Job Searching Techniques - Truck Driver Shortage Continues

Despite the incredible downturn in the transportation sector, there is still a shortage of truck drivers and it's huge, most estimates place it at 125,000 currently, off from 175,000 due to the economic turmoil. So, if you are searching for a job, you should check out truck driving as a potential career, most truck drivers make a very decent wage, and if you are worried about income, keeping your home or paying your bills, this is a good choice.

How do you go about searching for a truck driving job? Well, there are several sources, first go to a large travel center that sells diesel fuel for trucks and ask the clerk where the truck driver news rack is with all the truck industry magazines. They are free and there are no less than 5-different ones to look at. Pick up a copy of each and start reading all the ads.

Next, pick 5-6 that you are interested in and go to their websites to fill out their online forms. I was scanning the news in Transport Topics and Traffic World, looks like freight is down in shipping, trucking, rail and air-cargo, but I heard an ad on XM Radio for one of the trucking companies yesterday, so there is still a shortage of quality drivers even with the economic slowdown. Over the next day I heard 5 such ads all paying very well.

The financial news seems to point to a bottom of the recession, and the FED is putting money into the system, lowered rates again, and it looks like we have the government going to blow some more of our taxpayer's money and do a trillion dollar stimulus, so things will recover, I just hope we don't get into a runaway recessionary bubble with all this input.

What does all this mean? It means that the demand for truck drivers now is strong, and it will only get stronger as the economy recovers. So, please consider all this.

Read More... »

Tips For an Eye Catching Profile

If you are a freelancer you need to have a unique profile that sets you apart from the thousands of other freelancers to get the job of your choice. So, how can you stand apart for an eye catching profile for buyers?

-When you apply for a job or bid on a job, make sure you have edited and proofread your reply before sending as glaring grammatical errors make you look unprofessional.

-Showcase your skills when applying for a new job. It is best to send in online links or previous samples wherever you can to give the potential new client a better idea about your skills.

-Make a good impression with a creative title and a different sounding profile. It is just a glance that can make all the difference so keep some stand out words in your profile to get that eye catching title.

-Add a picture of yourself. It gives a human touch to the profile instead of looking at an automated logo design or plain vacant picture space. It adds value to your coding, designing or writing abilities.

-Add value to your skills by taking some accredited skill tests. There are some online freelance certificates issued by some sites. They make the profile look more professional.

-Think about putting all that in a profile that you, as a client would have wanted in a freelancer. Put in keywords, special skills and will get a more professional look. You can attract more outsourcing buyers by an outstanding profile.

-Post your profile in as many places as possible. All you need to do is good research for telecommuting job sites and online freelance job site. Many come with a monthly paid membership while others are free. Most of the free sites have a global clientele but some are local or restricted to countries, which are looking to outsource projects to a global clientele.

-You may not find that you are getting very high paying clients but if you are able to get a reasonable price, it is worth the experience. Set your bids with average hourly prices keeping in mind the outsourcing client in mind or the project requirements.

-Keep updating yourself on the latest in the technology world, new software that would benefit you so that you can give your best to each project. Write down the skill sets that you have and your knowledge base in your profile and keep it updated.

-Mention references and feedback from past clients. This will show your new potential customers your professionalism and reliability. If you are just starting out, you can take on low pay projects just to get a feedback that will help you get better projects later.

Read More... »

The Richness Of Giving

The �oegiving season” is nearly upon us! Not only are the malls full of Christmas decorations, and the advertisements full of toys and perfume, our mailboxes are full of year-end charity fundraising requests too. While most charities operate and have expenses year-round, they have learned that the largest chunk of their donations come in November and December, partly because of tax laws. When it comes to tax exemptions, charitable donations are tied to the calendar year, and this is your �oelast chance” to make a difference for 2008.

But hold on a second… if the primary reason you make a donation is for tax planning purposes, you have made one of the biggest money mistakes you can. Giving has nothing to do with tax planning, and likewise, if all your giving plans are put off until your death and your estate is settled… you have missed the whole benefit of giving all together.

Over 100 years ago, the steel magnate Andrew Carnegie put into action an ambitious plan of giving. He began to pour the money he made from business into funding requests for public libraries and other educational institutions, and he started long before his death in 1919. When he sold U.S. Steel in 1901, giving away his money became his full-time work. As a result, literally thousands of towns in Canada, the US, the UK and around the world have a �oeCarnegie Library”.

In our time, Bill Gates, once seen as someone who didn’t do a lot for charity, has become the world’s biggest giver, focusing on treating AIDS in developing countries and providing access to education.

While it’s easy to say, �oeBut they already had a lot of money so it's simple for them to make these huge donations", for every Bill Gates or Andrew Carnegie, there are dozens of people swimming in money, yet they have stored it all away for themselves. This is either because they are afraid of losing their wealth somehow, or because they have become cynical towards others less fortunate or the world in general (an image of Mr. Scrooge comes to mind here). Somewhere along the way, any vision for making the world a better place through their richness has been lost.

That vision does not start with �oeextra cash.” In fact, if it’s extra cash you are waiting for, it is unlikely that either the vision or the extra money will ever be realized. Real giving starts with the smallest of gestures and the smallest amounts of money. It is a way of being that is more than an attitude: it's a core value. It’s this value that is developed as you recognize all that you already have and all that you already give, no matter how small and insignificant it might at first seem. As this awareness grows so does your vision for what is possible for yourself and the world in which you live. In this way, the richness of giving will create a richness in yourself that will grow to become your purpose. This purpose is your reason why that is the necessary ingredient for true wealth �" whether that be financial wealth or emotional wealth.

The most authentic giving, in fact, is a gesture of faith. You give your money, your time and support to others because it's the right thing to do, not because you're expecting a tax benefit or a return on your investment. Authentic giving requires you to trust that you will be provided for regardless of how much money you have, or don’t have at the time. Getting a tax break and leaving a legacy in your estate is an added bonus, but certainly not, as rewarding and valuable as the development of your abundant, faithful attitude: the characteristics that will guide your decision making and help you to make an even bigger impact for the causes and people you believe in. And, this is the true richness of giving.

Read More... »

Manager of world economics

First dollars developed form German currency taller which was used till 1873. Some time later dollar let German Mark to be appeared. Afterwards Spanish coins were called habitually dollar. They say that the appearance of dollar sign $ took its origin directly from there. A long phrase piece of eight was denoted as crossed eight and finally it became the official mark of dollar.

As for the bank-notes appearance, we can say that dollars history counts a lot of changes. Some of the first dollars looked like denominations made on linen-cotton paper. One edge was uneven and the stub with the copy of monetary unit was kept at Mint and served for proving banknotes authenticity. Current dollar has more serious false protection but nevertheless one happened to meet false notes quite often.

The USA uses the notes at face value 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 150, 500, 1000, 5000 and 10000 but banknotes with value higher than 100 dollars are prohibited to take outside of America and one can see them very seldom to be used in ordinary life. Most of such banknotes are used only by banks or by juridical persons.

Dollar indeed is considered to be one of the most stable currencies. Most big financial companies and firms depend directly on situation and dollars rate is one of the most important factors. Its falling or raising can lead to the crisis not only in America but in many other countries.

For predicting unstable economic situation connected with drastic changing of the rate, the banks make dollars forecast which depends on many factors.

After Euro having been appeared, dollar seems to weaken somehow its positions but it is still keeping quite a big part of economic market. Despite of Europes dealing with Euro more and more, one shouldnt speak about decrease of dollars meaning towards financial structures and separate citizens.

There will be quite a long time during which it will be valued as stable currency not only at the territory of the USA but in other developed countries of the world.

Read More... »

Spread Betting Advice

According to the London Business School over one million British people will have a spread betting account open by 2011. It is an area of the gambling market that is growing rapidly, and �" unusually for British gambling �" more often than not features bets on subjects that aren’t sport. It is viewed by some as an easy way of playing and making money off the stock market.

Financial spread betting is actually a very easy concept. It is a way of making money from fluctuations in various markets, though it doesn’t have to be in regards to the FTSE 100 as a whole (it can be single companies, commodities, currencies �" you name it). If you put a £1 bet on the stock market to rise, and the FTSE accordingly rises by 50 points, you’ve made £50, however, if it drops by 50 points, you lose £50. Accordingly, if you bet on the market to fall, you can make money on a loss.

The most simple advice is never bet more than you can afford to lose. Whilst for some spread betting is a career, for many it is a hobby and one that is an incredibly imprecise art, even the most experienced stock traders cannot always predict what will happen to the FTSE, and there is no reason why you should be any better placed to know than these experts are.

If you are going to start spread betting expect to lose before you start to win. Make sure that you start as small as you can until you actually begin to get some knowledge of the market. If you’re approaching spread betting as a hobby it’s best to make sure that you do actually enjoy it before you start wagering significant sums of money on it.

Another idea is to specialise, make sure that you play a few markets well, rather than playing all across the board. Most markets tend to fluctuate with their own sort of life and rhythm, and all are interconnected in some way �" just see how the U.S sub-prime mortgage crisis is linked to the price of gold! If you get to know how one particular market works, you have a better chance of not making enormous rookie errors that could potentially cost you a lot of money.

Spread betting has quite a lure, there is an assumption that it is quite possible to get rich easy from spread betting. This is, of course, a complete myth. It is possible to make large sums of money and to do so quickly �" but it is not easy, and unlikely to be quick. There are specialist companies who deal with spread betting, such as City Link, who will make you aware of the risks when you open an account but there is nothing like being prepared yourself, so before you begin make sure you do your homework.

Read More... »

Best Ideas For a Good Business - Advice From an Expert

I recently asked a very successful entrepreneur friend of mine about his best ideas for a good business. He had quite a bit of information to share about how make sure the business you're starting will be successful. Following are 3 tips he shared with me.

1 ) Niche markets. If you think the market is saturated with the particular type of business you want to run, consider a niche market. For example, if you've always wanted to start your own bakery but live in an area with several options, try opening an organic bakery. You can focus on providing healthy and chemical free alternatives to the other sugary sweet processed foods being offered. It's likely you won't have as many customers as the other bakeries, but yours will be more loyal and will be willing to pay quite a bit more.

2 ) Learn from other's mistakes. When a company goes out of business in an area, it's likely that others would be wary of opening a similar business. Obviously, the area couldn't support that particular venture. Or could it? Often it's not the type of business at fault but the way it was run. Pay attention to the circumstances regarding the closing of the defunct business and learn from their errors.

3 ) Be flexible. Of course you have your dream business all planned out in your head. Once you have a clear vision of what you're trying to accomplish, it can be difficult to let go and realize that certain aspects might not work. Remember, your bottom line is all about making money. Enjoying yourself along the way is simply a perk.

If you need money now, like I mean in the next hour, try what I did. I am making more money now than in my old business and you can too, read the amazing, true story, in the link below. When I joined I was skeptical for just ten seconds before I realized what this was. I was smiling from ear to ear and you will too.

Imagine doubling your money every week with no or little risk! To discover a verified list of Million Dollar Corporations offering you their products at 75% commission to you. Click the link below to learn HOW you will begin compounding your capital towards your first Million Dollars at the easy corporate money program.


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

Read More... »

Free Small Business Manufacturing Ideas - How to Tell the Good From the Bad

There are many claims out there of free small business manufacturing ideas. The idea is that you have products sent to your home, assemble them and ship them back to the company. This can be an ideal position for several reasons. First, you can work as much or as little as you want. You can also work on your own schedule from the comfort of your own home. The problem is, some of these opportunities aren't on the up and up.

When you're first looking into these positions pay close attention to whether a start up fee is included. If there is, step away. Many companies will have many seemingly reasonable reasons that you need to send them a deposit to get started. They claim they don't want to ship products to you unless you're serious. They claim they're afraid of losing money if you don't assemble them properly. The reality is simple : never pay to work.

If a company is not requiring an upfront fee and seems to be on the up and up, there's still more research to be done. Doing a quick a Google search of the company in question will likely bring up numerous sites where the opportunity is discussed. Keep these reviews in mind when you're making your decision. However, you also need to consider that even if there are a few bad reviews, that doesn't mean you should immediately discount the business. You can't please everyone all of the time. If there are far more good reviews than bad, you should be safe.

When looking into free small manufacturing business ideas be sure to keep your eyes open for catches and do your research first. If you find the right job, it can be a very rewarding and lucrative opportunity.

If you need money now, like I mean in the next hour, try what I did. I am making more money now than in my old business and you can too, read the amazing, true story, in the link below. When I joined I was skeptical for just ten seconds before I realized what this was. I was smiling from ear to ear and you will too.

Imagine doubling your money every week with no or little risk! To discover a verified list of Million Dollar Corporations offering you their products at 75% commission to you. Click the link below to learn HOW you will begin compounding your capital towards your first Million Dollars at the easy corporate money program.


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

Read More... »

Learning the Basics of Auto Insurance

It can seem pretty overwhelming; there are a lot of things to think about when it comes to getting the right coverage for you and your automobile. Drivers are now required to have automobile insurance to be on the road, but knowing what kind of insurance to get, so that your car will be covered sufficiently, but that you can still afford to drive it can be a bit tricky if you aren't at least a little bit educated on the topic.

Aside from our houses, our cars are often the most valuable and necessary material belongings in our possession, it's important for all drivers to begin learning the basics of auto insurance if they don't know them already, so they can hit the road with confidence and piece of mind.

Liability

Having at least some liability coverage is a requirement for driving in all states, the minimum amount necessary does vary a bit from state to state, but it's good to have more than the minimum amount of coverage in the event that you are involved in a serious accident.

The two sections of liability coverage cover bodily injury and property damage.

Bodily injury liability will cover the medical expenses and potentially the lost wages of people injured during an automobile accident. If your liability coverage is too low to cover the medical expenses of a person you injure in an accident, you may be held responsible for the remainder of the money due - this is precisely the reason that higher liability coverage is better than lower liability coverage.

Property damage covers the cost of repair the damage you do to other peoples property in the event of an accident, this could include their automobile, their motorcycle, bicycle, house or whatever else happens to be on the receiving end of the accident.

Comprehensive and Collision

If you own your car outright, then neither comprehensive or collision coverage is a requirement to operate your vehicle, but depending on your driving record or the neighborhood you live or work in, it may be advisable to at least carry some comp and collision coverage.

Collision will cover the damage sustained to your car in the event of an accident that you are deemed the cause of. The amount of your chosen deductible and the level of your collision coverage could have a pretty large affect on your premium - the higher your deductible, the lower your premium and vice versa, so to keep your monthly payment down while still carrying a decent level of collision insurance you'll opt for a higher deductible.

Comprehensive insurance will cover any damage sustained to your car that wasn't directly the result of an accident. Acts of vandalism, attempted theft, damage from fire, acts of God and natural disasters are the types of things that comprehensive insurance will take care of for you.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Even though a minimum amount of automobile insurance is a requirement to have your vehicle on the road, that doesn't necessarily mean that everyone operating a vehicle will have it.

Uninsured motorist coverage is a requirement in most states and will cover the damages to your vehicle as well as bodily injury in the event that you are struck by a motorist driving without insurance.

Personal Injury Protection

Personal injury protection coverage covers the cost of treatments for injuries and funeral costs for you or other passengers in a car, or as pedestrians, involved in an accident. At this time personal injury protection coverage isn't required in every state, so depending upon your residence it may not be something that you'll have to worry about.

Those are the basic minimum requirements to drive your automobile legally in any state, and though it may seem like a lot to digest, taking a quick overview of your particular vehicle, the environment you operate it in, the amount of driving you do and your personal driving record should allow you to pick out the best possible plan of coverage for your automobile that will have you on the highway without putting too much of a dent in your wallet.

Read More... »

Bad Credit? Car Finance and Home Loans are Available

Copyright (c) 2008 Gordon Parkes

In the current financial climate, bad credit means that it can be particularly difficult to find a secured car or home loan.

However, there are still many lenders available that are willing to pay out to people with a bad credit rating. In fact, if you go to the right lender, you will be able to obtain finance even if you have:

- County Court Judgements.

- Mortgage arrears.

- Defaults on previous loans.

Finding these lenders doesn't have to be a time consuming task of comparing different fees, charges and terms and conditions.

While you will have to take care of this if you choose to search the market manually, you can also employ a broker to work on your behalf and find the loan that suits you.

Taking out a home or car loan is a major decision, and working with a broker will help you make the right choice.

A professional broker will be able to search through hundreds of different adverse credit homeowner loans or car loans to find the ones that meet your needs. They will then be able to answer any questions you might have during the application process, and ensure you have all the correct paperwork. Usually you will need:

- Payslips or account references.

- Recent utility bills.

- Bank statements, usually from the last three months.

- Proof of identification with your address and a photograph. A passport or driving licence is ideal.

When you apply for a home or car loan through a broker, you will be able to access low-cost interest only and fixed-rate deals, using their network of contacts in the loans market.

Taking out a secured loan to fund a car purchase can even help restore your credit rating. If you successfully pay back the loan, your credit rating could be partially repaired.

Whatever the reason for taking out a loan, working with a broker will give you access to a wide selection of loans you might not have considered previously. In fact, even if your bank or building society has turned down your loan application, you will still be considered by many lenders.

Whatever your circumstances - even if you have bad credit - a car loan or home loan could be yours if you contact a broker. They will be able to search through a wide range of loan deals quickly and efficiently, to find the one that meets your needs.

Read More... »

Instant Cash Payday Loans: Easy Access to Instant Funds

At the present rate, when your fixed income falls way below to fulfill your needs, running low on cash is not at all uncommon. Emergency or unexpected emergencies have a tendency to come up at a time when you are least prepared. Invariably, you will have to look for other options to raise the cash and this is where you can rely on instant cash payday loans. With these loans, you can access the necessary cash, which will enable you to deal with any sort of financial emergency.

As a matter of fact, these loans are ideal to tackle needs like paying medical bills, household utility bills, credit card dues, loan installments, emergency home and car repair etc. To help you cover the expense, a small amount in the range of $00-$500 is released, which is approved in lieu of your next pay check. The amount it self is deducted automatically from your bank account on the due date.

Further, to avail the loans, there is no need to pledge any collateral, as these are short term loans. Instead to access the loans, there are some prerequisites that you must fulfill. In order to qualify for the loans, you need to have a fixed source of income of not less than $1000. You r age should be more than 18 years and that you must be a citizen of USA. A valid bank account is also required, so that the amount approved can be deposited.

Another remarkable quality of these loans is that of its no credit check approval. This allows the borrowers with history of adverse credit to go for these loans. Further, on assuring timely repayment of the loans, these borrowers have an opportunity to improve their credit score.

Applying for instant cash payday loans is quite simple, as most of the lenders are based online. All you have to do is to fill up a simple application form with the detail. But before selecting any deal, compare the rate quotes of various lenders. This way, you will be able to derive the best loan deals. As the processing is fast, the amount is transferred in to your account in less than 24 hours.

Read More... »

The Five I’s of Building Wealth

I was reading Forbes magazines list of the richest people in the world to learn how each individual amassed great sums of wealth
. I discovered that most of the billionaires listed fit into one of five categories. I call these categories the 5 I’s. Below is a list of the most common categories that have lead to wealth.

1) Innovators - These are the people that develop a new way of doing things. You don’t have to come up with the next great idea, just improve upon an existing one. Steve Jobs of Apple is one of the great innovators. From the ipod to the iphone to the imac, Apple is always on the cutting edge of innovation.

2) Inventors - These are the creators of a new good or service. You just have to see a need for a product that others do not see. James Dyson became a billionaire by developing the bagless vacuum cleaner. His idea was initially rejected because it was seen as hurting vacuum bag sales. Today the dyson vacuum is an international best seller.

3) Inheritors - This is the easiest path to wealth. You need rich relatives for this one though! Ask Jim Walton, S Robson Walton, Alice Walton and Christy Walton who are the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th richest Americans. They are the heirs of the Walmart fortune.

4) Investors - Investors commit money to an endeavor with the expectation of profit. This can be through saving or purchasing an asset for capital gains. Warren Buffett has built his fortune through stock investing. Donald Trump made his billions by investing in real estate. Jerry Jones got rich in oil and gas exploration.

5) Entrepreneurs - Entrepreneurs are the risk takers that start and manage a business. Entrepreneurship can take many forms from purchasing a franchise to creating a start up. Bill Gates of Microsoft and Larry Ellison of Oracle grew small technology firms into the world’s largest software companies. Oprah Winfrey began her career in local news and is now the CEO of a media empire.

Read More... »

Understanding Your Paycheck

Each week payroll is processed and you probably receive a convenient direct deposit into your account. Either your company utilizes an internal payroll team or a payroll service to make this happen on time. However, just because you paycheck is now online and you may not see your paper stub right away or in the mail, you need to make sure to pay attention to your deductions. Not only can you catch human error, but it is also a good way to make sure that your tax allowances are correct as well. Verifying the number of allowances you claim can help you have the right amount of taxes withheld.

Understanding the amount of taxes coming out of your check can be vital to making sure you are able to spend the money you are making. By using the W4 worksheet provided by the government or by using online websites focused on calculating the numbers, you can establish the correct number of allowances and have more of your money in your pocket each month.

If your company takes medical deductions out of your check, make sure you are verifying them for accuracy. Many times these types of deductions may be hand keyed in the system so you want to verify them. A simple error may mean the difference of a couple hundred dollars if you are paying for a family medical plan. You may think you would notice these types of errors right away, but you’d be surprised at what slips through the system because most people don’t verify the information on their paystubs on a regular basis.

If you don’t already, some companies offer the ability to have a 401(k) contribution taken directly from your paycheck. By looking at your paystub you can see if a certain percentage of your earnings or a fixed amount might be a better choice. You can decide how much the right amount is for you. Saving for the future is vital and not something that everyone takes seriously. By checking the amount to see what you can save you will be doing yourself a big favor in the future.

Finally, when you turn in your time for vacation, sick time or have holiday pay owed to you, make sure it is correct. Take a look at those stubs and calculate the amount yourself so that you know it is correct. Take the moment to double check these things so that the check is right and the amount of sick or vacation time you have accrued is correct. You’d hate to have them key your vacation incorrectly, only to find out later you have much less than you expected.

Human error is all around us. However, it doesn’t have to plague your paycheck. Just take a moment to make sure that your paycheck is correct by verifying the deductions and taxes on your paystub each time you get paid. If you can’t seem to find the time with each payroll then do it once a month or once every couple months. If too much time passes you won’t be able to fix the errors that occur. Taking the time now may mean saving yourself time in the future and definitely saving you money in the long run.

Read More... »

Promote Your Business Free Online

It is rather interesting that most people do not take free online marketing tools seriously. With the free marketing tools that I am going to list and explain here, you can create a whole online marketing strategy that will generate the amount of traffic needed for your website to start generating sales. If you have ever wanted to discover how you can use the BEST online marketing tactic to promote your Web Site for free, now it's your chance to learn the amazing tactic that I'm using on a regular basis to generate tons of instant visitors to my Web Site(s).

Free online marketing strategy you can create full aggressive campaigns to generate traffic and sales without having to spend any money. These are just a few free Internet marketing methods that can increase your web traffic by leaps and bounds if you spend the time to implement and manage them. Are there any free systems that work? Yes, I’m please to say that there are and I’d like to introduce you to free marketing methods that really work and that you can implement on your own.

This is not to tell you that you are better off only focusing on plain free Internet marketing techniques. As you read this discussion of some of the free and near-free marketing techniques available today, you may want to consider trying them for yourself. Anybody planning an online marketing campaign should look very carefully at the so-called free marketing tools and options, the effectiveness of some of the techniques will surprise them.

Instead of all the headaches and extra work that has to go into mini sites, many smart online entrepreneurs use free marketing articles. Much of the free online marketing is just a big waste of time, and often generates a ton of mail soliciting YOUR business. One of the best ways to get free web site marketing is to get your web site’s link, with title and description, placed on other websites.

Another way people use these free methods are to embed their affiliate links and product links into them so that readers will click on them and thus get more website traffic to their websites and make money when these get converted into sales. Another benefit of online marketing articles is that it helps to generate more links and traffic to your website. The power of article marketing is obvious, and if you are a website owner, you should certainly be using it to drive free targeted traffic to your website.

One of the best and most powerful ways to drive targeted traffic to your website and to make sales is through Article Marketing. The next way to drive free targeted traffic to your website is to include a link to your site and small ‘hook’ in your signature. Each article you have published is excellent advertising for your website as at the end of your article you will have printed an 'about the author' section (also called bylines), this advertises you and your website and builds free traffic to your site and credibility for you if your articles are of good quality.

Remember: People (customers and employees) + Package (your Face to the Customer) + Brand (who you are) = Marketing Success. Online marketing articles are one of the best ways to market your business on the internet.

Read More... »

Top 3 SEO Tips of 2008

Since 1998 I've spent the first several months of each year looking for the very best search engine optimization (SEO) tips of the previous year's end. This year I've come across the best SEO tips yet.

SEO Tip #1: Make Google Alerts Your Personal Online Spy

Google Alerts is a great way to let the world's biggest search engine be your personal online spy. This takes search engine optimization insider info to whole new level. Here's an excerpt straight from Google....

"Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic.

Some handy uses of Google Alerts include:

* monitoring a developing news story
* keeping current on a competitor or industry
* getting the latest on a celebrity or event
* keeping tabs on your favorite sports teams"

As you probably guessed, it's the second one we care about most, "keeping current on a competitor or industry."

Here's how it works... Each time Google finds a reference to the query or topic you request you will be sent an email with the details. This is like having an online spy to make sure competitors are not using your protected keywords (trademarked names, company names, etc.) It's also an instant identifier to know when your site or product is mentioned in a news story or even when a topic is hot so you can take advantage of the situation. It's the easiest way in the world to stop competitors' dirty tricks and identify trends that you can take instant advantage of.

It's fast, free and works every minute of every day. Let Google Alerts (http://www.google.com/alerts) do your most time consuming legwork while you reap the rewards!

SEO Tip #2: Optimize Your 404 Page and Always Be Found

"Error 404: Page Not Found" is a blessing that most Webmasters curse. Why? Getting a visitor on any page of your site is fantastic! Don't blow the opportunity. Not only can you make your "404" page a valuable sales tool, you can use the following search engine optimization techniques to attract customers in droves.

A.) Use your main keyword in your title, add a "pipe" (usually above the Enter key) and then use your secondary keyword. Here's as example for an SEO site "SEO - Search Engine Optimization Tips"

B.) Add some keyword rich content using one to two keywords for the page. If you have less than 250 words on the page, just use one keyword and use it no more than three times total. Bold the first use and italicize the second or third use. Keep in mind this is an "inactive" page so simply tell the visitor what your site is about and whet their appetite with a good description. Something like this works well... "Thank you for visiting SEO (bold) Group, Inc. We are sorry you landed on a missing page but don't worry, if you're looking for the very best search engine optimizations tips (bold), you're at the right place..." This will go on for a couple paragraphs or as long as you'd like then end it with something to the effect of "Please Click Here (link) to visit our site map or click any link to the left."

C.) Add your site's standard navigation system (bar, column, etc.) as mentioned above.

D.) Make the look and feel of the customized 404 page match your main site as closely as possible with a template, matched palette, cascading style sheets, etc.

E.) Create a link to the site map page if available, and make the link easy to find. You want your visitor off the 404 page and into your main content as quickly as possible.

Setting up a custom 404 page link usually takes less than five minutes on most major Web hosting companies like Godaddy.com. But whatever it takes, it's worth the effort.

SEO Tip #3: Get (Even More) Serious About Linking

I saved the most important for last. If you want to do well on any search engine, especially Google, linking is THE single MOST important thing you can do. It's that simple.

Here are the five things you MUST do to make your site #1 on Google:

A.) Find the highest page rank sites linking to your site AND your competitors' sites.

B.) Run monthly link campaigns and snatch up the best of the above identified Web sites.

C.) Run regular checks on what pages are still linking back to your site. Alsomake sure they did not move you from a high page rank page to a lower one (don't get cheated!)

D.) Eliminate any penalized sites you link to; ASAP!

E.) Check your search engine ranking AND your competitor's for each of your keywords every week. Do this, at the minimum, for Google, Yahoo, MSN and Alta Vista.

Inside Tip: Keeping up can be a lot of work so a lot of SEO Consultants (myself included) use SEO Elite (http://www.SEOeliteWeb.com) to do all the most difficult and time consuming work.

One last thing to know is that Google was originally a college student's project created for the sole purpose of defining a Web site's value by the sites that link to it. Twelve years later this is still it's main job. Linking is EVERYTHING to Google.

These few SEO tips are the very best of the best so use them wisely. Best of luck!

Read More... »

Remote Blog or Self Hosted Blog?

So you’ve decided to blog, but aren’t sure whether you should host the blog yourself or sign up for a free service like blogger.com. It’s a dilemma that many bloggers face. There are pros and cons to both, which makes the decision difficult for many. Neither is perfect, and neither is for everyone. Fortunately, you should be able to make the best decision for you if you are armed with adequate knowledge of both. In this newsletter, we’ll go over services like blogger.com and others, plus software that allows you to host your own blog. We’ll also go over the pros and cons of each. After reading this, you will know which is best for you.

Who offers free blog hosting?

Many sites offer free blog hosting. Among them are Forumer, Blogger, BlogEasy, Aeonity, BlogThing and Blogates. A quick search for “free blog” on Google reveals many possibilities.

What software can I use to host my own blog?

Like free blog hosting, there are many possibilities for software that makes hosting your own blog easy. Most of them are free to use. These include:

WordPress(the most popular software)
Apache Roller
Blosxom
Geeklog
Textpattern
LifeType

There is also blog software which you can purchase for use on your site. These include:

Community Server
Movable Type
Radio UserLand

One negative about using software and hosting your own blog is that the process can often times be complicated. You have to download the software and install it to your server, which doesn’t always go easily. It’s particularly hard for those who don’t have a lot of experience installing things on servers.

Why should I remotely host my blog at a place like Blogger?

Places like Blogger allow you to host your blog there. It’s a good option for many people.

The Pros

• It’s easy to set up and maintain a blog. You don’t have to go through the trouble of installing software and configuring it to work on your server. All you have to do is sign up for an account and start posting.

• It’s friendly for beginning bloggers. Sites that host blogs offer good tutorials on how to make your blog postings, so that even someone who is completely new to the concept of blogging can do it easily.

• Most blog hosting sites are completely free to use. There is no need to pay for things like a domain name and hosting.

• Monetizing your blog is easy. Rather than having to manually put HTML/Javascript codes on your blog to manually set up things like AdSense and Pay Per Click advertising, you can select an option on most blog hosting sites that does much of the work for you.

The Cons

• You don’t have as many options to customize your blog. Remotely hosted blogs are admittedly somewhat limited in terms of what you can actually do on them. You have to stick with what is provided to you in terms of look and features.

• The URL you get is always yourname.BLOGSITE.com. You don’t get to have a custom domain name like YOURNAME.com. This can possibly hurt traffic to your blog.

• Blogs hosted on free blog sites don’t look as professional as self hosted blogs.

Why should I self-host my blog?

The Pros

• You have more options and more flexibility. You are able to tweak the blog to your liking.

• Your URL is your address for your blog. Rather than having go to where your blog is hosted to read it, they can read it right from your site.

• The ability to make your blog look professional. Blogs that are hosted on sites of their own tend to look a lot better than those hosted on free sites.

• More space for your blog. Free blog sites usually place a restriction on how much space you have for things like photos and music. By hosting your own blog, you are able to use as much space as you need.

The Cons

• There are sometimes problems with setting up blog software to run on your site and server. If you aren’t experienced when it comes to working with mySQL, the process will be hard.

• Updates aren’t as easy to post.

• You have to manually set up programs to monetize your blog. However, if you are good with HTML/Javascript, this shouldn’t be too hard.

• You have to pay for your own hosting and domain

As you can see, there are pros and cons to both. Which should you choose? Well, it depends on who you are and what you intend to use your blog for. If you intend to use it for business, then a self-hosted blog is the best idea. If it’s a personal blog, then a free hosted blog will probably be fine for you.

Closely examine all of the pros and cons mentioned above. That way, you’ll be able to make the best decision for you!

Read More... »

Internet And Business Online – The Act Of Interdependence

The best role of business online is that of interdependency. We’ve all heard the old saying, “No man is an island.” When it comes to online business this is especially true.

If a business owner who takes their business into the online world determines they will be self reliant and never accept the help of anyone then that individual will not be in business long enough to change their minds.

It is accepted fact that the greatest tool for long-term exposure to your website is through Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Without it potential customers can’t find you. It is unreasonable to expect that you can adequately develop a website without optimizing your website for the best possible search engine ranking.

Search engines also place a high value on sites that have links placed on existing sites. These ‘backlinks’ demonstrate to search engines that others trust your site. By placing your link on their website these other businesses indicate a trust and recommendation for your site.

In effect the two strategies listed above rely exclusively on what others can do for you when it comes to your online business.

Shirley Temple once proclaimed in her movie Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, “I’m very self-reliant.” American westerns are filled with lines dealing with pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and holding down the fort. Many of us have grown up to believe if we want something done right we have to do it ourselves.

This thinking is in opposition to the rules associated with an online business.

The online world can only exist because people share. Individuals share technology, but the also share links, reviews, blogs, forums and a wide range of other marketing strategies that find a commingling of interdependency.

In online business you are as dependent on others as they may be on you. Unlike the word ‘dependent’, the term interdependent indicates a mutual dependency. In other words you are depending on others to help provide links back to your site while they are equally dependent on you (or others) for the success of their business.

Have you really taken a proactive approach to networking? It’s possible you are reading this today and you’ve never considered asking someone else to place a link to your site on his or her online business site.

It can feel awkward depending on others to achieve online success especially if you’ve been lead to believe reliance on others is also a sign of imposing on their otherwise brilliant generosity.

I suppose it could be a deep-seated sense of pride that makes it hard to consider the need to ask others for help. However, the truth is depending on others is really what has made the Internet possible. The growth of this online world is comprised of a link of computers, networks and servers that are connected in a way that provides the maximum benefit for all.

Building an online business can feel a bit like trying to build a house of cards. Without the ability to rely on the other ‘cards’ around you it is virtually impossible to build.

Interdependence. This is the essence of online business.

Read More... »

Fear Stops You From Starting A Home Business

Most people would love to start their own home business but the fear is the thing that stops the to do so. They realize that in order to run successful business, the needs of customers must be priority and come before the needs of family. This is the sacrifice that must be made while running the business and many people aren't ready for this.

The money is a second aspect that makes them fear because when things with money get messed up it may become a problem of not only the one person by also of the other people around. Keeping in mind that the needs of their family will be still very important thing, the fear of inability to provide them with decent and prosperous live because of eventual lack of money lost on business that went wrong keep people away from starting the one. Another thing to be afraid of is that sometimes there is nobody to turn to for help when the things with business aren't too good. Another thing is health insurance for the family. The problem begins if the monthly payment can't be maintained and there might be nobody to ask for help with providing the affordable insurance offering good coverage based on the income generated.

Sometimes the man is lucky when he can be covered under his working spouse insurance policy but normally when a couple get into business they might have no way back when the things don't go as good as they both hoped to go. Besides they are also usual daily activities and things that have to be paid. Eating, driving a car, utilities are just a few of them that will require some extra income in order to be paid for. The fear that they won't find money to pay for their business and the rest of things makes them stay in old job no matter how dissatisfied they are with it.

Because starting a business brings a lot of concerns there is one important thing that must be considered. It's a weighting potential success against the possibility of failure and making the right decision. Another thing is planning the campaign. Even when the person has a product or service that has the potential to bring the profit very quickly, if it's not market properly to the right customers it will become just another way to waste the money. Another problem is experience. To start their own business people need to switch from employees to the business owners and together with that change must go required knowledge that must be learned to make this switch successful. Being responsible for something and being decision maker isn't easy skill to gain after years of listening to some else's orders.

Another problem is that usually it takes some time to get the new started business off the ground and make it grow. And here is another fear that appears sometimes, the fear of mistake made by living the old job as the person may start thinking that it wasn't good decision to leave it because it was a good source of steady and monthly income. That's why a good thing here is starting part time business while working and grow it to the level of income that allows to leave regular job. This solution is safer.

Finally the fear shouldn't be a factor deciding about success or failure. The true is that in order to make a big thing the high level of risk must be considered, that's why starting a business is for people who realize that and are ready to "make a leap."

Read More... »

Event Production

Event planning is all about planning and organising a ceremony, intimate formal dinner, convention, high level meeting, celebrity concerts or a very personal party. Event execution an event can be a tedious task as it requires a lot of time, effort, and industry know-how and includes tasks like décor, invitation, budgeting, setting dates, selecting the event venue, among others.

Professional event production and publishing companies can handle all aspects of a professional event and transform this difficult task into a simple mission. There are many benefits of hiring an event planner. Most of the event these companies offer a complete event production package without compromising on quality, creativity and integrity. Event production companies offer end to end solutions, right from the pre-event preparations to post-production reports.

They have the ability to undertake all kinds of tasks involved in an event planning and production such as selecting the right theme for your event and estimating the costs involved, strategising, conceptualisation and visualisation, crowd control, security and disaster management, branding and promoting the event, obtaining permits, cleanup, organising transportation and parking, coordinating all kinds of support system such as electricity, food, drink, and music. They can also help you with a customized proposal and budget as per your affordability and put together an event that matches your expectations and goals.

Event production companies also have skilled and dedicated in-house resources specialized in the event planning, event production and event management including the production and public relations team. They also have strong networks in the business world that help you get the most out of your event. All this helps you meet the objective of your event and for promoting and communicating the key message of your event to your guests or clients, entertain and give you peace of mind that everything is taken care of without compromising quality.

Read More... »

The Guide to Safe Online Purchases

You might be tempted to have a go at your first online purchase. If you have friends and relatives living abroad, it probably makes geographic sense to purchase a gift from a shop close to its final destination. Stories of goods purchased for a fraction of price these are available locally as well as the keen enthusiasm of certain groups of individuals who compare "bargains" they just found and the handling out of links may entice a newbie to take the plunge. Fear of being ripped off, of ending up with a dud, of using a credit card on the internet or of making a mistake during the transaction may prevent some from joining the e-commerce community.

If you follow the following guidelines you can make internet purchasing a pleasant experience and practically eliminate the risks associated with this type of commerce:

1. Understand what you are purchasing.

Read carefully the description accompanying the item. Is its condition new or used? Does it work, or is it being sold for parts? Where is the minor scratch or slight dent situated? Is this an auction or is it a normal sale? If the web site allows purchasers to rate the seller and pass comments about their own shopping experience read these reviews.

Read More... »

How To Sell Digital Products And E-Books Online

Are you an E-book writer? Do you have some files or software that you wish to sell? If you are, you will need to know how to sell digital downloads online.

There are several ways to do it. Some ways are easier while others are more complicated. Below listed are some of the methods. For all the methods listed below, you will need to have a Paypal account:

1. Host the file on your web host.

For this method, you create a download page which has a download link to your product.

Firstly, go to Paypal, create a 'buy now' link or button in Paypal. In Paypal, you set the option of directing the URL to the download page after your customer has made a payment.

The problem of this method is that it is not secure at all. After payment, the download URL is revealed to the customer. If the customer is not honest, he or she can share the link to others and they can download your product for free!

2. Install a download script on your web host. This method is the most complicated of all. You will need to buy the download script and that is the easy part. After that, you will need to install the script on your host and configure the script to work with Paypal's IPN. The good point about this method is that, once done it can be quite an accomplishment. The downside side is that your host's bandwidth is shared with the downloads. If your sales are brisk and download files are large, it can bog down the entire website!

2. Find a secure 3rd party vendor. Another method is to find a secure 3rd party vendor to host your digital products. The good thing about this is that setup is usually very easy and you can sell products immediately after the setup. Additionally, you can also sell the products on the vendor's site besides on your own website. Also, you do not need to worry about bandwidth problems. For myself, I recommend E-junkie as a 3rd party vendor.

Read More... »

Online Business - Accept Credit Cards

If you are planning on running a web based business where you are selling services or products, you will need to find a way to accept credit cards online; today, most young people could not live in a world without this service.You can't run an online business by taking checks or money orders; lost business and long term custom will be the result. Not accepting online payments is not a way to retain customers; potential customers are going to get frustrated and will place an order elsewhere.

Perhaps we have become impatient, but whatever the reason, customers to any website that offers goods or services, demand an instant payment facility. Any professional company that has an e-commerce website will make sure that every type of payment system is in place including the ability to accept credit cards online; they know that their customers are looking for fast service when they are shopping on their site. Competing with the big boys means you can sell products as easily as they can, but you will need to have the facility of accepting online payments as soon as the website is up and running.

Although there are a variety of ways to accept credit cards online, not all of them will be a viable proposition; this has the potential to attract additional customers but some are too expensive for smaller companies to consider. Accepting credit cards online does pose some problems though, as some payment systems are quite expensive to set up and maintain.

Most online payment systems are similar to those you will find in any retail store or restaurant; however, a good alternative is to use Paypal to accept your credit card payments. Paypal is not as common as the first method, but it is gaining in popularity. Though there are some that are wary of using it, I honestly think if you are going to use a credit card this is the way to go.

A Paypal account lets a customer use their credit card in the same way they would on any other internet site; customers can then pay for goods or services in full knowledge that their credit card details are safe. It is important you offer an online payment facility where your customers feel secure; by ensuring your site is secure, your sales will increase and less potential customers will leave.

All transactions from your site must be encrypted if you want to guarantee your customers' information is not available to others. Secure sites always start with https:// so if your customers see a site that accepts credit cards online that doesn't start with this in the website URL, then they will not place an order with you. With internet fraud being one of the top concerns on the internet it is your responsibility to make your customers feel safe and secure when they place an order otherwise they will leave and order elsewhere.

Read More... »

Cruising the Shopping Cart Software Aisle

The average consumer rarely takes notice of what kind of shopping cart software an ecommerce website uses. Most who shop online gravitate to the sites that are always well organized and easy to use. Customers want to find what they are looking for, make their purchase on an encrypted connection and move on.

In truth, customers should never really have to notice anything but their own shopping experience when making purchases online. They rely on the website owner to make sure things are in good working order and that there is reasonable access to the necessary features. To be taken seriously as an online merchant, one will need to offer not only an attractive online environment but professional checkout services as well.

If a website is set up properly, rarely is there any cause for concern; however, setting up a website to offer a good shopping experience means paying attention to detail. Many who start a website pay attention to the obvious areas but sometimes forget or skimp on areas that they shouldn't. It is not until problems arise that one must turn around and go back to the details they overlooked.

Many focus intensely on creating a unique and distinctive ecommerce site and then spend a great amount of energy on Internet marketing. However, opting for mediocre shopping cart software is often the undoing of even the most well organized website. After all, it is unrealistic to expect phenomenal sales if the ability to exchange currency for goods is incomplete or hampered in the slightest way.

Website owners can sometimes opt for a software package that ends up being too big or too small for the type or number of products offered. Unless the website is offering something extraordinary, a checkout process that is baffling, drawn out or a complete hassle will result in a lost sale nearly every single time. Even if it does result in a sale, it's unlikely the cu

Read More... »

What To Do With Money When You're Young

So you are a young person with some extra money and you don't know what to do with it, but you know you can get rich by spending it wisely. Congratulations! The sooner you start to investing, the sooner you will be able to become financially free.

Let's say you have a $500 - $1,000 to invest and need know the best place to put your money. What you really want to know is how you can use that money to make more money, right? Unfortunately, there is not one right answer, just a lot of opinions and different advice. Before you invest, do your research, understand that in the short term you may lose some money, but in the long run it will make money, and then take action. Here are some places to start:

* Stocks: Investing in individual stocks can be considered a bit more risky, particularly when considering the stock type and sector. Penny stocks, for example, can be a great way to loose all your money very quickly. High quality, blue chips are more likely safer bets - in general. Learn to understand how stock prices are valued and spread your risk across a few stocks that you plan to own for a few years. A subscription to www.morningstar.com may be your greatest investment, which can help you understand investing and quickly screen for the investment that is right for you.

* Mutual Funds: A mutual fund is an investment with a financial organization that manages a portfolio of stocks or assets. Since mutual funds invest in a number of stocks, your risk is spread and the value of the fund is reflected in the performance in the securities the fund owns. Be sure to look for funds that have a minimum initial investment that is in line with what you are able to spend. Consider the fees as well, which can eat up your profits. A good fund to start with may be an index fund, which tracks one of the major stock indexes such as the S&P 500. This would provide a relatively safe, yet consistent return on your investment.

* Start a Part-Time Business: Do you want to become really wealthy? Most of America's wealthiest people are all business owners. Researchers claim that 1 in 10 business fail, so 9 out of 10 succeed! Why not start now at building your first business? Think about what you already do with your time and how you can turn that into a cash-generating business that will return your money several times over.

* CDs: A certificate of deposit is a perfect place to stash your cash if you want guaranteed returns and can afford to stash your money away for relatively short periods of time. Depending on the interest rates, you can generally make 5 - 10 percent on your money in a year, but you won't be able to make any withdrawals without a paying a penalty. BankRate will show you the best deals.

* Prosper.com: At Prosper, you get to be the banker and loan other people money at a rate you negotiate.

The important thing is to just do it and get started as soon as you possibly can. You will learn more about investing by actually trying it yourself than by reading how to invest. If you lose some money, that is okay because that is to be expected. Only invest what you can afford to lose, and diversify properly by buying a mutual fund and you will minimize your loses. You will likely make many mistakes throughout your investing career. Better to lose some now and gain experience so when your income increases with age you already have the experience to turbo-charge your wealth. You cannot put a price tag on experience.

Most importantly, try to find an experienced money mentor that can help teach you the basics. You will learn there are multiple ways to make money, and you just want to find the one that you enjoy, understand and is right for you.

Read More... »

Three Easy Ways to Save Money

If someone gave you a dollar for every Canadian person you met that wished he or she had more money, you'd be pretty rich by now. Why's that? Because the majority of Canadian people have a great desire to improve their current financial status. Now, unless you win the grand jackpot in the Canadian national lottery, there are only two ways for you to increase your bank account balance: you either increase your income or you save money. Increasing your income can be a sticky issue sometimes. After all, it's not like you can just walk into your boss's office and ask for a raise. And that hot new job isn't always waiting for you around the next corner.

Saving money, on the other hand, is a lot less sticky. You have complete control over your actions. All it takes is a little creativity and discipline. Apart from the lack of discipline, most Canadians find it hard to save money because they overlook the most basic expenses in their lives. If you take a closer look at the way you spend your money on a daily basis, you may find some simple ways to save. For starters, you could try these three:

1. Cooking at Home

Many Canadians come home feeling too tired to cook, so they either eat out or order in. Did you ever think about how much money you could actually save if you took the time to cook your own meals at home? Cooking at home does not mean you have to do it everyday. The trick is to cook in bulk - you only cook once or twice a week but make sure the meals last for the rest of the week. You freeze daily portions and just pop them in the microwave when the time comes. Not only is this economically smart, it is also healthier than eating mass-produced food.

2. Cut down on driving

Let's face it, gas and car insurance is expensive. Being stuck in traffic isn't all too pleasant either. Have you ever thought about walking or bicycling to work instead of driving? Not only will you save several thousand dollars every year with this, but you may also lose a couple of pounds and become more fit. And if you live too far away from work for walking or biking to be a possibility, how about car pooling?

3. Housing repairs - do it yourself

How difficult is it really to give the kitchen a new coat of paint?. And is it really impossible for you to put in a new bedroom carpet? Many of the home improvements and repairs that people usually hire contractors for are simple enough that you can do them yourself. There are plenty of Canadian hardware and DIY stores that have trained personnel who will give you advice and tips on home repair issues. Set some time aside on the weekends to make those small repairs instead of paying a contractor to do them for you. Sure, you will save quite a bit of money, but you will also feel much more proud of yourself.

Monty Loree is the founder of http://www.canadian-money-advisor.ca which helps Canadians better understand their money, credit and the financial industry in Canada. In our financial podcasts, we are interviewing industry experts who give our visitors the truth about the financial industry. Canadian Money Advisor is an important source for Canadians to learn more about their money. Saving money for retirement?: http://www.canadian-money-advisor.ca/tags/retirement-planning.html


By Monty Loree

Read More... »

Striving For A Debt Free Life

For many people, living a debt-free life is just a dream. There's no chance that they will be able to reach such a place. The problem with this idea is that it is a failure to understand what it takes to attain a debt-free life. Often, it comes down to a lack of sound strategies for addressing the problem and achieving results. So many Americans are under tremendous debt loads, living literally from paycheck to paycheck. It seems like nothing more than a pipe dream to those who don't have a vision or a goal in mind. With proper planning, living debt-free is very possible. You first have to decide that it is something that you really want and make a commitment to strive for the prize.

The first question you might ask may be, "Where do we begin?" If you want to know how to start your quest for a debt-free life, it helps to have some idea about what not to do. Often the first mistake that people make is to try to do everything at once. They attempt make huge, sweeping changes to their spending and saving habits or just paying down all of their debts in a haphazard fashion. This approach is totally unrealistic when you consider how complex financial debt concerns can be. If you are just starting out, the better way is to take small, incremental steps on the road. Examine your circumstances, determine what sort of planning is required, set goals, and begin to make smaller changes over time. Most importantly, once you decide what you are doing, you need to stick with it and persevere; this is the only way to see results.

As was stated briefly above, establishing goals and completing them is paramount to the goal of living debt-free. Look at your goal setting in terms of a monthly time frame. What sort of goal do you set for this month? Perhaps, it is establishing a budget on what you spend at the grocery store and keeping to it. Maybe, it is about paying a certain amount above the minimum balance on your credit card. Continue to set these types of goals and continue to implement them in the months ahead. Establishing these types of goals will help you to develop better money management skills and possibly discern the differences between good spending and wasteful spending.

Another area that must be dealt with in no uncertain terms involves all of those small, seemingly insignificant expenditures that can add up over time. If you want to achieve a debt-free life, you need to streamline your spending habits. This category of spending includes eating out, catching a movie in the theater, buying an expensive outfit, etc. Decide for yourself that you will make the effort to learn about the virtue of frugality. If you can live cheap, even below your means, you will be able to pay more on that debt load so that you will achieve freedom from the weight of debt that much faster.

It was said earlier, and it should be said again. Resist the temptation to spend needlessly. Keep your goal in mind and keep striving towards it. The best way to get something that you want is to plan for it. Rather than racking up more credit card debt, delay that gratification long enough to save the money and pay for it outright.

It will take work. But, it is very possible to attain a debt-free life. Get started now—and don't give up!

Read More... »

Fannie, Freddie May Raise Up to $20 Billion, Regulator Says

By Dawn Kopecki

March 28 (Bloomberg) -- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-chartered mortgage companies, may raise as much as $20 billion in capital as part of an agreement that allows them to buy more debt securities, its regulator said.

``That's the top end of the range,'' James Lockhart, director of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, said in an interview in Washington yesterday. While ``there's no specific number'' that was agreed upon, the companies and Ofheo discussed ballpark figures, he said.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac must raise the money before Ofheo approves any further reduction in the capital they need to guard against losses on their combined $5 trillion of mortgage investments, Lockhart said. Ofheo agreed last week to lower their capital threshold to 20 percent from 30 percent, enabling the companies to buy as much as $200 billion in securities backed by home loans and help prop up the housing market.

The capital surcharge is one of the last remaining restrictions imposed on the companies after $11.3 billion of accounting misstatements. Ofheo had required the companies to increase their capital cushion to 30 percent more than normally required to ensure they were protected against losses.

The capital may either be in common shares, preferred shares or convertible preferred shares, Lockhart said.

Fannie Mae, based in Washington, raised $7 billion in December by selling preferred stock. McLean, Virginia-based Freddie Mac sold $6 billion a month earlier. The companies will need to raise the capital ``sooner rather than later,'' Lockhart said.

`No Number'

The companies didn't say last week how or when they would raise the additional capital. Fannie Mae spokesman Brian Faith didn't immediately return a call seeking comment. Freddie Mac spokeswoman Sharon McHale declined to comment.

``There's no specific number,'' Lockhart said. ``There was a range of numbers. The best way is to say it's significant.'' The amount raised will be ``much more'' than the $5.9 billion of capital released by reducing the cushion, Lockhart said.

Fannie Mae fell $1.28, or 4.4 percent, to $27.97 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading yesterday. The stock is down 30 percent this year. Freddie Mac dropped 62 cents, or 2.2 percent, to $27.08.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were created by Congress to boost homeownership. They profit by holding mortgages and mortgage bonds as investments and by charging a fee to guarantee and package loans as securities. They are required to set capital aside to absorb any losses on those mortgages.

They own or guarantee almost half the $11.5 trillion in U.S. residential-mortgage debt outstanding.

Limited Assistance

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have said they were limited in how much assistance they could offer amid regulatory limits and rising losses. Fannie Mae posted a record $3.55 billion fourth- quarter loss as rising foreclosures sent credit costs soaring. Freddie Mac reported a record $2.45 billion net loss for the period.

The Bush administration, trying to stem the mortgage crisis, has gradually eased constraints on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Congress lifted a ceiling on the companies' mortgage assets and raised a limit on the loans they buy to $729,750 from $417,000 in some counties.

The requirements were eased on Freddie Mac even though the company hasn't met all stipulations in a consent order issued against the company after its accounting misstatements. Freddie Mac is yet to split the roles of chairman and chief executive officer and hasn't registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as required.

Freddie Mac is likely to meet those demands by midyear, Lockhart said. The company also has a search under way for a CEO to replace Richard Syron, Lockhart said.

``They are well on their way to replacing the CEO,'' Lockhart said. ``They have a search under way, so they're making good progress on that. And there will be a splitting of the duties come summer.

``We felt at this point it was important to add liquidity to the mortgage market.''

Read More... »

What To Do With A Low Mortgage Appraisal On A Loan

by: Rob Lawrence



On every loan, there are a number of hurdles that must be overcome before the loan is “cleared to close” by the underwriter. One of the most important hurdles is the appraised value on the property. A deal can be dead on arrival, if the property comes in too low. A value can never be high enough (given the local market conditions), provided that there is comparable value to support it.

I’ve seen too many loan officers work so hard on a loan, only to have it fall apart when the report comes back. But, all is not lost! With my Sink or Swim training at http://www.loanclosingsystem.com and the things I tell loan officers to look out for, I’ve also seen deals come back to life!

Could you have saved your last dead deal? How much money did you lose in commission, because of a low appraisal? Follow these steps and your next deal will be a closer NOT a loser…

* Get the appraiser to go back out and re-evaluate the property. Did he overlook something? Did he do most of the report at his desk and spend little time out at the property? Was it a rushed job?

* Be sure to check the comparable properties listed on the report. Ask for additional comparables so you can make sure that the appraiser is valuing it properly.

* Ask your realtor contacts if any similar properties will be closing soon. You may be able to use these as comparables if need be.

* Will the bank allow a desk appraisal? If there is significant equity in the property, or the purchaser is putting a lot of money down, is there even a need for a full appraisal? What did automatic underwriting come back with? Will the bank accept a drive-by appraisal?

* Did you do your homework upfront first? Always be sure to check the property value on your own. A great site I use is domania.com. Also you’ll want to check the local tax assessors office to get a rough idea of property values in the area. Do this, and you’ll always be able to get a sense if the deal looks “iffy” or not.

* If it’s a purchase loan, you can still do the loan, but purchaser will have to make up the difference in down payment amount and pay for the additional “missing equity” with extra money down. Does the borrower have the funds to do this? Are they even that interested in the property to pay above “market value”? Don’t count this out! I’ve seen it happen!

* Will the seller lower the asking price? This can help make up the difference between the appraised value and the sales price.

* Can you get rid of any seller concessions, which may artificially have raised the purchase price of the home? Again, this will help lower the sales price and the shorten the gap.

* Is there still time before you submit the loan to have an new appraisal done by another company? If the original report had serious flaws, you may want to consider this. Keep in mind that all appraisers work within specific guidelines and one appraiser may not be any better than another.

Please, don’t give up too soon! Just when you think the deal is dead, it may come back to life. Follow my advice above, and you’ll be all the richer next time.

Read More... »

Prefabricated Office Building

The ability to add extra office space to your business premises quickly and cleanly can make a huge difference to your ability to establish organizational change, and in order to react to the changing needs of modern industry. Thanks to the huge range of different prefabricated office buildings that are now available, it is completely possible to add extra space to your business in a much more straightforward way than ever before, and even to convert existing indoor areas into fully equipped offices with a minimum of disruption to the ongoing operations within your company.

With prefabricated office buildings, you can ensure that the office space is delivered with all services such as AC and electricity installed within the structure.Modern offices need a variety of features in order to allow staff to work effectively. Power supply systems, phone networks and internet connections are all absolutely vital in allowing staff to carry out their duties effectively. Add into this the need for air conditioning to make the workplace more pleasant, and the prospect of installing additional office space into your existing building can be an expensive and time consuming affair – although this is not the case if you opt to use prefabricated office buildings rather than building space from scratch.

One of the most obvious advantages of installing prefabricated office buildings rather than choosing a conventional building technique is that the structure can be supplied in a more or less complete state, meaning that rather than having a period of disruption within your business that can last for weeks as various construction workers carry out a building job, the prefab office building can simply be delivered and put into place ready for use.

With prefabricated office buildings, you can ensure that the office space is delivered with all services such as AC and electricity installed within the structure. These integrated systems offer a much more convenient construction time, and also result in a lot less mess. Once the new prefab building has been connected to the mains supply, staff will be able to move in immediately.

One of the main concerns for staff in the past regarding prefabricated office buildings has been the perceived low quality of the construction, and the fact that the relatively thin walls mean that the buildings can be drafty and cold, as well as being subject to disturbance from the surrounding area. This is no longer the case. The latest prefabricated office buildings are developed using computer controlled techniques that ensure that there is very little opportunity for holes in the walls, while the use of 3 inch thick insulated panels means that the buildings are able to keep out any ambient noise.

You can also choose from a wide range of different interior designs and color schemes, so that no matter what the design of the rest of your business premises, or the corporate image that you want to put across, using prefabricated office buildings from most companies will allow you to achieve that end simply and quickly, and for a price that offers you stunning value for money. Thanks to the high quality of the construction work that will be carried out, you will be able to enjoy high quality office space more quickly, and at a fraction of the cost of using conventional techniques when you choose prefab offices from a company.

Read More... »

Determine The Best Home Business Idea For You

How do you determine which is the best home based business idea and which will have the most potential for home-based entrepreneurs in 2008?

Here are some steps to help you evaluate any home business and see if it can actually deliver it's claims for the average person. We are always told that ordinary people can make it in the home business world, so why do 98 % of people fail.

6 critical points to ensure that you are not wasting your time and money, and you join the best home based business idea that sets you up for success, not failure.

Be sure you are looking at the best home based business idea before sinking your valuable time and money into something that is only going to lead you to heartache. You want to be certain it has the qualities to lead to success and is worth your time and money.

1. The Product: The best home based business opportunity can have have either one product or many products but you want to make sure that the company has a unique product or products and that there is a need in the marketplace. You have to look to be certain that this is not just another version of a similar product and will be of value to all consumers. The product should be patented or be patent pending and should be affordable to the masses. You also want to know about the background of the product and if it has medical qualities you may want to know some of the science behind the product. You would also like to use the product even if their was no business opportunity associated with it.

2. Company Stability: There are brand new, ground floor companies and ones with a long history. In both a brand new company and established one's you will want to research the founders of the company as well as see what their vision statement and a mission statement equates to. You want to look at the sales to date and compare that to how long they have been in business.

Take a close look at the management team and be sure that they are successful people with a business background and not just someone who put up some website that will be gone tomorrow. There should be a phone number on the site to a corporate office as well.

3. Marketing System: The best home based business idea will have a solid marketing system either done by the company or the team you join. Look at the ease of how it is done and that it is simple to follow as well as to duplicate. Know if your team helps get qualified people to talk to or if you will be required to learn Internet marketing or if you will have to by leads.

4. Your Marketplace: Your best home based business idea will have room for global expansion. If it is already worldwide or has limited global expansion you may not want to pursue joining the company. The bigger your market is now or could be in the future the more chance for success in a home based business opportunity.

5. Compensation & Incentives: You want to maximize your potential income based on your efforts. Must payout a minimum of 50% of the total Sales. The compensation plan must offer Unlimited Depth and also must have Fast Start Bonuses. The best home based business opportunity will offer it's members other Rewards and Recognition. An absolute must is that you will be able to achieve $10,000 per month true residual income with less than 500 people in your entire organization.

6. The best home based business idea will give back globally what they are taking out. If the company's vision is to make an Impact on the World in a Positive Way.

If the company or business you are looking at meets the above critical criteria the you have selected the a valid and best home based business idea for you. Welcome to the world of home-based entrepreneurs.

Read More... »

Taking advantage of your equity

During the last 10 years property prices in the UK have increased dramatically so this has left many people with very high equity in the value of their properties. The equity in your property is the difference between what your property would be worth if you sold it that day and whatever mortgage or secured loan balance you have secured against the property value. For example if you have a £150,000 mortgage and your house is worth £200,000 you have £50,000 equity, or 25 per cent.

Lots of UK homeowners have already taken advantage of the rise in UK property prices and borrowed against the equity they have in their properties. This borrowing is again secured on the value of the property but can be used for any purpose.

Secured loans have get progressively favorite over new years, with much and much folk appreciating the increased fiscal leverage that their fairness levels have provided. There are many lenders that provide secured finance to those with their own homes, and the fairness levels required can change from one lender to another. Some secured lenders will permit borrowers to adopt upward to a sure percent of their accessible fairness. There are others that will permit you to adopt the complete sum of your fairness. Some will still let you adopt over and above the sum of your fairness. The lending criteria can change from one lender to another, then you should have certain that you liken the distinct loans accessible from an amount of lenders to discover the better trade for your needs. Whatever you need to grow finance for a reduced pace secured loan will enable you to have the most of your fairness by getting reduced pace finance that offers affordability.

You will be capable to select from a broad scope of lenders, although you should hold in psyche that lending conditions have get tighter newly payable to the recognition crunch and thus you may discover that some lenders are tightening their lending criteria. For many, however, this is the almost efficient and cheap manner of borrowing, and many folk support a far best opportunity of getting a loan that is secured against the house than getting an unsecured loan. For instance, somebody with terrible recognition may discover it practically inconceivable to have an unsecured loan because many unsecured lenders will not provide finance to those with terrible recognition. However, many secured lenders will regard terrible recognition applicants because the fact that the loan is secured provides additional protection of the lender.

If you seek to take your fairness in decree to go away a secured loan there are an amount of things that you will require to make. First of all you need to organize a rating on your house. You do not require to get to any specific expense to make this, as you can request a land broker to go away and make the rating. However, you should have certain that you go valuations from at least two or three agents then that you go a thought of whether the rating they are providing is practical. Also liken the rating number with the value of related properties that are for sale in the region. Once you have your rating you should meet your mortgage lender and discover away what you owe on the mortgage. Often the lender will get to offer this in writing, and then you may get to look a few days. Also, if you already have any loans secured on the holding link those lenders as easily in decree to have an upward to appointment equilibrium.

Once you know precisely how more you owe on the home subtract that number from the value of the holding, and the number that you are left with is your fairness. You can so decide how more fairness you have to adopt against and this will accelerate things upward when you begin looking for an appropriate secured loan. The second matter that you need to make with regard to finding an appropriate loan is to begin comparing distinct secured loans from a kind of lenders. You need to liken the stake rates that are accessible, as easily as refund terms, eligibility requirements, etc. You will so be capable to decide which lenders are better suited to your needs and which loans you are qualified to use for. Of class, do have certain that you do your budgeting before you take your application for a loan, as you need to recognize what kind of monthly refund you can give to have so that you know how more you can realistically give to adopt.

Don’t overstretch the sum that you can realistically give, as otherwise you may discover that you cannot hold upward with repayments if there is the slightest difference in your fiscal circumstances, and this could head to the departure of your house.

Read More... »

Know How to Lower Your Credit Card Interest Rates?

Are you currently carrying a large balance on your credit card? Do you ever find it necessary to carry a balance occasionally from time to time? If you can answer yes to either of these questions, now is the perfect time to take a look at your credit card's interest rate and find out if you could be saving big money.

Many times, credit card APR's (annual percentage rates) have a way of gradually creeping upwards while we fail to take notice. It's easy to sign up for a credit card offering a certain low rate only to find the rate has dramatically risen just a couple of years later. The good news is that it's just as easy to reverse the situation if you know how to lower your credit card interest rates. How?

Just Call and Ask

This is perhaps the easiest and also the most often overlooked tactic to lowering credit card interest rates. If you have good credit and have maintained a great record of paying all of your bills early or on time, most credit card companies will be thrilled to lower your interest rate if that's what it will take to keep you as a good customer. Just call the number on the back of your card and see what they can do.

Log In Online and Look for Special Offers

Sometimes the best deals are found online. This holds true for credit cards too. Try logging into your account online and looking for a section covering special offers or promotional offers. The credit card companies often offer interest rate deals right there in the online account center for those savvy enough to find them.

Do a Balance Transfer to a Better Card

If you have little success in lowering the interest rate on your current card, it's probably time to move on to another card that can offer what you need. By transferring your entire balance to another credit card, you can often score awesome promotional balance transfer interest rates ranging from zero percent for a year to a low fixed rate for the life of your balance. Usually these come with a small balance transfer fee, but the money saved in interest alone can be truly astonishing!

Maintain Really Good Credit and the Offers Will Come to You

The better your credit score is, the more likely you'll be to receive the best offers by mail. Credit card companies are known to offer some really awesome zero or low interest deals to new customers with the hope of acquiring and keeping these good customers for life. Some of the very best offers are only made available to a select few with excellent credit. You can take part in this by maintaining superb creditworthiness.

No matter what method you choose to use, knowing how to lower your credit card interest rates can have really fantastic results and save you bundles on finance charges. Keep more of your money!

Read More... »

Finding the Best Cash Back Credit Cards

The best cash back credit cards offer benefits in the form of rewards of air miles, gasoline discounts, hotel stays, car rentals, online purchases, bonus points, gift certificates, a percentage of your annual interest charges returned or checks in the mail when you use the card for a certain amount and type of purchase. Several credit cards with cash back also offer reasonable APRs (around eleven percent) which can be a great incentive to sign on with a particular company. It makes sense to shop around for the best cash back credit cards that meet your spending habits and specific purchasing needs.

If you tend to shop at the same department stores on a regular basis, their house credit cards may be one of the best cash back credit cards for you. The benefit to you is that you will often receive rewards such as discounts on merchandise or services for your patronage. Others offer free services such as gift wrap or postage for sending gifts in exchange for using their house credit card.

Some of the best cash back credit cards involve the purchase of gasoline. These gas cash back credit cards enable you to receive rewards of a certain dollar amount - usually a percentage of the fuel that you buy with that card. Some of these cards also offer additional cash back savings for other purchases besides gasoline as well. Some of the gas cash back credit cards even offer to use part of your rebate as a donation to a nonprofit organization, if you so choose. If your job requires frequent commuting, these credit cards can offer real savings on your fuel costs, assuming that you do not allow the card to carry a balance. If you pay off the purchases each month as you make them, you will receive the greatest amount of cash back with a credit card such as this.

For the flexibility you need to cover your daily purchases, the best cash back credit cards can be rewards credit cards. With many of these cards you can select the ones that offer the rewards you most want. They can include things like rewards on travel or points that add up toward receiving for free certain merchandise. The travel rewards, which can include airline travel, typically are accumulated on a one-to-one basis; in other words, for every one dollar you spend with your credit cards with cash back you will receive one point. As the points accumulate and eventually reach a certain threshold, you may turn them in for cruises, flights, and other types of vacations.

Read More... »

How to Evaluate and Find a Business

Are You Tired Of Seeing Your Bonus Checks Shrinking?
Are You Tired Of Building It AGAIN With Another Company?

Have You Worked Hard In Your Business With NO Results?

Have Network Marketing Companies gone out of business on you
after you worked hard to build them?

This may shock you, but the Good News is," It's NOT YOUR Fault! "

The 7 Critical Success Elements To Long Term
Wealth In your Network Marketing Success!

Look at ANY major success story of Significant and LONG-LASTING
income built in this industry and I guarantee they had these 7 things in
place. Look at any failure to reach that mark, and it is the lack of one
or more of these key success components... Guaranteed!

If you are missing one, you will be fighting an uphill battle and still NOT
have the long-term stability in your income.

If you are missing more than one... FORGET IT! your network marketing success will not happen.

If Any of these 7 critical elements are missing in Your Company, Fix
Them Quickly!

Wow! It's Not Your Fault. How Does That Make You Feel?

The Shocker is, my up-line used to tell me that it was my fault. "If it's to
be it's up to me." They forgot to tell me that the cards were Stacked
Against Me from the Start ! ! ! !

If You want to have Massive Success in Your Business & Life, then
make sure you study the 7 Critical Success Elements so you can LEARN
THE TRUTH about Network Marketing and learn to apply the Secret
and finally reach the Success YOU Deserve!

Here are the 7 Critical Elements to reach your network marketing success below!

1. Unique Products: Products must serve multiple different Market Categories and people would buy even if there wasn't a compensation plan attached to it, Products must be unique enough to get Patents, have a Monopoly power over it's market, (like Microsoft, Fed Ex or Apple with is I Pod) and the Products have to serve the Masses.

2. Company Stability: The ability to give you long-term business and financial security, based on their company and business history must solid like a rock.

3. Marketing System: System to market Primary must follow with the Marketing Techniques and used taught in Pay-It Forward 4 Profits, and must have system Simple and Duplicative.

4. Company Management: Must be led by already Successful Leaders in Business with a Vision for the Future Growth.

5. Global Reach: Must be available in most countries around the world and in continue fast Global Expansion.(if you have to work hard to build your residual income you don't won't to be limited in just 2 or 3 countries, you want to rip all the benefits from at list 15 countries around the world and growing like no others companies to explode your income)

6. Compensation & Incentives: Maximize your income based on your efforts. Must payout at least 50% of Sales with out any breakage, must offer other Rewards and Recognition, you must be able to achieve $10,000/month true residual with with out being one the top marketer in the country.

7. Pay-It Forward: Does the company Pay-It Forward to the Masses. They must give back globally what they are taking out. The company's vision is to make an Impact on the World in a Positive Way.

When ever you have difficulty on finding a real Business that has the required 7 elements in place you can listen to this audio here http://www.idealtrends.com/audios.htm and learn how the most experienced net worker are joining new venture every day.

Isn't it time to learn and understand the complete facts
and not just part of the story?

Read More... »