The Model Info Center

Recent news concerning IT industry strategic alliances increasingly trumpets the
word “unique” as in ‘unique alliance’ or ‘unique partnership’. Usually these unique
arrangements bring together a marketer (either a system integrator or a service
provider) with a solid footprint in a niche market and a technology developer or
manufacturer with an innovative or proprietary capability.

This type of alliance transfers to the marketer a unique technological edge. The
marketer’s objective in many such cases is to keep competitors at bay, grow market
share or create enough performance value to justify a higher price. For the
developer partner, aligning with the marketer provides a significantly extended
market reach that simply translates into the sale of an increased number of units as
well as a branding leap into greater market visibility.

This deal constitutes an excellent exchange of value for both partners. But as
business alliances are not forever, the true assessment of the deal’s value must be
evaluated over time. In its early days Microsoft supplied DOS in a partnership with
IBM’s original desktop PC. In time Microsoft’s OS took over the PC market supplying
all manufacturers. IBM was forced to back up out of the PC driveway, but it learned
the power of partnering brilliantly transforming its business model into the world’s
most prolific and successful IT services partnership network builder.

Acquiring a Unique Value Proposition

Of the many reasons for initiating a strategic alliance, the most highly-sought after
type is one that creates a “unique value proposition” (UVP) the three golden
words so enticing to venture investors throughout the world.

How do you get UVP if you don’t produce it?

A strategic alliance can transform nearly any traditional sales and distribution
enterprise into a uniquely positioned provider — all you need are customers! Have
you considered this? Transform your company instantly into an unstoppable
juggernaut simply by formulating a strategic alliance with one or more suppliers
who may add a unique piece to your package, program or end-to-end offerings.
Suddenly, your company acquires a UVP. More orders, greater equity value…before
you know it, investors come sniffing around.

What are they looking for?

They want to know what you’ll do for your next act.

Sure. That first alliance you just made was a successful move. It got attention. And
it’s working. But, don’t get too busy with that. Save some time for developing
additional alliance ideas. You need to look at your company’s future in terms of a
total, long-term strategic alliances plan.

Six key questions to formulating a long-term alliance road map

Use these six Partner M questions to develop your own alliance road map:

- What are my core competencies?

- What are my customer assets?

- How bad are the performance gaps as experienced by my customer/user?

- What are the innovative upgrades desired by my customer/user?

- How well are my competitors performing in areas where we are weak?

- Where do we perform better than our competitors?

Now answer this:

Can you locate and negotiate a deal with potential suppliers who can deliver to you
a unique product or service that:

(a) your company cannot duplicate more profitably with its core competence;

(b) will be highly valued by your customers;

(c) will fix a problem or enable you to offer customers an optional upgrade;

(d) will strengthen an area where you had been weak; or,

(e) will help insure that you can continue to outperform our competitors?

If your answer is yes to any one or more of these options, then you have the basis
for a strategy that would result in higher order volume, as well as a path to added
value and increased brand equity.

How do you validate that assumption?

Project the pros and cons of executing your alliance plan

Calculate a scenario assuming the amount of revenue you could generate and
profits you would achieve after you’ve found one such partner and have successfully
negotiated an alliance.

Be sure you have identified and adjusted your projection for any possible downside
and cost of implementing the partnership. Next, forecast where you’ll be in three
years without this alliance or a comparable strategy.

In addition you should assess the impact of your alliance on the competition with a
sober determination of how they may react. Here is where the value of establishing
a ‘unique alliance’ becomes so important. Paradoxically, your alliance’s UVP shelf life
must be viewed as both temporary and continuous. Any one alliance you enter is
temporary. Your strategy must be continuous.

How temporary is your alliance? If any of your competitors can match your
partnership with another and duplicate the contribution of your unique ally in fairly
short order, your UVP will not last long. You may need to move faster to extend your
UVP shelf life and begin to plan your next UVP partnership. Within this scenario you
would need to move faster on the alliance front or find yourself having to play deep
catch up if your competitor takes the initiative before you do.

Design an ongoing alliance strategy

To develop a continuous UVP plan extend your alliance road map by duplicating
your forecast calculations to include all potential alliances you foresee into the
future. How far can you go using this strategy? If possible, don’t stop until you’re
able to imagine this process reaching a global scale or an exit strategy. Finally, your
alliance plan must weigh alliance costs and risks against the benefits/costs/risks of
alternative strategies.

Whether your enterprise takes the role of a marketer or a supplier, you should
consider formulating a phased-in partnership plan containing a list of target partner
prospects, financial validations, a timeline and undertake a marketing initiative
aimed at shaping a receptive and synergistic relationship with partner executives
and operational teams. Executing the plan is your next challenge. Don’t hesitate to
seek help in developing your plan and making it happen.

Harvey Kraft is Managing Director of Partner | M — the leading California-
based marketing consultancy specializing in executive support for strategic
alliances and partnering initiatives. Mr. Kraft is a skilled partnerships
executive, author and speaker and creative marketing director with two
decades of senior level experience in the media, finance, publishing and
wellness sectors. Are you interested in building a successful partnering
strategy, a revenue producing alliance network, a value creating co-branding
campaign? For serious executive support with your partnership efforts from
marketing initiatives through innovation facilitation, please contact Harvey Kraft at
Partner | M.

Having a bad credit history will make it more difficult for you to get another card, but not necessarily prevent you from getting one. This is because many banks, if they feel that an individual with a bad credit history has good intentions to pay bills, will offer bad credit credit cards to re-establish a good credit rating.

Credit cards for bad credit fall under two catogeries - Secured and Unsecured credit card for bad credit.

With secured credit cards for bad credit, you will be required by the bank to deposit a certain amount of money that may range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, into your savings account as security for your line of credit. Your credit line is a percentage of your deposit, somewhere between 50 to 100 percent. The bank will then issue you a card with a spending limit equal to your credit line, which will serve as collateral for use of the credit card for bad credit. The money in the savings account, or the collateral, will be used to pay the balance if you fail to pay your credit balance. It is also probable that you’ll be paid interest for your deposit but you may also have to pay application and processing fees.

As for unsecured credit cards for bad credit, the bank will not require you to deposit an amount as security or collateral. However, you will be issued a credit card for bad credit with a low spending limit that may range from a few hundred dollars to one or two thousand dollars, and very high fees. Your spending limit will also be increased if you continue to prove your ability, and good intentions of making payments in time. Make sure that the issuer reports to a credit bureau if you’re applying for a secured card to build or re-establish a bad credit record, so that a proper credit history can be built by the bureau.

When looking to apply for a credit card for bad credit, watch out for scams and deceptive ads. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched a campaign and taken action against such misleading companies and agencies. Learn to identify frauds and scams by studying telltale signs such as those offering credit card without examining your credit report, a call to a “900″ number for which you are billed (without you knowing how much), and cards offered by credit repair companies.

When applying for a credit card to rebuild credit, most of the major credit card companies such as Bank of America, Bank One, Capital one etc will be able to assist you in getting a secured credit card. This will ensure improvement in your credit history because ever payment made in time will be reported to one or two credit bureaus. You may also eventually receive an offer for an unsecured card with a significant spending limit if you continue to follow rules and pay your credit card bills and other payments in time.

http://badcredit-hq.com/ Bad Credit HQ: helping you to get your finances back under control.

When writing a sales copy, all internet marketers know that a
long copy will sell more than a short copy. This does not mean
that the more words the better; it is the quantity and the
quality what will increase its performance.

A very important factor to keep the reader interested through the
whole copy is to keep a right sales structure. These are the
steps to follow to make a successful sales letter.

1. USE A POWERFUL HEADLINE. You must think about the biggest
benefit of your product an try to express it in a short sentence.
The objective is to grab your reader’s attention and raise his
curiosity to continue reading.

2. CREATE EXCITEMENT WITH A SUB-HEADLINE. In no more than two or
three short sentences, you should expand on the benefits of your
product and generate excitement on your reader. If you are
offering a limited promotion, you should specify the limitations
of your offer here.

3. OUTLINE THE BENEFITS OF YOUR PRODUCT. You must tell the reader
the three main benefits that he will get when buying your
product. Attention, this has nothing to do with the features of
your product; you have to think about your customer’s
satisfactions. For example, if you are selling holiday villas,
you could mention something like:
“If you’d like to take advantage of the comfort of a luxury
apartment, enjoy the Mediterranean sun and save money on your
summer vacations, then this might be the most important letter
you’ll ever read”

4. EXPLAIN YOUR UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION. This is the specific
benefit that differentiates your product from anyone else. At
this point, you must mention your USP in one or two sentences. It
will be later on in your sales letter where you will explain the
details.

5. PROVE YOUR CREDIBILITY. The most important thing to sell on
the internet is to establish credibility. You need to make your
readers fell comfortable buying from you, so you need to tell
them why they should trust you. Explain the three main reasons
why they should believe you. Try to proof that what you say is
true.

6. EXPLAIN THE FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF YOUR PRODUCT. Explain
which are the characteristics of your product and which are the
benefits associated to them. For each feature, try to explain how
this will help to improve your reader’s life or how this will
offer a solution to a problem. In this section, you can expand
yourself as much as you want. The more features and benefits the
better.

7. PROVIDE MORE DETAIL ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT. Here is where you can
explain all the details about your product. Use as much space as
you need. Write until you get boring.

8. INCLUDE CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS. In order to continue
establishing credibility, you must mention testimonials of other
customers that have already bought from you and have experienced
the benefits of your product. Try to mention the details of their
experiences rather than sentences like “I really loved your
product…” or something similar. Mention at least 5 testimonials
if you can.

9. ELIMINATE THE COMPETITION. You eliminate your competition by
giving your reader the elements they need to judge your product.
Of course, you will mention the elements where your product is
excellent and much better than your competition.

10. BUILD VALUE. To build value in your offer you have to let
your readers know that your offer is so good, that they cannot
refuse to take it. One way of doing this is to compare the value
of your offer with the normal value of your product.

11. PROVIDE A SUMMARY OF EVERYTHING YOUR CUSTOMER WILL RECEIVE.
Make sure your customer understands everything he is going to get
from you.

12. MENTION THE PRICE OF YOUR PRODUCT. Mention the regular price
and the sale price of your product. The regular price must be
crossed out and the offer must follow.

13. LIST YOUR FREE BONUS PRODUCTS. The objective is to prompt
immediate action by offering free bonuses. With this strategy,
you are also adding value to your product. You can also try to
create a sense of urgency by telling that the bonuses will only
be available for a limited period of time.

14. OFFER A STRONG GUARANTEE. The strongest guarantee you can
offer is a “money back” guarantee. The fact of offering to try
your product at no risk will generate a lot of trust and
confidence on your readers. It is very important that you honour
your guarantee for any returns you may get, but you can be sure
that the sales you will generate with this strategy will be by
far more important than the returns you may receive.

15. RE-EMPHASIZE YOUR GUARANTEE. Remove all elements of risk by
closing your sales copy saying something like:
“You don’t have to decide now if this product is for you. Just
get it and try it out. If it doesn’t do everything I say and
more, if you don’t save money, or if your business doesn’t
improve, or if your life isn’t better, or if you don’t absolutely
love it, just let me know and I’ll give you every cent of your
money back! So you have nothing to loose and everything to
gain.”

16. TELL THEM HOW TO ORDER YOUR PRODUCT. Provide detailed
instructions about how to place the order.

17. SIGN THE LETTER. Use your full name and title.

18. CLOSE WITH A “P.S.” Use this part to emphasize the most
relevant points of your letter.

Remember that this will be a long sales copy that will take your
readers some time to read. With this in mind, you must work on
the format and design of the copy trying to make it as friendly
as possible. Highlight the most important statements, so that the
letter can be read also in one or two minutes.

hosting and domain source.

A series of articles exploring the seven critical areas that can indicate a partnership is in trouble.

Conflict Becoming the Norm - Part 2

In a previous article, I wrote about how unresolved conflict can create havoc in your business and can often end in a failed partnership. Today, I share with you a story about a pair of clients I recently worked with.

Sue and Vicki were partners in a service organization that thrived on new membership and putting on events. Sue and Vicki had been coaching with me for over a year and had learned well how to keep things running smoothly running between them. Now they were stuck on an issue that they weren’t able to resolve on their own. They knew enough not to escalate it before their next coaching session.

Vicki had decided that one of Sue’s responsibilities had more appeal and status than some of her own. Sue enjoyed the task and was loathe to relinquish it. In our session when Vicki pressed, and because they had developed deep caring for each other, Sue was ready to say a reluctant yes.

Before allowing that to be the unsatisfying resolution, I asked Sue to explain what the task meant to her. She said that everything she did prior to that task was build up towards it and that completing the task was closure to a job well done.

Vicki had never looked at it that way. To her it appeared as an isolated task. It was a revelation and she had a different understanding, backing off of her request.

Sue looked relieved.

However, I wanted Vicki to feel satisfied as well, so I asked if any part of her responsibilities gave her that same feeling of fulfillment. She pondered for a few minutes and was able to affirm that a lot of what she did was that meaningful to her and she preferred to continue doing what she was doing.

What happened here? Conflict was averted early even before it became a festering resentment.

And Sue and Vicki got a bonus — they each achieved an appreciation and understanding not only of the other partner but of themselves and the work they did. Their self knowledge increased and their partnership bond deepened even more.

Here is an example of another conflict with a different resolution. The Home and Garden TV Show “Designing for the Sexes” is a brilliant example of resolving conflicts for a win-win with very little compromise. A designer goes in when a couple has two opposing views on how they want one of their rooms to look.

A recent episode was about a husband who did the cooking and wanted his kitchen to look like a restaurant, industrial and stainless steel throughout. His wife wanted a traditional old world look. You couldn’t be farther apart than that.

I always appreciate how the couples (probably coached) never argue for their point of view, but always in a reasonable matter of fact voice state what they want or what they like or don’t about a suggested item.

The outcome is always a beautiful room with very little compromise. What I have observed is the designer is able to incorporate each person’s wants within other options that they hadn’t even thought about.

In this episode, sleek wood panels on the cabinets and refrigerator, stainless steel appliances, granite counter with tiles used as accents created a look that thrilled and pleased both people.

Lesson to be learned: your way is not the only way. If you open your mind and keep your emotions in check you could discover many other and perhaps even more pleasing ideas than the one you think you must have.

About The Author

Dorene Lehavi, Ph.D. is principal of Next Level Business and Professional Coaching. She coaches Professionals and Business Partners and teaches teleclasses on techniques to break through barriers to the next level. Dr. Lehavi offers a complimentary coaching session so you can experience how coaching can work for you. Contact Dr. Lehavi at Dorene@CoachingforYourNextLevel.com or on the web at Http://www.CoachingforYourNextLevel.com. Subscribe to Mastering Your Next Level monthly e-newsletter at http://www.coachingforyournextlevel.com/newsletter.html

dorene@nextlevelpartnership.com

One of those investment counselors says, “I will take your money and make you a profit every year, but I have a very hefty fee. For every
dollar I make you I will charge you a dollar”.

“How much will you make for me?”

He replies, “Because I invest in the stock
market I am not sure what each year will be, but
I have a real time track record that I have
doubled my clients money every three years. If
you start with $10,000 you should have $20,000
three years from now.”

“In other words out of the $20,000 you make
with my money you get half? That seems like an
awful lot.”

Mr. Money Manager asks, “Does it make any
difference how much I make if I can double your
money?”

Here we are computing a 50% expense ratio.
Who cares as long as he doubles the money? When you
talk to brokers when buying mutual funds one of their
pet talking points is that a particular fund has
a very low expense ratio. Who cares? The only
thing that is important is the final return.

Does it make any difference if a fund has a
3.5% expense ratio or a 1% expense ratio if the
3% fund makes more money? Of course not.

This is part of the Wall Street mystique
designed to confuse clients. Whatever mutual
fund you choose it should be one that has the
highest return. When it is no longer going up it
should be switched to a better performing fund
that is why you should only buy no-load funds.
Full service brokerage companies do not want to
sell no-load funds.

Commissions are expenses, but brokers don’t
talk about that. Do NOT pay commission. Brokers
will tell you that load (commission) funds are
better than no-load funds. Not true. Get up and
walk away from that broker. He is lying. Be
careful of certain types of mutual funds that
will have several classes of the same fund some
of which have hidden commissions. Don’t be
afraid to ask. To be absolutely sure call the
mutual fund company. They all have toll free
numbers.

There is only one way to make sense out of
expenses and expense ratios and that is the
performance of the fund in relation to all other
funds. First eliminate commissions. All other
expenses are apportioned over the year. One
other nasty charge funds have started adding is
redemption fees. Most are 2% and run out for
long periods of time. These are added to
discourage selling; no other reason.

There is only one thing that distinguishes
a “good” fund from any other. It is going up while
the investor owns it. If it doesn’t you should
not have it. When it starts down it should be
sold and this has nothing to do with expense
ratios.

There is only one reason to own any equity
and it has nothing to do with expenses. It must go
up.

Copyright 2006

Al Thomas’ best selling book, “If It Doesn’t
Go Up, Don’t Buy It!” has helped thousands
of people make money and keep their profits
with his simple 2-step method. Read the first
chapter and receive his market letter for 3
months at no charge at
http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why
he’s the man that Wall Street does not want
you to know.

Chicago, IL– There’s no place like home…To earn a living!!

Over 27 Million Americans are now working from home. The U.S.
Department of

Labor has predicted that number to Double in the next ten years.

So how are all of these people getting paid to work from home?
It’s very simple today

with the convenience of personal computers and affiliate
programs.

Don’t have a web site or product?

Most of the work from home opportunities and affiliate will
provide you with your own

web sites and products to sell.

Here are a few simple things you can use to get started:

Find an affiliate program or product and sign up. Almost all of
the affiliate programs you will find will be free to sign up.

Many affiliate programs will have multiple products for you to
promote. Most affiliate

programs will also have advertising pre-written for you as well.
This makes it very easy

for beginners. I recommend writing your own sales letters or
promotions.

This generally gives it a more personal feel. When choosing a
product, make sure to

research the commission rates. The last thing you want to do is
spend a lot of time

trying to promote things for peanuts. I have found the Internet
Marketing Center to be

the best paying program as they will pay you over 60% of their
net profits!

With the Internet Marketing Center, you will get proven ads that
they have field-tested to generate very high numbers of click
through’s.Which includes buttons, banners, text links,
classified ads, e-mail promotions, and even pop-ups. You’ll get
commissioned on procrastinators — even after 3 years! If you
send them a visitor who doesn’t buy right away, but comes back
to the IMC site and buys within three years, you are still fully
commissioned! (They don’t even need to go through your site the
second time.)

You’ll learn how their top affiliates can make $7,500+ in a
single month.

Immediately after joining, you will get personalized access to
their private Affiliate

Resource Center, where you can learn the exact techniques their
top affiliates use to

earn more than $7,500 in a single month!

You can get more details about the Internet Marketing Centers
program here:

http://watchthisfunnyvideonow.com/taf/?x=1607m1gEE

After you have signed up for your affiliate program, the next
step is to drive traffic to

affiliate web site to make sales. You can pay for advertising
and hope for the best or you can use the millions of ways to get
free online advertising via free classifieds, blogs, web sites,
banner and traffic exchanges, groups, boards etc…

If your on a shoe string budget, free ads are the way to go.

You can also purchase targeted leads. This is one of the fastest
ways to build an

opt in list. These leads will be targeted towards marketers,
network marketers and

people with interest in work from home opportunities. One Cent
Opt In Frenzy is one of

the best I have used for targeted opt in leads. They can be
found here:

http://watchthisfunnyvideonow.com/taf/?x=1882mNhLS

Marketing along with consistency plus persistency will
ultimately be your success.

Just remember that like with any job, there is a learning
period. Don’t give up!

If you can learn how to do a job you’ve never done before
working for someone else,

you can learn how to succeed for yourself and create your own
wealth, instead of

trading hours for dollars and lining your boss’ pockets.

For more information about marketing or work from home
programs, please email us

at marketer@scbuyshouses.com

Or should I say kayak? A lot of people have actually been taking the outdoorsy, rugged road for quite some time. Simply having the time of their lives by going through all sorts of adventure sports that is being invented by the minute. Of course, as much fun as it seems to be, being the outdoorsy type doesn’t just have pure fun all the time, a lot of those times, just camping out and doing things au naturel have had people lugging in a lot of their stuff around just to “relax” and have a good time while being away from the bustling city lights.

Let’s be honest for just one second here, thus the thought of carrying your stuff around sounds like any fun to you at all? No? That’s what I thought. Fortunately for you, a lot of manufacturers share the same sentiment, thus coming out with various innovations to suit one’s lifestyle, needs and wants. Inflatable kayaks are all the rage right now, may it be the handy-dandy single person inflatable kayak or the 2-person variety, it really does depend on you.

So what are the perks for having an inflatable kayak? For starters, it’s incredibly convenient to take it with you on your outdoor and nature trips, you can just stuff in a bag a you’re ready to go. No more cumbersome hardshells kayaks that keep on bumping at everyone as well being such a burden wherever you go. This may seem unbelievable but inflatable kayaks are actually a durable as the hardshell kind. Of course manufacturers have thought about it beforehand, you’ll be taking your inflatable kayak to rugged waters, not in indoor pools. Inflatable kayaks are built to survive all those toss and tumbles in whitewater training. In spite of the unfortunate possibility that it might get caught in something sharp, inflatable kayaks are actually built with multiple layers in order to survive sudden pokes so as to provide safety for its users, rest assured it won’t just suddenly pop like a balloon if ever something pointed pokes at it. Also, they’re pretty easy to maneuver, whether on whitewaters or on flat waters, inflatable kayaks are pretty easy to use. When it comes to wallet damage however, you must keep in mind that even though this is an inflatable kayak, seemingly cheaper than hardshell kayaks, you still need to give a little extra in order for you to get real good quality. Keep in mind that when it comes to these things, it’s better to invest in something that you’ll get to use for quite some time, rather than pay real cheap for something that’ll probably will last you for just a day. It’s not possible that you won’t be able to find an inflatable kayak which will suit your needs, wants and budget, with a big market, there’s always something for everyone. Also, you might think that you’ll be saving a lot with those pumps that companies include in inflatable kayak sets, but always try it out first, a good pump is as important as finding a good quality inflatable kayak, without it, you won’t be able to use your inflatable kayak at its fullest. Aside from checking out the seams of your inflatable kayak, ask for the sales person to pump it up for you and see if it’s really of good quality. Never rely on mere pictures or sales talk. Never be shy to try things out and ask questions, that’s what sales people are there for in the first place.

The only possible drawback when it comes to inflatable kayaks is that you need to have a lot of patience when it comes to pumping it up as well as when it comes to “deflating” it before you head home. Yet, the pros really does outweigh the cons right? For people who don’t have enough space - not just in their cars, but also in their homes, as well as those who hate lugging around heavy equipments, an inflatable kayak surely is a worthwhile investment.

Dirk Wagner is the CEO of http://www.internetmarketingoasis.com a powerful resource for needed marketing tools and creator of the #1 IMO Marketing Toolbar. He also is the publisher of a free home business online course at http://www.team4success.biz.

If you are in good health, you may rarely think about the money you spend on doctors and medicine throughout the year. But if you keep track and add it all up, you’ll notice that you are spending more than you thought. You may be eligible for a tax-favored savings plan to help with paying for qualified medical expenses.

In 2003, the Health Savings Account (HSA) program was created for those who are covered by high-deductible health insurance policies and do not qualify for Medicare. High-deductible plans are those with an annual deductible of $1,000 or more and $2,000 or more for family coverage. You must also only have one health insurance provider.

The HSA is an account through a bank or health insurance company that you can make contributions to every year. The funds can be used to pay for health expenses for you, your spouse and dependents. HSAs can be used to cover certain medical expenses that are not covered by your insurance company. These include: doctor visits, prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs and long term care insurance. You can even use the funds to pay for your health insurance deductible and COBRA benefits. If you find yourself unemployed, you can use the account to pay for your insurance premiums.

There are many tax benefits that equal savings for you through HSAs. All of the money you contribute to your HSA is tax-deductible up to the amount of the policy deductible. You don’t even have to itemize your expenses. All interest and investment earnings on the account are not taxable. Money that you have in your HSA is growing tax-free. By using your HSA funds to pay for qualified medical expenses, you are using money that will not be taxed on your income.

You are allowed to deposit yearly the amount equal to your health insurance deductible. For example, if you have a deductible of $1,000, you can deposit $1,000 in your account. There is a limit to how much you can write-off on your taxes. The amount cannot exceed $2,600 for individuals and $5,150 for families. The money you deposit in your HSA must only come from cash, not from stocks or IRAs.

The funds in your HSA can be used any time, there is no time limit. The unused balance at the year’s end is simply carried over, accruing tax-free investment earnings. Your money belongs to you, and is in no way connected to your employment. You can change jobs or retire without loosing your HSA benefits. If you die, the money will go to your beneficiary. A spouse can continue to use the account for tax free medical expenses.

Let’s take a look at Bill. He has an adjusted gross income of $40,000. After being taxed on $40,000, he has approximately $31,400 left. He has $2,000 of medical expenses throughout the year. That leaves him with $29,400 of available income.

Let’s say Bill has an HSA and an insurance deductible of $2,000 (as to leave things nice and even). He contributed his full $2,000 to the account this year. Remember that he has an income of $40,000. He will be taxed for the $40,000 minus his $2,000 of medical expenses from his HSA, for a total of $38,000. After taxes he will have approximately $30,152 of available income. That is a total savings of $752 for the year!

Okay, it may seem complicated, so just remember - you are paying for medical expenses with non-taxed money. Money that isn’t taxed is more than that which is taxed. An HSA can help you to save money throughout the year on many expenses that are not covered by your insurance. And remember, every penny saved gets you closer to a successful financial future.

#1 Loans USA is a leading loan lender in the country. We have a loan for you at the best rates including refinancing of current loans. Click here now for your construction, new home loans, mortgage rates. Visit us at http://www.1loansusa.com

Financing an auto loan through a dealership is quick and convenient. The dealership may have a relationship with a specific lender, or operate a “buy here, pay here” business. However, financing through the dealership may not present the best financing package. Smart car buyers put forth great effort to receive the best price and a reasonable interest rate. This may require securing your own financing.

Pro’s and Con’s of Dealership Financing

New car buyers may be unaware of their options. You do not have to obtain financing through the car dealership. Of course, the dealership will never reveal this information to you. By using their lenders, the dealership has the power to increase the interest rate in order to boost their profit.

For example, if the lending institution re-submitted a quote with an interest rate of 5%, the dealership may charge 7%. The best way to avoid this common practice is to secure your own financing, or compare rates from other auto loan lenders.

Get Pre-Approved for an Auto Loan

Getting pre-approved for an auto loan has several advantages. For starters, you are able to get quotes from several lenders, and then compare these quotes with the dealership’s offer. Moreover, a pre-approval will make the car buying experience quick and easy. You already know your qualifying amount, thus you will not be pressured into buying a car you cannot afford.

How to Compare Lenders for an Auto Loan

Many car buyers avoid comparing rates and fees because they do not want to submit applications to several lenders. However, there is a way to obtain multiple rates without contacting each individual lender. Online auto loan brokers are the quickest and simplest way to receive multiple offers from various lenders.

Brokers work directly with hundreds of lenders. Upon submitting an application through a broker, your information will be forwarded to several lending institutions. These lenders will review your information and submit a quote. The broker will compile all quotes and remit this information for you to review. You should carefully compare quotes, and choose the lender that offers the best rate and terms. In some instances, the dealership may offer the best financing.

Here are our Recommended Car Loan Companies Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan
Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.

ILM Enterprises http://www.cash4cashflows.com/ilmenterprises

The Hidden Market — Real Estate Paper

Are you aware of just how large the paper market or the
seller-financed mortgage market truly is? One out of thirteen
homes sold in the U.S. has some kind of seller financing.
Further, this market continues to grow at the rate of over $4
billion a year.

Government and industry sources estimate that $335 billion in
private paper exists in our country right now! Of that total,
nearly $100 billion consists of private residential mortgages.

Just what is private paper or seller financing, anyway?
Generally speaking, private paper refers to the notes and
security instruments created by private parties.

Private parties are those individuals or investors who are
lending from personal assets rather than through large
institutional lenders.

Although the majority of private paper assets exist in the form
of mortgage notes generated when sellers carry back some or all
of their equity in the properties they sell, a great deal of
private paper is also created as a result of other types of
transactions. Attorneys, for example, have taken promissory
notes secured by real estate as payment for legal fees. Swimming
pool builders and home improvement contractors use the private
paper device to secure payment for their work. Real estate
brokers have taken private paper for their commissions. Bail
bondsmen often take private paper security for their bail funds.
Divorce and probate settlements frequently utilize private paper
to facilitate the equitable distribution of assets to the
affected parties.

Many folks believe that the growth in the mortgage industry and
the low interest rates our economy has enjoyed over the past few
years have wiped out the need or inclination for private paper.
This is not true. Since 1993, private residential paper assets
have grown from $75 billion to approximately $100 billion.
That’s $4 billion per year in new private paper created over the
past six years.

NoteWorthy

The incredible growth in the private paper industry has
refashioned what was once a small market into a full-blown
financial sector in its own right.

What just a few short years ago was a “hidden market” has slowly
crept from darkness into light. Networking has become the
byword, as industry participants have learned to work closely
with one another. Modern technology has also played a
significant role, as communication between note professionals
has improved. Another key ingredient that is propelling the
growth of the note industry is liquidity!

No longer are note buyers playing strictly in their own
backyards. A farmer in Bigfield, Indiana dealing with his local
note broker can now sell his note to an investor living in Joe,
Montana. What’s the significance of this? Simply put, the
movement of capital, which in turn lubricates the economy.

The average note holder is now holding a high-return, highly
securitized instrument, which he can keep or sell with relative
ease.

Selling A Partial

Did you know that a note holder can even sell just part of a
note and keep the rest? That’s known as a partial purchase. This
device is fairly unique in the investment world. How many
investments allow you to sell a portion of your future revenue
for cash right now, while still receiving the other portion of
that revenue stream as income?

Investors now have a higher degree of confidence in purchasing
paper or playing the paper game. Further, they have an increased
opportunity to find enough deals to sustain their portfolios and
their investment objectives.

Conversely, sellers enjoy an increased bidding atmosphere that
will usually ensure they get the best price available.

The Growth

Private paper assets have grown at the rate of $4 billion per
year over the past six years! Where did that growth come from?
Your clients!

Chances are you are actively involved with, or at the least
somewhat aware of, your clients’ financial affairs. Somewhere
along the line, you most likely have some input in your clients’
decision-making processes. Being aware of the private paper
marketplace, and having at least a basic understanding of how it
operates, opens up all kinds of possibilities for the creative
professional to provide solutions for his clients’ problems.

The primary service you offer your clients is counseling or
advice. The more you know about the paper game, the better
counseling you can provide. The better counseling you provide,
the more your clients rely upon your judgment. As this reliance
grows, the expansion of your practice is a natural consequence.
Credibility fuels prosperity!

The Future

In the months ahead, I will provide you with an updated road map
of the paper game to guide you through this hidden market - and
demonstrate how you can increase your business by having this
knowledge and an understanding of real estate paper.

For More Information and to Sell Your Note(s) Now, visit —>
http://www.cash4cashflows.com/ilmenterprises