Service for Women

Yesterday my wife asked me to find a new credit card for her. She has been using her card for more than 3 years. Credit card terms have been changed after all this time. Today there are so many offers with different benefits, such as incredible cash back, air miles and gasoline rewards, some deals come with lowest APR and no annual fee. Perhaps, we could find a beneficial credit deal earlier, but we did not think of it at that time.

So, I browsed through many web sites yesterday and found a special site wor ladies - www.CreditRoom.com. It has very beautiful design and is written for women and by women. Besides, it contains many attractive credit offers. I chose 0 balance transfer credit card. I think, it's better to transfer balance from her old card to this one. I hope it is the first step to teach my wife saving money :)

Second Wind

Hello everybody! I got back from my holiday at last! And I'm dying to proceed to business! Man alive! I am glad I dared to stop working! Now I have more vital energy than ever. It is so wonderful to vacation with the whole family together. We visited Australia. It was beyond my wildest dreams. Mysterious nature, individual culture, friendly people, tasty food, different kinds of sports... It is just a small part of Australia charm.

I'd like to share some unforgettable views with you.

Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, VIC


West Gate Bridge, VIC


Royal Exhibition Building, VIC


View of Canberra from Telstra Tower, ACT


Parliament House, ACT


Sydney Olympic Stadium, NSW


Hike to Mount Feathertop, VIC

Recess Time

It has come to my notice that I turn into worn-out old man. I'm done up and must rest indeed. Cause all my family and friends say this. I guess, it is a serious occasion to think.
Thus, I decided to make up a picnic and invite many people. I hope such a piece of fun will help me to divert my attention away from imperious problems. So, now I'm going to buy delicious food and small things for our picnic. Yahoo!

My Friends' Business

My friend shared to me that he's starting a business at a certain place here in the city. But before he started his auto parts business he encountered a lot of trials and consequences. First, he checked his budget if he's capable of building a business. Good thing happened, and one of our friends wanted to be a part of the planned business and they became partners later on. So, they looked for a reputable supplier for all the items and parts that they're going to sell and scouted for the best location where they can have their store. They launched the business a month ago and unfortunately I was not able to join their opening. I was at NY when they invited me to come. Well, maybe one of these days I can visit and check their store. Congrats guys!

Teen Jobs

All teenagers dream of their own pin money. Not every parent is ready and wish to give his/her kid enough money. In a measure they are right, cause there isn't another way to teach a child earning and managing money. Sometimes I think what job teenagers could find.. Few points I can offer at a wild guess:

• flipping hamburgers
• bagging groceries
• cleaning service
• pet sitting service
• catering service
• painting service
• online Web business and so on

There are really a lot of opportunities for young people. As the saying is, where there's a will, there's a way.

Save Your Money on Flights

What should you do if you don't have quite enough cash in the bank or miles in your frequent flyer account to get you to your destination? You may want to consider cash-and-miles promotions as an option. Members of Alaska Mileage Plan, American AAdvantage, Continental OnePass, and Midwest Miles can take advantage of ongoing cash-and-miles programs to purchase regular or last-minute airfare.
Instead of paying the regular published fare or redeeming the normal amount of miles for economy award travel (usually 25,000 miles), all four airlines let you redeem a reduced amount of miles on some routes, with a co-pay starting at $29 (or, in Alaska's case, a 50 percent discount off the full fare). The amount of cash and miles you spend depends on either the distance you plan to travel, or the total price of the fare.

To Give an Allowance Or Not to Give?

Some parents choose to give their child an allowance and others do not. An allowance can be helpful in teaching children to manage money but is not the only way this can be done.

If you choose to give an allowance:
1. Decide the purpose of the money. Will it be for extras such as snacks, toys, entertainment — or for necessities such as lunch money or bus money?
2. Decide on what you can afford to give as an allowance. Be sure once you make a commitment to an allowance, it is something you can give on a regular basis. This may mean setting it at less than a dollar a week. The amount is not important. What is important is giving your child a sense of money and how to spend it wisely.
3. Be clear on your rules regarding the spending of the allowance. Can your child spend it on anything? Must he save a portion of it? Are there some things that would never be OK for him to buy?
4. Don’t give “extra” money for those things that have been reserved for allowance. Don’t buy them a snack at the store because they have already spent all of their allowance.

If you do not give an allowance, use other opportunities to teach your children about money. When you take them shopping tell them how much they have to spend and make them stick to that amount. Make them aware of how much things cost and help them make good choices.

Help Your Child Become a Good Money Manager

You are a role model for your child.

• Let your children see you managing your family income and keeping financial records.
• Try to guide and supervise your children’s spending, rather than dictating to them how to spend their money.
  • Be clear about money and spending rules. What items are OK to buy and which are not?
  • Help them think through their choices.
  • Allow them to learn from small mistakes.
  • Praise them when they make good money decisions.
  • Do not use money as a reward or punishment — nor to pay for regular family chores.

Your One-Stop Credit Shop

When you decide to put forward a credit card application, it can be one of the most frustrating processes for majority of consumers. Most problems arise due to the bad credit history that shows you cannot handle your bills and hence pushes your application to the curb. You will often have to sort through, tons and tons of potential credit companies before settling on one that is often more of a compromise than a preferred choice.
www.AllAboutCredit.net is one of the leading sources of credit card offers and credit card reviews online. Their goal is to save your time and make the choice easier by enabling you to search, compare, and apply for a credit card in one place, ensuring that you get a good deal according to your criteria.

Bad Experience

I recently had a very bad experience on some airlines and wanted to know if other have ever had this experience. I have also received no real response from them despite have snail mailed, faxed (twice) and e-mailed them.

I was on a delayed flight from NYC was worried about making my connecting flight to Lima. When I tried to speak to a flight attendant about this, I was verbally abused. After thinking about it for a few minutes, I decided to get up out of my seat and ask the flight attendant for his name and badge number so I could file a complaint. At this point the plane was still sitting at the gate and had not moved for 30 minutes. He refused to give me his name and said that if I did not return to my seat, he would have me thrown off the plane. I returned to my seat, and he immediately called the pilot to try to get me thrown off the plane. He also filed a written complaint on me and continued to be abusive throughout the flight - at one point telling me that I was stupid, selfish and obviously had no experience flying. I have a traveling companion who will verify everything that I have written here.

Now I can't get any repsonse from that company and I am not sure what to do. I may never deal with them again. Does anyone have any suggestions? I would at least like a decent apology from the airline.

Do We Work to Live or Do We Live to Work?

I am in random thoughts about these two concepts lately… Sometimes the former is quite ideal but the demands of the modern techno-savvy world which is for us to work more than what is the usual enslave us to push ourselves to the highest limit…. Work, work, work, work. Sometimes it’s too tiring. But what else is there to do? How else would we spend our time?

Get the Facts on Gas Station Credit Cards

So you are considering the idea of applying for a gas station credit card. Figuring that it will allow you to easily get a better handle on fuel expenses for each month, there are also added perks like receiving cash back with every purchase.

Prepaid gas cards

My dad used to have an expression that he was fond of. "If you need to use a credit card, then you do not need to buy it." Depending on the health of your financial situation, I believe this to certainly be true. For many people out there, looking for creative ways to get free prepaid gas cards is not only possible, it is simply smart economics. Not only that, but going with prepaid gas cards also means you have a better shot of avoiding gas station identity theft as well.

Just use cash

Believe it or not, a growing number of gas stations will give you an instant discount for simply using cash in lieu of a credit card at the pump? Savings can be up to 5% in some cases, depending on where you live.

Gas Station Credit Cards

When used with responsibility, you can actually make this form of payment work out rather well for you. When possible, consider using gas rebate credit cards. With this type of gas card, you can often save up to 3-6% cash back on card purchases. On the flip side there are some important tips to remember when considering this type of card.

• Be aware that the gas credit card issuer runs the show. It is not at all unusual to find that the great 5% cash back falls to something like 1-3% after a set number of months.
• Considering the point above, look for a card without a yearly fee if possible. This way if you are paying off the card each month, you are still getting “something back”, even if the cash back rate does fall back after the introductory period.
• Never carry a balance. Once you do, any benefit of a gas rebate credit card goes up in flames very quickly.

http://www.select-credit-card.com/Gasoline-Credit-Cards-947895-page.php

Home

This is the house I grew up in. The last window on the left is my room (the only window with the brown blinds). I miss home. The fence is actually pretty new. I helped my mother build it. We painted it and put the posts in one summer and now we have a white picket fence. It's pretty awesome. This is a very normal house in my hometown. Basic and standard. But it is home. And I miss it terribly. I am so thankful that I get to go home for Christmas and see my family gathered in this home, eating dinner and being together. I can't wait for Christmas.

Travel Insurance

Of course you can’t start your trip without any insurance and that is very sensible. Because who knows what may be happen abroad? Travel insurance will protect your trip in case of a cancellation, travel delay and trip interruption. Besides we have to take into account such unpredictable things as terrorism, crushes or just surprises of weather.
One must be insured in all of your prepaid, non-refundable trip costs including airfare, hotels, tour costs and even course fees. Medical insurance protects your health while you are traveling - domestically or internationally. So while you are going to travel you must be care about good travel insurance, based on your travel details. Have a wonderful trip!

Regain a Good Credit Standing

We all know that many in the population suffer from a bad credit history, thus affecting their lifestyle and their purchasing power. There’s nothing worse than being declined of a loan or mortgage just when you need it. But everyone deserves a second chance, that’s why there are good companies who offer bad credit loans for people who need them. This way they can slowly rebuild their credit and eventually have a good credit standing. And when that happens, the more offers and opportunities would go your way. Having a good credit history is a key to building a better future. Like how everyone puts it, especially in the US, credit is life. The better you handle your credit, the better your life would be.

Credit Card Choice

Credit card is great invention that helps you at every step, isn’t? Using your credit card for everyday purchases whether you make shopping or paying any bill lets you to be sure of yourself even without cash.

There are many online services which can help you to make right credit card choice depending on your lifestyle and payment habits. Today you can find easily any information you are interested in whether it were up-to-date helpful articles about credit cards for good credit, bad or no-credit history, best credit card deals for students or cash back credit cards and credit cards for businesses, allowing you to learn a lot about the top cards deals and other related issues.

Browsing through the best credit card applications and learn the latest credit cards news you can apply online for a credit card for your credit history. Just keep in mind that shopping for the most suitable to your situation credit card you should do the same kind of comparison you do when you're looking for a mortgage or a car loan and that’s absolutely truth. So, be smart making the choices and it will save your money.

Five Ways to Avoid Holiday Overspending

Here's a piece from Suze Orman on five ways to avoid holiday spending. Her thoughts: 1. Double the cost of anything you buy with a credit card and don't intend to pay off when the bill comes next month. 2. Disorganization will cost you big-time. 3. Decline store card offers. 4. Handle your gift card with care. 5. You can't buy friends or love. Think of these points. They make sense indeed.

Can Anyone Become a Successful Businessperson?

I am asked this question many times after I have given a speech on business procedures and strategies. The answer is not that simple.
Before we get to the answer, let me ask you a question. Can anyone become a successful medical doctor? To become a doctor, there are several very important factors that have to be given a lot of careful thought and consideration.
Now to get to the question, "Can anyone become a successful medical doctor?" The answer is "Yes! Anyone who really wants to can become a successful medical doctor."
The key words here are, "Anyone who really wants to."
Let us get back to our original question. "Can anyone become a successful business person?" The answer is, "Yes! Anyone who really wants to, can become a successful business person." To become a successful business person, you will have to make several important choices. choices like,
1) What type of business do you want to get into? 2) Are you passionate about the field you have chosen? 3) Are you willing to devote enough time and energy to your business? 4) Are you prepared to do whatever it takes to succeed? 5) Are you willing to stick to it till you succeed?
Then you have to research your field of interest, educate yourself, get the proper training, lay the foundation and work at it consistantly. If you do everything properly, success is inevitable. Ask any successful business person and he or she will tell you what they had to go through to achieve success.
A business should be taken seriously and treated like a profession, not as a hobby. Then with the correct, persistant action taken on a daily basis, you are sure to succeed. There is no doubt about it.
You can become a successful business person "If You Really Want To."

Divorce and Money

Divorce can have a financially devastating impact on your finances. If you’re a woman who has gone through a divorce (and you feel like sharing), what advice would you give someone regarding the financial aspects of divorce or marriage?

Best Credit Offers to Apply for

Are you looking for the best credit card deals? I ran across the site ApplyFast.com earlier and thought why not check it out! And guess what I found? With great offers, they compare and you can make your own choice, I think this site is good to those who are looking for credit cards! With a lot of cards this days, it’s hassle to find the best one. And with this site you can get what your heart desire! ;) Stop looking elsewhere because you will just get those cards that has hidden interests. In here, you can apply online and get approved right away! This are credit card with no credit offers with low annual interest. In here, you can get information about all the offers, provided by the major credit companies! Which is actually a good thing! They simply will find you the card that best suit for your budget and that don’t have hidden fees and other downside.. Check it out!

Everyday Money Saving Tips

You can save money every day. Consider some ways to save without troubles:


Save $0.50 a day in loose change - $15
Cut soda/pop consumption by 1 liter a week - $6
At work, substitute 1 coffee for 1 cappuccino - $40
Bring lunch to work (saving estimated $3/day) - $60
Eat out 2 fewer times a month - $30
Borrow, rather than buying, one book a month - $15
Comparison shop for gas (save est. $0.25/gallon) - $4
Maintain checking account minimum to avoid fees - $7
Bounce one less check a month - $20
Pay credit card bill on time to avoid late fee - $25
Pay off $1000 of credit card debt, reducing interest - $15

It is not so hard, is it?

Making Money on the Road

There are people who pride themselves on being able to make money without having what they consider to be a real job. Many of these random sources of income allow them to be able to travel and live wherever ever they please. As skilled as they are at this, it never ceases to amaze them the new ways people come up with to make money while traveling.

You may work at hostels for a few months, have some get rich internet scheme, or just play the stocks. Consider this way of making mone if you are fond of traveling and adventures. And share your financial wisdom with the rest of free people!

Build Your Credit

How to build credit? If you are not a lucky owner of perfect credit score today and still wish to get a credit card, don't lose your heart. Nowadays there are many profitable offers for people with bad, no and average credit. Fair credit cards are especially designed for those with credit score between 620 and 659. Of course, they come with not so attractive features as good or excellent plastics do. However, fair cards are one of the most beneficial ways to good credit history!

Tips on Selling a Business

Some days ago I found out a book about business. The book is "In and Out of Business...Happily". It provides practical tips for getting your business ready for sale and negotiating that sale to your advantage. With these tips are dozens of examples of what companies did to enhance the value of the business and raise the selling price. Here are just a few of the tips I have learned from this book.

1. Don't let anyone know it's for sale but sell it quickly.
“Why?” you might ask. “Wouldn’t I want to broadcast it and get as many buyers as possible to bid against one another and raise my price?” No! First of all, announcing the sale of your business makes people nervous. Your employees look for other jobs, your suppliers worry about extending credit, and your customers wonder if you'll be around long enough to complete the contract they are about to sign. And your competitors play on those fears to lure away your best employees and customers. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

2. Be sure all the right things are wrong!
“Why should anything be wrong?” you ask. Because few people are willing to pay top dollar for a small business that’s perfect. That may sound strange, but think about it. The people who buy a small business have more than a financial interest in mind. They also have personal motivations—just as you did when you became an owner. These buyers will pay more when they find a business that meets their personal motivations, one that offers them opportunity to “do their thing.”

3. How to increase the value of the business without increasing profits.
Reduce the business’s dependency on you. Transfer many of your tasks to subordinates, so the new owner sees that he can “manage” without having to “do.”

4. Know the different types of buyer and what each type will pay.
To attract the right buyer (different buyers pay different prices), you have to recognize the four types.

• Strategic acquirer: These pay the highest prices, usually in cash. They buy for strategic reasons such as economies of scale and market share. But typically they look for companies with sales of $20 million, and expect management to stay on.
• Sophisticated or corporate acquirer: With backgrounds in corporate America, these buyers examine a business closely. Size is less important than opportunity. These buyers, maybe a group, may review a hundred businesses before selecting one.
• Financial buyer: These are the most plentiful. They will not pay prices based upon projections. So they will not pay top dollar. This group expects terms or the ability to finance the buy. They are primarily interested in purchasing a job. Small businesses attract this type when they do not position themselves for the sale.
• Industry buyer: These can be the best or the worst. The best, when they have a strategic reason to buy. Otherwise, watch out! Most industry buyers look only to selected assets to determine value; they do not pay for goodwill or future prospects. They pay significantly less then a sophisticated or corporate buyer.

So, all this information is much important because, as with anything else, only the right buyer pays the right price. The book shows how to identify the best buyer for a business ~ how they think ~ what turns them on or off ~ how to position a business so that the right buyer will recognize it as an exciting opportunity.

Compare Credit Offers

Interested to have a credit card? But don't know how to get one.
Credit card is a thing you should choose wisely, check out unsecured credit card applications. You can apply for any kind of credit cards online.
At CreditRoom.com you can find some good credit card applications from credit card companies all over the world - Visa credit cards , Discover, American Express and MasterCard offers. Study the credit card offers from major banks and credit companies. You can include in your comparison the credit cards from Advanta, HSBC, Orchard, First PREMIER, Chase, and Citibank, and apply for a credit card online.
Now a days all credit cards offer rewards. Compare credit cards rewards to find offers that can help you save on your most frequently made purchases. Here you can find cash back credit cards, airline and hotel cards as well as gasoline credit cards issued for the special needs of customers. Get reward credit cards to save on flights, traveling, gas and all other purchases you make. Choose the best suitable credit cards and apply for them online.
"Immediate credit card care" service is available now. Their advisers are ready to answer all of your questions. This is the another most important thing you should care, that is the support and advise from customer care.

How to Teach Your Child About Budgeting

As a parent it is your primary responsibility to equip your children with life skills. Learning how to properly manage a budget is one of life's most valued skills; both spending and saving habits can be taught early on. If you show them an appropriate balance between the two, you can save them many years of financial difficulty.
Steps:
1. Be a role model. Allow your child to see you budget, comparison shop, and save. Bring them to the bank and let them watch you put money in a savings account. Explain to them what you are doing while you are doing while you are doing it.
2. Invite them to participate. Ask your child to help you find and read the unit price numbers at the grocery store in order to find the best bargains. Encourage them to look for coupons and sales in weekly fliers. Review the family budget with your children, especially if you're also trying to teach them to help cut down on expenses by doing things like turning off lights when they leave a room. Plan the family vacation together with your child, assigning them the task of researching air fare, hotel rates and rental cars.
3. Provide an allowance. Start with a small amount as soon as they are old enough to understand that money can buy things. Pay their allowance with bills and coins to allow the child to sort them into different containers labeled with different budgeting categories. Encourage part-time work instead of an allowance when the time is right. It will teach them not only to manage their money but also to manage their time.

Debt Professionals

Our world actually is a huge family, you know? In the case of poor countries which have debts there are global financing programs specially issued to help poor countries pay their debts. Actually managing debts means managing money and having a special vocation for it. There are people and countries as well that are not able to manage finances. In the case of people they might be bright persons, educated ones in their domain, but they are always overwhelmed by debts because their brain is not business oriented. At this point they need help from professionals who can assist them organize their income and their expenses so that debt should not be a problem for them anymore. These professionals are able to personalize financial schedules according to any particular situation.

Available Credit Cards

I was surprised when I saw this credit card company that does business with people with no credit history because I know most of those credit card companies prefer consumers or clients with the best track record of credits. Some of the no credit check credit cards coming from clients who applied sometimes get rejected because they don’t have enough credentials or proof that they can be creditworthy. This is because most credit card companies nowadays require a lot of documents before issuing you your plastic card. Sometimes they reject your application because of just one document lacking. Other applications were denied also because of bad previous credit history problems. But at RequestCredit.com, you can consider your application for credit card approved. All you need is an amount of money that you will deposit in a bank and will be your credit limit. You will not be rejected by applying for a secured card because it offers a guaranteed approval.

Some Humour

A mathematician, an accountant and an economist apply for the same job.
The interviewer calls in the mathematician and asks "What do two plus two equal?" The mathematician replies "Four." The interviewer asks "Four, exactly?" The mathematician looks at the interviewer incredulously and says "Yes, four, exactly."
Then the interviewer calls in the accountant and asks the same question "What do two plus two equal?" The accountant says "On average, four - give or take ten percent, but on average, four."
Then the interviewer calls in the economist and poses the same question "What do two plus two equal?" The economist gets up, locks the door, closes the shade, sits down next to the interviewer and says "What do you want it to equal?"
An economist is a trained professional paid to guess wrong about the economy.

A woman hears from her doctor that she has only half a year to live. The doctor advises her to marry an economist and to live in South Dakota. The woman asks: will this cure my illness? Answer of the doctor: No, but the half year will seem pretty long.

The First Law of Economists: For every economist, there exists an equal and opposite economist.The Second Law of Economists: They're both wrong.

Some Personal Finance Tips

You should have a savings account to meet your needs. Save at least 10% of income in your saving account. It will be very helpful to your in case of an emergency. You can also spend this money on higher studies of your children.
Always save some money for emergencies. Keep this money in a separate bank account and don’t touch this money unless there is an emergency. This money will help you in emergencies like loss of job, sudden injury or medical emergency.
In some departments, a fixed part of salary of employees is automatically deducted to the retirement fund. This deduction plan is beneficial. Contribute as much as you can to your retirement fund and don’t touch this money because it is for your future. If you withdraw some money from this fund before retirement then various tax implications and early withdrawal penalties will reduce the principal amount.
If you have two credit cards then you should make all payments with that credit card which has higher interest rate. Suppose rate of interest on one card is 12 percent and on another card is 15 percent then you should make all the payments with credit card which has 15 percent interest before using the second card.

Your Credit

What do you think about credit cards? Are they your friends or foes? If you have bad or no credit history, you surely faced a lot of problems. High interest rates and fees, long waiting, etc. Fortunately, nowadays you can get instant credit card approval even if you have bad credit rating. It is convenient option, indeed! Besides, being a lucky owner of high credit score, you can apply for one of the best visa card deals and enjoy its advantages.

I Made a Good Deal

I busied myself making some posts for my blog when I got a call from my friend. He told me he was in a furniture store which is very close to my house. I have seen this store everyday but never thought of dropping by to see what's inside. And today, I went there and was surprised how cheap their furniture items are. They sell hotel furniture items which are slightly used. They have entertainment units, decorative mirrors, lamps, sofas, wall frames and a lot more. While looking around, amazed how cheap the items are, I noticed this very nice, leather black computer chair. They sell it for $50 but the owner gave it to me for only $35.00. I decided to buy it for myself so I can sit comfortably while working at home. I really like it.

Some Mistakes which Can Harm Your Credit Worthiness

We all want to have better credit and to see our score in an around 600. But to maintain this much credit score you need to wipe out some mistakes. In this post I am discussing some basic mistakes which consumers do.

1. A credit card for wrong reasons: Consumers sometimes ended up taking a credit card for some wrong reasons or without any reason. Credit card companies are there to do their business and to take as much money as possible from consumer’s pocket. But you have to decide which card is essential for you.
2. Choosing a wrong card: This is one of the biggest mistakes made by so many credit card users. They don’t shop for the right card. Actually I want to mean, do a search before taking a card. Look for companies that offer less interest card. In fact 1 percent less interest card can help you a lot.
3. Crossing credit limit: Crossing the limit of your credit card can have a bad effect on credit report. It has been found that many customers exceed their credit limit. So it is better not to do so.
4. Ignoring monthly statement: Monthly statements are very important for any customer. And they need to check it properly because there may be some wrong information or discrepancy involved. Also you should go though the terms and conditions of that credit card and the charges of late fees.
5. Buying unnecessary things: Credit card is easy money for the customers and that’s why they tend to purchase many things which are unnecessary for day-to-day life. Credit card should be use only to purchase necessary things and in the time of emergency.

Airline Credit Cards – Save Money on Journey

There is a great variety of credit cards with rewards on the market today. They attract many consumers and business owners who want to save some money spending with plastics. And airline cards are among the popular ones. Such cards enable to make purchases, withdraw cold cash at the ATM (even abroad), book hotel stays, airline tickets and so forth. Moreover, they give the opportunity to earn miles and redeem them for a free ticket and other rewards. You can make purchases with great credit card deals and get points for every dollar spent. The more you spend the more points you earn. Simple, isn't it?
The rewards of air miles credit cards differ from company to company. But no doubt, you can find a beneficial and suitable one for you.
Unfortunately, all these benefits can be used only by those active travelers with good or excellent credit score. If your score is far from perfect, credit cards with rewards can be a good stimulus to improve your credit and get benefits in the future.

Developing a Spending Plan

Are you the type of person who falls behind on their bills and other regular monthly payments? Do you apply for credit and then spend all the way up to the credit limit because you think it's a type of "free money"? Do you have problems balancing your checkbook or stretching your money from payday to payday? While many of us struggle to stay above water financially, there are many solutions to our money problems that can be dealt with using common sense.

First of all, if at all possible, follow a zero-balance policy for your credit cards, if you're going to use them at all. Since you are probably paying way too much in interest, try to only buy items on your credit card that you know you can pay off before the next statement. A zero-balance strategy will allow you to use credit cards conveniently, and gain points from reward systems without being penalized by high interest charges. And if possible, eliminate the use of store credit cards entirely, as they tend to have much higher interest rates than traditional VISA and Mastercard credit cards.

If you feel you must access other services, such as short term loans or payday advances, use the money wisely to pay off other outstanding debts that would otherwise incur other service charges or fees. Short term loans will provide you with fast cash, but you must be able to manage it wisely as you are paying a very high price for this service. Whenever possible, use your bank's lending services (overdraft protection, line of credit) to deal with situations that require you to use money that you don't have.

It's important that you develop a plan that will minimize the use of credit and rely more on spending only money that you have. Sit down and figure out what your monthly costs are, and how much you are earning, and design a system whereby you will be spending less that you earn, allowing you to eradicate your credit card (and other) debts, reduce service charges, and eliminate other fees that are taking money right out of your pocket. The money would be better spent on personal investments rather than on some financial organization.

Great Work-From-Home Ideas to Make Money

If you want to start a business from home, there are many possibilities you can explore. The Internet has opened up a lot of virtual markets where you can trade in goods and services and thereby earn money.
Here are some possibilities:

Start a Day Care Center

If you have a big home with a nice-sized backyard, then you could start a day care center or nursery to provide care to young toddlers.
You will need to employ staff and get the necessary certification, but once you establish a good reputation, the rewards could be both financially and personally satisfying.

Start an Online Marketing Business

To run an online business, you will not need to use your entire home for the business, but only a room with an Internet connection and a computer. Do the proper research as to what items sell well on the Internet.
You’ll also need to find out their purchase and sale prices so you can figure out the profit margin you stand to make.

Become an Online Writer

Shopping?

Don't tell me you don't like to spend money! Well, maybe you don't for whatever reasons. Frankly speaking, my wife did spend quite an amount on the stuffs that she loves in every end of the month after Pay Day.
Sometimes when I check back all those bills for the month, I was indeed in a great shock too as for the amount she has spent. I won't stop buying things but I'll go for this immediate credit card care service to look for a card which is most suitable according to our needs, spending and most importantly, our affordability of course. This could be better in managing my wife's expenses in a more organized fashion. I trully understand why many girls always dreaming that " why I'm not Paris Hilton?..." I know the answer exactly!

25 Rules to Grow Rich by

Here are some fundamental rules, not to become filthy rich, but live a comfortable life.
The ones in bold are ones that I religiously follow, or at least try to.

1. For return on investment, the best home renovation is to upgrade an old bathroom. Kitchens come in second.
   
2. It's worth refinancing your mortgage when you can cut your interest rate by at least one point.
   
3. Spend no more than 2 1/2 times your income on a home. For a down payment, it's best to come up with at least 20%
   
4. Your total housing payments should not exceed 28% of your gross income. Total debt payments should come in under 36%
   
5. Never hire a roofer, driveway paver or chimney sweep who is going door to door.
   
6. All else being equal, the best place to invest is a 401(k). Once you've earned the full company match, max out a Roth IRA. Still have money to invest? Put more in your 401(k) or a traditional IRA.
   
7. To figure out what percentage of your money should be in stocks, subtract your age from 120.
   
8. Invest no more than 10% of your portfolio in your company stock - or any single company's stock, for that matter.
   
9. The most you should pay in annual fees for a mutual fund is 1% for a large-company stock fund, 1.3% for any other type of stock fund and 0.6% for a U.S. bond fund.
   
10. Aim to build a retirement nest egg that is 25 times the annual investment income you need.
    
11. If you don't understand how an investment works, don't buy it.
    
12. If you're not saving 10% of your salary, you aren't saving enough.
    
13. Keep three months' worth of living expenses in a bank savings account or a high-yield money-market fund for emergencies. If you have kids or rely on one income, make it six months'.
    
14. Aim to accumulate enough money to pay for a third of your kids' college costs. You can borrow the rest or use some of your income to help out when your child is in college.
    
15. You need enough life insurance to replace at least five years of your salary – as much as 10 years if you have several young children or significant debts.
    
16. When you buy insurance, choose the highest deductible you can afford. It's the easiest way to lower your premium.
    
17. The best credit card is a no-fee rewards card that you pay in full every month. But if you carry a balance, high-interest rates will wipe out the benefits.
    
18. The best way to improve your credit score is to pay bills on time and to borrow no more than 30% of your available credit.
    
19. Anyone who calls or e-mails you asking for your Social Security number or information about your bank or credit card account is a scam artist.
    
20. The best way to save money on a car is to buy a late-model used car and drive it until it's junk. A car loses 30% of its value in the first year.
    
21. Lease a new car or truck only if you plan to replace it within two or three years.
    
22. Resist the urge to buy the latest computer or other gadget as soon as it comes out. Wait three months and the price will be lower.
    
23. Buy airline tickets early because the cheapest fares are snapped up first. Most seats go on sale 11 months in advance.
    
24. Don't redeem frequent flier miles unless you can get more than a dollar's worth of air fare or other stuff for every 100 miles you spend.
    
25. When you shop for electronics, don't pay for an extended warranty. One exception: It's a laptop and the warranty is from the manufacturer.

Credit Questions

Nowadays almost everybody has at least one credit card. There are too many banks, credit companies and products they offer. Thus, it is important enough to get useful credit card advice when you need the most. www.CreditBreak.com helps you to find Fast-and-Easy Credit Solutions. Ask your specific question and get the competent answer.

How to Make Money with Your Hobby

Millions of people all over the world collect stamps as a hobby, and the number is growing every day. It is indeed an exciting and rewarding hobby, and it can also be extremely profitable. The price of stamps vary with supply and demand due to the number of collectors increasing. The price of stamps is steadily rising, as the supply of stamps diminishes and more people want to acquire them. Most people start a collection for the pleasure and education just like any other hobby, but this hobby offers a financial reward as well, as collections experience a steady increase over the years. It is possible to start your own business if you are experienced, and already have a good size collection. I guess you should try.

12 Credit Card Secrets Banks Don't Want You to Know

1. Interest Backdating

Most card issuers charge interest from the day a charge is posted to your account if you don't pay in full monthly. But, some charge interest from the date of purchase, days before they have even paid the store on your behalf!
REMEDY: Find another card issuer, or always pay your bill in full by the due date.

2. Two-Cycle Billing
Issuers which use this method of calculating interest, charge two months worth of interest for the first month you failed to pay off your total balance in full. This issue arises only when you switch from paying in full to carrying a balance from month to month.
REMEDY: Switch issuers or always pay your balance in full.

3. The Right To Setoff
If you have money on deposit at a bank, and also have your credit card there, you may have signed an agreement when you opened the deposit account which permits the bank to take those funds if you become delinquent on your credit card.
REMEDY: Bank at separate institutions, or avoid delinquencies.

4. Fees Are Negotiable
You may be paying up to $50 a year or more as an annual fee on your credit card. You may also be subject to finance charges of over 18%.
REMEDY: If you are a good customer, the bank may be willing to drop the annual fee, and reduce the interest rate -- you only have to ask! Otherwise, you can switch issuers to a lower- priced card.

5. Interest Rate Hikes Are Retroactive
IF you sign up for 0 interest rate cards online, when the introductory period expires, your existing balance will likely be subject to the regular and substantially higher interest rate.
REMEDY: Pay in full before the rate increase or close the account.

6. Shortened Due Dates
Most card issuers offer a 25 day grace period in which to pay for new purchases without incurring finance charges. Some banks have shortened the grace period to 20 days--but only for customers who pay in full monthly.
REMEDY: Ask to go back to 25 days.

7. Eliminating Grace Periods
That fabulous offer you received in the mail for a gold card with a $10,000 credit limit, and lots of features may not be so great. The most common "string" attached is the card has no grace period. You are charged interest on everything from the day you buy it, even if you pay on time.
REMEDY: Throw the offer out!

8. Disappearing Benefits
Many banks enticed you to sign up with extra benefits such as lifetime warranty, a 5% discount on all travel, or protection if an item purchased is lost. Now, some banks have cut back on these extras without the fanfare that launched them.
REMEDY: Read annual disclosure of changes, and switch cards if need be.

9. Double Fees On Cash Advances
Most credit cards impose both finance charges and a transaction fee on cash advances. Interest starts from the day of the advance, and the transaction fee can be up to 2.5% of the amount taken. Beware of cards advertising "no finance charges." Transaction fees may still apply.
REMEDY: Limit cash advances.

10. Fewer Rights On Debit Cards
Some Visa and MasterCards have payments deducted directly from your checking account (debit cards). Under federal law, you technically don't have the same right to "charge back" problem purchases as you do with a conventional credit card. Also, if the card is lost or stolen, you can have up to unlimited liability for losses if you don't report the problem within 60 days, which is different from the $50 maximum liability on credit cards. (Exception: the $50 limit applies to debit cards as well as to credit cards in Massachusetts.)
REMEDY: Know your card. Is it a credit cards or debit cards? They can look alike.

11. Misleading Monthly Minimums
You may think it is beneficial to have a card where you only need to pay 2%-3% of your balance monthly. It is just the opposite. The bank stands to make far more money from finance charges the longer you carry out payments--and you foot the bill.
REMEDY: Pay all you can monthly.

12. Interest From Day One
When you carry a balance from month to month, there is no grace period on new purchases on most cards. The 20-25 day grace period where no finance charges accrue does not apply when you don't pay in full each month.
REMEDY: Find cards that exclude new purchases when calculating interest.

Read Books to Be Well-Educated

Today I'd like to share with you some interesting books I have read and would recommend.
1) Tom Peters - Circle of Innovation
2) Maverick - Ricardo Semler
3) Managing Radical Change - Sumantra Ghoshal
4) Every Business is a growth business - Ram Charan
5) Getting to Yes - William Ury
6) Getting past NO - William Ury & Gang
7) The Ffth Discipline - Peter Senge
8 ) Made in Japan - Akio Morita ( A very simplistic book though )
9) First, Break all the rules - Marcus Buckingham
10) Best Practices - Arthur Andersen

Some Interesting Credit Card Facts

There are over 1.2 billion credit cards in use in the United States. At least 37 percent of all personal spending is paid for by using credit and debit cards. The average US consumer, not including mortgage debt, is about $14,500 in the hole. A typical Credit Card purchase will end up costing you 112% more than if cash were used. About 40% of all American Families spend more than they make each year. About 60% of active credit card accounts are not paid off monthly. The typical American Family spends about $1,560 annually in credit card interest. The average credit card rates are currently 14.37 % and has been increasing since the beginning of 2006 when it was 12.82%. About 70% of all gas purchases are done by shell credit card. A year ago, when gas prices averaged $1.87, banks involved in credit card processing made about $12.5 million a day on fees. Now, with prices averaging $2.75 nationally, the credit card companies are raking in $18.4 million a day. Albert Einstein was once asked what he felt was mankind’s greatest invention… His answer… “compound interest”…..

Investing in Your Business: Turning Cash into Cash!

Many business owners don’t like to part with their money and with good reason. The constant barrage of vendors who want a piece of your cash pie can cause you to cling tightly to the purse strings. But have you ever considered that you could be missing opportunities to invest in your businesses and turn some of that valuable cash into even more cash?
Marketing and Advertising
Some business owners view advertising as a business expense when it should really be considered an investment in your business. When done right, the dollars spent on spreading the word about your business should come back to you. Though it doesn’t make sense to spend thousands on an ad that will only generate a few hundred dollars in sales, it does make sense to narrow the focus of your efforts and spend what you know you can earn back.
Education
Books, information products, and industry training classes provide additional opportunities to invest in your business. If you spend $20 on a book, even if you only learn one new strategy from reading the publication, that strategy could potentially earn thousands in the long run.
Outsourcing
Speaking of hours, consider what your time is worth. If you earn $100 per hour for consulting, and you spend five hours per week working on paperwork, you’re essentially spending $500 a week—or $2000 per month—on this tedious task. Instead, you could hire a Virtual Assistant or part-time employee to handle your paperwork for you. If you can hire someone for less than $500 per week, you will actually save from your investment while freeing up your time to focus on generating new business.
Business Image
Many small businesses cut corners by trying to do everything in-house. As a result, the professional image can be compromised. For example, an unattractive website can actually detract business if it lacks professionalism, if the content has grammatical errors, or if the site isn’t drawing traffic from search engines. A Web designer, copywriter and search engine optimization expert could transform a website from an ineffective online business card into a money-making machine!

Back on Topic...

Starting your own business, don't forget about building the team.
If you want to grow your business, if you want to move beyond doing everything yourself, you need other people to play the game with you. How do you get them to want to play the game your way?

Paradox: A statement, seemingly absurd or contradictory, yet in fact true.

What is a team? A team is something special that's created when individuals are free to do their jobs. Teamwork is a paradox. Team members perform individually, yet are dependent on the other members for their success. How do you build a team? By helping individuals win. By helping each person on the team succeed individually, and contribute to the whole.