Choosing Which Debts To Pay First

By Ian Pelham

Prioritizing Debt

It is quite likely that if you are experiencing debt problems then you are finding it increasingly difficult to keep up with your monthly debt repayments. Your income can only go so far and only some of your expenses can be reduced.

You therefore have little choice but to either delay, or not pay at all, some debt repayments as they come due. In this situation you will be forced to think very hard about which payments you really should pay first. You risk several things such as your home, gas, electricity, car and even your household possessions.

Following the rules in this chapter may make the difference between keeping or losing important property.

Do Not Take On More Debt To Pay Off Old Debt.

A short-term fix can lead to long-term problems.

It is tempting to take on more debt to pay off old debts instead of delaying or getting rid of certain debt repayments. Usually this is the wrong choice. Deciding when you should and shouldn't take on new loans is discussed in a later article.

The main thing to do with too much debt is to decide which debts should be paid first, which you can refuse to pay, and which you can delay for a period of time.

The most important creditor to pay is not necessarily the creditor who screams the loudest or the most often. Creditors who yell the loudest often do so only because they have no better way to get their money.

Of more concern are creditors who not only threaten, but actually can take quick action against your home, utility service, your car, or other important assets.

Pay off creditors who can take the quickest action to hurt you, not those who yell the loudest and call the most often.

The money you do have should be used for the most important things for your family such as food, clothing, a roof over their heads and utilities.

It would be great if there was a recommended 'list' dictating the order in which your debts should be paid, but unfortunately there isn't. Your situation will be different to someone else's. The guidelines in this article should be used as reference points only as you make your decisions.

Debts with collateral are top priorities.

There is one particularly important concept you should keep in mind while you are deciding which debts to pay first and which you may need to let go. This is the concept of "collateral."

Collateral is property that a creditor has the right to seize if you do not pay a particular debt. The most common forms of collateral are your home in the case of a mortgage (or deed of trust) and your car in the case of most car loans.

A creditor may also have collateral in your household goods, business property, bank account, or even wages. Collateral can take many forms. When a creditor has taken collateral for your loan, it has a "lien" on your property.

Determine which of your debts are 'secured' and which are 'unsecured'.

It is very nearly always the best policy to pay off your secured debts first. Creditors with collateral are secure in the knowledge that they can take the collateral from you and sell it to get their money back. That is why they are called 'secured creditors'.

Creditors without collateral are often referred to as "unsecured." It is usually hard for unsecured creditors to collect what they are owed unless you pay voluntarily.

This concept of paying your debts that are secured first is a simple one, but when you have debt collectors constantly hounding you to pay the lowest priority debts first it can be very difficult to keep it in mind.

It is extremely important to remember this concept as you make decisions about your financial future.

About the Author:

Ian is someone who has come through a very difficult time financially. He used credit debt consolidation to ease his situation markedly. Without good debt consolidation advice he would have certainly gone bankrupt.

Credit Card Balance Transfer

By Michael Benifez

Credit Card Balance Transfers

If you're like most Americans, you get tons of credit card offers by mail, email, and over the phone. Many times, these calls and offers are just a waste of time, but every once in a while, you may actually come across an offer of some benefit. These offers typically come in the form of a good balance transfer rate.

If you currently have a card with a high interest rate, transferring to a low rate balance transfer card may really take some burden off your pocket book. Some cards even offer zero percent on balance transfers. If you're really serious about saving, you can transfer your balance and refrain from using the card for additional purposes. This way, you're paying off debt with no interest what so ever.

Finding a card with a good balance transfer rate should be relatively easy. Aside from the fact that you're proably getting telemarketing calls on a daily basis and tons of offers in the mail, there are countless numbers of online sources to help you in your search. You may even considering contacting customer service from a few of the more popular cards to find out what they can offer you.

If you find that you're not having much success in finding a card that is right for you, consider contacting your current provider. The people in customer service there may be able to help lower your current rate, especially when they learn you are considering changing to a new card in order get a better rate. Because they truly value your business, they may work with you to provide a solution you're happy with.

In most cases, keeping the low rate on your balance transfer only requires that you pay your bill on time. Make sure you are familiar with the guidelines the agreement set forth by your credit card company and stick to them without fail. If you neglect to make your payments on time, you may very well end up with a rate that is higher than the one you had before you made your balance transfer.

Do your best to make an informed decision about the credit cards you choose and set aside some extra time to ask questions regarding possibility of having low apr rate as well as additional . Making the transfer via phone will be simple and relatively quick, all you will need is your current information and a few minutes to answer questions.

Transferring a balance can be an effective way to save some money and improve your credit at the same time. If you're struggling to make ends meet, paying down debts interest free can be a lifesaver. If you find yourself trying to dig out of a credit card hole, take the initiative to transfer the balance, your wallet will be happy you did.

About the Author:

Knowing more helps you make better decisions, like on the topic of low rate cards. Drop by today at http://www.everlife.com/low-apr-credit-cards.php.

Conquer Failure By Becoming A Student Of Application In Your Life

By Christina Helwig

While sitting in a symposium in a few months ago, I realized something very basic to the entire topic of personal development. I understood so much more clearly why even though I have a deep understanding of this material, I have not been able to produce the results I want in my life until now.

For years my focus has been on learning and understanding this information; not their twin sister - application. I have spent hours reading, studying and taking notes on these topics. Those hours moved me light years ahead mentally but they did nothing until now for my physical, daily environment. I have been so intent on getting my mind around these concepts that I failed to pay attention to the most crucial aspect of this process = personal action.

Throughout "Think and Grow Rich" Napoleon Hill gives his students many action steps to complete and several daily requirements to perform. My thinking was always "I will read the entire book and then go back and DO what he suggests." This was a definite mistake. Even if I was not in the right position, those action steps would have slowly moved me closer to my goals and would have begun the process of building up my self-esteem, self-confidence and my level of awareness of my innate ability to handle my large goals. And, I incrementally would have been moving closer to what I wanted, even if it was only a little bit at a time. I have since become an active student of the application of these principles. It is only through action that I prepare the way and the method by which I can receive what I want in my life.

Please stop just reading about improving yourself and really think about whether you need to become an "active" student of "application" in your life. You learn the methods or the "certain way" only by doing, not by studying. Studying allows you to understand the process but to learn and internalize material you must act on all things that Napoleon Hill, Brian Tracy, Jack Canfield, Bob Proctor, Wallace Wattles and all the other personal growth authors tell you to do.

"Take the first step in faith and the rest will be revealed to you." Wallace Wattles. Take is a verb. A verb requires action. Recently I came up with an idea to help law students. I did not have the product finished or know all the details of what I wanted to include in my product. I did not know the distribution method or how I would advertise the product. But, I took action. I called my mentor and booked an appointment with her to talk about my idea. As the month ticked down I worked on my presentation, read some more material and got more ideas.

When I finally went in to talk to her in person she loved my idea. I only showed her a short snapshot of the project and she ended up booking me to teach to over 70 students in a month and a half. All of this happened because I did not wait until everything was "perfect," "complete," "just right" or "totally finished." I acted on my idea and my idea produced results. As I continue to take action on this project the next steps and new ideas keep coming to me. The project gets better and better and will help many people in the near future.

You can do this too. Stop waiting for the time to be right and just start moving on your ideas. Without action steps taken nothing will happen. You will continue to stack up self-improvement books and seminar tickets and you will blame the books and speakers for not helping you. They are helping you; they are giving you the tools you need to move forward. Since they are not there to hold your hand when you act, you have to do it on your own. Remember small steps add up to big results. Last year I climbed Half Dome in Yosemite and I did it one step at a time. Sometimes it was hard, and sometimes it was fairly easy, but every step was important because it moved me closer to my goal.

I know this may seem very basic but taking action is fundamental to your progress and can delay or completely hinder your efforts if you do not pay attention to making things happen instead of just thinking about things happening. Like yin and yang: learning and application go hand in hand.

About the Author:

When you change your habits, actions and thoughts, your whole life will change. Set aside a several minutes each day to work on your goals. Click on http://www.GlobalSuccessILG.com to learn about how to increase your income and create wealth in your life. This site covers topics from goal setting, to tax strategies, to growing your business and many more. Christina Helwig is an attorney and Vice-President of Wealth Expressions, Inc.

Trading Mindset - Live vs. Demo

By Doug West

Of the nearly 1000 people we have taught how to trade the mini-Dow or S&P emini index, nearly all were able to successfully trade our simple index strategy on their demo accounts (we only know of 2 exceptions that reportedly could not even get consistent on the demo. One man claimed that every single trade he made was a loss. In my mind that would be as hard to do as to make profit on every trade). Yet, some have a problem going from demo to live trading!

If your day trading strategy is consistently successful on your demo account, then what is the difference when you go live? Mindset! It all boils down to that in your trading (in my opinion this is true of life in general, but you see the results immediately in trading - especially day trading).

I really hate to call what we do as index traders, day trading. That is only because of the negative connotation the term brings to mind. Stock trading is what most people think of when they hear the term day trading. Regardless of what type of trader you are, you will have to come to terms with the fact that each trade depends on YOU. What frame of mind you are in at the time you place those trades will have a HUGE impact on how many of those trades are successful.

Most traders think that it all boils down to the technical and/or fundamental analysis of the markets. This is where they spend all their time and money, but they never get around to working on the mindset. They feel the real key is in becoming a great market analyst. However, the world is FULL of good market analyst (just watch CNBC or Bloomberg for examples) who are not able to trade. They too didn't have the right mindset and had to take jobs instead.

So what is the right mindset for a trader (or day trader)? That would take volumes of articles to answer. A good start is to read Mark Douglas' book "Trading In The Zone". Don't end your mindset training there, but it is a good start.

Another good exercise is to keep a traders diary. Write down what you were thinking and how you were feeling as you made your trade. Do this immediately after the trade so that you can be as accurate as possible. Do this on winning trades and on unsuccessful ones too. You should notice that on your winning trades everything felt easy and sure. Once you notice the difference, don't enter trades unless your mind is in the correct frame!

It's amazing how the human mind is able to pick up on the overall mood of the market. Douglas calls this being "In The Zone". We have always referred to it as getting a "Market Feel". Some traders have felt that it was impossible, while others gain that market feel advantage rather quickly. The difference is always in the mindset of the person. Some people are naturally much more in tune with their emotions, and they don't let them effect their mind while trading.

Many traders get hung up in all the technical tools that are available today. They reason that if they can just add the right tools, they will become successful traders. After working with hundreds of traders over the years, I can tell you for certain that you will NEVER be successful unless you have the right mindset.

About the Author:

Mini-Dow Index Trading Made Simple. Discover how to build your trading income. Get Doug's Debt-Free Report. Read his blog here.

Debt Negotiation- Same as Credit Consolidation?

By Dillon Azungen

Are you drowning in debt and considering debt negotiation? Debt negotiation has a bad connotation but does it affect your credit that badly? There are pros and cons to debt negotiation and there are alternatives. Here are some things to consider which will help you decide if debt negotiation is right for you.

First, you need to educate yourself on debt negotiation since there is a lot of misinformation out there. Debt negotiation is also known as debt arbitration or debt settlement. A third party negotiates with creditors and lenders on a payment plan and decreased interest. The creditors will put further credit to you on hold so you won't be able to use your credit cards until after your debt is repaid. After that, it is up to the creditor to decide if you should regain credit approval and if so, how high of a limit.

Lenders will usually only lower your rates and give you a break on fees if there is a reason. If they can be shown you're personal finances are not in a position to make the agreed upon payments then they will usually negotiate. They would prefer to negotiate rather than turn your account over to a collection agency.

Some people think that your credit report is unaffected by debt negotiation. This is not the case however. Your negotiation is reported and shows as such on a report. This is why debt negotiation should be used only if you can't otherwise pay off your bills. If you're finding yourself paying your lenders late and incurring fees then this will hurt your credit rating more than negotiation. And if you end up declaring bankruptcy then this can be even worse.

Before debt negotiation you should first find help with your budgeting and learn about other options by seeking a credit counseling service. A credit counselor can give you the information you need to help reduce your payments and get your finances back on track. They will tell you what will affect your credit rating, what will not and recommend what steps you should take. They can also help you with credit consolidation.

To find a credit counseling service search the internet or the yellow pages. Be careful since there are some that are not as helpful or legitimate as others. There are some that are supported by the government which are legitimate and should be researched first. A legitimate service will usually have a free consultation face-to-face and will be upfront about their services and fees. Don't sign anything until you are comfortable with their terms.

Don't think that since debt negotiation will tarnish your credit report that you should give up and let your account go to collection agencies. Ignoring the problem will make things much worse.

About the Author:

Dillon Azungen writes articles largely for http://www.debtania.com , a website covering information on how to negotiate within creditors . You might see his articles on how to negotiate debt settlement yourself over at http://www.debtania.com .

Debt Consolidation To Manage Your Finances

By Glen Stroude

Debt consolidation provides different benefits. To effectively utilize it as a solution, it is necessary to know what it is and the mechanics of consolidating your debt. Managing one's finances might become easier as a result.

Debt consolidation works by pooling all your debt into a single amount. This amount is taken on by a single creditor, normally a credit counseling firm, who will liaise with the creditors of your various loans. You will then pay off the firm through periodic payments.

The two situations do not seem to differ by much, so what are the benefits provided through debt consolidation?

Which would be more manageable in any situation - having a single periodic payment, or various payments made to different creditors? The former eases the burden of larger scale tracking, and can reduce the possibility of late payments. Dealing with the many creditors is also handled by the credit counseling firm, and that can take off a huge load off anyone's mind.

There is also an attractive proposition offered by credit counseling firms. They often provide lower interest rates for customers willing to consolidate their debt through them. If your own research shows that these rates will lower your overall debt, the method should be given due consideration.

Your monthly payments will also come in the form of lower amounts compared to not consolidating debt. This is the direct benefit of having lower interest rates attached to the loan. The extra cash will come in handy as you use it to better manage your financial portfolio.

Credit ratings will be significantly improved when you consolidate your debt. This normally results due to the decreased risk exposure that you have from just one debt on record. Improved credit ratings are essential when one needs to take on more loans for other important situations.

With the different advantages that come with debt consolidation, it should offer an alternative if your financial situation requires reordering. Proper financial management has become increasingly critical in today's economic climate, and consolidating your debt offers a solution that provides more benefits than most.

About the Author:

Glen Stroude is a credit counsellor that offers tips on how to consolidate debt. Debt consolidation is a management tool that can improve financial health for those who require it.

Non Standard Construction Properties gives Affordable Housing

By Phillip Evans

In these tough economic times where it difficult to get on the housing ladder or awkward to find a property bargain non standard construction properties could offer a viable solution.

Non traditional construction or prefabricated concrete properties where originally designed as temporary housing as a solution to soldiers returning home after the Second World War and bomb damaged properties.

The properties where built by the Local Councils and formed part of the housing stock, when the Right To Buy legislation was enacted by Margaret Thatchers conservative party in the 1980's these houses slowly where sold into private hands as "Right To Buy" exploed in popularity

RICS Valuation Firms have typically valued these properties far below their traditionally built counterparts, as mortgage lenders shy away from lending on Non standard construction or prefabricated reinforced concrete houses as they are still classed temporary, despite them still being perfectly habitable in the 21st century.

After the war around 1 million 250,000 non standard construction properties were built which now offers the UK buy to let investor or home mover access to affordable housing.

A lot of the non-traditional housing are ex local authority flats, maisonettes or low rise bungalows some of the more popular construction types are Airey, Cornish, Unity, Wates, Reema, Stent and Woolaway. Enable Finance Ltd provide non standard construction mortgages even if these non standard properties do not have a PRC certificate or have not had remedial works carried out.

PRC or non traditionally built properties could answer some very simple affordable housing solutions for the UK home mover or professional buy to let investor. If you are an investor you will no doubt have come up against problems when your rental yields do not stack up as property prices have soared over the past few years, make sure you speak with Enable Finance today.

Home movers looking for affordable housing could be very surprised at how inexpensive these properties are especially as the vast majority of the properties purchase prices will be below the government's current stamp duty threshold of 175,000.

For a FREE no obligation quote on a mortgage for non standard construction property please visit Enable Finance Ltd online. Think carefully before securing other debts against your home. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Ask for a personalised illustration. There will be a fee for arranging mortgages, normally 1% of the advance, subject to a minimum of 1950 and a maximum of 2450. The fee can usually be added to the mortgage amount.

About the Author:

Enable Finance are expert providers of mortgages and loans within the United Kingdom for a personalised quote on our best mortgage rates or to find out more information on non standard construction mortgages please visit our site

Bad Credit Repair

By John Cooper

You do not have to just wait for negative marks on your credit report to fall off. You can remove them and improve your credit score.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act says that you can dispute any item that you do not believe to be accurate on your credit report. It also says that any item that can not be verified must be removed from your credit.

For you to dispute an item you must create a dispute letter. You can do this yourself or you can hire a service to do it on your behalf.

Once the bureaus get your letter they will investigate the dispute. They will contact the creator of the item and get them to verify the account, the account balance, and the dates on the account.

If the account is not verified then it must be removed from your credit report. It has been found that items older than 2 years, charge offs, repossessions, late payments and discharged bankruptcies are easier to remove from your credit.

After two years the lender has received some form of payment. For example with a charged off credit card account the debt has been sold to a collection agency, and the lender has no need to save any record of your account.

Recent delinquent accounts, tax liens, judgments, and bankruptcies are more difficult to remove. If you have one of these marks then hiring a service is a good idea, because they have advanced dispute tactics.

If you have a service and your disputed item is verified then they can use advanced dispute techniques to remove the item. The techniques include; creditor direct intervention, escalated dispute information requests, and debt validation.

In addition it will help your credit score if you open a revolving line of unsecured credit. I suggest a bad credit credit card. This will help you build a positive payment history which is very important when your score is being calculated.

In sum, you should not wait seven years for credit repair to occur naturally. You can take steps today and rebuild your score.

About the Author:

For more tips to repair credit or to read an article about credit repair letters visit us.

1 Minute Guide to Beating your Debt

By JR Rooney

Imagine being free of debt -- no more sleepless nights over mounting credit card balances, no more ball-and-chain of debt feeding your anxieties, and no chance of threats from dreaded collection agencies. You can do it! Here's the scoop -- in one minute flat.

0:60 Resolve to spend less than you make! Make it a habit as fundamental as brushing your teeth. Realize once and for all that if you can't pay for it today -- you can't afford it.

0:55 Distinguish between Bad Debt and OK Debt. OK Debt has an interest rate well under 10% -- preferably with some tax advantages also. In the best case, what you bought with borrowed funds will appreciate in value. Home mortgages and student loans are examples of OK Debt. Automobile loans are on the border: They often satisfy the low-rate piece, but automobiles almost never appreciate in value. Bad Debt is everything else -- from your Gold credit card to the 600% loan from Vinny's Quick Cash.

0:50 Pick a winner. Out of all your cards, pick the one or two major credit cards that feature the lowest annual interest rate. Resolve to use those cards for emergencies only. As for all the other plastic pals in your wallet, remove temptation by taking them out of your wallet. Throw them behind a major appliance, freeze them in a bowl of water, or decoupage them to a shoe box. Do whatever it takes not to use them.

0:41 Gather all the bills from your accounts. Line these up on the kitchen table. Find the minimum monthly payment for each account and then add these up to get an overall monthly minimum. Pledge to pay this overall minimum PLUS a hefty additional chunk every month -- enough to make a solid dent in the outstanding balance of at least one account. If you can't pull this off, you'll have to make a drastic move to increase your income or lower your expenses. It's harsh, we know, but it's also an inescapable fact.

0:34 Pick the card with the highest interest rate and: Attack! Next, order the latest bills according to annual interest rate charged. Apply the "hefty additional chunk" (beyond the minimum) to the highest rate account(s). Repeat this process monthly until the last stinking card is paid in full.

0:26 Ask for a lower interest rate. Grab a bill from any account charging you more than 14% interest. Call the toll-free number on the bill and demand to have your rate reduced -- say, to 11%. Tell them that you'd really like to stay with them out of customer loyalty (embellish according to your acting skills), but that you have received offers for much-lower-rate cards. Expect to be made very uncomfortable, but stand firm and remember that, to them, you are both a customer and a cash cow. You also stand to save a bundle. Practice makes perfect.

0:18 Be prudent. Be aggressive in paying down the cards, but don't get so ambitious that you risk missing minimum payments on your mortgage, automobile, or any other secured credit account. (Secured means that if you miss enough payments, the bank can show up and take away the item.)

0:12 Commiserate with others. You'll find plenty of emotional support and great ideas by visiting debt relief discussion boards. Help others celebrate their debt-free "happy dance."

0:05 Dance, Fool! You're done when the Bad Debt is 100% exorcised and you can make remaining OK Debt payments with ease, leaving plenty of budget room for savings.

About the Author:

Mr Rooney works for a Debt Collection Agency. If you can not pay your debt it is best to try and settle with the Collection Agency

Various Debt Consolidation Loans Available

By Daniel Atolben

Debt consolidation loans were created solely as a means for putting all the debt together, or consolidating it, and lump sum loan is made instead of separate payments to individual creditors. Instead, the bank takes your debt total, and through many different types of loans, can, with the appropriate credit, aid in the immediate repayment of all creditors. The bank pays off the debts, and you pay the bank.

A very good reason to do this is when the interest rate on the loan is a fixed rate that is less than the typically higher rate charged by credit card companies and other creditors, especially if you have recently begun to pay your credit card bills later and later and the fees for such activity are beginning to mount.

A possible consideration for debt consolidation is a straight loan. This is equivalent to a home or car loan, but with no collateral. You are simply borrowing a set amount to pay a specific debt. Again, the rate should be noticeably lower than the interest rate being paid to the credit card companies. Not everyone who applies for a straight loan will qualify. There are serious guidelines to protect the bank from someone who may default on a loan that the bank has no way of recouping without your cooperation. Usually this type of loan is reserved for consumers with the highest credit rates.

Home equity loans are also valuable to a consumer interested in debt consolidation. If your home is worth more than the amount of the loan you are paying for it, the difference may be borrowed from the bank and used to pay creditors. These loans are restricted by the amount of equity in the home, and dependent upon good standing in the first mortgage. Often these loans are separate from the first home mortgage, and the rate may or may not be the same for each loan. As long as the interest rate is lower in the equity loan than the credit card rate, a home equity loan can be a good decision.

A total home refinance is also a possibility. If your home has been paid down considerably or increased in value quickly, and if the rates have gone down enough to justify the fees for refinancing, an whole new home mortgage may be established, with the extra debt added in to the value of the loan.

While escaping from a debt ridden situation can seem like a struggle, debt consolidation loans can be invaluable to a consumer who would like to reduce the number of payments that they make and interest that they pay per month. Consolidation loans stream line the payment process, no matter which method you choose.

About the Author:

Daniel Atolben usually pens short articles on areas associated to how to negotiate debt settlement yourself. His work on how to negotiate debt are found on http://www.debtania.com/negotiatesettlement.html .

How to Use Debt Consolidation to Return to Financial Solvency

By Chad Obenken

There are many advantages to securing a debt consolidation loan when you have bad credit, not the least of which is alleviating the anxiety and stress that accompany an unmanageable level of personal debt. As the level of debt in your life creeps up to an unacceptable level, depression and physical health concerns are not uncommon. Debt consolidation can be the light at the end of the tunnel that will restore you to sanity and good health.

In addition to improving your credit score, debt consolidation can relieve the pressure you may be facing from one or more collection agencies, which have been known to use stress-inducing methods to achieve their goals. If you could roll all of these stressful obligations into one manageable monthly payment, you would begin to feel human again, and with each successful payment, you would feel your dignity restored. At the same time, you would be protected from harassment by the collection agents.

There are specialized debt consolidation loans for people who have fallen into a bad credit situation. As your financial situation deteriorated, most likely you defaulted or were late on several of your loan payments, and each problem payment has a detrimental effect on your credit score. After enough of these problems, you would not be able to qualify for a regular debt consolidation loan, due to your poor credit rating. This can leave you between a rock and hard place, financially speaking.

These debt consolidation loans for bad credit would accept your application even with a low credit score, pay your bills on time every month, and in the process, increase your credit rating a little bit with each payment. In a year or less, you would regain not only your credit rating, but your financial reputation and self-respect.

The companies that offer debt reduction programs would negotiate with each of your creditors to get your credit terms revised to the best possible interest rate and repayment schedule. They can often negotiate down any late payment fees or penalties that are due on the account. This creates a win-win situation for everyone. The creditor gets paid, and you end up with a lower monthly payments and a restored credit rating. Each month, you would pay the consolidation company one payment that is lower than the sum of all the payments that were due before. This allows you to get out of debt as fast as possible while at the same time giving you more available cash to spend living rather than paying to credit card late fees and interest.

So, don't let the depression related to over-indebtedness keep you from getting a consolidation loan today to begin improving your financial situation, stress level, and mental health.

About the Author:

Chad Obenken routinely writes newsletters on information on consumer debt counceling. On his site you can find his publications on consumer debt counceling and credit card debt settlement.

Forex Strategies Are The Key To Profiting!

By Mark Allison

There are many Forex strategies out there. It's not likely they will tell you, but each trader has their own unique take on what to do and how they trade. Not everyone's technique and stile is the same but there are some common strategies out there.

You can decide to let other people work for you instead of making the choices for which currency pairs you want to trade. This is managed by a Forex managed account. Other people will make the decisions and plan the strategies for you.

If you want to research the field, you can buy or rent books that will discuss the latest tips and tricks for "trend spotting" and how to read the charts and history. There is a lot of good information from the recently published books and magazines.

There is the Automated Fores Robot. this is an automated system that will do all the bidding for you. They can scan the market constantly and even make you money while you sleep. You need to leave the bot on 24 hours a day, but some services offer to run them on their servers so you can turn off your computer.

You can also talk strategies with Forex chat rooms and message boards. These are meeting places for fellow traders who will talk shop with you and usually will give tips and heads up on things to bid for.

Overall, there are plenty of places and resources for you to find the information you need. Just be sure to double check your resources and make sure that you can verify any suggestions or strategies Try and pick stuff your style and have fun!

About the Author:

Click here to learn more about Forex Trading Strategies!

Car Insurance - The Best For Your Budget

By Susan Tanner

Insurance can be defined as the transfer of risk to a company you pay to accept the risk for you. In today's economy, it's important to get the best insurance for your money. Here are a few tips that will help you get the best insurance for your budget.

Auto insurance is mandatory in several states, and is often an unavoidable part of driving, so it's important to do your research to get the best quote for you. One good way to find a good insurance company is by asking people like you, such as family and friends, where they buy their automobile insurance. Make sure you check with people who are your age and have similar driving history.

You can also comparison shop for insurance over the internet. Some companies offer to look up other companies' prices to find the customer the best deal. Sometimes you can get a discount by signing up online, rather than in-person with a broker or over the phone. This saves that company money in man hours and paper so they kindly pass those savings on to the consumer.

Look at the coverages you need by state law and go from there. Some of us may only need what is required by the state, but if you do not own your vehicle and there is a lien holder, the price will be higher because you will be required to carry comprehensive and collision coverage with deductibles no greater then 500 in most cases. If you don't own your vehicle, talk it over with your lien holder. You may be able to reduce or eliminate their requirement for collision coverage.

Always remember to ask your insurance representative where you can save more money. In fact, ask him multiple times. A broker may not offer you discounts that you qualify for unless you ask, because insurance companies are there to make money. You can receive discounts for conditions such as driving quality, education, auto clubs, employment, or if you have a child in your home.

There are other ways to find and keep cheap auto insurance. One of the most important is to be a safe driver. Keeping a clean driving history will make sure you get the rates that you deserve. With each ticket and accident, you are asking to have your rates raised. Remember, sometimes rates get raised if the accident was not your fault.

Think when you buy your car. If you buy an expensive death trap of a vehicle, your insurance will go up a lot. The safer and more inexpensive your vehicle is, the lower your insurance rate will be. Make sure you buy a car that is reliable and reasonably priced with good safety ratings.

Know what you need, do your research, ask questions and don't settle for a price you don't think is fair. Buy a reliable car and be a safe driver, and you will be well on your way towards insurance rates your friends will envy.

About the Author:

To find out exactly how I got car insurance quotes online, visit my website about auto insurance

Home Budget Planning: Tips About Avoiding Credit Card Debt

By Jenni Snook

You may not be unaware but some simple home budget planning can avoid substantial credit card debt which in turn is the cause of more than one million bankruptcies every year. The reason for so many bankruptcies is because many individuals do not fully understand a contract when applying for a credit card. In addition, they miss payments, happily spend away without documenting their expenses and then find annual fees are added, and suddenly their balances skyrocket.

It's time people took some responsibility for their own financial mess instead of randomly blaming the credit card companies.

One case of carefree spending does not rack you up a significant amount of debt. The ease with which you can continually add purchases onto your card without documenting the amounts you spend is what adds up to a large debt. Therefore, it's possible for you to get out of credit card debt. The goal is to spend less than what you earn. By having this in mind, you can start planning to reduce your debt over the long term.

You will find it more effective to use your won't power than your willpower in this case. Work out what you need and rationalise it against your income and if you can give yourself a small luxury every now and then, it will help to stay on target. It's likely that you will have to focus a fair bit on debt reduction and elimination, but it will happen and the speed at which it occurs may surprise you.

At first, you will have some trouble sticking to your debt reduction plan, but rest assured, if you stay strong and willing, it will all be worth it.

Most importantly, you must not return to your old habits after successfully reducing your debt. In order to do this, you must focus all your energy on these new spending habits, and this way you can only emerge victorious. You can compare this to dieting: at the beginning, it's not easy to stick to new habits, but it will all be worth it once you discover that your financial situation is healthy once again.

Your financial problems can really be helped with good Home Budget Planning.... and remember don't spend money you don't have!

About the Author:

Jenni Snook is the leading author of http://www.HomeBudgetPlanning.com, a website focused on providing people important yet very usable recommendations on how home budget planning can boost your quality of life.

Folklore and the Reverse Mortgage

By Xerine Raziel

I had the pleasure of speaking to a real estate agent yesterday. She wanted to discuss the reverse mortgage, in particular how it can be used as purchase money after January 1.

She was sincerely interested in the program, but first decided to vent with an amazing story of pain, agony and just downright horror relating to the reverse mortgage.

In efforts to stop the rampant spread of misinformation, falsehoods, mythology and every other "ology" you must read this entire article. You can't read the next four or five paragraphs, stop, and tell everyone you know the painful effects of the reverse mortgage.

Like most stories that may not be true the story is told second, third or fourth hand. In this case, the agent had a girlfriend, who's friend's father had a reverse mortgage on his home. After his passing the home made it's way into the hands of the FOAFOAR (I'm going to use this acronym for the Friend Of A Friend Of A Real estate professional).

Well, more money was owed to the lender, at the time of his death, than the home was worth. According to the realtor the mortgage company required repayment of the entire amount owed.

After selling the property, the FOAFOAR still had to come up with an additional $40,000 to repay the bank the difference.

Is this story possible. I suppose so, but it is highly unlikely. FHA makes up the rules for lenders in the reverse mortgage business. One of the rules states that a lender cannot force the borrower or family to make up the difference if there is a deficiency. Thus the term "non-recourse" is associated with reverse mortgages.

If a deficiency exists at the time of repayment of the reverse mortgage, either the borrower or heirs go through the same drill.

A realtor will be hired to market the property at a fair market value. Yes, the bank will want to know this and will check comparable sold properties to be sure. The house will sell, and the bank will be repaid the sale price minus closing costs.

HUD makes the rules and the lender is entitled only to these proceeds from the sale of the home. If the loan balance exceeds the net proceeds, it's tough cookies for the lender. They have to write it off and go on their merry way.

This is one of several myths flying about regarding the reverse mortgage. The reverse mortgage may be a strong tool for you to utilize, or a poor choice given your circumstance. But don't assume you know until you really know. Call a professional or two first.

About the Author:

Get 6 more myths revealed plus 5 major mistakes at the Texas Reverse Mortgage Guide. To learn some great questions to ask try 5 hard hitting questions for the mortgage company before getting your Reverse Mortgage in Texas.

Home insurance policies agreed online are usually less expensive

By Rem

It is a sad fact of life that accidents come about and often things are taken from your home but by starting a home insurance plan, personal things you own can be replaced after events of this nature. For individuals that rent, this is in general all that is required but if you own your house then a policy that covers the building as well as the contents might be a good idea.

It is always a good practice to make a list of everything in your home that has any value, doing this on a room by room basis and preferably before you actually take out the house insurance. An easy way to do this is to carry out a walk-through of your home with a camcorder if you have one or a digital camera if not and take pictures of the rooms and the contents. Combined with the written inventory, this makes an excellent record of your home and property. Many people forget to keep there household insurance inventory current though and neglect adding new personal things to the list as well as taking pictures to attach to that list.

Many hundreds of suppliers now provide their own particular policies online, so before settling on the one you would like to take out, be sure to obtain a number of quotes so that you can compare. One obvious benefit to using online services is that you can have your quotation within a short space of time. house insurance plans purchased online are usually supplied at a discount owing the fact that the providers involved have reduced their disbursements by supplying these products without the need of many offices and a large number of staff. You should not just look into the value of quotes, but also the reputation of the insurance firm before you make your final decision.

Your plan will come with a sum assured value which is the entire amount the insurance insurer will settle with you if there is a claim for total loss etc. The sum assured is often calculated by the insurance provider for you based on figures for replacing the contents of an average house.

Others nonetheless, will evaluate your house and offer cover based on their estimates or request how much protection you would like and then calculate the premiums on your behalf. In some situations this may be a preferable alternative if you think that the automatic sum assured sum will not protection the cost of substituting your things you possess[personal possessions.

Although the contents of your home may all be important to you, do not forget your plan will not always cover all of your possessions. home workers for example should be aware that stock used to run that occupation from home is not always addressed as standard. Also, if the sum assured does not cover high value items, such as jewelry and electronic equipment, you may have to pay extra on your house insurance plan to insure them at the level you need. Nonetheless, finally it is your duty to check out which personal things are covered by the policies that you are looking at before you make a final decision.

About the Author:

Also have a look at Cheap Real Estate News and Low Cost New Home News

How To Get High Page Rank Links For Free

By Brian Armstrong

Using social bookmarking or social media websites is a relatively easy way to get traffic to your website. These resources can be used very successfully to not only help your website with getting direct traffic from these sites, but also help with getting your website into the search engines for the keywords you're going after.

The first thing you'll need to do is create the original content you're attempting to get ranked into the search engines. Obviously you'll have to have something before you can bookmark it or add it to social media websites. So, do your keyword research and then begin to create your blog post.

You'll need to setup new accounts because you most likely haven't done this before. Start at socialmarker.com and get the new accounts setup by the recommendations they make there. These sites are typically very well respected with a high authority as it relates to how they're judged by the search engines.

The first thing you'll add is a title. This title should not only include the blog post title or article title, but should also include the main primary keyword phrase that you're trying to use to get rankings. If you can start with this as your title, you'll have a better chance of getting ranked for those keywords.

When you bookmark your site, you'll also be prompted with a description that you'll want to include which should have in it your keyword phrases as well. This description should also be a strong call to action. People will often read or scan this description and make their decision on whether they click through or not. These social bookmarking sites are still another click away from your website.

You'll be prompted for your web address which you'll need to supply. Just make sure this is the web address for the exact page that you're trying to get ranked or "deep linked". If you use the main domain instead of the specific article or blog post page, you'll get those links blocked because they'll be duplicates. Basically, make sure you're bookmarking only individual pages assuming you've already added bookmarks for the main domain using your most appropriate keyword phrase for the entire site.

Tags are another thing you'll be prompted for when bookmarking your sites. These tags are basically keywords, usually 1-2 word keyword phrases that can be used to identify relatively broadly the article or blog post. As tags, you should use both a main keyword phrase that you're trying to get ranked as well as some of the more broad keyword phrases that better represent what people on these social bookmarking sites will actually search for. These sites are a lot like a search engines that people use to find very relevant updated content on their search topics.

These social bookmarking sites are a great way to get relevant links back to your sites and depending on which ones you use will have a very high "authority" in the eyes of the search engines. These sites can also help you generate a significant amount of traffic all by themselves. The majority of these sites also allow you to create profiles in which you can usually add links to whatever site you want to as well which will also help with the search engines and your overall traffic strategy.

About the Author:

Brian is an internet business coach who specializes in outsourcing, search engine optimization, and online credit card processing. He helps businesses just like yours process credit cards at a low rate with a very easy setup.

Cash In On Bailouts With Mini-Dow Trading

By Doug West

President Bush has been on the TV a lot lately. Too late for him to go down in history as a good president, but we will give him credit for trying. The Pres. has assured us all that we can grow our economy by spending more money. He even sent us each a few hundred to help us do that. One has to wonder if that was a set up for what was to come.

Next came the BIG bailouts for the banks and boys on Wall Street. Hey, where do we apply for some of that 700 Billion dollar pie? Well, don't hold your breath on that one (in a moment we will show you how to cash in on the bail out actions with simple mini-dow index trading)!

Let's see, if you are already in debt up to your ears - like the US government is, how is sending out free money going to stimulate the economy? And, how is that going to help the US government?

OH, don't forget our friends over at the FED. The Reserve! The agency that is owned by the bankers. That masquerades around like they are part of the government. What many folks still don't know is that they all pulled a fast one on us by sticking that word Federal in front of their name. The same thing the guy at Federal Express did when starting his company.

Frederick W. Smith founded FedEx. I clearly remember years ago when he was on 60 Minutes, he said that by the time folks figured out that he was not part of the government his company was already well on it's way to success! Can't blame his reasoning? What a PLAN! IT WORKED for the FED why not FedEx too?

Let's quote right from the FedEx web site:

"Federal Express was so-named due to the patriotic meaning associated with the word "Federal," which suggested an interest in nationwide economic activity. At that time, Smith hoped to obtain a contract with the Federal Reserve Bank and, although the proposal was denied, he believed the name was a particularly good one for attracting public attention and maintaining name recognition."

I'm sure Smith did want a relationship with the Federal Reserve - who wouldn't! These guys have the legalized right to print money! Think about it. It does not matter if it is a $1 bill or a $100 bill, it cost them about the same to make it (a few cents each). Then they "LOAN" that money at full face value to the US government. Full face value PLUS INTEREST! So now you know where the national debt comes from. We now owe that money - Plus Interest - to the FED. A private corporation controlled by international bankers.

So if you are thinking that Bush's plan to grow the economy by handing out $100 bills won't cost anything - Think Again! Where is that money going to come from? That's right - the good ol boys at the FED. These mystical folks seem to be able to pull money out of thin air! Just think, with today's high-tech world, the FED can just punch a button on a computer somewhere and release new funds to the world. Most of which never represents new bills being printed, but just credit in some bank or financial institutions account. Electronic numbers moving through nanoseconds of time and space.

Not only does the FED create money, they also have the ability to set their own interest rate!

- The Fed's Open Market Committee (FOMC), announces their interest rate decisions. This is NOT the interest rate that you and I can get money for, (why don't we all meet at the Fed Discount Window - wherever that is) but what the BIG boys who keep the whole world flowing receive. They in turn pump up the volume and pass the savings on to you and me right - WRONG! It could take weeks or even MONTHS after a cut to see any savings at the consumer level. So why do the markets get so active after an FOMC announcement?

The BIG boys are the ones who really move the market right (and they CAN line up at the FED window for a bailout). We just want a small slice of it. That's all. Remember that when you are trading (or practicing the FED move trade -after an FOMC announcement).

So how do you cash in on the bailouts without getting a slice of the pie? Index trading! With all these bailout moves, the FED buying stock and giving away billions of dollars, it has caused some GREAT moves in the market. Not so good for stock traders, but Wonderful for those of us that just trade and follow the overall index.

No matter what happens, we can all do well with Simple Mini-Dow Index Trading. I look for GREAT times ahead for Index traders. We might have to pay more for the things we need, (because of the FED printing out bailout money like candy these days) but at least we can stay home and earn the money to get them!

Remember those FOMC announcements mentioned earlier? Many times after an announcement, the market moves and moves BIG. Much like the market moves we have all been seeing here lately with the bailout manipulation of the markets. The FED won't give you a partnership deal like FedEx was looking for, but you can capitalize on their dealings.

You may not be able to get in line for a bailout, but you can stick your hand in the market and cash in on the Wild moves we are now seeing in the FED manipulated market. Just follow an index and stay away from stock!

About the Author:

Mini-Dow Index Trading Made Simple. Discover how to build your trading income. Get Doug's Debt-Free Report. Read his blog here.