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How to spice up your marriage

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 16:29:00 +0000

How to spice up your marriage

Early in the marriage most couples find that they have fun learning more and more about the person to whom they promised they would spend the rest of their life. In the beginning there is passion and intimacy but as the years roll on this journey moves from steamy to lukewarm and even worse – to an ice cold stage.

Thankfully there are several ways to spice up your marriage without adding conditions that will make one spouse or the other uncomfortable. Too many marriage break up because of a lack of intimacy. For the woman this may mean more meaningful conversations and opening up to feelings and for the man this definitely corresponds to a more physical relationship.

While privacy can mean different things to the opposite sex, they can be mutually satisfying and lead to a positive way to spice up your marriage. Sometimes the root of the problem is redundancy. There are many different ways to experience marital intimacy, but too often couples fall into a rut, going back to the same time and duration of the routine again. A simple variation on a familiar theme can help effectively

An alternative that is well appreciated by women is a burning candle before the conversation to bed when the two of you enter the stress of the day and the kids and relax for a while with each other. Another variation linked to attract the man is seductive lingerie. This garment helps make the woman feel more attractive and exciting the more visual male

Another variation on a familiar theme is to add music to the events of the evening, candlelight or even a red bulb in the lamp in the room. Remember that as a married couple, it is not the destination that counts. When married couples engage in physical activity without leading to reports, it may seem almost illegal! You can give your partner the gift of a massage all over with lotion or heavy cream to help them relax after a long day.

Role playing is another popular way to spice up your relationship. Some couples find that dress in a particular role, as a cowboy, increases the excitement. At other times, you may want to act on the fantasy boss-secretary. You can start the role-play in the morning before the boss goes to work and end up in the evening after the kids are in bed

Role playing can also be taken outside the home. Go out on a date with your husband as an alternate personality. Dress differently, meet them at a restaurant and end the night at a hotel

Do something for your spouse that you wouldn’t normally do, just because you love them. Add a note to their lunch or briefcase; bring home flowers; get an unexpected gift

Leave a note in the bathroom or the computer just to let them know you are thinking of them. Everyone likes to know they are important to their spouse!

Do something thoughtful that you know they’ll appreciate whether it’s taking out the garbage, doing the grocery shopping, cooking a meal or giving them time away from the kids. The most important part of spicing up your marriage though is to make it a priority

Make time for intimacy. As busy as you might be, making love to your spouse is a top priority in the marriage. Studies show that humans need touch every day to keep their immune systems working well and to keep depression at bay. What better way to touch your spouse than with a spicy romantic interlude!

How to keep romance in a marriage

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 16:25:00 +0000

How to keep romance in a marriage

Keeping romance in your marriage after spending years together is like trying to insert an elephant into the living room and ignoring it. For some reason we all think that romance is something that shouldn’t be talked about but should ‘just happen’. Fortunately that just isn’t true!

This is fortunate because you now have control over the how to keep romance in a marriage and you aren’t at the mercy of fate.

After several years of marriage most couples fall into habits. We begin to take our spouse for granted and as children enter the relationship romance becomes a diminishing factor. Marriage shouldn’t be the end of romance but rather the beginning.

It is a comedic joke that the last time a man says ‘I love you’ is during the wedding ceremony. After all, the woman heard it once, that should be enough! Nor is it funny when a woman doesn’t respect or appreciate the work and effort that her husband does for the family

Women and men have basic needs that, when met, engender feelings of love and romance for the other spouse. Women have a basic need to be loved and when loved they show respect to their husbands. And men have a deep and basic need to be respected – and when shown respect, will in return show love to their spouse.

When these needs are met keeping romance in a marriage becomes less work and more an effort of love. Expressions of your love can take the form of notes in packed lunches, calls in the middle of the afternoon just to say I love you or whispered words out of earshot of little people. Each of these communications must be meant specifically for the other person and without extraneous thoughts. Such as, the phone call in the middle of the afternoon shouldn’t be to arrange rides for football practice with an ‘I love you’ thrown in at the end.

Research has shown that humans respond well to touch and in fact, to stay healthy most people need to be touched an average of 8 times a day. This includes hugs, hand holding or arms around the shoulders. Many moms get this human touch during the day with their children and may over look the needs of their husbands for the very same nurturing. Touch is a powerful healer and relationship builder. Don’t limit touch to the bedroom or both of you will begin to equate touch only with sex.

Make a point to hug your spouse when they return from work. They are, after all, returning from a long days battle with work, which can be physically draining and emotional exhausting.

Keeping romance in your marriage is often answered with a few surprises. In any relationship a romantic surprise is appreciated. Find a sitter for the children and whisk your spouse away to a musical event, and evening at romantic restaurant or an evening at a hotel with new lingerie.

Remember to use words of appreciation at least once each day. In most relationships, marriages included, after a couple of years it is the negative comments that are spoken most often. Habits that were once endearing are now irritating. Research has shown that it takes eight positive statements to erase the hurt that one negative statement will cause. When your habit is to speak positive statements then the occasional negative one that slips out won’t be devastating.Notice the small things. When she wears a new pair of earrings or he gets a haircut, new clothes they wear or the new way they wear their hair. Relationships do not produce themselves. Showing appreciation for things done or noticing new things you tend to your relationship and help ensure the future

Other ways to keep the romance in a marriage is to try to date once a week. Even if the date is out for dinner and a movie, or someone made a special dinner for the other, while the children are not at a time playing. Spending time together, just the two of you will help keep the intimate relationship

Take a vacation together without friends, family or children. You do not have to be gone for a week, even a weekend at a fancy hotel will help melt the stress of everyday life and help the two reconnect romantic

Close and intimate discussions are another way to increase the romance in your relationship. Romance is a connection with another person and the connection occurs when you share experiences. Exercise, holidays, events, movies, plays, music; all these are experiences you can share together, which will increase the bond between you

Concentrate on each other, watch the words that you say during the busy day and make a special time for each other during the week. How to keep romance in a marriage will become second nature when you incorporate these small things into your day

How to Write Your Business Plan for Your Online Business

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 15:01:00 +0000

How to Write Your Business Plan for Your Online Business

The very first thing you are going to do when you decided to start a new business should be your business plan and that applies to both traditional and online business ventures. Your business plan is designed to outline your business strategies, how you plan to make your business a success, your marketing goals, your financial needs, and your overall blueprint to success.

It will be used by you as the business owner to stay on your business path and it will be used by potential investors and lenders to help them decide whether your business venture interests them, whether they think your business venture is a viable investment opportunity for them. For that reason alone, you should make sure you take the time to create the best business plan you can.

An online business is generally much different than a traditional business and your business plan needs to reflect that. In addition, your business plan must make sure that it details the nuances of your online business that investors may not be aware of or may not understand.

You can begin writing a business summary. If your business is strictly online then you need to break down all the components of operating an online business You need to include things like what you will offer, how will you get customers, who will run your business, where will your business be located?

Next you want to create your marketing plan that will delve into the research behind your market and include pricing, markup, advertising, building your brand, etc. Make sure the information is current and relevant.

You will also want to include all the details related to your management team and their various duties. Often with online businesses this is a minimal number of people. You’ll also include your business schedule both current and long term. This would be things like when is your site going live, will you be getting a loan? Basically, you want to outline the key growth points to give the reader a picture of where you visualize your business going.

Of course, you’ll need to cover your financial plan. Your startup capital, and whether you need to borrow some or all of it, your operating costs, your projected sales and profits in six month increments for at least a couple of years, but five is best.

Finally, you need to write your executive summary that pulls the main points into a summary that helps the reader decide if they want to learn more by reading the full report.

Your Online Business Plan – What’s The Right Business to Build

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 07 Sep 2014 22:49:00 +0000

Your Online Business Plan – What’s The Right Business to Build

Don’t even consider creating your formal business plan until you are actually ready to use it. The business plan of today for online businesses is far less formal than it used to be and it is far more practical. Does each section of your business plan when you require it and don’t be too concerned about formalities?

Don’t confuse this with scrapping out your business plan completely, because online entrepreneurs still need to focus on whatever their ‘niche’ is and their plans for getting their business both off the ground and growing.

What’s in your business plan can change based on the current situation, what you will incorporate into your business plan won’t change. So in other words your final destination will remain the same but how you reach that destination can change.

Steps for Creating an Online Business Plan
The internet is an extremely powerful tool for all kinds of companies and it has certainly changed the kinds of companies that will prosper. There are four key reasons for an internet site:
1. Transactional
2. Content
3. Promotional
4. Relational

These apply no matter what kind of business you are operating. Remember that your business plan is alive – that blueprint is a living, breathing entity that can help you to navigate. It can help you to manage your business, help you find potential partners or investors, help you find lenders and others who can see your business plan and easily understand it.

Your business plan will need to include an executive summary, company overview, business offering, marketing plan and marketing analysis, strategy and implementation of that strategy, what your management team will look like, and finally your financial projections.

It’s important that you understand your online market and that you are able to clearly and concisely create a picture of what this will look like for those who will be reading your business plan and making decisions based on it, and who may not have a good understanding of online business opportunities.

Just because you are running, an online business or planning to start an online business does not mean that you do not need a business plan. Every viable business should have a business plan, even if they are not interested in gaining investment capital. This finely detailed plan will help you to navigate through the waters, and help you to not only get your business off the ground but also keep it successfully moving forward.

how Your Organization Breakdown in Your Online Business Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 07 Sep 2014 22:44:00 +0000

Your Organization Breakdown in Your Online Business Plan

Your online business plan needs to make sure it addresses the management and administration structure – in other words your organization’s breakdown. Online businesses often have a simpler organization structure than a traditional business, but that’s not always the case, and it must be clearly defined.

You will need to cover the management structure and ownership of your business. It’s okay if one person fills a number of roles. Online businesses that are starting up often don’t have more than one or two people running the whole business.

During the startup period, the owner is not going to be receiving a paycheck or any benefits. Initially owner salaries are going to be figured out based on the profitability of the company but they should never be more than fifty percent of the profit of the business.

If the company is limited, there will be the distribution of shares among the owners. That could be one person, two people or more, but the breakdown needs to be included in the business plan so potential investors know and understand the business structure.

You will also need to include the managerial style that you plan to use. This should be broken out so that not just investors but business owners can stay on track and later compare.

* Communication - Communication will be mainly through, i.e. email, texting, oral, etc.
* Decisions Making - Who is going to be the final decision maker for all the decisions pertaining to your business.
* Project Management –There are different styles. You should define what style you are going to use. For example, all project management will be defined by the PMI PMBOK standards.
* Record Keeping – The company will use <insert accounting package name> to manage our financial records.

You will need to define the management structure. For example, Person A will be President, Director of Marketing, and Director of IT. Person B will be Director of Operations, Director of Finance. You are then going to define what the responsibilities are in each of those positions that a person holds. Be clear and concise when describing these roles, because you will be using this yourself in running your business.

The organization breakdown is going to look very different from one business to the next, so make sure that you take the time to properly define what your business organization is going to look like.

3 Personal Finance Apps That Help You Keep Track of Spending

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 16:06:00 +0000

3 Personal Finance Apps That Help You Keep Track of Spending

$5 here, $10 over there, and a fistful of change slapped into the palm of a department store employee. Before you know it, all of that hard earned cash has disappeared, and your wallet is a mess of receipts and lint.

Wouldn't it be nice to keep track of your finances in order to create a savings plan?

It can be incredibly difficult to save a significant amount of money without keeping track of your income and expenses. There are several excellent applications online that will help. These applications can be installed on your computer or smart-phone.

Google Drive

Google Drive is a free application designed by Google that allows you to create files and store them on a cloud. The files can be downloaded and edited from anywhere in the world. Google Drive is similar to Dropbox but it's primarily designed for worksheets and other work-related files.

So how can you keep track of finances with this application?

Create a spreadsheet. It's relatively easy to create a spreadsheet with Google Drive. Just head to the website and click on "create new spreadsheet."

Then follow these steps:

1. Create a column for each aspect of your finances that you wish to track such as income, expenses, or investments.

2. Beneath the label for each column, put in a simple formula to add all the amounts listed in that column. This formula is one of the simplest to use in a spreadsheet: "=sum(A2:A30)".

* Not sure what that means? It's easy: "A" is the column letter, "A2" is the beginning range, and "A30" is the ending range. In other words, this formula will add all of the numbers that are put into the row range A2-A30.

It can take a while to get used to the formulas and math, but the benefits are worth your effort. Plus, once it's set up, you can use the spreadsheet forever without additional math.

Mint.com

One of the most popular applications for personal finances is called Mint. It can synchronize all of your bank accounts and credit cards into one place. However, the application is only available for people who live in North America.

What can you track with Mint? Check the list below.

* Income
* Bank account balance
* Loans
* Investments
* Personal spending funds
* Bills
* Budget goals
* Simple and effective budgeting options
* And much more!

What's best about Mint is that it's completely free and you can track your stats from mobile devices as well. It's one of the best budgeting applications out there.

GOODBUDGET

One of the simplest old-school techniques for keeping track of personal finances is to place money into individual envelopes for saving purposes. Most people still use this technique! But it can be inconvenient, if not risky, to stockpile envelopes full of cash in your home.

GOODBUDGET makes it easy to place money into virtual envelopes for effective budgeting.

Consider these GOODBUDGET features:

* Shared envelopes make it easy for loved ones to save for a mutual interest
* Save for large expenses, such as college tuition
* Simple and elegant budgeting system

This program costs around $5 a month - not much for excellent budgeting software.

These apps are 3 of the world's best personal finance applications. Pick one based on your personal preferences and start keeping track of your money today. You'll always know where your money ends up with these applications!

7 Effective Strategies to Reduce Estate Taxes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 16:02:00 +0000

7 Effective Strategies to Reduce Estate Taxes

Even if you're not wealthy, an estate plan can ensure that your assets pass on to those whom you want to receive them.

Estate taxes are imposed on the heir of an estate and include any real estate, stock, cash, or other assets transferred to heirs at the time of death. There are both federal estate taxes and, in some states, state estate taxes.

Wouldn't you rather see these items stay in your family instead of being eaten by Uncle Sam?

Laws can vary from state to state, so be sure to find the details that apply to your situation.

Use these tips to reduce your estate tax burden:

1. Give the money to your children while you're still alive. You can give up to $14,000 per year to any of your children or grandchildren. If you're married, you and your spouse can each give a total of $28,000 per child each year. This can add up.

2. Be charitable. Charitable gifts and lifetime transfers are a way to reduce your estate taxes and get your money to the organizations that mean the most to you.

* There are several ways to gift money and assets to charitable groups. Not surprisingly, charities are well versed in gift giving and taxes. Their help is also free!

3. Set up a trust. An irrevocable life insurance trust permits the transfer of assets up to the value of the life insurance premium. The real benefit comes from the value of the policy. Life insurance proceeds are normally free from taxes. This is quite simple to set up, but a trust attorney can ensure that it's done properly.

4. Transfer assets to your spouse. Gifts given during your lifetime or left to your spouse in your will are not subject to income taxes, up to approximately $10 million.

* However, your spouse will eventually have to pay taxes upon their death. But this extra time can be put to good use to further reduce the tax liability.

5. Enjoy it. Any money spent won't be part of your estate come tax-time. If you've focused on saving in the past, maybe it's time to enjoy some of your money.

6. Move. Not all states collect an estate or inheritance tax. Moving to a different state could save your estate a lot of money. A little over half the states don't collect these taxes, and one of them may appeal to you. Do some calculations and see how much you would save if you moved.

7. Set up a family partnership or family LLC. These business entities are another way to potentially reduce estate taxes.

Estate planning isn't just about protecting your assets. It's also about meeting your financial goals. If you don't have an estate plan, it's never too soon to start. An attorney is a great place to begin. Just be sure that they have expertise in estate planning. For example, most attorneys don't have the slightest idea how to set up a trust.

If you have significant assets, estate taxes can approach 40% of the value of your estate. It only makes sense to reduce this burden as much as possible. Your heirs will thank you.

8 Important Things to Teach Your Child About Money

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 15:57:00 +0000

8 Important Things to Teach Your Child About Money

Odds are you've had financial stress at some point in your life. If you really think about it, most of the financial stress we suffer is ultimately our own fault. We spend more than we should and save less. We buy things we don't need and fail to give money the respect it deserves. One big purchase on a credit card can result in payments that never seem to end.

If you could go back in time and eliminate all of your financial errors, your life would probably be very different. Though it's never too late to make improvements, it's much easier to prevent challenges than it is to solve them. You can help your child avoid such financial challenges.

You can give your child the gift of financial wisdom.

Consider discussing these ideas with your children:

1. Consider the real cost of what you're buying. A $500 stereo doesn't just cost $500. Invested at 10%, $500 could grow to almost $27,000. This is commonly referred to as opportunity cost.

* If you spend your money on something, that money isn't available for anything else, like investing.

2. Show your child how to use a simple savings calculator. These free calculators are available all over the internet and are a great way to show what can be accomplished by consistently saving a little money each month.

3. Teach them about debt. The average household has over $7,000 in credit card debt. When kids go to college, they're inundated with credit card offers from the first day on campus. Imagine how much better your lifestyle would likely be if you were debt-free. Teach your child not to fall into the debt trap.

4. Start building their credit. Consider co-signing for a credit card, if they aren't old enough to get one by themselves. Look for a card with a low rate and no annual fee. Teach them how to use the card wisely.

* An alternative is to take out a loan together. Banks will loan money to anyone if the loan is fully secured. With a small deposit in a savings account, a comparable amount can be borrowed easily.

* Most young adults are unable to purchase a home for several years, often due to a lack of credit history. Get started early.

5. Pull their credit report. After some credit building activities, teach your child how to view their credit report and check for errors. The majority of credit reports have errors, typically not in your favor.

6. Teach them how to save. Most of us pay our bills, have a little fun, and then plan to save whatever is left. There's rarely ever anything left with that approach. Teach your child to immediately save 10-20% (or more) of every dollar earned. Think about how much money you'd have if you had done the same since you were 18.

7. Teach them to be giving. Allow your child to choose a charity and contribute to it. For a young child, it might be just a few dollars. You child will ultimately come to see that giving affects them as much as it does the person or organization receiving the money.

8. Make them work during the summer. All teenagers want more money. Give them the chance to earn it. Their perspective will change.

Money is an important part of life. Money provides security, opportunity, and a greater ability to help others. You have a lot of control over the financial habits your children develop. Help them to have a financially successful life.

8 Ways to Invest in Foreign Markets

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 15:53:00 +0000

8 Ways to Invest in Foreign Markets

The United States might have the largest economy in the world, but it's far from the only economy. There's a whole world out there. When the US economy is faltering, there are plenty of other economies doing well. It's much easier to invest successfully in a thriving economy than in one that's struggling.

But most investors don't know where to start. Do you get on the phone and call Tokyo when you want to invest in a Japanese stock?

In 2012, the US was less than 19% of the world economy. That's a lot for one country, but it's still a small amount compared to the combined rest of the world. Do you think there might a few good investments in that other 81%? Of course!

Fortunately, there are several easy ways to invest overseas:

1. American Depository Receipts (ADR). These are US traded stocks that represent foreign stocks. If you've ever owned Sony stock, you almost certainly owned ADR shares. You didn't actually own a share of actual Sony stock.

* These are traded on the US stock exchanges and are quoted in US dollars. This eliminates the need for currency conversions.

2. Buy the stock on a foreign exchange. Not all foreign stocks can be purchased with ADRs. Many foreign stocks can be purchased on the London or Toronto stock exchanges. There are international brokerage houses that can help with this type of investment, but the fees can be steep. Check before you buy.

3. International Mutual Funds. There are US funds that invest exclusively in foreign markets. International funds tend to invest with a broad scope.

4. Regional Mutual Funds. These are similar to international funds, but tend to invest within a certain region, such as the Middle East.

5. Country Mutual Funds. These are limited to a specific country, such as China or Russia.

6. Sector Funds. Sector Funds stay within an industry, but cross borders. A sector fund that invests in gold mining all over the world would be an example.

7. Exchange Traded Fund (ETF). An ETF is like a mutual fund that tracks a specific index. For example, there is an Oil Index (OSX) that is composed of 15 different stocks. An ETF mimics an index. Many ETFs contain foreign stocks. This is a great way to invest internationally within an industry.

* ETFs are priced, purchased, and sold like stocks. Remember that mutual funds are priced at the net asset value (NAV). The price of an ETF is whatever the market will bear. Mutual fund shares are always sold at their actual value. Still, it wouldn't be a bad idea to try pricing an ETF with the NAV and see where it stands.

8. Invest in foreign currency. Currency trading can be exciting and serves as an excellent means to reduce risk in foreign investments.

* However, currency trading is not for the weak of heart. Many people have made a fortune in currency trading. Many have been wiped out. If you have the expertise, it can be a great way to invest in a foreign market.

There are several ways to invest in foreign markets. It's time that investors opened their eyes to all the investing opportunities around the world. There are many companies and investment vehicles based in other countries. It would be a shame to miss out on all these foreign economies.

The US is less than 20% of the global economy. If you're not investing internationally, you're missing out on over 80% of the opportunity! Look abroad for your next investment for fun and profits.

Build Your Savings with Easy Spending Cuts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 15:50:00 +0000

Build Your Savings with Easy Spending Cuts

It can be quite difficult to save money if you don't know how to reduce the amount of cash that you spend on a daily basis. Once you've made the decision to make daily budget cuts, you'll be surprised to find out just how much money you can save!

These tips will make it easy for you to make progress towards your financial goals:

1. Keep track of your spending. One of the easiest ways to track spending is to use a small notebook that you can keep handy in your pocket or purse.

* Whenever you spend some money, jot down the amount that you spent in your notebook. Most people make the mistake of skipping this important step.

* Never underestimate the power of tracking your finances. Even though your mind is incredibly powerful, it can be difficult to remember where all that money went.

* It might take awhile to get into the habit of writing down the amount of cash that you spend on a daily basis, but once you get used to it, it becomes fairly automatic.

2. Cut back on pleasure. Unfortunately, it's too easy to overspend on entertainment and leisure. Cutting back on pleasure can drastically improve your financial situation. But what can be removed from your list?

* Watch movies at home rather than go to the theater. Invite your friends for a potluck and you can have dinner and a movie for less than the cost of movie tickets.

* Consider breaking habits such as smoking. A pack of cigarettes can cost $10 or more in some areas. You could try switching to a less expensive alternative such as e-Cigarettes or just focus on quitting smoking altogether.

3. Eat out less often. We all love to dress in fancy clothes and hit an expensive restaurant for a night of good food and relaxation. There's nothing wrong with that. But the bills can add up to an outrageous amount and have a huge impact on your finances.

* Consider reducing the amount of times that you eat out.

* Learn to cook at home. It's cheaper, healthier, and also fun.

4. Check for less expensive alternatives of current services. We all utilize a different set of services on a daily basis. What if there was a way to reduce those bills?

* Consider a pre-paid phone card. Most people are glued to their smart-phones, but how much time do you spend actually making calls?

* Sticking to internet based text messages is also another cost-effective way to communicate with people.

* Does your cable company have a less expensive package that would meet your needs?

* It's convenient to have the magazines you enjoy delivered to your doorstep. But is there a more frugal alternative? Yes, most of these magazines have online subscription options, and you don't need to pay a cent!

Getting in the habit of cutting expenses takes some practice. But once you start to condition your mind to look for opportunities to save a few extra bucks, you'll soon realize that your financial goals are within your reach!

Do Stock Prices Really Follow Earnings

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 15:45:00 +0000

Do Stock Prices Really Follow Earnings?

Stock gurus commonly claim that stock prices follow earnings. Is that an accurate statement? There's some evidence that it used to be truer in the past than it is today. The flood of armchair investors is likely the culprit. It's much easier for a stock price to be artificially inflated or deflated by investor sentiment than in the past.

Microsoft is one such example. The company has done exceedingly well over the last 13 years, but the stock price has done nothing. Revenue and earnings have increased dramatically, but the stock has been stagnant. The stock was simply overpriced many years ago, and the earnings are still struggling to support the price of the stock.

Short-Term Earnings

There is little dispute that, over longer periods of time, earnings are an excellent predictor of stock price.

Research has shown, however, that earnings have little impact on the price of a stock in the short-term. Short-term price movement can occur, especially when the earnings reports are significantly higher or lower than expected. But this fluctuation tends to correct itself quickly.

If you tend to buy and hold, short-term earnings are of little concern. There's no reason to get upset by one bad earnings report or overly excited by one great report. It's the pattern over the long haul that makes a difference.

Long-Term Earnings

Long-term earnings are a good benchmark for stock price. This is true whether the company is relatively young and growing or mature and stagnated.

Growing companies are able to use earnings to reinvest and expand. If done wisely, this helps the company to become more profitable. Mature companies frequently don't have many expansion opportunities, but they can give a portion of those earnings back to the shareholders in the form of dividends. They can also repurchase shares, increasing the value of the remaining shares.

How well companies use their earnings is really the key. If they are used wisely, the company and the stock price tend to thrive. Used poorly, neither tends to do well. It's largely dependent on the quality of the management. Good management makes maximal use of earnings to increase shareholder value.

Earnings Estimates

It has been shown that companies with high earnings estimates are more likely to miss their earnings target. It's always challenging to meet high expectations. Companies with lower earnings estimates tend to do better than expected.

This is a worthwhile consideration for short-term investors that try to time the market.

It's important to remember that a stock's price already reflects the market's expectation of the company's earnings. That's the whole idea of the market being "efficient." All the available information is already reflected in the stock price. That's the theory, anyway.

Changes in Earning Estimates

If a company's earnings are updated upward by 5% or more, those stocks tend to outperform the market as a whole. Downward updates tend to have the opposite effect and underperform versus the market.

When things are looking better than expected, people get excited about a stock and drive up the price.

Conclusions

Earnings can have a significant impact on the price of a stock. The issue is really your time horizon. If you're investing with the intention of holding a stock long-term, changes in earnings estimates, hitting or missing earnings expectations, and short-term earnings are largely insignificant. Warren Buffett doesn't worry about such things.

However, if you like to invest in stocks for short-term gains, then all of these issues around earnings can be significant to your success.

For your best results, determine how long you intend to be in the market and base your decisions around that.

How to Create a Budget Chart to Slice Expenses and Save Money

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 15:41:00 +0000

How to Create a Budget Chart to Slice Expenses and Save Money

Using a computer program to keep track of your budget is quite addicting. You start to feel proud and satisfied when you can add a new amount to the "earnings" section of the budget. Of course, the most satisfying part would be watch your earnings and savings increase as you cut back on spending

But what if you need to pay an upcoming bill and you're flat broke?

Relax, there's no need to panic. Fortunately, your handy budget chart will help you cut back on spending without losing the roof over your head.

In addition, keeping track of your expenses will help you avoid spending money unnecessarily, so more funds can be allocated to saving.

Keeping Track of Income and Expenses

This tutorial can work for any Excel style spreadsheet:

1. Open a new spreadsheet

2. In the first rows, type in the factors that you would like to track (earned, spent, saved)

3. Below the label, select the formula area, and type "=sum(A2:A30)"

This is one of the simplest formulas that can be used in Excel. It simply adds the amount of numbers that are found in column A between row 2 and 30

You can put in the dates on the side of each row, but it's easier to just use the default row values and remove any additional rows. For example, if there are 300 rows, delete 270 so that you'll have 30 rows left, one for each day of the month.

Keeping Track of Your Saving and Spending Percentages

The formula above will add the amounts in a range of rows. But what if you want to determine a percentage difference of two labels? For example, you want to keep track of the percent that you save on a monthly basis.

Follow this process:

1. Type this formula in to the formula area of the spreadsheet: "=sum(A2/B3)", assuming that you're "Total Earned" amount was on A2 and your "Total Spent" amount was on B3.

2. Right click on the percentage label

3. Format the cell as a percentage (from the drop down list of formatting options)

Congratulations! You just made an incredibly simple budget chart!

Benefits of Using Your Budget Chart

When you start to use this budget chart, you'll begin to notice that each time you add an amount to the "earned" section, the spreadsheet will update, and you'll be able to see at a glance how much you've been earning and spending.

Get into the habit of using the budget chart and you'll be able to easily manage your finances.

The chart will serve as motivation to save money because no one wants to be reminded that they are spending a lot of money. It will be a little mind game to see how high you can make that "Percent Saved" number go. When you have to spend money, that percentage will decrease, which will make you want to bump it back up.

Using this chart will create the mentality that you need to save money, which is one of the most beneficial decisions you can make. So create that budget chart and see how much cash you can save!

Income Tax Requirements When Living Out of the Country

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 15:33:00 +0000

Income Tax Requirements When Living Out of the Country

Living in a foreign country holds a lot of appeal. It gives an exotic impression and seems like a never-ending vacation. But it doesn't matter where you go, because the US government still expects you to file a tax return and pay taxes. This is true even if you become a citizen of the other country and live there full time

The United States might be the only country in the world that does this.

If you were a citizen of Italy but living and working in Argentina, Italy wouldn't expect you to pay any taxes! You would have to pay them in Argentina, though. The US would expect you to pay both.

For your peace of mind and to keep you out of jail, become familiar with the income tax rules that apply to you as a citizen of the United States living outside the country.

Income tax rules for US citizens living abroad:

1. No matter where you live, you must file a tax return. It's entirely possible that you won't owe any taxes, but you must file an income tax return each year.

2. You're still subjected to all US tax laws. This includes income tax rates and the same credits and deductions.

3. There are 2 primary ways to reduce your taxes owed in the United States. The United States has a reputation for double taxation, but in practice that only applies above certain income limits.

* Foreign tax credit: This credit is intended to protect American citizens from paying taxes twice on the same income. In essence, you can deduct any income taxes you've paid in the foreign country from your taxes owed in the US. There is a limit, however.

* If you paid $12,000 in foreign taxes, you could reduce your US tax bill by $12,000. Simple enough.

* Income exclusions: This is the other option. You can't claim both. The income exclusion allows you to reduce your gross income by up to $97,600. You can also subtract housing costs up to a maximum amount.

* As an example, if you earned $100,000 in a foreign country, your taxable income would be only $2,400. It would be even less after the housing cost credit.

* The housing credit is equal to the cost of housing minus $15,216. The maximum is 30% of $97,600. If your housing costs were $25,000, you could claim an additional deduction of $9,784 from your gross income.

* Self-employed folks are not eligible for this housing exclusion.

4. Any gross income above and beyond these deductions will likely be taxed in both countries. Those with significant incomes can expect to have a portion of their income double taxed.

Many wealthy and not-so-wealthy people are choosing to renounce their US citizenship. In many cases, this is due to the tax situation. Over 3,000 people did exactly that in 2013. Even if you don't owe taxes, the cost to have your income tax return prepared in a foreign country can range from $3,000 to $7,000! That's a lot of to pay, especially if you're under the income limits.

The laws surrounding the reporting of foreign investments and bank accounts are very arduous. The banks themselves have to report your accounts. You also have to individually report each account holding $10,000 or more

It's important to file your US tax returns. The penalty for failing to file while living abroad starts at $10,000 and can go as high as $100,000. This can be true even if you don't owe any taxes.

If you're under the income limit, your US tax bill is likely to be zero. However, the cost and hassle of filing that return can be significant.

One thing is for sure: file your US tax return, no matter where you reside!

Want to be Wealthy Stop Swapping Your Time for Money

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 15:09:00 +0000

Want to be Wealthy? Stop Swapping Your Time for Money

Many of us were taught to do well in school, get a great job, work hard, and you'll eventually make a lot of money. This may be true, but there is a great limitation to working for someone else. Time. There are only so many hours in a week. No one can buy or create more.

Even doctors suffer from this limitation. The average physician makes a large salary, but there aren't many that make a million dollars a year. Even a physician is swapping his time for money. He only gets paid while he's seeing patients. He can't see more than one at a time and he can't see them while he's asleep. The clock ultimately limits his income.

This is also true for consultants, dentists, lawyers, and CEOs.

If you want the opportunity to make a tremendous amount of money, it's important to find ways to earn without your presence being necessary. Free yourself from the clock and your ability to earn is unlimited.

There are better ways:

1. Get paid more than once for the same work. Think about artists, authors, and musicians. In their respective businesses, they're able to get paid repeatedly for the same work.

* An author can write a book and then sell a million copies over the next 10 years. During that time, she may have written 20 more books. What could be better than getting paid multiple times for the same work?

* What are some other businesses that can utilize this same strategy?

2. Do something that allows you to receive recurring payments. Leasing office space or other real estate to others keeps money coming in while you do other things. Building a website and leasing it is a similar strategy.

3. Be an investor. The great thing about stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and similar investments is the ability to make money with little work on your part. You're essentially making money while you sleep. You could also loan money to others.

4. Outsource / arbitrage. Many people set up businesses and then outsource all the work. This is especially true online. For example, there are people that sell website building services. These same people then hire someone else at a reduced rate to do all the work.

* Ghostwriters write many of the e-books sold on sites like Amazon.com. The listed author paid someone else to write the book. If you can successfully buy something for $X and sell it for $X+Y, you can potentially make money with little work.

* Can you think of ways to make money from the work of others?

5. Create passive income. A website that sells an affiliate product can make money while you sleep and is a form of passive income. It's not difficult to build a website that makes a mere $5/day, but keep in mind that's over $1,800/yr.

* Make a list of other ways you can make money passively.

Time is limitation for all of us. So far, no one has lived forever. But time doesn't have to limit your income. Doctors, lawyers, and CEOs are paid well, but you have even great financial potential if you can break free from swapping your time for money.

Uncertainty stops many people. If you write a book or create a website, you're not guaranteed to make any money at all. If you go to your job, you can expect to get paid on a regular basis. Courage and persistence are required.

Get started today and build an income stream that isn't dependent on your time or presence. You'll enjoy getting paid while you're not at work!

What a Prenuptial Agreement Can and Can't Do

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 15:02:00 +0000

What a Prenuptial Agreement Can and Can't Do

With over half of all marriages ending in divorce, many people are choosing to use a prenuptial agreement to protect their income and assets. While such an agreement can be very powerful, it does have its limitations.

Remember that marriage laws are primarily at the state level. The limitations of a prenuptial agreement will be different from state to state.

Most people think these agreements only apply to those of considerable wealth. But consider that in any divorce, there is usually one party that feels good about the outcome and one that does not. Consider which side you're likely to find yourself. Anyone getting married would be wise to at least give it some thought.

The power (and limits) of a prenuptial agreement:

1. It's not iron clad. A judge has the option of determining whether each clause is reasonable. He can throw out any portion of the agreement that he deems unfair or invalid. A good attorney can reduce the likelihood of this happening.

2. Protect your financial health. Many states default to an agreement where both spouses share all property, debt, and assets equally. Just because your name is the only name on the deed to your house doesn't mean your spouse doesn't get half. You can also be on the hook for half of your spouse's credit card debts and car loan.

* A prenuptial agreement can outline the division of assets and debt in the case of divorce.

* It can also protect your retirement benefits, stock options, and retirement accounts.

3. In most cases, a prenup cannot determine child support. The courts typically do what is best for the children, regardless of what you and your spouse decided in your prenuptial agreement.

4. Spousal support might be controlled. Many states permit spousal support to be determined with a prenup. However, the numbers must be reasonable and fair in most states. Some states leave spousal support up to the court system, and the prenup numbers are ignored.

5. Minimize conflict and drama and save money. There's less arguing when both parties agreed to the terms and signed on the dotted line.

* In theory, with less to argue about, the attorney fees should be significantly less.

6. It can be part of an estate plan. While a will is invaluable at the time of death, a prenuptial agreement can also be important if you want part or all of your estate to go to someone else, like your children.

* This issue is especially important if you have children from a previous relationship.

7. Non-financial issues can be included. It varies with the state, but many allow clauses related to who does the grocery shopping and how much each spouse will weigh. Nearly anything can be included.

* Beware. Too many personal clauses can cause the judge to see the overall agreement as frivolous. Let your attorney be your guide.

8. It can be useful if you own a business. Whether you own a business by yourself or jointly, an agreement can be helpful. One spouse might be forced to sell his half to the other. You might want to keep your solo business all to yourself.

* If you have partners, it's especially important to have an agreement.

Prenuptial agreements are less than romantic and can even be viewed as an implication that you expect the marriage to fail. But with the prevalence of divorce, such an agreement can be a valuable financial tool.

Even if you don't have significant financial assets, it's worth consideration. Get the best attorney you can afford to ensure the agreement is done effectively and appropriately for your circumstances and desires.