Monday 2 April 2012

Want To Save Money? Here Are 6 Tips To Make Your Wallet A Little Thicker!

By
 
Your money problems can involve significant debt or minor cash flow issues. No matter your financial situation there is one thing that all of us would like to do, save a little money each month.
Especially since expenses can add up fast and take a toll on your finances. These cost saving tips are significant enough that they can help some prevent bankruptcy. If you have a little extra money each month you can spend it on paying down other debts faster.
Use these tips to help grow your bank account:
1. Change the way you watch TV - Gone are the days where a family rushes into the TV room to sit on the couch together and watch a favorite program. Today's busy families need more flexibility than that. More families than ever before are watching programs after the original air date. Your favorite programs can also be watched on the internet after the first air date. This means that if you're patient you can see all of your programs without paying for cable. Quitting cable and relying on the internet to catch your favorite programs can offer monthly savings as high as $100.
2. Drop a phone line - Does anyone call your home phone other than telemarketers? With the increase of cell phones it is unlikely that you need to have a house phone any longer. Paying monthly for two phone lines is just silly. Decide which phone line you can't live without, cell phone or landline. Cancel the home phone and you can save $40 each month and more if you have to pay for your long distance calls.
3. Live with your extended family - Making the change to share a home with your parents, in-laws, grandparents, or other relatives can help save big money each month. The decision to co-habitate by itself can prevent bankruptcy. Not to mention that living with family is fun and you can share all housing costs including:

  • Rent/mortgage
  • Utilities
  • Cars
  • Cable and phone

You will also be able to share household chores and maintenance projects and costs with your family.
4. Update your home loan - Interests rates are still very low. If you plan to stay in your home for a while longer and you have some equity in your home despite the real estate crash, then it's time to refinance. Depending on your current interest rate, refinancing can lower your monthly mortgage rate significantly.
5. Change the oil in your car less often - Guidelines are given about car maintenance. It is important to take good care of your vehicle but it's recently been found that you can go a little farther between oil changes. If your car is relatively new and in good condition, then you should be able to go 7,000 miles between oil changes.
6. Make a list before you shop - A great way to cut down on unnecessary spending is to plan our your shopping trips. Making a detailed list and taking inventory of what you need before you shop can save you big money and prevent food waste.
These cost cutting tips can help anyone save a little extra money each month. They can also help you prevent bankruptcy by lowering your monthly expenditures. Take this advice and start saving today!
The Chicago bankruptcy lawyers of Chang & Carlin specialize in chapter 7 & chapter 13 bankruptcy, real estate and foreclosure law services as well as tax and IRS legal issues. Learn more about these services and request a free consultation today: http://www.changandcarlin.com/

Saturday 18 February 2012

How to Prepare For Job Interview

By Olumuyiwa Johnson



Job interview never seems to get any easier.  Maybe you are trying to get your first job, perhaps you are returning to the workplace, or maybe you are a seasoned executive taking another step up the career ladder, either for IT jobs or any other.  You would be meeting new people, selling yourself and your skills, and often getting the third degree about what you know or don't know. Here are some job interview tips to help prepare you for the interview effectively.


Make your research

We are afraid of what we don't know or what we can't control. Dispel some of these fears by learning as much as you can about the company, the culture, and just as importantly - the job. The internet is an excellent source of information. Check the company web site or call the company and ask them to send any corporate literature if they don't have a web site. There is no excuse for not researching a company.  Also take a look at the latest developments in the industry so you can converse with confidence.

 Rehearse your answers

Although there is no set format that every job interview will follow, there are some questions that you can almost guarantee will crop up. Read the job description and person specification thoroughly. Sit with your CV, a professional notepad not scruffy and the job details in front of you and bullet point ALL the skills you have which match the requirements. You can get a good friend or relative, preferable who is or has experience in similar role to ask you questions about your CV, the role, and some general interview questions. Click here for more on interview questions and answers.

Appearance

Your appearance speaks for you before you've even uttered a word.  Always wear a smart, corporate suit in a dark colour, unless you have been advised otherwise.  Wear clothes you feel comfortable in, so you can forget about how you look and get on with selling yourself.  Ladies' skirts should not be too far above the knee. Shirts and blouses should be pressed. Blouses for ladies are preferable, but collarless tops are fine, as long as they are plain and without fashion logos. Dressing one level above the job you're applying for shows a desire to succeed.

Plan your journey and stay calm during the interview

Good preparation is the key to staying in control. Plan your route, allowing extra time for any unexpected delays, and get everything you need to take with you ready the night before. Remember to speak clearly, smile and remember that your interviewers are just normal people, and the may be nervous too!  Wait to be asked to sit, sit comfortably, mirror the posture of those conducting the interview, but do not slouch. Do not fidget, twiddle your thumbs or play with your pen. This shows you are nervous. Instead, maintain a good level of eye contact and show interest in what the interviewer is saying.

Some questions you could ask

In a fiercely competitive job market, interrogating your interviewer isn’t the foolhardy tactic you might fear. If you’re up against candidates whose ages, knowledge levels, academic credentials, gap year activities and aspirations broadly match yours, the questions you ask might be your best bet at differentiating yourself with style from your peers.

Find out why the job is open, who had it last and what happened to him or her?  How many people have held this position in the last couple of years?

To whom would you report?  Will you get the opportunity to meet that person?

What type of training is required and how long is it?

What would your first assignment be?

What are the realistic chances for growth in the job?  Where are the opportunities for greatest growth within the company?



Tuesday 24 January 2012

3 Tips for Improving Your Job Search in An Uncertain Economy

By

Looking forward to your executive job hunt this year - or dreading it?
Spending months in job-search mode, facing a pending layoff, or reading about unemployment statistics can bring you down... just when you need the energy to tackle a challenging market.
However, you CAN change your approach, mindset, and techniques, leading to better results and a greater sense of well-being during your search.

Here are 3 solid inspirations that will move you forward quickly in your executive or professional job hunt:

1 - Realize that companies ARE hiring - and put yourself "out there" on LinkedIn.
As badly as you want to find the perfect fit in your next job, companies want to find YOU and leverage your executive skills.
Don't believe this? Run a Google search on the phrase "How to find candidates on LinkedIn." Out of the 14 million or so results, you'll see thousands of articles on recruiting.
What this tells you is that there are plenty of companies searching for your talent. Therefore, if you haven't already optimized your digital identity (starting with your LinkedIn Profile) for key search terms, it's time to get going.

Make it easier to be found by adding job titles throughout your Profile, as well as Skills (within LinkedIn's new Sections) that reflect the terms you see in job postings. This will help your Profile to rank higher in recruiter searches for candidates with these specific competencies.
Next, sit back and watch what happens by analyzing the makeup of your Profile visitors.
By taking stock of who visits your Profile, you'll be able to see if your search results improve, and can then continue to tweak your keywords appropriately. Hint: it's all about market testing and experimentation, so the sooner you change things up, the better.

2 - Start creating your own "luck."
Job search "luck" usually ends up being mostly talent and preparation. Unless you have a well-run network, you'll need to create your own opportunities. To do this, think in terms of what employers want, then set out to prove that you've got what it takes.
Changing industries? Take a class or read a book on your desired market, then mention it in your resume, on your LinkedIn Profile, and in your cover letter. Better yet, note your efforts and ask for an informational interview with a successful pro in your desired field - which might lead to a chance to be mentored.

Think your resume lacks pizzazz? Start Googling for resumes in your field, not for copying, but to take notice of what your resume is lacking. Ask former co-workers how they'd describe you. It's all about getting that brand message out of your head and onto the paper.

Not sure you're interviewing well? Perform a Google search for job search sites, which are often teeming with wise interview advice on everything from calming your jitters to salary negotiation. Read, listen, learn, and absorb. Then, create power stories for yourself that illustrate your top 5 achievements. Rehearse and take note of what questions you can answer with them. It's a confidence-building exercise that will have you looking forward to interviews.

Feel like giving in and admitting defeat? Don't. Nearly every person that you'd otherwise consider successful has been turned down (or laid off, demoted, or experienced another type of setback) at some point in time in their careers.
Remember this when it seems that you've been ruled out as a candidate. It only takes one - one job, one opportunity to show what you can do, and one person to believe in you.

3 - Act "as if" you're already successful.
Struggling to envision how your job search will turn out? Put yourself in the "already arrived" category, and invest some time, energy, and even funds in what can make you appear more successful and competent to others.

Get a professional headshot taken for your social media profiles--and dress the part for the job you want (not just the job you have). Polish your resume with a fresh, cutting-edge format and tone.
If you haven't explored what your competition is presenting to employers, take a look at professional and executive resume samples - you might be surprised at how things have changed!

In addition, if you're using the Web as a platform to attract attention (either through blogging, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn), do a self-check to ensure that you're presenting a positive image, rather than tearing down others online. This will go a long way toward persuading recruiters to forward your credentials to employers.

So, make it a priority to take stock of your executive job search techniques - making yourself findable, approachable, and marketable to take advantage of fresh new opportunities.
Executive resume writer Laura Smith-Proulx is an award-winning Executive Resume Writer, biography writer, and former recruiter with a 98% success rate winning top jobs through personal branding. The Executive Director of An Expert Resume, she partners exclusively with CIO, CTO, COO, CEO, CFO, VP, VP, and Director candidates.

Monday 23 January 2012

Absolutely Simple and Free Steps to Making Money on the Internet - Finally Exposed!

By

There are gurus everywhere on the internet promising to make you rich. But you have to be very careful because most of these so called gurus are just preaching or teaching what they don't know.
Some of them have never made a dime on the internet but they are boasting of knowing it all. Forget about them and give yourself focus.

One way you can make money on the internet free of charge is by writing articles for people. This is known as article marketing or ghostwriting. This is the offer to write articles for webmasters and other internet marketers that want to use articles to drive traffic to their site but can't just write because they are tied down with other pressing marketing needs and so on.

Just create a blog to show samples of your articles because they need to be convinced that you can actually offer them what you said you can offer. Write high quality articles and upload them to your weblog.

You can use WordPress blog or blogger blogs to create your landing pages for sampling your articles, short reports and eBooks. You can even flip the blogs after creating them. The difference between WordPress blogs and blogger blogs is that AdSense from Google can be placed on Blogger blogs but can't be placed on WordPress.

Write some more articles and send them to article directories like EzineArticles.com, GoArticles.com, and so on. Leave a link to your blog on these article directories so people can follow the link to your blog. This is because you need to drive traffic to your blog. Make sure that your ghostwriting service is cost-effective. Offer your clients the cheapest possible price and the best possible quality articles so you can earn reputation and good testimonials.
You don't need to spend a dime to do any of these things I have just said. All you need is a strong character and self-discipline.
Raymond writes on various issues concerning how to make money, lose weight, enjoy good health and produce good music.

Visit his music site now: Millennium Album [http://millenniumalbum.com] for FREE downloads.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1464528

Sunday 22 January 2012

How To Make A Claim On Mis-Sold Financial Product (PPI)


There have been a lot of financial products which were mis-sold like, Payment Protection Insurance, Mortgage, Loan, and many others.
 
PPI was mis-sold to quite a number of people, for the following three board reasons:

 You were not told, but it was part of the loan
 
You were mis-led or forced to buy the policy

You would not have qualified to make claim on the policy:
If you were not employed at the time you took the insurance - whether you were unemployed, self-employed or retired - it will be impossible for you to make a valid insurance claim.

When you took the insurance, you had a medical problem that could have kept you from working, you should have been warned that the insurance was unlikely to be suitable for you. If it wasn't explained, you can claim

Most policies have an upper age limit - usually 65 or 70. If you were older than the age limit for your policy when you took the insurance, you can claim

If have bought any of the following products in recent years:

Credit card
Loan
Mortgage
Overdraft

PPI might have been mis-sold to you.

While a great many PPI policies will have been mis-sold, not all were. Some banks would investigate your claim to decide whether to uphold (pay, because they agree it was mis-sold) or defend (not pay, because they do not agree it was mis-sold). But others would pay as a good gesture, once they confirmed you had a policy with them.

To make a claim you can contact the Bank, Free Professional Adviser, or use a Claims Management Company.

Contact the Bank:
Walk into the branch where you got the loan, and provide details, to make a claim.

Walk into any branch of the bank where you got the loan, and provide details, to make a claim.

Visit their website, check their contact and support, then call or make note about your claim.

If you make a claim to the bank, and they refuse, you can appeal to the bank, Financial Ombudsman Service or the court.

Free Professional Advice:
Google free PPI advice, there are quite a number of them.

Use a Claims Management Company:
NEVER PAY ANY FEES UPFRONT as it more than likely to be a fraudster posing as a claims management company.

Their fee should not be more than 25%.

Check to ensure they are registered, on ministry of justice website.

These steps can also be used to make claim on any mis-sold finance product.


Fortunately, they have buckled under the pressure and now agreed to the following provisions:
 
£3.2 billion - Lloyds Banking Group
£1 billion - Royal Bank of Scotland
£1 billion - Barclays
£270 million - HSBC
£100 million - Clydesdale Bank
£100 million - Co Operative Bank

Although the actual cost of repayments may well be double as recent figures released by the FOS indicate that the average pay-out is now £2,750.


Saturday 21 January 2012

Top 5 mistakes when getting home equity

by: Loans For Ontario

Rates have historically never been better, so nowadays the temptation to borrow against your home equity is very strong. However, many homeowners unknowingly make costly mistakes.

Here are the top 5 mistakes people make when applying for a home equity loan.

Mistake #1 - Not Knowing The Difference between a Home Equity Loan and a Home Equity Line of Credit

A home equity loan is a one-time transaction that allows you to draw out all the funds available.

A home equity line of credit (HELOC) is open; you can choose a small initial advance against the full amount of the line; then reuse the line of credit as often as you want during the period that the line is open. Your monthly payment is based on the outstanding balance.
A general rule of thumb is: use a home equity loan when you need all the money up front; such as cash for home improvements, debt consolidation, or a large one-time purchase.

If you need ongoing access to cash and revolving credit a HELOC may be your best choice.

Mistake # 2 - Taking a Home Equity Loan When You Plan on Refinancing Your First Mortgage

Many mortgage companies look at the combined loan amounts (i.e., the sum of the first and second loans) even when you are refinancing only your first loan. If you plan on refinancing your first loan the lender may require you to pay off both your first and second mortgages; or close your home equity line completely.

Check with your mortgage company to see if having a second loan will cause your refinance to be turned down.

Mistake # 3 - Not Knowing The Hidden Costs

If you feel you must take out a home equity loan or open a line of credit it is important to know ALL the costs. With any loan secured against your property there can be hefty insurance costs, appraisals and other fees that can cut into your loan amount.

Mistake# 4 - Only Applying at Your Current Bank

Many consumers apply for their home equity loan from their home bank. This can be a costly mistake.

As in any other type of loan, be sure to shop around for the best deal. Your current bank may not be able to give you the best interest rate or the best terms.

Think twice before deciding to use your local bank; you may find that there is another lender out there that can offer you a substantially more attractive loan program.

Mistake # 5 - Not Checking Your Credit First

As in any type of loan, it is imperative that you get the best rates and terms. However, if you have credit problems it will seriously affect your ability to qualify.

In fact, if your credit is not the greatest you may have no choice but to use alternative lenders specializing in hard to place loans. The solution: Make sure you go with the bank or lender that provides the best rates for your type of credit whether good or bad.

There you have it. Avoid these 5 mistakes and you could save yourself hundreds, if not thousands of dollars when you get a home equity loan.

Strategic Capital Network is a licensed mortgage brokerage specializing in helping credit challenged homeowners qualify for home equity loans.

How You Can Repair Your Poor Credit In No Time

Kevin Jeffers

Perhaps you've found yourself tied to low credit score that is damaging your life? Check this out informative post to find out the best way to quickly improve your credit rating utilizing some of these not complex hints!
Any time any individual undergoes a troublesome lifespan period it is going to without any doubt have an affect on their credit ratings. Though every one of us know that conditions in our life can be quite various and from time to time not avoidable. A lot of them will end up accompanied by a decreased credit ratings. When most people request for a credit report and observe that their credit rating score ended up being decreased, a number of them just surrender and settle for their low credit worthiness. Which is absolutely incorrect! At no level in daily life you have to agree with a poor credit score and frequently make an attempt to improve it, it could take effort and time to restore your credit standing, but at the end of your day you can expect to truly feel greater understanding that you've your credit rating at a beneficial standing.

In case you have a below average credit score, are going to be nearly stuck. You can not get a mortgage so very easily, even when you will - it will probably be with giant loan rates. Moreover, your insurance premiums suffer, leading to a really quite of overpayment. We've even been told tales of people becoming rejected for a career position because of their bad credit score. I really hope you now discover how significant it is to sustain your credit score in a fine condition and when you may have observed yourself in a pit, don't worry, you will find a way out of it.

First, get in contact with some of the three main essential credit scoring companies and request your free credit report, even better - reach all Three of these. Additionally, meticulously glance through free credit report and evaluate information and facts. Any wrong or inaccurate data mentioned in the credit history is usually hurting your fico score. And lastly, for those who will find a problem, make sure to directly notify about the issue to matching credit institution. It normally requires them all around Thirty days to research the state and get back to you.

After you made sure the fact that your details and consumer credit score on your report is correct, you can begin taking actions to increase your credit track record. First of all always make sure you make payment for your bills timely. For those who have several credit card debts, pay more consideration and strive to pay off the unsecured debts with most impressive interest rates, but don’t forget your own prevailing monthly dues.

Secondly, it is possible to get hold of your loan merchant and strive to discuss far better rates with regards to your credit card debts. Almost all loan merchants have logical thought process - it is better to acquire at least some settlement than none in the first place. Therefore they are really able to interact personally with you, this is especially true with the awful economic climate status the world is in currently. If you would like, you might ask for help and advice from credit counseling agencies.

They could cost you a little moreFree Web Content, but it is nearly confirmed that they will have the ability to attract a greater option on your credit card debt and enable you to prepare your mortgage payments. In any event keep away from taking additional personal loans so that you can completely pay down your present ones. You may just dig yourself much deeper inside the monetary hole. And in conclusion - attempt to cut on your spending expenses to the extent that you possibly can. All the best in improving your credit rating and so I wish this can help!

The Dangers of Debt

By

Being in debt is a heavy burden that can affect our effectiveness, emotional well-being and even our health. Paying what we owe becomes critical in the face of economic hardship. The attitude of constantly borrowing money or things to augment our lives is a wrong approach in financial discipline and management. As we briefly examine the dangers of debt, we will also learn of developing a better approach in dealing with debt and its consequences.

The christian attitude towards debt should be governed by the word of God and not the opinions of our secular pundits who stand to benefit from our ignorance. Paying heed to divine instructions is always better than the price of disobedient. The scripture says, "The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender" (Proverb 22:7) KJV. You'll notice that this scripture does not exempt any person, group or organization. In a nutshell, whoever borrows, be it, individual, or organization, including churches, remains a servant to the lender, until the debt is paid off. I know the pain and anxiety of this first hand.

Debt isn't a sin, it's discouraged in the scripture but not prohibited. It's never the real problem, the underlying factors could be greed, self-indulgence, impatience, fear, poor self-esteem, lack of financial discipline, et cetera.
Debt is an obligation owed to people or institutions to which we agreed to pay back for whatever benefits that were received.

To fully understand the dangers of debt, it's proper to look at some types, here are Five kinds of debt:

* Credit card debt
* Consumer debt
* Mortgage debt
* Investment debt
* Business debt

I will suggest whatever your reason may be, before you sign unto any of these, ask the following questions, 1) Does this make any economic sense to enter into this debt?, 2) Do I have peace of mind about this debt? (be careful how you handle this particular one) and, 3) What goals or values am I meeting with this debt that cannot be met any other way? These types of questions could safeguard you from serious dangers of debt.

For the space that we have in this article, let me address some dangers of debt.

Economic dangers of debt:

1) Interest Compounding
This is a bad debt news. On the creditors side it's a welcome phenomenon but as a debtor, it's a catalyst in debt repayment misery. The compounding work against you, even when you're asleep. Take for example a thirty year mortgage at ten percent. If you borrow $100,000.00, your payback amount for 30 years will be a whopping $315,925.00, approximately. That's alarming, isn't it? That's the nature of the beast, this pushes people into debt crisis if we're out of a source of income.

2) Debt trap
Borrowing is made so easy this days, such that you become trapped in ever ending cycle of trying to stay afloat by supplementing your lifestyle with debt. Debt in America has become a societal epidemic. Getting in takes no effort through the various debt instruments and channels that have been created. Getting out in this debt trap is what always become next to impossible. To some, it creates great feeling of power and satisfaction at least momentarily. This factor makes getting out of serious debt a battle of the giants. As you stay in this trap, a high debt ceiling is built up and your debt ratio to your income increases dramatically.

3) Mortgaging of future
When you take up debt or should I say sign on to debt agreement, you're mortgaging your future. The danger here is that, you can't guarantee your future income. Taking up debt at current earning figure, even if your budget would allow, should be a serious introspection. Things do change, including, the earning power and its sources, that's the fact of life.

There are also spiritual dangers of debt which I hope to address on future articles. For now, suffice it to say that, debt may deny God an opportunity to work on your behalf.

How do I avoid debt problems? There are many things you can do. I suggest first and foremost, live within your budget. If you don't have one,create one now. Have a spirit of contentment. Remember life isn't about how much stuff you have but how well you live and the freedom to be yourself. Debt will rob you of that freedom.
Dr.Ephraim John Udofia is the founder and Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Apostolic Ministries. International Mission-intensive ministry, both in foreign and home missions with currently over six churches in three countries. Dr.Udofia is the author of over seven life-changing books. He's passionately involved in church planting, crusades, conferences and ministers' training since the seventies. Dr.Udofia holds a BS. in Management, minor in accounting, an MBA, and Doctorate in Ministry (Dmin) with major in Missions. He is a former CEO of Precious Jewels Inc. for 19 years. Also a former banker and security representative holding both State and Federal licenses. A financial counselor, motivational speaker, mentor, marriage counselor and an outstanding dedicated family man. He is happily married with five grown children.

 To buy one of Dr Ephraim's inspiring Christian Books, or Money Management Books visit the link --->
Life Christian Books

Passive Income - Some Simple Steps

By

We all want to earn more money, but few of us have a clue how to go about it. This article has been written to inspire you. There are ways to make extra money without working yourself into the ground in the process. Many people simply don't believe that this is the case, but the evidence is everywhere and the only differences between those that do and those that don't is knowledge and attitude. Few people would claim that they could not use some extra sources of income. In tough economic times, with nothing to fall back on, house repossession and huge debt are all too common. This article is give some essential tips on passive income opportunities.

Below are some simple instruction that should help you on your way to whatever it is you are looking to achieve. Try to be creative with what you learn and remember the value of hard work.

• It is important to look around you at the various business models which exist in the modern marketplace. What do you see that could be improved? You are a consumer, after all, so you will have opinions about what is good and what isn't when it comes to products and services. Don't underestimate this knowledge. A passive income idea could be as simple as selling a product through a merchant site at a lower price than you can already get it, or to deliver it in less time. The aim once you have identified one such idea is to set it up and get it running automatically so you can concentrate on something else.

• Next, you should streamline your passive income activities by looking at ways in which you can outsource tasks which take up your own time. Many freelancers make a living by looking after such tasks for busy business people. The more that is taken off your hands, the more time you have to think about growing your business.

• The next thing that you must do is to follow other proven successful passive income earners to learn from their accomplishments and mistakes. You must keep an eye on your competitors so that you are able to succeed in your own right. There are numerous ways to do this. A simple internet search on Google will reveal an awful lot about the activities of your competitors.

• Once you see how the big players are operating it is up to you to emulate and then better them. What makes them successful? How do they sell their product? All of this information is available to you at the click of a button.

So I hope you can see that success will always start with simple principles which you develop and put into practice in as efficient a manner as you are able. Every single success story is based on a simple grasp of the underlying ideas which are repeated in essence by many businesses. There is no reason why you cannot achieve success in creating passive income. It may take a while - possibly longer than you'd hoped - but at what point would you throw away the opportunity to build something to be proud of?
Imagine doubling your money every week with no or little risk! To discover a verified list of Million Dollar Corporations offering you their products at 75% commission to you. Click the link below to learn HOW you will begin compounding your capital towards your first Million Dollars at the easy corporate money program. ( http://www.money-flood.com/ )

Applying For The Best Credit Cards Online

By

If you have been thinking about getting a credit card then you should know how you can apply for one online. The process of applying for one is a quick and easy. You will find that you can save a great deal of time by simply using this as your method for credit card application. You will also find that this can save you money as you will be able to compare some of the credit card offers that are out there.

When you are applying for a credit card on the internet, you will want to be sure that you look at the interest rate. The best way to save money is to find the lowest possible interest rate that you can. If you happen to not be able to pay your bill in full one month you will find that the lower the interest on the balance is the better off you will be.

The second thing you will want to look at is if you get any rewards for using your card at certain places or on certain purchases. Some cards will offer cash back on things like gas and others might offer you points for purchasing a plane ticket if you shop at a certain store. This is great because this is yet another way to save money.

When you actually are applying for a credit card online you will see just how simple it is. All you need to do is simply fill out the form that they have available. This form will require that you provide certain information such as your name, address, phone number, employer, income, and more. Once you have filled the form out it will submit to the company.

It generally does not take long to know if you have been approved for the credit card. Many times you will be able to tell within a few minutes to a few days. You will, however, still have to wait for your card to come in the mail to you before you will be able to use it. You will also want to make sure that if you don't see your card in the appropriate amount of time that you call the company to let them know that you did not receive it. This will allow them to cancel that card number and send you a new one in case someone has gotten a hold of it.

As long as you keep these things in mind, you will be sure to find a credit card that will work for you online. Remember the process is simple and easy but you should still limit the number of credit cards that you have simple to the number that you need. It is best not to get a credit card from every available company because you might not be able to remember which one you used on which purchases and this could cost you more money in the long run.

Jack Brinker has been writing reviews about the best credit cards for over 10 years. He helps consumers understand which ones are the best to apply for and which one to stay away from.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6818501

Use Financial Calculators To Realize Your Financial Goals

By Shaly Criston 
Online money calculators are a good way to keep your financial future in check. You can find these calculators for free online to determine things like your monthly mortgage payments, the amount of money you will need to save in order to reach a goal, or to compare loan and investment terms. As a result, these calculators can prove to be very worthwhile to just about anyone interested in planning and preparing for their financial future.

Types of Financial Calculators Available
There are many different types of financial calculators that can be found online. The one you choose will therefore be dependent on the task which you would like to perform. There are investment calculators, mortgage calculators, car loan calculators, retirement calculators, debt management calculators and credit card calculators. Based on this list you should be able to see that there is a calculator to suit just about any financial situation you may have.

Information Needed to Use Financial Calculators
The type of calculator that you choose to use will determine the nature of the information needed. In the case of loans, like your mortgages, credit cards and auto loans, you will generally need to enter the interest rate at which the loan will be charged, the amount being borrowed and the duration for which the loan will last. Other information will of course be needed in the case of a mortgage calculator.
Savings calculators like your investment and retirement calculator generally require the interest rate at which money will be earned, the duration for which you plan to save and in some cases the amount you plan to save, whether monthly, bi-monthly or yearly. In the case of retirement calculators you would need to enter additional information depending on the retirement scheme being used.

Benefits of the Financial Calculators
These calculators can be used to provide you with a wealth of information. For instance, if you a set financial goal, these calculators can be used to determine how much you need to save each month at a given interest rate for a set time period to meet your goal. This can greatly help you in designing your budget to meet both your present and future needs.
In addition, if you plan on purchasing a new house or car, you can use these calculators to help you decide the price range that you can afford. This will help to prevent you from choosing something that will only put you in debt. If you have credit card debts that you would love to erase, you can also use this medium to help you determine the amount you need to pay each month so as to completely erase your debt with time.

By using the different calculators available to you at http://www.financialcalculator.org you will be effectively making a difference in your financial future instead of just blindly putting money aside or making payments without knowing how it is affecting your goals. In addition, the calculators are very easy to use and allow you to play around with the numbers so as to determine the best terms for your situation.

For a wide range of financial calculators to suit all your financial needs visit financialcalculator.org


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6827547

Thursday 19 January 2012

How To Value Your Asset And Investment

ASSET

DEFINITION

Asset in financial world is divided into two, current and fixed asset. Current assets are easily convertible to cash, and which economic life or value is not more than one financial year; like stocks, debtors and cash. While fixed assets are those, which economic life or value covers more than one financial year; like cars, furniture and fittings, and buildings.

But to the average man, asset is any item of value; such as cars, electronics, gold, jewelleries, shares, and houses. Some of these items are actually asset for investment purposes, but some are not.
In the investment world, an asset is an item which brings in money, and has positive cash flow. Positive cash flow means that, cash in-flow from an item like, dividend, rent, and income, is more than cash out-flow from it, like cost of maintenance, interest, and rent, and this implies that an item with negative cash flow is a liability, even if it’s your house.

VALUATION

Generally people value their asset by its market price, but in the financial world, they are valued based on the historical cost. There is a need for us to understand the basis of these valuations.

Ordinarily Mr Peter would value his house by the market price as advised by a professional, based on some factors and the forces of demand and supply. The forces of demand and supply are the most important factor in any market price, and it is based on emotion and sentiment of people, which is not consistent and reliable. This means that any market price used by Mr Peter as value for his property is not reliable.

If this type of asset was owned by Peter & Co Ltd, it would be valued at its Net Book Value , which is historical cost less accumulated depreciation. Historical cost is the price at which the property was acquired, "let say about twenty years ago", and then less depreciation charged over the years, to give us the Net Book Value.
But for investment purpose, the value of an asset is its net cash flow. Mr Peter and Peter & Co Ltd, should value their asset, based on its net cash flow, which is the excess of cash in-flow over cash out-flow.

MANAGEMENT
As defined earlier, asset is anything that brings cash into your pocket. The main principle of asset management is to increase your net cash flow, and thus increasing its value.

For most people their job is the first asset, “since it brings in money into their pocket” that they really have, and it is the income from this, that they will use to start building up other asset. The best way to manage this type of asset is by acquiring more skills, not necessarily certificate, to be able to solve more problems. And the more or bigger the problems you can solve, the bigger your income.

But you need to be very careful here, and learn how to save for wealth, because not every time that people have increase in salaries that they save, and not all savings leads to wealth, some could leads to poverty, please click here to read an article on savings to wealth.

For the purpose of easy understanding, we shall divide investment asset into two groups, controllable and uncontrollable asset.

Uncontrollable Asset: These are assets which you cannot influence its cash flow like, shares, mutual funds, and debenture. The best way to manage this type of asset is to consider the expected returns before buying it. Some has fixed rate of return like debenture and treasury bills, but shares and mutual fund do not have a fixed rate of return.

Before investing in shares you need to consider the quality of management, three to five years financial statement, and its plan for the future. In considering the financial statement, ensure that they have a strong earning Per share, and tradition of giving regular dividend and bonus shares.

Controllable Asset: These are assets in which you can influence it cash in-flow. Asset management as stated earlier, is all about maximizing your cash in-flow and minimizing your cash out-flow.

The best asset anybody can have is a good business that brings in constant cash flow, focusing on things that brings in cash and not necessarily sales. This is because, not all sales result into cash, likewise not all profit usually results into cash, and this is why so many businesses looks good from their financial record but are still having big problems.

Great sales/profit is important, without increase in sales/profit a business is like an insane man, and business with increase in sales/profit is like a healthy and sane man, but if a business has great increase in sales/profit without adequate cash flow is like a man without blood, a dead man. Cash makes sales/profit real; it is the reality on ground. So try to increase sales and avoid some expenses you can differ, and review your credit policy, to ensure that you have enough cash on ground.

Wednesday 18 January 2012

Savings to Wealth Or Poverty

           
INTRODUCTION
Savings is the act of putting aside, for some time certain portion or percentage of your income to either buy an item, prepare for some unexpected expenses, or for investment purposes. For the purpose of this write-up, we would be considering savings for investment purposes.

Most people would advise you to save up to 10% of your income, but taking a look at the biblical story of Joseph in Egypt, where he saved one fifth or 20% in the year of abundant, which was their saving grace in the year of famine. I believe there is a divine wisdom in paying yourself 20% of your income, if you can afford it.

WHY SHOULD YOU SAVE
Some people believe that their income is too small, and not sufficient to meet all their basic needs, so they use this as a reason not to save. This shows that they do not understand the commandment, you shall love your neighbour as yourself, and not you shall love your neighbour more than yourself.

Whenever you spend money, you are paying someone else, rent your landlord, transport fair the owner of the means of transport, school fees the proprietor and buying food or cloths the retailer. As you continue to do this, you are helping all those you paid financially, but when you spend all your income, you are not helping yourself. It is the little that you pay yourself by saving, that would empower you (enable) to take advantage of opportunities, when it comes.

It is the first step out of poverty and rat race. Many people believe that the first step to wealth is getting a good job or starting a good business. But what has been discovered overtime is that your expenses and taste will increase as your income increases, so the only way out is for you to put a certain portion of your income aside for investment purpose.

Do you know that a seed in your hands today can become a tree tomorrow, and a tree a forest? Likewise that small amount of money with you today has the potential of becoming millions and billions if, it is allowed to grow and multiply with time.

SAVINGS TO POVERTY

In as much that it is good to save, make sure that it does not exceed six month before you put it to productive use, if not, the effect of inflation would reduce the economic value of your savings. No matter how small your savings is, find something to invest in. All savings that are not made for investment purpose cannot empower you to create wealth.

SAVINGS TO WEALTH

SAVINGS + GOOD AND TIMELY INFORMATION + ACTION= WEALTH

Savings itself has a spirit, the spirit of being sensitive to investment opportunities. As you begin to save, you should become more interested in what in the stock market, real estate and so many other opportunities offline and on the Internet.

Seek for information, subscribe to some financial journals or site on stock, to get updated information on investment opportunities, and when necessary please be prepared paid for such information, proverb 4:7 Wisdom is supreme, therefore get wisdom, though it cost all you have, get understanding. As you begin to gather and analyses information on difference investment opportunities, you will discover that there are some, in which you could start small, like buying into penny stock.

Please do not wait until you have about half of your monthly income, before you invest, start small. Continue to do this and watch your investment grow and grow, until it turns into a well, where you can always draw from.

CONCLUSION
Your real net-worth is the excess of what the economy gives you ( Cash inflow, income) over what you gave back to the economy (Cash outflow, expenses), within a particular period. This is your real value, what you have been able to save.

How to protect your savings from inflation

www.telegraph.co.uk
Inflation can reduce the spending power of your money but there are ways to reduce its most corrosive effects.
A sign warning of inflation
Inflation: How to protect your savings Photo: .Keith Leighton / Alamy
With inflation running far ahead of the Bank of England target, most savers are finding that their money is worth less by the day. But there are steps that savers can take to avoid what has been described as a "slow motion bank robbery" - with a number of new products launched that promise to "inflation proof" your savings and deliver a real return. Below we look at the most popular options

1. Inflation-linked bonds and accounts

With inflation a concern for many savers, some banks and building societies have launched inflation-linked products for those concerned about their cash losing value. However, it can be difficult to work out which ones are best for you, and some tie your money up for a long time.
The current bonds from National Savings & Investments have the advantage of not requiring you to pay tax on your interest, and offer 0.5pc above the RPI when held for five years. However, you can take your money out earlier and still get a return as long as you hold them for at least a year. You can put in £15,000 per issue. The bonds are available from www.nsandi.com.
Rival products include the Post Office's bond which pays 1.5pc over RPI over five years or 0.5pc over three years, but is subject to tax, and a new bond launched by the Cambridge Building Society which pays 1pc over RPI fixed for five years.

2. ISAs

For those who pay tax on their interest it is almost impossible to outrun inflation. Based on June's inflation figures, a basic rate taxpayer would require an account paying 5.63pc to beat the lower level of inflation (CPI), while a 40pc taxpayer would require an account paying 7.5pc to beat the same measure.
This makes it more important than ever to use your tax-free cash ISA allowance of £5,340 a year. The best rates are available to those who are willing to put their money away for five years, and include Northern Rock's fixed-rate Isa paying 4.26pc over five years, just below June's CPI figure. With inflation predicted to fall back from here in the coming months, this product should help your cash to maintain its value.

3. Mortgage overpayments

Once you have exhausted your tax-free savings options, there is one more option that can help you to outrun inflation, if you have a home loan. This is to make overpayments on your mortgage. By offsetting your savings against your debt, you effectively end up with an interest-free savings rate at whatever rate you are paying on your mortgage.
For many people this will be better than a top-paying savings account. However, you need to make sure that you do not fall foul of your lender's rules on overpayments. Some mortgages are fully flexible, allowing you to make overpayments and get them back freely, while others do not allow you to take overpayments back, or will charge you if you make too many.
If you are thinking about remortgaging and like this option you could consider an offset mortgage with a bank like First Direct. The bank is currently offering a two year fixed rate of 2.99pc for those looking for a 65pc mortgage, which has flexible features.

4. Top paying savings account

If you want total security for your savings and have exhausted all other options and used your tax-free allowance, the best you can do is to find the best paying home for your money. You will get more interest if you tie up your money for longer, but the tax, if you have to pay it, is likely to take the total return way below inflation. Top accounts include a five year bond at 5pc from KRBS, and a similar product from Melton Mowbray building society paying 4.75pc.

5. Low-risk investments

£If you are happy to take on more risk, a portfolio of dividend-paying shares can help you to outrun inflation. This is only an option for those with a diversified portfolio and who can withstand (both emotionally and financially) the ups and downs of stock markets. The good news is that after a dreadful couple of years, the number of companies increasing or reinstating dividends this year outnumbers those that cut or cancelled payouts in 2009.
But investors might prefer to buy funds than invest in a spread of dividend–paying companies, which tend to be equity-income funds. These funds have had a tougher time than many over the past three years, but are starting to come into their own as dividends make a comeback. Equity income funds include Threadneedle UK equity Income, Rathbone Income and Newton Global Higher Income.