Become Familiar with Mortgage Refinance

By Madeline Hernandez

When thinking of a Mortgage Refinance for a commercial property, you may want to consider becoming familiar with the terminology to help understand how the process will play out. This will increase your knowledge and help you prepare yourself for what to expect.

Long before I became involved in Commercial Financing and Real Estate Development, I would hear terms mentioned in regards to Residential and Commercial Loans and Mortgage Refinance options, ARMS, Balloons etc. I was just getting started in this industry and had absolutely no experience in any real estate or even how to obtain a mortgage loan, so these terms were like a foreign language. I realized very quickly that without thorough knowledge of the terminology it is hard to understand what direction you will go.

If you think back to when you applied for your original Commercial Mortgage Finance, you will remember thinking with a slightly different approach than you would with Mortgage Refinance. You had to think about the price of the commercial property, the time it will take to secure a loan this size, it is possible for the amount of time specified on the contract to run out before you get funded, protection from default on such a large loan, not to mention collateral, down payment, closing costs and so on, not too unlike a mortgage on a house. Things can become very complicated on a loan this size for a commercial property.

Now that you have experience, when learning the thought process behind Mortgage Refinance in the next paragraph, you will see the difference in thought from your original loan.

Before we move onto Mortgage Refinance terms let's recap what terms you had to learn before, such as 1031 Tax Exchange, Environmental Reports, what type of commercial property qualifies for what type of loan, which is a lot for one to learn, the difference between Conduit and Mezzanine Loans, and so on. Most importantly, you had to find a great Broker that offers a variety of innovative loan programs for your specific need. So now, it is time to look at Mortgage Refinance.

The terminology is somewhat different when it comes to Mortgage Refinance. You start looking at possible Prepayment Penalties, Cash out Proceeds, and maybe you want to inject the money you cash out into another property or update your current property, what is the Discounted Cash Flow, Current vs. Proposed Loan to Value Ratio.

Two of the main reasons people look at Mortgage Refinance, is to help reduce monthly payments and interest, in my opinion one of the most important items to look at is how closing costs will affect the equity you have built over the years.

When looking for a Broker don't hesitate to ask how long they have been in business and their approval vs. denial ratio. Successful Brokerage firms will want to share this information with you. Remember, knowledge is power, stay informed by reading and researching your topic.

About the Author:

This Article is brought to you by EFD Commercial InvestmentsINC. For More information about Mortgage Refinance Options Contact them at info@efdcommercial.com. Click here to Submit Article

Small Changes to Save Money

By Paul J. Easton

In the recent times where the problem with money is at its worst, you should adopt ideas to save more money and get out of debt faster. There are small changes in your daily routine that you can make to cut your expenses for you to save money at the end of the month.

Let us first start with a financial focus. Imagine yourself how it feels to be completely debt-free. Have a clear picture of being financially stable and free from all the stress of financial burdens. That would be a very good motivation to make such small sacrifices, yet could be painful, toward your objectives in your financial life.

Try reevaluating the terms on your house mortgage. Maybe you are paying a slightly higher interest rate even with a better credit rating. Ask if this can be negotiated or adjusted accordingly. Can a possible refinancing scheme with a better interest rate save you more money in the long run? Try asking your financial advisor if this is a good move.

Be open-minded with several options. Sometimes, it is a matter of asking and negotiating before your lender gives you the best deal possible. This kind of open-mindedness to certain schemes like refinancing will benefit you in the end. Just be very keen and observe some intelligent decisions along the way.

Eat more meals at home and skip more meals outside. You will save a lot of money when you think of it. Save eating at restaurants for special occasions only. This option will not only save you money but will also make you more aware of your health. Just learn how to cook first.

Always take the time to thoroughly go through your bills every time you pay. Some mistakes with the billing statements are not rectified if not clarified by the consumers. It is always up to you to find those mistakes and get them taken care of as soon as possible. Maximize every cent of your money's worth.

These are just small changes you can do with your daily expenses. It is about time to start saving more money or pay your debt as fast as you can.

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Some Important Facts on Truck Insurance

By Steve Turner

These days, there are hundreds of different companies that provide all types of insurance, including truck insurance. Each insurance company will look at a number of different factors as they decide you premiums. You should consider the following tips while shopping for insurance.

One of the most important considerations on the premium is the actual age of the driver. This is one of the greatest effects on your premiums. It has been observed that older drivers have more accident that younger ones.

Aside from age, the insurance company will consider the drivers experience for the premium prices. The more experience you have, especially with the company with which you are currently driving, the more money you will save. This could save you up to ten percent!

Where you are driving is one of the more important considerations of you risk to get in a wreck. If you are in an area with more natural risks, you can expect to pay more money. These natural risks would include heavy rain, mountains, snow, and hurricanes.

The condition of your truck will also be considered as your premiums are prepared. Insurance companies put value on the age of your truck, and the number of useful years you have left. If your truck is in better condition you will pay less money.

A reliable truck and a clean driving record will assure you the best rates possible. As you go longer periods of time without accidents or tickets, you will save yourself more money. You must be responsible in your driving to expect to keep a clean record.

An insurance broker is a fast and reliable way to search for insurance if you want good coverages and rates. They are able to search through a number of different companies to find you the best rate on the market. They, unlike normal agents, put their first loyalty to the customer rather than the insurance company.

About the Author:

Steve Turner can to locate the lowest prices on the market for truck insurance. Heritage Insurance Truck Quotes Steve Turner also has vast information on the basics and the policies of Truck Insurance. Truck Insurance Info

What is the FICO Score Scale

By Pat Johnson

While there is no guarantee that past performance is indicative of future behavior, this is the model lenders have employed with respect to credit worthiness. They use your credit score, which is a summary of your past loans, as a measure of how likely you are to repay your debts.

There are three main credit reporting agencies. They collect all of the details of your credit accounts and compile them for easy reference. The data includes payment history, balances, and number of accounts. Then lenders can access this information as part of their loan adjudication process.

Your credit score and credit report are not the same thing. You can get a copy of your credit report once a year at no cost, simply by requesting it from the credit bureaus. However you will have to pay a small fee if you want to know your credit score.

The Fair Isaac Corporation were among the first to launch a credit scoring system that they named FICO. This system is in use by many lenders today in their effort to ascertain borrower risk. They importance various institutions place on this measurement varies, but it is definitely considered to some degree by all.

You should get a copy of your free credit report once a year to make sure that no mistakes have been made with it. While it is uncommon, it certainly does happen. Check the report to make sure that all of the accounts are indeed yours and that your name, address and birthday are correct. If you do find a mistake get it fixed right away. The sooner you do so they easier it is.

There is no denying that a high credit score makes it easier to be approved for credit and obtain better interest rates. In this light it is crucial to protect your credit rating. Be certain to make your loan payments on time, because late payments are the fastest way to bring down your score.

There are a few more things you can do to help yourself in this area as well. Lenders frown an applicants that have a great number of open accounts on their bureau and more so if they are maxed out. They also do not like credit seekers so you should try to keep bureau inquiries to a minimum. It is difficult to bring your score back up once it falls, so do you best to keep it in good standing.

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For more further details about rating credit score scale and increasing your average FICO score please visit The Credit Camp.

Questions to get the Right Financial Information

By Paul J. Easton

If you are looking for ways to confirm that you are making the right choices before hiring a financial professional, then this article is a must read. Getting the right financial information is an important step in securing a better future. So, what questions should you probably ask yourself when choosing a financial advisor?

In choosing your financial advisor, you wanted to stick with the first financial advisor you will have and never turn your back once again. Before committing yourself with the service of financial advisor, let him or her answer several questions.

Here's just the vital information you should always seek when hiring any financial professional. Ask your prospective financial planner what experiences he or she has, especially with people in your current circumstances. Find information where he or she went to school. Inquire about the recent employment history.

Ask your advisor what licenses or certifications he or she holds. Is he or she registered with the SEC, a state, or the National Association of Securities Dealer?

Inquire about the products and services he or she is offering. Request if the advisor can only recommend a limited number of financial products or services. If so, ask the reason for such choice.

Always discuss how you are going to pay for the services. Know the usual hourly rate, flat fee, or commission of your financial advisor. These are very vital information.

Seek information about his or her track record as a professional. Has he or she been disciplined by any government regulator for unethical or improper conduct? Has he or she been sued by a client with past work? For the case of registered investment advisors, you can ask for a copy of their Form ADV.

Before getting started, since most questions above can be asked over the phone, make sure to meet the potential financial advisor personally. By taking the effort to meet your financial advisor face to face, you will have a way for you to get along and start a trusted professional relationship.

In a gist, there are many types of individuals who can assist you develop a personal financial plan based on your personality and aspirations. With this professional help, you will better manage your hard-earned money. The most crucial of all is that you know personally your financial goals, have a detailed plan in place, and verify with your securities regulator that your choice is correct and that you only work with the best financial professional.

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Financial Advisors: What You Need to Know Before Hiring One

By Paul J. Easton

This article will try to answer some of the typical questions revolving around getting a financial advisor. For the benefit of a beginner like you or an advanced and sophisticated investor, this will give an overview of what you need to know before hiring a financial advisor.

Then what is a financial advisor? Financial advisors are in the service of giving advices about securities, investments, and other financial instruments based on the needs of the clients. For example, professionals who are compensated with a fee for giving advices on investing in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other investment vehicles are called investment advisors. Some financial advisors manage portfolios of securities by their individual clients.

How about the financial planners? What is the difference between one and an investment advisor? Actually, most financial planners are investment advisors. But not all investment advisors are financial planners.

Financial planners are certified professionals who can craft a customized financial plan for you as the client. The planner will assess all the aspects of your financial life you're your savings, present investments, insurance, taxes, retirement, and even estate planning.

By assessing your overall financial life, he or she will help you develop a detailed strategy called a financial plan to meet your financial goals. This might be a simple plan but it is actually a detailed list of strategies with various financial instruments and fit to your limitations.

Some people might call themselves financial planners. Be wary with choosing one because some financial professionals might only recommend you to invest in a narrow range of financial products without considering your current financial status. In worse scenario, they may even recommend you to invest in products that are not securities. As a basic rule, always know yourself at the level of your education. Before hiring a professional in the financial field, know exactly what your financial needs are and the appropriate services you must have to meet these needs.

Bear in mind what services your financial professional can deliver. Ask for any limitations on what they can recommend and for any part of the financial world they are confident with. You are more secure with people who are honest and ethical with the start than going with a planner who will only promise you the moon and end up as a disaster. Ask what services you will be paying for if you hire them and ask them the rate of those services.

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Cutting your Expenses

By Paul J. Easton

Why do you need to cut your expenses? Because with these troubled times, you need to save money or pay your debt. It is time to invest your money for a more secured future and stop worrying about money.

Starting today, learn how to buy only the things you truly need especially with the groceries. Ditch the possible wants for now. Since most of us are affected, you are probably not alone with these austerity measures or simple shopping absences. By learning to distinguish what you want from what you need, you are getting more conscious of your expenses and that is the key to saving money for the future. Remember, start acting today.

Try assessing your biggest expenses every month. Probably your car is one of your biggest expenses. Can you sell it? It is a big expense. If you are just commuting to work or use it to get your groceries, you can use a cheaper used car and not necessarily that car. This will save you years of car payments. Carefully study it, though, as car depreciation is also crucial. Ask a financial expert if necessary.

If you have some difficulty coming up with a budget, try considering a credit counseling agency. However, ask about their fees ahead of time. Some can get quite expensive and you do not want to add more debt. The agency is helpful because they can recommend a debt management plan where creditors may lower interest rates. Or they may negotiate to eliminate fees for the guarantee of a monthly payment as a return.

Here's also a great tip, when shopping for your groceries, buy the store brands of your favorite foods for a try. These might be new to your grocery lists but they are usually less expensive than the popular brands. In most cases, they just taste the same or even better. The more you have cheaper options, the more room you will have in your budget for paying off your debts. Or probably you can now start saving some amount in your bank.

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Financial Advisors Learn From the Experts

By Michael Geoffrey

Retirement planning seminars for financial consultants are structured to help consultants stay abreast of what is current in the financial world. If you are interested becoming a financial consultant, attending one of these seminars will teach you a lot about how give good financial advice and direction. If you are currently a financial advisor you may be able to increase your knowledge and sharpen your skills.

Youll learn the latest tips and tricks to help others plan for their futures. Youll learn about safe investing, about the latest financial planning software, and whatever else may pertain to your field. If you want to stay abreast of the latest trends and you want to help your clients as much as possible, you wont want to miss the newest retirement planning seminar for financial advisors.

These seminars are advertised in many different ways, through television or radio commercials, ads in the local paper or financial magazines, or online. You may hear about a seminar by word of mouth, through colleagues or through your employer. When you hear that a seminar is available make the effort to take part so that you can benefit from the valuable information that will be shared.

Remaining Current

The experts conducting these seminars will be able to share their expertise with you and you can later put it into practice and better help your customers. Also, the experts know what are the latest and best tools are and they can pass that information along to you.

Youll hear about how to put away a portion of the persons paycheck, about safe investing so that the money can compound and grow, and youll learn about the latest computer software to help you stay as current as possible. With each seminar, youll learn a little something different and that can give you just the edge you need over your competitors.

You want to stay one step ahead of other consultants in your field. To do this you must constantly educate yourself on new software and innovative methods. This way you will be able to offer your clients something that the other consultants cannot. That makes you competitive and for your business to succeed you need to stay competitive. Seminars give you the knowledge that in turn gives you the upper hand that you want and need.

Youll be at the top of your field and youll know all the latest tips and tricks to help them save for their retirement years. Thats what being the best financial advisor is all about and thats what youll be when you attend the latest retirement planning seminar for financial advisors.

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At the Finance Product Evaluations website, we offer objective reviews of many different products in the debt, credit, investing and real estate markets, to name a few. Visit http://www.financeproductevaluations.com to check out our latest reviews, such as our latest pick Leo Quinn's How To Own Your Paycheck Again.

The Right Financial Information: How your Advisor Gets Paid

By Paul J. Easton

Many people are so concerned about how to assess if they are getting the right financial information for themselves. Here is a tip you should probably be interested in.

In the first place, never ignore the security a reputable firm can provide. But you might be surprised that the quality of a financial advisor's advice can be greatly affected by the way they are paid.

To clear things, it really affects a financial professional how much you pay him or her. Quality advice nowadays is expensive. But what we found out striking is that the way or method they are paid also affects their objectivity in providing you an unbiased and the best financial information.

The way your financial advisor gets paid is affecting his or her quality of advice. It may seem strange at first but it is true. Here is one way of explaining it further. If your financial advisor is paid on commissions, then they are exposed to certain biases because of the pressures of the sales quota they have to make. In addition, good financial products sales are equivalent to more income.

Because the kind of financial advice they provide is more likely to steer you towards the investment products, there is a certain form of marketing unfairness to the advice. They offer you financial advices as a form of window dressing to their marketing scheme with the main aim of selling their financial products at the back end.

Other ways of compensating your financial advisor have problems as well. For example, in situations where financial advisors are paid a percentage of the total assets managed, advisors make decisions chiefly to keep long-term clients. This usually leads the financial advisor to avoid any risk at the investments at all. This certainly is depriving the client with the best deals with higher returns.

There are other new payment schemes. This includes a new concept called pay for performance. This sounds so good at the first look especially with the bullish markets. When your investments lose money, however, you will realize that the advisor gets only a cut of your profits but don't contribute on your loss. You bear all the losses alone without his accountability. This type of payment may cause your advisor to only invest your money with those instruments with the highest profit but do not regard the risk of loss well into the assessment.

One of the recommended ways of payment is an hourly fee or a monthly retainer. Advisors are paid regularly. This reason makes them work in your best interest in most cases. The only problem is if you are unwilling to pay them a fair amount.

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Three Ways to Pay for College

By Steve Sheehan

So, you're getting ready to go to college. Great choice, but have you checked out the prices recently? Wild stuff. So, you're probably wondering where you are going to come up with this sort of cash. That is the topic of this article.

Basically, there are several ways of finding money for college One is to save up enough money in the first place. This, as we know, isn't very easy. Another way is to get others to give you money for college in the form of scholarships and grants. The final way is to borrow the money, either through government backed loans or from private lenders.

If you're looking to save money for college, you'll want what is called a "529" plan. These are tax advantaged accounts that allow you to make the most of your college savings. Of course, you'll need to start saving quite early to make an account like this worthwhile, but if you happen to be in that position, go for it!

Scholarships and grants are another great way of getting the money you need. In these cases, the money is simply given to you. Of course, you do need to be eligible for the scholarship, which means that you need to fit the criteria for the scholarship. However, there are all sorts of scholarships out there, so you probably fit into at least one of the listed scholarship categories. Be sure to apply, though! Many people don't, and loose out on free money.

If you can't come up with the money by any other means, you'll need to check into getting student loans. Student loans are typically low interest loans that you will have to repay over a long period of time after you graduate. These come in two flavors, government backed and private. Let's talk about both.

The standard Stafford loan is a typical example of a government backed loan. These loans are easily obtained, but may not have enough money to cover all students. A private loan, on the other hand, is just a normal loan from a financial institution that will come with its own interest rates and terms. These types of loans aren't as nice as the government ones. Therefore, you should use these only if needed.

Paying for college isn't easy, but I hope this has given you a good idea of what kind of options are out there. Best of luck!

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If you want to find out how to get the best rates for student loans, please stop by our site.

Low Credit Score Means Large Credit Card Debt

By Jim Bransby

Credit cards are easy ... too easy. The little applications come to you in the mail already filled out, and all you have to do is sign your name and you're in. At first it seems too good to be true.

The card finally arrives and what do you do with it? You go buy stuff! Stuff that you probably do not need, or maybe you do need it. It does not instantly hit your checking account so you lose track of the spending and then you get the bill and need a paper bag so you do not faint.

The debt just grows and grows, you like spending and finally realize you are stuck. You are living how you should not, just charging everything - and then you are trapped with credit card payments that just escalate for the next fifteen or twenty years of your life. Thankfully, there is a way out.

They way out is to repair your past mistakes. Get rid of the credit card debt. Call the card company and ask them to work out a payment plan with you. Most of the time they are interested in getting their money back just like you are, so you can probably strike a deal for a reduced interest rate in exchange for a larger payment.

So you hang up the phone feeling relieved; what next? Take your scissors and go to work on the credit card. Keep the number in readable shape or write it down in case you have to verify your account later on. Afterwards, hide it somewhere you will not be bothered to look for it and rest assured your spending days on it are over.

As you make your payments on your credit card debt, you might still be hearing from other agents. Resist the urge to yell at them - they are people just like you trying to make a living, just their living is a lot more stress-inducing than yours. Instead, tell them that you are on the path to fixing your debt problem, starting with one of your large accounts.

Whatever you do, do not give them the details of your other agreements. If they have the conversation recorded you could be in legal trouble, not just financial trouble. Be willing to work out a plan but make sure they understand you need to be in charge of the details as you have to pay more than one bill.

After all these arrangements, there might be another bill that you forgot about. If you cannot pay, don't lie. Apologize to them. Let them know that you have made arrangements with however many other places, and your income is fixed, but you will be happy to call them monthly to update them on your status. Stay in touch so they know your intentions, and you may find the collectors working on YOUR terms!

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To find out exactly how you can get your annual credit report visit my credit report website.

4 Tips You Can Use to Repair Your Credit Score

By iRepairCreditReport

Many people don't realize that you should develop good credit or repair your credit score because lenders will give you lower interest rates when buying a car or a home. It will give you better insurance rates, cheaper products and a good credit score can even have an impact on you getting a job.

If you have a bad credit report it's due to thing like: making late payments, having an account into a collection agency, and if you have gone bankrupt. If you want to fix your credit score, you must change your habits. If you do, over time your credit worthiness will improve. Once it does, you will start to see lower interest rate offers from lenders and better lower interest credit card offers.

If you want to help improve your credit score check out these 4 tips:

1. Bills Must Be Paid On Time

Your credit history is what companies base their lending on. Once they know your history they can then figure out how much of a risk you are to them. If you always pay off your debts then in their mind it's pretty likely that you will pay off future debts. So, you will be less of a risk.

2. Don't Go Crazy with Credit Cards

Most people these days carry around far too many credit cards. What is the right number? 2-4 credit cards is how many credit experts believe you should have. Having more than that doesn't mean you cut them up as you pay them off. This may affect you credit as well because not only do these companies take into account the number of cards you have but also the balance you have on them. What you should do is pay them all down then decide which ones you are going to get rid of.

3. Never Pay Less than the Minimum

When you go to pay your credit card bill make sure you pay no less than the minimum payments indicated on the bill. If you have extra money, try to pay a little more. If you pay less, it is considered a late payment. This will have a negative effect on your credit score.

4. Check Your Credit Report Regularly

You have to watch your credit report closely. Equifax, Experian and TransUnion are the 3 bureaus that keep track of your credit score. You must watch all 3. Once you get your report, take note of any negative information, mistakes or accounts you did not open. This way you can get to work on fixing these problems plus, you can see if you identity has been stolen.

It's very important that you develop good habits. The sooner you can do this the better. This will help you maintain a good credit score which will save you money. If you need to repair your credit score do so, immediately. This will help you out immensely and allow you to save money.

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Author: iRepairCreditReport is your source that helps repair credit reports. If you need to repair your credit score, check out all sorts of tips and articles that are on this site.

Debt: A Good Tool or Not?

By Paul J. Easton

Debt, for some people, is a tool used to help create prosperity. Most of the time, though, debt is not much helpful. To our dismay as ordinary people, it is not even used by wealthy people nearly as much as we are taught to believe.

Most people are just plain broke because of a number of debt pulling their way down. With no hope of help, their life is a living misery. Being in debt is like being a slave because you do not have the freedom to use your money to help yourself. Sure, it takes a lot of will and discipline from your end to slay that debt monster but it is still possible, it can truly be done. Realizing your past wild spending, think about how much you could save for your retirement if you just did not buy that car. All you have now is a long way to go with years of car payments.

Many financial gurus tell you that debt is a tool. Debt can be compared to a lever. It allows one to have the capacity you otherwise could not have. With the leverage of debt, you can buy a home or get your new car. You can even start a business with the use of this leverage.

Debt, however, penetrated in every single detail of our lives. It had even caused us to just eat out most of the time with the use of our credit cards to skip the time-consuming meal preparations. Talking about unjustified conveniences, this has caused us to be lazy people.

Debt is like a gun. It is a tool that you could use as a defense and protection for one's self. But it could also bring harm to you too. But the abuses of debt nowadays where we use other people's money to have the comforts in life, even if we cannot afford them, are hurting us tremendously.

Consider the risk of using your credit cards starting now. With debt, there is always enough risk to offset any advantage we can gain through leverage of debt. So use it only when necessary like an emergency or a big investment you have carefully studied.

It is time to be awakened and see debt as a tool we should only resort to with our most important necessities in life. By playing the tool in our advantage, rather than disadvantage, we prevent ourselves from a lifetime of risks and stress from monthly bills.

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Budgeting your Way to Financial Success

By Paul J. Easton

A life full of debt can kill all the fun in your life. Here is a simple no-secret tip to help you get back on track with your finances. Get rid of all your debt Start with spending less money on doodads and stuffs you want but don't necessarily need.

Begin to allocate more money to your bills by creating a budget to your expenses for the month. Like a financial plan, a budget is a way for you to consciously set a limit to your spending. That way, you will compel yourself to set aside a savings as a way to pay yourself first before you pay your every expense. In the case where you have debts to pay, start paying your debts first and save only when you are debt free.

Budget is what we dread all our lives. But creating a budget is better than filing a bankruptcy later. Many people view the process of going through a budget as if putting on a straight jacket that keeps them constricted. Budgeting may seem constricting for the time being but it is a sacrifice worth getting into.

As a plan, make the most out of your budget by spending the time to put it on paper. A budget coupled with a purpose before the month starts is a good way to motivate and keep you going.

For some, financial freedom and budgeting seem not to go well together. However, looking at the budget in a different angle can be more rewarding. With the conscious effort of following a budget and spending your money with intentions, you will in fact experience more freedom. This is freedom of self-worth and discipline with money. It is in fact, a way of knowing yourself better, something that is more than just the material things that money can buy.

For many successful and financially literate, they say that they have found more money when they realistically crafted a budget and stuck with it long-term. Maybe, it is time for you to follow suit too.

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Factors To Consider Before Obtaining A Secured Credit Card

By Ras Reed

Some folks are just simply bad with credit cards. They can't seem to meet their monthly payments no matter what they do. People like this are more inclined to incur credit card debt and have a bad credit rating history.

A bad credit past can block you from several things. You could be passed over for a job in the bank because of your bad credit rating or your application for a loan may be turned down. A bad credit past does not make you look realistic. It portrays you as someone who is incapable of handling financial decisions or making sound financial judgments.

If you have a bad credit past, don't despair. That's where secured credit cards come in. Secured credit cards are also called bad credit cards because they are produced chiefly to help those who have bad credit past.

To obtain a bad credit card you will need to open up an account with the credit card supplier as a guarantee that you will pay your monthly bills. You will need to maintain some cash balance there which will be gathering interest as paid by the credit card supplier. In your search for a bad credit card, you should consider the following;

- Minimum balance: A bad credit card supplier will need you to deposit a minimum balance in an account with them. The minimum balance varies from one credit card supplies to the next. Finding the credit card supplier that provides the minimum balance you can afford will help you boost up your credit card.

- Credit limit: This refers to the amount of money on the credit card that you can spend and is calculated by deriving the percentage of your bank account balance.

- Extra fees or charges: You may need to pay extra money to get a bad credit card. Some bad credit card suppliers don't charge you anything to get hold of it while others do. It's better to go for a bad credit card that has a zero charge.

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Debt Settlement - What Does That Mean?

By William Blake

When you are in debt over your head and you know there is no way out on your own you may be need to think about trying to reach a settlement with your creditors. Your situation is not unique. Most people have found themselves with financial difficulties at some point and sometimes settlement is the best option. Debt settlement is a serious step, however, and should be carefully understood and considered.

Once a debt is past due it begins to grow at a rapid pace. This is because of the many late fees, over limit charges and other penalties that are charged to the account each month. If you have not been able to reach an agreement with your creditors you may need outside help.

Debt settlement puts you in touch with an agency that specializes in helping individuals deal with serious debts. Debt settlement agencies will review your situation to see if you qualify. Debt settlements are mainly done for unsecured debt.

This includes unsecured credit cards, store charge cards, gas cards, and the like. There is nothing backing the extension of credit except your good name. Creditors have taken a risk with you as to whether you can repay any debt that you create.

Creditors have the right to report your debt settlement to credit reporting agencies. This means that a debt settlement will have an impact on your credit scores. These affects could be somewhat long term so you want to consider this before moving forward with debt settlement.

Once your case has been accepted, the debt settlement agent will look at several factors to determine a repayment plan for the debt. The amount of the debt is important. It needs to be beyond your ability to repay without some intervention.

Interest rates and late fees will be considered first. The settlement agent will see if he can negotiate a reduction of interest charges or the forgiveness of certain fees or penalties to help you focus on repaying the principal amount of the debt.

Working with an agency, the monthly payments agreed upon are made to the debt settlement agency. From there, they forward the payment to the appropriate creditors in accordance with the terms of the debt settlement. Your payments may include their fee for the services rendered.

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Market for Chicago Condos

By J. Kim

2008 has been a very difficult market for Chicago condos, for South Loop area of downtown, 2009 doesn't look any better. In fact 2009 might be more difficult market than anytime before. As one of the cities hottest real estate market during the mid 2000's, the lake and the museum campus made it sought after by condo buyers.

In 2009, over 2,000 new units will come to market as developers couple of years ago started building many of these in the South Loop area. They are offering many price reductions and incentives to get the buyer's to purchase a Chicago condo. But it is going to be a challenging market for seller's with many of buyer's backing out of the purchase agreement bringing many more condos to the market.

Chicago condos will see price pressure in 2009 with many seller's unloading available condos at well below the pre-construction price. This is going to be a buyer's market which Chicago hasn't seen in long time.

But if you are investor thinking about the 2016 Olympics coming to Chicago, you probably want to invest in one of these Chicago condos. The South Loop area will be where many of the Olympic festivities will be held, but 2016 is still far away.

Another reason you might want to take a look is the low interest rate currently being offer by many financial institutions. The interest for mortgage have been lowest in recent years. The 30 year and 15 year fixed mortgage is around 5 percent.

So, if your looking at any areas in Chicago for condos, whether it is downtown or South Loop you sure will find some value since the bubble bust of housing market. But one thing for sure, Chicago market will rebound with the rebound of economy, you do not want to be sitting on the sideline for too long.

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What Are Trading Options And How Are They Beneficial?

By Walter Fox

With the financial landscape changing rapidly and traditional investments putting people in the red rather than in the black, Options Trading looks less like a risky venture and more like a speculative endeavor that can both be a great way to limit losses and create quick profits with little starting capital.

Savvy investors come to the table prepared, and they will approach Options Trading with a system. Options Traders should be aware of the relationship between risks and rewards when investing, and they will appreciate the versatility of this particular investment vehicle.

Options are highly traded on the stock market as well as futures (commodities) exchanges. Options can be traded on items such as individual stocks, commodities (oil, gas, corn, gold), interest rate products (bonds, bills, cd's), indexes (Dow Jones, SandP 500) , and even currencies (US Dollar, Yen, Euro, Swiss Franc).

For Options traders the goal is to figure out the future of the market. Traders will then create a Strike Price, which is an amount for which they want to buy or sell their investment type on a future date.

An investor will decide to purchase (call) or sell (put) their options according to the system they have selected for options trading. The call or put would take place when they have selected a good strike price for their financial instrument.

You would want to Put or sell your option when the strike price is higher than the price for your investment type. If your investment is below the strike price, the loss is limited to your put cost. The put gives you the right, but not the obligation, to sell your option.

A Call option is an option that gives a person the right to buy an item but not the obligation. When a person expects the price of the item in question to go up, they would purchase a call. Thus, if the price goes up, a call owner has the right to purchase it at a lower price. The call owner can also sell this option for a profit. And like a put, should the item in question not go up in price, the owner of the call is limited in their loss to just the cost of the call.

Purchasing an option will have a limited amount of risk. It is when you sell an option that you encounter the most risk. Option sales occur about 15% of the time, and the other 85% of the time the option will expire with no action on the part of the option trader.

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Tips On How To Get The Right Financial Information

By Paul J. Easton

How can you assess if you are getting the right financial information? Try reading this article for some valuable information tidbits.

One of the most traditional yet consistently effective tips is to only trust your money with people from highest ethical backgrounds. For the greatest chances of receiving the right financial information, deal only with the most reputable company you can find.

When in the search for a financial advisor, your main focus actually is on the person you will work with. You are actually looking for an individual as your financial advisor. But never dispense the fact that the company or firm for which he or she work is one great indication of his or her reliability.

Test them as what most veteran clients do. Most long-term investors judge a new company and the team behind them by the willingness to provide you highly valuable and quality information. This is usually for free even before your commitment with their service. Most trustworthy companies even offer to customize a sample financial plan to you as a prospective customer for free as well.

Most trusted companies also have financial advisors and planners that will provide you with their credentials even before providing you with a sample financial plan. This is just strategic and timely for them to build a rapport with you and solidify your trust with them. You can surely ask them further what it means to have a certain designation or certification. Ask them some experience they have and what they had to do to earn such title.

Moreover, find out, after your first meeting with your financial advisor, what organization issued the credential. Take the time to contact the organization just to verify whether the professional you are considering for a financial service did truly earn the credential. In addition, it also would give you more information to ask for, just for the sake of validation, whether that professional continues to be in good standing with the organization.

It is not really impossible to get the best financial information for your needs. It only requires you to take a little more effort on your end to be sure with your decisions. Always go with a reputable firm in all cases. Ask for some free yet quality information up front even before starting to commit yourself with their service. Most established companies won't mind. By simply taking these advices, you can prevent yourself from committing a decision you will regret later. After all, it is money we are about here. Go with the best and verify. That way, you stand an excellent chance of securing a bright financial future.

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Assess Your Finances Before Investing

By M Taylor

Imagine this scenario - you have received a windfall of $25,000, and you know you should invest for the future. Before you sign up and sign away that money, ask yourself this question - if you're living paycheck to paycheck with high interest credit card companies hounding you via letter, telephone and via ninja agents pounding on your door, is it a good time to start investing? The answer is obvious, "Of course not!"

So, how do you make sure that when you start to invest, you don't damage your financial position?

Make sure that you look at your overall financial picture. Dealing in the market is like gambling, so you'll want to use money you don't mind losing. Check and see what you are paying out on a monthly basis, look at all the dispersal's and get rid of the expenses that are frivolous.

Let's take an example, one thing you might be able to get rid of are those credit cards with all that high interest. Organize your high interest credit cards so that you can pay off the ones with the highest interest first, and then apply the payments made on those to the ones with lower interest working systematically to get rid of them quickly.

So, how do you invest wisely in your future? Take into consideration your latest standing and get a credit report to see where you really are. It's extremely important to get a credit report at least once a year. It is essential to know what is on your report, so that you can clean up any negative items on your report as quickly as possible. If you've set aside $25,000 to invest, you may want to take that $25,000 and clean up your obligations.

Get yourself into good financial shape and then you can work towards improving your finance position. Investing doesn't make sense if your bank balance is shaky, or if you're living from paycheck to paycheck and paying bills is a constant scramble. Making sure that you pay your monthly bills, instead of investing your money would make better sense.

Once your financial status is good then enhance your monies with sound investments for the future. It now makes little sense to invest your money. When your bank balance is bad or problematic, or if you're living from paycheck to paycheck and paying bills is a struggle, that is not the time to think about tying up your cash. Investing your dollars in rectifying your adverse financial issues first would make better sense.

While you're in the process of bettering your fiscal position, you should take that time to educate yourself on the various types of investments out there. In this way, when you are ready to invest, you will be equipped with the knowledge that you need to make equally good investments in your future.

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Last Look at your Financial Advisor before Hiring

By Paul J. Easton

Before hiring a financial professional, you should always find every bit of information like understanding how that person gets paid and more. Whether you are hiring a stockbroker, a financial planner, or an investment adviser, here are essential lessons you should never ignore. It is worth checking things today than be sorry later in life.

With the payment method, financial advisors are commonly paid in a number of ways. They can be paid with a percentage of the value of the total assets managed in behalf of the client. You can also opt to pay an hourly fee for the time they spend working for you or a fixed fee, most commonly known as monthly retainer. One method of payment that is most accessible to the general public is the commission-based method. These financial professionals have their income coming from the securities they sell. Other financial planners and advisors have combinations of the above methods of payment.

Each compensation method has an advantage and possible drawbacks. It usually depends on your individual needs and preferences. Ask the prospective financial professional during an interview to give details on the differences with the different payment methods. Before you clinch the deal and do business with them, get several opinions from friends and other trusted folks. Find out also if the fee is negotiable.

Financial advisors, especially the investment advisors, are usually registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Investment advisors have to register with either the SEC if they manage $25 million or more in clients' assets. If managing less than $25 million, they should register with the state securities agency in the state of their principal place of business.

Here is another valuable tip. Most financial advisors must fill out a "Form ADV." Use this form to verify whether your financial advisor has good records in the past. This Form ADV must be filed and updated with either the SEC or the state securities agency.

Form ADV has two parts. The first part is all about the information about the advisor's education and business. This also provides information whether he or she had problems with regulators or clients in the past. The second part outlines the financial advisor's services, fees, and strategies.

Before you hire someone, always make sure this information is doubled checked. Carefully read the Form ADV. You can get copies directly from the financial advisor, your state securities regulator or the SEC.

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Top 5 Debt Elimination Tips to Become Debt Free

By Jonathan Lemereaux

It is unfortunate that in today's economy, debt rules all. From the deepest spots of our wallets, we have charged ourselves to the point of no return. The commercials and ads promising a better car, newer home and more of this and that are all based on lines of credit and bank loans. Our children have been raised in this economy where paying for something means a monthly payment and a low or high interest rate; this is why debt elimination is needed. With debt comes the need for the debt elimination and the strive to become debt free.

Happiness, less stress and more money are all waiting for the person who can choose debt elimination and live debt free. A debt free lifestyle and a debt elimination lifestyle is one that is marked by owning more things than you owe on. Moving from carrying large amounts of debt to being a debt free citizen is as simple as practicing these five debt elimination tips.

Pay Cash - This step may seem like a given but becoming debt free with debt elimination is about eliminating the creation of new debt which a lot of people have trouble with. New debt free choices can create a more sound debt elimination path in life. It is often hard to accept the fact that we can not have everything we want and even though we can afford the monthly payment, that is still debt. Free yourself from this debt by buying only with cash; the savior of debt elimination.

Cancel Those Cards - Debt elimination can not start until those credit cards are out of sight, out of mind and out of the wallet. A debt free lifestyle and debt elimination means never charging anything again. Yes, you heard that right, NEVER! A credit card is the worst choice for someone who wants to live life debt free and eliminate all debt. Charging fresh amounts of money will just revert you back to being full of debt and stop debt elimination.

Minimum Payments Will Not Work - The credit card you used to charge the world away, is the nemesis to your debt free life and debt elimination. Those minimum payments are all interest and in order to choose debt elimination, those need to be taken care of immediately. The paying off of a credit card will require a larger than minimum payment and a lot of willpower. Becoming debt free was never going to be easy, but debt elimination feels good in the end.

Don't Think Monthly - Too many people think about life in monthly payments. Debt free means leaving those monthly payments behind, so think total cost and stay on the debt elimination path.

Do Not File Bankruptcy - Businesses who are going under file bankruptcy, not the person who wants to be debt free. Eliminating debt for good requires learning how to live day to day in a cash only world. This can not happen if the debt free nature of out lives is given to us.

In our world of charge it, borrow it, loan it, debt free lifestyles are few and far between. We grow up seeing that the world costs more than we make and thus accept those monthly payments as being okay. In order to live everyday debt free, we need to learn to choose debt elimination and not debt.

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Tips on Transferring Money to Colombia

By Chloe Banks

There are several ways to send money from the U.S. to Colombia, one of which is to have a relationship with a US bank that is also present in Colombia.

Money being sent between accounts within the same bank is often processed more quickly. Therefore it might be a good idea to open an account locally with the same bank so that the recipient can get access to funds faster.

Bank transfers between different banks aren't difficult, but can entail a waiting period of up to 5 business days with higher costs.

You can initiate wire transfers to Colombia through banks. A wire transfer gets the money there fast, but there must be a corresponding bank to receive it. Fees can be high for international wire transfers, but this is a good option if the money needs to get there fast.

Yet another way to send money regularly to Colombia is through an ATM or pre-paid debit card. This is not the best method in case of an emergency as it takes time for the card to be sent to the person receiving the funds.

Make sure you have a debit card that will ensure money can be withdrawn from a large network of ATMs in Colombia. If using an ATM card, make sure you trust that the recipient is not accessing funds without your permission. A pre-paid debit card is a safer way to ensure the recipient receives the exact amount of money intended.

Online payment services such as ATM Cash are also a good way to send money to Colombia. These kinds of services allow you to inexpensively send money 24/7 from your own computer.

All of these methods are good options for sending money to Colombia.

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