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November 30, 2007

Funny Cats-funny cat video

by @ 10:55 pm. Filed under funny videos



very funny cats

by @ 10:50 pm. Filed under funny videos

Car insurance is

by @ 4:21 pm. Filed under Auto

Car insurance are nowdays applicable on all the types automobiles and also their drivers. Car insurance are designed to only protect you and passengers on road, your car, also other parties, of cover you choose will determine of all protection that you get.  Car insurance are legal  in UK.  Car insurance are very very important  something  drivers must have, but little about what is required on the law. Car Insurance are basic all price you generally pay to protect yourself on highway, your passengers also, and car against unexpected loss. Car insurance are basic calculated  assessing drivers level on the risk, which basic based on the factors such age-sex of driver, also type vehicle and also intended use. shop car insurance are only the way to save money on all car insurance. Car insurance are valid in Canada and the United States. You may also think cheap car insurance are available only chosen few that got safe car driver profiles.

Insurance:

Insurance companies tell from their statistics that are likely to be high risk driver.  Insurance companies nowdays bear expenses you also have paid cover for, which also including that concerned person need not pay penny to repair the car.  Insurance laws criteria vary from all state to state.  Insurance compare car insurance prices in also Australia. Insurance companies are nowdays also checking credit scores of all drivers out there.  Car insurance offering protection of the investment in case accident should happend. Auto insurance rates you basic also get through. Get car insurance need for any city or any of these other cities in Indiana. So Get low cost auto insurance quote now today.

Car:

CAR clubs also where vehicles are hired for little as £3.  Car insurance protects of your investments, your car.  Car insurance is also one of those things, you hate paying for it but it is necessary to have just in case and accident should happend.  car insurance, can easily be clearly.  Car insurance has and will ever become major day–to–day running cost for the all motorists out there.  Car insurance often feels for you like waste of time and also money.  Cars is not even cheap in US or Canada. Don’t waste  money paying high insurance premium, start saving money now on online online quote from Car Insurance.

conclusion:

Car insurance are basic normally available on customers aged 16 - 77. Application process nationwide car insurance are very very convenient.  Let’s face it folks, even with internet, buying car insurance are a true pain. This isn’t always case – sometimes cheapest car insurance are cheap for a one reason, basic means you get what you pay for.

Authors name Sindre. you may reprint this article on your website or blog as long as the authors name and url are intact.

More about car insurance visit www.remort-gage.com 

How Much Car Insurance Should You Buy?

by @ 3:12 pm. Filed under Auto

Car insurance is one of the most dreaded chunks in your budget. And depending on which state you live in, it could be a smaller or larger chunk of your budget than your neighbors across state lines.

How much insurance should you buy? Any insurance agent worthy of their salt will tell you that you should buy as much as you can afford. While this is a good rule of thumb, it’s about as useful as a stock broker’s tip to buy low and sell high. It might be sound logic but it doesn’t get you any closer to an educated decision. There are a few filters that need consideration in order to make that educated decision. First, what is the state required minimum coverage where you live? Second, what does the minimum cover? Third, what other coverage is available and can you afford it? And fourthly, what are you protecting?

What do the minimums cover?

Now that you know what your state requires, what are you actually covered for once you purchase the minimum? Using the coverage definitions that follow, find the types of coverage required and see what your state says is the accepted minimum.

Coverage Definitions

Bodily Injury Liability

Covers other people’s bodily injuries or death for which you are responsible. It also provides for a legal defense if another party in the accident files a lawsuit against you. Claims for bodily injury may be for such things as medical bills, loss of income or pain and suffering. In the event of a serious accident, you want enough insurance to cover a judgment against you in a lawsuit, without jeopardizing your personal assets. Bodily injury liability covers injury to people, not your vehicle. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have the same level of coverage for all of your cars. Bodily Injury Liability does NOT cover you or other people on your policy. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy.

Comprehensive Physical Damage Coverage

Covers your vehicle, and sometimes other vehicles you may be driving for losses resulting from incidents other than collision. For example, comprehensive insurance covers damage to your car if it is stolen; or damaged by flood, fire, or animals. Pays to fix your vehicle less the deductible you choose. To keep your premiums low, select as high a deductible as you feel comfortable paying out of pocket. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy.

Collision Coverage

Covers damage to your car when your car hits, or is hit by, another vehicle, or other object. Pays to fix your vehicle less the deductible you choose. To keep your premiums low, select as large a deductible as you feel comfortable paying out of pocket. For older cars, consider dropping this coverage, since coverage is normally limited to the cash value of your car. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy.

Medical Payments

Covers medical expenses to you and your passengers injured in an accident. There may also be coverage if as a pedestrian a vehicle injures you. Does NOT matter who is at fault. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Covers bodily injuries to you and your passengers when the other person has no insurance or not enough insurance in a crash that is not your fault. In some states, there is also uninsured motorist coverage for damage to your vehicle. Given the large number of uninsured motorists, this is very important coverage to have, even in states with no-fault insurance. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy

Personal Injury Protection Coverage

Covers within the specified limits, the medical, hospital and funeral expenses of the insured, others in his vehicles and pedestrians struck by him. The basic coverage for the insured’s own injuries on a first-party basis, without regard to fault. It is only available in certain states.

Property Damage Liability

Covers you if your car damages someone else’s property. Usually it is their car, but it could be a fence, a house or any other property damaged in an accident. It also provides you with legal defense if another party files a lawsuit against you. It is a good idea to purchase enough of this insurance to cover the amount of damage your car might do to another vehicle or object. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in the policy.

Rental Car Reimbursement

Covers renting a car if your car isn’t drivable or while your car is being repaired because of a covered accident.

What else is available and can you afford it?

Did you come across a coverage and think, “I need that but it isn’t required by state law” when you were reviewing the coverage definitions? Chances are you did. Can your budget afford the additional expense of these protections? Or maybe more to the point; can you afford NOT to have these additional protections? At CarInsurance.com it’s easy to get multiple quotes all with a click of your mouse. And during the quoting process, it’s simple to add or remove coverage to see how additional coverage will affect your budget.

What are you protecting?

What assets need to be protected from being plucked away if you cause injury or damage?

  1. Your car itself. If this is a significant asset, or at least the bank you owe money to thinks so, then you will need comprehensive and collision.
  2. Your net worth. Do you have an enormous net worth to protect. If so, either get it out of your name and into a trust or buy all the insurance you can. If you have little or nothing to protect, then you can get by with less and still be financially responsible.

However, after you determine how much protection to get, always ask how much more it is for the next level higher. Very often, you can get significantly more coverage for very little cost.

Car insurance isn’t flashy. There is no “wow” factor and the opposite gender isn’t going to be impressed by the size of your policy. But not having enough can be the difference between financial stability and financial ruin. For what its worth, CarInsurance.com finds financial stability incredibly appealing.

Visit http://www.carinsurance.com for online auto insurance quotes.

About The Author

Erick Pace is a representative of CarInsurance.com. You can visit CarInsurance.com at http://www.carinsurance.com or contact them at 1-877-327-8728.

CarInsurance.com’s online insurance marketplace gives an opportunity to consumers and to insurance companies. We offer the ability to shop for car insurance online.

Consumers can receive quotes from many insurance companies, in some states you are able to purchase your insurance instantly, online. You don’t have to drive your car to buy car insurance. Buy online…anytime!

CarInsurance.com Is Available At All Dealerships…With Internet Access!!

by @ 3:00 pm. Filed under Auto

You are ready to buy your first car. Researching the right vehicle can be a daunting task. You search for the right type of vehicle you need, the color you want, the type of interior. You have spent countless hours narrowing down the right vehicle for you. You find out what the MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) is by using the following services:

Offline:

  • Consumer Reports Magazine
  • Auto Week Magazine
  • Your local newspaper’s auto section
  • Local dealers

Online:

Now you have the right model in mind. You are ready to purchase a car. You now have a good idea of how much you should spend, how much you are willing to spend.

You go to the dealership and spend hours negotiating a price. After you have agreed to a price, the sales clerk asks do you have insurance. Because this is your first vehicle, the thought never crossed your mind. The sales clerk says you will not be able to drive the car off the lot until you have secured insurance. You get out a phone book and start calling around for insurance quotes. You get several prices and you are instructed that you must come to the insurance agency to fill out paperwork. You must then go back to the dealership and show them your insurance policy. This has been a long and stressful day.

Carinsurance.com is ready to help. How can you get the best deal on auto insurance?

Use carinsurance.com at the dealership and you will be able to purchase insurance and print your proof immediately (in available states). With carinsurance.com, you get to shop around and look for the best deal. Find out if you save with carinsurance.com when you get your auto insurance quote. In addition to great rates and reliable coverage, carinsurance.com offers tools and information to help you understand your auto insurance coverage better.

Whether you are a first time car buyer or a seasoned pro, carinsurance.com offers you the ability to shop for insurance in one easy website. Next time you are stuck at a car dealership, go to a computer, type in carinsurance.com and find the best rate without leaving the store.

November 28, 2007

Mortgaging a House in Orange County

by @ 3:57 pm. Filed under remortgage

Buying a house is probably the biggest financial transaction that you would do in your life time. So why not make that lifetime investment in Orange County? Orange County is a cheerful and very enjoyable place. In Orange County, you can enjoy a cruise on the Hudson river, You can taste fresh wine at wineries or you can just mortgage a house and live in peace. Orange County is also the host to America’s largest sculpture park. So Orange County has all the flavors for making your life delicious. With low interest rates, going for a mortgage seems to make even more sense.So why not mortgage a house in Orange County? Moreover, websites like http://www.estreetloans.com make it just very easy for you to get home mortgage loan offers. Moreover, the offers are processed so fast that you would have them in just 24-48hrs of your request for them. Just analyze the interest rates and compare the various mortgage offers. You can also go for an interest only mortgage, if you prefer. You can use the online mortgage loan calculator (like the one on http://www.estreetloans.com ) to do your mortgage payment calculations. Such sites act as mortgage brokers and help in connecting the mortgage seeker to mortgage lender. Based on the requirement of the mortgage seeker, these sites (or mortgage brokers) evaluate the offers from various mortgage lenders and get across the best offers for you to choose from.

So, technology (internet) makes mortgaging look so easy that you sometimes wonder if all that was happening for real.

About The Author

Manu Goel is Senior editor for Estreetloans.com web articles. Estreetloans.com where consumers can now apply online within minutes for a Mortgage, Refinance, Home Equity and Auto Loans and can have as many as 4 loan offers from leading banks and lenders within 24 hours. http://www.estreetloans.com.

Helpful Tips for Lawsuit Loan Brokers

by @ 3:55 pm. Filed under finance

The world of a lawsuit loan broker is often turbulent due to a cyclical industry, inconsistent litigation financing companies, and the struggle to weigh advertising expenditures vs. the resulting leads. You (litigation broker) must not only survive but must flourish during active times of the year in order to be able to survive the downtimes. First of all, let me quickly define what is a lawsuit loan and a lawsuit loan broker:

Lawsuit loan: A cash advance based upon the merits of a lawsuit that provides a plaintiff with sufficient funding to reach the conclusion of the case when the plaintiff will receive his/her fair share of the settlement or verdict. Lawsuit loans are not based on a plaintiff’s prior credit or bankruptcy status. Lawsuit financing companies give non-recourse funding to plaintiffs thus requiring the plaintiff to pay back the advance and fees/interest only upon a favorable decision in the case. If the case is lost then the cash advance is kept by the plaintiff with no obligation. Therefore, a lawsuit loan is not a true “loan” but rather a pre-settlement cash advance also know as: litigation funding, litigation finance, litigation loan, lawsuit funding, lawsuit cash advance, case loan, case cash advance, plaintiff cash advance, litigant funding, pre-settlement loan, and pre-settlement lending.

Lawsuit loan broker: A person who seeks funding for their client (plaintiff) who is in need of a lawsuit loan. Lawsuit loan brokers are also known as: litigation funding broker, litigation finance broker, litigation loan broker, lawsuit funding broker, lawsuit cash advance broker, case loan broker, case cash advance broker, plaintiff cash advance broker, litigant funding broker, pre-settlement loan broker, and pre-settlement lending broker. There are no barriers to entry so anyone can become a litigation broker.

The following are tips to help you succeed in this challenging industry:

1) Research the industry nuances

The litigation financing industry is a cyclical industry. There is heavy volume during the November and December months as plaintiffs find themselves in need of money to pay for increased utility bills and increased credit card bills due to the upcoming holidays. Then there is a slowdown that starts around the middle of January and continues until April when it levels-off. You should keep this in mind when marketing and advertising because advertising dollars can be spent more wisely if they are spent during certain times of the year.

2) Understand your clients

You must understand plaintiffs’ situations in order to properly help them. These are people who many times have been seriously injured, cannot work, and have mounting bills that they cannot pay. They have already found themselves asking for help in the way of hiring an attorney and bringing suit against another party. Now, they are again asking someone for help since their wait for any settlement money is usually months if not years away. If you understand your clients’ situations then you will be rewarded in terms of helping them find much needed funding but also in the way of future business. The percentage of repeat lawsuit loan applicants is high therefore the chances are good that your client will be calling you again or they will pass your information to a friend who may need your help.

3) Understand your funding sources

You may have a solid rapport with all of your clients (plaintiffs) but how well do you understand the litigation financing companies that you use? Do you know the states and/or case types that litigation financing companies specialize? If not then the lawsuit loan can take days or even weeks longer than it should to get an answer from the funding company. Do you know that some litigation financing companies reserve the right to broker lawsuit loans that you originally sent to them for funding? You should do the following, either research every litigation financing company in the industry (~60 plus) or you should use The Funding Exchange (www.TheFundingExchange.com). The Funding Exchange is the front-end to many of these litigation financing companies and it allows you to submit one lawsuit loan application. The Funding Exchange’s rules engine analyzes the application and it assigns it to the most appropriate litigation financing companies in the industry. The Funding Exchange also allows you to set your own brokerage commission so you are not locked-in to low brokerage commissions.

4) Start with a small advertising budget

The biggest mistake that new lawsuit loan brokers make is that they overspend on advertising immediately. New lawsuit loan brokers are so excited to start in this new industry that they spend big advertising dollars initially and end up spending too much in the wrong places and end up in a hole. Start small and start advertising in different mediums such as: local newspapers, local radio stations, local personal injury attorneys, etc. There is no right or wrong place to advertise but you should definitely start small to see what works and then expand your budget accordingly.

About The Author

Tony Perkins is the founder and president of The Funding Exchange which connects the top lawsuit lending companies in the country to lawsuit loan brokers searching for funding for their clients. The Funding Exchange is not a lawsuit lending company but rather it is an independent 3rd party company that routes a high volume of broker applications every day to its network of lawsuit lending companies.

www.TheFundingExchange.com

The Funding Exchange LLC. Copyright © 2006

November 27, 2007

Why payday loan

by @ 11:56 pm. Filed under loan

Loan:

Loan approvals on this  is offered to  individuals with good money payment history. With online payday loans, you can get cash only if you need  an emergency very quickly.  The payday loan is loan against wage that employed person receive.  With payday loan company, it’s all business, zero emotion. When borrow from friends family, you tax relationship.  Do payday loan places inform customers the total cost of loan.  Well if you recommend never get this loan… never talk about it.  In order help  borrower in taking  loan  sum required money.  Payday loans is short term advances which all recipient should repay quickly and fast. Payday loans is also not so difficult to get.

Payday:

The payday loan stores:  Payday Loan Store. Why the Payday loan Store?. The Payday Loan Company. There is many many thousands of the sites out there who also purport  beeing  payday loan company some form or any another.  Payday Loan Store. Save all trip to payday loan store,  This is basic whole point of all payday loan. payday loan is short term, high risk loan, and are offered to anybody who dont have credit checks. payday loan lenders require only active checking accounts, but some will also offering bank savings account for payday loan users. Online payday loan companies out there offer only the fastest responses quick deposit of all funds. Best Payday Loan:  best payday loan also depends basic on speed, the cost, also customer service. payday loan lenders require you make $2,000 month. payday loan whit bad credits are generally for only small amounts fees and also can vary on $200-$600. Payday Loan shows customers are happy on payday loans.

conclusion:

Wondered why payday loan interest rate are basic higher than banks personal loan?. The truth are and will ever beeing the truth, payday loans dont have interest rate. Payday Loan Benefits: Why payday loan can beeing best for you to meet emergency for money. payday loan can turn to be great blessing for all of you.

Debit Card

by @ 8:23 pm. Filed under debt consolidation

Debit Card

If for any reason you don’t want have a credit card, you want to make sure that you have a debit card. If you have a checking account, in most cases, you will be allowed to get one of these cards. They can be used almost anywhere credit cards are excepted, but they do work in a different way. These cards will only allow you to buy something if you have enough money in your account. If you have problems with credit cards, this might even be a great alternative to stop you from overspending.

A good debit card is one that offers you buyer protection. Though not all of these cards will do this for you, you will want to ask a your bank to see if yours will. The good debit card will offer you the same protection a good credit card will, and you should be able to use it anywhere you buy or spend money. They are especially useful if you want to buy things online, or if you are going out of town were you know no one will accept a check from you.

If your debit card comes with credit protection as an optional feature, make sure you sign up for it. Also remember that your debit card is vulnerable if someone else were to get their hands on it, so if you find that your debit card is missing make sure you contact your bank at once. They will be able to cancel your card and possibly issue you a new one immediately.  In some cases, you will not be liable for fraudulent charges made against your account while your card was out of your hands. However you must act fast if you find it missing or there may be nothing the bank can do.

As with a credit card, make sure you have a secure server when you are using your debit card online. Also remember that there are scam e-mails that will ask you to enter your debit card information under false pretenses. If you receive an e-mail from your bank asking you to go to a web site to enter your information, you should delete the e-mail once and contact your bank. Your bank will never asked you for this information online. If you enter your information on one of these fraudulent sites, you have just given criminals the keys to your bank account. If you are ever in doubt call your bank over the phone. If there is a problem, they will address it with you then.

debt to income ratio

by @ 8:16 pm. Filed under debt consolidation

 Money is a funny thing. It seems to be concrete but it is not. Most people know about fluctuating rates of exchange and interest, but that’s not what I’m talking about. What I mean is that the amount of money that you have is affected by the attention they pay to it. If you ignore your money and don’t think about your purchases, it will be gone very quickly. You might not seem to be spending that much. You might not come home with any major items. Nonetheless, whether you buy a new TV, or you fritter it away one small thing at a time, it will all disappear before you know it.

Until I looked at a debt to income ratio, I had no idea that I had been continually plummeting into debt for the last several years. The thought never crossed my mind. I have gotten a home improvement loan, I had spent thousands of dollars on a state-of-the-art home entertainment system, I had taken a few expensive vacations, and put one kid through college. I knew that I was making debt payments that were higher than I wanted, but I had no idea how far it had gone.

If I hadn’t looked at that income to debt ratio, I never would’ve really realized it. On the surface, it seemed like I was still making enough money to live the good life, but the debt to income ratio showed me the truth. The truth was that my debt to income ratio had grown so dramatically in the last few years that I no longer had the money to support my lifestyle. I needed to eliminate some of that debt!

It took me hours to put all the numbers into a debt consolidation calculator. I had never calculated debt to income ratios before. When I did, however, I was both shocked and relieved. I was shocked to see further confirmation of my high debt to income ratio, but I was relieved to find out that it was possible to dig my way out of debt. All was not lost. My financial future was still salvageable. I got a debt consolidation mortgage loan, decreased the amount of money that I spent on entertainment, and shifted my priorities around. By the time I was done, I had a plan that would shift my debt to income ratio within 18 months. I have not been in serious debt since them. I have learned to keep an eye on my debt to income ratio.

About author Sindre.

More about debt visit www.remort-gage.com 

you can republish this article on your website or blog as the long as the following url are intact and authors name. 

30 year mortgage

by @ 7:49 pm. Filed under remortgage

Many homebuyers are in a tough position when it comes to choosing between a 30 year mortgage and a 15 year mortgage. While we all know that you will save a bundle in interest if you choose a home loan that has a shorter duration, we also know that this can cost a lot more out of our pockets each month. After making some considerations many of us choose a 30 year mortgage for our homes.

This may come as a surprise but you can save about 100 thousand dollars over the course of your mortgage if you opt for a 15 year loan. This is on a 100 thousand dollar loan. I was shocked to discover that the interest paid over 15 years was 64,000 dollars in comparison to 164,000 dollars for a 30 year mortgage.

Why on earth would anyone want to spend an extra 100 thousand dollars on their home? The answer is simple. People who choose a 30 year mortgage want to make sure that they can meet their monthly obligation to the lender each month. If you choose a shorter life for your loan you will have higher monthly payments.

Choosing a 30 year mortgage is a great option for anyone who likes to have control over his finances. What I mean by this is that the person owing on the home loan can put extra money in his monthly payment each month. This will help to reduce the amount of the debt over time. With the 30 year mortgage payment the family is also able to pay the minimum amount due each month.

When we first met with our loan officer we thought that we had our payments all figured out. We decided that a shorter loan that cost less in interest would be the best approach. However, after discussing the options with a professional, we opted for a 30 year mortgage instead. This was a great decision.

Our family’s situation has changed since we bought our home. We have less income than we did at the time that we purchased the house. The 30 year mortgage costs a couple hundred dollars less each month than the 15 year home loan would have. We are in a position to put extra on our monthly payments if we can and we are also not struggling to make our minimum payment each month.

While a 15 year plan seems ideal to some many families are far more comfortable with the 30 year mortgage. The best way to determine which is best for you may be to consult a professional.
 

Consider Different Reverse Mortgage Options

by @ 4:24 pm. Filed under remortgage

There are many different reverse mortgage options: single purpose reverse mortgages, federally insured reverse mortgages, and proprietary (private sector) reverse mortgages. Each option has different pros and cons that need to be considered when looking into taken out a reverse mortgage.

Single-Purpose Reverse Mortgages A single purpose reverse mortgage is the lowest-cost type of reverse mortgages to obtain, but as the name indicates it can only be used for one specified purpose. They are typically offered by state or local government agencies. These loans a great for individuals who need cash for a specific purpose like paying property taxes or fixing up there homes. Here are descriptions for several different types of single purpose reverse mortgages:

Property tax deferral (PTD) mortgages are reverse mortgages that provide loan advances for paying property taxes. Deferred payment loans (DPLs) are reverse mortgages providing lump sum disbursements for repairing or improving homes. Federally Insured Reverse Mortgages A federally insured reverse mortgage is the only reverse mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). These reverse mortgage are one of the lowest-cost multipurpose reverse mortgages currently available. Overall they typically provide the largest total cash benefits of all the reverse mortgage options. The proceeds from a federally insured reverse mortgage can be used for any purpose. These loans are also known as Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs).

This way you pay off your mortgage as soon as possible. Sound good to me,right?Well,much to my suprise,this company claims that is exactly what we should NOT be doing!On the contrary,their idea is one which is echoed by New York Times Best Selling author of “The New Rules Of Money”,Rick Edelman,who says,”You should get a big,30 year mortgage and never pay it off.”Edelman and GEL put rules forth which read like this: 1.Never send extra money to your mortgage 2.Stay away from bi-weekly plans. 3.Make the smallest payment with the biggest tax break. 4.Putting extra money toward your mortgage is like putting it under the matress. To back up his claim,Edelman offers five distinct reasons why you should carry a long loan: 1.Mortgages don’t lower your homes value.Your home will grow in value whether or not you Proprietary Reverse Mortgages A proprietary reverse mortgage is a mortgage product owned by a private company. These type of loans are more expensive then the other reverse mortgage types and should be approached with caution. Anyone looking into these type loans should get a comparison with a similiar HECM. One benefit of proprietary reverse mortgages are the higher home value limits. So, if you live in a home that is worth a lot more than the average home value in your county, a proprietary loan may give you greater loan advances than a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM). As with any financial decision, you should get professional help to help you decide which option is best for your situation. Reverse mortgage counselors can help you evaluate each of your options and help you make an informed decision.

About The Author
Charles Kirkendall writes about reverse mortgages and other senior financial issues. Visit http://www.reverse.settle-today.com or http://reverseannuity.blogspot.com for more information and resources.

Seeding Flowers Indoors: An Inexpensive Way to a Beautiful Summer Garden

by @ 4:13 pm. Filed under home improvment

Every year you plan that THIS will be the year you have pots and pots of lush plants on your balcony or deck. Then you visit your local nursery in the spring and reality hits -– the cost for your fantasy is just outrageous! Sound familiar?

But you can have the planters of your dreams at a fraction of the cost and with a choice of varieties far beyond what the local garden center offers. How? Start your own flower seeds now.

If you’ve never grown from seeds indoors before, it’s best to begin with just a few types. Easy starters: Trailing lobelia and petunias make a bright and simple garden for sunny spots. Licorice plant and dwarf nasturtiums are also attractive.

Once you’ve decided on your plants, you must know two things to determine when the seeds should be started: the last frost date for your area, and the time required before transplanting.

  • The last frost date is the date beyond which there is a low chance (usually about 10%) of temperatures at or below the freezing mark. This is important because many traditional plants for hanging baskets are tender, that is, they will not survive when frozen. You may already know what the frost date is for your area. If not ask gardening neighbors or your local gardening center. If you are in the USA, visit http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/documentlibrary/freezefrost/Spring32F_hires.jpg for information from the national Climatic Data Center.
  • The time required before transplanting is different for each type of flower. You’ll see this listed in seed catalogs or on the seed packet. For example, a packet might tell you to “start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost date.” Some seeds such as nasturtiums, zinnias, or cosmos may be sown directly outside but if you have to wait after the danger of a frost has passed, you may want to get a jump on spring by starting those inside too.Licorice plants and geraniums need 12 weeks to sprout from seed. So if my last frost date is May 15th, I’ll want to start them around the last week of February. Petunias, impatiens and lobelia require 10-12 weeks, so I would start them around the first of March. Morning glories, which make a beautiful privacy fence from a plain piece of latticework, need six weeks from start to transplant, but can’t be put outside until two weeks after the last frost date. This would mean starting them indoors about mid-April. I’d start nasturtiums and zinnias about then too.

    Your goal is to promote germination (with heat and water) and seedling growth (with light) while preventing your seedlings’ chief enemy, “damping-off” (with air circulation and proper drainage). Here are some tips for successful seed growing.

  • Use plastic containers, about 2” deep, fairly wide and with multiple drainage holes. Growers’ cell packs are ideal but you can also use yogurt or cottage cheese containers as long as you sanitize them with a mild bleach solution (one part bleach to nine parts water) for 15 minutes and then punch several holes in the bottoms.
  • Use commercial seed-starting mix. It’s sterilized and contains the necessary food to aid germination. You might also want to try using a product specially formulated to prevent damping-off.
  • Plant seeds sparingly. You’ll have to thin them anyway. Some growers plant only two seeds per cell pot. If you’re planting in flat trays, place seeds 1/2” to 1” (1 to 2.5 cm) apart, depending on the seed size, and space the rows 1 1/2” to 2” (3-5 cm) apart. Make a depression in the soil with your finger or a pencil and plant the seed about three times as deep as its diameter. If the packet says the seed requires light to germinate, then put it just on the surface of the soil.
  • Set the containers in a water-filled tray. This allows the pots to draw water from the bottom without disturbing the seeds. Cover tray and pots with plastic to help hold moisture and heat.
  • Place the entire set-up on a heat source between 75 - 85° F (24 - 29° C). Although a heat mat designed for this purpose is ideal, you can also use the top of a fridge, or a spot near a radiator or space heater.
  • Once the seeds have germinated, remove the plastic and put the pots (with the water tray) near a light source at a reduced temperature. Good light is crucial at this point to ensure good growth. Fluorescent shop lights within a few inches of the tops of the seedlings are perfectly suited. You can also try a sunny south window but ideally the light should be on the plants for 16 hours out of each 24-hour period. In my climate, we just don’t have 16 hours of daylight this time of year! Seedlings respond best to daytime temperatures of 60 - 70° F (16 - 21°C) and night temperatures of 50 - 60° F (10 - 16°C).
  • Here’s where it becomes critical to prevent damping-off. One way to do this is to let an electric fan blow gently across the surface of the soil during daylight hours. There are also specially formulated products on the market that can be applied to the surface of the soil when you are planting seeds that will help stop damping-off from developing.
  • When the seedlings have developed their first set of true leaves (not the round little germination leaves), pull all but one plant per cell. It’s hard, I know, to pull up living plants but it’s necessary to prevent overcrowding that will kill all of them.
  • When the seedlings have developed their second set of true leaves, start watering them (from the bottom) with fertilizer diluted to quarter strength.
  • A week or 10 days before you plan to plant them outside, start “hardening off” the tender seedlings. Stop fertilizing, and cut the amount of water in half. If possible, keep them in a cooler space inside and start introducing them to the direct sun and fluctuating temperatures of the outdoors. Begin by setting the trays outside for an hour in the mid-morning or mid-afternoon ad gradually lengthen the time to several hours. Don’t put them out in heavy rain or cold, strong wind and be sure to bring them indoors at night.

Follow these steps and you’ll have a bounty of young, strong plants to fill your hanging baskets and pots. This year, you’ll have the planters of your dreams!

About The Author

Debbie Rodgers owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Visit her on the web at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on “Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space”. Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com
debbie@paradiseporch.com

How To Successfully Apply For A Home Loan

by @ 4:00 pm. Filed under Home Loans

Home Loan Tip #1 Pay your bills on time

Mortgage lenders review your payment history when assessing whether you are responsible and worthwhile risk, so it is important that both pay your bills on time, and never skip any payments. A lengthy and regular payment history, coupled with all your debts being paid up to date is essential to support any home loan application.

Home Loan Tip #2 Continuous employment history

Mortgage lending criteria includes a review of your employment history, and it is generally accepted that two years continuous employment in the same (or similar) job will reflect favourably on your application. So, if you want to buy a house but are considering changing jobs after 18 months, it’s a good idea to

wait until your loan is approved before you change your circumstances. Once the home loan has been approved, the world is your oyster once again.

Home Loan Tip #3 Pay off your debts

Another criterion of mortgage lenders is your debt to income ratio. Lenders have a tendency to favour responsible individuals who have made a concerted effort to lower their debt levels, so make sure you pay off as many debts as possible prior to making your home loan application.

Home Loan Tip #4 Start saving

All lenders like to see money in your bank account before giving you theirs. Before you apply for your home loan, it is preferable to ensure you have at least 20% deposit, and sufficient funds available to cover several monthly payments should you experience financial difficulty. Proof of savings is an important start to improving the chance of home loan approval.

About The Author

Jay Moncliff is the founder of http://www.fast-loansonline.com a website specialized on home equity loan rate, resources and articles. This site provides updated information on home equity loan rate. For more info on home equity loan rate visit: http://www.fast-loansonline.com.

A Little Giant for Home Improvements

by @ 3:53 pm. Filed under home improvment

It has been estimated that 16 in every 1000 households undertake a major home improvement project each year. In 2001 alone, an estimated 13.6 billion was advanced in personal loans for home improvements, making it the third most popular reason for taking out loans. Unfortunately, while the numbers of residents looking to renovate, remodel, and improve their homes continues to increase, so does the number of accidents and injuries associated with those improvements.

It is vital to use all tools and equipment safely when carrying out home improvement projects, including both interior and exterior projects. Whether it’s a simple quick-fix or a major undertaking, using trustworthy tools and equipment is imperative for your safety and security. Little Giant Ladders creates all of their ladders and accessories with your safety in mind, which is seen in their complete compliance with OSHA ANSI A14.2 standards. Nothing is more important than trusting the equipment you are using, and with Little Giant you are guaranteed to feel completely safe while performing home improvement projects even while facing the following challenges.

Weight Capacity

When using any ladder, from a step ladder to an extension ladder, it is important to ensure that it is not being loaded beyond the weight capacity specified by the manufacturer. Little Giant Ladders are government-rated to hold up to 375 pounds but have survived stress testing of up to 1200 pounds with absolutely no structural failure. The incredible strength of each Little Giant Ladder is attributed to its make-up material, heavy wall, 6005-T5 aluminum, the very same material used in aerospace construction. Before using any ladder, make it a point to always check the weight limit. It is also important to note that the load capacity includes the weight of the person in addition to the weight of any materials they may be carrying.

Uneven Surface

When trying to get to those difficult areas located above an uneven surface, such as a staircase, it sometimes seems impossible to reach especially because traditional ladders are only built for use on stable and level surfaces. The Little Giant ladder is more than just another traditional ladder—it’s 24 ladders in one unique design. The Little Giant ladder is able to convert into a staircase ladder. Because each ladder is adjustable in one-foot increments, one side of the ladder is able to lengthen or shorten while the other side remains untouched. This allows for safe and secure use on stairs, curbs, or any other uneven surface.

Little Giant also produces an accessory called the Little Giant Leg Leveler which is an extra appendage that easily attaches to the ladder’s leg to provide better balance when working on unequal grounds. This ladder leveler is a safe and stable solution as it meets the same standards as each Little Giant ladder.

Working Freely

A challenge that several homeowners face is not having the needed space to set tools and equipment while positioned atop a ladder. This problem is especially apparent when painting high surfaces and you constantly have to climb up and down to refill the roller. Not only is it burdensome, but it’s also dangerous to climb up and down a ladder while carry an object. Little Giant has created a movable work platform that is rated to hold up to an incredible 300 pounds. This is sure to hold any tools or equipment you need – from paint to people. Not only will this platform give you space for your tools atop the ladder but it will keep you safe as you will no longer have to climb the ladder while carrying objects. Additionally, its unique design enables it to easily click into place when needed or to tuck away.

About The Author

Amber Sell is a Web Content Specialist for 10x Marketing — More Visitors, More buyers, More revenue. For more information about Little Giant, visit Little Giant Ladder today.

ahook@10xmarketing.com

Weight Loss Success Results from Finding the Right Balance of Calories and Exercise

by @ 3:32 pm. Filed under health

Weight loss is not just about changing what you eat, it’s also about adding more exercise activities during your week.

We need to change our eating habits, to stop eating the junk foods and highly processed foods and replace them with good, healthy foods. You need to eat foods that supply you with all the nutrients that are required to keep our bodies healthy.

Before making any changes, I recommend that you start a food and activity journal. In this, you not only write down what you eat, but where, when, and what you were feeling at the time. This will help you will see what triggers your hunger and what satisfies your appetite. What foods do you routinely shop for? What snacks do you keep in the pantry?

Once you start to see patterns in your journal, you’re ready to start taking action. But keep in mind that deciding to reduce the calories, fat, saturated fat, and sugar in your diet is a big step, and trying to do that at the same time you endeavour to make a drastic change in your physical activity level, may be biting off too much change at one time. Which, sadly, can set you up for failure. Instead of trying to make all the changes at once, I recommend that you set smaller, more realistic goals for yourself and plan to add in a new challenge each week.

Don’t plan to starve yourself, either. This won’t help you lose weight. It’s much better to eat small, regular meals five or six times a day, so that the body never feels threatened and tempted to hold on to its fat stores. Eating regular meals also helps to maintain your blood sugar at a constant level so that you don’t start craving sugary food when your blood sugar levels drop.

Adding fibre to your diet — such as whole grain cereals, legumes (lentils and beans), vegetables, and fruits — can help you feel full with fewer calories.

Another great tip: Prepare your meals and snacks at home. This is a great way to save money, eat healthy, and spend time with your family. When preparing meals, choose low-fat/low-calorie versions of your favorite foods.

Snacks can comprise simple of a piece of fresh fruit, cut raw vegetables, or a container of low-fat yogurt. These are portable and an excellent choice to tide you over until mealtimes. Take these snacks with you for a healthy alternative to chips, cookies, or candy.

As I mentioned earlier, weight loss success also requires that you increase your physical activity. Aim for at least 30 minutes (adults) or 60 minutes (children) of moderate intensity activity for at least three or more days a week. If you are just starting to be physically active, remember that even small increases provide health benefits. Check with your physician first, and then start with a few minutes of activity a day and gradually increase, working your way up to 30 minutes. If you already achieve 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a day, you can gain even more health benefits by increasing the amount of time that you are physically active or by taking part in more vigorous-intensity activities.

The balance of calories consumed against your activity level will either cause weight loss or gain. The more calories you eat, the more physical you need to be. For example for every 100 calories you consume and not burn a day, you will gain about 1 pound in a month. That’s about 10 pounds in a year. The bottom line is that to lose weight, you must reduce your calories and increase your physical activity.

Diabetes: The $132 Billion Dollar Pandemic

by @ 3:29 pm. Filed under health

You know, it’s not everyday a fellow like me gets to announce a major paradigm shift, much less concerning diabetes …or any other medical condition.

You don’t know what a paradigm shift is? Well, if I mentioned events and names like: Gutenberg, Copernicus, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Louis Pasteur, and Werner von Braun …you would probably guess a paradigm shift is major shift in thinking…and you would be right.

Back in the 1960’s, Thomas Kuhn wrote a famous book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. In it, he destroyed the common misconception so many of us have about science.

We tend to think scientific progress is ushered in by a slow, line upon line, piece by piece development of thought over time.

Thomas Kuhn showed that, historically, scientific progress occurs in leaps …and is always confronted by a struggle with an “old guard.” The old scientific theorists hold tenaciously to their (usually tenured or profitable) positions and array themselves against the new discovery, attempting to drive it away.

But, the new guard – the new discoverers, inventors, explorers– takes the new discoveries and advances it over the thinking of the old establishment. Rarely is the old guard converted to the new patterns of thinking (new discovery). They just die off. The new position wins by attrition …truth…and perseverance.

Diabetes: The $132 billion dollar pandemic

Diabetes is on the front edge of such a paradigm shift.

Diabetes afflicts over 18 million Americans. That is double the number of people with diabetes just since 1991 alone.

According to the CDC, one in every three Americans will develop diabetes in their life*time. Let that sink in…one in every three Americans will develop diabetes in their life*time.

It is estimated over 40 million Americans can be classified as “pre-diabetes” meaning they have blood sugar levels higher than normal but still below the type 2 diagnosis level which helps to define diabetes.

By anyone’s standard that is pandemic (goes far beyond epidemic proportions). The cost for this carnage is over $132 BILLION DOLLARS. So much expense, grief and sorrow…and unnecessary.

Diabetes: A reflection of our culture.

We are a fast food, sedentary, “get-our-fix-now” generation. More than one in every two Americans are overweight. We don’t exercise as we should. All of which affects glucose levels. Diabetes is a lifestyle disease…and we’ve got the lifestyle.

Diabetes: The important announcement

That said, diabetes is a condition which CAN be turned around. Glyconutrition is the new discovery shaking the medical and scientific worlds. There are four Nobel Prizes and MIT testifying to the fact that glycobiology is one of the 10 technologies/discoveries which will shape our world.

Glyconutrition is more than just a promising new treatment for diabetes. Many are starting to whisper “VICTORY” over diabetes in their approach to disease.

Whether that is the case, time will tell.

Oh no… The problem is not a failure of glyconutrition. It is the building block VITAL to healthy cell*ular function and it is extremely vital to the proper functioning of the IMMUNE system. Those are known facts.

Diabetes is an auto-immune disease meaning, your body’s immune system gets misguided messages. Thus, it starts attacking the islet cells in the pancreas which produces insulin. Voila…diabetes!

But, the problem is NOT whether glyconutrition really works. Anecdotal evidence (market buzz!) is already overwhelming in favor of glyconutritional therapy for diabetes. As is the professional research.

No…the actual science is NOT the problem. The problem is the old guard again. Thomas Kuhn’s book is almost prophetic. The old guard, the medical and pharmaceutical establishment, just can’t accept the findings of (their own) research… “What! A nutrient… to treat diabetes?” “Hogwash,” one can almost hear them say.

Actually, I wish they were saying that out loud. The reality is, they just ignore the issue. You see, too much is at stake. Like billions of dollars…uh…a $132 billion dollars. All of that mon*ey (read, “business”) disappears if glyconutrition continues to “pan out” the way the research shows us. But, for no^w, the only thing “panning out” is a diabetes pandemic.

Yet, glyconutrition gets shunned as an official diabetes treatment approach.

A study published in the 1997 issue of the Proceedings of the Fisher Institute for Medical Research showed that people with type 1 diabetes who were given glyconutrients “…reported a dramatic improvement in their health, including a decrease in vision problems, better wound healing, less infections, and lower blood pressure.” (Miracle Sugars, by Rita Elkins, M.H., Woodland Publishing, p. 26)

“Glycobiology has achieved critical breakthroughs in the medical field, primarily by addressing what could be the greatest plague in health care today — auto-immune diseases. Multiple sclerosis, arthritis, diabetes, Crohn’s disease and colitis are just a few of these diseases.” - Dr. Neecie Moore, Ph.D. (cf. Rita Elkins, M.H.

Miracle Sugars, Woodland Publishing, p. 18.)

Also, mannose (one glyconutrient) can stimulate the pancreas to produce more insulin “…thus lowering the amount of insulin needed to control this disease.” (Miracle Sugars, p. 27).

Reality Check: The lives of 1 out of every 3 Americans are affected directly by diabetes and there is a $132 billion dollar diabetes pandemic running amuck in our midst. So, I sure hope this paradigm shift - glyconutrition - gets less opposition from the “powers that be” (the “old guard”), and is given its rightful place in the sun…soon.

But, with the mon^ey being made by the pharmaceuticals and their drugs, and the astoundingly simplistic view of disease treatment (“Blast that disease with technology and drugs!”) it is doubtful if Thomas Kuhn’s “paradigm shift” will work out any differently for diabetes across the land.

The old guard will attack and ignore the discovery — arguably, the greatest in medical history in over a hundred years — and, a la Kuhn, they will simply go the way of the Dodo Bird and diabetes treatment will receive its due.

About The Author

Dr. Robert Gamble is retired from a very successful medical/surgical career. His articles are designed to encourage people about the exciting discoveries surrounding glyconutrition. Visit www.glycoshare.com or write sharethegift@glycoshare.com or…

call toll free: 1866.735.5871

Eating Carbs Actually Leads to Weight Loss and Health

by @ 3:25 pm. Filed under health

Carbohydrates are the single most important food you can eat.

That statement probably goes against everything you’ve ever heard, so let me explain.

If you don’t believe me, take this little test. Think of a carb!

If you’re like most Americans, bread, pasta, soft drinks, French fries, sugar, and similar foods probably flew into your mind. Yes, these foods are carbs — highly processed and refined ones.

And if these are the kinds of carbs you consume on a regular basis, let me warn you, (unless you regularly run marathons), you’re most likely either overweight or heading down the road to weight gain.

You may like them, you may consider them “comfort foods,” you may think that they couldn’t be so bad since they are so predominant in our current diet. But the biological bottom line is that human beings have not evolved to metabolize these types of carbohydrates.

They slow down your metabolism and contribute to every one of the major diseases associated with aging including diabetes, heart disease, dementia and cancer.

In most, cases they are also “empty” calorie foods-the worst possible combination — high caloric foods, low in nutrients. They deprive you of vital nutrients as well as burden your body with the task of digesting food molecules that aren’t giving you anything you need.

Eating them (especially in excess) is a prescription for weight gain. But they’re not the end of the carb story. If you’re like most people, you may not realize that the wide world of carbs is actually much, much bigger than this limited crowd of processed carbs.

In contrast, natural carbohydrates, which come to your table just like Mother Nature made them, contain many essential nutrients and specialized chemicals that turn up your metabolism via newly discovered plant chemicals call phytonutrients.

So you have a choice: use phytonutrients to spark your metabolism into action, or drown your metabolism with indigestible nutrient-poor carbs.

Our genetic nutritional template goes back 20,000 years. Our ancestors foraged for wild food, like wild berries, grasses, roots, and mushrooms to find life-giving phytonutrients that all humans are designed by nature to eat.

On a recent vacation I found myself in a sea of phytonutrients in the wild islands of Southeast Alaska. I was foraging along with the grizzly bears for bog cranberries, blueberries, nagoonberries, raspberries, and strawberries. These scrumptious berries, bursting with phytonutrients, were smaller, richer in color and taste, (and lower in sugar) than their domestic berry cousins.

Here’s a tip: The greater variety and the deeper the color of plant foods you eat, the higher their concentration of phytonutrients. The key is to learn which phytonutrient-dense foods can prevent disease and promote weight loss.

Want phytonutrient power?

Here ’s a small sample of the many superfoods that contain these powerful phytonutrients: isoflavones in soy foods, lignans in flax seeds, catechins in green tea, polyphenols in cocoa (yes, chocolate!), glucosinolates in broccoli, carnosol in rosemary, and resveratrol in red wine.

And there are hundreds more that can help you unlock the secret to natural weight loss. All of these compounds — and dozens more — will help you fight disease and obesity. These special compounds literally communicate with your genes and turn on messages of health and weight loss. They are key to the success people experience in losing weight on a program I’ve developed during my 20-years practicing medicine, called UltraMetabolism.

Before you reach for that Cinnabon, know that phytonutrients only occur in whole, unrefined, unprocessed plant foods. All vegetables (and many fruits) score high in phytonutrients, while processed carbs, like bread and pasta, have virtually none.

Here’s a shorthand to distinguish between the metabolism boosters and the processed carbs that will only weigh you down:

Anything that has been packaged or put through a machine is processed (like a potato chip). Anything that comes right out of the earth is natural (like a plum).

Don’t let all the terminology — high fat, low-fat, high-carb, low-carb, high glycemic index, low glycemic index, complex carbs and simple carbs — confuse you. The key is eating whole, real, unprocessed, food found as close to nature as possible. Now you know why your grandmother always told you to eat your vegetables!

Folk wisdom passed down the generations showed how to give the body what it needs. In the early twenty-first century, that wisdom is being confirmed in the research of leading edge scientists. So you can follow these recommendations I offer with total confidence that the latest medical science backs them up.

This new science reveals why you should never do what some ill-advised diets suggest: cut out all carbs. Not a good idea-because you also cut out all the phytonutrients (and the fiber) that only comes from whole plant foods.

Along with their obesity fighting chemicals, vitamins, and minerals to accelerate your metabolism, most whole carbohydrates are filled with healthy plant fiber to slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream.

And for super fast weight loss, you’ll want to eat some special “super” fiber foods which I use as my secret weapon with many patients who have had difficulty losing weight. Once you incorporate them into your diet, you’ll feel full, experience steady energy, and will never be tempted to overeat.

Here’s a guarantee: If you’ve been consuming highly processed foods such as sodas, chips, and crackers, and you decide to boost your intake of those powerful phytonutrients that I’ve reviewed, you’ll be taking the first step towards re-programming your body for automatic weight loss and health.

My dirty little secret as a doctor is that I never treat anybody specifically to lose weight; I simply help them become healthy using these and other techniques and the weight automatically comes off.

So remember, eat your carbs, but make them the right carbs!

Copyright 2006 Mark Hyman MD

About The Author

Mark Hyman, M.D. is a NY Times bestselling author, lecturer, and practicing physician. Discover how you can program your body to automatically lose weight and find out what special super fiber can help by grabbing an exclusive sneak preview of UltraMetabolism at http://www.ultrametabolism.com/article5.

common Mistakes Motorcycle Buyers Make When Looking For A Motorcycle Loan

by @ 3:20 pm. Filed under Auto

Whether interest rates are high or low or it’s the end of a model year with lots of incentives, motorcycle buyers tend to make the same mistakes when shopping for a motorcycle loan. Here are four common mistakes motorcycle buyers make with motorcycle loans.

Shopping for a motorcycle before shopping for a motorcycle loan.

Many motorcycle buyers enter the showroom looking for a motorcycle before they determine how much money a motorcycle lender is willing to loan to them for the purchase of a motorcycle. There is no need to shop for a $20,000 Harley Davidson motorcycle, if a lender is only willing to provide a loan amount of $10,000.

Additionally, once motorcycle buyers enter the showroom slick salespeople often pressure them into motorcycle loans with much higher internet rates than they could have gotten had they shopped for a motorcycle loan at a bank, credit union or online. Salespeople do not like motorcycle buyers to leave the dealership to get a motorcycle loan. In the salespersons mind this only increases the chance of loosing a sale and commission. Therefore, salespeople frequently try for a quick sale which normally results in pushing motorcycle buyers to get motorcycle financing at the dealership.

The bottom-line is that it is always best to shop for a motorcycle loan before entering the showroom.

Diving into the unknown motorcycle loan.

Motorcycle buyers often jump into motorcycle loans that they do not completely understand or may not be the best alternative for them. For instance, in today’s age manufacturers frequently run credit card motorcycle loan promotions on their private-label credit cards. But these promotions typically offer a low interest rate for a short term like 12 or 24 months and have a much higher interest rate after the short promotional term. On a credit card promotion if motorcycle buyers can not afford to pay off the loan during the short promotion period, then they are typically better taking a slightly higher interest rate on an installment motorcycle loan for a longer term.

Borrowing too much.

The most common mistake the first time motorcycle buyer makes in not having a clear sense of how much motorcycle they can afford. This is especially true for young motorcycle buyers who look to buy the top sport bikes that cost up to $10,000 - $15,000. What they fail to realize is that financing a $10,000 - $15,000 motorcycle can stretch them to thin, resulting in them having little cash to enjoy themselves and the motorcycling lifestyle. They may also have too little cash to pay for insurance, maintenance, registration or new accessories for their motorcycle.

Not asking the right questions.

The first warning sign that motorcycle buyers should see is that if they do not understand the type of motorcycle loan, then they should be sure to ask a lot of questions.

Here are some good questions to ask:

  • Is the interest rate fixed or variable? If fixed how long will it be fixed for?
  • Are there circumstances that can make the interest rate on the motorcycle loan change in the future?
  • What happens if a payment is 30 days late? Does the interest rate increase?
  • What happens if a payment is 60 days late? Does the interest rate increase?
  • How long is the term on the motorcycle loan?
  • If the loan is an installment loan, does it use rule of 78 or simple interest? (Simple interest is always better because it does not penalize the motorcycle buyer if the loan is paid off early.)
  • What is the down payment requirement to get the motorcycle loan?
  • Is full coverage insurance required?
  • How much is registration and are these fees included in the motorcycle loan?
  • Are there any administrative fees to get the motorcycle loan and if so how much are the fees?

Overall, motorcycle buyers can avoid these common mistakes by spending a little extra time focusing on shopping for a motorcycle loan and asking lots of questions.

Copyright (c) 2004, by Jay Fran

This article may be freely distributed as long as the copyright, author’s information and an active live link to http://www.motorcycle-financing-guide.com is published with the article.

A complimentary copy of any newsletter or a link to the site where the article is posted is greatly appreciated.

About The Author

Jay Fran is a successful author and publisher at http://www.motorcycle-financing-guide.com. A comprehensive resource on how to have the best experience and get the best deal on motorcycle financing, bad credit motorcycle loans, high risk motorcycle loans and motorcycle buying.

Buying A Pre-Owned Automobile

by @ 3:10 pm. Filed under Auto

Purchasing a Pre-owned Automobile can be nerve racking for consumers. There are a number of concerns toward the integrity of the Automobile. In addition, it is difficult to compare the appearance and condition of a used car to the asking price. With some simple steps, a consumer can make a pre-owned purchase simple and know they are obtaining the vehicle for a reasonable price.

Understand the Sellers Mindset – Why is the Car for Sale?

Probably the most important factor to consider is the reason a vehicle is for sale. Factors of the owners life may have lead him or her to require a new vehicle. For example, their children may become involved in sports or a new child may have been introduced to the family. Reasons like this are good to hear. They indicate that the seller probably would have kept the car and was satisfied with the reliability and comforts offered.

In contrast, if the seller simply became sickened by the vehicle and upgraded, take a look at what they are driving now. Did they upgrade to a newer model of the same vehicle? If so, it is evident that they where pleased with the vehicle that was for sale. Otherwise, the vehicle may become a headache. If the seller purchased a different make and model, ask about the newer car. Their response will indicate what was important to them at the time they purchased the vehicle. These elements of importance are good indicators of things they disliked in the vehicle for sale. Therefore, if a hint of reliability is muttered, the vehicle for sale could be a, “lemon”.

What has been done to the Vehicle for sale?

Ask for receipts in advance. To learn what was done to a vehicle, receipts are fairly important and provide good proof along with the date service occurred. Ask for receipts in advance. The seller may have to dig through documents to find receipts for service and parts. Because of this, asking when viewing a vehicle may not be a wise choice. In contrast, if the seller knows in advance, he or she will have time to find all the related receipts.

Analyze the modifications that had been done. Did the owner install components that increase the fuel mileage? The vehicle may have been a financial burden. Did the owner install performance enhancing parts? The vehicle may have lacked power or did not perform satisfactorily. Did the owner install factory parts? This is a good indicator that the owner was satisfied with the vehicle and the parts proved reliable to him or her.

Modifications to a vehicle will usually prove to be unsatisfactory. Keep in mind, before a vehicle is manufactured, auto makers spend thousands of dollars in engineering the vehicle. They are primarily concerned with ergonomics, performance, and safety. These engineers found the stock tire created the perfect wheel for the vehicle, the exhaust system proved safe and provided the best engine performance, and the external engine components offered economical benefits without robbing motor performance. In most cases, modified parts are throwing away all the money spent on research and engineering in a vehicle. Unless there is a purpose other than what the vehicle was designed, racing or carrying heavy loads, it is a wise choice to look for stock parts.

What is the appearance of the Vehicle?

One of the best ways to judge a vehicle is by the appearance. A clean and neat interior is a good sign that person was happy with a vehicle. In contrast, a poorly maintained interior may indicate that the vehicle was neglected. Did the owner ensure the carpet was preserved by using mats? Are there any burn wholes in the upholstery? Did they clean spills in the vehicle or let them become stains in the carpeting? Neglect on the inside is commonly believed to provide good insight on a poorly maintained vehicle.

Walking around the outside vehicle can reveal the driving behavior of the current owner. Look at the drive wheels, are they worn significantly more than the other tires on the vehicle? This would indicate heavy acceleration, which is extremely abusive to internal engine parts and the drive train of the vehicle. Look for variations in the vehicles paint. If variations are seen, the vehicle could have been in an accident. Another indication of bodywork is to look for over-spray within the engine compartment and door jams. While a history report is fairly resourceful, accidents could have occurred that are not listed on the report. An inspection is always recommended. After a high speed accident, vehicles tend to have significant problems.

What is the Vehicle Worth?

Being value conscious is wise as a consumer. There are a number of resources that indicate a car value. In most cases, the seller of a pre-owned vehicle was offered a very low price as a trade-in value for their new vehicle. They are probably willing to sell the vehicle for less than, “book value,” as they are wisely attempting to gain more than what was offered at the dealer. However, book value can lack many considerations and used only as a reference point. The best way to judge the value is to shop. Look at similar models for sale and evaluate the condition and desired preferences.

Conduct research and read reviews of the vehicle. The vehicle may appear to be in mint condition, yet the owner neglected to bring the vehicle to a dealer for an important recall. Most would agree, this would greatly affect the overall condition as the vehicle may not be in safe working order. In addition, there are a variety of options available for each vehicle. Which options add value that can be confirmed on the vehicle for sale? Does the vehicle actually have the premium sound system and manufactures premium wheels? Put more effort into assessing the value then mileage and model, to ensure the vehicle is worth the asking price or making an offer.

Purchase a pre-owned vehicle with confidence

Through researching a desired vehicle and shopping around, a consumer can purchase a reliable vehicle and save thousands of dollars for their efforts. The savings in purchasing a pre-owned vehicle could be considered as a payment for the work done. In addition to savings, purchasing a well maintained pre-owned vehicle eliminates the fear of purchasing a poorly designed vehicle. There have been thousands of people whom purchased and tested the vehicle. The vehicle has something better than a crash test. It was tested in the real world.

About The Author

Michael J Medeiros is an entrepreneur residing in New Jersey. He has a background in business and advertising and the found of Mjmls.com.

About Mjmls

Mjmls provides an open-source advertising solution for businesses and individuals to list items and services for sale through their Online Classifieds – http://www.mjmls.com/

To locate vehicles for sale or to advertise a vehicle, visit the Automobile Classifieds section of Mjmls at: http://www.mjmls.com/index.php?a=5&b=15

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