Have you noticed how anytime you walk in to a book store and find your way to the business or financial books all the views that are expressed in the titles are very similar??? In one way or another they all call out for a monetary version of bloodshed. I mean the titles are about “how you can crush the other guy”or “it’s not personal its business”, “How to come out on top” etc etc. Years ago when I got into the real estate investment game I spent hours looking thru the book titles. Trying to find the one book that would teach me how to become that REAL ESTATE INVESTING GOD I knew I could become. After reading many of the most popular books of the time I actually would feel beat up over the content. I mean did I have to be a “take no prisoners” type of investor? Did I have to prey on some one else’s misfortune?? The answer was no. However I did need to learn to take somethings to heart,and NEVER let go of them. I liken it to building my investment suit of armor so to say. So I set out to build a list of my investment rules. We each should have our own set of investment rules. It will help you keep the animal investor inside of you in check. In my case,being that I am a VERY competitive aggressive alpha male type personality I need rules that would keep me “Human”. My own set of personal laws that would keep me on the “non predatory” path. Doc’s Rules for investing:

1) Set up personal guidelines: Define and follow your personal guidelines. This is the most important rule I have. My guidelines define the investments I will go after as well as the amount of investment I’m willing to part with to get it. It outlines my investment strategy as well as how I want to conduct my investment business. Things to include, but not limit you to, are: Top dollar amount and lowest dollar amount. Type of investment you want to deal with. Period of term for investment.. Etc etc. (Between you and me I even have a guideline about the amount of time I will work per-day)

2) Remember some ones family is behind the deal you?re working on. Simply put,whoever you are dealing with has mouths to feed. Don’t forget this. Just because you can get a great deal on a house because the current owner is in a facing some sort of adversity that is causing them to sell below market value, doesn’t give you license to kick them when they are down. Treat everyone with dignity and respect. If the price they are offering still falls within the personal investing guidelines you have set for yourself don’t use your position to abuse the seller. If you are getting the house for .40 cents on the dollar,don’t be a jerk and push for .38 cents. Always remember…it could be you in the sellers postion. (This rule DOES NOT come in to play when dealing with a bank owned property)

3) Always ask for what you want. No where does it say you can’t ask for something in an investment deal you like, I.E. if you’re looking at a piece of real estate with a pool,ask the seller if they would be willing to throw in new carpet to the sale. I once met a investor who was looking at a house that had been on the market for more than 6 months. When he went to talk to the seller he happen to see a 1954 Merc Coupe in the garage, so he asked if it was included in the deal. The deal eventually closed for the house AND the car. 4) Offer everyone the chance to make money as a bird dog for you. I always give several of my business cards to anyone I do business with and offer them a portion of any profit I make from any investments they help me locate. You would be amazed at how many people are willing to help you make money when they get a small part of it for doing very little work. (And if you follow rule #2 you will be amazed at how many of those bird dogs will sing your praises from the highest mountains)

Just some ideas of things to keep in mind when you’re working on your investment mindset. I have used these rules over the years,and in many cases they, have gotten me more return and repeat networking opportunities then I can count.

Hello and welcome to this page today. In this article I’m going to be discussing a product called maverick money makers which I’m sure you have probably seen advertised if you frequent and make money sites.

The maverick money makers club has been around for a little while now and it has many members. It was created by a guy called Mach Michaels.

If you are thinking about joining maverick money makers then carry on reading this article to find out what I like and dislike about the program before you buy.

It may interest you to know that I’ve been working from home and making a living online for a about three years now and in that time I’ve seen thousands of products being released but only the good ones stay around for longer than a few months.

Firstly Ill say that there has been some controversy about the maverick money makers program because some people say that they are teaching blackhat methods.

However I’ve looked through all of the content and there is only a very small section that is even remotely blackhat or unethical.

If you have been a member of any other make money membership clubs you may have been disapointed at the rate new content is added but the great thing about maverick money makers is new content is added regularly.

My advise is that because there is new content being added regularly you should try extra hard to focus.

One thing on your mind may be, how good is the support? In my opinion the support is excellent and when I once had a simple question I got a reply back from support after around 20 minutes.

The only thing I can think of that may be a problem to new people is that as there is so much content you may get distracted.

The best thing to do is to spend a while going through everything and then choose the model that you like the best and apply it. Then when you have that working for you move onto another method.

In my opinion the maverick money makers club is well worth the money if you can spare a couple of hours each day to put what you learn into action.

Today we thought we would take a look at forex trading. There’s a good deal of people that have heard about forex and wonder how they can earn some money, so hopefully this article helps.

There’s been a tremendous spurt in the amount of people that trade currencies on the net. It’s a great manner to make cash and as opposed to the stock markets, the currency markets stay open at all times.

As I’m sure you know, currencies will shift in price constantly. A forex trader attempts to predict when these shifts will take place so that they are able to time when they purchase or offer for sale a specific currency.

Let’s take a look at why certain currencies will shift in price. There are several components, but I want to quickly look at a couple of the key ones.

One of the biggest factors in defining exchange rates is rates of interest in a country. If a country steps-up interest rates this will cause more investors to make investments in that country. This causes a boost in demand for that currency and it appreciates in value. If you can predict when a country will raise their rates of interest and purchase the currency prior to it is announced, it is likely that you will gain a a good deal of money.

Next, many countries have a currency whose rate is very much connected to certain commodities. Canada is a big exporter of oil and other natural resources. If oil prices increase, this causes a greater demand for the Canadian dollar as more individuals require the dollar to make the purchase. If the price of oil rises, it is very likely that the Canadian dollar will grow as well.

If you’re interested in trying currency trading, please think about buying a forex trading computer program to give you a hand. There are now pieces of software that study the forex markets based on market information and then pick out strong trading opportunities. These programs alone can earn you a considerable amount of money and although they are used by pro traders, they are also the perfect way for novices to get started.

You can make a great deal of profits in the forex markets. After you get the proper tools, currency trading an thrilling way to earn extra income..

The foreign exchange market can be a gold mine for savvy day traders who know exactly what currencies to invest in and when to do so. However, it does not always go the way you want. That is why to guard their investments, a lot of traders are using FAP Winner.

You may be wondering what FAP Winner is really all about.

FAP Winner is an exclusive website for users of Forex Autopilot and FAP Turbo.

The content of the website includes different strategies and tips that are helpful for making you earn more money. The FAP Winner website was started by Charles A. Floyd after developing the FAPTS or Forex Autopilot trading strategy.

You will be able to gain access to the forex autopilot robot, various discussion forums, one-on-one coaching, updates and live support once you become a member of the website.

Day traders who have tried using the FAP Winner swear that it has really allowed them to earn a lot more.

One good thing about FAP Winner is that you only need to pay once to get unlimited access to the website.

This is a bargain knowing that if you calculate all the monthly fees you pay for other websites, you will be losing a considerable percentage of your earnings.

The second thing is that FAP Winner is not that exploited yet by other day traders. There are not a lot of reviews about FAP Winner in the internet. But the reviews that you find all carry positive comment.

Yes, the program works and it isnt a scam but it is like a hidden secret that not a lot of people now about just yet. If you subscribe to FAP Winner now you will get that competitive edge over plenty of other day traders.

The third thing is that FAP Winner is presented to you in a very understandable manner.

FAP Winner also offers its member a substantial number of helpful forums so that users can exchange valuable information.

First, it is important to decide what method of investing is best for you. For those who are not experienced with the stock market, there are other options to consider. One obvious option is a simple savings account.

Similar in concept is something called an annuity. By paying a lump sum into an account, a person secures tax free payments for the rest of their life.

However, this can often be offset by a large number of fees and deductions. This can make an annuity attractive for those who need lifetime assistance and who own their own real estate, but it may not be an option for everyone.

A safe investing option that may have wider appeal is investing in a traditional or Roth IRA. The Roth IRA is the same as the traditional version, but with a twist. Rather than making the taxes at withdrawal, they are taken out up front. In addition, after a certain age, the withdrawals are made tax free.

This can be helpful since most people will be nearing retirement by the time their payments are made tax free, allowing them to free up even more money. Regardless of the option you choose, it is important to understand whether or not these forms of retirement investing are for you.

Consulting Financial Advisors Help Alleviate Some Of The Risks. Because of this, using them has become a very popular strategy.

When planning something such as a 401k, there is usually no need for professional assistance. Typically, these plans are easy enough to understand. A person is often allowed to choose their own investment policies for their 401k.

They may be given options with higher returns or options which are safer. All 401k plans vary slightly based on individual circumstances. However, they are fairly basic, most involving a matching plan wherein the company matches all or a portion of what the employee pays.

When considering investment outside of work-related plans, it is important to know exactly what you are getting into.

IRA plans and Roth IRA plans are fairly similar, with only a few twists between them. They are a fairly safe option for retirement investing. A Financial Advisor will help you better understand the differences in the two plans.

A Roth IRA plan allows the investor to pay the tax money up front, rather than after the payments have been made.

Since it is typically easier to make tax payments while still receiving a paycheck, this can help some people out. A financial advisor will help you choose which one, if either, is right for you. This will cut out a lot of the confusion.

One of the biggest reasons to hire a financial advisor to help with personal finances is because of potential financial traps such as annuity. While annuity may work for some, many people will jump into something that sounds promising immediately.

Without knowing exactly what they are entering into, these programs can be financial death traps for people. They may not realize that there are numerous small fees associated with the plan that can negate the positive aspects.

Planning for your retirement can prove to be a very tiring task but making the right decisions before you hit the critical retirement age is no excuse for learning all the things that you need to know about securing this later stage of your life.

Life insurance, social security and even the more classic individual retirement account (IRA) will help you through your retirement age.

Professional financial advisors who specialize in these areas are better equipped with procedures on assisting clients with questions regarding the odds related to your life’s most challenging part.

In addition, the individual retirement annuity may work well with you if you intend to use your savings for yourself while living with a partner. It is essential that you get help in so that you can maximize your benefits at retirement time.

In either case, the amount you will get from the accrued earnings and contributions you get from this type of social retirement contribution provides you, your partner and your relatives in turn for a more secure future through continued financial stability through receiving fixed payments, yet economically sufficient.

Retirement Annuity works more like other insurance policies and individual retirement account (IRA).

As you know, an individual retirement account (IRA) works like a life insurance where your beneficiaries will be provided a considerable amount of money in the event of contributor’s death.

However, in retirement annuity, your annual contributions (annuity) are meant to give you more financial protection throughout your retirement period.

It secures you more of financial loss in cases of bankruptcy and financial loss through lifestyle or business venture. Annuities also provide a valuable alternative for retirees who are planning on a more financially stable, secured and happy future and eliminate all the possibilities that tend to arise when caught empty-handed during old age.

For example, you can pay a sum of money as your annual contribution (distribution phase) and reap them later during the accumulation phase.

Your contribution is based on your ability to subsidize payment for a specific plan you have subscribed to upon enrollment and how long you have contributed for the said plan.

There are many types of retirement annuity plans to choose from and each tailor to each client’s ability to pay and their preference of payment during distribution upon reaching retirement age. They are immediate annuity, deferred annuity, variable annuity, and fixed annuity.

The above retirement annuity types suit individuals depending on their preference, ability to pay and their need for such benefits.

Whatever retirement annuity plans you have enrolled to, it a good way to hold tax charges while keeping your savings for retirement intact. If you need it, get help to learn and how they work for your future security.

There are so many things that you will need to do for your preparing for your retirement. You have to have a plan so that when the day finally comes to say goodbye to working, you are ready. You will need to think about your future as much as you think about your present.

It is important so that you are prepared for anything that may come your way and so that you have the money to do the things that you want when you are ready to retire. You want to start doing a few things now to have the right retirement strategy that is going to work out best for you and your plans.

There are so many different financial services that are available to help you achieve your goals of having enough money to live the comfortable life that you are looking for in the future.

First, you need to think about your investments. There are so many different things that you can invest in and you need to have the right information so that you are able to choose the best ones that will maximize your income the most. This is where an experienced financial advisor can benefit you the most. They know the current trends and money makers that are working for other people.

Have an estate plan. Where are you going to live? Are you going to keep your family home or move to another area? These are things that you will have to consider so that you have enough for whatever you need to do.

Think about your will. Are you prepared in that sense and do you have all of your affairs in order so that your family is taken care of when you pass on? This is an important part of the retirement planning strategy that you must have.

Do you have the right insurances? There are a few different insurances that you will want to have so you need to review them and make sure that you have the proper coverage.

Take care of your business agreements and plans. Make sure that you are all set when it comes to any partnerships and business deals that you may have come across. Everything needs to be in writing to protect your interests.

Must sure that you are investing in the right annuities. You need to be sure that you are placing your trust with a financial advisor that knows what they are doing and who has the right business sense to make your money increase in whatever you are investing in.

There are other things that you have to think about when you are trying to come up with the right retirement plan strategy. You need to make sure that you are keeping up with all the different plans that become available each day. This is yet another reason for working with a financial advisor.

You want to be sure that you are thinking ahead all the time and keeping a close eye on the investments that you have. With the right plan of retirement strategy, you will have a very secure and comfortable future ahead of you.

Also, keep in mind that many people choose to make retirement planning much easier, and more beneficial, by hiring a financial adviser to help them with the complexities of retirement planning and investing. The choice and the results are yours.

Your retirement is going to be a big deal in your life. You are going to have to make the right financial plans so that you are able to have the future that you are dreaming about having.

There are so many things that you can do when you are in retirement and the only key to all is having enough money to do it all with. That is why you have to start planning now so that you are able to be secure and comfortable when this time comes in your life.

Financial planning for any retirement is going to be something that a person has to take seriously. It is going to benefit them later on down the road and there is no better time to start planning than at an early age.

The most important questions are going to be about how to lower your risk for your retirement planning and increasing your potential for income that will help not only you but also your family when you are at retirement age. It is recommended that you do not take on this difficult decision alone. Find an appropriate financial advisor. It is time to get some retirement financial planning help to secure your future!

Start saving for your retirement today. If the company you are working for offers retirement plans, take advantage of that today. The earlier you start, the easier it will be to assure yourself of a financially secure retirement.

Saving in a bank account is okay since it earns some interest. But if you want a more secure future, you will have to invest more aggressively. Do research on how stocks work. Build a portfolio that will last a lifetime.

If you are still young you can still afford to partition your investment portfolio to give a large chunk to high-yield investments. These investments however, tend to be riskier. As you grow older, and your focus shifts to security instead of wealth building, you can partition your portfolio to safer, lower-yielding investments.

If you are up to it and can find reliable partners, you could start an investment club with friends. Investing with others reduces the level of anxiety among investors and can be a fun and social way to do business.

Don’t go into any investment scheme that you do not fully understand. This is risky and could lead to you losing hard earned money. Do not hesitate to ask your broker questions on things you do not understand.

Study and consider investing in annuities. Also be aware of the taxable investments you have. Make sure you know as much as you can about every investment option you have so that you will not lose out to technicalities and circumstances you were not aware existed.

Your retirement days should be full of opportunities to do things you always dreamed of but couldn’t accomplish due to work and responsibilities. If you want to look forward to these golden years, do your best to prepare for it. Invest in your future now!

Retirement may be a long way off for you – or it might be right around the corner. No matter how near or far it is, you’ve absolutely got to start saving and investing for it now.

However, saving for retirement isn’t what it used to be with the increase in cost of living and the instability of social security. You have to invest for your retirement, as opposed to saving for it!

Let’s start by taking a look at the retirement plan offered by your company. Once upon a time, these plans were quite sound. However, after the Enron upset and all that followed, people aren’t as secure in their company retirement plans anymore. If you choose not to invest in your company’s retirement plan, you do have other options.

First, you can invest in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, certificates of deposit, and money market accounts. You do not have to state to anybody that the returns on these investments are to be used for retirement.

Just simply let your money grow overtime, and when certain investments reach their maturity, reinvest them and continue to let your money grow. Whichever retirement investment you choose, just make sure you choose one!

Again, do not depend on social security, company retirement plans, or even an inheritance that may or may not come through! Take care of your financial future by investing in it today.

Knowing what your risk tolerance and investment style are will help you choose investments more wisely. While there are many different types of investments that one can make, there are really only three specific investment styles – and those three styles tie in with your risk tolerance.

The three investment styles are conservative, moderate, and aggressive. Naturally, if you find that you have a low tolerance for risk, your investment style will most likely be conservative or moderate at best. If you have a high tolerance for risk, you will most likely be a moderate or aggressive investor. At the same time, your financial goals will also determine what style of investing you use.

If you are saving for retirement in your early twenties, you should use a conservative or moderate style of investing – but if you are trying to get together the funds to buy a home in the next year or two, you would want to use an aggressive style.

Conservative investors want to maintain their initial investment. In other words, if they invest $5000 they want to be sure that they will get their initial $5000 back.

This type of investor usually invests in common stocks and bonds and short term money market accounts. An interest earning savings account is very common for conservative investors.

A moderate investor usually invests much like a conservative investor, but will use a portion of their investment funds for higher risk investments. Many moderate investors invest 50% of their investment funds in safe or conservative investments, and invest the remainder in riskier investments.

An aggressive investor is willing to take risks that other investors won’t take. They invest higher amounts of money in riskier ventures in the hopes of achieving larger returns – either over time or in a short amount of time. Aggressive investors often have all or most of their investment funds tied up in the stock market.

Again, determining what style of investing you will use will be determined by your financial goals and your risk tolerance.

No matter what type of investing you do, however, you should carefully research that investment. Never invest without having all of the facts! Investing in your financial future is the greatest gift you can give yourself by far. If you aren’t sure where to begin or how, perhaps it’s time to seek the services of a qualified financial adviser who knows where to start, and the best places to invest in for your future.

Many traders view stock options as only a short term trading strategy. The idea of a highly leveraged bet with the potential to make big bucks quickly appeals to the risk taker inside all of us. Just like a card counting black-jack player, options can be used to make consistent short term gains, provided the player is careful, and knows what they’re doing. But while stock options are usually employed solely by that clique of high-risk, high-reward traders, they actually have enormous benefits that tend to go unnoticed by many a long term investor.

The stock option strategy I’m about to reveal isnt often used. Indeed, I’ve only briefly heard mention of them on obscure websites, and even then, not in enough detail to give an example. So here it is, what I believe may be the best kept secret from long term investors on wall street. The stock option strategy for the long term investor.

Its the vertical option spread, using leap options. How this investment works is you buy one option, while simultaneously selling another option for the same month, but at a different strike price. While XYZ is often my generic ticker, I will use a real company in this case. Keep in mind, this is NOT a recommendation. In fact, it would probably be a terrible idea to invest in the example I’m about to give. Its just an example. Yet to get realistic prices for this strategy, it may be helpful to use a real stock.

note:I wrote this part of the article about a short time ago, prices may not be 100% current. So GE is currently trading at 10.41 per share. In this example, let us talk the January 2011 options, giving GE a large amount of time to go the way we think it will. So if you thought GE was an excellent long term buy, it would be reasonable to think it’s going to at least $20 per share by that point. By January 2011, consensus is believe the recession to be over, and that single development alone should lead to a substantially higher stock price.

To do a vertical spread, you have to buy one option, and sell another one. Giving our price target of at least $20, and given the current price, 10.41, I would buy the 12.50 strike call option, and sell the 17.50 strike call option. The 12.50 option can be bought for 2.71 at the moment, while the 17.50 can be sold for 1.40, giving us an total cost of 1.31 per share for the vertical spread.

Now lets analyze this trade for a second. If General Electric is trading under 12.50 on the January 2011 expiration, both options expire worthless, and the 1.31 per option spread invested is gone. On the other hand, if General Electric is trading above 17.50, then the 12.50 option will be worth exactly $5.00 more then the 17.50 option, and so the position is worth $5.00 per share. If its between 12.50 and 17.50, the call we sold expires worthless, while the call we bought will have value equal to the difference between the stock price and the strike price; 12.50 in this case. How do you calculate the break even? Well we paid 1.31 for the vertical spread, so if its exactly 1.31 higher then 12.50 (13.81), then well be at break even if the stock is at that point.

That gives us an amazing return of 281% if GE is above 17.50, for an annualized return of 107% (holding period is 22 months). Due to the high potential for risk – a complete loss of investment if GE is below 12.50 in Jan 2011, you shouldn’t put more then you’re willing to risk in the trade. Definitely a speculative play. Yet with how much time there is, it is a much safer bet then short term options, and significantly more profitable then just buying the shares.

So now that the basic idea is out of the way, what are some examples of vertical spreads I would consider? I’m a strong believer in investing in emerging markets, so I am long term bullish on EEM (IShares MSCI Emerging Markets Investment Index). The January 2011 25-30 vertical on EEM is only going for about $1.88 at the moment, with EEM trading at 25.30 so I think that would be a superb investment. Above 30 it would be worth $5 at expiration, while below 25 it would be worthless. Unless the economy further deteriorates, I can’t imagine that occurring.

Along the same lines, I expect FXI (iShares FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index) to go up. The “China miracle” isn’t over, merely in a subdued state due to temporarily reduced demand. The 30-35 vertical Jan 11 vertical would be worth $5 at expiration if FXI is above 35, which from its current price of 28.51, is perfectly within reason. That vertical spread currently has a $2 price, so that would be an even 150% return from now until January 2011.

A much more controversial play would be Bank of America. While the trader in me screams to short the stock, I foresee it being far more valuable then it currently is a couple years down the road. The simple reason is that yes; financial stocks have been hammered by the current collapse. Yes, some banking companies have went bankrupt, or have been on the verge of bankruptcy. Is the financial system going to completely collapse? No. Are out of control bank runs going to drive them out of business? No. Are people going to want to borrow money again after this recession ends? YES! Is pent up demand in housing going to cause a rush to buy houses at prices not seen in a decade? YES! Are banks going to profit from this? Most DEFINITELY. If BAC is above $10 at the January 2011 expiration, the 7.50-10 vertical for Jan 2011 would be worth 2.50, while only costing about $0.65. That would give a 286% return, or 108% annualized. The risk of course, is that BAC goes bankrupt, or BAC stays under the $7.50 per share mark past January 2011. In either case, you would lose your investment. Yet with prices as low as they are now, there isn’t a high chance of that scenario unfolding.

For the vast majority of people, the financial markets are not the place to get rich quick. While some short term traders will have tremendous success with these option strategies, long term investors can use these same strategies while focusing on the longer term, to achieve gains vastly exceeding those of the regular stock market, while limiting risk.