Seven Myths About Debt You Might Believe (at Your Peril)

Seven Myths About Debt You Might Believe (at Your Peril)
Debt is the sort of subject that people keep to themselves.
There is a lot of interior monologue going on about debt,
but not much real conversation.

In that kind of climate, a lot of wrong beliefs can spring
up. While some mistaken ideas about debt may be academic
matter or of not much consequence, some can be serious.

In fact, to really tackle your debt problem you have to
understand it. Part of that means understanding your own
spending habits and personal situation. I can't help you
there.

But the other part means understanding debt and how it
works.

Here are seven common myths people believe about debts.

The first: debt is a recent phenomenon.

Many of us think that it is our modern, overextended
lifestyle that contributes to debt and that in ancient
times, people just did not have the same problem with money
that we do. That's not true. Provisions for bankruptcy
protection appear in the United States Constitution (1763).

Debtors' prisons were common in the industrial revolution.
And in Biblical times, people who were in debt might sell
themselves into slavery to appease a creditor. The truth is
debt has been around about a half hour after the creation
of money.

The second myth: debt shows a lack of character.

Now it is true that a disreputable person can easily get
himself or herself into debt, but debt is not in and of
itself a character flaw. Debt occurs because of a
convergence of unfortunate financial circumstances. This
may be avoidable or unavoidable. However, the debt that
results does not prove anything about the person who has it.

Debt is a problem, but it's not evidence you are a failure.

The third myth: debt is just something you have to live
with.

This is a dangerous myth because debt is like a bleeding
wound. You really cannot afford to leave it untended too
long.

I sometimes think that debt is a lot like obesity. If that
is your problem, you have to fight it. You can't afford to
ignore it or pretend it's not a problem.

Debt robs you of your future prosperity; it drains the
resources you and your family need.

The fourth myth: everybody is in debt.

It's easy to see why people believe this, because so many
people are massively in debt. But do you know what? A good
many people have no debt. In fact, the majority of people
in the U.S. have manageable amounts of debt in proportion
to their incomes. Overwhelming debt is not something most
people deal with.

That's good news if you have overwhelming debt. Do you know
why? It means it's possible to live another way. In fact,
most people do. If they can do it, so can you!

The fifth myth: it takes forever to get out of debt.

That myth is true if you just wish you were out of debt or
you have some lackadaisical approach to it. Do you know
that there are coaches who can take an unfit person and
train him or her to complete a marathon in six months?
People can lose 100 pounds in a year. Some people can make
a fortune or complete a degree in four years. The point is
that great things can be accomplished even in unlikely
individuals if you do two things: get a plan and follow the
plan.

People have paid off very large debts in fairly short
amounts of time with the right plan and coaching.

The sixth myth: debt doesn't matter.

Fortunately, this one is not as common as some of the
others. However, it's very destructive. Typically, people
who buy into this myth grew up in households that were very
comfortable with high amounts of debt. This does not always
create the proper perspective for future financial security!

Debt wastes large amount of your money and can cause your
family to burn up high amounts of income on average-levels
of lifestyle.

The last myth that people believe about debt is that you
can't handle debt (you need to hire an expert to help you).

It is true that there are lots of people and businesses who
specialize in helping people with debt. But be very
careful. To enjoy good financial health, you have to learn
how to take care of your own money.

This means that handing over a large amount of money to a
debt company that promises to take care of your problems
(so you can walk away) may be a dangerous decision. Here's
why. If you don't understand what they're doing with your
money, you are giving them a good opportunity to rip you
off. It can be the financial equivalent of handing your
wallet to a stranger and saying, "Take what you want."

Second, if you don't know how you wound up in debt, you
won't be able to get out.

Debt consolidation is an approach to handling debt but it's
a term that is frequently used carelessly online.
Technically, debt consolidation just repackages or
reorganizes debt in a way that makes it more favorable.

However, many companies who offer to settle or negotiate
your debt (get your creditors to take less than you owe)
call their services debt consolidation. There are a lot of
myths out there about debt and how to manage your debt. An
education can be the best defense!

----------------------------------------------------
Want to get straight talk about debt consolidation? Visit
http://www.mydebtconsolidationanswers.com . For a free
report on your financial style, visit
http://www.debt-consolidaiton-diva.com .

For Financial Analysts: 6 Steps To Finding A New Job

For Financial Analysts: 6 Steps To Finding A New Job
The financial industry is cyclical and volatile. What if
you are displaced from your position? It can be a challenge
to think objectively at a time when the future suddenly
becomes bleak and directionless. Financial analyst jobs can
be difficult to come by when the industry is going through
a shake-up.

Here is a six-step action plan to finding a new job. Notice
that looking for a new job is last on the list.

1. Acceptance

Accepting reality is the first step so you can cast aside
your resistance and resentments. This will you gain a clear
perspective of the big picture. These emotions are
understandable given the circumstances but they will get in
your way if you want to move forward in your career.

2. Take a vacation

Allow yourself time to unwind from the tension and anxiety
built up prior to the layoff. Look at it as a paid
vacation. You've been working long hours and you deserve a
vacation. You will be able to think better and more
creatively when you are relaxed.

3. Design the life you choose to create

With your financial analyst job out of the way and 80-100
hours released to you each week, you will have the time and
freedom to design the life you want.

What does the vision of your life look like? If you don't
already have one, now is the time to create yours. Once you
have decided on your life vision, make plans to
deliberately create opportunities towards it.

Your life vision should cover all major aspects of your
life. Here's a list of the main areas. Feel free to make
your own list.

* Career
* Self
* Family and friends
* Relationships
* Health
* Wealth
* Fun
* Contribution

You may wonder why you need to include so many areas of
your life when all you are looking for is a financial
analyst job. These areas are all intertwined and
inseparable. Each one of them will impact one or more areas
in your life.

4. Assess where you are

Compare where you are now to your life goals. It is like
finding the "You are here" sign on the shopping mall
directory. This will help you gauge how far you are and the
alternative routes that will take you to your destination.

If you are most recently an equity research analyst and you
would like to move into hedge funds one day, how many ways
can you get there? What skills do you need to acquire to
qualify for the position? How do you build them into your
next career move?

5. Develop your job search action plan

List up to ten specific measurable goals to complete within
the next 30 days. Break down your larger goals into smaller
steps and set a target completion date for each step.

If the supply of financial analyst jobs is slowing, explore
options and alternatives to reach your career goals so you
can build some flexibility into your action plan. This
increases your chance of finding a position and still in
line with your long-term career goals. For example, moving
into buy-side equity analyst job or hedge fund research are
both logical next steps for a sell-side equity analyst who
aspires to become a hedge fund manager.

6. Take action: looking for a new job

I have placed this last on the job search action list
because I believe it is necessary to first have a specific
career goal before contacting the recruiter or networking
with your connections in the field.

You must first know which direction you want to go, then
you can articulate intelligently to the recruiters and
potential employers what you want. No one wants to hire a
desperate, panicky prospect who will accept any position
just because.

Remember to review and fine tune your job search action
plan weekly to help you monitor your progress. Follow up
with purposeful actions.

----------------------------------------------------
Corinne Lor is a success coach for professionals in the
banking and finance industry. Visit her blog at
http://financialanalystblog.com to sign up for a free 7 day
course.

Cold Calling: The Ultimate Sales Training Part 1

Cold Calling: The Ultimate Sales Training Part 1
Are you a financial analyst who dreads cold-calling? Learn
to master it. It is your ultimate training in marketing.
Imagine what it can do for your career when you can sell
your products to strangers over the phone?

As a financial analyst, you are always marketing something.
Before you can even step your foot in the field, you will
have to successfully market yourself in job interviews.
Whether you are in equity research, institutional sales or
investment banking, you are always marketing ideas.

Cold-calling is only dreadful when you don't have a game
plan. Before you even pick up the phone, you need to be
well prepared.

Know your products, your company and your competition.
Ideally, you must believe in the product you are selling,
i.e. a product that you yourself would buy. But in the case
of an summer internship, this may or may not be the case.

Research the products and pricing of close competitors so
you know how your company's products compare. Understand
how the products' strengths play out against its weaknesses
so you can effectively handle objections.

Remember that the first impression you can make to your
prospect over the phone is through your voice. When you
believe in the products you're selling, you will exude
confidence in your voice.

Prepare an irresistible script. The best "script" is a
conversation, not a sales pitch. A listener is more open to
a friendly conversation than to a sales pitch. If the
company gives you a script, use it as a reference. If you
read it verbatim, I guarantee that everyone you call will
hang up on you.

An effective script consists of four parts:

- Use informal greetings

"Hello. May I speak to Mr. Smith? This is Chris Johnson
calling from XYZ Company" is usually a giveaway this is a
sales call. I find there are better chances of reaching my
prospect if I sound less formal.

I prefer to say, "Hi. Is John there? This is Chris."

Sometimes, I might even go for "Hi, John. This is Chris."

If it isn't John, I'll just say, "Excuse me, is John in?
This is Chris."

The familiarity would throw most people off-guard and they
would tend to carry on a conversation with you while trying
to figure out who you are. Most people would not want to
admit they don't recognize someone they know.

- Establish credibility

If you have any sort of referral, use it. It can even be
the person you just spoke to before the call was
transferred to your prospect. It may go like this, "I was
speaking to Susan in Marketing. She said I should talk to
you about ..." If there is information about the prospect,
do a quick research before the call. Never mind the "how
are you?" greetings. Just be brief and to the point.

- Create curiosity

You must be able to tell your prospect in two-three brief
sentences the benefits of your products. Mention some real
results to capture their attention. You will know your
sound bite works well if your prospect says, "tell me more."

For example, "Last year, the ABC fund of my company helped
over 1,000 investors like you to grow their investments by
25%. This was fantastic compared to only 5% interest on
savings and 10% return from the stock market."

An effective sound bite is client focused, and it
emphasizes product benefits, not features. This is the
essence of successful marketing. Always focus on the value
you can produce for your client. Is it in the best interest
of your client to purchase your products or are you just
trying to close a sale?

- Close confidently

If the prospect indicates interest to learn more about your
product, immediately follow through with an invitation to
the next step - either continue with your presentation over
the phone or make an appointment to meet.

For example, "We should meet. Only 10% of the funds was
able to achieve this kind of performance last year. While I
can't promise you the same results this year, I assure you
that it's worth your time. Is Thursday morning a good time
to meet with you?"

If the prospect is not interested, thank him for his time
and move on to your next prospect.

Practice your script. By reading the script aloud to
yourself or your friends, you will be able to spot places
where objections may arise. First, try to rephrase the
script to remove any possible objections. Next, prepare
answers for the objections. Being well-prepared is a
confidence booster.

Cold-calling need not make your work miserable. Masterful
cold-calling requires preparation, lots of practices and
social skills. It is not only a valuable asset for a
financial analyst but also an indispensable marketing skill
that can accelerate your journey towards career success.

----------------------------------------------------
Corinne Lor is a success coach for professionals in the
banking and finance industry. Visit her blog to read part 2
of Cold Calling: The Ultimate Sales Training
http://financialanalystblog.com

Canadian Real Estate Think Vancouver City

Canadian Real Estate Think Vancouver City
Overseas property buyers seeking a place to buy in Canada
need to have a good look at Vancouver. This city seems to
be the place for sound investment and relocation to Canada.
It has been rated as one of the best places to live, a 2007
report by Mercer Human Resource Consulting tied the city
with Vienna as having the third highest quality of living
in the world, after Zürich and Geneva. The good news
does not stop there a strong economy and a housing market
that is robust are other reasons why Vancouver is my tip
for the top

Vancouver has traditionally relied on British Columbia's
resource sectors: forestry, mining, fishing and
agriculture. It has diversified over time, however, and
Vancouver today has a vibrant service industry, a growing
tourism industry.

As United States and some Canadian real estate markets have
been hit by the slowdown in housing sales, Vancouver
continues to shine. While things might look to slow a
little, prices will still increase and the city in western
Canada expects to be doing a brisk business throughout this
year and into the foreseeable future.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, which serves
as the country's national housing agency, is predicting an
8% increase in home prices for the metro Vancouver area.
That's in comparison to an 11% increase for all of 2007,
and will still leave the city with the highest prices in
the country. Evidence suggested that Vancouver house
prices are going to continue to increase

Vancouver is an attractive city to many people across the
globe, not just in Canada. Its moderate climate and
location on the water make it a nice place to live year
round, and many of the new home buyers are coming from
overseas. The current low US dollar has led to an increase
in buyers from Europe and Asia, where the currencies are
stronger. Additionally, western Canada is experiencing a
boom in its economy. High oil and commodities prices are
good for this part of the country, and unemployment is very
low.

Vancouver has a great future as it movie making reputation
grows, it has become the third-largest film production
centre in North America after Los Angeles and New York
City, earning it the nickname Hollywood North.

Many of the buyers in Vancouver are going after high-end
condominiums in or near downtown. There are many new condo
towers that are under construction, but four in particular
are doing much better than anticipated. These four luxury
hotel-condominium towers now under construction are the
Ritz-Carlton, Shangri-La, Fairmont Pacific Rim and Hotel
Georgia. They are getting prices of more than $3,000 per
square foot, compared with an average for downtown condos
of $725 per square foot.

With an attractive location, strong economy and many other
advantages, Vancouver looks to continue to be a hot market
for some time to come.

----------------------------------------------------
Author Nicholas Marr has a passion for international real
estate and has gained his unique perspective in his
capacity as director of the international property websites
at http://www.homesgofast.com and
http://canada.homesgofast.com

Get Credit Report information and credit questions on-line

Get Credit Report information and credit questions on-line
Your credit report is accessible 24/7 on the internet in a
few clicks. Equifax just released how the internet is a
great resource fore accessing anything about your credit.
The internet is amazing in regards to how you can get the
information you need to fix just about anything. You can
get recipes, commons household items, cars, credit cards,
insurance, mortgages, or any common question answered. The
internet is so powerful that you could actually stay home
and never leave using the internet to buy what you need.

The internet being the best channel for credit reports,
credit scores and getting free credit repair help, you can
rest assure you will have access to what you need securely
in a few clicks. If you want to access your credit report,
and did it the old fashion way, you would have to wait for
your report to come in the mail. I don't know about you,
but I know the mail is not safe anymore. You definitely
don't want anything with your social in the snail mail if
you can avoid it. With the security that has been implement
on the internet to get your credit report and credit scores
safe and securely.

Most people don't know how convenient the internet is. The
internet has revolutionized the way we all do business and
function in society currently. Let's assume you have credit
issues, and you don't know what to do. Most people will
search for credit repair sites. You will find that most
credit repair sites charge horrendous fees for something
you can do yourself for free. If you were to take the time
to do some research, you will find that with a little
credit education and implementation of what you learn your
credit will improve on its own. The internet is just like
your local library, it has all the information you could
imagine.

How easy is it to get credit report on-line?
Let's assume you are getting ready to buy something, or
just would like to know what your credit scores are.
Getting your credit report is so easy that a caveman could
do it. Typically when get your credit report you will need
to know your credit scores. Your credit scores will
typically cost you around $30.00 to have that piece of
mind. But it's worth having believe me. In a matter of a
few seconds with validating who you are, you will receive
your full 3-1 credit report. Pulling your consumer credit
report does not affect your credit scores by the way.

Credit Repair on the web
Let's assume you have credit issues, and you would like to
start repairing them right away. You can find all kinds of
articles about what the first step would be in the credit
repair process. With your credit being the single most
important part of your financial health, you can rest
assure the answer is on the web. In a few keystrokes you
can be reading an article that will pertain to your
situation. This is the power and resourcefulness of the web
today. Got questions about credit? Just Google it.

----------------------------------------------------
About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of
http://www.creditscorequick.com/ . CreditScoreQuick.com is
the one of the most unique on-line resources for free
credit score report, fico score, Internet identity theft
software, secure credit cards, and a BlOG with a wealth of
personal credit information. The information within this
website is written by professionals that know about credit,
and what determines ones credit worthiness.

Understanding Mortgage Contingencies in Single Family Real Estate Investment

Understanding Mortgage Contingencies in Single Family Real Estate Investment
Here's the basic definition of a contingency: it's a
condition or event that must be fulfilled before a real
estate contract is binding on all parties involved.

There can be many contingencies in contracts. A typical
example involves inspection of the property: "This contract
is contingent upon a satisfactory inspection of the home
being completed by January 16 that reveals no significant
defects. If defects are discovered, the Seller will correct
them or provide compensation to correct them."

As you'll see later, buyers often have contingencies for
mortgage financing, the sale of another property,
appraisals and many other items.

Contingencies exist for a very good reason; they provide
protection against potential or hidden legal or structural
problems for both buyers and sellers.

For buyers, it's good way to make sure everything is place
before making an offer—financing, good property
condition, etc.

Sellers, on the other hand, want to qualify buyers so they
know they're serious about the purchase of the property and
can meet all necessary obligations. Before a contract is
signed, both parties must agree on all contingencies.

Generally speaking, there are three results as a result of
contingency negotiations: The contingencies are met. If
all contingencies are agreed upon, the sale proceeds; it's
no longer subject to cancellation or modification of those
items. The contingency is waived or removed. These two
actions can be done by either the buyer or the seller,
depending on who the beneficiary is. Example: a 1031 tax
deferred exchange contingency by a seller. Originally, she
indicated the property would be identified as a replacement
one, but later decided not to do an exchange. So, the
seller notifies the buyer that she's waiving that
particular contingency. The contingency is rejected or
fails. For example, assume an appraisal reveals there's
serious damage to a property's foundation. Receiving this
information, the buyer decides he's no longer interested in
the property because the repair costs are too high. In
this case, the contingency fails, and the buyer receives
his earnest money back.

Contingencies will vary with the type, size, and location
of the property and the needs of the buyers and sellers.
However, the following contingencies should be included in
every agreement (depending on whether it's a residential or
commercial/industrial property):

Property appraisal.

Require that a licensed independent professional conduct
property appraisal. Naturally, the appraisal should show
that the property is at a value equal to or greater than
the proposed purchase price. If you're the buyer, this
keeps you from overpaying for the property.

Books/records inspection.

This contingency is especially important for multi-unit,
commercial and industrial properties. As a buyer, you need
to know the income and expense statements as well as the
nature of the lease. To make sure the seller is giving you
real and accurate numbers, request their IRS Schedule E
statement. He or she isn't legally obligated to provide
those numbers, but you're putting them on notice for future
legal action if the numbers are misleading or false.

Contracts.

If you're the buyer, be sure you get copies of all current
service agreements and contracts associated with a
commercial/industrial property. Unless they're especially
attractive to you, you may request that the seller cancel
or end all non-essential contracts at the end of escrow.
That way you have the option of bringing in your own
vendors.

Financing.

The terms of the loan should be spelled out in
detail—type of loan, maximum interest rate, etc. If
you plan on assuming existing financing, get copies of the
current loan documents and the most recent loan statement.

Marketable title.

If you're the buyer, get a preliminary title report. It
should have copies of each and every exception. Have your
attorney review these documents carefully.

Physical inspection.

As a buyer of a residential or commercial property, you
should always have a physical inspection of the property
done. In the case of commercial/industrial properties, your
team of property inspectors—roofing, plumbing,
electrical specialists, etc.--should have unlimited access
to the interior and exterior. They should conduct a
complete inspection so you can use this information to
negotiate with the buyer to do one of three things: make
the necessary repairs, adjust the purchase price or
terminate the purchase agreement.

Property survey.

Often required by lenders, an ALTA property survey shows
all the boundaries of a commercial/industrial property as
well as the site plan for existing improvements. In
addition, it should include any easements and restrictions.

Additional contingencies:

Testing for lead, radon, mold and other toxic substances.
Inspections for termites and other wood destroying insects.
Testing of private well water to make sure it meets health
standards.

When dealing with contingencies, it's important to make
sure they're written in clear and specific terms.
Otherwise, misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and a lot
of expensive aggravation can occur. Here are two examples
of badly written contingencies:

"Contingent on a water test"—This doesn't specify
what kind of water test; e.g. should it test for bacteria
levels or heavy metals or pesticides? If you don't specify,
it may not get tested and you could end up with clean-up
costs you don't need. "Contingent on a septic
permit"—This doesn't specify the type of septic
system required—a conventional one or one specified
by local laws. From these two examples, you can see that it
pays to know all regulations—local, state and
federal—concerning real estate.

Key Point: As either a buyer or a seller, it pays to know
federal, state and local regulations concerning properties
so you can handle them in contingencies. A lot of knowledge
can keep repair dollars from flying out of your pocket
after purchasing a property!

Jack Sternberg

----------------------------------------------------
Jack Sternberg is a nationally recognized expert on real
estate investment and the creator of the renowned "Buyers
First Program" who's been in the business for more than 30
years. Sternberg's deals have totaled over $750 million and
he's been to the closing table more than 1,500 times. For
more, visit http://www.askjacksternberg.com

Can't Sell Your Property In Today's Real Estate Market? This is the Solution for You!

Can't Sell Your Property In Today's Real Estate Market? This is the Solution for You!
If you have a property you own and can't sell, you're
probably wondering what your choices are. A rent-to-own
may be a viable option.

Creating a rent-to-own scenario is very simple. Take for
instance the property you own. Find a buyer to lease it
for a designated period of time and give them the option to
buy that property when they come to the end of that time
period. This strategy may also be known as "lease with
option to buy".

What's Involved?

Once you approve renters, you provide them with two
agreements. One is the standard rental agreement (or lease
agreement). The other is an option agreement, which is the
buyer's right to buy the property. You'll require the buyer
to provide upfront money ("option money" which typically is
3 to 5% of the home's purchase price, depending on the
area). This secures their option to buy the house at a
later date.

Advantages for You, As the Seller

As the provider of the lease option, you'll receive many
advantages, but here are three great ones to whet your
appetite for this strategy: - Immediate cash
flow—you're getting income from a property that was
producing none. - Higher monthly rent—you can charge
buyers more for the privilege of a great house and an
option to buy. - Save money and hassle--tenants may be made
responsible for basic maintenance and repair tasks so you
don't have to bother with such items.

Disadvantages for You, As the Seller

Every real estate deal has its disadvantages as well as
advantages, and you should be aware of them: - Cash sale
dependent upon exercise of option--you don't get a cash
sale until the buyers exercise the option. But, remember,
you've got rent money coming in during the period of the
lease! - Potential hassle—if you don't qualify the
buyers carefully, there's always the possibility they may
prove troublesome tenants in terms of rent payment and/or
house upkeep.

Advantages for the Buyer

Home buyers also get several advantages from the
rent-to-own arrangement, but here are three that will tempt
people to take up your offer:

A. Less cash required compared to conventional financing,
the lease-option has a much lower up-front cash requirement.

B. Try-out period--Buyers can try out the house before
buying to see if they really like it, and it meets their
needs.

C. Ease and convenience--buyers can move in within a day or
two of signing the lease agreement. There are none of the
complications associated with conventional real estate
deals.

Disadvantages for the Buyer

The rent-to-own method has the following disadvantages for
buyers:

1. Lack of tax deductions. 2. Higher monthly rent.

How Long Before a Buyer Exercises an Option to Buy?

On average, a buyer occupies a home for three years before
deciding to buy or move on.

Do You Need a Lawyer to Help Out with the Process?

Yes, unless you're very experienced and knowledgeable about
lease options. Be sure to choose a lawyer who specializes
in real estate, not one who's a "general practitioner."
Think of the fee you pay the lawyer as headache prevention
medicine!

How Do I Advertise a Rent-To-Own Property?

Advertising a rent-to-own property is a simple process. All
you need to do is run an ad under "Homes for Rent" or
similar section in the local and/or neighborhood
newspaper(s). Don't forget the Internet, either! There are
local and national services available specifically designed
for the rent-to-own market.

What Mistakes Should I Avoid?

If you're not experienced in this field, don't attempt a
"do-it-yourself" or "one size fits all" lease agreement.
You'll just be setting yourself up for trouble. As I stated
earlier, find a lawyer who specializes in real estate. A
second mistake is to not negotiate with the buyers for the
price they'll pay once they decide to exercise the option.
Most likely, you'll want them to pay the market price.
After all, it's likely the house will appreciate and why
shouldn't you benefit from that appreciation? Of course,
the buyers will want to lock in the price at the time they
sign the agreement to avoid paying more. So, don't forget
to hone your negotiation skills!

My Last Words of Advice If the market is slow in your area,
don't wait... do it now!

Jack Sternberg

----------------------------------------------------
Jack Sternberg is a nationally recognized expert on real
estate investment who's been in the business for more than
30 years. Sternberg's deals have totaled over $750 million
and he's been to the closing table more than 1,500 times.
For more, visit http://www.askjacksternberg.com

Understanding the Dynamics of Forex Trading

Understanding the Dynamics of Forex Trading
With the advent of globalization and communication
technology, traders now enjoy the ability to profit across
all countries and economies. Regardless if you are a
trader sitting in New York or Shanghai, you can grow your
portfolio by capitalizing upon the Forex trading of the
Japanese Yen or the Indian Rupee.

Subsequently, the foreign exchange, also known as Forex
trading, has grown to be the largest market - with over 3
trillion US dollars exchanged each day. Most of this Forex
market is traded by private investors and traders, who see
the ripe opportunities that exist in Forex trading.

The basics of the Forex trading market - The Forex trading
market operates 24 hours a day, allowing traders to
capitalize upon profit opportunities throughout the world.
Whether through the telephone or electronic networks, the
Forex trading market is constantly connected, affording
traders the ability to seize profitable trades, regardless
of time zones, market hours, or country boundaries.

The foreign currency trading market is commonly referred to
as the interbank market. Forex trading involves the buying
of one currency and the selling of another. The particular
currency combination is referred to as a cross (for
example, the Euro/GB Pound, or the US Dollar/Japanese Yen.).

Types of Forex trading strategies - The largest volume of
trades occurs in what is called a spot market. It is
referred to as the spot market because trades are
instantaneously settled, or "on the spot."

Another type of trade using Forex trading strategies
involves "forward outbreaks." Although the trade itself is
carried out immediately, settlement on the value date
involves a small interest rate calculation which is usually
insignificant, unless the position is held for a long time.
The interest rate differential varies based on the
currencies traded. This differential in interest rates
between the two countries involved can produce a positive
or a negative differential, which is calculated and added
to your account.

Increasing your Forex trading power - Because Forex trading
is done on margin, the amount of assets controlled is far
greater than the funds in an account. As fluctuations in
currency exchange rates on any particular day are small,
the fact that trading is done on margin allows for
profitable Forex trading strategies. However, it should be
noted that trading on margin greatly increases the risks.
Because of this aspect, any new investor should thoroughly
learn Forex trading through Forex courses.

Benefits of Forex trading - Forex trading offers several
advantages to other investment markets. One of the
principal advantages is the fact that trading occurs around
the clock, allowing the investor with the appropriate Forex
trading strategies to immediately take advantage of
opportunities. The Forex market is the most liquid in the
world, allowing for price stability and narrow spreads.

Since currency exchange rates are always changing, Forex
trading opportunities are continuous, regardless of which
direction the currency is moving.

The interbank market is also often traded without
commissions, which makes it attractive to an investor who
wants to trade frequently. However, for ease of
transaction, Forex trading also occurs on futures exchanges.

However, as with all trading strategies, there is no reward
without risk. Any investor contemplating trading should
thoroughly learn Forex trading through studying Forex
courses before implementing any Forex trading strategy.

----------------------------------------------------
Andrew Daigle is the creator and author of many successful
websites including ForexBoost at http://www.ForexBoost.com
and http://forex-trading-system.typepad.com , Free Forex
Training Resource for the Novice and Advanced Forex trader.

With Rising Food Prices Adding To Credit Card Balances, Consumers Are Legally Eliminating Debt

With Rising Food Prices Adding To Credit Card Balances, Consumers Are Legally Eliminating Debt
Memorial Day has now passed, throwing us into the time of
year where the weather allows us to enjoy picnics and the
outdoor bar-b-q. Both of these summertime activities
revolve around eating. As food prices continue to rise,
even this innocent seasonal fun is putting an extra strain
on our budgets.

These high food prices are probably here to stay, just as
the high cost of energy is here to stay. After all, it
takes energy to produce, package, and ship food all over
the world.

Unfortunately, too many Americans are paying for their food
with their credit cards, the same way they pay for
everything else. Credit is supposed to be used for the
large purchases. Items we should be able to afford, just
can't pay for all at once.

Food however, is not a one-time large purchase. A major
sign of a personal financial struggle is when our most
basic necessities must be purchased on credit. If next
week's grocery bill is also put on a credit card, as well
as the week after that, then you have a cycle of debt that
will never end. And the ever-ballooning credit card
balances will never come down. This puts an even greater
burden on people who can barely afford to pay the monthly
minimum.

Using a credit card for daily purchases could be just a
matter of convenience, so a person would not need to carry
around too much cash. If this is the case, then a debit
card from your bank should be used. A debit card bearing a
Visa or MasterCard logo can be used just like a credit
card, except there will be no surprise balance due on the
next monthly statement. Also there will not be any
interest charges added to the purchases.

If a family relies on credit for their everyday purchases
and basic necessities, then they must realize the trouble
they are in. They must get some guidance on how to live
within their monthly income. If they don't, the credit
will eventually run out, and their financial lives will
collapse.

When the credit card balances become out of control, the
consumer begins to search for their best debt relief. For
many, refinancing their house is no longer an option as
housing prices continue to decline. Even bankruptcy is no
longer an option.

So consumers are now turning to debt elimination. With
this program, people can legally walk away from 100% of
that debt, without bankruptcy, consolidation, or
refinancing. Their credit scores are also higher after
completing this process. This allows for lower interest
rates for future purchases of items that credit is really
needed for, like autos and homes.

In addition, the education a person receives from a good
elimination program will help ensure that the cycle of debt
will never be entered into again.

Buying food for a family is certainly not irresponsible
spending. For everyone, it is a mandatory burden. When
the debt burden becomes overwhelming, a true debt
elimination is gives people a fresh start on their
financial lives. A "do-over" you might call it. Without
the residual of bad credit or shame of bankruptcy.

----------------------------------------------------
Billed as The True Debt Advisor
(http://www.TrueDebtAdvisor.com), Jim Vrana's mission is to
educate and empower people to overcome their financial
challenges. The time-tested legal procedures used to
eliminate credit card debt have been used by thousands of
people with tremendous success.
Contact:
Jim Vrana
True Debt Advisor
(800) 637-1785
http://www.TrueDebtAdvisor.com

How Collection Agencies Profit From Your Forgotten Debts

How Collection Agencies Profit From Your Forgotten Debts
Many Americans are all-too-familiar with the aggressive
tactics of today's collections agencies. Perhaps they
checked out a surprisingly expensive library book or two
while in college and then forgot about it; perhaps someone
stole their credit card and ran up a huge bill. Years
later, when they least expect it, these innocent people get
mean, threatening phone calls.

Agencies and corporations whose names these individuals
have never heard of suddenly ask for immediate payments of
large sums of money.

How does this happen, and why? Why are collections agencies
so pervasive and so aggressive?

The fact is, for the past ten years, people's old debts
have been exceedingly profitable for the right kinds of
companies. Credit companies used to stand to lose more than
they would gain by trying to get people to pay off their
old debts. In the past, it was more profitable to just
forget such old debts.

Nowadays, the situation has changed. How? New technology
lets companies classify Americans by how probable it is
that they'll pay off what they owe. Financial statistics
about all Americans are collected into vast databases. Debt
collectors can pull up people's credit scores and other
crucial lifestyle information with the push of button, and
target people accordingly.

The more aggressive a company is, the more money it now
stands to make collecting on debts. Some of these agencies
spring up like mushrooms after a rain, buying maxed-out,
unpaid credit accounts, such as credit cards, from
companies like Visa or American Express. These accounts
cost the collection agencies literally pennies for every
dollar of debt.

Then, they pull up their databases and target those they
expect to persuade to pay the debt. A collection agency
sometimes pays as little as 25 cents for every $100 of
debt. At that low rate, if they make the delinquent
borrower pay back even one dollar of debt, they make their
money back. If the target pays $4 out of $100, the agency
makes a 400% profit. Persuading people to pay is not very
difficult, since these collection agencies now have the
power to destroy people's credit rating. People are
harassed night and day by phone calls, made to feel worried
and guilty until their spirits break and they pay up.

Debt collection is now so profitable that finance
researcher and analysts predict that collection agencies
will buy $110 billion worth of debt in 2008 alone. In 2000,
third-party companies purchased only $55 billion worth of
debt from original lenders.

That's a huge rate of growth, and it's only going to
increase--despite the fact that old debts are now being
sold to collection for slightly more than before, in the
face of all the collection agencies scrambling to make
money from the old debts. Many, but not all collection
agencies, are small here-and-gone-again operations.

One of America's biggest buyers of old bad debt is Asset
Acceptance Capital, which made a whopping $51.3 million in
profits in 2005. Another company, Portfolio Recovery
Associates made $36.8 million in profits that year, and
increased its revenues fivefold since 2001. The upshot?
Make sure to pay off all your debts. At the same time, be
prepared to deal with aggressive collection agencies that
act in borderline-legal ways to get you to pay off debts
that may not even be valid.

----------------------------------------------------
Gary Milton has been writing on the subject of personal
debt for many years and you can find more of his work at
the debt help site http://www.rebuild.org including many of
his great articles.

Homeowners Insurance - How Much Is Enough?

Homeowners Insurance - How Much Is Enough?
The total amount of insurance coverage you may need to
purchase to protect your home is based on the replacement
costs of the home. If your home is destroyed in a fire or
by some natural disaster such as a wind storm of some type
the replacement value may not be enough to rebuild it
again. In today's market the property values are more and
the construction materials will cost more than they did
previously. You may want to consider purchasing more
homeowner's insurance coverage than just what the
replacement value is today.

Your homeowner's insurance policy can be protection for
your home if it is damaged in almost any way. It can be a
lifesaver in the event of theft, fire, vandalism, an
explosion, or wind damage. If your home is inhabitable for
any reason that is covered by your policy, you can use the
funds to live elsewhere while your home is being rebuilt or
repaired.

There may be some losses which are not covered by your
homeowner's insurance and your insurance agent will inform
you about these uncovered losses. If you live in a state
that is considered a high risk state for damages caused by
tropical storms, hurricanes, or wind and hail your
homeowner's policy may refer you to the state for
protection from these types of damages. There are state
sponsored catastrophe funds such as the Wind Pool program
which may be available in your state. If you plan to move
to or if you already live in a high risk state like
Alabama, Texas, Florida, Mississippi, or North and South
Carolina you may want to consider buying wind storm
insurance.

Flood insurance is not included in most homeowner's
policies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency offers
flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance
Program. Destruction caused by high waters or a flash
flood, which means if water penetrates your home the flood
insurance will cover the damages instead of homeowner's
insurance. Ask if your home is in a high risk area and
adjust your coverage to cover the possible flood damages.

The main idea behind homeowner's insurance is to protect
the owner against loss of property for almost any reason.
It is of utmost importance to review your policy on a
regular basis. It is up to the homeowner to keep adequate
coverage by adding coverage for improvements or remodeling
or the purchase of new furnishings. Inflation and rises in
property values need to be considered too. A home
purchased in 1980 may be worth 3 or 4 times the original
purchase price in 2008. A home built in the 70's or 80's
might have different building codes in the 21st century.
There certainly has been an increase in the cost of
building materials since that time. Protecting your
family's home is one of the most important things you can
do for them. Homeowner's insurance is the best way to
assure them and yourself that there will always be shelter
for them to be comfortable in.

----------------------------------------------------
Gary Milton writes for the insurance search and information
site, http://www.ridoe.net , who can offer homeowners,
auto, life and health insurance quotes from multiple
brokers.

Cancellation or Non-renewal: It Pays to Know the Difference for Affordable Car Insurance

Cancellation or Non-renewal: It Pays to Know the Difference for Affordable Car Insurance
So you use your tax refund as a down payment on a new car,
or at least one new to you. You get the new car; you get
your new, affordable car insurance policy in writing;
you're good to go. Unfortunately, at some point down the
road you may receive a notice that your policy will become
ineffective in X number of days (it varies from state to
state). It's important to understand exactly why the policy
is expiring because it means the difference between a mere
inconvenience and payback for an event you can't seem to
live down.

Let's start with the best-case scenario. If you're lucky,
the going rate for the coverage you have is still good, and
your insurance company will offer a renewal at the same
rate. On the other hand, the insurance company may change
its mind. Sometimes an insurer will agree to renew your
policy, but on different terms. In such cases, the carrier
is required to mail you notification of the change in
terms, usually received 60 or 90 days before your policy
expires. Usually, if the rate is below 25 or 30 percent,
state law does not require this type of notification.

On the other hand, the insurance company may choose to
simply drop you from its client list. Don't take it
personally—sometimes non-renewals are the result of
an insurance company withdrawing its business from a whole
state or area of insurance. Other reasons include lapses in
payment or an increase in your license points or reported
claims. The company must justify dropping you, as well as
give you ample notice before the policy expires and repay
you for services or coverage not rendered. Note that for
some companies, merely calling to inquire about company
policy counts as a claim, so for heaven's sake, don't give
your name when making this type of call. Keep in mind that
only some companies allow for a grace period between policy
periods if you don't pay by the expected deadline, so pay
on time or risk being "dropped."

But, just suppose, you fudged a little bit when you were
filling out your policy application, and you knew it when
you were doing it. There's a difference between getting it
wrong, and tweaking your application to your advantage. The
latter can result in policy cancellation, which is when a
carrier simply terminates your policy, even if it's before
your renewal date or the policy's expiration. The good news
is that the company still must repay you for the remainder
of the policy you paid for; the bad news is that you might
have a bit of a time finding another company to cover you.
Here again, the company must give you notice, so that you
can start working on finding new coverage before the policy
actually expires. Unfortunately, the notice period is not
usually as generous as that for non-renewal. Other reasons
for cancellation include nonpayment, as well as undeclared
crimes or egregious at-fault events (accidents), even in a
no fault auto insurance state.

Remember, most state laws require insurance companies to
provide policies to all drivers, even if it's at the high
price of high-risk auto insurance. So, chin up—it's
not as bad as it could be.

----------------------------------------------------
Ryan Patterson is president of US Insurance Online, based
in Austin, TX. He graduated in 2000 from the University of
Texas with a combined business and computer science degree,
and started US Insurance Online in May of 2005 with fellow
entrepreneur Jim Waltrip. Visit
http://www.USInsuranceOnline.com for help shopping for
insurance and for free insurance quotes.

Credit Report affected by un-paid utility bills.

Credit Report affected by un-paid utility bills.
Your credit score report can be affect by more than your
available credit history. We talk about how credit cards,
mortgages, car loans, and any type of loan that reports to
all 3 credit bureaus will affect your credit score. We
don't always talk about utility companies and how they can
have a negative impact on your credit report. Here are
utility companies I like to consider non-creditors. In
other words these companies don't give you a line credit,
they just provide a service.

Utility companies
- Phone companies
- Electric companies
- Security companies
- Cell phone companies
- Water companies
- Gas companies
- Cable companies
- Internet Companies

Let's assume you are having a tough time currently, and you
stop paying your cable bill. The cable company will give
you a little time to pay off the debt for service rendered,
but will eventually turn that debt over to a collection
company. The collection company in return will report that
obligation to the 3 credit bureaus wanting their money.
This is how it works with any of the companies mention.
Once this collection reports to the credit bureaus your
credit rating just dropped about 100 points. Utility
companies on the other hand don't help your credit when you
are in good standing, but will also hurt your credit score
if you don't pay. Once the collection hits your credit
report, and you finally decide to pay off the collection,
the collection will be on your credit report for 7 years. 7
years of negative information will be on your credit
report. If you don't pay the collection, the collection
company can sell the collection repeatedly to different
collection companies which will ultimately drive down your
credit score even more.

Pay your bills on-time
If you get behind, call your creditors immediately and work
out a payment arrangement with them. They will typically
work with you, especially during tough economic times. A
creditor or utility company would rather get some form of
payment versus nothing. If you don't pay your bills
including utility bills it will affect your credit score
report. With lending getting extremely tough currently,
your credit scores are more important than ever. If you
have credit issues, the banks may look at your credit
history as too big of a risk for there portfolio.

Don't assume if you don't pay utility it will not affect
your credit. Because it will affect your credit, and will
not go away until you pay it off. If you are unsure what is
on your credit report, get a copy of your free credit score
report today.

----------------------------------------------------
About the Author: Mike Clover is the owner of
http://www.creditscorequick.com/ . CreditScoreQuick.com is
the one of the most unique on-line resources for free
credit score report, fico score, Internet identity theft
software, secure credit cards, and a BlOG with a wealth of
personal credit information. The information within this
website is written by professionals that know about credit,
and what determines ones credit worthiness.

Learn About Mortgage Fees

Learn About Mortgage Fees
Mortgage fees and terms can be confusing and frustrating.
Mortgage and financing terms are like another language.
Yet, if you have a firm grasp of at least some essential
terms, the more you can potentially save yourself in
headaches and money. You should start by looking at the
mortgage fees or costs; what fees are legitimate, and what
fees you should be wary of, with a few lessons of wise
financing along the way.

The mortgage origination fee - This fee is basically what
the broker charges for doing the loan. A fair and normal
fee is usually in the neighborhood of 2% or less. Unless
your loan is very complicated, the 2% fee is high and you
should look elsewhere. With the market the way it is
today, brokers need and want your business, and you can
afford to be picky in choosing whom you finance with.
Lesson number one: this is a significant debt you are
undertaking, ask questions and don't let yourself be
intimidated into paying more than you should!

The mortgage appraisal fee - This is a fee that is
unavoidable for the purchase or refinance of any home. An
appraisal must be done by a licensed appraiser. You are
paying for it so be sure to obtain a copy of the appraisal
for your own records. The cost for the appraisal can be in
a range from $300 to $500, depending on the state and the
appraiser.

The mortgage processing fee - A hired loan processor or an
outside source may be used by a broker to process your
loan. This fee is not a junk fee because the processors
handle all the detail tasks for the loan. They work hard
at ordering the title, the insurance, the appraisal and
putting together all the documents for the lender. The fee
should not be more than $400.

The credit report - Every home loan requires that a credit
report be done on the potential borrower. You must take
care in choosing a broker because most of them will pull a
credit report as soon as your social security number is
presented and a large number of inquires on your credit can
hurt your credit score. A lender may pay for a credit
report for their broker, so be sure to get a copy of your
credit report and make sure it is something the broker
actually paid for to charge you for. The brokers cannot
charge a credit report fee unless they are actually being
charged a fee by the credit agency. The fees normally
range from $12 to $20 per borrower.

The mortgage underwriting fee - This fee is charged by the
lender for underwriting, closing and funding your loan.
Sometimes referred to as the Administration Fee, this is
how the lender makes its up-front profit on your loan and
it usually can't be avoided. If the broker is charging the
underwriting fee you should not agree to pay it without a
reasonable explanation of its validity because brokers do
not underwrite your file. Don't be confused into paying
any fees that don't seem to be honest charges. Ask tons of
questions to secure the best deal on your home loan. Most
brokers are scrupulous enough to offer you the best deal
and the market is not in such frenzy as the last two years
and significant deals are out there.

----------------------------------------------------
Peter Kenny is a writer for The Thrifty Scot, please visit
us at http://www.thriftyscot.co.uk/Loans/ and
http://www.thriftyscot.co.uk/mortgage/

Housing Figures Show Consumer Confidence Knocked

Housing Figures Show Consumer Confidence Knocked
New figures from the National Association of Estate Agents
(NAEA) have shown that although the housing market in the
UK is still performing well, buyers are adopting a more
cautious approach to property investment.

The group reports that during the course of April, there
was a stable performance in terms of the number of sales,
viewings and average sales prices. According to the NAEA,
the average number of viewings before a house was purchased
was said to stand at 14. It asserts that while this is
indicative of consumers being cautious about which property
they invest in, the figure stands just two viewings higher
than results from 2007.

For those who have found a desired property and are looking
to find backing for a down-payment taking out a personal
loan might be of use in providing the funding necessary to
make an offer. However, statistics from the group suggest
that there is a slight dip in the number of people who are
looking to buy a house. Looking at the average number of
buyers on its members' books, the NAEA notes that while in
March there were 249, in April that figure dropped to 237.
It attributes this fall in part to constrained market
conditions arising from the credit crunch and a reduction
in mortgage approvals.

The NAEA asserts that while this has likely knocked
consumer confidence, there are signs that market conditions
will improve in the coming months. Although some analysts
have predicted a sharp decline in house prices, the
association insists that such a drop is unlikely because
other strengthening factors such as low unemployment, high
interest rates and sustained spending are still prevalent,
which the group suggests will buoy the property market.

Chris Brown, president of the NAEA, commented: "Many,
especially first-time buyers, will be feeling the results
of the credit crunch and tighter lending, leading to them
being unable to move onto the ladder or up the chain. Some
agents are also finding it difficult to stop sales falling
through as people get 'cold feet' or fail to secure
mortgages but we must remember that this happens in the
best of markets. However, what people need to remember is
that the market is stable and we are not seeing massive
price drops. There are still strong economic factors at
play, such as high employment and low interest rates and
sales are still taking place."

The statistics also showed that sales in the market remain
stable despite tightened conditions, with each NAEA member
selling an average of seven homes during the course of
April. Such a figure has remained relatively unchanged
since January of this year, the association asserts.

For those who are keen to enter the property market but
have experienced difficulty raising the cash to put an
initial payment down, taking out a secured loan may prove
an effective course of action. A cheap secured loan may
also be of use to those people who were recently revealed
to be struggling to meet mortgage payments. The Royal
Institution of Chartered Surveyors has suggested that a
growing number of people will be at risk of repossessions
in the coming months.

----------------------------------------------------
Abbi Rouse writes for AllAboutLoans.co.uk, a loans
comparison site, visit us today for information on all loan
topics including tenant loans applications and self
employed loans sourcing from all leading UK providers.
Visit today http://www.allaboutloans.co.uk

What Can You Do To Avoid Debt

What Can You Do To Avoid Debt
Often the best method to deal with debt is to avoid it
entirely. Of course, prevention is not a very widely used
approach as the sheer numbers of Americans in debt clearly
testifies. This does not mean that there aren't many
trying to claw their way out of the hole they dug for
themselves; there are thousands doing that every day. But,
what can you do to avoid debt in the first place?

The answer to this question is so important for many people
in this country, that in response, the numbers of so-called
debt management experts offering solid strategies to help
consumers avoid debt is proliferating rapidly, especially
with the accessibility of the internet. Yet, the results
of these solutions are any but satisfactory most of the
time. Are they all just selling worthless information?
That would be too easy an answer and not at all accurate.
The advice and tips are generally sound. What is the
problem then?

Most debt management experts and consultants are not out to
defraud their clients by offering bogus information and
solutions. The real issue is whether the clients really
understand what they must do to keep themselves out of
debt. For example, the experts say that you should "live
within your means." It makes sense in a way. You should
not live beyond your means by using credit cards
excessively and multiplying debt after debt through
outrageous spending. If you live within your means, you
simply spend what money you bring in each paycheck.

Of course, if you live within your means you will not have
any room for unexpected expenditures and may end up living
paycheck to paycheck anyway. There is no financial growth.
The chances of going into debt are still quite high when
you have no extra cash flow or savings to deal with
problems should they arise. Is there a better solution
that will help you avoid debt and also provide the extras
that will help you in the future?

Here is a question for you: Have you ever thought about
living below your means? This is not a new idea; it is no
innovative approach. At one time, this financial
philosophy was considered a virtue. Have you ever heard of
the word frugality? The modern equivalent is unfortunately
viewed as a derogatory term in our consumer driven culture.
Have you heard of any body being called a cheapskate?

It is unfortunate that many look down upon those who live a
frugal lifestyle. They fail to understand this is the only
genuine approach to staying out of debt since the
likelihood of becoming independently wealthy is a slim
hope. In fact, frugality can actually be a pathway to
riches. Some of the world's wealthy people made their
money by living cheap and simplistic lives, while saving
and investing their money.

If you want to live below your means, you must spend less,
create a budget to manage your expenditures, and look for
ways to bring in additional income each month so that you
have a surplus at the end. This surplus will be your
protection against debt because it can be used to build
savings. If you still don't understand what living below
your means requires, you should look at it this way: You
may have the money to spend on whatever you want but should
you? What happens if this attitude characterizes your
regular spending habits? Here is where the problem begins.
If you spend all of the extra money you have, it is more
likely that you will turn to extra sources like credit
cards and loans to get more cash to facilitate your
developing lifestyle of living beyond your means.

Learn to live with less and pay attention to where your
money goes. If you keep it simple now and live frugally,
you will avoid debt and maybe enter retirement earlier than
the people around you who are struggling under enormous
debt.

----------------------------------------------------
Gary Milton has written on the subject of debt for many
years, you can find more od his articles a the debt help
and relief site, http://www.tfgi.com

DIY Accounting Cabsmart Taxi Driver Accounts Software Questions And Answers

DIY Accounting Cabsmart Taxi Driver Accounts Software Questions And Answers
Do I have to enter mileage and vehicle running expenses in
my taxi accounts.

Entering the mileage covered by the taxi is optional as the
cabsmart package automatically chooses the most expensive
cost which produces the lowest tax liability for cab and
taxi drivers. The cabsmart taxi driver accounts package can
be used by either entering your vehicle running costs or
the vehicle business mileage.

Alternatively the cab driver can enter both taxi running
costs and the taxi mileage in which case the cab smart
formulae within the taxi accounts package automatically
selects the highest cost to produce the lowest tax bill.
Would the cabsmart taxi driver accounts or the self
employed accounts package be most suitable for a driving
instructor.

Either accounts package would suffice but on balance the
self employed accounting solution would be better as it has
greater sales analysis of income not required for cab and
taxi drivers. The purchase expense spreadsheet of cabsmart
is specific to taxi driver expenses while the self employed
package has increased analysis not required by taxi drivers
whose variety of expenses tends to be more limited to
vehicle running costs.

The cabsmart package is most suitable for taxi, cab,
private hire drivers, van and lorry drivers to produce the
accounts and complete the tax return.. The taxi fuel
expenses and mileage do not appear in the profit and loss
work book. The taxi expenses were not transferred from the
purchase spreadsheet to the monthly profit & loss account
in the financial accounts workbook.

The profit and loss account in the taxi financial accounts
file is updated automatically and so if this is not
happening the links are not working or there is a data
entry error. A data entry error is caused if on the
purchase expense spreadsheet you may have entered the taxi
expense item such as fuel expenses but have not entered the
code letter to analyse that expenditure using the list of
letters in the user guide.

The P&L account would also not be updated if you have
changed a file name.

The third potential reason is that when the cabsmart
financial accounts file was downloaded you opened it first
before saving and that has caused the link structure to
corrupt. The simple solution is to download the taxi driver
accounts templates again and save before opening and the
link structure is preserved. Taxi was sold and the sale
value entered in the assets schedule but now the profit and
loss account is showing a REF error message everywhere.

The REF message is an indication that a data entry error
has been made. It is likely that you may not have entered
the date the taxi was sold or you have not entered the
written down value of the vehicle. Check those items and
enter them and the REF message on the fixed assets schedule
will disappear and when that goes then the REF message
throughout the profit and loss account in the taxi
financial accounts will also disappear. I bought the
cabsmart taxi driver accounts package several months ago
but have lost it as my computer crashed. Do I need to pay
again.

No problem and no need to buy again. Return to the
confirmation link that was sent to you after purchase and
download the taxi driver accounts package again. If you no
longer have that email forward a copy of your paypal
receipt and the link to the cab smart download page will be
resent immediately. What capital allowances can I claim
from using my private vehicle for my taxi business.

Enter the vehicle description and cost in the fixed assets
schedule in the category for vehicles less than 12,000
pounds and the capital allowance will be calculated
automatically. As this is a private vehicle which is not
wholly used as a cab the percentage of private vehicle use
can be entered in the box provided and the capital
allowance on the taxi will be adjusted accordingly. Cars
used as cabs or private hire vehicles are not subject to
the first year allowance or the annual investment allowance
which was introduced. Writing down capital allowances can
be claimed for vehicles used as a taxi and were 25 percent
of the written down value prior to 5 April 2008 and 20
percent after that date.

It is also worth pointing out that hackney cabs are in fact
classed as a commercial vehicle and the first year
allowance or the new annual investment allowance is
claimable on those taxi vehicles. Commercial vehicles such
as hackney cabs are treated for tax purposes in the same
way as plant and equipment. How do I enter a new taxi
purchase in the taxi driver accounts.

Enter the total purchase price of the taxi in the expenses
spreadsheet showing the date of purchase, description and
total purchase cost. Use code letter F to analyse the
expenditure to fixed asset. Then visit the fixed assets
sheet and enter the date and description of the taxi plus
the total cost. The formulae within the cabsmart taxi
driver accounts package automatically calculates the
capital allowances which it also places in the boxes on the
tax return.

----------------------------------------------------
Terry Cartwright is a qualified accountant designing
Accounting Software at http://www.diyaccounting.co.uk/
providing complete accounting solutions for small to medium
sized business in the UK with taxi driver accounts at
http://www.diyaccounting.co.uk/taxi.htm

A Love Letter To Timeshare Buyers From Someone Who Wants To Sell Timeshare

A Love Letter To Timeshare Buyers From Someone Who Wants To Sell Timeshare
Dear Timeshare Buyer,

If you want to purchase a vacation home, be prepared to
commit to finding a club or resort that you will want to
use, not just in the far-off future, but in your next
vacation. Before buying timeshares, find a location you'd
want to spend many holidays in. (There is another place for
those who want to sell timeshare.)

A timeshare basically refers to a property where many
people have the right to use it. The most typical of
timeshare properties is the condominium unit. There are
many classes of timeshares: timeshare with a deed or sale,
timeshare for right to use, fixed-week ownership, floating
ownership, and rotating ownership.

Timeshares have the same features as homeownership or
landownership. Still, there are different classes of
timeshare. There are those that allow you to buy a property
completely - a full blown purchase complete with a deed of
sale. Some forms involve a lease program or points system.
While the differences are obvious, the basic concept is
that timeshares are real estate units of a particular size
that you can buy, sell, or trade.

There are cases when you can only buy small timeshares.
Small timeshares are typical of these situations: (a) when
you want to own property for a limited amount of time only,
(b) when it is bought as a gift, (c) internal exchange of
timeshares at the same resort by a group of members, and
(d) timeshare exchanges between you and owners of other
timeshare locations.

There are some things to consider if you want to buy
timeshares:

- Buy only timeshare at locations that you're going to use
in the coming years. Keep in mind that a timeshare is not
something you buy to get financial gain (read: it's not an
investment vehicle). Instead, it's something that you
invest in for some intangible benefits, like an extended
vacation.

- Know yourself and your tastes before you even go through
some timeshares product literature. Do you like the beach?
Or do you prefer a villa on some mountain resort? What is
your ideal and moss treasured vacation spot? Always opt for
the choices that are not so far off from your tastes.

- If you're going on holiday, take the time to visit at
least one timeshare resort. A tour guide will definitely
help you get a better feel and appreciation of the site.
Talk to other timeshare owners and draw out from them their
own experiences. When you research, even for just a bit,
you will find timeshare vacation spots that give you access
to experience and information.

- When you have chosen a timeshare and you already have
documents before you, always make sure that you've read all
stipulations, and terms and conditions within the document.
Understand the timeshare that you've bought and picture out
what it means to you. Remember, there are fixed or floating
time timeshares, fee simple or right-to-use timeshare
plans, and vacation club memberships.

- Always perform an ocular inspection at a timeshare
resort. Is it properly managed and well maintained?
Remember, you are buying a timeshare for the vacation
experience, not for the investment opportunity.

----------------------------------------------------
Buy A Timeshare: Timeshare Adventures is the premiere
marketplace for selling, buying and renting timeshares.
Find your dream timeshare resort or find a ready buyer or
renter for your timeshare. Timeshare Adventures features a
resort directory, so you can better choose a resort. For
more information, click
http://www.timeshareadventures.com/buying-timeshares.php/

Affordable Auto Insurance: What's Everyone Else Paying?

Affordable Auto Insurance: What's Everyone Else Paying?
All drivers want affordable auto insurance, but the average
price drivers pay for insurance yearly varies greatly from
state to state because of factors such as the stability of
the economy and the state's population size. Check out the
following information to find out how much insured drivers
in your state are paying compared to other states.

According to Insurance Information Institute (www.iii.org),
the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
calculates average auto insurance expenditures per state by
assuming that all insured vehicles have liability
insurance, but not necessarily comprehensive or collision
coverage. The average auto insurance expenditure,
therefore, measures the price consumers actually pay for
insurance on each vehicle rather than equaling the sum of
liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage together.
This is because most policyholders do not usually carry all
three types of coverage. NAIC data also shows that 77
percent of insured drivers buy comprehensive coverage in
addition to liability insurance. And only 72 percent
purchase collision coverage.

In a September 2007 NAIC report, New Jersey held the record
for the highest average auto insurance expenditure per year
at $1,184. Following closely behind were the District of
Columbia at $1,182, New York at $1,122, Massachusetts at
$1,113 and Louisiana at $1,076. North Dakota is the least
expensive state for auto insurance at $554 per year, and
Iowa followed closely behind at only $555.

The price insured drivers pay is affected by the type of
coverage purchased, as well as other factors. People who
live in states where the economy is healthy are much more
likely to buy new cars than people who live in an unhealthy
economy. Since the coverage drivers select for new cars
differs and can be more costly than coverage for an older
car, these states often have relatively higher average auto
insurance expenditures per year. Urban population, traffic
density, and per capita income also significantly impact
the price of auto coverage. Highly urban states with high
traffic density and higher wages and prices will usually
possess the highest auto insurance expenditures per year.

In an NAIC chart comparing average annual auto insurance
expenditures by state
(http://www.iii.org/media/facts/statsbyissue/auto), Texas
drivers in 2005 paid an average of $845. So, the average
cost of Texas auto insurance ranked at number 17. Arizona
auto insurance cost about $926 per year in 2005, down from
$931 in 2004, keeping Arizona ranked number 14 both years
among the rest of the states. In California, insured
drivers paid an average of $847 in 2004 and $845 in 2005.
This ranks California auto insurance as the 18th most
expensive coverage in the United States in 2005. In
Florida, ranked sixth in 2004 and 2005, insured drivers
paid an average of $1,062 in 2004 and $1,063 in 2005. North
Carolina is one of the least expensive states for auto
insurance coverage, ranking at number 47 in 2004, with an
average cost of $597. However, in 2005, the average auto
insurance cost increased to $602.

Finding affordable auto insurance is so important to most
drivers, but depending where you live, prices will vary.
How do auto insurance rates in your state compare with the
rest?

----------------------------------------------------
Ryan Patterson is president of US Insurance Online, based
in Austin, TX. He graduated in 2000 from the University of
Texas with a combined business and computer science degree,
and started US Insurance Online in May of 2005 with fellow
entrepreneur Jim Waltrip. Visit
http://www.USInsuranceOnline.com for help shopping for
insurance and for free insurance quotes.

Closing the Gap: Auto Insurance Terms Defined for The Smart Shopper

Closing the Gap: Auto Insurance Terms Defined for The Smart Shopper
As anyone who has shopped for auto insurance - or filed an
auto insurance claim - knows, car insurance agents and
companies use terminology all their own. Below is a list
of definitions to give you the expertise to close the gap:
auto insurance comparisons and dealing with claims doesn't
have to feel like negotiating in a foreign language!

Actual cash value: The market value of your car as it
stands today.

Anti-theft device: A device that deters thieves or burglars
from stealing your car. Some insurance companies offer a
discount if you have one in your car.

Assigned risk insurance: In states requiring insurance
coverage for its drivers, it's a law that requires
insurance companies to accept a certain number of high-risk
drivers onto their policies. Such policies can be pricey,
but they do exist.

Auto replacement coverage: Supplement that allows for your
entire vehicle to be completely repaired or replaced,
regardless of cost to the insurance company.

Bodily injury liability coverage: Covers another party's
personal injuries if you caused a crash.

Binder: Temporary auto insurance that protects you until
your new policy comes into force.

Betterment: Parts damaged in an accident may be replaced
with parts in better condition than the car already had;
the driver may be asked to pay the difference in cost.

Collision coverage: Pays for damage to, or replacement of
your car in the event of an accident; sometimes required by
car lenders.

Comprehensive insurance: Covers events not covered by
collision insurance, for example, natural disasters, theft,
and vandalism.

Deductible: The amount you pay for an incident before your
insurance policy kicks in. The higher the deductible, the
lower the rate.

Gap car insurance: Covers the difference between what you
still owe on your car and its actual cash value as totaled
in a wreck.

Good driver plan: An incentive offered by some insurance
companies for maintaining a good driving record over a
designated time period.

Lien: A claim on property as security for an owed debt.

Liability insurance: Covers losses to people and property
damaged by your found negligence; is a required minimum in
many states.

Passive restraint system: A safety system, such as an
airbag or seatbelts, that works on its own to protect
drivers and passengers from bodily injury. Some insurance
companies give discounts for their presence in the car.

No-fault auto insurance: In some states, this type of
policy replaces liability insurance. It covers damages to
your own party or automobile, regardless of who was at
fault. It allows for more expedient accident-related health
care. In some states (i.e., where it's not the basic
requirement) it's referred to as Personal Injury
Protection. Sometimes no-fault insurance comes with a limit
to claims (as part of a limit on torts claims).

SR-22 auto insurance: Also known as a Certificate of
Financial Responsibility or CFR, it's that card you carry
in your car verifying that you are covered by the state's
minimal insurance requirement. Some states let you know
whether or not you have an acceptable amount of automotive
insurance.

Total loss: When the cost of repairing a damaged automobile
exceeds its actual cash value.

Uninsured motorist coverage: Covers you when the other
party in an accident doesn't have liability insurance
coverage to pay for damages to your car or body.

----------------------------------------------------
US Insurance Online CEO Jim Waltrip is a self-taught
software developer and entrepreneur with a passion for
building things: teams of employees, software, and new
systems. Jim started US Insurance Online with business
partner Ryan Patterson in May 2005. Visit
http://www.USInsuranceOnline.com for insurance shopping
help and for free insurance quotes.

How To Overcome Your Financial Stress

How To Overcome Your Financial Stress
We are living in a stressful world: stress comes from all
directions - health, work, relationships, and, above all,
money. Financial stress is responsible for other stress
factors in life. For example, if you have a hard time
making both ends meet, most probably you have frequent
arguments with your spouse over how much money to spend,
what to spend on, and when to spend. Financial strive is
the root cause of many breakups and divorces. If you are
financially strained, you may not have full health
insurance coverage, and any major medical bill incurred due
to medical emergency will put more strain and stress on
your finance.

Stress is an underlying cause of diseases and disorders.
Stress ages an individual hard and fast.

To overcome your financial stress, you must begin with your
core values in life, which should have little to do with
money. However, your core values in life affect your
financial priorities and your financial decisions.
Therefore, your core values must not be compromised under
any circumstance, because any compromise will generate
conflict and undue stress in your life. To illustrate, if
you value your health, compromising it with poor eating
habits will only create disharmony in your health.

One of the most important core values in life is integrity.
Life is all about living - it comes with some hard work and
simple integrity. Integrity is an important personal value
that has nothing to do with money. Integrity is an
important value that God has bestowed upon each of us, and
its availability is the choice of an individual. This
important personal value can influence your own value of
money. Essentially, it is the value of what life has to
offer, not the value of things purchased with money.

If integrity is an important value in your life, that value
will be reflected in your attitude towards your financial
success and financial priorities, and hence your financial
decisions.

You will do all you can, and do it. You will make the
commitment to do it. You will become more flexible to
change in order to make it happen. You will acknowledge
that you can do it in spite of the difficulties. Integrity
makes money become a means to an end, but not an end
itself. Integrity puts your focus on efforts, rather than
on results. This takes away much of your financial stress.

Financial stress is often caused by financial problems,
which are inevitable. Don't spend time on reacting to a
financial problem: reacting would only exacerbate the
stress. Integrity will make you seek a solution to any
financial problem you may encounter. You will not leave it
to chance, nor will you ignore it. You will do everything
you can to solve the problem. For example, if you find
yourself in debt, you will not ignore it. Instead, you will
have a plan, a budget, and a roadmap to get yourself out of
debt. Integrity alleviates your financial stress.

Because of integrity, you value money, not because it can
buy you things you may not need, but because you can use
money to help others who are in need. Because money has a
value, you will spend less, and save more, and thus the
financial stress due to overshooting the budget can be
avoided.

What is the real value of money to you?

If your financial priorities are based on accumulation of
wealth, then all your financial decisions and priorities
will be based on that flawed value system, which inevitably
will lead to financial stress down the road.

Changing yourself - especially your attitude towards the
value of money - can take the financial stress out of your
life.

----------------------------------------------------
Stephen Lau is a researcher and writer. He has published
several books, including "No Miracle Cures" on natural
healing; "How to Teach Children to Read" on activities and
games to teach children reading skills; and "Blueprint for
Success in Affiliate Business."
The author has also created many websites on health, eating
disorders, mental depression, golf, and smart money
management. For more information, go to:
http://www.stephenlau.name

Avoid Being a Deadbeat by Eliminating Your Debt

Avoid Being a Deadbeat by Eliminating Your Debt
Deadbeat. The term is referenced in the dictionary as "One
who tries to evade paying debts". Even Black's Law
Dictionary defines the term as "A person who does not pay
debts or financial obligations". So is may surprise you to
learn that the credit card companies use this term to
describe people who actually pay their balances in full.
Every month. Month after month.

This of course is not official, just behind the scenes.
But for those of you who pay your full credit card balances
in full every month, the credit card companies don't really
like you. The reason of course is that they don't make
much money from you.

Sure, they make some money. If you pay your balances in
full, the bank's profits from "you" are really stripped
away from the retailer you buy goods and services from.
Which means this money is stripped out of the economy. So
if you really want to help the economy, use your debt card,
or better still, use cash.

Credit cards are just extensions of the banks. The real
profit for the bank is the interest you pay when you don't
pay your balance in full. To the bank, the perfect credit
card customer is the cardholder who pays just their minimum
each and every month. Most of that payment is interest.
This is "Free Money" to them. And we have all heard of the
outrageous interest rates being charged from credit cards
these days.

When you pay interest to the bank, it reduces your spending
power. This of course reduces the amount of money you can
and will spend. Which makes the economy suffer. But it's
a windfall for the bank.

So do the economy, and yourself, a favor. Become a
"deadbeat" in the eyes of the credit card company. Pay
your balances in full. At least stop using that plastic
card until you can rid yourself of these excessive balances.

If you cannot pay your balances, then it's then time to
look for a solution. There are many solutions out there.
Settlement programs, debt management, debt elimination,
consolidation, refinancing, and of course bankruptcy. Not
one solution is best for everybody. Each individual must
weigh the pros and cons for each solution to their own
situation.

People who find themselves in a cycle of debt need to find
a solution, and start now. The sooner you take action, the
sooner you will be debt free. The bank is not going to
take action for you. At least, not any action that is in
your best interest.

The hardest part may be to recognize that there is a
problem. A person may carry balances on many cards, each
with a seemingly manageable balance. Some people are
shocked when they actually add up those balances to find
their total credit card debt. This is when it hits home
that help is needed.

There is help out there, but you must go find it. Your
financial advisor is a good place to start. But educate
yourself. Don't just accept the solution of one
individual, even if that person is a trusted financial
"expert". Nobody is an expert on your needs; except
yourself.

----------------------------------------------------
Billed as The True Debt Advisor
(http://www.TrueDebtAdvisor.com), Jim Vrana's mission is to
educate and empower people to overcome their financial
challenges. The time-tested legal procedures used to
eliminate credit card debt have been used by thousands of
people with tremendous success.
Contact:
Jim Vrana
(800) 637-1785
http://www.TrueDebtAdvisor.com

How to Buy Life Insurance You'll Want to Keep

How to Buy Life Insurance You'll Want to Keep
Not everything in life works out, including, sometimes,
life insurance policies. If you stop paying premiums, your
life insurance policy lapses — meaning coverage ends.
If you stop paying for a term life insurance policy and
exceed the insurer's grace period (possibly 30 days), your
policy lapses. Make sure that's a consequence you intend:
You're not insured after the grace period and can't
"reactivate" the same life insurance policy.

If you stop paying on a whole life insurance policy, you
may have more leeway. If you have accumulated cash value
within the policy, your insurer will likely draw down the
cash value account to cover premiums.

According to the 2007 "U.S. Individual Life Insurance
Persistency Update" by LIMRA International and the Society
of Actuaries (SOA), the overall annual lapse rate is 3.5
percent for whole life insurance, 7 percent for term life
insurance, 4.6 percent for universal life insurance (UL)
and 5.7 percent for variable universal life insurance (VUL).

Some folks pay for decades and decades on their life
insurance policies and then throw in the towel and lapse
their policies. What happened?

There are countless reasons someone might decide to lapse a
life insurance policy. Most have to do with no longer
having the discretionary income to continue paying
premiums. John Dressner, Senior Vice President of LIFE
Foundation, a nonprofit consumer-education organization,
says, "Lapses are usually not for lack of desire for
coverage but because of financial conflicts."

Life insurance experts have seen people lapse life
insurance policies when a job loss, divorce, large medical
expense or business loss means budgets must tighten. Or
they buy a new television rather than pay their life
insurance premiums. (True story.)
Other times, policyholders are replacing their current
policy with a new one.

Sometimes the decision to lapse is more emotional: The
benefits seem too far off in the future.
And sometimes policyholders lose contact with the agent who
originally sold them the life insurance policy, so they
feel nobody is available to address their questions about
lapsing it.

Dressner points out that "someone bought it for a reason,
because they wanted the protection." If you're thinking of
lapsing a current life insurance policy, think carefully
about whether you'd want coverage in the future, when
buying a new policy may result in higher life insurance
rate due to your age and possible health problems.

While there are no studies on the exact reasons people have
lapsed their policies, we can learn from past life
insurance buyers who jumped ship. Here are some tips for
life insurance shopping based on lapses by other buyers.

Choose a guaranteed level premium for the entire period you
need coverage.

If you're looking at term life insurance, consider buying a
policy with guaranteed level premiums for the entire period
you want to be insured, rather than face an increase after
your guaranteed-premium period ends. The LIMRA/SOA study
shows that lapse rates spike after the guaranteed-level
premium periods. Perhaps policyholders were satisfied
paying the level premiums but weren't willing to continue
at a higher life insurance rate.

Consider this: Among buyers of 10-year level term, 40
percent dropped their policies when the guaranteed-premium
period ended, and 30 percent of holders of 15-year level
term stopped paying when the premiums went up.

Further, those who pay "substandard" rates (issued due to
ill health) abandon their policies in larger numbers after
initial rate-guarantee periods, according to LIMRA and SOA.

Buy enough life insurance coverage for your needs.
Are you buying a life insurance policy with a small face
amount? Think carefully about whether that policy is
sufficient coverage for you, because history shows that
almost half of people with whole life insurance policies of
$5,000 or under abandon them within the first year (over 45
percent do, according to the LIMRA/SOA study). People with
larger whole life insurance policies are far more likely to
hold on to them.

This trend extends to other policy types. For example,
buyers of annual renewable term policies under $200,000
lapse them more in the first five years than buyers of
larger policies. (After year five the gap closes.)

The difference in life insurance policy size is quite
noticeable with UL, where about 33 percent of those with
policies under $15,000 lapse their policies in each of the
first three years, as opposed to about 5 to 10 percent of
those with larger face amounts.
If you're buying whole life insurance, commit long-term.

The highest lapse rates for whole life policies are in the
first five years. After that, lapse rates settle down at
between 3 to 5 percent for whole life policies, according
to LIMRA and SOA. Don't throw away your money by paying
into a whole life policy for one to five years, only to
abandon it.
Make sure you understand what you are buying.
This is true especially if you are looking at universal
life and variable universal life, which can have many
"moving parts" that affect your premiums due and death
benefit.

Match your coverage to your life stage.
If you're under age 30 and buying a life insurance policy,
consider carefully whether you're committed to paying that
premium bill. Others like you, age 20 to 29, abandon their
policies in higher numbers than older buyers, according to
LIMRA and SOA.
Find the easiest way to pay.

Consider paying your premium bill through electronic funds
transfer from your bank account. Policyholders who pay that
way are more likely to keep their policies, perhaps because
they never have to sit down and write a check.

Add a "disability waiver of premium" rider to your life
insurance policy.

Life insurance experts see many policies lapse due to a
disability that puts the policyholder out of work. A
disability waiver of premium rider will cover your premium
payments in this case.

Shop for a good life insurance rate from the start.
If you will be issued a policy with a smoking or
"substandard" rate, make sure you can keep up with premium
payments. People in those rate classes lapse their policies
more often in the first five years. For example, about 18
percent of smokers with whole life policies lapse them in
the first year as opposed to 11 percent of nonsmokers,
according to LIMRA and SOA.

No matter what rate class you fall into, knowing that you
secured a competitive life insurance price will make paying
your premium bill easier.

----------------------------------------------------
Amy Danise is a staff writer for http://insure.com . Visit
http://insure.com for a comprehensive array of comparative
auto, life and health quotes, including a vast library of
originally authored insurance articles. Insure.com is
dedicated to providing impartial insurance information to
consumers. Visitors can obtain instant quotes from more
than 200 leading insurers, achieve maximum savings and have
the freedom to buy from any company shown.