Learn How to Save More with Our Bargain Shopper's Guide!

170 pages of Black Belt Shopping Tips and The Best Online Resources to Help You Get the MOST VALUE for YOUR MONEY!

Every consumer should be armed with The Black Belt Shopper's Guide, before they purchase anything else!

"Larry has done a fantastic job with this ebook, it is packed full of information and bargain shopping resources that are guaranteed to help the consumer save money and make the best choices on all of their purchases, no matter what size budget they might have!"

Michelle Jones, Founder and Editor of BetterBudgeting.com

http://www.betterbudgeting.com/blackbeltshoppersguide.htm

AMAZON OnLine

http://amazon.com



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Structured settlement

What Is a Structured Settlement?
Welcome to Structured Settlements Guide
Benefits of a Structured Settlement
Potential Disadvantages of Structured Settlements
Selling a Structured Settlement
Special Considerations
Structured Settlements in the United States
Legal Structure
structured settlements are an excellent way for physical injury and wrongful death victims to protect their financial security
Your online informational guide to structured settlements
More...

Ebay

The Five Things You Must Do Before Buying On Ebay

http://www.ebay.com

As a consumer, you will find many great deals on items that you want and need through eBay auctions. Many people visit eBay on a daily basis looking for auctions for items that they may be interested in – simply because eBay auctions are so much fun!

However, before you start buying on eBay, there are some steps that you need to take. Here are five things you must do before buying on eBay.

1. You can't buy anything without registering first.

Registration is free and only takes a few minutes. You will be asked for credit card information, and this is required before you will be able to bid on auctions. Your email address must be confirmed before your account will become active, so make sure that you use the correct email address.

You will be given the option to sign up for a Paypal account, if you don't already have one, and you should strongly consider doing so. Signing up with Paypal is free and many auctions will require you to have a Paypal account.

2. Once you have completed the registration process, you are ready to start bidding on auctions.

However, don't jump in right away. Navigate around the site a bit, and get a feel for things first. Some unscrupulous sellers try to take advantage of new eBay users, and you must be wary of them.

Start by searching for the items that you are interested in. Using the category list, click on the categories that you feel that you are interested in, and start looking at the open auctions in those categories. You should find the items that you are looking for quite easily.

3. Once you have found items that you want to bid on add the auction to your favorites – but don't place your bid just yet.

Instead, go find old auctions for similar items. See how much those items sold for so that you know how high to bid. Research the item as best as you can. Determine what the item would cost if it were brand new, and what you should bid now on the used item, in the condition that it is in.

4. Learn more about the seller.

Remember, not everyone is honest. Avoid buying from sellers who have low reputations. The reputation system at eBay is an important tool for buyers. This will enable you to determine whether or not you can trust the person that you are buying from.

Read their feedback page. Read the seller's 'About Me' page. Get to know who you are dealing with a little bit better by communicating with the seller about the auction.

5. Place your bid.

Once you know what item you want and how much you should bid on it, you are ready to place your bid.

CopyRight 2006 Ian D.Major

http://www.ebay-articles.com/

Structured settlement

What Is a Structured Settlement?
Welcome to Structured Settlements Guide
Benefits of a Structured Settlement
Potential Disadvantages of Structured Settlements
Selling a Structured Settlement
Special Considerations
Structured Settlements in the United States
Legal Structure
structured settlements are an excellent way for physical injury and wrongful death victims to protect their financial security
Your online informational guide to structured settlements
More...

Green Garden

Growing Great Flower Gardens

Thanks for joining me on my home website – this is where I post articles, pictures and run a free gardening newsletter to answer reader questions. There is a growing number of articles up here and I hope you find something of interest.

And while the old farm has been sold and the thousands of plants moved, the thought about coming down “where you ought to be” in the “valley of love and delight” still rings through my head. As it turns out, the old farm wasn’t just a place, it is a thought and a dream that I carry with me wherever I go and whatever I do.

( http://www.simplegiftsfarm.com/ )

Hydrogen peroxide tips :

Hydrogen peroxide - a greener alternative to chlorine bleach

Chlorine bleach is a chemical that most of us have in our homes. It's very handy for multiple applications including cleaning and disinfecting; but may not be all that earth friendly. A good alternative to consider is hydrogen peroxide.

Most of the debate about chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) stems from its ability to form more toxic byproducts such as dioxin, furans and other organochlorines when reacting with other elements.

Hydrogen Peroxide on the other hand, is simply water with an extra oxygen molecule (H2O2) and breaks down into oxygen and water. It's certainly kinder on the environment. H2O2 is produced by both animal and plant cells and is formed naturally in the environment by sunlight acting on water.

Many industrial bleaching operations, such as those used in the production of paper, are increasingly moving towards the use of hydrogen peroxide for a greener bleaching process. It's also the active ingredient in many "oxygen" bleaches and is used extensively for lightening hair.

Do be careful when purchasing and handling this substance as some commercially available "food grade" hydrogen peroxide is 35% pure, highly corrosive and can be toxic or fatal if ingested at that strength.

Hydrogen peroxide should be diluted down to 3% as a base for most applications. It's also readily available in 3% solution from your local pharmacy or drugstore; which is probably the preferable and safer way to buy it, especially if you can take your empty bottles back for exchange/refilling - that can help cut down the cost.

If you choose to dilute a 35% solution yourself, add the hydrogen peroxide to distilled water rather than the other way around and wear gloves, body and eye protection when doing so.

More...

Great Depression

The Great Depression was a time of economic down turn, which started after the stock market crash on October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday. It began in the United States and quickly spread to Europe and every part of the world, with devastating effects in both then industrialized countries and those which exported raw materials. International trade declined sharply, as did personal incomes, tax revenues, prices and profits. Cities all around the world were hit hard, especially those dependent on heavy industry. Construction was virtually halted in many countries. Farming and rural areas suffered as crop prices fell by 40 to 60 percent.^[1] Mining and logging areas had perhaps the most striking blow because the demand fell sharply and there were few employment alternatives. The Great Depression ended at different times in different countries; for subsequent history see Home front during World War II. The majority of countries set up relief programs, and most underwent some sort of political upheaval, pushing them to the left or right. Democracy was weakened and on the defensive, as dictators such as Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini made major gains, which helped set the stage for World War II in 1939.

Debt

Macroeconomists, including the current chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank System Ben Bernanke, have revived the debt-deflation view of the Great Depression originated by Arthur Cecil Pigou and Irving Fisher. In the 1920s, in the U.S. the widespread use of purchases of businesses and factories on credit and the use of home mortgages and credit purchases of automobiles, furniture and even some stocks boosted spending but created consumer and commercial debt. People and businesses who were deeply in debt when a price deflation occurred or demand for their product decreased were often in serious trouble—even if they kept their jobs, they risked default. Many drastically cut current spending to keep up time payments, thus lowering demand for new products. Businesses began to fail as construction work and factory orders plunged.

Massive layoffs occurred, resulting in unemployment rates of over 25%. Banks which had financed a lot of this debt began to fail as debtors defaulted on debt and bank depositors became worried about their deposits and began massive withdrawals. Government guarantees and Federal Reserve banking regulations to prevent these types of panics were ineffective or not used. Bank failures led to the evaporation of billions of dollars in assets. Up to 40% of the available money supply normally used for purchases and bank payments was destroyed by all these bank failures.

Furthermore, the debt became heavier, because prices and incomes fell 20–50%, but the debts remained at the same dollar amount. After the panic of 1929, and during the first 10 months of 1930, 744 banks failed. In all, 9,000 banks failed during the decade of the 30s. By 1933, depositors saw $140 billion of their deposits disappear due to uninsured bank failures. [1] Bank failures snowballed as desperate bankers tried calling in loans which the borrowers did not have time or money to repay. With future profits looking poor, capital investment and construction slowed or completely ceased. In the face of bad loans and worsening future prospects, the surviving banks became even more conservative in their lending.[2] Banks built up their capital reserves, which intensified deflationary pressures. The vicious cycle developed and the downward spiral accelerated. This kind of self-aggravating process may have turned a 1930 recession into a 1933 great depression.

Trade decline and the U.S. Smoot-Hawley tariff act

Many economists have argued that the sharp decline in international trade after 1930 helped to worsen the depression, especially for countries significantly dependent on foreign trade. Most historians and economists assign the American Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 part of the blame for worsening the depression by seriously reducing international trade and causing retaliatory regulations in other countries. Foreign trade was a small part of overall economic activity in the United States and was concentrated in a few businesses like farming; it was a much larger factor in many other countries. [3] The average ad valorem rate of duties on dutiable imports for 1921–1925 was 25.9% but under the new tariff it jumped to 50% in 1931–1935.

In dollar terms, American exports declined from about $5.2 billion in 1929 to $1.7 billion in 1933; but prices also fell, so the physical volume of exports only fell in half. Hardest hit were farm commodities such as wheat, cotton, tobacco, and lumber. According to this theory, the collapse of farm exports caused many American farmers to default on their loans leading to the bank runs on small rural banks that characterized the early years of the Great Depression.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Depression

What Determines Your Mortgage Payment?

The size and the term of the loan determine how much money a borrower needs to pay every month. The principal is arrived at after deducting the down payment from the total purchasing price of the house. To the principal and interest, extras like closing costs, property tax and private mortgage insurance (if applicable in case of low down mortgages) is added. Interest is calculated monthly on the principal amount in standard interest rates. A mortgage with simple interest rates, interest is calculated daily. Paying bi-weekly is not beneficial to the borrower, as he has to pay an additional amount, though the lenders may claim otherwise. Mortgage payments are determined by the type mortgage the borrower has selected. Interest only mortgage has a low monthly payment initially (only interest) paid in the first few years until the interest only period lasts. Once the interest only period ends the monthly payments increase. Ultimately, the borrower pays more with this type of mortgage. Balloon payments require the borrower to pay a low monthly amount initially and pay a large sum (a balloon amount) at the end of 5-7 years to clear the loan. Fixed rate mortgages have a fixed rate of interest throughout the life of the mortgage. The interest percentage remains the same. Adjustable rate mortgage on the other hand has variable interest rate that makes the borrower pay more if the interest rates rises and pay less if the interest rate falls. A higher down payment means fewer payments to make. A shorter period of loan reduces the amount of payment substantially. A longer loan term increases the total amount of total payment though the monthly payments remain low as the total loan is spread over a longer period. On the other side of spectrum of mortgage payments, your income and debt liabilities would decide how much you could pay per month. You may make payments periodically (other than the monthly payments) to reduce the principal and the interest due. If you hold a well paying job that pays handsome bonuses too, the amount of loan will come down drastically if the bonus is used to clear part of the loan. Lenders charge a small fee for such arrangements. The points in a mortgage loanwill inflate your amount to be paid. The higher the points the broker charges the greater the loan amount will be. Observe clearly what is market rate will be at the time of your agreement on a particular type of mortgage. Market rates may vary from the time a loan is agreed upon and when the loan form is finally submitted. The lender would prefer not to inform you about any decrease in the market rate in the meanwhile. This can add to your mortgage amount unnecessarily.

About Author

Anita Johnston is a staff writer for http://www.creditchampion.com and http://www.lendersmark.org . Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com

Shopping Addiction leads to a Financial Whirlpool

Shopping is something most people love. But often the thrill, excitement, and absorption becomes such that an ordinary hobby or time filler becomes an addiction. A shopping addiction like drugs, alcohol, or gambling is a blinding thirst where the shopper is unable to see essential from non essential and over spend. They shop until they drop and run into debt spending on their credit cards up to and over its limit. Shopping for many is escapism from the realities of life and its accompanying problems. It is but a temporary reprieve from depression, anxiety, or loneliness. What a shopper never understands is it is a false world which will not grant happiness or love, or self esteem. After the shopping binge the person will experience remorse. The unhappiness will intensify due to unmanageable financial disaster and debt. This will be further compounded by the displeasure earned from family members or financial consultants. Believe me over 80% of the purchases will never be used. An addict may have a hundred pairs of shoes, or bags, or coast, or glasses – the obsession being restricted to one kind of object. Like alcoholics, compulsive shoppers go on binges when they are upset, lonely, depressed, or feeling out of sorts. Shopping is a “pick me up,” a temporary euphoria that lifts their spirits. The possible repair of finances and cure of the addiction is possible only if the shopper accepts that an addiction exists. What helps is professional counseling and joining a self-healing group that is dealing with this addiction. A shopping addicts version or equivalent of alcoholics anonymous. Guidelines: 1. First and foremost set small limits on all credit cards. Freezing the limits will help you limit your spending power. 2. Lock away all credit and debit cards. 3. Budget household and other expenses. Make specific envelopes and mark them clearly for what the money is earmarked for. 4. Sit with a family member or friend and make a list of bare essentials. Go shopping with a controlling companion one who will say “NO” is no uncertain terms. 5. Never visit sales or discount warehouses. Or, watch television shopping channels. 6. Do not subscribe to shopping catalogues. 7. Fill your day choc-a-bloc with activities. If you have no time to ‘stand and stare’ you won’t have a moment to think about shopping. Find interesting activities that absorb your interests and time. 8. Go to the mall or shopper’s paradise after they are all safely closed for the day. This way you can look at displays without being tempted to rush in and buy something. 9. If you feel the itch or urge to shop, resist it with all your strength and go out for a walk or to the gym exercise until you are too tired to do anything else. 10. Pay for all purchases by cash or cheque. Use a card only in emergencies. Compulsive shopping is a serious addiction. It is escapism from realities and unhappiness. As serious as drug addictions and an illness, a compulsive shopper needs treatment that is similar to other addictions. Addictions of any kind need to be snipped at the very root before it reaches a point of no return.

About Author

Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for http://www.1888Discuss.com/shopping-deal/, the premier REVENUE SHARING discussion forum for Online Shopping including topics on shopping deals, finding coupons, shopping discounts, price comparison and more. His article profile can be found at the premier article submission site http://www.1866Shopping.com Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-paul-wilson-7.html