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Why Trade the FOREX?

January 8th, 2010 · No Comments

Why Trade the FOREX?

My purpose for writing this article is to demonstrate to you the advantages of trading on the FOREX market.  However, there is one myth that I want to dispel before I go further.  The myth is that there is a difference between trading and investing.  To dispel that myth I quote from Al Thomas, President of Williamsburg Investment Company, who wrote “If It Doesn’t Go Up, Don’t Buy It”.  He said “Everyone who invests is a trader, only the time period is different.”  It is a lesson that I took seriously after taking a beating in the stock market in 2000.

So now, let’s compare features of currency trading to those of stock and commodity trading.

Liquidity - The FOREX market is the most liquid financial market in the world around 1.9 trillion dollars traded everyday. The commodities market trades around 440 billion dollars a day, and the US stock market trades around 200 billion dollars a day.  This ensures better trade execution and prevents market manipulation. It also ensures easily executable trading.

Trading Times – The FOREX market is open 24 hours a day (except weekends) which means that in the US it opens at 3:00 pm Sunday (EST) and closes Friday at 5:00 (EST), allowing active traders to choose the times they want to trade.  Commodities trading hours are all over the board depending on which commodity you are trading.  Including extended trading times US stocks can be traded from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm (ET) on weekdays.

Leverage – Depending on your FOREX account size, your leverage may be 100:1, although there are FOREX brokers that offer leverage of up to 400:1 (not that I would ever recommend that kind of leverage).  Leverage in the stock market can be as high as 4:1, and in the commodities market, leverage varies with the commodity traded but it can be quite high.  Because the commodity markets are not as liquid as the FOREX market, its leverage is inherently riskier.  Although I was never shut out of a commodity trade by the day limit, the fear was always in the back of my mind.

Trading costs – Transaction costs in the FOREX market is the difference between the buy and sell price of each currency pair.  There are no brokerage fees.  For both the stock and the commodity markets, there are transaction costs and brokerage fees.  Even when you use discount brokers, those fees add up.

Minimum investment – You can open a FOREX trading account for as little as $300.00.  It took $5,000 for me to open my futures trading account.

Focus – 85% of all trading transactions are made on 7 major currencies.  In the US stock market alone there are 40,000 stocks.  There are just over 200 commodity markets, although quite a few are so illiquid that they are not traded except by hedgers.  As you can see, the fewer number of instruments allows us to study each one more closely.

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An Overview Of Forex Trading

January 8th, 2010 · No Comments

An Overview Of Forex Trading

Forex, is an exchange that allows investors to trade national currencies through the foreign exchange. This is the worlds largest market for currency, based on the Dollar, anywhere between 1 – 2 TRILLION dollars are traded upon this market on a daily basis. This type of trade is typically performed online or on the telephone. By taking advantage of the world wide web, you are enabling yourself to make your investments in a reliable, easy, safe and fast way.

Some investors are able to enjoy returns of around thirty percent on a monthly basis, this takes a great deal of experience to gain this type of enormous return on your investment. The Forex market does not have one specific place of trade like many of the other markets do, for this reason alone is why most of the trade is performed by internet, fax, or telephone. In the beginning for currency trade was not all that popular, they were bringing in only about seventy billion dollars on a daily basis, with the invention of Forex, that number grew massively.

Of course, the currencies do not only deal with the American dollar, these currencies can be translated to over 5,000 currency institutions world wide, which include, commercial companies, large brokers, international banks, and government banks. Many major countries have forex trading centers such as, Frankfurt, London, New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Bombay to name a few.

When trading online there are many benefits such as, the ability to trade or track your investments at anytime day or night, from anywhere within the world that offers an internet connection. Another added benefit, is that some online exchange sites allow you to start with a small investment, known as a mini account, some with as little as two-hundred dollars. With online trading, the trade is instant. When you trade offline you have to deal with paperwork, with online trading there is no paper work involved.

The world of the internet, has allow us to do many things with just a click of a button, where else can you bank, trade, talk to your family and friends, research your investments and earn money all at the same time? Make the internet work in your best interest by implementing online trading into your portfolio. There’s a whole world of money waiting for you to earn with your online investments, and it’s all available at the click of your mouse button.

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Creating A Budget For Yourself Can Dramatically Improve Your Severe Debt Issues

December 27th, 2009 · No Comments

Figuring out a budget is something that too many people have difficulty with and there is definitely no doubt about that. Unfortunately people, including myself, are just not educated enough about finding debt relief by having the ability to properly manage a well balanced budget. Following a strict budget each month or week, however you would want to do it, is no doubt the best way for everyone to improve their debt condition.

This is something that you should all really have already started thinking about because knowing how to manage your money properly and being consistent with it, will drastically pay off down the road. You will finally be able to enjoy your life completely, without all of the worries that come along for anyone who is just totally overloaded with debt over debt over debt.

Your budget will make it possible for you to recognize that you can survive every single month, not just survive though, much better than that, you could potentially have a little bit of extra money each and every month! How fabulous would that be people? You know you want it, you know you are exhausted thinking about your debt, so get up off that couch and stop pitying yourself, try fixing your debt problems instead of forgetting about them!

Allow your budget to work for you, no matter what might come up unexpectedly. If you can do this month after month, I do believe that you are just really going to be shocked by the wonderful results. You will have so much more confidence each day just knowing that you can make it on your own, you are a responsible, mature and highly intelligent individual. Learning about managing your money and following strict budgets at an early age in life sure did pay off for you as an adult, aren’t you so proud of yourself!

Most of us do have a great deal in common unfortunately, whenever it comes to spending more money than we can truly afford to spend each month and it is definitely a very serious problem, or could eventually become a serious debt concern of yours. Creating this amazing budget for yourself can dramatically improve your severe debt issues for good, how fantastic does that sound?

Take the time out of your busy and very hectic schedule, sit down, take a deep breath and prepare yourself for this fun and exciting learning experience. You will learn so much about yourself once you have prepared a budget for yourself, to follow each and everyday that passes, that is going to rid you from all your debt. It will definitely be an eye opener for many of you out there that tend to go a little overboard from time to time when you are out shopping around for things.

Debt is your worst enemy so if you can do anything at all to prevent this from occurring with you all throughout your fun life, start at an early age figuring out how you will follow your budget each month and make it work.

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Is Cashback The Future For Credit Cards?

December 25th, 2009 · 3 Comments

For several years now, one of the most sought after features on a credit card has been a long 0% balance transfer deal, almost to the exclusion of any other feature except maybe the headline interest rate of the card. More recently though, balance transfers have become less popular, not least because of the introduction of transfer handling fees, and there’s now a new feature that more and more customers are considering to be of higher importance, namely cashback.

According to recent research, over a fifth of us now use a card that offers cashback or a rewards scheme, and the number has recently overtaken that of balance transfer users for the first time. So why has a seemingly simple feature such as cashback displaced the once mighty balance transfer deal in our priorities?

Credit cards have always suffered from the perception that they are expensive to use, with high interest charges and penalty fees - a reputation, it has to be said, that isn’t altogether undeserved. Cashback cards give us the opportunity to turn that on its head, and actually come out on top financially by using our cards for everyday purchases.

For every purchase you make, a cashback card will effectively give you a refund of a small percentage of the purchase price. In the early days of cashback, this percentage was so small it was hardly worth considering - a 0.25% rebate was virtually worthless to most people with moderate spending habits. These days however, the figures are much more attractive, with a 3% rate not uncommon as an introductory offer. This kind of rebate is definitely worth having, and if you use your cashback card for all of your day to day shopping, the numbers can mount up surprisingly quickly.

What’s more, if you use your card purely as a convenient payment method and not as a means of borrowing, and repay your full balance every month, then you’ll avoid paying any interest fees or charges. This means that the money you ‘earn’ through cashback is totally free money - you’re being paid simply to buy your usual shopping with a card rather than with cash.

Sounds good? Well, it’s not hard to see why this kind of card has increased in popularity, but there are a couple of points to think about before applying for an account.

The main problem is that most of the time, you’ll only receive your cashback once a year, either by check or refund to your account. This is fine for most people, but the cashback offer will be dependent on you sticking to the credit agreement. If, even accidentally, you make a late payment then you’ll have broken the terms of your agreement and will lose all the rebate you’ve been building up. Keeping up to date with your repayments is therefore even more essential than normal with a cashback card.

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Choice Privileges Visa Platinum Card

December 25th, 2009 · 1 Comment

For business owners and family members alike, a credit card offer that includes a way to earn points toward travel is a great deal. A travel reward credit card is one that gives you the ability to earn credit with various aspects of the travel experience simply by using you card when you make your every day purchases. The Bank of America credit card that offers this service with the most flexibility is the Choice Privileges Visa Platinum Card.

Credit card features:

Of the many attractive features offered on the standard Bank of America credit card, the twenty four hour customer service and online banking capability are the most used. You can contact a Bank of America specialist from anywhere in the world at any time of day or night. So when you are using your travel reward credit card on your vacation or business trip and have a question or concern, simply dial the toll free number provided with your information packet upon sign up.

In addition, you have the ability to do all your credit card account activities online. The Bank of America website, http://www.searscard.com, offers enough resources for you to complete payments, check payment and spending history, and check your current interest rate all on the Internet. You can also apply for a new card, transfer balances from other existing cards, and check out the latest credit card offer from a leading lender, Bank of America.

With a platinum Bank of America credit card, you also get the advantages of no annual fee when you are a card member. In addition, the Choice Privileges Visa Platinum card offers you a lower annual percentage rate (apr) for the first six months of your new card membership.

Choice Privileges:

The travel reward credit card is special due to the card holder’s ability to earn rewards that they can use toward their next trip. With the Choice Privileges Visa Platinum card, you can earn points with each dollar you spend that are then translated into a number of travel perks.

You can use your points toward free night stays at a hotel of your choice. Bank of America partners with hotels to offer you over four thousand locations worldwide to choose from. What other credit card offer can give you that? You can also redeem your points for discounts on entertainment and merchandise at specific travel destinations and theme parks.

If you fly when you travel, the Choice Privileges card can help you earn free airline tickets. When you accumulate enough points, you can redeem them for air travel on many major airlines. You can also use your points at a restaurant or retail store in your selected destination. Think of the money you could save with a Bank of America credit card.

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Information about credit rating and credit score

December 25th, 2009 · No Comments

When you take credit, you borrow some amount of money which you are obliged to pay after a certain period of time. A credit score is a statistical way to determine the likelihood of an individual who has to pay back the money he has borrowed. Many credit bureaus issue such scores based on different evaluation systems and factors.

Common factors that are used to calculate credit score of a person includes his credit payment history, current debts he is liable to, time length of his credit history, credit type mix and frequency of his applications for new credit.

What defines your credit score?
When you borrow money, your lender sends this credit information to a credit bureau which in turn prepares a credit report defining how well you have managed your debts. From the credit report prepared, the bureau determines your credit score based on factors such as a) previous credit performance, b) current level of indebt ness, c) the time credit has been used, d) types of credit available and e) pursuit of new credit. Thus, your credit score is much affected by your credit history of paying off debts. This factor can also boost your credit rating whereby the past shows that you can pay off your debts quickly and quite fairly.

Importance of your credit rating
While you apply for a credit card, loan or mortgage your credit rating is checked. Thus, credit reporting makes it possible for banks to issue credit or debit cards, stores to accept checks because depending upon your credit score, they can easily determine the level of risk pose them.
Mostly lenders ask for a higher interest rate to one who has a bad credit score as compared to a person having high credit score.

Tips to improve your credit score:
1. You should make your loan payments on the stipulated time with the correct amount.

2. Try avoiding overextending your credit. In case you are getting different credit cards issued by banks via mail, you might tempt to use them but is would never help you out.

3. You should not ignore overdue bills and if you face any problem while repaying your debt, you can call your creditor to make repayment arrangements.

4. Always be aware of the type of credit you hold because credit from financing companies can affect your credit score.

5. Try to keep your outstanding bills as low as possible and don’t extend your credit continuously to your limit.

6. You should limit your number of credit applications.

7. Since credit is not built overnight try to provide your creditors with longer time frame to review and longer history of good credit that builds up your credit performance.

Visit our recommended website NetSpend.com for further details.

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Business Credit Cards - Managing Credit

December 25th, 2009 · 2 Comments

Managing a business is crucial. Business credit cards are handy, since the cards supply a strategy for managing cash flow, business expenses and more. Business credit cards provide convenient purchases, saving cost, comprehensive reports, accessible credit lines, and so forth. The business cards offer business owners the power to stay on top of their spending, overhead, and more.

Purchases

Business credit cards enable cardholders to profit from online and in-store bargains, which embrace business while separating individual usage. Business credit cards equip you to handle your cash flow with accuracy. The all-inclusive reports make it convenient to monitor your cash by the purchase details generated on each statement.

Features

Business credit cards have features, which are comparable to standard credit cards. The cards however, are for executives and business owners exclusively. Small business owners and corporate executives can benefit from the business credit cards. Common features of both business credit cards and traditional cards include, the introductory low interest rates, airline rewards, cash back awards, etc. The cards often include complimentary features, such as separation of personal and business expenses, higher credit lines, unique rewards for business, including savings, and expenditure management reporting.

Small Business Credit Cards for Business

Business credit cards can benefit small businesses. Small businesses are one of the most rapidly growing business sectors, providing strength for the overall economy. Some of the advantages of credit cards for small businesses are that the cards will offer the owners access to capital by way of unsecured credit. What an advantage, since one of the reasons for the failure of small businesses often includes undercapitalization. Business credit cards usage for both small and large businesses will provide access to a credit line, which enables you to purchase supplies, or hire in contractors to enhance your workplace. This card can provide you an aid for purchasing, covering costs, and so forth.

Entertainment and Business Travel

Business owners that frequently travel or entertain clients should consider the cards that offer huge bonus benefits, such as airline miles bonuses. The no spending limit cards are another option, since the card will enable you to cover business expenses with ease.

Expense Reporting

It is important to maintain accurate business records while operating a business. The records should include profitable analysis charts as well as expenses incurred. The reports offered through business credit cards will minimize your record keeping, since you will receive a statement monthly. The report will enable you to monitor expenditures while providing you a categorized report, simplifying your tax preparations.

Card issuers include various fees, benefits, and miscellaneous charges with their card offers. While considering the best credit cards for business, shop the marketplace to compare APR (Annual Percentage Rates), transaction fees, corresponding grace period, customer services, as well as other benefits’ the cards offer.

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weightwatchers

February 22nd, 2009 · 2 Comments


reated in the 1960s, Weightwatchers has become one of the most popular diet plans in the world. It is often the top-rated diet in research or magazine pieces, and is constantly evolving to meet the challenges of the modern lifestyle.

Currently endorsed by former British Royal Sarah Ferguson, it combines the simple premise of calorie counting with a comprehensive support system.

The best thing about Weightwatchers is the way that it can fit into your lifestyle long term. Unlike some crash diets, Weightwatchers allows you to eat out in restaurants and even have some of your favorite foods!

Weightwatchers: Basics

- Foundation

Weightwatchers attempts to match calories consumed with those calories expended through exercise or your base metabolism. Dieters can expect to lose a steady 1/2 to 2 pounds a week if they stick to the plan! Dieters go to weekly meetings, which include a private weigh-in and advice from your personal Meetings Leader.

By offering much more support to the dieter, and by giving him/her the tools to limit calorific intake, the Weightwatchers diet aims to help us lose weight steadily and consistently. There is a very wide range of books and support materials to help dieters.

- Diet

Weightwatchers has two plans:

Flex Points Plan: This diet is based on portion control, and depends on the inevitable calorie counting. You have to keep track of everything you eat throughout the day (no cheating!), and make sure that your daily total comes in under your target.

Core Foods Plan: This plan does away with some of the calorie counting and instead focuses on restricting your diet to certain healthy foods.

Weightwatchers does not specifically use calories, rather their own Points system which is pretty similar. You have a daily or weekly Points target (depending on which plan you choose), against which you can actually earn credits by doing exercise.

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weightwatchers.com

February 22nd, 2009 · 1 Comment


I got adventurous again on Tuesday night and decided to try out 2 new recipes. One was going to be my main dish for dinner (with tons of leftovers) and the other a side dish (with a few leftovers). Both are, of course, from WeightWatchers.com. Neither looked anything like the photos….

Let’s roll:

The main dish was a Layered Mexican Chicken:
According to WW, it’s only 6 points (makes 12 servings)
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 45 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

This Mexican lasagna will last up to five days in the refrigerator. It’s a terrific make-ahead meal!

Ingredients

  • olive oil cooking spray
  • 2 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
  • 30 ounces of canned black beans: rinsed and drained
  • 3 cups fat-free sour cream
  • 2 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese: divided
  • 8 ounces of chopped green chilies (two 4-ounce cans)
  • 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
  • 12 medium corn tortilla(s): cut into 2-inch strips
  • 1 cup salsa: mild, medium or hot

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a lasagna pan with cooking spray.
  • Place chicken in medium saucepan and fill with enough cold water just to cover chicken. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes; drain. When chicken is cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch pieces.
  • Transfer chicken to a large bowl and add beans, sour cream, 1 cup of shredded cheese, chilies, cumin, and pepper; mix well and set aside.
  • Arrange half of tortillas in bottom of prepared lasagna pan, overlapping pieces to cover surface. Top tortillas with half of chicken mixture, layer with remaining tortillas and then top with remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese.
  • Bake until filling is bubbly and cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing into 12 pieces. Serve with salsa on the side.

This dish, despite being messy and hard to cut into 12 pieces (I think I got 11, uneven servings) was SO tasty! The salsa wasn’t needed, but it was a nice complement.

Some things I found:
- 30 ounces is a hella lot of black beans, especially for someone who is JUST learning to like these little guys. I bought 2 big cans of 13 ounce beans and used 1 and a bit of the other. I saved the rest to hopefully use in another recipe soon.

- I couldn’t find green chilies and since I’m not a fan of jalapenos (that’s all they had), I left these out. Since I didn’t have cumin, I used some chili powder and sprinkled hot sauce on my serving before eating. It got the job done for me.

- The container of sour cream I bought apparently only had 2 cups. Oops! I could not find a large, fat free size! I used the 2 cups and assume this makes it less points. :) It was still creamy and tasty though.

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www.weightwatchers.com

February 22nd, 2009 · 1 Comment


www.Weightwatchers.com is probably the most well-known weight loss plan on earth. It is an international diet plan, with over 30 countries hosting their own branches. Weightwatchers.com has two basic options: counting and no-counting. It has an online membership available which does most of what you have in mind.

It is based on a points system. Some people say it is even better because it adds a support group but my schedule does not permit me to go that route. By the way, they are very secretive about the formula and won’t allow it to be released, but if you are a member of the online program and spend time on the message board sometimes people will try to reveal it on there. www.WeightWatchers.com is the only weight management plan that can be adapted without sacrificing your heart, soul and well - your stomach!

In many ways WeightWatchers has long been one step ahead. I have been following the Weightwatchers plan on and off for about 4 years. Created in the 1960s, Weightwatchers has become one of the most popular diet plans in the world. The best thing about this website is the way that it can fit into your lifestyle long term. Unlike some crash diets, ww.Weightwatchers.com allows you to eat out in restaurants and even have some of your favorite foods. By offering much more support to the dieter, and by giving him/her the tools to limit calorific intake, the diet aims to help us lose weight steadily and consistently.

Kaufman, 43, is a group leader for the WW website and her advice is echoed at the other 29,000 weekly meetings held for a million members worldwide. Sarah Ferguson, the face and body of US ww.WeightWatchers.com, has introduced the brand to a younger and wider audience. Just as most psychologists will acknowledge that AA is the best way to give up booze; nutritionists have mostly good things to say about WW. Though Atkins can count among its fans the likes of Catherine Zeta Jones, Brad Pitt and Geri Halliwell, the new research suggests that by far the nation’s favourite dietary regime remains the www.WeightWatchers.com point plan.

Out of all the “diets” I have been on www.WeightWatchers.com and it is definitely the BEST. Although it is all about eating healthily and exercising responsibly, there’s no harm in cheating every now and again. Encourage your friend to visit a meeting for FREE to see what it’s all about.

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