Useful Money Management Tips During Tough Financial Challenges

It is a fact that personal money management can be a real challenge when you are tight on cash and the end of the month seems to always come long after your pockets are empty. Here are some essential money management tips that could help you struggle less through these challenging times and succeed in your endeavors to master your personal financial affairs.

But, while tough financial times can be extremely stressful, fraught with anxiety and frustration, sometimes such challenges can be an opportunity to make changes in your financial affairs that can make a significant positive impact on the personal financial management in your life for years to come.

One of the first and most important money management tips anyone can give you is to know exactly where you stand financially. Many people hate looking at the reality of their situation; however, in order to develop a workable personal finance money management plan you must have a clear understanding of where you are.

This means that you need to know precisely how much cash is coming into your household from all sources each month. As well, you should know where every last penny is going when it flows out from your bank account or your wallet. This is the essence of household budgeting and without a solid monthly budget, most other financial management tips that you might learn will not be terribly effective.

Going right along with the budget, which lists all of your income, your monthly fixed expenses and allotments for other flexible expenses, such as clothing, meals out, entertainment and such, is tracking all of your expenditures. Most people end up squandering a great deal of cash on a monthly basis because they do not keep a careful record of where and how they spend their cash, especially the cash in their pockets and wallets.

By tracking each and every purchase that you make and noting what you spent the cash on and how much you spent, you will begin to see where your discretionary money is going and you will start to see how cash is "leaking" out of your control. This can be one of the most powerful personal money management suggestions you will run across because it can quickly demystify that age old question of "where has all my money gone?"

Two other important money management tips are to be realistic about what you spend and to carefully assess and prioritize all of your expenditures. Both of these suggestions are easier to implement when you also endeavor to track all of your expenses. By taking these simple steps, you can, with time and commitment, transform your personal financial management strategies and take full control of your hard earned money.

Educate yourself further about money management tips from Mike Selvon articles portal and download your free audio gift for improved financial money management.

Direct Deposit and Prepaid Debit Cards

Prepaid debit cards, on the other hand, offer employers the ability to immediately transfer funds to employees anywhere in the world, and allow employees to quickly and easily access money in their home currencies, without the necessity of opening a foreign bank account. They are powered by your own money, so the amount you have on the card is the amount available to spend. But not limited to prepaid phone cards, and more particularly, to a package assembly and methodology for permitting activation the card at a point of sale from a remote location. Issuers point out that they can create conveniences for employers and employees beyond monthly payroll. Since this will be disbursed to workers at the place of employment, to business owners at the tax offices, and to the unemployed and dependent at the social assistance agencies, the reference income could be readily determined.

Direct deposit and prepaid debit cards, however, may be less than 50 cents per transaction. You have the freedom to make purchases anywhere at any time without carrying around too much cash. And are accepted at locations and shopping outlets. Since it carry a Visa insignia on them, people can use them any place that accepts Visa or Master Card. As with any card, they carry some limitations on usage. They are providing the cardholders with some of the best financial services. Some are offered by smaller banks to build up their deposit assets I suggest that you begin your search at a website that offers this kind of selection. In this way, the retail merchant need only pay the costs associated with the prior to the actual sale.

Prepaid debit cards work well with programs that allow an employee or benefits recipient to choose between direct deposit or check disbursement. Meta Bank specializes in prepaid debit cards for those with poor credit. They are sold by participating retail locations, banks and card companies, and are typically available without a credit check or prior bank account. Most consumer credit comes from banks, savings and loan institutions, credit unions, finance companies, and credit card companies check cashing payday loans money transfers bill payments money orders and many other services are offered by these financial. International It can be issued to just about anyone in the world without requiring credit, banking and employment history. Experts are predicting more growth, linked to flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts and health reimbursement arrangements. Debit News, the named defendants in the case have sold millions.

Loan to Value

Value equals the lower of appraised value or purchase price

Title I Improvement Loans Terms- customers come to money tree for check cashing payday loans money tree your cash solution. Some locations of some car rental companies do not accept prepaid debit cards. This takes all of two or three minutes to do and tend to be extremely convenient wherever they are sold and accepted. It looks like and acts a lot like one, too, but have a few important stopgaps that parents can appreciate. With the increased competition from companies like Master card and Visa along with major Banks are looking to for new innovative ways to generate awareness. This help you to control your spending. Treasury has begun to institute a new system in several states across the country, including Oklahoma.

Great progress has been made in the security of prepaid debit cards. Specifically, no banked individuals will be able to deposit and withdraw finance funds and utilize mobile payment technology to transfer funds, make instantaneous purchases, and accept payments using a cell phone. Although there are sometimes fees associated with them. Here are some of the advantages that are inherent. With auto sales falling and gas prices rising, General Motors and Ford are helping new customers pay for gas. You can find any bank you want from business, college students, general consumer, secured cards, we got it all.

Ronald W. Firquain is a auto mechanic, musician, Arabian horse owner for 20 years, writer, marketer, entrepreneur, webmaster and has 18 years of computer experience. finance tips

How to Have an Impressive Forex Portfolio

One of the most frequent advice that is given out to novice forex traders is the advice to begin small in their trading activities. By doing so, you as a new forex trader will not suffer adversely if you make some mistakes along the way. This is because you are also recommended just to trade based on 2 % of your investment capital. The rationale is as you gain more experiences, your confidence level will be boosted.

This is an excellent advice for the novice Forex trader as they limit the exposure to risk. However the very same advice will also limit a novice forex trader to expand their horizon. The word "small" is equated to "safe" and this will stop you actually from building up your confidence level. To be confident you will need something to show for it and it is extremely difficult to built up an impressive portfolio if you trading account has only $500 to show for it.

Trying to achieve higher confidence level just with theoretical studies of investment techniques is nearly impossible. You must actually be practically involved in the building of your own success level in your trading. And as the level of success increased, you will also increase your confidence level.

By limiting your trading activities, you are actually limiting your potential to earn more and higher profits. So to overcome that, you need to trade more with a higher exposure level. And to do that will require more than a $500 trading account. Most forex trading advisers recommended that to be professional traders, you need at least $100,000. So how would you go about that to reach that target?

Persistence small profitable trading

As you'd expect, there's really no quick, guaranteed way to do this. They best ways is to start with small trades and keep working your way up slowly but surely. Keep in mind that doesn't mean you need to spend all day making lots of trades. Your goal here is accuracy, not quantity.

Venture into trading on other currency pairs

The advice for you to specialize in just one currency pairs is good advice so that you can focus. However, the advice will only hold turn for so long in your trading career. You cannot hope to build up an impressive portfolio by just sticking with only one pair of currency to trade. Therefore in order to grow the portfolio you will need to venture with another pair of currency in order to maximize your investment opportunity.

Trading with your own money

Sometimes because we wish to have additional capital to trade with, we try to borrow from friends or family members. This is a very unwise move as you might end up losing all the money that you borrowed. The reason is that borrowed money will cause you additional mental stress because of the fear of losing it. This will result in you curtailing your trading abilities which will ultimately result in losses. Therefore you are highly recommended to abstain from trading in borrowed money.

In summary, to build up your investment portfolio to an impressive level, you need to trade regularly, take more calculated risks diversify your currencies portfolio when possible. By abiding to these steps, you will slowly reach the level that you can be proud off.

Find out which forex trading software and forex trading systems actually make you the money. Stop wasting time and effort on systems that don't deliver results.

Need elite Forex Trading Software with sound & reliable statistical elements? I highly recommend that you review Forex Tracer Software to trade up to 500% more effectively!

Boomers - Where Has All the Money Gone?

You are thinking about retiring? Maybe you are thinking about starting a new business. Perhaps moving closer to kids or maybe further away is on your mind.

Getting out of bed today takes a lot of fortitude. The world is in pretty grim turmoil. Many of us middle classers are just plain worried about our future. The very rich can spare a million or two of loss, but for the average middle class citizen losing thousands of dollars tends to cramp the lifestyle. We all want to stay healthy, pay our bills and keep on spending those dollars to enjoy our lives. It is said that boomers are the biggest spenders. However, looking around at the younger set with arms full of electronics and designer clothes I tend to doubt this.

The newspapers, magazines and on line articles about the economy, saving money and retirement are filled with advice.

As boomers we are in one of three scenarios:
1. Working and thinking about retirement in the distant future
2. Working and planning on retiring in the close future
3. Newly retired as we get our first social security check

If the government can write a check for seven hundred billion dollars certain seven hundred is okay to spend. Wrong! Our money is slipping away very fast. The grocery store bill has started to climb rapidly. Gas prices are still extremely high. There was some joyful dancing in the street as they fell a bit...but we are still paying lots of dollars to fill up the family roadster. People are losing jobs, pensions, savings and more. .

So many will bail out of their sub prime loans and be given a reprieve for refinancing...Sounds pretty nifty. However, if this subprime loan is owned by a family out of work, what is going to save them? We Americans do well with temporary fixes, and also are good at not worrying about things until tomorrow. Are these baby boomers, I think not!!!!

We are all aware that this crisis is not an over night happening. Freddie and Fannie had a little talk and decided to lighten up the burden for the hard working public. These hard working folks were given a chance to purchase a 300,000 home when all they can afford is a home for 150,000...It was not important that all they could handle was the payment for the 150,000 house. Why not magnanimously give a family a chance to live in a gorgeous home, and improve status in life, and throw in a little cash for some showy extras? However if these home owners put this particular money away for a rainy day to make the mortgage payment on a bad month, things might be a little different today.

If one of these honest and upstanding citizens decided a new car would be cool, maybe a swimming pool for the kids, a well deserved trip or perhaps some fancy golf clubs why deny yourself? Those dollars are just burning through those shallow pockets at the speed of light.

Perhaps you had questionable credit but had a pretty good job and you had this opportunity to move up to your dream house. Would you have really had concern about the future economy of our country? The reality is that the American public had no idea of the damage that was brewing.

With a little hope and luck the credit market will revive itself and people will make their mortgage payments, start purchasing stock and head back to the stores so these stores can continue in business.

Celebration is in order as we have been given another day to survive. However if the soup kitchens once again are open I will market my budget soup for boomers and make a killing.

My book "For Kids 59.99 and Over", http://www.carolstanley1.com Speaker and author...Life is changing as we age and there has to be many new goals set for life...There is freedom and joy.

CCTV Security is Not Cheap But You Can Get Yours Without Going Broke

What is CCTV Security?

CCTV security is a TV system that transmits video recordings to connected monitors. These recordings are captured by hidden or unhidden wireless or wired cameras positioned outdoors or indoors and these recordings are sent to the control unit. The system could also be hooked to an alarm system to alert security personnel to doubtful activities or emergencies.

CCTV security means many things to many people. It guarantees homeowners that they can check what is happening or what happened at home during their absence. For the business owner, it warrants a round-the-clock monitoring of workers and deters unsavory office practices such as sleeping on the job and dipping naughty fingers into the cash register.

For parents, using the web camera server with their video security system hooks them up to their home CCTV system allowing them limitless remote surveillance, anytime and anywhere.

CCTV Security That Won't Clean You Out

But before you act on it, know your surveillance needs first so you can have easy upgrades later when you have some extra cash to splurge. Ask these questions before grabbing discounted surveillance or security gadgets:

* Is home surveillance legal in my State?
* What do I want monitored?
* Do I need remote viewing?
* How many cameras do I need?
* How much can I afford?
* Do I need portable CCTV monitors with built in speakers?
* Where can I get affordable gadgets?

One of the best places to shop for CCTV security is online. From the comfy confines of your bedroom, you can compare prices of different retailers, or get advice from online site devoted to CCTV and video security. You can also check surveillance restrictions in your state before pursuing your CCTV home project.

If a $400 starter set seems stiff, start eyeing that extra home monitor or TV. You will only need a $79 USB backed up controller box and a camera or two. Plug and play cables are also needed to start your home security system going.

Cameras come in different price tags; you can choose between colored or black and white images, or high or low resolutions. Luckily, you have more options. There are bullet cameras, fake cameras, dome cameras that are priced right within your because quality cameras do not have to be expensive all the time.

But should you get a complete system, retailers are giving 10% discount on cameras. Grade A or high resolution outdoor cameras costs a whooping $1,299! But that should not stop you from getting cheaper indoor cameras when you are just starting out to tweak your CCTV security system. Stretch your dollars further with free shipping offers from retailers.

One thing to keep in mind is the upgrade. Your stuff should be compatible with other security devices if you want to go big time with your CCTV security. There is no use wasting your initial investment, so always ask expert advice before buying an item. Online CCTV experts are ready help you sort things out.

For your CCTV security needs, or information about closed circuit television systems and CCTV cameras, always get expert advice from Video-Surveillance-Guide.com before you spend a dollar.

Coping With Sudden Financial Loss Before the Holidays - There Still is Much in Which to Be Thankful!

Financial Upheaval Causing Anxiety, Shattered Dreams and Fear of the Unknown ..."this has been an unimaginable week in the financials." Writers and commentators in the monetary realm are running out of adjectives to describe the current crisis

A positive upshot of the current economic meltdown could be a revival; a restoration of basic realities such as thankfulness and gratitude or a Revival such as communities of people in specific prayer for recovery.

As a society that has come off a roaring bull market, that boasted in what we've been able to consume we're now roasting in debt . What happened? We now have an economy that has evaporated in a few months. There is a crying need to re-tool. What we need is an outpouring of prayer.

• Karen Armstrong writes in her book of the history of God makes this observation, "many of us no longer have the sense that we are surrounded by the unseen" During the last two decades or so, the film industry has thrust the evil, the wicked and the depraved unseen world with enticing visuals and with great financial reward.
• Robert Dunn writing in "Don't Just Stand There, Pray Something" says there are two reasons why prayer has a bad image. One is that some people dismiss prayer as a weak alternative to practical action. The second reason is the image of a praying monk on slabs of a cold, hard concrete floor. When was the last time you saw a first-run film showing a positive image of prayer for positive purposes?

In the movie classic, "It's a Wonderful Life", George, played by Jimmy Stewart, goes on a harangue when he realizes he is in a financial dilemma. The daughter asks, "Shall I pray for him? The little brother asks, "Me too?"

Financial loss is an emotionally draining and completely stressful event for the family. In my guidebook, written after another economy meltdown that caused three layoffs, I offers a "Family-Nurturing Communication Strategy" to your family. That was the only way our family came from wounded to Winner.

Is the bottom line that everyone is looking for be, "Men ought always pray and not faint" ? Jesus Christ speaking in Luke 18:1

Huldah Jones, a Vision Therapist, retired as Technical Director of the Orthoptic Center, Helene Fuld Medical Center in New Jersey. She writes more on surviving Job Loss and Financial Stress at http://www.quietmysoul.com

Rising CEO Pay - What Directors Should Do

Every American corporation mandates the pay structure of CEOs through its board of directors. The board of directors is responsible to dictate the CEO's pay based on his or her performance. More than 60 percent of all the American corporations have a CEO who serves as a chairman as well as a chief executive officer. So, the individual who chairs the board is largely left responsible for his or her own pay scale and bonuses.

Quite surprisingly, CEO's of major American companies' average more than $10 million in wages and bonus. This means the pay scale is 350 times more that what an average full-time American worker makes.

According to a study published by the National bureau of economic research "the increase in pay of senior executives and superstars in other fields has been a major source of rising inequality of wages in the United States. The reputation of American business, already scarred by corporate scandals, is continuing to get degenerated because of rising income inequality.

Due to expressive shareholders outrage and media attention, there has been a growing concern among board of directors to consider the issue seriously. The main reason for raising the CEO pay is the fear of losing an effectively performing CEO and to make sure this does not happen; compensation committees rely on surveys by consultants who prepare a report stating a higher CEO pay in similar companies disregarding the performance of a company. The survey shows that every CEO is placed in the upper quartile as a compensation committee of any company in America does not want to admit that its CEO is below the median.

To solve the problem of rising CEO pay, the board of directors should recognize the mistakes of the surveys conducted by consultants and should at a minimum insist on surveys that rely on company's performance. Moreover, compensation committees should focus on shareholders acceptance. Board of directors should also align the pay scale with what is earned by the top management of the company.

About Author: Pauline Go is an online leading expert in finance industry. She also offers top quality financial tips like :
Payday Loan Tips, Research On Inflation And Collective Bargaining