Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Should You Use Your Bonus To Pay Off Credit Card Debt?

The good news is, you can probably expect a bonus this year. A recent poll by CNNMoney revealed that 33% of respondents are expecting a 3-4% bonus. To put this figure in perspective, an individual that makes ,000 a year would receive ,000 with a 4% bonus. To keep your finances tidy in 2013, it is important how you use this bonus money. Here are the five top ways most people spend their bonuses, and which ones you should choose.
Luxury Items

You may feel like a bonus is a reward for hard work and you should use the money to buy yourself a treat. This may be a vacation, or something you have been wanting for awhile, such as a Keurig machine or an icehouse.

Emergency Funds

If you don't already have an emergency fund in place, you may use the money to establish one. All money experts lecture on the importance of having such a fund in place. Estimates vary on how much you should have in your emergency fund, from ,000 to six months' worth of income. While the amounts vary, no one argues that such a fund is essential to financial stability.

Home Updates

You may be preparing your home to sell. In this case, you may want to use your bonus to perform some updates to increase the value and salability of your home. These updates may include a bathroom remodel, new shingles, a paint job or some landscaping. There also may be essential items in your home that need repairing, such as your washer or furnace.

Car Repairs

Car repairs tend to get shoved to the back of the line when it comes to how to spend your money. As long as the car is still drivable, many car owners choose to wait to repair their car.

Credit Card Debt

Individuals and couples facing credit card debt often have a desire to get those cards paid off. A bonus can seem like the ideal time to pay off cards.
Deciding what to do with your bonus money can be hard. You may choose to spread the amount out between all five categories. However, if your goal is financial stability, here is the order these items should be paid.
1. Emergency Fund

This is essential because you never know when you will need it. If you have at least ,000 and are adding to it regularly, you don't need to put your bonus here. If you haven't reached ,000 yet, though, you must establish this immediately.

2. Car Repairs

If your car needs a major repair, do it now while you have the money. You may be tempted to pay off credit cards first, but think of what will happen if your car breaks down completely. You will be unable to go to work, and unable to make money to pay any bills, including credit cards.

3. Credit Card Debt

If you have a large amount of credit card debt, your car is running fine and you have an emergency fund, use your bonus to pay off your cards. The interest you are paying on your credit cards is money down the drain. Even though it may hurt to use your bonus to pay debt, remember that you are adding money into your monthly budget by doing so. If you pay off a ,000 card that requires a minimum payment of 0 a month, you are adding 0 a month into your monthly budget.

Home repairs are not needed by everyone, unless it is something essential to the running of your household. Cosmetic repairs and updates to make it sell are both things that can wait if you are swimming in credit card debt. Also, the extra money in your monthly budget can be put towards house updates.
Luxury items are nice but if you want to get on firm financial standing this year, leave this for last. If all other categories are already covered, feel free to splurge. If you are like the majority of Americans, though, you will have other, more essential, items to take care of before you can spend money on yourself.

The World's Most Exclusive Credit Cards

It possible that you may have seen the articles in the news recently about a high-rolling businessman and his evening excursion in London with friends to an exclusive nightclub. In just a few hours, the businessman and his 15 friends (as well as some happy gatecrashers) guzzled their way through 102 bottles of champagne, 11 bottles of vodka and a Methuselah bottle of champagne (which contains the equivalent of 8 regular-size bottles). You'd probably have had to reach the age of Methuselah to pay the bill: an enourmous 105,805. But the Dubai-based businessman didn't have any troubles paying the bill; out came his American Express Centurion (also known as American Express Black) card, and the bill was paid.

American Express has taken the first and second slots in a ranking of credit card preferences among high-net worth (minimum million) and high-income (at least 0,000 annually) consumers with its American Express Centurion (or Amex Black) and American Express Platinum. The American Express Black must also be one of the most exclusive cards on the block: membership is by invitation only and there's an annual fee of ,500.

These two American Express credit cards are typical of the new credit cards for the elite - expensive card products that offer equally expensive perks, like access to private islands and private jets, to those willing to spend amounts ordinary mortals can only dream about. The American Express Black cardholder should spend a minimum of 0,000 annually to be a member. The American Express Platinum card may come at a lower fee than some other exclusive cards (0 a year annual fee), but they will look after you with assurances such as their offer to evacuate injured American Express members and their families from wherever vacation location they are to where they can be given quality medical attention.

Credit cards for the ultra-rich are becoming very attractive options for credit card issuers. They may not make much from finance charges but 4% merchant servicing fees can mean quite a bundle, if the purchase volume is high enough. That businessman's transaction from his big night out could earn American Express a minimum of ,000 in merchant processing fees.

Coutts World Mastercard Signia reportedly gives cardholders the opportunity to live like royalty, after all Queen Elizabeth II is a Coutts card holder. The annual fee is 0 but they will kindly waive this if you spend over 0,000 a year on your Coutts credit card. You cannot apply for the Coutts Purple; membership for this is also invitation only.

The market is rich, but the competition is also growing. Smith Barney has its Chairman's Card (0 annual membership) also offers special perks, including a facility that will set up your quiet dinner meetings at New York's most exclusive restaurants (and in Los Angeles). Stratus Rewards Visa is a by-invitation only card that allows you to fly on private jets when you redeem rewards points.

Bank of America recently launched its Accolades card, which uses the American Express network and offers the common (for this elite class of cards) perks like premium tickets to concerts. The Accolades card has a match-your-donation offer (up to ,500 a year) for its philanthropic cardholders who wish to make charitable contributions. Membership is for those who have 0,000 of assets in Bank of America's private banking division.

Why do ultra-rich customers bite? They get the status symbol, but they also get big benefits. They're in the stratosphere. But those at ground level also have similar opportunities to enjoy big perks for a little exclusivity in their cards. American Express Gold and special Diners Club credit cards also give you the chance to enjoy exclusive privileges when you want some.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Credit Repair Warning

Numerous studies show that 1 out of 4 consumer credit reports contain errors that will result in the consumer being declined for credit. While this is a serious fact, what is more serious is what REALLY happens when these consumers actually dispute these errors on their report with the Credit Bureaus. Many "Consumer Protection" and "Consumer Rights" groups try to make consumers feel confident by explaining that any errors on their credit report have to be..."Investigated" by the credit bureaus and... any information which the bureaus are UNABLE to verify within 30 days, must be DELETED from the consumers report. All that is required to make this happen is the consumer must mail a letter (or go online) in order to "initiate" the investigation process. Sounds great... because you've probably heard it before. When most Americans hear the word..."INVESTIGATION" in regards to an item on their credit report they're challenging, they usually picture some variation of the following three step process:

STEP ONE: An employee at the Credit Bureau receives their dispute and personally reviews it. During this review they gather information and documents in regards to the disputed account by contacting the original creditor or collection agency etc. (a.k.a. the Data "Furnisher").

STEP TWO: The Credit Bureau Employee then reviews copies of original documents like the Credit Application, Billing Statements, Billing and Payment Statements or notes in the account looking for any errors in reporting. If anything is in question they will request proof from the "Data Furnisher."

STEP THREE: Once a "complete and thorough" investigation has been completed, the Credit Bureau Employee will then update the consumers account according to the results of the investigation.

Now, let's talk about how it REALLY works. FIRST: A dispute letter is created by either...You, An Attorney or A Credit Repair Company. And it's then mailed to the Credit Bureaus. It doesn't really matter who mails the letter because... SECOND: When the letter is received by the Credit Bureau it's electronically scanned with "Optical Character Recognition" and... matched against a DATABASE of..."Boiler Plate" Dispute Letters commonly used by Credit Repair Companies or found in Software Programs and Credit Repair Books. If your letter "matches" one of these letters in their database your dispute will most likely be...

a.)Flagged as FRIVOLOUS

b.)Marked as SUSPICIOUS, or

c.)Completely IGNORED

If you've used a Credit Repair Company or Dispute Letters out of Credit Repair Books you might have firsthand experience with this. THIRD: No matter who writes your dispute letter or how threatening it may sound, if the SCANNED version of it does NOT match that of a "Boiler Plate" Dispute Letter used thousands of times, the scanned version will then be sent electronically overseas for processing in a country like: India, Jamaica, Philippines or Costa Rica. There, an outsource employee who doesn't even speak English as their native language will look at your scanned dispute and turn it into nothing but a TWO or THREE Digit Code. Yes, you heard that correctly. They will take your dispute (even if it has 10 pages of detailed documentation supporting your claim) and convert it into nothing but a... TWO or THREE Digit Code And, to make your blood boil even more, they do this with a highly automated system the Credit Bureaus created called e-Oscar which (get this) stands for... E-lectronic O-nline S-olution (for) C-omplete (and) A-ccurate R-eporting

The e-OSCAR system takes your dispute and usually uses a pull down "Pick List" to convert the dispute into just 1 of 26 Different Dispute Codes. Even worse, of these 26 Dispute Codes, 85% of disputes will fall under the same 5 codes. For example, according to testimony from congressional hearings, credit bureaus used the following codes in these percentages with the e-Oscar system:

31% of Disputes "NOT MINE", 21% of Disputes "ACCOUNT STATUS", 17% of Disputes "INACCURATE INFORMATION", 9% of Disputes "ACCOUNT AMOUNTS", 7% of Disputes "ACCOUNT CLOSED"

85% of Disputes fall under same 5 Codes

Once your dispute is converted to one of the "Standardized Dispute Codes" within the e-Oscar system, the code is sent to the Data Furnisher (a.k.a. the Original Creditor or Collection Agency) using a standardized form known as an "Automated Consumer Dispute Verification Form" (or ACDV for short). This request is sent to the Data Furnisher via the e-Oscar System. An ACDV merely consists of a few items of identifying information about the consumer, the Dispute Code and in some cases, additional notes. Any supporting documentation like, Account Applications, Canceled Checks, Billing Statements or Pay Off Letters or Confirmations etc. are NOT included in these electronic communications between Data Furnishers and the e-Oscar System. Your dispute is essentially converted into nothing but a "Dispute Code". In fact, there is...NO MECHANISM IN PLACE for the Credit Bureaus to send your Supporting Documents and Proof of your claim to the Data Furnishers! So, what happens when a furnisher receives an "Automated Consumer Dispute Verification" (ACDV) from the e-Oscar System? "Do they begin an "in-depth" investigation?" "If the furnisher is a Collection Agency do they contact the Original Creditor for REAL documentation on the account?" Hardly... remember, the data furnisher will never even receive nor see all the documentation in your dispute (even if you sent 60 pages of proof).

In fact, there's a new piece of technology to even further automate the e-Oscar System for Data Furnishers and it's called...BATCH INTERFACE. Data Furnishers like large banks and collection agencies can receive thousands of disputes a month. Dealing with all these disputes manually via the e-Oscar System quickly becomes A LOT OF WORK, e-Oscars solution to the problem is to send the Data Furnisher all these disputes in one large file, all at one time. This is what the BATCH INTERFACE function was created for. Now, when the data furnisher receives this large file there are several options for processing the data. One such option is something called...REPLY ALL. REPLY ALL allows the data furnisher to select a response like..."Account Verified", and apply this response to dozens or even hundreds of records in the file with a single push of a button. But if this doesn't have you fuming enough, then maybe another feature will. And, that feature is one called...AUTO POPULATE. The "Auto-Populate" function allows the data furnisher to Auto Populate responses of Automated Consumer Dispute Requests before submitting them back to the credit bureau via the e-Oscar System. Of course, we all know the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) states that all Data Furnishers MUST perform a REASONABLE INVESTIGATION. Then again, maybe it all depends on what one calls a "reasonable" investigation and how reasonable it can be when AUTOMATED. So, if you're ready to learn the Truth about the fastest way to improve your credit score so you can get...The Cash You NEED for a Business and Buy The Home You Not Only Love But would Love to LIVE IN!

Saturday, July 28, 2012

How To Avoid Rejection Of Home Loan Application

Taking a home loan is the most practical method of buying a house or property. If you wait for the time when you would have enough cash to make a down payment and purchase your favorite house, you might as well give up your dream. This is because real estate prices in Turkey are abnormally high and it seems to be in no mood to stop. In such a scenario, you can expect how much you would have to shell out if you wish to own a house with your own money. Home loans are therefore a much more sensible option.

However, applying for konut kredisi is not the same as getting approved for it. There is a long story in the middle. Your application can get rejected on various counts. Since there is a mad rush for home loans, it can be very difficult to apply again if your application gets rejected by the bank on the first occasion. For this reason, it is important to be aware of the factors that trigger home loan rejection. Here are the top four reasons:

Constant Job Hopping: Do you switch jobs often? This can have a negative impact on your loan application. Banks view frequent job change as a sign of instability. They prefer applicants who spend at least two to three years in a particular company.

Solution: If you are applying for a home loan, stick with an organization for at least one to two years. All plans of job change should be considered only after the loan is approved.

Residential Address on the Defaulter List: If someone from your house has been a konut kredisi hesaplama defaulter, it can jeopardize your chances of approval too. This is because the residential address would be on the watch list of the national credit bureau. It does not matter whether he is a member of the family or not. He could be anyone from your tenant or landlord to a friend or relative.

Solution: You can explain the matter to the relationship manager of the concerned bank. Tell him that you are not related to the defaulter in any way in case he is the tenant. If he is a family member though, you have to confirm that no way is he dependent on you.

Incompatible Profile: Every bank has certain internal policies. If your application contradicts with any of such policies, it can be disapproved. For instance, certain geographical areas might be listed as not fit for lending in the policy guidelines or your credit profile might not pass the mark.

Solution: In cases such as credit profile not fulfilling the desired criteria, additional security can be provided in the form of collateral like fixed deposits, insurance policies and mutual fund portfolio, co-borrower, guarantor etc. However, in case of geographical issues, you have no choice but to look for a closer option.

Previous Rejection of Application: Most banks keep records of rejected applications in their respective databases. Therefore, if you had been denied loan earlier, it would show up at the time of verification check of your application. This can pose as a dampener since your loan worthiness becomes questionable.

Solution: Do not apply simultaneously for loans at various banks. Wait till you are informed your application has been rejected. This will give you an idea about where you have gone wrong so that you can rectify them before approaching another bank.

Friday, July 27, 2012

How to Go About Dump Truck Equipment Leasing

Dump Truck Equipment Leasing may fall under the more general leasing category of Heavy Equipment Leasing (meaning, dump trucks are classified as heavy equipment like bulldozers, backhoes, and excavators) or Commercial Equipment Leasing. The numbers show that more than billion in construction equipment (like dump trucks) are leased annually by US companies alone. Why pursue Dump Truck Equipment Leasing?

Some companies opt for Dump Truck Equipment Leasing because they are trying to expand the business and need their existing cash flow for this. Others may choose Dump Truck Equipment Leasing because their existing equipment suddenly failed to function (due perhaps to old age or defects) so they need functional equipment quickly to keep operating. Dump Truck Equipment Leasing is also good for companies that want to gain a financial edge over their business rivals by being able to reap savings thru leasing equipment (as opposed to buying.) Dump Truck Equipment Leasing would probably appeal to contractors in the construction business that will always need dump trucks (whether to deliver materials or to cart away construction project debris.)

If you get lucky or are just plain smart about choosing a lender, you might be able to get a Dump Truck Equipment Leasing arrangement customized to your business situation. This is very important because businesses (even those in the same industry) may experience different business cycles, and cash flow patterns, while company owners may have different ideas of what constitutes as a sufficient budget. Construction projects are sometimes seasonal in nature, so you need a Dump Truck Equipment Leasing arrangement which can give you the flexibility of adjusting payments to the months when business is peaking and you can afford the payments on the Dump Truck Equipment Leasing arrangement.

Some lenders may offer a very quick processing time (maybe even as fast as 24 hours sometimes) which gives company owners who are in a hurry an advantage for acquiring their dump trucks quickly. If you have the right documentation on hand, you could find yourself signing your Dump Truck Equipment Leasing contract fairly soon after submitting the leasing requirements.

Be sure though that the leasing options the Dump Truck Equipment Leasing arrangement you enter into has the right provisions you were seeking. For instance, if you are expecting to purchase the dump truck after the lease term has been completed, look carefully through the contract to make sure that that stipulation is there.

Also, verify with your company accountant if your corporate income stands to gain via deductions from such a Dump Truck Equipment Leasing arrangement. This would probably be dependent on some tax laws or business tax conditions that only accountants may be updated about. Ask your accountant to also examine the Dump Truck Equipment Leasing arrangement for the presence of soft costs (like installation expenses, and maintenance and training costs) so that you know if you gain more savings that way or if you have to pay extra (as the case may be.)

What Is The Effect Of An Overdraft On The Balance Sheet?

There are two key aspects to consider in a business balance sheet, how efficiently it is funded ("Funding") and how efficiently it is operated ("Operations). Both are important but separate parts of a business; the bank overdraft is part of funding. Changes to funding arrangements do not impact on operating performance.

Traditionally accounting balance sheets are arranged into Assets, Liabilities and Equity in accordance with the balance sheet equation i.e. Assets = Liabilities + Equity. With a two column format, Assets are in the left column and Liabilities and Equity on the right. In a traditional balance sheet Current Assets may contain cash at bank and Current Liabilities may contain entries for bank overdraft. Both Current Assets and Current Liabilities are components of Working Capital which is the operational aspect of the business. In traditional accounting format it can therefore be difficult to distinguish funding from operations.

However the presence or absence of an overdraft only affects the funding aspect. This is clearly seen if the format of the balance sheet is rearranged to reflect the separation of Finance and Operations. In this financial analysis format the left column contains the funding entries (Debt and Equity), and the right column the operational entries (Working capital and Non-current assets) . Instead of cash and overdraft being included with Working Capital they are moved to the Debt section in the left column. The Debt section includes cash, bank overdraft and long term debt. All cash assets or cash liabilities are shown as debt (cash is regarded as negative debt).

In this format you can clearly see what effect an overdraft has on the balance sheet. An overdraft will raise debt. The overdraft affects the Income statement because debt incurs interest (an expense) so interest payments will rise, there will be less profit and therefore less tax to be paid. The retained income entry on the balance sheet (under Equity) will reflect this. However nothing on the Operations side of the balance sheet will be affected by whether the operations are funded by debt or equity or both.

Most businesses are financed by a combination of equity and debt. Exactly what debt/equity mix (leverage) is best for the business is part of the funding strategy determined by management.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Bank Guarantees, Medium Term Notes, And Commodity Education Is Paramount To Success

The private company, The Joker Brokers, founded in 2009 is helping to educate and train brokers with consulting in the area of international trade, secondary market finance, and bulk commodities. Our services include, banking programs, currency markets, bulk commodities, medium term notes, bank guarantees, and forex markets. With the advent of the internet and the misinformation among unguided brokers, we have been ground breakers in this area of the market. There is a lack of training available and now anyone interested in this lucrative market is able to be trained properly with expert guidance at The Joker Brokers. Our name which is contrary to what we actually do, is to help others identify a joker broker (unguided intermediary) through our network of trained associates where we have over 50 years of combined experience in the mentioned fields of expertise.

Throughout the year, 2010, we have been able to effectively train over 250 brokers with a five percent closing rate among the brokers. This is exceeds any expectations for The Joker Brokers to train and education brokers and clients in the lucrative arena of international trade, commodities, and banking programs. There is no other organization that can make this claim with the above mentioned fields of expertise

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Late Night Payday Loans

Some people have not heard of payday loans and what they are, these are the type of loans designed to be repaid in an extremely short period of time. Normally, the approval process for these loans is quite easy, simple direct deposit funding, less paperwork and less aggrivation. Due to these benefits, these payday loan companies distinguish themselves from banks and may even make the conventional banking system look too bureaucratic. First, their selling point is really about the speed. There are payday loans which can approve you in just about 20 minutes. Having to wait for a whole day is already too slow for the payday loan process. If you are in need of urgent cash and fully believe you can repay on time, then a payday loan may be the answer to your quick cash needs.

Second, these lenders are much more accessible. They work past the ordinary banking hours, which is often less than a full work day. So even if it's late at night, you can still go to a loan company that is open and borrow the funds you urgently have to have. Moreover, these companies are often located in areas that are more convienient than most banks. Now that people can get cash even outside of banking hours and closer to home, it is no wonder why payday loans are such big hits.

And if that's not enough, there are also a lot of online payday loan institutions, which makes it so much more convienient to borrow money. Imagine, even when every loan company on the block has already closed because it's the wee hours of the night, you can still apply for a loan, and get the money when you wake up later.
The approval for payday loans is easier because they ask less from you. They won't demand collateral and they won't need to check your credit standing, unlike banks. This last factor seals the deal for most payday loans. All of these things make up for the strong niche built by the payday loan industry.

ACS Student Loans: Fast And Convenient

In your search for the most appropriate student loans to meet your requirements, you might have heard ACS student loans mentioned. But you may still be wondering what ACS is.

So, what is an ACS student loan?

It is a loan that is serviced by Affiliated Computer Services, Inc., a company that is well known for business process outsourcing. The company's strong reputation for servicing loans efficiently through the use of technology, has won them contracts with many colleges and universities. In fact, they are the Department of Education's primary outsourcing contractor. With an ACS student loan, students are able to manage their account online. They can make payments, see their account status, update personal details, and receive email notification of payments that have been processed.

Other helpful tools that ACS provides on their website include a repayment calculator, IRS guidelines about student loans, and a glossary of important terms.

With ACS student loans, students also get the convenience of being able to manage all of their loans in one place. ACS also acts as an outsourcer for colleges and universities that have campus based programs which lend money to their students. This frees up the college from keeping track of all the financial details, allowing them to better focus on education. ACS also coordinates with other financial institutions in an effort to match up each student with whichever lender that is best suited to their needs.

Understanding ACS Student Loans

ACS student loans cover a fairly broad range of different financial aid programs. One of the major ACS student loan groups is known as the Campus Based Student Loan Program (CBSL). CBSL includes Federal Perkins Loans, Nursing Student Loans (NSL), and Institutional Loan Programs. Another major group of student loans that ACS handles is the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFEL), which includes the Stafford Loans, PLUS loans to parents of students, and loan consolidation services . In addition, ACS handles a number of educational loans funded by several private companies.

If this is your first time applying for a student loan, don't be intimidated by the process. All the guidelines and applications for different financial aid programs are available online. The ACS website provides a clear example of how to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, and helps you to interpret the results in terms of your eligibility for financial aid. In addition, the ACS website has applications for both Stafford loans and PLUS loans for parents, which can be completed and submitted online.

ACS Student Loan Consolidation

If you previously took out federal student loans, you might want to learn about the benefits of ACS student loan consolidation. The ACS website provides information and application forms, and an ACS loan consolidation could mean you only have to write one check each month. It also might help you lock in a lower interest rate to reduce your total monthly payment amount.

So, Why ACS Student Loans?

Maybe the convenience of managing all of your student loans online appeals to you, plus you only have to deal with one entity for your loan servicing, from application to repayment to consolidation. ACS works with a number of universities across the United States. Even if your college or university is not offering ACS student loans, their website is a valuable resource of helpful tools and information, and well worth visiting.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Kalman Filter Tutorial

The kalman filter is a time series estimation algorithm that is mainly used combined with maximum likelihood approach to estimate parameters for given data. Compared with pure maximum likelihood, which typically assumes that the data series is observed without errors, and obtains the state variables by inversion, Kalman filter assumes that all data is observed with measurement errors, which is one of the big reasons why it becomes more and more popular in economics and finance, as many models in these fields depend on data that are either non-observable, for example, bond prices are observable but interest rates are not; energy future prices are easily observed but underlying assets are not, etc.; or subject to noise, such as due to bid-ask spreads.

There are two basic equations of a Kalman filter: the measurement equation and the transition equation, as the names suggest, the measurement equation relates an unobserved variable (such as interest rates) to an observable variable (such as bond prices), and the transition equation allows the unobserved variable to change over time, for example, interest rates follow a Cox Ingersoll Ross (CIR) process. Essentially Kalman filter is a recursive algorithm, it starts with initial values for the state variables and a measure of the certainty of the guess, and then use these initial values to predict the value of the measurement equation, since the variables in the measurement equation are observed, we can calculate the prediction error, together with a kalman gain factor, to update the values in the transition equation, repeat the process for the next time period and finally we are able to estimate the parameters values by maximum likelihood.

The following steps outline the specific procedures of a kalman filter example:

Step 1: writing down the measurement equation and transition equation, initializing the state vector;

Step 2: forecasting the measurement equation given the initial values;

Step 3: updating the inference about the state vector incorporating kalman gain matrix and the prediction error;

Step 4: forecasting the state vector of the next time period conditioning on the updated values of the previous period;

Step 5: calculating the log-likelihood function under a certain distribution assumption and maximize the log-likelihood, usually a Gaussian distribution is applied.

For a detailed Kalman Filter tutorial case please visit Kalman-filter example.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Online Etiquette Tips for Job Seekers

Employees that bring refinement, sophistication and good manners into a new role are the true gem Job Seekers of Recruitment. Being polite, respectful and presentable is a sure way to communicate "good breeding" and as stuck-up as that may sound, these are the deciding qualities that set good Job Seekers form Great ones.

Etiquette, in plain and simple English means good manners. While we could get technical and investigate the way this term has been described in the Oxford Dictionary, for the purpose of applying good manners when looking for a job online, it's best to keep things simple and user-friendly as such.

While most think only to apply etiquette during face to face situations, in fact this is defiantly not the case and etiquette should be practiced, rather, during person to person interaction. Netiquette or online etiquette is a term given to 'good manners' displayed when interacting on the internet and is fundamental to finding a job online. Job Seekers need to familiarise themselves with basic online etiquette (netiquette) in order to make a good impression and ensure that the correct impression is being conveyed during the job hunting process.

Job Seekers should always remember that during face to face interaction with Recruiters, body language, eye contact and non-verbal communication reinforces good manners. However, when networking online, and applying to online job adverts, these factors are absent and success is solely reliant on the way in which you conduct yourself online.

While this may have just added to the pressure already experienced when looking for a new job, to follow, is a list of Top Online Etiquette Tips to assist Job Seekers in making a terrific online impression.

Tip One: You Online Job Application is Going to a Person, not a Machine

Some Job Seekers forget that while their online job application is facilitated via the internet using technology, it is still being received by a real, live, human being. While they may be out of sight, Job Seekers need always keep this in mind and remember that the recipient to all online job applications is in fact a person very capable of forming the incorrect perception based on poor netiquette.

Tip Two: Virtue still Applies in Virtual Reality

Apply the same level of virtue online as what you would during any other attempt at finding a new job. All of the same job seeking rules apply online as what they do offline. If you wouldn't behave in a certain way in a face to face interview or walk in, fax or telephonic job application, don't do it online. Maintain your level of integrity regardless of the way in which you attempt to find a new job.

Tip Three: If You Wouldn't Say it to Their Face, Don't Say it to Their Inbox

We all tend to be far more guarded when face to face with another person as opposed to looking at a computer screen. Always apply the netiquette rule, which is, if you wouldn't say it to their face don't attempt to type it in an email or job application. Swearing, profanities and offensive language is absolutely out of the question along with prejudice or discriminatory comments. 'Flaming', the expression of strongly held opinions expressed with a great deal of emotion should be kindly reserved for personal blogs or forums and should certainly not be expressed in an online job application or response to a online job interview questions.

Tip Four: Don't repeat questions that you already have the answers to

We are all human and tend to make mistakes form time to time, however many of these can be avoided by paying close attention to detail. Avoid asking questions that you already have the answers to by reading the online job advert with care and as many times you need to in order to gather all of the information listed therein. Don't ask Recruiters questions where the answers have already been detailed in the job advert or on the company's website. In doing so, this displays lack of proactively and poor attention to detail and is a poor show of netiquette. By all means, ask relevant questions required to assess whether or not you should proceed with the application but pay very close attention to information that is relayed before asking a question that will waste the Recruiters time.

Tip Five: Pay Attention to Spelling and Grammar

While this may not necessarily be a question of etiquette, with resources at your fingertips such as Word, Spell Check and online dictionaries, poor spelling and grammar is a big no-no online. Be sure to check, proof read and check again anything that you submit online or via e-mail to Recruiters. In most cases such errors are as a result of carelessness and will stand out like a sore thumb to Recruiters during the short-listing process. Don't allow silly spelling mistakes and grammatical blunders hinder your chances at filling a vacancy that could possibly be all and more of what you are looking for.

Tip Six: Respect Recruiters Time and Bandwidth

While broadband access is on the up and up in South Africa and bandwidth restrictions are improving, try to remain conscientious of Recruiters resources. Never send large files to Recruiters that may take up time and bandwidth when they attempt to download them. Your CV and job application documentation should not be too large that it successfully crashes a Recruiters machine or takes time to download. Avoid sending large files, photographs or graphics when contacting a Recruiter online. If this is an integral part of your job application (in the case of portfolios) rather burn this to a disk and deliver these by hand or alternatively place such information onto an FTP site (File Transfer Protocol, or file transfer program) that facilitates secure and easy online access by Recruiters.

Tip Seven: Presentation, Delivery and Content

Tip seven and the final in this series are fact brief but just as important etiquette tips for online Job Seekers to practice. Follow these mini online etiquette tips when composing, presenting and delivering your online job application.

* Don't ramble in your communication - Be concise and straight to the point when contacting online recruiters. Remember time is money and Recruiters are looking for a fast delivery of accurate and relevant candidate information.

* Don't abbreviate - Using abbreviations in your message does not necessarily make this shorter. Avoid using abbreviations txt language and jargon. Converse with the Recruiter displaying articulation, confidence and enthusiasm.

* Use Capital letters only where applicable - When compiling any form of communication online, when done so using only capital letters is considered aggressive and a form of shouting online. Unless visually impaired or making use of technology developed for Job Seekers with a disability (where the use of the 'shift' key stroke or multiple keystrokes is difficult) always converse with generally accepted composition.

* Don't mumble - Converse to writing in capital letters, mumbling online is where communications have no capital letter usage what so ever. Place effort in the composition of your online communication and display the best level of online etiquette available to you.

* Include a subject line - When contacting Recruiters online via e-mail, always describe the content of your communication in a concise and explanatory manner.

* Don't format -never use loud colours, fancy backgrounds or over the top font types. When displaying your professionalism and legitimate interest in the vacant role present your communication in the most conservative and expert way.

Exercising good manners and differentiating between superior and inferior conduct online is very much a 'people specific' skill. Based on culture, upbringing and they way we have learned to do things, influence the way in which we behave and respond to different situations. Culture shapes our conduct and our etiquette and consequently different cultures require different forms and levels of etiquette. Polite and correct online conduct needs to be respected and practiced across varying cultures so as to avoid insult or potentially upsetting someone without the intention of doing so.

Copyright (c) 2008 Camilla Patten

Friday, July 20, 2012

How Guaranteed Car Finance Could Actually Help Improve Your Credit Rating

Did you know that if you have a poor credit rating, getting car finance can actually help improve your rating considerably, allowing you more financial freedom in future? It often seems like a catch 22 situation - you have a low credit rating, and can't get credit, yet having credit helps improve your rating.

Not everyone appreciates that having car finance, a car loan or other credit arrangement can help improve your credit worthiness in the eyes of most lending institutions. You might be forgiven for thinking that having credit will lower your rating, since it's obvious you already have existing commitments.

Although it's certainly true that if you have a huge mountain of active credit agreements, loans, store cards and credit cards, your chances of getting car finance or any other form of credit or finance are low, but this is only in cases where the number of credit arrangements is excessively high. The most important point is that those credit arrangements demonstrate payments being made regularly, on time and in full.

As long as this is the case, then your credit rating will still be good, and you stand a good chance of getting the car finance, car loan or credit you need. But what if you do have missed payments, defaults, even CCJs or arrears on your mortgage?

Certainly getting car finance can prove much harder in such cases, and you may already be in the situation where you have applied for cars on finance or car credit finance, and been declined. It's not a good feeling being declined for car loans, and these days it seems to take very little to knock your credit rating down. The economy has been bad, and credit companies have become very much more conservative, with the result that missed or late payments get punished harshly, the letters being sent out worded more forcefully, and patience seems thin on the ground.

But if you can get car finance, then you will be able to help start to rebuild your credit worthiness. Although your credit history may show missed payments, late payments or other problems in the past, you may now find yourself in a much more stable situation, with either those arrangements paid off, or agreements in place.

But unless you're prepared to wait six years for your missed payments, defaults and CCJs to automatically clear from your credit history, how else can you repair the damage caused? The answer is simple - get credit, and start paying it off on time. You'd be surprised the difference it makes to your credit rating having a car finance arrangement which demonstrates that you are paying on time, in full, every month.

As long as you keep up the payments, your credit rating will improve every month, cancelling out much of the damage caused in the past, and helping you to get back on track much sooner than the six years it would otherwise take. But this still brings us to the same problem it would seem - how do you get the car finance that's likely to improve your credit rating if your credit rating is already a disaster?

The answer is to use guaranteed car finance. Perhaps you have heard of guaranteed car finance arrangements - they're car finance deals for those with poor credit ratings, or no credit history at all. Rather than using your credit history to judge whether you'll be able to pay the monthly instalments they assess your income and expenditure as it currently stands. As long as you have enough income to pay the monthly payments, you'll be guaranteed car finance.

This means that you can afford to buy a new car, as well as improving your credit rating. It's essential to make sure of two things though. Firstly, you absolutely must keep up the repayments, otherwise the improvements to your credit rating will be lost. Secondly, make sure that you approach a car finance company which allows you to use your guaranteed car finance to buy any car, from any dealer, rather than being forced to choose one of their own cars.

With just a single phone call it really is possible to get yourself a new car of your choice and improve your credit rating all in one go.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Senior Citizen In Need Of Stair Chair Lift - Is Medicare The Only Real Choice?

Stairlifts for senior citizens have turned into a hot topic these days. 3 factors. First, home sweet home. Just who wants to move out of their house, even if they've trouble navigating the stairs?! Next, there are huge numbers of seniors retiring each year, far more than before. Lastly, a lot of US home owners are trapped in their own houses, possibly because of their home mortgages under water, or unable to obtain funding for a brand new home.

Might your stairway lift be insured by Medicare health insurance? Stairlift price is not all that modest, it can cost as much as ,000 or more depending on your house. Therefore the question about stair lifts Medicare coverage makes much sense.

Of course, you might have really been having to pay in to the Medicare system your entire working life, you ought to be permitted to your payout as well. The truth is, there is certainly no published record that says that Medicare won't pay for your stairlift.

In terms of Medicare stair lifts for seniors, there are many caveats and road blocks on the way of finding as much coverage from Medicare health insurance as you possibly can. They're: Medical need, locating the right Medicare accredited provider of stair lifts, navigating the Medicare documents, persistance, and paying attention to for any possible alterations in Medicare program.

Health Need - Ensure You Get Your Medical Practitioner's Written Request To Insurance (Medicare) For The Stairlift

To enable you to be eligible for a a stairlift paid by Medicare insurance, you absolutely want to have a healthcare practitioner's written notice to Medicare asking for approval for repayment. It really is a type of an insurance claim. It is going to be very good to create the outline of your circumstance in your home for your physician so they can have a better notion as of the reasons why a stairlift will likely be the most advantageous. Medicare will almost certainly need to be sure that nothing else much less costly option is going to be sufficient to ensure movability.

Locating The Medicare Recognized Supplier Of Stairlifts

Medicare will exclusively work with the stairlift distributors which agree to the Medicare insurance schedule, either on an continuing basis, or on the case-by-case basis. Ensure that the stairlift company you select will be alright with the Medicare schedule. This is called a Medicare participating service provider.

Keeping Up With the Medicare Paperwork

From the initial gathering up of the supporting docs for the case, to the potential first denial letters, to your conversations with doctors and stairlift providers, keep comprehensive paperwork of all conversations, including the phone calls.

Endurance

It is most likely that the initial Medicare insurance claim for home stairlift is going to be turned down. Tenaciousness pays in such a case. Examine any given reasons for the rejection and reapply with further documents, as reasonable.

Potential Adjustments Inside The Medicare Program

If you are in a need of a stairlift, at this time may be the ideal time to get it if you are signed up for Medicare insurance. However, the Medicare benefits are in danger of being decreased within the USA, which might affect your prospects of obtaining the maximal Medicare reimbursement on your stairlift. So be on a lookout for modifications within the Medicare law, and respond swiftly.

Common Worker's Savoir; On-line Payday Loans

There are times when your funds in a day turns into short. Most likely, you were not in a position to funds it correctly or sometimes surprising thing happens which it is advisable use the cash in pocket. What for those who shouldn't have the money to use for it? As an everyday worker, you solely expect your wage to be out there on the 15 th and thirtieth day of the mon th. But there are situations when your price range is simply not enough. That's when a web based instant payday loans come in. Online payday loans are brief time period loans supposed to cowl your quick spending needs. All you must do is go surfing and barrow the amount which you possibly can pay come next paycheck.

There are some online loans that are considered Online faxless payday loans since you do not need to go to your local payday center. This is certainly a reduction for workers who have wants of emergency spending for some necessary reasons. Simply imagine, you do not need to endure so much processes simply to an apply for a mortgage since it is only for a really brief interval of time. Simply be sure that you are able to pay on time or in your next paycheck.

Instant loans, now a days, are crucial and a whole lot of employees are grabbing the chance of availing these loans particularly the faxless online payday loans, since persons are really busy of their on a regular basis lives. Individuals are simply so busy, that they could not even afford to go to their native payday loan centers, thus, having on-line payday loans is indeed an aid for regular employees.

In developed nations, instant loans are very rampant, particularly the net ones, since lending companies have assurance from the workers'scorporations that they are going to be paid on time or during the subsequent release of staff?paychecks. But typically, there are instances the place the workers are complaining of fraud online payday loans. After they gave out their info, the amount they applied for did not seem on their bank accounts, worse scenario is , their financial savings were robbed by skilled hackers, left with zero balance since, in applying for instant loans, you must give out your information, together with your bank particulars because the money will just be transferred to your financial institution account.

With this, employees must first do some background checking on their on-line payday mortgage company. As much as potential, have an everyday lending firm to do the job for you. Never give out private data in case you are simply having a first time online transaction with somebody whom you do not actually know. Sometimes, it is better to be over protecting than not being protective at all.

Kansas City No Credit Check Auto Sales - Buying a First Car

If you're a student or young adult who has never owned a car before, there are a few factors to consider before you make this important purchase. One problem that you may run up against is not having any credit history. While having no credit is better than having bad credit, it's still something that can be held against you by lenders. For those who are living in the Kansas City area, you can visit a Kansas City no credit check auto sales dealership. This is a way to get financing for your first car when you need it most. Having a vehicle in the Kansas City area is a good idea, because it is spread out over 15 counties, including Johnson County, and has a population of over 2 million residents.

Buying a car is a good way to get you around, whether you need to get to work, school, or a friend's house. By visiting a Kansas City no credit check auto sales center, you can peruse your options without worrying about being denied due to your lack of credit history. However, you will need to qualify for financing based on some other criteria. For example, you will either need to have your own form of employment or your parents will need to offer their financial details. You will also need to submit a valid driver's license, and your insurance papers.

With this in mind, it's a good idea to think about the type of car you want before you visit the Kansas City no credit check auto sales dealership. Think about the size and model of car that will best fit your lifestyle. If you're going to be using this car only for yourself, you could choose a smaller car, while if it's going to be shared with your family, you'll want something larger. If you plan on taking the car to college, you might want to choose a car that has enough storage to pack up your belongings.

The area where you will be driving your car can also influence the best type to choose from a Kansas City no credit check auto sales dealer. If you're going to be driving only on the highways, you will want a good cruiser that can handle high winds. For driving around Kansas City, it's a good idea to choose a hatchback or other smaller car that can zip in and out of traffic. These are just a few of the practicalities to think about when you are establishing credit and purchasing something as important as your first car.

Monday, July 16, 2012

Stephen Fry and Two New Teenage Credit Card Fraudsters: Spot the Difference

Two British schoolboys, Nick Webber and Ryan Thomas, were arrested earlier this year on charges of a multi-million pound internet credit card fraud. It is alleged that they managed to hack into over 65,000 bank accounts and sell the details on a dodgy internet site. Apparently over £8 million was subsequently stolen from the accounts. Other alleged illegal activities by the young gentlemen included running a website called 'Ghostmarket', which offered advice to crooked customers on how to use stolen card details to buy goods, wire cash and call sex phone lines. Sentencing is due on February 28 2011.

Stumbling upon this article on the Sun's website brought back memories of an earlier story about that other infamous teenage card fraudster Stephen Fry. In the latest volume of his autobiography, 'The Fry Chronicles', he relates how, as a teenager, he once pilfered a credit card from a friend of his parents and used it to fund a Bertie Wooster-style spree at the London Ritz. Playing truant from school, and dressed up in his grandfather's clothes, he managed to spend two days propping up the bar, sipping cocktails and smoking Balkan Sobranies. He was eventually discovered, expelled from his public school, and detained for three months at Her Majesty's pleasure in Pucklechurch Prison, a Young Offenders' Institution near Bristol. Thankfully he survived this experience without sinking into a life of crime and depravity, achieving a First at Queens's College and going on to become one of the best and brightest British stars of both television and the cinema.

Like Stephen Fry, Nick Webber is also a Public Schoolboy; like him, he was first arrested back in October 2009 after running up a bill of more than £1000 in a ritzy London hotel using a 'compromised credit card'. Why then do these young men strike me as so much less delightful than Stephen Fry? Maybe it's because their ill-gotten gains were used to finance a life-style including exotic foreign holidays, designer clothes and a Hummer 4x4 (despite the fact they have not yet passed their driving tests).

Let us give them the benefit of the doubt, however, and hope that they too will go on to become polymaths and national treasures…Somehow I seriously doubt it, but we can always hope. They are clearly intelligent, ambitious and resourceful youths, to say the least. Perhaps, like the young Stephen Fry, they will be sent to a Young Offenders Institution, similar to the now-defunct Pucklechurch Prison, learn useful life-skills and go on to become pillars of society. If the state of our prisons is a fair measure of the state of our society, Stephen Fry's 3 months at Her Majesty's Pleasure was a good advertisement for Britain and its criminal justice system.To be strictly fair, I don't think Stephen Fry would be too happy if I ascribed his success solely to this early incarceration in a young offenders unit…there may be an element of natural ability involved too.

Post Script. Is this story actually for real? I mean to say, 'Nick Webber' accused of online fraud?

Friday, July 13, 2012

Gmac Loan Modification Calculator Find Out Your New Monthly Payment

If you need a GMAC loan modification, you might want to check out a website and see if you qualify. They have a loan modification calculator that will tell you if you qualify and what your new payment would be once approved.

This calculator is based off Obama's HAM program. It caps your monthly mortgage payment at 31% of your net monthly income. This is accomplished by lowering your interest rate to as low as 2%, extending the terms of your loan and reducing your principal balance. It goes in this order, so usually the payment cap is met before a reduction of principal is necessary.

This is an amazing program for those who qualify. The problem is, less than 300,000 homeowners have received a loan modification under these guidelines out of the millions and millions of homeowners who are in desperate need of one.

Some homeowners call the lenders themselves and some of them even received notices in the mail from their lender saying they were qualified. Once they get on the phone, they soon realize they are denied and are left scratching their heads!

The main reason for this is usually the financial ratios homeowners are giving their lender. You can't just call your lender without working out your financials first! They will ask you a series of questions and if you do not anwer them correctly, you will be denied for sure. You cannot make too much money or too little either. Your income to expenses have to be just right to get approved for this plan.

Don't worry, there is help available. Try out the calculator and see if you qualify and what your payment will be. If you want help to get that payment, just fill out the form for a free consultation if you'd like. They will be able to give you a free consultation and tell you how they can help you get approved. There are no upfront fees.

To see if you qualify for a GMAC loan modification, just visit the following links.

Watch Dick Clark's Rockin New Years Eve 2011 free online

WATCH THIS NOW! Watch Dick Clark's Rockin New Years Eve 2011 free online now! Just click the link below in order to start watching for free!

Talking about great shows, this episode is the one of the best. Just click the link below and you will be entitled for free access to this great episode. Dick Clark's Rockin New Years Eve 2011 is now moving ahead with a very wonderful surprise and its getting hotter and hotter. What are you waiting for? Click the link now and start enjoying the episode.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL VIDEO! - - > >

It's New Year's Eve. What channel should you watch to ring in 2011? Should you spend the closing moments of this year and the start of the next with Drake, David Archuleta, Lil Wayne or the cast of "The Jersey Shore"? New Year's Eve with Carson Daly (NBC): Daly has been trying to be the face of the New Year's Eve franchise for years. Tonight, his show has a promising lineup with Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj and My Chemical Romance on the bill. The show will also feature Bono and the Edge talking about their new musical "Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark." Let's see if Daly has the guts to ask the pair about the show's safety record. Let's also hope they sing "New Year's Day."

Actually, since the special is hosted by sharp-tongued comic Whitney Cummings, we may tune in for a bit too. Another high (or low) point: "Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi is scheduled to climb into a ball that will be lowered into Times Square to help ring in 2011. The show starts at 10:30 p.m. "New Year's Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin" (CNN): This special, now in its fourth year, features the cool Cooper and the caustic Griffin is a pairing that could be disastrous or a guilty pleasure. The broadcast will be live from Times Square. Starts at 11 p.m. ET.

The program has typically consisted of live video of Dick Clark in Times Square in New York City, counting down until the New Year ball comes down. Since 2005, Ryan Seacrest has been hosting the show outdoors at Times Square while Dick Clark offers comments from the ABC News headquarters, which are located in Times Square. Pop music from contemporary artists (many of which, especially in recent years, being Disney products, as Disney owns ABC) is performed live on a stage in Times Square, to which ABC holds exclusive rights.

"All-American New Year's Eve" (Fox News): Megyn Kelly and Bill Hemmer are hosts. Musical guests will include the Gin Blossoms and "American Idol" runner-up Katharine McPhee. Lots of "Idol" folks on tap for tonight, huh? Starts at 11 p.m. ET.

Natastha Bedingfield, Jason Derulo, Drake, Far East Movement, Jennifer Hudson, La Roux, Avril Lavigne, Mike Posner, Ne-Yo, Willow Smith and Train Confirmed to Perform During the 39th Annual Broadcast on December 31. For the 39th consecutive year, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2011 will lead America into the New Year. Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest will host the special with recently announced Times Square Correspondent Jenny McCarthy. The show will begin at 10:00 p.m., ET on Friday, December 31 on the ABC Television Network. Coca-Cola will present a special performance on ABC at 11:45pm to help ring in your New Year! Singer/songwriter Fergie of The Black Eyed Peas returns to host the Los Angeles-based party portions of the specials.

The festivities will kick off with Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2011 from 10:00-11:00 p.m., ET, featuring the only live performances from New York's Times Square, as well as multiple performances from the Los Angeles celebration. During Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2011, Part 1 (11:30 p.m. - 1:08 a.m., ET), in addition to reporting on the final minutes of 2010 and the traditional Times Square countdown to midnight, the show will feature music performances from both Los Angeles and Times Square in New York.

Released in June 2009, The E.N.D. has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide, while spending 52 weeks on the Billboard Top 200 chart. It is also the first album in two decades by a duo or group to yield five Top 10 songs on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, including the No. 1 hits "Boom Boom Pow," "I Gotta Feeling" (which is the best-selling digital song in SoundScan history) and "Imma Be," as well as the Top 10's "Meet Me Halfway" and "Rock That Body." Fergie's solo debut, The Dutchess, which spent an astounding 94 weeks on the Billboard 200 albums chart, sold over 6 million copies worldwide and achieved triple-platinum status in the United States.

Indeed, Dick Clark's Rockin New Years Eve 2011 is an one of a kind episode that you don't like to miss. And, we don't want that to happen. This is why we are giving you the FULL VIDEO for free. Fasten your seatbelts now and start enjoying 100% entertainment with Dick Clark's Rockin New Years Eve 2011. Have a nice day and enjoy watching the show.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

6 Easy Ways To Make A Quick Buck!

During this time of global financial turmoil, it's necessary that we learn to conserve and grow our fiscal resources. If you're in a pickle and need a few ideas of how to earn some quick cash, you are definitely not alone! Read on for some surefire methods that will put you back in the black and keep you securely out of the red!

1) Burn your home for insurance money: Items needed are gasoline, matches, insurance policy, and airtight alibi. But if you're an apartment dweller, you may want to rethink torching the place, seeing that about 100 other people would be without shelter. Instead, take out a renter's policy and stage a burglary. Hell, leave your door and windows unlocked for a week or two and you may be lucky enough for a real burglary to occur!

2) Declare yourself holy and secure TV airtime: It's simple, reallyjust wear a weird suit and pretend that you're talking to God and healing the callers who call in for help. Flash a P.O. box on the screen and ask for cash and checks to be sent in your name. Just don't run into any scandals or there's sure to be trouble.

3) Sell blood, plasma, and/or semen: This is an old trick, but it's still a good one. Besides, it's much better than selling yourself on the street corner.

4) Borrow pets and sell them: This money making scheme would even be more perfect if you walk dogs for a living. Simply take the lovable critters to a busy shopping area and sell them to anyone who's willing to shell out the cash. If you really want to capitalize on this lucrative opportunity, create papers for the pets and sell them as purebreds!

5) Salvation Army bell ringer: Because we're in the middle of the holiday season, this moneymaking scheme is just about perfect! Have a bucket, a bell and a sign declaring you as a certified Salvation Army representative. Set up shop in front of a busy storefront and in no time you'll be hearing the sound of coinage rolling in! It's really not a lie: the money will be going to the needynamely you.

6) Sell suggestive pictures of yourself (or neighbors): Although you may have never seriously considered it before, there is quite a market for racy, homemade self-photos. You may not think you have the nerve, but after a few drinks and a peep at your bank account balance you'll be raring to go! Borrow a tripod and a digital camera, don something tight and slinky and be the seducer you've always fantasized of! But if you find yourself being too camera shy and decide to weenie out, try the next best thing: photo your neighbors. Remember, you're only a Peeping Tom if you get caught.

But if you really can't see yourself ringing a bell or seducing the camera, here's another idea: learn more about your credit and take better control of your finances.

With the introduction of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003, every United States citizen is given the opportunity to obtain one credit report annually completely free of charge. Though the process of actually receiving the report is simple, knowing where and how to get the report is vital to the procedure. Because of the importance of knowing and understanding your credit score, being knowledgeable of this process is necessary in taking control of your own credit future.

The three agencies responsible for generating credit scores, Equifax, Experian and Transunion, have combined their resources to create a single website that enables U.S. citizens to have their free credit report sent to them. The website, Annualcreditreport.com, offers a simple to understand format that enables those who qualify to view and print their report from the comfort of their home computer. The first step in the process asks for personal information such as name, address, date of birth, social security number and one past home address. Secondly, the site requests that the user choose a single company from which to receive their credit report; though every citizen is given a free copy of each of their three reports, they must choose either to receive them all at once, or in intervals throughout the year. After all information has been given and all query boxes filled, the report is generated and given in document form, giving the report holder the option of either saving and/or printing the report for their personal records.

Along with its main service, Annualcreditreport.com offers a number of resources for those who wish to learn more about credit reports and the process used to obtain them. Along with a brief description of the site and its founding companies, a thorough frequently asked questions section is included in order to help in answering the many inquiries that both users and potential users may have concerning Annualcreditreport.com, including the security measures the site employs, explanations of general terms, and tips on improving credit scores. But even though the site does offer a number of important extras, its main goal is to guide users through the simple steps of receiving and understanding their credit report and scores. Though the credit report is free of charge, a fee must be paid in order to receive your actual credit scores. The fee, though, is inexpensive, and generally less than fifteen dollars.

Always Someone Is Indebted To Someone

I have been in business for quite a few years and from both experience and my education, I have learned the following truth. Someone is always indebted to someone. What I mean by this is that some people take the higher ground whenever they can with the people they are dealing with which in turn gives them much more influence in the universe. The following will explain.

You might be able to equate to this yourself. Do you ever feel sometimes that you have more control over one person but you feel you have absolutely no control over another person (that you can't influence them). Well I have because sometimes a person feels indebted to me but others, I feel indebted to other people. What you want in life is to take the higher ground and have many people feel indebted to you. This will dramatically increase your influence in the world which in turn will ensure your success.

Let me describe the above with an example. Just say I'm a sales manager and I have 2 customers. They both buy at the same time and they have 30 days credit each. When I ring 30 days later, there are two completely different responses from the two customers. One feels nervous, knows that his credit has expired and talks to me politely saying that the check will be in the post tomorrow. I get the feeling that he feels indebted to me and wants to pay his bill in an orderly fashion. The other thought immediately tries to take the higher ground by saying "Jack, I'm waiting for a few checks and once I get them, you will be paid. Also I will have another project for hopefully next month". With that one line, he has attempted to influence me and in doing so not pay his bill on time. This happens a lot in business. One will attempt to take the higher ground and once you give it, you will be indebted to him to infinity. He will essentially hold power over you.

Now lets take this a bit further. Just say that second customer has 200 suppliers and he adopts the same attitude as he did with me and succeeds. Look at his influence!. He will pay them when HE wants not when they want. That's very important and if you missed the point, I suggest you re-read what I have said. So as you learn from this, remember the following. Never give up the high ground without a good fight. Its the people who have influence in our world have the most success. If you succumb to peoples demands, people wont have respect for you and treat you accordingly. Always remember this when you are in business and money is involved. YOU take the higher ground. YOU make your opponent become indebted to you and you will win and win big

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Loans for Unemployed: a reliable short term financial alternate

For a person to source external financial support, without having any regular income source is always going to be a difficult proposition. So, it can be said that being unemployed, the financial freedom does not have any sure shot meaning. Even, under these extreme conditions you can avail funds to deal with your emergency needs and demands. in context to the present situation, the applicants can rely upon the provision of loans for the unemployed. By going for these loans, you as an applicant have a chance to overcome the odds, without worrying about other disputes.

While availing the same day loans, there is no need to involve any collateral or undergo any credit check. The loans are approved, so that you can resolve the financial disputes. With the support of these loans, you will be in a position to settle all your needs and demands. The terms and conditions of the loans too are very much flexible. Besides, with the amount sourced, you are free to make use of it, as per your need and requirement.

, those with severe credit defaults such as CCJ, IVA, arrears and defaults too can attain the loans. Ensuring to repay the borrowed amount, within the allotted time period, you do have a chance to make improvements in your credit score.

The loan amount sourced can be put to use to serve various needs such as:-paying medical bills, consolidating debts wedding expenses, going for a vacation, renovation of home, purchasing a car, educational purposes and so forth. Even before attaining the loans, a proper and detailed research will enable you to get access to suitable terms and conditions, on the amount acquired.

to avail these loans with the best possible terms and that too without any obligation, , it would be appropriate for you to make use of the online application mode. Online application is completely free of any paperwork and this certainly paves the way for you to accumulate the funds needed, without worrying about other constraints.

With the assistance of loans for the unemployed, you get to derive quick funds to resolve temporary monetary hassles.

Monday, July 9, 2012

Flat Roof Repair For Dummies

Like all roofs flat roofs require regular maintenance. Localised damage on the smooth surface of an asphalt or bitumen felt covering, e.g. splits and blisters can be patch-repaired with a repair kit. Repairing a flat roof is not difficult even for complete novices.

To deal with splits, first remove any chippings. Use a blow torch or hot air paint stripper to soften the roof covering so that you can scrape the chippings away. Then, before embarking on the actual repair work, clean the area and kill any moss and lichen with a fungicide or bleach. Take care when cleaning because the effectiveness of any repair work will depend on the adhesiveness of the surface when you apply any patches.

Use self-adhesive tape to repair the split. Most of them are suitable for use on all types of roof coverings. Fill a wide split with a mastic compound before taping. Apply the primer supplied over the area to be covered and leave for one hour. Peel off the protective backing of the tape and apply it to the primed surface. Where a short split has occurred along a joint, cover the whole line of the joint with tape. Press the tape down firmly and make sure that the edges are sealed.

Blisters in asphalt or felt roofs only need to be treated if they contain water or have caused the roof covering to leak. Press the blister to check if moisture is expelled. If so, it must be sealed with a patch.

To repair a blister in an asphalt roof, heat the area with a blow torch or hot air paint stripper. When it is soft, try to flatten the blister. If the blister is filled with moisture, cut the blister open and let the moisture dry out. Gently heat the asphalt again before pressing it back into place. Apply mastic into the opening before closing it. Finally cover the area with a patch of repair tape.

To treat a blister on a felt roof make two intersecting cuts across the blister and peel back the felt. You can heat the felt gently to make this easier. Clean the opening and let it dry. Then apply bitumen adhesive and when it has set a little, nail the covering back into place with galvanised clout nails. Finally, cover the repair with a patch of roofing felt glued on with bitumen adhesive or use repair tape. Cut the patch generously so that it laps all round.

A patched roof can be spruced up by applying a finishing coat of bitumen and chippings to create a more uniform surface area. If the surface covering has decayed you may have to re-cover the roof. However, a roof showing signs of general wear and tear can be brought back to life with a liquid waterproofing treatment. This consists of the cold application of a bitumen-based water proofer which is reinforced with a glass-fibre membrane. This should be done during warm and dry weather.

First clean the roof and kill any moss and lichen. Apply the first coat of water proofer with a broom and then lay the membrane into the wet material and stipple it with a soaked brush. Make sure the edges overlap by 5 cm or more and bed them down with water proofer. Apply three coats altogether. Let each coat dry before applying the next. Clean the brush with soapy water before each coating. When the last coat starts to set, cover it with fine chippings to provide a protective layer.

Repairing a flat roof is not difficult and within the capability of most people. By following the steps outlined above you can successfully repair a flat roof in very little time.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Things You Should Know About How To Find A Home Equity Loan Lowest Rate Mortgage

You will discover an immense amount of people that have found themselves keenly trying to seek out a method to get extra cash through any way available. Those that own their homes, can actually try to apply for a home equity loan in order to obtain a decent amount of money. However, many people have questions regarding how to get a home equity loan lowest rate.

You'll find two main items that will likely be analyzed at the time you are trying to get hold of a 2nd mortgage. The first thing is your credit score, and the next is the sum total of value that you own on your home. Folks that have an adequate credit rating may in reality be able to get the lowest interest rates, whereas those with not so ideal scores may well find the undertaking difficult to conclude.

Just to give you an idea of where your score is presently at, it's prudent to endeavor to get hold of your credit file on your own before you apply for a home equity loan. Normally, anybody with a great credit rating can expect to obtain several of the lowest interest rates on their finance, while people with a low score normally have to pay a higher amount.

You'll find various different lenders that have changed their thoughts towards offering individuals that do not have good credit scores home equity loans. Even though, these lenders are there in the marketplace, acquiring a high credit rating is always going to be a factor which will set you above all the others.

So many people have noted that a terrific technique to become accepted for a 2nd mortgage is to apply for the loan through the identical mortgage broker that they are currently paying. If you go this road, your broker already has all of your data, and this is likely to save you an immense amount of time than trying to find a lender that will not have an inclination in relation to your present-day position.

A second mortgage works off of the value that remains on your house. This sum total is decided by comparing the market value of your property and the amount that you still have left to pay on the property. If you take out a loan against this amount, you are simply taking out finance for the difference between the face value of your property, and the repayments that you have left owing.

When it comes to finding the lowest rate you can for your 2nd mortgage it will pay you to shop around so that you can familiarize yourself with your options. You will save time applying for finance through your present mortgage broker, but it cannot be cast iron that they will manage to provide you the lowest interest rate available.

There are a lot of companies which might be keen to do business with people despite the consequences of their credit rating and the amount of value they have available on their real estate. Attempt to get hold of as many quotes as you possibly can in terms of finding a 2nd mortgage, and don't be afraid to ask questions as regards the loan.

Bear in mind that the people that shop around for the lowest interest rate on an equity loan, will probably be the ones that finish up finding the type of advance and the rates that they want.

The first step - Finding out about college loan consolidation

We might think that for a regular college student the main concern is to attend classes, study for exams and turn in the papers before the deadlines. However, this is not the case in North America. The students in the United States and Canada have to deal with quite complicated financial decisions throughout their years of higher education. The reason is that higher education in these countries is provided by private institutions, which offer quality education but at quite spicy costs. In these conditions, students and their families have to face tough financial decisions when they choose a college to attend. For most of them, the fees are too expensive so the first step is to try obtaining a full scholarship or partial financial aid. For the rest of the expenses, there is the widespread option of contracting a college loan.

Students can contract more than one college loan during their four years of college. If they also pursue graduate studies, it is likely that they will end up with a collection of college loans that they end up paying back for many years after graduation. It thus turns out that a college loan is not something you leave behind at graduation, along with all the other college stories, but it is a life-long commitment. The practice of contracting a college loan is so common that an entire business has developed around it covering financial and legal services for the loan contractors.

A college loan can be offered by either a governmental agency or by a private company that takes care of such financial services. If the student contracts all his student loans from the government, than he can use the option of college loan consolidation. College loan consolidation is extremely advantageous because it actually means replacing a whole set of different loans with various interest rates with just one loan having a unique rate. The main benefit of college loan consolidation is that it gives the chance to lock in the interest rate at its current value (the value at the time when the consolidation is made) thus offsetting changes in interest rates taking place over the next years, when the loan is being repaid. Nowadays, all recent graduates are advised to pursue college loan consolidation as soon as they can because rates for college loans are at an all time low and they will not remain so for too lone. Doing college loan consolidation now means that the student makes sure he or she will pay the same low rate for the following ten or more years, although interest rates for college loans may increase by 10% or more in this period.

College loan consolidation is most commonly done by recent graduates, who are starting to face the difficulties of starting to pay back the loans. Usually, during the college years, the government will subsidize the payment of the rates for students. During the first six months after graduation, young people can still be saved the trouble of having to think about college loan consolidation because they are given a grace period during which no payments should be made. The wisest of them start thinking about college loan consolidation in this time though. They consider alternative options and decide which scheme for college loan consolidation is most beneficial for them. College loan consolidation may be a tough decision to make, the financial packages offered include details that may be tedious to follow and understand. That is why recent graduates may end up postponing thinking about it. However, they are being pressured more and more to become responsible and do college loan consolidation now because of the low interest rates they should be taking advantage of.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Is 2013 A Good Year To Buy A New Home In Charleston, Sc?

Is 2013 a good year to buy a new home in Charleston, SC? Interest rates are their lowest in years. Banks seem to be back in the business of loaning money for home mortgages. It continues to be a buyers market in many areas of the country. But probably the most significant indicator that now is the best time to buy is for the sixth month in a row, existing home sales rose. Yes, rose, increased, went up, did not decline! The last time that happened was all the way back in 2005/2006.

As the housing market continues to recover, you and I are the potential beneficiaries. Home buyers are now beginning to realize that the opportunity to purchase a new home might never be better than it is today.

Have we actually turned the corner in the housing market? Even though economic conditions continue to weaken in many areas, the housing market appears to be strengthening. A number of economic strategist believe that the growing housing market just might be the shot in the arm that gets the overall struggling economy headed in the right direction.

With the expectation for inflation to decrease modestly over the next twelve months, and the recent surge in home sales, there may in fact be a light at the end of the tunnel in this economic nightmare. So if you have been wondering if now is the time to purchase that new home you have been dreaming about, maybe it is!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

How To Choose The Right Shed Foundation

The Foundation - The First Step in Building a Shed

Laying a foundation is the first and most important step in building a storage shed. Whether you are planning to build a plastic shed, metal shed, or a wooden shed, it is essential to select a shed foundation that supports the weight of the structure and prevents warping, cracking, and other types of damage caused by moisture.

What Type of Shed Foundation is Right for You?

Your choice should be based on two factors - the construction of the shed you want to build and your budget.

First, you need to decide what type of shed you want to build and what you are going to use it for. If you want to build a shed that is meant for light storage such as garden tools it won't require a strong concrete foundation. On the other hand, if you're planning to build something that is meant for heavy storage, you cannot construct it on a timber foundation.

Dirt Floor

A dirt floor foundation is often used with a pole style barn shed. However, this type of foundation can not be used if the shed walls will be framed.

Crushed Gravel

A crushed gravel foundation is a good choice if the dirt floor is dry and water drainage is not a problem. This type of floor consists of a layer or pea gravel approximately six inches thick and works well for smaller sheds. It is also recommended to place cement blocks on the gravel to serve as footings for the shed.

Timber

A timber frame foundation, built of pressure treated wood, is also a good choice for a storage shed. The space within the timber frame can be filled with stone slabs, slate slabs, or gravel. Or, more simply, a timber floor can be attached to the frame. This type of shed foundation is very easy to install. The timber frame foundation also works well for medium size sheds that don't require a concrete foundation.

Plastic

A plastic base, made of a series of grids made of toughened plastic, is also becoming a popular choice among people these days. The flooring area contained within the grid pieces can be filled with pea gravel. This type of foundation is durable and very easy to install.

Concrete

A concrete floor is the strongest and most durable floor you can build. You can choose between concrete blocks, poured cement, slabs, or piers.

If the ground surface is uneven or sloped concrete piers may be you best bet. Moreover, a pier foundation is not a permanent structure. So, if you ever need to move your shed, the foundation can be removed and moved to another place easily. This type of floor is very easy to install and not as costly as a concrete slab.

A concrete slab based shed foundation is a good choice for a large shed that will be used as a workshop or to store vehicles. Laying a concrete slab base, however, is a task that requires some special skills. If you cannot do it yourself, you might have to hire professionals, which will add to your overall cost.

A concrete block based foundation is another choice you have. It is also strong and durable making it ideal for heavy equipment. When compared to a slab base, it is easier to install and less expensive as well.

Choosing the Right Foundation

Among the types of foundations that we have discussed the concrete floor is the most expensive whereas the gravel or dirt floor is the least expensive. Similarly, installing concrete slabs takes a lot of time and effort whereas plastic grids or timber frames can be installed quickly and easily. Under no circumstances should you build your shed foundation in an area where water accumulates as this will create problems later on.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Seven Habits of Highly Successful People

The Differences Between You and Them

Have you ever wondered what highly successful people do that perhaps you don't? Or even what makes them different from you besides their success? If so, you're not alone. While there can be a multitude of differences between you and them, here are seven habits of highly successful people that might interest you.

1. Planning for the Future

Highly successful people typically spend the time they need to on the planning stage of any venture. Rather than relying on chance or luck, they plan ahead to foresee obstacles, then prepare to overcome them as they might occur.

2. Focus is Their Key

One insightful definition of focus is to "Follow One Course Until Successful". Many potentially successful people "give up" too soon. They hop from one scheme to another, hoping for instant success or to "hit a home run" on the first pitch.

3. Highly Successful People are Savers

What happens to your income as you receive it? Do you pay the bills, buy food, spend on other things and then finally, if there is any money left, put someth9ing away in savings? What should be paid first is you according to Robert T. Kiyosaki, author the the best-selling "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" series.

4. Goal Setting to Map Out Future Strategies

These people habitually set short and long term goals for what they wish to achieve. Using these goals as bench marks of progress and success, they can then map out strategies tom accomplish and achieve any goal that they have set for themselves, their businesses, their investments, their families and their lives. Do you set goals to attain what you are striving for?

5. Priorities are Set Early and Often

Everyday when they start off their daily schedule, highly successful people know what the priorities for the day are. They will keep high-priority tasks and events ahead of lower priority ones thereby allowing them to accomplish the most important tasks of the day first, each and every day. You too should set priorities for yourself.

6. Their Time is Scheduled

Microsoft mogul Bill Gates realized early in life that "if you want to both work hard and play hard, then you have to have a schedule". By scheduling what needs to be done each day, you can ensure that no important appointment, meeting, visit or other essential item gets inadvertently "left out" or forgotten during the course of a busy day. When chain-linked tasks which require one to be done prior to doing the next are scheduled, there is no concern that a critical or key step will be missed.

7. Take Time to Enjoy Life

No matter how busy they are or how hectic business affairs make their daily lives and schedules, highly successful people make the time to enjoy their lives and families. The concept of "taking a vacation later" or neglecting the needs and commitment to family are non-existent with virtually all people who ultimately achieve a high degree of success in their life.

Apply These Habits to Your Daily Life

If you will develop and apply these seven habits of highly successful people to your daily life, then you too could begin to enjoy greater financial freedom, prosperity and success. See you at the top soon?

Sunday, July 1, 2012

The American Housing Bubble Timeline And Causes

The USA housing bubble wasn't something that popped out of a box one day. It was building up for the better part of the decade, but it still came as a shock. The subprime mortgage crisis and the real estate market crash were quickly followed by a severe credit crunch. With loans drying up, consumers stopped buying and the vicious cycle spiraled into the Great Recession of 2008-09. From 2007 to 2010, tens of millions of people lost either their homes or jobs or both.

The roots of this crisis go back to 2001, to the dot com crash and 9/11. This deadly combination knocked the stuffing out of the economy and the only thing people had left to maintain their lifestyles was home equity. Congress deregulated the banks and the Federal Reserve kept interest rates low, thus allowing mortgage lenders to shovel money out the front door to all comers.

The result was that speculators started buying homes just to make a quick buck. Even for ordinary home owners, it was easy to take out equity loans and second mortgages so that they could enjoy the fruits of the housing boom. According to BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) data, non-farm payroll employment for residential construction jumped 29.1% from 2001-06. Employment among loan brokers jumped nearly 120% during the same period, and the real estate credit industry grew by 52%.

Speculation fueled by irrational exuberance is what the FED is there for. They could easily have kept it under control by increasing interest rates. Instead, they did nothing until it was too late. Wall St. Was knee deep in derivative products created from these subprime mortgages. The lenders had created mortgage packages graded by the credit ratings agencies and then handed them off to investors.

Private equity funds began using it to setup massive leveraged deals where companies were wildly overvalued and the only security the banks had was these worthless mortgage papers. Everybody was in on the systemic fraud, and share values and home prices kept climbing. When the bubble finally collapsed in 2007, the banks were left mortgages in default and bankrupt companies which had been valued at billions just a year or two before.

By this time, home values had tanked so much that even ordinary people who had nothing to do with the mess found their home loans underwater. From 2006 to 2009, the real estate industry lost all the gains for the entire decade, and then some. Employment in residential construction dropped 36.6% and home loan credit companies started laying off employees so fast they lost 44% of the workforce in the same period.

Faced by a credit crunch and delinquent home owners, the banks panicked and sent out millions of foreclosure notices. Nearly 8 million homes were ultimately foreclosed in 2009-10. Over 10 million homes were still underwater in 2011, poised on the edge. The federal government has now forced the five biggest banks to spend billion to help out everyone who lost their homes due to The USA housing bubble.