How To Increase Charity Ratings

By David Anttony

Charity ratings are highly unpredictable with highly appraised top ranking charities being overtaken by new charities that suddenly make their appearance in the horizon. Charity Water is a rather new but typical example of this. Innovativeness and the all-powerful Internet are causing charity ratings of brand new charities to skyrocket. A charity that could be relatively unknown today might get rated as the best the next day by the New York Times. And then the rating of that charity might shoot up from nowhere to the top of the chart within the matter of a single day.

Because of the power the mass communication media have over the people, when a charity is in the good books of the media, it expands very quickly and manages to get a lot of charitable giving. By that same yardstick, when media do not have much interest in propping up a given charity, its rating also plummets in the same proportion.

Directory listings of charity rating

With scepticism running quite high with charity watchdogs pinpointing charity problems such as misconduct, having exceptionally high amounts of funds spent on admin or the misappropriation of funds, charity rating directory lists are flourishing. It's so funny that philanthropic organizations that set out to give to others are now under the eye of charity watchdogs. Philanthropy is becoming a little complicated!

Organisations like Givespot.com and Guidestar.org list detailed charity ratings. Givespot.com has a detailed list called the GiveSpot 100 list, which shows its top 100 rated charities. Other organisations like charitynavigator.org have charity check systems as well as a charity Top Ten list so that look up a charity is easy. Guidestar.org is probably the biggest US charity directory offering an amazing array of charity information some free some at a cost. The Better Business Bureau in the USA, despite its name is also charity directory that lists both business and non-profit organisations.

With enough charity rating guides, there is no data shortage for anyone who wants to get information on the 100 top charities, but what constitutes real rating is something different. What in reality makes a charity superior has nothing much to do with its ratings. There are characteristics that make an organization, whether charity based or otherwise, stand out from the rest.

Charity Ratings and trust in the public

A 2005 YouGov poll published that the majority of the British population - 56% - had only a 'fair amount' of trust in the global charities like Save the Children and Oxfam . Only 15% of the charities surveyed had 'a great deal' of trust - even in the ones that do well in charity ratings.

Charity Warning Bells are more common

Belief in charities is at an all time low these days. Public can hardly be blamed for this. Charity watchdogs are ringing warning bells of charity institutions spending even up to 60% of the amount collected on overheads that include big salaries for managers so that very little remains for real charity giving.

Recent studies show that the average costs of raising funds in the UK and Australia are'% or 22% respectively. In the USA, the Association of Fundraising Professionals found the statistic to be around 30%. These figures do not even include admin expenses, which are often much higher. Some charity givers see this as a key issue especially with charitable giving often in the media spotlight like it was in Singapore a fewyears ago. The additional negative focus tends to reduce charitable giving which is not good.

Charity ratings secret revealed

There is practically no difference between a charity and a commercial enterprise when it comes to the question of drawing money. They way they put the money to use might be different, but the techniques they use to get that money are more or less the same.

To increase the charity rating as well as attract better flow of funds the secret can be found in a single word - attraction.

When we see a thing and might prefer to buy it, or would consider putting money in it, or creating a bond with it, we are likely to make the decision based on how enticing the whole idea is. If it is a very attractive proposition, we might instantly choose to opt for it while if it is not very enticing, we may not do it immediately.

Charity Water made it to the top of the chart in charity rating and got media support because of its unique and attractive image. The way they sold a bottle of charity water for the best price and projected the idea of using the profit for making clean water accessible to those who required it was very enticing.

The elements making up the attractiveness for Charity Water and boosting it's ratings are quite obvious.

* They have the perfect name - Charity Water that makes people easily respond to the obvious passion of the founder to the idea, and his eagerness to share it with others.

* Their idea of the vocation and their message is lucid, plain and remarkable - sell water and give water - Buy One Give One

* They gave importance to the solution and not to the problem. This is an assured way for any charity to get a good charity rating in the public's eye. People by and large have no interest in being reminded of the miseries of life. They prefer to feel elated. So in this case when they know that their act, that of buying a bottle of water, can affect the lives of others positively, they are glad.

How to let Charity Ratings plummet in a second

The fastest way in which a charity's ratings would go down is when it turns itself less tempting by centring its attention on the problem. People are by and large disinclined to listen to negative things. On the contrary, most people are keen on listening to positive things that involve verve, dynamism, motivation and effort to bring in a fresh vision.

To prove this, all we have to do is look at ourselves in the company of our kids and know how our response is positive when children make a request in an exuberant, polite and eager manner. The same request, if made in an irritating or maudlin way, might elicit a negative response.

The picture a charity projects would strongly affect its ratings. By projecting an arousing and motivating picture of itself it will be able to influence people well. Then people will be ready to give more in response.

Social Enterprise increases Charity Ratings and helps solve Fundraising Problems

Social Enterprise is a new business paradigm that arose some time ago. This endeavour combines in it a commercial enterprise and charity. This has been initiated by those who are enthusiastic of solving social problems but are not satisfied with the pattern of charity organizations.

The medium of a conventional business enterprise may not be suitable for many businessmen whose ideas of ethics and integrity would be contrary to the way decisions are made in a commercial world. Such people use a social enterprise to use their acumen and ability to create a profit and effect great changes in the social arena. A typical example of such a social entrepreneur is Muhammad Yunus who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his rich contributions to improving social conditions.

A comparatively new global social venture, Buy1GIVE1, also known as B1G1 (Buy 1 Give 1), combines commercial activities with noble causes and charity organisations across the globe. Buy1GIVE1 has reduced the costs of administration and fundraising so completely that it is able to give away the whole of the funds it gets. It functions in a way quite similar to online enterprises like Kiva.org, which has been given support by Bill Clinton; Buy1GIVE1 is a substitute for the conventional style of direct giving to charities. Lots of people find them a more practical way for making donations while receiving valuable things in return.

Business leaders who are looking for opportunities to give back in effective ways and give to worthy charitable causes, see the great value and well-defined key marketing advantages businesses like Buy1GIVE1 offer. Each sales transaction makes a difference - and not just in an altruistic sense. With powerful 'impact-matching', businesses are gifted with an eye-opening, attention-grabbing marketing story. Compare the business that gives away a million dollars to charity with the one that lets their customers experience the joy of giving with Buy1Give1 transaction-based giving.

All ventures like Buy1GIVE1 particularize charities and these are mostly charities where help is considered to be fully necessary, with enough potential to attract contributions. Businessmen obviously understand how poignant situations attract customer interest and as such they tend to support such causes rather than give importance to the organisation's rating. They are only too conscious of the customers' proclivity to bond better with a stronger story than worry about charity rating.

The Australian company Maple Muesli collaborates with an Indian charity called Midday Meals in the city of Mumbai. Whenever someone buys a bag of muesli, the contribution from it feeds a needy child there. A meal for a child costs only the equivalent of 30 US cents and the charity in this way feeds 125,000 kids in Mumbai every day. This makes the children desist from begging, keeps them away from streets, and makes them remain in school.

The company has managed to advertise the worthy cause of the charity Midday Meals in Australia. The inspiring story is continuously shared by Maple Muesli with all their buyers which has resulted in increased rating for the institution of Midday Meals in Mumbai, though all that the charity does is provide a daily lunch for those needy children. This is the era of Effective Giving - The sun has almost set on the Era of Plain Charity Donations.

A change is impending in the setting of the top 100 charities and would become visible in a few years as more novel and productive ways of charitable giving take shape. Nowadays only limited choices exist for making donations for charitable purposes. All the existing ones are not good enough to create enough difference.

Other choices in Charity Ratings

Methods of charity have changed over the years and newer ways are making their presence, some of which are rated below. Comparison Points of Charity.

Some better known and not so well-known charities as well as Social Enterprises are evaluated and rated below so as to be of help to those who contribute to these.

THE SALVATION ARMY

WAY TO GIVING: DIRECT GIVING

The Salvation Army comes among the top 100 charities globally - contributions are made directly by both businesses as well as individuals.

TRANSPARENCY - B - Lack of transparency - Sum of money is contributed - but result is not fully measurable.

MARKETING VALUE TO BUSINESS - C - Businesses' one-off contributions to Salvation Army may be mentioned in the press.

FUNDRAISING COSTS - B - Spends millions of dollars annually to raise funds.

DONORS' CHOICE POTENTIALS -B- For those who want to give directly, there are plenty of charities to choose from.

ABILITY FOR EFFECTING A CHANGE -C - Nothing specific in the activities that is likely to bring about a change.

PRODUCT (RED)

WAY TO GIVING: MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Product (RED) is a brand licensed to partner companies, to raise money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Africa.

CANDOUR - B - Insufficient candour - Lots of money is donated - but result is not completely quantifiable.

BENEFIT FOR THE BUSINESS - A - Popular among business ventures as well as people as it is supported by charismatic personnel like Bono and Oprah Winfrey. Marketing results are however not fully traceable.

COSTS OF FUNDRAISING - C -Simply splurges money on advertising - it would be far better if that money is sent directly to Africa.

DONORS' CHOICE POTENTIALS - C - Enterprises that partner with them have limited options in where their money should go - all needs are in Africa.

ABILITY FOR EFFECTING A CHANGE - B - All those who collaborate with Products (RED) are big enterprises and all the income is spent on Africa.

THE BODY SHOP

ROUTE TO GIVING: BUSINESS TRADE & GIVING

The Body Shop is involved in community trade to help economically backward countries and makes large donations to causes from the profit they generate.

TRANSPARENCY - B - Lack of transparency - sum of money is contributed for every purchase - but result is not fully measurable.

BENEFIT FOR THE BUSINESS - A-tve - Customers are interested in community trade and it increases their interest to do business with the venture. Visibility is not entirely sufficient.

FUNDRAISING COSTS - A - Lower costs - Successful business model that makes donations and boosts community trade.

CONTRIBUTORS'CHOICE OF CHARITY - A - Businesses can choose where their money goes.

PROMISE FOR GLOBAL CHANGE - B - The potential for giving back to the community is substantial - but not everyone have the impetus and the extra energy to impel the change.

LIVE EARTH

ROUTE TO GIVING: EVENT FUNDRAISING

Live Earth consisted of a string of global musical programmes which set in motion a three-year campaign to battle climate change and was held on July 7, 2007.

CANDOUR - F - As per the reports of the site Intelligent Giving, satisfactory accounts were not produced on the proceeds from the sales of tickets.

BENEFIT FOR THE BUSINESS - B - It was beneficial to business sponsors as they got good media coverage, but as it was a single event results are not easily measurable.

EXPENSES FOR RAISING FUNDS - C - Substantial sums were spent on promotion of an event which was considered a fiasco by many as it did not have any proper objectives.

DONORS' CHOICE POTENTIALS - C - Funds were made available only to three charities.

POTENTIAL FOR REAL GLOBAL CHANGE - C - These events are usually held one-off or annually. Money is often given to larger, more established charities.

Buy1GIVE1 (B1G1 )

ROUTE TO GIVING: SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

B1G1 is a brand licensed to collaborate with any enterprise - uniting them with any cause across the globe. A fully comprehensive model.

CANDOUR - A - By giving for particular causes, makes sure that funds go exactly for that which it is intended. Customers get information on how exactly their money has made a change - i.e. the children whom it helped, or the environmental cause it protected.

BENEFIT FOR THE BUSINESS - A+tve - Superb marketing value as a result of:

* Quantifiable giving * Press coverage * Valuable stories * Individual to individual * Continuing customers

FUNDRAISING COSTS - A+tve - Zero costs - B1G1 can take care of a charity's fundraising needs including a large percentage of admin as well. 100% of funds received go to the charity.

DONOR'S CHOICE OF CHARITY - A - Any donor can contribute to a specific charity, or they can insist on giving to specific causes such as food, environment, or instruction.

ABILITY FOR AFFECTING A CHANGE - A - Infinite. If increasing number of businesses can team up with charities worldwide, the possibility for real change is boundless.

You Would Think Giving away Money Would Be No Big Deal!"

You would think that giving money is easy - pull out a wad of cash, write a cheque or punch in your credit card details. Yet, billionaires philanthropists like George Sores , have gone on the record as saying that effective giving is one of the hardest things to do. Developing nations receive billions of dollars every year and yet it often seems like nothing changes much.

People asking smarter questions will bring about the needed change. Social Entrepreneurs like Mohamed Yunis, Nobel Prize winner, creating innovative solutions to poverty and environmental issues with Micro Finance are carving the way to a new future where business initiatives, social enterprise and conscious consumerism transform our world. Initiatives like The Body Shop's 'Trade - Not Aid' need to be replicated. New ideas like Buy1GIVE1 need to be embraced. The value of social enterprise needs to be recognised.

Bill Gates, when asked how one can make a difference in the world, pointed to the Internet. Kiva.org and Buy1GIVE1 (www.b1g1.com) are organisations that add value to the giver. With Kiva.org, people can receive email journal updates from the business they have sponsored. This happens with Buy1GIVE1 as well. Businesses also get the added benefit of marketing stories to tell their customers: buy a laptop with us, and we give one computer to someone who cannot afford it.

Other ways to improve your Charity Ratings

Adopt a questioning mind, hop onto a wired laptop, and with a few hours to spare look at some of the new and amazing giving systems that are being created. Most of these new systems are network based and driven from the Internet.

As of now if one is not connected with good international networks via the internet, the chances of losing out are substantial even with good charity rating, tomorrow things are bound to change - totally.

Lots of companies nowadays make their appearance out of nowhere and are sold a few years later for billions of dollars. This was a scenario that would have been considered impossible a decade ago. But today this is a normal phenomenon. What every one of these internet companies primarily do is to tap into global networks or even perhaps create one themselves.

Buy1GIVE1 (Buy One Give One)

Buy1GIVE1 is a comparatively new Social Enterprise established in'97 by a Japanese lady named Masami Sato. Today any business globally can be a member of Buy1GIVE1. The membership fee for smaller enterprises is as low as $1 for a day. Contributions can also be as low as one cent on a sale made. Buy1GIVE1 is spearheading the Buy One Give One transaction-based giving global movement. For any enterprise or charity requirement, working jointly with Buy1GIVE1 is very simple. It is perfectly structured and accommodating enough to adjust to the requirements of its partners. An organisation can connect its products or services with any charity endeavour (Buy1GIVE1's or their own) and each time a sale is made, the sale has to be recorded and the input paid at the end of a specific period. The amount can be sent through Buy1GIVE1 or directly to the concerned charity.

You could be losing out a lot if you are not interested in forming an association with Buy1GIVE1and not persuading your business patrons to do so. Buy1GIVE1 is a unique and brilliant organisation whose impetus as well as global impact is huge.

The dawn of a new age in charity giving

Organizations that have been non-entities just a couple of months ago have now invaded internet with resounding user acceptance. Having an online presence on sites like MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, NING or TipJoy are becoming survival requirements. Likewise companies like The Present, Buy1GIVE1 and Kiva are organisations that one should build a relationship with. These are the avant garde institutions that help to create and sustain charity ratings. Now is the time to give new life to a perfect future.

About the Author:

Discover more about how Buy1GIVE1 (BOGO) can transform your business using Cause Marketing.

Take Your Business Public: How To Find a Consultant That Can Make The Process Fast and Easy

By James Scott

So many companies dream of going public to raise massive amounts of capital, as set up for an exit strategy, to make acquisitions with stock and for many other reasons. While your intentions may be pure and with genuine motives, you're entering shark infested waters of boiler rooms, crooked attorneys and underbelly consultants who have made careers off of taking well intentioned executives just like you for a 24 month rollercoaster ride while they take every penny you have as your company shrivels up like week old road kill.

Just and honest consultants in the 'public offering' industry are as rare as the illusive white elephant. This industry exists in a cesspool surrounded by rose gardens; from afar it looks amazing and an image of a dreamland but get up and close and the sludge and odor are enough to make you run and hide. So what do you look for in a consultant? The best consulting firms are the 'boutique firms' with minimal overhead that keep a low profile and are made up of 3 or 4 'partner' consultants.

These firms typically have the experience of working with the large consulting groups but for one reason or another have decided to leave and go out on their own. The great thing is, these small groups typically have massive contacts and process your entire public offering in-house. Offering a complete turn-key solution that is managed in-house offers a huge advantage because there is accountability and you can actually build a relationship with the people that are making your dream of a public offering come true.

These 'boutique' consultants will usually stay onboard as growth consultants for the life of the company in exchange for modest fees and a pre-IPO or pre-OTCBB equity position. The large firms will hack you out at the knees and gouge you with fees while they take massive amounts of equity in your company which takes away your bartering chip when you need to offer more stock to the public to raise capital.

The small firms will also work one on one with you to show you how to use your stock to grow through acquisition and other nifty ways to use stock to grow. Seek out the boutique consulting firm and save the attorney for spot audits. Hold on to your cash. Why pay outrageous fees to lawyers when you can pay 60% less with a small consulting firm that will add all the bells and whistles for free and actually get your stock trading, usually in half the time?

About the Author:

Want To Go Public With Your Company, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!

The Basics Of NFL Totals

By Ross Everett

For those not familiar with NFL totals, its the large number youll see accompanying most pointspread betting propositions. For example, the 2009 Superbowl line opened with Pittsburgh a 6 point favorite over Arizona. The total was set at 47. Simply stated, the total allows the better to decide whether the combined score between the two teams will go OVER or UNDER. In the case of the aforementioned Superbowl, Pittsburgh won by a final score of 27-23 meaning that bettors who backed the OVER cashed their tickets.

NFL totals are a favorite tool of serious sports handicappers. Many are of the opinion that its easier to accurately foretell the *type* of game that will transpire between two teams rather than who will actually win and by how much.

To set the NFL total, a bookmaker looks at the offensive and defensive scoring statistics for the two teams and calculates a number based on points allowed and points scored. If one team had scored 275 points and allowed 350 in their previous sixteen games thats a total of 625. Divided by 16 and thats an average of just over 39 points per game. If their opponent had scored 285 and allowed 400 (685) over 16 games that translates to just under 43 points per game. Add the two numbers together, divide by two and youve got a base total of 40.5.

At this point other factors are considered such as the significance of key numbers like 3 and 7 on final scores, weather conditions, injuries, playing surface, etc. Another component that is important is the qualitative matchup between the offense and defense of each team"meaning that a team like the Baltimore Ravens with a strong defense will be more likely to impose their will on a team resulting in a lower final score. All of these factors weigh into a final NFL total that is posted for betting.

Of course as in the case of the NFL pointspread, public perception is a crucial component of the linesmaking process. For example, the conventional wisdom is that bad weather like rain, snow, or sleet results in lower scores and for that reason a bookmaker will shade the total accordingly. However, its not quite that simple--some handicappers would maintain that sloppy weather can produce higher scores in certain situations as turnovers are in theory more likely in inclement weather.

In conclusion, NFL totals are a very good opportunity for an astute handicapper to take advantage of a situational matchup to find good wagering value. Like most elements of the sports handicapping discipline, its not easy to stay a step ahead of the bookmakers who have access to the same weather and injury--and have factored it into the number--but is a very entertaining and potentially rewarding challenge.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a freelance sports writer and highly respected sports betting expert. He is also a staff handicapper for Sports-1 Sportsbook and is in charge of setting NFL lines. He has written extensively on sports handicapping theory along with a wide range of other topics including fencing, boxing and falconry.

Should I Start Etf Trend Trading Or Wait For The Next Big Thing?

By Patrick Deaton

Lately, a lot of people have been showing an interest in etf trend trading. But before you decide to try out trading etfs for yourself, it is crucial that you have a strong understanding as to what these funds are and the type of return that you can expect to get off of one of these funds as well.

The term etf is actually a shortened version of the funds full name. The full name for the fund is exchange traded fund. These funds are traded everyday on the stock market in the same manner that you would see stocks traded.

The funds hold assets in the same respects as stocks and bonds are set aside to do. The funds are down through an index, this feature is actually different then with trading stocks.

The funds are highly attractive to anyone who has been looking for an inexpensive way to get involved in the stock market. Many people live the fact that the funds are not only considerably cheaper to buy and start trading but they offer great tax efficiency and they encompass a lot of the same features as stocks.

Etfs offer traders an undivided interest in a pool of different securities. Many people have actually compared these funds to mutual funds because of how they are traded on the market. As many people have a knowledge base that surrounds mutual funds you can probably understand why these funds are becoming so popular.

The funds can be bought and sold anytime throughout the day. This gives you trading diversity, since there is no designated time that you have to trade your funds. In order to understand why an etf is a smart investment, you need to take a look at some of the funds advantages.

The funds can be purchased for a lower price than you would purchase a stock or a mutual fund. Something that many people do not know about mutual funds is a lot of carriers of the funds will turn you away if you do not have an investment that at least totals up to $1500.

You can easily open an etf for as little as one hundred dollars, if that is all you have to get started with for the investment. As you probably know the more money that you put into the fund the more you can expect the fund to generate. So, try to make it imperative that you keep adding a little more to your etf every single month.

Showing etf trading on any investment portfolio says a lot for a veteran and even a new trader. The etf market is extremely diversified so there are always different funds that you can investment it to increase your capital gain.

When you have your own etf you will always have an inclination of how much money the fund is generating. Regardless of what time of the day it is, you can check on your fund and keep up with the status of your investment. What mutual fund or stock allows you to do that?

About the Author:

Learn how it's very possible to make 6% per month in your investment accounts using etf trend trading! "Big A" is a recognized expert in the world of etf trend trading system and reveals etf secrets that have been kept under wraps by hedge traders for years. Give him your email and get a free report and webinar today!

Need Investment Capital? You Need To Call A Corporate Turnaround Consultant

By James Scott

Most companies who are on the venture capital trail are not set up properly to attract investors. When an investor looks at your business plan and private placement memorandum they are looking for certain things. Of course funding sources look for the obvious, a solid business model, positive cash flow, industry genre with solid future growth, recession proof business (if there even is such a thing) and minimal debt.

Countless companies are turned down for funding because they lack the basics such as: an advisory board, board of directors, solid executive staff with a well groomed pedigree, reasonable share price, business plan and PPM that spell out the risks for the investor and an original marketing strategy that covers all the angles. These are just a few of the most common mistakes that companies make out of naivety and by not taking the time to hire an expert to properly structure them to make the entity appeal to investors.

Seasoned expansion and turn-around consultants can step into a company and immediately zone in on the issues that will hinder a client's investment magnetism. Often times it only takes 2 to 3 weeks to completely reorganize a company to make it stand out like a beacon in the turbulent finance industry. If you are seriously considering the idea of raising capital with a private placement memorandum, traditional institutional loans, venture capital or a public offering don't be penny wise and dollar foolish.

Spend some money and hire a consultant who is completely submerged in the finance industry to take control of the elements of your corporation that are seen as 'black eyes' to investors so that you can achieve the capital you're seeking.

The reality is, raising capital for your company is easy and straight forward if you've taken the time to examine your business objectively and sought out the expert analysis of an industry expert consultant who will run your company through a formula and make the necessary changes to increase your ability to raise capital.

About the Author:

Investor Finder Services, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!

Use Vintage Pin-Up Girls to Make Your Checks More Glamorous

By Alan Plastin

There is nothing quite as glamorous as the 1940's pin-up girls of old Hollywood. If you love retro-inspired images and want to glamorize your personal checks, then you should consider buying checks that contain gorgeous illustrations of the fabled pin-up girls. Not only are they beautiful images, but they are also memorable.

WWII was raging in the 1940's, but Hollywood was alive and well. The beautiful pin-up girls of that time period appeared on calendars, magazines, and playing cards. They were gorgeous, alluring, and sexy. With their perfect looks, beautiful clothing, and come-hither smiles, they were not jus sex symbols-they were stars. Men and women alike loved them.

Not all pin-up girls were movie stars and not all movie stars were pin-up girls. In fact, it took something a little more than beauty and sex appeal to be considered a pin-up girl. A woman had to have glamour and a quality about her that set her apart from everyone else. She also had to be accessible, which was one of the reasons why pin-up girls became so popular-their images were mass-produced and had wide appeal.

Betty Grable was a very popular pin-up girl in the 1940s, and one of the first. You could find her poster "pinned up" by soldiers in their lockers during the War. An illustration containing the image of an ideal woman, the Gibson girl, was another popular pin-up girl during that time period. Carmen Miranda, Jane Russell, Veronica Lake, Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner, and Ava Gardner were also popular pin-up girls in the 1940s. One of the most popular pin-up girls of all time was Betty Page in the 1950s. Even though many of her present-day fans were not alive during her prime, merchandise containing her image is still being sold today.

Although there are still pin-up girls today, some argue that they lack the glamour and sophistication of the girls in the past. While posters can be purchased of most famous female movie and televisions stars and models, the Golden Age of the sexy sirens of the past is gone.

If you would like your personal bank checks to have something a little different and you love the 1940s and 1950s, then the pin-up girls checks and their vintage feel might be right up your alley. They come in 4 rotating images so each lovely girl will be different from the one before her. Not only do these checks look great, but they can be conversation pieces, too, and they can say a lot about your personality and individuality.

If you purchase your checks online from a site you can save as much as 50% off the cost that your local bank might have charged you. The Internet is a great place to purchase bank checks anyway because you have a wide assortment to choose from. You can expect to receive your checks in around 5 days. Just remember to have your routing number and checking account number on hand when you place your order.

About the Author:

Before you purchase pin up checks, visit PinUpChecks.net to find coupons and to save 50% off your next purchase of pin up girl checks.

Let Wonder Woman Fly Across Your Personal Bank Checks

By Alan Plastin

Many little girls wanted to be Wonder Woman growing up. Nowadays, she is still a force in the superhero world, engaging to both women and men alike. If you consider yourself a fan of Wonder Woman and are seeking a way to spice up your personal bank checks, then you might want to consider purchasing Wonder Woman checks. It's simpler than you might think, and more than likely not as costly as the plain checks that you might already have.

Wonder Woman first came onto the scene in December, 1941. Aside from a small pause in 1986, she is one of 3 DC Comics superheroes that have been constantly published since 1944. Wonder Woman is a member of the Amazons, an all-female tribe based on the Amazons of Greek mythology. She was developed to be a feminine role model that was intended to bring sexual equality, love, and peace to people around the world.

A few of Wonder Woman's skills are fighting powers, super strength, and stamina. She is also very adept at hand to hand combat fighting and is able to talk to animals. She also uses her Lasso of Truth in order to force people to tell the truth and can fly unaided.

Wonder Woman has figured in her own television series, cartoons, and comic strips. You can also find her image of a multitude of items like lunch boxes, under garments, and children's toys. Now, you can purchase personal checks with her image as well.

Wonder Woman not only spread the message of love, but was a very liberated woman and a feminist for her time. In fact, Gloria Steinem even put her image on the first standalone copy of Ms. Magazine. Wonder Woman was tall, athletic, and intelligent and represented those women that contained unconventional thoughts during the time period that she emerged. For that reason, she was more than just a comic book character.

In the radiant and vibrant Wonder Woman personal bank checks, you can almost feel her flying through the air. The checks contain 4 rotating images which means that each check you write will be different from the one before it. You can also purchase a coordinating checkbook cover and matching address labels to go with your Wonder Woman checks, as well.

In the past, it could be pricey and time-consuming to go to your bank and purchase personal checks. Plus, they tended to have limited selections, too. Now, however, you can buy your personal bank checks online at safe websites and save as much as 50% off of what you might have spent at your bank. Even better is the fact that you will have a wide selection of checks to choose from so you won't have to settle for something that you don't really want. Have your routing number and checking account number handy when you order your Wonder Woman checks online and they should arrive to you in the mail in around 5 days or so.

About the Author:

Before you order Wonder Woman checks, visit WonderWomanChecks.com to get coupons and to save 50% off your next order of Wonder Woman personal checks.

Angel Investor Mind Control: Is This Process Real?

By James Scott

Discovering the 'thumbscrews' of investors is crucial to getting them to take action. In over a decade of dealing with global investors there are several elements that I've discovered to be universal truths about the mind of the private investor (angel investor, accredited investor).

When talking to an investor for the first time, it's more important to listen than to speak. It's more important to ask questions than answer them. It's more important to discover their needs and wants than to exclaim your own. Your first conversation with an investor should be all about piercing the armor and finding the trigger points that prompt a reaction that gets to the center of their 'childlike' state.

What I mean by this is, investors, just like anyone else, has insecurities that are rooted in their childhood and what they are outwardly today, is typically a polar opposite of what they are on the inside. For example, an arrogant, chest beater seems proud and obnoxious on the outside but the reality is that they are over compensating for an insecurity that is rooted in an individual or collection of childhood incidents.

Maybe they were made fun of as a child, maybe they're father was verbally abusive, maybe their teachers would single them out in class opening them up to playground mockery. When talking to these individuals it's important to listen to their voice and intonation when the conversation topic changes. Take notes on their psychological adjustments to the conversation. After you feel you have discovered the triggers that induce the 'pleasurable' responses, end the call, and set your second phone appointment with them.

On that second call, you want to have your conversation ready to go using the triggers you found in the first conversation. Play off of those insecurities that you found, become their best friend without being chummy but it is your mission on this call to be the "guy that understand me" to the investor. You want the overall tone of this conversation to have the response from your target along the theme of, "wow, this guy gets me" , "I can see investing in this company".

By using this method and not coming across as 'fake', you have become an investment opportunity and a shrink all rolled into one. You want to be the one person that this investor can lower his guard to because everything he says, you seem to be the one person who understands him at his deepest level. You seem to naturally be tuned into his insecurities, emotions, needs and wants. Sound strange? Try this out on the next investor you talk to, I guaranty you will be shocked with the results.

About the Author:

For Corporate Consulting or Investor Finder Services, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!

Common Sports Betting Futures Mistakes To Avoid

By Ross Everett

Sports book futures bets are an increasing popular and potentially profitable way to wager on the outcome of a full season. There's a few common mistakes that novice players make that can be easily avoided by paying attention to the following:

Search for the best price: A common mistake is to assume that the price on a specific futures wager position will be the same at every sportsbook. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, you'll often see a greater degree of difference between futures prices from book to book than any other form of bet. This is because that books aren't as worried about what price other outfits are offering as they are about keeping their own financial position balanced.

Don't try to pick the winner in a competitive marketplace: This may sound sort of counter intuitive since the general idea of betting on futures is to determine the actual winner but it's really not. Like everything else, its essential to always be mindful of the value you're getting. In a futures market with several legitimate contenders at the top the price offered is seldom high enough to properly compensate for the risk you're assuming. Here's an example: in a hypothetical NCAA hoops tournament Duke is +200 to win the national championship. They've certainly got a shot, but at a payback of only 2/1 its hard to justify a wager at this point with the potential for so many interceding events that can make a championship more problematic. Such events as injuries, a tough tournament draw or even just going into a slump at the wrong time can happen to any team but when you bet a higher priced team--a 'dark horse mid major at 15/1 for example--you're getting "compensation" for assuming the "risks" of betting on a proposition with so many unknown variables.

In more theoretical terms, the 'true odds' of a Duke or similar top team winning the tournament are almost always higher than the price offered. Think of it this way--say we're betting Duke to win the national title at 2/1. This means that the Blue Devils would have to win more than 33% of the time to break even. So lets say, for the sake of argument, that we could play the tournament over 100 times. Would Duke come out on top more than 33 of these times? If not, they represent a poor value. Let's say that they win 30 of 100 times. This means that any price under +333 or thereabouts is a poor wagering value.

Note that the more competitive the market, the more difficult it is to find good value on a favorite. In a smaller field, or in a field with one dominant competitor it can be easier. For example, say the UFC were to have a tournament involving heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and three male figure skaters. Even if Lesnar was slightly injured, or not at the top of his game he'd essentially have a 100% chance of beating the smaller, effeminate men who are untrained to fight. If a book installed Lesnar as a -1000 favorite in this spot, it could still be considered a good value. It's never easy to risk a lot to win a little, but from strictly a mathematical standpoint it makes sense.

Don't go for the big killing: Sports wagering is not a good arena in which to make a 'big killing'. It may happen from time to time, but it is extremely rare. A perennial doormat can come out of nowhere to win a championship at a big price, but the fact that it happens from time to time doesn't make it a good value. If you're a recreational player and want to throw a few dollars at a big long shot, no real harm. If you aspire to any degree of seriousness as a sports better, however, you need to maintain your discipline and commitment to value at all times. If you want to hit a big jackpot play the lottery or the slot machines, but don't try to do it in a sports betting paradigm.

On a more theoretical level, a big price alone is no way to justify a wager. The concept of value works the same at the bottom of the barrel as it does at the top: make sure the price you're getting on an underdog accurately reflects their "true odds" of winning.

Don't bet one sided props: Sometimes sports books will offer silly bets just to get publicity or in some cases just to be funny. While there may be life on other planets, the 'true odds' of a Martian being named to President Obama's cabinet wouldn't justify a +5000 line that it would occur.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a widely published widely published freelance sports writer and noted authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Take Your Company Public: Software Developers Can Raise Capital Fast!

By James Scott

Are you trying to raise capital for your start-up or corporation in expansion? Have you exhausted your traditional institutional sources and hedge fund contacts? Don't lose hope just yet! First of all, take all those pamphlets and brochures from banks and other traditional lenders that are lying all over your desk and toss them in the trash...they are absolutely useless.

Banks don't have your company's best interest in mind as they are hardly even staying afloat in this economy. Today's institutional financier isn't qualified to run a bath let alone a bank. Don't put your future in the untested hands of a 20 something knucklehead. After you've tossed all that useless info in the trash, clear your head and then look at your company and ask yourself a few tough questions: Is your company invest-able? Do you and your executive staff have a pedigree that investors deem as seasoned enough to take their money and make affective use of it and not lose it? What proprietary concepts/technology/patents do you have that give you a larger market share with the proper cash infusion? What is your current capital/debt situation?

If, after pondering these questions you've come to the conclusion you honestly, truly have something worth pursuing then the next step is to look at the reality that your company is worthy of a public offering. Stay away from Pink Sheets and be weary of reverse mergers and in reality your company won't qualify for the NASDAQ so the quickest way to raise public capital is the OTCBB (over the counter bulletin boards).

OTCBB is an SEC regulated platform that has a solid investor following and market makers that can effectively promote your stock to rapidly raise capital. Don't let these difficult economic times steal your dreams of corporate prosperity and personal growth.

If you have a solid business concept, there is a way to fund it. Look into the OTCBB, it's your best bet for an inexpensive public offering with a direct path to long term funding.

About the Author:

Take Your Company Public, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!

Take Your Company Public Cheap! Less Than $35,000 Down!

By James Scott

OK, you're ready to take your company to the next level and your CFO and legal counsel have advised you to go public to raise capital as well as to retain some of those prize employees with stock options and to bait that new sales executive with a signing bonus made up of stock options. You've looked into everything from pink sheets to reverse mergers to OTCBB to IPO and you have come to the conclusion you're going to need to take on investors so that you can afford to follow through with your plan. If you're lacking the funds to dive right in and start creating your public structure, here is a way that just about any business can afford to go public.

First, get a real business plan. Your business plan needs to sizzle and reel in the investor and clearly paint a picture of your vision to the investor and their advisors. Next, you'll want to raise an initial round of cash quickly so that you can afford to take your company public without hindering your current company structure with additional ancillary costs. You're going to need something fast and affective; you should consider having a professionally authored private placement memorandum put together for your company.

If you are trying to go public via OTCBB a Regulation D Rule 504 exemption will suffice, if you are trying to achieve an IPO you'll need to go with a Regulation D Rule 505 exemption (pink sheets and reverse mergers into shell corps are not very successful in immediate and long term success so I would suggest you stay away from these structures). Build into the PPM verbiage that you are raising an initial round of capital that will be used to take your company public. When savvy investors see that they are investing in a real, viable pre-IPO or pre-OTCBB formation you will see investors climbing out of the woodwork to give you cash if your business concept is sound.

Next you hire the consultants (usually the same firm that wrote your PPM) to start the process of taking you public. On the PPM your Mini/Maxi should allow you to use capital almost immediately to get the ball rolling on your public company. You can count on a solid OTCBB going for between $75k and $250k and an IPO going for $1M+ so have your PPM written accordingly. If you follow the path set forth above you will notice something extraordinary.

The only out of pocket expense you had was for your Private Placement Memorandum (and your business plan if you didn't have one) and 100% of the capital needed to go public was supplied by greedy investors who are excited to invest because of the quick payoff of their investment when you go public. This process means you can literally take your company public for less than $5,000 (the typical cost of a strategic Private Placement Memorandum. This is a simple, strategic and inexpensive way to get the capital you need for your company quickly, without using your limited financial resources in the process.

About the Author:

$5,000 can Take Your Company Public, Call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183 OTCBB, IPO and PPM we do it all.

Principles Of Investments In The Stock Market - Part 2

By Zigfred Diaz

We are now on the second part of this series. This is a discussion on the principles of investment in the stock market. We have already discussed the first principle. The first principle dealt with realizing that the stock market is just another investment vehicles. Before deciding to invest in the stock market, you must know about other vehicles of investments. Let us proceed by discussing the next two principles. If you wish to view the article in its entirety, visit my blog.

2.) A roller coaster ride - It could be said that the biggest advantage in investing in the stock market is the huge profits that are made when the market goes up. However this is also conversely true because huge losses can also be made when the market goes down.

So when the market goes up we take advantage of the situation by selling and when the market goes down we take advantage of the situation by buying. When I first invested in the stock market almost 2 years ago, the Philippine Stock exchange index was only about 2000 + points. I've seen it go up to 2500 points and drop back to the 2000 level in the middle of 2006. It then slowly and steadily climbed up to the 3200 level in the 1st quarter of 2007 and then drop in a very short period of time during the final days of the 1st quarter of 2007. It then climbed steadily to a high of 3700+ points in July 2007 but dropped below 3000 points a month after. It then climbed steadily to its highest at 3800+ points by October and dropped to its present 3600 points.

The conclusion here is that it is really a roller coaster ride. During those up and down moments of the market, profits and losses are made

3.) Long term or short term ? - You should determine what type of investor you are. Ask yourself the question on whether you are a long term investor or a short term investor. This question is very important and should be asked by every serious new investor. The reason for such is because it affects whether you should buy or sell a certain stock.

Long term investors hold their stocks for 5 to 10 years. This means that that they believe in the company that you are investing in. This also means that and that they have extra money for other things because they can afford to put in their money for a long period of time.

Long term investors also do not have to worry about the gruesome day to day technical analysis that has to be monitored. For as long as they believe in the fundamentals of the company there is no problem if the stock is held for a long period of time. But if you are a short term investor, that means you decide to cash in within a months time to 6 months time, then you should consider several things. You have to monitor the day to day activities of the market.

Like the long term investor, you have to make sure that you can afford to put in your money for a long period of time but not as long as the long term investor. The reason for such is because during the short period wherein you plan to invest and pull out your stocks, you may incur losses during that time so you may decide to wait a little longer.

When I first invested in the stock market I said to by myself that I will be more of a long term investor. There are stock that I invest in that I consider as short term. However most of the stocks I hold are considered as medium and long term investments.

About the Author:

Would you want to know more about investment strategies ? Visit the blog of Zigfred Diaz where he blogs about several interesting topics such as investments, financial management, business, making financial online and Stock market investing

Cash Sweepstakes Win Money Online

By Warin Skalerponi

It is easy to win money online if you choose the correct strategy. You just need to be persistent and patient if you are filling out surveys or entering drawings. If you are trying to win contests this also works. So do the online casinos but that is not recommended.

Do not be surprised if you only win a few dollars online although there are people who do win a lot more. It takes a lot of patience to win money online and those who win a lot probably enter hundreds or thousands of contests.

Web-based casinos are a way to win money online but I don't recommend them. They don't seem to be safe and are not legal in the U. S. They're fully rigged against the person and the house has a massive edge.

There are a few contests where you can win money online. A few of them require cash to enter while others are free. The chances of winning these, like any contest generally are about the same.

If you have the time to enter them, just enter the free money cash sweepstakes contests. Many firms offer drawings where you can win money online. Often all you've got to do is enter some type of simple drawing.

Sometimes you may get lucky because very few people are entering a particular contest so that improves your odds. You can always try to determine what your odds are of winning and how much is in the prize pool.

If you find a win money online survey online these are very common. They just take a few minutes to fill out and then you are basically entered into a contest. As long as they do not ask for your SS number or credit card information they are safer to fill out. There are several of these easy to fill out surveys online.

If you are retired or a parent who stays home with the kids than you can literally fill out these surveys and enter contests all day long to win money online. Believe it or not, there are actually some people who make a living do this, but that is not by any means the typical result.

Filling out a survey can be a safer way to win money online because you are not shelling out any cash to enter some contest. Also, you are just giving out generic contact information so you can be contacted if you win something.

About the Author:

Warin wrote another very practical blog you can read before you fill out anything online, so make sure you check Warin Skalerponis blog to win money online for the remainder of this article. For a very short time you can get a lot more information. Visit us to get your win money online cash sweepstakes information. .

Investor Finder Services: The Most Powerful Investor Resource Available Anywhere

By James Scott

If you own or run a company that is trying to raise capital in the current economic conditions you've undoubtedly been challenged by the limited funds available. Investors are more difficult to find and the individuals that are actually willing to part with their cash are even tougher to find. You've talked to friends, family members, your cpa and your attorney but trying to get them to invest is like drawing blood from a stone, it's just not happening.

There is an easier way. Most broker dealers and market makers have an emergency number in their Rolodex that reads "Investor Finder", these specialist consultants are brought in when there is nowhere else to turn for cash. A true Investor Finder has 1,000's of investor contacts that they can call on to get funding for their clients and are constantly using online viral strategies to attract more investors to their database.

An investor finder usually is not a licensed securities broker/agent or attorney; instead they are traditionally consultants that are active in the investment banking facilitation aspect of the industry. Being that they are not licensed they do not accept equity payments or percentages; instead they work on a flat fee basis.

A good consultant in this genre can bring in 30 to 70 real investors per day and it's up to the client to sell the opportunity from there. A typical lead from an investor finder will be an investor or investment firm that is responding to the consultant's opportunity introduction email or snail mail mailing, they have read about the opportunity and they respond one of two ways, either they are calling into a phone room to be screened and qualified or they are contacting the client directly.

Many times the investor doesn't know that they are part of the "finder's" database but do recall signing up to receive investment opportunity updates, so either way the investor is solid and active. If you are trying to raise capital and need real results quickly and can't afford to waste time begging for cash, you need to seek out a qualified Investor Finder consultant and make your fundraising efforts fast and easy.

About the Author:

Investor Finder Services, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!

When It's Time To Renew Your Health Insurance

By Brian Richards

As the time approaches to renew your medical coverage it is a good idea to research other plans, to see if there is one that offers similar coverage at less of a cost. This is particularly important if your premiums are going to increase and can no longer fit into your budget. Even if your premiums are not increases it is still a good idea to see what the other companies are charging for the same type of coverage plan. This is not a ten minute task, however, as you must investigate and review each of the plans thoroughly in order to be sure that they are actually providing you with a comparable policy.

Shopping for individual health insurance can be done in several ways. You can access information over the Internet and get a reasonable overview of the policies available and a general idea of the premiums being charged. Of course, these facts will need to be adjusted to meet your specific requirements and the actual costs must be based on your health history, location, age, type of employment and several other personal factors. Only then will you have a clear view of the offer being made and the type of policy being provided.

Your next option is to utilize the 800 numbers that are available for, just about, all of the major insurance companies. When you contact a company through their tool free numbers and customer service representative will ask you questions while filling out the required paper work for the Underwriting Department. Once the Underwriting Department reviews your application you will be provided a quote for a specific insurance policy.

Contacting an insurance broker or agent is another option that is available to you. This is the best choice when you are unfamiliar with the process or therms within an insurance policy. Your broker or agent will have the knowledge to assist you in this area and will be able to answer all of your questions. These individuals will also be able to assist you in finding a plan that is best suited for your budget and your medical needs.

If you are not comfortable with the insurance agent or broker the you will want to switch to one that you can find comfort in. It is important that you are confident in your agent or broker, as they will be the one advise you on the best plan of action for your medical coverage.

About the Author:

It may seem difficult to find cheap health insurance, now a days, however there is a solutions. Go to www.individualhealthquotes.com and you can obtain health insurance quotes from numerous companies at one time.

Six Crucial Methods To Secure An Excellent Credit Score

By Lynn Daniels

When it comes to making any large purchases today most people will need to take out some form of credit. This could be in the form of a mortgage to buy a house, a loan or hire purchase agreement to buy a car or simply applying for a credit card. When lenders decide whether or not to give you credit they will look at your credit score. If it is good you will get credit, if it is bad you will either be refused or have to pay incredibly high rates of interest. No one wants to do this, so here are six vital methods to get an excellent credit score.

Tip one - get hold of a copy of your credit report. Here you will be able to see any areas of concern which could hold up an application for credit. Knowing the situation is the first step to having excellent credit.

Tip two - try to pay off any high interest credit cards or loans. Doing this will reflect very well on your credit and will help to increase your score.

Tip three - don't be tempted to pay for everything on your credit card. Doing this will only increase your level of debt and make it harder for you to pay off your cards.

Number four. Anyone who makes all of their credit payments on time, yet has missed one payment should speak to their lender. Some lenders will wipe this late payment from your record, so see if your lender will do this for you.

Number five. Maintain your credit report and ensure that it is accurate and reflects your financial situation. Any pay off credit cards or loans which are not showing as paid on your credit report can have disastrous consequences. If you spot something like this get in touch with a credit bureau and get it corrected.

Tip six - when you do use credit cards make sure that your payments are on time. The same goes for any other payments towards existing credit. When you pay all your monthly credit payments on before their due date your credit will improve.

By following these six ways to improve your credit score you will be making steps in the right direction. Having good credit is an essential in life today and by taking charge of yours you can make all the difference.

About the Author:

If you fall into troubles with credit and need to get a credit repair, you should find some help to get out of this problem. To make sure you get a improve credit score, you can click the following Url's for more information that can help you.

Get Clued Up On PPI

By Matheson Penkovsky

Payment Protection Insurance provides cover in the incidence of stuff like, accidents, redundancy or long termillness for secured loan payments. The insurance company providing the cover will usually make payments against the loan for a period of either twelve or 24 months.

A loan secured with property may simply be granted when you have put up your house as a safe guard against you keeping up with the payments, it is important that you take a little time to consider both the additional cost of taking out PPI and, indeed, whether you actually want it in the 1st place. This brief piece gives a comprehension of how PPI works in the secured loans industry and will hopefully give you some assistance in the very significant decision-making process.

When a secured loan provider advertises a rate of interest they quote what's referred to as the APR (Yearly Percentage Rate). The APR is used to confirm that the potential borrower is made aware of the bottom line monthly price of the secured loan and that the % rate quoted includes any hidden expenses (as an example commission costs of first setting up the first secured loan). In the case of Payment Protection Insurance the APR only has to include insurance costs if taking out a plan for the loan being promoted.

The people that sell secured loans are mindful of this and to make their p.c. rate look lower than it it may very well be and therefore more interesting to customers, the insurance cover will almost always be optional and therefore will not be included in the quoted APR. It is potentially profitable taking a look at the OFT site that has lots of glorious articles focused at consumers which talk about APR, plus it is worth realizing the OFT and other associations like the Citizens Advice Bureau have offered quite a good number of suggestions about how advertising may be made clearer.

Nearly each secured loan provider charges differently over the term of the loan for their particular PPI. This may be based primarily on which company ultimately guarantees the cover and other considerations like how old you are, risk and the total value of the secured loan being covered.

This means that when hunting for a secured loan it's not only the 'banner' APR rate you might investigate, but also the final analysis insurance costs of taking out the secured borrowing. For example, a pair competing secured loan suppliers could quote APRs of 8 & 9.5p.c.

The average joe would assume that the lesser quoted APR is less expensive, but there is a good chance their PPI will be much more pricey and you will discover that the company referencing a higher APR will actually offer a cheaper loan (i.e. Lower monthly payments for the term of the loan and less cash to pay back). Recalling that secured loan suppliers just about always make their insurance cover non-mandatory means there is nothing preventing you going to somebody who only deals in insurance cover.

Also bear in mind that if a secured loan provider does not include PPI costs in the quoted APR then they cannot legally refuse you a loan simply primarily based on you turning down their PPI and also remember the 'specialist' firms are likely to be far cheaper than their general secured loan provider counterparts.

About the Author:

The average UK PPI claim is 3000, to find out how many PPI claims you have, visit www.PPIClaimsUK.co.uk and make a quick and easy PPI claim through their expert team.

Review Car Insurance Policy To Save Money

By Adriana Noton

How long has it been since you have thoroughly reviewed your car insurance policy? For many people, it has far too long and this may mean that you are paying more for insurance than you would have to pay. Here are some ways that you may be able to save some money.

Begin by evaluating your current insurance needs. If you only have the state minimum amount of liability insurance, you may not have enough insurance to meet the current possibilities if you are involved in an accident. Many automobiles are worth far more than your states minimal liability, and even thou you may drive an old clunker; you could be involved in an accident with an almost new expensive vehicle. Be sure that you have enough liability insurance to cover the replacement of that vehicle.

In addition, you could be held responsible for the medical expenses of the passengers in the other vehicle. Once again many states have a minimum liability that is far too low to meet the medical needs of persons seriously injured in an automobile accident.

On the other hand if your old clunker has declined in value to two thousand dollars or less, then you may want to drop all the coverage on the vehicle other than the liability that would take care of the other vehicle and its occupants during an accident. This is because insurance on your own vehicle has a deductible amount. Once that amount is taken from your insurance settlement, it is not likely that you would get enough money to pay the premium difference.

Once you have decided exactly how much insurance you need, you will have to contact several insurance companies and ask for insurance rate quotes. Tell the person you are speaking with what you require for insurance and ask for a free quote. If an agent asks for a fee for the rate quote, move on. There are plenty of insurance companies and agents that offer free rate quotes.

Many insurance customers have found that the internet is an excellent way to get the rates for no charge in order to compare insurance companies and their rates. Using the internet allows you to get the quotes without the high pressure often present on the telephone. It also helps to avoid waiting for agents to call back and give you the requested price quotes. Finally, internet quotes allow you to easily print the quotes for comparison with other insurance companies.

If you choose to change insurance companies, make sure that the new car insurance policy is written so that it becomes effective the minute that the old policy expires. Many states have become very strict in requiring that there be no lapse in your insurance coverage.

Insurance companies must now notify a state if your insurance coverage ends. Some states will then send you a letter that you must respond to quickly showing that you had a new policy in place at the time of expiration, or there may be severe consequences.

About the Author:

Roadside assistance Ontario is absolutely essential to achieve a peace of mind. By joining a membership, you will experience benefits such as Ontario car insurance. Now you can enjoy your trip with no worries! For more details about auto insurance, please visit us.

Pacer - The Online National Bankruptcy Database And Others

By Edward Snow

There are a number of bankruptcy databases available. However the most important is the Pacer bankruptcy database which is the one that is used by the federal courts. Access to this database can be made via the Internet after paying a fee. Attorneys use this database every day in order to file client's bankruptcies.

You see quite often when courts find themselves overrun with a lot of bankruptcy filings to process they will allow attorneys dealing with their clients bankruptcies to make use of online means in order to complete their clients bankruptcy filing.

The Pacer database cannot be accessed by the general public. Anyone seeking to access information held within it must first go through their attorney.

There are however, many companies that have their own bankruptcy databases which help consumers who need to file for bankruptcy and who need to use such bankruptcy databases to find information related to business etc.

Searching bankruptcy databases

If you are looking to use these kinds of bankruptcy databases, you can enter certain parameters for your search which can include according to region which will throw up information according to county, state, city and even three first digits of zip codes.

Another way of searching for data that is normally presented to you is by date, this can include the filing date, data of first meeting, the dismissal date and of course the discharge date.

Searching by the type of bankruptcy i.e. chapter-, Chapter 11 or chapter 7 may also be beneficial to you, you could also try out a combination of these to see if that gave you more relevant data.

Just as a side note here, remember that Chapter 11 is only for businesses while chapter- is only really for individuals and that also chapter 7 is mostly for businesses as well.

Some of the more complete bankruptcy databases will also include details such as the amount relating to assets and liabilities for each case.

It might surprise you to know but these bankruptcy databases can often show you actual physical addresses as well and give you the options to be able to filter out house addresses, PO boxes etc, etc.

Whether it be the Pacer bankruptcy database or one of the many others around, there is a lot of information to be research should you need to make use of their services.

About the Author:

Bankruptcy Pacer is just one thing talked about at the How To File Bankruptcy archive here.

Amazing And Uncomplicated Tips For Avoiding Home Foreclosure

By Marcus Prellie

Sometimes it is difficult to meet the financial obligations you have coming at you every month. At times it may be necessary to make decisions of which bills to pay, and which to skip for the month so you can eat. If you're in this type of situation, you should know that there are avoid foreclosure options available to you. By knowing what is available to you, it is possible to keep your home in uncertain times.

Knowing ahead of time what your options are in preventing foreclosure will help you be better prepared to handle any situation that may arise that could possibly put you in this precarious position. Most people don't realize that they are in financial trouble until it is too late, and many at that point have no idea what to do to help themselves. Don't let that happen to you!

The realization that you do indeed have a problem is the first step in getting things made right. It's of vital importance that you come into this realization before you get in too deep. By admitting that there is a problem before you miss too many payments, you will be in much better shape to make the proper decisions.

Some mortgage lenders, if you have a good history with them, will be willing to allow you to redo your mortgage, basically, they still hold the lien, and you still owe the balance due, but they can give you a longer repayment term lowering your monthly payments, or work with your interest rate, which can also help decrease your payments.

Many of your options will hinge on your past payment history. Your mortgage company may offer to redo the mortgage, and allow you a few extra years to repay. The company will still retain the lien on your home, and you may actually get lower payments. This would depend on how long you've had your mortgage and how much is left on the balance.

If you can qualify for a payment deferment plan, you'll be able to skip a payment and then resume payments the following month. The payment skipped is still owed, and you have to pay it. The deferred payment is usually added to the end of the loan. In many cases, payment deferment can be done over the phone, and will take very little time to set up.

In the event that the avoid foreclosure options mentioned above do not work for you, or if your financial situation has spiraled so far out of control that these options are no longer feasible, you should talk with someone about selling your home. By selling your home, rather than letting the lender foreclose on it, you may still be able to come out somewhat ahead of the game with some cash in your pocket to start over with!

About the Author:

The author enjoys writing about sports, marketing, and health topics. Pay a visit to his most recent web site where he covers outdoor party lighting and outdoor party lights and more.

Great Deals And Other Fun Stuff At Automotive Auctions

By Brad Carlton

Do you remember the Flintstones cartoon? One of my favorite episodes involves automotive auctions. What Fred and Barney do not know is that the car they are bidding on is a car a gangster wants to get his hands on because in the trunk there is money from a bank heist the gangster and his henchmen were involved in.

So the gangster sends one of his minions to the automotive auction to bid on the car. He tells him he better out bid everyone else. The minion warns Fred and Barney not to bid on the car. This makes Fred all the more determined to out bid and win the car. During the bid the gangster's minion is eating a bag of peanuts. In the heat of bidding he chokes on the peanuts and cannot raise his voice to bid on the car. Fred and Barney win the bid and drive off the gangster's car.

They show up at their homes with the gangsters stalking them right behind. The women fall in love with the big sedan. They want to throw a party in celebration. So they send the boys to the market for food. The gangsters are right behind them. They open up on the boys in front of them.

By this time the minion has informed the gangster and he and his other henchmen have gone to Fred's home and have followed him to the market. They start firing on Fred and Barney in the car ahead of them. The caveman pistols are a type of sling shot with a wooden barrel which fires rocks.

Fred and Barney are bombarded with rocks fired from the sling shot guns. We are led to believe that if they get hit by one of the rocks it is like getting hit by a bullet. And who wants to be hit by a rock anyway? The boys are racing to stay ahead of them. They see a large mansion on a hill ahead on the road. They race for it.

They did not know this is the hide out of the gangsters. The head gangster is not questioning the boys who have been tide up. Where is the money he demands. Fred and Barney tell him all they wanted was to find a good car for a good price at the auction. The gangster has the trunk forced open. There is the money to everyones surprise. The gangster finally believes Fred's story.

But he has to do them in just the same because they know too much. Fred and Barney say goodbye to each other, the gangster aims his sling shot gun when suddenly the cops rush the place. They had the car under watch all the time. They used the sedan to capture the gangsters.

The boys are heroes and get a small reward and Fred brags to the girls about how brave he was. Now you will not have such an adventure more than likely when you to to automotive auctions. But you will find a good car at a good price. There are several auctions in your area. Depending upon the vehicle you are looking for you can go to government auctions where you will find cars, trucks, and vans that were in government service. Or you can go to a bank auction where cars that have been repossessed are sold. Or try car rental company auctions where cars are sold off when they reach a certain mileage. Take your time and find the best car and price for you.

About the Author:

Looking for a great price on a car? Look at those Automotive Auctions to find some wonderful deals! A Seized Vehicle Auction can save you tons of money on a car that works great! Check them out today!

Warnings For When Looking For Cheap Pasadena TX Car Insurance

By Hector Jimenz

When locating Pasadena TX car insurance, there are certain things you must do to get the best bang for your buck. Some people believe that the quality of the auto insurance provided is determined by the car insurance rates. In reality, quality benefits and services can be found by companies that offer affordable auto insurance as well. In this article, you will learn about what you should find out when getting cheap car insurance in Pasadena TX. If you are shopping for rates on a new car or a used vehicle, these tips will help you in your task at hand.

One of the very first things that you should do when looking for the cheapest auto insurance costs is to make a personal commitment to shop and compare. It is important to not just compare the prices of the coverage that is offered by various insurance companies. It is equally important to compare the services and the benefits that are associated with the coverage itself. Many times, you may find that a higher costing insurance coverage may not offer as many benefits to you as a low costing insurance can, or vice versa. However, if you take the time to shop and compare every aspect of the coverage, you are sure to find out some things that catch your interest.

The next thing that you should look out for when it comes to shopping for car insurance is discounts. Yes, many car insurance companies advertise discounts for safe drivers, and similar discounts but did you know that many companies have discounts available that they do not advertise? When calling about your potentially new policy in car insurance, you should ask about discounts, like:

* For parking your vehicle in a locked fence

* Parking your car in the garage

* Safe driving discounts

* Driving course discounts

* Military discounts

* Discounts for Seniors

* And, others you can think of!

Most likely you will find you qualify for many discounts you never realized. But you must realize that most Pasadena insurance companies won't disclose these savings. Its pertinent that you ask about them when you call.

Many other things can contribute more discounts to your car insurance policy. You should research these as well to determine if you qualify for them when looking for an affordable insurance plan. Even airbags and certain break systems can help you lower you car insurance costs.

All in all, there are a lot of criteria you must consider when looking at your Pasadena TX car insurance. The criteria discussed in this article can steer you in the direction of saving you hundreds on your auto insurance every year. If you want affordable car insurance, learn and understand these basics and how they effect the cost of your car insurance.

About the Author:

Looking to find the best deal on Pasadena TX Car Insurance, then visit www.yoursite.com to find the best advice on Pasadena TX Car Insurance for you.

Forex Training - Your Key For Success

By Bart Icles

Forex training is crucial in determining whether or not a Forex trader will succeed in Forex trading, and go on making profits more than losses. Since the market is highly volatile, competitive, and unpredictable, getting the right training is one of first steps a new trader should do. Due to its increasing popularity, the forex market has been flooded with countless people eager to venture into investing in the market. This has given rise to the appearance of many types of Internet-based companies dedicated to provide training to new, and even old, traders alike.

There are many things to consider and look out for when searching for a Forex training course - be it free or for purchase. There are many existing websites which offer free demo accounts and free Forex trading System training. In such websites, you can open a free account, learn how foreign currency trading works. Of course, it will provide you will some basic training, but there's no promise that the lessons will be as complete and detailed compared to those that are being offered for purchase online.

The cost for Forex training programs vary in terms of content and cost. It may be anywhere from a few dollars to a thousand dollars or so. Therefore, before you go hunting for one, you should first establish on how much you are willing to spend. With the proliferation of so many Forex courses being advertised nowadays, it will be easy to get confused and frustrated in narrowing down your search for the right kind of training program, that is not only most suitable for the kind of trading style that you have, but also one that you can afford.

It won't be an easy work, but you just have to persevere if you want to get the best training possible to make your plans of becoming a successful trader in Forex.

The training courses may come packaged as a for home-study program, which is primarily designed for self-study use, or for within the confines a classroom setting where you will personally attend classes in a classroom with other fellow students, much like when you were still studying college or high school. Other forms of training programs come in the form DVD or CD instructional courses, books, seminars, and other related forms of media.

Forex training should at least provide the trainee with fundamental technical analysis, money management techniques, trading psychology, and many more vital and useful data. With having the right training and preparation, your chances for success becomes highly favorable. If you want to have a long and fruitful career in Forex trading, then get trained from the experts - get your Forex training today.

About the Author:

Forex s are a powerful tool in your forex education. Learning forex trading can be difficult but is well worth it. Be persistent and follow a set of rules and you can succeed as a forex trader.

It's the Interest, Stupid

By Myer Thompson

It's a cute saying now: debt is big business. It's the number one wealth generator for a handful of credit-issuing entities. The lines of credit you pilfer on iPods and tennis shoes is the interest rate credit card companies earn back and then some. Of course you never see the interest rate, until it's jacked your monthly payments through the roof. No, it's like a cancer. You never see the tumor, in most cases, until it's too late.

Get moving, sparky. You've got start tracking down some debt settlement leads and starting getting proactive about your financial future -- and freedom. The keys to the kingdom are within your reach. You just have to know where to find them.

You will not find them with more and more credit cards designed to push you further and further down into the cesspool of debt. Yeah, it stinks, but the system doesn't care about you one iota. What the system wants is you in debt for the rest of your life -- at 12% interest.

Think education will set you free? Fancy a degree from a good school? Thinking about the Ivy League? Harvard? Yale? Brown? Nice. That diploma may well get you a decent job -- or it may not. And you may be savvy enough to sidestep the credit card crunch, but lots of people lose their heads when it comes to academia. Unless you've got a tremendous college fund, chances are the only way you're going to afford that $40,000 a year price tag is student loans.

Yeah, what they say is true: a student loan has the best interest rates around, but that's not saying much. What good is a 3% or 5% or 8% interest rate when the principal is $150,000? You'll be making payments of $300 a month for nearly 30 years at that rate! Sure, credit cards are bad, but so are student loans, hombre. Pick your poison, then think again, The name of the game is avoiding debt and cleaning credit, not making minimum payments for the rest of your life.

About the Author:

Hunt down the most viable debt settlement leads and start clawing your way out of debt. Hold off on that fancy degree, and get debt free first.

The Benefits Of A Pay As You Go Plan For Your Mobile Phone

By Robert Freedstein

The other day I was out shopping with my friend. He seemed to be in a pretty good mood, and so I decided to hang out with him for the afternoon. After a while, I just couldn't take it anymore. I had to ask him why he was so happy.

It turns out that he just got a brand new mobile phone, and he was really excited. It is the first mobile phone he's ever owned, so you can imagine his pleasure at having such an advanced piece of communication equipment. But then something hit me. He has always had absolutely horrible credit. He has to pay cash for everything, even his rent.

When I finally popped that question, his smile grew even more. It turns out he has this special deal where he pays the money up front, and they just add minutes to his phone. There is a special store at the mall where he can do this. He doesn't need a contract or a credit check.

As I turned that idea over and over in my mind, I realized there are quite a few advantages of this pay as you go scheme. If you have minutes left over at the end of the month, or if you use too many minutes, there is never any penalty. And you can even stick your phone in your sock drawer and pull it out six months later and you're good to go.

What shocked me even more was that his pay as you go mobile phone had all the things you'd expect on a tradition plan. Email, text messages, voicemail, and GPS. All were included. I was so impressed that I decided on the spot to get my own pay as you go mobile phone.

I think this is a fantastic example of the type of service industry the mobile phone industry has evolved into. You can only guess what they will be like in five years or so.

About the Author:

If you want to how to quickly get the best info on Mobile Phones Pay As You Go plans, take a peek at Robert Freedstein's Mobile Phones page.

Getting A Handle On ETF Trading Strategies

By Patrick Deaton

As an investment vehicle that can promise a consistent -- and sometimes exceptional -- rate of return on investment (ROI), exchange traded funds can really deliver. Getting a handle on ETF trading strategies will be necessary, though, before jumping into investing in ETF's in any meaningful way. There are a few things to know, first of all, about exchange traded funds.

In a way, an ETF is similar to a mutual fund in the way it is constituted and run by a fund manager. Usually, though, almost every exchange traded fund limits its membership to what are known as institutional investors. This means large investors capable of buying and selling big blocks of stocks known as creation units. There are ways, though, for small investors to get in on the action through a trading system.

Imagine corporate stocks and how they are traded or bought and sold and you will have a good idea of how exchange traded funds are also moved through the markets. Almost every exchange traded fund establishes its operations so that it can track one or several of the major market indexes. For example, many track the S&P 500. This makes it easier to follow trends and set up trading strategies.

There are more strategies out there that can probably be counted, though they usually fall into a couple of major categories; fundamental and technical. For those with the savvy, or patience, to sit down and learn technical strategies, the rewards can be quite lucrative. Most traders using technical indices believe they can discern patterns or shapes in a stock chart, basically.

For those with the ability to pick out shapes and patterns in market movements -- by analyzing a stock chart -- the possibility of good income is very real. These movements can signal upward and downward movement in markets that can be timed through technical analysis, with the correct buy and sell orders put in at the right times.

One of the most common technical trading strategies used by many traders is what is called a "moving average cross." Moving average crosses try to match up a short-term evolution in the price of the stock and superimpose that over a long-term trend in that same stock or market. By tracking a short-term up-and-down movement over-- to 25 days, it may be possible to establish a moving average line.

After that moving average line has been created, most traders will superimpose that over an analysis of the short-term movements in an attempt to discern the actual movement the price of the stock or stock held in the ETF will take once it crosses the moving average line. Long-term trendline analysis, which is the second element, takes a 50 day moving average, which can damp the short-term trend.

In this way, ETF trading strategies involving the long-term trend can be used as what industry experts call a "moving support line." A typical strategy by most traders in this instance would be to purchase a stock or an asset in the ETF when it is in the beginning of an uptrend or if the stock price goes back up after it either touches or barely penetrates the 50-day moving average. One could short the stock also.

About the Author:

Learn how it's very possible to make 6% per month in your investment accounts using etf trend trading! "Big A" is a recognized expert in the world of etf trend trading system and reveals etf secrets that have been kept under wraps by hedge traders for years. Give him your email and get a free report and webinar today!