Forex Trading - The Largest Market In The World

Have you been looking for a way to make substantial income online? If you have, then you might have heard about forex trading. Most people do not have the slightest clue as to what forex trading is, or how it works. Understanding these concepts is a giant step toward successful marketing online trading.

   

   First of all, let us learn what forex trading is. Forex is a foreign exchange market place, where currencies from different countries are valued and exchanged. A lot of people have exchanged money when travelling from one country to another, and that is pretty much the extent of their knowledge in currency trading.

   

   Different currencies have different values. The forex market is a place to set those values. The word "market" usually makes one think of the New York Exchange, but the forex market functions by banks trading with each other, with no central market place.

   

   When starting out in the forex market, one needs to exercise common sense and good judgement. While it is possible for new traders to come in and make money, it is also possible that the money will be lost.

   

   So, is it easy to make money trading in the forex market? Forex brokers report that ninety percent of traders end up losing their money, five percent of traders break even, and the other five percent them achieve consistent profitable results. With these statistics, trading, in my opinion, doesn't seem easy! 

   

   But there are traders who have made it, and made it BIG! What seperates them from the rest is mainly education. They have learned every single aspect of foreign trading and have developed a system that works. It is a good idea to learn everything you can about forex, before attempting to trade. It is also a good idea to join a trading community, with a forum, as this is an easy way to learn about forex. By learning all that you can, before risking your money, it is a lot more likely for rewards to follow.

   

   There are a few things that every trader should take into consideration, that will help accelerate the process. They should have a trading system, they should learn about money management, and they should educate themselves in every single aspect of the forex trading market. There is also a lot of self-discipline required, to ensure you follow your trading system, or plan.

   

   Why would I want to trade in the forex market, you ask? Many reasons. But the best one of all, is that you can do it at home, online, twenty-four hours a day, five days a week. This means, that one could have their typical "day job", and still come home and take care of their trading business at night, or even in the early morning, before work.

   

   If you are interested in forex trading, and would like a FREE copy of the ebook "Forex Freedom", then please visit my website, at the address found below.

Life Insurance - Money Saving Top Tips

More and more people are buying life insurance online and the numbers seem to be doubling every two years. The reasons are clear. Prices are lower on the Internet and life insurance is fundamentally a simple insurance product. 

Despite the underlying simplicity of life insurance, most web sites channel their online clients through a telephone based help and advice service manned by experienced personnel. They represent your safety net so if a little technical knowledge is called for, help is at hand. 

But it’s always a good idea to have a few Top Tips in your back pocket when you’re shopping online for life insurance. They’ll help you ask the right questions and find the best policy. 

1. Always have your Life Insurance policy “Written in Trust”. 

This means that in the event of a claim, the money goes directly and immediately to the person(s) you nominate when you first take the policy out. It also avoids all possibility of your estate having to pay Inheritance Tax on the proceeds of your policy and that could represent a 40% tax saving ! 

All you have to do is tell the online brokerage organising your policy that you want your policy “Written in Trust” and the names of the people who the life insurance company pay in the event of a claim. They will then sort it all out for you. The extra good news is that this service is invariably free of charge. So it’s a win win situation and there aren’t many of those around these days ! 

2. In the early years a Reviewable Life Insurance Policy will be cheaper but a Guaranteed Policy will work out a better buy in the longer term. 

With a “Guaranteed Policy” the insurance company guarantees never to increase your policy’s premium. 

With a “Reviewable Policy” you agree that your insurance company can review the cost of your policy at regular intervals. But don’t be kidded – in our experience a “review” is just another word for a price increase. After all, who’s ever heard of an insurance company passing up a chance to charge you more! The review intervals are usually between 2 to 5 years but this does vary between insurance companies. You will find the details of the review intervals on the documents sent to you before you accept the insurance – these are called The Key Features Documents. 

So, comparing otherwise like for like policies, in the early years the premiums for a “Reviewable Policy” will undoubtedly be lower than the premiums for a “Guaranteed Policy”. Thereafter, the premiums for a Reviewable Policy increase eventually catching up with and overtaking, the premium for a “Guaranteed Policy”. 

In our experience, you can expect the monthly premiums for a Reviewable Policy to exceed those of a Guaranteed policy in about 7 to 10 years and then within the following 10 years, more than double again. If your budget is currently tight then by all means choose a Reviewable Policy - after all your salary may increase in coming years and ease the strain. On the other hand, if the premiums for a Guaranteed Policy are affordable, we think they represent your best buy. 

A footnote. Many insurance companies have stopped offering “Guaranteed” rates for standalone critical illness insurance policies. This because they have experienced much higher claim rates than they initially expected. However, you may still find a Guaranteed life insurance policy that also provides critical illness cover. As we have explained, “Guaranteed” rates are especially good value and if you can get a quote for a Guaranteed life policy that includes critical illness cover, you may have a real bargain. 

3. Thinking about a Joint Life Insurance Policy? 

A Joint Life Insurance policy is usually written on a first death basis. This means that the policy will pay out on the death of the first policyholder, subject to the policy being in force at the time. This leaves the second person uninsured and older. Older people can struggle to get life insurance at an affordable premium, so rather than a Joint Policy consider taking out separate policies now. Overall it will work out a little dearer - but you get twice the cover and double the peace of mind. 

4. Taking out a Life Insurance Policy? Now would be an ideal time to include Critical Illness cover. 

Are you likely to need Critical Illness Insurance in the future? Yes? Then consider adding it now to the life insurance policy you’re arranging. Why? There are three reasons. 

Firstly, a Life Insurance policy combined with Critical Illness cover will work out significantly cheaper than buying two separate policies. Secondly, as we have already explained in the footnote to Tip 2, you may be able to buy a combined Life and Critical Illness policy with a guaranteed premium. That could be a real bargain. Finally, premiums for critical illness cover increase rapidly as you get older – so the sooner you take it out, the cheaper it will be. 

5. Don’t confuse Terminal Illness cover with Critical Illness cover. 

There’s world of difference between Terminal Illness and Critical Illness cover so it’s important to understand the difference. 

Terminal Illness cover pays out the insured lump sum if a Medical Doctor diagnoses you with an illness from which the Doctor expects you to die within 12 months. Most good life policies automatically include Terminal Illness cover at no extra cost. It’s basically an early, and welcome policy payout. 

A Critical Illness policy pays out the insured lump sum if you are diagnosed with one of a wide range chronic illness and there is no life expectancy criteria. Indeed, with many of the insured illnesses you could expect to survive for many years. For example: certain cancers, heart disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, loss of speech, sight or hearing, onset of Parkinsons or Alzheimers disease, third degree burns etc. Say you were an engineer aged 40 and you lost your sight. A Critical Illness policy would pay out immediately and that money could well be vital in helping you and your family through many difficult financial years ahead. If you just had Terminal Illness cover there’d be no chance of a payout. 

So as you can see, Critical Illness cover is far more comprehensive than simple Terminal Illness cover and for that reason critical illness cover always costs you extra.

Fundraising Tips - The Follow-Up

The key to continued fundraising success is to follow-up afterwards: Supporters and participants need to be thanked.

Merchant contributors need to be debriefed on their results from participating. Records need to be gathered, copied, and stored.

Communicate the results to everyone involved. 

Informing everyone who took part in your most recent fundraising is of utmost importance. Nothing charges up your organization for the future better than a group celebration.

Give recognition to your volunteers. 

Enjoy the sound of "We did it!"

Conduct a post-mortem analysis of the fundraiser just completed.

Gather information and record impressions while everything is still fresh. Make notes about supplier relationships, any process problems, and what aspects need fine-tuning for the next time around. 

Gather those recommendations for future fundraisers. 

Brainstorm with your team and write down all the possible ways to improve. Circulate a written evaluation form to gather multiple viewpoints for the permanent file.

Make plans while everyone is still excited from this success.

Strategize how to increase the number of volunteers. Plan to promote those who excelled this time around to positions with more authority.

Ask your merchant supporters what you could do better.

In the long run, it's important to help them even more. Now is a good time to ask them for increased participation during your next big drive.

Review all records for completeness. 

Work up the statistical analysis covered in the section on Goal Setting (in my book Fundraising Success!). That will save time in the future when you want to set your benchmarks. 

Post the results on your website.

Let everyone see how ell you did along with multiple pictures of your team in action. When describing your success, be a shameless namedropper. Everyone likes to be thanked publicly.

Most importantly, put the funds you've raised to good use. 

Your fundraising follow-up is the foundation for your future success. Don't give this area short shrift. Pave the way for even better results next time.

The Three Stages Of Debt Consolidation Loans

If you are experiencing debt problems then one solution may be to take out a debt consolidation loan to sort yourself out. Getting into a spiral of debt doesn’t just affect your finances – it can be a stressful experience that can also affect your health and mental well-being. So, it makes sense to take action as soon as you can before the situation gets completely out of hand.

If your debts are worrying you – and remember, you don’t have to owe a whole lot of money to have debt problems – then there are three basic stages to debt consolidation that can help you make the right decision on what to do. Let’s take a look at your options.

Stage One – Decide what you want

It doesn’t matter how big or small your existing debts are – if they are a worry to you then debt consolidation loans could provide you with the right kind of solution. So, are your debts so bad that you need this kind of loan?

The first thing you need to do is to work out how bad your financial situation is. If, for example, you spend most of your monthly income on repaying your debts leaving you with little or no cash spare to live on every month then you may well need to look at this kind of solution. 

The problem with many debts nowadays is that most of us end up borrowing money on products such as credit cards and overdrafts. So, every month you may find that you are simply repaying the minimum sum allowed whilst high rates of interest are added to your initial borrowings. All too soon you can find that you aren’t making any headway at all to repay what you owe as more is added to it every month even if you have curbed your spending. So, you may find that you have to borrow more to even make the minimum payments which will only make the situation worse. If this scenario sounds familiar to you then a debt consolidation loan could be the answer to your prayers.

Stage Two – Look at what debt consolidation can do for your finances

The key advantage to a debt consolidation loan is that it will repay your existing debts for you. You’ll still have to repay this loan but it’ll cost you less and it will get you out of the spiral of debt increases. This kind of loan is usually a standard personal loan so the interest rate advantages you’ll get are huge. Personal loans have far lower interest rates than products such as credit cards, for example. So, you’ll have to spend less on debt repayment every month and less overall to repay your borrowings.

Plus, this kind of loan will give you just one monthly payment which can be set at a fixed rate so you will know exactly where you stand. If you have any doubts about what this kind of loan will do for you then do a bit of research first before you make a decision. Work out how much you currently pay every month on repaying your debts – then, if you log on to a specialist website such as www.uk-consolidation-loans.co.uk you can see how much a debt consolidation loan will suit you. And, you’ll get the instant peace of mind of knowing that your debts will be repaid at the end of the loan. There really is an end in sight here!

Stage Three – Get the best deal

Debt consolidation loans can come in various forms. If you prefer you can take out a specialist loan or simply opt for a standard personal loan. If you’re a homeowner you can opt for a secured loan or if you prefer or you don’t own your own property, then you can use an unsecured option. In any case, the key thing to remember is that you want a reputable lender with the best deal possible. It’s vital to keep the interest rates you get for your loan as low as possible to make sure that you pay back as little as possible over time.

The easiest way to do this is to shop around. In today’s Internet focused world you don’t have to do this yourself – there are many specialist sites that can help you find great rates and deals.

For many of us a debt consolidation loan can be the first step we take on the road to a debt free life. With this in mind it’s a solution worth looking at no matter what level of debt you currently have.

Currency Trading: Understanding the Basics of Currency Trading

Investors and traders around the world are looking to the Forex market as a new speculation opportunity. But, how are transactions conducted in the Forex market? Or, what are the basics of Forex Trading? Before adventuring in the Forex market we need to make sure we understand the basics, otherwise we will find ourselves lost where we less expected. This is what this article is aimed to, to understand the basics of currency trading.  

What is traded in the Forex market?

The instrument traded by Forex traders and investors are currency pairs. A currency pair is the exchange rate of one currency over another.  The most traded currency pairs are:

EUR/USD: Euro

GBP/USD: Pound  

USD/CAD: Canadian dollar

USD/JPY: Yen

USD/CHF: Swiss franc

AUD/USD: Aussie 

These currency pairs generate up to 85% of the overall volume generated in the Forex market.

So, for instance, if a trader goes long or buys the Euro, she or he is simultaneously buying the EUR and selling the USD. If the same trader goes short or sells the Aussie, she or he is simultaneously selling the AUD and buying the USD. 

The first currency of each currency pair is referred as the base currency, while second currency is referred as the counter or quote currency. 

Each currency pair is expressed in units of the counter currency needed to get one unit of the base currency.

If the price or quote of the EUR/USD is 1.2545, it means that 1.2545 US dollars are needed to get one EUR.

Bid/Ask Spread

All currency pairs are commonly quoted with a bid and ask price. The bid (always lower than the ask) is the price your broker is willing to buy at, thus the trader should sell at this price. The ask is the price your broker is willing to sell at, thus the trader should buy at this price. 

EUR/USD 1.2545/48 or 1.2545/8

The bid price is 1.2545

The ask price is 1.2548

A Pip

A pip is the minimum incremental move a currency pair can make.  A pip stands for price interest point. A move in the EUR/USD from 1.2545 to 1.2560 equals 15 pips. And a move in the USD/JPY from 112.05 to 113.10 equals 105 pips. 

Margin Trading (leverage)

In contrast with other financial markets where you require the full deposit of the amount traded, in the Forex market you require only a margin deposit. The rest will be granted by your broker. 

The leverage provided by some brokers goes up to 400:1. This means that you require only 1/400 or .25% in balance to open a position (plus the floating gains/losses.) Most brokers offer 100:1, where every trader requires 1% in balance to open a position.

The standard lot size in the Forex market is $100,000 USD. 

For instance, a trader wants to get long one lot in EUR/USD and he or she is using 100:1 leverage.

To open such position, he or she requires 1% in balance or $1,000 USD. 

Of course it is not advisable to open a position with such limited funds in our trading balance.  If the trade goes against our trader, the position is to be closed by the broker. This takes us to our next important term.

Margin Call

A margin call occurs when the balance of the trading account falls below the maintenance margin (capital required to open one position, 1% when the leverage used is 100:1, 2% when leverage used is 50:1, and so on.) At this moment, the broker sells off (or buys back in the case of short positions) all your trades, leaving the trader “theoretically” with the maintenance margin. 

Most of the time margin calls occur when money management is not properly applied.

How are the mechanics of a Forex trade?

The trader, after an extensive analysis, decides there is a higher probability of the British pound to go up. He or she decides to go long risking 30 pips and having a target (reward) of 60 pips. If the market goes against our trader he/she will lose 30 pips, on the other hand, if the market goes in the intended way, he or she will gain 60 pips. The actual quote for the pound is 1.8524/27, 4 pips spread. Our trader gets long at 1.8530 (ask). By the time the market gets to either our target (called take profit order) or our risk point (called stop loss level) we will have to sell it at the bid price (the price our broker is willing to buy our position back.) In order to make 40 pips, our take profit level should be placed at 1.8590 (bid price.) If our target gets hit, the market ran 64 pips (60 pips plus the 4 pip spread.) If our stop loss level is hit, the market ran 30 pips against us. 

It’s very important to understand every aspect of trading. Start first from the very basic concepts, then move on to more complex issues such as Forex trading systems, trading psychology, trade and risk management, and so on. And make sure you master every single aspect before adventuring in a live trading account.

Credit Cards For Small Business

For those that own a small business, having a credit card specific to small businesses can be a huge help to the company in a great many ways. However, if you are not careful, it could also have its downfalls as well. It is important to understand what the credit card company is offering, how you can take advantage of it, and everything that is involved with it. In general, a lot of small business owners see an offer and do not hesitate to apply and charge, without reading over the conditions and terms set forth by the company. This is where many small business owners make their very first mistake. If you fully investigate the credit card and know what you are getting into, it could have a lot of excellent rewards that could benefit the company. 

If you choose to apply for and receive a credit card for your small business, you should make certain that you take full advantage of the security aids they provide you, for example, prevention in overspending by employees and yearly consolidated statements.  Another excellent benefit of these types of credit cards, specific for small businesses is that you have the ability to closely watch your statements on a monthly basis, as well as use one method of payment for your entire outfit. These monthly statements will offer you a rundown of all charges made the credit card, this allows you to better understand where the money within your business is going. This will further allow you to made adjustments on where the money should be going, how much should be spent, and helps in creating a budget easier. 

Another excellent feature of a small business credit card, is that they allow you to receive a number of cards, that are perfect for handing to your employees that need to use it for company business and expenses. You have total control over this and can set the limit on those credit cards to your desired level, making certain that they cannot spend more money than you tell them they can. 

As with all credit cards, there are always a downfall, if you allow any overspending rather it be you or your employees, it could seriously damage your personal rating within your credit report. It is important that you be strict and in control on all aspects of the credit card, set limits with the company, and ensure that the balance is paid off in full each month.

Mortgage Basics for New Borrowers

The dream of owning a home is something that is on just about everyone's lifetime goal list.  It's one of the things that in some ways signals that we have made it in life and can bring great pride and a sense of accomplishment to many.  For many who pursue that dream it can be a confusing undertaking if they are not prepared for the home buying experience.  Without a doubt one of the most confusing and often misunderstood parts of the home buying experience is the mortgage process.  Sadly, most of us do not have the money to just buy a home outright, so we turn to mortgage lenders to help us finance the home of our dreams.

One of the first things anyone who is interested in owning their own home should understand is the role credit plays in the mortgage process.  You are getting ready to ask a lender to make a sizeable loan to you for an extended period of time - often upwards of 30 years.  For them to take on this risk, they need to evaluate your creditworthiness - or your ability to pay the money back.  They typically look at items such as your credit report which lists how you have dealt with other creditors in the past, your total household income and the price of the home you are willing to buy and where it is located.  Based on this information they then decide on whether to extend you the loan and at how much interest.  

Interest is an important concept to understand because over the lifetime of the loan you can expect to pay back double the amount of the loan value based on the interest rate - that $150,000 house has suddenly cost you $300,000.  Your goal in the mortgage process is to get the absolute lowest interest rate you can.

You also need to know how much house you can afford.  Most mortgage lenders typically look for you to spend no more than 30% of your monthly income on house payments.  Of course, the longer the mortgage term and the lower your interest the more house you can afford to buy.  It is important to buy something you can easily and comfortable afford - the last thing you want to do is find yourself in a crisis situation unable to pay your monthly mortgage payment!

Next, be sure you have saved up a sizeable cash reserve before jumping into the home buying process.  You are going to have to pay things such as closing costs (which can be upwards of 5% or more) and pay as much of a down payment as you can to reduce your loan amount as much as possible.  You then will want to have a little reserve left over to furnish your new home and take care of any needed repairs - remember, you own it now and it is up to you to repair it if something breaks!

If you are confused about the mortgage and home buying process, don't feel as if you are alone.  Many people share the same concerns and fears as you do.  Often times in your community there are local first time home buyer groups that meet with experts from the banking and real estate industry there to answer your questions.  Ask your realtor about whether such a group exists and when the next meeting is.   The home buying process doesn't have to be a terrifying experience, and if you come prepared you can win big by getting the best deal possible on your mortgage while getting the house of your dreams.

Flexible Loans

Our leading lenders offer a wide variety of competitive loan products, including flexible loans. These are available in range of different amounts and repayment terms. Loans can be used for many purposes including buying a home or a car, going on a holiday or for debt consolidation.

If you are thinking of using flexible loans to consolidate debts then you have a couple of things to consider. Although you could be paying less than the sum of your present debts with your monthly repayments, you will be paying for a much longer time. You could also find that having just one creditor will reduce the pressure you may have been under from your present creditors. Even though you may have to pay early settlement charges to your creditors when you pay off your debts you could save a lot of money, especially if you use a secured, low interest loan. It will also help you to bring your debt under one roof and work towards lowering your debt in the future. It is vital that you make sure that you can afford the repayments before you take out a debt consolidation loan.

The main categories for flexible loans are secured and unsecured loans. Unsecured loans do not require the borrower to provide the lender with any security to back the loan and this added risk to the lending company results in higher interest rates. There is less risk for the borrower but if they fail to pay back the loan the lender could take them to court. In the case of secured loans, of which a mortgage is a prime example, the borrower provides the lender with collateral, their property. This is low risk for the lending company because they always have the property as insurance if the borrower defaults on repayments and fails to repay the loan. The borrower is risking their home and this why it is so important that you make sure that you can afford the repayments on a loan before committing to an agreement. Secured flexible loans are usually approved faster than unsecured loans but can take longer to process.

Flexible loans are repayable on a monthly basis and you will be charged interest by the lending company. This is called the Annual Percentage Rate or APR and the exact amount you are charged will be determined by the amount you borrow, the repayment term and the lender’s view of your ability to pay back the loan as agreed. This is where your credit history, the equity in your property and your circumstances are considered. The typical rates advertised by lenders are only an indication of the APR you are likely to get but not a guarantee.

Depending on the loan company, you could be given the flexibility to make over-payments and to pay in lump-sums with flexible loans. This will allow you to clear the debt over a shorter period than agreed at the outset and can potentially save you a substantial amount of money. You may even be able to withdraw amounts from the loan account, providing you stay within you credit limit. A further option is payment breaks which will allow you to take a break from you monthly repayments at the beginning or during the term of the loan. An adjustment will be made to your monthly repayments to include any accrued interest so that you still pay off the debt in the term agreed.

International Investing: It Makes Sense

Of the world's 40,000 publicly traded companies, 77 percent are located abroad, a pretty good sign that there are compelling investment opportunities outside the United States. Viewed another way, 51 percent of the world's $38 trillion total market capitalization belongs to the international arena. U.S. mutual funds hold $491 billion in overseas investments.

With so many potential investments outside the United States, investing internationally becomes a great way to diversify an equity portfolio. Some people contend that there is an increasing correlation in performance between the United States and international markets. But while world markets often tend to react similarly to news or developments occurring around the globe, over time, international and domestic markets tend to behave differently, helping to smooth out the ride in a diversified portfolio.

Consider the performance of the Morgan Stanley Capital International Europe, Australia and Far East Index, which charts the progress of stocks in developed markets located in Europe, Australia and the Far East, versus the S&P 500, considered representative of the broader U.S. stock market. When one is going strong, the other tends to lag behind, and that has been the case going back as far as 1970. In addition, when the MSCI EAFE outperforms the S&P 500, it has done so by a greater margin than when performances are reversed.

In fact, during the past 10 years, the U.S. stock market has never been the leader in the global investment arena. Top performance has been the exclusive domain of international indices during that time, and the returns of the S&P 500 sometimes have lagged those of overseas peers by wide margins.

Global funds invest about half in the United States and half in the rest of the world, making them a smart way for someone with little or no experience in international investing to test the waters. A good example is American Century Global Growth, whose managers scour the globe for the best growth investment opportunities for the fund's shareholders.

You should consider the fund's investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses carefully before you invest. The fund's prospectus, which can be obtained by calling or visiting American Century's Web site, contains this and other information about the fund and should be read carefully before investing.

Do I need Health Insurance?

If you think you do not need Health Insurance; then think again. The unpredictable nature of life is itself a valid reason to own a health insurance. Life is filled with risks. Wherever there is an element of risk, risk management is indispensable. Insurance is just a form of sensible risk management.



So, what is health insurance? To put it in simple terms, a health insurance policy is an agreement between an individual and an insurance company. The policy will include a host of benefits such as medical tests, medicinal drugs and other medical treatments. When an Insurance policy is issued by the company, then it implies the insurance company has agreed to cover the cost of a particular set of benefits listed in the policy, which are known as "covered services".



So, when a particular service is not covered by the insurance company and you have it performed anyway, the insurance company "denies the claim." In such a situation, the individual will be left with no other choice, but to pay for the service out of his own pocket. However, the policy holder has the right to challenge the insurance company’s denial, by following the appeal process mentioned in the plan handbook. But, it is advisable to do so after consulting the doctor in this regard.


It is also very important to read the terms and conditions of the insurance policy clearly, before signing up for one. This is to ensure that your hard-earned money is not invested in a policy that does not meet your needs. It is also important to bear in mind the fact that decisions pertaining to what will be and what will not be reimbursed are made by the company, and not by the doctor. So, even when a shadow of a doubt about the policy arises, it is advisable to call the insurance company for support.


In conclusion, when considering the purchase of health insurance it is important to consider all of its merits. One has to realize that the money that is involved in purchasing a medical insurance is very little, when compared to the cost incurred in undergoing some major medical services. Moreover, insurance policies may also be tax deductible, in which case you can be said to be paying for your policy with money you might have otherwise given to the tax man. These are some of the financial incentives of having an insurance policy. Excluding the protection to family and oneself, however, the greatest benefit is that possessing a health insurance policy would also ensure peace of mind to the policy holder, a significant psychological benefit. In light of all these advantages, it really wouldn’t be such a bad idea to own a health insurance policy.

Fundraising, Successfully

School budgets are short. Cities even need help. On top of that, there are all sorts of organizations that are looking to make some extra money to help fund them. Fundraising is the perfect thing to do just that. If you are looking for some remarkable method of fundraising to turn your school or organization around, there are plenty to choose from, but they may not all be remarkable. In fact, sometimes the simplest of plans works the best.

In fundraising, you need to consider two things. First, you need to understand what the percentage of sales you will receive through the fundraiser. This information should be in writing and put right in front of you before you start with the company. Simply, how much are you going to make off of each sale that is made? 

Secondly, you’ll need to insure that the products that are being sold as a fundraising tool are worth it. Perhaps they are marked up some to help you get your profits, but they still have to be some type of product that people need if you want them to purchase it. For example, you may want to have a fundraiser that provides Christmas purchases at that time of year. Or, in the middle of winter, a fundraiser could be hot chocolate, candies and candles. When the product is something that the individuals will want, they will be more than likely to make a purchase.

How you present the information is important as well. Make sure to tell your prospective customers that you are raising money for the Boy Scouts or you are helping to afford the school a new computer. When they know what the money is going towards, people are more generous as well. 

By taking the time to plan well for your fundraiser, it can be more successful than you realize. If you plan to do fundraising, do it with your best foot forward every time.

Debt Consolidation Company – Qualities To Compare

When you decide that using a debt consolidation company may be your best route out of debt, you’ll need to do some research to be sure that you choose the best company for your needs. There are a variety of qualities to compare, ranging from the industry reputation of the companies you are considering to the specific characteristics of the consolidation program to the rate and fees charged for services. Careful consideration will help you to avoid potential pitfalls and to move towards achieving your financial goals.

Know Your Company

This is one of the most important factors of choosing your debt consolidation company. This is an industry that has experienced exponential growth. Furthermore, it services people who are often vulnerable, due to a lack of in-depth financial knowledge and experience. Thus, there are a lot of predators among those that are truly dedicated to helping you find your way out of debt.

There are debt consolidation companies that are run for profit and those that are non-profit. It is important to note that just because a debt consolidation company claims non-profit status does not make it trustworthy. In fact, some of these companies request higher fees than those run for profit. You’ll have to research any company you consider.

The Better Business Bureau is a good place to start. However, predatory companies often change names quickly and try to stay under the radar. Thus, a good rating via the Better Business Bureau is not always a sure predictor. Use the Internet to run a search on the company name and the individuals heading the company.

Understand Services Offered

The most obvious qualities to compare concerning the services offered by various debt consolidation companies are fees, rates and terms. There are other important qualities to compare as well.

You’ll want to compare the amount of time each company is prepared to spend with you working out a plan to fit your needs. The best companies are willing to spend time preparing an individualized plan for you that not only is geared towards helping you out of your current financial situation, but also towards helping you to develop the money management skills to avoid being in the situation again. Those that just hurry you through – promising fast and easy solutions, just sign here – are most likely just interested in adding another set of fees to their profit margin.

In order to compare, you’ll need a clear understanding of how the offered arrangements will work, including a projected date at which you will have everything paid in full. You’ll want to make sure that the debt consolidation company keeps meticulous records of negotiation with and payments to creditors, and that you will have easy access to necessary documents for your records.

When it comes time to choose a debt consolidation company, making a list of qualities to compare can help you to choose a company that can help you to bring you financial life under control. Time spent in asking questions and doing research will go a long way towards protecting you from predatory companies and let the company you do choose know that you are serious about your money and your goals.

Advantages of Currency Trading

Foreign exchange trading involves buying and selling different currencies. It works on the theory that is similar with share market. As we know that to make the profit, you have to buy at lower price and sell at higher price, or we can also sell at higher price first and buy at lower price. But its not as easy as it sounds. By studying certain market conditions, you can actually make profits in forex. All you have to do is to analyze the forex in a correct way and do the good trade.

Why to go for Foreign exchange trading? There is an option to invest in stock market also but here are a few important advantages of currency trading over stock market.

24-hour Trading

Forex trading is done on 24-hours basis. This market is open throughout day and night as somewhere in the world, there must be this buy and sell trading is going on. Traders involved in forex trading strategy can always get that first hand information and can act accordingly. The currency rate is actually run through telecommunication all over the network of banks 24 hours a day from 00:00 GMT on Monday to 10:00 pm GMT on Friday. There are ECNs (Electronic Communication Networks) which bring together buyers and sellers.

Greater Liquidity

There is a superior liquidity in the market as there are always buyers and sellers to purchase and sell foreign currencies. Forex trading market size is 50 times bigger than the New York Stock Exchange and liquidity of such large market ensures price stability. Forex trading stop orders could be carried out more simply. This makes Forex trading signal more liquid and permits Forex traders to take benefit of trading opportunities as they happen rather than waiting for the market to open the next day.

100:1 High Leverage in forex trading

100 to 1 leverage is commonly available from online forex dealers, which substantially exceeds the common 2:1 margin offered by equity brokers. This gives them a huge leverage in their trading and presents the potential for extraordinary profits with relative small investments. Leverage can also go the opposite way and may lead to huge losses if you are not careful.

Forex trading transactions have no commissions. Forex Brokers can earn money by fixing their own speculation between what a currency could be bought at and what it could be sold at. In difference, Forex traders have to pay a commission fee or brokerage fee for every futures transaction they come in to the view. The forex market is so large that no one individual, bank, fund or government body can influence it for a long period of time. In forex trading strategy, you can trade between seven currencies but not everyone trade in all.

There are certain trading signals that give indications to the trade. These forex signals are delivered by email, instant messenger or direct to your desktop. Some services even offer auto-trading, allowing you to auto-execute their trading signals direct into your broker account. For more about these forex,forex trading strategy,forex signal, visit: www. connection2forex.com

Business Credit Cards Guide

Business credit cards are a helping hand for those entrepreneurs who are running their own businesses. A business credit card not only acts as a line of credit but can also help to provide you enough control in managing your company s finances and cash.  When business credit cards were first introduced it was mainly aimed towards corporate executives. However, this trend has changed and nowadays even small business owners can acquire business credit cards fairly easily. Business credit cards have become a versatile tool which allows business owners to utilize effectively over time as their business needs change. 

A majority of the business credit cards come with a wide range of features including cash advances, cash rewards, airline miles, one-call emergency service, and insurance coverage. The features included in a business credit card vary from one card provider to the other, but most of the credit card companies offer an attractive introductory rate for the first few months from the date of opening your account.  After that initial period the customer will be required to pay a higher ongoing APR and the card also might require an annual membership fee.  

One of the major advantages of a business credit card is that it provides a significant increase in financial control. The cards allow you to simplify and manage your business expenses well, eliminating the need to use a personal credit card for business expenses. Another most important feature of a business credit card is that small business owners can make use of these little pieces of plastic to provide financing or emergency "bridge loans" for their business when stuck in cash flow shortages. And even thought it is not explicitly stated in the business card features, business owners have made use of business credit cards for start-up funding as well.  

Nowadays, there are myriad small and medium sized companies which make use of business credit cards as an efficient financing tool. There is a wide variety of credit card issuers that offer business credit cards with various schemes and features. Because of the many opportunities available, it is highly recommended to thoroughly contrast and compare business credit cards to select the ideal card best suited to your specific business needs. 

Tips for Choosing a Business Credit Card

Before you apply for a credit limit on a business credit, make an estimate of your monthly business expenses and your history of repayment. Make sure that you apply for a credit limit that you know is within the bounds of your expense limitations, but equally important, will also take into account the growing needs of your business. 

If you have several employees working under you, you need to determine how many cards your business may need and which employees will require cards for business expenses. Obviously, before you issue cards to any employees make absolutely sure that they are trustworthy. 

Also, make sure that during this process that you determine your business requirements for ancillary services. That is, if you or your employee has to travel regularly for business needs, then it is a good idea to find out those business credit card issuers who offer free air miles, travel insurance, and hotel discounts. 

Be careful about the introductory interest rates offered by business credit card issuers. Most of these offers are designed to entice new customers and after an initial period of six months to one year, the interest rates will increase substantially. So when comparing business credit cards, one of the most important things to check is the regular interest rate versus the introductory APR and which card compares favorably in that regard. 

So if you are planning to start a new business venture, try to utilize the entire suite of benefits that a business credit card offers that can fund, track and reward your business activities.

A Quick Guide To Bad Credit Mortgages

Trying to buy your own home but can’t get a mortgage because of your bad credit rating? Stop applying for regular mortgages now and start looking at the bad credit mortgage market.

Traditional mortgage providers rarely offer their mortgage products to people with bad credit. Why? Because if you’ve had trouble paying your bills, credit cards or loans in the past, you’re a bad risk. Lending you tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds could be a bad idea.

The recent increase in the number of people in this situation, however, has meant that demand has risen for suitable mortgage products. The larger lenders are still wary of bad credit risks, so it has fallen to more specialist lenders to fill the gap in the market. Consequently, the bad credit mortgage market is growing, and is competitive, which means that customers suffering from poor credit can find a range of mortgage products that suit their needs and that help them get their finances back on track.

So, what is a bad credit mortgage?

A bad credit mortgage is a financial product that’s specifically designed to let you buy your own home even if you have a bad credit rating.

• Interest rates on these mortgages are typically marginally higher than for traditional mortgages. This is because the risk to the lender is higher.

• There may be some additional conditions on your mortgage, which are placed there to give security to the lender. These might include a larger arrangement fee at the start of the mortgage, or stricter redemption penalties.

• These mortgages are usually only made available through specialist mortgage advisors, who, in the UK, must be authorised by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).

• A bad credit mortgage can help you to address your financial difficulties and even to improve your credit rating over the long term.

Getting rejected by lenders for traditional mortgage products is something that gets added to your credit history. Avoid this by speaking to an independent, experienced mortgage advisor who can help you buy your house with a mortgage that’s designed for people in your circumstances.

Fast Loans

For competitive fast loans you can’t beat our selection of loans from our leading lenders. You may want to renovate your home, go on a holiday, buy a new car or perhaps you want a loan to settle your outstanding debts on credit cards, store cards or arrears on monthly bills. Whatever your reason, our fast loans could be the answer. 

Depending on whether or not you own your own home and your investment preferences, you have a number of options available to you. The two main categories of fast loans are secured loans and unsecured loans. A secured loan is one which requires the borrower to provide the lender with some form of security, their property. The borrower’s home serves as insurance against the loan which means that the lender is taking a fairly low risk while the borrower could lose their home if they fail to pay back the loan. This is why interest rates for secured fast loans are generally lower than for unsecured loans. With an unsecured loan there is no obligation by the borrower to offer any form of security or collateral and this means that the lender takes a higher perceived risk and as a result charges higher interest rates. It is wise to make sure that you can afford the repayments on fast loans before committing to an agreement because if you default on repayments and do not pay back the loan as agreed, you will eventually lose you home. Even with unsecured loans, lenders can act aggressively to protect their investment. 

Fast loans are available for various amounts and repayment terms and are repayable on a monthly basis. You will be charged interest on the amount you borrow and the interest rate applied is known as the Annual Percentage Rate or APR. Generally, lenders quote a typical interest rate which is the average rate that over 50% of their successful applicants have received in the past. This is merely an indication of the rate you are likely to get but the exact APR you are offered will depend on the amount you want to borrow, the type of fast loan you choose, the repayment term and your personal situation and credit record. You will also notice that lenders refer to fixed and variable interest rates. A variable rate could rise and fall with the bank base rate so your monthly repayments could also vary throughout the term of your loan, not ideal if you are working to a tight budget. You could however benefit if the bank base rate drops and your interest rate follows suit. With fixed interest rates your monthly repayments are set for the entire term and will not fluctuate with changes in the bank base rate. If a lender quotes a set interest rate then this is the rate that all applicants will receive regardless of the amount of the loan, term or the credit rating of the borrower.

A good way to compare fast loans is to look at the APRs as this is an indication of just how competitive they are. Some lenders may offer lower interest for the same loan if you apply online and this is worth taking a look at. To help you shop around we can give you access to our competitive selection of fast loans from our top lenders – just fill out our simple online form. You’ll get a fast response and enjoy our efficient and professional service.

Investing With Confidence

Most people’s beliefs about investing are very tenuous. There are, of course, people who are very passionate about investing. They don’t view investing as some esoteric subject, but rather as a field intimately connected to the human behavior they observe in their everyday lives.

For everyone else, however, beliefs about investing come in the form of passive knowledge. The tendency is simply to accumulate an inventory of conventional dictums. Investing beliefs are formed much the way a student prepares for a test. If the subject of investing were as simple as a third grade spelling bee, this wouldn’t be a problem.

But, investing is a far more complex subject. That isn’t to say it is necessarily a difficult subject. For some, it is relatively easy. But, it is never simple. An investor can not analyze relationships with the certitude and precision a physicist can. The investor is concerned with human phenomena, which are necessarily complex phenomena.

The complexity of the subject is what makes it appear so difficult. While you can develop a set of guiding principles, it is impossible to devise rules that will lead you to the best course of action in each and every case.

If you try to build an intellectual edifice based on principles such as high returns on equity, strong consumer franchises, low price-to-earnings ratios, low enterprise value-to-EBIT ratios, high free cash flow margins, and rock solid balance sheets – you will fail.

The entire structure will collapse, leaving the architect disillusioned. Why? Because the items listed above are desirable attributes – nothing more and nothing less. They are not true principles. Even as rules of thumb, they are badly flawed. Ultimately, investment decisions are not made about general classes; they are made about special cases.

Every investment decision requires good judgment and sound reasoning. You need to start with the correct principles. But, principles alone are not enough. You aren’t being asked what the law is, you’re being told to apply the law to the case before you.

This is where a lot of people start to feel overwhelmed. Having learned that investing is not simply a matter of running down a checklist, they don’t know where to begin.

The answer is to start with what you know best. Begin with your most strongly held beliefs. Subject them to honest scrutiny. Then, and only then, apply them to the case at hand.

Do you believe the concept of intrinsic value is a valid one? Do you believe it is a useful model? If so, then begin there. What does the concept of intrinsic value really mean? What conclusions follow from this belief?

In the case of intrinsic value, the most difficult conclusion you’ll have to grapple with is the idea that you can pay too much for a great business. For some, this is a relatively simple conflict to resolve. For whatever reason, they prefer cheap merchandise to quality merchandise.

For others, the conflict between intrinsic value and investing in great businesses is painfully difficult to resolve. But, if you are ever going to have confidence in your judgments, you have to be willing to submit your investment beliefs to honest scrutiny. You have to be your own prosecutor. You have to present the evidence against your thesis.

If you aren’t willing to do that, you’ll end up questioning the investment beliefs you do hold every time you underperform the market. Many proven investment techniques have lagged the market over short periods of time. Occasionally, the performance gap has been very wide. Regardless of whether you adopt a primarily qualitative or primarily quantitative approach to investing, this short-term underperformance is unavoidable.

It’s avoidable in the sense that a good investor can get lucky and not suffer a down year for a decade or so. Likewise, it’s possible to outperform an index year after year – if you’re lucky. But, it isn’t possible to adopt a strategy that guarantees such outperformance.

The best you can do is adopt a strategy that offers the right odds. A series of investment operations undertaken in accordance with such a strategy will not guarantee favorable outcomes in every case, but it should provide satisfactory results over the long-term.

There’s more than one way to skin a cat. I don’t want to encourage dogmatism. But, I do want to make sure you do not confuse that which is conventional with that which is reasonable. There is a lot of conventional, moderate sounding advice given to investors that does not hold up to careful scrutiny.

The most obvious example is diversification. Making a series of bets on separate high-probability events is an excellent idea. Diversifying across several different asset classes and hundreds of securities is something entirely different. Even if there are hundreds or thousands of excellent investment opportunities, it does not follow that an investor ought to make every reasonable bet. After all, some will appear to be more reasonable than others. There is no sense in taking on several difficult tasks in the hopes of achieving a result that can be produced by taking on a few very easy tasks.

You don’t have to agree with me on all these issues – most people don’t. But, it is vital that you question the unstated assumptions upon which an investment operation is based. You might come to the same conclusion as those who engage in wide diversification. But, you need to come to that conclusion on your own.

Many investors have not even bothered to consider the underlying premise of diversification. They aren’t really sure why diversification is a desirable strategy. They don’t know how it minimizes risk or at what point the benefit from adding an additional position becomes immaterial. Diversification may be a prudent strategy. But, you can only decide that for yourself after you’ve considered the benefits in terms of risk reduction and the detriments in terms of selectivity reduction.

If I were forced to spend my life betting on horse races, I’m quite certain I would bet on very few races. Whenever I did bet on a race, I’d bet on several different horses.

Why? Because I know more about people than I do about horses. The likelihood that a few horses in a few races get too much favorable attention seems much greater than the likelihood that I could ever make reasonably specific judgments as to which horse is most likely to win a given race. Of course, I would do best if I didn’t bet on any horse races at all.

So, the question is whether stocks are anything like horses. I don’t think they are. When it comes to businesses, I’m a lot more comfortable with the idea of picking the few winners from the many losers – especially when the odds get out of whack. The one tactic that would remain the same is inaction. Acting less and thinking more is sound advice wherever money or commitment is concerned.

A successful investor has to have confidence in his judgments. I don’t know how you can gain that confidence without subjecting your beliefs to honest scrutiny. An unexamined philosophy will never exorcise your deepest doubts – and for as long as these doubts remain, you will be unable to find the confidence you seek.

Life And Health Insurance

Buying life and health insurance products is something that many of us keep putting off for as long as we possibly can. We know that we should buy into these insurance policies but we tend to shelf the idea, preferring to live for today rather than plan for tomorrow. Rather like an ostrich sticking its head in the sand, a lot of us it seems choose to take our chances in the hope that our circumstances will never merit the use of life or health insurance. But it can be an awfully big gamble to take.

Advantages of a life and health insurance policy

As we get older we often become more susceptible to health problems, disability and poor mobility; eventually of course we will all die. Both situations are naturally very distressing for family and dependants. However, the situation can be made worse if the ill / deceased was the main income producer and there are still bills to pay. The last thing anybody wants in this situation is to have the bailiffs knocking at the door, or your home repossessed because you cannot keep up your mortgage repayments.

A life and health insurance policy combines cover for the likely and the inevitable. By opting to take out a life and health insurance policy you and your family will have peace of mind that should you become critically ill or die during the term of the policy, your family and dependants will be financially secure. There will be no worries about bailiffs or repossession orders and through the health insurance side of the policy you'll be able to select a level of quality health care to suit your needs rather than relying on treatment through the NHS. 

Cover provided by a life and health insurance policy

The cover provided by a life and health insurance policy is quite comprehensive. On the life insurance side of the policy you will be able to choose between a term life insurance product and a reducing or decreasing life insurance product. 

Term life insurance via the policy pays out a fixed lump sum upon the death of the policyholder, providing the insurance policy is still active. A reducing term life insurance policy is a type of insurance where the amount paid out upon death reduces to zero in line with the policyholder's mortgage balance, and is suitable only as a financial instrument with which to pay off the mortgage in the event of an early death. If you want to leave your loved ones in complete financial security then a term life option on the policy is recommended.

The health insurance part of the mega insurance policy provides comprehensive health care. It will cover you for all diagnosis, treatment and recovery costs associated with the illnesses, disability and diseases noted on the mega policy. Health insurance also means that you do not have to wait for treatment on the NHS. Instead, you will be able to select when and where you want to receive treatment, so tailoring it to your own convenience.

Fundraising With Food

Fundraising with food has been a long time favorite for sports team fundraising. It is effective, provides something most people like and are willing to pay for, and the variety is vast. Whatever type of food fundraiser you choose for your team, there are three things you must do to get the most out of your efforts. 

Food Fundraisers: Go For Mass Appeal

First, choose a popular product that will appeal to the greatest number of potential customers. Your choice should be appropriate to your target audience, be priced fairly, include a good profit margin, and be seasonally viable. For example, don’t sell sweets while the Girl Scouts annual cookie fundraiser is in progress! 

Once you choose a product or group of products, use publicity to get the word out. Use school publications, posters, and all the usual suspects. 

Take it to the next level by issuing a press release on local radio and newspapers. Most local publications offer this as a free service for non-profit organizations. This will spread your reach beyond the team, their families, neighbors, and friends. 

Prepare and Execute!

Secondly, design your plan for execution. Everyone, including your team should know your group goal, your stretch goal, and their individual goal. Create a sales script for the team. Rehearse it at practice in a role playing way. 

Would you rather make a purchase from an unprepared athlete who mumbles at his shoes, or from one that is prepared with what to say and looks their potential customer in the eye while conveying the appropriate message? 

That message should briefly tell what product they are offering, who they are raising money for, and how the money will be used. (New uniforms, equipment, trip to the play-offs, etc.) 

Offer Sales Incentives

Offer incentives for top sellers. Rewards should be quality prizes, not junk. Many fundraising suppliers include prize incentives for top sales attainment. If there is an additional charge for incentives, or if the incentives offered are not appropriate for your team, ask local businesses to donate prizes. 

Have a recognition party announcing the top sellers. Everyone likes to be recognized for a job well done in the presence of their peers. If you tally your numbers daily, the top selling player has to run five less laps than the rest of the team. 

Go Where The Money Is

As part of your execution plan, consider boosting your reach by selling your products from a table at a shopping center. These are customers that you may not reach otherwise, and can more than double your sales. 

Approach the management of a shopping center for permission first. Then organize your volunteers in teams to cover the sales tables in shifts. 

Advertise clearly at each sales table. In large print on posters, tell who is selling, what they are selling, and how the money will be used. Use not only multiple locations, but multiple tables at each location. 

Give Extra Options

Third and finally, provide several ways the community can help your cause. Offering a variety of products helps ensure there is something that will appeal to everyone. 

Or offer an overlay fundraising item. Not every customer will want the food products you have chosen to sell. 

Offer a fundraising discount card in addition to your primary offering. Whether it is a two for one discount pizza card, or a fast food discount card, these can add substantial profit to your bottom line.

By offering your primary product and an overlay item, you could double the likelihood that a purchase will be made. 

Don’t forget the most obvious overlay: a donation. 

If a customer does not want to make a purchase, always ask if they would prefer to make a donation to help your cause.

How Debt Consolidation works

We all carry a lot of debt around with us if we live in the western world, and sometimes the load becomes almost unbearable, but there are ways in which you can limit your debt burden without paying through the nose to do so. In fact, anyone who doesn’t, is a fool

Debt Consolidation is just plain good sense. What it means is, rather than holding debt in a variety of places – let’s say two credit cards, an auto loan, a retail store charge account and a student loan – you take out one nice big loan that pays off everything, and pay one monthly interest rate.

Now, most people don’t do this, and the reason why is simple – they’re either lazy, or they don’t know that such a thing exists. The reality is, any bank will gladly help you put together a debt consolidation loan, because:

a) You’re transferring your debt to them (and they like that a lot)

b) You’re showing real initiative in turning your finances around

c) You’re not borrowing MORE money, you’re just borrowing it from one place

The way it works is easy. Many kinds of credit incur a monthly minimum charge. For example, the interest on your credit card might be $50 per month, but the credit card company will insist on you paying a percentage of what you owe in total, not just the interest. So your credit card payment for the month will be $150 or more.

Now, if you have two credit cards, that amount just doubled. Now add the late fee for any time you’re short that month can make a late payment ($20), another $25 if you go over your spending limit, and then all those other accounts on top (student loan, retail store, car loan), and you’re paying hundreds of dollars to several entities.

But if you consolidate all those loans into one single debt to one single company, you pay just one simple fee. And instead of the 19%-39% that credit card and loan companies charge, you’re dealing with a manageable rate, and a timeframe that will eventually see you completely debt-free.

Isn’t it time you took that first step with your financial future?