Small Business Tax Credit Americans With Disabilities Act

Many small businesses complain when confronted with the expense of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Most do not realize that there are a number of tax incentives available to offset the costs. Importantly, one tax incentive comes in the form of a tax credit, which is far more valuable than a tax deduction when it comes to creating tax savings.

Disable Access Tax Credit

If you make your small business accessible to persons with disabilities, you can take an annual tax credit. Your business is eligible if you earned one million or less the previous year or had 30 or fewer employees. If you meet this test, you can claim a tax credit of 50 percent of your expenditures to a maximum of $5,000. Since this is a tax credit, it is deducted from your total tax liability.

To claim this tax credit your expenditures must be paid or incurred to enable your business to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Expenditures might include:

1. Purchase of adaptive equipment or modification of equipment;

2. Production of print materials in alternate formats such as Braille or audio; and

3. Sign language interpreters for employees or customers.

Modifications to buildings or offices also qualify as long as two criteria are met. First, the modifications cannot be construction of something new. Second, the building must have been in service prior to November 5, 1990.

Barrier Removal Tax Deduction

All businesses can take a tax deduction for expenditures incurred to remove physical, structural or transportation barriers for disabled individuals in the work place. This tax deduction carries no restrictions in regard to revenues earned or number of employees. Businesses may claim up to $15,000 a year as a tax deduction. Expenditure amounts exceeding this amount may also be claimed, but are subject to depreciation calculations.

To claim the barrier removal tax deduction, your expenditures must be related to making a facility or vehicle accessible to disabled persons. Examples include:

1. Providing ramps and curb cuts;

2. Making restrooms accessible to persons in wheelchairs; and

3. Expanding the width of sidewalks to at least 48 inches.

Significant Tax Break

Small business owners can double their tax saving pleasure by claiming both of these tax incentives in the same tax year. If a small business spent $20,000 creating wheelchair access to an office, it could take a $5,000 tax credit and a $15,000 tax deduction.

These tax incentives are in place to significantly reduce the burden of complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you failed to claim the credit or deduction during the last three tax filing years, you should file amended tax returns to get a refund.

Richard A. Chapo is with http://www.businesstaxrecovery.com - recovery of business taxes through tax help and tax relief. Visit http://www.businesstaxrecovery.com/articles to read more business tax articles.

Is A 0 APR Credit Card Legitimate?

You see all the ads for 0 APR credit cards all around you today. However, are they for real? The truth is yes, they are for real, however, this special 0% APR does not last. You can find all kinds of credit card companies offering a 0 APR credit card for people with excellent credit. Many credit card companies are now offering 0 APR credit cards as part of their incentive program to get you to apply and begin using their credit card for all their purchases. However, there are downsides to some of these offers.

Although they are advertising a 0 APR credit card, the 0 percent APR is not for the entire time that you are a cardholder. You will have to pay close attention to learn how many months they are offering this \special 0% APR\, you can find them for 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 12 months and if you are lucky for 15 months. However, now you must check if the offer also includes all new purchases and balance transfers. One company may offer 0% only on balance transfers. If you are using one of these 0 APR credit cards, you will find that you will have to pay the normal interest rate for all new purchases and all money that you pay monthly will be for paying off the original balance, so you will get stuck paying the higher interest rate on your purchases.

It goes something like this say you did a balance transfer of $5,000. This money will not incur finance charges. But then you make a purchase of $1,000 and this money will incur finance charges. You then pay off the $1,000 before you think you will incur any finance charges, however, the $1,000 is applied against the original $5,000 balance transfer. So now you will have $4,000 on the original balance transfer without any interest being charged but the $1,000 in additional purchases is being charged the regular APR, which tends to be pretty steep. Therefore, you may find that it really was not worth the money to use this 0 APR credit card after all.

Another downfall to the 0 APR credit card is that if you do not pay off the entire balance transfer before the introductory offer expires, you may find that you are paying a higher interest rate than you were with your other credit card. Reading all the terms and conditions can aid you in making an educated decision about a 0 APR credit card and whether it is for you.

As such, many of the 0 APR credit cards may sound appealing, however, after the introductory period ends on these offers, the ongoing interest rates and other fees tend to be higher than average, so you may find yourself between a financial rock and a hard place. Just because you can find a 0 APR credit card and get approved this does not mean that you are necessarily going to enjoy a financial life of luxury. Remember, however, there are other fees that are applicable so the credit card issuers are still making tidy profits with annual membership fees and fees for balance transfers. So as usual, it always pays to read the fine print.

For more on what to watch for in 0 APR credit card, Robert Alan recommends that you visit CreditCardAssist.com.

Loan Basics: What are Secured Loans?

Secured loans are one of the most popular personal loans options available today. Their popularity is based on the fact that interest rates are usually lower than other types of loan, and repayments are available over longer time periods.

A secured loan provides a means to raise a cash lump sum using some form of collateral on which the loan is secured. The collateral acts as security for repayment of the loan in the event that you are unable to meet your loan repayment commitments.

A secured loan is a loan where you pledge your home against the amount of money borrowed. In the event that you default on the personal loan, the lender can sell your home to recoup the loss.

A secured loan is a type of loan available to people with securable assets. Usually these assets take the form of property, such as a home; this is why secured loans are often referred to as 'homeowner loans'.

You do not have to own your own home outright to be able to take out a secured loan; if you have a mortgage you can put the proportion of the home that you own up as security.

Secured loans require some type of security to be provided to the lender. This security can be a home or other high valued possession. These items are provided to the lender as security or collateral in case the person who is taking out the secured loans does not repay the funds.

Secured loans are quick to arrange as property is always a good form of security for the lender. Consequently, the terms are normally better, with larger loan amounts, longer repayment periods and better interest rates than those you would obtain for an unsecured loan.

For people with little or poor credit history, a secured loan is probably one of the easiest ways to access credit.

Secured loans can be used for a variety of reasons including: home improvements, debt consolidation, mortgage arrears new car or luxury holiday.

The main benefit of a secured loan is that, typically, they offer a cheaper interest rate than unsecured loans. Getting approval for a secured loan is also a lot easier than for an unsecured loan.

If you are looking to borrow over a longer period of time and have assets available to place as security, a secured loan might be your best option to finance a large purchase, or to refinance existing debt.

You may freely reprint this article provided the author's biography remains intact:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

Taking Finance Made Easier By Bad Debt Unsecured Loan

Borrowers who are going through a bad debt phase and also do not have property to take loan against, need not to worry about the finance anymore. Their adverse credibility is not of much concern to the loan providers who now easily provide bad debt unsecured loan. Borrowers like tenants and non-homeowners can utilize bad debt unsecured loan for various purposes like home improvements, buying a vehicle, enjoying a holiday or paying for wedding or education bills.

Bad debt unsecured loan is designed especially for people who suffer from bad credit or have gone through bankruptcy, arrears and County Court Judgments. The borrowers may not have paid back debts because of unavoidable circumstances. Hence, now lenders see their case with sympathy and are always willing to offer loans.

Bad debt unsecured loan is available to the borrowers easily. This loan is normally availed by tenants and non-homeowners who usually do not own a property. Those who do not want to risk repossession of collateral like home also opt for bad debt unsecured loan.

To offer the loan and to cover the risk involved, lenders ask for borrowers\' steady income source and financial standing. Income tax returns and bank statements are amongst the documents lenders would like to see in order to ensure repayment capacity of the borrowers.

Like other unsecured loans, loan amount offered under bad debt unsecured loan remains usually smaller in the range of 1,000 to 25,000 due to the absence of collateral. Larger amount depends on borrowers\' repaying capacity and financial status.

As far as repayment term is concerned, borrowers get only 6 to 15 years to clear the loan which may be good as the debt burden is not carried for long years.

Bad Debt Unsecured Loans come with higher interest rate due to higher risk involved in the loan. Borrowers should take advantage of growing competition amongst the loan providers. They should apply online for the loan and choose the loan offer which has comparatively lower interest rate that suits your budget.

Meanwhile, take a look at your credit score also. Though you have bad debts, and credit score, therefore, is supposed to be not so good, but if you can clear easy debts, the score may go up substantially. Credit score on FICO scale ranges from 300 to 850 and a credit score of 720 and above is taken as good while below 580 is bad credit.

Ensure yourself that you clear the loan and monthly installments in time. This should save you from incurring bad debts. Make sure that you do not avail excessive loan and keep the repayment duration shorter.

Tim Kelly is an expert in finance having completed his LLM in Finance (Master of Laws in Finance) from Institute for Law and Finance at Frankfurt University. He is currently working with Baddebtpersonalloans as a financial advisor. To Find Bad Debt Unsecured Personal Loan, Bad Debt Loans, Bad Debt Personal Loans, Bad Debt Secured Personal Loans in UK that best suit your needs visit http://www.baddebtpersonalloans.co.uk

Whole Life Insurance Explained Is It Right For You?

If you have decided that whole life insurance is the route you want to take, you need to be well-aware of both its pros and its cons.

Whole life insurance covers you for your entire life, as opposed to term life insurance which only covers you for a certain number of years. Actually, whole life insurance could be described as term life insurance with an investment component. There are two elements involved with whole life insurancethe mortality charge, which pays for the insurance coverage, and the investment component, which earns interest and claims to act as a savings mechanism. However, as the policyholder ages, the mortality charge increases and the investment component decreases. Plus, the cash surrender value (which is the amount you would get back if you cashed in your policy) is not always what it appears to be. It fluctuates with markets, making its relation to reality a difficult one.

With whole life insurance, not only are you paying for the cost of the insurance, but you are also paying for the cost of investment. As you get older, the cost of insurance coverage gets higher and the cost of investment gets lower. If you decide to cash in your whole life insurance policy, you may be paid in cash or in insurance that has been paid-up. Yet, with commission fees, market fluctuations, and hypothetical numbers that agents use for illustration purposes, it is not so easy to know how much you will cash in.

Still, there are many people who opt to purchase whole life insurance policies, and for a good reason. Whole life insurance policies help them in estate planning. By setting up an insurance trust through whole life insurance, they can make sure the proceeds of their insurance policy are used to pay their estate taxes. This is helpful, as estate taxes would otherwise be left to be paid out-of-pocket by surviving family members.

Our company gets you the best home insurance quote possible. Visit it to get a Mississippi home owner insurance quote or to find temporary health insurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=ElizabethNewberry

Trading and Your Personality

Is not a stretch to believe. Most traders like excitement, like life edgier than most. Like their share of thrills, have their appetites and needs to excel. This is one of the personality that would be attracted to trading. But this and this but is big, if you are using trading to satisfy these parts of your personality you are fighting a losing battle.

Successful traders actually tend to be attracted to the duller parts of trading. The mechanical system designers that easily do \'this\' if \'that\' happens. They are not thrilled with their winnings nor do they despair over their losses. Every trade, every situation calls for certain actions, either liquidation, stop placements, or just waiting, but it is all pre-ordained. Sure there are chart readers, like yours truly, but even then the charts dictate the action needed. While we do not use mathematical equations to impart are entries and exits, we do use charts. We do sit on positions when we would rather not, we do exit when we would rather not, but it is all pre-ordained as well. In short, our observations, our trained eye is our system.

Contrast that with the emotional trader, who goes from ecstasy to despair, in a single week, or day, or even hour. One minute he thinks he has figured out the trading game, with the holy grail of systems, and the next he realizes that all his friends were right and trading is a waste of time, a game you cannot win, not any different than casino gambling,. He was attracted by the appeal of easy money, and was sure he would be the one who would get it.

Well even the most successful traders will tell you, trading is NOT easy money. 50% annual returns may sound too good to be true, but it is not without its share of the full range of human experience. For even the most seasoned, mechanical traders will also tell you, that deep down, they experience the same emotions as the novice. The trick is and always has been not to allow your emotions to effect your trades.

So you can be wildly emotional on the inside. But you had better stick to your guns on the outside. Most weeks, most days, most hours, you are not going to be very happy about your open positions. Most trades will go against you at least one time during their open status. And probably more than once, the unpredictable is always going to happen. The illogical will always have its moment, and yes, you are going to be wrong.

The only smart thing to do about all of this is to learn from it. In fact, if you are not still learning new things from your trading, you have no reason to still be in it. The markets like humans, like the universe evolve. Evolution is the only thing you can bank on, and if you think you do not need to partake in it. Then you will be consumed by it.

To be successful at trading you do not need to always be one step ahead of the evolution of the markets. But you need to be in time with it, to accept its existence.

CT Larsen has been trading stocks since 1990. Now trading large cap stocks exclusively. He has recorded three straight years of greater than 50% annual returns. You can read his blog at http://livingonlargecaps.blogspot.com.

Traders Defend Against the Dreaded Death Spiral.

It has often been said that there is only two ways to get hurt really bad on a stock trade, getting caught in a \death spiral\ by not using DTM: Decisive Trade Management in the way of stop loses and having a stock halted on you. Halts you have zero control over. Death spirals are of your own making if you do not practice the use of stop loses.

Very simply stated Decisive Trade Management is keeping a stock form moving to far against you when the trade goes bad. It is not impossible to have 5 or 6 out of 10 trades lose money and still be profitable for the net of the total 10 trades. What you must do is keep your loses small and manageable and try to maximize you winners. This is done with the proper use of Trading Stops and a strict discipline in using them.

Capital Preservation

It is my firm belief that capital preservation is one of, if not the single most important thing a trader has to concentrate on. It is also my belief that it is always better to error on the side of safety or caution, in general this all comes under DTM: Decisive Trade Management.

Stop loses and the discipline to use them are part of DTM

When you enter a trade, you should have both a possible profit figure or gain that you hope to obtain and a downside loss that \you\ are comfortable with if the play turns against you. Only \you\ can make that decision as to what these limits are. You are the only one that can determine you risk tolerance and ability to absorb loses on an individual trade. Factors on which these limits are determined include the amount of money you have in your account, your experience and knowledge of the particular stock, news or events affecting the trade and over all market conditions and possibly others. As an example, a trader trading a $250,000 account is more then likely better able to take a $2.00/shr hit on a stock then the trader trading a $25,000 account. Some traders will consider just how well they may have done on a previous trade or number of trades and let the stock run a bit more against them if they have already made a few good trades or if they need to make up for a bad trade or two. This is very risky. I personally don\'t like to see risks taken in direct relation to previous trades. I would much rather see a plan that is in effect straight across the board. This goes along with my thinking that ever trader should have a trading plan and then you work your plan. (See Trading Plan: Everyone Should Have One) But human nature what it is, I\'m sure the balancing trades against one another is probably being done all the time.

As a personal guide, in a market with very tight trading ranges, I\'d think twice before letting a sock turn down by 50 cents or so. That is a very tight stop loss for the most part; again this can be flexible depending on your knowledge of the stock and its trading habits coupled with your own tolerance for loss. On an $85 stock, 50 cents is not all that much, but on a $9-10 stock it\'s a much larger percentage. Markets trading in tight ranges and lacking volatility make it much more difficult to recover loses if the follow through is just not there. If the average profit in a trade is 25-75 cents, then letting one get down on you a buck or more is going to wipe out most if not all of the previous gains on two or three plays. It can take that many trades to get back to even.

On the other hand some stocks can move $2 or $3 in a heart beat and reverse just as quickly for $2 or $3 move into the money for a total of $4-$6 or more. A $.50 stop on these will have you stopped of the trade and out of the money more often then not. I suggest that unless you are familiar with these stocks that have a history of wild swings that you avoid them until you get familiar with them.

The Trading Stop Itself

It is the opinion of many experienced traders and one that I share, that the stop order should not actually be placed. Instead you determine what price it should be and be ready to place the order if and when the trade turns against you and nears your stop price. This is referred to as \mental stops\. You can even go as far as having the order form all filled out and ready to execute as the price approaches your stop price. A lot of the newer trading platforms will allow you to actually place the order in their system but it is not sent to the market for execution until the price is reached.

When you actually place the order, you lose control of you trade. Many systems do not allow you to have two orders on the same position at the same time. If you want to sell the stock you first have to cancel the stop and get confirmation back before you can place another order.

On a stock that is moving rapidly against you some traders prefer to use a market order for the quick exit. I do not like the use of market orders any under circumstances. There are too many pitfalls involved with the use of market orders. Instead I suggest you use a limit price that is significantly lower then the bid that assures you get a fill.

However you chose to exercise the use of stop loss orders is up to you but it has to be done. DTM with the use of stop orders is the only way to defend against the dreaded death spiral.

See more Trading Tips at http://www.TraderAide.com

There are many excellent books on learning to day trade. My favorites are found at http://www.TraderAide.com/books

About the Author: Floyd Snyder has been trading and investing in the stock market for three decades. He was on the forefront of the day trading craze that swept the nation back in late1990\'s both as a trader and as the moderator of one of the Internet\'s largest real time trading rooms. He is the owner of http://www.TraderAide.com and Strictly Business Magazine at http://www.sbmag.org

Houston Mortgage Rates

A mortgage rates vary according to the type and the duration of the loan. There are three types of mortgage rates:

1. Adjustable Mortgage Rate
2. Fixed Interest Rate
3. Variable Interest Rate

A mortgage with an adjustable interest rate takes into consideration that an interest rate may change (usually in response to changes in the Treasury bill rate or prime rate. The purpose of the interest rate adjustment is primarily to bring the interest rate on the mortgage in line with market rates. The mortgage holder is protected by a maximum interest rate (called a ceiling) that might be reset annually. ARMs (Adjustable Mortgage Rates) usually start with better rates than fixed rate mortgages, in order to compensate the borrower for the additional risk that future interest rate fluctuations will create.

A fixed interest rate mortgage has an interest rate that will not change, and a variable interest rate moves up and down based on the changes of an underlying interest rate index.

There are numerous Houston based mortgage companies willing to present a ready report of mortgage rate calculator. These companies offer refinancing that involves obtaining a new mortgage loan on a property already owned - often to replace existing loans on the property. When the mortgage rates are low, it is a good time to refinance. Refinancing can save you money on your monthly mortgage payments. These companies also offer lock-in rates, or rate lock option that ensures the borrower a commitment to a specified mortgage rate, including not only the interest rate but also its discount/origination points.

Houston Mortgages provides detailed information about Houston mortgages, Houston mortgage companies, Houston mortgage brokers, Houston mortgage lenders and more. Houston Mortgages is the sister site of Atlanta Interest Only Mortgages.

5 Things to Know Before You Apply for a 0% APR Credit Card

You notice an advertisement that says, \Transfer your balance to our credit card and get 0% APR immediately!\ Sounds tempting, but is there a catch behind this? It\'s unbelievable that credit card companies would give credit away for free without making a profit. Well, you are probably right as you explore the following before you apply for one:

It is only a limited-time offer

This means that you get to enjoy your 0% APR only for a stipulated period, usually between six and twelve months. During this period, all amounts charged to your card will not accumulate in interests. However, once this period is over, the credit card companies are open to charge you at an interest rate that may be higher than usual. In fact, there have been instances where these interest rates have escalated to levels as high as 20%.

How can you benefit from 0% APR?

If you are disciplined enough, you can actually take advantage of your 0% APR benefit. All you need to do is to make arrangements to pay your purchases in monthly installments within the 0% APR period. Therefore, if you transfer your balance of $1000 to your new credit card and break your repayments over a 4-month period, you will only need to pay $250 for the next 4 months - interest-free!

Read the fine print

Credit card companies will usually provide you with a set of terms and conditions in fine print on the usage of your credit cards. Most people don\'t read that, and get themselves into a whole lot of debt when they start overspending. If you go through the fine-print, you will find information on your 0% APR period, or whether balance transfers are allowed. There have been cases where 0% APR is only offered to new credit card charges and not for balance transfers. Apart from that, processing charges may be incurred for these transactions, something you should know before you make a decision.

Repay everything before the end of the 0% APR period

Bad budgeting, ignorance and a lack of discipline are some of the things that have gotten many people into credit card debt. Therefore, it is best to pay everything off before the default rate kicks in. Otherwise, you may be end up facing a problem of snowballing debt when the interest charges start to take effect.

Plan well and spend right

Designed for convenience, 0% APR credit cards offer a host of benefits if used in the right way. For one thing, they should not be used to pay for ALL your expenses, but only necessary ones. Additionally, monthly repayments are still applicable even during the 0% APR period. In fact, many credit card companies impose penalty charges for late payments, which will certainly add to your total debt.

Finally, there are both benefits and pitfalls when using credit cards. The trick is good money management and practical usage, a virtue that will make credit cards work to your advantage.

Alan Bernstein recommends Find Credit Cards to apply for a 0 APR credit card today.

Five Easy Steps To Making Home Buying Fun

Having fun and purchasing a home are two phrases that are rarely used in the same sentence. Buying a home is a major investment, and the process of securing a mortgage and negotiating a price is complicated. Most buyers are unaware of the confusing steps that are involved, but don\'t worry.

We can make it less stressful!

Buyers are intimidated by the various dimensions that make purchasing a home troublesome - the legal aspects, the financial aspects, dealing with brokers, agents, insurance, and others purchase concerns.

But understanding these steps can make buying a home an enjoyable experience.

Step 1: Assess your finances

This step determines the buyer\'s ability to afford a home. The buyer may want to consult a financial adviser as to the strategy he or she may employ in paying for a home. This is important especially if the buyer has a troublesome credit history and other financial obligations. The buyer must also reach a compromise between payment capability and desired property.

Getting a letter of pre-approval shows the seller that you are serious about buying a home. This certificate gives the seller the assurance that you have enough money to buy their property. Securing a Pre-Approved certificate would range from a few days to a few weeks depending on the status if the request. It\'s worth the trouble of waiting, especially if it increases your ability to reach a fair compromise on price.

Step 2: Survey the Market

With the explosion of information, it becomes more exciting to search for possible properties. Newspapers, advertisements, referrals, brochures, and even the internet all give the buyer more choices and better options. Buyers should take full advantage of this information glut to facilitate his or her decision regarding a house. Remember, real estate agents search new homes on a daily basis. Use this knowledge to find your \dream home.\

Consider the Multiple Listing Service. The MLS is a database - an extremely convenient way to know what properties are for sale at any given moment. This makes it very useful to real estate agents and brokers.

The MLS is like a huge property warehouse. When a property is available for sale, it enters the warehouse. When it is sold, it leaves the warehouse. The MLS allows the user to search by property type, asking prices, and amenities.

The MLS only contains information since real estate cannot actually be stored in a warehouse. This information comes from the various brokers that exist in the scope of an MLS.

First of all MLS is very convenient. Buyers can browse through the available properties listed on an MLS. Using the MLS also does not cost anything. It is a free service that is sponsored by the Realtors advertising their available properties.

Step 3: Learn from Others

If the buyer is a first-timer, he or she does not have to make the common mistakes first-timers commit. He or she should contact people who have been in the same circumstance and learn from their experience.

Many of the steps seem confusing at first, but become clear with experience. Information is widely available, in books, in the internet, and from your friends and family.

Step 4: Find a Suitable Agent

This is one of the most underestimated, yet important aspects of home buying. Most buyers end up with an agent by sheer accident. It would do well for the buyer to do research and contact an agent whose strategy and skills fit the buyer\'s needs. Buying or selling a house is a thrilling experience. But connected to this is a stressing and overwhelming job. This calls for a good real estate agent.

Verifying the real estate agent\'s license is very helpful. It pays to be very cautious because this involves the property! This includes their state license in selling a property. Ask for the previous homes sold for a client. Knowing the trainings and seminars they\'ve attended would also give the client a grasp on the abilities of the agent he would be hiring. Trusting your agent is necessary, so take the time in selecting the right agent for you.

Develop a good chemistry with your agent. An agent needs to understand what is important to you when searching for a property, and when negotiating with the seller. The agent should be able to tell their client the true worth of the property. Meet with your agent frequently so they can keep you up to date about new properties.

In selling a house, the agent acts as the adviser. He gives the owner advices like the asking price of the property and acts as mediator between the buyer and the owner. In buying a house, the agent acts as the researcher. They also do the legwork and sort through which properties best suit the need of their client.

A skillful agent can save the buyer a great deal of trouble and is instrumental in a successful sale.

Ask friends and family who they have used in the past, and ask them if they would use the same agent again in future transactions. Trusting your agent will save the buyer from a great deal of grief later.

Step 5: Close the deal

A great deal of discussion and paperwork is in involved in closing a deal. However, if the preceding steps were accomplished well, this step will be taken care of. Here, the buyer and the seller come to terms with the financial details, paperwork, and other details vital to the sale. By properly planning and educating yourself, you will now be the proud owner of your dream home!

Christopher Zack makes the whole home buying experience fun and simple! If you would like to get great tips and tricks to buying a home visit Great Tips.

Cash Rebate Credit Cards

When shopping for a new credit card in today\'s market, it would behoove price conscious consumers to seriously consider cash rebate credit card offers. With a cash back rebate credit card, the cardholder is reimbursed for a percentage of their total year\'s credit card purchases. The offers vary from 1% to 5% cash back.

To encourage consumers to use their credit cards where they normally use cash or a money card, financial institutions are offering the higher rate of 5% cash back when the credit card is used at grocery stores, drug stores and gas stations. The 1% rebate is offered at other outlets such as discount and department stores.

The cash back rebate credit card isn\'t for everyone. If you\'re not one to pay off your balance each month, the cash rebate would be eaten up by finance charges. It\'s at this time the consumer should be more concerned with the monthly finance charge assessed.

If someone has large balances on one or more credit cards and would like to consolidate their payments, the 0% APR introductory offer with added cash back features may be the way to go. There are some issuers that offer not only the above 1% and 5% discount, but also an additional $5 cash back for each balance transfer transaction.

Every day we see people in the grocery store using coupons and club cards to get a discount of up to 30% or more on their groceries. Imagine using a credit card each week and receiving a check for an additional 5% cash back at the end of the year. This could be a tidy sum.

We\'ve also seen the prices at the pump rise steadily the past several months. How much do you spend on gasoline a week? Imagine getting a 5% cash back rebate check for your gasoline purchases at the end of the year!

Some consumers spend time clipping coupons. It\'s worth a few moments of your time to look at the current credit card offers. Cash rebate credit cards can save you money.

About the Author: Bradley Carson is the webmaster and editor of Apply Online For A Credit Card at http://www.cards-king.com A website established to provide concise information about credit cards and credit card offers from premier financial institutions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=BradleyCarson

Easy Ways to Build Up Your Savings

Building and maintaining a savings cushion is vital for your
financial health. Most financial experts recommend having a
minimum of three months' worth of living expenses set aside in
case of an emergency, but many people may find it difficult to
build up that much money in savings. If you think that you might
have difficulty in building up the savings that you need, you
might want to consider some of the following ideas.

Focus your spending Create a budget and track your spending.
After seeing where your money goes, it's much easier to decide
where you can cut. Then live by it.

Treat saving like a bill Consider your monthly savings amount a
bill that has to be paid. Pay your account every month or every
two weeks.

Think small Many people don't think their budget allows room to
save, but even a small amount adds up over time. Depending on
the size of your family, skipping a meal out each week could
result in a $160 per month savings deposit. Take a good look at
your spending habits, and you probably can find $150 or so each
month in extras that you could do without to build up savings.

Save your raise

The next time you get a raise at work or a tax refund, consider
directing half to savings. If you're not used to the money, you
won't miss it.

Continue paying When you pay off a car or other loan, consider
making half of the payment to yourself and put it into your
emergency savings account. You will not miss the money if it is
in savings, but you will find a way to spend it if it remains in
your checking account.

Turn off the TV

Don't listen to the advertisements, Ignore sale flyers or
mail-order catalogs. The latest sale tempts you to spend money
unnecessarily.

Think before you charge

Unless you're in the habit of paying your credit card bill in
full each month, don't use the cards for anything you can eat or
wear.

Consider a refinance

Shop for loan quotes and see if interest rates are lower than
they were when you took out some of your major loans. Consider
refinancing your mortgage and your car loan.

Alternate your commute

If you live in an area that has good public transportation, see
if you can get around without the car. Maybe you can get by on
one car instead of two.

Conserve energy

Do an energy check on the house. Replace cracked storm windows
and renew the weather stripping.

Java-jolt savings

If you're a coffee drinker, don't stop at the coffee shop each
morning. Make your coffee at home.

Participate in a 401(k) or 403(b) plan If your employer doesn't
offer these plans, then you could start saving in a
tax-advantaged IRA or Roth IRA account.

Involve the whole family

Even the youngest child can contribute change to the savings
goal. It is easier for children to get involved if they
understand why they must give up pizza night (or at least cut
down the number of toppings!). Also, you are setting a good
financial example for your children.

Savings rewards

Plan a treat for you, your family or both when you reach your
emergency savings goal. Make it something everyone will look
forward to, but not something very expensive, like a day at the
zoo or at the beach. The important thing is to mark the occasion
and congratulate yourself and all those who helped!

You may freely reprint this article provided the following
author's biography (including the live URL link) remains intact:

Life Insurance Premiums are set to Rise for Overweight Policy Holders

What will this mean for consumers?

It will mean that somebody who is a fraction above the stated healthy weight range will end up paying over half more than somebody within the healthy weight ranges. Some overweight consumers have been denied life insurance cover all together, whilst those that are offered cover, can pay up to 5 times more. This leaves many consumers completely wide open, left with no insurance to protect their families. The insurance companies currently use a measuring system based upon the Body Mass Index.

For example,

Underweight = less than 18.50

Normal = 18.50 to 24.99

Overweight = 25.00 to 29.99

Obese = 30.00 or above

Until recently, the acceptable BMI sat at around 33 to 35. Recent moves has seen this figure land at around 28 to 29. This now means that a male or female weighing over 13.5 stone, with a height of 5ft 7\, would have a BMI of 29.41, therefore risking much higher life insurance premiums, sometimes by up to 50%. This could mean around an extra 120 per year for the average policy. Over the course of a 25 year policy this would mean amount to an extra 3000.

In past years, the higher rate of life assurance premiums would only affect those with a BMI of over 43, whereas now, the threshold is set at around 38.

Insurance industry experts are claiming that the recent spurt in UK obesity has led to insurers re-considering their current acceptable weight levels. Due to the fact that an overweight person is much more likely to die younger than a person within a healthy weight range, insurers are forced to impose much higher premiums onto those overweight, to compensate for the higher risk category.

It is known that over half of the British public are considered to have a BMI of over 25 (overweight or obese), and unfortunately, this percentage seems to be rising in an upwards trend, indicating that an increase in the average price of a life insurance premium could also rise

This article is written by Rebecca Brereton.

Rebecca writes online marketing material on behalf of AE Marketing Limited for a range of UK finance websites. For further life insurance information visit the Life Assurance Zone.

Rebuilding Your Credit: Path to Cheaper Borrowing

Rebuilding your credit can be a great technique to take control
of your future. Face it - to live in today's world, you need
access to credit, and you need it cheap. Unfortunately, lots of
people have ruined their credit because of hard times or bad
decisions when they were young. There's still time, however, to
put things right, no matter how far in the hole you are.

First, you should pay off the debts you have now. Begin making
regular payments on all your debts, no matter how small - this
will often keep the creditors from reporting you as delinquent,
and you can usually work something out with them. At this point,
they've probably written you off anyway, so they have nothing to
lose. Don't sacrifice to the point that you're living in a hovel
with fleas , but do
tighten your belt.

Second, you should get new credit, and make sure you're making
small monthly payments. Don't go wild - you just need to keep a
few hundred dollars in debt outstanding each month. Pay the
fees, and don't spend any more money. You'll gradually pay it
off, and build your credit in the process.

Third, if you have any old debts you never paid off, repay them
on the condition that it gets reported to the credit agencies.
This will please your old creditors and make you look good to
anyone considering you in the future - they'll at least see that
you're making an effort.

Finally, don't do the things that got you that badly into debt
in the first place. No payday loans, no heavy borrowing - live
within your means, and stay there.

Guide to Unsecured Loans

Outlined below is a guide to unsecured loans. It will give you a better understanding of what an unsecured loan is as well as what to consider before applying for one.

As the name implies, an unsecured loan does not require the borrower to put up any security against it. An unsecured loan is a personal loan where the lender has no claim on a homeowner's property should they fail to repay. Instead, the lender is relying solely on the ability of a borrower to meet their loan borrowing repayments.

People who opt for unsecured loans are usually those who aren't in a position to offer collateral or those with adverse credit records, county court judgments, mortgage arrears or debt issues.

By their very nature, unsecured loans involve the lender taking more risk - for which the interest rate is increased. However, while a bad credit history will not necessarily bar you from an unsecured loan the interest rates will reflect the lender's increased risk.

The risk will be reflected, too, in the lender's tolerance of late payments. Without any collateral, the lender will be quicker to take legal action to recover missed instalments - and in such cases, the lender will usually demand repayment of the full amount borrowed plus interest plus legal costs incurred. In such cases, court proceedings could lead to your home being sold to raise the money.

The amount you are able to borrow can start from as little as 500 and go up to 25,000. Because you not securing the money you are borrowing, lenders tend to limit the value of unsecured loans to 25,000. The repayment period will range from anywhere between six months and ten years.

Most lenders give you the option of paying the loan back within between six months and ten years. It's your decision how much or how little time you need to pay back the loan in full but you should try not to stretch yourself too much as the last thing you want is to default on repayments.

Despite this, try to pay back enough each month so that the loan doesn't drag on for years and years, as this will mean you are paying back more interest, and therefore the loan will ultimately cost you more. You need to find a balance between what you can afford each month.

An advantage of taking out an unsecured loan is that your application can be processed a lot quicker as there is no collateral to be valued.

A disadvantage is that it is harder to get approval for an unsecured loan. With no security on offer the lender must be more cautious.

An unsecured loan can be used for almost anything - a relaxing holiday, a new car, a wedding, debt consolidation or home improvements. Whatever you need it for there are a few things to consider before applying for an unsecured loan.

With an unsecured loan, you're not borrowing against the value of your house. You will usually be offered an interest rate based on your circumstances and the amount you want to borrow. This means that the 'typical' interest advertised might not be the rate you are offered - your rate will depend on your credit rating.

You should usually borrow as little as possible, and draw up a budget plan to determine how much you need. An unsecured loan might not offer a particularly high amount, so if you're a homeowner and need to borrow more, you could look into secured loans. It might be tempting to borrow more than you need, but don't forget you have to pay it back!

Your unsecured loan term should be as short as possible. Use your budget plan to work out how much you can afford in monthly repayments and base your loan term on this.

You may freely reprint this article provided the author's biography remains intact:

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

Secured Loan For The SelfEmployed: Ready Money For The Entrepreneurial Mind

Self- employed people consist the majority of the workforce in UK. They control a vital part of the country's economy. A self-employed person works for himself/herself. Not joining any organization as an employee, he or she doesn't draw regular salaries. The trade or business they profess individually or by forming a small business derives the income of the self-employed people. Though, it gives an entrepreneurial gratification, and higher rate of returns than those having a salaried employment, but the payments are irregular and one often has to go without work for days or even months. The financial condition can deteriorate very fast, if a self-employed person with a shaky bank balance runs into rough weather. Secured loan for the self-employed can bail out such an aggrieved person.



Many situations can demand urgent financial inputs from self-employed persons. It could be some vital investment, or to meet some temporary cash flow crisis, to buy a car, or take that much needed vacation - it could be anything, which financially bothers the self-employed person. The most pressing problem is the urgent need of money. The major impediment, which the lenders feel while they consider lending to self-employed people is the lack of a regular income. Unlike salaried people, they do not get monthly paychecks. So, in many cases, their repayment capacity is very much subdued. The collateral clause satisfied by a secured loan for the self-employed, pacifies the average lender and he provides the loan despite a lack of regular income.



The collateral can be the house, the car, a property, the business premises or any home equity held by the self-employed person. Since the collateral is offered, the interest rates on secured loans for the self-employed are lower than the unsecured ones. Secured loans for the self-employed can provide a large sum to the borrower provided the lender is satisfied with the value of the collateral offered. A diverse spectrum of professionals like doctors, painters, writers, mechanics, florists, beauticians, hairdressers etc. take such loans. The profession of the self-employed is not given much importance while giving a secured loan for the self-employed as long as the collateral satisfies the lender. However, the credit history of such borrowers carries a lot of weight with the lenders. Any self-employed person who offers the sufficient collateral and has a good credit record to supplement his case can get a good loan offer within the minimum possible time. Whereas, a borrower with insufficient collateral and poor credit rating is more or less doomed to get a curtailed offer with high interest rates and tougher repayment options.



The drawback of secured loans for self-employed is that if the borrower is unable to meet the repayment schedule and persistently defaults on payments, he might loose his home or the collateral to the lender permanently. So, to mitigate the occurrence of such a tragedy, the borrower should go for the minimum possible loan amount and that too after considering his repayment capacity and doing a cash-flow analysis.



Many borrowers, who take a Secured loan for the self employed, when they find that their cash inflow is not sufficient enough to repay the installments and meet their daily expenses, go for a regular employment. This is not stated to discourage any self-employment, but just to underline the fact that the borrower should do everything to repay his loan properly, else the collateral may be repossessed. As true with all types of purchases, getting the best deal on any secured loan for the self-employed also comes after a consistent scouring of various offers. Just skimming the surface of offers, and reaching at a conclusion might spring up unpleasant surprises for the borrower at later stages. Taking a secured loan for self-employed, is vital to the financial recuperation for the borrower. The funds should be used efficiently and solely to fulfill the intent. Any wasteful meandering from the desired course will inevitably make the things worse for the borrower.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Loan borrowing is like once in a life time decision and much is at stake. It is indeed not a good thing that many people are misguided into taking loans that are not appropriate to their financial situation. This leads to many allied misgivings. As a financial consultant the only driving force of Ann Gibson is to provide proper knowledge. Because knowledge in respect to loan borrowing is power and exudes financial benefits.He works for uk debt consolidation site uk debt consolidations.To find a uk debt consolidation loan,debt management that best suits your need please visit www.ukdebtconsolidations.co.uk/> www.ukdebtconsolidations.co.uk

Money Matters Rich Kid Poor Kid And The Important Role Of The Parent

I know a couple of men who are the same age (mid twenties), about the same intelligence and, for the most part, are equally good looking. One is a businessman with a rapidly growing marketing company grossing about $500,000.00 per year. The other works a routine job making enough money to live from hand to mouth. There is one difference between the two menone comes from a wealthy family and the other comes from a lower income family. Can you guess which comes from which? I have talked to both of these gentlemen and discovered there was a very important factor that played a role in both their lives. One got financial training at an early age and the other did not.

I asked the successful guy how he had gotten so focused in business and his answer was interesting; he told me his father took him to the bank to open a savings account when he was around ten years old. When he started making money-cutting lawns, delivering papers and other jobs, his dad coached him and under that influence most all the money went into the savings account. He had a keen sense of understanding about saving money in an interest bearing account. He had a budget. When he was 18 he opened a checking account in his name. He was writing and managing a checking account at 18 years old. At 18, he had already been an entrepreneur with 8 years experience generating income, handling money, saving and spending money on (and within) his budget. He went on to college to get a degree in international finance, worked for a major corporation for a couple of years and now he has his own business. The other guy doesn\'t have a college education and is just now getting around to setting up a checking account.

I bring this to your attention for a couple of reasons. First, wealthy people tend to groom wealthy children because the kids are taught to respect and manage money at a very early age. Whereas lower income people tend to ignore this issue and subsequently tend to raise lower income children. Obviously, wealthy people have advantages over lower income people like money to send their kids to colleges, etc. but that\'s not the point. The point is in the trainingthe orientation to the banks, teaching kids wise money management, basic economics, how businesses work, about real estate and so on. Key word: Knowledge. I think all parents will do well by their children to teach and show them, at an early age, everything they know about basic banking, how to set up a savings account, how to budget their money, how checking accounts work, etc. My advice is to make sure you introduce your kids to basic economics at an early age. Don\'t assume they will learn on their own or at school. High schools tend to fail miserably at teaching kids the \street smarts\ needed to function intelligently in business, real estate and finance.

I don\'t think a college education is critical to make and manage money. Indeed, there are many millionaires in the country that don\'t have a formal education. What is critical is teaching kids a high work ethic and how to manage money. If you need to get this information for yourself or your family, I strongly suggest you do so (the public library is free) because \You pay once for knowledge but the cost of ignorance can last a lifetime. \

Copyright 2006
James W. Hart, IV
All Rights reserved

NAME: James W. Hart, IV TITLE: Author/CEO Smart Books Publishing WEB SITE: http://www.smart67.com EMAIL: talktosmartbooks@smart67.com PRODUCT: Consumer Books, Kits & Special E-Reports in the areas of Real Estate & Business. Smart Books Publishing Web Site is a Pay Pal-Secured Seller/Secured Credit Card merchant. (Ebay User Number jim12302) MEDIA INTERVIEW AVAILABILITY: Yes. Call For Bookings (419)-636-7210. BIO: Mr. Hart, consumer advocate and CEO of Smart Books Publishing, previously licensed in the sale of real estate in the state of Ohio, has been directly involved in the origination of residential and commercial mortgage financing. Hart is an honorably discharged veteran of the U.S. Army, graduate of the University of Toledo. He is a member of the National Panel of Consumer Arbitrators and the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. Mr. Hart has appeared on a number of radio and TV stations throughout the U.S. including WJR-AM, WWWE-AM, WHUR-FM, WRC-AM, WLW-AM, WTVN-AM, WSPD-AM, KDKA-AM, KBGS-AM and CNBC-TV and many others Hart is an experienced and dynamic media guest.

Auto or Car Loan

An auto or car loan is necessary for most people when they buy a new or used vehicle. Shopping for a car loan can be done many places today, including online. Many companies send you a check for the loan amount and you can simply make this check payable to the auto dealer or car seller. This is all you have to do to get the keys to your new or used car. There are some lending companies that are really doing their best to offer you a great auto loan. Good lenders always have a friendly and professional customer service, regardless of your credit rating. Be aware though that the best rates are for customers with a high credit score. Wherever you apply for a loan, it is subject to credit approval, which means that your credit rate will be checked.

Many companies offer an introductory annual percentage rate, which are changed after 30 or 45 days. However, what you should look for is the long term interest rate, because this is the basis of comparisons between offers from different vehicle loan lenders. You should choose the lender with the lowest annual percentage interest rate, all other conditions equal.

Another thing to look for in addition to the interest rate is if and which fees are associated with your auto loan. Many credit companies add lots of different types of loan fees like payment fees, annual fees, penalties, etc. These fees should also be included in the basis you use for comparing lenders. If the interest rate is low but are eaten up by layers of fees, you have to look closer at the offer. In all circumstances it is the total cost of the loan you should compare because this is what you pay for it.

Once you submit your car loan application online, it will be reviewed by the lending company and you will receive a response within a few minutes during business hours. If you apply during non-business hours, your loan application will normally be processed the next business day. It\'s really easy to shop a car loan on the internet.

Terje Brooks Ellingsen is a writer and internet publisher. He runs the website cheap-used-cars.w-eland.com. Terje gives advice and helps people with automotive issues like shopping car loan online and finding great online insurance and credit companies.

How Ginnie Mae and MortgageBacked Securities Help You Get in a Home

Ginnie Mae is a government guaranteed business that is responsible for helping people finance homes. Ginnie Mae has highly trained and knowledgeable work force working in the best interest of the families and mortgage lenders they help.

Ginnie Mae works with mortgage backed securities to help make housing affordable for millions of low and moderate income families in the United States. Ginnie Mae does this by putting global capital into the nation\'s housing markets.

The Ginnie Mae guaranty allows mortgage lenders to obtain a better price for the mortgage loans in the secondary market. This allows the mortgage lenders to take the money they make and put it towards more mortgage loans that are available to more people. It is a way to increasing the amount of cash flow so that more mortgages are available for more families. In turn, this allows more people and families to own homes, otherwise they may have never considered.

Ginnie Mae does not actually buy, sell, or issue mortgage-backed securities loans. Ginnie Mae is responsible for housing investors that use their money for guaranteeing mortgage loans to the mortgage lenders. Ginnie Mae securities are the only mortgage-backed securities that are completely carried in full faith and credit guaranty by the United States government. Ginnie Mae is one of the safest investments for investors because of this reason. No matter the current financial and economic environment, this investment is a solid one.

Ginnie Mae guarantees investors timely payments of both principal and interest on mortgage-backed securities that are supported by federally insured or guaranteed loans. This mainly includes loans that are insured by the Department of Veteran\'s Affairs and the Federal Housing Administration. Other guarantors or issuers of loans eligible as collateral for the mortgage-backed securities are The Department of Housing and Urban Development\'s Office of Public and Indian Housing and the Department of Agriculture\'s Rural Housing Service.

Ginnie Mae simultaneously helps families into homes and assists investors in getting guaranteed returns. Ginnie Mae investors get a share of all resulting cash flows, after of course the servicing and guaranty fees have been taken out.

So what exactly are mortgage-backed securities? Mortgage-backed securities are pools of mortgages used as collateral for the issuance of securities in the secondary market. MBS are commonly referred to as \pass-through\ certificates because the principal and interest of the underlying loans is \passed through\ to investors. The interest rate of the security is lower than the interest rate of the underlying loan to allow for payment of servicing and guaranty fees. Ginnie Mae MBS are fully modified pass-through securities guaranteed by the full faith and credit of the United States government. Regardless of whether the mortgage payment is made, investors in Ginnie Mae MBS will receive full and timely payment of principal as well as interest.

Ginnie Mae\'s mission is to expand affordable housing in America by linking global capital markets to the nation\'s housing markets. If you feel you can either benefit from their services, or would like to be an investor, contact the nearest location or check them out online. It could be just what you are looking for to get into a home or invest your money with other smart investors in large portfolios.

John R Blakefield is a mortgage and real estate specialist. For more information, articles, news, tools and valuable resources on home mortgages or investment loans, refinancing, debt solutions, visit this site: http://www.scourtheweb.com/mortgage/

The Mword

Recently Dutch employers attacked oppenents of the mortgage allowance frontally. A memorandum of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers (VNO-NCW) and the small and medium-sized enterprises sector (MKB-Nederland) states that every intervention is bad for the economy. Chairman Bernard Wientes says abolishment of the mortgage allowance will harm the economy, the construction sector in particular. Up till now, only the left wing parties want to abolish the mortgage allowance.

Labour leader Wouter Bos (PvdA) says he wants restrictions but not abolishment. He repeats that PvdA wants to limit the rate to 42%. The millionaires must hand in, not the man average in the street. Earlier however, a report of the PvdA states this limitation to 42% would be the first step towards abolishment.

The next step would be a compensation for the expenses of living. Like the rental subsidy this would be primarily for the lower incomes. But the employers make out a case for the opposite:

-people with 52% mortgage allowance also pay 52% tax
-the cause of the shortage on the house market is lack of houses and circulation
-many home owners have fixed their interest rate for a long time
-renters are favoured over owners
-abuse of the mortgage allowance is already dealt with

The Dutch government dealt with the allowance in various ways. First of all, home owners can only offset their mortgage interest of the main home. Secondly, there\'s a maximum of 30 years. Third, when you raise your mortgage, the extra sum can only be offset when it is actually used for home improvement.

Wientjes concludes his plea with a final argument. People with higher incomes will have to buy cheaper homes when the allowance is restricted, which in turn will lead to shortage and price increase in the lower segment.

This will certainly not be the last time the M-word causes exitement in the Dutch public debate.

The author watches mortgage trends in the Netherlands. His site http://www.hypotheek-trends.nl overviews all Dutch interest rates and lists over 20.000 articles and discussions. An overview of action mortgage rates can be found at http://www.hypotheekacties.net.

Rewards Cards Are They Right For You?

Rewards cards have become the latest rage in the credit card industry. In the past, consumers shopped for credit cards that offered the lowest interest rate. Next came cards with low interest rates and no annual fees. Today, consumers can shop for cards based on what type of eward they can earn for using a specific issuer's card.

How does a reward program work? Typically, the program awards points, dollars or a cash value based on the amount you charge. The rate at which you collect points varies depending on what you charge or where you charge it. Some programs offer extra points for using their card at a specific place such as a supermarket or fast food restaurant or for certain items.

Some programs offer a variety of rewards. Consumers can earn meals, tickets to sporting events, airline tickets, electronics, or even create their own reward program.

The goal is to get you the consumer to use your credit card as much as possible. Why? FEES! The credit card issuer makes money from two sources each time you use their card. First, from the merchant who pays the issuer a merchant transaction fee and secondly, from you through finance charges and late fees.

A recent survey found that nearly half of U.S. cardholders enrolled in a credit card rewards program have never redeemed their points. However, 60% of consumers said rewards program influences their decision when deciding which credit card to use for a purchase.

When considering an offer for a card that offers rewards, be sure to read the fine print. Find out what you have to do to earn points. Look carefully for any restrictions as to when you can redeem them. Also check to see if your points carry over from one year to the next.

Reward programs most benefit those who pay off their balances monthly. For those who carry a balance or even pay late, the resulting higher balances and fees aren't really much of a reward, are they?

2004, http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com

About The Author

James H. Dimmitt

Discover more money-saving tips and articles in To Your Credit by visiting http://tinyurl.com/bgo9

Subscribe today and receive FREE bonuses!

jimdim815@aol.com

Australian Coastal Property Market On Steroids

A newly-released report on the property market along the coastal areas of Australia shows that, despite a relatively subdued market nationally, the coastal strip is surging ahead.

The report was prepared for the Australian National Sea Change Taskforce, whose role is to provide national leadership in addressing the impact of the \'sea change\' phenomenon and to provide support and guidance to coastal councils attempting to manage the impact of rapid growth.

The keys to this \sea change\ are the baby-boomers - cashed up, footloose, and looking forward to a long retirement in desirable coastal locales. While older boomers are already retiring to the seaside, many of the younger ones are getting in early, buying their \little piece of paradise\ now to ensure they aren\'t priced out of the market when they retire over the next decade or so.

The rush to the sea is causing some problems, though. In the short term, the high demand for coastal real estate is pricing many younger families out of the market. The surge in population in what in many cases were small, sleepy seaside villages is placing enormous stress on infrastructure - roads, water supplies and electricity. Over the longer term, there will be a substantial increase in demand for medical services, and community facilities that can cope with the different needs of an ageing local population.

Central to the study was an examination of best practices in a number of countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, the UK and the European Union. Drawing on the experience to date of other countries, the Australian Taskforce is putting together a model for managing this sea change phenomenon, which in turn will be useful to the countries studied in the research.

One of the key recipients of sea changers is the Gold Coast, in Australia\'s tropical Queensland. The city has already been experiencing rapid growth due to its property prices, an economic growth rate outstripping most of the country, and a general population drift towards the more attractive tropical climate. But a significant additional spur has been the constant influx of baby boomers. \Sea change on steroids\ was how National Sea Change Taskforce chief Alan Stokes described it.

The traditional driver of migration has been the economy - movement of workers relocating to areas with better employment prospects. But the sea change phenomenon has turned this on its head. Now the key driver is lifestyle.

And this change is one of the main reasons city planners are scratching their heads, as traditional models of development which have focussed on catering to the economic driver are no longer appropriate. The boomers want medical centres, not technical colleges; roads that cater to golf buggies, not large trucks.

City planners need to adapt - and quickly - because the sea change juggernaut is already rolling. Otherwise the boomers will take themselves, and their very healthy bank balances, elsewhere.

Steve Houlihan is author of the book \The 10 Deadly Sins of Renovating for Profit\. His website http://www.flippinghousetips.com is a one-stop resource for those who want to make money through home improvements.

Have Analysts Gotten Honest?

It caught my attention when I heard an analyst on a popular financial news program tell investors to sell a stock because too many analysts liked the company, citing the fact that there were no sell ratings.

It seemed perfectly logical to me that analysts wouldn't be telling investors to sell 3M (MMM), which has one of the most consistent positive earnings records in the history of the stock markets. But being suspicious of conflicts of interest between brokerage firms and analysts I decided to do a bit of fact checking anyway.

While the stock did not have any sell ratings at the time of writing, there were quite a few hold ratings. Now I feel compelled to diverge here and say that the hold rating seems quite illogical to me. If a stock is good enough to hold it's good enough to buy, and vice versa if you wouldn't want to buy it then you shouldn't want to hold on to it either.

As it turns out, the average analyst rating for 3M was only slightly and insignificantly better than the average for all stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, of which the company is a component.

But what was most interesting about the ratings on Dow components was that, despite numerous and serious legal problems, AIG (AIG) was tied with General Electric (GE) and Du Pont (DD) for the third best rating, only bested by Citigroup (C) and Microsoft (MSFT). AIG was actually more highly recommended by analysts than J.P. Morgan Chase's (JPM) and American Express (AXP).

This didn't do much for my confidence in analyst ratings.

So I dug a little deeper looking at the more statistically significant S&P 500. What I found was that companies in the index with the worst revenue performance did actually carry more sell ratings than companies with the best performance.

At least analysts were using the sell rating, something they seldom did in the past.

There was, however, a significant bias towards the neutral 'Hold' rating for all stocks indicating reluctance on the part of analysts to commit to buy and sell recommendations.

Mark Mahorney is a freelance financial writer for hire.

Mark Mahorney
MarketSpectator.com
BlogginWallStreet.com
MarketBlog.com

Balance Transfer This card is not like the other.

As another way to get your business, many card issuers offer
balance transfers. This can give you some leverage as a consumer
and a opportunity to save some interest. Most credit cards offer
a 0% APR for 6 to 12 months with no transfer fees. This is
sometimes referred to as the teaser rate.

A balance transfer can be a good way for a you to consolidate
debt. You can take your outstanding balance on one or two or
more cards and transfer it to a card with a lower rate. Once
approved, you would have all your payables on one credit card
and essentially had taken two or more interest rates and
transformed them into one lower rate.

If you want to carry on a balance, look for the credit card
that offers the best interest rate or the annual fee offer.
However, if you intend to pay for the credit every month, then
look on the one that offers the lowest interest rate. Take note
of the new rate after the introductory offer is over. Is it
going to higher than what your have now? Are there any other
fees involved? Make sure. Also does the introductory offer apply
to balance transfers and purchases?

You can choose the credit card that offers the lowest annual
percentage rate (APR). APR's could either be a fixed or a
variable rate. Fixed rates do not change as the name implies
but is higher. Variable rates changes depending on the economic
trends. I usually avoid anything that's variable but you should
explore your own options carefully. This is to be taken into
consideration if you're deciding on carrying a balance and for
how long.

Other factors involved in your decision for a balance transfer
might be the rewards (reward points)or cash back a card offers.
You may want to look into something you purchase often, like
airline miles or gas rebates if you drive more than usual. Other
cards even offer cash back for paying home utilities and
mortgage, like the Citi Home Rebate Platinum Select
MasterCard. There is much competition for your money and if you
take time to explore your options, you can turn some
disadvantages on your present credit card balance back your way.

Online Credit Card Usage Convenience At Its Best

Commerce and technology, combined as a one package - this is what online credit cards are. With the advent of internet, the knowledge and communication barriers were broken. Also, with internet, came the concept of e-shops or virtual shops that existed only on the internet. You could shop at these shops by making use of their online credit card payment-acceptance ability. Once the online credit card payments were verified and approved, the goods got delivered to your door. This is what we call convenience at its best.



With more and more e-shops getting setup everyday, online credit card usage is becoming even more popular. The possibility of receiving online credit card payments has given a totally new dimension to shopping. Now, you can not only shop from the comfort of your home, you can even get discounts on these products. This is really amazing. No need to bother about the weather, no need to worry about the traffic jams or any other thing. Just go to an e-shop, select a product, make use of their online credit card payment-acceptance facility to make the payment and be ready to receive the goods at your doorstep.



With online credit card processing facility, starting a business (an online business) has become just unbelievably easy.



However, there is nothing without pitfalls. One of the pitfalls of online credit card usage is the possibility of online credit card fraud. This online credit card fraud can happen in two ways. The first one is related to the company, on whose website you made online credit card payment for purchase of goods; this company itself could be fraudulent i.e. it could take the online credit card payment from you but not deliver the goods to you. Moreover, they could use the details of your credit card (received through the filling up of online credit card payment form by you) for fraudulent purposes. The second type of fraud is committed by fraudsters who use various softwares/devices to capture the details of online credit card payments (as you enter them on the online credit card payment form of a website). These softwares are popularly known as spyware and these fraudsters as online spies. The spyware works by capturing keystrokes or taking screenshots of whatever you do on your computer and then passes it on to the spy. However, there are anti-spyware softwares available which can be used to counter such spyware.



So, the advent of online credit card usage facility is a boon to us. However, you must exercise caution when making online credit card payments e.g. don't access your bank accounts or make online credit card payments from internet cafes (unless you are absolutely sure about the credentials of the internet caf).

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Sandra Stammberger is the owner of Money Management Center. A guide to credit cards, budgeting, and credit use. For more information visit www.money-management-center.com/

Household Budget

Sometimes it can seem as though daily expenses are getting out of control you know that you should have enough money to cover everything, but it just never seems to work out that way.

If your financial situation seems to be getting worse with each passing month, don\'t despair; with the aid of a household budget you should be able to quickly get things under control again.

All that it takes is a little bit of planning and the self-control to stick to the budget.

What is a household budget?

If you\'re not entirely sure what a budget is, it\'s simply a formal plan for the control of a household\'s expenses and spending. A budget allows you to plan in advance which payments and expenses will be paid at what time, and even decide which payment of your salary will be used to pay individual payments.

A budget can also be used to figure approximately how much money you have left after all of the bills and expenses have been paid, so that you\'ll know whether you can really afford to spend additional money on impulse purchases.

First step in creating a budget

The first step in creating a budget is to determine exactly how much your core expenses cost, and how much money is available each month to pay those expenses.

Make a note of your rent or mortgage payment, and look at old utility bills to determine the average cost of electricity and other utilities. It might be advisable to lean your estimates a little higher than the true average, so as to better cover more expensive months.

You should then write the payment due date of each of these expenses on a calendar, as well as the dates when you or other bill-paying members of the household receive their salary.

This way, you can determine which expenses are due at what time, and whether you can wait for your next pay period before you pay it.

Covering all of your expenses

Of course, there are a variety of other expenses that must be met every month that don\'t come as standard bills. When working out a budget, it\'s important to remember to add in the amount that you spend on groceries each month as well as an amount to pay for incidentals the various expenses that can come up without you expecting them.

Make sure that you determine the approximate amount that you spend on groceries as well as how often you buy them, and mark that down on your calendar.

Figure up your total expenses, and subtract them from your monthly income once you\'ve determined how much money you have left, set aside a small portion of this so as to help cover incidentals.

Working savings into the budget

Of course, building up your savings can help things significantly down the road the only problem is that it can be difficult to save money when you\'re working on a budget.

To help build your savings, you should put the money that you set aside for incidentals into your savings; if it\'s needed, you can draw it out later.

You should also try to put a little extra into your savings at the end of each month, as a bonus for staying on budget.

Sticking to the budget

The important thing to remember when working on a budget is that it isn\'t set in stone. Many people worry when they get off of their budget, and this makes them skew the budget even more before long, the budget is gone entirely.

Work on keeping your budget, but don\'t worry about it so much that you make it impossible. If you stray, simply get back on next month.

You may freely reprint this article provided the following author\'s biography (including the live URL link) remains intact:

About The Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help homeowners find the best available loans via the http://www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

Buying a Home: Lender Letters

What do pre-qualification and pre-approval letters accomplish and what is the difference between them?

A pre-qualification letter is from a lender who has done a quick review of your financial situation and based on the results believes, if additional information is provided you will qualify for a loan. In other words the lender is simply stating that there has been no negative information uncovered preventing you from getting a loan.

A pre-approval letter indicates a thorough analysis of your credit, income, and assets has been completed and you are pre-approved by a lender for a specific loan amount.

As you would imagine, a pre-qualification letter is easier and quicker to obtain than getting pre-approved but it is often the first step in the approval process. A pre-qualification letter can be issued while information and documentation is being submitted and verified for the pre-approval letter.

A pre-qualification letter is normally issued by a loan officer after an initial interview, credit check and determining a loan amount. Loan officers and mortgage brokers do not make final loan approval decisions, so a pre-qualification letter is not a commitment to make a loan. Since no verification of information has been completed, the pre-qualification letter is an opinion and the lender is not bound to make a loan when you are ready to buy. There is no guarantee you will actually qualify for the loan amount for which you have been pre-qualified. The letter is used when you are making an offer on a home and indicates to the seller you are qualified to purchase the property based on the information you provided the lender and subject to verification.

Pre-approval is a formal process based on documented and verified information. It involves your assets, liabilities, down payment employment history, and credit score. Your application is sent to an underwriter and a decision is made regarding your loan. If your loan is pre-approved, you are provided with a pre-approval letter or certificate. Having a pre-approval allows you to close or get a final loan commitment quickly when you find the right property. In addition, a pre-approval for a loan gives strength to your offer and in some cases may improve your negotiating power, since being pre-approved is closer to having cash to pay for the property.

If the loan approval letter is better why pre-qualify? Because sooner or later you will have to make a formal application and getting pre-qualified is the first step in the process. It also speeds up the loan process and can save you time and headaches by only looking at homes you are estimated to be able to afford while you seek pre-approval.

Although not a requirement, a pre-approval from your lender demonstrates you have good credit history and are qualified for a mortgage loan of a specified size. In today\'s competitive market, this letter or certificate can provide negotiating power and strength to your offer. Sellers will generally select offers with a loan pre-approval over offers without. Maybe even more important, being pre-approved for a loan takes some of the stress out of looking for your next home. You avoid any disappointment in selecting a dream home only to find you can\'t qualify for the loan. In addition, you will not have to worry about meeting the lender\'s loan requirements.

Please understand the definition of pre-qualification and pre-approval can be somewhat flexible and the meanings may vary from place to place and lender to lender. Neither is viewed as a loan commitment. Final approvals take into account the property, title and undated review of financial conditions to make sure there have been no negative changes since the initial review.

Getting pre-qualified and/or pre-approved by a reputable mortgage company is the first step in buying a property, and should be done before you start looking for your new home because it will let you and your Realtor know what price range of home to be looking at.

The list of information your lender will want to get the loan pre-approval process started generally includes a standard residential loan application, two year\'s history of your residence , employers name, other income sources, copies of W2 forms or pay stubs, copies of bank statements, verification of brokerage accounts, and estimated value of other owned real estate. In addition the lender will order a credit report to determine if there are any unusual or derogatory items in your credit history which may require additional explanation or work to remove.

Julie Jalone is an experienced professional Realtor serving the needs of buyers and sellers of residential real estate in the Greater Sacramento area. Her site includes news, analysis, listings, real estate resource links and her daily blog, \Keep it Real in Sacramento.\

To learn more about Julie Jalone take a look at her website, http://www.jalone.com/ where you will find additional articles, monthly market analysis and her daily blog, \Keep it Real in Sacramento.\

Home Loans: What You Should Know!

Finding home loans can be a daunting task, whether you're a first time home buyer or an existing homeowner. The good news is that there are more options than ever to help you find the loan that's right for you.

Check Your Credit Report

An important first step is to check your credit report, preferably several months before you intend to apply for a loan. You are entitled to one free copy of your report every 12 months so it's easy to check it out. When you receive your report there are a few things that should garner your attention. First, check to see that the information it contains is accurate. Does it incorrectly show late or missing payments? Does it show credit cards or other credit accounts that are incorrect? If you see anything that is not right then consult with the credit reporting agency regarding their procedures for making corrections.

If My Credit Is Bad Can I Qualify For A Mortgage?

Usually the answer is yes, but the loan process will likely be more involved and the interest rate you'll pay will be higher than if you have good credit. Look for lenders that specialize in loans for people with poor credit and learn more about the programs they offer. Even though a mortgage will cost you more if you have bad credit, in the long run it can help you repair your credit history if you make your payments faithfully.

What Kind Of Loans Are Available?

Three basic types of loans are available to help you buy a home - fixed rate, adjustable rate and interest-only. A fixed rate loan comes with an interest rate that stays the same throughout the loan term, but an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) comes with an interest rate that may move up and down at various intervals. Your payments will usually be lower with an ARM (at least at the start of the loan) but over the life of the loan you run the risk of your payments going up if interest rates rise.

A newer type of loan is the interest-only mortgage. It features some of the lowest monthly payments you'll find, but this comes at a cost. The payments are low for the first few years because you are not paying anything toward the loan principal, just the loan interest. This means you are not developing equity in your house, and when the payments switch to a combination of interest and principal you will see your payment go up.

Summary

Obtaining home loans can be intimidating at first, but with a little information and research you can better prepare yourself for the loan process. Start by knowing what's in your credit report and correct any mistakes that appear. Think about the type of mortgage that will work best for you and check out several lenders who offer that type. If you're not sure what kind of loan is your best option then ask potential lenders to make a suggestion. Take advantage of information resources at your local library, on the internet and in financial publications such as magazines and newspapers. With some time and effort you will be in a position to make an informed decision regarding a loan.This article may be freely distributed providing no alterations are made to the text and the links remains intact.

This article may be freely distributed providing no alterations are made to the text and the links remains intact.

Copyright www.1st-mortgage-home-loans.com - All rights reserved.

For home loans & finance please visit us at http://www.1st-mortgage-home-loans.com

Mortgage Borrowing Tip Length of Loan

When borrowing money for a mortgage, homebuyers are primarily concerned with simply qualifying. Still, paying attention to the length of the loan is a borrowing tip that can save you a ton of money.



Home Loans



In the mortgage industry, the length of your loan used to be the only major issue you had to deal with. How times have changed! In the current market, the variety of loans that exist are simply stunning. Of course, the massive increase in loan options has inevitably led to massive confusion.



Borrowing Tip



Regardless of the type of loan you go with, you should always try to keep your loan term as short as possible. The shorter the loan period, the less you will pay in interest. Here an example using 15 and 30 year loans.



Assume our first homebuyer gets a $100,000 loan at 8 percent interest. He length of the loan is 30 years with a monthly payment of $733.76. For this mortgage, our homebuyer is going to pay $164,155.25 in interest over the life of the loan.



Now, take the same scenario, but reduce the term of the loan to 15 years. Our homebuyer is going to see the monthly payment bumped to $955.65 per month. Over the length of the loan, our homebuyer is going to pay $90,000 less in interest payments over the life of the loan. On top of this, the house will be paid off in half the time.



When borrowing money for a home purchase, you have to carefully budget your finances. If you can afford increased monthly payments, however, a shorter loan length is going to save you a lot of money over time.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Dan Lewis is a mortgage broker with www.gwhomeloans.com - San Diego mortgage brokers providing home loans and refinances. Visit gwhomeloans.com/services.html to learn more about options for San Diego mortgages.

Home Buying Terminology What's An Appraisal?

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15 Ways Average Person Can Overcome Increasing And Overwhelming Debt

Before sharing these recommendations, I suggest that you have a way of tracking your expenses. This will give you a clear picture of what you spend daily, weekly and/or monthly and aid you in reducing expenses where needed.



1) Accept the fact you are in debt and forgive yourself. If you are in denial, you are more likely to repeat the pattern.



2) Reduce monthly expenditures. For example, once the price of gas increased, our monthly gas costs went from roughly $200 to approximately $450- 500.00. In an effort to reduce our gas costs, I stopped taking miniature trips every day. Also, my husband would drive my car on the weekends because it costs less in gas.



3) If you're a person that makes several trips to the grocery store during the month, reduce the number of trips to once a month except for fresh vegetables. This will reduce the number of times you have to put gas in the car. Today, it costs more just to leave the house to get groceries as well as going to work.



4) With the increasing utility bill, begin making repairs to your home now such as getting a programmable thermostat and set it to a certain temperature so that it will automatically come on.



5) As an option, temporarily get a second job for supplemental income. If married, this should be the person that has the ability to generate the most income. I do not recommend any Multi-level Marketing opportunities.



6) For a single person in debt - if you are off on weekends, temporarily get a weekend job and put those funds towards the bills along with your regular income.



7) If you have a cell phone and a regular phone that both have long distance, re-evaluate having both phones. It can get expensive to have both with long distance. Maybe you can remove the regular phone and just use your cell phone if most people call you on that number.



8) If you are a stay at home mom, in my opinion the kids should not be going to daycare. This is an unnecessary expense.



9) Be sensible about your expenditures when it comes to your children. For example, a six month old baby does not need name brand clothing. They need to be clothed. Suggest getting into 'mommy group' where you and your friends can swap clothing based on gender and age. I have a couple of moms that I swap clothes with and this saves all of us from having to shop at the store.



10) Grooming expenses for adults: do you really need to get your nails done every week? Could you put that money towards a bill? If you are getting your hair done whether it is a weave, perm, braids or tinting every week - do you need to go to a high end salon or could you go Great Clips for the same thing? I am not saying do not pamper yourself; however, as times get tougher what is the necessity?



11) Maintaining your vehicle is a necessity, but going to a car wash every week is not. You can wash your car at home. Re-evaluate how you are spending your money.



12) If you are a person that likes to go out to eat, reduce the amount of times per month you go out to eat. Begin cooking at home since you are buying groceries for the month.



13) Entertainment - whether it is going to the movies, bars or happy hour - these expenses add up. For example going to a matinee is $7.50 a person (for the two of us is $15.00 before we even get food, which would cost us another $15.00) do you really need to see the movie now or could you wait three months and see it on DVD. Netflix is an option.



14) Add up how much you spend at a vending machine per week when you are at work if you work outside the home. Consider taking snacks from home.



15) Health insurance - if you had a job and are using COBRA for health insurance until you have secured another job, seek an alternative health insurance to the COBRA payments. I remember when I first stopped working at the law firm, we utilized COBRA for almost eighteen months and the price increased two times. Prior to the second increase, I located a shared insurance plan and saved us lots of money.



** There has to be some structure during these difficult economical times. However, these times do not have to be so hard that you cannot enjoy life.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Dr. Taffy Wilkins Wagner is the author of Amazon.com Bestseller Debt Dilemma. Debt Dilemma is her personal story of how she got into debt and was able to get out of debt without filing bankruptcy. If you need help getting your finances in order email her at taffy@paidoff.net she will help. To purchase Debt Dilemma go to www.paidoff.net.