Financial Literacy–Pay Your Family First Encourages Thrive Time for Teens at Toy Fair 2010
Mar 8, 2010 Uncategorized
The newly announced ThriveTime for teens game grew to great lengths, gaining international exposure this weekend as Sharon Lechter, founder, CEO, and creator of Pay Your Family First, visited the famed Toy Fair 2010 in NYC to show it’s first-of-a-kind financial board game for teenagers. With more than 30,000 attendees and followers, this annual festival served as a perfect way to introduce the new game to buyers, reviewers, and toy professionals from around the globe.
National statistics state that during the economic crisis the average credit card balance in students rose to above 60 percent, student loan balances increased by a startling 90 percent and there was a 25 percent increase in students using one single credit card to pay off another in debt. Financial literacy is so important in our present day situation with the economy.
That is why ThriveTime for Teens was created. It is a brilliant situation to our crisis, and shows teens that every decision brings them to the top, or the bottom. Financial Literacy–Pay Your Family First Promotes ThriveTime for Teens at Toy Fair 2010 in New York City.
“Right now it is more important than ever for ThriveTime for Teens to be available on an international level,” claimed Sharon Lechter. “We are so excited to be at Toy Fair 2010 and we feel that having a global presence will give this game the traction it needs to make a difference in the lives of youngsters across the world.”
Sharon Lechter is the author of the new bestseller “Three Feet from Gold” and co-author of the international best-seller “Rich Dad Poor Dad.” Along with her organization Pay Your Family First, ThriveTime for Teens was made, given personal care, and designed to giving teens an excellent, and exciting, experiences with credit card debt, careers, work balance, time management, and confidence and success building. A result of Lechter’s 25 years of raising three kids, the game has been given international respect from top game reviews for its simple, functional, interactive, and family-friendly fun approach to learning about finances and life. It is also endorsed by SuperCamp, the leading summer enrichment program for middle school through college students held at top colleges across the nation.
Sharon Lechter is an expert at finances for children, and also teenage confidence and credit building. She has recently promoted and created ThriveTime For Teens, a new game designed to help teens with financial crisis
Tags: banking, banking investment, Credit Card Debt, finances, finances for teenagers, Financial struggles, how do I teach my child about finances
Internet Banking Made Easy, Speedy And Reliable For Everyone
Mar 2, 2010 banking investment
Internet banking from your home or office is safe, reliable, and so convenient, that you will not need to do it any other way once you try it. And there is so much more that can be accomplished other than just viewing your statements or paying your bills on line.
Some people have reservations about doing their banking in this way, as they feel it is not safe. Over the years there have been many improvements made to protect your very private information, and these improvements continue to be studied and enhanced. You are set up with a unique username and password, and at some banks even a code or security key is required for you to access your account. You can also change your password at any time. But do not think that this is complicated. These services are provided to the customers to make it easy and in fact almost effortless.
The security enhancements today also include the elimination of the auto complete function of the browser. In this way your account is safe from unauthorized persons viewing any of your financial records. And there is presently, with many banks, a zero dollar liability and guarantees for on line security.
Internet access is needed, as well as a computer, whether you do it at home or at your office or at the library. You will need to make sure that your banking institution supports your browser, and do not worry about software, you will not need anything special as it is all supplied on line. You will now need to register for services on line.
You will need a social security number, and a credit or debit card with pin (personal identification number). If you do not have one of these cards, you can use an account number, such as your checking or savings, loan or mortgage account number, or home equity loan number.
The beauty of this service is that of its convenience. You never have to leave the house, you need not spend money on gas, or time traveling to the bank. It is fast, easy and secure, and you can do it twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. And you will always receive an on line confirmation with a reference number.
You will be able to see your check transactions, your automatic teller machine (or ATM) purchases, phone transactions, deposits, and withdrawals. You can pay your bills to just about anyone in the United States. You can view check images, checking and savings account statements. You can also apply for accounts and services, request credit card line increases, order new checks and enter stop check requests. You can even obtain certain insurance product quotes and view your investment and brokerage balances. Your on line bank transfers includes transfers to other banking institutions, credit unions, and brokerage accounts.
So check with your banking institution today to make sure that you will receive all of the online banking services and assurances you require when you decide to use Internet banking.
Find out more about standard bank internet banking. You can also check absa internet banking information.
Tags: bank, banking, banking investment, internet, internet banking, money, online banking
How to Safely Invest Your Money Today
Feb 27, 2010 bank interest rates
Right now, with the economy tanking and the stock market not doing much better, people want to know where to go to find the best interest rates. They are scared and don’t know what to put their money in that is totally safe. Many folks will willingly give up a higher rate of return right now just to make sure their money is safe. So, if you do have money to invest and want to get more than an interest checking account or savings account pays, what kind of options do you have?
Today’s most secure investment is likely an FDIC insured bank CD, which is guaranteed, in actuality, by the United States government. The FDIC failing to insure your CD would only happen in the event of a complete U.S. government collapse, which means that it is highly unlikely that your money is in any jeopardy. It is too bad, though, that certificates of deposit are currently at an all time low rate of 1% currently.
You might think that the most beneficial CD rate available would be reserved for the longest term CD, but this is not always the case. If you check the CD rates available through your bank, you may be surprised to find that the 30 year and 15 year CDs are not paying as high an interest rate as CDs for shorter time periods. There are special promotions available that may enable you to obtain the most profitable interest rate on a CD for a shorter length of time.
Many seniors and retirees, rely on income earned through interest to assist in providing the money that they need for every day living, so, for these people, low interest rates can be devastating. Younger individuals may see more benefit from stock investment despite the risk, while older individuals should avoid putting their money here. For the young, they can afford to live through the ups and downs of the market, and allow their stock investment to pay off over a long period, while older people are looking for an investment that will provide funds right away, and consistently.
Treasury bills are another safe investment, as is keeping cash. T-bills currently pay even less than bank CDs. That means you are practically making a free loan to the U.S. government! If you decide to keep cash rather than investing in anything, keep in mind that inflation will reduce your money’s value. Our terrible economy and the financial situation overall makes this a difficult time for everyone.
Are you trying to find information about CDs vs Treasury notes? If you are you might take a look at Best CD Interest Rate where you will find more information.
Tags: bank interest rates, banking, banks, cd, Certificate Of Deposit, Interest Rates, retirement, saving, seniors, Stock Market, stocks, Wall Street
Where to Get a Quick Used Auto Loan
Feb 27, 2010 bank loans
Used vehicle loans are automobile loans you avail in order to buy a second hand car. Availing of used automobile loans however is easier said than done. This is because the financial institution must first make certain that the amount of the used auto loan is equivalent to the value of the auto in case you cannot make the loan payments before releasing the loans.
Financial institutions generally require the car to be covered by insurance. Insurance coverage is essential in the event of accidents. One more important concern to get a used car loan can be your credit score as reflected in your credit report. People that have a bad credit standing will typically have a greater interest in their used car loans as compared with those in very good credit rating.
Because you are purchasing a second hand car, if you acquire a used automobile loan you may end up paying for a less expensive car and lower automobile loan when compared with buying a brand new car. If you pay your used auto loans on time, you’ll have a good credit score which enables you to buy a new and much more costly car with a lower interest rate the next time. Lenders don’t really care if you obtain brand new or used cars or if you get a used vehicle loan. So if you make the required monthly payments promptly then you definitely are of excellent credit standing in the eyes of creditors.
Availing of used auto loans is actually a great way to establish a good credit reputation. Used automobile loans are generally less expensive than the standard auto loans and this may be a factor in making your auto payments promptly. You’ll be able to build credit through used automobile loans. A good credit score will qualify you to buy more expensive things such as a brand new car or even a house sometime soon. Not only that, using the good credit you have proven in used vehicle loans, you will also be able to acquire of lower rates of interest in case you make application for a loan once again. The reason being a good credit standing will qualify you for the normal or lower rates of interest normally between 2% to 15%. For individuals with bad credit standing, these rates could increase to as much as 30%.
To get your used auto loans approved you’ll want to obtain a credit report check done, meet conditions for your used car like mileage, good appearance and road worthiness. These factors will allow the provider to determine the worth of the used auto.
Finding Used Car Financing is really less difficult than you might think. In order for you to find more regarding acquiring an easy loan online, go to Quicker Auto Loans Online
Tags: Auto Loans, auto loans online, autos, bank loans, banking, cars, fast car loans, loans, online lending, quick car loans, used car refinancing
Harami And The Harami Cross Candlestick Patterns Can Make You Rich!
Feb 27, 2010 banking investment
Harami is a two stick candlestick pattern or what you may call a two day candlestick pattern observed on the daily charts. The first day candle is longer than the second day candle. Harami candlestick pattern can be bullish as well as bearish.
A bullish Harami is formed in a downtrend when the first day candle is very bearish. But on the second day, the bulls come into play and beat the bears out of the market by taking the prices higher. However, the bulls are not completely successful and the second day is still lower than the first day open and the first day high is not crossed. But this is an important signal that bulls are now active and trying to take hold of the market. This means that the downtrend will be soon over and an uptrend is about to start.
The open is higher than the close of the last day on the signal day. However, the bulls close the day higher than the open.On the second day when the Harami is formed, the bears are still slightly ahead of the bulls at the start of trading.
The bulls are still cautious after the downtrend thinking that the bears are going to come back again and push the prices still lower. The confidence the bulls gain when this does not happens encourages more buying and the culmination of the downtrend and the start of an uptrend.
What this means is that you need to confirm it with the price action on the following day. Now, like most of the candlestick patterns, a Harami can fail. Always place the stop loss first when you trade. When you spot a Harami, place the stop loss near the open of the second day.
Harami has a few variations. In the Bullish Harami Cross Pattern, the first day is bearish. On the second day or what you call the signal day, you will find a bullish Doji formed with an open higher than the close of the first day and a close lower than the open of the first day. Bullish Harami Cross is not a frequent pattern but when it does appear, it means an abrupt trend reversal.
The bearish Harami Pattern is the other way around. The first day candle is bullish but the second day candle is bearish with the open lower than the close of the first day and the close higher than the open of the first day. But this means is that bears have taken over the market and soon a new downtrend is going to develop.
Mr. Ahmad Hassam has done Masters from Harvard University. Master these Candlestick Patterns with this FREE 82 page PDF Candlestick Guide! Get these Forex Scalping Cheatsheets FREE!
Tags: banking, banking investment, day trading, Etfs, forex, investing, money, mutual funds, options, personal finance, retirement, small business, Stock Market, stocks, trading
How To Save On Your Mortgage Costs
Feb 27, 2010 mortgage banking
For the majority of people a mortgage loan is the largest expense they will ever have. In most cases it is 30 years before the loan could be paid off. It is an astonishing amount of interest to pay for one loan. It is a very appealing concept for most people to hear that they can lower their monthly mortgage payments or even pay off the debt entirely.
There are experts that will offer their services to lower your mortgage but there is no reason why you could not do it on your own. With a small amount of time and effort you could save thousands of dollars on your loan and hundreds each month on payments.
If you were able to get a fixed rate loan with the lowest available interest rate then refinancing is not for you. Most people were not able to get a loan this attractive and this makes refinancing the best possible answer for them. The majority of buyers experience some type of problem that raises the interest rate of the loan. Sometimes it is not having an adequate down payment or it could be a low credit score. For these people refinancing can offer some great reduction in payments if they have a good credit rating now.
Even if your interest rate is not that bad you should consider refinancing if you are in an ARM or balloon loan, anything other than a fixed rate loan. If you are considering refinancing you should make sure that no missed or late payments have been reported to your credit history and that your score is high enough to get you a better rate.
In order to get the best possible interest rate and lower your monthly mortgage costs with refinancing you have to have a good credit score. Equity in the home from living there awhile or by upgrades will also benefit you in obtaining the lower interest rates. The home equity is used to balance the loan and gain leverage for a better rate. If you owe $140,000 on the home and it is appraised at $200,000 then you have $60,000 equity that can be left alone and considered a down payment with your refinanced loan.
Your home should be in the best possible shape at the time of refinancing. An appraiser will come out to assess the homes value, the higher the value the better the savings you will see. Make sure all repairs are completed in the home. Just as if you were selling the property you should remove clutter and create curb appeal for the appraised value to be at the highest.
You do not want to be refused a loan due to a cluttered basement that the appraiser could not visit or an unfinished project that would have added equity. If you are unable to get the home appraised for a higher value then is owed then you will not be able to refinance. The higher the appraisal goes over the amount owed is treated as equity and would get you a much better rate, therefore lowering your monthly mortgage payments.
Graham McKenzie is the content coordinator for a leading South African leading Homeloans and Bond Origination portal which provides access to Standard Bank Homeloans.
Tags: banking, Bonds, finance, Homeloans, loans, money, mortgage banking, mortgages, personal finance, Property
What You Should Know About Bank Debt Collection
Feb 27, 2010 banking investment
Bank debt collection is somewhat different from other kinds of debt collection in more than one aspect. When armed with a few facts about bank debt collection, you’ll be able to choose the correct collection agency by being able to tell which one understands the unique needs of bank debt collection.
What is bank debt collection, exactly? It can mean credit card debt, mortgage, HELOC, commercial loans, personal loans, or auto loans. The practices that are allowed by the government regarding debt collection, such as the times of day you can call, are the same no matter what type of debt you’re talking about. However, depending upon the type of loan, laws regarding raised interest rates, late charges, and other financial issues are very different. Because of this you need to choose a bank debt collection firm that understands the types of loans you’re collecting on.
If bank debt collection touches your business you should be aware that once a customer gets past the 60 day mark, it becomes increasingly likely over time that he or she won’t pay at all. Because of this, as soon as you start approaching this mark, it makes sense to call in a collection agency that is familiar with the intricacies of bank debt collection. Such an agency will know exactly how to coax these difficult clients into paying, and they will not charge anything up front. They only charge a percentage of what they recover, so there is no risk.
One fact you need to know when it comes to bank debt collection is that if customers haven’t paid by 60 days past the due date, they’re most likely not going to pay without prompting. When you come up to that signpost it’s time to hire a collection agency that understands this specific area of the collection business. This should be your first step in the process of collections, not your last, because most of these agencies don’t charge until they recover money for you. They have a better recovery record than in-house collections, and if they don’t collect there’s no fee, so there’s no risk.
The longer credit card bills go unpaid, the more they are statistically likely to remain unpaid. Third party debt collectors are experienced in the techniques that get slow paying clients moving, and get the bulk of their returns within 3 weeks of starting the process. For credit card debt, you want to get collection agencies involved right away.
On the other hand, for secured debt, the techniques are very different. Whether you have an in-house collection department or use a collection agency that specializes in bank debt collection, you’ll want to approach the debtor differently. Financial hardship programs are common among secured loans like mortgages and car loans.
Financial hardship programs restructure the client’s payments in one way or another. They can defer payments and tack on the missing money to the principal, lengthen the loan terms (from, say, 30 years for a mortgage to 40 years), or switch the payments to interest only for a period of time.
Innovative collection processes in bank debt collection are a help to both banks and debtors. A good bank debt collection program will make use of them in order to get the best recovery rate on their outstanding loans.
David P. Montana has been a noted industry expert, commercial advisor and writer in collection agencies services for three decades. He offers more beneficial tips and resources on bank debt collection.
Tags: accounting, accounts receivable, bank debt collection, banking, banking investment, banks, business, Checking Accounts, Collection Agency, credit cards, Debt Collection, Debt Management, finance, loans
Why Do You Need To Get Independant Financial Advice?
Feb 25, 2010 banking finance
When anyone is planning on making any serious financial decision is is always a good idea to get independant financial advice from a trustworthy source before you commit to anything. This might well be something that is of particular importance during an difficult economic time when planning for the future will sit at the top of your priority list.
Research has proven that many adults will face all sorts of hardship unless they consider their future when they are young and in work. Many people are now struggling with their retirement packages and this has shown the need to really think about your future and plan ahead.
Financial advice is something that can come from all sorts of sources, many of which will be free, and so it is important that you take advantage of this situation. When you are looking ahead to your retirement, knowing where to invest your money and how to set up your pension and your savings will be fundamental in your financial freedom.
It is not only in planning ahead that you will need financial advice but also in the here and now. Anyone who is looking to make a serious financial decision needs to make sure that they have first talked about their options from an expert. This might be someone you pay or a free service. It might even be from an informed friend or family member who themselves are experts in a particular field. Possibly the largest financial investment you will ever make will be with your home and therefore when getting a mortgage it is absolutely crucial that you get some good advice to avoid paying larger rates of interest each month.
In addition to this, whenever you are looking to get any sort of major loan or overdraft for any reason, it is always best to talk to an expert beforehand so that they can fill you in on the best options available to you.
Whatever financial decision you are making, therefore, getting financial advice from an independent source will be crucial unless you yourself are already an expert in the field.
To get your Independant Financial Advice online, you can search the Web. Many websites are there to be useful for you take the best step in your financial way of life. Http://www.independentfinancial-advice.com/
Tags: advice, banking, banking finance, debt, economy, finance, financial advice, income, lifestyle, misc, money, self improvement
Following Difficult Financial Times You Can Re-Establish Your Credit
Feb 24, 2010 banking investment
After the experience of complex financial times such as bankruptcies, repossessions and other financial hardships many individuals have credit reports that have a lot of tribulations. Nevertheless you should not let the anxiety of the past that is still showing on the credit report eclipse the positive financial opportunity that you are now heading towards. Tribulations on the credit report can become a thing of the past.
Many consumers harbor unwarranted worries that the credit difficulties will stick to them forever and that they may innocently fall back into the same inferior spending habits and credit issues that got them into the financial conflict in the first place. But with a little thorough planning these former difficulties can be avoided.
In order to reconstruct credit, a person must recognize that the greatest approach to rebuilding credit is to deem the procedure like he or she was starting out new and had not had any credit tribulations in the past. Understanding how credit works is the succeeding step to a triumphant direction to follow when a person wants to re-establish their credit.
To start with basic credit repair.
1. Order your credit report.
2. Analyze your credit report.
3. List the negative items.
4. Send letters disputing your credit
5. Send everything registered or certified mail.
When the goal is to re-establish credit, it will be virtually impossible if the person rebuilding their credit does not have command of his or her cash. While the effects of their lack of understanding and overextended spending behavior might not become right away obvious, the cost of being rash with credit will in time come to light. Those who feel that trying to rebuild credit is going to be a challenge should consider working within a budget that could be done alone or with a credit counselor.
In establishing a financial plan so that a person can restructure credit, they are going to have to be aware of all of the expenses they have in their life. Making a in depth record of expenses can be quite arduous to do by only thinking about it, so the best way to note expenses is to mark down all of the outgoing monies daily for over a time of two weeks to a month. People trying to restructure credit may learn that they are already overextending their finances and should think about cutting out any needless expenses or try to find counseling from a credit counselor.
After making up the budget with all required expenses accounted for the next stage is to construct a sensible spending plan that you can live with. You will need to include a category for saving money and using any additional funds to eradicate or reduce the remaining debt. If you have a inclination to shop on impulse you may want to put away your credit cards or checkbook to help you withstand that temptation. You should plan any shopping you do and make lists that you can stick with as you take advantage of sales.
If there are inaccuracies on the credit report, the FCRA or the Fair Credit Reporting Act will allow you to present a dispute to get the inaccurate credit removed. After a dispute the credit reporting bureau has a certain amount of time to verify the truthfulness of the reporting or they will have to remove it from the account. It is wise to get any inaccuracies removed from your credit report as you are trying to reconstruct credit.
Many people confront economic challenges in life, few of us escape those tribulations completely. But in spite of of how or why the trouble happened times and situations can and do change and you can take the steps to reconstruct your financial life.
The leading secrets for credit repair for your family including free credit scores, credit bureaus click here and much more information at 724Credit.
Tags: banking, banking investment, Blogging, business, credit, credit cards, credit repair, debt, family
What Do Stock Trading Tools Do?
Feb 21, 2010 banking investment
Exactly what do stock trading tools do? They could offer you just about all of the tips you need on a special investment to create an educated determination whether or not to purchase/sell off it. That may consist of, technical charts, statistics, real-time quotes, commentary, news, company histories, suggestions, interpretations of charts, predictions, and so forth. It is nearly like using your technical analyst to learn and review everything for you!
Although numerous this information is available over the internet,or in books, the software package organizes it straight into approaches which you couldn’t without wasting serious time. It also may contain particular updates, newsletters, or predictions via good stock traders, or high-functioning robots that study and interpret information.
The approach the software program operates is it’ll draw out a chart of this stocks prior performance. It will then look at the image to various types of ‘trends’ it could notice. It might also assess the chart to latest trends in other like stocks or even current events. Many will put together all of this data and creates a determination in your case, some will easily present you exactly what they have found and allow you help to make your own selections. Several software program may possibly automatically pay for or sell stocks in your case. I don’t very advise this due to the fact that you might recognize some thing the software program doesn’t.
The software might also examine additional variables, like insider trading, annual trends (Christmas, new year’s, etc) and others.
Loads of software will permit you to search and/or sort out the different stocks. Therefore you could ‘ask’ it “what is the most effective stock for me to get?”, but you will not get a very clear answer. Sort out it based on method of stock and you can see the best performing tech stock this year, or maybe the best undervalued blue chip stock. These kinds of sorting and ordering will give you a marked lead whenever you begin to definitely trade.
Keep in mind to do total investigation prior to acquiring a stock. The stock trading tool will not know anything. For example, a stock is notice that is severely undervalued. It can be selling for 20% of it price. You take a look at the charts, read the information and determine the dip can be described as fluke and purchase it out. Sadly, you find out a few days later the dip was an in house mass sell on the grounds that they knew the business was going under. This form of factor happens all the time, don’t let it happen to you. Continually look at within trades. They will, obviously, know issues which you don’t about the company. You will find people who make tons of money within the stock market basically get following insider trades and that is all.
Go for what kind of stock trading you wish to do, Forex, day trading, alternatives, etc. The list goes on. Some of the most popular for speedy, short-term, but higher risk income is Forex. This requires trading currencies. Currencies are constantly raising and dropping in price and capital are generally mad or lost very quickly with this method. Be careful and understand and study about the kind of trading you are going to be undertaking prior to doing it!
Wish to learn more about stock trading tools? Try out http://stocktradingtools.org/
Tags: banking, banking investment, finance, forex, forex tools, money, options, Stock Trading, stock trading tools, stocks, Trades