“Gross sees gold as a stellar inflationary hedge as global central banks attempt to reflate their economies.” As reported by Diane Alter of the MoneyMorning.com. According to Don Miller in his article in MoneyMorning, “Gold stocks generally outperform the metal by a 2-to-1 ratio over time. That’s because every $1 increase in gold prices goes straight to profits. What’s more, the gold still in the ground becomes even more valuable.” BullionVault Italy would be a prime supplier if considerations of investing in gold would come to your consideration. The website offers secure investment features for you to easily assess situations of the industry and what would be the wisest decision for investing.

According to Investopedia.com in their article regarding High Risk Investment Trends “The financial markets and its numerous products are continually evolving, and as a result the nature and perception of risk is vulnerable to change.” This means that what would be considered risky in a certain year, may be a good decision investment the next year. At least with gold investments, there are many reasons for prices to soar this year. Russia is heavily investing on the precious metals, while ETF markers in the gold section have increased as many investors see ETFs as a more lucrative decision than in bonds especially in Italy and Spain. Going back to Miller’s report, “Governments are stockpiling record amounts of the shiny metal. Mints are pumping out new coins as fast as they can.” With those government transactions, gold seem to be shinier than ever in the world market.

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Fourth on the list was the UAE, which fared better with 36% of the people asked saying they’d been victims of credit card fraud.

Lower down was the UK, in sixth place, with 34% of the participants reported having been victims of credit card fraud.

These may be worrying stats, but it’s not necessarily unsafe to use a credit card. If you take certain measures and avoid using your credit card in certain places, you can avoid becoming a part of these statistics.

Where not to use a credit card

Credit card use in some places can actually expose you to fraud, either because the technology is poor or because they’re generally insecure. Here are a few places you should avoid using your credit card in:

• ATMs that don’t belong to banks. Often they’re poorly encrypted.
• Small shops abroad — the rates of fraud involving credit card use at them are higher and tracing the merchants is also difficult
• Insecure online checkouts — Check you’re purchasing from a reputable e-commerce site, which have safer online payment facilities
• Internet cafes or other places with public Wi-Fi access — when you’re purchasing something online it’s easy to remain logged in without realising it, leaving your data for others to see.

Using your credit card safely

Credit cards are a common part of everyday finance. Lots of people use them perfectly safely. Here are some precautions you can take to use yours safely too:

• Sign your credit card as soon as you receive it — if you lose it, someone else can put their own signature on the card and use it
• Always cover your pin number when you’re using an ATM — the person behind you may be peering over your shoulder. Someone may have even installed a hidden camera above the keypad.
• Never register for credit card offers that ask you for money in advance or fail to provide the card issuer’s name
• Avoid giving your credit card number over the phone, especially over cordless phones. Radio scanners can pick up the signal and eavesdroppers your details
• Make sure you get your credit card back after a purchase, plus any slips for voided or cancelled payments, and whenever you use an ATM always collect your receipt from it
• Check your monthly statement to make sure all the charges on it are for purchases you’ve made.

Credit cards are a standard part of personal finance these days. Use them correctly and you can manage your money easier. More and more people are using them, but unfortunately this means there are also more incidences of credit card fraud. However, if you follow these tips, you can enjoy using your credit card and feel comfortable that you are using it safely.

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Some of you might ask, so if you are going to pay it in full why not use a debit card? In my opinion credit cards offer two clear advantages over debit cards.

1) They help you maintain a high credit score.  Credit rating companies look for a long use of credit and your repayment history.  Using credit cards help lengthen your credit history and paying in full helps build your credit repayment credibility which is factored into your total credit score.

2) Most importantly, credit cards have a cash back feature.  That is, the user earns between 1-5% on every purchase. The more one uses the credit card, the higher the cash back amount. Very important to note, credit cards should not be used to buy something just for the cash back; Only use a credit card when you would have normally purchased something that you need or have budgeted for.  If you spend $6,000 a year, that could equate to $60-$300 cash back per year – just remember to ensure that the balance is paid in full every month to avoid unnecessary fees.

By now, using credit cards to make money has become second nature for me and feels like the credit card company is giving me on average $300 per year for doing nothing.  When was the last time you earned $300 for doing nothing?

Do you use credit cards to earn cash back?

This post was brought to you by AXA Insurance.
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This could not be further from the truth. The truth is that you can stay out of debt and still have everything that you want, if you know how to plan accordingly. Here are a few tips that will enable you to stay out of debt and still have funds left over for those things that you really want:

1) Make a Budget – This is the number one step in getting out of debt and staying out of it. You have to know what you have coming in versus what you have going out. Make a budget that lists your income each month along with what you have to pay such as mortgage or rent, food, utilities, and any other monthly necessities.

Once you have created a budget you will know better how much you have left over each month for savings. Saving is essential in keeping you debt free and ensuring that you have all of those little things that you desire. But saving is pointless if you are in debt already, so use the leftover finances to pay off outstanding debts.

2) Watch those Credit Cards – Credit cards in essence are not bad but having too many cards with high limits can be tempting. The best thing to do is to eliminate all of your credit cards with the exception of one. Choose the one that offers the lowest interest and keep it on hand for emergencies. Cards that offer cash back rewards are best so if you have one of those, keep it handy.

You do not have to use your credit card regularly but having it for emergencies is a good idea. You can use it to reserve hotel rooms, renting cars and other tasks so having one on hand is not a bad thing but you simply have to use it wisely.

3) Think before You Spend – About those things that you want, do you really need them? Is having them going to make your life easier? Think about what you are spending and why.
Before you pay out several hundred pounds for a new television set think about whether or not you really need this item.

It does not hurt to have things that you want but consider how badly you really want them. If this purchase is something that you simply cannot live without then go for it. If however, you can see yourself without this item, then save your money instead.

It is all about priorities and necessities- you don’t need the subscription to the monthly DVD club, this is a luxury which you cannot afford if you are in debt.

Properly preparing for your retirement will ensure that you are taken care of financially in the future and it will help to take the stress off of you during this time.

Here are a few tips to help you to prepare for your retirement:

1) Determine how much money you will need to live comfortably when you retire. This will show you how much you need to accumulate between now and your retirement age. Those who are younger will need to save less in order to reach these amounts but if you are within just a few years of retirement, you will need to step up your savings a bit.

2) Leave your savings alone. This is important if you want that money to be available when you need it. Many people have had difficulties in leaving their retirement money alone. They take it out for home repairs, college tuition and other needs and then end up with not nearly enough when retirement hits. Leave that retirement money alone and if you need a nest egg for unforeseen expenses, start a second savings account.

3) Pay off your mortgage. If you can pay off your mortgage before you retire, this is an excellent step to take. You will not have the burden of making those hefty mortgage payments every month so you will have much more money left over for food, utilities and other needs. The equity in the house will also play a big part in your retirement funds.

4) Check your Pension. Check to see what specific benefits you will be entitled to when you do retire. This income will help to pay for your needs and there are a number of state benefits that you may qualify for when the time comes as well.

5) Speak with an advisor. Speaking with a professional advisor will help you to better understand what you need to do and how soon you need to do it. You can get advice from a professional about what specific types of annuities may be available and how you can use your personal pension fund to help you to live out your golden years without financial woes.

This article was written by Cheselden Continuing Care, the leading review specialists of care home claims in the UK. Read more about NHS continuing health care by visiting their site.

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INCOME:

Income is the amount of money that one receives (also called inflows).  The most common form of income is the money received from working a full-time or part-time job, which is generally received weekly or bi-weekly.  There are many other forms of income, but the purpose of this article is to understand the importance of a budget. The second part of the equation is the expenses.

EXPENSES:

Expenses is more complicated than income, but in general it’s the amount of money that one has to pay out (also called outflows).  Another way to look at expenses are your monthly bills.  Examples of expenses are:

Utilities:

* Electric

* Gas (not all residences have this expense)

* Water/Sewer/Trash

Shelter:

* Rent or Mortgage

* Renters or home insurance

* Property taxes, household repair (If you own a house; also HOA is you live in a gated community or condo)

Transportation:

* Car payment (if car is not completely paid for or if it’s being leased)

* Car insurance

* Fuel expense

* Car maintenance & repair (oil change, new tires, etc.)

Health:

* Food

* Medical Insurance

* Medical bills (if you have any not fully paid)

* Gym membership (not everyone has this)

Misc.:

* Cable/Internet (also optional)

* Cell phone/landline

* Pets

* Entertainment

* Emergency fund

* Savings for retirement

* Savings for future trips

And the list goes on.  The above stated expenses are mainly considered the basic expenses with the exception of a few.  But this gives you the right idea of what expenses are.  The larger the lifestyle, typically, the higher the expenses.  For example, the bigger the house you have or the fancier the car you drive, the higher your expenses are going to be.  In business, the concept is the same as you have income (also known as revenue) and expenses.  It’s important to manage the inflows as well as the outflows.  Common business expenses are payroll, office lease, utilities, phones, insurance, etc.

The whole idea is to know how much money is coming in each month and how much money is going out.  Having an understanding of your cash inflows and cash outflows, helps one to spend money in a more conscious manner.  Incorporating financial management into your lifestyle or business can help you to achieve your goals.  Personally, I track my expenses each month and by managing my money accordingly; I am more aware of where the money goes instead of having cash in my wallet and being completely unaware how I spent it (wisely or foolishly).  Budgeting has allowed me to achieve a lot of my personal goals, such as traveling and increasing my savings while living a comfortable lifestyle.

Readers, any tips on how you budget?  Budgeting does not have a one size fits all approach.  What works for some people does not work for others. 

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When I think of an entrepreneur, I think of a small business owner or one who has built his empire from a humble beginning. There are a multitude of disciplines that one must possess to be an entrepreneur. One of the most important qualities of a business owner is to be financially disciplined. A business owner must be able to be a CEO, CFO, CIO and COO of his business as the ultimate responsibility and liability rests with the business owner, no matter who you have working under your direction to assist with any of the above titles/positions. The owner usually possesses all of the titles above in a small business, but despite the size and scale of a larger business, the owner must direct and oversee his Financial Officer/Manager or his Operations Officer/Manager.

Most extremely successful entrepreneurs are married to their business. They are willing to
work endless hours as needed, essentially living and breathing the business. This is why you must have a passion for what you do.  If you look at some of the most well-known extremely successful business entrepreneurs of the world, such as Bill Gates (Microsoft), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Conrad Hilton (Hilton Hotels), Dave Thomas (Wendy’s) and Colonel Sanders (KFC), they all had one thing in common when building and developing their business. They worked endless and tireless hours in their business, including nights and weekends. They did not clock in at 9am and clock out at 5pm.

You must be able to make the right decisions quickly. Like a Quarterback in a football game has to be quick and decisive in order to score for forward movement, as an entrepreneur, you must always be aware of you immediate surrounding that effect your business. Those surroundings that impact your business include your competition, your employees, the economic trends, the customer trends, cost of goods, etc. The title of this article is “What does it take to be an Entrepreneur?”, but the qualities and requirements outlined in this article are the ingredients for a “Successful Entrepreneur”. A successful entrepreneur is fully aware of the surrounding and conditions that are affecting his business and sees the trends ahead and most importantly, makes the right decisions and adjustments necessary to navigate the business through tough obstacles.

Are you cut out to be an entrepreneur? Do you have the dedication, strength and perseverance, no matter what the economic conditions are that are effecting your business? Do you have the competitive spirit that is so much a part of almost any industry? Survival of the fittest is the active phrase in this economic time and it all boils down to effectively managing your cash flow with a conservative expense budget.

If you have all or most of the aforementioned qualities, then you can be a “successful” entrepreneur, even in this current recession. With the greatest risk and the hardest work with the right marketing, management and decisions, comes great success. As an entrepreneur, you are the master of your own domain!

This was a guest post written by Chad B. Butler.

Author Bio:  Mr. Butler owns a business brokerage firm specializing in the sales, mergers and acquisitions of businesses along with business consulting services in the state of Florida. He has owned several businesses and has been an entrepreneur for over 18 years. One of his accolades is the acquisition of a small landscape business with 7 employees and aggressively marketed and grew the business to 70 employees with 25 trucks. His current profession and venture is the creation of a business brokerage and consulting firm working with all business types throughout Florida, but specializing in the landscape industry.  He enjoys the risk and reward of entrepreneurialism and learning the dynamics of new business industries. In his spare time, he enjoys writing, traveling and fine dining.

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Running a server can cost businesses thousands of pounds each year in running costs and through all the energy needed to keep it going. Meanwhile, with online file storage, you don’t have to pay anything like as much, and you don’t have to pay extra for energy usage, which could in the long run save you hundreds or thousands each year, plus there’s improved accessibility from outside your office at home or on the move.

There are other savings your business could make by deciding to store your files online using cloud technology. One of those is not having to use other hardware besides a server. If you or one of your employees is running low on disk space to store files, they might have to either buy an external hard drive or upgrade to a better computer, but online file storage removes the necessity to do either.

On top of that, some hardware requires employing a handful of technicians to make sure that everything’s running smoothly. However, if your business uses online file storage from the likes of Egnyte, you don’t have to hire them, as it requires no maintenance, and is quite easy to use for a number of things like sending files to clients or co-workers and amending them.

Conference calling is where you make a phone call to multiple people via any device with an internet connection such as a laptop, desktop computer, tablet PC or even a smartphone. You can arrange a conference call as and when you need to make one, and can invite people from all over the world. It’s seen as being a vital tool for any business who wants to communicate effectively with customers, partners and investors.

Perhaps the main reason why conference calling can save your business money is that it’s cheaper to organise a conference call than it would be to contact someone via a landline or mobile phone. Calling a client on a normal telephone could cost hundreds or perhaps thousands of pounds each year, while by making a conference call, you’re only paying a small fraction of the price.

In addition to being cheaper to do, conference calling can also save you money through reduced transport costs (you could ask employees to work from home and, using conference calling, you can speak to them with conference calling technology) and not having to travel for meetings when you can conference call them instead plus, with less travelling, you’re saving money on fuel. Conference calling could save your business a lot of money in the long run, and it could make a lot of things you do much easier.

Author bio

This article was provided by Terry who likes to write about conferencing calling in his spare time. He works for the American branch of Powwownow.

Whilst most online casinos and mobile slots places offer customers attractive bonuses to entice them to play their games, individual casino’s bonuses can vary significantly. Therefore, take the time to peruse all the terms and conditions before applying for these bonuses – especially to requirements that must be met regarding withdrawing winnings.

If you’re new to online casinos, then it’s probably a good idea to play some of the free demo games to make sure you understand the rules before wagering actual money. Whether you want to play poker, blackjack, slots or roulette, and even when you think you already know the rules, this is still a good practice as many individual casinos’ rules vary slightly to those of other casinos. By doing this, you can, hopefully, prevent any misunderstandings and, ultimately, any unnecessary losses. Furthermore, many of the casinos provide rules and video tutorials to help you do this.

Having researched the rules of games you intend to play and tried out the demo games, it’s time to put down some money and play for real. However, before you do that, it’s a good idea to set yourself a budget – one you can both afford to lose and won’t regret losing if it’s not one of your lucky nights. Sticking to an affordable budget is a sure fire way of keeping online casino fun and avoiding going into debt.

Okay, you’re ready to play. But remember primarily you’re having a fun night in – winning is a bonus and something you won’t do every time you play. Stick to your allotted budget, and if you lose it well – that’s gambling. There’s always another day to play – a day when you’ve got money you can afford to lose – although hopefully you won’t.