Think Like an Entrepreneur

My biggest problem in becoming self-employed was me.

In order to BE a self-employed person I had to start thinking like one. I found myself reverting to that nine-to-five mentality. If I wasn't accomplishing a task every hour, then I must not really be working.

Sometimes a self-employed person has to make decisions about her business. Sometimes she is just thinking about a solution to a problem. Sometimes she just has to quiet her mind so new ideas can come. Just because you're not pounding away at the typewriter every minute doesn't mean you're not working.

I've also learned that it's okay NOT to answer the phone every time it rings. That's what voicemail is for, and the same goes for email. At my nine-to-five job I would leave the email program open all day and answer each one as it arrived. It took me a while to realize it's okay to only check email several times a day instead of constantly being interrupted. It's actually more productive than having to stop your thought process every time "you have mail." At my other job, I was able to let a phone call roll over into voice mail, but it took me a while to be able to shut down the email too.

You're going to have days where you feel you didn't accomplish much. Then again, you'll have days where you'll feel you can conquer the world and you'll be amazed at how much you got done. Some days you may not finish many tasks, but you'll make a decision on a problem that needed to be addressed. Or, you will have learned a valuable lesson about yourself.

And, I had to learn to stop breaking down all my tasks into dollars and cents. I tended to worry about how much I was or was not earning every day. The truth is, some days you're going to make more than other days. If I spent my day on marketing issues, even though I didn't earn any money from it that day, I would benefit from it some time in the future.

Rather than worry about what benefits I do or don't have, I realized the benefit I have in my business is that I answer only to me. Everything I do will benefit me sooner or later. Instead of my income being dependent on somebody else's budget, I can go as far as I dream.

And because I'm now doing what I truly love and not what someone else tells me to, I'm much happier and more content. I learned if you start THINKING like an entrepreneur, then you'll actually be one.

Wake Up From Your Credit Card Debt Nightmare

Are your credit card debts giving you nightmares? If yes read on and see if we can save you some money and help you sleep better at night. It is so easy to get yourself into debt, as all these credit card companies seem to be throwing these cards at us.

Learn to understand your statement if you're paying more than 15% of your monthly salary to your credit card bill then now is the time to take some action. If you pay the minimum payment and the interest charge takes up a lot of your monthly payment, not much is actually coming of the balance. For example say you pay £100 a month now take a look at your statement and see how much actually goes on interest.

Avoid minimum payments…

The minimum payments are a nightmare they are costing you a fortune and will take years to pay of the debt. Credit card companies used to take 5% as a minimum payment of the total money owed, but now ask as little as 2% as people where finding it hard to pay back the 5%. This has in turn created a debt problem for many people.

Here are some ways to help you reduce your credit card debts! Try to stop using your credit card and if you cannot, monitor what you spend. Balance transfers are a good way to save you money, lookout for the ones that offer 0% interest free periods for 6-9 months; this will give you a bit of breathing space. Make sure you check the APR rate once the 0% interest free period is over and cut up the previous card, as you do not want to be tempted again and end up in more debt.

There is nothing that says once the 0% interest free period is over that you must stick with this card, if you watch what you're doing you could then change to another card that has the same offer on. Just be careful and make sure you have your dates correct, as you do not want to be getting charged for any late payments.

Once you feel that you have got yourself on an even keel the next step is to try and clear up your debt completely. The way we do this is to start with the credit card that has the highest APR rate, pay the most to this credit card and just pay the minimum payment to the rest of your cards, once this card is finished then go the next highest APR card and so on until all your credit cards are paid off.

Credit cards are a great thing and we all need them, but they must be on our terms and we must be able to pay them off, if possible at the end of every month. If we cannot, this is when the problems start as minimum payments only get you into more debt and will take years to pay off.

Remember…

1) Try to stop using your credit card
2) 0% balance transfers can help you pay off your debt
3) Pay off the debt with the highest APR first

Once you have got the debt under control and at an amount that you feel is manageable, the next step is to try and curb the spending and clear the debt completely and get back on an even keel, then you can enjoy the spending freedom that a credit card brings you, but under your terms. 

Income Investing: Selecting the Right Stuff

When is 3 percent better than 6 percent? Yeah, we all know the answer, but only until the prices of the securities we already own begin to fall.

Then, logic and mathematical acumen disappear and we become susceptible to all kinds of special cures for the periodic onset of higher interest rates.

We'll be told to sit in cash until rates stop rising, or to sell the securities we own now, before they lose even more of their precious Market Value. Other gurus will suggest the purchase of shorter-term bonds or CDs (ugh) to stem the tide of the perceived erosion in portfolio values.

There are two important things that your mother never told you about Income Investing: (1) Higher Interest Rates are good for investors, even better than lower rates, and (2) Selecting the right securities to take advantage of the interest rate cycle is not particularly difficult.

Higher Interest Rates are the result of the Government's efforts to slow a growing economy in hopes of preventing an appearance of the three headed inflation monster.

A quick glance over your shoulder might remind you of recent times when the government was trying to heal the wounds of a misguided Wall Street attack on traditional investment principles by lowering interest rates. The strategy worked, the economy rebounded, and Wall Street is trying to scramble back to where it was nearly six years ago.

Think about the impact of changing interest rates on your Income Securities during the past five years. Bonds and Preferred Stocks; Government and Municipal Securities; they all moved higher in Market Value.

Sure you felt wealthier, but the increase in your Annual Spendable Income got smaller and smaller. Your total income could well have decreased during the period as higher interest rate holdings were called away (at face value), and reinvestments were made at lower yields!

How many of you have mental bruises from the realization that you could have taken profits during the downward trajectory of the cycle, on the very securities that you now lament over. The nerve; falling below the price you paid for them years ago. But the income on these turncoats is the same as it was in 2004, when their prices were ten or twenty percent higher. This is the work of Mother Nature's financial twin sister. It's like acorns, snowfalls, and crocuses.

You need to dress properly for seasonal changes and invest properly for cyclical changes. Remember the days of Bearer Bonds? There was never a whisper about Market Value erosion. Was it the IRS or Institutional Wall Street that took them away?

Higher rates are good for investors, particularly when retirement is a factor in your investment decisions. The more you receive for your reinvestment dollars, the more likely it is that you won't need a second job to maintain your standard of living. I know of no retail entity, from grocery store to cruise line that will accept the Market Value of your portfolio as payment for goods or services. Income pays the bills, more is always better than less, and only increased income levels can protect you from inflation!

So, you say, how does a person take advantage of the cyclical nature of interest rates to garner the best possible income on investment quality securities? You might also ask why Wall Street makes such a fuss about the dismal bond market and offers more of their patented Sell Low, Buy High advisories, but that should be fairly obvious. An unhappy investor is Wall Streets best customer.

Selecting the right securities to take advantage of the interest rate cycle is not particularly difficult, but it does require a change in focus from the statement bottom line… and the use of a few security types that you may not be 100% comfortable with. I'm going to assume that you are familiar with these investments, each of which could be considered (from time to time) for a spot in the well diversified Income Portion of your Asset Allocation: (1) The traditional individual Municipal and Corporate Bonds, Treasuries, Government Agency Securities, and Preferred Stocks. (2) The eyebrow raising Unit Trust varietals, Closed End Funds, Royalty Trusts, and REITs. [Purposely excluded: CDs and Money Funds, which are not investments by definition; CMOs and Zeros, mutations developed by some sicko MBAs; and Open End Mutual Funds, which just can't work because they are really "managed by the mob"… i.e., investors.]

The market rules that apply to all of these are fairly predictable, but the ability to create a safer, higher yielding, and flexible portfolio varies considerably within the security types. For example, most people who invest in Individual bonds wind up with a laundry list of odd lot positions, with short durations and low yields, designed for the benefit of that smiling guy in the big corner office. There is a better way, but you have to focus on income and be willing to trade occasionally.

The larger the portfolio, the more likely it is that you will be able to buy round lots of a diversified group of bonds, preferred stocks, etc.

But regardless of size, individual securities of all kinds have liquidity problems, higher risk levels than are necessary, and lower yields spaced out over inconvenient time periods.

Of the traditional types listed above, only preferred stock holdings are easily added to during upward interest rate movements, and cheap to take profits on when rates fall. The downside on all of these is their callability, in best-yield-first order.

Wall Street loves these securities because they command the highest possible trading costs… costs that need not be disclosed to the consumer, particularly at issue.

Unit Trusts are traditional securities set to music, a tune that generally assures the investor of a higher yield than is possible through personal portfolio creation.

There are several additional advantages: instant diversification, quality, and monthly cash flow that may include principal (better in rising rate markets, ya follow?), and insulation from year-end swap scams.

Unfortunately, the Unit Trusts are not managed, so there are few capital gains distributions to smile about, and once all of the securities are redeemed, the party is over. Trading opportunities, the very heart and soul of successful Portfolio Management, are practically non-existent.

What if you could own common stock in companies that manage the traditional Income Securities and other recognized income producers like real estate, energy production, mortgages, etc.? Closed End Funds (CEFs), REITs, and Royalty Trusts demand your attention… and don't let the idea of "leverage" spook you. AAA + insured corporate bonds, and Utility Preferred Stocks are "leverage".

The sacred 30-year Treasury Bond is "leverage". Most corporations, all governments (and most private citizens) use leverage.

Without leverage, most people would be commuting to work on bicycles. Every CEF can be researched as part of your selection process to determine how much leverage is involved, and the benefits… you're not going to be happy when you realize what you've been talked out of! CEFs, and the other Investment

Company securities mentioned, are managed by professionals who are not taking their direction form that mob (also mentioned earlier).

They provide you the opportunity to have a properly structured portfolio with a significantly higher yield, even after the management fees that are inside.

Certainly, a REIT or Royalty Trust is more risky than a CEF comprised of Preferred Stocks or Corporate Bonds, but here you have a way to participate in the widest variety of fixed and variable income alternatives in a much more manageable form.

When prices rise, profit taking is routine in a liquid market; when prices fall, you can add to your position, increasing your yield and reducing your cost basis at the same time.

Now don't start to salivate about the prospect of throwing all your money into Real Estate and/or Gas and Oil Pipelines.

Diversify properly as you would with any other investments, and make sure that your living expenses (actual or projected) are taken care of by the less risky CEFs in the portfolio. In bond CEFs, you can get un-leveraged portfolios, state specific and/or insured Municipal portfolios, etc.

Monthly income (frequently augmented by capital gains distributions) at a level that is most often significantly better than your broker can obtain for you. I told you you'd be angry!

Another feature of Investment Company shares (and please stay away from gimmicky, passively managed, or indexed types) is somewhat surprising and difficult to explain.

The price you pay for the shares frequently represents a discount from the market value of the securities contained in the managed portfolio.

So instead of buying a diversified group of illiquid individual securities at a premium, you are reaping the benefit of a portfolio of (quite possibly the same) securities at a discount.

Additionally, and unlike regular Mutual Funds that can issue as many shares as they like without your approval, CEFs will give you the first shot at any additional shares they intend to distribute to investors.

Stop, put down the phone. Move into these securities calmly, without taking unnecessary losses on good quality holdings, and never buy a new issue.

I meant to say: absolutely never buy a new issue, for all of the usual reasons.

As with individual securities, there are reasons for unusually high or low yields, like too much risk or poor management.

No matter how well managed a junk bond portfolio is, it's still just junk.

So do a little research and spread your dollars around the many management companies that are out there.

If your advisor tells you that all of this is risky, ill-advised foolishness… well, that's Wall Street, and the baby needs shoes.

Reap Rewards With The Best Gas Rebate Credit Card

Gas prices are always on the rise, and there seems to be no escaping it. Sure, there is probably a gas station or two offering gas prices lower than most but chances are, you are not going to drive all the way across town just to buy gas that is cheaper by a mere few cents.

Fortunately, leading credit card companies are now capitalizing on this problem. They have partnered with gas companies with one goal in mind: to create the best gas rebate credit card.

How It Works
The best rebate credit cards work in a such a way that cardholders receive a certain percentage of the gas purchases they charge to their credit card. This mechanism follows the same principle as most cash back rebate programs. However, while most cash back cards send rebate checks once a year, the best gas rebate credit cards apply credit each month, allowing consumers better access to their savings.

Station-Specific Gas Rebate Credit Cards
Most of the best gas rebate credit cards have affiliate gas brands. If you frequent a specific gas station, a station-specific card might be the best gas rebate credit card for you. You can earn rebates of up to 3% to 5% when you use this card at certain gas stations. These rebate rates are often only for gas purchases. Some stations, however, allow you to earn the same rates with any purchase. Other purchases from selected restaurants, supermarkets, drugstores, and retailers may earn you rebates of 1%.

A good station-specific card is Chase BP Visa Rewards Card. This is one of the best gas rebate credit cards because it pays a 5% rebate on all purchases made at BP Amaco stations. Dining and travel purchases earn 2%.

Any Station Gas Rebate Credit Cards
If you don't have a specific gas brand in mind, the best gas rebate credit card for you would be a credit card that allows you to earn rebates in any station anytime! Many financial institutions are now offering this type of rebate card. The Chase PerfectCard Mastercard is a good example. This card offers a 3% cash rebate on gas purchases. An even better option is the Discover Gas Card. It pays 5% rebates for the first $1,200 in gas purchases every year. Rebates are offered in check or gift card in $20 increments.

Cash Back Credit Cards as Gas Rebate Credit Cards

Most cash back credit cards make the best gas rebate credit cards. This is because most cash back cards pay rebates of 2% to 5% on purchases made from supermarkets, drugstores, and gas stations. American Express' Blue Cash pays rebates of up to 5%, but only after you spend $6,500 annually. The Citi Dividend Platinum Select Card pays 2% rebates on gas purchases.

Some of the best gas rebate credit cards don't charge an annual fee. Interest rates are known to be higher, however. Each gas rebate card has its own limitations. For example, even if the Blue Cash and the Discover Gas Card pay 5% in rebates, there are still conditions that need to be met.

In choosing rebate cards, take the time to compare and consider your options. With so many reward cards in the market today, don't settle for less than the best gas rebate credit. 

Do You Have Financial Phobia?

With an ever-increasing level of personal debt being reported, along with record numbers of bankruptcies and insolvencies, it's no surprise to anyone that money is becoming a big problem for thousands if not millions of people.

Most of us would equate 'money problems' with 'debt problems', and indeed servicing high levels of debt is a major cause of worry and stress for those of us who've perhaps borrowed too heavily in the past.

There is another kind of money trouble that doesn't receive quite as much publicity. It's called Financial Phobia, and is a real clinical condition that causes untold problems for its victims.

Recent research has suggested that up to 20% of adults suffer from full-blown financial phobia, with nearly half of the population showing some signs of a milder version of the condition.

Sufferers find it extremely difficult to keep on top of their finances, as the prospect of doing simple things like opening bills causes them feelings of anxiety, nausea, and even - in the worst cases - full panic attacks.

They will dislike checking their bank balances, will put off paying bills, and in extreme cases will avoid opening mail altogether and throw it away rather than deal with the contents.

So what causes this condition? One of the main triggers is a sense of finances being out of control, sometimes through debt, but also through having a bad experience with finance such as losing money in a bad investment, or of following bad advice.

Victims of mis-selling of inappropriate products can lose trust in banks and by extension the whole realm of finance.

The irony is that by avoiding paying attention to their financial situation, sufferers will tend to make matters worse as they can't pick up on problems early on. Missed payments, for example, can go from being a minor issue to a cause of legal action if they are ignored rather than tackled.

As their financial situation deteriorates, the sense of being out of control increases, leading to a vicious circle where other problems including full depression can arise. So is there a way out?

As with all genuine phobias, counselling may be required if the problem has got out of hand, along with professional financial help from debt advisors which is often available for free from charities.

However, people in the early stages of the condition can help stop the situation deteriorating by starting to get back on top of their finances, fighting their urges to ignore the problem, and starting to tackle any underlying causes such as debt. 

Benefits And Drawbacks Of A Variable Rate Card

If you are looking at a credit card, then you might be looking to choose between a variable rate or fixed rate card. Although fixed rate cards are easy to understand, working out whether a variable card is right for you or not can be trickier.

If you are interested in learning about variable rate credit cards, then here are some of the drawbacks and benefits of such cards.

What does variable mean?

A variable rate card means that the interest rate on the card will change along with the Bank of England base rate. The credit card issuer will track the base rate of the Bank of England and then add a percentage to that.

For example, if the base rate is 4% and the card issuer adds 5%, then your credit card rate will be 9%. If the base rate increases or reduces then your interest rate will change. For example, if the base rate fell to 3.5% then your rate would reduce to 8.5%.

Costs of a variable rate

Variable rate cards are generally cheaper than fixed rate cards, although obviously you have the potential risk of the interest rate increasing over time.

Of course, the fees and other terms of variable rate cards vary from issuer to issuer, and you need to shop around to find a package to suit your own needs.

Interest rates low

At the moment, getting a variable rate card is properly a good bet, because interest rates have been low or falling for the last decade or so, and there is no indication that they will rapidly increase in the near future. Even if they do increase, interest rates take a while to increase significantly, and even a change of 1% can take a year or so.

Although relying on the market to get lower isn't a good way to choose a credit card, at the moment the market looks fairly good for getting variable rate cards.

Fixed cards

Although variable rate cards generally have higher interest rates, you can at least be certain that the rate will not change over the next few years.

If you want the peace of mind that your interest rates will remain the same, then a fixed rate card will be a good choice.

If the interest rates were to rise in this time then you would definitely save money as well as having security. If you think interest rates will rise then go for a fixed rate card.

Paying off your balance

Of course, whether you get a variable rate card or fixed rate card is irrelevant if you pay your balance off in full each month, because you won't be paying interest.

If you are someone who pays their balance off in full regularly, then you should get a variable rate card as the rates are likely to be cheaper if you don't pay off the balance. 

A Snappy Way To Make Serious Bucks

Trading on the Forex is one of the fastest growing income generating opportunities in the world. All it takes to start is a small investment (many dealers will start you off with as little as $250), and some knowledge of the world markets and of trading. Oh. And, according to those that do it every day and live off changing dollars to pounds to francs and back, some common sense, some practicality and a lot of faith are a big help.

Some background:

1. The market began in the 1970s with the introduction of free exchange rates and floating currencies. It's the open market where the world's currencies are exchanged and traded with few regulations. Because of the open nature of the market nearly anyone can trade and make money. The volume of trading and the enormous number of players make it almost impossible for any one trader to manipulate the market.

2. The market is open 24 hours a day, from Sunday evening to Friday evening, and there are always trades to be had. This makes it one of the most liquid and constantly moving markets in the world

3. While most transactions are made in lots of 100,000, marginal trading allows traders to start trading with an investment of as little as $250-500.

Marginal Trading- The Blockbuster Earner

Marginal trading simultaneously makes trading on the foreign exchange market so possibly profitable – a great risk. Trading on the margin is simply trading with borrowed capital. Depending on your dealer, you can purchase $100,000 worth of currency for as little as $500. If your trades are on target, you make a profit on the entire $100,000 lot – minus dealer commission, of course. If, on the other hand, your trade ends up losing you money, you could end up being liable for far more than the $500 you originally invested.

So that's why one of the strongest bits of advice you'll hear from most experienced forex traders is 'Keep your eye on the margin' – or even more strongly, 'Don't ever trade on the margin

Observe a few important tips to make quick money on the forex.

* Buy low, sell high. Yes, it's a roadkill cliche, but there are many people who forget that the market runs in patterns of dips and rises. Keep your eye on the pattern and buy when the exchange rate dips, then sell when it peaks.

* Remember to cut your losses. No one, no matter what they tell you, runs a 100% profitable system. What they do have is the knowledge to get out of a trade before it goes further south. If you make a trade that decreases in value, decide ahead of time how much you can afford to lose. When you reach that low, sell. Don't hang on 'in case it turns around'.

*Understand the situation in the country whose currency you're trading. The economy and politics of a country have a profound effect on the exchange rate of its currency. Keep your ear to the ground and be prepared to move based on what you hear – because everyone else will.

* Select a system that fits your lifestyle. System is what it's all about, according to traders who make money in the market. A system helps you decide in advance exactly how much you can afford to lose, and set stop/sell or buy orders based on those figures. Pick a system, live your system, and don't second-guess your system.

* Focus on the bottom line. Especially if you're day trading, you'll find that you lose at least as often as you win – but you can still come out ahead if you plan your strategy and system out in advance. By deciding in advance how much you can afford to lose in a trade, and when you should take your profits and cut them loose, you'll make a profit even when most of your trades are losers.

* And remember remember remember to upgrade your knowledge before taking the forex leap.

Treat forex trading like a regular business. You can't make money without knowledge, skills and a good attitude. Study, take notes and practice – then go out there and make some serious money. 

Online Forex Trading Strategies

Forex trading strategies are the key to successful forex trading or online currency trading. A knowledge of these forex trading strategies can mean the difference between a profit and a loss and it is therefore imperative that you fully understand the strategies used in forex trading.

Forex trading is very different from trading in stocks and using forex trading strategies will give you more advantages and help you realize even greater profits in the short term. There are a wide range of forex trading strategies available to investors and one of the most useful of these forex trading strategies is a strategy known as leverage.

This forex trading strategy is designed to allow online currency traders to avail of more funds than are deposited and by using this forex trading strategy you can maximize the forex trading benefits. Using this strategy you can actually utilize as much as 100 times the amount in your deposit account against any forex trade which will make backing higher yielding transactions even easier and therefore allowing better results in your forex trading

The leverage forex trading strategy is used on a regular basis and allows investors to take advantage of short term fluctuations in the forex market.

Another commonly used forex trading strategy is known as the stop loss order. This forex trading strategy is used to protect investors and it creates a predetermined point at which the investor will not trade. Using this forex trading strategy allows investors to minimize losses. This strategy can however, backfire and the investor can run the risk of stopping their forex trading which could actually go higher and it really is up to the individual trader to choose whether or not to use this forex trading strategy.

An automatic entry order is another of the forex trading strategies that is commonly used and this strategy is used to allow investors to enter into forex trading when the price is right for them. The price is predetermined and once reached the investor will automatically enter into the trading.

All these forex trading strategies are designed to help investors get the most from their forex trading and help to minimize their losses. As mentioned earlier knowledge of these forex trading strategies is vital if you wish to be successful in forex trading.

Systematic Investment Plan

There are very few points that everybody in this world agrees upon. And the stock market unpredictability is undoubtedly one of them. Even people with several years of experience are not always able to track the stock market dynamics, thus falling prey to faulty decisions. Watertight stock market investing strategy is something that people consider to be elusive. It is something that can be chased, but probably can never be achieved. But is it a correct notion? Are things like fate, luck, chance, etc., are the only deciding factors in the stock market investments? Or is there any way to approach the stock market in a speculative manner? The answer to the above question probably lies in the Systematic Investment Plan or SIP (a.k.a. "Periodic Payment Plan" or "Contractual Plan"). Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) Unlike the one-time investment plans, SIP entails regular payments for a fixed period. It allows investors to garner shares of a mutual fund by contributing a fixed (which is often small) amount of money on a regular basis. And it offers the following advantages readily attractive to any investor. Reduced pressure on your purse – Through SIP you can enter the stock market even with a paltry investment. Your inability to invest a more-or-less fat amount might have kept you away from investing in the stock market. SIP is an ideal solution for your problem. Building for the future – We have certain needs that can be addressed only through long-term investments. Such needs include children's education, buying a house of your own, post-retirement emergencies, etc. And SIP offers precious help in this regard. It helps you to save a small amount on a regular basis. And in due time it turns into a substantial amount. Compounds returns – SIP not only helps you reach a substantial amount after a certain period of time. Rather it helps you to reach that amount at an early age, depending when you start investing. You can amass a notable amount at 70 if you start investing at 35. An earlier start at 25 can enable you achieve the same amount by 60. Lowering the average cost – In SIP you experience low average cost, courtesy dollar-cost average. You invest the same fixed dollar amount in the same investment at regular intervals over an extended period of time. You are buying more shares of an investment when the share price is low. And you are buying fewer shares when the share price is high. And it may result in you paying a lower average price per share. The dollar-cost averaging strategy does not try to time the market. Rather it reduces the risk of investing a larger amount in an investment at a wrong time. And it does the same by spreading your investments out over a period of months, years, or even decades. Market timing irrelevance – The previous two paragraphs tell you that SIP makes the market timing irrelevant for you. The stock market unpredictability and volatility often play a deterrent for wannabe investors like you. In SIP, you are completely free from this problem of wrong timing. The SIP's mode of function A typical SIP entails monthly investments over a period of 10, 15 or 25 years. You are generally allowed to start your investment with a modest sum. You do not have direct ownership of the funds. Rather you own an interest in the plan trust. The plan trust invests the investor's regular payments, after deducting applicable fees, in shares of a mutual fund. Things that you should make clear before investing in an SIP You should make certain things clear to yourself before going for an SIP investment. They include the following – a. You should be confident about continuing to make payments for the term of the plan. Withdrawal in the mid way will almost certainly make you lose your money unless you are eligible for a full refund. b. Check the fees charged by the plan. Also check the circumstances under which the plan waives or reduces certain fees. c. Study the plan's investment objectives. Take a note of the risks of investing in the plan. And check whether you are comfortable with them. d. Check your statutory rights to a refund in case you cancel your plan.

Refinance Mortgage

Refinance mortgage is when you apply for a second loan in order to pay off another different loan taken up against the same other assets, property etc.

If this original loan had a fixed interest rate mortgage which has now reduced considerably, then you might want to take up a new loan at a more favorable interest rate.

Refinance mortgage is an option when home refinancing is done when you have a mortgage on your home and apply for a loan to pay off the first one.

While taking the decision to go for the refinance mortgage option, it is very important to first understand whether the amount you save on interests balances out with the amount of fees payable during refinancing.

There are many benefits of refinance mortgage for e.g., imagine a scenario where you can have some extra money put away, while at the same time your monthly mortgage payment is getting lower and lower. This does look like a dream that can become a reality through mortgage refinancing.

Also a home is the largest asset you may ever own. Similarly, your mortgage payment may turn out to be the largest expense you'll have in your monthly budget.

So, it definitely is a great idea to use this asset to reduce your monthly outflow and put extra cash in your bank.

When you do refinance mortgage, you can take advantage of the equity in your house and make this thing possible.

Remember, when you bought your dream home, the overall financial scenario dictated interest rates. Also, while certain factors, like the amount of the down payment that you were able to afford and your credit rating, determined your interest rate, the single most very important factor were the ongoing rates at that moment. But then, interest rates fluctuate all the time.

Under various circumstances of refinance mortgage, the prevailing rates may also become significantly lower than when you originally purchased your home.

One more big advantage of refinance mortgage is that you can shorten the term of your mortgage. Imagine, for example, that you originally had a 20-year mortgage and have been paying it for 6 years. And now only because of mortgage refinancing, you can change to a much shorter term.

This can save you a big amount of interest. Also then, if the refinance mortgage rate is lower, but you are able to maintain the same monthly outflow, you will build up equity in your house very quickly, because more of your outflow will be going towards principal amount.

Another point to notice is that when interest rates are low, adjustable rate mortgages are the housing market's favorites.

Therefore, as and when the interest rates increase, and the adjustable rate may not look that good. It's also a big possibility that you selected an ARM because your financial future was a bit insecure, or there was no surety as to how long you'd stay in your house.

In that case, however, you've become financially secure and know that you'll be staying in your house for many years; it may be profitable to exchange that fluctuating adjustable rate to a fixed rate.

Also, with refinance mortgage you'll have more security with the knowledge that your monthly outflow will remain stable, unaffected by the scenario of the current market environment. 

Online Trading Puts You Ahead Of Conventional Investors

Back in the old days, trading was handled by brokers who worked with their clients on ways to best improve their portfolios.

But since the advent of the Internet, and more specifically online trading, the days of needing someone else to make your investments are quickly receding into the past.

Online trading gives investors direct access to the market without having to rely on an intermediary to buy and sell stocks. By doing it yourself, not only are you forgoing a hefty brokerage fee, you're saving something just as valuable when it comes to playing the market: time.

Sometimes, the window of investment opportunity is only open for a few moments. By trading online, you can capitalize on breaking news regarding a hot stock hours before traditional investors dial up a broker to make the deal.

Of course, just because you own a computer with an Internet connection doesn't mean you're ready to gamble your life savings away with online investing. Too many people have already fallen prey to the allure of what they perceive to be easy money.

That's why it is important to learn the ropes before you begin investing online. At the very least, prospective do-it-yourself investors should do some research to learn as much as they can about Internet trading.

From there, they can begin exploring what kind of online trading they want to do: conventional or direct access.

Conventional trading usually requires traders to log on to a broker's Web site and place an order. The broker then reviews the order and submits it to the market. This type of trading is much faster than traditional trading, though can still take several minutes to execute.

Online traders who know the value of time prefer direct access trading, which uses specialized software to send orders to the market for real-time execution in just seconds. And those who know the importance of reliable trading software use RushTrade.

At the heart of RushTrade technology is its proprietary "Direct Access Routing Technology," otherwise known as DART.

RushTrade's DART technology automatically and continuously scans the market for the best price, then routes your order in just a fraction of a second. Quicker, more reliable market scans mean you get the best market price available.

Be Cautious When Studying Mutual Fund Ratings

Wherever you look, you will find various rating systems on mutual funds, each of which uses a different approach. All of them are designed to weed through the thousands of funds to get to the best ones. But is there really such a thing?

Does a high rating really mean a fund will do better in the future? Many people seem to think so. A recent study showed that Morningstar, North America's most recognized rating system for funds, has a tremendous influence on fund sales. If Morningstar gives a five-star rating, those funds typically enjoy increased sales as a result.

While ranking providers are careful to warn investors that their ratings don't foretell the future, the star system is, unfortunately, used by some investors as if they were reading Consumer Reports to purchase a new drill.

Supporters of the ranking approach argue that there's no subjective component to the star rating. It isn't determined by an analyst's review, and can't change simply because the service dislikes the fund's manager or its investment strategy. And that's good.

Performance will vary. Fund performance often falls off and risk levels rise during the subsequent three years after a fund is given an initial five-star Morningstar rating, suggests another recent study by Matthew Morey, a professor at Pace University. One reason for this is that after receiving a five-star rating the size of the fund grows dramatically, which then makes the fund unwieldy to manage, he suggests.

Since Morey's study was completed, Morningstar also has changed the way it doles out top rankings to make them more precise. One of the biggest problems with all rating systems is that they are not necessarily predictive in nature.

This means they're not really set up to tell you whether certain funds will necessarily do better in the future. For the most part, the ratings indicate how much you might have made and how much aggravation you faced in the process.

Combining risk and return. For example, one five-star fund might post moderate return scores, but incredibly low risk scores.

Another five-star fund might have much higher-risk scores, but its return score could be strong enough to help it still rank in the top 10% of the pack.

In some cases, in fact, it's not even the same fund to begin with. Remember, after a management change, the rating stays with the fund, not the portfolio manager.

Therefore, a fund's rating might be based almost entirely on the track record of a manager who is no longer with the fund.

Understand how the ratings were developed. Too many people put emphasis on the results without knowing how the results were achieved.

If you are going to use ratings, take the time to understand how they were developed and what they really mean. It is not the destination but the journey that counts.

Past performance is no guarantee of the future. You have probably heard this disclaimer a thousand times before, but it is really important to understand.

Most rating systems have little to no predictive element in them. It's natural to think that the best performer of the past will be the best performer in the future.

Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Just think about it; if it were that easy, investors would just continue to buy last year's winners knowing that they will be this year's winners. And that seldom works.

Ratings are a very important element in trying to distinguish between good and bad funds. Good research, however, goes far beyond just looking for five stars or an A+.

When evaluating funds, look at the quantitative, measurable characteristics of a fund: returns up against the benchmark, costs, risks, taxes and manager tenure.

Use rating systems as part of your research, but remember: just because the analysts give them top marks, it does not mean they will be the best investment in the future, and doesn't it mean that they'll be the best investment for you in particular.

Take the time to understand how the ratings were achieved. This will be the first step to educating yourself about funds. 

Tried and True Fundraisers

When someone is put in charge of fundraising, their first instinct is to look for something new and different. While change is great, sometimes the tried and true fundraisers work best. That's why they are tried and true, right?

Whichever fundraiser you choose for your group, consider the amount of time and resources you will need to accomplish your goal. Ask anyone who has organized a quick and easy fundraiser, and they will tell you there was not much quick and easy about it. That's where tried and true fundraisers come in.

Try one of these ideas for your next fundraiser:

Yard Sale/Garage Sale
Athlet-A-Thon Events
Product Sales
Car Wash
Overlay Fundraiser

Yard Sale/Garage Sale
Parents, neighbors, family members all donate their unneeded belongings to the cause. Locate a site to hold your sale. One person's yard or the parking lot of a business work well, with permission of course. Advertise cheaply in the local newspaper and by using flyers.

Increase your traffic by advertising that this is a multi-family sale. Each family can attend their own table or you can schedule block times for groups of volunteers to work. How many working volunteers you need will depend on how much stuff you collect. By the end of your sale, you will see that, indeed, one man's trash is another man's treasure.

Athlet-A-Thon Events
Called by various names, these "thon" events not only raise money, but showcase the talents of the team! Each team member gets sponsors to sign up for a flat amount or a certain amount they will pay per lap, distance throw, accurate kick, whatever talent or group of talents works best for your team.

Your target sponsors can be local businesses, neighbors, family members, and so on. Save money by making your own pledge forms.

Product Sales
Product sale fundraisers can vary in duration and complexity.

There are three basic categories of product sales:

Immediate sale
Flyer sale
Catalog sale

If simplicity is your goal, go for the immediate sale, or cash and carry items. These are usually low ticket items and often involve something edible. Consider the size of your target audience and order products accordingly. You don't want to get stuck with leftovers.

For medium complexity and higher revenue and profit than immediate sales, is the one to two-page flyer offering products from a similar category. This is more complex than a cash and carry sale because a second visit to the customer is required to deliver the products they bought

The more complex product sale fundraiser is the catalog sale. Suppliers offer all kinds of product catalogs from candy or seasonal items to safety and first aid kits. Because catalogs offer a wider variety, the first sales call is more involved. Before choosing which catalog your team offers, consider who you will be selling to. The usual suspects are family members, neighbors, co-workers and local businesses.

Knowing what other area groups are selling or have recently sold can help determine what kind of product you choose to sell. Imagine trying to sell sweet treats on the heels of the Girl Scouts cookie sale. Knowing your competition can determine your level of success.

Car Wash
The most tried and true of them all, the car wash stands true as a great way to raise money. Some advanced planning is involved and getting your volunteers lined up is an important step. Secure a place to hold your car wash; many gas stations and convenience stores are very approachable about having a car wash at their site. It increases their traffic and brings in more potential customers.

You will need a water source (or two), cleaning supplies, promotional posters, and plenty of car washers. Be sure to have some of your volunteers holding signs where passing traffic can see them. Waving car wash signs at a safe location near a busy intersection works well. You can charge a certain amount per vehicle, or simply ask for donations. Often, taking donations reaps more money than a flat fee per car.

Profit Tip: Use An Overlay
Any of these tried and true fundraising methods can be enhance by doing an overlay fundraiser. Do a cash and carry product sale or bake sale at your yard sale, car wash, or "thon" event. While you've got your resources gathered, take advantage of it and make as much money at one event as possible. Who knows, you might not have to do that second fundraiser after all!

For any fundraising effort, always make sure your team members are safe and supervised. Be sure each team member can tell a potential "customer" what group they represent and why they are raising money. Everyone should also know what the collective goal is, and the average amount each individual needs to attain to make that collective goal.

By using a tried and true fundraiser, you are using a proven method for your team's fundraising success. 

Fill Up The Financial Gaps With Commercial Secured Loans

Capital is the foundation of every business. The entrepreneur needs to have enough finances to run his business smoothly. Business always does not mean earning profits. You may have losses as well. The unpredictability in business necessitates the requirement of immediate cash. Commercial secured loans have been designed to help you out in these circumstances.

Commercial secured loans are tailored specifically for entrepreneurs who require funds for commercial purposes such starting a business or expanding the existing one. The amount drawn from commercial secured loans can be used for a variety of purposes like buying machinery, renovating premises, purchasing commercial buildings and much more.

Commercial needs vary from person to person depending upon the nature of business. Commercial secured loans thus offer flexibility. They can be used for start up businesses, and small and large scale industries. The amount drawn from the loan ranges from £50,000 to £50,000,000. It however differs from lender to lender. It also takes into consideration the business profile, financial status, length of ownership, credit history etc. The entrepreneur is provided with repayment tenure of 12 months to 25 years.

One important feature of secured commercial loans is that these are attached to the clause of collateral. The commercial property, equipments, invoices or order books can be placed as collateral. The interest rate is comparatively lower than unsecured commercial loans. The monthly installments and rate of interest is decided at the beginning of the loan. This enables the borrower to plan effectively on how and when to repay the loan

The commercial market is flooded with a number of lenders dealing in secured commercial loans. Many banks and financial institutions are ready to serve you. But theses lenders are considered to be conventional. They demand lot of efforts and time. You are sure to face hassles while dealing with such physical lenders.

In case you are looking for the most convenient deal, online lenders are the best option. A little search through the internet will make you aware of different online lenders. The loan seeker needs to fill in the hassle free online loan application form. The lender will contact you as soon as he finds an appropriate deal for you.

The entrepreneur has to be cautious while deciding the lender. Do not be in haste. Collect quotes from different lenders. Choose the lender who not only offers you the required services but also provides you the loan at a low rate of interest.

The loan provider will require certain documents so as to sanction the loan request at the earliest. If you are trying to start a new business, you need to discuss your business plan and how it will let you repay your loan. The lender would also ask for some necessary documents such as financial statements, balance sheets, profit and loss statements, salary of employees etc. This will help him to serve you the best deal.

Overcome your financial crisis with commercial secured loans. Meet the shortage of money and let your business flourish.