How to Develop a Sound Investment Plan

February 21, 2023 Category :Telemarketing Off

Every person reading this article will be living, working and investing in different circumstances, with mind boggling possibilities for variation.

For example:

One person may have a full time job, but invests part time;
Another may run a small business, with investment on the side;
Yet another may invest full time, as a business.

However, very few of us get to start full time investing right away – we just don’t have the capital. So, what to do? You need to develop your own long term Investment Plan – one that will allow you make changes in your circumstances and lifestyle. Every plan must be different, and your plan needs to be flexible. Here are some principles that you can use to develop your own plan:

Don’t quit your day job until you have built up sufficient capital to weather the inevitable draw downs that every investor has to go through. Don’t live in the stupidly false hope that it won’t happen to you – it will! Take this as a given, and plan for it!
Start with a relatively low risk, but steady investment strategy (like selling options). Save the windmills (like buying options) for when you have the time to really focus on your investments. Once you have built up your capital with a relatively safe (and boring) strategy, start branching out into more fun stuff!
Diversify your investments, at several levels. Invest in different types of investment vehicles like stocks, bonds, CDs, mutual funds and dividend earners. Use different investment strategies, in ways that match your lifestyle, time allocation and risk tolerance. Consider long term position trading, momentum trading, swing trading, selling options (like credit spreads and naked puts), buying options (buying puts and calls or Deep-in-the-money options). Allocate your portfolio to different TYPES of investments and different STRATEGIES of investment.
Add an extra leg to your income generating efforts. If you have a full time job, then start a small business on the side – one that can run itself once you have set it up. Unless you really need this money, use the income from this business as seed money for your investment portfolio.
Don’t get obsessed with investing. Invest for a purpose, not just to get rich. Use the money to GET A LIFE – preferably with your family. The classics are too full of stories and histories of people who end up hugely rich, but divorced, abandoned by their children, rejected by their friends… and so on. Investing can swallow a person up, and unless you keep a large perspective, you can drown.
GET OUT OF DEBT! Why pay interest to someone else, when you could be investing that money. I am talking about all kinds of debt….credit card, mortgage…everything! Add up all the interest that you have paid this year, then work out how rich you would be if you had taken that money (instead of making someone else fat) and invested it in plan that gave you a good return. The result will shock you!
Be generous!!! History shows that generous people are always much better off and much happier than the other kind.

Are We Ruled by Our Astrological Sign Traits – How Important is the Zodiac in Controlling Our Lives

January 20, 2023 Category :Industrial Goods & Services| Mental Health Off

Are you someone that grabs the newspaper to read the astrology section before any other part of the newspaper? Do you feel that your fate and decisions are all determined by your astrological constitution?

Your astrological sign is a very important factor in your interactions with others, career decisions and romance but it is good to keep in mind that we aren’t just ruled by this. We can understand our tendencies and then make intelligent decisions after viewing our habitual patterns and typical responses.

Also there are different levels of each sign. For instance, a Leo can be very loving and generous. However, other tendencies can be that the Leo may not be tolerant and can be dominating. By knowing these tendencies, you can cultivate the higher qualities and work on being conscious of the darker side of your personality.

This is also important in understanding the health concerns that can arise for each sign. For instance, back pain and heart issues can arise for the Leo. By being conscious of one’s tendency to be too generous at times, the Leo can be aware of the tendency to over extend and this can help stop actions that may lead to both being taken advantage of as well as to heart or back problems that can be reactions to doing too much for others and forgetting oneself. You do not have to be determined by your astrological traits but can creatively use these tendencies with consciousness rather than just living out a knee-jerk reaction. Learn about the higher characteristics of your sign so you can cultivate these tendencies and avoid the negative ones.

Cheap Diets For Lean Bodies and Fat Wallets

January 14, 2023 Category :Automobiles & Motorcycles| Beauty and Cosmetics Off

Lately, not a day goes by without a TV News interviewing people about how the increased gas prices are affecting the purchasing power. It was really heart breaking to hear a mother saying that she has to make a choice between bringing milk to her children and paying for gas so that she can go to work to get milk for her children. And healthy food products don’t have the best reputation for being affordable. Thinking about these, I did a little bit of a research and a small experiment. And what I found out is shocking. First, yes! cheap diet is possible and second you can help economy by dieting! Let’s start with my experiment.

Grocery Shopping vs. Fast Food

A regular combo with burger fries and soda costs a generous $8. For 4 days, 2 meals a day will cost you $64. No tips included :). Here is my grocery shopping receipt from today,

Italian Blend Cheese 6oz : $ 5.99

Cobalt White Cheddar 75% Light : $ 6.83

French Feta 2.51lb @ $0.99/lb : $ 3.92

Regular Tomato 1.78 lb @ $0.99/lb: $ 2.48

White Potatoes 1.64 lb@ $1.49/lb: $ 1.76

Squash Green Zucchini: $ 2.44

Italian Pepper: $ 0.69

White Peaches: $ 1.56

Garlic : $ 0.42

Yellow Onions: $ 0.48

Eggplant: $ 0.97

Scallion Green: $ 0.50

Peppers Yellow Bell: $ 1.38

Total: $29.42

I had bread and meat at home so to be fair, I will throw in another generous $10 for 1.5 lb red meat and wheat bread. From my experience this will be enough to prepare 8 meals. So it will cost me about $40 and some cooking time while, eating out fast food would cost me $24 dollars and a few inches on my belly. Just to dramatize this, the gain is more than %30!

Be a good citizen, Eat Healthy

In her article “What if no one were fat”. Shirley Skeel tells about the effect of bad eating habits and obesity on economy,. The numbers are outrageous. Basically it affects so many industries including textile and airlines.

“Plus-sized clothing costs 10% to 15% more, so shoppers would save $10 billion on shirts, pants and dresses…”

“.. jet-fuel savings alone could double North American airlines’ forecast 2008 profits to $3.8 billion…”

It is also claimed that with weight not being a problem, the productivity would increase with less sick days taken, the decrease in diet related expenditures would be noticeable. It is also noted that the health care expenses for obesity related problems adds up to $140 billion, almost %6 of all the health expenses.

Buyer Beware! 10 Consumer Tips When Purchasing a Foreclosure Property

December 3, 2022 Category :Electronics and Electrical| Generals Off

1. Taxes and liens. You don’t want to inherit another person’s bad debt, but you may have to with a foreclosed home. Check the county records for unpaid real estate taxes or liens against the property.

2. Foreclosure protection laws. Certain states have laws against buyers contacting a pre-foreclosure homeowner directly. There would be a need for a middleman to ensure a seller’s rights have been fully explained and documented. Ensure that you are working within the state’s law if you are considering contacting homeowners directly to purchase a property.

3. Damage and repairs. When buying a foreclosure, you are often buying a property in “as-is” condition. In addition to the normal maintenance that is sometimes necessary, some property owners are less than pleased when they lose their homes and decide to take their anger out on the house before they vacate. When buying a foreclosure property, budget generously for damage and necessary repairs to the property.

4. Redemption periods. Many states have a period of time after a foreclosure auction in which a foreclosed homeowner can reclaim their property. In these jurisdictions, if the previous owner pays the back the total amount of fees and payments within an allotted timeframe, they regain the rights to the property. If you are considering buying a foreclosure – especially for living purposes – check your state’s foreclosure redemption regulations.

5. Neighborhood values. A foreclosure property may look like a great deal, but not if the property values in the neighborhood are still on the decline. If you buy a house before the prices have bottomed out, you may be starting out with negative equity. Make sure you are buying a property where the community values are on the upswing.

6. Mortgage qualification. In today’s housing climate, lenders are getting stricter when it comes to approving a loan. Ensure that you have planned effectively for a meeting with a prospective lender – check your credit score, save generously for a down payment, ensure that your current debt to income ratio is below 40 percent, and obtain written verification of your employment history.

7. Budget conservatively for monthly expenses. Even you hate the “B” word, it is important to apply a budget to your household finances. Creating a conservative financial plan that allows for a sufficient savings cushion, expense allowance, and a bit of spending money will create a foundation that stands up to emergencies.

8. Unpaid utility bills. Many homeowners stop paying their utility bills when they cease making mortgage payments. These bills may carry over after you have purchased a property – keep documented records in case you need to provide proof of the transfer of ownership to utility companies.

9. Review household contracts. Does the property you are buying have a security system? How about a landscaping service? Are the appliances under a home warranty? These may be a few of the contracts that need to be transferred or reviewed on your new property. Again, the documents you have that prove ownership transfer may assist you in conversations with these service companies.

10. Unwanted visitors. Counties are reporting increased instances of vandalism and squatters in vacant foreclosed properties. Ask the neighbors if they have seen any new and illegal activity. Before you move in, check with the local police to get crime reports for the area. In addition, ask them to do a drive by of your property.

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