With interest rates at 40 year lows it seems difficult to find fixed income investments with high yields. Money Market funds are paying investors about 1.4% and Commercial Paper is only yielding 2.3%. For those willing to commit their capital for longer periods of time, a 5 Year Corporate Bond yields about 5%. How does an investor find a good, high yielding, fixed income investment without taking too much financial risk? Many investors are...more
How often have you heard yourself say, "I've got so many balls in the air I don't know how I can possibly keep track of them all". We may be managing to keep the balls in motion, but how good is our juggling performance really? Are our movements controlled and rhythmic? Or are we merely gritting our teeth and hoping to catch the next ball before it falls on the ground? Recently I was speaking with a colleague (we'll call him Craig) who is a...more
You have this burning desire you want to be on your own. The temptation is so great that you want to quit your job. Enough is enough. You're sick of working for other people for a ridiculous pay.To be your own boss means controlling your own destiny, having your own time and no bosses to report to. Basically, you can do whatever you want.But before you really jump into a new territory of being on your own, you have to make sure that you're ready and well equipped.Below is the checklist that can help you to ensure that you're ready to be on your own. 1. Have a crystal clear plan.Do you have a clear idea as to what you want to do next? You must know exactly what your plan is. Is this going to be the same as what you are doing? Or, is it completely different from what you are used to do? Write down your ideas and evaluate the feasibility of your ideas. Ideally, pick an idea you like most and the most profitable.2. Have a reserve of 6-12 months.Before you embark on your journey to be your own boss, you must prepare a fund of at least 6 months' expenses. I prefer a 12-month fund reserve. The reserve is used to cover your daily expenses while you are just starting out and you receive...more
When I ask why you don't start your own business, I always hear, "I don't have money to start a business." This is a common excuse people give for not starting their own business.There is truth in the statement. You actually need money to make money or to start a business. But the question is "Do you need a lot of money or little to start a...more
Which is more painful: an audit or spending the holidays with Aunt Sally and her green Jell-O mold? Either way, your company audit still looms in your mind, but it shouldn't be that scary - quite the opposite. Besides, even Sally "audits" herself when she makes her mold, as she tests for thickness and taste. She just wants to improve.Fix the...more
For organisations to stay competitive, they must be willing to share knowledge with the public because the digital revolution has enabled information to move beyond geographical boundaries. The new rule of corporate survival is not just the ownership of knowledge; it also means that the conscious effort to modify and "self-destroy" it. With this in mind, business decision-makers must seriously consider the sharing, selling and protection of organizational knowledge through the launching of corporate e-books off their websites. Relook at e-booksAn e-book is a more advanced version of a word-processing document where interesting animations and sounds can be included. Links can also be added so that e-book readers can join a forum or interact with the author in real time. A common misconception of an e-book is a gadget (the size of a PDA) that has to be lugged around. For starters, free e-book readers provided by Microsoft and Glassbook can be downloaded at http://www.bn.com and installed on a computer. At the same site, readers are also allowed to download free unabridged e-books that can be stored in the publisher's external hard drive. This way, your own hard drive will not be...more
How do you set up shop online? How about one that's top-notch, so that you can compete with the big guys, yet quick to set up, easy to maintain - - and cheap? And how can you affordably market your shop once it's ready to go? Questions like these are...more
Rod McHenry, the financial vice president of a document imaging company, thought he had great cause for celebrating. He had signed an unbelievable $370,000 lease proposal covering computer servers, workstations, software and other networking...more
A lottery wheeling system means you choose a base 'subset' of numbers, for example in a 6 number lottery, you might choose the numbers 1 to 7, and then combine them in ways ensuring that all 7 numbers 'get a go' in the 6 number lines. By playing...more
You are getting a good deal when you accept the fact that the right PR really CAN alter individual perception and lead to the changed behaviors you need. Especially when you recognize that people really DO act upon their perceptions of the facts they...more
There is an old statement that holds true when trying to restore your credit rating, and the statement is "knowing is half the battle." This statement exemplifies what consumers who have had past credit problems should do, and that is to learn...more
Setting financial goals is the single most important thing you can do to take control of your finances. Your life can't go according to plan if you don't have a plan. You will continue to spend every penny you earn if you don't plan for where you...more