A Complete Guide To A Monitored Security System and How It Works

Monitored home security systems are systems that are connected to the home security companies that installed them. Your home security company operates a monitoring centre that takes a continual feed from the system in your home – and it employs 24 hour staff to monitor that feed. If anything is wrong, or appears out of the ordinary, then your security company takes appropriate steps to prevent whatever threat or danger the system has identified.


Most home security companies that provide monitoring services have a national scope. They will take control of the installation of your home security systems, which adds a further layer to the peace of mind engendered by the purchase of your system – you will know that someone that knows what they are doing has put it in for you, tested it and is monitoring it to see that it is still working.

Monitored security systems are checked routinely to make sure everything is still functioning, as well as being monitored for intruders, fire or carbon monoxide levels (you can now buy home security systems that protect the home against all invasion, rather than just the human kind). If anything is wrong, either with your system or with your property, then the home security companies in charge of monitoring you will come out to fix things; or contact the relevant authorities on your behalf.

Whenever your system is armed, it will send signals to the monitoring centre if something is tripped, a contact is broken or movement is detected. The system is preset with different zones, which can be turned on and off either independently of each other or as one big unit. Any active (i.e. armed) zone is capable of sending signals to the home security companies monitoring your system.

When a zone is not armed, it can still be set top operate a chime or bell if a contact is broken, movement is detected or any other pre-specified condition that would usually cause an alarm is fulfilled. This can be very useful in letting you know if a door or window in another part of your property has been opened, or left open.

Monitored home security systems are centrally operated using a control panel. This can be portable or hard wired into your home. You will be able to define different zones and activate and deactivate them using the control panel.

The basic setup of your home security system is likely to follow the above descriptions. You’ll get hundred of different variations depending on the kind of equipment you have opted for, and the functionality you have specified. For example, many home security companies run a pager function, which gets in touch with your phone or pager whenever an alarm event occurs. You can also specify things like CCTV, digital video recording and light activation.

Monitored home security systems keep you and your property safe – with the peace of mind that comes with knowing there are professionals keeping an eye on your home.

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.

What is critical illness cover designed to achieve?

If you are wondering what is critical illness cover designed to achieve, the simplest and most straight forward answer is that it aims to give you – and possibly your family – a certain financial security in the event of you being diagnosed with a critical illness.

Why might you need it?

If you are diagnosed with a serious or critical illness, it is likely that your life might change in a number of ways. Perhaps one of the most immediate of these is your ability to work, earn money and provide for you and your family.

Depending on the particular medical condition and its seriousness, you might have to give up work altogether or reduce the number of hours you are able to put in. In either event, of course, your normal regular income is likely to suffer.

In the case of a debilitating serious illness, you might find that you need to employ help around the home or engage the services of a professional carer or nurse. If your disabilities become more severe, you might even need to consider adapting or modifying the home you live in.

All in all, therefore, the diagnosis of a serious or critical illness might lead to your finances becoming severely stretched.

How might insurance help?

So, what is critical illness cover – or serious illness cover, as it is sometimes called – able to do to help?

It does it quite simply by paying out an assured, tax-free cash benefit soon after you are diagnosed with a critical or serious illness. You choose the amount of the cash benefit in advance, together with the duration of the cover you need. The amount of the benefit and the duration of your serious illness cover, of course, help to determine the cost of the monthly premiums you pay.

What is critical illness cover designed to insure you against? An equally important part of that answer, of course, is the range of illnesses and medical conditions defined by the insurer as serious or critical. You may find that the list of such illnesses is extensive or relatively restricted, depending on the particular policy you choose – and, of course, the cost of the premiums you are prepared to pay.

In other words, you are unlikely to find any hard and fast rules about the critical illnesses covered in all such insurance policies.

The important consideration, however, is to select the policy that most suits your own, personal needs and circumstances. Understanding which conditions and illnesses are included in the particular policy you choose may go a long way to your appreciation of just what is critical illness cover. Alternatively, using the services of specialist broker may help.

High Time, You should keep your Electricity Bills low

The need to keep a close eye on personal finance has never been greater. These are tough times economically on a global scale, but one positive to emerge is that people are becoming more aware of what they can do to help themselves.





The easiest place to start cutting costs is in the home, and a common grievance is that high electricity prices are putting a strain on family budgets. However, you can make a few changes that will make sure value for money is guaranteed, along with lower electricity bills.

Switching energy suppliers or tariffs is a simple way of making instant savings. Quite often, households have been stuck paying too much on a certain tariff for too long. You get stuck in a rut and don’t even realize the cut-price deals that are readily available through price comparison websites. Log on and compare prices, compare tariffs and see what a difference can be made. Another way of earning a discount could be to get your gas and electricity from the same company, if you don’t already.

With a cheaper tariff in place it’s time to have a thorough check of your house to see what else can be done to slash your outgoings. This is where sound judgment is needed.

If you’ve finished with an appliance then turn it off at the mains and stop using the standby function. Switch lights off as well. These are a few basic good practices that should be followed at all times by all family members, young and old.

Equipment like a dishwasher, tumble dryer or washing machine are more efficient if a full load is inserted, although it may also be an idea to get rid of them entirely and wash the dishes manually or hang out clothes to dry.

How well your home is insulated could be a key factor in saving money. Grants are sometimes offered as incentives to properly insulate your loft, pipes and walls so check to see if this is applicable to you. Double-glazed doors and windows will also help to trap in the heat.

If possible, generating your own electricity could be an option as more and more households are opting to install solar panels. Look into the cost of getting an energy-saving boiler as well if you’re really intent on making changes. It may be expensive in the short term, but consider it an investment that will pay off in the long run and think of the environmental benefits. Not only would it be good for the planet, it’d be good for you as well.

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.

Best Options for Investments in 2011

We work hard in order to live the lifestyle we want, and support the future we dream of. However, working hard for our money is not enough – you have to make sure your money keeps working hard for you long after it has been paid into your bank account. Your salary and earnings can’t get you to the future of your dreams on their own, you have to direct and guide your funds into investments which are right for your finances, your needs, your goals and the current economy.





Financial markets tend to run in cycles, something you will have noticed if you watch the movements of official interest rates. Therefore, it is important to know which investment option is at the top of its cycle in 2011, so you can make the most of your hard earned cash. In 2009, significant gains could be made on the stock market, and in 2010 the real estate market was paying big dividends for investors where residential real estate investors in particular could see returns of between 50-100%. At the same time, the stock market in 2010 was returning just 18% and gold returned around 30%.

Therefore, even though we have said goodbye to 2010, we are still in the 2010-11 financial year and investment decisions need to be made with both the not-long-past recession and the future opportunities in mind.

Investing in Gold in 2011

Gold is often used as a safe haven by investors when there is the risk of a recession, interest rates are fluctuating and to protect against inflation. Although gold has long been a popular investment option, the fluctuations in price cannot be ignored, for example gold hit a low of $100 in 1976 before rising to $850 in 1980. Although gold dropped again to $250 in 2001 it has been rising ever since and topped $1,400 in December of 2010.

However, the world economies are stabilising and the risk of recession is abating and so while gold is expected to stabilise in 2011 it is not an investment option which will show a lot of growth in the coming year. Therefore if you are already invested in gold or gold funds, you may want to consider cutting back your money there, and avoiding the investment if you’re new to the precious metal.

Currency and Forex Investment in 2011

The foreign exchange market is constantly on the move and the currency which is the best investment can change at a moment’s notice. Therefore, you should always be aware of what is happening in the currency market regardless of the turn of a calendar and if you were watching at the close of 2010, you will have noticed many currency pairs falling significantly in their averages. If these falls continue throughout 2011, there will be a comparatively small trading range for the day’s trades every day.

At the same time, you can make money on the forex market in 2011 by looking at longer term trades. Since the trading ranges are small in the current market, especially in the main pairs you should look at an everyday chart to spot the overall trend and look at a four hour chart so you can pick your entry and exit points. The main pairs on the currency market will always match technical analysis on long time frames and all you have to do is locate one or two high odds trading opportunities each week.

Since there has been such instability in many economies in recent years, the forex market has become a very popular investment option. If you’re only just starting out in currency investment, consider using a managed forex account to help you navigate the changing market as many countries continue their path to recovery.

Real Estate Investment in 2011

Investments which are ‘as safe as houses’ tend to be very popular, even as the world economies emerge from slumps and step back from the brink of recession in most areas. If the memories of falling stocks and lost investment interest are still fresh in your mind you may be looking to property investment in 2011. Many countries have experienced a property price boom in response to low interest rates and high demand from first time buyers and investors, thanks to generous government incentives to keep economies strong. As a result , investment in the Australian or Indian property markets for example would see you buying at the top end of the price cycle, but is good news if you have already secured your property.

However, in the US for example property prices are still relatively low as the economy struggles to recover fully, and there is little demand. While interest rates in the US remain low, it is still hard for many Americans to borrow due to other debts, a ruined credit rating or unemployment. Therefore, if you have the means and the opportunity to invest in property in 2011, you could snap up a bargain this year, which will inevitably appreciate in value over the long term.

Saving Your Money in 2011

You may think that squirreling your money away in a saving account will never go out of style but as the Global Financial Crisis taught us, even the biggest of banks can fail, and take our money with them. Therefore, you need to make sure you research and diversify your savings investments for 2011 to make sure you get the best returns, your savings can beat inflation, and that they’ll be there when you need them.

Four savings investments you should consider for 2011 include:

1. Certificate of Deposit.

A certificate of deposit offers some of the highest interest rates available because you are locking in your savings for between one month and five years. To make the most of interest rate movements in 2011, opt for both long and short CD accounts so you can take advantage of new higher rates as they change.

2. Online money market accounts.

When you use an entirely online account you can secure a high interest rate on your savings because of the lower administration costs from the banks. In some cases these interest rates can even rival Certificate of Deposit interest rates. With an online account you can also quickly and easily transfer funds in and out, but are not tempted to spend because the account is not linked to your ATM or EFTPOS card.

3. Instalment savings account.

If you need a bit of encouragement or motivation to grow your savings investments in 2011, consider an instalment savings account where you agree to make regular payments to the account for a certain period of time. There can be penalties for withdrawing money early as a further incentive to save but if you shop around for the best savings account offer you can earn high interest by playing by the rules.

4. TIPS mutual funds.

TIPS are bonds which are issued by the US treasury and pay a return based on the adjusted principal value of the bond. The value is adjusted twice a year with the rate of the consumer price index so your TIPS mutual funds can always keep up with inflation. Banks can sometimes be slow to raise the interest rates on their savings accounts because the Federal Reserve is determined to keep interest rates low. However, with an affordable TIPS mutual fund your savings are protected against rising inflation.



No matter what year it is, or what the market is doing, it always makes good investment sense to diversify your investments across a number of options. This not only allows you to take advantage of changes and movements in a variety of areas in the economy, but also protects you if 2011 doesn’t bring the prosperity expected for a particular investment medium.


Alban is a personal finance writer at Home Loan Finder, a home loan comparison website

Save Your Money with the Luxurious Living

Saving money can be a tough challenge. Saving is anything but instant as we are living in a society where we are used to immediate indulgence. With the current economic collapse, many people are learning the hard way on why saving is imperative.

Now they just have to figure out how to save money. The first thing that has to be done is to get out of the immediate indulgence mindset. Remind yourself how beneficial saving money can be. Write down its benefits to give you tangible proof that saving is necessary.

You will keep on saving when you see something you think you just have to have. Next is learning the basics. Why not learn from the experts? Your parents can teach you how they budget the expenses at home. Ask them how much heat, water and electricity cost each month.

Such details might be boring for you but you have to learn about them. By the time you leave home, you will have to start paying for these things yourself. You must also identify the challenges. Learn to control your spending.

This may be easier in theory than in practice, especially if you are only receiving an allowance or you live at home. Because your parents are likely handling most of the expenses, you would tend to spend your money easily since a large amount would always be available.

And admittedly, spending money can be fun. Your peers can contribute greatly to the challenge, though. This is because they might pressure you into spending more than what you can afford. Shopping has become a main form of entertainment for most teens.

They seem to have an unwritten rule that you can’t have fun if you don’t spend money. You must also learn the difference between need and want. It's easy to see something in a store that you think is important. Try to walk away from anything you believe you need or want the instant you see it.

If you find yourself thinking about buying it later – after a week or so - and you have sufficient amount of money to purchase it, then you can buy it. Chances are, you really need the item. If you stop thinking about it quickly, then you really didn't need it in the first place.

Always be in control. Plan ahead. Do not spend your whole paycheck or max out your credit card in one night. You should also set a limit to your spending. It may be wise to put money in the bank and take out only the amount you need.

It may also be more sensible to go shopping with friends who are careful with their money. Learn to manage your expenses. Keep a record of your purchases. For at least a month, keep track of the money you receive and the date you received it. Make a note of each item you buy and the amount it cost.

At the end of the month, calculate the difference between the amount received and the amount spent. Make a budget. List all income you expect to receive in a month and write down how you plan to spend your money. Also, record all unexpected expenses.

Avoid having debts. Ask yourself honestly if you can afford to buy an item. Look around and do comparison shopping. Many people seek the best price when purchasing goods but settle for whatever interest rates are offered by the merchant.

Compare annual percentage rates of banks or credit card companies to see if you can get a lower rate. If you become burdened by debt, seek help. With practice, these tips on how to save money can change your finances.

You can use all these strategies to save money, reduce debt and improve your life but it will not last unless you have a system automatically set up to continually work without your input. Get Dan Cavalli’s FREE money saving secrets set on auto pilot at: www.the-richest-man-in-babylon.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.

Money is something for which you trade your life energy

Have you ever wondered when are you going to die? Sounds strange, Isn't it? Today I visited one of the site which actually predicted my year, month and day of death. Though I never believe in these things still just for fun I wanted to see how many more days I am alive. How can a website estimate how much life you have left. That is not at all possible.

But the question is what this have to do with personal finance? It is actually very much related because that can help us in revealing what we think of our money?

What is Money according to u? As per me it is :

A medium or an exchange involved for the payments of your debts. Money is power, it is a source of luxurious living, a source of comfort and security. The best definition that I have come a crossed about money is : "Money is Something for which you trade your life energy"

Give a deep thought on this. Majority of people in this world get money by giving up some part of our lives. Just imagine you go for work, work hard, earn some money and by this time your death clock is ticking down. No doubt when you are young, you are more energetic and can convert some of this excess into money. But the saddest part is that it only a conversion not a storehouse.

Our life is traded for money and once it is done, it cannot be changed back to original. The only goal that would left with us would be of striking a balance to convert the sufficient life energy into the money that you will need for enjoying rest of your life.

Cost Counting

To apply this principle you need to find out your hourly wage. This will help you in providing the information on how much your life energy is actually worth of. This is how you will be able to measure the cost of money spent equivalent of value of life energy lost. Why not you try some eye opening conversions i.e. take general examples from your daily life. Like:

Calculate how much energy do you spend at your work? Check if you spend less energy and still you can be happy or not? how much energy you are using to buy any new things for your family and many more such examples.

I am not saying that you should never spend money, but you should find a point where you are spending more and still being happy and joyful. You have to learn to say " I have enough and I dont need more... ".

So always remember that when ever next time you spend enough money do nos forget to ask yourself how many hours all these purchases costing you, not only this, is it really worth or not? Do come back and share your views with us.

Romance on a Budget

With Valentines Day just round the corner its once again time for a pleasant surprise for your beloved. Valentine's day is a symbol of love, cupids, roses and of course hearts. Several days before the love holiday begins, the stores are lined up with an assortment of expensive gifts for your partners. As the day approaches, you may find the your thoughts have begun to turn to finding the best gift for your partner, for that special someone in your life.




Expensive gifts often proves to your loved ones that how much you love them, but they will also make a pretty hefty dent in your wallet. So what can a frugal minded person plan for the valentines day? Giving an expensive gift always will not help your love boost, but giving something special to your loved ones will definitely arouse that feeling of love in them.

Let me share some of my ideas with all of you on what you should gift him or her on this day of love and romance.

Some cheap Valentine's gifts for her

No doubt girls love flowers, chocolates, soft toys and also sweet things whispered into their ears. I have seen many of you gift your partner traditional fourteen roses in a bunch on valentines day. Rather what you can do is gift her one rose everyday starting from 1st February to 14th February. The best thing is one rose per day will be less expensive for you. The prices of the flowers are inflated on the V-day.

I agree that women love roses but roses now days have become very boring and moreover the prices of roses are extremely high on v-day. Now you will think of giving carnations to her instead of roses. Please do not do that. Carnations are cheap alternatives to roses. A bouquet of daisies is a better choice.

Time is the best gift you can give to your partner. Women love spending time with their partners. I would advice you not to waste your money on restaurant bills, rather spend the day in opting something she loves.

If you really want to surprise her then learn cooking a month before v-day and prepare the dish she loves. Trust me cooking is a very seductive way of celebrating this love day.

If she loves reading, then spend sometime with her in any book store, buy her the most recent novel. Pamper her with some sandwiches and coffee as she enjoys a good read.

If your partner is a sports freak, then spend sometime in afternoon teaching her favorite sport, maybe watching some games with her or maybe take her out for a live match.




Some cheap Valentine's gifts for him

A women should not gather information from various means of media and decide the gift for his partner. Rather she should create a gift which she thinks will be unique for his man.

If your partner loves sports, then you should give him a treat by surprising him with chilled beer and nachos and by watching with him a non-interrupted game of his choice.

If you guy is an Art lover, then surprise him by taking him to a candle light dinner and visit a local art exhibition with him. If you want you can buy him a painting which is usually at a lower cost.

If he is into music, then download all his favorite songs and gift him a CD. Both of you can enjoy a perfect dinner with a perfect music of his choice and then a perfect long drive. Keep a few dollars with yourself aside so that you can buy him a CD pack of his favorite band.

If he loves photography then take him out to the country side for the best photograph sessions.

Love an be expressed in many ways. Gifts can be many but the only special gift which you can give him or her is togetherness. That is an ultimate gift for your partner and that is the ultimate deceleration of your love on Valentine's day.

Understanding your finances:1st step to controlling your debt

If you don't really understand your finances, you're bound to find it harder to get / keep them under control. It's true of anything, but it's particularly true of personal finance matters - that's one reason there are so many companies, charities and government organizations which exist to help people get to grips with their money and control their debts.

Understanding your finances: income and expenditure

1. How much do you earn?
2. How much do you spend?

These two questions are right at the heart of your personal finances. When you know exactly where your money is coming from and exactly where it's going, you'll know:

1. How much you can afford to put towards your debts every month.
2. Where you can cut back on your spending so you can put more towards your debts and get 'back in the black' faster.
3. When your situation is serious and you need to look for debt help.

So, start by writing down everything you receive in a month:

• Wages, child benefit, income support, tax credits, Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, etc.

Add it all up to get your Total income.

Next, write down everything you need to spend in a month:

• Rent/mortgage, secured loan payments, council tax, utility bills, pension contributions, phone bills, TV licence, housekeeping, child care, the cost of essential transport, clothing and food, etc.

(Please note that this list includes payments to your priority debts but not payments to your non-priority debts (see below).)

Add it all up to get your Total expenditure.

Take your Total expenditure away from your Total income and you'll get your Disposable income. This is the money that's available for:

• Making payments to your non-priority debts.
• Spending on non-essential goods and services.
• Saving.

Understanding debt

• Priority debts

Your priority debts are the most important ones, with the most serious consequences if you don't keep up with them.

If you fall behind on your payments, you could have your possessions removed by bailiffs, or have your gas / electricity supply cut off. If the worst comes to the worst, you could be evicted - or even imprisoned! (Having said that, you should have plenty of warning if any of your creditors were thinking about taking action against you, giving you the opportunity to get some debt advice and sort out your problems before things got so far.)

• Non-priority debts

Unsecured loans. Credit cards. Store cards. Catalogue debts. Overdrafts. Some Hire Purchase agreements (for non-essential goods).

These are your non-priority debts - but that doesn't mean you don't have to repay them! It just means they're less important than your priority debts, since the consequences of non-payment aren't as serious.

So staying on top of your non-priority debts is important - but staying on top of your priority debts is vital. That's why your priority debt payments make up part of your Total expenditure. Your non-priority debt payments will have to come out of your Disposable income.

If your Disposable income isn't enough to cover your payments to your non-priority lenders, your creditors may agree to accept lower payments if you ask them - and show them that this is the best way for you to clear your debts. Just bear in mind:

1. They won't know you need help unless you tell them.
2. You need to take action as soon as possible, before your creditors decide that they need to.
3. You don't have to do it alone. Click here for help with managing debt.

Boost your financial IQ

People with high IQ have one thing in common, they recognize patterns, even the most complex ones, and they can act upon it. Making the right choice at the right time is very valuable, and it happens more often than you think. IQ is not limited to paper puzzles, many real-life situations can be categorised and mapped on patterns, for which the solution then becomes obvious. The main problem is to be able to identify the pattern in the first place. This is what intelligent people with high IQ scores are good at.

For example, highly intelligent people schematize real-life situations into decision trees which enable them to come up with the best strategy. Normal people tend not to do that, especially when the situation becomes complex. We, normal people, are submerged by the complexity of the situation and we just guess and pray for our choice to be the right one.

Now, just try to see yourself in the future, what kind of car you want, where will you live, how many children you will have, etc. Just try to imagine what the costs will be and the associated nest egg you need to build up over time to be able to achieve it, can you come up with the funds you need? Probably not. A gifted person might make a quick calculation and tell you that she needs to invest $500 a month to achieve her objective, but most of us can’t do that without help.

This is where simulation models can save your life. Simulation models are built to compute the real-life situation for you, because not everybody has a high IQ. Financial planning models are there to this work for you, peak at the future and tell you how much you need to save today to be able to achieve your objective tomorrow.

Financial planning models are therefore boosting your financial IQ; No surprises, just see the future, define your strategy and make the best decision to achieve your goals.

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.

Balancing full time job with a full time degree

Last week I met a friend, Joe and we had a long discussion on how a student can balance both full time degree and full time job together. He himself is doing his PG Course in MBA and plus he is working full time in an MNC. He has shared his experiences with me which I will be sharing with my friends and readers.

All the students doesn't have the benefits of College Savings Account or balance funds which might help us for our higher studies. So what are the options we can apply in these type of cases.

I know the idea is not suitable for every student but for some it might just do the trick, i.e. to work full time.



There are many people who give us such advices everyday that is not to work when you have applied for a full time courses. But is this advice a good one or the bad one? Yes, only if, you devote your 100% for your studies and No if, you are realistic about your financial conditions. Lets face it now. Lets be practical. Do we really spend our whole day in studies??

People often discuss with me that why should I work full time when I have applied for a full time course in the University. Students have a habit of lying to themselves that they will focus on their curriculum 100%. But this is not at all true in the case of 99% students. They spend their whole day in doing irrelevant activities like spending their time either on Facebook or partying in lounges with no occasion. I would prefer working, making extra money and finishing the University with not a single debt in hand.

How to Work Full Time with a Full Time Course??

These advices are given by Joe on how he managed the full time course with his job.

1.) Optimizing your Time is very important

It is better to spend your time in making money rather sitting whole day on facebook and messengers. If you really want to get connected with your friends, then find a place to work where your friends are working. I am working in a MNC right now and when I joined there I din knew anyone there, but since some of my friends were working there, now I know everyone there.

2.) Apply for good work Opportunities

If you are giving this excuse that you are not working because you are not able to find the right job for yourself, then I guess you are looking for the wrong job opportunities. Let me discuss few ideas which might be suitable for working students.

• Within the Campus : Receptionist, security in charge, Assistant to teachers, Administrators and every position that is within the campus.
• off campus : you can do internship for couple of months with any media house or any shops in malls, private tutor, freelancing jobs, and any other job where you are capable of handling it.

3.) Prioritizing your work

Always keep in mind that activities of your university should be given the 1st preference. You should never spend working extra time if you have an exam. I only take off from work during my semester exams. At that period I provide my 100% to studies only. After my exams I focus 100% on my work.

4.) keep a balance between professional and personal life

You should try to take out time for everything. Everything here includes university, work, family, friends and many other important work. My girlfriend never forces me to come and party with her because she understands my values and my work. when I work I only work, but when I party, I forget everything else.



5.) Once in a blue moon is fine

Always reward yourself and plan an outing with friends or families once in two months. Go on a vacation at places where you can forget all your stress and enjoy your time with family and friends.

6.) Realize the Importance of balancing

Many times there will be nights when I will be missing loads of fun and parties, But I do not regret about it. Because I am happy that one day I will complete my PG Course with not a single Debt in my hand. I would be having enough of money to invest and save after I graduate and join my 1st professional job.

P.S. these advices are specially for those students who waste their time on Facebook, orkut and other social networking communities.

Concluding Thoughts

I am sure I haven't given any boring lectures. Its just that Saurabh is a good friend of mine and he requested my to provide advice from my real life experience. There are many students who wants to work really hard so that they can escape from the pressures of student loans, but they are not getting good jobs.

Students are facing a lot of problems as they are drowning in high debts. Often people in their 20s are making financial decisions which might not be correct and that is taking them into entirely wrong path.

I hope I was able to help at least some of these type of students in some way or the other.

Make Sure Your Money Likes You?

It is very easy to accept the fact that you like your money, and why you won't, after all it provides you with all the pleasures of life. But have you ever wondered that the same money reciprocates your feeling or not? Does it also respect you in the same manner as you do to your money? You should respect your money like you respect Jesus.

Don't be upset if your money doesnt like you, Start LOVING it more

There should be some Biblical principles that you need to follow to keep this relationship with your money alive. The main concern here is that there should be a good relationship between you and your money. And I am sure you would like to keep this relationship as a high quality relationship.

Close your eyes for a moment, take a deep breath and just follow these lines :

• Always treat your money with due respect as you respect your spouse

• Always enjoy the company of your money as you do it with your best friend

• Always treat your money delicately like a small baby

• Always treat your money like a teenager, know where it is going and why

• Always consider your money as your father, learn good patterns from it

• Always consider your money as a mother, feel its comfort

• Always treat your money as your beloved neighbor, keep an eye on it every time

I am very sure if you ever try to abuse your money, or treat it in an unusual manner, it will boycott you forever and then never in your lifetime you would be able to convince it. If it goes, it will take away your freedom from you, and not only freedom, but also your security.

Reciprocate the feeling of LOVE with your money

Establish a positive relationship with your money, do not let it become your master. If you become its slave now, for a lifetime you would have to continue in the same manner.

It is a request from my side as a friend, as a guide, whatever you think is appropriate for you, please maintain a good reputation with your money. You will definitely be able to do that. I am sure money will respond to your affections very soon.