Making store cards work for you

By Samatha Ferguson

If you can comfortably clear the outstanding amount on your store card when the bill arrives and are a regular customer of that particular retailer, it may be worth using a store card, as there could be plenty of benefits in doing so. Not only do you get a discount on your first purchase, there are usually other perks, such as bonus reward schemes, free catalogs or magazines, and special shopping days, where you can avoid the crowds and shop in peace. Jim Black gives customers 1% of what they spend in store back in the form of vouchers, for example, so if you are a regular customer this could be worth having.

Some retailers have launched credit cards alongside their store cards so you get the usual rewards of a store card for spending on the retailer-branded credit card. The danger is that while the APR tends to be lower than on a store card, it isnt as cheap as some of the best credit cards. And as you arent restricted to one store but can use it in whatever outlets you like, you could run up more debt on it than you were able to before. Check the APR before spending " and if it isnt that competitive (and you dont clear your balance every month) dont use it at all.

Set up a direct debit to pay the full amount due on your store card each month. Then, if you forget to pay one month " perhaps because youre on holiday " it will be paid regardless so you wont run up any interest.

As well as persuading you to take out a store card, many retailers will try to force you to buy card protection and, just for good measure, card payment protection as well:

Card protection: Covers you if your card is lost or stolen. A single call from you can cancel all your plastic and usually costs around $7 a month.

Card payment protection covers your store card repayments if you lose your job or become ill and cant work.

You would want to avoid both types of cover, as they are expensive and usually a waste of money. Dont be talked into signing up, no matter how persuasive the salesperson is. If you really want some card or payment protection, shop around for a good deal rather than automatically taking out the policy the store card provider offers: There is no obligation to do so and you will find a better deal elsewhere. Make sure you read the small print before signing anything. - 23309

About the Author:

How to Invest Today is dedicated in teaching everyone how to invest from beginner to advanced.

Investing In Real Estate Is Not Easy

By Ray Walberg

Today's real-estate market is leading many to dream of becoming real-estate tycoons: snapping up properties at low cost and selling them at a profit? Is that a dream you can make reality?

It is possible to make real estate investing a profitable venture, but it will not be easy. If you don't know what you are doing, you could lose your investment - or take years to earn it back.

Before you start checking the real estate listings, think about what you want. Are you planning to invest for the long term or do you want to buy quickly and sell quickly? Do you have the money and time to make necessary repairs and upgrades?

Another important question to consider is how much risk you can handle. Real estate is an especially risky investment because it takes so much time to realize a profit. To reach that profit you have to spend a lot of money: on the property, taxes, repairs, insurance etc. You also have to spend a lot of time: in repairs and in waiting for the market to cycle to a favorable condition for you.

These are not just theoretical questions. Research how much money you have to invest. Write down how much money you want to have in one year, in five years and in 20 years. Determine whether you want to use your primary home as collateral on your investment. (This will increase the size of the loan for which you will be eligible, but it also means you can lose your home if you cannot make your payments.) You may be more comfortable investing money on a smaller "fixer-upper" property.

Many people are tempted by offers to buy a parcel with no money down. These generally involve high interest rates and closing costs. It's a very risky venture because no matter what happens in the market, you will still have to pay the full amount eventually.

Before you take the plunge, learn everything you can about the real estate market. There are many books and periodicals available to teach you the basics. The internet is also a great source of real estate information. You can learn everything you need to know about contracts, mortgages, insurance, legalities etc. The best investment is one that you have spent some time researching.

Be sure you have access to good legal and financial information before you invest. If you don't know your legal rights and responsibilities you could make a serious mistake that could affect your financial health and future.

Real estate investing is not an easy venture, but with careful research and planning, it is possible to get a very healthy return. Because properties are unique, you can have a real adventure in watching changes in your investment. - 23309

About the Author:

Ray Walberg publishes principally for http://www.alicante-spain.com , a web page about property prices costa blanca . You can come across his articles on properties in costa blanca over at http://www.alicante-spain.com .

MACD Divergence Explained

By Ahmad Hassam

Interpreting a MACD divergence can be very useful in your trading. What does a MACD Divergence means? Just that the current price trend is running out of steam. It may not happen right away. But a MACD Divergence is a powerful hint that the market is changing. Spotting a MACD divergence correctly will only come after practice. It is easy to spot MACD crossovers and dramatic rises but not so a MACD divergence.

What you are looking for is when the price action and MACD do not agree. For example, if the price is making a series of higher highs and MACD is making a series of lower lows, something is wrong between the two.

Most probably the traders are getting nervous and slowly fading out of their trades. MACD divergence is seen as a sign that fewer and fewer traders are in the trend. No one is trading against the trend and yet fewer and fewer traders are in the trend.

The only traders in the trend are nervous. They are likely to exit their trade at the first sign of trouble. So if MACD is diverging from the bullish trend. As soon as the bears muster up enough guts to short, the bulls will exit and the bears will take over.

This is exactly why MACD is so powerful. It takes time to setup but when it works, it often works well. There are two powerful keys in locating times when MACD divergence is likely to represent a reversal in price.

MACD divergence can be powerful when the price is at the double tops or double bottoms. You are making your trading plan based on the bounce or breakout of the support and resistance. At this point you spot MACD divergence. This is known as Exhaustion Pullback.

You should trade based on rejection reversal. What does this means? This means that the price action is running out of steam. This indicates that there are not enough committed traders to break the support and resistance (S&R). The price will reverse direction.

MACD is also used as an overbought/ oversold indicator or oscillator. Suppose you see that it has reached its overbought/ oversold range. The price action is turning normal. This is a signal that you should avoid trading at this time.

Dont think that the currency pair is overbought and everyone is buying. However, when the price reaches its extreme, you will see price exhaust and the MACD line drop back into normal zone. Dont confuse the overbought/ oversold MACD zones as trade opportunities.

It is also important to note that divergence can not only be found on the MACD line and the signal line, it can also be found on the histogram. These two situations along with your other technical indicators can provide excellent trading opportunities. - 23309

About the Author:

Mr. Ahmad Hassam is a Harvard University Graduate. He is interested in day trading and swing trading stocks and currencies. Discover A Revolutionary New Forex Robot. Develop your own Forex Trading System.

Learning The Ropes In The Forex Business

By Gary Mooney

Everyone in the world wishes to be well off financially. But not everyone earns from finances. This is a dream-come-true in the forex business: you can earn thousands from currency trading, and run your own home business all at the same time. Either way, you are guaranteed a chance that you will make a fortune with less effort and energy in the comforts of your home.

Making a living out of forex business is easy, fast, and requires less effort. Combining the power of the internet, your natural connections such as friends and family, and home-based business, you will definitely have the ingredients to make a fortune in this industry.

Here's how it works: MLM or multi-level marketing is the marketing strategy used in this business. Through mlm, promoters of direct selling companies are compensated not only for product sales they personally generate, but for the sales of others they introduce to the company. In forex business, the promoter acts as the seller where technology and software to model your financial portfolio and all other trading elements are provided and processed.

In order to really earn from this business, you need to utilize your network and build a new network of customers and distributors to generate sales of products and services. This home-based forex business is very EASY to LEARN and EASY to EARN from. You need not be a professional forex agent nor a marketing or financial expert to be really good at this. Your own creative talent and skills are the only weapons you need in this kind of venture.

Here's what you will do: You can start your dream come true by advertising and giving irresistible offers to your network which includes your family, friends, neighbours, acquaintances, and other people within your first degree sphere. Give an attractive forex offer by showing people this is a proven, easy to use method which has produced good results for thousands of regular people already. Like a shop on sale, your offer will be spread through word-of-mouth, extending the sphere to which you can sell your forex offerings. From there, as you extend your network of customers you are also expanding your forex commissions, which is what you want to happen. - 23309

About the Author:

Gary Mooney is the author of this article. For more information about forex trading as a home business, helpful to both beginners and more advanced entrepreneurs, please visit: http://www.GleemForex.com

Investment Property Advice - How NOT to Lose Your Shirt in Real Estate Investing

By Fred Williams

Investment property advice is an important factor if you're serious about real estate investing. Many new property investors try to learn the ropes by trial and error, but this tactic can be very pricey. It is better by far to seek the sage advice of professionals who have gone before and seen success in property investments. This article will cover four do's of the investment process. At the end of the article, we will offer contact information about a fine company for property investment that can easily give you great investment property advice.

The first thing you need to do to be lucrative in property investing is to uncover positively geared property. This signifies that the rent you get from tenants is more than what you need to dish out to pay the mortgage on the real estate. Property investment advice must consist of how to spot the best price on real estate with the most income possibilities. You should also get advice regarding property investment education, which includes locating property management that will not boost your cash outlay for owning the property too much. You can get this valuable information from coaches who have a good track record of uncovering positive geared property.

The outer suburbs of major capital cities can be great for coming across positive cash flow property. By limiting your search to only a few areas you'll get better insight on how much real estate is worth in those areas. This strategy will facilitate you finding real estate bargains sooner than investors.

If you want to spot great property deals, get ready to do a lot of legwork. While various property investment seminars inform you to always be on the hunt for the best deals, investment property advice that counsels you to focus on only a handful of neighborhoods is far more useful. It thus goes to follow that it's important to work with a coach and buyers agent. These authority figures will help you find property investments that are truly worth your time and money. Allow their experience and market know-how work for you, allowing you to invest your capital shrewdly.

Financial contracts are always part of the discussion when buying an investment property. If you want to have a lot of money for investing in various types of properties, you should not make ill-advised funding decisions. Even if you obtain positive cash flow property, it's vital you address financing correctly. Mortgage brokers cannot assist you with your financial problems for all your real estate possessions. This may restrict your capacity to fund 2nd or even 3rd properties in the near future. Mortgage planners can aid in making an investment strategy designed to cater to your real estate objectives.

Coming across positive cash flow property is probable if you receive -and heed!- the guidance of professionals. The best resource for investment property advice is an authority figure that's already successful in the business. - 23309

About the Author:

Here is further info on investment property advice australia. Contact this website if you require information on positive geared property.