Ready to Trade-In Your Home? Perhaps You Should Remodel Instead!

TAMPA, FL Each year, millions of Americans move into the home of their dreams. As time goes by, families expand, kids grow older, and suddenly that home isn't quite so perfect anymore. Or perhaps you still love your home, but you really want a gourmet kitchen and a larger master bedroom. Should you start looking for a new house? Or would it be better to stay where you are and remodel instead?

Both options involve a significant investment of time and money, so it's important to take your time and make an informed decision. You'll also want to be sure to consider both the financial and the emotional sides of the equation. Let's begin by examining the financial factors involved.

Moving: A good local real estate agent should be able to assist you with estimates on these numbers.

How much will it cost to purchase a home that will meet your needs?

How much could you sell your existing home for? Don't forget to subtract the agent's commission from this total.

What will it cost to move? According to real estate consultant and best-selling author of Remodel or Move, Dan Fritschen, a typical move costs 10% of the value of your home.

How much will your property taxes increase as a result of the move?

Remodeling:

What projects do you want to have done and how much will they cost? An architect or general contractor will be able to assist you with these figures.

How much will the improvements add to the value of your home, also known as the "payback"? A local real estate agent can assist with this as well.

If the decision about whether to renovate or move were purely a financial one, then it would be quite easy to look at the numbers and come to the right conclusion. However, there are also emotional factors that come into play, and they have a value as well. Let's consider some examples.

Reasons you may want to move:

If you relocate to a new neighborhood, your children could attend superior schools.

You would like to reduce your commute or have better access to local amenities, such as restaurants and shopping.

You're not particularly fond of your current neighborhood.

Your yard is too small, and you cannot expand it.

Reasons you may want to stay and remodel:

You're happy with your location. It's convenient, you love your neighbors, and the schools are either excellent or are not a factor.

You love the layout of your home.

All you need is a little more space, and your home will be perfect.

Of course only you know what is truly important for your happiness, so try to use these questions as a starting point. Create a list of the pros and cons of each scenario and leave it someplace accessible, so that you and your spouse can add to it as you think of additional factors. You may also want to consider attending open houses and visiting new housing developments to see what is available and how your home compares.

Once you've completed your list and your financial assessment, it's time to draw some conclusions. Are the numbers and the emotional factors pointing you in a clear direction? If you're still feeling unsure and would like some additional assistance, you may want to read Dan Fritschen's book, Remodel or Move, or visit his website at www.remodelormove.com. Both contain a calculator that will assist you with the difficult task of quantifying the ramifications of your decision. In addition, you can learn tips to assist you with the next step, after you've determined what it will be.

If you choose to remodel, then you'll need to have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish before finalizing any details with the contractor or architect. One of the most expensive things you can do is change the project midstream.

If you decide to move, then there are low-cost improvements you can make to your existing home that will help it to sell more quickly. The kitchen and the bathrooms provide the biggest return on investment in this area.

Whether you decide to remodel or buy a new home, it's important to ensure that you have proper financing in place prior to moving forward. If you decide to purchase a home, a mortgage originator will help you to determine how much you can afford, as well as which loan package works best with your overall financial plan. In the case of remodeling, you should meet with a mortgage professional before any construction takes place. Otherwise you may severely limit the type of financing options available to you.

Additional Resources:
Remodel or Move?: Make the Right Decision, by Dan Fritschen

Leah Ross is affiliated with AmeriFirst Home Mortgage, a Licensed Mortgage Lender, State of Florida, Office of Financial Regulation. If you would like to receive a FREE CD with tips from real estate consultant and best-selling author, Dan Fritschen, please contact Leah Ross at 813-643-8430 or visit http://www.amerifirstflorida.com.Live Mortgage Leads
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Finance Your Education with Nursing School Loans

Do not let financial setbacks hinder you to pursue your dream to study nursing. There are many nursing school loans available whether you are a graduating high school student who would like to start a nursing career or someone who is advancing your nursing education. There are nursing loans available even for those pursuing a Masters or Doctoral degree.

Every nursing school offers some type of financial service to their students. Many schools form partnerships with private financial institutions and participate in government-funded student loans to be able to grant nursing school loans. Ask the college or university where you intend to enroll about their nursing school loans programs and application requirements.

Many hospitals also offer nursing school loans and scholarships with the agreement that after graduation the student will serve in the institution for a specific period. Financial assistance is also available to individuals already employed in the hospital such as Licensed Practical Nurses who wish to further their education and become registered nurses.

Possibly the best source of nursing school loans is the government. The US Department of Educations Federal Student Aid has different loan programs that allow undergraduate and graduate students and even parents to secure educational funding directly from the government. These loans include Federal Stafford Loans, which are for students and Direct PLUS loans for parents of dependent undergraduates.

Private lenders also offer nursing school loans funded by the federal government through the Federal Family Education Loan Program or FFEL. Nursing schools that participate in the Federal Perkins Loans Program also offer students in great financial need with government-funded low-interest loans. In this program, the student borrower makes payments to the school.

In addition, the US Public Health Department offers grants and nursing school loans forgiveness programs to students in exchange for their service in remote or under-served locations after they graduate.

As you can see, there are many sources of nursing school loans. The best place to start looking is in your community and your local state. The Internet is a useful tool to help you in your search. There are even websites that can match you with a financial aid provider. Sometimes, you will need to obtain more than one loan to cover your total educational costs. The key here is persistence in researching and applying for these opportunities. Lastly, remember that a loan is borrowed money so you would want to make sure that you would be able to keep your end of the bargain.

Milos Pesic is a successful webmaster and owner of popular and comprehensive Nursing Education web site. For more articles and resources on Nursing related topics, Nursing Jobs, Nursing Schools, Nursing Education and much more visit his site at:Live Mortgage Leads
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Free Dish Network Deals FAQ

First come first, is free Dish Network deals for real?

Yes, free Dish Network offers are for real. You can get free satellite TV equipments along with other free gifts such as DVR systems, DVD players and home theater systems for free when you subscribe to their service. However, this offer is only valid for the first time customer and you must commit yourself to one to one-and-a-half year contract.

What kind of satellite TV systems are the users getting from these free deals?

You will get up to four satellite receivers, a satellite dish as well as DVR systems (certain package) for free when you subscribe to Dish Network free deals. For satellite receivers, the system you will be getting probably will be Dish 311 and Dish 322; while for DVR systems, Dish Player DVR 510 is most likely the only DVR system that you can get for free. Other DVR systems such as DVR 625 and DVR 942 will cost you $19.90 to $250 for initial fees.

How does Dish Network make money?

Dish Network and their retailers are making money thru monthly subscription fee. To get your free Dish Network deals, you must commit yourself to one to one-and-a-half year contract. A basic Dish Network package will cost you around $30/month, so be prepared to pay for the money for at least one year if you are looking for free Dish Network offers.

Why get free Dish Network online?

You can see the steepest competition in satellite TV business on Internet. Whenever theres a huge competition going on in the retailing market, the consumers earn the best. Dish Network online offers are most recommended because Dish Network (or any other satellite TV) online retailers are the most aggressive people in satellite TV business. They provide lots of free incentive gifts, free installations, free shipping, online customer supports, and 24 hours live chat support to their customers. Sometimes the bargains are just too lucrative to be true. Further more, online retailers are able to run their business in a much lower operating cost compared to brick and mortar stores, thus they are the only one that can afford to bring you the best free Dish Network deal.

DirecTV or DISH Network?

Most people looking for satellite TV will compare these two major satellite TV providers. Though there are other satellite TV systems (ie; Sky Angel), DirecTV and Dish Network stand as the twin giants in the business. Between them they claim the overwhelming majority of all satellite TV systems sold in the United States.

Interestingly, the satellite system services offered by both DirecTV and Dish Network are practically the same -- both offer more than 200 program channels, integrated digital video recording (DVR) capabilities, high definition TV (HDTV) capabilities, stunning picture and sound quality and award-winning 24-hour customer service departments. Where they differ is in pricing and programming. DirecTVs packages are a little more expensive, however they do normally include more sports channels. If you are a football fans, NFL Sunday Tickets offered by DirecTV is something you must get. On the other hand, Dish Network offers more International and movie channels. If you like having more International channels such as Spanish (Dish Latino) or Chinese channels, Dish Network is more likely the choice to go for.

How does online order process works for Dish Network?

You place an order with an online satellite TV system retailer. Some actually have tools on their webpage that allows customers to design systems perfectly matched to their home. At the time of ordering you will schedule a time that a local professional installer can come to your home and install the system. The satellite system will either be shipped to your home before the installation date or the installer will bring it with them. It is really that easy. The retailers that have been around a few years have this process streamlined for efficiency. All the customer needs to do is be at home during the installation.

Do I need to install the dish my self?

No, Dish Network retailer workers will install the satellite system for you and its totally free of charge.Its included in the deal. So instead of sweating on it, just leave the installation works to the pro. You will be getting an access card once your dish system had been installed. The access card is like a license for your satellite system.

Wrapping things up

The last few years have seen an explosion of people choosing satellite over cable or network TV. Recent polls show some common reasons being superior picture quality, larger selection of channels and programs, increased availability, good customer service and the continuing drop in price.

However, with a hot product on Internet come scams and fraudulent deals. Hundred of satellite TV scam websites had pop up as satellite TV become one of the best sellers in the town. Buying satellite TV online become more and more risky as consumers always find themselves trapped in fake or overrated deals. Hence, if you are looking for Dish Network deals, getting the RIGHT Dish Network deals online is the most important thing to ensure you get into any undesired troubles.

Picking up the right Dish Network deal involved two major decisions: choosing the right retailers, and choosing the right programming. Always buy from reputable retailers and always choose only what you need. Do not get into huge programming package and pay a high monthly cost just because the dealers give an extra discount on them. If you would like to review some reputable online satellite TV retailers, Satellite TV Issue online satellite TV dealer list seems like a good place to start with.

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Let's Give'em Something to Talk About!

Finally. You're marketing has paid off and you've successfully landed yourself a new client. Now, the real work begins. But make no mistake, your marketing efforts are far from over. As a matter of fact, they've only just begun!

Your next marketing mission, should you choose to accept it, is to turn this client into a raving fan. (Oh, and just so we're clear, "raving fans" are those folks who generate lots of new business for you by constantly singing your praises to everyone they meet.)

So, how do you turn a client into a raving fan?

By giving them something to talk about!

When people are passionate about something they talk about it--be it their favorite baseball team, Presidential candidate or restaurant--why not have it be you and your business?

Fortunately, there are countless ways to create a buzz about your service and get people talking.

For example, I know of one personal trainer who presents a single rose to all of his female clients who have children when Mother's Day rolls around.

Another client of mine, a Realtor, gives her clients who have just moved into the area, an attractive three-ring binder that not only contains her contact information, but also dozens of personal referrals for everything from dog walkers to tree surgeons.

My personal favorite is to make a big deal out of my client's birthdays.

The process of creating raving fans doesn't need to be complicated or costly. Simply sending a handwritten note to just one client in your database each day will help you create hoards of loyal fans over time.

Now it's your turn! What are you currently doing in your business that is remarkable enough to make people tell others about you? What could you do differently to help you create your own club of raving fans?

If you're looking for more ideas and a step-by-step approach on how to create your own "raving fan action plan," you'll want to check out the The Client Generator Boot Camp 8-Week Marketing Program!

(c) Connie Scholl 2006

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: "Connie Scholl, of http://www.ConnieCoach.com works with Professionals & Small Business Owners who want to generate more clients and make more money." Fo*r your FREE 7-Day MARKETING e-Course, visit http://www.conniecoach.com

Connie Scholl of ConnieCoach.com provides self- employed service professionals with simple, effective and low-cost marketing solutions designed to quickly jump-start sales and consistently generate new clients. Get free marketing tips and "how-to-articles" at http://www.conniecoach.comMortgage Lead Transfers
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Carpeting and Stains

If you have a carpet, you can count on spilling something on it at some point in time. Getting the stain out is a matter of timing and know how.

Carpeting and Stains

Carpeting has come a long way over the years. The first carpets would get stains from practically any contact. They were a nightmare to get out, if you could even do so. As the years passed, the quality of carpeting has improved particularly in relation to their resistance to stains. While this makes life easier for you when a stain occurs, you still have to put in some work.

One of the biggest issues that you need to focus on in the removal of stains is time. Simply put, procrastination will kill you and your carpet. If you spill something on the carpet, you need to deal with it NOW. The longer the stain sits, the more likely it is to soak into the fibers of the carpet. If you spill it, clean it immediately even if the spill occurs during a party or some gathering. You will be glad you did so.

The second step is, ironically, not to clean the carpeting per se. Instead, you should focus on removing the excess liquid. This should be done by blotting the area with a towel of some sort. To blot, lightly press up and down on the stain. Do not swirl or spin the towel over the spill. This will only spread the stain out and make cleaning it a more difficult task.

Once the excess liquid is removed, it will probably be necessary to apply a cleaning solution. Despite the claims on the bottle of cleaner, it is important to understand the cleaner may adversely affect your carpet, to wit, it may change the color. First try the cleaner in a small, out of the way area such as a closet. Once you apply the cleaner, look at both the carpet and your towel to see if any color has transferred. If everything appears okay, then it is time to remove the stain.

When addressing the stain, it is best to work from the outer edges towards the middle. The idea is to remove the stain, not spread it to a larger area. When rubbing the stain, do not use the bigger hammer theory. Pushing harder on the stain will not help remove it and may actually damage the weave of the carpet. Use a consistent pressure and go slowly. Getting the stain out is important, but not if it results in a patch of carpet that looks like it was run over with a lawn mower.

If you have a carpet, you will also have stains. Deal with them immediately and you should be able to keep your carpeting in reasonably good shape.

Enrique Cleanotto is with http://www.carpetcleaningyeti.com - carpet cleaning information and companies.Exclusive Mortgage Leads
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Copyright: Internet Highway Robbery

Karri Hill learned the hard way not to trust a competitive web developer when it comes to copyright. She designed a proposal for a potential client and a few months later, saw her design online. Trouble was, she didn't receive any payment for it.

"I designed and programmed a front page into html and sent it to my potential client as a link. It was understood that they would get other proposals. I normally post the design online for my clients to view. I contacted them a few times and about 45 days later I contacted them again but they were still indecisive so I backed off, thinking that I might have been too expensive.

Just out of curiosity (and I do this on a regular basis) I checked their domain to make sure they hadn't taken my design and shopped it around for a better price. Lo and behold, they had a new website with my graphic elements and photographs -- they had stolen them from me!

Not only did they steal from me, but there were two photos on their website that I had sold to another client, who happened to be a direct competitor of theirs, both in the real estate market.

I personally took these photos -- they obviously were not stock images. As well, along the bottom of their website were a series of images of trade affiliations such as realtor logos. They have the right to the images if they are affiliated with those organizations but in the design sample that I sent to them, those images -- which comprised eight logos -- were in the same order and position. They were taken directly from my design sample. Not only were they the exact size and order, each logo still had the numbers attached that I had originally designated.

I soon discovered which website company did this and I actually know these people. I made sure all the evidence was in place, including all my pages and source code and web logs. I can prove, without a doubt, that this other website company went to my design sample page and used it because only this potential client, now their client, had access. Turns out that someone in the realty company gave the web designers the link to my design and the real estate company apparently went onto my website, looked at my portfolio and liked my photos. When the other web company signed a contract, the client forwarded my photos to them.

The other web development company is far cheaper than me and no doubt this is the reason they got the commission. This is how they can be so cheap: they farm out all of their programming to India. There, a programmer is hired for one month at $1,500. The downside is that the client gets a lesser product and the client has to supply all graphics, images, photos etc.

I spend a lot of time on copyrighting -- there's a big difference between writing in text and putting in type. I spend a lot of time editing and choosing words; it is a lengthy process to do it well. Then someone comes along and takes away all my hard work.

All the design samples I sent to this real estate company state that copyright belongs to my company and it stays that way until, or unless, it is paid for. Then I change copyright to the client. There should have been no confusion.

I phoned the real estate company first, the people who gave away my design, and spoke with the owner. "Oh s**t," he said; he knew he was in copyright violation. I then contacted the web design company and asked them to take my photos down. He said he would contact his client for direction. The next day the images were still there. I wouldn't take no for an answer and said I would go after them legally and that would mean taking their entire site down.

I'm sure my design template is now sitting on someone's computer in India. These companies are known to modify templates and for all I know, they can just change my html and a few colors and may have used it a few dozen times by now. Now I can't use my design because I can't tell future clients that it is original.

Unless I get an attorney to take my case on a contingency basis there's not much I can do. I am a sole proprietor and don't have deep pockets so the best I can hope for that the offending material is removed and somebody pays me for the time I spent on this design that by now has been shopped all over the world.

A few weeks ago I sent the real estate guy, the person who gave my design away, a bill for my time working on the design -- not including the time I spent in his office. I'm hoping he has some integrity. I am a single Mom putting two kids through college. I don't expect to get every job I quote on but I don't expect to be stolen from. One of the things I told this guy was that you get what you pay for. I don't profess to know copyright law, but I do know that this has infringed upon my rights. A cheap website is going to cost them a lot more than I was going to charge, especially when they are confronted with a class action lawsuit."

If you or someone you know has had a trademark, copyright or patent has been infringed on, you may be entitled to compensation. Please contact www.lawyersandsettlements for more information.

Jane Mundy is a staff writer for http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com.Live Mortgage Leads
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The Price of Gold and CDO Structured Products

Years and years of monetary inflation have completely desensitized us to risk. From a national, corporate or even individual level, the availability of cheap debt has conditioned us to borrow without abandon.

And nowhere has the debt binge been more apparent than in the housing market. Low mortgage rates have been a boon for homebuyers and created an insatiable demand for structured products from investors hungry for yield. Eager to oblige, Wall Street has been having a feast. Making loans to homebuyers then packaging them up and selling them to pension funds, hedge funds and large insurers. The fees have been MASSIVE.

When you package up individual loans into a product (called a CDO but with many name variations) you are able to pick and choose the exact payout you want to achieve. Add in some AAA rated mortgages, mix in BBB+ paper and stir in Toxic Junk bonds (bound to default) and voil you have an instrument with very specific yields and cash flows.

Ofcourse there are bands as to what constitutes for example BBB- Investment Grade Bond. And all the structurer has to do is use the loosest defined Bond to comply. Compliance is overseen by ratings agencies that help banks put the products together. Its a cozy lucrative arrangement and its complicated stuff. One of the highest paying jobs on Wall Street is for Correlation Traders. Quants who make sure the underlying paper behave according to their promise.

And then theres the leverage. And boy is there leverage! Payouts can be magnified by up to 10x using synthetics or derivatives that link to even more mortgage pools.

The party was going great until interest rates started to rise and housing began to fall.

Chart 1 - Centex homebuilder and 10 year Bonds (bottom) breaking support - CDO reaction 1 week later

Last week the financial world was awoken by the harsh reality that hey, maybe these mortgages are not going to perform as originally planned. Maybe the risk of default is a lot higher than originally thought GULP! Bear Sterns announced a $3.2Bn loan to bail out one of its troubled hedge funds doing exactly what I detailed above.

Based on the banking indexes sharp fall on Friday, this problem may be a little more widespread than that.

Chart 2 - Banking index (top) reacting to CDO news; price of gold trending lower (bottom)

Earlier this month we detailed how higher interest rates would benefit the price of gold. That is, in the long-term the fundamentals for Gold are incredibly bright, but there will be short term pain. The reason is that Gold has been bid up along with all other assets under the current wave of liquidity. A repricing of CDO risk would likely curtail the issuance of these instruments and cause a sharp contraction in liquidity with a commensurate drop in ALL asset classes if last week is an indication, the speed of this deflation will be mind blowing and completely overwhelming. However, Golds Credit rating has been and always will remain sterling. When investors realize the incredible DANGER in front of us, they will return to Gold in droves!

More commentary and stock picks follow for subscribers...

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The Plant Philanthropist

One year after we moved into our new ranch-style home, the Merion Bluegrass lawn was growing well and the basic flower beds were mapped out. A new home doesn't need repairs, but a myriad of needs kept cropping up to soak up any available money. A trip to the local plant nursery put us in shock when we added up the cost of perennials, mulching and proper bricks for the borders. I would search the want ads for bargain lots of building materials, garden tools, mowers and fertilizer with much success. When people move, they don't want to weigh down the moving van with old tools and bags of fertilizer. They practically give them away.

The one thing people would never part with are their perennials. Plants and trees are quite visible to the new owners and they usually expect that they go with the house. My whole winter was spent browsing the catalogs for hosta, iris, roses, and especially day lilies. Available in mouth-watering shades, these new hybrid day lilies come in different heights and plant habit. Some are good for along a fence, other make good border plants, each clump doubling in size every year. Unlike the road side day lilies that grow to four feet tall, bloom only briefly, and send out root runners to take over the rest of the garden, the hybrids are garden friendly. Unfortunately, a grouping of three roots cost about eight dollars, sending the cost of the needed plants into the hundreds of dollars.

One day, in a conversation with a local nursery owner, he revealed the source of some of his day lilies. The farmer lived in a nearby town and grew day lilies for a living. Some intense research turned up his address and I paid him a visit. Presented with row upon row of cultivated day lilies in every imaginable shape and color, I drooled over owning just a few of them for our garden. I parted with all the money I had, fifteen dollars, and went home with three starter clumps. Before leaving, I took a few pictures of his fields and some individual blossoms he had self propagated. I later made a set for him to keep. One low growing beauty sported forty blooms on each stalk (opening one per day) in tones of deep ruby red. Another met the dawn in diamond dusted five-inch-wide flowers in ivory and shell pink, showing an apple green center. A third boasted four inch blooms in a true lemon yellow.

The following summer, I received a call from the farmer. He informed me that he had sold his farm land to a developer and had already bought ten acres twenty miles further west. He had removed all he needed to seed the new day lily farm but was forced to leave hundreds of mature plants. The bulldozers were slated to start preparing the land for the new development the following week and if I would like, I could help myself to any number of plants for my garden. I almost dropped the phone in excitement. Here was presented to me the most desirable flowering perennials I could dream of for our garden! Free!! I thanked him and spent the next three days digging, boxing, and transporting the day lilies. The next July Fourth we had a barbecue party in the back yard. Ringing the gentle curves of the brick borders bloomed forty varieties of hybrid day lilies, glorifying our new garden and warming our hearts.

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Why Do Most People Who Try Affiliate Marketing Fail?

Isn't affiliate marketing great? You get to sleep late, sit around all day, and only occasionally have to pop over to the computer to check how much money you've made in the last hour. A job anyone would kill for.

Except that that's not quite the truth.

Many of you will have a rather different experience of affiliate marketing one involving lost money, scams, and endless frustration when the profits you were told you would make just never appear. Others will never have got to that stage, but they'll still have the same feeling: that all affiliate marketers are scammers, selling a dream that is impossible for most to achieve.

If you're feeling like that, stop it. Because it's not true. Affiliate marketing is difficult. But it's not impossible, and not all the gurus' are scammers. Some are genuine, and really will help you, if you let them. It is possible to succeed.

So why do most wannabe affiliate marketers fail?

1. They give their money to scammers who then give them useless information.

Many scammers, after they've taken your money, will offer a cheap e-book to download. Sometimes this is stolen from another site, but more often it's something they've written in twenty minutes when they remembered that they needed to offer people something. That means it will be filled with useless information that the scammer probably knows nothing about and if you try to follow it, you might soon conclude that affiliate marketing is impossible and you were a fool for even trying.

2. They don't have enough patience.

It takes time for the money to start coming in. You need to build up a steady stream of traffic and a mailing list before you can think about earning serious cash. When they only earn a few dollars a day, or fail to receive the thousands they were expecting, many people get disillusioned and decide that they're better off with the day job.

3. They don't follow the instructions properly.

I know. Why would you spend your money on an affiliate marketing course only to ignore what it says? But people do. They think they know better than the pros who have been doing this for years. And they usually end up making a mess of it, losing money on unprofitable advertising techniques that don't work. But, of course, they don't blame themselves and go back to try to work out where they went wrong. They blame the course they bought, and decide it must have been sold by a scammer a scammer, like everyone else who claims they make a living affiliate marketing!

4. They think they're not clever or skilled enough.

Normally, they're wrong. Affiliate marketing really is very simple. You need intelligence and initiative to become one of the top affiliates, yes but if you just want to earn some extra money, all you need to do is follow instructions. Buy an affiliate marketing course and do what it says. Too many people sit there and think I can't'.

5. They decide it's too much work.

They get taken in by the promises that they can make money going to the cinema, watching TV, washing their hair. In truth, there's a bit of work to do before you get to that stage like setting up a website and promoting it, for starters! As soon as they realise that it's not going to be as easy as they thought, they give up. The truth is, there's no such thing as money you don't have to work for (lottery winners excluded!).

Did you notice anything these five reasons have in common?

All of them involve people giving up.

Whatever the reason, if you give up, you're not going to become a successful affiliate marketer. Fact is, nothing worth having is easy. Being an affiliate marketer is worth it not just the money, but the excitement of seeing your list grow and traffic rise. And it's not easy. Most affiliate marketers had to work hard and experienced plenty of failure along the way. You've got to be ready for that as well.

Most wannabe affiliate marketers fail because most affiliate marketers give up. You make sure you're not one of them.

Anita Buchan is a full-time affiliate marketer who now wants to help others make the same money she does. For reviews of legitimate affilate marketing opportunities and free resources, visit http://www.dont-get-scammed.bizExclusive Mortgage Leads
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The Power of Attraction

The power of attraction concept has become very popular in recent months. The power of attraction is a mindset that you can have things attracted to you if you take the right steps. For example, if you change your mindset from worry to confidence then you will attract the things you desire. Another example is to let your desire be known and send this information out into the universe. The universe will respond by sending the things you desire your way. Many people believe that this concept is extremely powerful.

Are you looking for ways to improve your business? What specifically do you desire? Do you want to make more contacts? Do you want to earn a higher income each month? Begin by writing down the things that you desire. For example, you might want to earn $10,000 per month. Then set a goal a little higher than this amount. For example, make your goal $15,000 per month. Believe that you can achieve this goal each month. Set your mind on a positive path.

In other words, look for the impulse that comes from within and act on it. You have planted a seed within yourself. Your job is to act on the signals from this seed. Those actions will set you in the direction of your dreams and intentions.

Heres an example of the power of attraction at a conference. There are hundreds of people at the conference. They were instructed to get out 3 business cards. On the back of the first card, they were to write down something they wanted that someone on this planet can provide. They had to be specific.

For example, they are looking for a particular product or person. The power of attraction dictates that they can find somebody in the room that has what they are looking for or know someone who does. They repeated the process with the two other business cards as well. They have planted their order in the universe because these people wrote their desires down.

Heres another example. One man wanted to talk to the famous business man Richard Branson. This man thought about it in the airport and suddenly a magazine article about Richard Branson appeared to him in the airport gift shop. The man now has a chance to contact the author of the magazine article so he can eventually meet Richard Bronson. This shows the power of attraction and networking. This also shows you that your desire can come to you in some surprising way.

Follow this exercise and get your desire out in the universe. They may just come true.

Matt Bacak began investing his first earnings at the tender age of 12, a young businessman in the making. Now, 15 years later, Bacak survived failed businesses, botched partnerships, heavy credit card debt and bankruptcy - all in preparation for the accomplishments he has achieved today as a well-established Internet millionaire and best-selling author.Mortgage Lead Programs
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Freelance Writers: How to Increase Your Business with a Simple One-Page Letter

When I owned my editorial staffing agency and would put out a job opening for freelancers, I would get a ton of responses. If I asked for work samples, I would get slammed even if the ad specifically stated to send, for example, one writing sample on real estate investing.

To quickly get through the pile of resumes, the first thing I would do is weed out anyone who sent more than I had requested. The point of this little story more is not always better.

BUT, you may lament, I want to show the client what I can do for them. You can do this very effectively via a simple one-page introductory letter.

SECTION I: About you. In this paragraph, you simply want to state your name and give a very brief background summary and niche specialty. Eg:

I am Yuwanda Black, the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com. A freelance copywriter for over 13 years, I specialize in increasing the referral rates of real estate agents, mortgage brokers and insurance agents via newsletters, brochures, e-books, etc.

Whatever your written marketing needs, I can deliver measurable results. Samples of my writing/portfolio can be found at mywebsite.com (you do have a website, right?).

SECTION II: You know them. Illustrate to the client that you are familiar with his product, service, specialty, etc. and how you can improve it, supplement it, overhaul it, etc. for better results. Eg:

I noticed from your website (brochure, postcard, sales letter, etc.) that you have been in business for 5 years and service the xxx market. I can help you increase your sales by at least 15% over a years time (maybe more). How?

Studies (cite a source) have shown that consistent contact is the number one way to get clients to call YOU and not your competitor. According to xxx (here you would input a reliable marketing stat), in your industry, only X percent of mortgage brokers do this.

Imagine how many more clients you can add to your business by becoming the go-to expert in your sector? I can position you for this bringing in referrals for years to come!

SECTION III: The wrap up. Here, repeat their number one benefit of using you, eg, to increase their bottom line. Eg:

My job is to increase your bottom line. As a results-oriented professional copywriter, I know how to move prospects into your (not your competitors) paying customers when theyre ready to buy.

SECTION IV: The call to action. Ask them to do something now!

Call today for your no-obligation consultation. I can be reached at:
PH: 000-111-1234
CELL: 111-222-3333
FAX: 222-333-4444
Email: info@inkwelleditorial.com
URL: InkwellEditorial.com

SECTION V: The P.S. (EVERY sales letter should have a P.S.). In this section, you can give a way a freebie (e-books are great for this) and/or reiterate a major benefit (eg, increase your bottom line by 15%).

Feel free to use a P.S. and a P.P.S.P.S.: With your free consultation, you receive a free e-booklet, For Real Estate Professionals: 10 Ways to Turn Referrals Into Paying Customers. This e-book is free, even if you dont use my services.

5 Copywriting Tips for Your One-Page Letter

a) Use lots of white space and bold headings. Eg, between each section, create a bold heading that clues the reader in to what theyre about to read. Most people skim copy especially from unfamiliar sources this makes it much more likely to get read.

b) Write from a whats in it for the client point of view instead of a whats in it for me point of view. At every turn, reiterate how you can help them make more money, save more time, reach more prospects, etc. In business, most people either want to make more money or increase their referral ratio these are safe objectives to state that you can help them with.

c) Make a connection: Eg, I read on your website; I heard in your seminar; I see from your brochure everyone likes to feel that you have at least taken the time to know their business.

d) Give stats: This lends credibility to your sales pitch. Its not just you saying x, a noted source can back up your contention.

e) Use a call to action: If you dont ask them to do something, they may do nothing. So, use phrases like call today, log on to our website, subscribe to our newsletter, register for your free gift.

I guarantee you, if you follow the format outlined above, your direct mail and/or e-mail conversion rate will be higher, garnering you clients for years to come.

May be reprinted with the following, in full:

Yuwanda Black is the publisher of http://InkwellEditorial.com: THE business portal for and about the editorial and creative industries. First-hand freelance success stories, e-courses, job postings, resume tips, advice on the business of freelancing, and more! Launch a Profitable Freelance Writing Career in 30 Days or Less -- Guaranteed! Log on to http://InkwellEditorial.com to learn how.Mortgage Lead Transfers
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Time to put an end to the payment protection insurance witch hunts

THERE has been so much written in the past few months about payment protection insurance it has all become a little confusing. Most of what has been written has been very negative, indeed dangerously negative witch-hunt proportions even in some quarters. A mortgage magazine even ran a campaign to have single premium accident, sickness, unemployment banned.

Amid all the chest beating and promotion, some clarity is desperately needed. Without relevant PPI being offered to customers, there is an even greater risk of one of the fundamental objectives of the FSA not being met and that is protecting consumer interests.

The PPI witch-hunt has also lumped together mortgage payment protection insurance and single premium ASU. These products are, of course, all very different. Most of the Office of Fair Tradings concerns re- volved around the potential mis-selling of PPI related to consumer and revolving credit sales, not mortgages.

In November 2005, the FSA published a report detailing its findings about the sale of PPI. This was backed up with mystery shopping of various firms involved in the sale of PPI that goes beyond mortgages to other companies that offer revolving lines of credit, store accounts and unsecured loans. It was much broader than the mortgage industry alone and, given the mortgage industry has been regulated by the FSA for some time now, it has taken a disproportionate amount of flak.

Experience

It does strike me as odd that people who have very limited experience in the mortgage market and more specifically experience in the sub-prime mortgage market have been pontificating about the so-called evils of single premium ASU.

The mortgage industry as a whole needs to assess the risks and benefits yes, benefits of single premium ASU with calm heads, because things have moved on.

Fact one. Sub-prime clients cancel their monthly ASU policies. Some major insurers have even withdrawn the product from sale because the persistency levels are so low. That is what sub-prime clients do. It is the same reason they cancel their life policies. That does not mean we should stop writing life business because we would be leaving customers and their families exposed.

There is a fundamental issue here. Why sell a client a monthly policy when he has a demonstrated history of not being able to meet his monthly commitments?

And guess what? Fact two: sub-prime clients will cancel their monthly ASU policy at the time when they need it the most. The potential ramifications for the IFA/mortgage broker are dire should he be unable to demonstrate that he offered his client the option of either monthly or single premium ASU and it has subsequently gone pear shaped for his client.

Some brokers detail the costs and benefits of ASU in the suitability letter and document in that letter if the client has chosen not to take it up. Some go even further. For clients who cancel their policies downstream, some brokers send a disclaimer ensuring they know what they are cancelling and detail the ramifications of having no cover.

It is cheaper to do that than risk the potential of attracting a lawsuit, and worse still drawing bad press to our business and brand.

There is no doubt that single premium ASU policies have come in for some major flak because of their poor flexibility and TCF unfriendliness.

Commission

Agreed and rightly so. One of the key issues at play here is the seemingly large commission payments made for single premium ASU.

Let us look at that issue in another context. What if a motor insurer offered a three-year product and guaranteed not to change price over the term with no inflationary creep? What if you got a further discount for paying that policy upfront as a lump sum? Of course, the selling broker would be paid his share of the total premium.

Single premium ASU is not really that different; it is just that a lot of commentators have got all bent out of shape about the commission payment and not the cover itself.

This problem has been further magnified by lots of people throwing their twopence into the ring when, to be frank, objectivity is needed and recognition of what has changed. There is a place for single premium ASU, but not as we used to know it.

What if the mortgage industry had a single premium ASU product that had the following features:

- provided no quibble pro-rata refunds if it was cancelled;
- where the premium was established using a risk matrix factoring in age and employment type similar to the way life premiums are calculated;
- where you can sell the accident, sickness and unemployment components independently of one another based on the customers individual circumstances;
- a product where you can factor in the clients own savings and existing employer protection policies to reduce the cost of the policy in line with risk;
- where you can defer the benefit payments by up to six months and be paid retrospectively in a lump sum;
- where you can change the policy mid-term, in other words the amount of cover can be increased or decreased or names on the policy can be changed without penalty; and
- where the true cost including capitalised interest of the single premium ASU is disclosed pre purchase to comply with treating customer fairly and Insurance Code of Business 5 rules. Indeed, all the product limitations, pre-existing conditions and exclusions are disclosed pre-purchase.

What if this product existed and its makers had worked closely with selected players in the mortgage industry to ensure all regulatory requirements were met and exceeded?

Well, I hate to say it but that is the product that one broker has sold and the intermediary has their FSA visits and, as with others, single premium ASU and its sale processes were heavily scrutinised. No problems. Perhaps some of the single premium ASU providers may wish to read the above product features just one more time.

Protected

Let us look at another angle. Surely lenders, particularly sub-prime lenders, have a duty of care to ensure that their clients needs are protected.

The stated objective of many in the mortgage industry is to ensure their sub-prime clients are credit cleansed.

So without any cover, they miss a mortgage payment or two or three and they are stuck with sub-prime rates for another year or two. All of a sudden that single premium ASU premium is not looking so expensive.

Things can and do go wrong, and it is our job as qualified professionals to ensure our clients needs are protected.

The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries has now responded to the FSAs request to address its concerns about PPI and I am sure that will be the start of some more sanity in the discussions surrounding its sale.

Single premium ASU is not about preying on desperate clients. One broker has developed a process that is FSA and TCF compliant and sells products that are appropriate to individual needs.

There is no doubt that the adverse publicity surrounding PPI sales has eroded not only consumer confidence but the confidence of IFAs and mortgage brokers to sell insurance cover that few could argue against.

Most of all, it is important to note that the industry has responded and moved on. Some people need to move with it.

John Smith writes articles for http://blackandwhite.co.uk loans and mortgages, offering Bad Credit Loans.Live Mortgage Leads
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Legislation and the Secured Loans Market

Introduction

The Secured Loans market is often referred to as 'Unregulated' and this has led to organisations taking a rather laissez faire attitude to creating advertisements as part of their marketing campaigns? This article shows that regulation within the secured loans industry is very much alive. It will also briefly discuss the various Parliamentary Acts that incorporate legislation affecting the Secured Loans or Second Charges market and advertising. The target readership for the article is either those involved in the Finance Industry and marketing of specifically secured loans, or members of the public with a general interest in Consumer Credit legislation and advertising regulations which may affect them.

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT)

The Office of Fair Trading, or O.F.T as it is more commonly referred to, is responsible for a number of key areas with the ultimate aim of protecting the consumer. It has three main purposes. These are the enforcement of Competition and Consumer Protection rules, the analysis of markets to make sure they are working and communication to consumers, businesses and the government.

In terms of Secured Loans there are a number of areas the O.F.T deals with that affect the way that operators in the market promote themselves. The first of these is by administering Consumer Credit Licenses. With the rapid growth in people taking out credit in the early 1970s an act of parliament was passed in 1974 called the Consumer Credit Act and it is under this at that Consumer Credit Licences are granted. If an entity advertises promotes or brokers Secured Loans it must have a Category C Consumer Credit License. On application the O.F.T will investigate all people connected to the business applying to ensure that they are all people worthy of issuing or guiding people to enter into credit. There is a general misconception in the market that the Consumer Credit License is only required if the Secured Loans Company offers loans less than 25,000, but the Act clearly states that a Category C license is required for businesses that provide credit of ANY amount secured on land.

Other areas the O.F.T deal with that affects secured loans are there enforcement of other elements of the 1974 Act and also the updates to the Act which occurred in 2004 - these are the 'Agreements Amendment', 'Disclosure of Information' and 'Early Settlement' Consumer Credit Acts.

For secured loans these act govern a number of things. The first of which is the way that organisations can advertise secured loans. The Acts have rules governing what can and cannot be said in an advertisement and also have stipulation over certain words that have to appear in the advertisement. For example the words "YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT" probably have to appear on most Secured Loans advertisements. The Acts also stipulate that the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) must appear on Credit advertising and also given rules give its calculation (commonly known as the TTC calculation or total charge for credit).

There is a growing momentum in the Mortgage and Secured loans industry that at some time secured loans will be regulated by the F.S.A. With the already increased workload of the F.S.A it is more likely that an 'official' recommendation for their regulation by the F.S.A is more likely to come from the O.F.T

Financial Services Authority (FSA)

The Financial Services Authority, or F.S.A as it is more commonly know, is responsible for enforcing the rules of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. Contrary to popular belief it is actually a non-government independent body and is financed solely from the income it receives from the very organisations it legislates. Although it is accountable to Treasury Ministers it is operationally independent.

In terms of legislation affecting Secured Loans the F.S.A regulates activities in relation to payment protection insurance (P.P.I). So if a business helps customers buy or claim on payment protection insurance it is highly likely it will need to apply to the F.S.A to be regulated. In the Secured Loans market whether you need to be legislated by the F.S.A largely depends on your involvement in P.P.I. If an organisation simply acts as an introducer it is quite likely it does not need to be regulated, however it is always advisable to seek legal advice.

Another area the F.S.A deals in that may affect Secured Loans providers is their regulation of Mortgages. The FSMA states that if an authorised lender gets second charge loans business from an unauthorised lender then their advertisements must be approved by the F.S.A approved firm.

Finance Industry Standards Institute (FISA)

The Finance Industry Standards Institute (FISA) is a self-governing body set up independently by the industry to govern itself in the Secured Loans market. An annual subscription fee from its members funds FISA. It publishes a Code of Conduct for its Members that cover the standards it requires in advertisements. In essence these are guidelines that give the requirements of the O.F.T specifically for the Secured Loans sector. FISA also publishes a disciplinary procedure and warns in its documentation that it will enforce legislation on non-members, in the first instance by contacting the offending organisation and in the second instance by informing the relevant regulatory body.

FISA also conducts training courses every month or so. These cover the legislative requirements of being involved in the Second Charge sector. In the future the organisation plans to have three levels of 'qualification', these will be Foundation, Associate and Member, but it is waiting on developments in the O.F.T and F.S.A before it does this. One supposes whether this happens will also be influenced by the level of regulation that those two bodies impose on the Secured Loans sector.

Information Commissioners Office (ICO)

The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) enforces the requirements of the Data Protection Act (1998). Given that all businesses in the secured loans sector will at some time hold information about individuals they must be registered as a Data Controller with the ICO. In summary, the Data Protection Act ensures that all data kept on an individual is accurate, fairly and lawfully processed, adequate relevant and not excessive, used for limited purposes, not sent overseas and is kept securely.

Other Regulatory Bodies and Secured Loans

Although the following organisations do not have a direct power or control over the secured loans market it is worthwhile mentioning them, not only for reasons of clarity, but also, as it is possible there will be changes in legislation, these organisations may later have more influence over the secured loans sector.

The Consumer Credit Trade Association (CCTA) is another independent body, but differs from FISA in that it deals with the whole Consumer Credit market. It also offers training courses, publishes regular newsletters and actively lobbies the Government about consumer credit related issues. In a world where we assume taking out credit is a relatively new phenomenon it is useful to note that the CCTA was founded well over a hundred years ago in 1891.

The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders Association (IMLA) is an independent body that represents the views and interests of institutions in the generation of mortgage business through Intermediaries.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) is yet another self-governed body operating in the Mortgage Industry. In a similar fashion to the CCTA it is also involved with government with legislative issues, issues policy guidelines. It is also renowned for produces statistics about the UK lending market covering, amongst other things, arrears and repossessions, the number of mortgages being taken out and specifics like the number of buy to let mortgages being taken out.

To finish this section there is one more independent organisation called the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries (AMI) who act as the trade body for mortgage intermediaries.

Conclusion

Although the Secured Loans sector is commonly referred to as 'unregulated' this document has hopefully shown there is still a lot of regulation (both official and un-official) that affects and encompasses the secured loans sector. In the finance area where the UK has a reputation for being the most regulated in Europe it is only a matter of time before secured loans come under the umbrella of the FSA. It is believed that instruction for the FSA to take control of the secured loans market is more likely to come from the treasury rather than the FSA itself. What is certain is that the secured loans market will become more legislated.

Adrian Hudson has a background in I.T. Management. In 1997, after recognising a gap in the market he formed the I.T Consultancy specialising in Finance called Sprint Soft Ltd. Earlier this year he founded the secured loans specialist http://www.we-introduce-you.co.uk. Adrian blogs about his day-to-day life, personal finance and the secured loans industry at http://www.we-introduce-you.co.uk/theintroducer/Live Mortgage Leads
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Car Purchase Loans: A Dream Comes True

In the past decades, purchasing a car of own was like building castles in the air, but not today. In present period, the emerging loan schemes have transformed it into reality to drive a car of own. Car purchase loans are now easily available and can be obtained by persons from every financial category. To obtain the loan more easily, it is designed in a lucrative manner and classified into secured and unsecured forms. The forms are like the two sides of the same coin, which concentrates to aid financially the individuals to purchase cars.

Car purchase loans can be obtained by pledging property as collateral (this option is a secured form of loan); without pledging any sort of collateral (for persons who do not have property to pledge) which makes it easier to borrow amount according to ones ability to borrow. But pledging of collateral empowers borrowers to obtain more loan amount as lenders becomes ascertain of borrowers repayments. With the coming up of numerous lenders, car purchase loans are now available at reasonable and low rate of interest. The interest rates vary from one lender to another due to the cutthroat competition among them and individuals should take the advantage of this fierce competition. While carrying out such a job, taking the assistance of online is a wise decision because the sophisticated technology makes it possible to reach numerous lenders in less time saving individual efforts.

The main advantage of car purchase loans is that persons can finance expensive and branded cars. But if individuals cannot afford to have the expensive car, they can least finance for the used car and carry out the purposes or make the daily commute easy. The car purchase loans can also be regarded as a good option to finance commercial vehicles and add boost to expand the business empire. To reach the lenders or to gather information about car loans, individuals need not have to visit lenders individually and click for the high-end application process.

All the advantages and proposals of car purchase loans are also offered to persons having bad credit score like default, arrears, late-payments, bankruptcy and such. The bad credit while applying for car loans should produce precise data concerning to [personal and credit score in order to avoid delay and for a smooth approval.

Martin Andrews is offering loan and financial advice on Car Purchase Loans for quite a long time. He is working as the senior financial consultant with Car Purchase Loans, bad credit car purchase loan, car purchase loan UK, car purchase plan loan, car auto loan private purchase, loans for car purchase visit http://www.carpurchaseloan.net/Live Mortgage Leads
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