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10 Worst Ways People Waste Money

2012-03-15T15:10:16Z

It seems there are loads of tips out there for what to buy, when to buy it, and what to sell it for. But did you know that there are tons of things that people spend money on everyday that shouldn't be bought? To help give you an idea, we have collected 10 of the worst ways people waste money.

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1. The timeshare – We've all heard the horror stories of timeshares gone wrong, but did you know the odds are miniscule that it will go right? While timeshares cost a fraction of what the property would cost if you purchased it yourself, the maintenance fees are what really kills. They can be hundreds of dollars a month and skyrocket shortly after purchase to put the extra squeeze on partial owners. Worse still is that it is extremely hard to sell a timeshare once it is bought.

2. New car – It may be all the rage on “The Price is Right” but it can be a huge waste of money. For example, a new car can cost $20,000 and last for about $200,000 miles. However, a used car with 100,000 miles can cost only $5,000. You may spend more on repairs, but the money saved by not having to buy full insurance and interest on the car loan can easily surpass that.

3. Bottled water – Even if you get a great deal and buy a case of bottled water for only 50 cents per bottle, it is still a huge expense. Tap water isn't much different but can easily be modified with a water purifying system that costs only a fraction of what bottled does.

4. Travel expenses – Perhaps no other monetary venture pays off more in shopping around than travel expenses. Those who stand to save the most are those who are flexible on where they are going, when they are going, and where they are staying. By shopping for airfare on different days and different times of day, you can get great deals. Hotel rooms and other lodging expenses can also be greatly cut down on if you don't mind where you stay and utilize sites such as priceline.com and other sites that list hotel rooms by location, date, and star rating.

5. Latest and greatest – Sure that newest piece of tech is all the rage and has all the bells and whistles, but is it really worth the price tag? Getting a television or smart phone that is a release or two behind can really save you big.

6. Buying movies – The newest DVD releases come out every Tuesday, but how often are you going to watch it? Only really great movies are worth watching over and over, so unless you love it, consider renting it or watching it whenever it comes on.

7. Shopping in person – There is a certain high that comes from wanting something, going to store, and walking out with it. But did you know that shopping online for something can really save you big? The next time you want something from a pair of shoes to an MP3 player, do a little online shopping to see if it can save you a trip.

8. Batteries – Just about every device needs them nowadays, and the cost can truly add up. However, there are rechargeable batteries for many common sizes that are not only better for your wallet but the environment as well.

9. Tele-shopping – There is an entire network dedicated to shopping over the television, but a good rule of thumb to remember is if you see a spokesperson with a slick sales pitch advertising an amazing new product, chances are it isn't worth the price. If you truly want it, research it online to see if it works as advertised and to see if you can buy it for cheaper.

10. Credit card interest – Wouldn't you love it if your retirement account paid 20% interest? That is what an interest rate can balloon to on a credit card payment. It may be convenient to carry all that plastic debt, but it is truly one of the worst ways people waste money.

About the Author

Anthony Jones is a contributor all over the web and for Sports Management Colleges, a website which assists those looking for a career in professional sports.

Top Six Tips On How To Find A New Job

2012-02-29T01:45:31Z

Not all of us are given the opportunity to land on our ideal jobs right after we finish school or decide to work for a living. This fact prods most of us to find a new job that will suit our educational background, interests, lifestyles and skills. This is definitely not easy, but with a few tips you can get by just fine. Following are some of those ideas which could be of help to you. Evaluate Your Interests

Identify the things what you are interested about. From there you will be able to see what kinds of job you would enjoy doing as it requires less effort on your part. Along with this, considering the skills that you already have is also important. As we all know, there are innate skills in every one of us that make you and other people suitable for certain jobs.

Know What You Want To Accomplish

People spend most of their time working in order to survive. In truth, some people find the meaning in their lives with the work they do every day. This is why knowing what you want to do in your life is essential. It is like the wheel that maneuvers your life's direction. Do you want to climb up the corporate the ladder in a prestigious company? Are you into finding the right job which you could use as a stepping stone in building your own business or company in the future?

Observe Your Work Attitude

This is related on the type of work environment and the work position that you want to have. Some just can survive in workplace that is noisy and filled with activity. Some prefer to work in the field and do some legwork while others prefer to stay in an air-conditioned office to accomplish routine tasks. Do you see yourself as someone who receives instructions or someone who gives out directions all the time? Details such as these are key as you find a new job that will suit your personality and work habits.

Consider Additional Studies

There are job titles which may require additional studies on your part so that you could properly do the job that you are eyeing for. If you are serious about getting the career of your dreams, treat this as a good investment. Education opens many doors of opportunities. Don't miss them just because you don't want to waste time learning new things.

Look For Resource Persons

Find people whom you think can help you with your job hunt. Perhaps, they are already working for the company to which you are applying. You could ask them for some tips about employment vacancies, hiring processes or interviews. You can actually have them as your references when you apply for a position.

Apply In Person

Surveys show those who apply directly to the company of their choice find a new job successfully. In a company's point of view, this type of applicants is more serious to get employed over others and so they are given much preference.

About the Author: Chase Crawford

Looking For Jobs In Okinawa Japan? Visit http://www.boobooski.com

Sourced and distributed by Ezine Articles.com | All Rights Reserved. This article does not represent the ideas, opinions or impressions of boozwatt.com, nor does it endorse or control the content within.]]>

How Warren Buffett Makes Money

2012-02-29T01:29:33Z

Warren Buffett, a brilliant business man, one of the richest and most charitable people in the world, was being interviewed on CBS's "Person to Person". The premise of the show is to give viewers a glimpse into the lives of some of today's most important artists and newsmakers.

We got a tour of Buffett's office. I have no doubt that it was straightened up a bit before the cameras rolled but this is what I saw.

]]> - An inviting room with a lot of natural light.

- A large desk with a lot of working space.

- A phone front and center.

- A small pile of reading material on the desk.

- Pictures on the wall representing some of the most influential people and moments of his life.

- And most notably... NO computer.

For the most part my office is a lot like Mr. Buffett's (okay, it's not quite as big). I have a lot of natural light. A nice, large desk. A small pile of paper on my desk of things that I'm currently working on and pictures around me of the most important and influential people in my life. The real difference is that my phone is a little left of center because my computer and monitor take front and center stage in my life.

How could Buffett not have a computer anywhere in his office? He's a gazillionaire and has made most of his fortune in the stock market buying and selling on information. I spent 15 years working on Wall Street. I know there HAS TO BE a computer and a TV. How else could he know what's going on in the world every single second?

Ahh... but that's just it. One of the things Buffett said during the interview was that he is happy if he makes one good decision a year. He does his research by speaking to people (on his phone) and by reading reports and other information (mostly on paper). He takes his time to study the landscape, make a few solid decisions and act on them. And when he acts he sticks with his decision. He is known for buying stock in a company and holding onto it for the long run.

I am positive that Buffett has missed out on a lot of opportunities with his way of thinking but at the same time his strategy has done pretty well.

Granted, he has many people working for him that consolidate information for him and present him with what he specifically wants, but he does not spend his day distracted by all of the incoming email and the second-by-second news headlines. He gives himself the space and permission to focus his attention on his decision making process and what works for him.

Here are my top seven takeaways from Mr. Buffett's interview.

1. Make one really good decision a year you're golden.

2. Don't try to do it all.

3. If you miss something it's okay.

4. When you take your time and make a solid decision stick with it and see where it goes. The day to day fluctuations aren't the concern it's performance over the long run.

5. It's all about connections. The most important thing in Buffett's office is his phone.

6. Don't forget what made you who you are and what's important to you. In addition to pictures of family, Buffett has his Dale Carnegie Speaking Class diploma on his wall. He swears that this $100 class is what led him to where he is today.

7. Remove the distractions. Move away from the computer when you need to really focus on something (or at least shut off the "you've got mail" notifications!).

Warren Buffett is an incredible man with many lessons to teach all of us. What lesson are you going to apply to your business today?

About the Author: Carrie Greene

Carrie Greene is a speaker, trainer, coach and author of Chaos to Cash. She helps entrepreneurs cut through the confusion and chaos surrounding them so they make decisions, stop spinning and procrastinating and make more money. Free resources at http://www.CarrieThru.com

8 Signs That Your Business Is In Trouble

2012-02-28T21:19:29Z

Timing is crucial when you sense that your business is in trouble, experiencing a financial crisis or under-performing. It is important to act quickly and decisively to avoid even greater problems, such as filing for insolvency or bankruptcy and to avoid legal issues that may arise from trading insolvent or from unpaid taxes and debt. Acting promptly can also save your business from closure.

Your business will show danger signs that it is under stress. Do not ignore these early warning signs. In this article, we discuss the 8 signs that your business is in trouble.

]]> 1. Your sales fall below your quota or target. If you are struggling to find your next sales and have been experiencing several months of low sales, then you may not get the revenue you need to make profit or to merely break even. Having reliable sales projections and a consistent flow of sales is imperative to the growth of any business. Marketing and lead generation must be effective in order to ensure healthy sales and revenue. Lack of sales will inevitably translate to low revenue, low profit and an increase of debts to suppliers, financiers and the tax office.

2. Customer retention is low and you are unable to convert prospects. If you are losing more customers than you are gaining, then it is only a matter of time that you will have very few customers to get your revenue from.

3. Cash flow is inadequate. Cash is king. The ability to generate cash is an important key to business success. Without strong, positive cash flow a business will never thrive and grow. While it may be normal for some businesses to experience fluctuations, it is critical to be able to balance the high and low cash flow seasons. If cash flow continues to fall, then the business will not survive.

4. You are unable to convert accounts receivable and inventory to cash. Check the credit terms you are granting for your accounts receivable and check the quality of products being delivered to you. You must be able to convert these promptly to cash as this can also affect your cash flow.

5. Your employees are unhappy and lack motivation. Most employees can sense that the business is in trouble. It can start with salary delays or cutting off of bonuses and benefits. If employees sense that the culture, environment and atmosphere of the company have become bleak, then this will have a direct impact on their productivity and quality of performance. Without the results you are expecting from your staff, your business will suffer.

6. Upper management cannot communicate with the staff. When there is breakdown or failure in communication, management will not be able to identify conflicts in the everyday operations of the business. When conflicts are not identified, they will not be addressed or solved.

7. You dread going to work every day. Your passion for your business is gone. You are always exhausted but you feel that you can never take a vacation because business functions solely depend on you. If your business depends on you alone, then it will never grow further from that. You must have effective management and best practices in place so that even if you are away, you can be certain that your business is healthy and growing in revenue.

8. Your company is just barely surviving. The growing number of unpaid suppliers, outstanding receivables and low number of sales can take their toll on even the most steadfast business owners. Your business is not built to just "survive", it is meant to grow and prosper.

Some final words

Recognition of these early warning signs that your business is in trouble and the decision to act quickly and get the help you need can save your business. It would be helpful to partner with a professional and certified turnaround specialist who can work with you to achieve a successful business turnaround for your company.

About the Author: Tom Jerrat

This article is written by Tom Jerrat for Business Turnaround Services Australia. Business Turnaround Services Australia is a business in trouble specialist and improvement firm that provides business turnaround and recovery services in Sydney and across Australia. Visit businessturnaround.net.au for more details.

The 5 Main Causes Of Cash Flow Problems

2012-02-28T21:16:12Z

The ability to generate cash is an important key to business success. Without strong, positive cash flow a business will never thrive and grow. Inadequate cash flow is a symptom of a management problem in a business. Poor cash flow management is known to have placed an end to even successful large businesses, proof that cash flow problems may plague small and large businesses alike. In fact, these problems are responsible for causing over 70% of businesses to fail within their first year. If left unsolved, cash flow problems can become the reason for a business to fail. Evidence of cash flow problems include the delay of wages paid to staff members, suppliers' invoices are paid past the due date, unpaid taxes and employee superannuation, and direct debts and cheques dishonoured. If these problems sound familiar to you and your business, it is time for you to take immediate action to address these issues.

In this article, we take a look at the 5 main causes of cash flow problems in a business. Knowing these dangers will help you develop effective management and maintain a healthy business cash flow.

1. You have too many debtors

Many businesses today offer credit to their customers so that their clients can take immediate delivery of products and services, even if they don't have cash on hand. Selling on credit directly impacts your cash flow, especially when customers are unable to pay you at the agreed time. Failure of customers to pay on time, especially when they owe a large amount, will leave you short of cash. As a result, you may need to urgently seek finance or other ways to recompense a delay in payment. Even if credit can be obtained, this additional finance may result in great levels of interest repayments and fees.

One of the ways to avoid having too many debtors is to shorten your credit terms and impose this strictly. For example, if you offer 60 to 90 days in credit, shorten it to 15-30 days. It will also be helpful to delegate a staff member to send emails and call customers to collect their payments.

2. You have too many creditors

Having too many creditors may mean that your business has a large amount of debt to pay off. This is particularly disastrous for your cash flow in instances that your business is running inefficiently, you have very limited cash reserves and creditors are already demanding for payment. Late payments can quickly pile up making it even more difficult for you to pay off the amounts owed. Late payments can also damage your relationships with creditors and may result in other problems such as reduced credit terms and premium pricing.

3. Over-financing your business

Borrowing large amounts of money to finance your business involves additional charges such as interest and may require shorter repayment schedules. If you are not wary of your increased borrowing, it can take control of your business. The more finance you take on, often the harsher the terms of the loan, usually at a higher interest rate. Often, borrowing only delays a future cash flow crisis, which may be even worse than the one you are currently facing.

4. Over-selling credit

It would be ideal if on close of a sale the customer always paid with cash up front. However, many businesses today offer credit to their customers. By offering credit to customers, you may not have cash on hand until the payment due date. As a result, you may need to borrow just to continue normal operations. Increased sales on credit may lead to a greater need to borrow, a pattern that may prove to be disastrous to your cash flow.

5. Over-investment

When you have cash on hand, it can be tempting to buy assets such as office equipment, furniture or vehicles. Spending on such items can leave you short of money to finance daily operations and to pay off any unexpected costs that may arise. It is always prudent and good practice to have cash reserves ready for any emergencies.

Some final words

Effective cash flow planning is critical in order for your business to avoid further problems. To address any cash flow problems your business may have, you can also employ the services of a business turnaround expert to help you effectively plan and manage your finances.

About the Author: Tom Jerrat

All You Need to Know About Self Storage Auctions

2012-02-28T21:10:09Z

Some people abandon the storage units that they are renting because of a few reasons. Once they fail to pay the rent, they lose their rights to the property. The property owner may take over and call for an auction to come up with money to pay off the unpaid rent. The good thing about going to storage auctions is that you get to see valuable items and buy them. But because there are people like you who would be looking around for fine items, an auction would be most appropriate. Whatever is left can be put on auction. It could be furniture, books, china, and even personal belongings. While some people do not like the idea of bidding on used items, some are actually thrilled by it. People who go to auction sales are usually surprised to find rare items for sale at a very low price. You should keep in mind, though, that storage unit auctions come with rules. In fact, many states impose strict rules on such types of auctions. These rules will have to be observed, otherwise, the tenant can sue the storage facility owner. There have been cases when the items sold at auctions were returned to the original owner.

The storage facility owner should have informed the occupant about payments and a considerable amount of time should be given for them to make payment. The lessee should have been contacted by phone and should have been sent a letter regarding unsettled financial obligations. Payment arrangements should be clear. When the lessee fails to respond within the given reasonable amount of time, the storage auction may be considered.

Then again, storage facilities cannot just quickly go for auctions. Generally, they would have to wait for about 90 days before doing the sale, but the length of time varies among states. Some may only order 30 days of waiting period.

In some cases, the renter may have made a signed statement indicating that certain items will be given to charity. The recipient charity organization should collect the items within 30 days, or else, they will be included in the auction. The storage facility owner should make efforts to contact the charity within this time allowance.

There are certain items that cannot be placed on sale. These include identification documents (birth certificates or social security cards) and pictures. These personal items should be sent to the existing address of the lessee. The reason why these materials cannot be sold is because of the high risk of being used for illicit purposes, like identity theft. If the address of the old renter cannot be provided and the materials are not claimed immediately, then they will have to be discarded appropriately.

Customers, on the other hand, should be aware when attending storage auction events. You may find old items, but some of them may no longer be of any use for you. Do not participate in auction sales just because a friend dragged you there. Examine the items being auctioned and ask yourself if you really need them.

Storage auction events are advertised on newspapers or on the internet, so, watch out for these events. Also, you may ask people who usually participate in these kinds of events.

About the Author: Cedric P Loiselle

For more information about storage auctions and storage unit auctions, visit our website storage-units-auctions.com.

10 Facts About Your Job (Or Why You Should Never Get a Job)

2012-02-28T20:56:49Z

"How in the hell could a man enjoy being awakened at 6:30 a.m. by an alarm clock, leap out of bed, dress, force-feed, brush his teeth and hair, and fight traffic to get to a place where essentially you make lots of money for somebody else and then be asked to be grateful for the opportunity to do so?" | Charles Bukowski ]]> Mr Bukowski has got a point. It seems crazy that we go through our life working a 9 -5 just to make someone else rich. We go from pay check to pay check while the guy at the top has unlimited earning potential.

The harder we work the richer the boss gets.

We might get a promotion and slowly climb up the career ladder as a result of our hard work but only in exchange for a few more thousand dollars a year. It just doesn't seem worth it.

So here are 10 facts about your job:

FACT 1: Working for someone else will never make you rich

The fact is that in Corporate America the 99% are working hard to fill the pockets of the 1% with even more money. Even pro athletes with their $5 million a year salaries are earning just a fraction of what the owner of the team makes.

Only a very small minority are prepared to take the risk of being self employed and they get rewarded for doing so. Most people just want to live their life "comfortably" instead of in luxury.

FACT 2: Job security does not exist

Job security does not exist and it hasn't for a long time, especially in this economic climate. Two words can take all your income away from you, "You're Fired."

Job security will never exist when you are not in control.

You are effectively leaving the future of yourself and your family in the hands of someone else.

FACT 3: Your Boss Owns You

No one likes to report to someone else and especially to a person you don't like; your boss. I can lift up one finger and that is how many people I know who like their boss. "Steve, have that report on my desk in the morning, Steve, you have to work late tonight etc. The worst part is that these aren't even questions they are orders.

FACT 4: You have no freedom

How many times have you said to someone, "I would love to, but I've got work in the morning." If you are your own boss you only have to report to yourself and no one else.

All of a sudden you find that you can take the day off instead of being a slave to your job.

FACT 5: You no longer think for yourself

A job has more rules than high school.

As soon as we join a company we are given a hundred page booklet on how we should dress, how we should talk, how we should move etc. God forbid being able to think for ourselves.

FACT 6: You have to beg for more money

No one likes asking other people for money. Our pride takes a hit. Yet, when we want a higher salary we have no option but to beg our boss for more money.

FACT 7: You can't choose your co-workers

Your co-workers might be the most boring or horrible people in the world. Yet, you have to spend most of the week with them feigning interest in their stories and hearing them whine.

When you are your own boss you get to choose who you spend your time with.

FACT 8: You are just a number

Working for a big corporate company means that you are just a number. You are not considered as a real person with real feelings. "Employee 5135 hasn't hit their sales targets this year... time to let him go."

FACT 9: You only get paid while you're working

The reason why we have a fixed income in a job is because the hours we work dictates the money we earn. Wouldn't it be nice to get paid while you sleep? Working for yourself allows you to do this.

FACT 10: You don't feel fulfilled

It's normal to feel unfulfilled when you're doing something you don't want to do. Yet you don't do anything about it, you wake up every day with the same feeling counting the hours until you can go home.

Does a Job Still Sound Like a Good Idea?

You probably had an emotional reaction whilst reading this. Some of you may have been defensive because you have been conditioned so well by society to believe that everyone should get a normal 9-5 job (that's what everyone else does right? Surely so many people can't be wrong?).

But hopefully, you were nodding your head after each fact as this sounds all too familiar. If so then this is a step in the right direction.

You already know that you should let your emotions guide you as they know what you really want (as talked about in my article finding you purpose in life) even if everyone says that you are crazy and foolish to even think of leaving your job.

We live in a time where people can make a very nice living from the internet

Starting an online business is easier than most people think.

Today could be the day you start.

You may look back years from now praising the day that you decided to work for yourself because it was the best decision you ever made.

About the Author: Nick Shepherd

If you enjoyed this article by Mr. Shepherd visit The Zen Approach for more interesting articles.

The Carnival of Smarter Investing # 21

2009-01-13T19:47:51Z

Welcome to the Twenty First Edition of The Carnival of Smarter Investing! We're back with our November edition of CoSI, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this supersized gathering of featured articles by investors and writers in the areas of business and real estate. And, as always, to submit your article for the next edition, you can do so here.

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INVESTING

Deposit Accounts presents Investing in a Rocky Economy posted at Deposit Accounts.

Matthew Paulson presents Should You Consider Social Lending? posted at American Consumer News.

Fatty presents Volatility Dampens Returns posted at Fatty Fat Fat.

The Fund investor presents Bear Market Mutual Funds posted at Mutual Fund Investing Tips, saying, "The one type of mutual fund investor that has made money in 2008 are those that have been investing in inverse mutual funds"

Lance Cooper presents How Trickle Down Affects You posted at Recession Money Matters, saying, "Think you are insulated from the stock market? Think again."

The Fund investor presents The Hidden Advantage Of Mutual Fund Investing posted at Mutual Fund Investing Tips, saying, "Mutual fund investing is a good way to prevent making investing mistakes."

Joseph presents How To Invest posted at Your Investing Guide.

Sun presents What Is Going on with Gold? posted at The Sun’s Financial Diary.

One Family presents BDCs (ACAS, ALD, MCGC, PSEC) – A Comparative Analysis posted at One Family's Blog, saying, "A comparative review of four Business Development Companies (BDC)."

Jesse Wojdylo presents November Stock Market Predictions posted at Subprime Blogger.

Investing Angel presents Investments To Avoid posted at Stock Tips, saying, "Some investments to avoid - especially in the coming recession!"

Raag Vamdatt presents Why you should not stop your SIP when market corrects :: RaagVamdatt.com :: Financial Planning demystified posted at RaagVamdatt.com.

Keira presents Resisting Panic: A Quick Guide to Surviving The Credit Crunch posted at Rich Leverage.

Lazy Man and Money presents Our Early Retirement Plan: Where We Are Now (Part 1) posted at Lazy Man and Money.

Billy Akerman presents When Is It Time To Take A Loss In A Stock | Beating The Stock Market posted at Beating The Stock Market, saying, "There are times when taking a loss is better."

Jim presents » How Non-Qualified Stock Options Work on Blueprint for Financial Prosperity posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

MoneyNing presents Try Buying When You Want to Sell and Vice Versa posted at Investing School, saying, "Time for something radical since nothing else is working anyway!! :)"

Fatty presents Automated Day Trader: Double Moving Average Crossover, Test 1 posted at Fatty Fat Fat.

Bill Spohnholtz presents Social Security Sense posted at Learn The Stock Market And How to Trade.

greg Group presents How to Make Money by Laddering Covered Calls - Associated Content posted at Associated Content.

Investing School presents Earnings Per Share (EPS) posted at Investing School, saying, "Learn all about Earnings Per Share, how to calculate it and why it's useful!"

Jim presents » Series I Bond Rate Calculator on Blueprint for Financial Prosperity posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

jeflin presents Spend Our Way Out Of Recession posted at Jeflin's Investment Blog.

Sun presents I Bond Rates for November 2008 With Fixed Rate 0.7% posted at The Sun’s Financial Diary.

Bill Spohnholtz presents Investing Market - 10 Better Things To Do With Your Money posted at Learn The Stock Market And How to Trade.

Investing Angel presents Learning Financial Planning through Asset Allocation » Free Stock Market Investing Tips posted at Stock Tips, saying, "Some ways to learn about financial planning."

Jim presents Resources to Learn About Stock Market Investing posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

Investing School presents Price to Earnings Ratio (P/E) posted at Investing School, saying, "Learn everything you need to know about the price per earnings ratio!"

Ajay presents How to perform stock research using fundamental analysis posted at Finance-Information, saying, "This article talks about basics of investing using fundamental analysis, especially for retail investors."

Tony Huynh presents 8 Ways to Make Your Goal a Certainty posted at LimitlessUnits.com, saying, "People will allow themselves to be pushed around and bullied in order to remain comfortable. People will act in a painful situation to ease the pain or remove the source of that pain. Security and comfort is not afforded by a job, it is provided by your ability to produce."

Martin Russell presents A Cautionary Story Of A Financial Adviser posted at Word of Mouth Marketing.

Contrarian Profits presents Financial advice | The Five Keys To Value Investing Profits - Contrarian Stock Market Investing News - Featuring Bargain Stocks posted at Contrarian Profits, saying, "Even the most conservative value funds have been whacked this year. But Keith Fitz-Gerald says following a value-investing discipline is the smartest thing to do right now. That’s where the big recovery gains will be. He gives five tips on how to seek out “real value” in the market."

David presents Bad News is an Investor’s Best Friend posted at Worldwide Success.

Bill Spohnholtz presents Caterpillar (CAT) Heavy Equipment Time posted at Learn The Stock Market And How to Trade.

Investing School presents 401(k) Retirement Plans posted at Investing School, saying, "Everything about 401(k) retirement plans! Benefits, details and more!"

Lauren Rose presents Practicing in the Forex Market posted at Stock Markets Investment, saying, "Why you should start practicing forex trading by playing many online games and simulations where you can learn many of its tips, tricks, and pitfalls."

Michael Bass presents Investing Money with Vanguard’s International Growth Fund and Fidelity’s Select Gold posted at Debt Prison, saying, "All this doom is good for gold… at least in the short term (two more years). For now I think gold is stable as a hedge (but as an investment with profit as the goal… the money has already been made)."

Sun presents Transfer A Brokerage Account: How Much Does It Cost? posted at The Sun’s Financial Diary.

Michael Cohen presents Traits Of A Good Investor | The Stock Investor - Stock Advice And Tips posted at The Stock Investor, saying, "These are the three most importnat traits of a successful stock investor."

One Family presents CanRoys (ENT, AAV, BTE, HTE, PVX, PGH, ERF, PWE) – A Comparative Analysis posted at One Family's Blog, saying, "A comparative analysis of Canadian Royalty Trusts that provide a way for energy exposure along with high monthly dividends, but comes with a caveat."

Bill Spohnholtz presents First Insurance Suggestion - AIG posted at Learn The Stock Market And How to Trade.

Michael Cintolo presents Investment Advice to Use Now posted at The Iconoclast Investor, saying, "Stock Market"

Joanne presents Researching Stocks posted at Beginner Investing.

Joe Hayes presents Forex Tips updated Sat Nov 15 2008 12:13 pm CST posted at Restoring Your Finances and Your Faith, saying, "Beginner tips for those thinking about trying to get into the foreign exchange (Forex) currency market."

MoneyNing presents Why Investing in Stocks This Year Was Not a Financial Mistake posted at Money Ning, saying, "While all our stock portfolios are down, it's never a mistake to invest!"

Jim presents Tax Loss Harvesting posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

Nesher presents Merchant of Venice Market Trading Program posted at Internet Stock Trading for Beginners.

Lane Wright presents Forex with as little as $10 posted at Awesome Forex Alerts.

Ripe Trade presents Breakout trade posted at Ripe Trade, saying, "This is a strategy to trade stocks that are poised to breakout. This technique has averaged 55% annual returns since 1990."

Bill Spohnholtz presents F Stock - Finished Or Real Deal? posted at Learn The Stock Market And How to Trade.

Michael Cintolo presents How Many Shares? posted at The Iconoclast Investor.

Relax presents Let’s talk about money posted at The Wise Curve, saying, "The good news is that being rich is not really difficult because it is just a state of mind."

Andrew Edgington presents Safe and Profitable Property Investments posted at Best On-line Mortgages, saying, "Mr. Shaw’s new book exemplifies his journey from struggling window installer to UK millionaire for the reader’s benefit. When you read this powerful book, chances are you will not be able to stop reading it until the stunning conclusion."

Investing School presents 52 Must Read Quotes from Legendary Investor - Warren Buffett posted at Investing School, saying, "Great quotes from a brilliant man!"

Michael Cintolo presents It’s How You Think That Counts posted at The Iconoclast Investor.

The Investor presents How you can enjoy the profits of 2,267 companies around the world for free posted at Monevator.com, saying, "More than 2,000 companies around the world have cash balances exceeding their market capitalization. That’s more than eight times as many cash rich companies as when the last bear market bottomed in 2002."

Silicon Valley Blogger presents Best Places For Your Money When The Stock Market Tanks posted at The Digerati Life, saying, "Thanks!"

Investing Angel presents I?m Betting On Oil posted at Stock Tips, saying, "What to do in a time of recession."

FIRE Getters presents Investing - Total versus Annual Returns posted at FIRE Finance.

Robert Brus presents Blog | posted at The Site Rush Preview, saying, "Buying, Selling and Flipping Internet Real Estate for Huge Profits, I'm going to reveal a real 21st century gold rush happening right now. Come See."

Aussie Investor presents Watching What Fund Managers Are Buying And Selling posted at Australian Investing, saying, "Watching the professional investors can be a great way to generate new investment ideas. However you will need to use your discretion - don't buy stocks indiscriminately just because your favorite money manager is buying. This article looks at a couple of ways to take advantage of what the big boys are doing as well as pointing out the pitfalls."

Sandy Naidu presents Bernard Madoff's Ponzi Scheme posted at FutureNestEgg.

Don presents Stock Trading On Margin posted at Beginners Investing Guide, saying, "Think twice before trading on margin if you are not prepared"

One Family presents Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) and 401K Retirement Plan Annual Enrollment and Contribution Review posted at One Family's Blog.

Joshua Dorkin presents 8 Steps to Starting Out In Real Estate Investing posted at Real Estate Investing For Real.

financefanatic presents Planning For The Future - What To Buy For My IRA? posted at Crash Market Stock - Stock Tips To Make Money During A Recession, saying, "Good tips when starting to plan out your IRA"

nickel presents Buying Non-Laddered CDs With Your Emergency Fund posted at fivecentnickel.com.

nickel presents 2009 Traditional and Roth IRA Contribution Limits posted at fivecentnickel.com.

Praveen presents Is Porsche the New Goldman Sachs? posted at My Simple Trading System.

apply4-credit presents Raise the Ratings or Reduce the Debt posted at Apply 4 Credit.

nickel presents Kiplinger’s Top Discount Brokers posted at fivecentnickel.com.

nickel presents How to Calculate Tax Equivalent Yield posted at fivecentnickel.com.

TheMoneyHawk presents How an $800 Tax Bill Taught Me Not to Be a Greedy Idiot posted at The Money Hawk, saying, "The market is on sale. How can I sit idly by and pass up this chance for potentially amazing investment growth? How can I put cash into a money market account at 3.5% interest when there are funds to invest in at 30% below their normal value? Those were the questions I was asking myself a couple weeks ago. Those were the questions that got me into trouble."

nickel presents The Best Online Discount Brokers (Updated) posted at fivecentnickel.com.

Jae Jun presents Analysing Financial Statements and AeroGrow posted at Old School Value, saying, "Learn to understand financial statements and the messages it tells you. AERO used as an example."

Michael Cintolo presents For the Investor on Your List posted at The Iconoclast Investor.

Andrew Edgington presents Cyprus Increases Its Investor Appeal posted at Cyprus Informer, saying, "Discover Cyprus property Investment issues on this information packed blog which is dedicated to giving free independent tips on property investment and travel."

BUSINESS

Verna Morris presents 7 Ways a Non-Designer Can Tell if Their Web Designer is Any Good posted at Web Design Schools Guide.

Darryl Kimball presents Just Give Me a Home Based Business that Makes Money! posted at Just Give Me a Home Based Business That Makes Money, saying, "This article takes an honest look at the home based business industry and some of the pitfalls waiting for the person starting a new home based business. Many of us have started a new home based business filled with excitement and hope, only to be left with frustration and dismay. After all, we just want a home based business that makes money."

Khan presents An Outsider's Guide to Corporate Life posted at Higher Education and Career Blog.

Andrew Edgington presents A Successful Business at Home posted at Internet Success Strategies, saying, "I have 3 slots remaining for the Super VIP Program where I will work one on one with you to help you earn $30,000 Every Single Month!"

Mike presents Brand, Branded and More Branding! posted at Trade Show Convention Displays Blog, saying, "Conventiondisplay.blogsome.com is a blog dedicated to the trade show industry and was created to discuss new product developments, trends, show marketing, and specific trade show venues throughout the trade show industry."

MONEY MATTERS

DebbieDragon presents Need to Save? Get Set to Automate posted at American Consumer News.

Ben presents Year End Policy Review Tips for Lowering Rates and Checking Coverage posted at Money Smart Life.

DebbieDragon presents Starting Early and Saving Often posted at Debbie's Debt Advice.

apply4-credit presents Credit Cards Can Work with a Budget posted at Credit Card Applications Expert | Apply4-Credit.com.

Savings Toolbox presents Save Up For College With FreshmanFund's 529 College Savings Plan Gift Registry posted at Savings Toolbox.

Debbie Dragon presents Tips for Growing Money posted at The Money Blog.

Debt Freedom Fighter presents Simple Steps For Funding Financial Emergencies posted at Discover Debt Freedom!.

Destroy Debt presents 3 Basic Principles for Good Personal Finance Habits posted at Destroy Debt.

KCLau presents How to manages monthly cash flow posted at KCLau's Money Tips, saying, "This post is contributed by Relax, the blog author of Wise Curve - get smarter every day! I feel honoured to contribute a post on KC Lau’s blog. He’s one of my multi talented role models so I count myself lucky to be his net friend. Now let’s talk about money and how to manage cash flow."

Dave presents Freebie Sites That Save You Money posted at Cheapo Groovo.

KCLau presents Christmas On A Budget posted at KCLau's Money Tips, saying, "This post is contributed by Jacquelyn Sarah Wong, the co-author of The Secrets to Writing an Ebook in Three Easy Steps. It is about how to be frugal this christmas season with the economy down."

Travis presents You Need A Budget posted at Christian Money Mountain.

The Shark Investor presents Alternative Income: Writing posted at The Shark Investor.

Savings Toolbox presents Set Your Children Up With Savings Accounts posted at Savings Toolbox.

DebbieDragon presents Finding Your Growth Engine posted at 7 Millionaires... in Training!.

Cary Anderson presents 6 Tips for Reducing Your Debt posted at Debt Relief, saying, "Debt is not a pleasant burden, especially in the midst of a global economic slowdown. Before job security and credit concerns really start to impact your life, follow these six tips for getting debt free."

Tony Huynh presents Money: What Steps I Have Taken to Save It posted at LimitlessUnits.com, saying, "This article is about patching up the leaks and keeping all that money you make."

Lawrence T. presents Margin Loan | Types Of Loan - Types Of Loans posted at Types of Loans, saying, "A margin loan may be a good way of paying off credit card or as a source for other financing needs. Margin loans need to be used carefully though, since you want to avoid a margin call."

Don presents Student Loan Options For Graduate Students posted at D.P. Lawson, saying, "With money for financial aid becoming harder to get, many graduate students are finding it difficult to get loans to continue their higher education. Here's a resource list of financial aid programs available to grad students."

Buildify presents 2009 Credit Score Tips posted at Credit and Personal Finance Blog | Credit Karma.

Michael Geoffrey presents Pay Off Debt Or Invest Your Money? posted at Debt Smackdown, saying, "If you suddenly find yourself with some extra money, does it make more sense to invest it for the future or to pay off debt with it today?"

Raymond presents Reviews Of The Best Advanta Business Credit Cards and Offers posted at Money Blue Book.

Raymond presents Reviews Of The Best Discover Credit Cards and Offers posted at Money Blue Book.

Livingalmostlarge presents Walking the Walk? posted at LivingAlmostLarge.

IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID

Joshua Seth presents Benefits Of Economic Recession posted at Joshua Seth Blog, saying, "Is there something in the air that’s getting people down lately? My guess is that with all the news about the drop in home prices, stock prices, and consumer confidence a lot of people are starting to feel pretty bad about themselves and their future."

Money Smart Life presents Safe Places to Invest Your Money in a Bad Economy posted at Money Smart Life.

Fiona King presents 10 Obscure Currencies Affected by the Credit Crunch posted at Currency Trading.net.

hank presents How Is What We Are Going Through Now Different From The Great Depression in the 1930’s? posted at My Investing Blog.

sherin presents Economic Recession and Preparing for a Recession posted at Investment Internals, saying, "A study on the preparation for recession time. Focused on Savings, Portfolio and Job security. An educational article for ordinary person to help self to build a self defense against problems from economic slowdown i.e. recession"

Brian McKay presents Fed Funds Rate Cut to 0% to .25% posted at MonitorBankRates.com, saying, "The Federal Reserve Bank cut the Fed Funds rate from 1% down to a range of 0% to .25%. The cut was larger then the .50% cut analysts were expecting"

Market Breaker presents It's Been A Brutal Year posted at Stock Investing Tips, saying, "This year has been the worst year for the stock market since the Great Depression."

Jim presents Winners of the 2008 Recession & Credit Crisis posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

REAL ESTATE

Joe Manausa presents How To Stay Calm In The Real Estate Market posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "The entire financial world appears to be a scary place right now. Many people are starting to “smell opportunity” and yet are a bit too fearful to act on their instincts. The goal of this article is to get you to consider doing some homework and creating a decision matrix so that you can start to take advantage of the opportunities when you are ready."

Joe Manausa presents Discover The Secret To Making A Perfect Home Buying Offer posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "There are so many infomercials and advertisements claiming that you can buy a home for mere pennies on the dollar that many potential home buyers are confused about what they should do. The goal of this short article is to help you develop a mindset that will allow you to buy the home of your dreams without paying too much for the home."

Joe Manausa presents Great News For First Time Homebuyers In Florida Real Estate posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "It is interesting to note that in these times of financial hardship for everyone that there seems to be an abundance of financial assistance programs out there for eligible homebuyers purchasing new or existing homes in Florida."

Joe Manausa presents Real Estate Supply And Demand | Tallahassee Real Estate Blog posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "It really isn’t that hard to tell where the real estate market is heading. All we need to do is take a quick re-examination of Economics 101 and realize that Supply and Demand actually do matter in the real estate market."

Joe Manausa presents What is a RSS Subscription? posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "Have you ever noticed that anytime you read a blog, there is a Subscription Button that encourages you to subscribe to it? Well, I have been questioned about this often enough to recognize that most readers do not understand how RSS works and why bloggers should continue to explain it in order to expand their subscribers list."

Don presents Investors Snatching Up Bargains In Las Vegas Real Estate Market posted at Las Vegas Real Estate, saying, "Ever wonder why some investors continue to get rich while others never seem to find a bargain? It's because wise investors know that in a down economy, deals are everywhere. Others wait for markets to turn back up, thus missing most of the money in the deal. One area where smart investors are finding deals for their portfolio's is the Las Vegas Real Estate market."

Andrew Edgington presents "Investing In Real Estate" Tips posted at Best On-line Mortgages, saying, "Welcome to Your Free Mortgage - a step-by-step guide to making your mortgage pay for itself. Discover how to turn your mortgage into large cash lump sum."

Chris presents How to find a great house for a good price by asking the right questions (part 1) | Home I Own, Aussie Real Estate Blog posted at Home I Own.

GENERALLY INTERESTING ARTICLES

Insurance Toolbox presents Guide to Life Insurance posted at Insurance Toolbox.

KCLau presents If either one of the joint-account holder dies, who gets the money? posted at KCLau's Money Tips, saying, "Let’s say you have a joint account with your spouse in a local bank. Due to an unforeseen accident, your spouse passed away (touch wood). Are you entitled to withdraw all the money in the account, say RM100k? The answer is not simply a “yes” or “no”. It actually depends on the bank’s rules and regulations. What I learn is that there are three possibilities."

nickel presents How do Federal Income Tax Brackets Work? posted at fivecentnickel.com.

Erika Collin presents 20 iPhone Apps to Increase Your Productivity posted at Web Design Schools Guide.

Jae Jun presents Book Review: Good to Great posted at Old School Value, saying, "A book review of Jim Collins "Good to Great""

Chelsy Albertson presents Are College Kids All Spoiled Nowadays? posted at Earn Money - Earning Money From Home, saying, "College kids seem to be very spoiled nowadays."

Jayson Gibson presents Hope for Homeowners Act of 2008 ?What's At Stake? posted at New Homes Section Blog, saying, "Information about the Hope for Homeowners Act of 2008. Details about problems in our current economy and how each problem relates to the Hope for Homeowners Act of 2008."

Helen Trump presents Turbo Continuity posted at Social Marketing by Michelle MacPhearson, saying, "Get more information about Turbo Continuity from this blog and grow your business more."

Louis Burns presents Crafting Mental Movies For Others posted at NLP Marketing Blog, saying, "This article is about not only visualizing your own goals but the experience you want other people to have as well."

The Shark Investor presents How To Outgrow The Self-Help Learning Stage posted at The Shark Investor, saying, "How to stop reading and start action"

Scott Miscall presents Investment Property and Fixer Upper Homes posted at Should you Consider Hard Money Finance?, saying, "Hard money finance can be a means to an end for some people and it can be beneficial. But, it really should be thought of as a last resort and not something to bank on for a long term solution."

Tees presents How To Stop A Foreclosure Process In Florida posted at Florida Foreclosure, saying, "Information on foreclosure in Florida and how home owners can protect themselves."

Investing School presents 25 Ingenious Ways to Spend Your Time in the Current Financial Crisis posted at Investing School, saying, "A fun piece during these trouble times!"

And there you have it. That's it for this edition of CoSI. Thanks again for the great above submissions, and a huge and ever present thanks to our rapidly expanding base of loyal readers. And remember, if you’ve got something to say regarding real estate investing, general investing, business, entrepreneurship or small business management, get it written up and submit it today! We’re always looking for more article submissions. So get writing!! Thanks for reading, and see you back here next month!!

The Carnival of Smarter Investing #20

2008-11-22T17:37:22Z

Welcome to the Twentieth Edition of The Carnival of Smarter Investing! We're back with our November edition of CoSI, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this supersized gathering of featured articles by investors and writers in the areas of business and real estate. And, as always, to submit your article for the next edition, you can do so here.

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Business

Save Money presents Get FREE Gift Cards from Blue Cross Blue Shield posted at How I Save Money.net.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Wall Street Woes posted at Mad Kane's Humor Blog.

Scott Host presents How to find a web hosting company posted at www.hot10hosts.com, saying, "This site ranks webhosts based on reputation, longevity of the business, cost, customer service, storage space, bandwidth, setup costs and features. You can sort your search by budget hosting, windows, or linux hosting, ecommerce hosting, reseller hosting and if they also offer domain registration."

Investing Angel presents Is Trading For You? » Free Stock Market Investing Tips posted at Stock Tips, saying, "Find out if the life of a stock trader is for you."

GETi.com presents GETi.com Coupons and Price Compare ?Price Compare posted at GETi.com Coupons and Price Compare, saying, "Coupons Discounts, Price Drops and Price Comparison Tools on everything you buy. Save on every purchase every day. Our unique price comparison tool updates prices on millions of items from hundreds of sites daily. Compare from every top merchant on the internet, find free shipping and save on taxes at GETi.com."

Rich Maltzman, PMP presents The WBS: Wall Street's Breakdown Structure posted at Scope crêpe.

Denis Dobrochasov presents Taken for a Ride posted at Chasov Blog - Your World Insight, saying, "Chasov Blog publishes professional and quality content discussing a wide variety of subjects and providing contrasting points of view on different subject matters. Some topics of interest include business creation, network marketing, life events, relationships, money, banking, news, television, movies, travel, education, biking, gardening, fitness and a variety of others."

Phillip Jeffries presents Email Marketing | Make Money Online posted at Make Money Online, saying, "This post explains some of the best ways to make money online through e-mail marketing. I hope you find it to be of use for the upcoming carnival."

Erika Collin presents 100 Essential Resources for Doing Business in China posted at BSchool.com Business Schools Directory.

GeekMBA360 presents What lessons I have learned (so far) from the current economic crisis? posted at GeekMBA360

Entrepreneurial

Call Center Consultant presents Why Start a Professional Survey Call Center posted at Call Center Jobs, saying, "Why you should start a professional survey call center"

Alvaro Fernandez presents The Brain Fitness/ Training Market: An Executive Summary posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution, saying, "An overview of the growing brain training market."

Dennis Scheffler presents Logo Design Ideas for Your Company posted at Logo Design Blog, saying, "A logo for your company will be the corner stone of your marketing efforts, so you need to come up with some logo design ideas that will really pop and get noticed."

Investing Angel presents Why Most Investors Buy High And Sell Low » Free Stock Market Investing Tips posted at Stock Tips, saying, "Some ways to avoid the mistakes of buying high and selling low."

Mert Erkal presents The Key Ingredients for Internet Success posted at www.searchforblogging.com, saying, "Make money blogging is not all about affiliate marketing, Google Adsense, paid reviews or selling your links. The ultimate target should be selling and promoting your own products using your blog, and evolve as an Internet entrepreneur throughout the time."

Financing

Contrarian Profits presents Alt-A Is the New Subprime posted at Contrarian Profits, saying, "All eyes are on the drama being played out on Wall Street today. But the cause of all the bloodshed was the downturn in the US housing market. This left banks and financial institutions with exposure to toxic subprime loans with a load of worthless securities on their books. This led to writedowns and losses. And the rest is history. Shockingly, given the scale of the crisis, John Maudlin says the housing crisis has a ways to run yet. Alt-A mortgages may the next to fall…"

Bankruptcy Access presents Credit Card Debt posted at BankruptcyAccess.com, saying, "The ultimate post about credit card debt."

Bankruptcy Access presents Credit Debt posted at BankruptcyAccess.com, saying, "All about credit debt- note: this is a completely different post than our previous one about credit card debt."

Sean Reynolds presents Economic Meltdown posted at Creativity, saying, "The perpetrators of the destruction of the world trade centre twin towers and the murder of 3,000 people on the 9th of November 2001 in New York sought by this dastardly act to strike at the heart of capitalism and thereby bring it down like a house of cards."

Bankruptcy Access presents Bankruptcy Chapter 13 posted at BankruptcyAccess.com, saying, "The ultimate Chapter 13 post!"

imarketing4s presents Are Debt Consolidation Errors Losing You Money? | Consolidate4Free: Free Debt Consolidation Articles posted at Free Debt Consolidation: Qualified Financial Management.

FIRE Getters presents Investing - Which Stock Market Indexes to Choose? posted at FIRE Finance.

Adam Sicinski presents The Financial Intelligence Factor | Mind Map posted at IQ Matrix Blog, saying, "The Financial Intelligence Factor is state of mind, that comes from being a certain way and doing certain things that attract wealth and abundance into your life. This IQ Matrix Mind Map is based on Jamie McIntyre’s best selling free book and DVD entitled “What I didn’t Learn at School but I Wish I Had.” Within this material Jamie discusses financial strategies and techniques that will help you to build towards the achievement of your Financial Objectives."

General Investing

Hustler Moneyblog presents Complete Sharebuilder Codes posted at Hustler $$$ Blog.

nickel presents Market Turmoil, Portfolio Drift, and Asset Allocation: Time to Rebalance? posted at fivecentnickel.com.

Praveen presents Taking out the DOG... posted at My Simple Trading System.

nickel presents Recovering From a Stock Market Decline posted at fivecentnickel.com.

KCLau presents The Malaysian Insurance Planning Guide by Meshio.com [REVIEW] posted at KCLau's Money Tips, saying, "A review about an ebook on insurance planning. The book is specially written to guide Malaysians on their next insurance purchase."

Joshua Seth presents 5 Steps To Prosper In Hard Economic Times posted at Joshua Seth Blog, saying, "As I write this article the stock market has seen historic declines, property values are declining, unemployment is on the rise, and inflation is increasing. A lot of people are justifiably worried and glued to the TV news every chance they can get. So what can you do about all this? Actually, quite a lot. You may not be able to change what’s happening in the world, but you can absolutely change how it affects you and actually profit by it in a big way."

KCLau presents Are you part of the NEET Generation? posted at KCLau's Money Tips, saying, "About NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Learning), the NEET generation and why there is NEET."

Andrea Smith presents What Are the Benefits of Debt Consolidation? | Consolidate4Free: Free Debt Consolidation Articles posted at Free Debt Consolidation: Qualified Financial Management.

Michael Snyder presents Christmas Was Not Originally A Christian Holiday posted at The Moral Collapse Of America.

Anya Portnik presents On being a motivational speaker… posted at Gavin Ingham.

Dave presents GOLD PRICES: a physical gold shortage, a paper gold surplus posted at Cheapo Groovo.

imarketing4s presents Choosing the Right Debt Consolidation Service? | Consolidate4Free: Free Debt Consolidation Articles posted at Free Debt Consolidation: Qualified Financial Management.

KCLau presents Financial Consideration for New Parents in Malaysia posted at KCLau's Money Tips, saying, "Recently, there is an interesting post written by Xin Lu at Wisebread about the financial consideration of having a newborn baby. The article is more catered to the situation in the USA. Although it might differ in terms of currency, the other facts might similar and worth our study. This sparks the idea of writing this post to share with you the financial side of being a new parent in Malaysia."

Adam Freedman presents How to Make a List of Rules to Invest By posted at The Investor's Journal.

Sun presents What Have I Bought with My Zecco Play Money? posted at The Sun’s Financial Diary.

Aussie Investor presents Quick Ratio Formula posted at Stock Market Investing For Beginners, saying, "In these uncertain times stock market investors really need to focus on fundamentals. One of the tools to help with this is the Quick Ratio. It's easy to calculate and when used properly it can help investors avoid buying stocks whose future may not be so rosy."

Big Larry presents How to Know if Your Bank is FDIC Insured posted at Out of Debt Christian, saying, "With 14 U.S. bank failures already this year, it is vital to be sure that your bank carries FDIC insurance on your deposits. Here are the easy steps you need to take to make sure that your money is protected in case your bank also runs into trouble."

Terence Gillespie presents Your Optimal Bailout Plan posted at Your Optimal Blog, saying, "As congress is drafting their bailout plan perhaps we should be drafting our own. Here is a 5-step plan that will put you and your family out of harms way during the hyperinflationary depression that is now inevitable. The very premise of Financial Planning, The US Dollar, is about to change. Your Optimal Bailout Plan provides the practical advice needed to navigate this unknown territory."

Ken Schulte presents How To Generate Your Own Alternative Energy At Home | Alternative Energy Secrets posted at Alternative Energy Secrets, saying, "Alternative Energy Secrets is all about exploring avenues of living greener and helping out the planet. Saving money is also a great topic of discussion as well."

Contrarian Profits presents Escape Financial Meltdown By Moving Assets Offshore Now posted at Contrarian Profits, saying, "On September 19, the SEC suspended short selling for 799 financial companies to “protect the integrity and quality of the securities market and strengthen investor confidence“. Since then the Dow has lost 165 points. The ban ends tomorrow. Eric Roseman says the legislation targets the wrong traders. Short sellers make the market more transparent. By blocking them, the SEC is violating the free market. The ban has so far failed to stabilize the markets. Don’t be surprised if the government now moves to target other safe havens such as gold and offshore accounts. Eric recommends investors move quickly to secure their assets in European strongholds like Switzerland and Liechtenstein."

Sandy Naidu presents Credit Card Debt - Debt Consolidation | FutureNestEgg posted at Future Nest Egg.

A.J. Brown presents Lucky Sevens: Perfect Time for Trading Stock Options posted at A.J. Brown's Options Trading Blog, saying, "Many traders saw stars on Monday, September 29. As the market plummeted, they took huge losses. And it's no wonder. The DOW dropped 777 points in a single day — the largest single point drop in history."

Sun presents The Market is Plummeting? – No Worries posted at The Sun’s Financial Diary.

Eric Twitty presents Should You Buy Stocks Right Now? posted at You Can Achieve Success!.

Patrick Bateman presents The $700 Billion Bail Out: (Part 2 of 2) Why It's Important For You!!! posted at One Million Bucks! (OMB!): My Personal Finance Journey.

Sandy Naidu presents Warren Buffet's Advice posted at Future Nest Egg.

Wenchypoo presents Frugality as a Recession Fighter and Depression Killer (L-O-N-G) posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket, saying, "Rather long, but tells WHY to save for choice times to invest, like now when prices are low and financing is about to get cheaper."

Adam Freedman presents The Fundamentals of Successful Investing posted at The Investor's Journal.

MoneyNing presents How Your Portfolio Performance Compared With the Averages Determine the Risk You Are Taking posted at Investing School, saying, "Manage your risk at all times!"

Mac presents Top 10 Secrets of True Wealth posted at Actorlicious.

Big Cajun Man presents Canadian Personal Finance Blog » Blog Archive » Top 5 Investing Regrets In My Life posted at Canadian Personal Finance Blog, saying, "The top investing mistakes I have made"

Dividend Growth Investor presents Berkshire Hathaway Historical Total Return Performance posted at Dividend Growth Investor.

Adam Freedman presents Be Greedy When Others Are Fearful posted at The Investor's Journal.

Tony Huynh presents Bet on the US, I am posted at LimitlessUnits.com, saying, "Be greedy when others are fearful"

Erika Collin presents Brain Trust: 100 Ivy League Business & Entrepreneurship Courses You Can Take for Free posted at BSchool.com Business Schools Directory.

Ripe Trade presents Autumn panic lows posted at Ripe Trade, saying, "I highlight how historically, market panics and periods of market collapse such as 1857,1907, 1929, 1987and 1997 have ended in autumn."

MoneyNing presents Even A Decade Long Recession Will Be Okay posted at Money Ning, saying, "We will come out of this okay!"

Jared Schneider presents 5 Best Dividend Stocks posted at InvestorPitStop.com, saying, "In this stock market, investors need to find investments that still provide them with a return or a constant stream of income. Here are the best high-yield dividend stocks for stock market investors, period."

Adam Freedman presents Real Estate Investing Pros and Cons posted at The Investor's Journal.

MoneyNing presents Do Your Own Stock Analysis posted at Investing School, saying, "Stock analysis is a must to make money in the stock market!"

Joe Hayes presents Free Forex Tips posted at FreeForexTips.Info, saying, "Great free tips for those considering forex (foreign exchange) currency trading. Not sure I can pull the trigger yet but some folks make alot of money doing it."

Steward presents Dollar Cost Averaging In A Declining Stock Market posted at My Family's Money, saying, "This article argues that dollar cost averaging into a market that you know is in decline is not a good idea and will not minimize your timing risks. It is better to save your money until the market bottoms out and begins to recover before you commit it to the stock market."

Raymond presents How To Calculate and Track Your Net Worth posted at Money Blue Book.

Raymond presents How To Become A Millionaire and Get Rich In 10 Steps posted at Money Blue Book.

Eric Twitty presents Savings Plan: Do You Have One? posted at You Can Achieve Success!.

Christine presents Buying Stocks in a Volatile Market posted at Me, My Kid and Life: An American Single Mom Living in France, saying, "Looking for and finding the silver lining in these economically challenging times."

General Real Estate

Joshua Dorkin presents Help Foreclosure Pets The Silent Victims of Foreclosure posted at Real Estate Investing For Real, saying, "Note that the author of the article is Jim Watkins. Please consider this article as we're trying to spread the word about this great new way to save pets from foreclosure victims."

Joe Manausa presents Bailing Out The Banks? Actually Bailing Out America! posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "While mainstream media refers to this as the "fat cat" bailout for Wall Street, you might be surprised who really needs this bailout to occur. What would happen to your job if the credit market stopped for even 1 week?"

Bob Schwartz presents So Much For The Bailout posted at San Diego real estate.

Peter Crump presents Credit No Money Down Real Estate Investing | Win-Win Real Estate Investments posted at Comments on: Profitable No Money Down Real Estate Investing On Credit..

Kirby presents Are you stupid for paying your mortgage? | Kirby on Finance posted at Kirby on Finance.

Joe Manausa presents Dave McCormick On Restoring Global Stability posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "Under Secretary David H. McCormick made the following remarks about the current economic turmoil while speaking at Wharton’s Eleventh Annual Investment Management Conference. He identified how the chaos basically got started and acknowledged that we are now paying the price."

Rentals

Reba Haas presents Get on the bus to see Sound Transit's Link light rail progress? posted at Team Reba Real Estate, saying, "Recently I've been asked a lot about how property values are impacted by being near mass transit lines. In particular, light rail. If you're buying rental property in Seattle, you might want to get to know more about the upcoming light rail and this article will give you info on how to tour the upcoming system."

That's it for this edition of CoSI. Thanks again for the great above submissions, and a huge and ever present thanks to our rapidly expanding base of loyal readers. And remember, if you’ve got something to say regarding real estate investing, general investing, business, entrepreneurship or small business management, get it written up and submit it today! We’re always looking for more article submissions. So get writing!! Thanks for reading, and see you back here next month!!

You Can Have It All - an article by author Masha Malka

2008-11-11T17:33:17Z

I was asked by one of the reporters to describe how I balance being a mother working from home and having a career. The following article is the result of that discussion.

When my first baby (Veronica) was born I felt that now I had it all – the loving husband and the baby I always wanted and waited so long to have! I just couldn’t get enough of her – I couldn’t wait for her to wake-up so that I could play with her; I wrote her songs and letters; made hundreds of pictures and videotaped her every progress.

]]> When Veronica was two years old something strange happened. As I was hanging out the laundry I felt tears running down my cheeks. And then I felt a deep yearning inside of me for something else, for something that was not a part of my life at the time. As much as I loved my baby and staying home with her, I had to do something else.

So I went back to school. I decided to continue my education through an online university (Capella University) so that I could still be with Veronica as much as possible. I studied while she slept and a year later I got a Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Training Online.

That same year I traveled to Las Vegas to attend a workshop on Accelerated Learning Techniques and became a certified trainer. Four months later I flew to Thailand to attend a Transformational Thinking Certificate Program. By then Veronica was three and a half years old and I was “working” on having another baby.

When I got back from Thailand I was so full of ideas and desire to start a career in training that I decided to postpone having the second child; yet, just two weeks later I discovered that I was 6 weeks pregnant!

“Well”, I said to myself, “Why should a pregnancy and a baby stop me from doing what I really want?!” So I proceeded to design my first workshop and delivered it when I was seven months pregnant. I have to mention that I had a terrible fear of public speaking and it took so much courage and determination not to give up my idea.

After the success of my first workshop I was “too pregnant” to deliver any more but I still felt I had to do something, so I converted my workshop into an e-book (“Discover Your Inborn Genius”), designed a website and 6 weeks later started selling it online. I knew absolutely nothing about e-books or selling them online when I had that idea.

My second baby Julia was born a week after Veronica’s 4^th birthday. Three month later we sold our house and moved to Bulgaria! My husband and I wanted to do Corporate Training for Emerging Markets and decided to be closer to the action. Not knowing anyone there and with two young children, we dived right in to finding clients and developing our first workshop.

I put my desk in the living room so that I would not miss “any action” while I was writing workbooks and doing my research. I also hired someone else to do the house chores so that when I did not work I could just be with my girls.

I still wrote songs and letters to my kids, as well as took lots of photos and videos. My career, though demanding, provided a perfect balance for me.

When Veronica turned six and Julia turned three I felt like my life was getting a little easier. Girls where in school and more and more independent; I was in the middle of writing my second book and there was a big demand for my coaching services. Though I really wanted to have a boy, I decided my family was perfect as it was and that I should not have any more children and give more focus to my career.

Ha! As I said that to my gynecologist he has informed me (after the routine check-up) that I was pregnant!! Completely shocked and realizing that with the third child I might have to let go or postpone quite a few of my dreams I just did not know what to do!

Since I am still not sure “how it happened” (I mean we used the same protection we always used), I thought to myself that this was really meant to be and it was not for me to decide whether this was the right time or not. So I just decided, as with everything else in my life, to take it one step at a time and see what happens.

I did not give up on any of my dreams! Two weeks after my baby-boy David was born, my book was published! I felt like I gave birth to two children that year! The joy and fulfillment was indescribable!

I chose to breastfeed all of my kids; which meant frequent waking at nights and not much power to think or do much. Yet, I had to get back to work – my clients were waiting and the book needed attention.

When I had only Veronica and no career, I used to think that it would be impossible for me to take care of more children. I just could not image how some women did it!

Now, with three children ages nine, five, and one, as well as a rapidly growing career I realize that we greatly underestimate our power and our strength! I am a very petite 5’2” and 105 lbs woman who was always kind-of jealous of people with lots of energy (since I never seemed to have any). Yet, as I look back I realize how much I have already achieved!

My new book, The One Minute Coach: change your life one minute at a time published by a New York Publishing House – Morgan James Publishing - addresses many areas to assist others in creating balance in both their personal an professional life. I am busy doing what I love and I have created a perfect balance between my career and my family.

My children are growing up understanding that taking care of personal needs is just as important, if not more so, as taking care of other people’s needs. I still work from home and I am a very involved mom - attending all of the recitals, teacher meetings, doing project with my kids and taking them on “dates with Mommy”.

When we let go of our fears; do what we love; and just take it one step at a time - we can have it all!

Masha Malka is an entrepreneur, author, Clarity and Focus guru, international speaker and trainer as well as the mother of 3 children.

Masha has delivered workshops, seminars, written articles and books, and provided personal training and coaching in the field of success and the skill of learning since 1998.

She is the author of The One Minute Coach. This book is a great resource for anyone looking for more balance in their life. Order you own copy of The One Minute Coach within the next 24 hours and receive over $9,000 in bonus gifts from experts around the globe. Go to http://mashamalka.com/bookpromotion/

The Carnival of Smarter Investing #19

2008-10-10T18:53:33Z

Welcome to the Nineteenth Edition of The Carnival of Smarter Investing! We're back with our first week of October edition of CoSI, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this supersized gathering of featured articles by investors and writers in the areas of business and real estate. And, as always, to submit your article for the next edition, you can do so here.

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Joe Manausa presents How To Dispute Your Property Taxes posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "As long as the assessed value does not exceed the market value they will raise the assessed value, so it is important to know what your property is worth today!"

Manoj Thulasidas presents Commodity Prices -- Who is Holding the Cards? posted at Unreal Blog, saying, "Here is a look at the causes and effects of the surge in food and energy prices. Among the myriad of economic reasons conjectured to be behind this so-called silent tsunami, I feel that the influx of institutional investment and speculation is the most likely cause. Originally written for the Wilmott Magazine, this article contains a bit of technical analysis."

David presents Investment Opportunities in Energy Independence posted at Physician Entrepreneur, saying, "Most likely, oil prices will not be going below $60/barrel, and this will encourage continued attention and investment in making America more energy independent. This represents an opportunity both for America, but also for those who invest in this trend. See the full article for details."

Dorian Wales presents How to Invest Wisely In a Bear Market? posted at The Personal Financier, saying, "Bear markets present a challenge for any investor with the end never in sight. How do we invest wisely in a bear market?"

Greg Swann presents Introduction to "A consumer's guide to the divorced real estate commission" - the eBook posted at BloodhoundBlog.

KCLau presents How not to Spend that Money? posted at KCLau's Money Tips, saying, "Article on how to prevent spending unnecessary money. Also 3 methods on how to do so."

Jody T Fransch presents Tips to Managing Student Finances posted at jody fransch.

Praveen presents Lehman, Merril Lynch, and AIG Lead to The "Unbubble" posted at My Simple Trading System.

Business

Scott Palat presents How To Acquire Students for Your E-tutoring Business posted at Scott Palat.

Brice Hogan presents Independent Profit Center The Review posted at My World | Independent Profit Center, saying, "This is a review of a very good business opportunity I have recommended to many of my clients to create extra income."

Bankruptcy Access presents File Chapter 7 Bankruptcy posted at BankruptcyAccess.com, saying, "A guide to filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy if any entrepreneurs need it! Prepare ahead. :)"

Jacqueline Lloyd presents 10 Tips On How To Invest During A Global Recession posted at Precious Metal Investment.

Jacqueline Lloyd presents Nuclear Power is Coming Your Way posted at Precious Metal Investment.

Finance Tips 101 presents 6 Tips To Help To Protect Your Social Security Number posted at Finance Tips 101.

Entrepreneurial

Leorita Seneres-Velasquez presents Money Matters: Hobbies for Business posted at Money Matters.

Jay M presents Entrepreneurship in the conceptual economy - endless opportunities posted at 4 entrepreneur, saying, "a guide for entrepreneurs to navigate in the conceptual economy"

Financing

KCLau presents How a medium family can retire comfortably (Real Life Case Study) posted at KCLau's Money Tips, saying, "a success story about a frugal family. If everyone learn to manage cash flow like they do, there will be no financial problem in Malaysia."

Cyberslacking presents Cyberslacking tools on-line posted at Glowicki ProBlogger - Blogging Tips, saying, "bored in job? here you have tools to cyberslack and some decent ideas!"

Investing Angel presents Investments To Avoid posted at Stock Tips, saying, "Certain types of investments should just be avoided by beginner investors."

General Investing

Raag Vamdatt presents When at-par is not so good: New Fund Offer (NFO) versus existing MF schemes :: RaagVamdatt.com :: Financial Planning demystified posted at RaagVamdatt.com.

Kevin presents The 120 Minus Your Age Stock Allocation Formula posted at No Debt Plan, saying, "The old rule of thumb of "100 minus your age = stock allocation" is out. It's time to update the rulebook. People are living longer and wanting to retire earlier. We need more stocks in our portfolio to succeed."

Zach Scheidt presents China Medical Technologies, Inc. (ADR) (CMED) - Two Steps Forward, One Step Back posted at ZachStocks, saying, "China Medical is a strong company offering a unique opportunity. The shares are lower due to a security offering last week that added supply to the market. The company continues to grow revenue and earnings and operates in an attractive sector."

Wilfrid presents Are TIPS A Good Investment? posted at Your Finish Rich Plan, saying, "Protection against the ravages of inflation should be an integral part of every investor's long-term strategy"

Michael Cintolo presents A Booming Chinese Investment posted at The Iconoclast Investor, saying, "Stocks"

Del Sandeen presents How to Get the Most Out of Your 401(k) posted at Fiscal Liberty.

texasdave presents Forex Trading posted at Make Cash Online.

Sandy Naidu presents Top 5 Dirty Little Credit Card Tricks posted at Future Nest Egg.

One Family presents Trina Solar (TSL) – Outlook posted at One Family's Blog, saying, "The post presents an analysis of Trina Solar (TSL) stock valuation."

Leon Gettler presents Volatility rules posted at Sox First, saying, "The US market has taken a hammering. Volatile times, perfect for for a trader with the agility of Spider-Man and the mathematical chops of Steven Hawking, but for everyone else, it's just frustrating. Get used to it! Volatility is significantly greater in down markets than boom markets. The reason? Traders, like gamblers, chase losses. If they've lost lots of money, it's tempting to make big bets to try and get it back."

Elizabeth Potts Weinstein presents Investment Fraud: If It’s Too Good to Be True … posted at The Wealth Spa, saying, "There are legitimate alternative investments that, while risky, do provide a way to diversify your investments, and have a potential for large appreciation or cash flow. But how do you evaluate a great business opportunity or investment to decide if it is real or just a scam?"

The Stock Teacher presents Speculating On The Election posted at Stock Investment, saying, "If you think McCain is going to win the election, certain stocks may be worth betting on."

Sun presents What Have I Bought with My Zecco Play Money? posted at The Sun’s Financial Diary.

Joshua Dorkin presents Gambling at the Foreclosure Auction: High Stakes posted at Real Estate Investing For Real.

Ella Moss presents IT’S THE ECONOMY, STUPID! « Zodiac Times posted at Zodiac Times, saying, "possible solutions for today's economy"

Michael Cintolo presents 10 Observations About This Financial Storm posted at The Iconoclast Investor.

General Real Estate

Ace Elliott presents Avoiding Mortgage Foreclosure posted at Care on Credit, saying, "As the home mortgage market sways find out what you can do to anchor yourself and weather the foreclosure storm."

Amy L. presents How to Find an Affordable and Safe Place to Live posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, "Without question, the downsizing of our economy is forcing many people to reconsider where they're living and whether or not they can really afford it."

Dave Peeples presents Government Intervention to Cause Short Sale Boom posted at Dave Peeples, saying, "According to the Wall Street Journal, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be taken over by the United States Treasury Department as early as this Sunday. Many speculate that this move is made with the intentions of attemtping to restore confidence in the housing market, reduce borrowing rates, and to appease foreign governments that have invested in Fannie and Freddie. The impact on lender willingness and ability to process short sales is expected to cause short sales to surge."

Joe Manausa presents The Sign Is Up - Is Your Home Sold? posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "During the booming real estate market of 2004-2006, it seemed all a homeowner had to do to sell a home was put a sign in the yard and then start evaluating offers. This is not so much the case anymore, we are back to a “normal” real estate market, where buyers are drawn to value."

The Carnival of Smarter Investing # 18

2008-09-05T16:37:41Z

Welcome to the Eighteenth Edition of The Carnival of Smarter Investing! We're back with our first week of September edition of CoSI, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this supersized gathering of featured articles by investors and writers in the areas of business and real estate. And, as always, to submit your article for the next edition, you can do so here.

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Praveen presents Canadian National Railway (CNI) posted at My Simple Trading System.

Steven Lohrenz presents Avoid Foreclosure In The Future In Your Local Market posted at Help Stop My Foreclosure, saying, "Tips for avoiding foreclosure on your real estate properties."

Business

Finance Tips 101 presents WordPress › Error posted at Finance Tips 101.

Jonathan presents 10 Essential Keys on Building a Monavie Business posted at Health And Wealth With Monavie.

Entrepreneurial

maria gudelis presents Enlightened Wealth Institute - Don’t Dream About Making Money, Make It posted at Majestic Tech by an Enlightened Wealth Institute student.

Alvaro Fernandez presents Mind Games @ Venture Capital Journal posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution, saying, "The August issue of Venture Capital Journal brings a very good piece on the emerging brain fitness software (also called "neurosoftware") category:"

Financing

KCLau presents Frugal living doesn’t mean cheap posted at KCLau's Money Tips, saying, "List of benefits of being frugal and what frugality is about"

Raymond presents How To Get Your Free FICO Credit Score posted at Money Blue Book

Card Blogger presents 0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards posted at Credit Card Blog

General Investing

Sandy Naidu presents Easy Ways To Save Energy And Lower Your Energy Bills posted at Future Nest Egg.

Tammy Powell presents How to be a Profitable Landlord posted at Enlightened Wealth Institute student Tammy Powell.

Matthew presents The Plan posted at Investing Five Daily.

maria gudelis presents The One Reason the $400,000 homes in Las Vegas are HOT right now! posted at Maria Gudelis.

FIRE Getters presents Investment Risks at a Glance posted at FIRE Finance.

Michael Miles presents The idiots guide to saving posted at Effortless Wealth and Abundance.

siliconhaiku presents make money online posted at making money / haikus, saying, "been reading up online. so much to read."

Ben Dinsmore presents Should You Participate In Your Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)? posted at Trees Full of Money, saying, "If your company offers an employee stock purchase program you would be well advised to consider it as an excellent investment vehicle."

David presents Investing in Bonds - The Basics posted at Physician Entrepreneur, saying, "Here is a guide to the basics in investing in bonds"

Raymond presents How To Open A Roth IRA Account And Which Broker To Use posted at Money Blue Book, saying, "none"

Livingalmostlarge presents $5 savings = $12000 posted at LivingAlmostLarge, saying, "$5 savings can lead to $12k if you do what this woman did."

The Investor presents How a boring broker will make you richer posted at Monevator.com, saying, "You’re going to laugh. You’ll think I’m mad. But I think you want to look for an online broker with a dealing screen that’s… boring. Dull. Colorless. This article explains why."

Sandy Naidu presents Tips On Saving Money At The Supermarket - Grocery Stores & Supermarkets | FutureNestEgg posted at Future Nest Egg.

Sandy Naidu presents Behavioral Finance - Investor Psychology - Behavioral Finance Stock Market Investment | FutureNestEgg posted at Future Nest Egg.

Sandy Naidu presents Emergency Fund Savings - Emergency Fund Tips | FutureNestEgg posted at Future Nest Egg.

Michael Cintolo presents Distort and short posted at The Iconoclast Investor.

General Real Estate

Joe Manausa presents HR 3221 - Good For Tallahassee posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "For Fannie and Freddie, it seems they got much of what they asked for, and a few things they did not when the President signed HR 3221. It authorized $300B (B as in Billion) to expand the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan guarantee programs."

maria gudelis presents How to Snag WOW deals on real estate - Auction Source Revealed posted at Maria Gudelis.

Joe Manausa presents 3 Bogus Real Estate Statistics - Know Them Or Be Burned By Them posted at Really Better Real Estate, saying, "There is a disturbing habit of our recognized industry leaders to quote statistics that have no basis at all. Some of them are downright wrong! This article will recognize three of the most important bogus real estate statistics that everyone ought to know about."

Joe Manausa presents What Homes Have Sold? New Versus Resales posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "New home sales versus resales, you might be surprised to find that builders are not helping with the current over-supply of homes on the market."

Joe Manausa presents Tallahassee Market Update posted at Real Estate Market Reports, saying, "Here is a housing inventory report, hot off the press for the housing market. The statistics are starting to point out that inventory levels seem to be falling for the first time in many years."

Tammy Powell presents ENlightened wealth institute student make offers in real estate posted at Majestic Tech by an Enlightened Wealth Institute student.

Adam Freedman presents Advice for First Time Home Buyers posted at Buy In Florida . net, saying, "Tips for first time home buyers and investors"

The Carnival of Smarter Investing #17

2008-08-05T15:00:29Z

Welcome to the Seventeenth Edition of The Carnival of Smarter Investing! We're back with our first week of August edition of CoSI, so sit back, relax, and enjoy this supersized gathering of featured articles by investors and writers in the areas of business and real estate. And, as always, to submit your article for the next edition, you can do so here.]]>

Billy Akerman presents Teach Your Children Well | Beating The Stock Market posted at Beating The Stock Market, saying, "Prepare our children. Thanks for hosting the carnival"

Joseph Ekwu presents NSE- update « Josephekwu’s Weblog posted at Josephekwu's Weblog, saying, "My update on Nigeria stocks"

KCLau presents Average Monthly Household Income in 2007: Is it enough? posted at KCLau's Money Tips, saying, "According to a survey done by the Statistic Department for the Economic Planning Unit, published in Personal Money Magazine June 2008 edition, a typical family in Malaysia earns only RM3686/month. How much this is worth and how much can be spent."

KCLau presents The Money Book: A CAP Guide to Managing Your Money posted at KCLau's Money Tips, saying, "Published by Consumers Association of Penang (CAP), a run down on how to manage your money and a list of what the money book discusses."

Business

David presents If I Was Going To Start Up A Day Spa posted at Sugar Salon, saying, "For several years, I dreamt of opening my day spa. I would spend hours in my 10×10 cubicle planning the service menu, the decor, the marketing theme, the perfect location. I spent zero hours thinking of managing staff, bookkeeping, dealing with plumbing issues."

Tammy Powell presents Protection of your Assets posted at Majestic Tech by an Enlightened Wealth Institute student.

Rachel presents Exhibiting Strategies For Leaner Times posted at Tradetec Skyline.

Raymond presents Is My FDIC Insured Checking Or Savings Account Safe If My Bank Fails? posted at Money Blue Book.

Joel Gray presents Identity Theft Statistics Are Extremely Alarming posted at Finance Tips 101.

Entrepreneurial

Amanda Harris presents Baby Gifts Boutiques & Momprenuers posted at Pajama Mommy.

Call Center Consultant presents How to Start an Outsourced Call Center Service posted at Call Center Jobs, saying, "If you're looking for a start-up business opportunity with small upfront costs, you might want to consider staring an outsourced call center service."

Financing

Phil B. presents Stop Using Credit Cards « Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity, saying, "Save money by stop using credit cards."

Sally Thompson presents 14 Funny Jokes, Stories and Anecdotes for When You?re Having a Bad Trading Day posted at Currency Trading.net.

Flipping

admin presents Stupid PMI Tricks, Part 1 posted at Short Sales Riches, saying, "How PMI can help and hurt you in flipping properties."

General Investing

Diego Norte presents Creating Products By Procedure posted at Internet Business 101.

A.J. Brown presents Momentum, Reversals, and Bar Patterns posted at A.J. Brown's Options Trading Blog, saying, "Every day’s bar tells us something about what to expect the next trading day. In other words, today’s bar affects tomorrow’s bar. So how do we know what that effect will be?"

MoneyNing presents Did You Adjust Your Automatic Contribution to Investments This Year posted at Money Ning, saying, "Don't let the bad news deter you! Keep investing!"

Larry Russell presents Living Expense Tracking Methods posted at Pasadena Financial Planner.

Value Seeker presents Stock Investment Resource: Stock Market Investing Tips - Don't Overleverage posted at Stock Investing, saying, "Be careful with margin trading. If you take on too much leverage, you may risk a margin call."

Writers Coin presents Rethinking the Buy and Hold Strategy posted at The Writer's Coin, saying, "The Buy and hold strategy has been a staple of conservative investors for years, but is it time to rethink that strategy?"

Prophet presents Trading based on statistics posted at DayTradingProphet.com.

The Investor presents Should you swap your shares for an investment trust on a discount? posted at Monevator.com, saying, "Stock market pessimism means many investment trusts (also known as closed-ended funds in the US) are trading at heavy discounts. Would it be profitable to trade an existing portfolio of blue chips for similar holdings in a trust, then swap back in happier times? Or would trading costs be prohibitive?"

Investing Angel presents I Heart Luby’s (LUB) » Free Stock Market Investing Tips posted at Stock Tips, saying, "Author explains his investment in Luby's, a small cap value company."

A.J. Brown presents Is Wall Street Rigged? posted at A.J. Brown's Options Trading Blog, saying, "If you've ever had a 401(k) or just about any kind of retirement plan, you've probably heard the popular advice that you should "buy and hold." Frankly, this popular line is a little bit of investing propaganda."

George Guarini presents How well do you know YOUR bank? posted at Bankers Exchange Services, saying, "How to safely invest more than $100K into one bank using the CDARS program."

Ben Dinsmore presents Should You Borrow Money From Your 401K? posted at Trees Full of Money, saying, "If you need cash and your financial situation leaves you no other alternatives, borrowing money from your 401k might help you get your financial life back on track."

Value Seeker presents Stock Investment Resource: Stock Market Investing Tips - Democrats and Offshore Drilling posted at Stock Investing, saying, "Author discusses the lunacy of the Democratic opposition to offshore drilling."

The Hoss presents Beginner Investing posted at Hoss Cents Free Financial Money Magazine, saying, "Tips for those new to the investment world. What items the new investor must take into consideration when developing an investment strategy."

Steve Faber presents - Stock Market Terms – The Top 10 Terms You Need to Know (Part 2) posted at DebtBlog.

Helen Anderson presents 3 Warnings Signs Your Bank May Fail posted at Bankaholic.

Lane Wright presents Three Forex Trading Strategies posted at Awesome Forex Alerts.

Wilfrid presents Money In The Bank - How Much Of It Is insured? posted at Your Finish Rich Plan, saying, "Your protection can often exceed the advertised $100,000"

FIRE Getters presents Investing - Total versus Annual Returns posted at FIRE Finance.

Tammy Powell presents Which Way Your Money Must Go — Real Estate Investing or Security Bonds? posted at Majestic Tech by an Enlightened Wealth Institute student.

Decision Care presents 5 Essential Habits to Avoid Financial Disasters posted at DecisionCare, saying, "An important article about using simple tips to prepare for financial crises. Thanks for reading!"

Lisa Spinelli presents Stock Market Investing Tips 101: #8- A Legendary Stock Watch Worksheet | Greener Pastures: Personal Finance posted at Greener Pastures: Personal Finance.

Larry Russell presents Financial Planning Reading List posted at Pasadena Financial Planner.

imarketing4s presents The Keys to a Happy Retirement | LoanHunt.com posted at LoanHunt.com.

General Real Estate

Joe Manausa presents Understanding Trends In Real Estate posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "Actual inventory trend analysis helps us to understand the overall movement of our residential inventory over a period of time. Of all the trends in real estate that we study, inventory trends are the most important. The longer the period of time that we study, the less that “noise” affects our view."

Erica O'Leary presents Combine Sections 121 & 1031 for Maximum Tax Benefit posted at Bankers Exchange Services, saying, "Knowing how to maximize tax benefits offered by the IRS can save thousands."

Tammy Powell presents Things You Have To Know in Real Estate Investment posted at Enlightened Wealth Institute student Tammy Powell.

maria gudelis presents Is real estate investing today like catching a "falling knife"? posted at Maria Gudelis.

Joe Manausa presents Housing Prices Decline Slightly - A Clear Picture Is Forming posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "While there have been many articles written on the declining real estate market, most are filled with facts and figures that are difficult for the lay-person to follow. This article is filled with easy-to-understand graphs that demonstrate the modest decline in home prices."

Mark J. Donovan presents Final Walk Through Inspection Checklist | New Home Construction posted at HomeAdditionPlus, saying, "If you are about to close on a newly built home make sure your do a final walk through home inspection first. This article provides some good tips on what to look for when conducting a final walk through home inspection."

Livingalmostlarge presents Frugal Condo Tip posted at LivingAlmostLarge, saying, "Have you considered your HOA when purchasing your condo? Does it matter for resale?"

Shane Wilson presents Beginning Investors Guide To Making Money in 2008 posted at Michael Shane Wilson.

Joe Manausa presents Tallahassee Real Estate - Market Graphs Updated posted at Tallahassee Real Estate Blog, saying, "A compilation of real estate market graphs that shows different segments of the real estate market and how it is performing."

Tammy Powell presents Top Ten Cities to invest in real estate based on Risk Index posted at Enlightened Wealth Institute student Tammy Powell.

Stewart Hsu presents Rule of Thirds: What Makes a Real Estate Investment Successful posted at Stewart Hsu, saying, "3 key elements, each equally important, that are critical for a successful real estate investment"

Stewart Hsu presents David Lindahl posted at Stewart Hsu, saying, "David Lindahl has acquired over 5,000 apartment units in less than 10 years, he is a sought after speaker, come read about him."

Tammy Powell presents Enlightened Wealth Institute student Tammy Powell » Blog Archive » » Real Estate Investment in Times of Crises posted at Enlightened Wealth Institute student Tammy Powell.

How To Trade Currency Right

2008-06-30T20:15:30Z

I want to show you how to trade currency the right way. This is an excellent opportunity for all the people that want to earn a second income from home.

A Plan: When you're attempting to go trading, you're going to need a plan. You don't get in front of your computer and just start trading. You need to have very distinct plans that state, I'm going to do A, B, C than D. If you don't have a plan, than you have to wing it on the fly. You never really get to access what really works because you're trying something new and different each time. As well, the energy you used to create the new strategy each day, takes away from the energy of applying it, making you less productive. Be smart and have a daily plan you implement that follows steps.

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Economic/Political Affects: You have to understand that economic and political news can greatly affect the price of a currency. It is in your best interest to check the news before you start trading to make sure there isn't any political news or economic news that is expected to come out. No matter how good you are analysis of currencies are, you're never going to be able to deal with the volatile actions caused by political and economic news. Pay particular attention to political policies that change taxes and regulations on the economy.

Forex Software: You should definitely get your hands on Forex software because it will allow you to trade like a larger firm. Software can automate the process and take care of those tasks that are repetitive. This software can even search through currencies to find profitable trades.

The automated software of Forex Killer will give you an immediate edge in the market. Make trades that work for your profit line. For more information on the Forex Killer software, check out Forex Charting Software.

About the Author: Charles Nash

Forex Raptor Vs Forex Killer

2008-06-30T20:13:22Z

Forex Raptor is a new automated trading software for the home based user. It enjoys the endorsement of leading Forex experts and has an impressive track record. It is interesting to see how this software compares to a more well know software such as the Forex Killer program.

What are the similarities and differences of these 2 softwares?

]]> What do they do?

Forex Raptor can actually trade automatically for you without your active participation, or you can trade manually through it. Forex Killer is an advisory tool which means that it just tells you what to do and you need to make the transactions yourself.

Currency Pairs

Both these softwares can work in multiple currency pairs from around the world. Every major pair will work.

Location

You can use both softwares from everywhere in the world

Ease of Use

Both of these softwares take a little time to get a handle on. Expect a week or two until you get them down perfect. Overall, they aren't too complicated.

Who are they for

Both Forex Raptor and ForexKiller are perfect for new and medium traders. Veterans can also find them useful as a supporting tool.

Platform

Forex Raptor can work with any MT4 broker. Forex Killer will work with any trading platform.

How Much money can you make

The potential is impressive with both of these softwares, but it is truly up to you, how much you trade, how well you follow what the program tells you, and other factors.

Track record

Forex Killer has a longer track record than ForexRaptor. It's just been around longer.

To read more about this Forex Killer, click here: ForexKiller Review.

About the Author: John J. Drummond

John Drummond works from home. He writes often on business, trading, and finances.To read John Drummond's review of Forex Raptor, click here: ForexRaptor Reviews.