Great Report Service

Often Forex traders will struggle find a reliable set and forget forex trading alert services which are profitable and easy to follow. So how do you find a service like this? They often think about copying the daily currency recommendations to their Forex broker and then just sitting back watching the Profits come in.

Today there are literally hundreds of services like this ranging from very cheap to very expensive. So how do we find a service like the one mentioned above!

The big challenge for a Forex Traderis firstly, finding currency trading signal services that fit the success mould and then secondly, making sure that the service is brilliant and does everything they promise. This article will address the first question of how to find possible Forex trading alert services to consider.

The method mostly used by many currency traders is to search the Web using a good search engine and then to slowly search through the results to find say 20 ones to consider for evaluation, and then they go about trialing all the services until they find a suitable one. The other option is to speak to a great forex broker and see who they recommend. Most Forex Brokers would be aware of all the providers in the market.

The other option is to visit the CFD FX REPORTthey have recently reviewed all of the brokers and providers and often advertise some great trading services. So feel free to visit them. They also offer some excellent educational lessons that can assist you in your trading.


Currency blogs or discussion rooms / forums are again a good source of alert service information. Going into discussion forums is a lot more time consuming and your return on effort will be less than the methods already mentioned. We use this method to check on the credibility of a service rather than finding a service.

By using the broker and the blogs, you are getting what is probably the best form of advertising which is the word of mouth.

There are certainly many out there to choose from.

Happy Trading

Stock Marketing Theories

One of the most respected Stock Market Traders is W D Gann he is the man that perfected the craft of Stock Market trading, which makes him one of the most famous Stock Market Traders of all time.

So what was his approach that has made him a master of Stock Market Trading? He was known for his amazing tactics, and how he would deal with the trend. W D Gann was an employed technical trader of a team that draws charts for lots of various commodities. He was very detailed in in approach for looking for patterns of the charts and especially when he trading for foreign exchange opportunities. One of W D Gann theories was that the Stock Market market was cyclical and that history would repeat itself in the long run.

W D Gann was a firm believer that the market price movements happened when time and price converge together. This would indicate that there is an important change in Stock Market trend and the traders can trade to gain better profits from understanding this theory.

So this also meant on the flip side that if the time and price does not converge, then it is not a good time to trade in the Stock Market market.
So a fellow Stock Market Trader what you can take from these great insights from a legendary trader is that they must accept the weak points and overcome them. Once you have accepted the weaker points, this can then allow you to develop some great Stock Market trading methods that you can follow and go on with when trading. By doing this, you can therefore improve your overall trading performance since you have already know how to deal with your weak points.

It is therefore crucial that you have developed your own methods especially in dealing with the changing trend in the Stock Market market. Doing this will help you gain more profit potentials and have an edge over the other Stock Market traders.

All of this is part of the learning curve of becoming a great Stock Market trader, remember to become a great Stock Market trader it takes a lot of education and knowledge.

For further trading education lessons feel free to visit the CFD FX REPORT, they offer free education lessons, and can also help you find the best Stock Market Broker in the market.

Save Money on SHopping

Shopping is very addictive. Most of the time, the household budget is sacrificed once you go shopping. Shopping should not give you headaches as long as you know how to budget. Here are the things that you need to remember:

1. Always remember to spend your money wisely whenever you go shopping. Bring only the exact amount of money you need in buying your items. To ensure that you only buy the important things, you have to make a list of the items that you need to buy. You may then budget your money wisely and will prevent you from buying things that are not that important.

2. It is advisable that you compare prices from different stores before buying an item. Do not limit yourself to just one store. There are stores that offer the same quality but can have a lower price. A smart thing you may do is to be attentive to the prices of the items that you buy regularly when shopping. There are instances that a store has an untimely changing of prices on different items.

3. It is recommended that you do your shopping during the end of the season. Prices of many items, especially clothes, are very low and affordable during this time of the year. You may buy clothes in the months of August and September if you are looking for bargain clothes for your summer wear.

4. You may shop in dollar stores where you can find items that are on sale and where prices are low. Although the quality of some items is not the same when you buy in malls and shopping galleries but the merchandises are still new and not yet used. These stores can provide you the best prices that can cope with on your budget.

5. Another way to save money while shopping is to economize the travel you make in finding the stores you want to buy an item. You may take a stop on your daily route to check if the items you buy regularly have not changed their prices or are still in the price of your budget. You may purchase the item even before you do your shopping schedule. This can save you fuel and time.

6. Try to find discount stores that offer quality items that have discounts and can offer a very affordable price on your desired item. The prices on discount stores may vary depending on the season of the year. These stores can be located in large shopping areas like in malls and shopping galleries.

Credit Score

Your credit score gets checked whenever you try to apply for a credit card, apply for a loan, or make any kind of credited purchase. Your credit score is basically a number that represents how trustworthy the business world believes you to be as far as making your payments is concerned, a higher number indicating more confidence in your ability to pay. Your credit score is derived from information found in a credit report.

All the financial activity you have engaged in over the past seven years is recorded in your credit report. If you have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy or closed an account that had been in good standing, this will continue to appear in your credit report for ten years.

Your three digit credit score is calculated based on a formula developed by credit report companies. They go over information connected to your credit history to determine your score. California established a law in 2000 that allows anyone applying for credit to have access to their credit score. Now federal law permits you access to information that the credit card companies used to keep secret, like how your credit score is determined.

Credit scores are not difficult to calculate or understand. The actual score is made up of a number of variables and falls somewhere between 300 and 900. The score is based 35% off of your history of payments, 30% on current debt, 15% on how long you have had credit, 10% on what kinds of credit you have access to now, and 10% on how many times your report has been asked for. After comparing those pieces of information with other similar consumers, your credit score is calculated.

Suggestions for improving your credit score:
Maintain your credit rotating at about 25% of your total credit limit.
Don’t be late paying. Making payments earlier than necessary does not incur any penalty.
When trying to get a loan, shop around for one during a period of thirty days so that all requests made to check your credit score are considered to be one total request.
Know your credit score. Each year, you can check your credit score for free by visiting annualcreditreport.com. Doing so will help you prevent problems from escalating until they create large problems.

Shop and Save

You have long known the credit card. It is said to be your ultimate gear when you go shopping. The plastic can even be a best friend to a happy shopper.

Considering the times nowadays, this plastic seems to be the least practical option out there. It is actually the most convenient tool used for consumption when you are out of cash. It lures you to spend.

Is there anyway for your credit card to be useful for your saving endeavors?

Yes, actually there are ways that the plastic can be helpful. You CAN actually save money with that credit card.

0% Balance Transfers

If your present credit card has high interests, you can transfer your balance to one with a low-interest or no-interest at all. It can offer you a 0% interest for a certain period and then a lower regular rate later on. A 19% interest rate can be transferred to one with 16.1%. The 2.9% difference means a lot, especially in the long run.

Lower Interest Rates

Look for one with the lowest rate among others to further maximize having a credit card. This definitely spells savings. If you do not have a balance yet, it is best to look for a card without annual fees.

Take extra precautions, too, in assuming that the lowest interest rate is the best for you. Factor in your buying habits. You may be attracted to the low rates, but the end result may not be desirable if combined with the annual fees and the like.

Rewards Program

Reward points system and cash back programs are offered now. This can save you money. Maintaining a low balance despite your frequent buys will give you at most 5% off on purchases.

There are even cash rebates up to 5% when you use the credit card at certain gas stations, convenience stores and groceries. This can be automatically applied to your bill, the more you can feel the savings you are making.

Maximizing The Experience

To reap the rewards, you must avoid the drawbacks. A prudent person will definitely look for the best deals and grab it right away but with some caution.

Thus it is necessary that you read the details. Check the fees that may be charged and the penalty rates in case you delay. This may be the downside of the deal offered to you. For example, be careful of cash advance features of credit cards. Some of them can be very expensive. They can come with numerous fees and higher rates.

Be wary! Spending cannot be avoided at times. Just don’t forget your goal, getting a good deal to save.

Property in Mallorca, Spain

Buying a property in Mallorca is not precedence in most people’s minds at the instant. In fact, at present may prove be as the perfect time as any to buy property in Mallorca. If you had 300.000GBP euros to capitalize in a second home, holiday home, in a little luxurious property in Mallorca, the probability are that you still have the same amount to spend now. Those 300.000GBP have not gone away the properties in Mallorca which has been demanding for many decades now, with many Europeans who have spend vacations on the Spanish island deciding to buy a second home for holidays, a business, or for retirement.

To invest in property in Mallorca to see the value of your property progressively enhancing with time and reach the 60,000 threshold without panic within 5 to 10 years! An experienced investor off course would take the assurance of a plodding increase and buy property in Mallorca. We love Mallorca and live here. The best suggestion would be to buy a property in Mallorca where you know you can sell it.

However, property in Mallorca can still represent great value for money in contrast to prices from many European countries. One of the first things you should do is seek some good legal vendor. Ask other foreigners for advices for the best lawyers. You will require the help of a lawyer to judge that the property in Mallorca is legitimate, for negotiations and to finalize the sale of the property. You should also enlist the help for a good local estate agent. Explore before choosing property in Mallorca and, again, try to get some suggestions. Choose a real estate professional that is well established and an excellent knowledge of Mallorca property.

A good real estate firm will guide you through the buying proceedings, set up viewings and serve you with insider information. Also, a good property firm in should have a great range of Mallorca properties to opt from including basic apartments and lavish villas. Once you have selected a property in Mallorca, you will require a lawyer to carry out a number of tasks for you. These include the searching of the mandatory documents, comprising the land register, the owning documents, tax documents and issues surrounding your mortgage, if you need one. You will also require a Spanish tax number, also known as a NIE number. Your advocate can apply for one of these documents for you. Try to select a local lawyer who is confident in both Spanish and English language for easy interaction throughout the process.

Once you agree a price for the property in Mallorca with the buyer, you will be needed to pay a reservation fee of about 10%. Once this is paid the contract, becomes binding. The owner cannot change the price or sell to someone else, while you are also indebted to see the contract through, providing everything is in order. Once funding is organized and your lawyer has checked all documents, you and the retailer must sign an agreement in the presence of a government representative. Once this is done, payment to the seller is completed and the keys are handed over to you.

Aplly for Car Credit

There is some information pack that should be given by a consumer that applies for a loan and he ought to gather it before he visits the bank. Most of clients start gathering some documents that prove their information after the lender asks for it and commonly it demands a huge amount of time which may be expended on other actions. Some customers think that such loan sorts as online auto loan application or phone car credit require no individual details, but they are wrong as that is needed in any type of credit. We offer you to read the basic points from the common list of needed information as there are some nuances predefined by a creditor during auto credit application. That roll is not complete but it will advise you to the things that take some time to gather together.

You ought to realize that political situation in the world is not constant so every customer should be identified. In lots of cases three kinds of valid identification are required and the more which can be photo identification the greatest. Banks love photo identification and we can reduce the action of proving who you are to the lender in case you may put together at least two forms of photo identification. Another fact which should be proved by some papers is your real address where you live at present moment. In case your postman came today, you can bring some letters or other mail addressed to you to the bank, they commonly allow such proof. However, such way of your house identification is allowed not by any lender, and sometimes you need a bit more. Proof of address is very important to some lenders and this is usually above and beyond proof of identity.

Your earning history is great with creditors and that is something that detailed records can truly help you with getting of bad auto loan. There are two parameters that are desired by the lender. They want to see if their client is truly responsible and estimate his constant level of incomes. For persons who have some inconstant job or run own business with uncommon income schedule it is significant to keep in mind to have some longer loan history.

Some banks are not interested in current credits. So if you have got a bad credit attempt to pay it off before you fill in some papers in the bank. All your payment actions ought to be proved by papers. Otherwise, they are just empty words. This paper could assist you to get loan considerably faster as that is a nice proof for the bank. Bank commonly doesn’t study it thoroughly. Commonly persons prefer use of various banks simultaneously. During the loan application you ought to calculate auto loan and bring some bank statements from other banks used by you. Bank wants to track the resource of money that you can pay as primary payment. The down payment is not a good proof as lots of clients get complexities with loan at the middle or at the end of the term.

Fed Rescue Plan

It is, indeed, a very tough time for real estate sellers. It had to get worse before it got better. With the economy teetering on falling into a genuine depression and the credit industry in shambles, something dramatic had to be done to save the day. It has. The Federal Government's rescue plan is unprecedented. Desperate times call for desperate measures. It remains to be seen how effective it's going to be, but gloomy Wall Street has responded positively and my bet is that we finally have the signal we've needed for an economic turn around and a real estate market rebound.

Although Donald Trump is not on my list of all time favorite personalities, he is a shrewd financial player and knows opportunity when he sees it. The contrarians who seize the moment when things look the darkest often find themselves with once-in-a-lifetime windfalls. They get the jump on the cautious crowd who wait until after the market has made its move before they act. The visionaries profit from others inaction.

There's no guarantee that the government's "sending in the Marines" will accomplish all that it is intended to do, but it clearly will have a positive impact on reenergizing the credit industry and restoring public confidence. Those are the two key elements needed to bring buyers back to the real estate market. We'll still see foreclosure rates increase and hold down prices for sometime, but the it looks as though we finally found the bottom and the tide is turning.

In the meantime, buyers with vision, and the savvy to hire competent agents who know where the bargains are, have an open field, right now, to score some of the best deals we've seen in Sedona in years. Many of those buyers have waited far longer than they would have liked to achieve their dreams of having a home here. Now they can achieve that goal at a price no one would have ever conceived of even a couple of years ago.

Live with Ebay

Ten years after being formed in 1995, eBay has become the world's leading online marketplace for all sorts of goods. At any given time, 29 million items are available worldwide on eBay, with more than 3.5 million new items added every day and $1,000 worth of merchandise sold every second. The online auction site has 135 million registered users in 32 international markets, and more than 430,000 people in the United States alone make a full- or part-time living on eBay.

If you think eBay is just about bobblehead dolls and Pez dispensers, think again. While $2.2 billion worth of goods in collectibles were sold on eBay in 2004, antiques and collectibles ranked only No. 6 among eBay's sales categories. The five highest were: automobiles and auto supplies ($11.1 billion); consumer electronics ($3-5 billion); computers ($3.0 billion); clothes and accessories ($2.9 billion); and books, movies and music ($2.4 billion).

Real people are making big bucks on eBay--and thousands have even reached PowerSeller status by maintaining at least $1,000 per month in sales for three consecutive months. Case in point: Angle Cash, 37, a stay-at-home mom who started selling on eBay nearly six years ago because it was "something I could do and watch the kids at the same time." Today, her Kennesaw, Georgia, company, Cashco1000 Inc. (www. cashco1000.com), sells thousands of home-decoration and other items each month on eBay and expects to break $500,000 in sales on eBay this year.

Even owners of existing businesses have found success on eBay by using it as an adjunct to their brick-and-mortar operations. Dan Morphy, 33, runs the Adamstown Antique Gallery (www. aagal.com), a 10,000-square-foot antiques mall in Denver, Pennsylvania. After a few successful eBay auctions, he started offering the antiques vendors who rent space in his gallery the opportunity to sell five items a month on eBay, at no charge other than out-of-pocket expenses. Within two years, Morphy not only had a full gallery of dealers, but was also listing 700 pieces a month and had exceeded $2.5 million in eBay sales.

If you dream of building your own eBay business, it's easier than you think. We've distilled what you need to know into five basic steps.

Step 1: Register Your Business

Getting set up as an eBay seller is a simple process that takes just a few minutes. You'll be required to provide your name, address, e-mail and phone number, as well as a credit card number and your checking account information. This information is used to confirm your identity--which protects the integrity of eBay's operation--and to collect auction fees.

Since every eBay business is a retail business, you should also register your business with federal, state and local tax authorities and consider forming a corporation or an LLC to protect you against legal liability. (For more legal issues you should know about before you start, go to www. entrepreneur.com/ebay/legaltips.)

Most eBay sellers are also encouraged to open an account with PayPal, an online payment service owned by eBay that enables buyers to pay you by credit card or by debiting their checking accounts, without you having to obtain merchant card accounts.

Step 2: Find Stuff to Sell

This can be the biggest challenge in setting up an eBay business. Keep these points in mind:

* PICK THE RIGHT PRODUCT. Select something you'll enjoy selling and that stands a good chance of making a profit. Avoid merchandise you know absolutely nothing about, that's difficult to describe in a short paragraph, that won't photograph well or that's tricky to ship without damage.

* CONSIDER COST AND SALE PRICE. "Buyers and sellers on eBay set the price--you don't," says Melissa Sands, 35, who started selling on eBay in 1999 to help her husband, a comic-book dealer, get rid of excess inventory. Today, Sands runs Sands-o-Time (www. sands-o-time.com), an eBay store selling pottery, porcelain, glass, silver, costume jewelry and more with sales averaging $8,000 to $12,000 per month. Before you buy anything, find out what other similar items have sold for on eBay and ask yourself if there's a good chance you will make money.

* SELL RELATED MERCHANDISE. "If you make it easy for people to buy something, they will want to buy more from you--and you have to have related merchandise in stock," advises Cash. "So, for example, if you're selling collectibles, you should also carry the display racks, books and other accessories those particular collectors will want to have."

* MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH STORAGE SPACE FOR YOUR MERCHANDISE. Don't start ordering pallets of large items if your basement or garage is small, or if your front door isn't big enough to squeeze the crates through.

* LEARN HOW TO PACK AND SHIP GOODS. Calculating shipping costs properly is also important. To help you with this, eBay, FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service all offer shipping calculators on their websites. Buyers really hate it if they think you're gouging them on the shipping and handling fees.

Research n' Market

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c67242) has announced the addition of "Tesco Plc - SWOT Framework Analysis" to their offering.

SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning tool used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective.

The aim of any SWOT analysis is to identify the key internal and external factors that are important to achieving the objective. SWOT analysis groups key pieces of information into two main categories:

Internal factors - The strengths and weaknesses internal to the organization.

External factors - The opportunities and threats presented by the external environment.

The internal factors may be viewed as strengths or weaknesses depending upon their impact on the organizations objectives. What may represent strengths with respect to one objective may be weaknesses for another objective. The factors may include all of the 4Ps; as well as personnel, finance, manufacturing capabilities, and so on. The external factors may include macroeconomic matters, technological change, legislation, and socio-cultural changes, as well as changes in the marketplace or competitive position. The results are often presented in the form of a matrix.

SWOT analysis is just one method of categorization and has its own weaknesses. For example, it may tend to persuade companies to compile lists rather than think about what is really important in achieving objectives. It also presents the resulting lists uncritically and without clear prioritization so that, for example, weak opportunities may appear to balance strong threats.

Content Outline:

A. Executive Summary

B. A Brief Profile of the Company

C. SWOT Framework Analysis

C.1 Strengths to Build Upon

C.2 Weaknesses to Overcome

C.3 Opportunities to Exploit

C.4 Threats to Overcome

D. Glossary of Terms

New Issue

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. -- (Grassroots Newswire) - Are you an ice cream aficionado? Do you fancy yourself a flavor innovator? Then Ben & Jerry's wants you to do them a "flavor!" Ben & Jerry's announces the "Do Us a Flavor Contest" - an opportunity to become an honorary Ben & Jerry's Flavor Guru and create an original, mouth-watering ice cream flavor.

"We hear suggestions from our customers all the time about different flavors we should be offering, now everyone has an opportunity to make some history at Ben & Jerry's," said Sean Greenwood, PR Poobah for Ben & Jerry's.

Ben & Jerry's Flavor Gurus are a bunch of cool guys with even cooler jobs. They boldly go where no ice cream makers have gone before. From Cointreau(R) to Sambuca, sweet potatoes to sugar plums, no ingredient goes unconsidered for the next lip-smacking, completely unexpected Ben & Jerry's flavor. They mix, blend, chop, whip, puree and swirl until they come up with an unrivaled pint of pure ice cream indulgence.

"We create and taste ice cream flavors all day long, so we thought it would be nice to take a break and let someone else do our jobs for a while," said Arnold Carbone, Conductor of Bizarre & D and Chief Flavor Guru at Ben & Jerry's. "We're looking for people to let loose and get funky in creating the next chunky ice cream. We can't wait to taste the results."

Ready to create the next Chunky Monkey(R), Chubby Hubby(R) or Phish Food(R)? All it takes is some inspiration, imagination and maybe a little discombobulation. Just visit www.benjerry.com to get cooking. First, pick an ice cream base like brownie batter, white chocolate or sweet cream, or something we've never thought of! Then go wild, adding in lots of chunks and swirls. And don't forget to give your concoction a catchy name. You can even submit a photo of your creation or one of yourself with your flavor masterpiece.

If you need a little help getting started, try the online Flavor Generator to get your creative juices flowing. Flavor entries will be judged on creativity (40 percent), flavor profile (40 percent) and relevance to Ben & Jerry's brand (20 percent).

Five finalists will be invited--four from across the United States and one from Canada--to a Flavor Finals Event to be held at Ben & Jerry's in Vermont. The showdown will be judged by Ben & Jerry's Flavor Gurus as well as a panel of guest judges. The grand prize winner will win an ice cream party for friends and family featuring their winning flavor, plus some of their fabulous flavor to take home. But everyone who enters is a winner! All contest entrants will receive Ben & Jerry's scoop shop coupons so they can enjoy a tempting treat while they wait to hear if they're a flavor finalist.

Investment Strategies

For those unfamiliar with the term, Forex (Foreign Exchange market), refers to an international exchange market where currencies are bought and sold. The Foreign Exchange Market that we see today began in the 1970's, when free exchange rates and floating currencies were introduced.

In such an environment only participants in the market determine the price of one currency against another, based upon supply and demand for that currency.

Forex is a somewhat unique market for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is one of the few markets in which it can be said with very few qualifications that it is free of external controls and that it cannot be manipulated. It is also the largest liquid financial market, with trade reaching between 1 and 1.5 trillion US dollars a day.

With this much money moving this fast, it is clear why a single investor would find it near impossible to significantly affect the price of a major currency. Furthermore, the liquidity of the market means that unlike some rarely traded stock, traders are able to open and close positions within a few seconds as there are always willing buyers and sellers.

Another somewhat unique characteristic of the Forex money market is the variance of its participants. Investors find a number of reasons for entering the market, some as longer term hedge investors, while others utilize massive credit lines to seek large short term gains. Interestingly, unlike blue-chip stocks, which are usually most attractive only to the long term investor, the combination of rather constant but small daily fluctuations in currency prices, create an environment which attracts investors with a broad range of strategies.

The two fundamental strategies in investing in Forex are Technical Analysis or Fundamental Analysis. Most small and medium sized investors in financial markets use Technical Analysis. This technique stems from the assumption that all information about the market and a particular currency's future fluctuations is found in the price chain. That is to say, that all factors which have an effect on the price have already been considered by the market and are thus reflected in the price.

Essentially then, what this type of investor does is base his/her investments upon three fundamental suppositions. These are: that the movement of the market considers all factors, that the movement of prices is purposeful and directly tied to these events, and that history repeats itself.

Someone utilizing technical analysis looks at the highest and lowest prices of a currency, the prices of opening and closing, and the volume of transactions. This investor does not try to outsmart the market, or even predict major long term trends, but simply looks at what has happened to that currency in the recent past, and predicts that the small fluctuations will generally continue just as they have before.

A Fundamental Analysis is one which analyzes the current situations in the country of the currency, including such things as its economy, its political situation, and other related rumors. By the numbers, a country's economy depends on a number of quantifiable measurements such as its Central Bank's interest rate, the national unemployment level, tax policy and the rate of inflation.

An investor can also anticipate that less quantifiable occurrences, such as political unrest or transition will also have an effect on the market. Before basing all predictions on the factors alone, however, it is important to remember that investors must also keep in mind the expectations and anticipations of market participants.

For just as in any stock market, the value of a currency is also based in large part on perceptions of and anticipations about that currency, not solely on its reality.

You Must Know This!

Of course, the hate mail is always from a few people that happen to own these "certain types" of businesses I discussed and those businesses of course are Credit Counseling or Debt Consolidation companies; of which many "claim" to be non-profit organizations.

You'd almost have to be an ostrich with your head stuck in the sand to not see or hear at least one advertisement a day from a Credit Counseling or Debt Consolidation Company. However, you can expect this to change and change soon. Since this is a topic which tends to "stir up" the owners of these businesses, I am going to take a different approach by NOT sharing my opinion, but rather, the opinion of others. I will start with the news media and the Internal Revenue Service:

"(NPR News, May 15, 2006). The Internal Revenue Service is revoking the tax exempt status of some of the largest credit counseling agencies in the country. An IRS investigation disclosed that the firms solicited business from people seriously in debt and that they didn't provide counseling or consumer education, as required.

Prodded in part by a congressional oversight committee and consumer advocates, the IRS began investigating dozens of credit counseling agencies -- most holding non-profit status -- two years ago. IRS Commissioner Mark Everson says the companies "poisoned an entire sector of the charitable community."

Everson says in many instances, companies were organized merely to funnel business to loosely affiliated for-profit companies. Many of the firms spend millions of dollars on commercials that urge anyone with debt to call them to solve their financial woes. And because tax-exempt organizations are not bound by the federal do-not call list, the firms were able to randomly call consumers, pitching their services under the guise of a non-profit counseling service.

The IRS investigations are also likely to affect consumers, thanks to a new bankruptcy law that requires consumers considering bankruptcy to get counseling before they are allowed to file. The IRS wants to ensure that only legitimate non-profit agencies are doing the counseling. In addition to the actions announced Monday, the IRS is sending more than 700 compliance letters to the rest of the credit counseling industry (END)."

Since almost all Credit Counseling and Debt Consolidation companies claim a non-profit status, I feel most consumers are easily sucked in with their skepticism and defenses at bay. After all, when most of us hear the word "non-profit" the first thing we usually think of is a church or homeless shelter.

From the NPR article and the actions of the IRS, I think it's fair to assume that many of these "non-profit" organizations have been operating under a scenario similar to that of a wolf guarding a hen house. However, this doesn't mean all credit counseling and debt consolidation companies are bad but... you do need to know the truth about how they operate and their limitations.

The first thing you want to understand is these companies are ALL more interested in making money off you than they are in preserving your credit rating. The bottom line with either credit counseling or debt consolidation is that it absolutely ruins your credit. I can just hear the companies arguing this with a consumer right now, telling them nonsense like "It helps your credit since it tells creditors that you're working on your situation and not just running away from it." Listen... if one these places tells you that than watch out. Why? Because they will lie to you about other things as well!

One of the first actions these programs usually requires you to do is for you to CLOSE all your revolving credit accounts. You then make payments to the organization and they take care of everything for you. What this says to all your creditors (as well as anyone considering giving you credit) is that you are so out of control with your finances that you can't even manage paying everyone back on your own. Therefore, you're hiring someone else to do it for you!

99% of the time these companies will claim they can negotiate with your creditors and get interest rates reduced thereby saving you money. While this is true, what's also true is you can easily negotiate these same rates as well as they can by just calling your creditors yourself. You'd be amazed at how many of your creditors would love to hear from you (especially when the chips are down!). Not too mention, any money the counseling company was to save you would more than likely be sucked back up by their monthly fees (usually around $500 to $1,000 per year).

This brings us into a whole other dynamic of their business model. Because these companies always make their money off of monthly fees paid by the consumer, the longer they can keep those monthly fees coming in the more profitable their business will be. It's for this reason that most consumers who sign up with these companies usually find themselves on payment plans with the lowest monthly payment possible (which turns out to also be the LONGEST payment plan as well). Not surprising is it?

Am I against Credit Counseling and Debt Consolidation companies? Absolutely not. After all, there are millions of people in America who will never be able to manage their finances. Credit to them is a destructive addiction much like alcohol or drugs and they will never be able to control it. Instead, it will always control them. We've all seen these people. Every time they are extended credit shortly thereafter they are in financial trouble (usually blaming it on some external factor). For these people I think these credit and debt counseling programs can be a good thing (as a ruined credit report is not a hindrance to them but actually an asset). It keeps them out of future financial trouble by forcing them to live their lives on a "cash and carry" basis; which is ultimately conducive to a better standard of living down the road.

On the other hand. If you're good with your finances and have control with credit but went through some type of hardship beyond your control in the past (i.e. divorce, job loss etc); then the services of these companies will never be for you. You will do far better and preserve your credit rating by taking matters into your own hands. Reason being is that you understand your credit rating is a powerful tool that can help you move ahead faster, help others and help yourself as well as create the life you want. It all comes down to self management. We all know that those who cannot manage themselves will ultimately be managed by others. Credit is no different. When you learn to manage it well, you are the master and it is the servant.

If you care about your credit and want to benefit from it in the future, then you will never rely on a credit or debt counseling service to help you get out of any trouble you find yourself in. Instead, you'll look inward and get yourself out while preserving your credit rating the best you can. Credit and debt counseling is for people who are "ok" with throwing their credit rating in the trash so they can have "someone else" manage their payments for them (since they are unable to manage them themselves). And again, as far as negotiating interest rates, you can do just as good as them or better. If you don't believe me just call any of your creditors and straight out tell them your situation. You will quickly find you don't need to be afraid of them. They just want to get paid like the rest of us.

The Right Credit Card

We all know that there are more credit card companies out there than we can possibly count, it also seems any more that there are just as many different types of credit cards. Of course all companies claim that all of their cards offer the very best deal available. The truth of the matter is that every person has his or her own unique needs from a credit card so no card is perfect for everyone.

One of the newest cards available these days is the "low interest" credit card. It is highly likely that you have already received at least one offer for one of these cards if not several. These cards offer a much loser interest rate than most of your traditional cards, in some cases the interest rate may even be drastically lower. Most cards of this type will also offer a "balance transfer" option that allows you to transfer the balance from your existing high interest rate credit card to your new lower interest rate card. In most cases you will have a fixed period of time that the interest on this balance will either be 0% or at least very low. Of course after that introductory period the interest rate will rise to the normal rate for the card. This can still offer you some significant savings especially if you are able to pay off the balance during that time.

Credit cards are a highly profitable business, in fact they are so lucrative that many companies have started to offer their own cards to get a piece of the action. Airlines commonly offer credit cards that will allow you to earn free miles based on your spending and balance. If you travel frequently one of these cards could be very advantageous to you. Another common type of card you will see anymore are reward cards, these are cards that will reward you for using them. Based on the amount of spending you use the card for you will accumulate points that can be redeemed for everything from travel and hotel stays to appliances. There are some cards that simplify it and just refund a percentage of what you spend back to you. If you use a credit card frequently it might be in your best interest to use a card with a reward system.

Instant approval cards are another card that is gaining rapid popularity you may even receive offers for these cards by email as well as the more standard postal mail. Just as the name implies these cards offer you the chance to apply and get instant approval instead of waiting on a lengthy approval process. With traditional cards it can take two weeks or sometimes longer to be approved. Even with these cards instant approval does not always mean instant credit. There are still some companies that will provide you with a temporary number that you can start using immediately, many companies have done away with that practice due to high rates of credit card fraud.

With so many companies and cards available it will certainly be in your best interest to do some research before selecting the card you want. Keep in mind that you do not want to apply for a lot different cards as this can have a negative impact on your credit rating.

Credit Card Debt

Today's consumer society is driven by easy short term unsecured debts. Most of these are related to credit cards. You may find yourself in a dissatisfactory financial situation if you fail to maintain a balance between your income, and your expenditure. If you have credit cards, you need to know how to manage your transactions, as well as the credit limit. Otherwise you may end up in a credit card mess.

Credit card companies, including banks, try to lure customers with enticing offers. The idea of buying now and paying later is usually irresistible for most people, which make them collect credit cards from different companies. They make a lot of purchases using these cards, and pay the minimum amount due each month. This leads to the accumulation of debt, which keeps climbing with each passing month, until the severity of the problem gets so acute, that they are unable to pay even the minimum amount. In these circumstances, the only way out is to opt for debt consolidation.

Consolidation is the perfect solution for credit cardholders to better their future credit. There are several reasons for debt consolidation. Many people opt for debt consolidation to extend the loan term from 5 to 15 years. Another reason is to lower the interest rate. Consolidation can get you a better interest rate than the one you currently have. Furthermore, consolidation will ease the burden, as it gives you the option to pay just one bill, instead of making separate payments to different creditors.

If you wish to consolidate your credit card debts, a thorough research will help you decide if it is the right decision for you. Several credit card companies and banks offer debt consolidation services to their customers. The first step is to make a detailed inspection of your debt. Make a list of the interest rates you're your credit cards offer. If you feel that the new interest rate is lower than the average of the old one, then consolidation will be profitable for you. Once you have all the details, get in touch with a professional, who can help you both with your consolidation, and to get the best deal.

Debt consolidation can also be done through credit-counseling firms. These firms will add up all your monthly dues, and have you make a single payment to them. The firm uses this amount to pay off creditors until all the debt is wiped out. However, you need to be cautious about choosing a credit-counseling firm, because some of them charge money for their services. People who have gone through debt counseling can help you in selecting the right firm. Alternatively, you can also apply for a debt consolidation loan, which has a considerably low interest rate.

Getting trapped in debt is like going down a spiral without knowing how you to ever regain your footing. Credit card debt consolidation will help you in starting afresh on the road to a healthy financial situation. It is the most popular solution to get rid of the burden of debt, providing you make sure that consolidation is the right choice for you before you opt for it.

Ipad Touch

The iPad has finally landed in the UK and we've bagged one for a test. The launch was put back until the 28th of May while Apple scrambled to manufacture enough units to satisfy US orders, and even now there are still supply problems - orders taken after 13 May have been delayed until the 7 June, for example.

So, what is the fuss all about? The iPad essentially revolutionises the concept of a tablet computer. Previously tablet devices addressed a legitimate consumer need (casual, lazy, couch-bound computing), but left most people frustrated with a stylus-driven handwriting recognition system and an operating system that was really designed to be used on a desktop PC.

As good as the iPad is, it is not perfect. Here's a short list of things that iPad critics usually complain about:

* No camera
* No USB ports
o We're stuck with that iPhone port for everything
* No background execution (multi-tasking) for third party applications
o No always-on IM
o No app-based music in the background
o No data crunching in the background
*This should be addressed by the iPhone OS 4.0, due to be released for the iPad in the Fall.
* Virtual keyboard is not as productive as a real one
* No Flash (see our Web Browsing section)
* AT&T-only (in practice)
* No widescreen
* Closed application market (iPad has been jailbroken)
* Can't create a list of apps/files to buy/download
* And more...

Get Tax Help!

Nowadays we have to pay taxes on most things. We pay tax on the money we earn at work and this is called income tax. Income tax is applicable to business income, capitol gains, wages and salaries. There are two specific rates of income taxes and these are known as flat or progressive tax rates.

Flat tax rates are defined as the same flat rate of taxes on all income regardless of earnings. Progressive tax rates on the other hand are based on the amount of money earned by an individual or business. The progressive rate goes up as the level of earnings rise.

We all have to pay sales taxes. This is the way that businesses charge consumers for a product or service sold. Because of the many forms that taxes take it is advisable to get some tax help if you want to know exactly where you stand.

Some other forms of taxes include personal property tax, inheritance tax, transfer tax, property tax, use tax, toll tax, excise tax, corporation tax, and others. These could all become confusing when it comes to determining which applies to you, therefore, you need tax help.

Where To Get Tax Advice

When income tax time comes around each year, businesses and individuals seek tax help. Many people simply do not understand all aspects of filing their tax and so it makes sense to seek help from tax professionals in this matter. Income tax professionals can help you when it comes to preparing and filing your tax forms.

Accountants and lawyers are both able to advice on income tax matters. Your particular tax problems will determine which one you would be the most suited to your needs. The IRS and other financial websites can also be excellent resources for tax help if you need it.

Resources On The Net

The internet is a good place to start when you are looking for tax help. The first place you should visit for tax information is irs.gov. This is the website of the Internal Revenue Service, where most of your tax dollars are dealt with. The IRS website can provide you with plenty of information when it comes to different areas of tax, as well as information on which areas may apply to you. It will also tell you where you can find help for specific problems.

Try H R Block at hrblock.com. They can help you with filing your income taxes, and if you require it, they can provide you with software to help you prepare your taxes yourself. They also offer advice on other financial matter.

Summary:

It has been said that there are two certainties in life, death and taxes. While you can do nothing about the first there is all kinds of help available when it comes to paying taxes. Getting the right kind of advice is crucial if you are to save at least some of your dollars.

Forex Trading

The rollover is the arrangement of artificially postponing the actual delivery settlement of a currency in position by normally a day. In actual practice, ideally all traders are required to take or give delivery of the currency they bought or sold (settlement) on the second business day after the deal was closed. But the actual practice differs by way of artificially extending the settlement day. But this rollover differs in the forex trading parlance fom that of stock trading.

It can be fairly well assumed that most of the forex trading accounts are leveraged with the broker having extended the trader a loan for the day which is the exposure limit. At the closing every day theoretical closing; though- at 21:59 London time, traders need to close their position unless they actually want to take or give delivery of their positional currency. But due to the loan leverage the traders account will not be having that kind of capital that enables him to take delivery of the currency.

Brokers have a stated policy of closing all accounts at that precise time and almost instantaneously open a new account for the quantity of that currency pair at the corresponding rate. This means although the account has been closed theoretically, the positions are still open from the traders' perspective. This effectively means hat he traders do not have to take or give delivery nor do they have to payback the loan extended to them.

Broker, on the other hand charges an overnight interest for the amount rolled over. How is the differential interest calculated by the broker? Assume that you have a 1 lot position of euro/dollar with euro being your long position. If during the trading day the dollar appreciates by 25 pips and the broker rolled over your position to the next trading day at the close with dollar having further appreciated by another pip overnight, this 1 pip is the difference in interest between the two currencies. So you pay this 1 pip premium to the broker.

On the other hand if you were short on euro and long on dollars you would gain that differential interest amount. To put things in perspective, if you bought a currency and it gained overnight you are to benefit by that incremental differential and if the reverse were to happen, you have to pay this to the broker.

In actual practice, all rollovers and overnight interests are automatically calculated and credited or debited to your account by the broker. For tax purposes, IRS treats the interest gained or paid separately.


Jason Uvios writes about "Rollover in Forex Trading" to visit:forex, online forex trading and forex broker.

Credit Misconceptions

We have all heard the rumors…from neighbors, relatives or friends. There are a wide variety of myths floating around about what you should and shouldn’t do to improve your credit reports and credit scores. The buck stops here! Phelps Creek Financial Coaching has exposed these urban legends to provide you with the truth about credit…

Your score will drop if you check your credit - Fortunately, this one is definitely not true.Checking your own report and score is counted as a “soft inquiry” and doesn’t harm your credit at all. Only “hard inquiries” from a lender or creditor, made when you apply for credit, can bring your credit score down a few points. Worried about damaging your credit while shopping around for a loan? Multiple inquiries for the same purpose within a short amount of time (a few weeks) are grouped together into a less damaging period of inquiry.

Closing old accounts will improve your credit score - To close or not to close, that is the question. Many people advocate closing old and inactive accounts as a way for improving your credit. In most cases, closing accounts will actually have the opposite effect. Canceling old credit accounts can lower your credit score by making your credit history appear shorter. Think twice before closing the oldest account on your credit report. If you want to reduce your levels of available credit, ask for your credit limits to be reduced or close newer accounts instead.

Once you pay off a negative record, it is removed from your credit report - Negative records such as collection accounts, bankruptcies and charge-offs will remain on your credit report for 7-10 years after they are first posted. Paying off the account before the end of the set term doesn’t remove it from your credit report, but will cause the account to be marked as “paid.” It is still a good idea to pay your debts, it can improve yourcredit score, but the major improvement will come when the record expires.

Being a co-signer doesn’t make you responsible for the account - When you open a joint account, co-sign on a loan or become an authorized user on someone’s credit card, you are taking on legal responsibility for the account. Any activity on these shared accounts, good or bad, will show up on both people’s credit reports. If you co-sign for a friend’s auto loan and they don’t make the payments, your credit profile will be hurt by their actions and visa versa. The only way to stop this double reporting is to refinance the loan or to have the creditor officially remove you from the account.

Paying off a debt will add 50 points to your credit score - Yourcredit score is calculated using a complex algorithm that takes into account hundreds of factors and values. It is very hard to predict how many points you can gain by changing one factor. For a person with a high credit score, just one late payment can cause a significant drop. If a person has a low credit score, it may not cause a large drop at all. There is no magical way to improve your credit score, just keep paying your bills on time, reducing your debts and removing negative inaccuracies from your credit report. Good financial behavior and time are the two most important factors on your credit score.