bunch of blogs: Personal Finance

Prices go higher every year, especially the cost of gas. Transportation is one big factor that makes the household budget difficult to cover all your expenses. Here are some guidelines to help you save money from transportation:
1. To save money, you must always check on your vehicle regularly. A well-maintained vehicle can get you out of trouble on repair expenses. You can actually spend only $50 on maintaining your vehicle and save up to $800 on repair costs in a year. You can even save more if you do the maintenance yourself and not bring your car into an auto shop.
2. If you want to save more money, it is recommended not to buy a new car. The value of a car depreciates automatically when you drive it out off the showroom of the car dealer shop. You may buy a car that is used at least one year. It will save you thousands of dollars to the actual worth of the car when it was new. The owner will then pay all the depreciated value of the car.
3. Save money on buying used cars by comparing the prices of the car dealer and the actual price on the list of the used car dealer ads. To ensure the car that you buy is well conditioned, you may ask for the help of a mechanic to check if the car is good enough for its price. It is better to buy a used car from a person you know and trust. This will help you make sure that you have a good deal in acquiring a car.
4. Try to compare gasoline rates. You may refuel your car with the gasoline station that offers the lowest price on gasoline. You can even save more by pumping gas yourself and use the lowest octane in your car’s manual. It is also recommended that you pay cash than credit cards that charge extra rates. Do not forget to check the gas cap if it is tightened to ensure no gas is spilled out.
5. Always keep your engine tuned-up and have your tires inflated to their desired pressure to save you more money. A well-maintained engine consumes less gas. Keep your car’s trunk clean to save more fuel. Heavy loads in your vehicle can consume more fuel because of the excess weight it carries.
6. Try to limit the use of your car on your daily route. You may take the bus or the subway to save gasoline. You can also save time by ignoring the traffic that you encounter everyday on the streets.

Let’s face it. America’s health consciousness has catapulted during the last five years. Foods low in fat, sugar, and carbohydrates, have topped the must-buy charts. Gyms and fitness clubs have sprung up. More and more Americans at the rate of 10% per year are booking spas and massage parlors. With such a growth, offering a massage “delivered to your door” is not such a bad idea. In fact, it can be a very profitable idea.
For starters, you need not spend on expensive “spa” set-up and equipment because the massage will be done at your client’s home. Most of your staff will be direct labor; meaning most of them will be a massage therapist. You will need only one overhead staff, a telephone operator that can double as a therapist scheduler. You may also choose to do this yourself, to ensure proper handling of customer calls.
Spend a little on fluffy towel, good and fragrant oils and training for your therapists and you’re on your way to start the business.
You may charge an average of $30- $40 per hour. Out of that, $3 will go to supplies, while $10 will go to the therapist. The rest is profit for your home business. Here are two types of massages that you can offer that your clients should love.
Acupressure
A massage based on a traditional Chinese method of cure, acupressure is the massage version of acupuncture. Acupressure massages the body in a way to redirect the flow of energies, releasing blocked energy centers or “chi,” and thereby achieving balance between yin and yang. To perform acupressure, finger pressure is used on points on the body to stimulate them. This type of massage is ideal for tension and stress pain, constipation, menstrual cramps, bloating and any need for stimulation and rejuvenation. Charge $30 - $35 per hour.
Reflexology
When you see a massage parlor that has a map of the feet displayed outside, chances are, their specialty is reflexology. This type of massage is administered on the feet as it is based on the different reflex points on the feet, which affect major organs of the body. Light to medium pressure is used in reflexology and that in it relaxes the subject. This is ideal for tension pain and tiredness and helps your clients’ over-all well being, when done regularly. Before starting the reflexology, throw in a shoulder or head massage while soaking the feet in warm water for more relaxing session. Without the soak, charge $40/hour and throw in another $5 for the foot soak.
With minimal set-up and profits as high as 50% shouldn’t you be opening up your dial-a-spa soon?

Studies have shown that music affect a person’s physical health, emotional state, communication skills, social functioning, and cognitive abilities. Maybe that is the reason why many expecting mothers play classical and soothing songs, hoping that music will stimulate the mental and emotional development of the child inside them.
Although some companies use music to mask noise and sounds, there are a number of businesses that allow music to be played in their offices because they believe it is effective in enhancing productivity and reducing stress levels of their employees.
However, the kind of music played in different office settings varies. In some offices, classical and soothing sounds are played, while others prefer jazz music or novelty songs. With so much variety in the type of piped-in music recommended by various companies, however, you can’t help but ask which music genre is really best in an office setting.
A number of experts have concurred that music can definitely help in improving the concentration of an employee or increase his or her productivity. However, studies have found that there is no one music genre that is ideal in an office setting. Different types of music have different effects on people.
In a conventional office setting, calming and instrumental music might provide peace and serenity to several workers, but could also contribute to the slack of another group. A study featured in Communication Monographs in 1994 revealed that people get perturbed when they are not given freedom to make music choices, primarily because they are accustomed to actively choosing the music they listen to.
Ideal type of music for home offices
Music affects people in two ways. It either helps decrease stress levels or it intensifies psychological stimulation. If you are in a home-based setting, you won’t have any problem in determining which music genre will motivate and inspire you to work harder. You have all the freedom in the world to decide which sort of music will help you optimize your mental, emotional, physical, and psychological functions.
However, if you are sharing the office space with your wife, friend or business partner, you might encounter a little problem. Unless you have similar music choices with the people you share your office with, you might have to think twice before imposing your music preference on others.
The best thing to do is to compromise, especially if your music choices are totally different. For a more harmonious office environment, you could probably use headphones when you need music to stimulate you mentally.

Allied Home Mortgage Capital Corporation (AHMCC), incorporated in 1991, is the largest private mortgage broker and lender in the U.S. The company is based in Houston and provides a wide selection of home mortgage loans.
Allied is a mortgage broker which acts as middleman, which gives them the capability of offering several options to their clients to fit their special needs. What clients get is a customized loan package. Allied is also one of the first in the industry to operate a Spanish-language website.
If you choose to apply with Allied, some supporting documents that they might request from you are:
- Social Security Number
- Proof of employment history in the past two years, with salary
- Pay slips covering the last 30 days
- Current W-2 forms
- Bank information including check, savings accounts and certificate of deposit
- Other investment info (stocks,bonds) and a list of assets
- Insurance company info including face amount and cash value of insurance, if available
- Liabilities with creditor’s info, monthly payments, balances
- Other sources of income
- Copy of DD Form 214 and Report of Separation for VA Loans
Allied offers assistance for a wide line of loan choices like new home purchases, refinancing, new construction, debt consolidation and customized loans, among others. These loans are available to most types of clients: first time homebuyers, the self-employed, retirees, singles and investors, including those who might have difficulty getting their loans approved.
Potential clients can apply online to utilize the Express Approval program, which allows them to get loan approval in minutes. Buyers can also compute a loan estimate by using online mortgage calculators. This will give them an idea of the price range of the house they can afford, their mortgage payments and closing costs.
While the calculators are a good indication of loan affordability, they are by no means completely accurate. That is why Allied representatives recommend that you talk to them first, to see how much you can afford to pay and how much you are qualified to loan. The advantage of getting a pre-qual is that you have the confidence to make an offer on your dream house, knowing that you have control.
Allied Home Mortgage has more than 700 offices located in 49 States and in Guam and the Virgin Islands. Should you decide to get their services, there are branches available all across the country. With more than $12 billion loans closed, Allied may just have the home mortgage loan that’s tailor-fit for you.

Saving is one of the most important things to consider in budgeting. Whether you are a parent of two or three or a student or a independent planning to move to a different place, saving should always be put as a number one priority.
For example, moving into a new area requires basic household appliances such as fridge, washing machine, stove, and heater. Normally, these appliances would cost you thousands of dollars if one would not consider some of the cost-effective tips in buying major appliances.
With that being said, below are just some of the cost-effective and saving tips in purchasing new appliances for your new abode.
a. Evaluate your Wants and Needs.Appliances will always be part of our daily lives but with a starter, one would have to evaluate and think about the most important household appliances to buy.
First, think about the things that you should need when moving to a new house. Would you prefer buying a fridge in favor of a new sofa? A convenient icemaking machine against a reasonable fridge?
While these add-ons are important, this should also require a lot of thinking in order to keep all those that are important and set aside those that will provide luxury. Worth mentioning is the amount of electricity that one has to consume when using these add-on products.
b. Size – accommodating your newly purchased electrical appliances can be fun if you have enough or available space. It isn’t wise to purchase a huge refrigerator when you only have few square inches of space available for your immediate kitchen needs.
For families, parents should also take into consideration the type of appliances, which will be able to supply all the needs for the family. A 5.0-kilogram washer would definitely not suffice in a family of 5. In such cases, one would have to consider purchasing those that are of heavy-duty type of major appliances.
You will considerably save more on buying in bulk and heavy-duty type than one which won’t accommodate most of the clothing used for a week by a single person alone. Moreover, the amount of electricity used will also be cut by half.
c. Consult with Comparison Shops. The 1999 Consumer Literacy Consortium report provides enough reason for consumers to compare price around before they do the actual purchasing on major appliances.
Basically, for people who are determined to make the purchase, they would usually shop on a single appliance center and don’t bother to shop around and compare prices at nearby stores.
The consumer report provided information about the benefits of comparing prices on the market before doing the actual buying and the importance of shopping online for auctions and sales.
More often than not, leveraging on secondhand appliances is better than procuring a new one specially when one would look into similar features and durability standard. This intelligent buying will save you hundreds of dollars as expected and allot savings to other home stuffs which in turn provides additional luxury in your part.
d. Annual Buying Guide – Local libraries today keep some records of buying guides and ratings and prices on some of the major appliances nationwide. These buying guides and consumer literacy reports provides exclusive and substantial information on performance (durability), price, and quality among other things.
The report also maintain a database where you can compare prices from coast to coast and details on handling and packaging of merchandises should one would interest on buying them.
e. Where to Buy – Sometimes, it isn’t about the name of the merchandiser that matters when stuffing your home with major appliances. Its about how you would search the local market and the net to find shopping exclusives and sales of appliance items whose features and performance match specifically to the needs and wants of your family.
These buying techniques won’t only free you on your budget but provides you additional leverage on saving for future appliance need.
f. Negotiate – In almost every part of the selling process, negotiation takes place when you would interest on purchasing the item after making a careful review of its features. Getting the best bet lies in your ability to making compromises.
Most stores would drop prices when needed and when the customer asks for it and when one is purchasing refurbished items.

Everybody wants to get rich. However, not everyone will get rich because of the simple fact that not too many people know how to save. Being able to gain riches is all depends on how you can build wealth. And building wealth all depends on how much you can save.
If you’re looking for tips on how to save money, and build wealth, then here are a few tips to help you on your way.
1. Get more of what you need and less of what you want. Being able to differentiate between needs and wants is very important in your quest to save money. All too often, people purchase what they want more than what they need. Unfortunately, wants tend to be more expensive than needs.
So next time you see that sparkling jewel that costs a few thousand dollars, think hard and deep if you really need that thing. You will need a whole deal of self-control; but in the end, it’s all worth it when you’re trying to save up.
Don’t worry; buying your wants isn’t against the law. You however have to be able to control yourself and curtail your wants and spend for them wisely.
2. Buy generic. Branded items cost twice as much as generic items. However, this doesn’t mean that they are necessarily better in quality. Your goal now is to reduce the number of branded items you purchase and increase the number of generic brands on your list.
Generic brands aren’t that bad. In fact, some generic brands are better than branded ones. This should make your decision on purchasing items much easier.
3. Spend within your means. Building wealth is equivalent to being able to spend less than you earn. No one builds wealth by spending more than they are capable of earning. It doesn’t matter if you earn $10,000 or if you earn $5,000, if you spent more than you earn you are still a poor person.
Even if you don’t earn as much, if you are to able to set aside some amount from what you earn, you are well on your way to building wealth.
4. Try it before you buy it. Before taking something home for good, make sure you try it and understand the implications of owning such a thing. Don’t forget to factor in maintenance costs, insurance, and operating costs before making your decision. This way you are able consider all the implications of your purchase before you regret your decision.

Location is one of the most important factors that you should consider when buying a fixer-upper home. The location of your fixer-upper home should be geographically strategic not only for your convenience but also for financial stability reasons. Strategically located fixer-upper homes are easier to resell and will sell for a higher price compared to those that are located in less appealing areas.
The location really depends on your preference. If you choose to stay in a quite, less populated area, then move away from the city. Fixer-upper homes in less populated areas are generally less expensive. Although saving on purchase price can mean having a less developed community, less recreational facilities or fewer amenities. Sometimes your location may even be away from hospitals, schools, malls and other major important establishments that should just be within your reach.
In general, people want to stay in the more developed cities. There are many fixer-upper homes being sold in different cities; all you have to do is be particular in choosing the right location.
One of the things that should matter when choosing a location is its accessibility to major roads and highways. For your convenience the location of you fixer-upper home should easily allow you to travel from one place to another. You don’t want to live in a deserted area, don’t you? Speaking of traveling, public transportation should also be considered. A location with good public transportation is a must.
Also, the degree of privacy within the neighborhood shouldn’t be overlooked. There are locations where the privacy of the home owners are highly valued and if you value your privacy, then check out the local neighborhood first.
Another consideration when it comes to strategic location is the proximity to schools, hospitals, shopping areas and other important facilities. Even if you don’t have children who are going to school, the proximity of your fixer-upper home to schools is important because it increases the resale value of your home if you plan to resell it in the future.
The location shouldn’t be hazardous to your health. It is important that you check the location if it is near health hazards like smoke, noise, odors and harmful chemicals.
Check for waste management disposal of the location as well. If you are going to live in that area, you would want to have proper disposal of your trash and snow removal.

Spending more time finding the can opener, a favorite pair of shoes or the most recent electrical bill only means one thing – YOU HAVE A DISORGANIZED HOME! Wasting time just to find things you need for your everyday routine causes a lot of stress when there is a solution to avoid it.
What people fail to realize is that organized homes save them more time, money and lessen their stress. It can be a very fulfilling and satisfying achievement.
If this problem of disorganization is already facing you straight in the eye, you may have to do something to straighten your house and your life as well.
1. Set goals when you are starting to get organized. This is more effective than doing things all at the same time and continuing the next day. Do one area at a time. If you did not finish on time, have a storage place for things you took out from their original place and clear the new space where you plan to put them.
2. Small steps are more fulfilling and easy to accomplish. Do not try to aim big when you are fully aware of your busy schedule. Do things that will likely give you less stress and not really disrupt your everyday schedule.
3. Set a deadline. Clutter starts giving you problems if you keep on storing things for purposes that in the long run are not served anyway. If you want to keep things be sure to set time limits for them and if the reason for keeping them does not come through then do not hesitate to use, give or throw them away.
4. Store items only if they have realistic purposes. Such as in clothes, do not wait for your weight to drop just so you can keep your jeans and other dresses. The chance that this will not happen is high. Having realistic goals will save you more money because you can easily identify what you need and buy those items only.
5. If you are starting to get organized, be sure that you are focused. Do not allow yourself to be distracted. Do things one day at a time.
6. As you go along with your organizing, you will encounter items that you are unsure of - whether to give it away or keep it. What you can do is have separate storage containers for each of the classified items like those you are unsure of, sentimental items given to you that you still want to keep and those that may need to be repaired whenever it is convenient for you to do so.
Remember, having an organized home makes life much easier for you.

Getting a sense out of a deal is, in some instances, the most difficult thing to do. This is because most people could not instantly figure out the benefits they can derive from obtaining it.
Take for example the case of business credit cards. Some people contend that business credit cards are crucial in the growth of a business, while other s contend that it is just one way of losing their investments.
But whatever the point there is, only one this is certain, it is still a credit card and just like any financial decisions, extensive consideration is a must.
So, for those who want to know whether getting a business credit card will be good for their company, here are some of the pros and cons to be considered first.
PROS
1. It is efficient and provides management on the company’s financial charges.
With the business credit card, most entrepreneurs can manipulate their costs and payments through separate charges consolidation. This means that the company will only have one billing statement with details on the employees’ expenses instead of having various statements and invoices.
2. Business credit cards provide their client’s with the opportunity to curb overspending in their employees.
Because the business owners are given the right to “preset’ the credit limit of their employees, they are able to impede any probable overspending of their employees instead. This, in turn, poses great discipline among the people.
The statements that go to the manager or to the financial administrator are in full details of all the financial transactions incurred at a specific time. Hence, the company can track down the kind of spending habits of their employees.
CONS
1. It is still a credit card.
This means that even if it is a company’s property, employees will still have the tendency to over spend or splurge into more cashless shopping. This can be very risky especially to business management who is primarily the one responsible for the accounts.
2. Any errors or faults can damage credit ratings.
If credit history is very important to common individuals, it has a greater impact on businesses. So, if something goes wrong with their business credit card, the effect is mostly imposed on the business rather on the employee.
So, what’s the bottom line here? As compared to other types of credit, it is always best to monitor the spending habits. Credit cards can really be feasible where it serve its purpose, but can also do more harm than good if misused and taken for granted.

One of the first things business owners consider is the location of their office. This should also be applied to your home office. Your ideal working space needs to have a bit of seclusion, security and accessibility for your work.
The best room for your home office should have an ideal temperature, lighting and ample working space. Most importantly, the room for your office should fit your needs.
1) Things to consider – When you are about to set up your home office, choose the most convenient option that will make sense for your situation. Your basement, attic, utility room, patio or deck can be transformed into your own home office.
However, before redesigning your home, make sure you’re making the right decision. Ask yourself if you really need a new entrance for your office, extra electricity settings, windows, area needed and if you need privacy.
2) Choosing the room – The decision of the most appropriate room for your home office depends largely on the staff and equipments involved.
* Simple home office – If your home office will not be occupied by other staff, you could set up an affordable personal computer, telephone and fax machine. Ideal for part-timers, this set up can be designed in a small room.
* A true office at home – If you’re planning a larger business, you will need a more advanced home office set-up, which means larger space and additional furniture as well as extra electricity settings. Ideal rooms for this kind of businesses are the attic, garage, basement and spare room.
3) Nature of your work – The nature of your work will play an important role in choosing your home office location.
* The production – If you will be setting up a food production business or carpet cleaning business, you will need larger rooms for storage, production or packing area. If this is your situation, you will need to redesign and equip a larger room, say your basement or attic.
* The secretary – If you are the secretary-type where your home office will only be a personal computer and a table, a small room can be redesigned to provide you with a home office of your choice. To lessen stress, you could add plants or choose the view of your windows.
Wherever you decide when setting up your own home office, always remember that the important thing is you are physically and mentally comfortable in your own work place since you will be spending a great deal of your time there.