It happens to the majority of us, credit card debt accumulates and before we quite realize it, we are carrying a debt load that is far beyond our means. When this happens, we need to take immediate positive steps to knock down the debt as quickly as possible. One of the most efficient ways to do this is to reduce the amount of interest we pay by shopping around for a better rate and having our balances transferred over. By doing this, we pay more...more
Just when most people finish with school and can stop worrying about test scores, there's a new kind of scoring that enters the picture. It's called credit scoring. And, its impact on your financial future can mean more to you than a college degree. You may never know your precise credit score, but you need to know if you're at risk!Credit Scoring ... Why It's So Important:Ever wonder how a creditor decides whether to grant you credit? For...more
In part 1, we covered the basics about credit scoring - what it is and how it is calculated. It's time to address the critical question ... What happens if you are denied credit or don't get the terms you want?The Equal Credit Opportunity Act requires that the creditor give you a notice either with the specific reasons your application was rejected, or stating that you have the right to learn the reasons if you ask within 60 days. NOTE: Indefinite and vague reasons for denial are illegal, so ask the creditor to be specific. If you were denied credit because you are too near you credit limits on your charge cards, or you have too many credit card accounts, you may want to reapply after paying down your balances or closing some accounts. Credit scoring systems consider updated information and change over time.You also can be denied credit because of information from a credit report. If so, the Fair Credit Reporting Act requires the creditor to give you the name, address and phone number of the credit reporting agency that supplied the information. You should contact that agency to find out what your report contains.NOTE: This information is free if you request it within 60 days...more
In virtually any business first impressions are lasting impressions. Most people have heard this statement for years, and yet some people completely ignore the first impression they are conveying to potential customers or clients. Regardless of the industry you are in image is a part of your marketing. Take the real estate industry. An...more
Delivering an effective presentation to 20 or to 200 people is difficult. Because listeners have better access to information since the internet became commonplace, audiences expect more content from speakers today. In addition, because of the entertainment slant of most media today, audiences want a presentation delivered with animation, humor,...more
Centuries ago great speakers often spoke two hours and more. But today when sound bytes on television news are the norm and serious problems are solved in an hour on a television drama, audiences are most interested in speakers that get their points across in a short period of time. In a speech delivered to a Women in Communication audience, Patricia Ward Brash said, "Television has helped create an impatient society, where audiences expect us to make our point simply and quickly."Today great speakers are noted for their brevity. Billy Graham, in a recent city-wide campaign in Cincinnati, spoke about 20 minutes each night. Theodore Sorensen in his book, Kennedy, gave guidelines by which President Kennedy prepared speeches. No speech was more than 20-30 minutes. He wasted no words and his delivery wasted no time. He rarely used words he considered hackneyed or word fillers. As Purdue communications professor and researcher Josh Boyd wrote, "In physics, power is defined as work divided by time. In other words, more work done in less time produces more power. In the same way, a speaker's message is most powerful when he [or she] can deliver a lot of good material in a short...more
Let's start by taking a look at 7 key elements of an adjustable rate mortgage:1) ARM defined: While a fixed rate loan is constant and never changes throughout the life of the loan, an adjustable rate mortgage changes periodically. The interest rate...more
If that sounds like you, here's what you may be missing once the new enterprise is launched Public relations that really does something about the behaviors of those key outside audiences that most affect your new enterprise. PR that uses a...more
On Jan 1st 2005 a new online payment processor and wealth-building system will be arriving on the Internet. PayAce's CEO Pedro Dispenza kindly took time out to answer some questions about this new service. Interviewed by Bryan Small 2004 [Bryan]...more
Cell phone accessories would include antennas, batteries, cases, faceplates, holsters, holders, hands free kits and a few others. Antennas are to boost your signal and an additional battery may be a good precaution. A car charger could be a good...more
Cellular phones are used by millions of people in the United States and around the world. They are such a great device! With a cell phone, you can talk to anyone on the planet from just about anywhere! These days, cell phones provide an incredible...more
Last week, I cheated on my long-time lover Google, with my old boyfriend Yahoo. And ever since that day, I have considered becoming a bigamist.(To full understand what that crazy drivel was about read my last article about how to get your RSS feed...more