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Showing posts with label finance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label finance. Show all posts

Forex Online Currency Trading


A lot of people are surprised to find out just how easy it is to learn even the basics in relation to Forex online currency trading. You will be surprised just how quickly you can actually start to make a profit through this type of trading, but at the end of the day this will depend a lot on which type of trader are you. Through this article I will be explaining just how easy it is to learn about the basics of forex online currency trading and how easy it is to make a profit.

Certainly if you are someone who is looking to invest some money in order to make a little extra income then Forex currency trading may be what you should be thinking of. However it is vital that you first learn a little bit more about Forex online trading before you do. There are literally hundreds of sites on the internet which can provide you with tips and courses on how to make money from Forex trading.

There are a number of different tutorials now available online which can help explain everything a person needs to know about the Forex market and is ideal for the complete novice. These tutorials will show a person how the Forex market works, what is a Forex technical indicator, plus the types of economic indicators that a trader should be aware of when trading in Forex. Plus there are a number of different Forex trading systems now readily available for people to try and use which will help to make their Forex online currency trading much more successful.

What is extremely important if you really are interested in getting involved in Forex trading is that you do some training first. Forex currency trading is not something a person should dabble in without learning everything that they can about the subject. Certainly, you should depend on luck or based on someone's insider tips as well.

The great thing about many of the Forex online currency trading courses that are now available is that those running them understand what an enormous risk someone is taking getting involved in this type of trading. The people running these courses have made it extremely easy for those who want to learn as they offer their members free training, free demonstrations as well as tutorials and simulations of Forex trading accounts. The great thing about these simulations is that you can try them out without actually placing any of your money in to them and will help you learn the basics of Forex currency trading. Actually finding a course or tutorial is extremely simple all you need to do is key in "Forex currency trading online courses" and you will be amazed at the results that appear.

Article Source: http://www.articlecat.com

Tips for Buying and Selling Furniture


The need for buying furniture does not necessarily and only arise when you are redecorating or remodeling your home. Very often you want to buy an extra piece of furniture to fill an empty corner of your bedroom, a bookcase to house your books or simply a colorful rug to liven up the study.

The need for buying furniture does not necessarily and only arise when you are redecorating or remodeling your home. Very often you want to buy an extra piece of furniture to fill an empty corner of your bedroom, a bookcase to house your books or simply a colorful rug to liven up the study. Sometimes, just walking down the street, along a row of shops or even when passing a garage store, you might spot a piece of furniture that you feel will be perfect for your home.

It is also not essential that all furniture needs to be expensive or be bought from a high-end store. Sometimes, individuals can find great pieces of used furniture for lower costs at garage sales and furniture auctions. Sometimes, individuals can also buy new furniture for less at furniture outlets and furniture wholesalers or used furniture at discounted prices.

The best way for a person to start buying used furniture or even selling used furniture is to look at the local newspaper listings. Usually, listings of garage sales as well as furniture sales will be advertised in community newspapers. At these places, individuals can buy and sell used furniture for much less. Local craft stores and charity resale stores also sell used furniture at affordable prices.

Tips for buying used furniture:
People buying used furniture should expect some amount of wear and tear as well as dust and scratches on their furniture. While buying a used dining room set, each chair should be sat on and individually examined. Sometime used furniture tends to become rickety and the joints may be broken. You should know the size and dimensions of the furniture you are looking for. While buying a piece of used furniture, one must examine every corner of the furniture thoroughly.

Even though it is used furniture, you should request for some sort of guarantee. People who are looking to buy cheap furniture but do not want to buy used furniture, can wait for the time furniture stores go on sale and offer furniture at discounted prices and also Big Lots Furniture. There are several online websites that you can used to buy and sell used furniture as well.

Guide to Tipping


Take a taxi anywhere in South America, and rounding the fare up to the next dollar amount is sufficient as a tip. If you're in an African city such as Cape Town or Nairobi, however, you need to tip 10% for a cab ride.

Going to India? Taking a taxi here means there is no need for gratuity at all.

While even the savviest globetrotter might be in the know about the best places to dine and the hippest hotels to stay at, knowing what to tip and when can be downright confounding.

"Gratuity etiquette perplexes even the most experienced travelers," says Misty Ewing, director of public relations at Virtuoso, a luxury travel network that has travel consultants and ground operators in more than 70 countries. "Everyone has a different interpretation of what's expected and acceptable when showing your gratitude; too much or too little can offend."

At a luxury hotel in Japan, for example, if you try to tip anyone from the wait staff at a top restaurant to the hotel concierge, your gesture will be perceived as a rude and flagrant show of wealth. On the other hand, if you skimp on tipping at any restaurant in the United States or to a concierge who has helped fulfill multiple requests, you probably won't be welcome again.

Top Tips
While these conventions can leave travelers scratching their heads, experts say that there are a few basic rules of thumb to following about tipping.

"In most places around the world, it's better to give something than nothing--so if you're ever in doubt, tip," says Erica Duecy, editor of restaurants and hotels at Fodor's travel publications. "And in many cases, tipping customs can be broken down by area of the world, so what you're supposed to tip isn't going to vary too much from country to country in that region."

In most countries in Europe, for instance, the service charge is included in the meal; it's customary to add another 5% to 10% for gratuity, especially in high-end restaurants. If no service charge is included, add 15% to the total bill. For taxis, 10% is the right amount to tip, and for hotel porters, give the equivalent of $2 per bag.

Experts agree that when it comes to the concierge at your hotel anywhere in the world, you don't need to tip for advice such as what sights to see; but you should always acknowledge service. In Europe, $2 is enough for each simple request the concierge fulfills, such as arranging airport pickup or making restaurant reservations. If your concierge is performing special tasks, such as arranging an after-hours tour of the Louvre, it's appropriate to tip $30 or more, depending on the difficulty of your request.

Accepted in Asia
Asia is one part of the world that has slightly different tipping customs for each country.

In Japan, tipping is an insult in any situation; but in China, giving 3% is expected at restaurants, while in Hong Kong, 10% to 15% is the norm if the gratuity isn't included in the bill. For taxis, you don't need to tip in China, but in Hong Kong, you should round the fare up to the next dollar amount.

In both China and Hong Kong, you should give hotel porters $2 to $3 per bag, especially at luxury properties, while $3 to $5 is a good amount for basic requests you ask of the concierge. You should incrementally increase this amount based on the complexity of your request.

What to Do Stateside
It's not always obvious what you need to tip in the U.S. While it's standard to tip 15% at restaurants, if you're enjoying a meal at an upscale spot such as the French Laundry in Napa Valley, it's expected that you'll tip at least 20%.

For taxis in cities such as New York City or Chicago, you should tip 15%, but in smaller cities or towns, you simply need to round up the fare to the next dollar amount. When you check into a hotel, you should give the porter $1 for each of your bags, but if you're staying at an upscale property such as the Four Seasons or the Ritz-Carlton, $2 to $5 per bag is more appropriate. Give on the higher end for especially heavy bags.

When it comes to the hotel concierge, give $3 to $5 for a basic service, such as arranging airport transportation. If the concierge fulfills a more difficult request, like getting you a last-minute 8 p.m. table at a restaurant that is typically booked weeks in advance, it's not uncommon to shell out $20 and up.

Follow these rules, and chances are you'll be less likely to be tripped up while traipsing around.

Original source here

Top Tips For Buying a TV


I want a larger screen and so do you. There is absolutely no reason for this wanting except for the feeling of power that a large screen gives you. I have no idea why it is, but we all seem to want a larger screen for our TVs these days. The question is, how to get a good deal on an LCD TV without paying a fortune. Let’s give you our top 3 tips on buying an LCD TV.

1) Don’t buy a used one if you don’t have to. The funny thing about these TVs is that their prices drop significantly every month and that if you just wait a little longer, the price you’ll pay for a new TV is probably not going to be too far off from the price that you are going to pay for a used one. A little patience might actually save you some dollars here.

2) Compare features, not just prices. One of our favorite places to go to compare prices on LCD Tvs is ConsumerReports.org. Consumer Reports was rating different items way before the internet even become popular. Remember buying your first real car? I do. And I went straight to Consumer Reports to find out that the Honda Accord was the car to buy (and still is according to CR). Shopping for a high end LCD Tv shouldn’t be any different than shopping for a new car. All the resources are at your disposal, so give it a try. I’m sure you can find some gems of information at CR regarding your LCD Tv purchase.

3) Don't buy without HD. High definition television has allegedly been “right around the corner” for years. Well, that time may finally have arrived. Some LCD Tvs come HD ready and some do not. Make sure your new LCD TV supports HD so that when it is finally popularized, you can watch the programs utilizing this latest technology.

And by the way, why would someone want to buy an LCD TV over a “Plasma”. And what is a plasma? Are they different than LCDs? Basically yes. The big difference is that they use different technologies to deliver a picture. Both have pros and cons. However, both deliver a large screen experience to the user.

How do I choose a good Insurance Company?


It’s easy to see which company is least expensive, but when you need them to cover a claim, what kind of job will they do? To put it another way, which is the most reliable insurance company?

Here’s some quick tips to help you choose the right insurance company for you.
1. Visit your state's department of insurance and check consumer complaint ratios and basic rate comparison surveys.
2. Get in touch with local body medical practitioners you trust and ask which insurance companies they recommend.
3. Consider contacting an insurance agent for additional information about a particular insurance company.
4. Check out the financial strength ratings for an insurance company by referring to the A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's ratings.

There’s so much to think about when looking for the right insurance company; we’ve already found the best links below to help you get the right information fast.

The right information can go a long way when you're shopping for car insurance. You can shop for car insurance either online or face to face with a car insurance agent.

Some companies that sell car insurance policies online, as well as the companies that sell car insurance policies traditionally, can make independent decisions about the expenses they incur and the prices of their products. So you might not necessarily get the same quote with the one company either.

When you complete a quote make sure the car insurance company only collects information necessary to provide accurate car insurance quotes. And ensure the information is limited to people involved in processing this information for sales, customer service or claims service.
Also for coverage purposes, sometimes all family members of driving age who are residents of your household might need to be listed on your car insurance policy to protect both you and the insurer. So don’t forget to ask and make sure everyone is either covered or excluded.
What is the car insurance definition of an accident?

Accidents include at-fault, not-at-fault, reported and unreported collisions that you, as the driver, were involved in. Not at fault occurrences in which your parked vehicle was damaged in a collision also are considered accidents.

Tips on Avoiding Home Business Failures


It’s been said that 80% of all small business dies within the first 3 years. And the rest are somehow struggling along with meager revenues. Only a handful is successful. Home based business has an even shorter lifespan. Every enthusiastic home based venture starts out with a big promise, a lot of excitement and enthusiasm.

However at the first signs of trouble or a slow take off the people become panicky. Having been accustomed to regular pay check, when the money does not roll in week after week and the bank balance hits the low digits, there is a sense of panic and the exciting home business gets trashed.

My own experience tells me this happens just when you are through with organizing, setting up and the difficult transition period of reaching out to the customers, you decide to wind up the business in favor of a job.

Now here are a few tips to persevere and make a success of your home business.

Plan in advance your finances for running your family for a minimum period of 6 months.

Plan every aspect of your business – right from creating the product to final shipments - on paper. Don’t leave out anything. This is what is called a business plan. Make it elaborate and group each aspect under a heading and subheading.

Home workers need to set a disciplined work schedule. Having no bosses around or compulsions of commuting may make you take things easy and relaxed. At least for the first 6 month work as if you are in employment and put in the required hours. You can relax and cut down on working hours when you start earning enough.

Don’t procrastinate or put things off for tomorrow. Action is one major ingredient for success. If you need to do something do it today. Do it now.

It is essential to keep your motivation high. Read about the success of other small business and home business owners and learn what they did right. Duplicating someone else who has succeeded makes it easy to succeed yourself.

You may suddenly find yourself alone without the social support of colleagues and friends. Even persons you considered your best friends may avoid you if they feel you are in trouble. That is OK. You get to know who’s who in times of adversity. Learn to depend on yourself than outside support.

Be prepared to take the temporary pain and denials. Robert Kiyosaki of ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ fame and his wife slept in their car for a few months and lived in a basement of a friends house for many more months to achieve what they set out - their financial freedom.

Believe in yourself and keep going even if the going gets tough. The rewards far outweigh the pains and temporary sufferings. Remember the darkest hour is just before the dawn breaks out and sun rises.

About the author:
R.G. Srinivasan is a Managerial professional, Writer and Author.
http://www.home-businessresources.blogspot.com

Ten Basic Principles to Successful Investing


Here are a couple of key points to help you to invest.

1. Do your own research.
Collect and study as much information as you can about the company and investment before making your decisions. A good approach is to analyze a company’s investment prospectus. The investment prospectus is a written document that outlines the data relevant to the investment offered for sale. It includes a summary of the company’s business history, financial data showing assets and liability, past performance figures, fees that an investor will need to pay and a description of the company’s operations.

Another way is to study a company’s annual or quarterly reports. Some of their reports are available from their websites. If they are not available, you can always request for the company to post them to you as most of the companies do not charge a fee to prospective investors.

By reading the prospectus, reports and other important information you know what you are investing your money in and what to expect from your investment.

2. Prepare a strategy.
It is important to plan a strategy before you start investing. You should know which stock you are going to buy, when to buy it, its selling price and for how long will you hold the shares. Try to follow the principles of your strategy and not change it every day.

3. Don’t trade with money you cannot afford to lose.
Don’t invest with money that is supposed to be used for important aspects in your life such as money to pay for bills, mortgage, loans, or tuition fees. This means that you will be trading based on your emotions and feelings of fear. It will then be wise to adopt a more conservative approach to investing.

4. Diversify your investments.
Diversification can help reduce your investment risk. It is a good idea not to invest all your money in one stock. It is tempting to do so especially when you have found a hot stock but remember choose wisely as the odds might be against you.

It is also a good idea to invest in a couple of stocks from different industries and not just concentrate on one particular industry. Select industries that have shown growing and strong demand in the market.

Stocks may be a fantastic investment but there are many different asset classes in the market. Choose among bonds, mutual funds, treasury securities, real estate for your investment portfolio to complement it and protect you against the risk of significant loss.

5. Purchase stocks that you understand.
Identify your limitations and only invest in companies that you understand. You must be able to understand how these companies make their money and hence be able to make reasonable assumptions in forecasting their future performance. Many investors make the mistake of investing in a stock that they do not understand just because they fear missing out on a hot stock. The key is to avoid the lure of an attractive industry unless you really know the economics of that industry. By recognizing your strengths and weaknesses, you are able to prevent making major investment mistakes.

6. Market indicators
To help you follow the progress of a stock you have bought or are thinking of buying, it is a good to know how to read stock tables. However, if you are interested in tracking the progress of the market as a whole, market indicators will let you know how strong the markets are in general terms. To better understand this, you will want to take a look at a stock market index which is a listing of stock and a statistic reflecting the composite value of its components.

7. Read and understand price quotations
By reading price quotations in daily newspapers, on television or on the Internet, investors can keep track of the changes in prices of their investment. Investors will need to know a history of the investment’s prices and not just its current price. By understanding this, investors will be able to follow their investment without the help of a stockbroker or adviser.

8. Avoid buying stocks just because they have gone up.
It is unwise to rush into purchasing stocks that have gone up just because your friends tell you how much they’ve made on a stock. Often, momentums in stock prices attract investors who quickly purchase without doing any research on their own about the stock.

9. Choose companies with new styles, ideas and products or services.
Stocks that are the best to invest in are those that have something new to offer. Something new does not necessarily mean that it needs to be a high tech product or service.

10. Do a post-analysis of all your trades.
By posting on a daily chart of where you bought and sold your stock, which stocks you made money from compared to the stocks you lost money on, you will be able to evaluate and identify your mistakes and learn to become a better investor.

Get relief from Credit Card debt


Credit card debt relief is what every debt-struck credit card holder is looking for. Credit card debt relief is not just about reducing or eliminating credit card debt; credit card debt relief is also about getting de-stressed. Credit card debt relief is about working for oneself and not just for the credit card debt that you have on you. Yes, it’s unfortunate but true. In fact, you can hear statements like “I have got a better job, now I can pack up my credit card debt even faster”. So, in that sense, credit card debt relief is really about getting your life back on the normal track.

The most important credit card debt relief comes in the form of de-stressing you. Everyone knows about the harmful effects of stress; so, if credit card debt relief means postponing your purchases for later, you should do so. There are no goods out there that can give you as much joy as credit card debt relief can. Besides postponing the purchase of your favourite goods, there are few more things that you need to bring into practice in order to get credit card debt relief.

Most of these credit card debt relief mechanisms advocate restraint spending e.g. preparing a (tight) monthly budget and sticking to it. Using cash instead of card for making the payments for your purchases is another advice. Debt consolidation is another popular way of getting credit card debt relief. You will find a lot of advice (and you can even hire a consultant) for ways to achieving credit card debt relief. So, there is no dearth of advice on credit card debt relief or credit card debt consolidation or credit card debt elimination. However, what is not so common is the advice on how to act in the post ‘credit card debt relief’ period i.e. after credit card debt elimination. It goes without saying that if you don’t exercise care in the post ‘credit card debt relief’ period, you might again fall a prey to credit card debt. So, if you have been refraining from making purchases, you should not, all of a sudden, start purchasing all those favourite goods that you had been avoiding. The recommended guidelines for post ‘credit card debt relief’ period are not much different from the ones for achieving credit card debt relief.

Here are the top 5:
1. Plan your expenses using a monthly budget
2. Do not buy anything that you don’t need
3. Do not go for too many credit cards (just one or two should be sufficient)
4. Always make full payments of your credit card bill and do it before the due date
5. Never use more than 60-70% of the credit limit available to you.