0 Replacing your car

People looking to replace their car may think that the best option in today’s financially difficult times is to buy second-hand, and there’s a lot to be said for not paying the premium of driving a new car off a showroom’s forecourt. However, it’s worth looking at the different new car offers available as it’s a really good time to strike a bargain – manufacturers are keener than ever to sell new cars and are offering great incentives to draw customers in.

The incentives vary from different flexible finance deals, insurance deals, packages that include servicing and roadside assistance to straightforward cash back temptations. If you’re in the position to buy new, then you should really put some time into researching which car manufacturers are offering the best deals at the moment.



Many of us still won’t be able to afford to buy new, but there is an absolute wealth of second-hand cars available, some of which seem amazingly good value. Advice to bear in mind if you’re going down the second hand route is to choose a reliable make and model of car. Look at sites like Which Car? to narrow down your choices before you start looking through the ‘for sale’ ads.

Before parting with any cash, if you’re buying from a private seller, it’s really important to get the car checked over by a qualified motor engineer. Although this will cost you around £100 to £150, it’s money well spent if you don’t know much about cars yourself. It may also give you some wiggle room on the price you settle on.

You can also buy second-hand from a car dealer, which means you’ll get the security of somewhere to return if there are any problems with the car, and a guarantee for a certain length of time. People concerned about the impact their car has on the environment and want to drive a hybrid should also check out the second-hand car pages. More second-hand hybrids are available now that the technology has been around for more than ten years.

Detail: Replacing your car

0 Forex the basics

If you want to learn forex, read on…

The term “Forex” comes from the words 'Foreign' and 'Exchange' and simply means to take part in trades involving the exchange of one countries currency with another.

It’s like if you’ve been to a foreign country, traded a lot of money in cash into that currency, then ended up with more cash at the end of the holiday and traded it back into sterling – only to find that the shift in the exchange rate has been great news for you – or maybe just the opposite.



Had you realised which way things were going to go, you could have bet a large amount of your cash on the movement and lived like George Soros for the rest of your days.

Alas, life isn’t like that, but investing on the ay you think things are going to go can be great fun. It can also be very useful if you plan to visit a foreign country in the future and want to shore up your finances today.

Say, for example you’re planning a big trip to the Sates next summer and you think the $1.56 or so on offer from the Forex markets currently is good value as you hold your money in pounds – then you could trade on the back of that ‘strike price’ today, without actually parting with your cash – or just a small proportion of it anyway.

The major currencies involved in the Forex market include the US dollar, the British pound, the Euro, the Australian dollar, the Japanese yen, the Canadian dollar, and the Swiss franc.

In fact, somewhere around 85% of all Forex trading centres around these major currencies. So why not try your hand first with a small amount – and see if you’re going to be the next George Soros?

This article was written by David, a keen financial blogger. He's always eager to give people advice if they want to learn forex, as it's definitely his forte.

Detail: Forex the basics

0 Women trade better

Back in 2001 study entitled, “Boys Will Be Boys: Gender, Overconfidence and Common Stock Investment,” by Brad M. Barber and Terrance Odean looked at the trading and investing behavior of over 35,000 households.

In short, the results showed that men traded around half as much again as women.
Now anyone who has done much trading of any kind will tell you that the only people who really benefit when you trade a lot are the brokerages; whatever the trade subject.

So there we have it – women trade better. This is because they tend to be calmer, less aggressive and go with the flow a little longer. They aren’t as easily spooked into trading and their slight lack of competiveness, on the whole, actually means they perform better, ironically.

Whether this is the case, or not, in the world’s biggest of all trading markets, I have no idea. But I think the same principles will apply.
“So what is that market?” I hear you ask. Well, it’s the international foreign exchange market or “Forex”.

The Forex market is open 24 hours a day between Monday and Friday and has traditionally been the preserve of hedge fund managers, big banks, big business and a few crazily rich individuals.

But there’s no reason us girls shouldn’t get in on a slice of the action and the study I referred to above may even mean we’re better at it than men.

If you find the right Forex broker, you can follow their online tutorials, guides and tips and get to understand the Forex market without taking any risks whatsoever.

The easiest and wisest way to get started is to try out a demo-only account at first, but really try and be self-disciplined in trying to act exactly as you would if it was real money. Then try different strategies out for a good while to see if you’re really suited to it before you take the plunge for real.
Good luck!

This article was written by David, who is always on the lookout for a great forex broker to help him out with his trading plans.

Detail: Women trade better

0 The customer is king

CRM software is essential in retaining and building effective customer relationships. But it’s only a tool and like most tools – it can be only as good as its end user.
Let me explain.

What did you think the first time you ever went into a fast food restaurant and you were told to have a nice day by the “customer services representative” or some such title?

I know what I thought. I thought it was great – genuinely I did. Even though it was well over 30 years ago now - I distinctly remember thinking to myself “what a nice girl and what a nice thing to have said. She clearly loves her work and is a friendly person” etc. I was well-disposed to the outlet in other words.

Of course, I was a little naïve to say the least. The next time I went to the same famous fast food chain (they were brand new in England back then) and a spotted youth said the same thing to me in a deadpan way, the light gradually began to dawn.



And so it is with customer relationship management software; the principles are exactly the same. The software is a tool to be used well – not simply to be used. Ask any business guru about customer relationship management like successful real estate developer of note David Lichtenstein, for example, and they’ll all tell you the same thing; you have to mean it.

Saying “the customer is king” is empty; meaning it, and treating the customer as well as he or she deserves to be treated is quite another.

It comes through in things like speech, body language etc. in other words; in communication beyond our ken. It’s said that 90% of communication is non-verbal. The same goes for reading between the lines in written communication. You have to “be it” not just try to “think it”.

Detail: The customer is king

0 Get financial advice straight from the horse’s mouth

There are many thousands of people out there who purport to be experts in financial planning. They’re always ready to share their pearls of wisdom with you for a fee (whether from you or the product providers whose wares they are selling you).
Some of these people are very much worth their salt. But the vast majority aren’t.

The truth is that you probably know most of what you need to know about financial planning. If you’re reasonably good at managing your personal accounts and household affairs, and you live within your means etc. – why would you seek expensive professional advice from others?

In a word – the answer is down to complexity.

The financial world is made a very complex place by those who work in it because it serves their purpose very well. The more you feel bamboozled and a little frightened about wisely investing your hard-earned, the more you’re likely to seek out professional advice.

Now let’s be clear, there is absolutely nothing wrong with going for this advice; just be careful who you go to – have a look at their track record and make sure you understand the fee structure of anything you’re investing in.

Alternatively, do your own research via the web. There’s an absolute world of advice out there freely given from real people who’ve been there and done it for themselves – making real, high level decisions in the financial world – and staking their own real money in so doing. And they very often give free advice.

You could check out reviews and opinion sites on the web, such as the David Lichtenstein blog, to acquire hints or tips. Or you can look to the wealthiest of businessmen, like Warren Buffett, to boost your understanding of high-end financial dealings. There’s so much information out there that it seems foolish to jump straight in and pay for something you don’t fully understand.

Remember, if you don’t really understand it – just say no and finds something you do get! If you can manage your own affairs properly in everyday life – you are very probably the best financial adviser for you!

Detail: Get financial advice straight from the horse’s mouth

0 Consolidating your debts

If you’re heavily in debt here and there with car loans, a mortgage, credit card loan and perhaps the odd product loan it can all feel a bit overwhelming.

So when you’re offered the chance to consolidate all your loans – placing them all with one provider in other words, it can feel very tempting as it’s an overall “simplifying” experience.

Just be careful not to rush in here though. The simple fact is that consolidation can make a lot of sense, but it more usually doesn’t – particularly when a loan company is going to the effort of seeking you out. After all, they don’t do this kind of thing for nothing.

On the other hand, not all consolidation loans are bad by any means. Anyone paying credit card debt, for example, should probably try to stop doing so immediately if they possibly can. If you have a look closely at the APR figures on any credit card debt you have that isn’t subject to a special offer period, you’ll quickly realise why this is.

A good option can be an offset or “all in one” type of mortgage – but the availability of such a mortgage will depend on your overall financial position. If you have sufficient equity in your house and/or earnings or other capital, then an offset may allow you to borrow a little more, clear all other debt and concentrate solely on the mortgage.

If an offset isn’t available, it’s definitely worth shopping around for a consolidation loan; most personal consolidation loans are available at much better rates than credit cards in particular – and so make sense in clearing your more expensive debts. Just make sure you shop around and that the provider is reputable.

The main problem with a consolidation loan, though, is purely psychological (and this is very much the case with offset mortgages). The problem is that the clearance of the loans into one neat “box” (and a much bigger box at that!) frees the mind, so to speak, and if you’re that way inclined, the problem is that you may simply repeat the mistakes of the past and start borrowing again. It’s a downward spiral.

So consolidate, if the figures make sense – but bear in mind the psychology trap.

Written by David, a keen blogger with his own financial advice website. When he's not writing about same day loans, you'll find him playing in the park with his little ones!

Detail: Consolidating your debts

0 Jumbo and Conforming Loan Rate Update

Mortgage Delinquency continues to be a problem. It is our view that this could take several more years to run it's course. Average days till a home goes from first missed payment to getting listed as a foreclosure is roughly 1.5 to 2 full years in most states. The chart below is showing that over 10.18% of all mortgages are at least 60 days this is down from 10.58% at the March 2011 report. A modest improvement...

This is against the backdrop of an ultra-low purchase and refinance environment for conforming and jumbo mortgage loans.

www.bestjumborate.com

Detail: Jumbo and Conforming Loan Rate Update