Latest Articles by chensp18

Bad Credit Personal Loan and Bad Credit Loans

Thu, 25 May 2006 00:00:00 -0500

Bad credit personal loans are widely available these days. These are personal loans marketed to individuals with a poor credit score or poor credit history. A bad credit personal loan can be obtained through a lender who specializes in bad credit personal loans or through some banks. Many bad credit personal loans can be found on the Internet. This makes applying and getting approved fast and convenient. Despite the accessibility of bad credit personal loans, all borrowers will want to weigh their options before signing for a loan.

Finding a Lender

A bad credit score puts a person behind the eight ball when it comes to finding a lender as well as a competitive interest rate. However, all hope is not lost as there are ways of shopping around to find a lender while preventing prospective lenders from making a credit inquiry.

Securing the Loan

1. Be sure to never give out your social security number because once prospective lenders have a social security number in hand, they will not hesitate to run a credit inquiry which results in another red mark on an already bad credit line.

2. Research prospective lenders online and then call before making a face to face visit.

3. Be honest with the loan officer but spare them your bad luck story.

4. Be prepared to state your case over the phone in a concise manner.

5. Show up to the face-to-face interview with your credit report in hand and go over the report with the prospective lender while making sure to accentuate the positives.

6. Make them aware of any changes in your lifestyle that you have recently made that would show them you are turning things around and making an effort to repair your bad credit.

7. Ask the prospective lender up front questions in order to determine whether or not they are truly interested in lending despite your questionable credit history.

8. Only after the lender genuinely seems positive about the chances of you securing a loan should you provide personal information and a social security number to the lender which would allow them to do a credit inquiry.

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About the author: Tony Reed is an expert in finance and writes on the topic of Credit & Loans, visit his website Bad credit loans & Credit repair for more information.

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Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Investment Basic: What does successful investing require

Thu, 25 May 2006 00:00:00 -0500

Successful investing requires knowledge, time and commitment, discipline and patience, and the ability to develop an investment strategy that is compatible with your personality.

Knowledge

Each individual must consider what he knows when planning an investment strategy. Recognizing your current level of knowledge, and how you will acquire the additional wisdom you need, are all-important factors.

Time and commitment

How much time are you willing to spend monitoring your portfolio? This is a critical question. An individual's investment plan should be based on his level of interest in ensuring personal financial success. The more diversified a portfolio is, and the more complex your strategy, the more time you will need. To be successful, an investor mush map out a strategy that carefully matches his own personality and level of commitment.

Discipline

Although many investors start with an approach that will work for them, the ability to maintain discipline eludes far too many people. This is caused by a variety of psychological issues, led by fear and greed, that tend to dominate predetermined financial strategies. During various stages of a stock market, different investment styles will work better than others. Sometimes a value approach will be in favor. Other times a growth or momentum style to accommodate the market.

Patience

The last trait for successful investing is patience. Without it, your returns will be more limited. Warren Buffett reminds us that it takes nine months for a woman to deliver a baby. Investments usually take more time to work out than most people consider. Once you plan an investment strategy that complements your personality, managing a portfolio should be simple. The challenge will be to follow the game plan and to remain disciplined.

An investor who establishes varying time frames for holding different types of securities will be much less inclined to lose patience in well researched ideas. This type of analysis will also assist the investor from "holding too long," while watching his momentum idea fall out of favor and create large losses.

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About the author: Tony Reed is an expert in investment and writes on the topic of Forex Investing , visit his website Forex Basics & Trading Strategy for more information.

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Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Higher income from high yield bonds

Mon, 22 May 2006 00:00:00 -0500

To understand high yield bonds, let's define what a bond is. A bond is an interest-bearing investment that obliges the borrower to pay a specific amount of interest for a specific period of time and then at maturity to repay the investor the original amount of the loan. High yield bonds are bonds issued by corporations. These companies pay interest rates higher than those of top quality government or corporate bonds to attract investors. Corporate assets back the bonds; incase of default, the bondholders have a legal claim on those assets.

High yield bonds can offer many advantages: 1. As the name implies, high yield bonds frequently have higher yields. They can be called (redeemed) earlier, which is one reason investors receive higher interest payments. In general these bonds have shorter maturities. Downturns in this investment category have not been as dramatic as in other investment categories.

2. High yield bonds have become a large global market and lack of liquidity is not a huge concern.

3. High yield bonds are not perfectly correlated with other investment categories.

4. High yield bonds have to earn higher returns in order to compensate investors for higher risk. High yield bonds tend to combine the higher returns associated with equities and the lower risk associated with bonds.

5. These bonds will fluctuate based on more than just the direction of interest rates; they will also increase or decrease in value as the issuing company improves its financial performance.

During the previous five years, high yield bonds have generated superior returns compared to more conservative bond funds. However, these returns are less than those of some aggressive equity funds. Investors should invest a portion of their portfolio in this investment category to reduce their risk and increase their income and return potential.

High yield bonds play an important role in a well-diversified mutual fund portfolio for both the conservative and aggressive investors. This sector will still incur risk; but the worst downside risk displayed by this investment category was a loss of 8 percent. Investors who want to capitalize on the opportunities of high yield bonds could consider several mutual funds.

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About the author: Tony Reed is an expert in investment and writes on the topic of Treasury Bonds, visit his website Bonds trading & investment guide for more information.

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Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Life insurance as an investment

Mon, 22 May 2006 00:00:00 -0500

Term insurance provides coverage for a pre-specified period. For example, term insurance is designed to protect a mortgage or provide income for your family in case of your death. You pay the term insurance premium each month and as long as you pay the premium your policy will stay in force. Once the contract reaches maturity (usually in 10 years) you need to renew your policy at a higher price. If you die while you're paying the premium your estate gets a large sum of money.

In contrast, permanent or whole life insurance remains in force until you die. You pay the premium on a monthly basis for a pre-specified term, which can range between 10 to 20 years. A portion of your monthly payment pays the insurance and the life insurance company that provided the insurance invests the remainder. Eventually you don't pay any premiums but your estate still receives a large payment upon death.

Whole life polices have been criticized because their investment returns are low. Thus you were often advised to buy life insurance protection with a term policy and invest the difference between term and whole life payments in a separate investment vehicle, such as mutual funds, stocks, or bonds. Once you have built up a large pool of assets you don't need the insurance because the assets will provide security and stability in the event of an unexpected death.

However, there is a new, more flexible product called universal life insurance. While the life insurance company controls the savings in a whole life policy, the savings in a universal life plan are owned and controlled by the policyholder. Insurance companies offer a large variety of investment options for this savings component, including mutual funds. Thus, you have the ability to meet your life insurance needs and increase your return on investment.

The major advantage of a universal life policy is tax-advantaged growth. When you pay the policy premium, a portion of the premium pays for the insurance and a portion is invested. However, when you are ready to withdraw the money from your investment, your cost basis ( the portion not subject to tax) is higher with a universal life policy. The cost base for a universal policy is equal to the sum of all your premiums - the amount of money you have invested plus the money you have used to buy life insurance. This is very useful because increasing your cost base will ensure you pay less tax once you sell your investments within the universal life policy.

Universal life insurance provides a powerful combination of life insurance and tax-advantaged investment opportunities. Investors should realize that universal life insurance premiums work twice as hard as other premiums. They should also know that choosing the right product is an important element in the overall success of this strategy. Finally, the benefits of this strategy are magnified if you are in a higher tax bracket.

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About the author: Tony Reed is an expert in finance and writes on the topic of Car insurance & life insurance , visit his website Life insurance guide for more information.

This article is free for republishing as long as you leave the article title, author name, body and resource box intact (means NO changes) with the links made active.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Going global through mutual funds

Mon, 22 May 2006 00:00:00 -0500

There are more than 13500 different publicly traded companies in the world today, and there are over 700 more companies expected to go public within a year. In addition, every major developed country offers investors various bonds to invest in. All of this makes for a lot of different investments and plenty of choice. Investors can take advantage of this choice through a good global balanced fund that invests in bonds and stocks or a global equity fund that invests in stocks all around the world.

A global equity fund invests in stock markets around the world. These funds will have a portion of their investments invested in North America. Europe, and Asia. Some of these funds will own hundreds of securities in order to participate in the growth prospects of many firms while diversifying the risk associated with investing in different companies. A good global equity fund will be a foundation for a well-diversified mutual fund portfolio for almost any investor. Investors could consider including the AGF International Value Fund, the BPI Global Equity Fund, or the Fidelity International Portfolio Fund in their portfolios.

A global balanced fund is a fund that invests in both stock and bond markets around the world. These funds will also always have a portion of their investments invested in stock and bond markets located in North America, Europe, and Asia. They are more conservative than global equity funds because they invest in a combination of stocks and bonds, which affect the fund's performance. Over the long term these funds will provide a lower rate of return for investors but they will also exhibit a lot less risk than a global equity fund. They exhibit less risk because bonds are less volatile than stocks; they do not decline in value to the same magnitude or at the same time as global equity funds. A conservative investor should find a good global balanced fund that will serve as a good foundation for a diversified portfolio.

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About the author: Tony Reed is an expert in investment and writes on the topic of Investing in Mutual Fund , visit his website Stock Investing & Trading Strategy for more information.

This article is free for republishing as long as you leave the article title, author name, body and resource box intact (means NO changes) with the links made active.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

How to boost your stock returns while lowering your risk

Mon, 22 May 2006 00:00:00 -0500

An options strategy called Covered Call Writing is a conservative strategy designed to reduce risk and increase income when investing in stocks. Briefly stated, stock options are contracts in which you buy or sell the right to buy or sell. Although there are eight types of options contracts, we're interested here in low-risk "Covered Call Writing."

Here's how it works: Say it's August and you buy 300 shares of XYZ stock at the price of $48 per share. XYZ pays a quarterly dividend of 50 cents per share. Therefore, if the price never moves, you'll earn 4.2% per year.

At the same time, you would participate in Covered Call Writing. To do so, you, you would "write three January 50 Calls." This means you are selling ("writing") the right for someone else to buy the stock from you (they "call" it away) between now and the third Friday of January at the specified price of $50. (All contracts expire the third Friday of the month.)

Each contract represents 100 shares, hence three contracts. The buyers pay you a fee (called a "premium") of $3.5 per share, or $1,050. (The premium is based on the amount of time until expiration and the spread between the current price and the "strike price," in this case $50. Therefore, the premium changes constantly.)

Assuming you don't cancel, only two things can happen next: The contract will get exercised or it will expire worthless in January. Either way, you keep the $1,050. Clearly, this strategy can yield big rewards. Among the advantages are:

1. You are establishing a profitable sell price the day you buy the stock. If exercised, you are guaranteed a profit;

2. You reduce risk because premium in effect reduces the price you paid for the stock;

3. Your annual yield is boosted far above that of the dividend alone.

However, there are other considerations. For one, you are limiting your potential profits. No matter how high the stock rises, you won't sell for more than $50. You can solve this problem by buying your option back, in effect canceling it out. You would do this if you later think the stock will dramatically rise and you don't want to miss the gains to be made.

Also, you have not reduced the risk that your stock may drop in price. The only certainty is, should XYZ drop $25, your option will not be exercised - a small consolation. To protect yourself, you may "buy a January 45 put" giving you the right to sell your stock for $45. This is the opposite of what we've reviewed here, and is designed to minimize losses, rather than protect gains.

Because of the potential for price drops, you should choose a high quality, blue-chip stock that fits your budget, an which offers a stable trading range, solid fundamental, high dividends, and good growth potential.

Covered Call Writing is not a reason to own stocks, but the strategy might be of help if you already own them. Prior to opening an account, you must receive and urged to read "Characteristics and Risk of Standardized Options," which is published by the Options Clearing Corporation in cooperation with NASD and all major U.S. stock exchanges. The booklet is available from any broker or financial advisor.

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About the author: Tony Reed is an expert in investment and writes on the topic of Stock Trading , visit his website Stock Basics & Trading Strategy for more information.

This article is free for republishing as long as you leave the article title, author name, body and resource box intact (means NO changes) with the links made active.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Credit cards 101

Wed, 17 May 2006 00:00:00 -0500

What's a credit card?

A credit card is an agreement between you and a financial group, such as a bank, that you will pay them back in the future so that you can spend the money first. The financial group lends you the money you need and in return expects you to pay them back over a period of time. A credit card is a great financial tool. It can be more convenient to use and carry than cash and it offers you valuable consumer protections under federal law.

How to Qualify for a Credit Card

If you're at least 18 years old and have a regular source of income, you are well on your way to qualifying for a credit card. If you've financed a car loan or other purchase, you probably have a record at a credit reporting bureau. This credit history shows how responsible you've been in paying your bills and helps the credit card issuer decide how much credit to extend. How to choose a credit card?

The first thing to consider is the interest rate on your credit cards. Low interest rates credit cards are always the best choice. Shop around to find the credit cards that offer lowest interest rates. Once you have a low interest rate card, get rid of your higher interest rate cards.

Getting a reward card. Reward cards offer the same purchasing ability as regular credit cards but also allow you to enjoy rewards from points earned or immediate discounts on purchases at select retailers. The secret to finding the best reward card for you is to get a card that offers rewards from a vendor you normally shop at anyway. For example, if you buy a lot of petrol, get a card from a vendor that gives you points for filling up your car with petrol.

Annual Fees.

Many credit card issuers charge an annual fee for granting you credit. But there are also many issuers charge no annual fee.

Establishing a Good Credit History

After you've received your credit card, pay your bills on time - you'll establish a good credit history.

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About the author: Tony Reed is an expert in finance and writes on the topic of credit cards , visit his website Credit cards & Credit repair for more information.

This article is free for republishing as long as you leave the article title, author name, body and resource box intact (means NO changes) with the links made active.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com

Market timing with your mutual funds

Wed, 17 May 2006 00:00:00 -0500

When investing in bonds, stocks, or mutual funds, investors have the opportunity to increase their rate of return by timing the market - investing when stock markets go up and selling before they decline. A good investor can either time the market prudently, select a good investment, or employ a combination of both to increase his or her rate of return. However, any attempt to increase your rate of return by timing the market entails higher risk. Investors who actively try to time the market should realize that sometimes the unexpected does happen and they could lose money or forgo an excellent return.

Timing the market is difficult. To be successful, you have to make two investment decisions correctly: one to sell and one to buy. If you get either wrong in the short term you are out of luck. In addition, investors should realize that:

1. Stock markets go up more often than they go down.

2. When stock markets decline they tend to decline very quickly. That is, short-term losses are more severe than short-term gains.

3. The bulk of the gains posted by the stock market are posted in a very short time. In short, if you miss one or two good days in the stock market you will forgo the bulk of the gains.

Not many investors are good timers. "The Portable Pension Fiduciary," by John H. Ilkiw, noted the results of a comprehensive study of institutional investors, such as mutual fund and pension fund managers. The study concluded that the median money manager added some value by selecting investments that outperform the market. The best money managers added more than 2 percent per year due to stock selection. However the median money manager lost value by timing the market. Thus, investors should realize that marketing timing can add value but that there are better strategies that increase returns over the long term, incur less risk, and have a higher probability of success.

One of the reasons why it is so difficult to time correctly is due to the difficulty of removing emotion from your investment decision. Investors who invest on emotion tend to overreact: they invest when prices are high and sell when prices are low. Professional money managers, who can remove emotion from their investment decisions, can add value by timing their investments correctly, but the bulk of their excess rates of return are still generated through security selection and other investment strategies. Investors who want to increase their rate of return through market timing should consider a good Tactical Asset Allocation fund. These funds aim to add value by changing the investment mix between cash, bonds, and stocks following strict protocols and models, rather than emotion-based market timing.

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About the author: Tony Reed is an expert in finance and writes on the topic of Mutual Fund Investing , visit his website Stock Trading Strategy for more information.

This article is free for republishing as long as you leave the article title, author name, body and resource box intact (means NO changes) with the links made active.

Source: http://www.articletrader.com