Welcome to Michael's Article Collection

Choosing Investments Wisely

Deciding to invest, whether it is in the stock market, a startup business, or some other endeavor, is a major decision. Most investments carry with them at least some form of risk, and because of this risk many people tend to get nervous when it comes to making the commitment to invest. Despite the risk, however, there is money to be made in investment… it's simply a matter of choosing the righ. . .

Unleash Your Lead Generation Machine

Lead generation is a funny thing. It’s the lifeblood of any growing business, yet many approach it in a casual manner at best.Consistently generating leads for your business takes momentum and momentum takes energy.In my experience, lead generation energy is best created by effectively approaching your very well defined target market from several angles, advances and mediums.Your multi-pronged . . .

Finding the Right Mortgage Lender

Searching for a mortgage lender can be a stressful task… not only do you have to worry about finding the lowest interest rates and the best loan terms, but you also have to factor closing costs and other lender fees into the search as well. In order to find the mortgage lender that will get you the money you need while being as kind to your finances as possible, you need to make sure that you t. . .

How Investment Plans Work

More people are choosing investment plans than ever before. With the rising cost of living and the growing insecurity about the availability of many retirement funds, many individuals are looking to investment plans to begin a nest egg or to make some additional money via investment without having to spend a lot of time purchasing stocks and bonds. Investment plans allow individuals to simply p. . .

Using Investment to Supplement Savings

Using investment to supplement savings is becoming more widespread. With the world becoming more and more unsure these days, it seems that many more people are interested in building a personal savings to ensure that they have a safety net to protect them should hard times come. For many, wise investments become a major part of this savings safety net… after all, many investments have the abili. . .

Buy To Let Mortgages: Long Term Investment On The Concret...

Buy to let mortgage market was worth £21.8 billion in 2004 and accounted to 38.2 % of commercial market in the same year. The buy to let market has grown more than any market as a whole – which is remarkable. Such a strong market spells nothing but benefit to mortgage hopeful. Buy to let mortgage was a constructive effort by The Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) to encourage gro. . .

Business Opportunities – Why Pre-Packaged BizOpps Are Not...

Pick up any "business opportunity" magazine at the local newsstand, and you'll see a glossy attractive publication designed to attract people who are actively seeking ways to earn extra money, buy a franchise, or open a business of their own. After all, it's the American Dream to own your own business and get rich, right?You've probably heard the old saying, "Most people are too busy earning a . . .

When Debt Collectors Cross the Line – Bogus Threats & Ill...

If you are behind on your bills and on the receiving end of collection phone calls, you will probably hear collectors make some very threatening statements. While most debt collection professionals try to stay within the boundaries defined by the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), many others cross the line on a regular basis. Last year, the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.go. . .

How Can A Timesheet System Help Your Business?

Running a small business is challenging. We are constantly required to perform a wide variety of tasks. For many of us, we could probably define our job descriptions as: do everything! Unfortunately, a portion of the everything that we do doesn’t contribute directly to the income of the business. However, sometimes by adding a little extra administration we can actually improve our producti. . .

Secured Business Loans: Before You Take That Big Business...

Business loans form a significant part of lending industry. With so many people applying for business loans, you must be wondering how many of them actually get them. The increase in amount of business loan every year shows the swelling in approval rate of business loans. So, what are your chances of getting business loans? I say, attach a security to business loans and your chances are bright.. . .

Low Income Housing Investments

Low income housing providers get a bad rap. Be ready to be called a slumlord if you invest in it. Much of what people call slumlording though, is simply providing reasonable housing for those with low incomes. It is of benefit to the renter AND the landlord.Why Do People Rent Ugly Homes?Not-so-nice places are rented because they are affordable. When a house needs paint, has old rusty hinges on . . .

UK Loans: Borrowing The Right Kind Of Money

Most people don’t think of loans until the need originates in their own lives.Borrowing money is neither an easy decision nor a decision which has no serious repercussions. Taking loans will have an impact on almost all other decision and your future financial plans. With UK personal debt growing by £1 million every four minute it is likely that loan borrowing is becoming more famous than ever.. . .

Bad Credit Loans: Civilizing Bad Debt Condition

Credit runs into our lives and has effect on almost every decision we make. Bad credit runs in our credit application and has effects on every loan we borrow. A recent survey has shown that one fifth of the adult population cannot qualify for regular loans. For such a huge loan borrowing population there are specific loan programmes called bad credit loans. With bad credit loans you can borro. . .

Creating Subscription-Free Newsletters

All good and bad newsletters or ezines require subscriptions. Newsletters will ask you for your name and email address before you can receive valuable information from them. You might ask yourself, "Am I too important that someone wants to know my name and email address? Yes, you're that important as a lead or contact for the newsletter owner, that's why they're giving you free for something in. . .

Debt Settlement & Income Taxes -- What You Need to Know

Debt settlement has become a popular approach to resolving problem debts without having to file bankruptcy. With this approach, creditors agree to accept a portion of what you owe (usually around 50% or less) to settle the account, and the remaining balance is forgiven. This technique will certainly continue to grow in popularity now that the new bankruptcy law makes it tougher to fully dischar. . .

Credit Card Charge-Off – What Does It Mean and What Shoul...

Have you been told by a creditor that your debt is about to "charge-off"? Did the bill collector make it sound like you will be ruined financially if you allow this catastrophe to happen? If you're behind on your bills, unable to keep up with payments on your credit cards and other debts, sooner or later you will hear a creditor representative threaten you with the dreaded "charge-off." So what. . .

The New Bankruptcy Law "Means Test" Explained in Plain En...

With the new bankruptcy law in effect as of October 17, 2005, there is a lot of confusion with regard to the new "means test" requirement. The means test will be used by the courts to determine eligibility for Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. The purpose of this article is to explain in plain language how the means test works, so that consumers can get a better idea of how they will be affec. . .

Should You Use an LLC for Your Real Estate Investing? Pro...

Should you use an LLC for your real estate investing?Accountants and attorneys love limited liability companies. But do limited liability companies—LLCs for short—really make sense for real estate investors. Probably they do for two almost unknown reasons.The Big Legal Benefit of an LLC: Limited Liability…The big legal benefit of an LLC is that limited liability companies provide all the same l. . .

How To Define A Business

Businesses are everywhere. They are the units that perform most of the economic activity in our economy. Most businesses exist to generate a profit. There are some businesses that exist to perform a function other than profit, such as cooperatives and non-profit organisations. The traditional definition of a business is an entity that brings together time, effort and capital in order to produce. . .

Loans For Those With Bad Credit

If you have bad credit, you may be finding it increasingly difficult to get vital loans. While this is generally a sign that you should try to avoid further borrowing, there are certain circumstances in which it is just vital that you get credit. This may include paying rent, especially if you have young children, paying school fees or paying for medical treatment. A bad credit rating can also . . .

New Year Resolutions: Some Startling Statistics About Ame...

Before you whip out your credit card, stop and think. America is often called a consumer society, and it's true. We're also a nation of credit card debt, which is evidenced by some of these startling facts.We all know that acquiring overwhelming debt is stressful from a financial standpoint. However, it might surprise you to know that more than 70 percent of divorces in America are brought abou. . .

Profitability - Pricing Strategies To Make Money

At a meeting the other day, a marketing consultant opened her talk by asking the group, "What are you worth?" She went on to discuss all the different ways we minimize our worth or discount our value in desperate attempts to close the sale. After all the pitfalls of pricing and selling were laid out, she closed the talk by asking again, "What are you worth?" The responses around the room were v. . .

Student And Graduate Loans

Student and graduate loans are becoming more popular as student debt continues to rise and students seek alternative ways of dealing with it. The good news is that student or graduate loans are generally available without the need to show steady income or offer security. This is extremely helpful, as most students will not have either of these. Student and graduate loans also come at relatively. . .

Car Insurance On Rentals

When it comes to car insurance, there are a couple of traps you can fall into. The contracts are complicated and extremely difficult to understand, and that’s if you even have the time to read them. The fact is that most people don’t read insurance contracts and there is a significant information shortage when it comes to consumers and the contents of their own insurance contracts. One of the p. . .

Quicken Investment Recordkeeping Tricks

Quicken provides powerful investment record-keeping tools for individual investors. Unfortunately, once you step beyond investments like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds, the mechanics can get a little tricky. Here are some tips for handling common investments in Quicken.Certificate of depositsIf you purchase a certificate of deposit, you can treat it in the same way that you treat a bond purcha. . .

Brain-dead Mutual Fund Selection

About this time every year, the personal finance magazines will perform an annual ritual: Looking at how mutual funds have performed over the past year—and then using that information to suggest which mutual funds you should pick for the coming year. Sadly, this work is a complete waste of time.It’s the class, stupidChoosing a mutual fund, all the research data show, is actually very straightfo. . .

Loans For Self-Employed

One of the most fundamental details that all banks will look for in all loan applicants is a steady, dependable income. The amount of this income will decide how much the applicant will be granted. If there were no dependable income, then on the face of it, it would appear to a lender’s calculation, that the loan amount should be zero. This is the traditional method of calculating personal loan. . .

Dodge Those Credit Card Fees

Credit card bills can be expensive. Sometimes they can be simply too expensive. Depending on how you use your credit cards, and how much you spend, and how disciplined and controlled you are over your own spending, you may or may not have trouble paying your credit card bills when it comes to the end of the month and the bill arrives in the mail. No matter what your situation is however, there . . .

Empathy 101: Ten Commandments Of Human Relations

These ten commandments of human relations aren't original to me, and I don't know the source. At the same time, they don't go out of style or out of date if you are in business. Everyone in your business must imbue their efforts with these commandments. They are required in every type of relationship be it marketing or selling to clients, providing customer support before or after the sale, wor. . .

VOIP Small Business/Home Business Advantage

Small businesses, home-based businesses, and self-employed individuals have been turning to internet telephone service (also called broadband phone or VOIP) in droves. What is the attraction? As a self-employed, telecommuting, small-business-owning freelance writer, I can provide some insight.I switched my business to internet phones early in 2005. Despite a few hiccups, I'm not going back t. . .

Budgeting Over Christmas

Christmas is one of everybody’s favourite times of year, but it can also be one of the most expensive. Most people want it to be a special and happy time, and are willing to pay for the little luxuries that make Christmas what it is, but they usually don’t want to spend the rest of the year paying for it. While a normal family Christmas will invariably cost a little extra, you can avoid financi. . .

Small Business Loan Basics

Many people who wish to start their own business need an injection of financial capital at the beginning of a business; the main source of funding for entrepreneurs is business loans. Let's take a look at what you should expect if you plan to apply for one.First of all, you should know that most lenders have their doubts when it comes to lending money to a first-time business owner. You're cons. . .

Cash In With A Cash Back Credit Card

A cash back credit card is a fantastic way for you to make some cash, while all the time spending! Although it does only suit the customers who pay their bill in full at the end of each month.A cash back credit card will give you the chance to earn as you spend. A percentage is returned to you on an annual basis for every pound that you have spent. This is usually set at between 0.5% and 2% dep. . .

Storytelling For High Concept And High Touch

After hearing Daniel Pink speak about his new book A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age for the fourth time, I finally read it cover to cover (less than a day). I finally got what he's talking about when he says jobs that are high touch are here to stay. That is, jobs that builds relationships between business and client whether it's B2B or B2C. To that end, h. . .

Why Bother With Distributed Leadership?

I'm an alumni of Boston University Graduate School of Management, so I receive the Alumni magazine Bostonia. To be honest, that doesn't mean I read it faithfully at all. But this issue was different. George Labovitz, a professor in organizational behavior at the school wrote an article recently on his research into the application of alignment to achieve extraordinary results in organizations. . . .

Survival Without Computers

I was slowed down when my computer crashed and I had no data, no address book and not even my passwords to get back online. I didn’t think I was doing anything remarkable by bouncing back to productivity even with this handicap for a week. But from the feedback I’ve had from more than a few people, it seems paralysis would have been the acceptable common option. Yes, I got slowed down, but noth. . .

Student Loan – The Basic Facts

There are a lot of different ways of funding your way through college. You might be one of those students lucky enough to have a full scholarship. You may also have rich or generous parents who are willing or able to pay the bills.However, many students are not so lucky. Most of the above funding sources will only pay part of the bill, not the total. And even if you can get all your tuition pai. . .

Investment Capital - Putting Brand Capital And Human Capi...

When you start your own business, you commit to investing your time, talent and resources in the business to make it succeed. You authorize a spending plan; you ask the bank, your credit card company, friends, family, employees, to endow the business to follow your business plan and implement your marketing plan. There's more to it. You need to determine where you can differentiate your company. . .

Cultivating Intuition

Ralph Waldo Emerson, the American philosopher said "The primary wisdom is intuition." It is not just a theory, it is part of who we are. Without training we can happen upon it occasionally and we usually like the results when we follow our intuition. What would happen if we learned to tap into our own innate intuition on a daily basis? Why don't we? As Carl Jung said "intuition does not denote . . .

Life Insurance vs Life Assurance

People spend a lot of money on complicated financial products and it is sometimes difficult to keep track of what products perform what tasks. Many people are not aware of all the financial products that are available or they only know of them vaguely. They may not know how much they cost or the potential benefits they offer. How can consumers make informed decisions on what products they would. . .

Action Vs. Inaction

Spring is a great antidote to long cold winters. It's the same with action and inaction. Action is a powerful antidote to the stagnation of inactivity. Being creatively alive involves abandoning a position of inaction in circumstances which have traditionally immobilized you. The name of the game is action. Doing. Overcoming your inertia and acting will give you a whole new lease on being creat. . .

Significance

The following is based on an essay by Denny Howe at the University of Pennsylvania. Our core values give us personal focus, strength, resilience, and meaning when the outside world doesn't always give us what we think we need or want. One of the challenges in maintaining behavior consistent with our core values is the perception of significance. How significant something becomes is directly pro. . .

Why Choose Delaware as Your Corporate Home?

What state Incorporates more than a half-million business entities, including more than half of the Fortune 500 companies? New York? California? Illinois? No. No. No. That state is Delaware. With a population smaller than 88% of all states, this business-friendly state attracts more corporations than any of the major cities. Businesses choose Delaware simply because of their flexible corporate . . .

Debt Management Plans – A Way To Survive The Debt And Com...

Debt Management Plans (DMP) is placed one step beyond credit counseling and a stone's throw short of bankruptcy. If you are too deep into debt and unable to pay them, a credit counseling agency may recommend Debt Management Plans. This is a serious step that should be considered carefully along with better money management skills and budgeting disciplines.Similar to prescription medication that. . .

How To Hire Like The Fortune 500's: A Guide For Small Bus...

A recent iLogos Research study revealed 94% of Fortune 500 companies now hire employees online, a stark contrast from 1998, when only 29% of them were doing the same. If you own or manage a small business, that means the vast majority of your fiercest competitors are now spending less time and less effort on recruitment. And that leaves them with more time to, simply put, get a leg up on you.Su. . .

How to Find Debt Consolidation Solutions

Taking loans has become a way of life because of the convenience it offers. Within manageable limits loan repayment does not create any problems. However there is no harm in looking for better options. A debt consolidation solution is any method of taking all debts incurred by an individual from various lenders and consolidating them into a single debt. Such a consolidation solution is best fo. . .

Information Elements of an Effective Business Card

Many multi-million dollar deals begin with the exchange of business cards. The establishment of a trusted business relationship go through the stage of introduction, customer acquisition, and customer retention. At each stage of customer relationship management, the little card is the bridge between you and your clients. When you first meet a prospect, the business card is your greeting card.. . .

Managing bank liquidity in real time

Just a decade ago the concept of bank liquidity was for all intents and purposes only one for the Bank Regulator to really concern himself with. Certainly, a bank had to remain liquid – a critical factor if it were to continue to enjoy the confidence of its depositors – but this criticality was more an “after the event” issue than a live drama that unfolds in real time.Then banks enjoyed a high. . .

Unlocking Hidden Profits in Your Business

Practically every business article I come across talks about number crunching. Everything is broken down into ROI (rate of return), the value of each customer and the number of customers per month.Unfortunately, the most important factor left out of all these formulas is you --- the business person. If you have a poverty mentality or a fear of not having enough, then you will restrict the flow . . .

Overcome Small Business Sales Resistance

He calls it "the Extractor". Last week, my Guerrilla Marketing buddy (and top marketing consultant), Mary Eule went to the South Carolina State Fair. An inventor had set up a booth where he was selling a device he created for extracting nails. He was a contractor and he noticed that he spent too much time in renovations pulling nails.Here's a great product that uniquely solves a great need that. . .