Marriage & Dating Essentials

How To Build A Lasting Relationship Pt. 2

2008-03-29T00:09:00.003-04:00

Now that you have thrown away the list of requirements or "wish list", let's go to the next step in building a lasting relationship.

Let them love and respect you as a person first.

Don't be too salty - As Christians we are considered by the bible as the salt of the earth. That means our presence should enhance a situation, environment or relationship. Though at times this expectation is taken a bit too far. The bible also encourages individuals not to be too extreme about anything we do. Therefore in the development of a relationship it is important to establish a proper balance in the expression of your faith. Without a doubt, it is truly important for people in your life to know who and what you believe in. But, if you go too far, you become the person to avoid instead of the person to love. Understand that everyone has a personal walk with God and your level of relationship may not be the same right now. If God has placed them in your life, it is probably safe to say they are at least willing to have a relationship with Him. Let them grow in His time.
Accept them as a person who is not perfect - Despite the misplaced belief some may have that their character is flawless, none of us are perfect. As humans, we all make mistakes. If the relationship is going to last, your mate must not feel pressured to do everything right. Sometimes we say or do the wrong things. It happens! Your task in the whole scheme of things is to realize that they will happen and provide the comfort and understanding needed for your mate to recover from mistakes. Some people have been told all their lives that they were walking mistakes and goof ups. Not very good for self-esteem I would imagine. By offering encouragement and understanding, you will create a bond not easily broken. This doesn't mean understand and encourage them after they have cheated 3 times. Always be reasonable with your acceptance and understanding.
Don't expect what you won't give - This can be hypocrisy at its finest moment. Well, might I say hour. It will probably lead to hour long disagreements if you continuously expect what you won't give. Demands or requests become unfair and unwarranted when you don't offer the same in return. Consider what your requests are of the person you're trying to build a relationship with. Don't ask them to throw away their black book if you still have yours. Don't expect them spend their money on you if you won't spend yours on them. People are more willing to comply with the requests of someone that does the same in return for them. Not expecting what you won't give shows a level of integrity and fairness that we can all appreciate.
Build credibility and a track record- When building a lasting relationship, there must be a high level of confidence in the person you're with. Confidence keeps you hopeful of a great outcome, while trust can make you forget that people make mistakes. I say trust God! Confidence only comes when you have credibility as the result of a good track record. This happens by saying what you mean and meaning what you say. It happens by fulfilling the commitments you make. When faced with controversial decisions, the person you want to build a relationship is always watching. Therefore, displaying integrity and consistency of good character regardless of the situation allows you to be viewed as an honorable person. This makes you easier to love. Even Jesus had a track record that gave Him credibility with those that followed, respected, loved and trusted Him.

When someone loves and respects you as a person first, it becomes easier to share and exchange views about anything you may face in the relationship. If someone doesn't like you as a person, they surely won't like you as a spouse. Be friends first!

Why Do Men "Cheat"?

2008-02-22T23:42:00.007-05:00

Picture this! A man meets a woman and they establish common ground. Emotions are aroused and the two begin to visualize themselves as one. During this process a commitment is pro-claimed and neither desires another. While visiting your sweetheart one day he receives a call. It’s the woman you heard about. “He’s just like the rest,” you think, as you hurt deeply. As you tell your girlfriend what happened she asks, “Why do men cheat?”

The world is full of mysteries and unexplained phenomenon. One of the most widely questioned is the inclination of men to involve themselves with multiple sexual partners of the opposite sex. Some claim to know, while others do not have a clue. Well, there is a logical explanation for this apparently consuming behavior.

As you may know, humans are animals despite the fact we are considered to be a higher form of intelligence. With that in mind, let us take a broader approach to this and consider all male beings, as opposed to men only. Male refers to the male of all animal species including humans. Although human males carry out their daily life on a more advanced level, their basic nature is the same as most other male species of animals. This basic nature is the key which unlocks the mystery of why men cheat.

Consider a farmer’s bull. The bull’s primary task is to fertilize the herd and produce calves while he is healthy and strong. There is usually one bull responsible for mating with several female cows. As that bull loses his spunk, he is replaced with another that is younger and stronger to maintain a healthy bloodline. Well, that is a controlled environment and the bulls don’t seem to have a choice. Even though the farmer places one bull in the field, he can’t force the bull to mate with all of the cows, but for some reason the bull does. The females never seem to have a problem with it. Why?

Now consider an uncontrolled environment and observe a pride of lions. Within a pride of about 15 to 25 lions, there is only one adult male. At a certain level of maturity, adolescent males must leave and find their own pride to oversee. With only one sexually mature male, the females know and expect him to father their young. As sexual desires arouse, that one adult male picks, chooses and circulates throughout the pride of lionesses. He "maintains" all of the females and they never question his lifestyle of dissipation. Why?

Let us come home to a domesticated situation that we have all witnessed and know about. Since men are referred to as dogs, think about dog behavior. Domesticated dogs aren’t usually set up in family groups that live together as lions do. They once had freedom to roam the neighborhood and live life to its fullest. While roaming, males would come into contact with females and eagerly embrace the call of the wild. Afterwards, the male continues on his way. As he encounters another female, as his desire calls, he repeats the process. Thus, we have another male that pursues and explores multiple partners. Why?

Finally, we look at men. Man meets woman and has sex with her. The woman emotionally attaches herself to that physical bond with him. But the man continues on to yet another woman and then another. Even though his physical body focuses on the person next to him at that moment, his mind lapses back to the original woman he left behind because he had feelings for her also. Well, why is he philandering?

Cheating is a word established by society to define a person that indulges multiple sexual partners after a monogomous commitment has been established between a man and a woman. Careful review of the previous examples will show that a male’s desire for multiple partners is a natural process of life. If the examples above don’t convince you, look into the sexual habits of other animal species and compare their behavior to that of a man. Tigers, lions, dogs, house cats and even bugs are all subject to this internal drive for sexual gratification. Keep in mind there are some species that go against that process and remain loyal to one mate for a lifetime. Thus, we have some men that don’t cheat. There is an exception to most every rule. Not all men cheat, but many do and will. It is a process that they themselves don’t understand. Bad relationships, neglect, self-esteem, etc., are just excuses and reasons to justify the behavior, but not the true reason. Simply put, men cheat due to a natural desire for sexual indulgence that they usually gain no control over until they accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Only when a man fears the Lord, will he resist and abstain from promiscuity and commit to the woman God has chosen for him.

Monitor Your Affairs On A Regular Basis

2008-02-22T19:25:00.008-05:00

As a mortgage broker, I have encountered a number of clients with reasonable confidence in their lenders, insurance companies, creditors and other entities that are responsible for their personal information. With so many rules, regulations and governing bodies, it seems logical to feel confident that major companies will handle your affairs and finances with the utmost respect and care. Besides, you contribute to their monthly paychecks. While most individuals and organizations may have good intentions, I encourage you to only trust God. With that said, you must take personal responsibility to ensure that your affairs are in order.

If you are or plan to be a homeowner you currently must pay property taxes. In most cases, the property tax is included in your mortgage and paid to the lender. Depending on where you live, your taxes must be paid to the county tax assessor based on your county's due date. The county will usually send you a bill, but there typically should be no worries or out of pocket expense. The monthly mortgage payment that goes to your lender includes the property taxes and should be paid to the county by your lender. In my experience, I have seen cases where these taxes weren't paid by the lender as expected. I once had a client that was weeks away from losing their home because the taxes had not been paid in three years. The fault could be place in many directions, but what will that help when your taxes haven't been paid. Why weren't they paid?

Similar situations have surfaced pertaining to homeowners insurance, which is also included in your escrow account to be paid by your lender. When the company you make your payment to changes, escrow issues are more prone to arise. If the lender mistakenly suspects you don't have insurance coverage on your home, they will usually force place a ridiculously priced policy on you and increase your mortgage payment to collect it. The policy they give you will easily be doubled, if not tripled, what you would normally pay for insurance. That I know from personal experience. All of the terms you agreed upon when signing your mortgage documents should remain the same when and if it transfers to a new lender or servicing company. When a loan transfers or is sold between lenders, mistakes can be easily made. Their mistake usually means your hassle.

Credit reports are notorious for having mistakes and incorrect information. It makes for a bad day when you have special plans to handle some business, only to discover that it can't be handled because of a credit reporting error. Creditors have no concern for your time when they want to collect a past due debt. If you make yourself available to take the blame, you take the pain. Your credit scores will drop along with the best available options for financing or possibly even getting a job. Don't become the victim. It can become a major battle correcting credit reporting errors, especially if you're slow to act.

My advice for you is to think prevention. When I say prevention, think in terms of preventing wasted time when you REALLY! need to get something done. These mishaps can happen despite your most diligent efforts. But, you can certainly minimize the damage.

Here are few suggestions to help diffuse these potential time bombs:

Homeowners should periodically check their escrow balance with the lender or servicing company to ensure it is correct
If you receive a notice that your mortgage payment will now be paid to a new lender, be sure and confirm that they transfer your information and terms accurately
Confirm with the county that your property taxes have been paid when due
Confirm that your homeowners insurance has been paid when due
Review your credit report at least 2 times each year to know your scores and to check for errors
Respond in writing within 30 days whenever you receive a bill in the mail that you do not actually owe. If you don't, it can become yours.

The responsibility is yours to take care of your affairs. Who will watch your back the way you do? Check up on the organizations that influence your livelihood and keep them sharp. If more people monitor their affairs properly, there would probably be fewer unfortunate stories of people losing homes or being misrepresented by a credit reporting system that isn't totally fair anyway. Stay alert and stay smart.

The Rain Perspective

2008-02-16T15:06:00.005-05:00

We've all heard the old addage, "When it rains, it pours." This rain usually refers to some unforeseen chain of events that seem to work their way into our lives when we least expect them to. Setting goals and making plans are implanted in our minds as critical steps to success in life. But what happens when the goals you set fall short and the plans you make don't go as expected. For some, the resulting outcome is a minor setback, while for others, it seems to be the beginning of the end of life as they know it. When the end seems eminent, it leads to fear, panic and anxiety that can destroy a person's will to continue fighting. Instead of drifting into a state of panic and hopelessness, consider the Rain Perspective.

While driving one evening I stopped at a traffic light. Peering ahead, I could see raindrops splashing against the windshield. My windshield wipers weren't on at the time because it had only just begun to rain. As I sat there glaring down the road, the revelation hit me. When looking directly at the raindrops as they hit the windshield your vision is greatly impaired, if not totally diminished. But when looking ahead and not at the raindrops, the view appears much more clear and it is actually possible to drive ahead without the use of windshield wipers.

Why is that important? When facing a barrage of challenges it is easy to understand how one's vision can become impaired. The Rain Perspective teaches you to look beyond the challenges at hand, or the raindrops on the windshield, and focus on the road ahead. As you focus on the road ahead, the challenges or raindrops become less significant in your quest to reach your goal. Whether you're driving to the store or trying to start a new business, always remember to look beyond the rain and stay focused on your goal. Losing a job, filing bankruptcy, troubled relationships, unexpected pregnancy and any other situation that seems to hinder your vision represents rain. The rain and its effect have to stop eventually. So if you stay focused on the road and not the rain, who knows how far you will have gone when the rain has stopped. Don't let a little rain keep you from accomplishing your dreams. God has given you a great purpose in life that will help make this world a better place because you are in it.

Set your goals, make your plans, prepare yourself, stay focused and trust God as you look beyond the rain!

How To Build A Lasting Relationship Pt. 1

2008-01-26T17:37:00.001-05:00

Last year I spoke to a group of singles about finding and building a strong relationship with that special someone. There were a few things impressed upon my heart as vital elements required to have a successful relationship. Of course this list doesn’t account for every possibility there is, but it is very solid if applied. It has worked for me. Because we adequately absorb only a small bit of information at a time, I will share this one point at a time. That way you have a chance to ingest, implement and improve your chances of building a lasting relationship with that special someone purposed for you. Let’s get to it.

The first step is to Throw Away Your List Of Requirements. What!? This defies all conventional wisdom as it pertains to relationships. To some degree or another, we all have standards and expectations when searching for that special someone. Women usually want the guy who’s tall, dark, handsome and gainfully employed. On the other hand, men want a woman with long hair, a nice body and treats him like a king. Those are the basic standards. But when people get deep they want honesty, a communicator, romantic, loyal and all of those other qualities you are thinking of right now. Those traits are good to have and expect from someone you love. Remember, I said throw away the list of requirements. Here’s why:

You will forget something important - It is virtually impossible for our feeble minds to consider and account for every possible scenario that will either make us happy or disgusted in a relationship. Therefore, how can we expect a list of requirements to suffice in determining who our lives may be spent with. In making your list, did you think to yourself that you don’t want someone that gambles their paycheck away every week? Did you list that you don’t want someone who is so cheap that you would only be able to buy new clothes once a year? Or, did you list that you don’t want someone that disappears for days at a time with no explanation why or where they’ve been. A faulty list of requirements has caused many people to unfortunately remain single. Single not by choice, but by default as a result of the list of requirements. Don’t miss out on the person placed on this earth just for you because of a list.
Lists create expectations that may not be met - Broken expectations are probably the dominant cause of heartbreak in relationships. No matter what the circumstance may have been leading to the break-up, it stemmed from an expectation that wasn’t met. Imagine your list requires romance in the relationship. Romance to you may not be romance to them. If you consider romance to be flowers, dinner “date” and a foot massage, while they consider it to be blockbuster, popcorn and soda, your expectation has been thoroughly severed. When an expectation isn’t met it leads to frustration, discontentment, doubt and for some separation. Therefore, consider the potential snare you set for your self when creating a list of requirements that may not be met according to your expectations.
God knows who you need - Most times we don’t really know what we want. Have you ever wanted something that required time and sacrifice, only to get it not want it anymore. We are fickle beings tossed and turned by wavering emotions. We think we know what we want. But, God knows what and who we need. If you believe God has the plan for your life, throw away the list of requirements for your special someone. Ask God to give you what you need, to accept who He has for you. I want to make you aware that God does things contrary to worldly opinions. Therefore, your tall, dark and handsome man may be short, stocky and happy.

This worked for me. I asked God one day to give me what I needed to accept who He had for me. I stopped looking and focused on getting myself together to be the man God would need me to be for her. Now I am happily married to a woman that had children before me, even though that was the type of relationship I swore to never be in. I can’t imagine anyone else in my life.

THROW AWAY THE LIST!!!

Groundbreaking Business Idea

2008-01-26T17:27:00.000-05:00

There is a constant quest to find the perfect business or way to make money no matter what state the economy is in. Well, this may be an answer for some of you. This idea hinges on a never changing fact of life. The opportunity has endured every recession and economic downturn. No need for me to build a case here.

We know that everyone has to die. That is a given in life. It begins and it ends. Hopefully, those that have passed on made the most of theirs. Mortuaries have more than proven that death deals dollars. By the way, I wouldn’t want to be a mortician either. Morticians are only part of the puzzle when someone is prepared for their final departure.

All deceased individuals need a place to rest. Have you ever wondered who owns the cemetery? Why can’t it be you? For some this may seem morbid, while others will see an opportunity. Land is an asset that can not be replaced. As time passes, the value of land increases. Have you ever priced a burial lot? The lot itself can be 20-40% of the total burial cost. With a 10 acre cemetery, an individual could easily accommodate 250 burial lots at a minimum cost of $2,000 each in most areas. The numbers will vary up or down depending on location. Even still, that is a $500,000 estimate of potential revenue. So, instead of feeling bad about capitalizing on someone’s inevitable death, you can feel good about providing a clean and respectable haven for the loved ones of many families to rest in eternity. This also gives you an opportunity to help reduce the cost of burying a loved one as the owner of a cemetery or chain of cemeteries.

Before buying the land, I would suggest writing down the address. Then, contact the planning and development department for that particular county or city to verify that cemetery zoning would be feasible for the property. This is definitely worth a thought. I would love to hear about it.

Your Home Can Be Your Bank

2008-01-24T17:58:00.000-05:00

Homeownership is considered by many to be part of the american dream. For others, it is viewed as a pinnacle in their quest for success. Well, I see a home as a tool to create wealth. Owning a home isn’t for everyone. There are new obligations and expenses that did not have to be considered when renting. But for those willing to take on the risk and responsibility, the rewards can be tremendous.

I will give you the short and sweet of my point. Equity is the “Holy” word when considering homeownership. In case you don’t know, equity is the difference between what you owe on the home and its current market value. If you owe $100,000 and the home is worth $150,00, your equity is $50,000. The equity gets added to your balance sheet as an asset and increases your net worth.

Now single people or married couples that don’t have children in school will love this. Here’s the scenario:

Once you’re properly pre-qualified, you patiently search for the right opportunity. This is about creating wealth, not growing roots on Elm Street with a white picket fence. Not right now at least. Determine how much money you want to earn with each move or purchase. That determination allows you to know when the right opportunity has appeared. If your goal is to earn $25,000 per home, then an ideal scenario may be a purchase price of $150,000 with a market value of $200,000. This means you got a 25% discount and your loan to value (LTV) is only 75%. That’s a great deal!

Now you have two options to get your money. First, you can live there for a couple of years and potentially gain an additional 3-5% a year in equity and then sell the home. There would be no capital gains tax on your money if you live in a home for two of the previous five years. Sell the home for $190,000 and you now create a great opportunity for your buyer and put your $25,000 in the bank. Of course when $150k is subtracted from $190k you don’t get $25k. That’s because you have fees associated with selling a home. That will be another discussion.

The second way to get your money is by refinancing the mortgage and taking the cash out of the new loan proceeds. This approach allows you to sell the home in less than two years and not have to pay capital gains tax. Why? Because the money is borrowed, not an investment gain. The borrowed money is promptly paid back when the home sells.

Imagine being a 20 year old that’s able to buy a home, which is an investment. If this process is repeated every two years until age 30, you now have at least $125k in the bank. This does not even include savings from your paycheck or interest that may have accrued over the ten year period. What an opportunity? My advice to you would be to not buy a lot of furniture during this process. Travel light as you move often.

Always remember to buy in growing areas with increasing home values and good schools. This usually makes a home sell more quickly. A mortgage should not be just a home loan. It should be part of your wealth strategy.

When you’re ready to start, I can do your loan. Invest wisely and create wealth!

Invest Like The Pros At Foliofn.com

2008-01-15T18:02:00.000-05:00

Foliofn is a company I stumbled upon maybe six years ago. Who are they and why should you care? This is a great company, in my opinion, for mutual fund investors that want to get a little more involved in the process. In a nutshell, mutual funds represent a group of people that have collectively invested their money to buy a group of stocks. These stock purchases and investments are managed by companies or licensed individuals that have the time and knowledge needed to effectively make money for the investors. Well, we hope so.

Mutual funds may invest in the stock of 20 to 40 different companies. There may be 100 shares of Company A, 300 shares of Company B and so on until their is a portfolio of stock selected based on the goals of the fund. The fund manager may buy the stock for Company A at a cost $30 a share, while Company B may cost $15 a share. When all of these company stocks come together in a mutual fund portfolio, you no longer see the price of the individual stocks. At this point, you buy into the fund based on the net asset value (NAV). There is a formula used to calculate the NAV, but it really isn’t important for you to know. What you need to know is that, one share of this professionally selected portfolio of stock will cost you the specific dollar amount of the NAV per share at the time of entry. This NAV will fluctuate with market conditions just like individual stocks will.

Now here in lies the beauty I see in Foliofn.com. Some mutual funds charge huge fees to get in, while some charge none. There are mutual funds most people never hear of that produce returns far beyond that of the overall market. Unfortunately, they may require a $500,000 initial deposit. For anyone willing to do the time and research, the Foliofn payoff could be huge. With this account, you now have the ability to find the top producing mutual funds despite their entry cost and make the same investments they do.

Let’s say the Big Timer Mutual Fund has had an average annual return of 75% over the last 5 years, but require an initial deposit exceeding your budget. Even though we’re always warned that past performance is no guarantee of future performance, it is a pretty good indicator. The prospectus for this Big Timer Mutual Fund should list most, if not all of the companies the fund manager has selected. You can now set up your Foliofn account to automatically purchase an equal share or based on the same percentage of each stock in the Big Timer Fund. Now, as Big Timer makes 75% returns, so do you. This does require you to check The Big Timer Fund from time to time and stay current with changes they may have made. Otherwise, things could go south quickly if they have news you didn’t hear.

There are three other major benefits of this approach. The first is that cash dividends are paid directly into your account. If you own 200 shares of Company B and the dividend pay out is $2 per share, then $400 show up in your account. This doesn’t happen with mutual funds. Secondly, if there is a stock split by either company, your Foliofn account reflects an equivalent increase in the number of shares for that stock. When investing in a mutual fund directly, you won’t enjoy the full potential benefit of dividends and stock splits. The last major benefit is cost. If you only invest $10,000 in a typical mutual fund, it will most likely cost you several hundred dollars for the first year and increase as the value of your account increases. Foliofn.com only charges $19.99 a month or $199 if you pay for a year and that doesn’t increase with the value of your account. Plus you are able to make over 100 trades a month at no additional cost. Take a look and tell me what you think.

Whose Life Is It?

2008-01-05T17:45:00.000-05:00

As parents, we tend to know what’s best for our children. We choose what they eat, their bedtime and often want to choose their friends. Well, how many of you have chosen or steered your child down a particular career path? How many of you have parents that chose or steered you down a particular career path? One of life’s greatest tragedies is an individual engulfed in a career that he or she hates. To make matters worse, this individual won’t change careers because he or she doesn’t want to disappoint mom and dad.

A child is placed in the life of parents to be nurtured and provided for. Parents are to teach their children how to be decent, respectful, responsible and most important, godly individuals. I, being a Christian, believe that God has placed in every individual a specific purpose for being on this earth. For some it takes longer to discover than others what their purpose is. Be it sooner or later, we have a job to do. Amazingly, there are some children so hard-wired with purpose that it begins to shine through at tender ages. What happens when a 4 year old watches a movie Monday and passionately recites the lines to you on Tuesday? Do you get upset with the 3 year old that won’t stop singing? Have you ever questioned your child about reading maps as a hobby and considered it silly? Were you ever told that the activity you loved most was stupid and would take you no where in life?

Too many parents crush the dreams of children thinking they know best at all times. Only God can reveal a child’s purpose to you, parent, if you observe and listen. As parents, our responsibility is to position our children for success in their purpose. Children not only deserve, but are expected by God to follow their innate passion for the purpose placed in their heart. If purpose for your child means becoming a doctor, garbage man, athlete, teacher or mechanic, your job remains the same as a parent. It is a parent’s responsibility to expose their child to as much about his or her future purpose as possible. You then step back, let them follow God and encourage them along the way.

What excites your child more than anything in life? What does he or she enjoy most? What can you do now to make sure your child has every opportunity to be successful in his or her God given purpose?

Discover Card With A 0% Interest Rate

2007-12-26T17:59:00.000-05:00

One unsuspecting day in the mail, I received an offer from Discover Card for a 0% interest credit card. I was given a few months to transfer balances to get into the 0% until paid status. Remember, nothing in life is free. Therefore my first question was, “What is the catch?” With a bit of research, I discovered that the requirement was making timely payments and at least two purchases a month to maintain the 0% interest rate for the life of the balance. With only a 3% maximum transfer fee, you basically get a free loan. By the way, the purchases have no minimum dollar requirement. I make two monthly purchases of $.10 each. That’s right! My two purchases cost me a combined $.20.

This is a golden opportunity for someone with the discipline not to overspend and remember the two purchase commitment. If you don’t see the gold in this egg, compare the interest rate of credit cards you now possess or small personal loans to the 0%. Finance charges can easily be $50 a month if you owe $5,000. With $50 in finance charges, your monthly payment is approximately $100. By adding a 0% interest credit card to your arsenal for payoff purposes only, you instantly cut your monthly budget by $50 or increase your investing options by the same. This 0% interest card actually allows you to make the minimum payment if necessary and still reduce the balance owed. It also creates money for you to invest toward retirement without increasing your income. Eliminating high-interest rate debt is an aspect of investing.

For anyone able to qualify and is in the process of paying off or paying down debt, this is a must have. This could also be used as a funding source for your business. How many banks offer business loans at 0% interest?

This particular offer came from Discover Card and I don’t use it for anything else. Be sure the offer is 0% interest for the life of the balance so long as you make the two $.10 purchases a month and pay on time. They don’t mind the $.10 purchases because for every 10 savvy card holders, there are probably 50 frivolous spenders exceeding the credit limit and making them money.

Be sure the offer is 0% interest for the life of the balance so long as you make the two $.10 purchases a month and pay on time. You may want to call a representative and verify the offer is still available and request it specifically.

Credit Limit Increases: Just Ask For More!

2007-12-21T18:01:00.000-05:00

Most people are intimidated by their creditors. Well, maybe not most. It’s mainly the ones who owe more than they can afford to pay. That is NOT where you want to be. Let’s get on to my point for the day.

I previously mentioned that high credit balances relative to spending limits contribute to lower credit scores. For the sake of clarity, let me explain. If a credit card has your name on it with a $1000 spending limit and you now owe $800, the balance is high. Your balance to limit ratio is 80%. The ideal ratio is about 30%, but you definitely want to be below 50%. Creditors like to see some activity to on your accounts to show responsible usage and good financial management.

From time to time, creditors will periodically increase your spending limits when they feel you can manage it. THIS TIP IS ONLY FOR THE STRONG AT HEART!!! If you NEED to use your credit and the dollar amount will put you over 50%, call your creditor. This call will be a request to increase your spending limit. Tell them you want to make a purchase, but want to maintain a ratio of less than 50% on the balance. If the account is seasoned (12 months or older), some card issuers will authorize a limit increase. Phrase your statement like this: “I would like to request a credit limit increase without doing a hard inquiry.” If accepted, that means they will base the decision on your account history and not pull your current credit report. Hard inquiries can deduct 3 to 5 points from your score with each pull. For someone simply paying down debt, an increase in your limit to reduce your ratio could help raise your credit score more quickly. The limit increase isn’t an opportunity to spend more. It’s a way to strengthen your credit score.

Turn Your Job Into Your Business

2007-12-20T17:31:00.000-05:00

Sometimes the most obvious thoughts are often overlooked. Individuals caught in the rat race of a nine to five often ponder for years how to break the cycle of punching the clock. Well, I ask you, when was the last time you considered pursuing your current profession or field as a business. There are thousands of top notch employees utilizing their skills and abilities to maximize the profits for employers around the globe. As we all know, when you’re no longer considered valuable, you no longer have a job.

If you enjoy the work you do, here’s the plan in a nutshell. As you go about your day to day activities, the goal is no longer complete your tasks and get through the day. You are now on a MISSION. Agent #1, your mission is to observe, listen and learn as much as you can about the operations of your organization. That’s right! We need you collect as much intel on the operation as possible. This message will self-destruct in 10 seconds. Don’t worry, you will have time to finish reading it.

Let us continue. From company to company, the information gathered will vary. Who are the suppliers, customers, vendors or any other affiliates involved in daily business transactions? How does the company find its customers? How much has to be spent to make someone a customer? This can be called customer acquisition cost. When are the busy and slow seasons for that type of business? This information will be vital to budget effectively and keep your doors open as sales decrease according to the known cycle. What are the entry costs of the business? Is it more cost effective and feasible to become a contractor or launch a full blown organization? Will a staff be necessary? Where will you find qualified employees? Learn as much as you can. Disclaimer: DO NOT VIOLATE, STEAL AND/OR USE company secrets or anything that is prohibited by company policies. Use discretion and be wise.

This gives a few considerations to have in mind as you sit at your desk and ponder your next move in life. If they can make money using your skills, why can’t you?

Groundbreaking Business Idea

2007-12-20T17:28:00.000-05:00

What Makes Your Business Stand Out?

2007-12-02T17:33:00.000-05:00

In business, one of the keys to success is differentiating yourself from the crowd. Take a moment and count the number of companies doing what you do. If you and all 20 of your competitors were lined up side by side in front of a potential client, what would make them choose you? If your products or services are of equal value and quality, why would they choose you? The correct answer to that question would instantly double your bottom line. From industry to industry the exact answer may vary, but the concept remains the same. You must stand out!

I read about a woman that owned a company called “Blaze.” She was faced with this same question. How do I stand out? What she decided based on the company name was, in my opinion, quite unique and clever. As I read further, I discovered her clients did as well. Whenever correspondence was mailed out to a client, one corner of the paper was slightly burned to accentuate the company name, “Blaze.” A tactic such as this is sure to make a client remember you. We recognize the swoosh without seeing the name Nike. What can you put your logo on that people will truly appreciate as a, thank you for your business gift? What would make people say “WOW!” about your service? Not just the business service itself, but great service given while providing the service. Think now about your business and what you can do to make people remember or choose you in a line with your 20 competitors. When you find that WOW! factor, please send an email because we would love to know.

Sell Your Designs With No Up-front Cost

2007-11-08T20:35:00.000-05:00

If you have ever considered selling a t-shirt with your favorite quote or picture you have drawn, the time is now. Some of us allow cost or the thought of spending to keep opportunity outside the front door. Well now you can sell your t-shirt, hat, mug or button ideas with no start-up costs to you. You can shop or create what’s on your mind at CafePress.com. This is a great way to unleash the entrepreneur within you and not be hindered by cost. If you already have a business, here in lies a great way to sell items with your company logo on them. Cafepress.com allows you to set up a virtual store and sell various products that they will produce with no up-front cost to you. Start now and make your Christmas money. That would be nice!