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9.27.2011

5 Tips for an Easier Financial Life for Women

My Multiple Egg Baskets blog is starting to attract more attention with some lululemon wearing women at work. I don't know...I find it hard to listen to someone that promotes the lululemon brand when it's time to wear some casual sweats. Mabye I'm just a simple guy. However, my conversations with these women had led me to write this blog about 5 Tips for an Easier Financial Life for Women from their perspective.

No matter what we do, taxes and financial tribulations will never go away.
Unfortunately this can be a nightmare for some, especially since they not only take out large amounts of money but they also ruin lives. It is essential for any woman to know tips on how to avoid financial problems. Millions of women do not handle their own taxes; therefore they are left vulnerable and open to many troubles that may arise.

It is important to note that women need a larger amount of retirement money. This goes hand in hand with the notion that women generally live longer than men. If this is indeed the case, women will need to be more financially stable. Here are fundamental tips when deciding how to handle your financial situations:

1. Taxes


It is important to know all you can about your taxes. While it is great to have someone help you, it is also necessary for you to know what is going on. For instance, if something was to happen and you didn’t handle them, you may never know until it was too late. Many women face crimes and never realize it until they get summoned to go to court. This is due to not filing for taxes or other criminal related acts.

2. Retirement Planning

Always think of retirement! Although younger adults rarely have this on the mind, it is beneficial for you to always plan for it. If your company does not have a pension plan, it is smart to set up your own special fund. By putting in a certain amount of money each month, it will quickly add up over time. This will allow you to have a stable fund for when you do retire.

3. Know all Benefit Programs of Your Employer

If you do have a company with great benefits, it is important to know everything you can about them. Many do not know how to fully take advantage of all of their resources. Therefore, using these benefits as much as you can will help you in the long run.

4. Pay off your loans!

Being in debt will only harm you in the long run. You need to either create a plan on your own to reduce spending, or see a financial expert. Although many are ashamed and hesitant to do this, it will actually help you get out of debt faster. These professionals can come up with a wonderful plan and will break it down by month. This way you can start paying your way out of debt, but without having to live on the street. This will also give you a better outlook, rather than feeling depressed about the current situation.

5. Make a Budget

Developing a budget can help anyone, no matter how well they are doing. By giving yourself a budget, it will allow you to save for other important things. For instance, if you need to start a college plan for your child, you can put the additional shopping money in a fund. Other examples include saving money for rent, or using extra money for a much needed vacation.

How to Reduce your Electricity Bills?

The power of electricity can be best realized when you utilize it effectively. With the demand of the electricity skyrocketing and the supply drooping, saving a single unit of power becomes very significant. Here are a 15 effective tips to save electricity and thus save the money.

1. Switch off the lights, TV, computer, etc., when not in use.

2. Use fluorescent lamps instead of incandescent lamps. Fluorescent lamps not only help to save the electricity, but they also provide a better lighting and are cost effective too.

3. Use dimmer controls in your incandescent lamps so that you can adjust the intensity of the light.

4. Minimize the use of air coolers and air conditioners. Instead, use the fans, whenever possible.

5. Electric iron is a real power hog. If you use it carefully, you can save a considerable amount of energy. Instead of doing daily ironing, do it on a weekly basis.

6. Operate the air conditioner in the minimum temperature range possible in order to save power. Keep it under medium or low operation condition and set the temperature a little higher. Take the help of nature to save the electricity. Try to utilize the warmth of the sun whenever available in the winter, and the coolness of the garden in the summer instead of crouching near the air conditioners always.

7. The ideal temperature to operate a refrigerator is between 36 to 42o F. If the temperature is kept lower than this, it would be simply a wastage of power.

8. While operating your heaters in the winter, reduce the temperature level to a couple of degrees lower than that in the normal conditions.

9. If you are using laser printers in your office or home, keep a watch on it. It can draw your electricity bills up by hundreds of watts! Try to save maximum power by using it minimum, and keep the power switch off while not in use.

10. Use of smaller gadgets will help reducing the power to great extent. A microwave oven can be preferred to a regular electric oven, and so is an electric kettle to a stovetop one.

11. Minimize the use of hair dryer.

12. Control the use of smaller gadgets such as electric clocks, telephone answering machines, DVD players, cable TV converters, etc. Though they seem insignificant, the compounded effect of these instruments in multiplying your electricity bill cannot be ignored.

13. Keep a watch on the electricity meter. Have a regular estimation of the meter reading yourself to detect any unexpected power leakage from the circuit.

14. Use the modern gadgets that apply the energy-saving technology.

15. Do not open the door of the electric oven or the refrigerator unnecessarily.

Tips on Using Credit Cards Wisely

Credit cards can be both a curse and a blessing. If you don’t use them wisely they can lead you into debt and exhaust your monthly income. On the other hand, if you do use them wisely then you can improve your credit rating and improve your monthly cash flow.

Create a Strong Credit History


Using credit cards is a great way to develop a positive credit history. To create a strong credit history you will need to make periodic purchases, and you will need to make on time payments. The best way to do this is to use the credit card to pay for purchases that you would normally make during the month using cash. Then at the end of the month pay off the balance completely. This way you build a positive credit history without accumulating interest charges.

I follow this strategy with my CIBC Visa Aeroplan card. I put everything on it and then pay it off in full at the end of the month. I'm averaging several free flights with Air Canada each year.



Using Credit Cards to Grow Your Business


If you own a business then you can use credit cards to increase your purchase power and improve your company’s cash flow. Credit cards can be used to purchase equipment and supplies when you need them, and then allow you to pay for these items over time. To maximize the benefit of your business credit cards you will want to find credit cards with low interest rates and you will want to pay off the balances as quickly as possible. This will help you keep your line of credit open for business purchases.

This would be an ideal scenario for a low interest rate credit card. I have a Scotiabank Cash Back Visa credit card. I get a small percentage back on my purchases. It's not much but the main point is that the interest rate is very low.

When Not to Use Credit Cards

In addition to knowing when to use your credit cards, you should also learn when you shouldn’t use your credit cards. Credit cards shouldn’t be used when you are emotionally unstable. Impulse buying can be very addictive, and it can lead to serious debt problems. Credit card purchases should optimally be strategically selected. You will also not want to give out your credit card number to unsolicited telemarketers. There are many scams circulating that involve asking for credit card numbers over the phone.

Finally, you don’t want to use your credit card in a country that is known for credit card scams and identity theft. If you will be traveling abroad make sure that you check with the Canadian Consulate in that country about how safe it is to use your credit card in that country.

9.21.2011

Financial tasks on tablets

For Android tablets, the common reason for buying them may be for entertainment and leisure. Did you know that Android tablets are also proven useful in the financial world? Android has offered so many finance apps in the market which are very much relevant and useful to your every day financial needs. Whether you want the latest finance news or you need to make monetary computations, finance-related Android apps have got it all for you. Here is a list of the five best Android finance apps in the market:

1. Finance
Ever wanted to have a personal financial planner but you just can't afford to pay for one? Simply called Finance, Android has come up with a powerful app which strips you of the need to hire a personal planner. Finance is an app which is capable of providing you with the most recent updates about the stock market. The best feature of this app is that it provides you with stock quotes which are very much reliable because they are quoted real-time. This app also syncs well with your stock portfolios which are loaded in Google Finance.

2. Real Estate Droid
If it is your dream to be a real-estate businessman someday or to be a licensed real estate broker, then this finance app is the best deal for you. Real Estate Droid comes with features which can, for one, search houses for sale. Once you find a catch, you can search information about its neighborhood with real-time updates. With this app, you can also check out mortgage quotes made by real lenders and compute for mortgage loans. You can always take advantage of the built-in loan calculator.

3. Financisto
Financisto is a finance app that is very much capable of doing many things. For one, it lets you add multiple types of bank accounts and even a multiple number of accounts per type. This means that you can add checking and savings accounts together into your file manager. For both types, you can add more than one account. With Financisto, you can also monitor which among your payments are recurring. Once you see the pattern, you can schedule them to make sure you don't lag with your payments. This app can also help you create either a short-term or long-term budget.

4. Karl's Mortgage Calculator
If Real Estate Droid is not enough for your mortgage needs, then you can always opt for a more specialized finance app, which is Karl's Mortgage Calculator. By using this app, you can calculate how much mortgage you should be paying in the future and you can even visually see the results with its easy-to-read charts and graphs. This app can help you compute for your future payments, given the principal loan amounts, interest rate and terms. Karl's Mortgage Calculator, however, is limited to supporting interest-only amortization and Canadian computations.

5. PayPal
Almost everybody knows of PayPal now. With the PayPal Android app offered in the market, you can do all things you normally do on your PayPal account. The bonus point here is that apart from being able to pay an item, you can also help hasten its delivery process. So, if you're dying to take hold of that most recent Victoria Secret scent, then you don't have to wait for the normal number of shipping days just to have it. You can always make it two or three days earlier with this app. With PayPal app at your reach, you can always access your PayPal account anytime you want.
This article was written by Danny Ashton, who when not writing about the android tablet is found hiking in the Scottish highlands.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danny_Mitchell_Ashton

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6428544

Alberta Environmental Fees

Alberta Environmental Fees

The Province of Alberta passed legislation (Alberta Regulation 94/2004) establishing a funding system for the collection and recycling of designated electronic products. The legislation requires manufacturers such as Dell Canada Inc. ("Dell") to collect a Provincial Environmental Fee for certain electronic devices sold into the Province of Alberta. 

Under the current law and regulations, the following Dell branded & third party products sold into Alberta wiIl be subject to a Provincial Environmental Fee:
  • All desktop and server computers; rack servers
  • All notebook computers
  • All computer monitors
  • All printers
  • All Televisions (including monitors that are television adaptable)

The Fees associated with the legislation are as follows:
Television (18" and smaller)$4.00
Television (19" - 29")$10.80
Television (30" - 45")$18.80
Television (46" and larger)$24.00
Desktop/server computers/rack servers (CPU. keyboard, mouse, cable, & speakers)$4.40
Printers/printer combos$4.80
Laptops/electronic notebooks$1.20
Computer monitors (LCD & CRT)  $6.00
In compliance with the Alberta legislation, Dell plans to add the Provincial Environmental Fee to your invoice based upon products selected and a ship to location of Alberta. 

Dell's authorized Resellers are responsible for understanding the legislation and complying with it to the extent the law might be applicable to them. Generally, Dell will collect the fee from it's Resellers at point of sale and remit this fee to Electronics Recycling Alberta on the Reseller's behalf. If a Reseller is registered with Electronics Recycling Alberta and they complete the Remittance Responsibility Certificate and submit it to Dell at the time of ordering, they may collect and remit the fee on their own behalf. 

To obtain a copy of the Remittance Responsibility Certificate visit www.dell.ca/canadaenvironmentalfee/abrrc ( 90KB)
For more information on the legislation visit the Alberta Recycling Management Authority website at www.albertarecycling.com

9.09.2011

Samsung tablets

Samsung is set to launch its first tablet based on a new version of Windows at a Microsoft event next week in a bid to hedge its bets in the tablets space following Apple's attempts to block its Android-based products.
Sources at the Wall Street Journal say the South Korean vendor will launch a tablet running Microsoft's as-yet-unseen Windows 8 platform at a developer event in California next Tuesday. 
The news comes ahead of an imminent decision by a German court on whether to uphold a shipments ban on Samsung's Android-based Galaxy Tab 10.1 over alleged infringements on patents used in Apple's iPad. The case is one of 19 lawsuits in nine countries that Apple and Samsung have brought against each other, says the report. If the judge extends the injunction, pending trial next year, Samsung could "miss out on sales of a generation of tablets" in Germany, its largest market in Europe.
"Samsung at least has to have a double bet rather than relying 100 percent on Android," said Chang Sea-jin, a business professor at the National University of Singapore and author of a book on Samsung. "That will give them a bargaining position with Google and expose them to a broader group of customers."
Next week's rumoured launch of a Windows 8 tablet would also mark Microsoft's latest effort to crack the tablets market after a number of false starts. According to Reuters, an HP prototype showed-off by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer at CES in 2010 did not even make it onto the shelves.
Moreover, as tablet sales are now eating into sales of traditional PCs - where Microsoft's software dominates - a successful tablets strategy is deemed essential for the firm's future health.
"Investors are hungry to see how they are going to join where the market's going," Todd Lowenstein, portfolio manager at HighMark Capital Management, told Reuters. "They've been lagging and they need to catch up and surpass what's going on, to demonstrate they truly are an innovative company."
According to Reuters, the first generation of touch-enabled tablets running Windows 8 are expected to reach the market in about 12 months._____________________________________________
 

___________________________
Sent from my BlackBerry handheld.
Envoyé à partir de mon BlackBerry.

9.06.2011

Going green and saving money

It is easier and less expensive to build new green than to renovate green. With new builds you can do some additional things to maximize the return on green construction. Some these things may include: orient the home to the sun for maximum heat gain; structure the frame and plumbing to support a roof garden; and extend the roof eaves to reduce summer heating.
With renovations, your neighbour may not want to look at your windmill or have your photo cell array blocking his sun; you may not want to pay for your home to be restructured for the new loads of a green roof or to be oriented to the sun. That’s why it can be difficult to reach net zero with a renovation.
With green renovations, additional planning is required. Not only do we have to consider the usual requirements of the homeowner, we have to consider the green aspects also. Some of the green aspects will cost more now, but they will save money over time. The green items to be considered could include: do future green upgrades get planned for now? Does the existing structure require work to accommodate wind mills and photo cell arrays? Are certified installers required for some of this work? Does salvaging of existing materials for reuse drive costs higher? If geothermal heating and cooling is being considered, is there sufficient space for its installation?
A variety of green practices and items are already part of the current building code. They include: the dreaded 6l toilet; low flow faucets; increased insulation values in walls and ceilings; and depending on the heating system’s HRV. All of these items can be improved on from a green perspective with things like dual flush toilets, added insulation and air sealing, and ECM motors for the furnace.
Green renovations do involve the various items available for new homes, but they may require modifications or additional thought before inclusion in your renovation. You will have to be prepared for some building officials and contractors to question some of your items.
Some officials will be skeptical of some items and will not allow them as not being code compliant. As the building code is now objective based, not descriptive, you may have to educate the officials to allow your green selections. You may ask, what can be included in a green renovation? It turns out that many of the things in green new homes can be adapted to your renovation. Some of these items can be:
  • ICF foundations
  • Composite floor, roof, and wall framing
  • Low e film, argon gas, and triple pane glass in windows
  • Compact fluorescent and LED lights
  • Lots of natural light
  • Reduced and/or no formaldehyde cabinetry
  • Low or no VOC paints and finishes
  • Composite material exterior finishes
  • Recycled material roofing metal, rubber, cement
  • Wood or linoleum floors
  • Heat pumps ground, water, and air
Some other new items you may want consider for your green renovation include:
  • Solar water heaters
  • Heat recovery systems, i.e. Waste hot water heats incoming cold water before it enters the hot water tank
  • Photo cell panels
  • Computer modeling of energy requirements
Making your renovation more green can be an easy process by selecting a different product or as hard as redesigning your home. Quite often these selections will have a higher initial cost, but as they typically last longer and use less energy; and you will save money over time.

9.05.2011

Car Loans Canada

Car Loans Canada is the place to turn for people with bad credit in Canada who want and need a car. You might think that it is not possible to buy a car if you have anything short of spotless credit, but this just isn’t the case.
Canada car loans are out there and available, you just need to know where to look. This is where we come in! Read our articles on bad credit audio financing, how to rebuild credit, getting a car loan after bankruptcy and other articles to learn how you can get the car you need now.
The good news is that having bad credit in Canada doesn’t mean you have to forget about having a car. Click on any of our articles to learn more about your options, as Car Loans Canada can connect you with dependable and trustworthy dealerships and lenders who specialize in helping people just like you.
Our company can make the process of finding the right car loan for you easy, streamlined and, of course, secure. Information is power, and having the right information can save you money. Check out our website, apply online by filling out a car loan application, and you will soon find yourself behind the wheel of a new car. Yes, it is that easy!