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	<title>Insurance and Credit &#187; Retirement Planning</title>
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		<title>Credit Cards 101   What Is A Prepaid Debit Card</title>
		<link>http://www.insuranceandcredit.info/insurance/health-insurance-insurance/credit-cards-101-what-is-a-prepaid-debit-card</link>
		<comments>http://www.insuranceandcredit.info/insurance/health-insurance-insurance/credit-cards-101-what-is-a-prepaid-debit-card#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2009 02:54:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Auto Insurance]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[Author : Vikram Kumar

Credit Cards 101 is everything that you wanted to know about credit cards and how they work, including myths about credit cards that are believed by many You can learn about a prepaid debit card as well when you read up on credit cards 101 ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Author : Vikram Kumar</p>
<p>Credit Cards 101 is everything that you wanted to know about credit cards and how they work, including myths about credit cards that are believed by many  You can learn about a prepaid debit card as well when you read up on credit cards 101</p>
<p>A prepaid debit card can be used just like a credit card  It usually has a credit card logo and can be used at any place that accepts credit cards  Many people prefer using a prepaid debit card over a credit card because they do not have to worry about borrowing money that they cannot afford to pay back  The prepaid debit card already has money in it and is loaded by you   You can find offers for a prepaid debit card just about anywhere</p>
<p>One of the aspects about credit card borrowing that you can learn in credit cards 101 is that many people have a difficult time controlling their spending habits when it comes to credit cards  They end up racking up huge debt in a matter of a short time that they cannot pay off  They tend to make minimum payments towards the debt, but do not see the debt going down  This can be very problematic for anyone who has credit cards  Credit cards 101 will teach you how to avoid this from happening to you by budgeting yourself and using responsible spending habits</p>
<p>A prepaid debit card can prevent you from overspending and is available for anyone who wants one, regardless of credit history  Even if your credit history is very poor, you can still get a prepaid debit card that will act like a credit card when you go out  You can have the convenience of using a credit card without the worry of overspending and having to pay late fees and penalties</p>
<p>Credit cards 101 is one way that you can learn how to use credit cards to your advantage and not allow the spending bug to bite you  Credit cards 101 will teach you how to use credit cards properly and can help you if you are just starting out with credit or if you have bad credit and want to learn the right way to use credit cards</p>
<p>If you are just starting out, take a look at credit cards 101 and consider getting a prepaid debit card  The prepaid debit card will give you the feeling of what it is like to use a credit card, without the risk  Once you see how fast the money in your account dissipates when you are using your prepaid debit card, you will realize how fast charges can accumulate if you were using a credit card  Small charges add up quickly, which is something that credit cards 101 will teach you</p>
<p>Before you apply for credit cards, take a look at the tips in credit cards 101 and consider getting a prepaid debit card so that you can monitor your spending habits before you apply for a credit card  You can apply for a prepaid debit card right online</p>
<p><a href="http://www.extracreditcards.com/101/"> Credit cards 101 </a> can teach you everything you need to know about credit cards as well as the difference between credit cards and a <a href="http://www.extracreditcards.com/prepaid-debit/"> prepaid debit card </a>. To learn more, got to Extra Credit Cards.</p>
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		<title>Secured Credit Cards   Getting a Student Credit Card</title>
		<link>http://www.insuranceandcredit.info/insurance/health-insurance-insurance/secured-credit-cards-getting-a-student-credit-card</link>
		<comments>http://www.insuranceandcredit.info/insurance/health-insurance-insurance/secured-credit-cards-getting-a-student-credit-card#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2009 02:54:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Auto Insurance]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[If you are considering applying for a student credit card, you will most likely be applying for secured credit cards Secured credit cards are a way of borrowing against collateral The collateral is in a bank account that is held by the credit card company that issues the student credit card]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Author : Vikram Kumar</p>
<p>If you are considering applying for a student credit card, you will most likely be applying for secured credit cards  Secured credit cards are a way of borrowing against collateral  The collateral is in a bank account that is held by the credit card company that issues the student credit card</p>
<p>It is easy to get a student credit card if you are willing to get secured credit cards  You can apply online after you find the student credit card that is right for you  When you borrow money on secured credit cards, you have to pay it back just as you would with an unsecured card  You pay interest on any outstanding balance  The bank account is usually held as collateral in case you default on your loan</p>
<p>Secured credit cards are not like debit cards  Whereas a debit card is preloaded with your own money but has a credit card logo, secured credit cards are not preloaded  They also go on your credit report, unlike debit cards  If you are considering getting a student credit card, you can get either secured credit cards or a prepaid debit card easily   The difference is how you will pay back the amount that you owe  Secured credit cards offer an advantage to someone who is responsible enough to write a check to pay off the card each month, or at least pay towards it in a very timely manner  The advantage of using secured credit cards as a student credit card is that you can build your credit score</p>
<p>The disadvantage of using secured credit cards as a student credit card is if you do not pay on time  This can end up causing you to have a bad credit score, not a good idea for someone who is just starting out with credit</p>
<p>If you decide to apply for a student credit card, weigh your options   Secured credit cards are a great way to establish credit in your own name and to build up your credit score to the point where you have solid borrowing power  This can benefit you after you get out of school and get a job  You will be able to buy a car or a home with a low interest rate if you have good credit</p>
<p>If, however, you are irresponsible and tend to make late payments, you should consider debit cards instead of secured credit cards for your student credit card  Until you are ready to take on the responsibility of spending wisely and paying off your debt, you should not get a student credit card</p>
<p>You can apply for secured credit cards when you are ready by going online   By researching the various cards that are available for students, you can choose one that will work with your needs  Choose your student credit card by looking at interest rates, payment options and fees, if any  You should choose student credit cards by carefully researching the credit card offers online and picking one that will work for you</p>
<p>If you are looking for a <a href="http://www.extracreditcards.com/student/"> student credit card </a>, you should consider getting <a href="http://www.extracreditcards.com/secured/"> secured credit cards </a> that enable you to borrow against a collateral account while building credit. You can apply for student credit cards by going to Extra Credit Cards.</p>
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		<title>Loans for the unemployed  Easily tackle your cash problem at the time of disarray</title>
		<link>http://www.insuranceandcredit.info/insurance/health-insurance-insurance/loans-for-the-unemployed-easily-tackle-your-cash-problem-at-the-time-of-disarray</link>
		<comments>http://www.insuranceandcredit.info/insurance/health-insurance-insurance/loans-for-the-unemployed-easily-tackle-your-cash-problem-at-the-time-of-disarray#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Apr 2009 02:54:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[Author : Watson jarrett Introduction: Instead of being an unemployed applicant and you can arrange quick loans to meet urgent monetary help with loans for the unemployed easily These loans are the ideal solution when you fall in debt trap and you have no source of income being an unemployed borrower It will empower you [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Author : Watson jarrett</p>
<p>Introduction:</p>
<p>Instead of being an unemployed applicant and you can arrange quick loans to meet urgent monetary help with loans for the unemployed easily  These loans are the ideal solution when you fall in debt trap and you have no source of income being an unemployed borrower  It will empower you financially to get pay off your expenses instantly without any difficulty and hindrances </p>
<p>Advantages:</p>
<p>Get rapid reasonable amount to take care of your financial expenses with unemployed loans  You can apply with these loans easily with online application  Unemployment can be faced by any of the individuals in his life and empty pockets make you fall in great trouble  However, these loans play a vital role in carrying of your life smoothly and get paid off your unexpected expenses with instantcy  A simple form need to be completed online and submit on the lender&#8217;s website  No credit check, no collateral, no paperwork, no lengthy faxations to the lender required with this loan application  A stress less and hassle free application procedure you can ever had to get fastest cash in your hand within 24 hours of approval done  You can fulfill any of the problems like medical expenses, car repairing cost, urgent bills  Even more, if you have to pay some debts urgently, you can also take the help of these loans  This scheme understands your situation and removes away from the depressing stage </p>
<p>Required specifications:</p>
<p>To sustain your needs and you are unemployed, you can get applied with unsecured loans fulfilling these terms and conditions:</p>
<p>1 	Citizen of UK<br />
<br />2 	An adult with eighteen years or more of age<br />
<br />3 	Have repayment ability to pay the borrowed money on time<br />
<br />4 	Possess a valid and active checking account for online transactions<br />
<br />5 	The bank should not be more than three months old </p>
<p>To get the loan help is a tough task for unemployed, but with the existence of loans for the unemployed, you can avail the benefits and get paid your expenses on time without any more delays  This scheme is a kind of big relief for the unemployed person  With this scheme, bad credit borrowers can increase their credit score by paying the loan amount regularly and on due time </p>
<p>Watson Jarrett is an internet marketing professional expert in various industries like finance. To learn out more about unsecured loans, unemployed loans, cash loans and debt consolidation loans visit http://www.loansfortheunemployed.org.uk</p>
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		<title>Why Will You Choose ACE Capital Group As Your Land Banking Specialist?</title>
		<link>http://www.insuranceandcredit.info/investing/retirement-planning-investing/why-will-you-choose-ace-capital-group-as-your-land-banking-specialist</link>
		<comments>http://www.insuranceandcredit.info/investing/retirement-planning-investing/why-will-you-choose-ace-capital-group-as-your-land-banking-specialist#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:22:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Erich Brown</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ace Capital Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[investment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Banking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Land Banking Specialist]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[The hosts of investment strategies often lead to confusion where to invest. And for such economic downturn, it becomes essential to have informed choice.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style='font-style:italic;' class='byline'>by Erich Brown</div>
<p>The hosts of investment strategies often lead to confusion where to invest. And for such economic downturn, it becomes essential to have informed choice. </p>
<p>Investing in property or real estate has generally been considered as safe, lucrative, and rewarding. Other economic sectors of land banking can be a shrewd investment option for you. And for this reason, finding reliable investment consultant firm is challenging task.</p>
<p>For your investment services, you can rely on ACE Capital Group because they are reputed and dependable company for real estate investment. During the economical recession, they have proved to be safe, and lucrative.</p>
<p><strong>Why Will You Think Of Land Banking to Be Profitable Mode of Investment?</strong></p>
<p>The values of investing in land never decrease and therefore, most of the financial experts recommend it. </p>
<p>Investing in land, which is called Land Banking, is a practice that involves purchasing a piece of land at low value for the purpose of investing, and selling it off in the future to get more revenue. This practice is considered to be secured and beneficial investment compared to other investments like shares.</p>
<p>You should find out a land banking expert if you wish to practice this strategy. Select a piece of land, which is sited in the potential development town in order that with the progress of the town, the worth of your land will also raise.</p>
<p><strong>Why Would You Favor ACE Capital Group As a Land Banking Expert?</strong></p>
<p>If you choose to perform land bank, no other firms are more reliable, profitable and successful in real estate investment than ACE Capital Group. </p>
<p>As much as the practice of land banking is concerned, they firmly believe that the land you buy should be on the path of future growth which will give you highest returns on your investment. This is their tried and trusted strategy which brought them enormous success.</p>
<p>The second annual Land Banking Symposium organized at the Cabana Hotel, Palo Alto, California by the ACE Capital Group, got immense favor. They strongly believe that their property-holding is growing in hard times.</p>
<p>What they say that suppose you have brought property five years ago just for $5,000 per acre, the main store change may decide their prospective making a new store close by, and the value of your property will also rise significantly.</p>
<p>Thus, do your best in as far as your investment planning is concerned. Consult the real estate investment specialist or land banking expert for your task.</p>
<div class='resource'>
<div style='font-style:italic;' class='about'>About the Author:</div>
<div class='links'><a href="http://bayareapictures.wordpress.com/2008/12/12/acesymposium/">Ace Capital Group</a>, an established real estate investment company based in Redwood City, California, is proving to be a winner in this economic downturn providing services in little known financial sector <a href="http://landbankingexperts.wordpress.com/">Land Banking</a>.</div>
</div>
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		<title>Free Activities That Are Still Fun</title>
		<link>http://www.insuranceandcredit.info/investing/retirement-planning-investing/free-activities-that-are-still-fun</link>
		<comments>http://www.insuranceandcredit.info/investing/retirement-planning-investing/free-activities-that-are-still-fun#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2009 08:42:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>David C Lewis, RFA</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[401k contribution limits]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[With the rising costs of entertainment, the idea of going out on the spur of the moment has become a thing of the past. Some people have been unwilling to make sacrifices though. This is understandable. People are unwilling to give up living for today to fund their future (which is uncertain). This has led to some wild ideas, up to and including limiting or completely eliminating <a href="http://www.twintierfinancial.com/the_uncommon_cents/2008/05/retirement.html">401k contributions</a>. If you are committed to a 401k plan, it is not necessary to stop contributions to have fun.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style='font-style:italic;' class='byline'>by David C Lewis, RFA</div>
<p>With the rising costs of entertainment, the idea of going out on the spur of the moment has become a thing of the past. Some people have been unwilling to make sacrifices though. This is understandable. People are unwilling to give up living for today to fund their future (which is uncertain). This has led to some wild ideas, up to and including limiting or completely eliminating <a target='_blank' href="http://www.twintierfinancial.com/the_uncommon_cents/2008/05/retirement.html">planned 401k contributions</a>. If you are committed to a 401k plan, it is not necessary to stop contributions to have fun. </p>
<p>You might like going out to eat. This is a favorite past time for many families. Check around. Some restaurants offer a night when kids eat free.</p>
<p>Check the mail for a coupon book and save up to 50% off on dining out. Also, check your Sunday paper for lunch coupons. Take advantage of &#8220;early bird specials&#8221; at your local restaurants. </p>
<p>If you like going out to the movies, you can try going to the library. A lot of people have been doing this lately. Some libraries also show kids movies and offer light refreshments on certain nights. You might also want to check around your hometown to see if any local movie places offer free kids movies. We have a &#8216;Family Video&#8217; (that the name of the video rental store) a few blocks from my home that offers this kind of a deal as well as rent one get one free nights.</p>
<p>If you really must go out, skip the popcorn and soda and go to an afternoon showing. Many times these are cheaper than the evening shows.</p>
<p>If you are friends with your neighbors, ask if you can trade movies or offer to do favors for borrowing from their movie collection. You could also do this with friends who are not your neighbors.</p>
<p>Going out can be exciting to. A lot of parents have overestimated today&#8217;s technology kid, going to the park for a nice picnic and game of Frisbee is still fun.</p>
<p>A lot of people live in a town their whole lives and never see the local tourist attractions. You can take a tour of your local town&#8217;s attractions. Get a tour guide pamphlet and surprise yourself. I&#8217;ll bet there are things about the place you live that you didn&#8217;t even know existed.</p>
<p>Meet your friends at a local hang out for happy hour. Staying in can be fun too. Playing cards with monopoly money or pennies can still be fun. There are lots of horderves that cost very little to make and yet still fill up you and your guests. The internet can offer tons of free ecourses to keep you busy. </p>
<p>Or, check out do-it-yourself articles online for home projects and repairs. Many discount bookstores or used bookstores trade in your old books for credit towards new books.</p>
<p>With prices rising rapidly our fun budget can suffer. Utilizing these tips above can help to ease the pain of your expenses.</p>
<div class='resource'>
<div style='font-style:italic;' class='about'>About the Author:</div>
<div class='links'>Author Info: David provides useful information on <a href="http://www.twintierfinancial.com/financial_planning/financial_planning_in_NY.html">business financial planning essentials for beginners</a>. If you&#8217;d like more info, go to twintierfinancial.com.</div>
</div>
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		<title>Safer High Yield Income Strategies for Retirement</title>
		<link>http://www.insuranceandcredit.info/investing/retirement-planning-investing/safer-high-yield-income-strategies-for-retirement</link>
		<comments>http://www.insuranceandcredit.info/investing/retirement-planning-investing/safer-high-yield-income-strategies-for-retirement#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:15:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chance Carson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement Planning]]></category>
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		<description><![CDATA[There are 15 asset classes an investor might consider in 2009 for high yielding, secure retirement income strategies. But, with all the current discussion about credit risk today, many of our readers at AboutETFs.com have shifted more interest to US Government-backed bonds or high grade corporate bonds. Some investors even wonder if they should move all of their bond allocations into U.S. Government paper. Let us examine that idea a bit more.]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style='font-style:italic;' class='byline'>by Chance Carson</div>
<p>There are 15 asset classes an investor might consider in 2009 for high yielding, secure retirement income strategies. But, with all the current discussion about credit risk today, many of our readers at AboutETFs.com have shifted more interest to US Government-backed bonds or high grade corporate bonds. Some investors even wonder if they should move all of their bond allocations into U.S. Government paper. Let us examine that idea a bit more.</p>
<p>First off, in terms of protecting principal, the safe bet is to stay with treasury notes, bonds and bills. The disadvantage with that notion, though, is the extraordinarily low yields. For example, T-bills are at one-fourth of a percent or even lower. Even taking into account fears about the volatility of the market, we do not see the cost benefit of such low yields. Are there options to earn more decent returns but still keep risk low? </p>
<p>Perhaps you should mix together the safety of US government paper with higher yielding instruments such as investment-grade corporate bonds and mortgage-backed bonds. Also, you could invest a small portion of your portfolio in non-investment grade corporates. This portfolio allocation will spread your risk over more asset classes.</p>
<p>To further mitigate the risk of default by an issuer on a specific bond, we recommend sticking with bond mutual funds (either open-end or closed-end funds) or examine the selections available in the growing world of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that are based on indices. There are three bond-oriented ETFs that provide an excellent blend of Treasury, mortgage-backed and corporate bonds. They may provide you just the right blend for a high yield retirement strategy. </p>
<p>* (BND): Vanguard Total Bond Market-ETF</p>
<p>* (LAG): SPDR Barclays Capital Aggregate Bond Fund</p>
<p>* (AGG): iShares-Barclays Aggregate Bond Fund</p>
<p>The common thread for these three ETFs is the index they attempt to emulate: the Barclays Capital US Aggregate Bond Index. That index is divided into the following three categories:</p>
<p>* 25 percent is represented in investment-grade corporate bonds </p>
<p>* Treasury and Agency bonds (approximately 37 percent)</p>
<p>* 38 percent of the index is comprised of mortgage-backed securities</p>
<p>What about the maturities? Taken as a group, the maturity averages 6.8 years. Nearly 40 percent of the securities mature in less than one year. There are other factors to consider, though. How do these ETFs really compare? </p>
<p>The State Street Global Advisors (LAG) ETF, with a modest $10 million market cap and low trading volume of 31,000 shares daily, should probably be avoided. While the Vanguard (BND) product is an excellent choice, our final vote goes to Barclays (AGG): iShares Barclays Aggregate Bond Fund. AGG is king of the hill with a $9.7 billion market cap and average daily 800,000 shares in trading volume. What about performance?</p>
<p>All three of these ETFs followed the Barclays index, and all performed quite respectably in 2008. Through a portion of February, 2009, BND, LAG, and AGG dropped by 3.6 percent. As for yields, they are at 4.5 percent for BND, 3.8 percent for LAG and 4.6 percent for AGG. </p>
<p>What about corporate bonds? The only ETF that holds 100-percent investment-grade corporate bonds is the iShares iBoxx $ Investment-Grade Corporate Bond Fund (LQD). LQD follows the price and yield performance of the iBoxx $ Liquid Investment-Grade Index. The index measures the performance of 100 highly liquid, investment-grade, U.S. Dollar-denominated corporate bonds that offer maximum liquidity and represent the broader U.S. corporate bond market. The average duration of bonds held by LQD is 6.25 years, daily trading volume exceeds 800,000 shares and its market cap is $3.7 billion. It may be worth a close look. </p>
<p>To summarize, reduce risks in high-yield strategies by blending your portfolio. Consider investments via funds as opposed to single security investments. In addition, assess your risk tolerance if you want the higher yield in investment-grade corporate bond funds.  Reader caution: the securities mentioned in this article may not be suitable for all investors.  No solicitation, or offer, is being made to buy or sell securities by Chance Carson or his affiliate companies Carson &amp; Associates and Alpine Strategies nor any of its personnel.  There are substantial risks of losing principal when buying or selling any securities.  Readers are advised to review all the terms disclosed on the Privacy and Terms page of AboutETFs, or to consult with a professional advisor before acting on any opinions, which are subject to change, in this article.</p>
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<div style='font-style:italic;' class='about'>About the Author:</div>
<div class='links'>Author Information: Chance Carson is an advisor with well over 30 years experience. He edits and owns two websites, AboutETFs.com and AboutETFs.info, both sites have plentiful resources such as <a href="http://www.aboutetfs.info">exchange-traded funds reports</a> and comparisons with closed-end funds. For more articles, go to the parent site AboutETFs.com, or look for monthly income strategies on AboutETFs.info. Chance also writes for SeekingAlpha.com and IndexUniverse.com.</div>
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