September 1, 2010 0

Grant Money For Small Business

By Admin in Money Shop

If youre frustrated by the conflicting and inaccurate information youve found regarding grant money for a small business, then dont worry. This article is your best source for the most accurate and up to date data. Read on and find out why!

Many people today searching for small business grant money to start their own for profit business assume that grants are nothing more than free money. Well, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but small business grant money is hardly free money at all. In fact, these grants are more like contracts with their own set of obligations and restrictions that you must comply with or risk suffering sanctions imposed by your funding resource.

In the case of government grants, the rules are even stricter. One of the first places that people often turn to is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, which is where all listings of government grants approved by Congress are announced. The problem with this resource is that there are very few programs available for small businesses.

These grants are usually awarded to deserving individuals or nonprofit organizations having some community-based project in mind. Rarely will you find a government grant awarded to help set up a for profit business. That is why when searching for a small business grant you should not turn only to the government for funding resources.

A good source of grant money is the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). The AFP is considered the chief professional association for fundraisers. The association was formerly known as the National Society of Fund Raising Executives (NSFRE). Their website at AFPnet.org offers sections on ethics, public policy, publications (including AFPs online bookstore), professional advancement, local chapters, jobs, and youth in philanthropy (along with a member gatewaydashboard).

Besides that, the AFP also provides a list of organizations (including their websites) that are among the top basic resources of grant money. Foremost on their list is the Foundation Center at FDNCenter.org, which publishes the revered Foundation Directory.

Consider contracts. Government money can sometimes come in the form of contracts. If you can demonstrate that your company can execute a budget line item, if you can shape part of your idea to what the government wants done for a particular project say something educational or construction-oriented if you can fill a need, you can compete, says Francie Ward, CEO of the Business Owners Idea Caf at BusinessOwnersIdeaCafe.com.

Thank you for reading this article. I hope that it has helped you and that you were able to find, through our research, the answers you were seeking.

August 25, 2010 0

Funny Ways To Save Money

By Admin in Money Shop

There was a list of funny ways to save money on a “frugal living” website. They weren’t necessarily meant to be funny, but were gleaned from real suggestions sent in. Some cheapskates don’t seem to notice that an extra hour at work might put them further ahead than many hours of penny-pinching.

The following are real suggestions, and then there are some funny ways to save money that you really shouldn’t try.

Funny Ways To Save Money – The Real Suggestions

One person suggested ways to save money on weddings that included picking up the leftover flowers at a cemetery. I’m not sue how you can tell which are “leftovers.”

Another creative penny pincher found a way to save money on a car wash. He washed his entire car using the squeegee at the gas station.

A woman confessed that she has the kids stuff their pockets with the free ketchup, salt and other condiment packets every time they were in a fast food restaurant. That’s not all, though. She actually had the kids squeeze ketchup and mustard from the packets into regular jars of ketchup and mustard, and claims she hasn’t bought these condiments in years.

To save money on an umbrella, one man suggests going to the lost and found department of any large public library. Tell them you lost a black umbrella. They will have several, from which you can pick the best one and claim it as your own.

Call people long-distance when you know they won’t be home. Leave a message for them to call. That way, they pay for the long-distance call.

Funny Ways To Save Money – Don’t Try This At Home

Don’t pay baby sitters! Get young couples who are thinking about having kids to “rent” yours for the evening. They get to see what it will be like, and you can get paid instead of paying for sitters.

Turn off the TV and all the lights to save electricity. Tell the kids it’s a game of hide-and-seek.

Train your dog to beg for food from strangers, so you won’t have to buy dog food.

Rub pine needles under your arms instead of buying deodorant.

Take extra napkins from fast food restaurants to save on toilet paper.

Borrow your neighbors toothbrush instead of buying your own.

If I write a book on ways to save money, funny or not, will I make much in sales, or will everyone take my suggestion and borrow it from the library instead of buying it?

August 18, 2010 0

Five Money-Saving Travel Tips for Small Businesses

By Admin in Money Shop

Saving money is a priority for any business, especially a small business.

Small businesses often need every break and discount they can get, and traveling can be one of the most costly areas for small businesses. Unfortunately, many of the best travel advantages only go to big businesses.

To help your business compete, here are a few tips to make your traveling expenses a little more palatable.

* Search for cheap airfares. Internet search engines provide a great resource for cheap fares. Be sure to get on these sites’ e-mail lists so you stay abreast of specials.

* Avoid alcohol. Drinking alcohol at meals can boost your bill. Stay away from adult beverages and you will be much happier when the check arrives.

* Stay in and watch a movie. By simply staying in your room at night and not going to bars or nightclubs, you can save yourself a lot of cash.

* Use free time for free attractions. Instead of heading to the golf course, go to a museum. Free attractions can be enlightening and easy on the wallet.

* Look for a deal on your rental car. You may want to join a discount program for car rental.

Car rental discount programs for business have traditionally only been offered to large businesses. But now, Thrifty’s SmartBiz program is breaking new ground as the first car rental discount program designed specifically for small businesses.

With a SmartBiz account, you’ll get low business rates with no minimum financial commitment. A free SmartBiz account also gets you unlimited miles, free additional drivers, free enrollment, no fees, no dues and no contracts. The account offers one free day of car rental after every 16 rental days with no blackout dates.

August 11, 2010 0

Five Money-Saving Travel Tips for Small Businesses

By Admin in Money Shop

Saving money is a priority for any business, especially a small business.

Small businesses often need every break and discount they can get, and traveling can be one of the most costly areas for small businesses. Unfortunately, many of the best travel advantages only go to big businesses.

To help your business compete, here are a few tips to make your traveling expenses a little more palatable.

* Search for cheap airfares. Internet search engines provide a great resource for cheap fares. Be sure to get on these sites’ e-mail lists so you stay abreast of specials.

* Avoid alcohol. Drinking alcohol at meals can boost your bill. Stay away from adult beverages and you will be much happier when the check arrives.

* Stay in and watch a movie. By simply staying in your room at night and not going to bars or nightclubs, you can save yourself a lot of cash.

* Use free time for free attractions. Instead of heading to the golf course, go to a museum. Free attractions can be enlightening and easy on the wallet.

* Look for a deal on your rental car. You may want to join a discount program for car rental.

Car rental discount programs for business have traditionally only been offered to large businesses. But now, Thrifty’s SmartBiz program is breaking new ground as the first car rental discount program designed specifically for small businesses.

With a SmartBiz account, you’ll get low business rates with no minimum financial commitment. A free SmartBiz account also gets you unlimited miles, free additional drivers, free enrollment, no fees, no dues and no contracts. The account offers one free day of car rental after every 16 rental days with no blackout dates.

August 4, 2010 0

Experts Lend A Hand With Tips On Lending Money

By Admin in Money Shop

The smallest bills can cause the biggest stress, especially at the end of the month when due dates seem to come faster than paydays. When the financial outlook is uncertain, many choose to reach out to friends and family for short-term help.

Lending money to friends is a common practice and although people often have the best of intentions, it can sometimes result in sticky situations. According to a recent study by IPSOS and PayPal, 71 percent of Americans have loaned money to family members and friends.

It may seem harmless to help a friend make a car payment or assist a co-worker going through a divorce who just needs “a little help.” But a temporary crisis isn’t always so temporary-and can quickly become an uncomfortable situation if the lender has to ask for the money to be repaid. As easy as it is to lend to someone you know well, it can be just as hard to pester them to pay you back.

According to etiquette experts Kim Izzo and Ceri Marsh, co-authors of “The Fabulous Girl’s Guide to Decorum”and “The Fabulous Girl’s Guide to Grace under Pressure,” money issues between friends and family members are difficult because money is inherently an emotional situation for both parties.

In fact, according to the survey, 57 percent of Americans have seen a relationship end because one person owed the other money. Everyone wants to be a good friend, but no one enjoys feeling like someone is taking advantage of their generosity, say Izzo and Marsh.

“But money lending can be done right,” continues Izzo. “We recommend setting some simple ground rules when considering the possibility of lending money. These ground rules can take some of the stress out of lending to friends and family, and even make it into a positive experience.”

Marsh and Izzo offer several tips for conducting successful financial transactions with friends and family:

• If you’re loaning money to someone close to you and if you’re financially able, consider making it a gift rather than a loan. If not, make it clear you expect to be paid back.

• To make collecting a debt easier and more comfortable, consider using a service called PayPal. This makes it possible to send and receive payments online. With PayPal, you can send e-mail reminders to the borrower. The lender can then get the money back instantly via email.

• Never co-sign a loan or credit card application for someone else without clear, written parameters, and always maintain a business-like environment.

• Don’t lend beyond your means. Only lend money that you don’t need back immediately so as not to ruin your credit or your relationship with the borrower.

“It’s possible to help out a friend or relative in a way that won’t compromise a relationship, while still making sure you’re not left empty-handed,” says Marsh. “Be fair with both the borrower and your own bank account, and hold to your agreements. This will help keep both the relationship and your wallet intact.”

July 28, 2010 0

Educated Consumers Can Save Money on Mortgages

By Admin in Money Shop

Not only is owning a home an integral part of the American dream, but our home is likely the biggest purchase we will ever make and the biggest asset – or liability – we will ever have. Until about a year ago, of course, no one would have imagined that a home could be a liability. That’s when housing prices started to drop and relatively new homeowners realized that it was only a matter of time before their adjustable rate mortgages would skyrocket.

Experts agree that house values haven’t yet reached their nadir and that many homeowners are poised on the precipice. While some people might find it easier to stick their heads in the proverbial sand, smart homeowners and homebuyers see the current market as an opportunity to either take a second look at their existing mortgages or to shop around for new mortgages. Either way, it’s important to learn all that you can about different ways to finance a home before you take the plunge. Here are a few scenarios that illustrate some of the choices available today.

Nine years ago, Sam and Jenny Thompson bought a home that was ten years old. They were savvy enough to buy their house just before prices went through the roof. They have well over 100,000 of equity in their home, but their home is showing signs of wear. It’s time for a new roof, a new heating and air conditioning system, and they know that they need to have some dry rot repaired and have the house painted. They don’t have much in savings, though, and want to borrow money so that they can get the repairs done.

Sam and Jenny have a few options to pay for home improvement. They can refinance their home and get cash out for the repairs, they can get a home equity line of credit, or they can get a second mortgage. Which option is best depends largely on that status of their current mortgage. If they have a low interest, fixed rate loan, it probably doesn’t make sense to refinance. If they’re planning on staggering their home improvement over the next two years, it probably doesn’t make sense to get a lump-sum second mortgage. Instead, a home equity line of credit might work best. On the other hand, if they have an adjustable rate mortgage, it might be financially prudent to refinance to a fixed rate loan and cash out part of their equity to make their home repairs.

Cynthia and Bill Williams have owned their home for five years, but are concerned that Bill might be laid off in the next six months. They have quite a bit of money in savings, but have racked up considerable credit card debt. Because they’re paying a high interest rate on their credit card debt, they may want to use a home equity line of credit for debt consolidation purposes, and to have a cushion in case Bill does lose his job.

When Rebecca Richards bought her home two years ago, she thought housing prices would continue to soar and interest rates would go down. She bought her house with an adjustable loan and is terrified that, when the loan adjusts later this year, she won’t be able to make her payments. In this scenario, Rebecca needs to meet with her lender now, rather than wait for the other shoe to drop. If possible, she should convert her adjustable rate home loan to a fixed rate loan.

The bottom line is that, whatever your circumstances, you need to learn all that you can about the options available to you. Thankfully, there are resources on the Internet that not only have a library of informative articles on mortgages, but that also provide the calculators and tools you need to find the answers to your questions. The best sites even offer a variety of loan programs and will prepare a personalized quote for the types of mortgages that you might be interested in.

July 21, 2010 0

Earnest Money – What You Need To Know

By Admin in Money Shop

You include earnest money with an offer on a house to show the seller that the you are serious about purchasing the house. It becomes part of the down payment if the offer is accepted, is returned if the offer is rejected, or is forfeited if you pull out of the deal for reasons other than those stipulated in the offer. A financing contingency is an example of the latter – if your offer was contingent on getting a loan, and you can’t, you can cancel the contract and get your earnest money deposit back.

How Much Earnest Money?

The size of the earnest money deposit is up to you. Real estate agents will sometimes outright lie, and tell you it is this or that amount, or this or that percentage of the offering price. In reality, you can write the offer with a one pound deposit if you wish, and agent still has to present the offer.

Naturally, an offer with one pound of earnest money may not be taken seriously, and the agent may even persuade the seller to reject your offer. It is a good idea to ask what the local norm is. We just bought a house in Colorado, and the agent told us that a 1,000 deposit was normal. Had he said 5,000 was normal, however, I still would have given a deposit of just 1,000. That is enough to be serious in my mind.

You can also do a two-part deposit. You can make an offer with just 100 in earnest money, for example, but specify in the offer that this will be increased to 2,000 once the offer is accepted, or once when an inspection, appraisal or other contingency is met. This keeps your money from being tied up until you know that the seller is serious about selling to you. This will usually still be seen as a serious offer if the deposit is to be seriously increased at some point.

Who Gets The Earnest Money Deposit?

Never give your earnest money check to the seller. The last thing you want is a seller trying to keep your money after you pull out of a deal because of financing problems, termite infestations or other valid contingencies in your offer. If the real estate office handling the sale has an escrow account, it should be safe to make the check out to the broker. Otherwise, use a title company or other escrow account, but in any case, always give your deposit to a third party to hold.

Ask how they handle it too. I once had an offer rejected, and then had to wait a week to get my money back. They told me that they had to wait for my check to clear before they could issue a check back to me. I prefer it when it is handled like it was on our recent home purchase. They just hold the check until the offer is accepted, and return or destroy it if the offer is rejected.

How To Protect Yourself

Things can happen, right? If you pull out of the deal for some unforeseen reason – one not included in the contract – you’ll lose your deposit. However, the seller could also sue you for additional damages or even force you to buy the home. To protect yourself, have a clause in the offer that specifies the earnest money as “liquidated damages” if you are in default. The real estate agent can help with the language, but this basically means that if you need to default on the contract, the seller can’t ask for more than what you have already included as earnest money.

July 14, 2010 0

Earn Money with Rewards Credit Cards

By Admin in Money Shop

Nowadays the majority of credit card companies offer several different rewards credit cards that people can apply for, including gas rebate, travel rewards, and cash back credit cards.

Rewards credit cards are similar to cash back cards. Basically, you accumulate points toward a reward structure, based on how much you use the card over a period of time.

If you really want to accumulate points, you may want to use your credit card wherever and whenever possible. It doesn’t mean spending money without reason. It means that you should use your card whenever you make a purchase.

Rewards credit cards can be a great tool that lets wise spenders earn money for doing absolutely nothing. It’s a matter of knowing when and how to use them.

However, rewards cards are not for everyone and if you are going to take advantage of rewards cards it is important to understand whether or not these cards are right for you. Remember that rewards credit cards usually have a higher interest rate and some of them have an annual fee.

People who know they can pay off their balances in full every month can have these cards. Consumers who have problems with making payments should look for a low interest rate credit card instead.

Don’t put rewards in danger! As easily as points come, they can disappear. If you are late on month’s payment, you can lose the rewards for that month. And if you default on your card, all the points will vanish.

Rewards credit cards are advantageous, if you use the rewards. It’s useless to have a credit card that endows you with airline miles if you never fly. The first thing you should think of when choosing a reward credit card is how useful the rewards will be.

If the credit card endows you with points that can be used only at certain vendors, be sure you make purchases at these vendors before applying for a credit card.

The most widespread type of rewards is cash back rewards. When applying for a credit card that offers cash back rewards, discover how the rewards are discharged. Some credit cards give rewards in a form of a check, while others add the rewards to your account.

When choosing a reward credit card you should pay attention to the cost of a credit card. Avoid credit cards that cost more than they benefit.

Choose a reward credit card that lets you accumulate an unlimited amount of rewards that never run out. You can lose some or even all of your rewards, if the credit card puts limits on the amount of rewards you can get or the period of time you can use them.

So credit card rewards are a kind of material inducement for using credit cards. Before you apply for a credit card, be sure that you realize the reward program, and in what way rewards are accumulated.

July 7, 2010 0

Debt Money and Happiness

By Admin in Money Shop

Tips to help you get out of debt and stay out.

Fix the problem

If you are in debt, youve spent money more quickly than youve earned it!

In order to get out of debt or stay out, youve got to spend less than you earn (and apply the difference to savings & reducing debt).

You’ll need to reduce expenses or increase income, or a combination of both. Too often increases in income result in increased spending, so curb the spending first if possible.

Some have said: It doesnt matter how much you earn, but it does matter how much you spend.

Analyze your spending habits. What caused your debt? Do you need to fix a leaky wallet? Some people need to record on paper everything they spend for a month to find the leaks.

A pound a day for soda is 365 a year. The estimated long-term cost of a pack of cigarettes is ~40.

Scrutinize your needs and wants. Be willing to forego some of your wants, and postpone others in order to get out of debt. Only borrow for things which increase in value, not toys.

Seek to eliminate some of your expenses, especially recurring expenses. Many who are buried in debt have expensive cell phones, satellite TV, expensive phone options, internet service, storage units, and other monthly conveniences which prohibit them from reducing their debt burden.

There is nothing magic about getting out of debt. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it is! Many companies who claim to be able to help you, will worsen your finances if you let them.

If you are an impulsive buyer, hide your credit cards at home in a safe place.

June 30, 2010 0

Credit card consolidation – Recycling expensive plastic money.

By Admin in Money Shop

Do you know the credit card debt figures in July 2005? 55.87billion. That is enormous. UK is standing witness to the growing incidence of multiple card holding. 6 out of 10 people have more than one credit card. According to APACS (Association of Payment Clearing Services) two third of adult population in UK is a credit card holder. Guess what, you are part of it. The average interest rate on credit card is 15.75%. No wonder you are in credit card debt. Credit card consolidation is an intelligent step towards finally getting that debt off you.

You probably started off with one or two credit cards and before you knew you were in several hundred of pounds of debt. Credit card consolidation can aid manage this out of control debt situation. Credit card consolidation is the best means of getting a low interest deal in place of high interest credit cards. Basically you are selling your credit cards debt for low interest consolidation loan.

How does credit card holder benefit form credit card consolidation? Let us take a hypothetical situation. Suppose your outstanding credit card debt is 10,000. And the APR or the annual percentage rate is 20% then you are paying 2000 as interest rate every year. By credit card consolidation you transfer all your debts into a single consolidated loan with lower interest rate. Suppose the interest rate is 10%. This way you are paying 1000 as interest rate for the same amount saving 1000 pounds. By researching you can get good rates for credit card consolidation.

The monthly payment with credit card consolidation is lower and of course manageable. Credit card consolidation tries to pay off your credit card debts. A credit card consolidation will pay off your debts in shorter time span and without causing any extra stress on your financial situation. This is fundamental with www.ukdebtconsolidations.co.ukdebt_consolidation_loans.html” style=”text-decoration: none
Credit card consolidation.

A wrong credit card consolidation can have disastrous consequences financially. Beware of predatory lending. It is oft quoted in credit card consolidation ads that your debt is reduced up to 50%. This is not possible. Lowering of monthly payment is of course possible but that should not be the only criteria for deciding on credit card consolidation. Lower monthly payment over a long period of time can extract more money in the form of interest rates. Concentrate on lower interest rate and not primarily on low monthly payments while credit card consolidation.

Credit card consolidation can be with or without collateral. A homeowner consolidation would enable you to get approved for higher amounts. Homeowner consolidation would work competently if you have credit card debts exceeding 5000. And you can even borrow up to 25,000. For lower loan amount unsecured credit card consolidation is ideal.
Discipline is fundamental with credit card consolidation. After credit card consolidation, the outstanding debts are paid. You dont owe as much money; the financial position is in control. So it is easy to make new financial commitments. And there you are again in debt. Well, what does it show? There was no use getting credit card consolidation. Credit card consolidation provides you with a new opening to start anew with money issues. Not finding new credit problems.

If you have more than one credit card and you have used one credit card to pay for another you might have realized that it cant be done without putting an added burden on your debt condition. It is time to rethink the credit card debt and prevent them from becoming an emotional liability. If your debt rather than you start to dominate your everyday expenses then you it is a warning sign. If your personal happiness becomes dependent of your credit card debts then consolidation is the miracle pill for you.

Loan borrowing is like once in a life time decision and much is at stake. It is indeed not a good thing that many people are misguided into taking loans that are not appropriate to their financial situation. This leads to many allied misgivings. As a financial consultant the only driving force of Ann Gibson is to provide proper knowledge. Because knowledge in respect to loan borrowing is power and exudes financial benefits. He works for UK debt consolidation site UK debt consolidations. To find a UK debt consolidation loan, debt management that best suits your need please visit www.ukdebtconsolidations.co.uk” style=”text-decoration: none
http:www.ukdebtconsolidations.co.uk

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