Does Your House Need a Professional Stager to Sell?

 You love your home and your decor is just perfect. So, why is your real estate agent telling you that you need to hire a professional stager? Do not be insulted. See this as an opportunity to launch your home into the welcoming arms of a buyer. Who needs a stager? Some people need these professionals more than others.

It's Been Sitting and Sitting

As you follow the real estate news and information available online, you know something is wrong when your home is not moving. If your home has sat on the market without selling for six months or longer, now is the time to consider staging. It can help to paint the picture for potential buyers of what the home could be and how it would suit their needs. If you need a new tactic to get people back into the home to see what it has to offer, staging can help. It may help you to avoid a price reduction initially, too.

The Guy Next Door Is New

Another common problem home sellers have is selling their older home, which is sitting in a newer neighborhood. If your neighbors have newer homes, potential buyers may see your property as the least desirable in the neighborhood. Even if you know that is not the case, you may have to show potential buyers what this property can really do for their bottom line. Staging can help to convince them that buying your home means they are getting a well-loved, cared for and excellent investment. Even better, it will be clear that your property can rank just as high as the other guy's.

It's an Empty, Blank Slate

Perhaps you have already moved on, but you cannot truly move on until you sell this property. The problem is, your home's vacant, empty, and without so much as a kitchen table in it. This could be a reason why it is not selling as fast as you like. People cannot see how the home will look much less work for their needs. With some well-placed furniture on the other hand, you will have a stellar looking property that people can see themselves living in for years to come. Empty rooms may not be as welcoming.

It is a Cluttered Mess

Let's face it. Sometimes we have too many dust collectors to keep a home organized. Perhaps you have a picture of each of your children from each school year and activity covering every inch of wall space. On the other hand, you may have so much stuffed in closets that if anyone dares open the door, they risk things falling on them. When you realize that you have too much, call a stager. The stager can help you to pack up what is not needed so buyers can see the real bonuses of the house.

Do you need a professional stager? If you are unsure, ask your real estate agent for some guidance. Do not be afraid to commit to the hiring of one. After all, they could end up helping you to make your move easier, not to mention sooner.

Images Via Flickr by fragileheart, Via Flickr by livinginacity, Via Flickr by dorsia, Via Flickr by puuikibeach

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Telephone Etiquette Tips

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Whether your at work, in your home, or on your cellular phone, here are 8 telephone etiquette tips everybody should be using.

1. Always say who you are at the beginning of every call. When in the office, always answer a telephone by saying: “Hello/Good Morning, Service Department, Jane Doe speaking.” From a cell phone, either simply say Hello, or state your name, Hello, Jane Doe here. Do not answer by using words such as “yeah” or “yes.” When placing a call, always state your name along with the name of the person you are calling. Example: “Hello, my name is Jane Doe from XYZ Corporation. May I please speak with Ms. Jane Smith?”

2. Be aware of the tone of your voice. Don't sound overly eager, aggressive or pushy. It's crucial your tone expresses confidence and authority. Don't recline in your chair when speaking on the telephone, you project more when sitting upright. Sit up in your chair or stand during the conversation. When at home, use a personal tape recorder to privately record your own conversations. You will then hear how your sound to others.

3. Think through precisely what you want to say and discuss it BEFORE you make a call.
Write down the points you want to talk about and questions you want answered. In other words, anticipate and expect you will be directed into a voicemail system; plan your message to be as direct and specific as possible, asking the person to respond to specific alternatives or questions. Do not say, “Hello, it’s Jane Doe, call me back.” At least state the subject about which you want the person to call you back about.

4. Don't permit disruptions to happen during conversations. Don't carry on side conversations with other people around you. The person on the telephone takes precedence over someone who happens to walk in your office or passes by while you are on the phone. If you must interrupt the conversation, say to the person, “Please excuse me for a moment I’ll be right back.” And when you return, say, “Thank you for holding.”

5. Particularly when leaving messages, speak clearly and slowly. Don't use broken phrases, slang or idioms. Always leave your return telephone number as part of your message, including the area code . . . and S-L-O-W-L-Y, including REPEATING your telephone number at the end of your message. Practice leaving your telephone number, by saying it out loud to yourself as slow as you have heard an informational operator say it.

6. Build the habit of always turning off your cell phone ringer when entering a meeting, restaurant, theater, training class, or other place where the purpose of your visit would be interrupted or others would be disturbed by hearing your cell phone ring. If you are expecting an important call, inform the caller you will be in a meeting during certain times and state you will monitor your message indicator for when it illuminates you will excuse yourself to leave the meeting and return the call.

7. Always speak into the telephone receiver with an even and low tone of voice. Particularly when speaking on a cell phone out in public, be sure to monitor how loud you may be. Move the phone ear piece just slightly away from your ear and listen to yourself speaking. Discover whether you are speaking too loudly or too quietly for the other person to hear you.

8. Do not allow yourself to be distracted by other activities while speaking on the telephone, such as rustling papers, chewing and eating, working on the computer, or speaking with someone else. Most importantly, do not use a hand held cell phone while driving. Get a headset or speaker phone for the car. Always treat every caller with the utmost courtesy and respect by giving him/her your undivided attention.

Proper phone etiquette is very important to the growth and survival of your business. It's the way your customers communicate with you. A poorly operated customer service phone system will just anger your customers and cause a loss of business.

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Childcare – An Expertise Work at Home Moms Can Use To Earn Online

Family Child Care (Photo credit: heraldpost)

One of the most favorite topics for parents of newly born babies is … anything related to parenting or child care, and knowing that every second, three to four babies are born, we can be sure that there will be no shortage of people looking for all sorts of advice and information online. Not to forget the child care industry that employees millions of workers. Looking at all these statistics and people who will be seeking information related to childcare, all mothers have an expertise or experience by default that can help them earn some part time income without leaving their homes, simply by researching and writing on the topics related to childcare. 

And the best part is, you will keep learning new things and getting useful information while writing on these topics. Following are five practical ways to earn while writing on these topics … 

Write for sites like eHow or About.com:

If you have good writing skills, then you can apply as a freelance writer at the sites like eHow or About.com. You will have to hone your writing skills a bit, but if you can get selected for a site like about.com, then the pay is well worth your time and efforts. Even if you can’t find a job at these high paying websites, you can turn towards any of those revenue sharing websites. All you need is to choose your topics cleverly and every now and then, some of your article will go on to become a continuous source of passive income for a long time to come. 

Write for childcare or babysitting websites:

There are many websites that cater childcare or babysitting industries like sittercity.com or care.com. Knowing that the content is becoming of paramount importance for any website, you can get in touch with these websites and offer your services as a content writer. You might need to have some writing samples, preferably some published ones, but you can arrange some by writing a couple of articles for article directories, or even better, at a blog as a guest blogger.Then you can proceed to use these posts as samples while getting in touch with established blogs or websites discussing the topics like family, childcare, parenthood, babysitting, and offer your writing services. 

Start your own blog:

As earlier suggested, there is no shortage of people who are expecting a baby, or they've just had a baby, and they are all ears for any kind of advice or information related to feeding, clothing, caring, educating, or looking after their kids in general. And these parents will always listen to some help coming directly from a parent who has “been there and done that”. The best part about blogging is, you don’t need to do extensive research, and all you need is to simply share your own experiences, or recommend some good products or solutions, which have helped you in one way or another. Once you have established a community of parents or moms, you can start earn by placing ads, or affiliate links on your blog. 

Publish an E-book:

Writing and earning from an e-book is a route that very few writers take, yet it is one of the most profitable ones. The idea is to choose a niche, which is in demand, and caters a specific problem instead of being too broad, and then write an e-book with the possible solutions. You can search for many different platforms where you can promote your e-book. An e-book can create a stream of passive income, and who knows your e-book can turn out to be a big success and you might be able to land yourself a real book writing deal with a publisher. 

Try Freelance Writing Jobs:

You can search at freelance jobs portals like elance.com or odesk.com with keywords like childcare, baby care, parenting, babysitting, and the likes. You will find many start-ups that will be looking for writers. Once you've formed good relationship with some of your clients, you might be able to get better work from home jobs like social media manager and the likes.

Bio: Misheal Rome shares promotion code for care.com and sittercity code for babysitters looking to sign up with the childcare sites like sittercity or care.com. And that’s not all, at her website you will also find a lot of tips and reviews for products and services which are useful for work at home moms.

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Finance for First Time Car Buyers and Students

If you are buying a car for the first time, there are chances that you have a limited credit history. As a student, you may not have any credit history at all. This makes it difficult to get a good rate on a car loan and may lead to being rejected completely. Here are some steps to take to help get finance for your car.

 

Shop Around for Vehicles and Loans 

Do not just jump for the first lender offering you a deal. Shop around for different cars and finance deals available. The problem is that there is only a 14 day cooling off period but once this is gone, you are stuck with the loan. It can take months to find the perfect car and interest rate – and should take this time to avoid feeling pressured in taking a deal. 

Save Up a Big Deposit 

Save up for a big deposit for your car to help with being approved for a loan. By having 50 percent of the car price as a deposit, you will prove to lenders that you are sensible with your money and they are more likely to see you as a lower risk than the average first time car buyer or student. You will usually need at least 10 percent towards the total of your car. Another benefit of saving money is that you will need to borrow less, which will mean a shorter term or smaller monthly repayments to help with budgeting.

 

Establish Credit before Buying a Car 

At least six months before looking for a car loan, you should establish a credit rating. This could be from a credit card, a store card or setting up credit agreements with your mobile phone operator for example. This will help to show that you do stick to agreements and will help lenders see you as a lower risk. 

Look Into Different Types of Loans 

There are many different types of finance agreements for cars. Look into each of your options to find the best one to suit your needs. For example, hire purchases may offer you the benefit of arranging your credit through the dealership but is only available on cars under five years old, which are more expensive than the majority of first time or student cars. 

Budget for the Finance Deals 

Be sensible with the amount that you want to borrow, the term of the loan and the monthly repayments. First time buyers and young students have the dream of owning a flashy car but they are expensive and there are high chances you will be rejected for the loan. You will have to stick to the monthly repayments for the entire duration of the loan so avoid borrowing too much and struggling to afford all your outgoings. 

There Is the Option of Refinancing in the Future 

You may find that taking a loan with a higher interest rate is beneficial. After a couple of years, you will have the benefit of refinancing, which will help you gain lower interest rates and cut the cost of the total loan. 

Being sensible with your borrowing is extremely important. Build some credit at least six months before you start looking for a car and stick to the agreements. This will prove to lenders that you re sensible. When you are ready to start looking, shop around to find the best option for your needs. 

Author Bio: - Edwin Miles works at CarFinance247 as an Underwriting Manager. CarFinance247 is one of the fastest growing website that deals with automobiles in the U.K. where Edwin currently lives in Manchester. They have been doing their utmost best to build a high quality website that unites car buyers with the make and model of their choice.

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Property Investment in Today’s Economy

Planning: In today’s ever changing economy, property investment has become an important topic of interest with people wondering what to buy, when to buy and so on. A lot of questions like these surround property investment. Consumers should make sure that they are making the right decisions in on all elements of buying a property. With real estate prices poised to trend up and interest rates at all-time lows, can you REALLY afford NOT to invest in to new build real estate? 

Safe and secured investments 

When buying a property, you should first ensure that the property that is going to be bought is loan free and not over-priced if it is second hand. Also keeping in mind the surrounding area, you should understand what kind of increase of property rates can be expected which will give the owner high yields in the future. For example, if you live in Perth, Australia, try looking for house and land packages in Perth to get an idea about property rates. However, the best investment you can make is in new construction property which delivers on consumer demands. 

Where to buy

The buyer should make a complete examination of all the factors related to it. The government issues Municipal Bonds to pay for highways, building of schools and other project which seem to be a good and safe investment. Additionally, is the property being built in sustainable communities and neighbourhoods? There is no point of building a neighbourhood which, in a few years, will be nothing more than a commuter village or town and have no real ‘soul’. 

Money in hand

In order to buy a property, you have to first decide how much money to invest and what kind of return you're looking for. Real estate is an excellent investment and hedge against future inflation. History has shown us that real estate, no matter how battered the market is, always rebounds to new highs compared to the past. You only have to look at some of the richest people on the planet; not one of them rejects a property portfolio. In fact, a large element of their investing portfolio is real estate. 

Property is for living in

By and large for most of us a property investment will invariably mean buying a house or apartment to live in. in addition, a property is also an element of most people’s retirement nest egg, therefore the investment has to be right, as too does the area in which you choose to live.

Real estate construction companies have to deliver ever better products to increasingly demanding consumers. Low maintenance property, energy efficient property and aesthetic designs are all demands being made by consumers. But where do you start looking for the companies which stand out and deliver on consumer demand?

You can start by looking for house and land packages in your neighborhood. For example, if you live in Perth you should search for house and land packages in Perth to see what kind of deals are being offered, and how to make the most of the money you have to invest.

Ali Asjad is a writer and blogger. He is also an active real estate investor with reasonable portfolio. He researches subjects such as house and land packages in Perth as an element of his work.

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Should You Use Retirement to Pay Off Debts?

Retirement (Photo credit: Tax Credits)

If you're experiencing financial stress, it can be logical to look for a source of money to pay off your debts. For most folks, the largest chunk of change they have is their retirement fund. But does it make sense to "borrow" from your future to pay for your past? Let's examine both sides: 

Pay Off the Debt 

Taking money out of your retirement account to pay off hefty debts can make sense. If you're over 59 and a half, you can withdraw from your account with no penalties. While you'll be taxed (at your income bracket) for the money, if the interest rates on your debt are high, it could still be worth it. Think about it like this: If you're facing a 20% interest rate on a credit card, but only a 15% taxation on your withdrawal, you're putting yourself ahead +5%. You can start putting that 5% each month back into your retirement account to build it up even faster. 

Plus, paying off your debt comes with a whole slew of benefits. You'll pay far less in interest over time, you'll improve your debt to credit ratio and you'll have more available money each month to save or contribute to your expenses. However, there are serious downsides to pulling the money from your retirement account. 

Don't Touch That Account! 

Every story has two sides, and debt repayment is one of them. If you're younger than 59 and a half, you'll face a 10% penalty for early withdrawal from your 401k. On top of that, you'll also face taxes on the money you withdraw. While you could still come out ahead, even with those mitigating factors, it's more of a risk. Plus, your retirement fund functions as savings for a serious emergency. If you find yourself unable to work for some reason, you'll want to have the money available. Using it to pay down debt could seriously weaken your long-term financial position if you're not careful. 

Other Factors to Consider 

If you suspect that you'll pay off your debt only to have it accumulate again, then absolutely don't borrow from your retirement fund. If you build the debt back up, you emptied your retirement fund for nothing. Using your retirement savings to pay off debt means committing to living as debt-free a lifestyle as you can manage. 

This is especially bad if you decide to pursue bankruptcy at a future date. Your 401k is typically protected under bankruptcy law, and if you emptied it only to rack up more debt, you may have lost a significant portion of your savings for essentially no reason. 

The Verdict 

If you think the penalties are worth it to you and you have a financial plan moving forward that includes far less debt, then pull from your retirement account. However, try to look for alternative solutions first. First, immediately stop accumulating new debt. Cut out the non-essential "goodies" from your life and put that extra money toward your debt. Look for a credit card with lower interest, if you can. Take steps to pay off your debt with your current income. 

Remember, at retirement, you can realistically only withdraw 4% each year to make sure your money lasts. If you have $600,000 saved up, that's only $24,000 a year. Borrowing from your retirement account now reduces your starting capital and decreases the amount of money you'll have each year in retirement. Although in some cases, you can withdraw money from your retirement account to pay your debts, it's never a decision you should make lightly. 

About the Author 

Carly Lance loves to blog about personal finances whenever she can. She also is employed as the blog and marketing manager at Personal Bankruptcy Canada, a company that deals with people going through bankruptcy in Canada.

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Opportunities in Human Resource Specialist Careers

Human resources team works to improve customer service (Photo credit: USACEpublicaffairs)

If you are looking for a career in becoming human resource specialists will enjoy interesting work and exceptional opportunities. According to the governments statistics on human resources jobs, the number of jobs will grow faster than the national average for all types of jobs. It's predicted that between 2012 and 2020 the number of jobs in H.R. are expected to grow by a healthy 21 percent. The growth will be the most in the employment services sector, where jobs are expected to grow at a rate of 55 percent.

You will find that human resource directors have a college degrees and usually have a major in business, human resources or associate fields. The applicants with high school diplomas may be eligible for some entry-level hr jobs in interviewing or job recruiting. In some cases, experience in human resources can substitute for education.

There are skills associated with human resource work. The most important skill you need to succeed in human resources is the ability to get along with all kinds of people. You should have outstanding interpersonal, speaking and listening skills. Decision-making skills are also critical, as is the ability to pay attention to detail.

The modern workplace is an increasingly varied and challenging environment. Jobs often feature flexible hours, telecommuting, collaborative employees who may be based anywhere in the world, and project teams that form and fade away seamlessly as needs dictate. Human resource (HR) specialists oversee all of these moving pieces and try to make sure workplaces run smoothly, that the best new talent is recruited and hired, and that existing employees are properly compensated, fairly managed and evaluated, and, if need be, trained, disciplined, or even fired. HR specialists often deal with all employee levels in an organization, including the very top management. 

These positions are increasingly specialized with the size and scope of an employer. Large employers may require specially trained HR specialists for recruiting and hiring, training, compensation and benefits oversight, performance evaluations, employee assistance and relations, and other specialized needs. At smaller companies, an HR manager may wear many, if not all, of these hats. 

A college degree usually is required, including strong business and management course work. There is a good career advancement chain at larger companies. Top performers can reach high management positions, or may move to an HR consulting firm.

Living and Working in Egypt Provides an Opportunity to Save

English: The Nile River as it flows through the city of Cairo, Egypt. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Anyone moving from the United States to live and work in Egypt will notice almost immediately how the cost of living there is so much lower. Therefore, savings opportunities are easily possible. But, like anything else in life, opportunities have to be grabbed in order to turn them into reality and good savings habits are vital in this respect. For it's just as easy to blow your monthly salary living it up in Cairo as it is in the city of New York. 

It's no big deal opening a savings account in Egypt, providing you've lived in the country for at least a few months. The banks in Cairo or any of the other big cities and towns will certainly be happy to provide you with the same sorts of personal banking services that banks back home do. Thanks to the internet, it's a fairly easy matter to view available current accounts from HSBC, for example, or from any of the other multinational and indigenous banks operating in the country.

Pop into the nearest branch of the bank of your choice and fill in an account opening form. Staff there should be able to advise you about the interest rates offered by various savings accounts. You'll need to take along some official documentation, too, just as you would when opening an account back in the States. The process is fairly similar.

The sorts of documents required include your passport, work visa and your residency certificate. Take along a utility bill, too, to provide evidence of an Egyptian address. A letter from your bank back in the USA, confirming account details and the length of time you've banked with them, will also help with the application process. Some banks may also want to see the last three monthly bank account statements. Finally, take along a couple of passport-size ID photographs which will be used by the Egyptian bank for record purposes.

So how better off are you likely to be living in Cairo instead of New York? For this far from in-depth comparison, let's assume at the very least the salary earned living in either city is about the same. All the comparison figures come from the excellent website Numbeo.

In broad-brush terms, consumer prices in New York are more than twice that of Cairo. Include rent in the figure then the differential rises by over 200%. A straight rent price comparison between the two cities sees the figure jump to nearly 600%. Restaurant prices in New York are about 140% higher and groceries about 125% higher. Opportunities to save? You'd better believe it.

A meal at an inexpensive restaurant in Cairo will likely set you back about $5; the equivalent figure in New York is around $13, a 162% difference. A Coke or a Pepsi will cost you $0.49 in Cairo and $1.50 in New York. There's a 500% difference in the price of an average bottle of water. In Cairo it costs about $0.25, while in New York you'll pay about $1.50.

There's a 200% difference in the cost of a loaf of white bread. A packet of cigarettes costs about $2.10 in Cairo and more than $12 in New York. Local transport costs are also much cheaper, the equivalent monthly pass costing about $13 in Cairo and more than $100 in New York. Basic utilities such as electric, gas and water are also so much cheaper in Cairo. Expect a difference of about 400% between equivalent-sized apartments.

Click here to go to Numbeo.

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Rebuilding Credit has Positive Outcomes for the Future

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bad credit scores seem to be a growing epidemic, whether it is from job loss, injury or illness, or perhaps from overspending. When funds are limited, many people are turning to their credit cards to finance just about everything. They are using them to pay the rent and mortgage, car payments, and other household bills that require payment. 

While it may seem like a good idea at the time, over usage of credit cards can have a negative effect. Some individuals are racking up their credit cards to pay other bills and in turn, they are unable to pay the credit card bills when they arrive. 


Neglecting credit card payments can result in bad credit. Some may not think a credit score matters, but if you have ever wanted to finance anything, such as a car, home, or if you happen to need a loan, that score on your credit is going to make a difference. Banks tend to turn away from people holding a negative credit rating, even if your credit issues are a thing of the past. Circumstances and specific situations don't matter to them. They consider anyone with bad credit to be high risk. In many cases, several people are going without because banks and other financial institutions won't take a chance on them. 


It is very important to try and keep your credit untarnished, but in some cases, it just isn't possible. There are some people who have no choice but to use their credit cards. Unfortunately, the time did arise for me. I had no choice at the time. Due to job loss, I had to use my credit cards for groceries and other necessary bills. Once I found employment, it was difficult to catch up with current and past due bills. Some bills went unpaid and those events can leave you with less than perfect credit. I knew I had to take care of it so I decided to have rebuilt my credit. 

Some may not realize the embarrassment that is involved when you have bad credit. Some people may feel ashamed. They may feel that others are judging them because of it. That is why it is so important to do what you can to clean any discrepancies you may have. Once your credit has been rebuilt, it will give you a whole new sense of pride. That is why I had rebuilt my credit. 


Regardless of the reason for bad or less than stellar credit, the results will usually be the same. Taking care of what you can and getting your credit back to par is essential. It will not only affect you now, but there will also be repercussions in the future as well. If for some reason you feel that you are unable to fix the problems yourself, there are many institutes that have trained individuals that will be more than willing to help you repair rebuild and fix any credit problems that you may have. 


Carol Roberts freelance writer and mother of two. I have been currently writing for a home finance blog as well as a parenting blog. I know firsthand how important it is to have healthy credit, that's why I had rebuild my credit.

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Maximizing Renovation Bucks: Where to Invest

Are you getting ready to sell your home? You probably already know that this could be a long and arduous experience. You know that there are a few “problem” areas within your home. So how do you go about determining the best areas to renovate that will result in the highest return?

Rely On Professionals and Software

Real estate professionals can certainly help point you in the right direction. Most agents are very knowledgeable about your area and its homes. In addition, there are applications such as FreedomSoft real estate software that can also provide many helpful tips.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the information by top-selling agents; along with some real estate investment software that will let you get top dollar for your house.

Get The Facts About Your House and Neighborhood

First, you do need to understand that certain areas will offer a high return on your investment, while others just will not. In addition, you’ll want to research your home’s location and the area’s price point.

Additional points that you’ll need to examine are the neighborhood and the city in which your home is located.

Kitchens and Bathrooms

Typical buyers in today’s market want to see kitchens and bathrooms that are updated and remodeled. Kitchens are perhaps any home’s focal point. Therefore, presenting an updated and well-appointed kitchen can become a top-selling feature. 

Remodeling dollars spent in the kitchen area will definitely result in a major return for your investment dollars. Bathrooms follow kitchens as a close second in the “to be remodeled” area, and they are also a great return on your remodeling dollars. 

Statistics provided by professionals have shown that up to 80 percent of your investment may be recouped when your home is sold. That’s a pretty good turn around for your dollar.

Offices, Windows and Decks

If you upgrade or remodel office space, windows, and/or decks, you can see as much as a 70 percent return on your investment. Additionally, these types of investments add a significant boost to your home’s appeal, at a relatively low cost. 

- Where is the Housing and Mortgage Industry Going in 2021 -

Also, keep in mind that dressing areas and workout areas do not significantly add to a home’s value, so perhaps you may consider turning that workout area into a well-appointed home office.

Use Quality Materials for Your Update

While it may seem expensive, use the highest quality materials you can for your update or renovations. Stone counters and hardwood flooring are great investments—just make sure they are the best you can afford. 

This will let you see a higher return on your investment. This philosophy also applies to other finishes such as molding and cabinets, as well as lighting.

With just a little research, you certainly get a significant return on your remodeling or renovation dollar.

Photos via Flickr by Marcia Todd, Lauren Wellicome, New Ispiration Home Design, edenpictures, Granite Charlotte Countertops

Review Of Discover More Card – 18 Month 0% APR On Balance Transfers

The Discover More Card – 18 Month Promotional Balance Transfer offer is a great time-limited promotion only for new sign-ups in the US. For those of you who want to consolidate your high-interest credit card debts or store card debts and want to stop paying any interest on them, listen up. Australian readers can get 15 months balance transfer here https://www.hsbc.com.au/1/2/personal/credit-cards/balance-transfers

0% introductory APR on all your purchases. You will also enjoy the benefit of having a 0% introductory APR on all your purchases for 6 months, after that you will have to pay the regular APR, which is between 10.99% – 20.99%, depending on your credit score. Remember that even though you’re in an introductory period and your APR is 0%, you should still make all your payments on time.

Earn 5% Cashback Bonus in rotating categories. Unlike many other 0% balance transfer cards, this card offers you cash rewards when you make purchases with it. It can help you save a lot of money by giving you 5% cash back in rotating categories such as gas, travel, restaurants, etc, which change throughout the year. Important note: You must enroll for each 5% program every quarter! If you spend more than the specified amount for each 5% program, the excess will automatically earn up to 1% cash back.

Receive up to 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases. You will receive an unlimited 1% rebate on all the rest of your purchases, but only once your total annual purchases exceed $3000. Purchases that are part of your first $3000 earn 0.25% rebate. Keep in mind that warehouse purchases or 5% category purchases do not count towards your total annual purchases.

Some of My Favorite Things About this Card

• Redeem Cashback Bonus for gift cards, merchandise, or cold hard cashin the form of a direct deposit to your bank account or a credit to your Discover card account in $50 increments, starting at $50.
• Get up to double Cashback Bonus. You can earn up to double Cashback Bonus when redeeming your rebates for gift certificates from participating retailers. To give you some examples, a $40 rebate can be redeemed for a $80 Carnival Cruise or $80 Celebrity Cruises gift card or instant eCertificate; a $40 rebate can be redeemed for a $100 certificate from Hyatt Hotels & Resorts; a $20 rebate can be exchanged for a $40 Samsonite gift card!
• Rebates don’t expire. Your rebates never expire unless your credit card account is inactive for more than 36 months.
• Earn rewards for paying your monthly household bills with your card. Set up automatic recurring payments for your cable, cell phone, insurance, internet etc on your Discover Card, and you earn Cashback Bonus with every bill you pay!
• Travel insurance. This credit card can also be very useful for your travels since it provides up to $500,000 in travel accident insurance, as well as car rental insurance and many fraud and security protection services.
• $0 Fraud Liability Guarantee. If there are any unauthorized transactions on your Discover card, you won’t have to pay a single cent for it!

My Least Favorite Things About This Card

Only receive 1% cash back if you spend more than $3,000 a year. You only start earning the 1% rebate on all your purchases after you spend more than $3,000 during the year. So if you’re not planning on spending so much money, you will get a smaller amount in cash back percentage.

This Discover More Card – 18 Month Promotional Balance Transfer is, without a doubt, the best rewards card in the US that offers the longest period (18 months) of 0% intro APR on balance transfers. This is a promotional card offer that is only for NEW sign-ups who apply. For those who want to consolidate their high-interest credit card debts or store card debts, you should take advantage of this offer because it means you don’t have to pay any more interest on your existing card balance, and have up to 18 months to repay it all – interest free! Not only will it save you tons of money, you will also become debt-free faster.

The Discover More Card – 18 Month Promotional Balance Transfer is also a rewards card, giving you cash back whenever you make purchases or pay bills with this card. This lets you save even more money. With no annual fee, you have even more savings, and have a lot to gain from having this card.

This is not a permanent card offering, so don’t miss it if you want to take advantage of the 18-month 0% balance transfer deal. Apply online for the Discover More Card – 18 Month Promotional Balance Transfer, and you’ll get a response within 60 seconds. Also be aware you must have a credit rating of "Excellent" to be approved for this offer.

Apply Now for the Discover® More Card - 18 Month Promotional Balance Transfer

How an IVA Can Help With Debt Problems

Wipe our Debt (Photo credit: Images_of_Money)

An IVA is a scheme that allows you to clear unsecured debts which you can no longer afford to repay. It doesn't apply to secured loan or any hire purchase loans, which can often be lessened by returning the original asset. 

An IVA helps you to find your way out of your problem debts by allowing you to repay a single affordable amount each month, with an agreement that after a fixed period of time, which is usually 60 months / five years, any remaining debts will then be written off. 

No matter who you’re in debt with, finding the right debt solution for you means you may never need to communicate with your creditors directly. It can be done for you and look to negotiate repayments based on your affordability, depending on which debt solution you choose. This removes the hassle of having to do this with multiple creditors.

The scheme was created by the Insolvency Act of 1986, which was designed to help both people and businesses avoid the threat of bankruptcy when their debts become unmanageable. The IVA scheme has been used by thousands of people in recent years, who have successfully used them to deal with their mounting and problem debts and become free from debt at the end of the five year period. 

How is an IVA managed? 

An IVA expert will manage the process for you. Insolvency practitioners (such as those found here: https://freshstartltd.com/) will deal with all of your creditors and negotiate a deal. When the IVA plan is in place, you won't be hassled by your creditors anymore, which can be a real relief to those who have struggled with demand letters and phone calls. Instead, you repay a fixed sum via your insolvency practitioner each month and it's an amount that you can afford. The IVA practitioner deals with the paperwork and your creditors, which takes the administration away from you.

Other benefits of the IVA scheme 

As well as making sure that your unsecured debts are fully cleared and written off in five years, the IVA scheme is designed to protect you from legal action and also prevent you from needing to become bankrupt. It also protects your assets, which means that you won't have to sell your home, which can be the case with bankruptcy. The IVA is a legal agreement, which means that your creditors have to act by its terms as do you. The IVA will pick up all of your different unsecured debts, even if a number of your creditors don't agree with the terms of the proposal. Only 75% of them have to agree with the proposed repayment scheme and the IVA practitioner, who is managing your IVA arrangements, will organise this for you. 

Is the scheme for me? 

It's vital to get IVA help advice before entering into any financial arrangement, as the IVA scheme isn't suitable for everyone and circumstances must be discussed on an individual basis before making a decision whether to enter into the scheme. 

For example, you must be able to commit to meeting the agreed and affordable monthly payment, every month for five years, or the scheme will fail and bankruptcy will generally be the final stage. A debt advisor can look at your individual circumstances and provide you with advice that is right for you and work together to find a solution. There is always a way out of debt, be it via the IVA scheme or another route such as bankruptcy. The first step is to speak to the experts and find out which solutions are available to you. Don't delay - take the first step to dealing with your debt worries and get your life back on track. 

Written by Jamie for more info see Iva help & advice.

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How to Make Money as a Chef?

Chefs in training in Paris, France (2005). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The competition in the food industry is very tough. If you have exceptional cooking skills, training, and education, you can become a chef. Instead of applying for a chef or cook position at a local hotel and restaurant, you should consider becoming self-employed.

With an independent career, you will need to work hard and you should have the right attitude. It is an added advantage if you were able to finish a degree at a respectable culinary school. You need to have the passion, love, and interest for food. Aside from this, you should be willing to commit yourself in your profession. Keep in mind that becoming a chef and making money from it takes time. Part of being a successful chef is about experimentation and discovery. Chefs must be willing to learn new things and try something new.

To make money as a chef, you can become a freelance caterer. Many people these days prefer to hire caterers instead of preparing their own foods. As a freelance caterer, you can cook for private parties, wedding receptions, showers, business meetings, corporate events, and many others.

When it comes to promoting your business, it is very easy. Word of mouth is the fastest way to create a buzz about your catering business. If you can cook great tasting foods, you will be highly recommended by your clients. Even guests to the events you've catered to can also hire you.

To succeed as a chef and make money from it, you should know how to address dietary concerns like vegetarianism or those with diabetes. Be sure to keep in touch with clients that are well-to-do. These people are too busy to cook on their own. 

The money that you can make as chef will usually depend on the establishment where you work. If you think that you can’t make it as a self-employed chef, you can try landing a job at local restaurant, hotel, or any other food related establishment. You can earn more money as a head chef or cook at a five-star hotel or restaurant.

If you decide to become an employed cook, you must be prepared to start with entry-level positions. You will have to slowly work your way up by showing your skills as a great cook. This will take time, and as you go up the ladder of success, your salary will also increase.

As mentioned earlier, earning money as a chef can be hard. You will need to prove your skills and knowledge to customers. It would be impossible to make money overnight but once your target market finds out what you’re capable of, you will surely succeed.

Start early and enroll at a culinary school. Very few chefs succeed without proper education and training. You should invest time, effort, and money to become a chef. Find the path that works for you. It is a personal decision to become self-employed or become part of an establishment. Now that you know some of the options, you can take your pick!

Author Bio- Focus Management are a food recruitment agency, which has supplied this post. They have a very strong presence with retailers and food-service organizations in delivering highly skilled candidates for recruitment.

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Financial Tips for Women

infant (Photo credit: soupboy)

Pregnancy is the most important period in women’s life. For many women, especially single, expenses for babies are overwhelming. It doesn't mean that pregnancy will lead you to financial problems. As to avoid these problems, you need some financial tips.

Financial tips for women:

1. Employed pregnant women have the right to 52 weeks of paid leave. This furlough consists of 26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave and 26 weeks of additional maternity leave. Your employer must create necessary conditions for your health, including special care and attitude.        
2. There are different special programs for pregnant women. Department of Health can help you with pregnancy and post-pregnancy problems. Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program provides aid with food, consulting about healthy food, and medical services for women, infants and children.
3. You should create an emergency fund. Baby before birth requires great expenses for nutrition, baby buggy, cot…and after requires more. Try to save part of salary for baby in the future or unexpected costs. Planning your budget will help you in this situation.
4. Don’t be crazy in purchases. Pregnant women usually waste much money for buying not necessary things. You should analyze what is really important for your baby. Car seats, baby carriages are useful unlike too expensive branded pajamas.
5. Insurance help financially, caring for your safety. You can get a health insurance or accident insurance, and it will prevent you from unexpected expenses.
6. Women can buy many diapers and wipes. You need them in large quantities. Sometimes, baby store offer free diapers for frequent diaper customers.
7. You can get special online loans at WomensPersonalFinance.net for pregnant women. If you need money quickly for emergencies you can use payday loans, which are efficient, has short-terms, online access and easy applications.
8. There are a lot of charitable organizations in the United States that help pregnant women. These organizations will give you food, clothing, different baby’s things and just money in emergency cases. Crisis pregnancy centers provide necessary objects for babies during your pregnancy, too. They even help pregnant women to find parents to their babies for adoption.
9. Meeting with other pregnant women is very useful. It gives you information about pregnant rights or special programs. They can be your friends and good sources of information, sharing experience.
10. Don’t buy clothes and shoes beforehand. Children grow very quickly.
11. Try to save money for university, if you have possibility. Time passes quickly and you don’t observe how your child gets to first base, goes to the school and college. Think about baby’s future.

Future parents should remember that pregnancy is a very complicated process, which demand special care. It will cost you a lot of money, before and after. But it's worth it. Children are our happiness and future support.

5 Different Alternatives to Venture Capital

When newly opened companies or unproven businesses seek funds for capital investment. They turn to venture capital, a financial capital which is a private equity that furnishes money for their project. The idea is for a venture capitalist to provide the money so that the company can work on their product or new invention. In return, the venture capitalist becomes a part-owner of the company. Since most venture capitalists have business experience and can see the high potentials of the company, they will exhaust all their means to establish it and make sure that they get the most for their investment. 

Aside from venture capitalism, there are also other alternatives for companies to produce funds. Here are 5 of the most common forms of seed funding, or seed money, an investment form where companies –usually new and small ones—who cannot secure a loan from a bank find ways to collect funds in exchange for part-ownership from the investors. 

1. Crowd Funding.

Most recently recognized by a United States legislation, the JOBS Act, Crowd Funding—also known as equity crowd funding, crowd financing, or hyper funding—pertains to individuals who network and raise funds usually through the Internet to support a variety of projects like political campaigns, new research, relief operations, company funding, and others.

Small individuals can invest small amounts on equities sold by a company. 

2. Angel Funding.

Also called business angel or informal investors, an Angel investor is a wealthy individual who takes risks on products or researches from new or small companies with potentially successful outcome in exchange for equity or exchangeable debt.

Angel groups or networks are organized individual investors who share funds for small businesses. 

3. Friends and Family Funding.

Borrowing from friends and family can be the easiest and the riskiest way to produce funds. Some may lend money without an interest while most will probably expect one. The result, however, can either be favorable or unfavorable, and relationships can be damaged along the way. It is best to have legal agreements so everyone is assured of investment returns whatever happens.

4. Bootstrapping.

This can come from the owner’s own savings or credit card to avoid paying interests and penalties. This may require a lot of frugality and cost cutting ability (without compromising the quality) since the money at risk comes solely from the business owner.

5. Capital Sources.

Borrowers and lenders conduct business without the conventional agents or agencies. They do not own part of the business but can give useful advice. 

Author Bio: 

Olive Smith is marketing lead at SmallBusinessAngels.com.au, who provides venture capital to hundreds of entrepreneurs with loans for small business from startup to expansion.

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