Monday, October 31, 2011

Would You Consider Purchasing Investment Property Abroad?

Picture of the BMV building on Reforma Ave. Me...Image via Wikipedia

It's no secret that adding investment property to a portfolio will add diversity. Diversity is the cornerstone of any vibrant investment strategy. While most people have investment property in their own country, investing abroad doesn't even occur to them.

Overseas investment properties can be as profitable and safe as investing in your own country. While once it may have been a risky proposition, overseas investing has become easier and a new source of investment income. Once only the well to do could invest overseas, today the average investor has an ever increasing number of options to help them succeed.

While the real estate market may be stagnant in one country it could be appreciating in another. Property prices in an emerging real estate market can have below market value (BMV) properties. Giving you a better chance of capital appreciation. With the whole world as your property market you will be able to choose only the best countries and markets.

Even if you are a novice to overseas investment properties, there are many capable real estate professionals in your chosen countries that have the expertise and knowledge to help you select the right property. Today's real estate representatives have a thorough knowledge of there respective areas and can help you through the many unknowns an overseas investor may encounter.

When choosing an international property it's good to determine what goals you you want to attain with it. You need to determine if your investment is for rental income or capital appreciation. Or will the investment be a vacation or retirement home. If your choosing it for income it may not matter. But if you are choosing it for a vacation home and eventually a retirement home, location is more of a priority.

Every day more and more international investment properties are coming to the real estate market. The opportunities for investing continue to be a good choice for the diversified investor.

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Sunday, October 30, 2011

How To Overcome A Bad Financial Habit - Depending on Others

Over the last few years this country has been in bailout mode. The banks, car makers, some states and unions have been bailed out. The average person is also looking for their fair share of the goodies coming from Washington. Lets also put on the list food stamps, welfare, unemployment and other assistance. There is a place for this kind of help but I worry never ending support is bad in many ways. It's hard to believe but there was a time when none of these programs existed. When trouble came you were either on your own and you suffered alone or you were lucky enough to have friends and family to help in your situation. I am not against a public safety net. I believe that not providing your own safety net is unconscionable.


Definition of self-reliance:
Reliance on one's own capabilities, judgment, or resources; independence.


Self reliance is a skill that we try to teach our children. We want them to stand on their own two feet. Most get the teaching but there are always a few that don't apply themselves and depend on others for their support. Whether it's the kid that doesn't want to grow up or the adult that depends on financial support from parents or others well into their adult life. If this describes you or someone you know, there are ways to retrain yourself and be self reliant.

1. Work.
This can be an odd concept for many people. The foundation of being self reliant is to have a way to make money. Without a consistent in flow of cash on a regular basis you can not support yourself. Those that do find work rewarding an profitable find it strange when people turn work down and lead a life of minimal subsistence. There are many people out there that depend on others to give them a place to live, food, and clothing.

2. Income.
With a job you will be receiving income. With your income you now need a plan to use it. Creating a budget is telling your money what to do. It's a map to help you be self reliant. You will be able to buy the things you need and not depend on others.

3. Stay with Cash.
When your first starting out stay away from the financial system. Start an envelope system for your expenses. An envelope for your rent, food, gas, clothing. Stay away from banks, payday loans and any other financial process. They haven't served you well, you don't need them.


How To: Create A Budget


4. No credit cards.
For this to work credit cards are off limits. You don't have the money to pay them and you will definitely be tempted to over spend.

5. Be prepared for the unexpected.
When something unexpected happens is the time your self reliance will show. Another envelope to add to your budget is "Emergency Fund". This envelope holds the money to pay for the unexpected. An example is if you need health care, auto repairs, leaky roof, or anything that comes unexpected. This envelope must be filled with a portion of each weeks pay. It must be filled consistently. This cash reserve will keep Murphy away from your door. It's your insurance policy. It's the most important part of your plan for self reliance.


10 Popular Excuses for Not Saving Money


With this plan you can stand on your own two feet and be self reliant. You will not need to depend on others in time of need. It will take work and dedication but the rewards are well worth it.



Saturday, October 29, 2011

Discover More Card Review & 18 Month 0% Promotional Balance Transfer

Discover More Card: No Annual Fee, Great Cash Back Rewards & 18 month 0% Balance Transfer

The Discover More card is one of Discovers more interesting cards. I have always used Chase and Citi credit cards before now. Discover has always been an odd card to me. It's wasn't taken every where so I just passed it by for the more popular Visa or Mastercard. I came across this incredible balance transfer offer so I dug a little bit deeper to see what Discover has to offer. These benefits I discovered made the card very interesting.


5% cashback on up to $400 in purchases.
  • Jan–Mar Travel and Restaurants
  • Apr–Jun Home and Fashion
  • Jul–Sep Gas, Hotels, Movies and Theme Parks
  • Oct–Dec Restaurants and Fashion
Of course you have to sign up each time to receive the cashback.

You can also earn up to 1% unlimited Cashback bonus on every purchase you make outside those seasonal purchasing categories. You'll earn .25% Cashback bonus on every purchase you make until your yearly spending total reaches $3,000 dollars. After that, you'll earn 1% Cashback bonus. You'll earn between 5% and 20% Cashback bonus when you shop at over 150 online retailers through ShopDiscover.com, Discover's online shopping mall. There's no limit to the amount of Cashback bonuses you can accrue, and these bonuses never expire as long as your account is active and current!

The Discover® More Card - 18 Month Promotional Balance Transfer offer lets you redeem your Cashback bonus rewards for merchandise, gift cards from hundreds of name-brand retailers, Discover gift cards that are good anywhere Discover is accepted, and even cash. You can have your Cashback bonus rewards redeemed for direct deposits to a bank account of your choice or directly credited to your Discover card statement.

On top of these excellent features, you'll never be charged an Annual Fee for the Discover® More Card. You can access your account securely online anytime day or night, and customer service is available whenever you need it. The Discover® More Card - 18 Month Promotional Balance Transfer offer is an excellent choice if you're looking for a cash rewards card, a very long 0% Introductory APR on balance transfers, 0% Introductory APR on purchases, or all three!

Discover Online Mall: What's there?

The Discover Mall has merchants that give 5% to 20% cash back bonuses on purchases, when you perchase your items there. These online merchants are your very best. This is an outstanding group of merchants and the bonuses are very generous.

Merchant included and their % bonus:


  • Apple Store: 5% cashback bonus
  • Best Buy: 5% cashback bonus
  • Groupon: 20% cashback bonus
  • WalMart: 5% cashback bonus
  • Kohl’s: 10% cashback bonus
  • Lowe’s and Home Depot: 5% cashback bonus
  • Target: 5% cashback bonus
  • Meijer: 5% cashback bonus 

That's not all. Look also for Cabela’s, Sears, Dicks, JCPenney, Hotels.com, Old Navy, and Staples. You won't just be getting the normal 1% cash back, you'll be getting much more. During the holidays you will be getting bonus cashback. Some bonuses go from 10% to 20% during the Christmas holidays.

What's the bad news?
Warning if your not responsible with credit cards do not use them. But if you a responsible shopper, paying off your balance every month than this is appropriate for you. These rewards are a nice incentive when shopping, but must be used responsibly.

Also remember that you will only earn .25% on your first $3000 in purchases, if those purchases don't fit into the seasonal category's or are a 5%+ partner.

Discover More Conclusions

The Discover More is definitely one of the best cards for cash back deals. It's links to big name retailers for substantial discounts is a big plus. The 18 month 0% balance transfer is also a huge bonus. I can whole heartily recommend the Discover More card if your a responsible credit card user.



If your interested in this Discover More Card: No Annual Fee, Great Cash Back Rewards & 18 month 0% Balance Transfer click here.


Friday, October 28, 2011

5 New Ways to Save Money on Your Christmas Spending

Christmas lights on Aleksanterinkatu.Image via WikipediaThe dreaded Christmas shopping season is fast approaching. Are you in danger of overspending like you did last year. Most Americans overspend and rack up large credit card bills. It's hard to break the bad habits of a lifetime, but this year will be different.

Breaking bad shopping habits is not impossible. I was terrible at shopping for Christmas gifts. I felt obligated to make a big present filled Christmas for my family. This led to over spending and large credit card balances arriving in January's credit card bill. The money I charge usually took till at least the summer time to pay back. This was an intolerable situation and I had to find ways to stop the madness. Below are just 5 ways that I made the break back to sanity. Maybe they can help you.

1. Cut back on the Gift Cards.
When shopping for that perfect gift for Christmas most people don't know what to get. So to end the shopping adventure they go to the gift card isle. It's so convenient to just get a restaurant or store gift card. But what amount do you purchase? You budget tells you that you can only afford a $10 card but you feel it may make you look cheap. So you go for the $20 or $25 card, which you think makes you look generous.

What you just did was bust your budget. This year skip the gift cards and do some actual shopping. You can't afford to give out $25 gift cards. Make a list with the name of the person and an amount of money you want to spend. You still have time to shop sales and stay on your budget. Don't give gifts not cards this year, you will save money and look like you actually care.

2. Spend cash not plastic.
All year you should of been saving for the Christmas shopping purchases. With this cash you will go shopping, you won't be using plastic. Not even your debit card. With plastic you have a greater chance to overspend. With cash it is very hard to overspend. Leave the cards at home so you won't be tempted. You will spend less and it will force you to hunt down better deals.

3. Have a Plan.
You are on a mission to hunt down that gift on your list, pay for it and get the heck out of the mall. No sightseeing or window shopping. You have your list, cash and a plan this year. Your not going to overspend again this year. You will be tempted by all the holiday decorations and music playing. But you can't let it happen. Remember you don't have to complete all your shopping at one time. It's better to break down your shopping into small missions that can be accomplished.

4. Make more purchases online.
The online shopping experience can make your purchases more economical because it's much easier to find the best deal. Websites like Fatwallet.com has forums where members take much pride in combing the Internet to find the best deals. Online you can get some new inspiration and find some great deals. For some, it eliminates impulse purchases, but for others it's to tempting. But if you are a savvy shopper, you can grab some good deals and stay out of the malls too.

5. Alternative gift giving.
The usual gift in a box will fulfill you Christmas obligation. But why not try something a little different this year. Instead why not give an experience. Get together with the whole family and plan a vacation. Your own family and extended family all plan on taking a little trip. You can rent a multi bedroom home at a lake or oceanside resort and split the bill. Make it a week together no TV or video games, just each other. Make a memory you will always cherish.

Giving experiences is a lasting gift that won't end up in the closet or the return counter. Do you remember what you received last year for Christmas, I know you don't remember. Most people don't because it was a meaningless gift. An experience won't break or get returned.

The holiday season is not about spending money or material gifts. It should be about celebrating Christmas and family. Don't get wrapped up in the material. Change the direction away from the usual and start some new traditions.



Wednesday, October 26, 2011

3 Banks Where Checking and Debit Cards Are Still Free

Lately who isn't  upset  about bank fees like few other personal finance issues in memory.

Bank of America's announcement of a $5 monthly fee for debit card transactions was the last straw for many who feel they're being nickel and dimed in a tough economy.

There's an increasing frustration that seemingly any banking activity may now incur an extra charge. PNC Bank, for example, docks some customers $2 to $3 if they call a representative to transfer money.

The fees are still going up at more banks. All told, 60 percent more bank accounts carry fees and balance requirements than a year ago, an August survey by Bankrate.com found.

It's up to consumers to tackle their own fees head on.

The new charges have at least accomplished one positive thing: serving as a virtual call to arms for consumers to take action by changing accounts, switching banks or otherwise trying to get around or reduce fees.


There are safe alternatives to your local banks online. Most have no monthy fee or debit card charges. They give free checks and reimburse your fees for using other banks ATM's.
Below are 3 online banks that I believe are at the top of the list.

1. EverBank

This was a late addition, but EverBank has perhaps the best offering right now with no fees, an interest bearing account, reimbursed ATM fees and they’ll even pay you $60 to switch to them!

  • Monthly Account Fee: $0
  • Debit Card Fee: $0
  • Opening Deposit: $1,500 deposit to open
  • Checks: free checks
  • ATM Fees: zero ATM fees – if your balance is over $5,000 they will reimburse you the ATM fees from other banks.
  • Interest: EverBank guarantees that you will earn interest that is in the top 5% of what all banks offer.
  • Cashback Rewards on Debit Card: n/a

Official EverBank Site, FDIC-Insured, High-Yield CDs, Safely Secure Large Deposits, www.EverBank.com


Image representing PerkStreet Financial as dep...Image via CrunchBase

2. PerkStreet Financial

PerkStreet Financial offers a no fee MasterCard debit card and checking account. With PerkStreet, online bill pay and banking and banking are free and there is:

  • Monthly Account Fee: $0 monthly account fee if you have at least one debit card transaction.
  • Debit Card Fee: $0
  • Opening Deposit: A$25 deposit will get you started.
  • Checks: free checks
  • ATM fees: 37,000 ATM’s nationally that you can withdraw from without surcharge, otherwise $2 surcharge.
  • Interest: no interest earned on your balance.
  • Cashback Rewards on Debit Card: Perkstreet’s biggest appeal is that at a time when other banks are beginning to charge you for debit cards, they offer you cash back! If you maintain a $5,000 balance, you get an outstanding 2% cashback. If under $5,000, you’ll get 1%. There are also 5% cash back categories throughout the year with PerkStreet.

PerkStreet FinancialSM offers you the only unlimited 2% cash back debit card. Instead of creating more debt when you're shopping, you're creating more cash. So be Super Smart and sign up today.





Logo for Ally BankImage via Wikipedia3. Ally Bank

I’m a big fan of Ally Bank because they don’t do business like other large, national banks. They create appealing products that don’t take advantage of their customers. Ally Bank Interest Checking offers:

  • Monthly Account Fee: $0
  • Debit Card Fee: $0
  • Opening Deposit: $0 deposit to open
  • Checks: free checks
  • ATM Fees: zero ATM fees – they actually pay for fees charged by other banks!
  • Interest: you earn interest on your balance.
  • Cashback Rewards on Debit Card: n/a
Open an Interest Checking Account from Ally Bank today!


These big bank fee increases are the blow back for changing government regulations. Like always the consumer gets stuck with the bill when Washington trys to help us. Don't stand for the fee increases and send the big banks a message.


Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Are You Joining Bank Transfer Day on Nov. 5

Alright, who is fed up with their bank? The anger at banks these days is incredible high. Bank of America probably never could of realized just how much of an uproar its planned $5/month debit fee would cause. 

Other banks had already announced such fees, but the fees were smaller and were only introduced in select markets. It was Bank of America's announcement that was the last straw. People are mad and they are closing account and doing their banking elsewhere. One consumer, Kristen Christian, has decided to do something about it.

Christian launched the now viral Bank Transfer Day movement. On Nov. 5, Christian and her thousands of followers have vowed to close their accounts at big banks and transfer their money to credit unions, banking institutions known to provide more personalized customer service.

Bank Transfer Day has its very own Facebook page filled with information about the day and what you can do to help spread the message. The page already has more than 21,000 Likes.

So why did Christian decide to do more than simply close her own account?

Kristen Christian says, "I started this because I felt like many of you do. I was tired — tired of the fee increases, tired of not being able to access my money when I need to, tired of them using what little money I have to oppress my brothers & sisters. So I stood up. I've been shocked at how many people have stood up alongside me. 

With each person who RSVPs to this event, my heart swells. Me closing my account all on my lonesome wouldn't have made a difference to these fat cats. But each of YOU standing up with me ... they can't drown out the noise we'll make." Source: Facebook.

Join Christian on facebook at "Bank Transfer Day"

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