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	<title>personal financial planning</title>
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		<title>Setting Up An Investment Account</title>
		<link>http://www.alacog.com/archives/343</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:42:00 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[personal financial planning]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Setting Up An Investment Account When you marry, there arises the problem of how the account will then be set up. Will it be a joint account with your husband or wife, both names to appear? If that, just how should it be worded? Because legally there is a considerable difference between the various types [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
<p>Setting Up An Investment Account
<p> When you marry, there arises the problem of how the account will then be set up. Will it be a joint account with your husband or wife, both names to appear? If that, just how should it be worded? Because legally there is a considerable difference between the various types of joint accounts. In whatever way you have your account set up, that&#8217;s the way your stock certificates will read.
<p> By the time you&#8217;re old enough to need to make such decisions you should have talked to various people and pretty much decided in your own mind what possibilities are open to you and which one would suit your circumstances best. Be choosy about whom you get your information from, though. If possible, besides your parents, talk with the personnel from the brokerage house and, ideally, a lawyer or a banker or both.
<p> Each type of joint account has its own set abracadabra. For instance, my wife&#8217;s and my certificates, after our names, read: &#8220;Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship and Not as Tenants in Common.&#8221; It&#8217;s somewhat startling to receive in the mail a letter addressed with all that verbage on it. Window envelopes are the reason for it and the post office is used to it. Sometimes on a stock certificate this is cut to JTWROS.
<p> Either before or after this paper work you will be assigned to a man called an account executive, or customer&#8217;s broker or representative, or registered representative. A rose by any other name. Whatever his title, from here in he&#8217;s your contact with the firm. He listens to your questions, and he gets and interprets for you the answers from his research department.
<p> You now have your brokerage house and your account executive. The next most important step will probably he engineered by the account executive. If he doesn&#8217;t engineer it, you should. It is for you to sit down with him and work out your investment goals. To start investing without planning your goals and how you are to reach them is like starting out by car on a long trip from New York to the Pacific coast without planning what place on the Pacific coast you want to reach and what routes will best take you there.
<p><h3 class="about_author">About the Author</h3>
<p>
<p>Learn more about <a target="_new" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/time-management-articles/wonderfile-organizer-product-review-2972426.html">Wonderfile</a> and the <a target="_new" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/skin-care-articles/stem-cell-skin-repair-review-read-to-inform-yourself-3461238.html">Stem Cell Skin Care</a> programs today.</p>
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		<title>Where Does Cost Reduction Start&#063;</title>
		<link>http://www.alacog.com/archives/342</link>
		<comments>http://www.alacog.com/archives/342#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:14:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[personal financial planning]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Personal finance is a very difficult and sometimes even insoluble issue. Most of the people don&#8217;t know how to survive with the money they earn and others reduce costs all along the line. No questions, it&#8217;s not easy to find the happy medium between spending and saving, between what is necessary and what is just [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Personal finance is a very difficult and sometimes even insoluble issue. Most of the people don&#8217;t know how to survive with the money they earn and others reduce costs all along the line. No questions, it&#8217;s not easy to find the happy medium between spending and <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.blackbash.com">saving</a>, between what is necessary and what is just completely nonsense.
<p>I think it&#8217;s easy if we start right away with the daily products. As you might guess, they are necessary. Don&#8217;t dare to give your body some crap, if you can afford a good healthy meal. Remember it&#8217;s your body and if you don&#8217;t treat it well, then you are not able to access your full potential. Also, inferior quality products can cause illnesses and harm your body (at least if you take them on regular bases).
<p>Therefore, nutrition is not the right place to start cutting costs. A good way to start finding things that are not necessary is to think about what entertains you. Is it your television, your gaming console, or maybe your big, expensive car? Most of those things are redundant and you can easily life without them if you just try it for a few weeks. Only when you don&#8217;t watch TV for some days, you can see how needles it was and how much time you&#8217;ve wasted. Sell this devices and goodies as fast as you can and spend some money time with your friends and family.
<p>When you have done that, please take a look at some other amenities. Perhaps you can walk or run to the bakery next time, instead of wasting gas and money. Of course this requires ambition, but that is life. Nothing valuable comes for free.
<p>Regardless of who you are, where you live, there is always potential to save some money if you are just willing to improve. Whenever you are in a situation where you have the option of avoiding something unpleasant &#8211; think twice &#8211; it&#8217;s most likely a situation where you can save some bucks.</p>
<h3 class="about_author">About the Author</h3>
<p>
<p>Welcome, I&#8217;m Mario and devoted to reducing cost and making life easier. Therefore I am maintaining a blog named BLACKBASH.COM, where I give useful information on saving money and resources.</p>
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		<title>Metatrader Expert Advisors &#8211; The Best Tools</title>
		<link>http://www.alacog.com/archives/341</link>
		<comments>http://www.alacog.com/archives/341#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Feb 2012 06:05:00 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[personal financial planning]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The foreign exchange business is one of the most unpredictable and probably the riskiest businesses in the world and this is the main reason why there is really a need for you to be equipped with the right tool such as Metatrader Expert Advisors. These tools are very useful as they can help you with [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
<p>The foreign exchange business is one of the most unpredictable and probably the riskiest businesses in the world and this is the main reason why there is really a need for you to be equipped with the right tool such as <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.autoforexrobots.com">Metatrader Expert Advisors</a>. These tools are very useful as they can help you with your each and every transaction. And with the kind of business that you want to venture in, it is really necessary that you are prepared.</p>
<p>And in order for you to do so, there is really a need for you to consider installing tools such as Metatrader Expert Advisors. As a matter of fact, even the big-time and very experienced players believe that this is one of the most important things that you should do.</p>
<p>With the help of these Metatrader Expert Advisors, there is really a greater chance that you will succeed. This is because they have the capability to assess the different economic variables that affect a certain market. They also have the capability to weigh all of these variables and determine if they reflect a good condition of the market.</p>
<p>These tasks are very possible because they are specifically designed with a set of algorithms that can assess different figures that a certain source feeds. They are set with a special program that has a capability to decide if they meet the conditions that you have prescribed.</p>
<p>This is the main reason why there is really a need for you to configure its settings correctly. In several ways, the effectiveness of the tool depends on this factor. If you cannot going to set it right, it may not be able to perform effectively.</p>
<p>Actually, if you are going to browse through the different sites on the Web, there are actually a lot of products that you can choose from. However, you should also know that not all of these are as effective as you might have thought them to be.</p>
<p>If you want to know more about these Metatrader Expert Advisors, it is also a good idea if you are going to read some reviews, It is also a good idea if you are going to visit some forums or any of those specialized blogs.</p>
<p>So if you really want to succeed in the foreign exchange, it is really a good idea if you are going to consider using <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.autoforexrobots.com">Metatrader Expert Advisors</a>.</p>
<h3 class="about_author">About the Author</h3>
<p>
<p>Want to take the guesswork out of Forex trades? Read this detailed review on the most popular and profitable <a target="_new" href="http://www.autoforexrobots.com">forex trading robots</a> that are making successful trades on autopilot for their traders. Also, read this informative <a target="_new" href="http://ezinearticles.com/?Forex-Trading-Robots-Review&amp;id=1891261">forex trading robots review</a>!</p></p>
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		<title>The Perks of Having a Specialty Credit Card</title>
		<link>http://www.alacog.com/archives/340</link>
		<comments>http://www.alacog.com/archives/340#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:12:00 +0000</pubDate>
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				<category><![CDATA[personal financial planning]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The main reason for applying for a credit card is, of course, the convenience it brings. Credit cards provide easy access to credit, so that even without cash on hand you can buy things or pay for bills. It works like cash so that there is no need to wait for loan approvals. As long [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
<p>The main reason for applying for a credit card is, of course, the convenience it brings. Credit cards provide easy access to credit, so that even without cash on hand you can buy things or pay for bills. It works like cash so that there is no need to wait for loan approvals. As long as you have not exceeded your credit limit, you can keep on using your credit card as you would cash. They can be used to purchase anything you want at anytime, but more importantly they can be used during emergencies. </p>
<p>
<p>Aside from the convenience credits card bring, there are also other advantages to having a credit card, depending on the kind of credit card you have. Different credit cards offer different perks. </p>
<p>
<p>When choosing a credit card, you should compare not just interest rates and fees but also their specific perks. The reason for this is that many credit cards are equal in everything but the perks. For example, credit cards that are targeted for travelers offer flying miles for every amount spent using the credit card. These miles are accumulated and can be converted literally to the number of miles you can fly on an airline for free. </p>
<p>
<p>Some of the common specialty cards include: </p>
<p>
<ul>*
<li>Reward Cards. These kind of <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.mbna.co.uk/creditcards/directory.html">credit card offers</a> points that can be accumulated. The accumulated points can be redeemed for various goods and services. Aside from the points, reward cards also often offer discounts at partner establishments. </li>
<p>*
<li>Travel Cards. As mentioned above, the main idea of travel cards is to earn enough miles to be able to travel for free. Note though that there are different travel cards for different airlines, so that you should choose a travel card for the specific airline you prefer. Aside from miles, discounts with the airline are also often given. </li>
<p>*
<li>Sports Cards. This kind of <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.mbna.co.uk/creditcards/directory.html">credit card offers</a> rewards and also allows the credit card holder to support their sport, even specific leagues and teams. Some of the common sports cards in the UK are for football and rugby. Note though that sports cards offered differ for each country, depending on the popular sport in the region. </li>
<p>*
<li>Charity Cards. A <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.mbna.co.uk/creditcards/charity-credit-cards.html">charity credit card</a> is very different in that there is usually no advantage to the card holder except for the privilege of contributing to their favorite charity each time they purchase anything with the credit card. Donations are routed to the charity of choice automatically at no cost. Some charity cards also offer rewards and discounts. </li>
<p></ul>
<h3 class="about_author">About the Author</h3>
<p>
<p>Peter Carville is a freelance article writer who writes for <a target="_new" href="http://www.financialfacts.org">Financial Facts</a> about the current financial news and the credit crunch.</p>
<p></p>
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		<title>Save $35 A Month Or More With These Money Saving Tips</title>
		<link>http://www.alacog.com/archives/339</link>
		<comments>http://www.alacog.com/archives/339#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Feb 2012 02:40:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[personal financial planning]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Here are several tips to start reducing you utility bills. First off, your state, county, or city may have alternative energy sources or utilities that will be cheaper than what you are currently using. You can visit http://www.energyguide.com to see if you have these available to you. When appliances die, replace them with appliances that [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Here are several tips to start reducing you utility bills.
<p>First off, your state, county, or city may have alternative energy sources or utilities that will be cheaper than what you are currently using. You can visit <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.energyguide.com">http://www.energyguide.com</a> to see if you have these available to you.
<p>When appliances die, replace them with appliances that have the Energy Star logo. Appliances that are energy efficient can reduce the costs for running these appliances about 30%. Now don&#8217;t just go out and buy new appliances for this reason, you are only spending, throwing good money out the window when you don&#8217;t need to.
<p>Replace or clean furnace or heater filters monthly. This can reduce costs up to $50 a year.
<p>If you have central heat and air, install a digital thermostat and program it to heat and cool your home only when you are there. Doing this can knock off 10% of your electricity, gas or oil bill monthly.
<p>Check with you utility companies to see if they offer any kind of incentives or programs where you can save additional money monthly. The utility companies typically have lots of free literature that will give additional tips and tricks on using their service efficiently.
<p>Another thought on utilities that can make a big difference in managing your money or setting up a budget is getting signed up on an even pay system. An even pay system sums up your electricity, water, gas, or oil bills over the last year and then splits them up into 12 even payments. Doing this not only keeps those payments nice and level. But it can also keep you from going into cardiac arrest when you get that first electricity or oil bill during the winter months. Monthly Savings: $5 to $25
<p>Do you have a gym membership that you don&#8217;t use? If yes cancel it. I have several friends that continue to pay the membership fee even though they don&#8217;t go to the gym. Their rationale is that even if they don&#8217;t go now. They may get a wild hair and want to start using it. But if they cancel they will have to pay all the initiation fees again.
<p>Don&#8217;t think like my friends. If you have not used the gym in a month or more and really don&#8217;t see yourself starting too use it anytime soon, cancel it.
<p>If you do use the gym but only use it to run on the treadmill or ride the stationary bike. You may want to still consider canceling your membership. You can run or ride your bike outside. Monthly Savings: $30 to $60</p>
<h3 class="about_author">About the Author</h3>
<p>
<p>Kerri Ambrun is an accomplished author and writer. The newest addition to her informational websites is <a target="_new" href="http://www.wideshoesforwomen.org">Wide Shoes For Women</a> where she has discusses her quest for wider shoes including <a target="_new" href="http://www.wideshoesforwomen.org">Extra Wide Womens Shoes</a></p>
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		<title>Youngsters &#8216;now the UK&#8217;s most prudent generation&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://www.alacog.com/archives/338</link>
		<comments>http://www.alacog.com/archives/338#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 19 Feb 2012 09:38:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[personal financial planning]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[New research shows that 18 to 34-year-olds save the most money every month.New research released today reveals that Britain&#8217;s youngsters are taking up the role as the country&#8217;s most prudent generation. According to Santander, a savings habit revolution is potentially underway in the UK as young adults &#8211; aged 18 to 34 &#8211; are putting [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>New research shows that 18 to 34-year-olds save the most money every month.</br></br>New research released today reveals that Britain&#8217;s youngsters are taking up the role as the country&#8217;s most prudent generation. <br/><br/>According to Santander, a savings habit revolution is potentially underway in the UK as young adults &#8211; aged 18 to 34 &#8211; are putting 16 per cent more than the national average into their <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.which4u.co.uk/savings-accounts">savings accounts</a> every month.<br/><br/>The average saver from this age bracket puts away &#163;134 monthly, a figure that is 25 per cent more than the nation&#8217;s over-55s, the study suggests. Across all age ranges, the average amount saved per month in Britain stands at &#163;116.<br/><br/>Statistics from the lender&#8217;s quarterly &#8216;snap shot&#8217; barometer of the country&#8217;s personal finances appear to show that previous trends of savings habits have now reversed, as it now seems that the older someone is, the less money they put away for the future.<br/><br/>It appears that the tough financial times in Britain caused by the global economic downturn may have made the country&#8217;s younger population decide to be more forward-thinking with their cash instead of putting it into their <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.which4u.co.uk/bank-accounts/current-accounts">current account</a> and spending it immediately. <br/><br/>Many youngsters are now eager to <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.which4u.co.uk/savings-accounts">compare savings</a> across financial lenders to ensure they get the best deal possible, while research conducted last year by Alliance &amp; Leicester showed that 30 per cent of 16 to 21-year-olds think they will be debt-free by the time they reach their mid-30s. <br/><br/>Reza Attar-Zadeh, director of savings and investments at Santander, said: &quot;The outlook for savings definitely remains positive with young people really setting the standard.&quot; <br/><br/>Meanwhile, the lender&#8217;s research also shows a clear disparity between the savings habits of males and females, with men on average putting away &#163;48 per month more than women. Also, some 39 per cent of the population are not saving anything at all from their monthly earnings at present.</p>
<h3 class="about_author">About the Author</h3>
<p>
<p>UK Price Comparison website <a target="_new" href="http://www.which4u.co.uk">http://www.which4u.co.uk</a> Compares Credit Cards, Savings Accounts, Fixed Rate Bonds, Bank Accounts, ISAs, Loans, Mortgages, Insurance, TV &#038; Broadband and Gas/Electric bills to find the best UK deals</p>
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		<title>A little portfolio theory for thought</title>
		<link>http://www.alacog.com/archives/337</link>
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		<pubDate>Sat, 18 Feb 2012 18:52:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[personal financial planning]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Most understand that IRAs and qualified plans have some different tax attributes than nonqualified plans. How do we remain tax efficient when our portfolio consists of a mix of securities and fixed products? Lets take a look. There are two major tax differences between assets in qualified monies and nonqualified monies. Distributions are taxed at [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Most understand that IRAs and qualified plans have some different tax attributes than nonqualified plans. How do we remain tax efficient when our portfolio consists of a mix of securities and fixed products? Lets take a look.
<p>There are two major tax differences between assets in qualified monies and nonqualified monies.
<p>Distributions are taxed at ordinary tax rates if they are from an IRA or qualified plan.<br />Assets from an IRA or qualified plan do not get a step up in basis at death.<br />Why is this important?
<p>If you have securities (stocks, bonds etc.) as part of your portfolio, you may qualify for lower tax rates (capital gains). In an IRA or qualified plan you will lose this benefit. An annuity however is taxed at ordinary income rates either way. It is more tax efficient to keep your securities on the outside and fixed income annuities inside the IRAs and qualified plans. This way you don&#8217;t lose out on favorable tax treatments. Some argue that putting a deferred vehicle inside a deferred tax shelter is redundant. If this was the reason for placing the product in the IRA, this would be true, but its not.
<p>Also, some assets step up in basis upon death. This means that the gain in the asset is not recognized for income tax purposes. If the asset is in the IRA, this benefit is lost because the asset does not step up in basis. Annuities however also DO NOT get a step up in basis. If you put an annuity in the IRA or qualified plan we don&#8217;t lose any tax advantages, so let&#8217;s keep the annuity and fixed assets in the IRA and leave the securities in the nonqualified environment so they may receive a step-up in basis at death.
<p>Two simple points that stress tax planning with portfolio theory. Most clients have different types of assets and we must properly utilize which tax shelters hold the different assets.
<p>In accordance with IRS Circular 230, the information on this Web site is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used as or considered a &#8220;covered opinion&#8221; or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for the purpose of avoiding tax-related penalties under the Internal Revenue Code; promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any transaction or tax-related matter(s) addressed herein; for IRS audit, tax dispute or other purposes.</p>
<h3 class="about_author">About the Author</h3>
<p>
<p>CPA. Author of <a target="_new" href="http://www.cafetax.com">http://www.cafetax.com</a></p>
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		<title>Debt Is A Four Letter Word</title>
		<link>http://www.alacog.com/archives/336</link>
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		<pubDate>Sat, 18 Feb 2012 11:02:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[personal financial planning]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Debt is a four letter word we can all live without! Yet we don&#8217;t. Instead we seem to thrive on it. Over 40% of us spend more than we earn each year. Debt is emotionally draining and financially devastating, limiting our ability to save for the future. Mindless spending creates overwhelming financial difficulties. It should [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Debt is a four letter word we can all live without! Yet we don&#8217;t. Instead we seem to thrive on it. Over 40% of us spend more than we earn each year. Debt is emotionally draining and financially devastating, limiting our ability to save for the future. Mindless spending creates overwhelming financial difficulties.
<p>It should be simple to live without debt. All we have to do is spend less than we make. Now there&#8217;s a concept! The number one reason that most of us are in a financial bind is our spending habits. Apparently the word &#8220;no&#8221; has disappeared from our vocabulary. If we want it, we buy it. Why save the money to pay cash for it, when we can whip out the credit card and have instant gratification?
<p>Credit cards should be considered the root of all evil! Using credit cards makes it seem like you are not using real money. Once you get a balance on one it is hard to get it paid off. If your credit card balance is $8,000, and you make the minimum monthly payment at 18% interest, it will take you 25 years, 7 months to pay the debt off. The total amount of your payments will be $23,432.
<p>How do you know if you are in financial trouble? If you can only afford to make minimum payments on your credit cards and worry about finding the money to make all your other monthly payments then it&#8217;s time to get serious about getting your debts under control.
<p>What can you do? The first step is to stop acquiring new debt. Set a budget and use cash for all of your purchases. Cut up your credit cards or at least hide them from yourself! Using credit cards leads to impulse spending and overspending. End your love affair with credit. Use a debit card instead. A debit card is like cash so it will keep you from overspending. If the money is not in your bank account you won&#8217;t be able to use your debit card. This will stop impulse spending and require you to stick to a budget.
<p>It usually takes longer to <a target="_new" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.managealldebt.com">get out of debt</a> than it did to get in debt. Take a long hard look at your financial situation and get determined to do something about it. Don&#8217;t get discouraged. Develop a strategy to eliminate debt and stick with it.</p>
<h3 class="about_author">About the Author</h3>
<p>
<p>Visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.managealldebt.com">Manage Debt</a> for more articles on debt management and debt relief.</p>
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		<title>Making Quick Money, Is It Possible&#063;</title>
		<link>http://www.alacog.com/archives/335</link>
		<comments>http://www.alacog.com/archives/335#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 18 Feb 2012 02:55:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[personal financial planning]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.alacog.com/archives/335</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Get rich quick, that&#8217;s what most people are aiming for in this modern fast moving world. Some people just think about it while working their nine to five, others are actively trying to get rich quick day in day out. But how feasible is it to make fast money when you&#8217;re competing against thousands on [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Get rich quick, that&#8217;s what most people are aiming for in this modern fast moving world. Some people just think about it while working their nine to five, others are actively trying to get rich quick day in day out. But how feasible is it to make fast money when you&#8217;re competing against thousands on thousands of people trying to do the same thing?
<p>Well first of all, let me say it depends on your definition of &#8216;quick&#8217;. If your definition of quick is buying a lottery ticket on Fridays and hitting other the jackpot on Saturday, then I&#8217;ll tell you now, you&#8217;ve almost a zero change of getting rich quick. I&#8217;m not saying it can&#8217;t happen, I&#8217;m just saying you&#8217;re more likely to lose a whole lot of money trying.
<p>For me, getting rich quick is more about doing something that doesn&#8217;t feel like a job and can make you more money at the same time. There are a number of &#8216;short cut&#8217; ways of making money, the only problem is finding them. Those that do find them usually don&#8217;t share as they want their money making ways to not get over saturated. Those that do share their genuine secret can often be missed as tons of fake &#8216;gurus&#8217; sell bogus secrets to make a quick buck. And then, even if you do find a genuine get rich quick scheme someone&#8217;s selling, it doesn&#8217;t often last long as more people get involved and the methods become to competitive.
<p>So what&#8217;s the best way of getting rich quick? Well short of winning the lottery or getting very lucky, the best way to get rich quick is to find your own gap in a market and exploit it. Whether that be a business idea, loop holes in other business or just something someone hasn&#8217;t already thought of, you have to come from an angle that no one else has. These methods most likely wont be super quick (Some could be, while others could take a lot of work over a year or more), but if done right you can make a substantial amount of money, more then the day job.
<p>So yes, getting rich quick (In comparison to how long it takes to earn an average wage) is possible, but it still requires hard work and focus.</p>
<h3 class="about_author">About the Author</h3>
<p>
<p>Daniel Long is a long term writer, writing on many subjects from making money to wine tasting, and many things in-between. He also has his own websites, such as &#8216;Wooden Wine Rack&#8217; where he advices on <a target="_new" href="http://www.woodenwineracks.org.uk/">wooden wine racks</a> and <a target="_new" href="http://www.woodenwineracks.org.uk/metal-wine-rack.html">metal wine rack</a> storage.</p>
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		<title>Equity Mutual Funds And Its Advantages</title>
		<link>http://www.alacog.com/archives/334</link>
		<comments>http://www.alacog.com/archives/334#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:53:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[personal financial planning]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Equity mutual funds are a great way to take advantage of the growth the recovering stock markets are sure to have in the coming years. The recent financial correction has left the markets undervalued and growth is sure to come. These professionally managed funds can be a good way to invest your money and let [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Equity mutual funds are a great way to take advantage of the growth the recovering stock markets are sure to have in the coming years. The recent financial correction has left the markets undervalued and growth is sure to come. These professionally managed funds can be a good way to invest your money and let it grow for you without having to think too much about it.
<p>Even thought the funds are managed by professional fund managers, investors should still understand a few key things about the funds. This will allow you to choose the best fund for your needs and understand what is happening with it over the life of the investment.<br />All mutual funds, except for those just beginning, have a well documented track record. You need to compare this record with the record of similar funds. The comparison should go back as many years as possible to allow for adjustments in the markets. Even if the fund has not performed well recently, s long as it has performed better than others in its class it is likely a good fund. For example, if the index has shown a loss of 8% over two years and the fund you are considering has only returned a loss of 5%, then it&#8217;s a good indication that this fund is a winner. Rating that various services, especially Morningstar, give to funds are heavily dependent on this type of performance gauge and can tell you a lot about a fund.<br />The fund manager and his team play an extremely important role in mutual funds. Often, a fund manager&#8217;s track record can tell you a lot about the likely performance of the fund. This is especially useful for funds that haven&#8217;t been around long. Many investors follow certain managers like they follow rock stars, investing in each new fund they take on.
<p>A team&#8217;s investing style is also important. Some managers are known for taking more risk in their investments. This is great if they are successful, but can be disastrous if they fail. You must ensure that your portfolio and financial situation can handle such risk. Often, people will want to invest in more conservative funds. Knowing the investment style will help you understand what you can expect from different funds.
<p>Another important thing to know is how many assets the fund has. A fund with few assets can suggest two things. One is that the fund is relatively new and hasn&#8217;t had time to accumulate assets. The other possibility is that the fund is not popular and therefore has few investors. This can be a problem for people who need to have access to their funds. For them, larger funds are usually the better option.<br />These considerations will give you enough to make a good initial investment into a proper fund. Over time, you will learn more about how the different funds operate and you&#8217;ll be able to continue improving and tailoring your portfolio.</p>
<h3 class="about_author">About the Author</h3>
<p>
<p>Lindel Garvint wrote this article for Ratelines.com. Ratelines has been a valuable source of financial information for nearly 6 years. For recommendations on great <a target="_new" href="http://www.ratelines.com/credit-card-offers/"> credit card offers </a> or different <a target="_new" href="http://www.ratelines.com/money-market-rates"> money market rates </a>, please visit Lindel&#8217;s site.</p>
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