It seems like a good idea, harmless in fact. Your friends assure you that everybody does it and that employers rarely check resume facts. Going on blind faith and convinced the truth hasn't been helpful so far, you seriously consider fabricating information on your resume. You adapt the school of thought that a little white lie never hurt anyone and lying on a resume is just that, a little white lie. Cheating on a resume can be tempting,...more
In today's competitive world of retail, many stores are implementing external marketing programs designed to attract new business. Unfortunately, the cost can be very high with little return on investment. What is often lost in the mix is the fact that it can be much more cost effective to have a loyal customer base that returns again and again rather than constantly seeking the next new customer. Not that there is anything wrong with new...more
Many people are starting an online business without a thought about the danger this may pose to their personal assets. The type of protection you need depends upon the nature of your business and the amount of your personal assets. If you have no personal assets, you probably don't need much protection. They say "you can't get blood from a turnip". Hey, if someone wants to take over your credit card debt, they are welcome to it! But if you do have investments, or own a home, and someone sues your business, they could take your personal assets. If you do not incorporate your business, by default it is a "sole proprietorship". This means your business is YOU and your assets are at risk. If your product is something like greeting cards, then you are not extremely vulnerable to a lawsuit. You would think it would be difficult for someone to be harmed by a greeting card, but someone might interpret the prose on the card as personal character defamation, or they might get a paper cut from the card. Remember a few years ago when a lady sued McDonalds after she burned herself by placing a cup of hot coffee between her legs? If your product is a food item or a physical object, you could be...more
Reach into your wallet or purse, pull out a card, swipe, and you're done. It is very easy to use a credit card. The problem lies in choosing a card - and it has nothing to do with the picture on the front! Choosing a credit card that works best for you is vital to your credit rating. If you choose incorrectly, you may find yourself in deep debt...more
You are swimming in debt. You have 4 credit cards maxed out, a car loan, a consumer loan, and a house payment. Simply making the minimum payments is causing your distress and certainly not getting you out of debt. What should you do?Some people feel that debt consolidation loans are the best option. A debt consolidation loans is one loan which pays...more
It happens to the majority of us, credit card debt accumulates and before we quite realize it, we are carrying a debt load that is far beyond our means. When this happens, we need to take immediate positive steps to knock down the debt as quickly as possible. One of the most efficient ways to do this is to reduce the amount of interest we pay by shopping around for a better rate and having our balances transferred over. By doing this, we pay more towards the principal, thereby reducing the duration of the loan and saving ourselves potentially thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the loan. Typically, a credit card carrying a balance of $5000 dollars, with an interest rate of 17.5 % and a minimum monthly payment of $150 would take you 3 years and 10 months to pay off. The total interest accrued would amount to $1, 846. However, if you were to transfer your credit card debt to a lower interest rate loan of 7 %, that same $5000 paid in increments of $150 a month, would be paid off in 3 years, 2 months, substantially reducing the amount of interest to just $564. That's a savings of $1,282. There are several options available for lowering your interest rates. Each one has its...more
Just when most people finish with school and can stop worrying about test scores, there's a new kind of scoring that enters the picture. It's called credit scoring. And, its impact on your financial future can mean more to you than a college degree....more
In part 1, we covered the basics about credit scoring - what it is and how it is calculated. It's time to address the critical question ... What happens if you are denied credit or don't get the terms you want?The Equal Credit Opportunity Act...more
In virtually any business first impressions are lasting impressions. Most people have heard this statement for years, and yet some people completely ignore the first impression they are conveying to potential customers or clients. Regardless of the...more
Delivering an effective presentation to 20 or to 200 people is difficult. Because listeners have better access to information since the internet became commonplace, audiences expect more content from speakers today. In addition, because of the...more
Centuries ago great speakers often spoke two hours and more. But today when sound bytes on television news are the norm and serious problems are solved in an hour on a television drama, audiences are most interested in speakers that get their points...more
Let's start by taking a look at 7 key elements of an adjustable rate mortgage:1) ARM defined: While a fixed rate loan is constant and never changes throughout the life of the loan, an adjustable rate mortgage changes periodically. The interest rate...more