Can It Be Healthy And Wealthy To Smoke Electric Cigarettes?

This is a question that needs some context. If you smoke tobacco, then yes it can be very healthy to smoke electric cigarettes. E cigs are specifically designed as nicotine replacement therapy, allowing you to continue absorbing the drug you crave without any of the harmful side effects present in its traditional method of delivery. The electric cigarette is a genuine tool for addicts, a rehabilitation program you can carry in your handbag or stick in a pocket.

All medical products, or products intended for use in a basically medical sphere (in this case addiction control with a view to future rehabilitation) need to be sold to the correct market. For that reason it is necessary to mention the following caveat: it is absolutely not healthy to smoke electric cigarettes if you have never smoked. There’s no point anyway. Nicotine addiction is yesterday’s news. There’s bound to be a new trendy addiction come along to take its place – but for now e cigs are all about getting the last of the dinosaurs off the drug that used to be popular and is now pretty much reviled all over.

The sole purpose of electric cigarettes is to get all us poor nicotine addicts away from the cancer crutches that will be our grave. They are healthier than actual tobacco cigarettes by orders of magnitude. They contain none of the carcinogens or additives that regular tobacco smoke holds. They will allow us to take our nicotine without withering our lungs, filling our hearts with fat and killing all the sperm in our testicles.

E cigs contain the bare minimum of ingredients, in their E liquid. Everything in E liquid is fit for human use and overall you’re looking at an average of 1,000 times less constituents in E liquid vapour than there are in cigarette smoke.

The only actively harmful thing in the smoke you get from electric cigarettes is nicotine. Nicotine is not good for you, it’s a poison. Anyone who is used to smoking cigarettes, though, has built up a natural tolerance of the poison – so the nicotine in the e cigs is no more harmful to them that it was in tobacco, only with e cigs there are no carcinogenic or antisocial side effects.

Smoking the electronic cigarette is certainly socially healthier than smoking a tobacco cigarette. Noticed how girls or boys, whichever you like, have started shying away from you when you come back inside the bar after you’ve staggered out for a quick fag? There’s a reason for that, a reason I know all too well. You stink. You smell like a cross between an ashtray and the rim of an undersea volcano.

Electric cigarettes will let you get your hit without having to smell to do so. Your breath won’t be affected. Your clothes will no longer reek like a bonfire. And your friends will stop berating you for honking up the place when they’re all trying to have a good time.

The social acceptance of e cigs is backed up by a legality that can make using them quite a lot of fun. It’s perfectly legal to inhale vapour from an e cig in any public place, no matter what the smoking laws. So you even get to feel a bit like an outlaw even though you’re not.

For anyone who smokes, electric cigarettes are thousands of times healthier. If you’ve ever wished you could smoke without worrying about dying, this is your chance.

How and When to Ask for a Raise?

Asking for a pay-raise from your employer can be a difficult subject to broach, especially when unsure how to go about it. This is the reason many employees just accept their small annual cost-of-living-raises instead of asking for the raise they know they deserve. Despite the fact that this is a much easier and far less stressful method, it is unlikely that an employer will hand out a big fat raise without being asked, even to a deserving and dependable worker.

Do they deserve it?

When seeking a pay raise, an employee must be absolutely certain that they have a valid reason to ask for one. If they do, then it is time to start planning the request. If not, however, then the employee should spend a few months going above and beyond the call of duty before even thinking of asking.

The outline

For the employee that deserves an increase in pay, the fight is still far from over. The word "raise" is not a word an employer loves hearing, which is why deserving workers must outline, in as much detail as humanly possible, why exactly they should be paid more money. They should highlight work-related achievements and if possible, provide factual statistics of how their performance has saved the company money, set an excellent customer service example or increased productivity in other employees, in order to help justify the payroll increase. In short, the person asking should make the validity of the request as irrefutable as they can.

Once a worker gets his battle plan outlined, he should go over it. It is a good idea to bounce it off a trustworthy friend too, but not a co-worker. Co-workers should never discuss their compensation with one another, as this is a huge no-no in the business world.

Knowing the range

Before requesting a raise in pay, workers should familiarize themselves with the standard pay range for their occupation and experience. Without this information, employees are likely to either ask for too much, or even not enough. A great way to find this information is by checking with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Timing is everything

Waiting for the opportune time to make the move can be the difference between getting the raise you deserve and being prematurely shot down. People should consider how far away their annual reviews are; if they're coming up, it may be a good idea to wait until then, accruing as many achievements as they can before the reviews. However, if an employee has just made a stunning achievement and his review isn't coming up, the best idea may be to strike before the accomplishment fades from his boss' memory.

Many factors enter into a pay raise, even for those that rightfully deserve one. The odds of getting a pay raise are much better when employees have done their homework. By putting together a list of achievements that display their worth and knowing the industry, employees can more easily negotiate their compensation. With the proper game plan, timing and attitude, employees can get the pay increases they deserve.

Who Wants to Buy Yahoo?

One of the more troubled technology firms in recent years has been Yahoo. Once the darling of internet and high tech investors, they have hit a rough patch as of late marked by several changes in management and a failed buyout offer from Microsoft. The latest report fresh from the Wall Street Journal is that AOL is considering taking over the company, and this was enough to surge the share price of Yahoo by 15%.

There are several reasons why this deal will never happen, and should not happen.


1. AOL is a much smaller company, and taking over Yahoo will put it in serious debt. Most of Yahoo’s web properties aren’t turning a great profit, so they are of little value to AOL.

2. AOL is increasingly focused on content, something that Yahoo just doesn’t have much of. True they have Flickr, and some good sites like Yahoo News and Yahoo Sports, but they don’t have a lot of original content that AOL looking for right now.

3. Yahoo is looking to sell its most valuable asset, which most people have never heard of. A company called Alibaba that produces online trading software for the Chinese Market.



When companies like this take a big rise off of some news based on rumor or innuendo, it’s a great time to short them. If you’d like to know more about shorting stocks or just learning more about how the market works, check out Global Finance School.

The offer online e-learning courses for newcomers to the world of investing and markets.

How Overspending Can Be Tamed

Saving money is not an easy task, but if you realize that it is the easiest and safest way to prepare money for future use, you begin to consider saving as an essential part of your daily budgeting.

The ultimate goal of effective saving is to spend less than you earn. If you tend to spend above your means, it is the start of you falling into debts. Thus, the secret to saving effectively is to spend wisely and therefore, the best way to save money is to stop overspending.

To do this, you need to examine the roots of overspending. A great percentage of people are victimized by credit cards. You may not be an exception. Take a quick look in your mailbox and you’ll quickly realize why your money seems to fly so fast.

You are flooded with credit card bills, auto loans, mortgages and other bills on a daily basis. Credit companies may promise you easy money, but the problem starts when you begin to accumulate credits you can’t pay for.

If you make a purchase and realize at the end of the month that you can’t repay in full, you are now trapped on the slippery slope of debt. You may promise yourself that you’ll have enough the next month but this promise is rarely kept.

At this point, high interest rates of credit cards can really hurt you and you may end up paying for more than your original purchase. Credits are truly monsters to your saving dream, so start using cash.

This way, you can feel that you are really spending your money. Credit and debit cards are easily swiped and funds are automatically whisked from your accounts. Without the physical act of handing down money to another person’s hand, you may feel you aren’t spending money at all.

This is the main reason why most people seem to overspend on their credit cards. Use cash whenever possible so you can more easily tell when you are going overboard. Aside from credits, your comfort zones may also be snatching your money.

Everyone sure loves having a good time with friends and family, but ensure that these parties are within your financial limits. From time to time, everyone needs to unwind. As they say, we must enjoy life. However, it is also necessary that we know when to decline.

Don’t squander your money today for guilty pleasures if it is not within your budget. Think of cheaper alternatives, or have the party some other time. Shoes, dresses, video games, and even books are also comfort zones that eat up your savings.

Actually, there’s really nothing wrong with these things as long as you don’t go overboard. This is the time when you can keep some amount from your budget and use it for these. You’ll enjoy your purchase and enjoy it even more when you know you won’t spend the next years paying it off at 15% interest.

Saving may be requiring you to sacrifice a lot of your comforts. But in this world where economies are going down, it is no longer an option but a must for every person to save money.

You can use all these strategies to save money, reduce debt and improve your life but it means nothing unless you have a foolproof method automatically set up to do it for you. Get my FREE money saving secrets set on auto pilot at: www.the-richest-man-in-babylon.com

About the Author

Dan Cavalli has written hundreds of articles on business subjects. He is an entrepreneur, expert on small-business success, retail troubleshooter, and business strategist. *Australia’s newspaper “The Financial Review” called him one of Australia’s “Internet’s Untold Millionaires” and “Telecommunication Tycoons”. An Author of the International selling book: ‘Blueprint for Making Millions’ http://www.blueprintformakingmillions.com.

Yes, You Conquered Your College and Now Time to Conquer your Finances

Anyone will feel very happy and excited after conquering the college but more important than conquering the college is having a win over your personal finances. You should follow these easy to digest to do things to make it possible after you graduate.

Make sure You have a Convenient Checking Account

Having a checking account is no big deal. But make sure it is convenient enough. Always keep in mind that the checking account should be of a bank with ATM in the city you are residing. This is important so that you can anytime deposit your paychecks and also withdraw money whenever you wish to.




Have a Good Knowledge of your Credit

You have to make sure that your credit history is good enough to have a good credit report. This will indicate how responsible you are when it comes to paying off the bills. Your credit report and score often determines your ability to get any type of loan in future.


Get A Credit Card on Your Name

It will help you in having a good credit history so that you can easily get loan on big purchases like for a house or a car. It will also help in establishing your credibility big time.


Understand your Salary well

It is for sure that not all your earnings of the salary will go in your wallet. There might be a possibility of going some in your taxes, into your saving accounts, you can put some into your retirement account too. So keep a track on how much money you are spending each month.


Prepare a Budget

Preparing a budget is no big deal but sticking to it, is really difficult. There are many people who follow their budget well and that keeps them in discipline of money control. Take help of any budget calculator if possible.


Understand the importance of Savings Account

In case of any financial pothole, the savings account will act as a savior for you and your family. There might be a possibility that you lose your job, so in these times your savings will help you. Make sure you save money that can cover your at least eight months living cost. So as soon as you get your first salary open a savings account.


Understand the value of Retirement Savings

Maybe today you are full of energy and can work ten hours everyday, but the time will come when you will grow old and at time you will need to enjoy the fruits of your hard work. Different types of retirement accounts include 401(K), Roth IRA, Traditional IRA.


Get A Health Insurance done as soon as possible

If you are not taking proper care of your health while working then you are risking yours as well as your families life. Who knows if you fall ill, you need to pay a hefty bill on for your illness. So it is advisable that have a good health Insurance policy as soon as possible.


Get hold of Your Taxes

Seriously having a grip on your taxes well can save you loads and loads of money. Always keep in mind that April 15th is considered as the Tax day. For tax return you need to file these forms : forms 1040EZ, 1040A and 1040.



Pay off your Bills on Time

1st things first. Go to the nearby bank and open your credit card statement and bills account. Make sure that your billing statement is 100% correct. Never pay on something you didn't buy. Cross check your statement more than once.


Follow these quick steps and I am sure like the way you conquered your college, you will also win over your personal finances as soon as possible.

Educational Article: Paying the Man

The current financial situation in the United States is on the precipice of major interest rate increases that will be precipitated by one of two events. The basis for both scenarios is the profligate monetary expansion undertaken by the Federal Reserve over the last year to address a perceived risk of deflation and purchasing bonds from the Treasury to artificially hold down interest rates. This current trend of monetary expansion cannot be sustained indefinitely without consequence.

At some point in the near future, the Federal Reserve will be forced to decide whether to tighten the access to credit. In order to stem monetary inflation, the Federal Reserve will need to raise interest rates in order to contract the availability of money in the system. If this happens, it will result in a higher prime rate and higher credit card rates. This will increase the yield on short-term treasury notes, and will prompt many bond investors to sell their long-term bonds to purchase shorter term notes with higher yields. As more people sell their long-term bonds, it will push down prices and force up the yield.

Another option for the Federal Reserve is simply allowing price inflation to roll through the economy. This will happen as credit markets normalize, and more dollars end up chasing fewer goods and services. This will inevitably result in higher prices for consumer and capital goods, including housing. As prices continue to increase, a resurgence of the 'bond vigilantes' will occur as more people refuse to buy government bonds at the current low rates. As the government needs to discount their bond offerings to clear the inventory, it will push up effective interest rates on long-term bonds.

Regardless of which event transpires, there is an extremely high likelihood that long-term bond rates are headed up in the near future. This phenomenon will also push up mortgage rates since most mortgages are indexed against government bonds. As the mortgage rates continue to increase, the number of people in the pool of home buyers will decrease because higher rates translate into less buying power per dollar of monthly payment that a person can afford.

As more people transition out of the home buyer pool into the renter pool, it will increase demand for rental housing. This increase in demand will eventually manifest itself in higher rents as the supply of rental housing adjusts more slowly than the movement of people into the renter pool.

An important factor to consider is that income property owners will benefit greatly from this effect, as it will place upward pressure on rents. These increased rents will provide additional cash flow to people who bought at low fixed rates and locked-in their cost of borrowing for three decades. The most important point of this unfolding event is the fact that the window of opportunity to act will be closed very soon. Once inflation begins to occur, or monetary tightening commences, it will be too late to capture the best deals that are currently in the marketplace.

The reason is because either event will be quickly followed by a step-up in interest rates, which will decrease affordability for income property investors. Because of this, it is critical for prudent investors to act now and lock-in their cost of debt at the current low rates; this will protect you against the coming increases in interest rates by making them work to your advantage, instead of to your detriment.

In the end, the United States has been enjoying artificially low interest rates for a very long time because of its position as the global reserve currency. Unfortunately, the government is nearing the point at which it can no longer absorb the profligate government spending with no detrimental impact.

Ultimately, we must 'pay the man' at some point by enduring the market correction that must eventually result from current government policy. By taking action now, you can benefit handsomely from the coming economic disruptions while many other people are enduring the problems implicit with trying to get something for nothing.

They say Economic downturn is over. Now what?

I was going through an article by CNN which had different slide shows about the state of economy in the past years and the present condition. This post is basically to make you understand that this recession is the longest recession in the US, in fact the most grating one that US has faced since world war 2. Some kind of positive news is that the economy is actually showing some sign of improvement.


Reality Check on my Economic Fundamentals

Based on the slide shows of CNN, I would like to express my own views here. I guess the hangover is still on.

1.) Economic Growth and GDP: Not very Good, but Fair

The last growth which I saw was decent enough, but we should not be over confident in this case. I am sure lot of this is attributed to cut backs in the sectors like business, layoffs, even the stimulus plan, bailouts etc. I am still not sure about the true economic growth here. We can frame it like this way also i.e. is this growth actually justifies the correspondence recovery that we are seeing in the stock market? I know hard to answer.



2.) Situation of the Jobs: Very slow

In some locals of the US, the job loss numbers are touching the record high. But tell me this, how many laid off workers are ready to take their jobs? What I see in the US market is that people are enjoying the unemployment benefits more than anything else. They are happy sitting idle until and unless they find a job of their choice. I am not opposing this but the thing is the jobs are available in the market, but no one is ready to take these jobs. As it is they are collecting their unemployment checks.

3.) Stock Market Results: Really Ahead?

My online brokerage account is saying something else here. I have made some money with my investment recently. Anyone will think that I am so happy. But the possibilities of double dip recession in haunting me. It is a typical sign of premature exuberance. I hope at the end of the day we are not paying more than what it actually appears.


4.) Inflation: Somewhat okay

Inflation still looks tame to me. Just wait and watch, the inflation will definitely become the new Waterloo once the economy takes a big growth. At this point of time the saving accounts are creeping backups. As soon as spending takes a pace, the element of economy which appears to be good right now will become dull.


5.) Housing: Slow Recovery

Government has tried its best by offering relief to homeowners by the means of tax breaks and many other incentives. But this was folded long back when there was economic stimulus package. In some places foreclosures have been increased whereas in some areas it is still steady. Recovery of the real state market will take some time.

6.) Individual Spending: Somewhat improved

The best way to track this is that attribute few consumers who are spending on day to day basis. Keep a watch on their spending activities. It is advisable to watch a home budget right now.

My take on the whole scenario

I believe that the whole picture that has been pictured to us in a form of recovery is localized completely. There are still lot of people who are worried about their debts, credit cards, etc. I wish I could know the exact turning point of the economy.

Mortgages and Homeownership: A Mixed Bag of Curses and Blessings in the Current Economy

Following is the guest post written by Michelle Studer from budgetpulse, an interactive, web-based budgeting utility. It reflects the rhythm and the flow of savings and spending goals.

Like other aspects of today’s economy, home ownership equals hardship for some and opportunity for others. On the one hand, the sub-prime mortgage mess was a major factor in last year’s economic meltdown and current foreclosure rates are through the roof. On the other, low selling prices and rock-bottom mortgage loan rates have created a fantastic market for potential home buyers. Courtesy of some recent industry data, here’s a closer look at both sides of the issue.

The Downside

The American Dream has always included the promise of home ownership, but for some the reality of owning a home has been nothing short of a nightmare. According to a recent Reuters article:

• 12 percent of U.S. homeowners paid late on their mortgage loans or were in the process of foreclosure during the first quarter of 2009.

• Data from Standard & Poor’s/Case-Schiller Indexes revealed that home prices have dropped 32 percent from their peak in 2006.

• Up to 40 percent of the houses with so-called “failing” mortgages are vacant homes, which seemingly indicates abandonment in many cases by homeowners unable to pay their mortgage bills.

In addition, the Wall Street Journal reports that the national average for foreclosures jumped 35 percent in the 12-month period between April 2008 and April 2009.

The Upside

Overwhelmingly, the economic news has been more bad than good this year. However, now is the perfect time to buy a house if you’ve managed to hang onto your money despite the recession. In fact, buying a home has become more affordable even in the priciest markets. One example of this is found in the WSJ’s coverage of First American CoreLogic’s LoanPerformance Home Price Index data, which reveals that home prices in the New York City metro area have fallen 10.6 percent within the past year. There are some additional upsides as well, such as:

• For existing homeowners, CNN Money reports there’s a “silver lining” when it comes to falling home value: lower property taxes.

• A few weeks ago, it was possible to get a mortgage loan at an interest rate of less than 5 percent. Since then, rates have started to inch up again, indicating that higher interest rates will become the norm again as the economy improves. However, there’s still no time like the present to take out a mortgage. Today's rates are below 6 percent, which will seem like a steal a few months from now.

• To sweeten the home-buying pot a bit more, the federal government offers a first-time home buyer tax credit of $8,000 that applies to any first-time home purchase made between April 9, 2008 and December 1, 2009.

I don’t trust Wall Street

I’m not sure when it started. It’s been going on so long that everyone takes it for granted. What am I talking about? The pitiful returns that the financial industry titans train you to expect on your stock or mutual fund investments.

I’d like the name of the evil genius on Wall Street who decided to brain wash the investing public into believing that a 5% to 15% rate of return on investment was good enough and you ought to be happy with it.

Now the financial ‘gurus’ and their willing accomplices in the media parrot these painful numbers as if they were gospel.

I have to laugh, but it covers up my cringe. The wool is being pulled over your eyes! If you only average 10% returns on your investments, you are treading water. That’s barely keeping up with the true rate of inflation.

If I couldn’t crush that return blindfolded I’d close down Platinum Properties Investor Network today! 30% is our low end target and we normally do better than that.

I am a nice girl and don’t want to beat up the Wall Street advisers for fun, but it makes me mad to hear the dangerous information they peddle under the guise of investment advice. It’s not an understatement to call it dangerous. It’s dangerous to you and the solidity of the financial empire you’re building.

Lower Wall Street

The cold, hard truth is Wall Street is one of the best snake oil salesman in history, pushing a product that’s a poor quality asset class (stocks, bonds, mutual funds). Fancy words and clothes don’t hide the fact that the Street has always been a terrible place to put your money when compared to a genuine quality asset class like investment properties.

Don’t believe the lie. It could hurt you where it really counts – in the pocketbook.

Facebook is Growing and so is its Cost

Was raising $240 million from Microsoft more than enough for Facebook or raising $235 million in debt and equity was enough to escape the heat of recession. Jim Breyer, one of the board members from The Facebook said that, "we have enough of capital to provide employment to as many as people we want and we are not at all worried about the profitability of the company".

There is no doubt about the fact that Facebook is growing at a tremendous pace, but with it is growing the costs the company is now willing to go to the IPO's because of the low cash supplies in the market.


Facebook continues to enjoy its increasing popularity worldwide and having the marked growth of 118% visitors wise and around 75% growth in its page views which s a remarkable effort, though its popularity in US is not upto the mark increasing to 41 million from 31 million about 32%. Facebook is likely to spend around $ 1 million per month only on electricity.

The sources in Facebook said that Facebook spends around $ 500,000 per month on bandwith and is expected to buy 50,000 servers worth $ 100 million this year. All that equals to with other expenses comes to around $ 30 million per year plus datacentre and rent payments of $ 15 million that sums upto $ 45 million every year.

And why should we forget the trusted employees of Facebook with around 750 employees working day and night, the payroll is around $ 10 million per month. We can add another $ 100 million on capital expenditures. I wish they can donate some of their money for the war and flood victims.

Mark Zuckerberg : The Creator of Facebook

The question is from where they are able to manage such a huge amount of money? Advertisers which targets the international audience. This is the reason the CFO of the company, Gideon Yu is in Dubai these days in search of some extra fundings for the company.

Still you think Facebook has got plenty of money? Right? NO WRONG !!

Facebook is just praying that economy gets back to the position what it was in the year 2007 or else the company will runaway with the amount of cash very soon. They have grab more and more money as soon as possible because we all know that the economy is more likely to get worse by the end of 2010.

Do not forget to listen the famous Facebook Song

How To Quickly Have More Money & Improve Your Lifestyle

If you try to ask people how they want to have more money in their pocket, I would expect most of the answer will be by increasing income: maybe you will hear "get better job", "get second job", "make my wife to work" or even "win a lottery". Why? Because inside their mind, people would think like this "If only I have more money or more income, my financial situation will be better off". Well, not necessarily.

It is The Difference That Matter

To improve your lifestyle, you will need more money that can be spent (called 'disposable income'). And where you can get this "disposable income"? It's from the difference between your income and your expenses. For example: if you earn $2000 per month, and say the total of all your expenses (bill, rent, groceries, transport, phone, electricity, gas, etc) is $1800, then you will have $200 of this "disposable income" which you can use to finance your lifestyle.

So, yes, increasing your income can certainly improve your lifestyle (at least temporarily), but the most important one is controlling your expenses. Do you still remember the last time you have a pay rise? After a while, where the money went? Also how many times we heard or read the story that people who win the lottery, after several years most of them actually just go back to where they were, or some even in the worse condition ? Or the other way around, do you have a friend , a neighbor or a family that you know exactly doesn't have that much income, but seems to be able to enjoy the good stuffs, maybe regular holidays, dine out more frequently, etc.


All of that is a proof that having a good amount of disposable income to put more money to your pocket, that can be used to improve your lifestyle, is not fully depended to high income.

Have More Money For Your Lifestyle

So, here is a quick and proven way to have more money from your current income (no need to wait for pay increase). You generally see the result on or after 2 months (Sorry, not as quick as you probably expect, but you will get significant improvement). Here are the steps:

1. Step One: You MUST have a monthly budget. To control your expenses (hence create more disposable income) you need to know exactly where you spend the money. Making a budget does not require too much complexity. A pen, a piece of paper and 15 minutes: that's all you need. Click here for more detail instruction.

1. Step Two: Set Your Disposable Income Goal. With budget in hand you now know the theoretical maximum of your disposable income. If this number does not satisfy you. Set additional money you want as a goal. Where you got the money? By slashing any expense on your list that can be reduced or slashed.


2. Step Three: Execute your budget and analyze the result. Spend the money as what you write on your budget with one exception: (just for the first month) hold off any lifestyle spending. The reason is, at the end of the month (more importantly the first month), we want to know exactly with actual real money in hand whether you have the amount of disposable income you set in step 2 o not. If not, you need to know why. Maybe some expenses is not accurately calculated, or maybe something unexpected came up, etc. So, after the analysis, now not only you have real cash for your lifestyle spending next month, but also you know exactly why you fail or success following the budget.

1. Step Four: Keep doing Step Three above : Obey your budget!. Remember, the lifestyle spending for this month (dine out, movie, special week end, cigarette, new TV, etc) comes from the money from the previous month. (That's why only for the first month you need to sacrifice your lifestyle spending). Update the budget every time you have pay increase or some significant change in your financial life.

If you did all 4 steps above, I can guarantee you, that generally after two months, not only you will have more money on your pocket for your lifestyle spending (maybe not that much, but you will see additional money), but more importantly you are now have powerful habit of saving and controlling your expenses with budget like never before. You will feel that you have more control in your life, especially on money matter, and when that income increase comes, you are fully prepare and ready to take your financial situation to the next level. Of course, the better one !
Have a good day !

p.s: don't forget to let me know what you think on comment area below. Or if you have some question, just shoot.


Denis Kristanda
The author is an engineer, investor and director of investment company in Sydney. He is also blogging about financial matter on http://financebyme.com.

Bill Gates back as a World's Richest Man

With utmost regret we have to say that Warren Buffet is no longer the world's richest person. Different economic structures is affecting each and everyone, even to those who we considered to be a millionaire. A very interesting example is in front of us that is of Warren Buffet. As soon as Forbes released its list of world's richest billionaire, it was in fact shocking to see that Buffet's crown has been succeeded to the Microsoft Owner.

Bill Gates, World's Richest Business Tycoon

If we check the records of last year data from US Magazine Forbes, it showed that Bill Gates was at number 3 whereas Warren Buffet standing at number one position followed by Mexican Carlos Slim Helu. There is no doubt that all of them have lost huge lump sum of money, but Bill Gates was quite lucky to leave his rivals behind and take the number one position.

The legendary investor in one of his interview commented that,"this market structure is unpredictable, today Bill is at number one, maybe tomorrow I will again regain his position." Hats off to his confidence in this economic turmoil. Owner of US $40, Bill Gates, has got no hard feelings against his best friend Warren Buffet, and why would he have. In 2009 there are around 790 billionaires which was 1120 in the year 2008, that is, almost a downfall of 30%. All the billionaires had a total amount of US $ 4.4 trillion in their pockets, which is now fallen to US $ 2.4 trillion.

Warren Buffet, No Longer World's Richest Business Tycoon

It is for the first time in 8 years that the list of billionaires in the world has gone down. The total amount lost by the top 3 billionaires in this economic wasteland was US $ 64 billion.

My Concern, What I feel

In this frozen economy where it is difficult to find good jobs, it is hard to predict future but if these billionaires are losing such a huge amount of money which means they will invest less in business and that will result in lesser jobs in the market. Bottom line is that due to this turmoil they all would like to regain their position back in the market, which is only possible if they start looking for some good and new ventures.
If they will start looking for new ventures, definitely they would require good people to work with them which indeed will increase the employment opportunities once again.

Do not miss to watch this exciting video on

how Bill Gates wants to change the world?

Is GOOGLE ready for the Bad Economy?

No matter what ever is the economic condition, Google is always set to high in terms of its Revenue. There is no doubt about the fact that the stocks of Google is falling everyday, but despite all these Google is very well surviving in the economic turmoil. Google is famous for its safe game that it plays during bad recession. We all are very aware of its game that is "AdSense Text Market Program" which is attracting more and more customers everyday making Google more efficient day by day.

If we talk about the advertising budget of Google this program will be last thing that Google CEO, Eric Schmidt will talk about. I attended the launch of Google Chrome and during its launch one of the reporters asked Eric, "How is Google surviving in the times of Recession?" Eric, replied, "No Comments". Everyone is now aware of this secret. Google is earning lots of revenues especially overseas.

The position of Google is very stable in the market. It is not only dependent on one market conditions. Eric Schmidt said that "it is better to prepare in advance for the losses". And so does he. During recession the launch of Google Chrome itself marks the positioning of Google in the bad Economy. The stocks of Google are often undervalued, even then it is growing at a stable rate. Google's stock week high was $747 which went down straight away to $ 421 which was like a disastrous change.


It is also true that there is no particular accountability in the pay per click program of Google. Many times it has happened that even though using the paid ad system of Google, at the end of the day Google handovers the bill to the companies using that program. This is not at all expected from a company like Google. This itself proves that Google is passing by the bad times and as a result of this they are charging to the companies lump sum amount.

It has been seen that when any company is asking for the verification of their ads and the place where there ads are being clicked, Google has got no answers. Google is totally hampering its goodwill and faith in the market. If Google can provide the list of bills due, obviously they should provide with the verification code where the ads are being clicked and generated.


I am sure that Google is playing a very smart game with us. But this will not continue for long. There will be time when people will take their ad business somewhere else but not to Google anymore. Is Google ready for the bad economy? Yes it has always been the smartest player in the market and will always be for the next 100 years.

Get a Sound Job Advise during Recession

I went to meet my old colleague last weekend. He was working with a Multinational Company, but I was so shocked to meet him when I came to know that he is searching for a new job. He was very depressed. This all is happening because of this recession. The worst economic time has taken place and it is very important for people to look for a good career counseling.

As per the recent surveys it has been proved that the unemployment rate in United States has gone up to 16% in 2009 which was 13% in 2008. But you shouldn't loose hope, you can still perform well in this lousy economy. What I think is that this is not at all a good time to switch your job. Just be patient and follow these economical steps.

1.) Do a quick research: just plan out for the time being what you are looking for? Chose only that profile in which you think you can give your BEST. Just check the job which you are currently doing, does it promise a sound future for you or not. Do not switch your job until and unless you are confident the new job that you have opt for is the best for you and your future.

2.) Talk with Potential People at work: always remember that people who have got good experience are the only people who can help you in the best efficient manner. Consider their advise as an asset. They can actually provide you better idea on the current market structure.


3.) Avoid taking help from Online Job Portals: Remember one thing that at this point of time the online job portals are totally crowded with the freshers. So, do not waste your time searching for jobs on job portals sites. Instead of this you can build your own network of potential employers.

4.) Ask yourself: before opting for any company always ask yourself few questions like is this company the best for me? Is this the company which have the best work environment? before going for an interview prepare yourself with all the questions regarding current market structure.

5.) Take a wise Investment decision: If you are planning to start your own business in this economic turn down then think twice before investing your savings into low profile business ventures. Try to be very innovative at this hour because an innovative mind can create miracles.

6.) Prove your efficiency: This is the best time when you can impress your boss. Do something which nobody in your company has ever done say for example any of your decision has worked out to bring double profit for the company. Maybe, your past experiences can prove assets for your current work profile.


7.) Think flexible: by flexible here I mean that at this point of time accept whatever position is coming to your way and try to prove yourself in that position. Like for example you maybe have worked as a manager in any company for two years and now other company is offering you a post of assistant manager, do not let it go. Try to be more efficient in that. Apply your managerial ideas in that post and I am sure you will achieve more than the previous one.

8.) Try to be a problem solver not just an employee: try to solve all the targets before the time assigned to you. This will be the best time when you can prove that you are an asset to the company. Make that company dependent on you, you don't need to depend on the company.

9.) count your performances: Keep a track of all the work you are performing at work everyday. work on your weak areas and try not to repeat the same mistake again and again. Do a complete market study of the present scenario and work according to that.

10.) Adopt Freelancing: Freelancing is the best option to do until the economy turns green again. This is the best way by which you can add flowing income to yourself. Always keep part time job above full time jobs.


Lastly, I will just say that don't just sit at home and keep thinking about the bad economy. Until and unless you try you will never be able to achieve it. So try and try until you succeed.

Make Your Boss Feel Comfortable During Recession

Dear Boss

We know that you are passing through a very bad phase right now, but this is the time when we all can prove our unity and dedication towards our work. You don't have to be upset at all. We all are with you. But trust me our condition is worse than yours. But we promise to stand by your side in each and every difficult situation that comes to your way. I have consulted few colleagues from our company and all of us has pointed out few things that we all should follow during Recession.


Never give an excuse of Recession to your employees

Please this is my humble request to you that never tell your employees that the company is not progressing because of economic turn down. This is the best excuse that anyone can give for the downfall of company's profit. It is better to find out the way of converting those profits into loss rather continuously talking about the losses. And as it is very clear that the reason of continuous losses is Recession. There is no need of keeping regular meetings and discussing on Recession. Infact it will be great if we discuss some innovative policies in those meetings which can actually make our condition better.

Appreciate your employee's effort rather blaming them for the losses

We have seen many times that everyday you call one or the other employee in your cabin and make him responsible for the losses of the company. This should be avoided. We are your assets not your liabilities. If because of us you are in losses then you should not forget that there was a time when you were awarded the best Managing Director because of us only. It was because of our dedication and hard work that we were at top for the past five years.


We are trying our best to cut the extra expenses

It is not that we are not at all concerned about the losses the company is facing, even we watch news regularly. We know what is the present situation right now. And trust me we are trying our best to cut down the extra expenses of our office. We are now switching on the AC's only for two hours in the whole day, we are working on laptops at home, we have started bringing food from home rather eating in the Office canteen. You should feel great that each and every staff member of your company is spending endless time at work.

Very important to plan out an official budget

It is high time that we prepare an official budget so that there is no extra wastage at the office premises. We should not spend money on irrelevant matters right now. Say for example last week you declared the vacation holiday for the best client of the quarter which was nothing but a complete wastage of money. With that money we could have hired few financial analyst to look after financial affairs of the company.


Have confidence in your staff member and share your decisions with us

If you are taking any official decision then it is very important for you to keep that plan in front of everyone, take everybody's views not only the higher authorities. You never know a peon of the company can come up with some great ideas.

Please note: This is just my personal advice, this post is not written to hurt anyone's feelings

Financial Crisis?? Oscars doesnt Care

No one will complain about the nip in the February air at Los Angeles, and why would they after all they were fortunate to see 81st Academy Awards there. People for the time being forgot that the larger part of United States has been recorded in Recession lately. Not a single person cared about the financial crisis this season, they cared only about one thing that is not to miss the golden opportunity to see splendid women entering the red carpet at Academy's.


At the Kodak Theatre, the stars were shining, the lights were glooming, everybody was waiting for the most auspecious ceremony of 2009, the Oscars. Neither Angelina Jolie cared about the recession nor Jessica Parker who was studded with gold armlet. Who says that we are in recession? I am sure after seeing the stars in gold studded ornaments nobody will actually believe this. Wether it is a credit crunch or a financial crisis, Oscars were still the same as it take place every year.



The whole of Kodak Theatre was shining, especially the dining area where it was served gold-coated chocolates for the stars. Can you believe this? Does these acts actually shows that we are passing by one of the most bad times of our lifetimes. "Obama's stimulus plan will work only if we spend more and more for the Oscars", uttered one of the crew members from behind. This is for you dear President. People are really respecting your words.


The makeover for the evening was handled by David Rockwell who charged 6 billion dollars for decorating the entire Kodak Theatre. That is unbelievable. The theme was decided to be kept as blue. But it was not actually something very simple, rather very unimaginary with 92,000 Swarovski Crystals shining the entire evening. Are we really in recession??


Coming to the special gifts for all the nominees of the night. The range of watches starting from $ 8000 going upto $ 14000 per nominated celebrity. The stars would have something better to do rather posing infront of media with those watches. Other gifts included holiday packages worth $ 15,000, diamond facials etc.


Only at one place the cost cutting was seen, and that was at the Oscar parties organised by Chateau Marmont and the Vanity Fair group. It has been reportedly found that each and every advertisers for the evening has paid the organisers a sum of $1.4m for 30 seconds advertisement. Oh my god ! this is like waaaaaoooo. But I was happy that my favourite movie won the Oscars, none other than, The Slumdog Millionaire. :)