Sterling Silver Charm Bracelets

By George Pertonio

A sterling silver charm bracelet evokes feelings of years gone by and has forever been a recognized classy piece of jewelry. Its appeal transcends all age groups and can be seen in the collections of young and old wearers.

You will be able to find loads of variety out there in the market today ranging from moderately priced simple sterling silver charm bracelets to the more exquisite high end ones.

Sterling silver charm bracelets have been available for many years. Back in the 19th century it was Queen Victoria who first wore this kind of a jewelry item. The charms on her bracelet actually contained family portraits showing her ancestry.

Over the years that trend caught on with women and girls alike and now the charm bracelet can be seen on the wrists of all age groups.

The sterling silver charm bracelets that you will be able to locate in the market today have many different stories to tell. What makes charm bracelets different is that they are a sort of interactive piece of jewelry.

With a charm bracelet you can add on charms as you require, perhaps if you are traveling around the word; the bracelet can become a recorder which tells the story of your travel across the world.

You can also chose a theme that interests the wearer as none of the themes are off bounds for this product. a tennis or surfing fan can sport charms with a tennis racket or surf board and display their personality.

There is also no denying the fact that sterling silver charm bracelets can make an exceptional gift items as well. The fact that they can be personalized according to the taste of the individual is what adds value to this unique piece of jewelry.

There is a variety of designs and options available in the market related to the design and style of the bracelets. There are thousands of charms in the market which help you select exactly what you are looking for.

From animals to cars and sports you will be able to find charms of your interest irrespective of what that might be.

Although the fact that silver which is a valuable item is used to make these charm bracelets, the real appeal lies in the fact that it is an interactive piece of jewelry and you can increase or reduce the number of items and personalize it to your requirements.

Hence with this jewelry item you get two things in one. You will be able to find exquisite charms in many craft and hobby stores around the world. The wide variety of charms varies according to their styles and prices.

Some designers price the charm bracelets according to the craftsmanship whereas others might charge you for the uniqueness of the design, and if they have used precious stones like diamonds or rubies to give the bracelet a unique look. - 23309

About the Author:

Theres nothing like beautiful silver jewelry to show someone how you feel. For more detailed advice on selecting sterling charm bracelet follow the hyperlinks.

How Should Investors Diversify?

By Michael Swanson

Probably everyone can identify with the old proverb "don't put all your eggs in one basket". We all know is makes sense not to encourage such risk. The same thoughts can be applied to our investment portfolios - no one likes to think they will lose money. We are told to diversify our risk, but is investor diversification the best plan for everyone?

Where we are at any point in our investment life cycle will have a huge bearing on our tolerance for risk. Some people are naturally risky, others much more cautious. For those starting out in their working careers the money they invest is very limited and they don't want to lose any of it. For those in the wealth accumulation years they tend to be much more risk tolerant. For them there is a bigger base so a small loss isn't as important and they have years to recoup any losses. For those at the end of their working lives or in retirement, the risk profile is probably much lower. All these factors mean that as individuals, our attitude to diversification will be different.

Diversification, by its very nature, means that while our risks are minimized our exposure to profits can also be minimized. The money we have tied up in fixed interest is not available to take advantage of a red hot stock picks or a booming property market.

Another problem for the small investor is the smaller pool of funds he has to play with. It would be great to have a portfolio of property, a wide range of stocks and bonds, bank deposits and investment art. But to buy into all of these areas the small investor risks having such tiny investments in each that it isn't worth the effort.

There definitely examples out there of people who have specialized and reaped the benefits of that specialization; Henry ford and Bill Gates are two examples. But such successes there are numerous others who have been burned by one big bad investment wiping their portfolio.

In the end, just as we are individuals, our investment diversification decisions must be tailored to our circumstances. - 23309

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A Historical Look At Guaranteed Investment Certificates

By Amy Nutt

Guaranteed investment Certificates, (GIC) are Canadian investments that provide a guaranteed rate of return over a fixed period of time. GICs are normally provided by banks, credit unions, and trust companies.

The earliest forms of guaranteed fixed-income investments included such investments as bank notes and mutual funds. The first Canadian fund, Canadian Investment Fund Ltd. (CIF), was established in 1932. It changed its name to Spectrum United Canadian Investment Fund in 1996, and this fund changed name at the end of August 2002 to CI Canadian Investment Fund. Investing in guaranteed investment certificates, or GICs, has been the safe and sound choice from the time when registered retirement savings plans became available in 1957. GICs were created to give people a guaranteed return on an investment. Back in the 1970's, interest rates on investments were higher averaging about 7.7 per cent and as much as 15.8 per cent in 1982. Part of that high interest rate was due to higher price inflation than today.

Interest rates are lower now. Over the past five years, GICs with a five-year term have paid an average of less than 3 per cent a year. Because Guaranteed Investment Certificates are low risk, there is normally a lower rate of return. With a GIC, the financial institution will borrow the person's money for a specified amount of time which can be six months, one year, two years, or up to 10 years. When the GIC period has ended, your initial investment will be returned plus any accrued interest.

To own a GIC you must deposit at least $500.00. When the period has ended, one can then cash them as taxable income or renew it for another term. If you cash out before the term as ended, you will be required to pay a fee. GICs tend to pay a higher interest rate than bank savings accounts, but less most other investments. Interest rates tend to range from 1-9%.

There are other types of GICs such as Market Growth GICs. Their interest rates depend on the rate of growth in the stock market. This is a bit more risky as the market rates tend to fluctuate. Just like regular GICs, Market Growth GICs are low-risk because your original investment is guaranteed to be returned.

GICs are a popular investment choice due to their safety and security, guaranteed growth. (The interest rate is guaranteed with fixed-rate GICs,) flexible terms, and flexible payments. With some GICs, you can decide how you collect the interest you earn, such as monthly, annually or at maturity.

Guaranteed Investment Certificates make for a sound investment if you want a protected place to save your money. GICs could be used as a part of a fixed income portion of your portfolio, used for retirement supplemental income, or just to hold your money until you come up with a number of long-term financial strategies.

Guaranteed Investment Certificates have had a long history of providing Canadians with low risk financial planning investments for retirement or other investment endeavors. Investment portfolios will benefit from having an investment with a guaranteed rate of return. As well, these investments are often selected during periods of market volatility. - 23309

About the Author:

Whether you're looking for mortgage rates or great GIC rates, with Meridian Credit Union you'll have a customized financial plan that makes sense for you. Just for you.

Why Forex Trading?

By Bart Icles

Without a doubt, the foreign exchange market is one of the most popular trading arenas these days. However unpredictable, forex trading still poses the most attractive rewards to willing investors. And yet, there are still those who ask why engage in currency trading, If you make an online search on the forex market, you will realize that there are tons of reasons why foreign exchange trading is very attractive. But before you get overwhelmed with the plethora of information that you might encounter, it helps to know some of the most basic reasons why you might want to consider getting into this kind of trade.

It is to your advantage that the foreign exchange market is virtually open anytime, anywhere. All that you would need is a desktop or laptop and an internet connection. You do not have to step into some physical trading arena which is only open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You just need to setup a forex account and then you can start clicking away.

You also do not need to worry about being not able to catch the trading times. The whole world engages in currency trading so as one trading center closes, you can be sure that another one opens. If the currency trading center in New York has closed, you can still exchange currencies with other investors through the trading center in Tokyo.

Lots of people also find it hard to resist the leverage offered by the currency market. With just a thousand dollars' worth of investment, you can already trade with a hundred thousand dollars' worth of currency lots. You can even come across brokers who offer up to 200 times leverage. This means that with an investment of a hundred dollars, you can already control up to two hundred thousand units of currency position.

Another amazing thing about forex trading is that you will be able to predict outcomes - accurately. The forex trading market is known to behave in a historical manner which means things happen in cycles. Foreign exchange rates typically vary in a predictable manner that many forex trading systems have already been developed to deliver forex signals to investors. These forex signals are then used in predicting actions that investors can choose to take. While losses and gains appear to be unpredictable in the forex world, the actions and positions that you can assume can always be foreseen. - 23309

About the Author:

A forex day trading system is powerful when coupled with a desire to learn and a drive to become a great trader. Learning forex systems takes dedication and a good teacher. But once you learn how to trade and do so successfully your life will change and you have options and financial resources you never had before.

Your Forex Strategy Will Determine Your Profitability!

By Michael Alison

If you ask a trader their secret, they probably won't tell you. If they do, then it will be different from the next guy. Everyone keeps their strategies close to them. If not, then it's probably not that reliable to begin with. The thing is, with trading on the Forex market, its more strategy with style than anything. Everyone has their own techniques they feel comfortable with.

It used to be that those looking to make money quickly focused on day trading of stocks. While many still do this, it doesn't hold nearly the potential for profits that foreign exchange trading does.

One thing you can do is a Forex managed account. This will let people do the dirty work for you. You simply deposit your money into the account and a professional with make the bids for you. Since it is your money, you can withdrawal it at any time.

You can buy or rent some books and do the trades manually. This is how the big money makers do it. These guys are great about spotting trends in the market. They research the information from books and magazines they subscribe too. You can get book information from a lot of online retailers.

You can automate the process with a Forex automated robot. This is good strategy if you want to leave a program running day and night. If you're working or have some other job, a Forex robot might be good for you if you can't afford to open a managed account. There are robots out there that are associated to online brokers that you can start out with as little as a dollar!

One other way to get some good strategies is to check Forex chat rooms or message boards. Talk to others who will be able to help you and give you some good tips and tricks. This is a good way for you to meet others of like interest.

In conclusion, there are enough resources to help you plan your next Forex trading tip. Just use a little elbow grease and perseverance to find out your personal strategy. Remember the trader's golden rule. Buy low and sell high! - 23309

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