Finance Roll

It's a well established fact that when people purchase things using any payment form OTHER THAN cash, they tend to spend more money. I always figured that this fact didn't apply to me because I was a careful shopper. BUT, can I just say that is NOT true!!!

I generally keep to a budget of $300 per month for five of us (how I do it is another article). I would make my grocery list and keep my budget in the back of my mind. I would always use my debit card for shopping and never paid cash.

Many months, I would think that I had stayed within my budget but would quickly tally things up and realize I had gone over. On other months, I would come in under my budget, but I never had anything to show for it, like rolling that saved money over into a vacation fund, or putting a little extra principal down on a loan.

This month, I decided to go to a "cash" only or envelope system for my grocery money and conduct a little experiment, with ME as the guinea pig. I placed my grocery budget money for two weeks ($150) into an envelope and then went shopping with my grocery list in hand. I honestly thought I would never notice a difference in how I shopped, because hey, I was a careful shopper, right?

What an eye-opening experience! At first, I went along shopping away and noticing a few specials I had missed and threw those in as well. Then, the realization hit me. I had only so much money! I couldn't just rely on my debit card! I took out my calculator and began adding up my purchases, keeping the fact that this $150 had to go two weeks. I put back a few items that were priced well, but not well enough. I cut down on how much I stocked up on a few other items. It wasn't like we NEEDED them, but I wanted them. What I wanted and needed more, though, was to stay within my budget.

As the number on the calculator grew, I stopped going down EACH aisle. I looked at my list of needs and went down JUST the aisles I had to, thus avoiding those sale signs that lured me to grab unneeded items. I would NOT be trapped into buying something that was NOT a need and NOT on my list. I had a hardcore and physical reminder of my budget-cash!

At the end of the trip, I had a rough idea of my bill, without tax. Two points to make about the check out. Paying cash and physically counting out my hard-earned dollars HURT. It sure made me think about each thing in those bags. I also was very careful to check my receipt and make sure I wasn't paying out too much of my hard-earned cash. My cashier had difficulty completing a transaction in my groceries involving a rain check. When I examined by receipt, I found I was overcharged by $8.47! A quick trip to the courtesy desk rectified the situation, and placing $8.47 in cash back INTO my envelope felt good.

So, although my experiment is still in its first weeks, I can safely say that I was NOT immune to the fact that shoppers who pay with debit, credit and check buy more than cash shoppers. I also feel a great satisfaction knowing that on months when I come in lower than my $300 budget, I can either bank the extra, roll it over for months when I want or need to do bigger stock up trips, OR make a principal only payment on a loan. There is something better about physically handling your cash versus moving it around electronically through a debit card or check.

So, is there a part of your budget that might benefit from paying cash? The morning coffee trip, an expensive vice like smoking or clothes shopping? Think about it! Paying cash might be the way to reign in some expenses.

Let us face the facts - everyone needs transportation. Unless you are in a big city where you can walk everywhere that you need to go, or take the bus, you might be looking for a new car, truck, SUV, minivan, or other vehicle to get you where you are going. But for those with bad credit, there are very few options for getting a quality vehicle that is worth your money.

Buy Here, Pay Here Scams

Lots of people with bad credit turn to the buy here pay here car dealership to obtain their vehicle. Although these lots seem like a good deal at the time, these borrowers who patronize this type of car dealership often find that just a few days or weeks down the road they are stuck with a rolling pile of junk and a big debt. Most buy here pay here dealerships require a hefty down payment on vehicles that may have major damage which is hidden from the buyer with smoke and mirrors tactics.

It is not surprising that the first thing a car dealer from one of these places will do when he shows you a car is to point out what a nice radio it has - this is a tactic to cover up noises in the engine that might alert you to trouble down the road. Further, these dealerships offer no warranty on the vehicles they sell - you purchase as is.

There are numerous complaints about these establishments. The cars they often have junk titles when they get them; the dealer applies for a new title, and (Voila!) puts the car or truck back on the market, knowing that the vehicle may have suffered severe water damage, or even been through a fire. Some of these vehicles can even be dangerous to drive.

Bad Credit Auto Lenders

You can avoid being scammed, however. There are lenders who finance no one but bad credit borrowers. There is a big niche in the market for this type of service, as many people have damaged credit due to the economic downturn the country has experienced in the past few years.

Instead of throwing your down payment into the wind with a disreputable dealership that is out to rip you off, you can apply for a bad credit automobile loan with a lender who services people just like you. You should be aware that you may pay slightly elevated interest on any loan that you take out with bad credit. These bad credit automobile loans will help you to rebuild you credit score, however.

Online Lending Options

You might want to shop online for your bad credit automobile loan. Online lenders have more competition than those in your hometown, and therefore they generally have lower interest rates and more flexible repayment terms. Further, you will have the ease of applying completely online for your bad credit automobile loan, including being able to sign any signature documentation electronically.

Every car commercial tells you that their car has a five-star safety rating. Does this score really mean anything? What tests are being performed and who does the measuring?

The Organizations

In the United States, there are two organizations that score cars on safety ratings, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The NHTSA is run by the Department of Transportation and is sometimes called the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) or the government five star rating.

Frontal Collision Ratings

The NHTSA gets its data by running a car directly into a wall at 35 mph. The IIHS does a different test, where the impact is offset, and not directly in the middle. The IIHS test does a better job of mimicking real-life accidents. While most cars do well in directly head-on collisions, most real-life collisions are offset.

The NHTSA scores with five stars. Five stars means that there is ten percent or less chance of injury. Injury is defined as something life-threatening or for which you will need immediate hospitalization. Four stars is between eleven and twenty percent chance of injury. Three stars is between twenty-one and thirty-five percent chance.

The IIHS score is not in a five star format. They rate a vehicle as Good, Acceptable, Marginal, or Poor.

The NHTSA and the IIHS scores should be looked at in conjunction with one another. Remember, both these scores only rate what would happen if you collide with another vehicle the same size as yours. However, many crashes involve only one-vehicle, so these tests are useful.

Side-Impact Ratings

Again, the NHTSA and IIHS uses different side-impact tests. The NTSA crashes a giant beam into the side of a car and measures the shock on two male-sized dummies. They then make a star rating based on the chance of chest injury to the dummies. Five stars means less than 5% chance of injury, four stars is 6%-10%, and 3 stars is 11%-20%. They don't gage the damage to the head in this star rating, but if they think that it is excessively dangerous, they will add a safety note to their report.

The IIHS uses dummies that represent adolescents or small-statured women. This helps assess the safety of people other than men in the car. They also use a larger beam. They score their rating based on injury to the head, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis, and femur. This is arguably a more comprehensive test than the NHTSA test.

Rollover Ratings

The NHTSA is the only company that does Rollover ratings. Rollovers are often the most fatal type of accident. The NHTSA measures the chance of a car rolling with no external catalyst, and the chance of it happening for a reason (hitting a shallow ditch, hitting the curb, going onto the shoulder). 95% of rollovers are "tripped," and have some external element.

Recent NHTSA testing has proven what we know about SUVs being much more likely to rollover than sedans or other cars.

Low-Impact Bumper Test

The IIHS performs a low-impact bumper test to see how much repairs would cost you if you gently hit something by accident. They rate the cars accordingly. Although this is not necessarily a safety rating, it will tell you what you can expect for possible repairs for your car and is something to keep in mind while purchasing a car.

When you shop

Considering the safety ratings of cars is important. But it is also important to know how these ratings are measured so that you can make the most informed decision about your purchase. Maybe you want your car to be cool, or to be functional, but most of all you want it to be safe.

Do unexpected car repairs, quarterly insurance payments or unexpected medical bills find you hard pressed to squeeze even one more dollar out of an already stretched monthly budget? These are inevitable expenses and sometimes can put you under a stress condition when you need the cash to pay for these emergencies and unexpected expenses. But if you learn to budget for these emergencies events and save in advance, you will be at a better position to handle them.

Like most of Americans, you may stretch your income to cover the regular monthly expenses, and always choose to ignore or not to think about the brakes that are getting spongy or the plumbing that's beginning to make strange noises. And you end up a surge on your monthly expenses when the brakes wear off and the plumbing break out.

Planning and saving for those events can help prevent an ordinary life from turning into a crisis and can also cut down dependence on credit cards. Not having savings is a major reason people get into debt.

Here are some steps to help you get started to plan for your emergency fund, the "Saving" fund which will help you prevent financial disaster.

1. Identify your irregular expenses

Analyze your pass credit card statement and checking account registers to identify your irregular expenses occur throughout the year. Examples of these irregular expenses are property taxes, insurance premiums, vacations, car tune-ups, holidays and birthdays. List down in a piece of paper all the expenses which are not spent in monthly basis.

2. Write the anticipated amount on the calendar

In most of cases such as insurance premium and property taxes, you will know when the expenses are due to occur. And for those unknown cases such as car repair and plumping repair cost, try to anticipate their expenses and list them somewhat earlier than you actually expect them to come up. Be sure to update your calendar as you discover more expenses.

3. Plan-in the non-monthly expenses into your monthly spending

Based on the foreseen amount and anticipated amount that are captured on your calendar, plan ahead your non-monthly expenses into your monthly spending. For example, you know that your car insurance is going to due on May, set aside small amount of your money for this purpose starting on February. And when May rolls around you can transfer the expense to your spending plan and have money available to pay it. Setting aside even a few dollars each month for foreseeable expenses can prevent larger money woes ahead.

Sometimes, you may find it hard to set aside some extra money from your monthly income; but remember, repairing your car or paying your insurance is not optional expenses and you need to spend it soon or later. So you need to find a way to reduce your monthly expenses so that some money can set aside for emergency fund. You may need to track your spending; then, reduce or cut the optional expenses such as entertainment, dinner at restaurant and other impulse purchase, the money save from those optional expense can be put into your emergency fund.

In Summary

One of the mistakes people make when trying to get their finances under control is not having an emergency fund on their savings account. The problem is that if you don't have money set aside for those unavoidable bills, you inevitably end up adding to your credit card balance to cover the difference.

The bottom line is to start today. It may be discouraging at first if you find that you don't have enough money to fully fund your emergency fund, but you'll begin to succeed the minute you start the process.

Creative financing refers to a way to own real estate outside of conventional means such as traditional mortgage loans. Traditional mortgage loans are not always the best option for every circumstance, and this is where creative financing techniques can help home buyers get in to a home. Creative financing can help people with less than perfect credit own a home.

Creative financing techniques are also commonly used by investors in order to gain control of properties with the least possible out of pocket expense.

As the name suggests, there are numerous options for creative financing. Before you choose to use any method of creative financing, it is best if you research all of your options and become familiar with how it all works.

Here are several common methods of creative financing that are used...

Rent to Own / Seller Financed Mortgage

In a rent to own situation or a seller financed mortgage, the current owner of the property holds back the mortgage on the property. Typically, in a rent to own, a portion of your monthly rent goes towards a future down payment. This has advantages over renting because you rent is not going to "waste" so to speak. If you decide to purchase the property at a future date, you can use the down payment portion to help you qualify for a traditional mortgage.

In the case of a seller financed mortgage, the seller acts in the same capacity as the bank and holds the mortgage on the property that you then pay back with interest. Typically, arrangements like these are more common in times when the real estate market is moving more slowly. Both sellers and buyers can benefit from such a situation as the buyer gets in to the home and the seller is able to sell the home as well as collect interest on the deal.

80/20 Home Mortgage

An 80/20 home mortgage is actually two mortgages, a primary mortgage an a second mortgage. The concept and idea of an 80/20 home mortgage is to reduce the amount of liability towards any single lender, finance 100% of the purchase price and avoid paying PMI.

You have several options that pertain to the 20% part of an 80/20 mortgage. The second mortgage can either be fixed or a line of credit. The benefit of choosing a line of credit over a fixed rate in this situation is that the interest rates can often be 2 - 5 percent lower than a fixed rate.

Government Backed Loan Programs

Some government back loan programs are also considered creative financing. There are several state and federal loan programs offered that allow for 100% financing. Closing costs can also be rolled in to the loan in some cases.

Because these programs are government subsidized, income qualifications are a common restriction of eligibility. These programs are aimed at people with mid to low income as a means of helping everyone experience home ownership.

Hard Money Lenders

Hard money lenders are traditionally used more for investment purposes than for a primary residence. A hard money lender loans money privately usually with higher interest and shorter terms compared to traditional mortgages.

While this is no means a complete run down of creative financing techniques, as you can see there are many options when it comes to financing real estate outside of traditional means.

Most people are well aware that in order to improve their finances and even become wealthy, they need to follow a process that takes them from being in debt to having financial assets that provide them with an income.

If so many people are aware of this, why do so few ever acquire investments?

There are two reasons: firstly, many people are already living on more than their income each month, and so finding money to invest often seems unlikely. Secondly, there is a common misunderstanding that investing is complicated.

By following these five steps, you can easily save a regular amount of money sufficient to act as your investment money:

1. Reduce your entertainment spending - chances are, you don't know exactly how much you spend on entertainment each month, and the total is probably higher than you would guess. Common entertainment splurges are alcoholic drinks, cigarettes, nights out drinking, trips to the cinema, DVD rentals and family activities like bowling and swimming. All of these quickly add up, especially if you are paying for two (you and your spouse) or four (you, spouse and two children) people each time. Rather than seeing entertainment spending as a necessity, you must be realistic about the amount you can afford to spend on these things each month. What can you sacrifice to help your investment budget?
2. Take control of your collections - you may or may not be aware of your collections; the things you buy time and time again, despite having similar things already. The obvious cliche collection is the woman with 100 pairs of black stilettos. While this is an extreme example, chances are you have too many of a certain thing already, whether it be handbags, blue jeans, summer jackets, luxurious bubble baths, tea towels or power tools. Identify what your collections are and assess whether you need all of the items you have already. Sell any you don't use or pay attention to, and commit not to buy any further of these for six or twelve months. Be aware that when you are around these objects, you will feel a temptation to buy. Don't give in.
3. Watch your food spending - meals to celebrate someone's birthday, the weekly grocery shop, the chocolates to cheer you up, the lunch bought each work day, the ice cream while walking the dog, the Starbucks on the way to the office, the takeaway when you're just too tired to cook... food spending takes up a huge chunk of most people's income each month. Unless your end goal is to be obese and unhealthy, this is a habit well worth overcoming right away. Also, a shocking amount of food bought ends up being thrown away and wasted. You are literally throwing away a portion of your income each month by buying food that will not be used. To get your food spending under control, make sure you plan your meals in advance each week and buy accordingly, never go food shopping while hungry or without a list, and don't make the mistake of aimlessly wandering up and down every single aisle in the supermarket. Calculate how much your shopping will total and take that amount in cash - do not have a debit or credit card with you. If your shopping exceeds the amount of cash you have, replace some less essential items. Buy cheaper brands of cleaning products, toilet rolls and alcohol. Arrange alternative celebrations for birthdays and ring a friend when upset - don't treat food as a reward or comforter.
4. Buy less 'treats' and impulse buys - do you have a gym membership? When was the last time you used it? The majority of people who have a gym membership will actually pay less over the course of a year if they cancel the membership and pay for each gym session as they attend. Cancel your membership now - unless you really go several times every single week. Consider your magazine and newspaper subscriptions. How many of these can you access free online? How many do you not even get around to reading properly? With the amount of free information available online, there is rarely a need to pay for any magazines or newspapers. How often do you buy CDs or DVDs? Most CDs can be purchased at a lower price online, and as most DVDs are watched only once, switch to renting them for a fraction of the price. If you're wondering how you will manage without these 'treats', consider if you are trying to hide from some real pain that can be better managed.
5. Hide from the cash machine - give yourself a weekly budget and withdraw this amount at the beginning of the week. Then hide your credit and debit cards (or give them to a friend who will not give them back to you until the next week) and force yourself to spend just that amount. This will force you to closely examine your spending and will change the way you think about money and spending.

By following these five steps, you will have an extra amount of free cash each month that can be invested however you choose.

If you are new to investing, discuss your options with a Wealth Coach.

In no time at all, you will have an investment plan prepared and will be on the road to controlling your own finances.

When ever changing into a great serious sports activities bettor the a good number powerful issue a few other in comparison with picking winners often is figuring out the simplest way so that you can be in charge of most of the finances you actually have set apart pertaining to gambling. Without having to declare, it has been called bank roll management, and the application is normally tremendously straightforward to develop.

Most bettors commit this particular miscalculation of wagering way too much or most of their own cash with only one quest in hopes of cashing in colossal on a fast hit. In which is definitely the most severe thing one could certainly implement since just about every sports period is actually very lengthy and additionally is without a doubt filled of profit creating occasions. Thus we do not necessarily really want to go away broke wildly wagering income on random plays just to do so, that's precisely what they refer to as gambling. In case people need for you to render money you actually must possibly be patient and thus controlled. It is plain as well as simple people who risk likely will lose, nevertheless individuals who adopt these tips of sports gambling are likely to normally conclude each period in the green.

The particular body is clear, prior to any period you must set in reserve certain quantity of capital specifically for betting which will is going to become your ultimate bank roll. The moment the bank roll has been determined you need to realize the fact that everyone really should NEVER jeopardize it almost all with only one game. It is going to be there intended for the particular bettor to help grasp as soon as just about all of your capital is gone he/she should never make any more works for that continuous year.

Generally, a bettor should wage absolutely no more than 50% of the roll they have established upon a play and in which will end up being the most robust wager these people realize which are usually few and far between. An common wager on a play which one feels secure with should certainly end up being roughly 5-10%. Consequently a gamer who has a bankroll of $10,000 would likely be creating $500-$1000 bets dependent on just how positive they are. At this moment simply vary your bank roll to the case in order to find out how much each one of your plays should really be.

Everyone who follows the bank roll management structure is nearly guaranteed to gain money for the duration of the year. Any person may well reign over the sports betting environment.

Chapter 1

Jack and Jill sat at the kitchen table and looked into each others eyes and thought about what had just happened. They sat there and waited for their daughter. You see, Jack and Jill were just your average couple. Even though they would never achieve the finer things in life and even though they would probably never be able to travel the world and live their dreams like the people they saw on TV, it was ok, because they had true love (and that's all that matters). Suddenly, in walked their 10-year old daughter, Janice. She smiled. They smiled. They really loved their daughter. She was beautiful. She immediately took their minds off of the conversation they had just had. She was so young, so innocent, and so pure. She sat down at the table:

Janice: So, you wanted to see me?

Jack: Janice, we need to have a talk.

Jill: Yes, Janice. We had a talk with your school teacher Mrs. Cage yesterday. She told us that you are extraordinary! But she also told us that sometimes you don't sit still and pay attention. Sometimes you seem to be in a dream world.

Janice: Yeah, I know. I hate that stupid class! I don't see what any of that stuff has to do with me! I'm just not interested! I just want to do something fun!

Jack: Janice, I know how you feel. I felt that way as a child also. Listen Janice, me and your mother love you so much. And we want you to have a better life than what we have now. We've already gone through what you are about to go through. That's why we have to tell you this. I know that you want to be free to do the things you want, but you have to look to the future. You need to get good grades in school now. That way you can get into a good college. Then you can get a good education so that you can get a good job! I know that may seem harsh, but you'll understand when you get older.

Janice: Yeah, okay.

Jill: Janice, it's not that we don't want you to enjoy your youth. As a matter of fact, you will have to enjoy it, because when you get older, it's over. Your father and I just want you to have a good life, okay?

Janice: Okay. I understand.

Janice walked back to her room rolling her eyes. Deep down inside, in her inner being, she felt like something was wrong with what her parents had just told her. It wasn't that she was lazy and didn't want to learn or be educated, it was just..... Something was just ........wrong! But she thought to herself "My parents know best." Even though she didn't show it, she had a lot of love for her parents. She was glad that they cared for her so much. She turned on her radio, sang and practiced her dance moves.

Chapter 2

Eight years later

Janice accepted her high school diploma. She was glad that she had taken her parents advice. She had learned to suppress her excitement, stop looking out the window into the universe and focus in her class. She had already been accepted into Good College University and was well on her way to getting the best education.

After a couple of years, Janice decided to move off campus. The dorm was okay, but she needed to be independent. She moved in with a roommate to keep costs down and got a part-time job. Janice was really encased in her studies and really didn't have time to work that much, nor try to figure out who she really was. Having a job and going to school can be a bit much. To compound the problem, she hated her job. The people were rude, the managers where stuck-up and the atmosphere was bad. Yet, she had to smile in peoples faces all day and pretend that she liked it. She couldn't wait until she graduated so that she could go work for somebody else! Then one day she got a letter in the mail from the BS Bank of America, offering her a $5,000 YourMaster credit card. As broke as she was, she gladly accepted it (for emergency purposes only of course).

Janice would always see her friends going out, shopping and having fun. But with a part-time job she could only do so much. Janice didn't want to be left out! Her parents couldn't give her a lot of spending money because they had bills of their own. She didn't like bothering her parents anyway. They weren't the same couple as they were years ago. They were always arguing, mostly about money. It just seemed as if they were always frustrated. She noticed this when she was young (though they tried to keep it from her), but it seemed worse now. She could tell when she called home that they weren't happy.

Janice had had the same clothes now for a year and this had to be stopped! She couldn't miss out. After all, these were supposed to be the best years of her life. Like her mother said, "When you get older, it's over." She knew that she couldn't really afford to run her credit card bill up, but she thought to herself, "Well, what am I supposed to do? I can't walk around looking like a scrub all the time. Especially with my low self-esteem! I have to be SEEN with Fresh Gear! I gotta go out and have some fun! Besides, BS Bank knew I was broke when they gave me this card. Why would they give this to me? They should have known better!"

So, Janice went along accumulating credit card bills and student loans, having a good time, not really understanding what was happening. One night when she went out to a club with her brand new outfit that she bought with her card, she saw John. She had gone to high school with him. Much to her dismay, John didn't seem to be that in awe of her outfit (like all the others were), but that was ok. He looked cute to her. They struck up a conversation and talked the whole night. Isn't it funny how you can know somebody for so long, never realizing what was meant to be? They fell in strong like, and then in love and they knew that they would get married. Fairytales do come true. By the time Janice reached graduation at Good College, she had run up over $10,000 on credit. Her credit score had been in steady decline due to late payments and overdue balances. The same can be said for John.

Chapter 3

Jill sat in the bleachers crying uncontrollably as her daughter, Janice, walked across the stage. She knew that this meant freedom for her daughter. Janice already had a job waiting for her when she graduated. She soon married John and they rode off into the sunset! They immediately fell into the abyss of bliss, and a child was conceived. Nine months later, they named her Joyce. Joyce was a beautiful child. They knew as soon as they saw her that she was something extraordinary. They would eventually have two more children. Janice's parents would eventually get a divorce.

The new couple, fresh out of college, was making more money than they had ever seen! Janice had told her old job to kiss her behind. She was making a lot more than her parents did. Janice and John both bought brand new cars now that they could afford them. After a couple of years of saving and trying to pay down on some bills, they decided to buy a house and build wealth. Janice and John stopped by BS Bank to get a loan.

Chapter 4

Mr. Oversear: You know Mr. Carnage, We here at BS Bank are starting to have some concerns regarding our investments in your company.

Mr. Carnage: What is the problem?

Mr. Oversear: Well, as you know, people are starting to find out how terrible and poisonous trans fats are! There is a whole movement going on! Your Potato Chips are loaded with this stuff! I just don't see your sales continuing the way they are.

Mr. Carnage: Well, Mr. Oversear, I understand your concern. But I can assure you that we have everything covered.

Mr. Oversear: What do you mean?

Mr. Carnage: Well you see, we have found a loophole around this whole trans fat thing. What we do is this. We define one serving of chips as a big handful a chips. Now, since there is less than 1 gram of trans fat per "serving" the government will allow us to put "0 grams" of trans fat on our bags. This way we can trick all of these FOOLS into believing that we actually don't put trans fats (along with all of the other poisons) in our chips! This along with other loopholes like "No MSG added", have allowed our food products to keep right on trucking. As a matter of fact, our sales have gone up. Some of these people actually believe that our stuff is healthy!

Mr. Oversear: BRILLIANT! I always knew that I could count on y.....

John: Excuse me... Sir?

Mr. Oversear: Yes, come right in! (whispering) Listen, Mr. Carnage, I have to get off the phone. I'll talk to you soon.

Yes, have a seat! Sorry about that. Just talking to my wife.

John: Don't sweat it.

Janice: Yes, I saw an advertisement on the BS webpage that I could get a $200,000 loan for $700/month. Can we have this?

Mr. Oversear: Ok, well, let me have your social.

Janice: It's 911-01-4666

Mr. Oversear: Ok, now let me look for a second. Well, actually, that ad is for people with a 900 Beacon Score and a debt to income ratio of 1.8% or lower, and that is an interest only loan.

John: So we don't qualify for a loan?

Mr. Oversear: Yes of course you do. It's just that you have a higher debt to income ration because of your car notes and student loans. I also notice that you have some late payments on your BS Bank YourMaster credit cards. So, since you didn't pay YourMaster on time, BS Bank will now have to charge you $1600/month for that loan.

John: (sighs) Well, that is a lot more than we expected.

Janice: Well honey, I think that we can make it work. We can afford this.

John: Yeah, we can squeeze it in. Well... I guess we'll have to take it. I mean, we can't keep making our landlord rich. We need to start building wealth.

Mr. Oversear: Yeah, I know.

When Janice and John left the BS Bank, they felt that something was wrong, but they put it out of their minds. After all, they knew what they had done was right. This was just their first home. They could buy their dream home later.

Chapter 5

Life went on for Janice and John year after year. They eventually refinanced their home and got a lower interest rate. They got into the routine of the "9 to 5", paying bills and taking care of the kids. John would eventually end up working in a totally different field than what he had gotten a degree in. After about 11 years, they got used to their situation, not seeing it for what it was. They would often reminisce about the good old days, when they were young and free. They would argue sometimes, but they would always keep it from the children. Janice would often think to herself, "Mom was right. Enjoy your youth; because once you get old, it's over"

One Saturday morning, they were sitting at the kitchen table just chilling out, talking, and eating some good tasting potato chips when they heard a knock on the door.

Mr. Freeman: Knock knock knock!

Janice: Ah, yes. May I help you?

Mr. Freeman: Well actually, I may be able to help you!

Janice: EXCUSE ME, my husband is sitting right there.

Mr. Freeman: No no no! Nothing like that! I'm just here to present you with a business opportunity. You do keep your money making options open right? Or are you a SLAVE to your boss.

Janice: Watch out now! I'm not a slave to ANYBODY!

Mr. Freeman: Mmm Hmm...

John: Yeah, come on in and have a seat right here. Show us whatcha got... SO, Mr. Freeman, would you like some chips?

Mr. Freeman: Oh no! I just had some food earlier. But thanks anyway. Listen, before we get started, lets do a simple exercise. I want you to imagine this. What if you had all the money you wanted and you could do whatever you wanted?

This question opened up the floodgates for Janice. She started listing all kinds of things. She had always wanted to open up a homeless shelter. She wanted to travel the world. She wanted to be a talk show host. She could sing and dance WAY better than all of those women on TV. Maybe, if she could get out of her J.O.B. she could do something like that! John was surprised by all that he heard! He also wanted to travel, and as a matter of fact, they had said that they would travel together after they retired. Then he could open up his own barbeque place. John's Barbeque Juke Joint. He could have franchises all over the world!

After Mr. Freeman got them all excited, he began to explain his proposition. Everything that Mr. Freeman said made sense. Janice was on the edge of her seat. All of this talk about money and dreams made her feel like a child again. The plan was definitely doable. Yes, it would take hard work, but it was doable! But suddenly Janice felt something in the pit of her stomach. She looked at John and could see that he felt it too. Something was wrong. She felt very uncomfortable. She felt as if Mr. Freeman was pulling on her. It was like he was trying to pull her out of where she was into an unknown place.

Not completely understanding what was happening, she started to reject it. She started thinking to herself, "Who is this guy? How can he just come in here and sell us this? I've got responsibilities; I can't just up and run out into the street!" Her anger came to the forefront when she heard these words.

Mr. Freeman: And it only cost $500 to get started.

Janice: $500? Have you lost your natural mind? We don't have $500!

Mr. Freeman: Well excuse me! I thought you both were educated with good jobs!

John: Watch your tone Mr. Freeman! We ARE educated with good jobs. But we have student loans, car notes and a house note!

Janice: And besides, even if we could come up with the money, there is no way that we would have the time to do all of this!

Mr. Freeman: Why not?

Janice: WE HAVE THREE KIDS!!!!!!

Chapter 1

Mr. Freeman walked out of the house shaking his head. At that instant, Janice looked straight at John, and they almost realized what had happened. Here they were, trapped in The Middle-Class Matrix. Good Education, Good Jobs, Health Benefits (that they would be needing soon from eating chips), Nice Cars, A Nice House with a white picket fence, three Children, and STRAPPED!! They were caught up in the American Dream that we all crave and covet.

Janice and John never admitted it to each other, but they both knew that they would never achieve their goals. They knew that the homeless shelter would never happen. They knew that they would probably never travel the world (at least not anytime soon, maybe in the far distant future). John would probably never have the money to open up his Barbeque Juke Joint. Janice would never be a singer, a dancer or a talk show host. She would have to watch and dream.

But there's no reason to be sad. Life has its disappointments, but all was not lost. Even though they would never achieve the finer things in life and even though they would probably never be able to travel the world and live their dreams like the people they saw on TV, it was ok, because they had true love (and that's all that matters). Suddenly, in walked their 12-year old daughter, Joyce. She smiled. They smiled. They really loved their daughter. She was beautiful. She immediately took their mind off of the conversation they had just had. She was so young, so innocent, and so pure. She sat down at the table:

Joyce: So, you wanted to see me?

John: Joyce, we need to have a talk.

More and more people are investigating the bridging loan market. To help those new to the bridging loan market we have compiled a simple guide to help you on your way to understanding bridging finance.

Guidance to the UK Bridging Loans Market

Bridging Loans are short term loans usually between 1 and 6 months that are secured against property on a first or second charge basis. The bridging loans are secured against the property; they are generally non status with no credit checks or proof of income required.

The amount of the loan can be 100% of the purchase price of the property or more normally around 70% of the value of the property. The property can be residential, an investment property, commercial property or land.

If there is sufficient equity in the property the interest for the loan and other fees can be rolled up and settled at the end of the term of the loan. Interest rates for bridging loans reflect the risk to the lender and the Loan to Value (LTV) of the loan against the property. The higher the LTV the higher the interest rate.

Bridging loans can be arranged through some high street banks, private finance companies or through specialist UK Bridging Loan Brokers. High street banks tend to be more conservative in their lending where as private finance houses are quick and less concerned about previous credit problems and proof of earnings. However private finance houses are not generally accessible by members of the public who have to apply to them through brokers.

Reasons to set up bridging loans are normally to do with the speed that the money is needed by. They can be arranged in a matter of days. Here are some of the reasons that bridging loans are used:

1. Buying property at auction where completion is required within 28 days.
2. Buying property undervalue were the vendor is looking for a quick sale.
3. Short term cash flow problems.
4. Complete house purchase when current property remains unsold
5. Stop house repossession.
6. Settle tax or VAT liabilities.
7. Raise money for divorce settlements.
8. Raise money for any legal purpose.

The costs involved in setting up a bridging loan are relatively expensive and can include some or all of the following.

·        The borrower will have to pay for the cost of a RICS survey of the property. The price will depend on the value of the property, the higher the value of the property the higher the valuation fee. A commercial valuation will tend to be more expensive than a residential valuation.

·        The borrower will have to pay for their legal costs as well as the lenders legal costs.

·        To set up the loan there is normally an arrangement fee between 1% & 2% of the loan amount. This cannot be added above the maximum LTV of the product. There may also be an exit fee payable when the loan is redeemed. Exit fees generally start at one months interest.

·        There may be a minimum term for the loan; this is generally three months for some loans down to one day for others. This is not a problem if the loan will be for 3 months or more.

A lot of these costs can be avoided or reduced by choosing the right loan for your circumstances.

Applying for Bridging Loans

Bridging loans can be arranged through traditional banks or through Specialist Bridging Finance Lenders. Most Specialist Bridging Finance Lenders do not accept applications directly from the public and will only accept applications via brokers. Although traditional banks rates are lower than the Specialist Lenders  they are not fast and can take 6 weeks or more for an application to progress to completion. Specialist Bridging Finance Lenders on the other hand can have funds drawn down within 10 working days or within days if an acceptable valuation is available.

If traditional banks are your chosen route for bridging loans most high street lenders will provide some form of bridging finance. Applications can be made directly to them or by using a Bridging Loan Broker.

The other avenue is to use a Bridging Loan Broker to make your application for you. By using a broker they will apply to the most suitable lender for your circumstances.The choice of lender to approach is dependent on your specific circumstances , this means that the lowest interest rate may not be the cheapest overall for the term of your loan. Factors that can affect this are maximum loan size, whether there is a minimum term and if there are exit fees at the end of the loan. What at first glance appears cheap may not be when all the costs are calculated. This is why it pays to engage the services of a Specialist Bridging Loan Broker, who even if they charge broker fees will save you money overall.

Whenever a person buys or leases a car, he seeks ways to finance this move. Most auto financing involves a car loan, which entails a detailed check on his credit history and a tough interview about car finance. When he undergoes all these to buy a used car, it is only fair that he also performs his own investigations about the car he is going to buy. In fact, he should never consider buying a used car, which history has not been checked. If he does, he may just end up paying for a piece of junk.

A used car must be checked for its title, registration, odometer, and the problems that it had weathered before it reached your eyes. A "title check" will determine if the car is salvaged, flooded or rebuilt. For example, many cars were destroyed during the 9-11 World Trade tragedy. Many cars, too, were damaged during the hurricanes and floods. These cars are salvaged by enterprising people. The cars will be rebuilt and sold again at car auctions. A title check will also discover if the used car has lemon history.

A "registration check" will determine if the used car has been used as a fleet car, or as a taxi, or even as a police car. If the used car has been utilized in any of these, then it is safe to say that within a given period of time, this particular used car has covered more miles than the average privately used car. A registration check will also reveal if the used car was ever rented or leased.

The car's odometer is an instrument used to measure the distance traveled by a vehicle. An "odometer check" will show if the odometer has been broken or fraud. It will also show if it has been rolled back or rolled over. If the odometer has been tampered, this does not bode well for the next owner of the used car. The car may be older than what the dealer is telling you. Or it may have mileage problems.

A "problem check" will determine if the used car has sustained fire damage or an explosion. It will also show if it has been involved in a major accident. The fire or accident may have inflicted a still undetected damage on the used car. It is also quite creepy to use a car that has cradled dead bodies before. A problem check will reveal if the car has been stolen. A car that has been stolen may no longer have all its original parts. To be safe, the potential buyer must order a vehicle history report.

In any business environment, those who are prepared will always do better, all other things being equal. Knowing your desired outcomes, anticipating potential obstacles and being very familiar with both your own offerings and your client's/customer's needs are all part of being prepared.

In addition, the power of flexibility is a little-spoken-of but very critical element of success. Flexibility means making a choice NOW that when faced in the future with challenges, you will roll with them and be flexible as to the way your outcome is achieved. You will remain open and fluid, alert to nuances and changes in contributing factors, and adjust accordingly.

Here is a little story to illustrate this:

I recently received an amusing call from a marketing company asking to speak to 'the owner' of one of my websites.

Right off the bat I noticed that I felt defensive, wondering whether there was an issue, or if this person was calling to try to sell me something (poor salespeople - they don't stand a chance with me!).

The gentleman proceeded to launch into his spiel about how they could help drive traffic to the website and how great their services were, and I had to interrupt. I asked him if he was aware that we owned a network of sites, and of which tactics and techniques we were already making use of in order to accomplish the 'driving more traffic' he was speaking of.

Well, no....but if I just listened to their list of programs available perhaps I would discover some that were of interest, etc. etc..

Did he have a number I could call him back at, I wondered? No.

The truth is, there is always more we can learn, and I am always interested in new and better ways of doing things. I work very hard at attaining and applying new knowledge, and also it is a pleasure for me. I could have been open to some of what this gentleman had to offer, but because he launched into his company spiel completely 'blind,' he was offensive to me as a consumer. It was obvious he was just going down some list of websites in the 'whois' database, and calling each to try and sell them a product or program, hoping he will catch some fish, so to speak.

A more intuitive salesperson may have been able to catch on to this, since I clearly informed him that we were internet marketers ourselves, and perhaps some intelligent questions would have led to a far more productive conversation.

A lesson here is, whether you are in sales or just in general when you are speaking to someone, be prepared. Learn a little about your subject before you speak to them; not only will it be flattering, you will enjoy far more productive and useful communication. Secondly, be flexible, which means LISTEN.

People are not closed books; they exhibit countless clues as to what they are thinking, including their tone of voice, their choice of words and their body language if in person. Effective communication means paying attention and rolling with whatever is currently happening, rather than following some pre-planned script.

Do you think that your home is not attractive anymore? Do you feel bored while staying at home? If you feel so, then you need to change the "look" or the impression of your home. Many things can do to make your home more attractive. It can be started from your paint, wallpaper, decoration, interior design, furniture, and many more.

First thing you can do to change the "look" of your home is changing the color of your home. You can re-paint by using other color. Apply smooth color to make your home more cozy, or you can re-paint your home using a bright color. You can play the color by using not only one color but also adding two or more colors to make your home colorful. Make sure that the color are not contradicted with each other. Because it may lead to "bad" feeling for your mood. Avoid some colors that make you undesired. You can also applied a nice wallpaper which can describe your feeling. Many options of wallpaper that are available, choose one or two or more wallpaper that reflect your mood. You can use different wallpaper in each room.

Secondly, you can place furniture that suitable with the theme or the color of your home paint. You can add mirrors to complete the 'look' of your home. They can be used to make your home more brighten because the light from the sun is reflected by mirrors. You can put these mirrors across windows, doors, or in any place that have much light distribution. Therefore your home will have a natural look of light. Besides, it can make as if the rooms in your home look spacious. You can use small mirrors if you do not have more spaces in your home, but if you decide to use large mirrors it will be better.

Last but not least, to make your home more tidy and neat, you can install clothes or coat hooks. They can be used to make your clothes or coat off from the floor. Your after worn clothes will keep neat and do not look wrinkled. These coat hooks also can add elegance impression to your home. You can install these coat hooks in your hallways, foyer, behind your doors, and especially in your bedrooms and bathrooms.

Then, you may have attractive home that make you stand longer in your home sweet home. But, the most important thing is you do not need to waste your money by buying expensive stuffs. There are many stuff that offered in affordable price. you can purchase that stuff that suited with your finance condition. Now, it is your turn to create an attractive home which can add your desire.

Debt consolidation means combining all your several debts, usually unsecured debts into just one account resulting in one payment each month instead of several payments. This goes to the debt Consolidation Company who will disburse it among your creditors.

The debt Consolidation Company's goal is to reach an agreement with your creditors in your behalf so the interest rates or any other late fees can be reduced or scrapped altogether, resulting in lower monthly payments. If your funds are very limited, your creditors may even agree to reduce the principal to an amount you can afford to pay.

The purpose of a debt consolidation company is to work out a program that will benefit both you and your creditors. Your creditors naturally want to see their money paid back and you want to be relieved of your debts in the most painless way possible. Of course, you can negotiate with your creditors yourself but creditors are generally more receptive to negotiating with professionals who are more likely to consider all angles of the situation.

The extent by which the interest rate or the principal amount of your debt is reduced is dependent on your capacity to pay. Before any agreement can be reached, your income and expenses are assessed by the debt Consolidation Company. The result of this assessment is submitted to your creditors as proof. This will become the basis for the terms of agreement.

A debt consolidation program will allow you to pay off your debts in a shorter period, say 4-6 years instead of 10 years, depending on how big your debt is. Another benefit is that your creditors will stop harassing you with telephone calls or letters demanding repayment for your debts. This will take some stress of you and will let you focus.

Common unsecured debts allowed in a debt consolidation program:

o Credit card debt - unpaid credit card balances

o Department store debt - unpaid balance on department store credit cards.

o Student loans - unpaid balance on loans used in pursuing college education.

o Tax debt - arrears on income taxes

o Medical or legal bills - unpaid balance incurred for medical or legal services.

o Personal loans - unpaid balance on personal bank loans or any other financial institutions

o Utility bills - unpaid bills from utility companies such as cable, telephone, gas, heating, electrical or home insurance services.

o Collection agencies - unpaid debt on bills that have been referred to a collection agency for repayment.

Choosing the right debt consolidation firm is important. Consolidating your debts will cost you money so find out what the fees are, whether you afford it with your current financial situation and any hidden or additional fees. Find out as much as you can so you do not end up with a dishonest company who does not have your best interest in mind.

When you enter a debt consolidation program, there are several conditions you have to adhere to, namely: to give the complete monthly payment on time every time until your debts are settled and to stop using your credit card or acquiring more debts.

Benefits of debt consolidation

o Lower monthly payments - this lessens the time you are required to pay your debt and ensure that you will be able to meet daily living expenses and still save for emergencies.

o Accrued interest on loans are reduced or eliminated altogether. For example, if you have been defaulting on paying a $2000 loan for a long time and your accrued interest and late fees amount to $1500, the Consolidation Company can negotiate for the interest and late charges to be written off so you only owe $2000. Therefore, you will be able to pay your debt easily and in a shorter timeframe, accelerating your debt-free life.

o Only one monthly payment. You only need to remember one payment date reducing the probability that you will miss paying it.

o Improve credit - unpaid or late payments can reflect badly on your credit report and lower your credit score. Once you start paying, your credit will gradually improve. After your debts are paid in full, it is possible to get your credit account reported in your favor.

o Avoid harassing telephone calls from creditors - your creditors will subsequently deal with the Consolidation Company instead of you.

o Budget tips - your new repayment plan generally includes budgeting tips to help you save for emergencies, in effect there will be no need for you to borrow money again and you can start building your finances again.

Debt consolidation is often confused with debt consolidation loan. The difference is that debt consolidation means rolling multiple debts into one resulting in a single monthly payment while debt consolidation loan means taking out a loan, usually secured on any valuable assets you may have, such as your home, to cover all your current debts.

With all of the hoopla surrounding the end of the Bush administration and the beginning of the Obama, have you noticed the stock market? It has been quietly sinking as the reality of the state of the economy has been sinking in. Here is some of the evidence that things are probably going to get rougher rather than smoother:

1. Trade with other nations has declined nearly 18% in the last quarter. Fewer people overseas are buying our goods and we are buying fewer foreign goods. This will make it harder to recover.

2. Major retailers are lining up at their attorneys offices getting ready to file for Bankruptcy proceedings. Note that Circuit City is already gone and many more will follow after this poor holiday shopping season. Do NOT be surprised if you read about some of these CEOs heading to the Great ATM Machine, i.e., Congress, seeking more bailout money.

3. Housing prices continue to fall, despite lowered mortgage rates. Just because rates are lower no longer means one can instantly qualify for a mortgage any more. If the loan to value is too high, there wont be a new loan. Period.

4. Commercial REITs and developers are facing serious financing trouble as more than $500 Billion in commercial loans come due this year with very, very few lenders willing or even able to lend.

5. The worst sign of all: More and more people are looking to the GOVERNMENT to save us from our excesses.

Folks, I don't care what your politics are, the bottom line is that Government policies caused most of this mess. Any serious digging on your part will bear this out (see FNMA and FHLMC). The real culprit is the belief that someone else is responsible for your prosperity. This happens at both the poverty and amazingly wealthy levels. Unfortunately, you wont find this information in the main-scream media nor will they teach it in school. Those avenues are already controlled by the bad guys.

We have allowed our individualism to slide into collectivism. I can give you all kinds of names for this crisis of the spirit: Marxism, Socialism, and Statism to name a few.

Here are some of the tools of this method of thinking: The creation of the Income Tax to promote class warfare for the sake of getting votes; the creation of the Federal Reserve Bank to supposedly control our economy (have you noticed how these huge bubbles tend to follow easy money policy at the Fed & and that they are getting worse); the creation of more and more bureaucracies to tell us what we can and cannot do; political correctness to stifle free speech and debate; the belief that only government can save us.

I DARE you to find any of these powers, beliefs, or inclinations in our Constitution, Bill of Rights, or the writings of our Founding Fathers.

Folks, the only way out is through the sound belief in and reasoned action of the individual. This is the core of what has made America the greatest nation on earth & ever. And we are sitting here watching our so-called leaders act without conscience, without accountability, and without a care for the consequences to the nation. We are giving our power away.

YOU need to do something about this economy and YOU can. Roll up your sleeves. Look around at the opportunities! Turn off your television set. Unplug your iPod. GO DO SOMETHING and stop waiting for someone ELSE to do it.

I see that $500 Billion in commercial loans that are rolling over as an AMAZING opportunity in my business. What diamonds are waiting for you to be picked up in yours? Be strong, get motivated, and by all means get MOVING. Oh, and start writing your *ahem* representatives and let them know that their days are numbered!

Their cars are extensions of themselves, for a lot of people and their personalities. Whether it is a classic convertible or a brand new Mercedes, the type of automobile an individual drives can state a lot about them. Everyone has different tastes in vehicles, which is a good thing we wouldn't want everyone driving the same thing. Some people like cars and others like trucks or SUVs. Personally, I drive a Nissan Titan Crew Cab that is customized with kayak racks that are not only functional for my kayaks and wind boards but they also set it apart from every other Titan on the road. This article is not about the guy with the junked out rusty pick-up truck!

There is genuinely no other experience quite like driving down the road on a gorgeous spring day with all the windows of your vehicle rolled down. The fresh air enlivens you and it seems that everything is just right with the world when you are able to unwind behind the wheel of the machine you call your own.

But, what about the people who don't have a car? Walking down the road on a pretty spring day isn't quite the same experience. We bemoan the individual who lacks their own transportation, those who have to bum rides off of friends and family. If you have been in this situation you know that you find yourself looking at your shoes in an entirely new way. You know the local bus drivers by their name and they know yours. Contingent on where you reside, owning a car to drive is just about a requirement.

Therefore you determine you genuinely need to acquire a car, but you don't have adequate money to purchase one outright for cash. You're going to need to look into some sort of financing, but there's the rub. Either you have no credit, you have very little credit, but not enough to win over someone to lend you money, or you have bad credit like many other people out there. Don't think it's a lost cause and that you're condemned to walk all over forever.

There are many things you can do to enable you to purchase that car irrespective of your credit history. There are numerous alternatives that you have even if it does not appear that way. People everywhere are beset with credit problems, so you're not the lone ranger! Many companies specialize in helping people get back on the road in their very own cars. It's not easy, but it is conceivable.

We have performed in depth research into the troubles of credit-challenged people and how they can purchase a car without having to sell off body parts, give up their first born child or rob a bank. The good news is that increasingly lenders are funding automobile loans for people with bad credit everyday. Never mind what your credit history is, armed with a little research and the right information you can get the car you're dreaming of.