Let s party let your video surveillance spill the beans

”Eye of newt and toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog…” With a video surveillance camera scanning the party site, you can guess from the guests’ body language those who are plotting, planning, and simply partying. Sounds interesting? Read on. . .

Non-sinister party surveillance

Parties are fun events, but also the perfect place for devious scheming. With video surveillance discreetly installed, you can identify the bad guys and catch them before the cauldron boils over. Employing hidden cameras for parties is legal in 50 states. However, recording speech can send one behind bars. You need not worry about your video surveillance. After all, you’re just checking on your guests.

Caterers have good use for video surveillance too. They can track the movements of the waiters, and check the rise and fall of the hors d’ oeuvres and the punch bowl. It also makes their work systematic and synchronized. So, as the party hostess, you need not worry your hair out of place. You can flit from table to table and enjoy your guests. What are parties for if you can’t even smile and eat your spread? Now your party woes are over with video surveillance.

What’s a third eye doing at your party?

There are several video surveillance cameras to choose from. You can use the dome cameras and disguise it with some decorative knick knacks and still get the best images. The 1/3 SONY Super HAD CDD is a device that can capture images and movements as far as 15-20 meters.

For covert monitoring of hired caterers and staff, a hidden camera would be perfect. You can deter thieves and vandals from committing their perfect crimes. You can see what is going on with your silverware, your linens, and even your petunia sitting on that cute little pot. You can install your video surveillance cameras indoors and outdoors. The versatility of video surveillance has indeed exceeded everybody’s expectations.

You can then secretly watch he enjoyment of your guests. You can find out if your in-laws, neighbors, and out of town friends are mixing well. You can rescue the wallflower, be part of all the merriment even from across the lawn, and even make sure that your crazy cousin Barney won’t start singing Moonriver.

No camera tricks please

For best results, install several connected hidden cameras. Request the service provider for a system that can alert you through your mobile phone or pager. Video surveillance cameras catch the subject unawares.

Another type of camera is the public camera. Its visibility alone will discourage potential wrong doers from doing any mischief. This sort of camera, though, has to be working all the time to make it effective. Surveillance cameras can even save lives. You can have the screen monitored for odd behavior, such as a guest having a heart attack or a chicken bone stuck in his windpipe. A quick call to 911 can save the day and the party. You’ll get all the thanks and hugs for a great bash.

What on earth are trade exhibitions for

As a Sydney-based exhibition designer, Ove Prado often conducts his own survey of trade shows. He tries to work out, from what he sees, the purpose that each stand is playing in that company's marketing strategy. “All too often”, he says, “the message is confusing and some designs actually drive customers to walk straight past”

Renting space at a trade exhibition, designing a stand, having it built and staffing it for the duration of the exhibition shares some of the essence of running other types of event but differs in some significant features.

To begin with, your audience is only partially captive. They may choose to attend the exhibition but, in the vastness of an exhibition hall, unless you have marketed your presence effectively, they could pass you by in favor of more visible, glamorous, noisy, exciting stands.

If and when they descend on your stand, their time is precious. There may be 20 or 30 providers they have decided to test out in their day. This means you may have 15 to 20 minutes of their time if you have the staff to deal with them and other visitors simultaneously.

Your potential clients may also come to you with either a very specific problem to solve or no problem at all, just general curiosity. You have to be ready to handle almost anything. You can't prepare a single script as you can with a series of presentations, so your people have got to be gifted ad-libbers.

Working out the purpose of a trade stand

As with any event, deciding to exhibit at a trade show starts with the germ of an idea somewhere. It may be that your organization has always taken a stand at this particular show or this may be the first time you have cut your teeth on this audience. What you expect to achieve through your stand and your presence at the show depends on your answers to several important questions.

• Is this an opportunity to launch an exciting new product or service?

• Is this a showcase for your existing range of products or services?

• Will you be expecting to meet mostly new potential customers?

• Will you be expecting to meet predominantly existing customers?

• Do you expect to take orders on the stand?

• Will the stand be an information only exhibit?

• Are you planning to position your organization against the competition?

• Will your stand be about image or substance?

If your answer to all of the above is “Yes!”, then be very careful. By attempting to achieve too much with your presence at an exhibition, you may run into the problem of confusion and complexity. Like any marketing activity you must be clear about what it is you are offering.

Ove's advice to trade show exhibitors is “Remember that over a quarter of people who attend trade shows will actually formalize an order while they are there. Does your stand say “We're friendly - talk to us!””

Funwaystoannouncepregnancy. wps

Fun Ways to Announce Your Pregnancy

Whether you just found out you’re pregnant or you’ve known for a few months, announcing your pregnancy to family and friends can be a lot of fun. Some may want to wait until a certain time during their pregnancy, while others want to call everyone immediately after finding out themselves.

Telling The Father

Have a romantic dinner for two with candle lights, it may be your last time for a while, between morning sickness and raising your little one. Serve up baby carrots, baby back ribs and anything else you can think as baby. At the end, pour apple juice instead of wine and hand him a present. Inside you can have a tiny baby bib that says, “I heart My Daddy”

or a pair of baby booties.

If you can’t tell the father right away because he’s away on business, or deployed try sending him a care package. Inside the box place a few baby items, everything in blue and pink and a baby naming book in the center. Place a note on top of the book with, “I need a name soon, I’ll be here by June.” Or whenever the baby is due.

You can also see how long it takes him to figure it out. Go to the dollar store and pick up a bunch of small baby items, a bib, rattle, bottle, booties, etc. For a week, leave an item laying around the house where he is bound to find them. At the end of the week if he hasn’t figured it out yet, prepare the big gift. Have a large teddy bear sitting at the dinner table in the seat beside him, make sure there is a bib wrapped around him and maybe a sign that says Hi Daddy.

Telling Family and Friends

Show up to a family gathering wearing a shirt that announces your state. These days there are a ton of shirts out there with clever sayings, “Baby on Board,” “A Bun in the Oven,” or something related to the pregnancy. The moment you walk in or take off your jacket everyone will figure it out without you ever having to say a word. Now, get ready for the tears and excitement. You’ll be answering a ton of questions.

If you already have children you may want to call the grandparents up and tell them that the next Christmas they may want to add one more to the list.

If this is the first grandchild, you may want to get a bracelet link for your mom that reads, “#1 Grandma” or grandparent t-shirts. This will not only be a great present for them but something they will cherish and love forever.

No matter when you spread the news it can be a lot of fun, just think creative and let the pieces fall. You may even want to try catching all of it on video, so think ahead and prepare for the BIG moment, and I’m not meaning the birth.

Jh2 job search abroad

"Facts about Searching Jobs Abroad"

Job hunting abroad can be both an opportunity and an adventure. There are hurdles to overcome when searching for the right job abroad. Let's take going to Madrid, Paris, Rome or London for example. It's not enough to just send resumes, the idea should be "get the luggage and get on the plane."

Getting a work permit is one obstacle in Europe. To stay there for an extended time, a residence permit is needed. This an only be granted once a working permit has been granted. Companies only provide non-European workers their work permits if they prove that there are no qualified European for the position. This is tough since the European Employment Services allows different companies to recruit prospects in eighteen European Economic Area countries. Remember that an ideal candidate is one who is able to speak the native language of a specific city other than English.

If you have your eye on Spain, a typed application letter with a resume must be prepared, including a recent photo and translated qualifications and/or copies of diplomas and other credentials. The letter must be written in a direct formal style citing the vacancy applying for. A must have for the closing should be "En espera de sus noticias, les saluda atentamente."

In the United Kingdom, newspapers are good sources of job openings. Assorted prime papers offer complement of job vacancies like "The Guardian," "The Daily Telegraph," "The Times," or the "The Independent" particularize vacancies daily. Companies are very particular regarding the reason you are applying. Research on their product offers, location of branches/offices, etc. There must be a reason why there is an interest to work for a specific company.

The application for jobs in Italy should also consist of a typed application letter. This should be formal and conventional in form. Using the Italian language is a must when explaining the intriguing reason for application. Diplomas and other credentials including impressive list of references should be handy during the initial interview. There are three to four expected follow-up interviews including a psychometric test. Put emphasis on personal appearance before the interview especially how the dress as this shows the concern in getting the job being applied for.

The average job search abroad ranges between six to twelve months. Experts consider searching for a job a full time job itself. Attending career counseling is helpful if unsure on what to do. There are a lot of great career resources who can give advise that best fits ones interests and passion.

How to choose the right wine rack

Have you just bought a dozen expensive European reds, but have no suitable wine rack to store them? Are you a budding wine enthusiast and wondering how to choose the right wine rack for your growing wine collection?

Well-designed wine racks that keep wines from being moved too much could be the answer to your wine storage problems. By keeping bottles in a horizontal position, good wine racks allow the wine to keep the cork moist so that it doesn’t dry out and allow air into the bottle.

It was the Romans who developed better wine storage methods, keeping wine in barrels and bottles. But how do you solve the modern-day problem of finding space and the right wine rack for your wine collection?

Tips on how to choose the right wine rack for your wine collection

1. It is important to ask how many bottles you're going to store and when you're going to drink them.

- If you have a dozen bottles, ready for drinking within a month or two, then all you may need is a wine rack that sits on the floor in a closet somewhere on the north side of the house.

- If you are a serious collector and want to store your wines for more than a year to maybe ten years, then you may need modular wine racks that hold hundreds of bottles of wine. A cellar or converted cellar measuring less than 3 meters square will easily hold 100 dozen bottle bottles or wine.

2. The second most important question is where are you going to put your wine racks? The best place for wine storage is a cellar or cellar-like place that is dim, cool, and stable in temperature and movement, slightly humid and with few odors. The worst place would be the top of the fridge where you get vibration, constantly changing temperature, heat from the kitchen and constant exposure to light.

In most modern homes the cellar-like place can be a large closet, a walk-in wine pantry, space under a stairway, a specially constructed and insulated room with wine racks and wine cellar cooling systems, or even a converted corner of the garage.

3. What material do you want for your wine rack?

- If you want a modern look, you may opt for a stainless steel wine rack.

- If you want the traditional look of wood, then you can choose from inexpensive pine to more expensive oak, walnut, cherry, western red cedar or mahogany.

- If you want novel styles and shapes then you may opt for wrought iron which can be moulded into various shapes and powder-coated in various colors to match your home dйcor.

4. What style do you want?

- Do you have enough space for a freestanding wine rack?

- Do you want your wine racks incorporated into fitted cupboards?

- Do you want them hanging or mounted to the wall if space is limited?

- Or do you want stackable wine racks that allow you to increase your storage space when you need it?

5. Is your wine rack sturdy, stable and strong enough to bear the weight of your wine bottles? Is the wine rack made of durable and attractive material such as Philippine mahogany? Does the wine rack have full 13.5 inch-deep shelves for full bottle depth and added stability? Does the manufacturer provide at least one year warranty?

6. Other important questions to ask would be:

- Do you have enough space not only to store your wine bottles on their side but to be able to rotate them occasionally to preserve their flavour?

- Does your wine rack have slightly wider openings allowing storage for most Champagne and Burgundy style bottles, as well as standard size 750 ml bottles?

- Does it have angled front slats to avoid damage to labels and your hands?

- If you are buying a wine rack kit, are they pre-drilled and screw together using simple tools for easy assembly?

7. And last but not least what is your budget? Most wine rack stores - whether online or brick and mortar - stock a range of wine racks to suit all budget and tastes and some even include free shipping.

For less than $30, you can get a stackable metal wine rack with simple lines that hold up to 4 bottles. Or for less than $200, you could get a wooden wine rack in handsome mahogany, 6 columns wide and 9 rows high that will hold 60 bottles of your favorite wines. Take your pick.

Simplifying a difficult senior planning decision the family home

As Father Time marches on, the question of what to do with the home becomes a greater concern. In some cases, ruminating on the alternatives can dominate one's thinking. If a person is aware of the various options and chooses a path that makes the most sense, peace of mind can often be the result.

Studies have shown that 90% of married couples and 62% of single persons reach retirement owning their own homes. Coupled with non-monetary considerations of whether to stay or sell, one major objective is how to convert the equity in the home to an income.

In some cases, selling the home is the most attractive option. However, remaining in the home could be simpler and less stressful. Many people are too quick to jump to the "sell" option because they are not aware of all the options that would allow staying in the home and extracting the equity as well.

Weigh each of the following options against selling before throwing in the mental towel and listing the home.

An AARP study done in 2000 showed that more than 90% of seniors wanted to stay in their homes for as long as possible. Almost 82% still wanted to stay even if they needed care.

That is a very loud vote. Therefore, I would recommend looking at long term care insurance that either only provides home care or a more comprehensive plan that includes home care. Many seniors balk at the topic of long term care because they figure they will never go to the “home.” Statistically, 50% of them are right. What many fail to realize is that at some point almost everyone will need some kind of help. Home care benefits may provide the needed assistance while allowing the person to remain in their home.

As seniors age, the upkeep of the home may become overbearing. The lawn still needs cutting, the bushes trimmed and the flower beds kept free of weeds. The inside needs dusting; the carpet needs vacuuming and the windows need washing. Eventually, in many people's minds, these become reasons to sell.

I would invite you to put a pencil to this. Look at hiring someone to come in and clean. Hire a lawn maintenance company or the teen-ager down the street trying to pay for his car. Having these things taken care of in this manner is a lot less expensive than moving to a retirement home.

If the home is too big, close some rooms off. If it cost too much to heat or cool, seal the vents in un-used rooms.

Sometimes it may make sense (both for the senior and the child) for one of the children to move in and serve as a caretaker, cook, lawn-cutter and/or pool boy/girl.

There are several ways to get the equity out of the home, while continuing to live in the home.

First, the home could be re-financed. Mortgage interest rates today are low. Properly invested, the funds released could cover the new mortgage payments. If not, the difference could be less expensive than rent. Depending on the person's age, putting a part of the proceeds into an immediate annuity may even cover the mortgage payment and then some.

If the person has a retirement plan that mandates required minimum distributions starting at age 70 1/2, the interest deduction on the new mortgage could be a welcome offset to the RMDs, which must be included in taxable income.

For large estates subject to estate taxes, placing the home in a Qualified Personal Residence Trust (QPRT) can potentially remove the home, and any appreciation from the date of the transfer into the trust, from the taxable estate. Proper trust drafting can also provide for the housing needs of the survivor of a married couple and, ultimately, leave the home to the children.

Selling the home to the children is another option. By structuring the sale and lease back according to the rules, the $250,000 single person or $500,000 married couple capital gains tax exclusion could apply. Here, again, the parents would continue to live in the home and pay rent to the children. This removes the home from the taxable estate as well.

A gift-leaseback is an alternative. The value of the home will use up part (or all) of the lifetime unified credit. Consult a tax attorney if the value of the home is large and this option is one of the ones on the table.

If the homeowner(s) are age 62 or older, a reverse mortgage may be a viable option. The National Council on Aging calculates there are 13.2 million seniors who could qualify for a reverse mortgage of $20,000 or more. The average would be $72,000.

Reverse mortgages can reduce or eliminate the children's inheritance. Today, there are Federal Rules for reverse mortgages and about 90% are federally insured. Fees can be high and will differ among lenders. Shop around.

Prior to making the decision to stay in the home or sell, each of these options should be part of the discussion among the senior, their children and financial advisors.

Breathe a hassle free life with no credit check tenant loan

Procuring loans is not a bed of roses for a tenant. A tenant is usually surrounded by the issue of non-availability of security against a loan amount. Tenants every so often come across loan providers who lend money to homeowners exclusively. No credit check tenant loan can emerge as a savior of your current scenario.

Besides tenants, homeowners and students as well can avail no credit check tenant loan. No credit check tenant loan can facilitate you with additional funds without pledging any security. Though the interest rates of no credit check tenant loan is comparatively high with a short loan term.

Credit problems can knock your door any time. No credit check as the name implies, necessitates no credit check as required in a routine loan application approval procedure. It is undertaken by a prospective lender to authenticate your credit standing. A credit check engages seeking a thorough analysis from a credit reporting bureau or agency. Three of the top credit bureaus that embark on credit checks are Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian. These are recognized, commonly used sources for staging a credit check.

Credit checks information generally contains date of birth, home address, employment history, present employer and income, and payment history for loans and other debts. Each time a credit check is done it devaluates your credit potential to borrow. No credit check tenant loan is an ideal solution for you as it can not cause further damage to your credit standing.

You can possibly use no credit check tenant for purposes such as vacation, home improvements, purchase a car or boat, business purposes, debt consolidation or any other short term financial requirements.

No credit check tenant loan is a value for time and money. With growing number of online loan providing organization you can pass over the tiresome and cumbersome loan process. It means no faxing or tedious paper work. It ensures procurement of instant cash wired to your account directly. Search the internet and become well - informed about the no credit check tenant loan to locate suitable loan deal. Numerous online lending institutions provide free no obligation loan quote services to find appropriate no credit check tenant loan.

It is almost obscure to have a spotless credit history. Even if a bad credit is rattling your mind. You can obtain no credit check tenant loan, which can offer you an apt solution to your tribulations.

New car loans how much can you afford to borrow

Before you start car shopping, first figure out what you can afford for a car payment. Look at your budget, research auto loans, and investigate lenders. Once armed with this information, you can choose a car that you can both enjoy and afford.

Expense Of A Car

According to the FCIC, a car payment should be less than 20% of your after living expenses budget. While this is a good number to start with, you will want to look at your own budget numbers. Be sure to include other miscellaneous car costs, including fuel, insurance, and licensing fees.

You will also want to plan on a down payment and enough cash for the initial license, registration, and sales tax.

Terms Of Auto Loans

Auto loans vary with their terms rather than financing options. With a down payment of at least 10%, you can expect to find reasonable rates. While you can find auto loans with zero down, rates will be much higher. In fact if you can put down more than 10%, you will save more money in interest charges than if you get a lower rate.

Another way to pay less for your auto loan is to opt for a shorter term. You can get a seven year loan, but you are adding hundreds of dollars for those lower monthly payments. However, base your decision on what you can afford with your budget.

Auto Loan Lenders

Auto loans aren’t simply limited to your dealership or local bank. You can find hundreds of online financing companies who can offer you a great deal. Take a couple of hours to request quotes. Compare the rates and terms to select the best deal.

Even if you have poor credit, still check with conventional lenders. More and more are offering sub-prime lending. You may be surprised at the low rates offered to those with damaged credit.

You can also opt to be pre-approved, which will give additional leverage when negotiating your car deal. The application process is handled online, and you walk into the dealership with a blank check. The loan is finished when you fill in the amount and sign final paperwork.

End your financial worries with bad credit history tenant loan

Bad credit history - a word with lot of negativity in it for a desiring loan borrower. A tenant with bad credit is one, to whom most of the lenders avoid to lend their money. The reason is simple. i.e. lack of collateral in absence of a good credit score. Bad credit history tenant loans are such unsecured loans which offer you appropriate finances for your wishes.

Bad credit history tenant loans are for people with bad credit history which occurred due to defaults made by them in the past. Defaults include non-payment or late payments of debts, unpaid credit card bills, large number of debts, CCJ’s and IVA’s taken, bankruptcy etc. So now you are much aware about how easy it is to get a bad credit history. But the troubles begin when you need to recover from it. It needs lot of effort and commitment as you have to clear off your debts by make timely payments for a good amount of time.

Bad credit history tenant loans gives relief from financial trouble to tenants, PG’s, students, non-homeowners, people living with the parents or those who don’t want to put their asset at stake. These loans being unsecured carry a slightly higher rate of interest but this single negative trait is nothing against the benefit it offers. These loans are approved faster as compared to secured form of loans as the valuation of the collateral is not involved. There is very less paperwork involved in applying for such loans.

Bad credit history tenant loans are loans with multi-usage as there is no restriction on how you use the loan amount. Besides buying property, car or boat, funding educational and health expenses, holidaying purpose these loans can also be used for debt consolidation which is am effective tool for improving credit score. As far as the loan amount is concerned you can borrow from ₤1000 to ₤25000 for a period of 12 months to few years depending upon the policies of the loan lender and the amount taken.

Online option is the best way to apply for bad credit history tenant loans. There are dozens of websites to search from. However it is not the only option, you can also personally visit lenders for loan quotes but online searching can save lot of your valuable time and energy. With the help of tools such as loan calculators and comparison tools you can easily find a loan package of your choice. The final step is to apply for the loan by filling an application with the requisite details such as name, address and contact information, date of birth, loan amount required, purpose of the loan. Once the lender is satisfied he will process your request for approval.

Bad credit history tenant loans is the most convenient way of getting financed while not letting your bad credit score trouble you.

Business opportunity how to find a real online job

Finding a good business opportunity online can be tricky, especially today when Internet is overloaded with all sorts of information about earning money from your home. All this information can be confusing sometimes and it may seem impossible to find a good, honest job you can do from your home.

There are many people worldwide in need of web designers, programmers, graphic designers, writers, experts in marketing and SEO, etc. If you possess the necessary skills, there is an excellent business opportunity for you - to become a freelancer.

You may probably wander how much this business opportunity costs. The answer is nothing. There is no cost to become a freelancer. You only have to possess some of the mentioned skills and be willing to do jobs for others.

This business opportunity is ideal for all sorts of professionals, experts without a job, students, skilled individuals looking to earn some money and even some IT companies that look for a way to expand their business.

The next question regarding this business opportunity is how to find people in need of your services? One way is to advertise your services to others on your website. The other way is to join sites intended for connecting freelancers and their service buyers. There are new jobs constantly on these sites and you only have to select projects you are interested in doing and bid for them.

Getting a freelance job on these sites is like winning an auction. Service buyers post their projects and then interested freelancers make their offers. Service buyers select freelancers to complete projects based on the offered price and time period necessary for project completion. Every time a freelancer completes some project, he/she receives a feedback from service buyer. The feedback serves as a reputation of a freelancer. As freelancers complete more and more projects, they build up their reputation. Many service buyers also consider reputation when they choose their freelancers.

The key to success in this business opportunity (getting more jobs) is to offer your services for a lower cost until you gain feedback and to offer examples of your previous work. This should increase your chances to be selected as a freelance service provider.

A lot of money can be made with this business opportunity and that mostly depends on the type of project you must complete, time necessary for the completion of the project and the level of expertise needed. Usually projects that pay the most involve Java, ASP, PHP programming, flash, SEO, marketing and web design. There are some jobs that pay over $5000.

Installing new bathroom faucets

Installing New Bathroom Faucets

Would you like to save money, make your bathroom look better, and be able to take pride in the fact that you did it yourself? Decided to start a home improvement project can be a little freighting but with the right tools and information, you will soon be on your way. You will have the confidence to do it yourself and know that you have done a good job.

The first step to getting started with your new faucet project is getting the information to do the job. You need to consult the web and/or educational books to make sure that you have all that you need to make this process happen.

Once you have all your information compiled and feel ready to undertake your home improvement project, you need to look at all the different faucet manufacturers for the best quality for the money you are willing to spend. You will want to purchase a faucet that is durable, as well as, blending well with your existing bathroom accessories.

You now have the perfect faucet purchased. It is sitting in its box awaiting its new home on your bathroom vanity. You need to make sure that you have the correct tools available. This would include:

A basin cock wrench or pipe wrench

Philips-head screwdriver

Flat-head screwdriver

Slip-joint and adjustable pliers

Adjustable wrench

Bathroom caulk and caulk gun (plumber’s putty will also work)

New flexible faucet supply tubes

Thread sealer

Your next step in this process would be to remove the old faucet. To do this, you will need to shut off your water supply either under the sink or at the main water-supply valve. The hot and cold water supply tubes will need to be loosened. At the faucet stem, loosen and remove the compression nut with a basin cock wrench or pipe wrench. To remove the faucet now, all that you need to do is remove the nut holding the faucet to the sink. The faucet should lift off.

Chrome-plated brass hardware may start to decay after time so you may wish to change that as well. A bucket should be placed under the drain to contain excess water still in the drain. A new stopper may come with your new faucet. If this is the case, you might like to change that also. This will give you a consistent look on your new design.

You will need to wrap your faucet stems with a thread sealer. Before inserting the faucet stems into the correct holes install the rubber gasket to the base of the faucet. Don’t worry if your faucet did not come with a rubber gasket. A bead of caulk will do the trick. When you have the faucet in position, you can thread the washer, nut, and mounting nut on to the faucet tailpiece. Tighten these nuts by hand.

You may now attach your supply tubes to the faucet stems. Make sure that you apply thread sealer to the shut off valve threads. Tighten the coupling nuts to the supply stems. Be careful not to over-tighten the nuts. Reconnect the hot and cold water supply stems.

You are now ready to clean the supply tubes to your new faucet. To do this you need to remove the aerator from the faucet. Now turn on the water. You will need to check for leaks while the water is running. If there are none, shut off the water and replace the aerator.

Now sit back and enjoy your new bathroom faucet. You can take pride in the fact that you just installed it yourself.

The unbelievable facts you can beat the competition by raising prices

Hey, that got your attention! You're probably sitting there with a raised eyebrow, and thinking... "Yeah, right!" Everybody knows that you have to have the best prices in town to be competitive... or do they?

Think about this... when you go to a Ford dealership mechanic do you expect to pay more than if you take it to the repair shop on the corner? Of course you do. Why? Because the mechanics are specialists at the dealership. They specialize in the type of cars they sell, and know their stuff!

When you become a specialist, people expect to pay more and feel like they are getting more value for their money. They trust the specialist to understand their needs. Now for the big question... How can you become a specialist? Here are 3 easy steps to becoming an expert in your field.

1. Divide your market.

Take a good look at your market. How many pockets within your customer population can you find? You'll be surprised at the number of niches you can target. You'll find ethnic groups, different age groups, varied groups of income, singles, married couples, families, grandparents... the list could go on and on. Once you spot the pockets, decide which group or groups you want to target.

2. Learn

Once you discover the pockets within your customer population, take the time to learn what their special needs and desires are. Dig deep, and really get to know them. Learn to speak their language, so to speak.

The best place to start understanding them is simply by asking them why they buy your products. What do they like best about it? Why do they choose your place of business? You'll get straight answers right from the source, and gain amazing insight as well.

3. Revise Your Advertising Campaign

Once you've earned the right to speak to them on their level, redesign your advertising campaign to reach out to them. The changes don't have to be drastic, but be sure to use the language of the group you are aiming for. Let them know you understand and desire to meet their special needs.

Let's face it... there will always be competitors and competition. There's just no getting around it, but you really don't have to lower your prices to compete with them. Not when you are the expert in your field and your customers are trusting you to have the answers.

Restless leg syndrome causing you problems

Suffering from restless leg syndrome?

It has been reported that app. 10 percent of American adults are being affected by restless leg syndrome. It is a health condition which causes you to move your legs while lying down, sleeping or even while sitting and just relaxing. If your legs won't let you sit still, you may very well be suffering from this restless leg syndrome.

Restless leg syndrome's symptomes pretty much interfere with your sleep too, and causing you to wake up tired in the morning, because your sleep gets interrupted all the time. Some people even experience these symptomes during the day, while just sitting down, watching a television, reading a book or at some other activities.

We suggest you start doing some walking and/or jogging. Maybe stretching or taking a hot/cold bath could help too. Of course, massaging your legs may help relieve these symptoms too. Just start doing some regular excercise and see if that helps. Many find that excercise before bedtime helps. Also make sure to consult your healthcare provider, to be sure you are doing the right thing.

Today, restless leg syndromes is a medical condition and needs to be treated that way. Doctors and scientistc are doing their best to find a proper treatment for this unpleasant health condition.

Do you find yourself having these?

1. You find a compelling urge to move your legs, feeling an unpleasant sensations in your legs.

2. You feel better when moving your legs a bit. You simply need to move them around to feel better?

3. You feel these symptomes mostly in the evening or when you stop with your daily activities?

If you find yourself experiencing these, you might want to visit our website below. There you can find a lot of information about restless leg syndrome and how treat it properly.

Properly funding your trading account

Although many will suggest that you can trade with the minimum margin requirement we do not necessarily recommend it.

Let's say that you are about to start trading an S&P 500 futures daytrading system. Let's say that the exchange minimum margin requirement is $25,000 and the system drawdown is $25,000.

Let us further assume that you want to get started using the absolute minimum account size. Since we are talking about a daytrading system, many of you may be able to trade for half of the required margin or $12,500.

The lure of starting with the smallest amount of capital possible is obvious. We feel that we are getting more bang for our buck. If the system makes $100,000 profit by the end of the year we feel great because we made 800% on our initial investment of $12,500.

If we initially funded our account with $50,000 we would have made 200% on our initial investment of $50,000. Although we made the same amount of net profit we may feel better about using the smaller amount because the return on investment is greater.

In reality trading these two examples can look quite a bit different. If we fund an account with $12,500 and immediately go into a $10,000 drawdown we will not be able to trade the system any more until sufficient funds are added.

In many cases funds are not added and the trader is left with a loss in his account and the words in his mouth, "This system doesn't work". If we initially fund our account with, say, $50,000 we can withstand a $10,000 or even a $25,000 drawdown and still have sufficient funds in the account to trade another day.

Properly funding an account is similar to using stops. We use stops because we do not know if our next trade will be a winner or loser. We properly fund an account because we don't know if a trading system will enter a drawdown period 2 days, 2 months, or 2 years from now. In both cases it makes sense to control our risk.

In some respects a trading system is similar to an automobile. It needs sufficient fuel in order to continue to move forward. If you knew exactly how much gas you needed to put in your car to make a typical 200 mile highway trip would you put only that much in? What happens to you if there is 10 miles of backed-up construction traffic and you find yourself inching along and burning more fuel than expected?

Properly funding your account puts you on the road to successful trading.

Good Trading and Good Life,

Tony Spann

SP Strategies

How asthma sufferers can live drug free and breathe freely

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Who else wants to know that asthma is an allergic inflammation of the lungs and it’s on the rise among Americans, particularly among African American children.

It’s estimated that between 20 and 40 million people suffer from the disease and its attacks can be debilitating and frightening, especially if the medication used to treat it produces unwanted side effects like anxiety and chest pain.

Fortunately, there are non-drug remedies to reduce the frequency of asthma attacks in Blacks and decrease severity when they do occur. Alternative remedies include acupuncture, breathing exercises, diet, environmental changes and nutritional supplements. Let’s briefly look at each.

1) Pins & Needles

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice that relieves pain and other conditions by the placement of small needles that stimulate certain responsive parts of the body’s nervous system.

It has been proven effective in maintaining proper lung function, a key necessity for asthma sufferers. Contrary to its painful image of pin and needle-pricked skin, most acupuncture patients find the experience totally painless and experience immediate relief from symptoms.

But effective acupuncture is both a science and an art and should be administered by licensed professionals only .

2) Take A Deep Breath

Most of us are guilty of shallow breathing – an especially serious problem for asthmatics who can’t exhale with force.

Air gets trapped in the lungs causing the gasping seizures so typical of the disease. Breathing exercises that fully engage the diaphragm to draw air in and out are an effective way to strengthen the lungs and control attacks.

Yoga adepts who emphasize the importance of good breathing as fundamental to good health recommend the following techniques. First, relax. Put yourself in a meditative pose and focus on peaceful imagery.

Second, breathe in deeply while visualizing your stomach (diaphragm) expanding and contracting, rather than your chest. Last, count your breaths. Inhale on three counts and exhale on six. Exhale through slightly parted lips.

3) Watch What You Eat - Your diet

Sugar, salt and processed foods are bad, bad, bad! They can trigger inflammation and allergic reactions that produce asthmatic episodes, so evaluate your diet and eliminate these no-no’s. Then use the strategy employed when introducing first foods to babies.

Eat only one food at a time – milk for example – to see if it triggers an allergic or asthmatic reaction. If it can be tolerated with good results, add other foods one by one to determine whether or not they’re a safe addition to your diet.

4) Supplement It

Vitamin therapy can be an effective deterrent to asthma seizures. Taken regularly, the benefits of Vitamins A, C and E and the B-complex vitamins are good sources of antioxidant protection that have proven beneficial for asthmatics.

Drug-therapy may be required for your asthmatic condition. But consider these alternative therapies as well.

The natural approach may help alleviate or eliminate your symptoms entirely while allowing you to take control in a gentle, proactive way.

You must create a plan for a future to have a drug-free asthma-free lifestyle. This includes a qualified medical practitioner who addresses your total health. Proper rest, proper breathing, proper exercise, proper nourishment, and a proper toxin-free environment. And remember to exhale completely!

Eddy Elton is the owner of website, Unique Asthma Treatment Secrets. You can subscribe to a free report by visiting his web site at Asthma Treatment and receive updates when the latest to be released on asthma treatment is available.

Refinance your fha home mortgage loan refinancing with the streamline process

You can now refinance your FHA loan with their streamlined process. With reduced paperwork, your lender can process your mortgage much quicker. There are some unique requirements to refinance your FHA loan, but you continued to be backed by the FHA through this process.

Basic Requirements

In addition to having a good credit record to refinance your home, the FHA also requires you to already be FHA insured and be current on your mortgage. Refinancing also has to lower the borrower’s monthly payment, and no equity can be withdrawn.

Refinancing Packages

Financing companies offer a couple of different refinancing packages for FHA mortgages. A common package offers no up front payment to refinance. Often these types of mortgages are touted as “no cost”, but you pay higher interest rates for this option.

Another type of refinancing package allows closing costs to be included as part of the mortgage amount. This option is only available if there is enough equity in the property, which is determined by a FHA appraiser.

You can also choose a traditional refinancing package where you pay loan fees and points up front. This option will give you the best rates.

Mortgage Terms

In addition to low interest rates, you can save money and build up your equity faster by choosing a short term loan rate. By converting from a 30 to 15 year mortgage, you qualify for a lower rate and reduce you overall interest payments by at least half.

If you have an adjustable rate mortgage, you can also save on interest rates in the long term by locking into a fixed rate mortgage. However, if you think interest rates will fall in the future, stick with an ARM.

FHA Lenders

Only HUD approved lenders can refinance FHA loans. Fortunately, most lending companies are HUD approved. You should also compare rates and fees of these lenders to be sure that you find the lowest rates and fees.

To save time, use an online mortgage broker to request quotes. Within a matter minutes you can have a list of lenders with their rates to compare. From this list you can request more information from lenders or apply online for speedy processing. Online lenders will also offer discounts since they have less overhead costs than traditional financing companies.

Debt consolidation can it really help those in debts

Debt consolidation is the act and process of taking out one loan to pay off many other loans and bills like credit card bills or student loans.

The main aim of debt consolidation is to basically reduce the total amount of loan repayment through interest rate reduction.

Many debt consolidation companies, programs and services have argued the benefits and advantages of debt consolidation when one is in cycle of debts. But the question is:

Is debt consolidation really useful in helping people get out of their debt problems?

While I agree that debt consolidation can help debtors solve their debt problems, many debtors really have much difficulty to get out of their debt problems even after they consolidate their debts.

Why is that so??

Think about it - Most of these debt consolidators are in debt problems because they spend on credit and are used to spending more than they can afford to. As such, they eventually run into debts in the long run since they are always spending more than they earn every month.

After debt consolidation – these debt consolidators will have their credit card balance clear and a single monthly loan payment (with extended repayment period).

With a lighter loan repayment amount, most of these people will begin to relax and usually over spend on their monthly budget again in the near future.

By doing so, they will eventually run into debts again. Thus, it is not surprising to see many people who have had consolidate their debts before to run into debt problems again.

How does one get out of debts?

Debt consolidation is a tool to help debtors get out of debt problems. Unfortunately, many have used it to increase their debt problems as mention above.

The only surefire way to get out of debts is really to adjust your spending habit and commit to a discipline lifestyle. If you ask me, the get out of debt formula is really simple:

It’s either to earn more money or spent less money.

The fun of starting a new business

So you had that fantastic business idea, the one that's going to be wildly successful and make you a fortune - even better, you actually did something about it and started your own business. Good for you! Not everyone gets that far. Most people sit and day dream about what they might do if only ....

"The world is full of dreamers, there aren't enough who will move ahead and begin to take concrete steps to actualize their vision" - W. Clement Stone

But you got over the biggest hurdle, that first step and you actually created something.

Well done - you did more than most. Now you have the day to day details of running your business so how do you keep going?

There are several things to look at here:

1. What are you good at and what do you enjoy doing? Make two lists - one of the jobs you like and one of the jobs you don't do very well. Take the second list and have a look at what you might outsource or automate. Do you love doing those accounts or would your time be better spent in forward planning while your accountant does the sums? Must you personally reply to every enquiry or could you create a FAQ which you can post on your website and refer people to by autoresponder? In the early stages of your business you might find you don't have the money to pay someone to do the jobs you hate. Could you swap skills to get the help you need?

2. Why are you doing this? You need to be motivated to start a business and keep it going. The best way to do this is to know what the effort is for. What really moves you to get up in the morning and do what you need to do even when you don't really feel like it? Write your reasons down. Find pictures of that house, or that holiday and put them where you can see them.

3. How do you deal with those bumps in the road? Not everything you do will be perfect - sometimes things you've tried will be a disaster - it's the way you react to problems that matters. If you curl up in a ball and give up at the first sign of failure you'd better not be in business. It's all about attitude.

4. Have a plan and stick to it as far as possible but be prepared to be flexible and open minded. Sometimes the most unexpected opportunities come and you need to be ready to seize them. - as Joe Vitale says 'Money likes speed'.

5. Get a mentor - learn from someone who has done it. Someone to bounce ideas off and who can encourage you when things get tough is invaluable.

And most importantly, never let anyone put you down and never be afraid of failure:

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat" - Theodore Roosevelt.

Don't ever forget that!

Sc sports car engine mainten

Tips on Sports Car Engine Maintenance

Buying a car today can be pretty expensive. The average car price is almost $23,000. That is definitely a lot of money, even for some of the typical and ordinary cars available in the market. This shows that the other types of cars like the sports cars are high priced.

With high quality of sports cars, it is important that owners learn how to maintain their car’s engine in order to protect their asset.

Sports cars are especially made for “sporting performance”. This means that its actual engine performance is on a higher level for speed, acceleration, maneuverability, and braking are compared to the other types of cars.

With these remarkable features, some sports car drivers tend to use its power even if they are not on a race. Therefore, maintaining the sports car engine is extremely important. Yet a sports car engine does not have to be powerful and large.

Here is a list of useful tips for maintaining sports car engines:

1. For average use, it is still necessary to check the sports car engine every 3000 miles. One of the primary engine maintenance tips is to change the engine oil along with the filter. This will ensure proper lubrication and performance of the sports car engine.

2. Check the other fluids in the engine such as the brake fluid, “automatic transmission fluid level (if applicable),” coolant, etc. These fluids are important in keeping the sports car engine’s performance healthy.

3. Always check the engine compartment for any signs of leaks. Leaks usually indicate a broken gasket.

4. Always look for some wear, breaks or cracks of the engine belts. Taking it for granted can create serious engine problems.

5. Be wary of spark plugs that are beyond the recommended 30,000-mile range. Old spark plugs that ore not working properly can deprive you of fuel efficiency.

It is important that all engine maintenance checks performed on a sports car should be recorded in a logbook. This will be very useful especially if the person who has done the maintenance check has forgotten the last date of oil change or other maintenance that was performed.

There is no other way to keep a sports car in top condition than to have a regular maintenance check-up on its engine. You must remember that the engine is the most important part of a car, especially the sports car; therefore, it should be properly maintained.

Visa credit cards are the lords of the rings

Jackie Chan the famous Hollywood actor tries all his stunts to be selected in a team that is going to China for the Olympics to be held at Beijing, but in the end it is revealed to him that if he is the holder of Visa Credit Cards then there is no other qualification required to be at Beijing for the Olympics. This is the reach and the hold of Visa Credit Cards. You name any event of international level, and Visa Credit Cards would invariably be one of the business partners. Visa Credit Cards is one of the most commonly recognizable financial services brands all over the world, which transcends the barriers of culture, language and civilization to offer the financial services in times of need. By extending the facility of Visa Credit cards, the holders of the services galvanize the conductance of global commerce by providing the platform to exchange information among financial institutions, merchants and consumers.

Through the Visa Credit Cards one is assured of making payment and getting payment in a sanitized, smooth and trustworthy manner in more than 170 countries and the adjoining territories. The story of Visa Credit Cards began in 1970 when it was registered in the state of Delaware as National Bank Americard Incorporation. From these beginning was initiated the system of electronic payments and settlement system through the use of Visa Credit Cards. The blue and gold flag of Visa Credit Cards got its shape in 1976 when Bank Americard was christened as Visa and from then onwards Visa Credit cards are known by this name across 170 countries, of myriad cultures and civilizations. Translated into specifics, the famous blue green logo of Visa credit cards can be found in prominent display at 27 million merchant establishments and more than 1 million ATMs showing this blue green logo foot map nearly whole of the globe.

Visa Credit cards are synonymous with any time any where ethos and this came into vogue in 1983 with setting up of ATM network on a worldwide scale by extending the facility of access to cash on round the clock basis throughout the year. The way modern business and travel associated with the leisure industry has evolved from 1983 onwards, has been contributed in no less a significant manner by Visa Credit Cards. The operations of Visa credit cards operate on a world class system of payments which nullifies the potential of fraud to the barest minimum. This is done by providing information to the member banks who are issuing the Visa Credit cards the information which is of real time value to them. Visa Credit cards are indeed the Lord of the rings as it was the first to come out with a chip which when embedded on to the card facilitated operation of all Visa credit cards, along with master card and Euro money on chip-reading materials of all kinds in a totally seamless manner. The payment systems operating through the Visa Credit cards reached the magical figure of US $ 1 trillion in 1997, which was a milestone of monumental propositions as far as the payment industry, is concerned.

Mastercard how and what card to apply for

Credit cards are one of the most popular and the most useful tools in today's world. With a credit card, you don't need to actually carry cash around to purchase items. All you have to do is charge it with your credit card and pay it off on a monthly basis.

One of the most popular credit cards used by people is a credit card with a MasterCard payment system. Besides, a MasterCard credit card can be used worldwide. So, if you are ever traveling to another country and want to go shopping, you can simply charge your purchases with the MasterCard credit card.

MasterCard is not just a brand of a credit card; it is a credit card that has a large network of banking facilities that is available worldwide and the most widely accepted credit card by merchants across the globe.

When applying for a MasterCard credit card or any other credit cards, you should consider a few things first before you fill out the application form. You should find out about the benefits that the particular credit card offers, such as rewards, rates and services.

With a MasterCard, you can be sure that there are a lot of benefits that you can have. You can get discounts on gas, frequent flyer miles, cash back and other rewards. In addition, MasterCard offers a very attractive introductory APR and regular APR, annual fees and others.

MasterCard is ideal for people who love to travel. This is because not only can you accumulate frequent flyer miles, you can also get discounts on airplane tickets. Also, it is the most widely accepted payment method by airports and airlines around the world. Shopping is also not a problem when you have a MasterCard. Since it is the most widely accepted credit card by merchants around the world, you can shop anywhere in the world without worrying about not having enough money.

All these seem very attractive but applying for a MasterCard credit card can also be difficult. This is because your credit rating will first be analyzed before getting your application approved by the bank.

Filling out an application form for a credit card isn't the only thing you should consider when applying for a credit card. You also have to consider your credit rating.

Credit rating is very important when you apply for a credit card, particularly a MasterCard credit card. This is where the bank will determine if they will approve your application for the MasterCard credit card or not.

People with a good to great credit rating can easily get a credit card but people with bad credit rating can really find it hard to get their application for a credit card approved. MasterCard credit cards in particular will require you to have a good credit rating.

If you don't have any credit rating, it would be wise to create one. You can do this by taking out a loan and paying it on time. By doing this, you will create a good credit rating and can really get you qualified when you apply for a credit card.

So, if you want a good credit card that offers a lot of benefits for their clients, you would want to consider MasterCard credit cards. Just make sure you have a good credit rating before you apply to avoid being rejected and add more damage to your credit rating.

The many uses of a hidden camera

A hidden camera is useful for many reasons, with one of the most popular being to monitor a home while it is left unattended. This may include a business trip or a family vacation, which means that your home is left empty. A hidden camera can silently monitor actions and movement that occur either inside or outside the home, depending on placement.

In addition to making sure that your home is monitored incase someone tries to unlawfully enter without your permission or cause damage of some type, a hidden camera can be used to help identify and prosecute a criminal. Quite often, a hidden camera is the only way to catch someone in the act. Whether it is in regards to your home, automobile or landscaping, the ability to protect your property is made easier with the use of a hidden camera.

Another popular use of a hidden camera is to monitor the actions and activities that take place when a babysitter is in the house. This is important to make sure that children are never abused in the presence of a babysitter and also to make sure that the child is being watched and fed properly. A hidden camera offers parents a way to know what goes on in their home at a time that they would have no other way of knowing, especially if the child is an infant who cannot explain what is happening when mom and dad are not at home. As an employee, a babysitter is hired to do a specific job and a hidden camera is simply a way of making sure that the job is done correctly.

Most businesses also use a hidden camera in order to detect shoplifting or other unlawful activities. This is very important in making sure that thieves do not go unpunished and may also help to convict the perpetrator if needed. A good example of how a hidden camera can detect dishonest behavior is when a gambler decides to cheat inside of a casino. According to most casino owners, there is a hidden camera at every turn and the system is set up to monitor almost every movement inside the facility, including that of the players, cashiers and dealers.

If you are considering the purchase of a hidden camera, make sure to shop around and find a model that is dependable and compact. The most important aspect of a hidden camera is that it can easily be placed in situations where it will not be detected. As a result, your hidden camera will monitor your home and everything that goes on inside, even when you cannot be there.

Is your child ready for kindergarten

Is Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?

When we think of going into the “preparation mode” as that first day of kindergarten approaches, the two areas we most focus on are the academic and the emotional. If your little one has conquered shapes, colors, counting and basic vocabulary, these are some of the academic skills that she should have as she heads off for that first day of formal school. You may have given her some home school or even preschool exposure to get those skills in place and all of that was good preparation for this big day.

From an emotional and social point of view, the big change from staying home with mom every day to being in an institutionalized setting is one that your child will cope with better with some preparation. So letting her meet the teacher, the other students, sit in on one day with you there and then have time to role play or talk through what it will be like all will be very helpful at reducing that feeling of disorientation that your kiddo may experience the first day at school.

But there are other areas of competency that you would do well to gauge in your child as she prepares for a day without you there to do everything for her. And if you start developing those check lists in the last full year before kindergarten, you have time to help your baby develop those skills well in advance. For example, when your child goes to lunch at school, she will probably go through a line to get her food, find a table on her own to sit with relative strangers to eat and have to get through meal time without guidance or encouragement. You can give her some of those experiences by eating at buffets where you let her handle her own tray and even pick the table and “be a big girl” by making all of the decisions.

The more independent your child becomes in that last few months before kindergarten, the more that feeling of self reliance will pay off when school starts. Being able to dress and undress herself is a basic skill that we work on with our children. And while this will not be necessary at school, there may be times when your child needs to go to the bathroom to adjust his or her wardrobe. And not having to have a teacher there with him will make this a much smoother operation.

The basics of being able to perform simple student tasks such as how to hold a writing implement, how to draw the basic shapes, how to color a picture and how to answer questions from the teacher without mumbling are things that can be worked on well before the first day at kindergarten that will make that transition much smoother for your child and for the teacher as well.

There are also mental or intellectual talents that your child can pick up just from being part of your family but they will be of great advantage in school. This includes being able to listen and understand a story and then ask intelligent questions about it, being able to understand humor and even make simple and appropriate jokes when the time is right in class and knowing the fundamentals of alphabet, numbers and vocabulary that will equip the child to start the curriculum at kindergarten without need for remedial help.

Observe and help your child develop the simple social skills of being able to enter a room and meet new people, understanding authority and rules and learning to live with them and making friends and identifying and avoiding problem personalities in class. These are skills that will go a long way toward facilitating a happy social life at school and learning to stay out of trouble which is a lifetime skill your kiddo will need throughout a long school career.

By thinking through not only the academic but the physical, hygiene, social, language and logical skills that are sometimes taken for granted, you cut down on the surprises that wait for your child on that first day at school. And the smoother that first day goes, the better her entire year at kindergarten will go which will lead to a happy and creative attitude toward school and education for life.

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Nonprofit debt relief companies

Consolidation is nothing but the process of negotiating the rate of interest that will ultimately determine by how much the borrower's payments will be reduced and what his overall settlement will look like. So any money above and beyond your normal payment is applied solely towards the principle of the loan.

There are numerous types of debt, including basic loans, syndicated loans, bonds, and promissory notes. Debt, especially large sums of debt, can also be secured through a mortgage or other security interest over some of the debtor's property, in which case the creditor will have some rights over that property in the event that the debtor becomes unable to repay the debt and defaults on the loan.

Debt is a hard thing to live with, reduce debts today! Debt consolidation allows a consumer to present their financial case to a lender who may be willing to take on the burden of paying off debts in exchange for one monthly payment made to the lender. You’re in for Disappointment If You’re Looking for Nonprofit Debt Relief Companies

In recent years, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has slapped fines on numerous fraudulent companies masquerading as nonprofit debt negotiation and debt relief organizations. The promises these companies make are tempting…but consumers who fall for it, hook, line, and sinker, are in for a disappointment.

Claims Made by “Nonprofit” Debt Relief Companies

Nonprofit Services – These organizations make a big show of helping you out of the goodness of their hearts.

Reduce Debt – No matter what type of debt you’ve incurred, these organizations are willing to promise they can reduce the amount of debt by a certain percentage (approximately 10 to 50%).

Better than Bankruptcy – Using frame psychology, these organizations give consumers the choice between do-or-die alternatives: work with them or risk bankruptcy. No Impact on Credit Rating – Working with a nonprofit debt relief company will supposedly have zero impact at all on an individual’s consumer rating.

What They’ll Ask You to Do

In return, these companies will ask you to pay a specific amount of fee for periodic intervals. For that fee, you can ignore your bills and stop paying your creditors. For that fee, you’ll let them do all the worrying.

The Truth about Nonprofit Debt Relief Companies

There are a number of different types of debt consolidation loans: home equity loan, line of credit, or second mortgage.

The main reason for this risk is that in order to secure a lower interest rate (and thus a cheaper overall payment rate), you'll need to present some sort of collatoral to back the loan. There are numerous groups, individuals, or products on the market that are designed to help individuals dig their way out of and recover from debt. Although these products are available, there are still thousands of individuals that choose not to receive assistance. It is true that some individuals may be able to recover from debt on their own; however, it will likely take a large amount of time and stress.

If you have some cash handy, you might as well pay off some debt, especially the one that is on higher APR credit cards. Some people have expressed skepticism that you can actually negotiate with creditors using our strategy or other creative methods of reducing debts.

Take a step back and ponder carefully on the claims made by these companies. Do they ring true? Do they sound too good to be true? If so, they probably are. These companies might be nonprofit on paper but that doesn’t mean they’re not earning from their clients. They can just as easily overstate their operating expenses to make their balance sheets reflect illusionary break-even margins.

An Example of a Fraudulent Nonprofit Debt Relief Company

Early in 2005, the FTC had filed a complaint against the National Consumer Council, a front group of debt relief and negotiation companies, for deceiving almost 45,000 customers seeking instant freedom from debt. Under the NCC umbrella were other companies with nice-sounding names like London Financial Group and Financial Rescue Services. Falsely claiming that all their clients’ debt problems would be solved simply by depositing money into their accounts and getting their services aggravated the debt situation of their clients instead.

Are There Truly Legitimate Nonprofit Debt Relief Companies?

Yes, although they’re very rare. The best way to personally determine whether a debt relief company’s for real or not is to ask for information from the Better Business Bureau and other similar institutions. They’ll be able to tell you if there are already consumer complaints filed against the debt relief company you plan to transact with.

It may be more convenient to make one payment rather than several. Or you can improve your cash flow in the short term by reducing monthly outgoings. But this may cost you more over time because you are paying the debt off over a longer period of time. In a credit card debt consolidation, your average interest rate may be reduced. All your loans can also be transferred to one single card that has a lower interest rate than the ones you are currently paying.

Stop spending on things that aren't absolutely necessary. Each individual will have to define what "necessary" means, but it may mean taking a sack lunch to work, bringing your own coffee instead of stopping at Starbucks, and canceling that subscription to HBO.

The first step toward taking control of your financial situation, is to do a realistic assessment of how much money you earn and how much money you spend. Start by listing your income from all sources. Then, list your "fixed" expenses — those that are the same each month — like mortgage payments or rent, car payments, and insurance premiums.

The difference between appraisals and assessments

Many people think appraisals and assessments are the same thing or at least that they should be for the same amount. The truth is they can vary greatly. Let’s look at each of them.

Appraisals

An appraisal is an estimate of market value. An appraiser can use many methods for coming up with this estimate. For income producing property, the appraiser may capitalize the value of the income stream. (It would take “x” dollars of capital invested at a “y” rate of return to produce an income equal to the rental income generated by this property.) For other properties, an appraiser may use “replacement value.” (It would cost “x” dollars to build this structure if it were being built today.)

Appraisers usually use “comparable sales” when evaluating the market value of a home. They look at nearby properties with similar characteristics, which have sold in the recent past to see at what price they sold. They typically give the most weight to the property they deem to be most like the property they are appraising.

Buyers and sellers generally encounter appraisals when the buyer’s lender has an appraiser make an evaluation of the market value of the property being sold. The lender wants to be sure of the value of the collateral for the loan. An interesting feature that comes into play in this situation is that one indication of value is at what price two unrelated parties will agree to buy and sell the same property. In other words, what is the contract price the seller and buyer of this property agreed on (if they are not relatives).

Assessments

An assessment is the value your local government puts on your property for the purpose of taxing it. How this value is derived varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Some communities say the value is the same as market value. Some say the value is a percentage of market value. Some appear to actually do what they say they do, and some do not.

I was once a partner in an investment property that we were offering for sale at the time the county re-assessed it. Imagine my annoyance when the assessment came in at one hundred and forty percent of the offer price. We weren’t dummies. The partners were real estate professionals. I appealed the re-assessment, but my appeal was turned down. I offered to sell the property at the assessed price to the appraiser the county had hired to handle the appeals when he was telling me why he could not reduce our assessment. He did not take me up on my offer. Our property sold at the listed price months later. We had paid six months’ taxes on the property at a higher than market value.

On another occasion I helped some elderly people sell a farm they’d lived in all their adult lives. The farm sold for a price a great deal higher than the value at which it had been assessed.

I believe the two examples are fairly typical. Many jurisdictions will “puff up” assessments for businesses and investors and “low ball” assessments for people who have lived in their homes for a long time. Sometimes there are formulas for doing this. “Land use” is one such concept, i. e., the property is taxed at its value as a farm and the fact that it is ripe for dense residential and commercial development is ignored or deferred. Sometimes there are no formulas. It is just done.

For these reasons, it is usually not a good idea to put too much credence in the assessed value of a property when you are trying to figure out market value. They may be the same. They may be vastly different.

Refinance your mortgage rate unless you re a woman

Behind many mortgages, there are two people. A man and a woman. While both of their names are on the paperwork, one of them never gets involved with the finances more than that.

This person never signs the check that goes out monthly to the mortgage company. Couldn't tell you what the mortgage balance is. Isn't sure what happens when the property taxes come due. And hasn't a clue about the homeowner's insurance (we have some, right?).

More often than not, this person is the woman. For some women, 'finances' is a dirty word.

If you are the woman in your household and you don't even know what the interest rate is on your mortgage, it's time to get involved. And here's why.

* You need to know for yourself where your food and shelter are coming from.

* You are a role model to your kids.

* You need to get financially educated so you can help YOUR mom when she needs you to.

* This world isn't heaven...when the unthinkable happens (and some version of it probably will), you need to be prepared as best as you can.

* You can't believe how good you'll feel when you learn to be in (better) control of your finances.

At this point you may be feeling overwhelmed. That's good! Because for many women, the feeling of overwhelm is a large part of what keeps them from getting involved with their family's finances. Now that you know that fact, you can do something about it. For starters...

* does your mortgage need refinancing? It won't take you much research to discover this one. Talk to your spouse or pull out your mortgage paperwork. What is the current rate? What type of mortgage do you have? Do a search online for 'mortgages rates' and you'll find a lot of information to get you started. Aim for learning enough to be able to have a reasonable conversation about the topic.

* what types of insurance do you have? Simply pull out a piece of paper and list all the insurance policies your family has. Identify each type of insurance (life, auto, home, etc.). Then do an online search on these insurance types and start reading. Look for informative articles, not insurance advertisements. If (when) you get confused, sit down with your spouse and ask questions. Or call up your insurance agent and make an appointment to talk. It's the agent's job to make sure you understand what you're paying for.

* do you have a household budget? For our discussion, you don't need to even worry if you are staying within your budget. Just play with the numbers and get comfortable knowing where your family's money is going. You are building awareness and understanding, not training to be an economics professor.

* do you have a will? How can you find out? Focus on asking questions one at a time and finding the answers to them. This will avoid a lot of overwhelm.

* go to the library and pick up a copy of any of Suze Orman's books. Read and absorb.

That's not so scary, is it?

Do yourself a huge favor and learn one or two new things each week about the financial world. It's a decision you will never regret and one that can have significant impact on the rest of your life as well as your family's life together.

Just take it one step at a time.

Obtain a free merchant account

You may have heard about the distinct advantages of offering credit-processing services to your clients, but do you know how to obtain a free merchant account? Many lenders request applicants to pay an online credit application fee that can run more than $100. Others waive this fee, but they then impose other types of costs, like an annual membership fee. Yet there are some lenders out there who offer a merchant account at no direct cost to business owners. While there will be expenses associated with processing transactions and performing service maintenance on credit processing equipment, some lenders will limit their merchant account costs to fees like these and provide the card account at basically no extra cost to the business owner.

To find out more about how to take advantage of this type of offer for a free merchant account, ask your business banker for details. If the bank cannot provide information, check with other business operators in your area to find out if they have merchant accounts and where they got them. Some may have a free account, so you will have to ask for details if they are willing to supply them. Otherwise, you can always use a search engine to browse the Internet for companies that provide a merchant account at no cost. Be wary about offers that seem too good to be true, as they probably aren’t true. Read the fine print in contracts, and ask about every type of fee you can think of. Some applicants have complained that “hidden fees” surfaced after their account was approved, forcing them to pay fees they did not anticipate. Leave nothing to chance.

Create a business plan that will put your free merchant account to good use. Don’t get a merchant account simply to have one. The primary advantage is to offer credit-processing services to your customers via a number of options. These might cost an initial outlay of company funds, but the return on your investment will be valuable in terms of the shopping convenience that will make visiting your company or your site a pleasant experience for customers. Develop a reasonable budget that will show you how much you can afford to invest in credit equipment like a terminal processor, perhaps one with a printer combined. Or you may prefer to get a wireless processor if you deliver goods or services to customers at remote locations. You also can get a pager to enhance communications within your organization. Or you may want to upgrade your phone system to include a digital program that lets customers dial in to place and pay for orders without the need for direct employee assistance.

Obtaining a free merchant account will release funding that might have been earmarked otherwise for account fees, allowing you to direct it to more needy areas of your operation. If you are able to negotiate a low per-transaction fee (especially one that is less than 20 cents per transaction) or a low monthly overall rate, your savings will be enhanced, providing additional savings that can be used in other parts of the budget.

For these and other reasons, apply today for your free merchant account!

Sex appeal and style in women s leather pants

One trend that seems to never go out of type is women’s leather pants. Get all of those misconceptions out of your mind and embrace the deliciousness that is quality grain leather. Yes, more individuals that bikers and cowboys wear leather pants and no, you will not squeak while walking down the street in leather pants. Yes, leather pants can be worn in the summer and also during the daytime. No, leather pants are not difficult to clean, nor are they outrageously expensive that only a choice few can afford them. If these are your reasons for not wearing a hot pair of women’s leather pants, you have run out of excuses, so get ready to shimmy and slither into a fantastic pair!

Leather pants are tremendously trendy, especially with today’s hot fad of the skinny pants. Virtually anyone can look fantastic while wearing skinny pants, and they work great with those super stunning stilettos or those big bulky boots. Keep in mind that any type of pants you choose should properly fit your figure. If you can’t wear skinny pants, then don’t buy skinny pants. Likewise, if you can’t wear low slung hip huggers, then don’t buy low slung hip huggers. You will look much better in a style that fits your body type than one that is popular, but looks awkward on your body.

If you are wondering what to wear with your women’s leather pants, the options are limitless. Unless you enjoy looking like a vampire hunter, drag queen, or dominatrix (and let’s face it, who doesn’t?), avoid wearing head to toe leather. Pair your steaming hot leather pants with a loose fitting top. One great thing about leather pants is that you can still be sexy and show off your curves without showing skin. For this reason, you can also choose a skin baring, super sexy top while still being appropriately covered. Everyone knows that bare skin overload (for example, a super mini skirt paired with a barely-there top) is horrifically outdated and even more inappropriate, so any outfit that include women’s leather pants is perfect for those who want to cover up without hiding their best assets.

Typically, women’s leather pants do not make their way into the work wear wardrobe, but today’s leather suits have completely shattered the mold. Usually, the only person that wears a leather suit is a bounty hunter or country music star, and neither look is particular attractive. However, by pairing your leather pants with a slim fitting leather blazer, you can create a spectacular look that is perfectly appropriate for wearing in a professional workplace setting. Be sure to offset your leather pants and blazer with a cotton or silk blouse. For an especially smart look, pair a crisp shirt with the leather outfit.

Leather is undoubtedly the fabric of amore, as few men can resist a woman in leather. Even though the “less is more” theory is a popular one with most men, there is something to be said about leather pants. Since leather hugs your curves and shows off your body, there is little left to the imagination, but the material is so buttery soft and inviting that they rarely stay on for very long once things get heated. However, if you would prefer to show a bit more leg, then hot pants are your best bet. Hot pants, yes another blast from the past, are back and sexier than ever, especially ones made of leather. These itsy bitsy pants keep the allure, feel, and look of leather, but still showcase your killer gams. What guy could possibly resist?

Consider a business credit card for your small business

Financing is always a consideration for newly established small businesses. During the early, critical years, adequate capital is necessary to nurture and to help the small business overcome its teething pains. The theoretical financial provisions made in the business plan may well not cover everything in practice. There are usually a couple of unforeseen and unplanned circumstances that will demand some additional cash. This is where a business credit card comes in really handy.

If you are asking whether it is absolutely necessary to have a business credit card, then the answer is: No, a business credit card is not an absolute necessity. But who says it cannot be of valuable assistance? The truth is that when a cash flow crisis arises, a business credit card offers you both the confidence and the cash to overcome the hurdle. Whilst financing the business from a credit card may seem a little expensive, it becomes essential if you need to buy a few items or pay for a transaction while your cash is still tied up in product inventory.

As long as you manage the payments on your business credit card properly, in other words, pay all the charges due for that particular period in full, it will actually help to have the business credit card in your wallet. The monthly credit card statements offer a useful way of keeping track of your expenses. Some business credit cards even come with a built-in microchip that downloads your account history when you log on to the website of your business credit card issuer.

As with any other transactions where debt is involved, there are some risks that you need to be aware of. Forewarned is forearmed.

The first risk is that that your personal finances will be inseparably connected with that of you business, especially during the early years of your having the business credit card. When you complete the application form for a business credit card, the terms and conditions of the contract will contain a stipulation whereby which you agree to assume personal liability for the business credit card in the same way that you would for a personal credit card. There is no problem with that if your business does well, and if there is sufficient cash to repay the business credit card debt. However, if the business should ever fail to cover payments that are due, the business credit card issuer will turn to you.

The second risk is related to your credit score. When you initially applied for the business credit card, the lender would have obtained both your personal credit record as well as that of your business. If the business misses its business credit card payments for whatever reason, this default will also be reflected on your personal credit report, thus affecting both your personal credit score and that of the business.

There is also the chance that if you run up too high a balance on the business credit card, lenders may decide that you are carrying too much credit - even if your payments are religiously current.

A business credit card is a valuable financial safety net for any small business; provided that it is managed with the same responsibility and prudence you would afford your own personal credit card.

Understanding the credit score rating scale

Anyone who has checked into their credit score has probably found the rating scale to be somewhat confusing. There are a bunch of numbers, each meaning something different. Understanding how this rating works will help you to read your credit score effectively.

There are several pieces of information reviewed by companies when they build your credit score. These factors include the following:

- Your past payment history

- When you pay your bills

- The amount of outstanding debt you have

- The length of your credit history

If you have a great deal of debt or you don't have a very long credit history, you will receive a lower credit score even if there are no "black marks" against you.

Recent credit applications also factor into your score. If you have made too many applications recently, this will cause you to receive a lower score. As will too much debt at high interest rates, such as high rate credit cards.

A score of 700 or higher is considered a good credit score. At this level, you shouldn't have any problems getting credit, and at a low rate of interest.

If your score is between 450 and 650, it indicates that your credit needs some work to improve it. At this level you'll likely have a harder time finding a loan or qualifying for a credit card without some type of security. You will also likely be paying a higher interest rate because you are considered a higher risk.

If your score is below 450, your credit is in need of some serious help. At this level you likely won't be able to qualify for a loan or credit card until you pursue some form of credit counseling to improve your score.

If your credit score needs improvement, there are a number of sources that can help. There are many credit counseling services available, many of which are free to use. They will be able to assess your financial situation and offer advice as to the best route to improving it - and your credit score along with it.

Different ways to organize your clothes

Different Ways to Organize Your Clothes

Everyone is unique and one way of organization isn’t necessarily going to work for all. Don’t read a how-to book on closet organization and feel that you must follow it to the letter. With any book of this nature, take from it what makes sense to you and then tailor it to suit your needs or wardrobe as the case is here. One way is to group all like items together, like your bottoms, tops, and sweaters, or you can group them according to category, work, home, or gym. Or take combine the two.

If your wardrobe is pretty consistent, meaning most of your clothes fall into one category (whether it is casual, business, or anything else), it might make sense to you to group all like items together. This method will allow you to pick one item from each grouping and you are ready to go with your outfit for the day. This gets a bit tricky if your wardrobe serves multiple purposes and it doesn’t make sense to group your track suit with your business suit.

If you fall into the latter category, have a separate section in your closet for your gym wear, casual weekend wear and your work clothes. Within these sections, you then should group all the pants, tops, etc. together to again make things as easy as possible for you.

Other options for organizing include color coordination – group all of your black items together, blue, brown and so on. When you are folding your sweaters, make different piles for your heavy sweaters and light-weight sweaters so you can choose based on the weather for the day.

Choose a system that makes sense and will work for you - one that you are going to be able to maintain for the long-term.

Fixed apr balance transfers better than a 0 apr

0% balance transfers offer great short term savings, free up money to pay down debt quicker, and can ultimately save consumers hundreds, if not thousands of dollars in interest over their duration. However, the very best 0% balance transfer offers on the market only last 15 months. For many, this is not enough time to completely eliminate their credit card debt and they are faced with a decision: pay the new regular interest rate or transfer their balance again. For most, a fixed APR balance transfer credit card never enters their mind. However, this balance transfer offer is often the best option for many credit card users.

First, let me explain a 0% balance transfer worst case scenario. An acquaintance of mine thought he could save a few thousand dollars in student loan interest by transferring his balance to a 0% APR credit card. The student loan had a fixed APR of 7.99%. He figured he’d save $1600 the first year on his $20,000 loan, then transfer the remaining balance to a new 0% APR credit card the next year.

What he didn’t realize was that its not always that easy to get approved for a new 0% APR credit card year after year, especially when you have a high amount of credit card debt. When it came time to transfer the $18000 left on his credit card, he was only able to get a $2000 0% balance transfer. He was stuck with $16000 of credit card debt with a 12% interest rate and the clock was ticking on his other $2000 in debt. Instead of a comfortable fixed APR of 7.99%, my acquaintance got stuck in a credit card nightmare.

Fixed APR balance transfer credit cards provide consumers with a much better way to pay down long term debt such as student loans or car loans at a set interest rate. Currently, some credit card companies are offering fixed APR credit card rates as low as 3.99% for the life of the balance. A rate such as this is lower than many student loan and car loan rates, and can provide consumers savings of 3% or even 10% on long term debt each year.

A fixed APR balance transfer is also a good option for individuals with high credit card debt considering a second mortgage to pay off their high interest credit cards. For example, a 3.99% fixed APR may be lower than a second mortgage’s interest rate and it wouldn’t involve costly refinancing fees. More importantly, however, is the fact that a fixed APR balance transfer doesn’t remove equity from your home.

0% balance transfer credit cards offer consumers great short term savings. In the long run, however, a fixed APR credit card provides a viable, interest saving option for those looking to reduce higher interest loans and credit card debt over a period of more than 12 to 15 months. Imagine how much better off my friend would be if he transferred his $20000 balance to a 3.99% fixed APR credit card instead of getting greedy with 0% APR credit cards.

©2006 Credit Card Depot Inc.