the past. Invest about 20 percent of your advertising budget and time into testing for new marketing strategies that will increase your profits.
2. Spruce Things Up
Don’t get stuck in a rut. Yeah, you have products that have been successful for years, but what would happen if you gave them a “face lift?’ Would you attract new customers? Would your old customers enjoy the change? You’ll be surprised at what a new packaging will do for old product sales.
Sprucing up doesn’t have to stop with your products. A few minor changes in the store appearance can bring new life to your place of business as well.
3. Diversify
The more products you have to offer, the more insulation you have against the decline in popularity of one particular item. Don’t go out on a limb, when you’ve got a good thing going. Look for products and services that compliment your current products and services.
Don’t let the speed-of-light changes in the market take your business under. Stay afloat with these proven tactics.
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If you’re wanting to stay ahead of your business savvy competitors you’ll need to implement 3 tactics to stay one step ahead.
1. Watch For New Advertising Methods
You never know what will work for you unless you take the time to experiment! Who knows? The next marketing experiment you test may be a million dollar idea. Keep your eyes peeled for the latest marketing news.
It never pays to put all of your eggs in one basket. Don’t neglect the tried and true marketing tools that have been successful in the past. Invest about 20 percent of your advertising budget and time into testing for new marketing strategies that will increase your profits.
2. Spruce Things Up
Don’t get stuck in a rut. Yeah, you have products that have been successful for years, but what would happen if you gave them a “face lift?’ Would you attract new customers? Would your old customers enjoy the change? You’ll be surprised at what a new packaging will do for old product sales.
Sprucing up doesn’t have to stop with your products. A few minor changes in the store appearance can bring new life to your place of business as well.
3. Diversify
The more products you have to offer, the more insulation you have against the decline in popularity of one particular item. Don’t go out on a limb, when you’ve got a good thing going. Look for products and services that compliment your current products and services.
Don’t let the speed-of-light changes in the market take your business under. Stay afloat with these proven tactics.
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Tuesday, August 17, 2010
3 Key Secret Components For Wholesale Profit Success
Everyday it is getting more attractive to start selling wholesale items online and offline because of the profit potential many products carry. Now a days if you plan to make a part-time income or make a full-time living by selling wholesale items, you need to know three basic components that almost every seller online and offline do not use to their advantage.
In order to have success within the wholesale business you need to follow the three steps key components 98% average Joe marketer does not apply and fails to recognize as vital important factors for company short-term and long-term success as competition is getting heavier every day, such key steps are:
Key Component Number 1: Research. Product and market research both online and offline is a must for the initial start-up success of a potential profitable wholesale business.
You need to discover what wholesale items are profitable, which items are viable and saturated, item acceptance-nationally or worldwide, market population, item conversion rate, return on investment and competition research to name a few.
Know how to make this research before deciding to sell a product and more importantly, a wholesale item. Since when we sell wholesale, profits are less since we sell to merchants, retailers or clients and therefore need more research time to enjoy possible future profits.
Key Component Number 2: Test. Most successful businesses test their product and system before even starting to sell the main item both online or offline.
One of the tools you can use for your immediate advantage is the use of surveys. By using and completing a survey to a potential customer, you obtain valuable rapport on customer likes and dislikes about your idea, product or business concept. Use this free survey resource to your advantage before selling for immediate feedback.
Key Component Number 3: Take Action. Start offering the wholesale item for a fee and gather final conclusions if your item will or will not sell. By doing the proper research, testing and getting into an action process mode, you will win or lose money. No matter what happens in your sales experience with your new item, you earn profits or you gain considerable knowledge and experience.
Very importantly, you must take action with your new idea or recurring wholesale business venture as doing so will increase your experience and potential profit success within your niche and industry.
profile
In order to have success within the wholesale business you need to follow the three steps key components 98% average Joe marketer does not apply and fails to recognize as vital important factors for company short-term and long-term success as competition is getting heavier every day, such key steps are:
Key Component Number 1: Research. Product and market research both online and offline is a must for the initial start-up success of a potential profitable wholesale business.
You need to discover what wholesale items are profitable, which items are viable and saturated, item acceptance-nationally or worldwide, market population, item conversion rate, return on investment and competition research to name a few.
Know how to make this research before deciding to sell a product and more importantly, a wholesale item. Since when we sell wholesale, profits are less since we sell to merchants, retailers or clients and therefore need more research time to enjoy possible future profits.
Key Component Number 2: Test. Most successful businesses test their product and system before even starting to sell the main item both online or offline.
One of the tools you can use for your immediate advantage is the use of surveys. By using and completing a survey to a potential customer, you obtain valuable rapport on customer likes and dislikes about your idea, product or business concept. Use this free survey resource to your advantage before selling for immediate feedback.
Key Component Number 3: Take Action. Start offering the wholesale item for a fee and gather final conclusions if your item will or will not sell. By doing the proper research, testing and getting into an action process mode, you will win or lose money. No matter what happens in your sales experience with your new item, you earn profits or you gain considerable knowledge and experience.
Very importantly, you must take action with your new idea or recurring wholesale business venture as doing so will increase your experience and potential profit success within your niche and industry.
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Sunday, August 15, 2010
3 Cold Calling Mistakes that Trigger Rejection
Here are 3 common cold calling techniques that you should probably avoid:
Mistake #1: Center the conversation around yourself and what you have to offer
In the old approach, you introduce yourself, explain what you do, and suggest a benefit or feature of your product. And then you close your eyes and pray that the other person will be interested
Unfortunately, the moment you stop talking you usually hear, "Sorry, I’m busy," or "Sorry, I'm not interested."
You see, you’ve started your cold call by talking about your world and what you have to offer. But realistically, most people aren’t all that interested in you. When you talk about your company and your product, it’s just another advertisement to them. You haven’t engaged them, so they often just "turn the page."
Prospects are much more interested in themselves and what’s important to them. So if you start the conversation by focusing on their world, they’re more likely to interact with you.
So instead, talk about an issue or problem they may need solving. Focus on them rather than on what you have to offer. And see where it takes you.
Mistake #2: Be confident they should buy your product or service
In the old cold calling mindset, you’re taught to focus on the sale and be completely confident that what you’re offering is something the other person should buy.
The problem with this approach is that you haven’t asked them to determine this along with you. So think about it – in the old mindset, you’re really deciding for someone else what’s good for them. I know this isn’t intended, but that’s exactly what comes across to your prospects.
So rather than being full of confidence and enthusiasm, stop for a minute and think about the other individual. Relax into a real conversation instead of moving into a persuasive strategy or sales pitch. Put yourself in their shoes and invite them to explore along with you whether what you have to offer is a match for them.
Others really can distinguish the difference. You’re inviting them to see if you might be able to help them solve a problem. This makes for a much better connection right at the beginning, and you’ll get that immediate rejection reaction much less.
Mistake #3: When someone brings up an objection, try to overcome it
You know, one of the reasons cold calling is so difficult is that sometimes you may not be very familiar with the other person and their business. When you make that first call, you don’t know very much about their issues, problems, budget, and time constraints.
Chances are, not everyone is going to benefit by your product or service.
So realistically, your company or product isn’t going to be a match for everyone. And yet, when someone brings up an objection ("we don’t have the budget for that," etc.), the old cold calling mindset trains you to "overcome," "bypass," or "override."
But when you do that, you put the other person on the defensive. Something they’ve said is being dismissed. And here’s where rejection can happen very suddenly.
So it’s much better to listen to their concerns and continue to explore whether what you’re offering makes sense for them. There are some wonderful phrases you can use that validate their viewpoint without closing the conversation.
So now you’ve discovered the 3 major cold calling mistakes people often make. See if you can shift away from those old self-sabotaging mindsets. When you do, you’ll notice that people will engage you much more, and the immediate rejection you’ve grown so accustomed to will happen much less.
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Mistake #1: Center the conversation around yourself and what you have to offer
In the old approach, you introduce yourself, explain what you do, and suggest a benefit or feature of your product. And then you close your eyes and pray that the other person will be interested
Unfortunately, the moment you stop talking you usually hear, "Sorry, I’m busy," or "Sorry, I'm not interested."
You see, you’ve started your cold call by talking about your world and what you have to offer. But realistically, most people aren’t all that interested in you. When you talk about your company and your product, it’s just another advertisement to them. You haven’t engaged them, so they often just "turn the page."
Prospects are much more interested in themselves and what’s important to them. So if you start the conversation by focusing on their world, they’re more likely to interact with you.
So instead, talk about an issue or problem they may need solving. Focus on them rather than on what you have to offer. And see where it takes you.
Mistake #2: Be confident they should buy your product or service
In the old cold calling mindset, you’re taught to focus on the sale and be completely confident that what you’re offering is something the other person should buy.
The problem with this approach is that you haven’t asked them to determine this along with you. So think about it – in the old mindset, you’re really deciding for someone else what’s good for them. I know this isn’t intended, but that’s exactly what comes across to your prospects.
So rather than being full of confidence and enthusiasm, stop for a minute and think about the other individual. Relax into a real conversation instead of moving into a persuasive strategy or sales pitch. Put yourself in their shoes and invite them to explore along with you whether what you have to offer is a match for them.
Others really can distinguish the difference. You’re inviting them to see if you might be able to help them solve a problem. This makes for a much better connection right at the beginning, and you’ll get that immediate rejection reaction much less.
Mistake #3: When someone brings up an objection, try to overcome it
You know, one of the reasons cold calling is so difficult is that sometimes you may not be very familiar with the other person and their business. When you make that first call, you don’t know very much about their issues, problems, budget, and time constraints.
Chances are, not everyone is going to benefit by your product or service.
So realistically, your company or product isn’t going to be a match for everyone. And yet, when someone brings up an objection ("we don’t have the budget for that," etc.), the old cold calling mindset trains you to "overcome," "bypass," or "override."
But when you do that, you put the other person on the defensive. Something they’ve said is being dismissed. And here’s where rejection can happen very suddenly.
So it’s much better to listen to their concerns and continue to explore whether what you’re offering makes sense for them. There are some wonderful phrases you can use that validate their viewpoint without closing the conversation.
So now you’ve discovered the 3 major cold calling mistakes people often make. See if you can shift away from those old self-sabotaging mindsets. When you do, you’ll notice that people will engage you much more, and the immediate rejection you’ve grown so accustomed to will happen much less.
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Saturday, August 14, 2010
How to Make your Computer your Personal ATM
Do you think that ATM’s are only available at banks and credit unions? Think again. Your computer can become your own personal ATM machine. How can you turn your computer into a money making machine? Jump into the world of internet marketing. An Internet marketing business is not only profitable, but can be started quickly and affordably.
What should you do first to help you start an Internet marketing business? You need to create a website that reaches millions of potential customers all over the globe. There are hundreds of software programs, companies, and offerings out there. If you are not familiar with Internet infrastructure then you may have a difficult time trying to find the right company to host your website. We have taken the confusion out of this situation for you by providing references for the best software tools to help get you started.
First, you will need a domain name. Domain names are the text that users will type into the Internet to access you website. Think carefully about your domain name so that it is relevant to your product or service. Once you have a domain name in mind, you need to make sure that it is not taken. You can type it into your Internet browser and see if anything comes up. However, it is good to check this through the domain provider we recommend which is www.godaddy.com.
When you purchase a domain name at www.godaddy.com, make sure that you only purchase the domain name and none of the extra services. Godaddy has a tendency to jack up the prices on these services when you can find them much more affordably at www.frontierpowerhosting.com.
Frontierpowerhosting.com will be your web hosting service. This web hosting Service Company is top notch because you receive your OWN IP address. It is critical to have your own IP address so that your emails are never blocked due to an email spammer that has the same IP address. Frontierpowerhosting.com also has excellent customer service phone support. In addition, Frontierpowerhosting.com provides an “Email Tracker” feature which enables you to track your emails. Frontierpowerhosting.com also will provide you with information regarding the deliverability rate for any emails you send. This information will help you tailor your marketing efforts.
Next you will need to setup a “smart Autoresponder”. A smart Autoresponder is one that automatically sends emails or forms to users in order to capture their personal information. Make sure that your Autoresponder captures the following information: first name, last name, email address, time and date stamp.
An effective smart Autoresponder is called “Auto Responder Plus” which you can find at www.arp3.com. Auto Responder Plus is software that you can download on your web hosting account.
Once you have these tools in place, you are ready to create your website. Change your personal computer into a cash cow today!
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What should you do first to help you start an Internet marketing business? You need to create a website that reaches millions of potential customers all over the globe. There are hundreds of software programs, companies, and offerings out there. If you are not familiar with Internet infrastructure then you may have a difficult time trying to find the right company to host your website. We have taken the confusion out of this situation for you by providing references for the best software tools to help get you started.
First, you will need a domain name. Domain names are the text that users will type into the Internet to access you website. Think carefully about your domain name so that it is relevant to your product or service. Once you have a domain name in mind, you need to make sure that it is not taken. You can type it into your Internet browser and see if anything comes up. However, it is good to check this through the domain provider we recommend which is www.godaddy.com.
When you purchase a domain name at www.godaddy.com, make sure that you only purchase the domain name and none of the extra services. Godaddy has a tendency to jack up the prices on these services when you can find them much more affordably at www.frontierpowerhosting.com.
Frontierpowerhosting.com will be your web hosting service. This web hosting Service Company is top notch because you receive your OWN IP address. It is critical to have your own IP address so that your emails are never blocked due to an email spammer that has the same IP address. Frontierpowerhosting.com also has excellent customer service phone support. In addition, Frontierpowerhosting.com provides an “Email Tracker” feature which enables you to track your emails. Frontierpowerhosting.com also will provide you with information regarding the deliverability rate for any emails you send. This information will help you tailor your marketing efforts.
Next you will need to setup a “smart Autoresponder”. A smart Autoresponder is one that automatically sends emails or forms to users in order to capture their personal information. Make sure that your Autoresponder captures the following information: first name, last name, email address, time and date stamp.
An effective smart Autoresponder is called “Auto Responder Plus” which you can find at www.arp3.com. Auto Responder Plus is software that you can download on your web hosting account.
Once you have these tools in place, you are ready to create your website. Change your personal computer into a cash cow today!
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Friday, August 13, 2010
“C” is for “Creative Catalogs”
A lot have changed in the market over the years – a tough economy, rising prices of goods and customer’s need for high quality products have imposed new demands on businesses. Evidently, the need for helpful, reliable information has never been greater. Catalogs have always been a great source of product information. When people need to buy a product they refer to catalogs to guide them in finding the right product at the right price. But increasing sales does not necessitate creating the perfect catalog. A relatively small improvement in your catalog can already result in a proportionate increase in sales and profits.
So before you print your catalog, make a careful analysis of your old catalog. Pick out the flaws in it and try to improve it. Gather all the letters that you received from your customers and look through their criticisms, suggestions and comments. These may be a big help in designing a better catalog. And as you are designing your catalog think of your customers and the reasons why they would want to buy your product. Think of what they want and what they need and use this in creating a catalog that accomplishes your customer’s desires.
Thus, to create a striking catalog use color combinations that are attractive and pleasing to the eyes. You can use full color in the cover and two colors in the inside. Keep in mind that people respond better and remember longer good-looking catalogs so make your color choices carefully. Likewise, to attract new customers you can add new products and information to the products featured in your catalog. For instance, you can feature bizarre items, include exciting products or include unusual facts about specific items. You can also include information on how to use the product, maintain them and operate them. This information will help your customers significantly and as a result they would keep your catalog for future references. In addition, this would increase customer confidence to your company thereby increasing their inclination to buy.
If there are products in the old catalog that are unprofitable then perhaps you can promote them more strongly in your new catalog. But if it doesn’t really sell, them you can get rid of them or replace them with new items. You need not place them again in the catalog as they can be a nuisance there.
When you are ready to print your new catalog, make sure that you get the services of an experienced and knowledgeable printer with a reputation for quality and reliability. Your local print shop may be able to do the print job for you but there are also printers online that can do it for low prices, easy ordering and instant price quotes. It is up to you to determine which printing service to avail.
So give your business a distinctive personality and create catalogs that can be a special marketer in the minds of your prospects and customers.
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So before you print your catalog, make a careful analysis of your old catalog. Pick out the flaws in it and try to improve it. Gather all the letters that you received from your customers and look through their criticisms, suggestions and comments. These may be a big help in designing a better catalog. And as you are designing your catalog think of your customers and the reasons why they would want to buy your product. Think of what they want and what they need and use this in creating a catalog that accomplishes your customer’s desires.
Thus, to create a striking catalog use color combinations that are attractive and pleasing to the eyes. You can use full color in the cover and two colors in the inside. Keep in mind that people respond better and remember longer good-looking catalogs so make your color choices carefully. Likewise, to attract new customers you can add new products and information to the products featured in your catalog. For instance, you can feature bizarre items, include exciting products or include unusual facts about specific items. You can also include information on how to use the product, maintain them and operate them. This information will help your customers significantly and as a result they would keep your catalog for future references. In addition, this would increase customer confidence to your company thereby increasing their inclination to buy.
If there are products in the old catalog that are unprofitable then perhaps you can promote them more strongly in your new catalog. But if it doesn’t really sell, them you can get rid of them or replace them with new items. You need not place them again in the catalog as they can be a nuisance there.
When you are ready to print your new catalog, make sure that you get the services of an experienced and knowledgeable printer with a reputation for quality and reliability. Your local print shop may be able to do the print job for you but there are also printers online that can do it for low prices, easy ordering and instant price quotes. It is up to you to determine which printing service to avail.
So give your business a distinctive personality and create catalogs that can be a special marketer in the minds of your prospects and customers.
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Thursday, August 12, 2010
'Shifts' to Help You in Times Good or Bad
Six months ago, the economy was roaring. Stock prices were going up, interest rates were staying low, unemployment was down. A few months later, those indicators all were going in opposite directions. Now, it's hard to tell from day to day where we stand.
I'm optimistic that the current situation is a short-term one, and that long-term prospects are for growth and good times. But that doesn't mean that there won't be dips, sometimes deep, along the way. The question is: Are you positioned to take advantage of the good times and navigate the bad?
You have to expect one as well as the other. Fortunately, there are "shifts" you can take that will serve you well during both.
1. Get out of debt. The quicker the better. You can't take advantage of opportunities when you're mired in debt. And there are opportunities in both good times and in bad. In both, debt keeps you from profiting from the opportunities that present themselves. In bad, it magnifies the negative, as the cost of money increases and debt service becomes an ever-increasing portion of your expenses.
2. Think globally. No longer can we afford to think and act locally. We must have a broader
vision. We must think about how our vocation, our business and our industry will operate in a global economy - because it already does.
3. Be entrepreneurial. This is the age of the free agent. Even if we are and plan to continue working in a larger company or organization, we must at least think like an entrepreneur. We need to be "in-trepreneurs." Seniority and experience does not have the value that it did. Producing results - and profits - is what matters.
4. Become a capitalist. The wealthy own assets, the rest own liabilities - things that cost money to own and maintain. Capitalism is not a dirty word. A capitalist, by definition, is someone who owns assets - assets that produce income. Stock, equipment and businesses are assets that generate income. In America, 80 percent of all millionaires are self-made. Be one of them.
5. Be flexible. Things are moving at a rapid pace. This demands adaptability. Things will not remain the same, nor will they go back to the way they used to be. We must be willing to change directions quickly. It's dodge and weave time. It is time to embrace change. Shift happens!
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I'm optimistic that the current situation is a short-term one, and that long-term prospects are for growth and good times. But that doesn't mean that there won't be dips, sometimes deep, along the way. The question is: Are you positioned to take advantage of the good times and navigate the bad?
You have to expect one as well as the other. Fortunately, there are "shifts" you can take that will serve you well during both.
1. Get out of debt. The quicker the better. You can't take advantage of opportunities when you're mired in debt. And there are opportunities in both good times and in bad. In both, debt keeps you from profiting from the opportunities that present themselves. In bad, it magnifies the negative, as the cost of money increases and debt service becomes an ever-increasing portion of your expenses.
2. Think globally. No longer can we afford to think and act locally. We must have a broader
vision. We must think about how our vocation, our business and our industry will operate in a global economy - because it already does.
3. Be entrepreneurial. This is the age of the free agent. Even if we are and plan to continue working in a larger company or organization, we must at least think like an entrepreneur. We need to be "in-trepreneurs." Seniority and experience does not have the value that it did. Producing results - and profits - is what matters.
4. Become a capitalist. The wealthy own assets, the rest own liabilities - things that cost money to own and maintain. Capitalism is not a dirty word. A capitalist, by definition, is someone who owns assets - assets that produce income. Stock, equipment and businesses are assets that generate income. In America, 80 percent of all millionaires are self-made. Be one of them.
5. Be flexible. Things are moving at a rapid pace. This demands adaptability. Things will not remain the same, nor will they go back to the way they used to be. We must be willing to change directions quickly. It's dodge and weave time. It is time to embrace change. Shift happens!
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