The American Dream: It is Still Alive

Author: Robert Kempster

Tough times or tough Economy or not. One thing I do know is that the American dream is still alive. I look around me and I see many people failing, and everyone blames the bad economy. However, the truth of the matter is that new wealth and new riches are being created daily. Look around you, there are still people living the dream. Get in the zone, or get someone to help you get in the zone. Remember that Napoleon Hill in his book "Think and Grow Rich" it is all about the power of visualization. The book contains a lot of material and is filled with examples of successes and failures. It gives you an overview of the ingredients required for either. It is all up to you as the individual to define yourself and what you want. I am fired up to achieve and so should you be too.


In order to create anything on this world, you must first create it in your mind, then it will be manifested through your efforts into reality. You have to realize that everything is a building block to complete the project. The Process remains the same throughout history: No one has ever created anything without first visualizing it. Ever before man was able to fly, man had taken to flight in the Mind. The story of Icarus' flight is such an example. If you Google the name Icarus, you can get the details. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale in his book "The Power Of Positive Thinking" was also referring to the gift of visualization.

The fact of the matter is this; YOU CAN, ONLY IF YOU THINK YOU CAN. Have a dream, visualize your goal, create a plan, create a time-line, begin the process, focus, perform, formulate, use a mentor, group support, stay on track, achieve your goal, and finally celebrate your success.

Freedom From Debt: HomeBiz

Loads of information on personal finance tips, loan consolidation, refinancing mortgage, freedom from debt, and earning online. http://debtfreehomebiz.blogspot.com/

Investing in Residential Real Estate: The Way to Finance Your American Dream

by Dario Dingwall


Even in the toughest of economies, people need places to live. The basic need for food and shelter is inherent to human life. And honestly, most of us would like to have a nice single family home to come home to. Residential real investing can not only be a good investment, but done correctly can be very profitable as well.

Investing in residential real estate does not necessarily require one to be a financial intellect, although being a genius can be helpful in other markets. What this investment requires is for one to be keen and have common sense as well as knowledge of what the local real estate market is able to handle. Is the area you are interested in ready to bounce back or is it struggling? Has it reached the end or is there another fall out on the way? The fainted hearted or the very cautious people cannot handle real estate for residential investment.

The first key to good residential real estate investing is simple: invest in property that will actually make money. Not only are single family homes in the low to mid price ranges good to consider, as is an apartment or condo unit. Don't overextend yourself however, especially if there is no guarantee that you will be able to move anybody into your newly opened rental. Look around at how many open properties are in the area in the same price or size range.

The next key to keep in mind is to consider what a realistic return will be when contemplating residential real estate investing. Do not purchase properties with a mortgage that you will never be able to recover. Charging the wrong amount for a rental is just that: wrong. You will never get anyone into the unit for a price above the current standard, no matter what extravagant upgrades you add.

Another fact about investing in residential real estate that makes it so attractive to investors is the fact that even though your mortgage price for the property will remain constant for the loan term period, with inflation you should expect the amount on that real estate property from rent to increase.

When venturing into the investment of residential properties for the first time, you need to know the necessary upgrades as well as those that will be essential for potentially boosting the equity of the property. For novice real estate investors, it is recommended you start small till you clearly comprehend the workings of the residential real estate industry.

It is also important to put the area that you are interested in into consideration before implementing any real estate investment plans. Is the employment situation good or bad? Does the immediate neighborhood have any jobs openings? Is there anything attractive like good schools and recreational facilities that would lure people to keep on living in that area while they commute to their new jobs that are located further away from the neighborhood?

Finally, before you go ahead with real estate investing plans, make sure that you to consider the property maintenance costs. Despite the fact that the home is rented out to tenants, the maintenance cost of that home is still your responsibility plus all the taxes and any other related costs of the property. There are some renters who take good care of the homes but others think of rentals as nothing but four walls that are meant to only provide them warmth.

Real estate investing is not without its risks of course, but in the hands of the right investor, with the right property, it can actually be a way to bring in steady income. Once the property is paid down sufficiently, the extra income can be siphoned off and used to increase the amount of real estate investing that you own.



About the Author:

Dario Dingwall, an international real estate investor for a number of years has performed an in depth analysis on residential real estate markets in America, identifying the top 20. For the first 100 people, his company is offering our readers a report on one such high-yield residential real estate investment market, for free. Get yours by visiting his companys real estate investment website.

Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article166987.htmlHow You Can Build a Fortune Investing in Residential Real Estate

Loan Modification - Do You Still Have Time to Save Your Home?

Author: Steve Wrangler

Do you feel like you can no longer see your future? It wasn't so long ago that people knew exactly what was going to happen. They had bought a home and started a family. They had a small affordable mortgage. The house would be paid off in 10 or 15 years. The kids were doing well in school and would graduate in just a few years. There would be enough money in the bank to retire comfortably.

What happened?

Somehow they had decided to refinance their homes, buy new cars, go on fancy vacations or add on to the house. The loan they had thought was too good a deal to be true turned out to be just that. The first blow was getting laid off at work. Then the stock market crashed wiping out half their savings. After trying so hard to keep up, it eventually became evident that they would no be able to continue making the payments. They were good people, how could this happen?

It probably won't make you feel any better, but you are not alone in this situation. Its time to get your life back on track. There is help out there but its not going to come to you. You have to seek it out.

What am I talking about? Home loan modification. The country is in dire straits. We don't need another foreclosed home on the market. It drags down everything. It causes the banks to show a loss and weakens the whole system. The banks want to make a deal but there is only a small window of time to get a loan modification done.

The problem is, banks aren't set up for this. They know how to make new loans but they have never had to modify loans on houses that were worth much less than the value of the loan. The formulas they have used to make loans don't work on loan modifications. Many don't even have a loan modification department.

There are non-profit loan modification organizations that are supposed to help you modify your loan but they are inundated with requests. If you could wait forever, there wouldn't be a problem. However, there is a problem. If you miss just one payment, it starts the clock ticking on the foreclosure proceedings. There is a point of no return when no matter what you do, you are going to lose the house. You have to get started before that date. By the way, the date varies from state to state so you'll have to ask someone how much time you have. The basic point is:

You must start your loan modification plan right now!

Have you heard about the scams in the loan modification business? It was so bad, they had to make strict laws especially for the home loan mods. Those regulations are now in place. The companies that are doing loan modifications on home loans operate in a tightly regulated environment. Different states have different loan modification laws. Ask your adviser to see which applies to you.

The main reason to use a professional company that specializes in loan modifications is they know how to get things done. There are certain guidelines that must be met. Unfortunately the home owners don't know what those guidelines are. They often submit wrong or incomplete paperwork. They leave out vital information like account numbers. They don't know whether they should declare certain items because they have heard if you make too much money, your loan modification will be turned down. Once you tell a bank employee something, it goes in your record. A loan modification specialist, much like a lawyer and sometimes is a loan modification attorney, can consult with you and help you build your case for saving your home. They will know exactly what needs to be disclosed to save your home.

Remember, if you are in trouble on your home, you need to act now. A lot of people get depressed and put it off for a day or two, or maybe first of next week or after the 1st of the month. There are so many excuses I can't even begin to write them down. The point is, you need to start now. Right now. Not tomorrow, not next week, right now. If you do that -
Now Pay Close Attention --

On the next page you will find loan modification specialists that have proven track records for helping homeowners modify their home loans and cut their payments in half ==> How To Modify Your Home Loan & Cut Your Payment By 50%

So If you want to cut your mortgage payment in half and stop the banks from taking your home then I strongly recommend that you to read everything on the next page before it's too late!

Visit this page ==> Home Loan Modification Specialists

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/mortgage-articles/loan-modification-do-you-still-have-time-to-save-your-home-3004009.html

About the Author

Everyone's using The Most Effective Loan Modification Specialists to get their home loans modified and you can too.

Click Here to learn how everyday people are modifying their home loans, stopping foreclosure and saving thousands.

Peer To Peer Loans - Loans To Those That Really Need It

Author: Robert Kempster

I have always been conscious of the old saying that a Banker is someone that lends you an umbrella when it is sunny and takes it back when it is raining. I do not know about you, but I remember my banker always trying to give me a loan when I did not need one; only to turn me down when I needed it.

Well, my aim is to share with you today, some of the things that I have found that helps you to survive all the challenges of remaining liquid or in some cases "the ability to put food on the table". In particular I will like to talk about a "new" mechanism called Peer To Peer Loans or P2P for short.

Peer to Peer loans are usually funded in an auction scenario. Borrowers list their loans and lenders bid on it. I believe they have been around since 2006, and went through some SEC loops and most are now registered with the SEC.

Peer To Peer lending amounts range from $1,000 USD to $25,000 USD and the rates are usually pretty low compared to bank rates for unsecured loans. You need at least a credit score of 640 to 660 for these loans. The auction scenario allows individual lenders to bid for your loan and thus drive down the rate of interest for your loan. Most of the loans are well below credit card rates and thus create a win-win situation for all concerned.

If you are interested in investing by lending out money for profit [you could invest as low as $25 units, or just want to get a low interest unsecured loan between $1,000 to $25,000. Leave a comment or shoot me an email and I will send you the links.

The Powers of a Positive Attitude

The Powers of a Positive Attitude

by Kim and Charles Petty


The Powers of a Positive Attitude

Kim and Charles Petty

I am going to ask you to something very weird right now. First of all, I want you to listen to your thoughts. Now tell me, what thoughts fill your head? Would you label them as positive, or negative?

Now let's say you are walking down the street with these thoughts. Do you think anyone who would meet you would be able to tell you what's on your mind?

The answer to number one is up to you. But, the answer number two can be pretty generic. Although people will not be able to tell you exactly what you think, they will more or less have an idea of how you are feeling.

Here's another question. When you enter a party filled with friends, do they all fall silent as if something terrible had happened? Or does everybody there perk up as if waiting for something exciting to happen?

You know what? The answer to all these depends on your frame of mind.

Thoughts are very powerful. They affect your general attitude. The attitude you carry reflects on your appearance, too - unless, of course, you are a great actor.

And it doesn't end there. Your attitude can also affect people around you.

The type of attitude you carry depends on you. It can be either positive or negative.

Positive thoughts have a filling effect. They are admittedly invigorating. Plus, the people around the person carrying positive thoughts are usually energized by this type of attitude.

Negative thoughts on the other hand have a sapping effect on other people. Aside from making you look gloomy and sad, negative thoughts can turn a festive gathering into a funeral wake.

A positive attitude attracts people, while a negative attitude repels them. People tend to shy away from those who carry a negative attitude.

We can also define attitude as the way of looking at the world. If you choose to focus on the negative things in the world, more or less you have a negative attitude brewing up. However, if you choose to focus on the positive things, you are more likely carry a positive attitude.

You have much to gain from a very positive attitude. For one, studies have shown that a positive attitude promotes better health. Those with this kind of attitude also have more friends. projecting a positive attitude also helps one to handle stress and problems better than those who have a negative attitude.

A positive attitude begins with a healthy self-image. If you will love the way you are and are satisfied, confident, and self-assured, you also make others are around feel the same way.

A negative attitude, on the other hand, has, of course, an opposite effect. So, carrying a negative attitude has a twofold drawback. You feel bad about yourself, and you make others feel the same way.

If you want to have a positive attitude, you have to feature healthy thoughts. This is probably very hard to do nowadays since, all around us, the media feeds us nothing but negative thoughts. A study shows that for every 14 things a parent says to his or her child, only one is positive. This is truly a saddening thought.

If you want a healthier outlook in life, you need to think happy thoughts, and you have to hear positive things as well. So, what can you do? Well, for starters, you could see a funny movie, you could play with children, spend some time telling jokes with friends. All these activities fill you with positive stimuli, which in turn promotes positive attitude.

Although it is impossible to keep ourselves from the negative things around us, you can still carry a positive attitude by focusing on the good things, the positive things in life.

And this positive attitude you now carry can be of benefit to other people. Sometimes when other people feel down, the thing people mostly do is try to give them advice. But sometimes, all they need is somebody to sit by them, and listen to them. If you have a positive attitude you may be able to cheer them up without even having to say anything.

If positive attitude is really great, why do people choose to adopt a negative attitude instead? One who carries a negative attitude may be actually sending a signal for attention. Before you get me wrong, feeling sad, angry, or gloomy is not wrong itself. But dwelling on these thoughts for far too long is not healthy either. There is a time to mourn.

As always, if you are beset by troubles, even in your darkest hour, focus on the good things in life, you will always have hope. Problems become something you can overcome.

You do not have much to lose by adopting a healthy, positive attitude. Studies show that such an attitude actually retards aging, makes you healthier, helps you develop a better stress coping mechanism, and has a very positive effect on all the people you meet every day. So, what's not to like about a positive attitude? Adopt one today.

Kim and Charles Petty,experts in Real Estate Market. For FREE Special Report and CD and to schedule strategy meeting on how you can make Six or Seven Figures A Year Buying and Selling Propertiesacross the USA & abroad go to (http://www.VirtualRealEstateInvestingProfits.com) VirtualRealEstateInvestingProfits or call1-800-311-9228



Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article152322.html

TheLadders - 100K jobs - Sponsored Post

TheLadders - 100K jobs - clk.atdmt.com

Join this great jobs site... They have thousands of pre-screened 100K jobs - check em out -->

sponsored like

Robert Kempster's profile on MyLikes

Your Dominant Thoughts - How to Take Advantage of Them

By: Jon De Longhi

Self belief is a wonderful thing.

I know from my own life experiences that whenever I have been filled with dread or doubt I am unable to perform at a satisfactory level. Just the other day I was using a claw hammer and a lever to dismantle a packing crate. At the time I was making quite a noise hammering away when my wife came down to the workshop to see what I was doing.

Jokingly, I quipped: "I haven't hit my fingers with the hammer yet!" Guess what I did within minutes of uttering those words? Yep. Bang. Yeeowch! Actually, I didn't say that. It was something more colorful.

You see, in retrospect, what I did was plant the seed in my mind that I was going to hit my fingers with the hammer. My mind set about fulfilling the thought.

Not only do we become what we think about, we do what we think about. Whether your thoughts are positive or negative your mind will act on them.

If we are directed by our dominating thoughts, why not implant our minds with things that will benefit us? For instance, if you really want to become a pilot then concentrate on that. Become obsessed with it. Learn all you can about it.

Do you think that Michael Jordan became the greatest basket-baller of all time by not thinking about and concentrating on the game of basketball? During his brief sojourn into baseball was he successful? Basketball was his love. He couldn't get it out of his mind. So he returned to basketball to lead the Chicago Bulls for another three years before retiring, making yet another comeback then retiring for good in 2003.

What are your dominating thoughts? Are you thinking about the things that will make you the person that you ultimately want to be? Do you have deep and powerful thoughts about these things?

If the first step to becoming the person that you want to be starts in the mind then set that train in motion.

One thing that can really help you is to sit down and write out your life goals. Take as many pages as you need. After you have crafted your life story and the way that you want it to unfold start summarizing it. Try to get it down to a single page.

Once you have done this you should read it as often as possible. At the bare minimum you should read it at least once a day. Preferably you should do this first thing in the morning and make it the last thing you do before going to bed at night, then as many times in between as you desire. It all depends how strong your desire is.

The more times you read your plan, the more you will implant it into your mind. Remember, your mind cannot discern between reality and fiction. It will simply act on it - just like my mind did when I joked to my wife about not hitting my fingers with the hammer.

Think negative and you will receive negative. Alternatively, think positive and that is what you will receive.

So, do you have a plan? What thoughts are dominating your mind?

About the Author

To learn more about success, health and happiness visit the "I Feel Good Magazine" - Free Self-Improvement Online Magazine and browse free articles, ebooks, news, videos, inspirational quotes and more - More info at: http://www.ifeelgoodmagazine.com

(ArticlesBase SC #2946624)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Your Dominant Thoughts - How to Take Advantage of Them

How About An Annual Financial Check Up?

How About An Annual Financial Check Up?

by Tinisha Nicole Johnson

We get check ups on our cars, our houses, our bodies and even our pets. However, what about getting an annual financial check up on our life?

We all have dreams and goals. However, certain financial obstacles may put a dent or act as a stop sign against our plans to achieve those goals.

There are many financial changes that can typically occur in any given 12 month period- being laid off of a job, retirement, a natural disaster, a major purchase, an illness, the birth of a child, a marriage, a divorce, a death, cost of college, providing care for an elderly parent and so forth.

What does it mean to get an Annual Financial Check up?

Simply put, it is an annual review of your financial status. Typically, Financial Planners will collect a client’s data (check stubs, checking & credit statements, titles for homes, tax returns, insurance policies, etc.), prioritize their goals, examine resources, make recommendations and implement a plan according to the client’s needs and personal goals.

Whether you are single, married, or have a family, you should want to be in charge of your future. It’s vital to set both short and long-term financial goals. A Financial Planner can help you to achieve these long term goals. Regardless of what your financial situation is, there are Financial Planners who specialize in a variety of areas and cater to your financial needs.

How can you locate a Financial Planner and how do you know if you can trust them?
There are plenty of Financial Planners out there and the relationship you have with a Financial Planner will be very personal. So in addition, also be wary of people who call themselves Financial Planners. A genuine Financial Planner is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) that is regulated with the state, has an ethical obligation to act in your interest, has no ethical violations against them and follows a Code of Ethics, which consist of: Integrity, Objectivity, Competence, Fairness, Confidentiality, Professionalism and Diligence. The Financial Planner may work as a Sole Practitioner or with a company. The Financial Planning Association (FPA) and the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP) both provide listings of Certified Financial Planners throughout the United States.

What can you expect from a Financial Planner?

You can expect them to review your current financial situation thoroughly and honestly. Additionally, they will provide a financial portfolio for you. Depending on your needs and wants, they will help you stretch out the money you already have and can even help you invest the money you are earning. A Financial Planner is interested in helping you meet your long term financial goals for the future.

Lastly, have more control of your financial future in this unpredictable world. And allow an annual financial check up to be apart of your future.

Side Bar:Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.1-800-487-1497
www.cfp.net

Financial Planning Association1-800-322-4237
www.plannersearch.org

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tinisha Nicole Johnson resides in Denver, Colorado with her family. She’s an author, writer and poet. When she’s not writing she’s hosting political teleconferences or reading a good book. Visit the author and learn more on her website: http://www.TinishaNicoleJohnson.com

Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article153362.html

Five Things to Know About Forex Trading

Five Things to Know About Forex Trading

by Bill Bear


Here are five tips for you before you take on automated forex trading. You need to first ignore all that you have heard. There is a lot of hype surrounding forex trading. The fact is yes, a lot of money can be made, but for you to make it someone else has to lose it. This is true with all investments. Automated forex can help as it will assist you in decision making.

Give up that new car! Yeah that's true, it is possible that if you put money into forex you are going to lose it. Make sure the money you put in is money you can afford to do without. If you take profits then that is great, but if you do not you will be in trouble if you risked money to pay the bills.

You have to follow the news, pay attention and actually learn. Automated forex should be a tool not a crutch. Make sure that you are paying attention to the forex markets, and make sure that you are learning something. The goal would be to trade without software and make money someday! You want to be smarter!

Don't put all your eggs in the same basket. If you just pile all your cash in one currency and it tanks you will be in bad shape, and out of money. Make sure to spread your investments out over various different vehicles so that you have less risk from the market.

Automated forex is a great way to make money, but if you start making money don't think you have figured it out. The markets change and therefore you will run into trouble if you are bragging and not staying on your toes. People who get to cocky will always lose, if you are making cash show off the cash and keep it a secret on how!

About the Author:

There is free ways to do Automated Forex. Find out how to do it with this free information.

Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article185442.html

How To get credit card consolidation loans In 3 Easy Steps

By: Benny Mills

The World Wide Web is known as a treasure trove of information on almost anything and everything. Possibly you'd be keen on how to get credit card consolidation loans. There is a considerable amount of curiosity about the way to get credit card consolidation loans via the internet. This informative article is all about showing you and teaching you just how to get credit card consolidation loans. Whatever your goals or interest, this informative article will teach you how you can get credit card consolidation loans Read on to discover ways to get credit card consolidation loans in 3 easy steps.

 

>>>>>>Easily Get credit card consolidation loans Click Here to get started<<<<<<

 

The initial step is Decide if you have enough debt to make it worthwhile, most lenders look for at least $10,000.00 in credit card debt for a credit card consolidation loan. . You truly need to get this because if not you will just be wasting your time and your time is valuable. You need to avoid, if you have less than $10,000 in credit card debt those companies. The way you do this is by asking that as your first question.

It will be extremely important to finish this initial step correctly, completely and well. If for any reason you cannot complete it correctly, then you might want to consider finding a company that will help walk you through the process.

The 2nd step will be filling out the credit card consolidation loan paperwork. Items that you will need to avoid here are not telling the complete truth on the forms everything will be double checked for accuracy. And you'll also want to avoid filling out applications at too many companies this will lower your credit score.

 

>>>>>>Easily Get credit card consolidation loans Click Here to get started<<<<<<

 

The third step is after you get the loan, start trying to live more debt free put less on credit cards and go without those unnecessary items . This will be significant because once you get out of debt the last thing you want to do is get in more debt and this does happen to people often. The most important thing to avoid is getting new credit cards and using the extra credit as a license to charge

Just go through the steps as specified and you ought to not have any difficulties with how to get credit card consolidation loans easily, rapidly and well. Just do the things you have to, for the reasons given and steer clear of the problems and traps explained. Then have fun with the fruits and advantages of having a credit card consolidation loan that you will have earned by your time and effort.

About the Author

Discover tips on how to free yourself from debt by going to our get a credit card consolidation loan site at freedomdebtmanagementhelp.org.

(ArticlesBase SC #2838012)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - How To get credit card consolidation loans In 3 Easy Steps

A Few Ways To Save Money

A Few Ways To Save Money

by Louis Meadowbank


We are continuously looking for ways to save extra money. Having some extra money at the end of the month can really help you get to your monetary goals. The majority of us are familiar with the more ordinary ways to save money. We all know you can always discover novel ways to save more money.

Save up a wide variety of non-perishable items, like food items such as cereal, pasta, and rice, and essential commodities such as soap, toothpaste, and toilet paper. Purchasing in bulk will help you save considerable amounts of money during the year. There are plenty of resources available that will help teach you how to buy in bulk and utilize your storage space.

Also, you can also save a few dollars more by cooking and taking your lunch on the job. Making your lunch will help you avoid paying extra money for lunch. People who drink coffee could invest in a small, reasonably priced coffee maker so you will not have to spend money and buy coffee.

For those of you who live in a city with reliable public transportation, you should take advantage of it. You would not believe how much time and money you save by avoiding long commutes and you can maintain a productive routine on your way to your job. If public transportation is not an option, join a work or neighborhood carpool. You receive the best aspects of public transportation, as well as the benefit of delightful company.

At times, you will be required to acquire some new possessions. Yet, you should never buy anything at the suggested retail price. You will discover Wonderful bargains at thrift stores or recycling stations. Online classified ads and online discount stores can also offer you sizeable discounts. You might find something that appears to be reasonable; keep looking. You would be surprised at how much you can still save on it.

About the Author:

Louis Meadowbank has been writing about money management issues for a long time. He understands that dealing with your money management obligations can be hard. Thus, he is happy to use his knowledge to provide others with recession survival tips.

Source:
PopularArticles.com^TM /
http://www.PopularArticles.com/article175020.html

Job Opportunities in Dubai

By: Stephen Davis

Dubai is located in the United Arab Emirates and is not only one of the world's fastest growing cities, but is also an epicenter for employment and new job opportunities. It is estimated that around 30 new companies are established in this burgeoning city every week; and this has been the case since late 2002.



But why is Dubai such an attractive city to live and work in? The short answer Dubai is tax free. If you live and work in the area you are paid your gross wage with no tax deducted from this amount. Why? Unbelievably, direct personal taxation is against the law, meaning any income you make is 100% yours.



If you are looking in the fields of tourism, IT, media or finance, and are qualified in your area, there is an abundance of job opportunities waiting to be snapped up. Every year, thousands of international people are making the move to Dubai to become part of the workforce and make some rea

About the Author

Stephen Davis is an IT professional and operates the Dubai Hotels and Dubai Jobs Website - a resource for job opportunities, news and information relating to Dubai.

(ArticlesBase SC #63798)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Job Opportunities in Dubai

The Secret To Avoiding The Temptation To Spend Money

The Secret To Avoiding The Temptation To Spend Money

by William Blake


The Secret To Avoiding The Temptation To Spend Money

William Blake

No one wants to go into debt. We try to avoid it if we can, but we fall into the traps of credit cards and delayed payment specials so easily. Curbing our spending requires discipline and an honest effort.

We have to learn to live within our means. This does not mean just having enough money to pay our bills- it means much more, such as having money in a savings account, and emergency money put away just in case.

If you live paycheck to paycheck, this is very dangerous, particularly if you have a family. Things happen that you need extra money to pay for- such as a vehicle breaking down, or a child getting sick. If you don't have the money to pay for these things, you will often have to take money from the bills, which is not good. In order to break this vicious cycle, you need to learn how to spend less money each month.

This type of discipline can only be done with a plan. This plan includes with devising a family budget. The first budget is usually the most difficult to develop, but it gets easier once you know what you are doing, and won't be so time-consuming.

A budget is only as good as the people using it. Keep yourself accountable to someone your spouse, your friend, your parents. Have a person who will call you out if you are spending too much money.

Specialists in behavior say it takes about 2 weeks to make or break a habit. At the beginning of the month, try to start your new budget. If you usually eat out for lunch, try preparing your lunch for a month. Remember to include items for lunch on your grocery list and to pack your lunch the night before work.

In order to spend less, you also need to make other changes. Remember to make lunches for the kids as well the evening before. If you thaw out meat in the morning for that evenings dinner, you won't be tempted to get take-out. Leave yourself notes around the house, car and work until you get used to your new routine.

Get out of the habit of pulling out your checks or credit card whenever someone in your household wants something. You need to decide if that item is necessary. You might find with some searching that you already have that item. Keep your house well organized so you can actually find items, rather than needing to go out and find things you misplace.

If you happen to get as lucky as to get a raise, don't increase your spending; treat the extra income as a way to save more money. Do not include the increase in the family budget. Use the extra cash to put into savings.

You won't be able to change your spending habits over night. It takes some time to change an over-shopper into a frugal one, but it can be done with some work.

Are (http://www.debtopedia.com/credit_card_consolidation/) debt consolidators the right solution for your debt problems? Find out how it can affect your financial health at the Debtopedia website. Visit http://www.debtopedia.com for more information and to get your free copy of my report on credit card debt.

Source:
PopularArticles.com^TM /
http://www.PopularArticles.com/article152320.html

How To Grow Your Twitter Followers For Free

I have been able to grow my followers since I started to take Twitter serious. This post is going to share my most valuable tool with you. Having had some prior experience with website promotion. I jumped into twitter with a determination to grow my number of followers. I tried everything I could read up on or even watch. While some of them produced some results. It may cost you anywhere from $19.95 to $15,000 for varying amounts of followers. The most effective is what I am going to share with you today, and it is also FREE. I will try to write another post later to encompass all the tips in one place.

This one is quite simple and based on the premise that if you follow the right people they will follow you back. I must warn you that you have to try to provide something that will keep your followers interested in following you. My guess however, is that you already figured that out on your own. So here is the link to some lists I created based on my experience with the tweeps on those lists, which are classified into their interest niche. The site has a lot of other lists created by other members, many of which I have taken advantage of. Here are the links for 3 of mine:

1st Button: Social Media

2nd Button: Travel Related

3rd Button: Top Follow-back


Goodluck and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Goodbye To Free TV Shows Over The Internet?:HULU

There seems to be some issues between HULU and Comedy Central over Ad Revenues. I must also mention that as this is playing out over the Internet, a similar battle is going on between the cable companies and the Major channels, again over sharing revenue. According to AP News the company HULU that provides the online videos may be forced to start charging a fee per video viewed or by charging a flat fee.

I personally would not be willing to pay for the service at the moment, especially with the limits of what HULU offers and as long as companies like ABC, FOX, and Comedy Central control the videos that HULU currently offers. The main value of HULU in my books is the quality of the videos that they offer, unlike the writer of the story that praises the ease of use. I also, appreciate the way Ads are integrated into the videos themselves... In a non-aggressive, unobtrusive, non-annoying style. All indications that the Advertisers on their videos are very likely to get greater exposure than even TV can produce.

It would appear that the TV would eventually be cannibalized by the internet. I mean just take a look around you....... In case you did not notice. Your computer monitor is really a flat screen TV and they are indeed inter-switchable or interchangeable. Now I would hope that HULU will just hang in there and find a work-around to charging a fee. Try to get by on the Ad Revenue which understandably may be very low at this point. HULU should realize that the only reason they are having this battle with the Big Media Corps is that the Big boys already see the value in what HULU have and this may just be an attempt to cut a share of the pie early in the game or the ploy could be deeper.




My recommendation to HULU would be to rough it out and keep churning out the great service while working on creating growth in Ad revenue by increasing their number of users. Especially since it seems that HULU itself is backed by strong companies. The main thing their suppliers really wanted all along is to weaken them by driving away the users; not the Ad revenue that's still in infancy.

Well let me know what you think in your comments.

Twitter Follower Promotion - Jan., 2010

My Twitter account just hit 3000+ followers, and I want to keep it growing! To that end, I am running a follower promotion in such a way that my current followers will have a chance to partake in the results. To enter you must ”retweet” the offer to your followers.



Rules:
Retweet the words between quotes:
RT “Get @debtfreeguy to 4000 followers,win $30! rules and details >>> http://bit.ly/5Hl8YK “


Details-
To participate effectively, make sure you have joined twitter and logged into twitter.com, click on my username @debtfreeguy follow me, then retweet to your followers to increase your chances.
Once I hit the 4000th follower, 3 followers will be selected from follows that occurred close to the goal [4000th]. Of the 3 one username will be selected, then you and your follower friend will each get $15 for a total of $30.


There will only be 2 winners for each Promotion.
I have about 4 Promotions planned in consecutive order.

Follower selected must have proof of the friend that tweeted them (screen shot preferred). Decision will also be based on re-tweet viewing .
Thanks for taking the time to read. - Robert