How to Find the Best Low APR Credit Cards

Low APR credit cards are much more prevalent than in years past. Competition is stiff and credit card financial institutions offer many nice perks, rewards, points, low annual percentage rates (APR) and other inducements. They want to capture new customers who've never had a credit card but also those who already have a credit card and might like to save money by transferring that card's balance on to their new low APR credit cards.
Of course, there is nothing lower in an APR than zero - and those exist too, although sometimes for a limited time period. It may be that the lowest, or even the zero percentage APR is for an introductory period, after which the rate is higher. The permanent APR is what you want to watch out for, of course. Although if you're not opposed to doing a lot of switching, you can always purchase a low APR credit card, or zero percentage APR credit card, transfer the balance from your current high APR credit card, and then, once the introductory time period has expired and the APR is about to go up on your newest credit card, transfer the balance yet again to a brand new low APR credit card.
Let's look at a few of the low APR credit cards out there, so you know what kinds of options are typically available to you.
Citibank, for example, offers low APR credit cards that give you five percent cash back on any purchase you making at grocery stores and gas stations with your low APR credit card, and one percent back for any purchase elsewhere. The APR on transfers is zero for the first year. If your transfer transaction is at least $1500 you will earn $5 cash back with the low APR credit card. There is no annual fee and the APR after the first year is 12.24 percent.
Discover has a platinum clear card whose low APR is continual. The first year the APR is zero, but after the first year it's still a very competitive 9.99 percent. And there is no annual fee. With these low APR credit cards you earn a five percent cash back bonus on purchases made from hardware and home improvement retailers, restaurants, book vendors, and gas stations. If the retailer doesn't qualify you for the five percent discount you will always get one percent back no matter what you buy and from where with this low APR credit card.
Chase Bank offers low APR credit cards as well. Its zero percent APR is good for six months, after which you will pay 10.49 percent. These low APR credit cards have no annual fee, and offer rewards at the rate of one point for every dollar spent with your Chase card. You can get free airline flights and hotel rooms, as well as cruises and auto rentals. This card also provides $500,000 worth of travel insurance for worldwide vacationing. You can also take advantage of a fifteen percent discount off a Hertz car rental with these low APR credit cards.

10 Things Every Home Based Business Owner Needs

When you make the decision to earn income from the internet you will need to go through a set up process to be ready for business.Following are the basic steps in setting up for home business success.1. AttitudeThe key to your business success is your attitude.Treat your business like a business.This is critical whether you are working part-time or full-time. One of my colleagues is a mother who works from home around her family. She has always put her family first whilst at the same time developing her business. She says, "I work part-time, but I have a full-time attitude."Put another way, "If you have a hobby attitude you will have a hobby income, if you have a business attitude you will have a business income."You can be successful working part-time and you can be successful working full-time but it is highly unlikely that you will be successful working in your "spare time".2. Working EnvironmentA space that you can call your own, free from distractions for your scheduled time.A comfortable chair and organized desk.Stationery supplies as required. For example:- pens- highlighters- stapler- hole punch- sticky tape- note book(s)- a simple filing system- ring binders- manilla foldersConsider the value of a broadband connection. Your time is valuable and a broadband connection can allow you to get more done in a given time frame.3. ScheduleDevelop a schedule that works for you, your family (or "significant others") and your business. When you allot a block of time for work then use that time for work. Equally important is to schedule time for your other commitments - family time, self education ( reading, listening and viewing), "health time" (exercise, cooking and eating), and leisure time. During these other times don't work. After all if one of the reasons to work from home is to spend more time with your family then you don't want your working at home time to consume your family time.You are working for yourself and your schedule (by your choice) is your "boss". When you have people calling you or dropping around unexpectedly or maybe out-of-town visitors may want to catch up with you then you need to make a choice. Are you committed to your own business success? What will be your choice in these situations? Only you can decide what is important to you.In a family environment you may need to negotiate with your partner and children to have your business time agreed upon, during which you will not be interrupted. Put this schedule prominently somewhere so all family members are aware of your work schedule.4. Describe Your BusinessBe able to describe your business concisely; a powerful one or two sentence description that someone can repeat in describing your business to others. A unique and memorable tag line can also be invaluable for promoting your business.5. Know Your Product or ServiceOnce you have selected your product or service to sell, it may or may not be something that you use yourself but you need to know your product intimately. If you are selling ebooks then know the content and its value. If you are selling software then use it know it "inside out". You will develop a reputation of providing quality information and because of your product knowledge you can become the preferred supplier.It is not practical to use certain products (for example a woman may choose to sell man's shoes or vice versa) in which case the seller won't be a product user, however the seller can still know the benefits and features of the product intimately.6. AdministrationUse good record keeping practices.This may involve a consultation with a tax advisor who can let you know about the optimal way to set up your financial records and what records need to be kept. Your advisor will also recommend record keeping systems and you can find out what software may simplify this aspect of your business. Additionally your obtain advice on the best arrangement for your bank accounts. You will most likely be advised to have a separate bank account.You will also need to keep track of your various logins, usernames and passwords. A very handy little software tool for this is Treepad available as either the free Lite version (without password protection) or the commercial Plus or Biz versions. http://www.treepad.comThere are other useful tools for this also from a simple paper notebook to free and commercial password keepers. One popular solution is Roboform that will remember your login details and can automatically fill out your login and other registration forms. http://www.roboform.com7. Computer ProtectionYour computer is the lifeline to your business dealings and must be protected including the data that is stored.You need a virus scanner, personal firewall, anti-spyware and anti-adware and preferably an email scanner with the ability to delete suspect of spam email from the server before it is downloaded to your computer.Some suggestions are:AVG Anti-Virus: http://www.grisoft.comSpybot S&D: http://www.safer-networking.orgMicrosoft Anti-Spyware:www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspxAdaware: http://www.lavasoft.com/Mailwasher Email Scanner: http://www.mailwasher.net8. A Domain NameYou will most likely need a domain name for your business and one cost effective registrar is GoDaddy, http://www.godaddy.com.9. Payment ProcessingYou will need a way to process credit cards; that may be using services such as:- PayPal https://www.paypal.com- Storm Pay http://www.stormpay.com- 2 Checkout http://www.2checkout.com- Clickbank http://www.clickbank.com or others.This is the most economical way to get started. Once your business picks up you may need to look into your own merchant account for credit card transactions.Consideration may also be given to other forms of online currency such as eGold http://www.egold.com10. Email accountsOnce you have your own domain you can use an associated email account. This can further assist in the promotion of your business and promotes a more professional business image.As a final comment on continuing in your internet business, conduct your business ethically, provide extraordinary service and be proud to put your name to the products or services that you are selling and you will be on track to developing a sustainable long term internet business.

15 Construction Loan "Inside Secrets" To Building Your New Home

1. Which construction loans are available and which one should you apply for?Home loan banking and the internet has changed the mortgage and construction loan industry forever. Today's construction loan choices include the 30 year fixed, 15 year fixed, 1 year ARM, 3/1 ARM, 5/1 ARM, 7/1 ARM, 10/1 ARM and don’t forget the popular interest only loans.The construction loan of the past was a short term 1 year loan that the customer would have to refinance into a new loan once the construction was completed.This two time process cost the customer two sets of closing costs and you would have to re-qualify for the new loan once the home was completed.The most popular construction loan today is the "One Time Close" but not all are created equal. Just like any product there are the best loans, good loans and downright bad loans.With today's technology you now have the ability to obtain a construction loan from the best banks in the country and sign your loan documents at your local title company or escrow office. This benefit allows you to have the most competitive construction loan available.The loan that you should apply for is simple; ask for the lowest rate, one time close for a specific period of time that you think you'll be living there. 2. Which lenders/banks have the best construction loans and what do you need to apply?There are plenty of banks willing to lend money for mortgages, refinancing, home equity loans and every other type of loan. But if you're planning on building a new home, where do you get the best construction loan with the most competitive pricing?More importantly what is a good construction loan?A typical construction loan nowadays is a construction to permanent loan that may or may not allow you to lock-in today's low interest rates until the home is completed. If you choose a loan that does not allow you to lock in upfront, the interest rate may end up higher along with your monthly payment.The most important thing when searching for a good construction loan is to find an experienced construction loan specialist that knows which banks are the best.The best banks can offer you a low rate now, upfront, before you start building your new home.3. Should you go directly to your local bank or to a loan broker for your loan?Most banks offer loans, and going to them is like shopping at a Ford dealer. The only thing you can get at the Ford dealer is a Ford. But what if you want choices?One way to get different choices is to go shopping to every bank in town. Or you can call an experienced construction loan broker who has done all of the homework for you and has direct access to hundreds of banks nationwide.A broker is a representative for hundreds of banks. Although the broker serves as middle-man, his or her services will not cost you anything extra. That's because brokers get loans at wholesale rates, and pass them along to their clients at retail prices, just like any other business.The difference between wholesale and retail is how brokers make money. Therefore, you get the same rate from a broker as if you went directly to the lender yourself. In Fact, because or their volume, many brokers are able to offer their clients better deals than you can get by talking to the banks on you own.With an experienced construction loan broker you can shop dozens of the most competitive banks nationwide, work with wholesale pricing and can negotiate on rates and pricing.4. Should you lock in your construction loan before you start building or let the interest rate float?If the rates are heading upward, lock. If the rates are stable, relax. If the rates are headed downward, float.Right now interest rates are at an all time low and can only go up in the near future so make sure your construction loan is locked into today's best interest rates with the ability to float downward.Inexperienced loan officers will offer their customers an enticing low adjustable rate during construction without an upfront lock-in and the customer may end up having to lock into higher interest rates when the home is completed. Or the customer is sold on a higher rate during construction with a float down option after the home is built. Again, the rate could be much higher when the home is completed.Meanwhile the loan officer has been paid and has moved on to the next loan. The only time you want this type of loan is if it’s the only loan you qualify for.Most loan officers do not explain this to their customers until it's too late (Closing). Always ask. Is the construction loan rate locked upfront or floating during the construction loan period? Then ask, is the rate during the construction loan the same rate when the loan converts into the mortgage period.5. What experience does your construction loan officer have and does it matter?When it comes to money its amazing how fast any loan officer becomes an instant expert at construction loans. You must keep in mind that all loan officers are salespeople. Yes, I know they have fancy titles like loan officer or vice president but the title is nothing but a fancy name for loan salesperson. Loan salespeople usually have one main goal in mind when helping you with your loan request and that is the commission. By the way, the fancy name for commission in the loan business is called a loan fee, points or yield spread premium (YSP). Now don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good honest sales people (loan officers) that work very hard at providing you the best service and rates. What’s important is distinguishing the good from the bad.The following questions allow you to quickly find out if your loan officer is experienced at construction loans.1. How long have you been doing construction loans? 5 years or more is best.2. What is the loan to cost (LTC) required for construction loans? This is cash equity such as down payment on land. This can range from 5 to 20%.3. What is better? The voucher or draw disbursement system and why? Draw is now the most popular because the customer has the control of the money.If the loan officer (sales person) can answer these questions with no problem then they have passed a pretty good litmus test.If you really want to throw a curve at them, ask the loan officer if they have ever built a home themselves and what type of construction loan did they get. If you find a loan officer that has gone through the experience of building a home themselves then the odds are you have found an experienced loan officer. 6. Qualifying for your construction loan, exactly how is it done?The first thing your loan officer wants to see is your completed loan application. The loan application called the (1003) will tell a story of your financial picture. The completed loan application will tell the loan officer many things including,1. What type of loan you want.2. How much money you need.3. Your social security number.4. Your current employers.5. A list of all you assets (money) and liabilities (bills).6. How much money you make.7. How much real estate you own.Once the loan officer has your loan application in hand they can determine whether you can qualify for a loan.One of the first items pulled is your credit report. The credit report is going to tell 3 main important things.1. Show your current credit score. The credit score can range from 500 to 800.2. Show a complete list of all your monthly liabilities (bills). 3. Show all past credit problems including bankruptcies, foreclosures and late payments. With this information the loan officer will do an analysis to determine if you can qualify for the loan amount that you’re looking for. This analysis determines a ratio called the (income to debt ratio) and depending on the banks underwriting guidelines this ratio will usually range from 36% to 45%.The income to debt ratio is the percentage of monthly debt payments (including your new mortgage payment, taxes and insurance). This ratio should not exceed 36% to 45% of your monthly income. Some banks will allow you to exceed this ratio if you have an excellent credit history and excellent credit score.The current and the most popular method of qualifying for a loan today is the stated income loan.Stated income allows you to qualify without verifying your income on your tax returns, W 2's or pay stubs. The only thing the bank verifies when applying for a stated income loan is your credit score, liquid assets and that you're employed. 7. How not to be taken by the oldest trick in the book "Bait and Switch"?The mortgage lending business is notorious for baiting and switching. Baiting and Switching is when a loan officer or advertisement offers you one thing and then tries to sells you something else.Typical signs of baiting and switching are obvious, some basic examples are:1. Over the phone, you are offered a much lower rate than any other quote and once you've sent in your application the rate you were quoted has all of a sudden vanished.2. You are offered a construction loan with no points and no loan fee's. What you are not told is that you are paying for it with a higher interest rate and the costs are built into the loan.3. You are told that you will not have any payments while you're building. What you're not told is that all construction loans have this option and it's called "interest reserves" and the payments are added to the loan amount.Remember three important facts and you will always be in good shape.1. If it sounds too good to be true there's usually a reason.2. Always get your quote in writing, (ask for a good faith estimate).3. If you are satisfied with the rate and construction loan program that you are quoted, ask to lock it in upfront.On the flipside, it is very important to realize that most loan products typically go hand in hand with banking guidelines. These guidelines are provided to loan officers to coincide with the customer's qualifications. For example, if you have a very high (FICO) credit score with land free and clear, you have more loan options than the person with a very low (FICO) score and no land equity.8. Now for the biggest secret of all, ready? All banks have access to the same rates and the only reason everyone ends up with a different rate is directly related to how much your loan officer and bank is going to profit from you. You should probably read that one again.Your loan officer gets paid like all sales people either by:1. Salary plus commission2. Commission only.It doesn't matter if you walk directly into a bank or work with a broker, basically everyone gets paid the same. If you walk directly into a bank the loan officer most likely gets a basic salary and a percentage of the loan origination fee (points and yield spread premiums). If you work with a broker the broker usually works on a straight commission (points and yield spread premiums).Becoming a broker allows the loan officer the ability to offer their customers the best loans with the most options. It always amazes me when I see TV commercials or hear radio commercials advertising $395, zero closing costs. I always wonder if people understand how they can do that.Ok, here is how it is done.The inside secret is that in exchange for these low or zero closing costs the lenders will make their profits and cover the costs of the loan by charging you a higher interest rate. This higher interest rate pays what they call in our industry a (YSP) yield spread premium.By charging you a higher interest rate over the life of the loan the bank can easily afford the commercials, commissions, payroll, and cover the costs of the loan while still making a profit. Also the service is usually very poor and impersonal.So the next time you see advertising with no closing costs you will know exactly how they are doing it.So please remember that there is no such thing as a free lunch in any business. Business wouldn't be business if there were no profits. The most important thing is that you want the best loan available at a fair price with an experienced loan officer.9. What are interest reserves and contingency funds doing in your closing costs?The two things most customers do not factor into the cost of the building their new home are interest reserves and contingency funds.Interest reserves are added to your loan amount to make the monthly payment on your loan. Yes, you read that correctly, you will not have to make a monthly construction loan payment while your home is being built. The payments are made from this interest reserve account and no, it’s not free. This reserve is added to your construction loan amount.Interest reserves were designed for the benefit of the customer. Most people building a new home are either paying rent or have an existing mortgage payment while their home is being built.The last thing a customer needs is another monthly payment while building. So, banks created the interest reserve account by adding up the estimated interest payments over a 12 month period and add this to the loan amount.If you do not want interest reserves added to your construction loan amount you can ask to make your own monthly construction loan payment.Contingency funds are added to the loan amount just in case you need more money to build your new home. With all good intentions construction loans tend to have cost over runs. The bank adds 5% to 10% of the cost breakdown and adds this amount to the loan amount just in case you have cost over runs or need better appliances. If you don’t need or use this extra contingency fund then it will not be added to your mortgage upon completion of your new home.So when you apply for a construction loan ask your loan officer to provide you a copy of the estimated construction loan budget. The budget is created from your costs and includes every cost within the loan including land balances, closing costs, interest reserves, contingency and bank fees. 10. What is loan to value (LTV) and loan to cost (LTC)? Why it’s probably the most important factor in getting approved for a construction loan besides your income and credit.Initially most banks are concerned with loan to appraised value (LTV) but banks are really more concerned with how much cash you have in the project (LTC).If you were buying a home instead of building you would normally have to put 20% of the purchase price as a down payment.Since you’re building a home your cash equity usually comes in the form of how much cash you put down on your land. Cash equity is king when applying for a construction loan. For example, if you bought a $200,000 piece of land and the land is owned free and clear you have a lot of cash equity. With this much cash equity you will most likely not have to bring in any additional cash. Or if you bought a piece of land over 12 months ago for $100,000 and its now worth $200,000 the bank will use the current value because you bought it over 12 months ago. In both cases you have brought $200,000 cash equity to the table.Now if you just bought a piece of land for $200,000 and you only put down $20,000 most banks will want to see 10% to 20% cash into the total project.Other qualifying cash equity that can be counted are any pre-paid’s such as plans, grading, permits etc. These pre-paid's can be used for cash equity or you can be reimbursed from the construction loan at closing.11. Should you hire a builder or be an owner builder?Do you really want to be an owner-builder? The goal of being an owner builder is mainly to save money. Some people can save quite a bit of money if done correctly.Some people are not meant to be owner builder. Possible problems when acting as owner builder are:1. Construction cost over runs.2. The best banks with the best rates require a builder or supervisor.3. Managing contractors to finish on time or to show up for work.4. Depleting your personal savings.5. The need to borrow more money.6. Loan extension penalties.7. Being taken by unscrupulous contractors.8. The need to refinance your construction loan.9. Foreclosure.I could go on and on about the horror stories I hear from Owner Builders that did not get a construction loan and acted as their owner builder.If you have never built a home before and absolutely need to act as owner builder please take my advice and hire a reputable builder to supervise you and the building of your new home, for a much smaller fee than their normal fee. The builder/supervisor will help you with the cost breakdown and manage the subcontracting on an as needed basis. If one of your contractors gets out of hand or you need help of any kind, you can call the supervisor for assistance.Your job is to make sure you are hiring the right people to complete your home. It can make the difference between happiness and misery. For those of you that have experience at building homes but do not have a license ask about our owner builder program. To qualify you will need a resume showing your experience.If you decide on hiring a builder to do everything make sure you hire a reputable builder or supervisor with a good reputation and plenty of references.Ask your friends if they know a good builder and when you start to hear the same name over and over you know you've found a good one. Ask the building inspector for a list of reputable builders.The most important point is shop around until you find a builder with the most reputable and honest background.If you pay a little more for an honest and reputable builder or supervisor you will be very thankful before, during and after your home is completed12. How does your builder determine how much your home will cost to build?The Estimated Cost Breakdown of your home is probably one of the most important forms in the construction loan package. This is the breakdown of each particular cost of construction of the home. The foundation, lumber, framing, plumbing, heating, electrical, painting, and builder's profit, etc.The builder usually completes this form to show you exactly what it will cost to build your new home. The most important thing to remember here is that you do not want to underbid any line item and you do not want to overbid any line item. You want accurate numbers from real bids (not guesses) and a 5% contingency for cost overruns. Good builders will send out the house plans to their contractors for specific bidding on each main item or can estimate the home themselves. The builder will send one set of plans to the foundation contractor, one set of plans to the framer, one set of plans to the plumber, etc, etc.When all the numbers come in, the builder will fill out the cost breakdown and come up with a total cost to build your new home. Bad builders will use the WAG method of estimating the cost of building your new home. The WAG method stands for "Wild Ass Guesses". This method is the most dangerous since it can lead to under and over bidding.The last method of bidding is simply to over inflate every single line item on the cost breakdown. This is the most profitable method for the builder and the most expensive to the customer.This is why you want to find an honest, reputable builder with a good reputation in your community. Once the cost breakdown is completed and you plan on hiring this builder to build you new home you will need to type up a contract. The contract needs to equal the added total of the cost breakdown. Most builders will provide the contract but make sure you read it carefully and that you add your requirements as well. There are two types of contracts 1. Fixed Contract: This contract is simple and straightforward. Take the total of the cost breakdown and put that fixed number into the contract. The builder will provide a list of responsibilities.2. Cost plus Contract. This type of contract is usually for large construction loan projects. A. The customer wants to make a lot of changes to their home as its being built. B. The construction loan period to build the home is 18 months so construction costs can change drastically. The builder prefers this contract to protect the costs and profits.13. How does your builder get paid while your home is being built?There are two methods that banks use to make sure your builder gets paid while building your home.The Voucher Reimbursement system has been around for quite a while. As usual you'll have some builders that are very familiar with this method of payment and do not like change. Most builders are really only concerned with how fast they can be paid and how often they can be paid.Most banks find that the voucher system is simply too much paperwork to deal with anymore. The builder is given a big book of vouchers that looks like a check book and when they want to get paid or need to pay a contractor they need to fill out a voucher form. This voucher form is a request for payment and as long as the contractor has signed the lien release the bank will pay the amount requested. The bank will also request an inspection throughout the construction loan to make sure that the work is completed.The Draw Reimbursement system is becoming the standard for construction loan funding for most banks. The main difference is that the bank puts the accounting responsibility on you or your contractor. The bank uses your cost breakdown as the guide for the draws. Some banks use specific schedules of 4 to 7 draws based on completed construction milestones, such as foundation or framing. The draw systems also allow the choice of taking draws on a monthly basis, collecting partial payment for work and material items that have been completed.I personally prefer the draw reimbursement system because:1. It requires less work.2. Provides more control for both the customer and the builder.3. The funds are wired directly into your bank account.3. It's easier to use than the voucher system.4. Some banks now have online draw requests. 14. What type of construction loan insurance is required and who is required to get it?The reality of construction loan insurance. There are three types of insurance needed to build. All banks require the first two insurances, course of construction and general liability. Workman's compensation is only required if your builder has employees.1. Course of Construction Insurance. This policy is an all risk policy to include, fire, extended coverage, builder's risk, replacement cost, vandalism and malicious mischief insurance coverage.2. General Liability Insurance. You or your builder can provide this policy. This policy is a comprehensive general policy or a broad form liability endorsement. The minimum amount of $300,000 for each occurrence is required. If the builder provides the insurance a general policy of $1,000,000 or a broad form liability endorsement is required.3. Workman's Compensation Insurance. If your builder owns his own company and has employees that are helping to build your home, workman's compensation is required. If the builder simply subcontracts out the work and does not have employees per se, they will need to write a letter acknowledging that they do not have employees and are not required to have WCI. 15. Has your loan officer structured your construction loan properly and why it's so important?I get loans all the time from customers that went to another lender or broker and were either turned down or were offered a below average construction loan.The reason was because the loan was not structured properly before it was sent into the bank. Structuring a loan properly is simply making sure that you match the customer’s loan request to the banks underwriting guidelines.Recently I received a construction loan request from a customer that was turned down by a large national bank. The loan officer had calculated the income incorrectly and submitted the loan as full documentation. The customer owned his own business and had a lot of tax deductions on his tax returns. The way banks qualify customers as full documentation is very conservative and the loan was turned down.We took the loan, found the problems upfront and submitted the loan as stated income. The customer was approved and built a beautiful home in Rancho Santa Fe CA.Structuring construction loans for approval is vitally important and is the last thing on most customers’ minds. Each and every time I receive a loan from a customer with a bad loan experience it is always because the loan officer did not specialize in construction loans and did not structure the loan accordingly.Other common mis-structured loan scenarios include:1. Low cash equity.2. Improperly completed appraisal.3. Unexplained credit derogatory.4. Income incorrectly calculated.5. Mismatch of customer loan request to the correct lender.6. Plain and simple incompetenceThe old saying “you get what you pay for” is especially true when obtaining financing in building your new home.

4 Explosive Tips To Dynamite Your Sales Volume

Some of the most effective things in life are the simplest. Marketers spend a lot of time trying to understand the psyche of consumers, discover ways to predict economic trends and a million other aspects of business that can determine success. Hey, it pays to remember that some things are just basic, common sense and as easy as pie. Let's look at some tactics that just might be the key to the success you've been pining for.1. Keep An Eye On Your Best CustomersYeah, wouldn't be great if all of your customers were just like them? ...easy to please, loyal, and ready to tell a friend about your wonderful service. Just maybe you can develop more customer just like them!Think about it... what makes them so great? What are the traits they have in common? Direct your marketing campaign to people who are just like them. Focus on their niche! You'll net new consumers and higher profits for your efforts.2. Hurry It Up!What's the hurry? Todays customers are busily running helter skelter from work to day care to home to an event back home... They're rushing through life, but trying to save a buck as they go. How much do you think they would appreciate the ability to do both in your shop? Revise your advertising campaign to stress the time they'll save and the money they'll keep in their pockets while enjoying all of the wonderful benefits your products have to offer. Chip in a few specials where they can save even more moeny (with a deadline, of course). Deliver! Immediately! Let them save money and time... and hey, watch your sales explode!3. Make it Easy to BuyConvenience it the key to attracting buyers in today's fast paced society. What will be the fastest and easiest for them... credit card, phone, fax, Internet, or cold hard cash? They say there are different strokes for different folks... your customers don't all use the same methods to buy. It just makes sense that if the method they prefer is available, they'll be more likely to take advantage of it.Simplicy... ah, it makes life so much easier. Yeah, your harried customers are busy and tired. They don’t want to mess around. Most of the time, they just want to make the purchase and head home. Convenience stores testify to the fact that quick and easy often overrides a better price!4. Follow UpFollowing up with a customer who didn’t buy can be the determining factor between and “almost sale” and a satisfied, loyal customer. Simply contact them afterwards and let them know the product is still available or offer them further information they may find valuable.One of my favorite catalog companies always closes out the sale with a special buy that is available only at the time of purchase. I'm not an impulsive shopper by any stretch of the imagination, but it stops me in my tracks every time. I know it's a one-time shot, and I really consider whether I want or need it before I hang up the phone.Expoding your current sales volume and profit margin may not be as difficult as you've been making it! Give these 4 tips a shot, and see what happens!

5 Steps you can take to Get Paid!

There are always some companies that have past due invoices and can’t seem to get them paid. They might be quietly waiting to get paid not wanting to contact the client for fear of appearing “desperate”. Sometimes a big part of the problem is no response, it is bad enough when you are not getting paid, but when orders keep coming in and you are not getting any acknowledgement to your collection efforts, you just can’t keep processing orders.There are steps you can take to get paid on those past due invoices and keep new invoices current.Step #1 Gather together all the past due invoices, and stamp them PAST DUE. Step #2 If you have an email address or phone number with a contact name for your client, email them or call them and give them the information on the past due invoices and let them know their account is on hold. Step #3 Mail the invoices to your client with return receipt requested or send them in a flat rate Priority Mail envelope with delivery confirmation. Step #4 Send a letter with these invoices stating the age, invoice numbers, their PO#, your account #, total amount due, and any other pertinent information. Step #5 Tell them their account is on hold and you will not be shipping any more products or providing any services to them until these invoices are paid. You can include a self addressed envelope and state that you have enclosed an envelope for them to send their check. Give them a date, to have this paid to you. Once they have received the package, email or call them. Ask them what they are doing with the invoices. Ask them questions such as:Do they have to be approved by someone else?If they have to be approved, who has to approve them and when will they give them to that person? Get that person’s direct number if possible. Find out if that person signs the checks.Are there any discrepancies with the invoices?When will the check be cut? When can you call back for the check number?Once all the past due balances are cleared up, you need to think about future invoices. Do you want to extend credit again or do you want to have pre-payment or payment at the time of the order. Whatever you decide put it in writing. If you can both sign the agreement, that is even better. Remember, having a credit policy in place tells people you mean business.

7 Keys to Internet Business Success

Starting an internet business can be as simple as opening a Yahoo Store. And as complicated as building your own dynamic e-commerce web site. But no matter how you go about it, you need 7 key ingredients to ensure the success of your internet business.1. DemandYou can have the most awesome product and the most hi-tech web site, but if you can’t generate demand for your product, your business is doomed from the start. There are many ways to generate demand in the online world. You could advertise in ezines, start an affiliate program, encourage word of mouth, referrals, do joint ventures. Remember, without demand, there will be no sales. And without sales, where does that leave you?2. OrderWhen you start getting visitors to your web site, it’s now just a matter of turning them into your customers. Okay, maybe it’s not as easy as it sounds. This is why, once your visitor has decided to become a customer, you have to make sure that it is easy for them to do so. Make sure that your ordering process is easy and straightforward. The less clicks to secure an order, the better.3. PaymentThis is one process of your internet business that you’d definitely not want to get wrong - how money is actually transferred from your customer to you. The most popular means of doing this online is through credit card transactions. Credit cards makes full use of a person’s ‘buy now think later’ attitude. So, your sales would be a lot higher if you accepted credit cards than if you didn’t. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have alternative methods. The more payment methods you offer, the easier your customer will find it to pay for your product.4. FulfillmentAfter payment has been made, don’t make the mistake of thinking that the coast is clear. There’s still the matter of delivering your products. If you sell digital products, it is now normal standard to have it delivered instantly. People now expect this, so make sure you set this up. If you sell physical products that needs physical delivery, make sure that you communicate with your customer every step of the way. Ensure them that their goods are on the way. If possible, send them a means to track the movement of their package. Your customers should never feel insecure.5. Service and SupportOnce the sale has been made, it doesn’t stop there. You have to provide excellent customer support. Your internet business customer support will determine, to some extent, whether your customer will request a refund and whether or not they will make repeat purchases. Support abilities of an internet business is getting more and more efficient. So don’t get caught behind. The least you should do is provide timely e-mail support. If you have a busier site, then consider other support methods - online helpdesk, FAQs, live chats, ticket system, knowledge base ….6. SecurityThe Internet community is getting more aware of what to look out for in order to protect themselves from many of the net’s less desirable activities. One of which is e-commerce frauds. It is, therefore, up to you to prove to your visitors that they can trust you. Things like using secured server to process payments, can go a long way. Purchase a digital certificate, if you can. Add a physical mail address or a phone number where they can contact you. Anything at all, to give your visitors some peace of mind.7. CommunityOnce you’ve received more than just a handful of sales, you should think about starting a community. Making your customers a part of a community, gives them a sense of belonging. Have your community be a part of your product development. Listen to their suggestions. Not only will you get product ideas for your internet business, your sales ratio will increase with every new product release and you will have a loyal customer base.There you go. Work on these seven keys and you’ll be way ahead of most internet businesses out there on the net today.

7 Power Habits to Guarantee Financial Independence

Are you always running short of your funds? Do you still have to borrow money sometimes to at least live comfortably? Do you get to pay your bills on time? If you answered mostly yes, then you are in danger of being financially unstable. You cannot afford the things you want and sometimes, even the things you need. Don’t go sulking out there! You better move your body. If such is the case, better tell yourself that you cannot afford to be that way always. You have to be financially independent.What is financial independence? Financial independence is the capability to determine and support yourself through your own endeavors. There are 7 ways or habits for you to follow to gain financial independence. With the right attitude and the proper goal in mind, you might just find yourself beaming with pride because of your achievement.1. Keep a focused visionStart with a vision. What is your vision for your life? Where are you definitely heading? You want financial independence. You want to be able to stand on your own and have a more stable and secured life, for yourself and for your family. Keep that vision in mind. Hold on to it as you start to realize that vision. The choices and decisions you will make in the future will have to head to the direction of your goal. Return to that vision when things get doubtful or tough. 2. Invest your money wiselyGenerate income. Your income will be the financial foundation of your vision. This will basically come from your job’s income, but don’t settle with that. Aim to increase your income. Invest your time, money and effort into a beneficial enterprise. Start a business that you feel passionately about and make sure it will work. Think carefully of every detail in your enterprise and work on it. Do not settle with good enough results. Aim for excellence, quality and integrity to succeed.3. Save upStart a fund for your future. Allot a percentage of your present income to savings. Do this at the start of each month, before you go ahead. This will avoid the enticement to buy, buy, buy. It will also teach you how to properly budget your money for necessary expenses.Money in the bank could also earn interest. Although it is not considerable compared to a good investment, it is still a good way to keep money for your future. Just make sure you maintain the money in your savings account. Avoid touching it unless it is really necessary. Give value also to your coins. Every single cent matters. All of those scattered coins you have there could comprise a few dollars. Even if it is considerably small amount, it will still find some use for that.4. Spend wiselyDon’t spend all your earnings. As they say, don’t earn to spend. Buy only things that you really need. Tighten those belts for now as you bank for a more secured future. Choose to live simply. Forget the need to show off on other people that you can afford. If you want achieve financial independence, you must hold on to your money as much as possible. Avoid incurring debts as much as possible. Take control of your finances as much as possible. Credit cards for example could hold you locked in a desperate state. You could be getting what you want now through that credit card, but imagine yourself giving the bulk of your income for interest payments! Make ends meet in the meantime for later on in life, you will surely afford to be leisurely. 5. Keep contingency plansYou must plan ahead for events in the future. Have contingencies. Make certain that your financial assets are secured. At this phase, it is a good option to get an insurance policy. Insure your life, health and property, even your loved ones. Protect your interests whenever you enter into any engagement. Make sure that your endeavor is legal, that you are financially capable, and that it is feasible within your means. This way, you will have optimal performance and desirable results. You could prevent harmful losses in the long run.6. Take care of yourselfHealth is wealth. The only way for you to achieve your dreams and be able to stand on your own is when you are physically and psychologically able to do so. Have regular check ups with your physician. Have a healthy diet. Exercise Regularly. Health will be your asset to achieve financial independence. Only a good physical standing would allow you to enjoy the fruits of your toils today.7. Be UnstoppableYou must keep yourself focused to achieve the goal of being financially independent. Do not let yourself be distracted by whimsical desires. Do not spray. Do not procrastinate. Every cent and every minute counts as what you do today will have a lot to say on what you will have in the future. Take advantage of every opportunity that will come your way. Keep yourself confident. Tell yourself, you will not be a loser in this game. You have to make it!

7 Tips for Product Enhancement to Increase your Sales

You may publish this article in your ezine, newsletter on your web site as long as the byline is included and the article is included in it's entirety. I also ask that you activate any html links found in the article and in the byline. Please send a courtesy link or email where you publish to: support@multiplestreammktg.com7 Tips for Product Enhancement to Increase your SalesBy Abe CherianCopyright ? 2005Everyone needs to know what business they're in and theyneed to be able to express that purpose in a few sentencesin their USA.Using product enhancement towards helping with your currentmission statement, should help determine your business as aleading provider. For ex; if you're a plumber, you're notin the business of plumbing. If you're a carpet cleaner,you're not in the business of carpet cleaning. You're inthe business of marketing plumbing or marketing carpetcleaning services.Your mission statement is what is best for you. You canconstantly measure all of your activities then to themission of your company. You can further measure thesuccess by the success of your clients or customers. Themore successful your customers are in getting the benefitsfrom you, the more successful you will be in growing yourbusiness.If you're currently not generating the volume of businessyou want, your customers aren't purchasing as much as youwant them to.Here's an exercise that you should go through periodicallyto evaluate ways you can make your product or servicebetter, and thereby either increase sales or extend yourproduct or service life cycle.Get out a piece of paper and answer the following questions.1. Write down not what your product or service is, but theneed or desire of your target market that you haveperceived.2. Brainstorm other ways to fulfill that need in ways otherthan through the use of your current product or service.3. List all the obvious and not so-obvious features of yourproduct or service.4. Enhance your product or service with alternative ways tofulfill your customer's needs based on the ways youBrainstormed in #2.5. Identify your USA versus your competitor's and any otheralternative products or services.6. Create five different front and back-end up sellscenarios for each product and service you intend to offer.You can encompass one of these attributes in each salescenario that you come up with.7. Determine how best to incorporate incentives for gettingyour prospects to buy. You want them to buy, buy now, andbuy from you.Don't limit yourself to the list below, but here are someadditional ways you can begin. These are reasons customerstypically patronize a certain business. Identify majorsales advantages that you have over your competition.Low price Top quality convenient location Friendlyemployees Knowledgeable employees Nice businesssurroundings Fair credit or return policy Good selectionConvenient hoursThe important thing about running a small business is toknow the direction in which you're heading; to know on aday-to-day basis your progress in that very direction; tobe aware of what your competitors are doing and to practicegood money management at all times. All this will prepareyou to recognize potential problems before they arise.In order to survive with a small business, regardless ofthe economic climate, it is essential to surround yourselfwith smart people, and practice sound business managementat all times.

A Few Thoughts on Securing a Bad Credit Mortgage Loan

Over spending, the endless nights of partying, eating out and more or less buying everything on a whim, has most likely put a dent in your financial situation and will affect how you live your life for years to come. Clearly, the best option is to dampen your lavish lifestyle sooner than later.Alleviating yourself from huge credit card, as well as other head-spinning debts by assessing your options now, before all those debs start blowing up in your face is one way to right your financial ship. One plausible option is a bad credit mortgage loan, and it's a good first step towards a more financially disciplined lifestyle. In other words, a financial second chance.Unfortunately, many people have a hard time facing the reality of their current financial situation and they foolishly think they can go it alone. Fortunately, today's credit markets have geared many of their programs for people just like you and they are more than happy to assist you with your financial woes by doing anything and everything possible to assist you in securing that much needed mortgage refinance to get you back to financial solvency.First, be honest, how bad is your current financial condition. And remember, you need to face the facts honestly and stop playing games and don't let the possible embarrassment of having other's poking through your financial records deter you. You current financial situation if water over the dam, there's nothing you can do about the past so put it behind you and start making the right decisions from this point forward.Rest-assured the individuals you will be working with are professionals who want nothing more but help you because it's in their financial interest as well since most loan officers work on commission if they can't find a way to help you they don't get paid. The system is built around vested interest and so if it's possible to help you they'll find a way. But before you actually take that big leap in to actually applying for a bad credit mortgage loan for yourself, try your best to actually arm your self with (more than) enough information to actually guide you through the debt restructuring process.First, don't be intimidated by the process, it's really not that complicated. More often than not, people allow themselves to get overwhelmed, so take a deep breath, do a little research on what's available and don't be afraid to ask questions or to simply walk away from a deal that you feel isn't right and go down the street or apply online at another lender.Bad credit mortgage loans are readily available but only if you are willing to get out there and put forth a little effort to dig around and find the right lender with the right program for you. Be will to have your financials thoroughly assessed by your creditors and lenders so they have the information they need to do their job, which is clearly to come up with a bad credit mortgage loan that is well suited to your means and capabilities.Just remember that just because you may qualify for a bad credit mortgage loan, does not necessarily equate with you being off the hook. That's simply the beginning to changing your spending habits and approach to money so that a few years from now you can look back at your current financial situation as learning experience that propelled you to a higher level of financial responsibility. Approach this situation correctly by making the necessary changes and you should also be able to look back and realize that it was the wakeup call you needed and possibly one of the best things that's ever happened to you.

A Guide to Earning Pilates Certification

Whether you want to work in a Pilates studio, a fitness club, a therapeutic clinic, or as a personal trainer, the first thing you need to do is to get certified from a reputable Pilates training institution. There are accredited training institutions that run certification courses in Pilates. One needs to attend hundreds of hours of lectures, hands-on training, observation, and apprentice work before one is qualified to appear for a rigorous written and practical examination. Each student must have already studied anatomy and be a certified fitness professional or licensed rehabilitation practitioner to be able to receive a Pilates certification. In addition, a qualified Pilates instructor needs to attend continuing education classes to maintain certification status throughout his or her career. Some of the more recognized Pilates training institutions are the Physical Mind Institute, The Pilates Studio, Polestar Education and Stott Pilates. Most offer courses around the world through their network of affiliated clubs or studios. The Pilates Studio, with 11 course locations throughout the world, teaches what they call Authentic Pilates, true to the original forms, techniques and sequences devised by Joseph Pilates. It is affiliated to the Pilates Guild, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Joseph Pilates' original work. Phase I of the curriculum includes a series of seminars on beginner, intermediate and advanced exercises on the mat and equipment. Phase II is a 600-hour Apprenticeship program working with a Pilates Guild certified instructor. Exams are required after each phase and must be completed within one year. The program costs about $4000, awarding successful students with a Certificate in Authentic Pilates.

A Seller's Dash For Cash

Today, eBay is considered to be one of the most lucrative auction sites available in the Internet. However, selling on eBay is not that easy, and the very first thing a seller should do is to find the ways on how he or she will get paid once the item is sold. And so, here are the different ways how a seller can be paid:1. PayPalPayPal is the most common and convenient way of sending and receiving money based on an eBay transaction. Here, the payment for the sold item is sent directly to the seller by means of an established bank account or a credit card.2. Personal Check or Cashier's CheckSellers may choose this kind of option. However, the drawback of using this kind of payment method is that the seller still has to wait for a number of banking days before the check gets cleared.3. Credit CardsSellers must have a merchant account to be able to accept payments from its buyers through credit cards. This is applicable only if the buyer will be paying directly to the seller. If the buyer still wants to use credit card but wants a safer transaction, he or she may opt to pay the seller through PayPal with the use of the credit card.4. Bank to bank wire transfersIn this type of payment, the seller can be paid through a bank-to-bank transaction. Here, the buyer will transfer funds from his or her bank account to the seller's bank account.5. Money Orders/Bid payThis is one of the recommended payment methods of eBay. This is considered safe because the seller or the buyer can track down the mailing address of the concerned person.6. EscrowThis is strongly suggested for high-priced item transactions. The escrow service guarantees full protection while the transaction is not yet closed. Through this service, the seller has to wait for the confirmation that the buyer had received the product before receiving payment.However, sellers and buyers should take extra precautions on dealing with escrow services. There are a lot of counterfeit escrow services lurking on eBay these days. It's best to check if the escrow service was approved by eBay.8. CashSellers on eBay may receive payments through cash. However, this is a high-risk activity and offers no guaranteed protection.8. Instant Cash Wire Transfers like western Union and Money GramsSellers may opt for this type of payment method. But, they should keep in mind eBay is strongly against this mode of payment and that insisting this to the buyer may result to suspension or termination of account.

A Top Rated Home Business For Mom!

This article rates a home business opportunity using my "New Approach for Rating Home Business Opportunities," of 11 major and 7 minor attributes. Each major attribute can be worth 7 points, while each minor attribute can be worth 3 points, with 98 points as a perfect score. Of course, there are no perfect scores for home business opportunities. The 11 major attributes are-* Product or service* Product price and market competition* Company* Proven business system* Available Support system* Available training and resources* Compensation system* Profitability - has good profit margins* Costs involved - both startup and recurring costs* Will I have full control over my business?* Can I work this business at my own pace?The 7 minor attributes are-* How is the product delivered to the customer?* Does the product/service have an automated delivery capability?* Is the Company "On the Net" and E-Commerce enabled?* Are you supplied with business tools to make your life easier?* What level of administration is required?* Consider whether you will be ahead of or behind the trends?* How great is the potential to make money in this business?The Company is Sensaria, a Washington state private company that sells Natural Body Care products. The product line includes Skin Care, Body Care, Sun Care, Home Care, and Hair Care products, all of which are sold by individual representatives. There are about 3,600 representatives. The Skin Care and Hair Care products (not makeup) are naturally based with no chemicals, which many people prefer, are consumable and representatives have personal web sites which customers may go to for repeat product purchases. Sensaria is a member of the Direct Selling Organization, which is a significant consideration. The company is about 20 years old, but has been using direct sales for the last five years.Representatives schedule and hold Spa Parties where products are sampled and introduced, used and sold. The parties are fun events for women and those in attendance have a good time. Representatives plan for product sales, to book additional parties with those in attendance, and to recruit new representatives for the company, with individuals seeking to earn additional income. The cost to become a representative is $180, and another $50 for items that representatives use at Spa parties and for office supplies. Even though each representative has a personal web site for product re-orders, this business opportunity is an offline opportunity, as compared to an online internet business opportunity.Eleven Major Attributes* Products are very well received. Women love these products and purchase them eagerly. Samples used at the Spa parties are very effective in producing product sales. This major attribute is the crucially important one for this home-based opportunity. Because the products are consumable, this is a very favorable situation for a representative. This attribute gets a 7 rating.* Product pricing is competitive in the market place and market competition is moderate. In this instance, a 5 is awarded for this attribute.* The company is well respected, stable, and can be counted on to deliver on promises made. So this consideration gets a 7 rating.* Proven business system. Sensaria has a very effective business system for beginning reps that includes getting Spa parties scheduled, presentations for the party, securing bookings for additional parties at each party, and prospecting for potential new representatives. Free products provide good motivation for individuals agreeing to host a party. After a Spa party, each rep has a business suite installed on their personal computer which allows the rep to transmit the orders to the company for efficient order processing. This consideration gets a 7 rating.* The available support system is generally good, as each new rep has an upline person for questions and problems that may arise. This consideration gets a 5 rating.* Available training and support is good for this company. New reps attend teleclasses to learn the ropes as beginning home-business entrepreneurs. Teleclasses are one hour in length and about 50 individuals may be involved in each call. More experienced representatives conduct these teleclasses.This consideration gets a 6 rating.* The Compensation system is a good one. Each rep earns 30% of the product sales value for each party, and has the chance for bonus amounts each month based on their total product sales. These bonus amounts vary from 6% to 9% of product sales for the month. In addition, a rep earns a 5% override for any reps they have recruited. After 3 recruits, the overrides go four levels deep. For any checks received at the parties, the rep deposits them to her bank account, and remits 70% of the sales value to the company via credit card payments. So rep earnings accumulate quickly during each month, and are available immediately. This consideration gets a 6 rating.* Costs involved are $180 for the beginning product kit, and approximately $50 for supplies, most of which can be purchased at low-cost at Wal-Mart. The rep will have travel costs to and from each Spa party, and office supplies will be needed for record keeping purchases.* Will I have full control over my business? The answer here is an unequivocal yes. There are no monthly sales quotas, but purchases of $75 wholesale are necessary to remain active. A rep can go inactive periodically without penalties. This attribute gets a 6 rating.* Can I work this business at my own pace? The answer is yes, and this attribute gets a 6 rating.Seven Minor Attributes* How is the product delivered? The products sold at a Spa party are shipped to the hostess for that party and she delivers the products to customers who purchased. This consideration gets a 2 rating.* Does the product/service have an automated delivery capability? Not in the sense that e-Books and software can be delivered immediately as downloads after purchase. Each rep has a web site for customer re-orders and they are shipped to their home address. This consideration gets a 2 rating.* Is the company "On the Net" and E-Commerce enabled? Yes, this consideration gets a 3 rating.* Are you supplied with business tools to make your life easier? Yes, each rep gets a business suite for submitting orders and other tools as well. This attribute gets a 2 rating.* What level of administration is required? Keeping customer records, party records, contact records are required for a rep to be effective, and to earn as much as possible. This attribute gets a 2.* Consider whether you will be ahead of or behind the trends. I don't know the answer for this one, so I am not assigning any number for this consideration.* How great is the potential to make money in this business? It has very good potential, a new rep can earn from $800 to $1,000 in their first month. Downlines can be willed to family heirs. This attribute gets a 3 rating.Total ScoreThe Company has scored a total of 66 points on the 11 major attributes, and 14 points for the 7 minor attributes, yielding a grand total score of 80. This rating approach requires a 90+ for an Excellent rating, 70+ for a Good rating, 50+ for an Average rating, 30+ for a Poor rating, with zip for an opportunity considered to be a scam. Based on this approach, this is a GOOD home business opportunity.

Advice on Performing Online Background Checks

Several popular websites are available for background checks online. A few of the most popular are E-Background Check, U.S. Search, Net Detective Plus and Best People Search. These websites offer a variety of levels of investigation, depending upon the employer’s needs. Some of the information gathered is instant, however for more detailed reports, employers should expect a wait from anywhere between 1 and 7 days. Most of the major background search firms online understand the importance of adhering to the strict laws outlined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The Act prohibits certain information (i.e. bankruptcies over 10 years old, criminal charges without convictions, etc.) from being considered in the pre-employment process. It is important that employers utilize the services of a competent professional who understands the needs and legal obligations of the company.Perform a search in any major search engine for the query “free background check”. You will certainly be overwhelmed with the search results and paid advertisements regarding offers for free background searches. If this is the first time you have attempted to perform a free background check, you may be in for a surprise.Most investigative firms suggest that you outsource the background checks for your company. This generally means that free background checks do not provide the quality information that you need. Free background checks online do not always give the employer accurate or thorough information required by law. While it is true that most people are not trying to hide information from employers, it is those who have a background of avoiding legal action, whether it be child support obligations or criminal action, by moving from state-to-state or even in more extreme cases, falsifying their identities. Because of the easy access to information, it has made the job of ‘con-artists’ even easier. Often times, free backgrounds checks on the Internet are not enough to screen for potential red flags. Other experts in the investigation field recommend using searches in public records if the search is not of the most sensitive nature or is not necessarily one that has to be completed immediately. Websites that claim the too-good-to-be true advertising that they offer completely free background checks, are not being completely honest. An accurate and thorough background investigation takes time, and lots of it. This is the reason that private investigators charge a fee. They have access to databases and other areas that retrieves information about the prospective employee. It is usually in the best interest of the employer to dish out the $25+ in order to: 1.) limit their time spent on endless searches, 2.) to ensure accurate and thorough information and 3.) gain peace-of-mind that their decision to hire the applicant is a sound decision.

Apply For A Credit Card Merchant Account Online

Who should ? Why, you should, of course, if you want to grow your business and maximize sales volume! In this day and age, more and more business functions are moving into cyberspace, which means that business owners must be ready to travel to this relatively unknown domain if they want to maintain strong customer ties and stay a step or two ahead of the competition. Don’t worry if you’re not Web savvy; most online processes that are geared to the general consumer are not hard to perform. In fact, most are downright easy. First, find a lender that you respect that is willing to extend you a credit card merchant account online. This may be the bank where your business interests and accounts currently reside. Or you may choose to shop for another lender with better rates or services. Don’t rush into this decision, however. Plan some time in your schedule to carefully browse the many services offered through a host of financial institutions today. You can browse the Internet by typing in search phrases like “merchant account” or “merchant services” and seeing what Google or your favorite search engine can bring up. Then it becomes a matter of checking out each lender to find the one that will best fit with your business budget or growth objectives. Some companies may seem a little too shady, while others may not have been in business long enough to enjoy a solid reputation. Others may charge a frightful amount for the services you want. Ask around your local business community to see which merchant account providers others are using, and then compare those costs and services with those you find online. You can probably reduce your list to a few of the better underwriters in short order. Then you will need to make the final selection by comparing monthly and annual fees. Applying for a credit card merchant account online is fast and easy. Just click on the lender’s home page link to “application” (or some variation thereof) and follow the links to the application page. Then type the requested information in each blank. Contact the customer service representative if you do not understand a question or if you are unsure how to answer it. Remember to print a copy of the application if you are able to do so, or keep a copy of the confirmation number if one is provided. Often a company will email a verification of your application’s receipt and tell you when to expect a reply. At least print this page, if nothing else, for your records. After applying for a credit card merchant account online, sit back and wait to hear about the decision. Often this arrives within a few days or even hours by email, although some are mailed out by post. When you receive approval and open your merchant account, you can begin to accept credit card payments right away. You will be delighted to see how quickly your profits increase as customers begin taking advantage of this valuable service. Don’t wait—consider applying today for your credit card merchant account online.

Are you Scaring away Potential Customers?

If you are, its costing you sales, says new bookWhen you are trying to make a sale and ask someone to fill out a credit application and new account form, do your potential customers turn around and run to the competition?Author Michelle Dunn, in her new book “Become the Squeaky Wheel,” explains how you can avoid scaring customers away and keep them coming back. First, find out what your competition is doing, do they have a credit policy? If they do, what is included? What does their credit application look like? How many forms do new customers have to fill out? Do they have good paying customers? Look online, a lot of business website will have their credit applications available online.“I am amazed at how much “stuff” people will jam onto their credit applications and new account forms. This alone can scare a potential customer away, especially if they can go down the road and fill out one easy form and have their product or service.” Says Dunn.Consumers get distracted by long forms, especially ones that ask for to much information or are full of legal jargon or long technical terms. Keep your form, short and to the point. Keep the language easy to understand and in laymen terms.

Are You Wealthy Yet?

Here's a real simple way to become wealthy.Marty and his wife live at home with their 2 children. They owna 3 bedroom house in a middle class neighborhood and try to livewithin their means. Marty works full time in the PrintingIndustry, while his wife is in charge of the home and lookingafter the children. They've accumulated some credit card debt and have 2 years lefton a car loan. They try to stay out of debt as much as possibleand together they've managed to contribute a total of $32,000 totheir own Retirement Fund. It is kept in term deposits receiving5% interest annually. Two years prior, the couple bought an older house that theyfixed-up and rent out for $850 a month. After paying themortgage and taxes $300 is left over each month. This goes intotheir savings account each month. At Christmas, the family bought themselves a new computer anddecided to start a home-based business. Things started outfairly slowly but after 8 months they were receiving a steadycheck of $400 a month which also goes into their savingsaccount. This part-time business will continue to grow with theeffort they dedicate to it.This business also offers them some very lucrative tax savings.By taking advantage of these Tax Strategies they are able tosave an additional $300 a month on tax that was normallydeducted from Marty's paycheck at work. This monthly income isalso added to the couple's savings. Marty has just begun writing an E-book about his "productionexpertise" at work. His plan is to market this book on theinternet for profit Every Sunday the couple takes a drive to stay familiar with theReal Estate market in their area. They're looking for anotherproperty, a "handyman's special" to fix-up and rent out. Theyhave saved enough for a down payment and their credit with thebank is well established. The family's total monthly expenses are $2000. Now, here's thequestion:Does Marty's family have Wealth yet?To answer this question properly you first have to understandexactly what "wealth" means.You achieve wealth when: *YourPassive Income is the same or greater than your Expenses.* Sowhat does this mean?First, what is Passive Income? Passive Income is money that you are paid over and over againfor work that you only do once. (This excludes using a gun orfinding cash on the street) Some examples of this would beroyalties for writing a book or a song, commissions that youreceive for sales that others make and interest from banksavings or dividends on stocks/options that you own. Second, what Expenses are we talking about? This one's a littleeasier to understand. Expenses are the total amount it takes torun your household and your life. This includes, rent, mortgagepayments, car insurance, food, credit card and loan payments,etc……… Let's look at Marty's family a little closer…………. Does Martyhave any Passive Income? Yes he does. Marty's salary is notconsidered Passive Income. That's because he has to work 40hours a week just to get the basic amount. If Marty doesn't goto work then he doesn't get paid. His overtime also doesn'tcount as Passive Income. The interest from their Retirement Fund does though. It's paidto him month after month as long as it's left in that account.So, $32,000 at 5% is $1600 a year. Divided by 12 months equals$133 a month in interest. Ok…..what else? After the mortgage and expenses are paid with the rent moneythey receive on their rental property they are left with $300every month. This is Passive Income. Just as long as the tenantstays and pays his monthly rent.How bout that $400 from the home-based business and the Taxsavings. Is this Passive Income? Well, Marty's wife made surethat she chose a company where she could sign new businessaccounts and get paid commissions on those accounts over andover again. They've made a 5 year commitment to build thisbusiness part-time. So yes, both the $400 and the $300 in TaxSavings would apply as Passive Income. Let's add up Marty'stotal Passive Income.Interest $166.00 Rental Income $300.00 Home BasedBusiness$400.00 Tax Savings $300.00 Total $1166.00 Not including Marty's salary from work, his family's PassiveIncome is $1166.00. Not bad. Every month this amount flows intothe family's bank account, regardless of anything else they do. We said that Marty's monthly expenses total $2000.00 a month.And we also said………… You have Wealth when: *Your Passive Incomeis the same or greater than your Expenses.* $2000 Expenses subtract $1166 Passive Income = $834 monthlybalance needed to have Wealth. Marty's Expenses are still more than their Passive Income sothey're not wealthy just yet. But they're well over half-waythere. With this kind of knowledge a family can know exactlywhere to focus their financial attention. Maybe when Marty writes that ebook he could get some sales androyalties from it. Also the new Real Estate and more work ontheir Home-based business would certainly help them to attainmore Passive Income. Once Marty's Passive Income is more thanthe family's Expenses then Marty could start to have much morefreedom. He may even choose to quit his job and continuedeveloping his Passive Income streams.Take a look at your own finances. What are your monthlyexpenses? Do you have more Passive Income than your Expenses? Ifyou do Congratulations. You're Wealthy!!! If you don't. It'stime to get started and start adding Passive Income from otherareas as soon as possible.When you truly understand this principle, you'll be well on yourway to becoming wealthy.

Asset and liability basics

Knowledge of accounts can make life much easy. If you are to invest in a new business or joining your forefather’s business, planning to take some loan, looking for job in any marketing company, desire to be the manager of a multinational company or have the onus to manage your own assets and liabilities, knowing some basics of accounts becomes mandatory. Broadly, accounting is bifurcated into two categories-Cash Bases AccountingAccrual AccountingThe Cash Based accounting pertains to the management of an individual’s personal monetary transactions. In this case, he keeps a track of the money he withdrew, deposited, gave or received from someone etc. This accounting comes to life when actual cash transactions take place.The Accrual Accounting requires an accountant who notes the transactions even if no money has been actually exchanged. This method works on the principle of comparing or seeing the ratio of the expenses to expenditure. If the expenditure is more, you need to cut down your luxuries, if not then it’s always good to have some savings for future. This type of accounting tells you the amount that you owed; this might not match with the figure of your bank balance. In the language of accounting there are several key terms that one needs to be familiar with. Some of the crucial ones are discussed below-The Assets- the assets are generally those possessions of an individual that have a good market value or are quite valuable. Assets are mainly classified into three types-Current Asset- the cash is the most basic asset of any individual. The money that is being held in accounts like the checking and savings accounts is also included in the cash. Also inclusive are the marketable securities in the form of bonds, stocks, shares etc. The money lent or payments due from clients, even form a part of it.Fixed Asset- comprises of all the tangible valuable things like property, machines, equipments, land and the like that are not meant to be sold.Intangible Asset- incorporates all the untouchable things like copyrights, patents, trademarks etc. that have tremendous monetary significance.The law of opposites governs the nature; where there are assets, there will be liabilities. These are the debts that you have to pay back to your creditors. This can be done through giving cash or any other asset like jewelry, some other goods etc. Liabilities again are of two kinds- 1. The Current Liabilities- the liabilities that are to be paid back within a certain time limit and most often through your current assets. These include the accounts payable i.e. type of bill that you have to monthly, the Notes Payable-loans taken from banks meant to be repaid within 30 days and the Accrued Expenses- the compulsory expenses like taxes, wages, interests etc. where the bills are not received but the balances of each must be repaid.2. Long Term Liabilities- those debts that can be repaid at ease for the tenure is more then a month. The Financial Capital- is the economic capital. It is any liquid medium or merchandise that stands for wealth or other styles or capital. There are four ways to manage and display the financial capital. First, this capital is needed when a contract is made with any sort of capital asset. The financial instruments work in the form of currency in case of sale, purchase or trade of goods i.e. the medium exchanges. Second, it works as a settled medium or mode like gold for the Standard of Deferred Payment. Third, The Unit of Account has a market value attached to it which in turn varies with the economy of the country. Fourth, The Source of Value is concerned with financial capital that needs to be saved and recovered. It is a collection of things like gold, real estate, collectibles etc.Petty Cash is an important factor in business. It is the smallest account within a business setting or the cash in bills and coinage required to pay little expenses. Types of Business- there are several kinds of business one should be aware of like Sole proprietorship- where a single individual who starts the business owns it too.Partnerships- the companies or businesses started by two or more persons where they conjointly own it.Corporations- involve lot many shareholders or investors who are responsible in taking decisions for the company.Limited Liability Companies- can be said to be sisters of corporations. Here the business members are not under a legal obligation to pay the debts if the business fails. Payrolls- the term payroll designates the manner in which you will be paying the employees of your company and even yourself. Many multinational companies cater to payroll service provider companies that do the work quite efficiently.These are some of the broad guidelines that will help you grasp the basics of accounting. It is essential to have some such wisdom for accounts as it is fruitful in all walks of life.

BAD CREDIT PERSONAL LOANS

At some point during most peoples' lives there comes a time when borrowing money is the only option. This may be to buy a house, a car, for home improvements or simply to consolidate debts. Persuading financial organizations to lend money, especially large amounts, is easier for some customers than others. Those who find borrowing particularly difficult are people with a bad credit history. Bad credit includes County Court Judgments (CCJS), decrees and past credit history problems. However, not all is lost is for people with bad credit, for they can avail bad credit personal loans. Never hear of it! Do not worry; we will tell all about bad credit personal loans. A bad credit personal loan is like any other personal loan that one might have availed of in the past. The only difference is that it is for those people who have a bad credit, or in simpler terms, people with a bad ‘credit history'. There are numerous lenders who are ready to give a personal loan if one has a bad credit history. These lenders however, usually require the customer to own their own home as protection or mortgage. Repayments are calculated depending on the amount of money required and the length of time the loan would be required for. For example, the longer the loan is borrowed for the smaller the payments are, but the more interest the customer will pay. It is therefore essential, as the home is used as a guarantee, that the borrower is certain that the repayments can be met before an agreement is made. Some lenders may consider one's credit rating through agencies before sanctioning a personal loan but that in most cases is a formality. Do not forget that they are there to give loan to people with bad credits only. However, if one has a very bad and unimpressive record in the past, he may be refused but that happens in only exceptional cases and surely, he can get his loan from some other lender. Rate of interests in bad credit personal loans may be high at times because they are being given to someone with a bad credit. That is the only disadvantage of otherwise a life-saving loan for many. On the whole, bad credit personal loan is a boon in disguise for people with bad credit and may do wonders for them by rejuvenating their businesses or consolidating debts.

Banking Software: Do You Need It?

Whether you are considering the purchase of banking software for your personal use or for your business use, there are many reasons to consider this type of software. For one, you will reap many rewards. For another, it will relieve much work from your shoulders. But, do you need a banking software? You probably do not need a banking software if you maintain your checkbook accurately. You probably do not need it if you know how much you are spending on your various expenses each month. You also probably do not need it if you know how much of your income is going towards savings. But, then again, are any of us good at this type of organization? Banking software really can help you manage your everyday and monthly expenses. It can help you to know what is happening in each function of your business as well. Who are you paying and how much are you paying them? What is your income to spending ratio? Are you saving enough? Are you investing well? These things are all things that a banking software can help you to manage. Many banking software options allow you to connect right to the web so that your daily information can be downloaded and managed. No more balancing a check book when you can use the software instead. In fact, it will do that for you. Another nice feature about a banking software is that it will allow you never miss another deadline for bills again. This is a great option because it allows you to know when you need to send out a payment so that you don?t have to deal with missing payments, late fees or even worse, bad credit reporting. Banking software is exceptional when it comes to business use as well. It can organize just about any type of solution that you need it to and allow you to excel in your businesses' overall plans. Consider a banking software for all of your needs.

Bankruptcy 101

‘Bankruptcy’ the term that can raise the goose bumps of almost every individual who hears it and even a nervous breakdown to those who confront it. Bankruptcy stands for the situation when a person runs into huge debts and there is hardly any money left with him to repay those debts. The clouds of bankrupt situation can hover over anybody’s life be it a successful business man who has never ever fathomed it or any greenhorn entrepreneur who had thought of going a long way ahead. There are several reasons behind this insolvency-Indebtedness-people usually take big loans from the banks and private companies in order to run successfully their business or company. However, since the economy is constantly fluctuating, one might not be able to incur expected results or profits. So, the loan debt with interest rates gets piling on. The loan can also be taken to pay off a bill that you missed paying. The loan is taken instantly in this case without an assessment of the interest rates. This can be cause snags later.The credit card bills are also a source of trouble. They are charged with good interest and at the end of the month when the expenditure has chewed your month’s income; the credit card bill can make you bite the dust. In the world today where fraud and betrayals are considered to be the bets virtues, any partner or shareholder or director might connive to pitch the company or business to bankruptcy. Here the reasons can be mutual squabbles and vengeance.Gradual denouncement from the market- the commodity you sell today at price X, may be sold tomorrow by some other company at a much cheaper price Y. This can oust or eject your product from the market replacing it with a relatively cheaper one. However, where there is a will, there is definitely a way. Just as there are two sides of a coin, there are two aspects attached to everything. When you glare at the negative side of the situation, its positive aspect is lurking behind according to which bankruptcy can be seen a situation that provides you a golden chance to start things afresh. This is done by filing your application for bankruptcy, in a way seeking help from the government to help you overcome the disaster. Once you forward your application and it is accepted, the government repays most of your debts. This becomes possible by taking hold of your assets and dividing them amongst the creditors in an organized manner. But the debts that are associated with embezzlement or those huge ones that cannot be covered up via one’s assets can be problematic. In case of businesses filing for bankruptcy, certain procedure has to be followed up. Besides this there are a few debt consolidation services that advertise themselves through television, print media etc. Debt consolidation signifies using a loan provided by that service to repay other debts. This loan is comparatively at a lower rate of interest and it often becomes easier for many to repay one loan instead of five to six ones. In any case, if you are seeking financial aid from the government, banks, services etc., there stands the barrier of qualification. It is that you should be able to prove the service or the bank that your case is authentic and not a fraud. In order to escape future troubles, the government has formulated strict laws and eligibility criterion in this area. However, in any case it is better to seek the advice of an advisor before seeking help to make up your crisis. This will not just educate you about all the related terms and conditions but also the possible legal and financial consequences. Just keep in mind that help always comes to those who are look for it with a true heart.

Basic Steps for Home Business Success

When you make the decision to earn income from the internet you will need to go through a set up process to be ready for your home business. Following are the basic steps in setting up for home business success. 1. Attitude The key to your home business success is your attitude. Treat your home business like a business. This is critical whether you are working part-time or full-time. One of my colleagues is a mother who works from home around her family. She has always put her family first whilst at the same time developing her home business. She says, "I work part-time, but I have a full-time attitude." Put another way, "If you have a hobby attitude you will have a hobby income, if you have a home business attitude you will have a home business income." You can be successful working part-time and you can be successful working full-time but it is highly unlikely that you will be successful working in your "spare time". 2. Working Environment A space that you can call your own, free from distractions for your scheduled time. A comfortable chair and organized desk. Stationery supplies as required. For example: - pens - highlighters - stapler - hole punch - sticky tape - note book(s) - a simple filing system - ring binders - manilla folders Consider the value of a broadband connection. Your time is valuable and a broadband connection can allow you to get more done in a given time frame. 3. Schedule Develop a schedule that works for you, your family (or "significant others") and your home business. When you allot a block of time for work then use that time for work. Equally important is to schedule time for your other commitments - family time, self education ( reading, listening and viewing), "health time" (exercise, cooking and eating), and leisure time. During these other times don't work. After all if one of the reasons to work from home is to spend more time with your family then you don't want your working at home time to consume your family time. You are working for yourself and your schedule (by your choice) is your "boss". When you have people calling you or dropping around unexpectedly or maybe out-of-town visitors may want to catch up with you then you need to make a choice. Are you committed to your own home business success? What will be your choice in these situations? Only you can decide what is important to you. In a family environment you may need to negotiate with your partner and children to have your home business time agreed upon, during which you will not be interrupted. Put this schedule prominently somewhere so all family members are aware of your work schedule. 4. Describe Your Home Business Be able to describe your home business concisely; a powerful one or two sentence description that someone can repeat in describing your home business to others. A unique and memorable tag line can also be invaluable for promoting your home business. 5. Know Your Product or Service Once you have selected your product or service to sell, it may or may not be something that you use yourself but you need to know your product intimately. If you are selling ebooks then know the content and its value. If you are selling software then use it know it "inside out". You will develop a reputation of providing quality information and because of your product knowledge you can become the preferred supplier. It is not practical to use certain products (for example a woman may choose to sell man's shoes or vice versa) in which case the seller won't be a product user, however the seller can still know the benefits and features of the product intimately. 6. Administration Use good record keeping practices. This may involve a consultation with a tax advisor who can let you know about the optimal way to set up your financial records and what records need to be kept. Your advisor will also recommend record keeping systems and you can find out what software may simplify this aspect of your home business. Additionally your obtain advice on the best arrangement for your bank accounts. You will most likely be advised to have a separate bank account. You will also need to keep track of your various logins, usernames and passwords. A very handy little software tool for this is Treepad available as either the free Lite version (without password protection) or the commercial Plus or Biz versions. http://www.treepad.com There are other useful tools for this also from a simple paper notebook to free and commercial password keepers. One popular solution is Roboform that will remember your login details and can automatically fill out your login and other registration forms. http://www.roboform.com 7. Computer Protection Your computer is the lifeline to your home business dealings and must be protected including the data that is stored. You need a virus scanner, personal firewall, anti-spyware and anti-adware and preferably an email scanner with the ability to delete suspect of spam email from the server before it is downloaded to your computer. Some suggestions are: AVG Anti-Virus: http://www.grisoft.com Spybot S&D: http://www.safer-networking.org Microsoft Anti-Spyware: www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx Adaware: http://www.lavasoft.com/ Mailwasher Email Scanner: http://www.mailwasher.net 8. A Domain Name You will most likely need a domain name for your home business and one cost effective registrar is GoDaddy, http://www.godaddy.com. 9. Payment Processing You will need a way to process credit cards; that may be using services such as: - PayPal https://www.paypal.com - Storm Pay http://www.stormpay.com - 2 Checkout http://www.2checkout.com - Clickbank http://www.clickbank.com or others. This is the most economical way to get started. Once your home business picks up you may need to look into your own merchant account for credit card transactions. Consideration may also be given to other forms of online currency such as eGold http://www.egold.com 10. Email accounts Once you have your own domain you can use an associated email account. This can further assist in the promotion of your home business and promotes a more professional business image. As a final comment on continuing in your internet home business, conduct your home business ethically, provide extraordinary service and be proud to put your name to the products or services that you are selling and you will be on track to developing a sustainable long term internet home business.

Building High Performance Teams

Your managerial success is tied to your team. Teams are the most valuable resource of an organization. The times of lone leadership are over with Alexander the Great. These are the times of the team leadership. If you can build a successful team and work as the leader who is just a little more equal than others you may be able to pull off everything you do with great success.Successful team building requires a lot of focus and effort. Here are a few tips to build teams that are effective and deliver results.Define the Objectives: Does the team members understand clearly the expectations from them? Have the performance challenges clearly been defined? Do they know what the expected outcomes are? If there is a misunderstanding on the results expected from each member as well as that of the team, you may as well write off the team. Great Team + Challenging Objective = Extraordinary Results.Define the vision: The teams realize that they may be able to survive only by delivering the bottom line results. However they need something more than the key results defined to them. They need a vision, something higher than profits and results. A higher ideal fires up the team’s creativity and passion.Empower to Create Ownership: Empower your team to be independent decision makers to accomplish tasks and team objectives while defining their boundaries. Empowered teams and members carry out its objectives faster as they do not need to wait for the leader to decide for them. Empowered teams own up their responsibility.Train, Train and Train Some More: A leader has a large stake in the success of each team member. Members of teams require different skills and the leader needs to be a trainer rather than a driver. Identify skill gaps in soft as well as areas of expertise and keep training them to produce better results.Fostering Right Interpersonal Relationships: Make the team understand that there would be differences. Difference in gender, culture, thought process and approach to work symbolizes the dynamic and diverse members who have come together to achieve common goals. Respecting the difference and valuing others experience and thoughts enable the team to function with the right relationships.Rewards and Compensation: As they say, first share the cash then the compliments. Everyone talks about the value and benefits of team work. However benefits to individuals must be clear along with the benefits to the organization. Set down the right monetary rewards and incentives for so that the achievement and benefits for the individuals and organization are balanced.Lead by Example: A leader always leads from the front. Set example of discipline, performance orientation putting aside personal ego to the team’s superiority. Give credit to the others even though you may have contributed more. This nurtures the right team atmosphere and spirit of togetherness.Celebrate Success: Finally don’t forget to celebrate success. It must become a habit to celebrate every achievement though small they may be. Constant celebration boosts the team morale driving it to perform at higher levels and aim for bigger achievements.Many of the business cultures and managements celebrate the lone hero leadership much more than the team leaderships. In the modern interdependent world it is the teams within the organizations and multiple teams all collaborating and contributing to the common corporate objectives that really differentiate the dynamic growing organizations from the lone cowboy leaderships that may collapse the moment the leader is not available to lead.