Where Is The Rabbit?

We need a rabbit!

This was a pretty horrible week for the market with two 100-point days and Friday closing on the lows.

During these past few days Sir Alan told us things are looking up and the economy is basically strong. Mr. Market didn't hear him. It seems that jaw boning can't get people to buy. In fact there were more sellers than buyers.

If you go back in history it is a truism that has become conventional wisdom that the stock market goes up during an election year. The reasoning is obvious. The president - who ever he is - in office will pull out all the stops to create the illusion that the economy is in good shape and he is the one who takes credit for it. Both Mr. Bush and the Fed chairman better get their best top hat out and reach way down for that white rabbit.

It is going take some real magic to get folks in a buying mood. The lower it goes the less likely they are to buy. Of course, brokers are calling and telling investors, This is the break to buy. Stocks are cheap. Better get on board now. You can't let this opportunity pass by. You can't afford to be out of the market. And on and on with the platitudes. Don't believe any of that hog wash.

What brokers should be telling investors is to protect their money by placing stop loss orders. You can be sure that won't happen. The big brokerage firms frown on stops and punish brokers who encourage customers to use them. Fortunately, when I was a broker I worked for company that did not penalize this concept and I refused to take a customer who would not place stops when they bought something. That is why I never lost customers and had them for years.

This year the major indexes (DOW, S&P, and NASDAQ) are down. Not a great deal, but definitely lower. This means for those who invest in index mutual funds that they are running a loss. Brokers always say, You are in for the long haul so not to worry about what is happening now. That's what they told you in 2000 and you still have not recovered your losses from then.

No brokerage firm tells the true story of the secular bull and bear markets. These have occurred with great regularity for the past 200 years and will, if history continues to repeat, follow the same course. The shortest secular bear has been 8 years and the longest 25 years. At a minimum we are not half way through this one.Prudent investors (and I hope that's you) will protect their portfolios with stop loss protection on every position. Every broker and financial planner will advise against it, but it your money not theirs.

The market is not magic. Hocus pocus and white rabbits will not make it go up for very long. Illusions are not where it's at. Forget the brokers' abracadabras and place your stop loss protection today.

Al Thomas' book, If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't BuyIt! has helped thousands of people make moneyand keep their profits with his simple 2-stepmethod. Read the first chapter athttp://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Streetdoes not want you to know.

1-888-345-7870; al@mutualfundstrategy.com

Tips On Homeowners Insurance Coverage Simplified

If you are a human being that lives somewhere, you probably should have some sort of homeowners insurance coverage. Regardless of whether you rent an apartment unit, condominium, own a house, acreage or even a town house, not being sufficiently covered can lead to great financial loss difficult to recover from. You home is the greatest financial investment you will ever make, not to mention all the money you spend on furnishings and items contributing to the liveability of your home.

Every adult needs some form of homeowners insurance coverage. It\'s never a bad idea to get a free online homeowner insurance quote or two. This will enable you to compare rates and coverages to tailor a policy that is suitable for you and your contentment.

If you are not sure what homeowners insurance coverage is, it is a policy you get in exchange for an annual premium that provides protection for your dwelling, personal property and any lawsuits that you are held responsible for. Habitually there are 4 underlying or basic types of homeowners insurance coverage.

Types Of Homeowners coverage In Reference To Insurance ;

1) Dwelling Coverage : Provides payment for needed repairs or cost of replacement for your home, as well as to detached units and structures on your property, due to damages caused by fire, water, lightning strikes and other disasters. Examples of detached structures predominantly include tool sheds, barn and garages. Usually excludes damage caused by earthquakes and selected natural disasters.

2) Basic Liability : Provides protection to you against lawsuits resulting from accidents occurring on your property you may be held responsible for. Damage to others or their property inflicted by your dog or children. Also covers you for damage, injuries or bodily harm to others caused by you on or off your property.

3) Personal Property : Provides protection for the contents of your home, such as furnishings, clothing, sports equipment, electronics, appliances and other personal belongings. Collectors items such as artwork and jewellry customarily are not included and require a seperate policy if you wish to have them insured.

4) Living Expenses : This type of homeowners insurance coverage provides payment of expenses incurred in case of temporary relocation due to repairs being done to your home, such as motels.

The above mentioned are just basic descriptions of what may be covered by a policy, a homeowner insurance quote will provide you with further detailed information regarding protection.

The premiums will vary in rate from person to person, and will depend on certain situations. Free homeowners insurance quotes will also touch on this subject. There is much to cover, but it is important for you to understand what your home owners insurance policy includes.

Some Factors Considered to Determine A Premium ;

- Crime rate in the area you reside
- How old your home is
- Square footage
- Distance to nearest fire hydrant
- Type of home and how may levels
- Do you own a dog, and what kind
- Property value
- Does your municipality or community have its own fire dept.
- Type of heating system
- Type of locks on doors and windows, alarm system and security devices
- Is the area you live in at risk of natural disasters
- Previous claims
- Condition of plumbing, roof and electrical
- Replacement costs

and more. Before taking any action, it would be wise to consult a professional regarding any coverage premium and how it is determined.

Like with any other type of protection, there is usually a deductible to be paid whenever making a claim, and in regards to this, homeowners insurance coverage does not exclude itself. Ordinarily, the higher the deductible you choose to go with, the lower your premium will be.

Dean Cecere is author and owner of http://www.insurancecoverage-quotes.com where you will find information and resources regarding most insurance domains including Car Insurance, Life insurance, Travel, Health and Medical and much more.

Thank you and please feel free to use this article. Keeping the above link functional is greatly appreciated.

Buying a Home With Bad Credit Tips on Finding the Right Broker or Lender

You can buy a home with a bad credit record; you just need to find the right mortgage financing package. Before you sign up with the first company that offers you a loan, remember to research offers to be assured you are getting a fair deal.

Know Your Credit Rating

Your credit score is one of the biggest factors in determining the points you will pay for your loan. People with scores between 620 and 800 have near perfect credit and will have the lowest rates and fees. Scores between 620 and 550 mean an interest rate or two higher. 600 is usually the cutoff point for 100% financing. Scores less than 550 mean mortgage interest rates are up to 5% higher with up to five points. Lenders will also require a down payment between 5% and 20%

You can find your score online along with your credit report. This is a good time to make sure all the information is correct on your record. Any discrepancies should be checked out and corrected before applying for a loan.

Know The Fees

Arm yourself with information so you will know what are reasonable fees for your type of loan. Mortgage brokers are paid for their work through points paid up front or through the lifetime of the loan by the lender. Lenders also make money through points.

It is reasonable to expect to pay up to five points for a mortgage loan, but any higher and you should be wary. There are always exceptions to this, so use your best judgment and compare companies.

Get Multiple Offers

Mortgage lenders can vary as much as 5% in their interest rates, so you should compare financing packages. The internet has made comparison shopping easy. You can get bids from multiple lenders and read over their offers from the comfort of your home.

Read The Fine Print

Once you get an offer from a mortgage lender, make sure you read the fine print. Interest rates are easy to compare, but you should also look over the fees that are involved which can add up to thousands of dollars. Also, be sure to understand any fees for late or missed payments.

To view our list of recommended bad credit or sub prime mortgage lenders online, visit this page: Recommended Sub prime Mortgage Lenders Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an informational website with articles and the latest news about various types of loans.

Rewards Programs Explained: Citi's Thank You Rewards Network Simplicity Rewards & Diamond Rewards

Credit card companies are in constant competition with one another to gain you as their customer. One way they approach this is with 0% introductory rates. Another approach is the rewards program. In this first of a series of in depth articles on credit card rewards programs, the president and CEO of Credit Card Depot Inc examines the Citi Thank You Rewards Network Program.

Currently, the Citi Simplicity(SM) Rewards Card, the Citi Platinum Select, and the Citi Diamond Preferred Rewards Card all offer thankyounetwork rewards. But what exactly are these rewards. They are points earned for every dollar spent that can be redeemed for everything from gift certificates to reduction in your interest rate. Here, I will focus on the gift certificates. Beginning at around 1,500 points, you can receive a free $10 gift certificate to a wide range of major retailers. As our points increase, so do their value. For 10,000 points, you can get a $100 gift certificate to these same great retailers.

Aside from retail gift certificates, you can vouchers for hotel discounts, free skiing pass, free movie tickets. There truly are a ton of rewards options available through this citicards program.

Now, some of you may be rolling your eyes at the fact it takes $10,000 of spending to get $100 in rebates. But the fact of the matter is, getting rewards is easier than you think. For starters, both the Citi Simplicity(SM) Rewards Card and the Citi Diamond Preferred Rewards offer new consumers a great signup incentive: thousands of free points. For the Citi Simplicity(SM) Rewards Card, all you have to do is make one purchase in your first three months with the card and you are awarded a $100 gift certificate. Imagine that, a credit card paying you to use their card. The same holds true with the Citi Diamond Preferred Rewards Card. Citicards will give you a $50 gift certificate for using that card.

Okay, so you get the free points up front, but how can you really take advantage of the rewards offered by Citibank\'s Thank You Network. Use you card for all your everyday purchases and pay your balance in full each month. Between groceries, gas, eating out, and other common expenses, you might find yourself with a few hundred dollars worth of rewards by the end of a year. Not too bad for simply using your credit card in place of cash or a debit card.

Citi\'s Thank You Rewards Network, which charges no annual fee, adds great value to Citibank\'s credit card offerings. While the Citi Simplicity(SM) Rewards Card and the Citi Diamond Preferred Rewards Card offer the added incentive of a free gift certificate, the Citi Platinum Select card should not be overlooked, as it offers one of lowest interest rates on the market.

Overall, the credit card rewards available through Citibank are top notch. However, in my next article, we\'ll see how they stand up to the credit card rewards pioneer, American Express.

Copyright 2006 Credit Card Depot Inc. Free online reprints of this article are allowed provided the resource box remains intact with a live link back to http://www.credit-card-depot.com.

Jeffrey Weber is the president and CEO of Credit Card Depot Inc. Its flagship website, http://www.credit-card-depot.com has provided detailed information on credit card applications since 2004 and has helped over 10,000 consumers find new credit cards online. Credit Card Depot features secure links to Citibank Credit Card Applications and various other rewards credit cards applications.

The Lowdown on the USA Gold Card

Individuals with a poor or bad credit score looking but who are planning to re-establish their line of credit can find salvation in the form of USA Credit\'s USA Gold Card.

The options for credit cards are rather limited to those with a bad credit record. In fact, they are most likely eligible for credit cards that impose start-up fees ranging anywhere from $200 to $400. The USA Gold Card though has a reasonable startup fee of $149.95. While the startup fee is lower than the industry average, there are also no interest charges on purchases or even annual fees required.

What\'s more, with the USA Credit\'s \No Credit Check or Credit Turndowns\ policy, almost anyone can apply for the card, albeit within certain restrictions and limitations. Additionally, active credit card users will relish the fact that their transactions will be reported to major credit bureaus as an unsecured credit card transaction. With a good payment track record, credit card users can then utilize this card to rebuild their credit record.

The biggest shortcoming of the card is the fact that it can only be used for retail purchases listed through USA Credit\'s website or catalogue. In other words, the card can be regarded as a retail charge card that can only be used for purchases of selected goods and services. That in itself definitely lowers the appeal of this \credit card\. However, some may view this as a shortcoming rather than a drawback.

In summary, the USA Gold Card would definitely be ideal for individuals with bad credit reports who are seeking for a low cost alternative to re-establishing their credit rating. In fact, this is especially true of they are open towards shopping from USA Credit\'s line of items available, and view this as a platform for an ultimate purpose of gaining a good track record in spending, and paying for it.

For more information or to apply for the USA Gold Card, Eric Wasselman recommends Find Credit Cards.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=EricWasselman

There are Many Places to Get Payday Cash Loans Both Locally and Online!

The best aspect of payday cash loans is that they are easily applied for and received. Whether you go to a local business that offers cash loans or look online, the application and approval process can take as little as a few minutes. When you go online, you have a wide variety of choices and have the ability to apply for several different types of cash loans.

Many people are taking advantage of the ease and convenience of payday cash loans. Most payday cash loans can be received within 24 hours, with many being available in just a few minutes! If you hold a job and can pay back the cash loans quickly, there is not even that much additional cost to you.

A lot of payday cash loans cost you as little as a $25 finance charge. Some cash loans can cost you more, but they usually won\'t cost more than $100. That is a small price to pay to get the cash you need in an emergencyor to purchase something that will only be available for a limited time.

Bad credit is not normally an issue when you are applying for cash loans, either. Whether you have good credit, very little credit, or bad credit, the likelihood of your being eligible for payday cash loans is high! Most businesses that offer cash loans don\'t run credit checks on its customers. In some cases, all that is needed to receive payday cash loans is a paycheck stub and an ID with your photo on it.

What exactly are payday cash loans, though? A payday cash loan is when a lender gives you a small monetary amount as a short-term, personal loan. To get these kinds of cash loans, you won\'t need a security deposit or to offer anything as collateral.

Some examples of reasons you might get payday cash loans are:

1. You have a money crunch until your next paycheck and need a little extra cash to get your vehicle fixed.

2. Something you have dreamed of owning is on sale for a limited time and you need a bit more money to purchase it.

Although they are not hard to get, it isn\'t wise to get payday cash loans if you cannot pay them back with your next paycheck. The longer the loan remains unpaid, the higher the cost will be to you.

Richard Jenkins is the marketing director for MGA Cash Loans, an online provider of faxless payday loans. To find out more information on MGA, please visit their website at http://www.mga.org

Is the HSA plan for you?

The HSA or Health Savings Account plan is a high deductible plan as defined by the Federal Government. The deductible will increase a little each year depending on the inflation factor. This type of plan meets my definition of true insurance, which is protection against an unforeseen catastrophic financial loss. In addition to giving true insurance, this plan gives important and significant tax advantages. If you have a qualified HSA plan you are eligible to put money into a HSA savings account tax free. The amount you can put into the account is lesser of the deductible or $5450 per year for a family or $2700 a year for an individual. Deductibles start at $1000 for an individual and $2000 for a family. For many HSA plans, the deductible is a family deductible as opposed to an individual deductible for traditional plans. The Savings can be used to pay for traditional medical expenses as well as the insurance deductible, but not the premium except in specific circumstances (see section 213d of the IRS code). Some other examples are: Office Calls, Prescriptions, Acupuncture, Braces, Chiropractors, Contact Lenses, Hearing Aids, and Sterilization. Other little know examples are: Wages for nursing services, Capital expenses for equipment or improvements to your home needed for medical care, Special school or home for mentally or physically disabled persons, Cost of lead-based paint removal and Cost and care of guide dogs or other animals aiding the blind, deaf and disabled. The savings can go into an interest bearing savings account or even a mutual fund. The advantages of a HSA plan are two fold.

First the cost of the insurance is much less than traditional health insurance and second, the tax savings. To appreciate the tax savings make sure you consider all the taxes involved, including State, Federal and Social Security taxes. To illustrate, assume your Federal tax is 25%, State tax 5.5% and Social Security tax 7.5%. That adds up to 38%. That means that for every $100 you spend on any health expense, including the insurance deductible, you first must pay $61.29 in taxes. For a plan with a $5450 deductible the savings can amount to $3340 in taxes. For the self employed, remember to add another 7.5% savings for the self employment taxes. In the upper tax brackets the savings can amount to 50% or more.

The funds stay in your savings account from year to year, earning interest, until you use them. If you use the funds for an unauthorized expense you will pay the taxes plus a 10% penalty. After age 65, when you go on Social Security, you can leave the funds in the account until you use them up or you can take the funds out and avoid the 10% penalty. You will however, pay the taxes.

Richard R Evans

Richard is the owner of Affordable Health, Life and Annuity Services, Richard is an independent agent with 15 years experience in the Health Insurance Industry. He is also the owner of DreamProtector Agency LLC, an investment advisor and certified college planning specialist.

A Few Tips for First Time Buyers

It cannot be denied that emotions and excitements are associated with house purchasing. So it is necessary for first time home buyers to collect themselves and take care of a few things seriously to be really happy after buying a house through mortgage. Otherwise your house purchasing may become a heavy burden on you. In this regard first time home buyers will find the following tips much helpful.

At first it is necessary to decide how much money you can afford to spend for your home purchase. First time home buyers can do so by making an assessment of their income, assets, expenditure, debt level etc. In addition to the cost of the house they should consider other expenditure like down payment, closing cost, property tax, homeowner\'s insurance etc. Being informed of all this costs they can go for a suitable deal.

After that they should dedicate a little time to search for the house that suits the needs in the best possible manner. First time home buyers should give prime importance to the availability of essential facilities while choosing the house. It should be located in a congenial atmosphere with good transportation, parks, school etc.

It is advisable to choose a mortgage with suitable terms. Terms are important for first time home buyers because these should be followed for a long time. Once you chose the mortgage its time for closing or settlement to get the transaction over. You will have to pay a small percentage of the purchasing price towards closing cost. When all these steps are over the house is yours; you can take possession of it and live in it peacefully.

About The Author

The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. He has done his masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting Easy-Buy-To-Let-Mortgages as a finance specialist.

For more information please visit http://www.easy-buy-to-let-mortgages.co.uk

How to Sell Your Home for Free

Is anything in life really free? Well, if you\'re an economist the answer is no. Time and effort are costs that can\'t be escaped, even if you get something without having to pay any money for it. For the purposes of this article, we\'ll think about \free\ in terms of money only, just to make things simpler and avoid semantic arguments.

So is it possible to sell a home without paying a single penny to anyone? Yes. You can make your own yard sign, create flyers from your home computer and pass them out to potential buyers and post ads on free classified ad websites. You can also hold open houses and advertise them with home-made flyers posted around the neighborhood.

If you have no time requirement for selling your home, the above might be all you need to do. After all, it only takes one qualified buyer to sell - so selling is mostly about finding that one buyer.

Once you\'ve found a buyer, you can arrange closing with a local title company and the buyer will get financing through the mortgage broker of their choice. There will be fees the seller must pay to the closing company and possibly an attorney, depending on the state where the property is located, so be prepared for that. You can call around and get quotes, though most companies are fairly competitive with their fee structure.

If you are on a more limited time requirement, you can consider creating an advertising budget to help you find that one buyer in a shorter amount of time. Low-cost advertising methods you can use include newspaper classified ads, \for sale by owner\ website advertising, a yard sign from your local hardware store and some even hire a real estate agent who offers flat-fee MLS listings. A flat-fee MLS listing will usually cost you about $500 plus 3% of the sales price.

The bottom line is that there are many free or low-cost options available to you as a home seller, if you have the time and the desire to save money on the sale of your property.

The author is involved in several online real estate businesses, including FSBO3k.com, one of the leading for sale by owner websites in the United States.

Cheap Life Insurance Policy We All Want To Save Money Here's How

Is there such a thing as cheap life insurance policies? There may not be such as a thing as cheap life insurance in the market place but there are certainly a wide variety of life insurance rates. That means that there is a definite advantage to those that take the time to search for the lowest possible rate. Your ability to search for rates online is phenomenal. There is a huge opportunity out there to do your own research. The rates on life insurance depend on the type of product. There are two common forms of life insurance. There is term life insurance and there is permanent life insurance. Comparing the two can be a challenge. Comparing a combination of the two can be even more of a challenge.



Why am I buying Life Insurance? - That is the first question that needs to be answered. Do I want to cover a mortgage? Do I want to provide income for my family? Do I want to supplement my retirement? The reasons are more important than the rates because the reasons help you design your portfolio.



What kind of life insurance do I need? - Once you know the reasons that you are making a life insurance purchase then you can determine what type of life insurance to purchase. Term insurance takes care of temporary needs while permanent life insurance provides benefits for a lifetime.



You can now proceed to search for rates after you have answered these two very important questions. It would behoove you to learn a simple method of evaluating your insurance needs so that you can shop for the proper amount and the correct type of life insurance. There is nothing wrong with shopping online or using an insurance professional to assist you. The happiest life insurance purchase that you will ever make is the one that is designed to fit your needs and to your ability to pay.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

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How to Find a Job in Insurance

Do you have your insurance license and are ready to take the
industry by storm? Are you an experienced agent, adjuster,
underwriter, or broker looking for an exciting new challenge?
Regardless of the level of your insurance industry experience,
looking for a new job can be a time-consuming and frequently
frustrating process. A big part of the job search process is
knowing where to look for insurance positions.

Licensing is an important part of working in the insurance
industry. Some companies will require that you hold a current
applicable license before agreeing to hire you, while others are
very willing to assist you in procuring the appropriate
license(s). This requirement can even vary from department to
department within the same company, so it will be necessary to
check on the licensing requirement for each position when
applying.

The following tips and tricks are designed to take some of the
headache out of your search, by giving you some guidelines on
steps you can take to land your ideal insurance industry
position.

Depending on the type of insurance you are most interested in,
visit the recruiting departments of various insurance agencies
to inquire about available positions. If there are no current
vacancies, ask if you can submit your resume to remain on file
should future openings match what you are seeking.

Contact recruitment and contract employment agencies that work
in the insurance industry. Aligning yourself with a recruiter
can give you access to jobs that are often not advertised to the
public. The great thing about recruiting agencies is that allow
you to apply for positions at multiple companies
simultaneously with a single resume submittal, since most
recruiters will shop your resume around to all of the available
openings.

Use the internet to your advantage. Searching for insurance,
underwriting, roker, agent, adjuster or any number of
other insurance-related terms on major job boards such as
Monster.com and Hotjobs.com will unearth hundreds of available
openings - just be aware that competition for these positions is
stiff since hundreds of other professionals are looking at and
applying for the exact same jobs.

Colleges and universities often have a database of available
positions in the school's Career Center. Career Center advisors
are also excellent sources of information on how to network in
the industry and get your foot in the door. Schools that offer
business, accounting, and financial degrees are especially
likely to have insurance contacts. Note though, that many school
limit Career Center resource access to current students or
alumni.

Network, network, network! Let friends, family, and casual
acquaintances know that you are on the market for a new
position. Since most companies are much more willing to
interview (and potentially hire) candidates who have already
been vouched for, it's important to get the word out that you
are available and seeking a new opportunity.

If you aren't deadset on working in a particular insurance
field, take advantage of the wide range of positions available
in the industry. Expand your job search to investigate
opportunities in:

oAuto insurance oHealth insurance oWorkers' Compensation o
Other types of business insurance (such as E&O, EPLI, etc.) o
Life insurance oHome owner's insurance

Don't be averse to accepting a contract, junior, or raining
position. This are often a great way to get you foot in the door
in the insurance industry. It also gives you a chance to
evaluate an organization and department to ensure it is a match
before fully committing yourself to a long-term full-time
position.

Searching insurance industry-specific job boards for available
opportunities is a great way to target only those jobs that in
the insurance industry.