by: Roger Guzman, M.D.




College financial planning should start early. In fact, do it as soon as the child is born. There are benefits to doing this. For one thing the longer time frame will allow some flexibility. You can be more aggressive in pursuing the best return for your money.

The question that begs to be answered is this. How much should one save for college? The College Board says the cost is more than $32000 annually to attend a private university and college. The annual cost in public universities and colleges is much less, around $13,000.00 per year. And it is rising every year at more than the inflation rate.

Everybody in the family should get involved in college financial planning. The kids who are college-bound should think of their educational goals. Answer questions like what do they want to study? Where do they plan to go to university, public or private? In which state do they want to go for this?

After getting the answers, then the kids should investigate the prices at every school they are planning to go. Have more than two colleges in mind for one never knows where he can be accepted. For example I'll laugh if President Obama's safety school is Harvard. Once you have the college cost at each school, it will be easier to see how much money to set aside.

The college-bound kid can also help check out the opportunities in terms of financial aid that is available to them. Have a meeting with the librarian or the guidance counselor in their high school to find out how to access funds for college.

What you will find out is that saving more will be quite necessary So how do we do that? Well, save more and spend less, that's what. The whole family can help. Eating out once a month instead of every week will obviously help save hundreds of dollars very month.

Buying a second-hand car instead of a shiny new one will save thousands of dollars that you can set aside for college. Stop maxing out your credit cards for the interest rate will be horrendous. In fact, transfer the balance to a low-interest card, and stick to the payment plan.

Where do you park all the money you are saving for college? By this time, you are richer than what you think but you will be richer still if you put it in the right place. The government is on your side here. Believe it or not, the government wants to help you save.

Skeptical? Don't be because the government has set up two ways to help you save in a tax-advantaged manner. One is the Coverdell Education Savings Accounts where you can park the money that will earn interest that will not be taxed. It will allow one to withdraw funds for any educational expenses tax free.

The second one set up is the Section 529 College Savings Plans. You can lock in the college cost at today's rate. Let's say college cost is $13,000 annually. Well if the baby is new born you can save $10,000.00 every year at the $13,000 tuition rate even if the college cost when the baby is ready to go to college has gone up to $50,000.00 a year. Cool, huh?

The only trouble with the 529 plan is that only some schools allow this. So, are there other ways to pay for college? Of course, there are other ways; we just have to dig deeper. So bring your spade and let's do some digging, shall we?

There is a law called College Cost Reduction and Access signed where a new repayment plan will be based on one's income, thus making it easier to afford the federal loans. And listen to this, those who consolidate there loan can do it at an interest rate of 2%.

So remember, sign up for IBR (income-based repayment) plan, consolidate loans at 2%, and sign up for a tuition payment plan where you can split the annual cost into 12 equal monthly payments. All are worth investigating for they are part of college financial planning.

Abstract: College financial planning will help ease the burden of the educational cost facing families today but there are solutions to the challenges. Credit woes may hold back the college-bound but careful research and work around all angles will offset the cost of higher education to make college a reality. Start as soon as you can so that if there are unexpected gaps, they can be easily filled in with time and effort on your side. It goes to show that while we cannot lower the cost we surely can reduce its impact.

Keywords:
college financial planning, financial aid, 529 College Savings Plans, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, income-based repayment, low interest rates

Please visit these sites for more help where you can sign up for free to receive alerts and tips delivered right to your email inbox:

http://www.debtchallenges.com/collegefinancialplanning.html

http://www.debtchallenges.com/index.html


About The Author
Dr. Guzman worked for the Atlantic Health Corporation and was consultant to St. Joseph's Hospital, Sussex Mental Health Clinic, and St. Stephen Mental Health Clinic for many years. He was Director of Forensic Psychiatry at Centracare for ten years and published numerous articles, including financial ones in the Journal of the American College of Forensic Psychiatry and other medical magazines.

by: Shelley Phelps




What is E-Verify?

E-Verify was originally introduced to employers as the Basic Pilot Program. The program was developed to provide employers with a free internet-based system where they could determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers. The system is operated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) partnered with the Social Security Administration (SSA). Employers are able to verify the employment eligibility of their employees, regardless of citizenship. Based on information provided by the employee on his or her Form I-9, E-Verify confirms this information electronically against records contained by DHS and SSA databases.

E-Verify Registration

Currently, E-Verify offers employers the best option to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees. You can register online for E-Verify (https://www.vis-dhs.com/EmployerRegistration). Upon completion of the registration process, you will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that supplies the terms and agreement between you the employer, the SSA and DHS. The MOU must be signed by an employee with the proper authority to do so.

After you register for the automated system, The MOU, User Manual and Tutorial contain instructions and other related materials on E-Verify procedures. You must complete the tutorial before using the system.

Do I Still Need Form I-9?

The use of E-Verify does not replace the requirement that all employers in the U.S. and all post-November 6, 1986 hires complete Form I-9. E-Verify is processed in addition to the mandatory completion of Form I-9. Currently, USCIS does not offer the use of the electronic Form I-9.

After hiring a new employee and completing the Form I-9, you will be required to submit the following information:

-Employee/s name and date of birth

-Social Security Number

-Citizenship status

-An A number or I-94 number, if applicable

-Type of document provided on the Form I-9 to establish work authorization status

-Proof of identity, and expiration date when applicable

The response to your initial query is sent within seconds of submitting the information. Please note that documents provided from “List B” for the Form I-9 must have a photograph.

When Can I Run an E-Verify Query?

An employer may not initiate a query until an individual accepts an offer of employment and after the employee and employer complete the Form I-9. This query must be initiated by the employer within 3 business days after the new hire’s actual start date.

Employers participating in E-Verify must verify all newly hired employees, both U.S. citizens and non-citizens. Employers are not to use the program to prescreen applicants for employment, confirm current employees hired before the MOU was signed or re-verify any employee who with temporary work authorization.

E-Verify cannot be used to verify immigration status, only a new hire’s employment eligibility.

Additionally, E-Verify cannot be used for employees who do not yet have a Social Security Number. If you have an employee with this issue, you should complete the Form I-9 process with him or her and wait to process the E-Verify. Make sure you note on the Form I-9 why you have not yet run an E-Verify query. In the meantime, you will have completed the Employment

Eligibility process with your employee and verified his/her work authorization so that your employee is permitted to work temporarily without a Social Security Number. Once the employee has received his/her Social Security Number you may run the E-Verify query.

Is E-Verify Mandatory?

Participation in E-Verify is voluntary for most employers with some limited exceptions. Many states have begun making E-Verify mandatory for their public contractors and the federal government enacted its own amendment to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (“FAR”) mandating E-Verify for many of its contractors and some of their sub-contractors.

Employers that enter into a contract with the federal government and are required to enroll in E-Verify must register with E-Verify when the provision takes effect. After enrolling in E-Verify, the employer is responsible for reporting to the DHS if it continues to employ an individual after receipt of a final nonconfirmation notice. Continuing to employ the individual exposes the employer to a fine in addition to civil monetary or criminal sanctions that may be placed against the employer.

Under the existing E-Verify program, employers are only permitted to verify the employment eligibility of new hires – current employees cannot be processed in E-Verify. However, large contractors feel that it would be too big a task administratively to monitor their E-Verify obligations with respect to employees assigned to the contract and new hires where numerous federal contracts are in place and the workforce varies. This has resulted in the Department of Defense and DHS creating a provision under the Federal Contractor E-Verify Rule whereby an employer may choose to query all of its existing employees hired after November 6, 1986, rather than just those assigned to the contract.

It should be noted that the proposed mandate for federal contractors to be processed through the E-Verify program has been delayed until September 8, 2009. The postponement of the mandate for federal contractors came as a result of a federal lawsuit filed by business members against the DHS. The main concern being raised is the accuracy of the E-Verify data. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the DHS E-Verify system incorrectly lists some legal citizens as ineligible to work in the U.S., and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce feels that the system has not been tested enough.

E-Verify: Pros and Cons

E-Verify may or may not make sense for some employers depending on the particular circumstances of the employer. Prior to enrolling in E-Verify, employers should give thought to conducting an internal I-9 audit and consulting with counsel. An employer may also want to consider the states in which it conducts business, review its current procedure for employment verification and weigh the pros and cons of E-Verify.

The Pros:

-E-Verify quickly verifies employment eligibility and almost eliminates Social Security mismatch letters.

-Employers utilizing E-Verify may presume that they did not knowingly hire an unauthorized worker.

-Employers in some states may be able to pursue certain types of business (state contracts).

-Protects jobs for authorized U.S. workers.

The Cons:

-Participating employers allow the SSA and DHS to perform periodic audits.

-E-Verify has been known to have mismatch problems, carrying a risk of false nonconfirmations that expose an employer to legal action.

-Employers must make an administrative commitment to the program to include training and timely management of the program.

-Improper use of the E-Verify program for pre-employment screening or to re-verify current employees exposes employers to liability.

-There is uncertainty regarding the technical capacity of E-Verify to handle a heavy load and the ability of the SSA to quickly resolve numerous confirmation issues.

Visit the USCIS E-Verify page (http://www.dhs.gov/E-Verify) for the most up to date information.


About The Author
Shelley Phelps is a Background Screening Specialist with Corporate Investigations, Inc. (http://ciilink.com), a national provider of background check services headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

by: Wayne Wu



If a business cannot survive without good cash flow management, then a business will not thrive without good communications.

There are two parts to network marketing...

1. NETWORK and
2. MARKETING

Both parts are of equal importance in building a highly profitable network marketing business.

Your network is your relationship with the people in your business: your downline, your customers and clients and your prospects. Building a strong relationship with these people is critical to your business success. Maintaining these relationships ensures continued profitability because people only buy from those they know and trust.

Most network marketers have problems in developing these relationships to begin with, let alone maintaining them.

Developing relationships has all to do with the second part: marketing.

Most network marketers have never had prior business experience, and therefore have no idea how to market or promote their business opportunity or products.

Ironically, distributors who have no idea on how to promote, tell their downline members to go out and build themselves a business.

"Just write a list of 100 warm market contacts, hold a house party and show them the plan, tell them why you have such a great opportunity, sign them up and tell your new recruits to duplicate your efforts..."

That quoted passage is an overly simplified version of the methods most networkers use to build their downlines.

Does it work? Yeah sure, for a small number of people, but it doesn't work for everybody. And it's getting harder to build a business this way today, as there are so many competing business opportunities around trying to grab the attention of your prospects.

To me, marketing is very much like fishing. There are basically two ways you can catch fish...1) go for a swim in the ocean and try to catch as many fish as you can with your bare hands or 2) get out in a boat to where there are plenty of fish, cast the bait that'll attract the fish you want to catch and wait for them to take the bait.

I don't know about you, but method number 1 sounds like a lot of hard work and the probabilities of success are not very high. This was done in pre-historic days when people didn't have the tools they do now. You'd probably have to be a pretty good swimmer, with lightning reflexes. Method number 2 makes a lot more sense today doesn't it?

Put it this way: People have a natural tendency to run away from others that chase after them. Isn't it a lot easier to sell someone on something they already wanted in the first place?

The vast majority of network marketers do not achieve financial independence. Of those who really try, but do not succeed, their primary challenge is they don't communicate their network marketing business opportunity to enough of the right prospects. That's not an easy thing to do when you don't know how...

So what do you do when you've burned through your warm market and achieved little success through that avenue? It's time to learn marketing.

Do not be intimated by marketing - it is not a hard skill to learn, but if you master it, can provide you with incredible leverage. Leverage comes from the fact that marketing is done through a system. You write your message once, but it can be published over and over again to hundreds of thousands of people in your target market.

A common myth is that marketing is risky and expensive. Yes, it is possible to spend a lot money and not get any results with marketing if you don't know what you're doing. But thanks to the internet, it is possible to build an effective marketing system for very little cost - even no cost at all.

I learned from Eben Pagan that there are basically 3 streams of marketing...

1. Branding. This is the realm of big business and it works best for long established businesses. It's mainly used to protect a brand identity, so it hardly works for new businesses for whom the general public has never heard of. Brand advertising is what big companies such as Red Bull and Coca Cola spend hundreds of millions of dollars doing each year. It is the least measurable form of marketing - it's very hard to tell if some one buys a Coke as a direct result of him or her seeing a Coca Cola ad.

2. Retail. This is where manufacturers of consumer products partner up with major chain stores. The manufacturer can get its products across millions of people that way, some of whom will buy the product. This can be done online as well, through major websites like Amazon.

3. Direct Response. This is the most targeted marketing strategy and also the most technical and cost effective form of marketing. This is where a business generates its own leads using direct mail or the internet and converts those leads into paying customers.

Direct response marketing is the most effective marketing strategy for small-time network marketers like you and I. Top internet marketers such as Eben Pagan, Alex Mandossian and Mike Filsaime have used direct response marketing to build themselves multi-million dollar online businesses in less than 3 years.

Mike Dillard and Ann Sieg are two of the most prominent network marketers who have used internet direct response marketing strategies to build their multi-million dollar MLM businesses in recent times.

Direct response marketing is an art and science that will take some time to learn, but one that's well worth learning. Once you learn enough of this skill to get going, you can forget about prospecting your friends and family because you'll be able to attract an abundance genuine business builders who are already looking for your business opportunity.


About The Author
After 12 months of struggle with no results, no downline and no income, Wayne discovered the Complete Business Model, modeled after the world's most successful entrepreneurs. His aim is to help network marketers understand the principles of success in business, and build themselves a brand that attracts the right prospects.

For a FREE report on how a Complete Business Model can work for you, please visit my website.

by: Jo Alelsto




International standards for manufacturing practices are very stringent to ensure the safety and the best quality products and practices for the consumers. This is especially true for water. Water is essential to many medical, manufacturing, food processing, and other industrial applications.

Why is there a need for deionized water?

Water which undergoes the deionization process is regarded as almost “pure water” and therefore it is vital to many industrial processes which needed high quality, uncontaminated water.

Deionized water follows this process of purification:

1. Organic trap – Water is passed through an organic trap to remove organic compounds in the water. Organic traps are ion exchange resins with a strong base anion resin. Most organic compounds are slightly negative (cationic) and the organic traps absorb these compounds.

2. Twin-bed Deionizers – After removing the organic compounds, water is passed through a twin-bed deionizer which has two separate chambers for cationic and anionic processes using acid and caustic solutions.

These two processes result in deionized water meaning water with no organic and ionic impurities. However, there are other impurities present in water and further purification is needed to produce high quality, pure water for many industries.

3. Mixed Bed Resin – This filter has a pore size of greater than 0.05 micrometer which retains impurities larger than the pore size.

4. Ultra Violet Treatment – There are microorganisms in water, bacteria as well as unicellular organisms such as amoeba. A strong Ultra Violet Treatment kills these microorganisms.

5. Filtration – The last phase of the water purification involves the water passing through a 0.02 micrometer filter. This further sifts any remaining impurities left by the preceding phases.

The result of this long but meticulous process is an ultrapure type of deionized water. This type of water is very valuable in many industries.

It is used in dialysis centers as well as other laboratory applications. It is used in the laboratory as a reagent. Ultrapure deionized water is essential to make accurate measurements for biological samples which use a very small amount like serum and plasma. It is also an indispensable item in a microbiology laboratory where glasswares and other instruments are rinsed with deionized water before sterilization. Preparations of media also need deionized water to ensure that the media is sterile for biological inculation of biological samples.

Deionized water is also used in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. It is mainly used for water-based solutions. Since deionized water is free from impurities, it makes the perfect choice for use as a reagent and solvent because it is unlikely to produce undesirable side effects due to impurities.

In electronics production, deionized water is used extensively for processing and cleaning silicon wafers. It is also used to clean optic fibers when these are needed to be scrubbed thoroughly before coating.

Deionized water is also effective in an automotive battery where is it used to top up lead acid batteries of many cars, trucks, and other vehicles. It is also used as a cooling agent in automotives as well as in airplanes, but due to its cost impracticality, this is not practiced today.

Believe it or not, deionized water has even found its use in your local carwash. It is used as a final rinse and since it has no dissolved solutes, there are no spots left after the car has dried.

However, deionized water is not advisable for home use except in small to average amounts. Although it is a good thing that all the impurities are gone and filtered out, some of these impurities are essential for the body. Some salts found in tap water are needed as electrolytes.

And, as a final note, deionized water has no taste at all, not that tap water can really be said as tasty, but you know what I mean.


About The Author
Jo is a writer for ‘The-Water-Company.com’ (http://www.the-water-company.com), an established UK stationed high quality water supplier for more than thirty years, supplying products such as deionized water and demineralized water to a an extensive variety of customers in UK, Europe and the rest of the world. If your corporation has a pure water source needs or if you would like to acquire more details on any qualifications and standard analysis results for the different water products then have a look at The-Water-Company.com.

by: Karla Jo Helms



One Community Bank’s 3-Step System for Wiping out Credit Card Debt

Now more than ever, the news about banks lending money is doom and gloom. From the president’s sobering speeches about this country’s financial crisis to the headlines to the 24-hour financial news segments, the message is clear: “Banks aren’t lending money anymore…”

But not all banks are created equal. In particular, community banks that make their own decisions, have their own boards and manage their own funds are operating business as usual; that means they’re lending money as they’ve always been; but that doesn’t mean it’s a free-for-all, either.

Every bank wants to make good decisions, and lending money is serious business. Banks want to make sure they are lending to people not just who can pay them back but who can afford the loan in the first place.

Looking at someone’s credit card debt can be the first step in determining whether the money the bank does have to lend will be a good investment. Unfortunately, many people fall short when it comes to managing this very specific kind of debt.

According to Robert Sumner, CEO of First National Bank of Pasco (FNB Pasco) near Tampa, Florida, “Credit card debt seems to be the biggest problem our clients have when getting themselves in trouble.”

Sumner adds, “Everybody complains about their mortgage payments, their car loan, but they get surprised when we show them that, once you add up all their credit card debt, it can sometimes equal or even surpass what they pay out in home AND car loans each month!”

In an effort to inform his current, and potential, clients on the dangers of credit card debt, Sumner and the folks at FNB Pasco have come up with the following 3-Step Debt Solution Plan:

• Step 1 – Admit Things Are Out of Control: The first step in solving your own financial crisis is to admit there is a crisis in the first place. This can be as simple as taking five minutes to gather ALL of your credit card bills together (no hiding any) and adding up the monthly payments. If your blood pressure is rising halfway through the stack, you’ll know things are nearing crisis point.

• Step 2 – Get Things Under Control: If it’s clear that your debt load is becoming insufferable, take steps to get them under control. This could mean a system of paying off one credit card at a time. In other words, if you have six credit cards, pay the minimum on five and the maximum possible on the sixth until it’s paid off. Once you’re down to five credit cards, pay the fifth off before focusing on the fourth, and so on. Of course, if your debt load is crippling you may want to consider a debt consolidation service. (Your local community bank can often recommend several credible candidates.)

• Step 3 – Keep Things Under Control: Once you begin to get your debt under control, keep it there. Says Sumner, “We see people all the time who have worked so hard to get their debt under control, only to sully their ‘clean slate’ with even more debt so that they wind up, months later, in the same boat.” Having a budget and sticking to it is a great way to begin keeping your debt under control. So is limiting yourself to one or two credit cards and always keeping both under half of the credit limit.

We all have debt; debt is a basic fact of modern American life. The goal is to have good debt; debt that allows you the freedom to pursue certain financial goals without limiting others. Using this simple 3-step plan you can always be sure you’re striving for good debt over bad.


About The Author
After handling the PR for an Inc 500 company for several years Karla Jo Helms was ready to launch out on her own allowing her to bring her unique take on the world of PR to businesses both large and small. “Public Relations is a powerful tool that can garner wide acceptance and delve into arenas that marketing cannot touch,” says Karla Jo, PR Strategist and Published Author. Helms got her start creating and implementing PR Strategies for entrepreneurs, which helped her develop a keen eye for how to hone in on the best use of PR and technology to increase the Return On Investment of one’s marketing dollars. Her theory on how attaining critical mass by utilizing all areas of PR and Marketing in today's world allows her to put together complete strategies for clients that attain measurable results. A background in sales, business management and media relations has given her the well-rounded understanding of how to harness the power of PR to communicate to diverse groups of people...the end result being a wider sphere of influence and the invaluable commodity of goodwill garnered on a broad basis for her clients.

by: Leon Edward



One of the most common problems made by those who are new to affiliate marketing, is that many of them tend to focus on niche products, rather than those products with a proven track record. What you need to realize is; if you want to make the big money that you see the big dogs making, you need to follow in their footsteps. Essentially, if you want to make big money you need to source products that sell themselves. In other words you need to pay less attention to your own preferences and pay more interest to the desires of your customers.

Another crucial point to consider is that whichever product or service you choose to promote, you need to ensure a certain level of sustainability. Ideally you need to choose a product or service which enjoys a continuous high level of demand and one which can be recycled over and over again. Furthermore one should choose a product which can be up-sold alongside other products. Of course it goes without saying that one should never concentrate entirely on what you sell, but instead, you should pay particular attention to the manner in which you sell. Providing you do this you will be in a position to enjoy commission for many years to come.

If by any chance you're starting to feel a little concerned regarding what product or service you should promote, don't worry because it's perfectly understandable. Perhaps you thought you had it all worked out and now you're drowning in a sea of uncertainty instead. However the purpose of this book is to retrain you and to teach you the correct way to make a noticeable amount of money just as the big dogs do. After all, why would anyone in their right mind want to see a trickle of money rather than a fountain of wealth? Additionally, we will go as far as to show you how one can determine which products sell and which products don't. However, before we go there, let's first get rid of one more fear.

I'm not a professional!

Right, now that we've managed to change your views regarding selling niche products, and also that feeling of comfort you were experiencing regarding the product you had in mind, let's talk about how this problem can be resolved.

Let's face it; it is obviously a lot easier trying to sell a product or service that you're comfortable with, particularly in the beginning when you're still attempting to develop your marketing and pre-sales strategy. What I'm trying to say is, if you're an expert on a certain topic or on a certain product then you could probably have a complete website setup within a day, including tons of content. On the other hand, if you chose to market a product which you know nothing about, you could well find yourself spending months doing research before you yourself can sit down and produce relevant content.

Good, now you have the answer. Does it make sense to you that you should sell a product with which you are comfortable, or do you think you should choose a product that you know nothing about? Remember, if you opt for the latter, you will need to become an expert first. Of course, when you were born you weren't an expert at anything but through hard work and dedication, you have acquired a vast amount of knowledge. These same principles apply it to Internet marketing.

Contrary to what you may believe, it is possible to become an expert simply by doing research regarding the product or service you wish to promote. Above all else there can be no doubt in your mind that it is in your own best interest that you become an expert, with firsthand knowledge of the products you intend promoting.

Having said that; there is still something else which needs to be considered and that is that one can still be a successful affiliate even if you're not an expert. The reasons for this being; that given enough time you will more than likely become an expert anyway. Until such time however, you can simply allow your parent affiliate program to do all the heavy work. In fact, providing you choose a reputable company all the tools you need are already waiting for you. Essentially, all you need to do is drive customers to their website. Trust me, if you choose the right products and you target the right markets, they will never be any shortage of information.


About The Author
Leon Edward is the owner and webmaster of http://www.homebusinessit.com

He started making money online using the Plugin Profit Site where you can earn 6 streams of affiliate income getting paid monthly. You can get your own Plugin Profit Site set up and ready to make money for you within 24 hours at http://www.cashmonthlylifetime.com

by: Michael Challiner



Homebuyers with spotless credit records are being warned that they could find it difficult to take out a new mortgage as banks continue to tighten their lending criteria. Banks and building societies are rejecting loan applications at short notice as house prices continue to fall and they become increasingly jittery about the growing threat of unemployment.

Even borrowers with deals that have several years to run are not safe. Banks have been writing to homeowners to demand that loans are repaid in full within 30 days, long before the end of the mortgage term. Most mortgage contracts contain a clause that allows the lender to pull the plug on the agreement, even if the borrower is not in arrears.

In fact, legal experts say that the latest mortgage contracts are littered with vague and open-ended terms and conditions that allow lenders to do almost anything. For example, the conditions attached to a mortgage can be changed "for any valid reason", according to a contract from one leading lender.

One solicitor said: "Homeowners need to read the terms and conditions more carefully than ever before. It could be argued that a clause allowing lenders to withdraw credit with 30 days' notice is unreasonable, but this has yet to be tested in a Court of Law."

The Prime Minister has been putting pressure on lenders to boost mortgage lending and reduce rates in line with the Bank of England base rate, but even state-owned lenders have refused. Last week Northern Rock said that it was passing on only half of the latest base-rate cut to its variable-rate mortgage customers - 0.25 per cent rather than the full half a percentage point.

Banks are struggling to source funding to offer new mortgages. Most banks now use retail deposits to fund lending, but low interest rates do not help banks and building societies to attract savers. This is the biggest problem facing lenders and the only thing they can do is to pick customers who pose the safest risk.

Against this difficult backdrop, experts say that banks are using any excuse to reject customers. If a lender suspects that a borrower has submitted an application with information that is not 100 per cent accurate, it is likely to be refused. A change in circumstances can also worry lenders. Banks are also examining the credit histories of new customers more closely than ever. Lenders have been known to reject applications because of missed mobile phone payments or because a borrower has been overdrawn on his or her bank account too frequently.

Lenders have also tightened the rules on income multiples. Many banks are unwilling to offer loans worth five or six times a borrower's salary, which was common during the boom times. Performance-related income, such as bonuses, is also now routinely excluded from affordability assessments. If a borrower secured a previous deal with high income multiples, banks will be wary of extending the same level of credit again.

There has also been no let-up for first-time buyers. One mortgage deal in four now requires a deposit or equity stake of 40 per cent, as lenders seek protection against falling house prices and the risk of negative equity.

Mortgages aimed at borrowers with smaller deposits are limited and considerably more expensive. The emphasis on low LTV lending means that falling house prices are also a headache for homeowners who need to remortgage.

A 150,000 pound mortgage on a home worth 200,000 pounds has an LTV ratio of 75 per cent, which is the maximum available now from a number of leading lenders. But if that home falls in price by 15 per cent, the same mortgage has an LTV ratio of 88 per cent.

There are ways to make yourself more attractive to lenders. Borrowers who do not need to remortgage or move house in the next year should pay off both capital and interest each month and overpay whenever possible. This will ensure that they have the maximum amount of equity possible when the time comes to take out a new deal. Some mortgage providers will charge a penalty for this, but most will allow borrowers to overpay by up to 10 per cent a year. This puts homeowners in a much stronger position.

You should order a copy of your credit record to check that all the information about you is correct. You can apply directly to the credit-reference agencies - Experian, Equifax and Callcredit - for your file.

After all it makes sense for borrowers to resolve any problems that would show up on a credit report by contacting the lender and clearing the debt.


About The Author
Visit Brokers Online to get a ( http://www.life-assurance-bureau.co.uk/mortgages/ ) Mortgage. Brokers Online is a fantastic financial web site offering Debt Advice ( http://www.life-assurance-bureau.co.uk/debt/ ), Debt Management, IVA and Debt Plans.

by: Rocco Beatrice


Buy Real Estate in your IRA – Expand your Investment Horizons

Typically, people sock away things into their traditional IRA accounts including stocks, mutual funds and bonds. If you have the urge to save something other than these things and you are self directing your IRA investments consider real estate. Using your IRA retirement account to broaden your portfolio is possible with the purchase of raw land, condos, houses, commercial properties and mortgage notes.

An insurance company office manager in California, Ruby Barnett, has always wanted to invest in various properties. Barnett says, "I read a book a few years ago, and it mentioned you could self direct IRA in real estate investments. My goal was to buy properties and flip them – rehab and sell them. But I ended up buying income property, so I have tenants. The rent goes into the IRA."

It is possible to use a traditional IRA account, or a Roth IRA, for investing in IRA real estate. It doesn't matter if you are a hands-on person like Barnett, or if you are an investor who would rather rely on another person's expertise. Most people who do invest in real estate through their IRA are very willing to learn. They prefer to be in the driver's seat.

Simple IRA Rules with Investing in IRA Real Estate

To invest in real estate through your IRA, you must be aware of the simple IRA rules. You cannot buy real estate using your basic IRA. You must open a self-directed IRA. If you want to invest and need to open one of these IRA accounts, banks, brokerage firms and insurance companies will assist you with opening the IRA. Generally, they will limit your options to the specific products they sell. In order to buy real estate, you may have to seek out an independent administrator that will serve as a trustee. There are companies that will help you find the right administrator for the self-directed IRA.

Administrators of Self-Directed IRA Accounts

Administrators, who work fee-based, will charge each and every time they do something. For example, if they have to make weekly payments to your account, the administrator may charge $10 per payment.

An asset-based administrator would charge a percentage of the annual total asset value. For example, if you have a portfolio of $40,000, you may pay anywhere between 1 to 1.5 percent in fees. However, if you have a million dollar portfolio, the fee may be only .03%.

Most administrators seem to be going a different route, however. They are hybrid-based administrators, who will charge a little of both.

If you decide to find an administrator on your own, make sure you take the time to talk to several different administrators. As with any service you buy, the most expensive does not always mean it is the best, and the cheapest is not always the bargain you think it is. It is advised that you try to avoid administrators who are new to the business.

The act of avoiding new administrators is not to disqualify them. Many administrators come and go in the business. This doesn't mean the client will lose their money, but it may get tied up until things are settled. This is the concern when dealing with new administrators. It is important to know their asset base, how much is under their control, and how much experience they have.

Make sure you talk to reps and ensure they understand what you are trying to do. Make note of their flexibility. Many administrators will not take real estate because they do not completely understand it. Be sure to ask questions and request an annual statement. Also inquire about all applicable fees.

When you finally choose an administrator, they will walk you through all the steps needed to open a self-directed IRA. It is possible to set up an account with new money, but you would only be able to fund it with the allowed maximum IRA annual contribution. However, you could transfer some, or all, of your assets from your traditional IRA account.

According to Hugh Bromma of Entrust Administration, a self-directed IRA is often the best option for those looking to invest in real estate. This type of IRA has the best advantages, especially for those who make a lot of money in their existing portfolio. Unlike a traditional IRA, the earnings are tax-free upon distribution. This is a great benefit. To exemplify the advantage, consider a traditional IRA that begins with $10,000 that parlays into a million dollars. With the traditional IRA account, you would be taxed on the million dollars.


About The Author
Best IRA Rescue provides services on your IRA investments and traditional IRA and will help you reduce your inherited and beneficiary independent retirement account taxes in your estate assets. Roth on ROIDS is your advanced Roth IRA retirement planning strategy and one of the best IRA tax-savings strategies with benefits of a guaranteed death benefit, guaranteed principal, tax-free growth, and tax-free distributions from policy loans.

Contact us if you have any questions on your IRA retirement planning. http://bestirarescue.com. Read the second part of this two-part series on IRA real estate investments, IRS' rules on real estate IRA investments, Options in real estate investments and using an Investment-Locator Company: http://bestirarescue.com/irs-rules-self-directed-ira-real-estate.html

Boston, MA: 71 Commercial Street #150 Boston, MA 02109
California: 543 Victoria Ste. J, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
toll-free: 888-93ULTRA (888-938-5872)
tel: (508) 429-0011
fax: (508) 429-3034

by: Sean Spurr

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With consumer debt in the UK at historically high levels, there are greater and greater numbers of us getting into debt, and trying to escape it. While the recession is hurting our pockets – wage freezes, redundencies and no available overtime make it hard to earn that little extra we need to pay off our debts – we can at least try to reduce or even remove our interest payments until we are in a better position to pay off our debts.

Many of the solutions we list below will depend on your credit rating. A good credit rating will enable you to reduce greatly the interest you are paying on most small and medium sized debts. However even if you’re credit rating isn’t in the best shape you could still potentially reduce your APR and thus reduce your total outgoings on your debt, and have a little extra in your bank account to pay off the ‘base’ sum of the debt or get back a few luxuries you’ve had to sacrifice. Many of the typical APRs we mention below and you will see when looking are offered at what is called “Price for Risk” where your circumstances will affect the APR that is offered. This is not the case for all offers however, and someone with a mid-ranking credit rating perhaps would be better applying for those that don’t differentiate, while those with a low credit rating are less likely to be accepted by those who do not have variable APR offers.

Perhaps the best form of interest free borrowing if you plan well is interest-free credit cards. Several of the major credit card companies offer these, some for balance transfer and others for new payments. At the time we write this article at the start of Summer 2009, Virgin Money, Nat West, Barclaycard and MBMA are all offering interest free balance transfer which last over a year, each with fees of between 2.5% and 3%. If you are unlikely to be able to pay off your initial debt for a long time, the longest interest free duration is offered by Virgin at 16 months followed closely by NatWest at 15 months. Further to this, Halifax and Sainsburys are both offering cards with a 3% balance transfer fee which are interest free for at least nine months. All of these cards have a Typical APR of less than 17%, the Barclaycard being the lowest at just 12.4%. Balance transfer could be your best option if your current card has an unacceptably high interest rate or you don’t and can’t make a lot of purchases using your credit card.

The other option with interest free credit cards is interest free purchases. This method has the advantage of not requiring the fee. If you’re debt is reasonably low this could be your best option. Work our how much extra you could have a month to pay your debt off with if you don’t pay for your retail, supermarket and similar expenses immediately but using your interest free credit card and if this amount adds up over one or two months to more than your total debt amount then this is the ideal way to go. You can therefore pay off your debt and end your interest payments while getting a similar amount of debt on your essential purchases which you will have at least nine months to pay off before you have any interest to pay. Many of the credit cards available allow you to combine purchases and balance transfers, and paying everything on your card could be a good idea if you wish to accumulate cash in order to pay off a loan which requires the full amount to be paid back in order not to continue with the regular monthly payments.

Perhaps the best way for a low credit rating which prevents you from getting a credit card would be free overdraft offers from high street banks. Most high street banks have bank accounts which allow interest free overdrafts. Alliance and Leicester’s Premier current account has an interest free overdraft without fees for the first year, which follows by an amount up to £5 a month. If you are borrowing £1000 then this will add up to £60 over the second year, being equivalent an interest rate of 6%, much better than most other debts, and with no fee for the first year this is a great way of reducing your debt. Barclays also offers a year without interest on overdrafts, but their interest rate after this is 17.9% which is higher than a lot of credit cards. However Barclays, and many other banks, offer premium accounts that include interest free overdrafts. The cost of these varies, but you’re best option is to make an appointment with your existing bank to see what interest free overdraft you could get with what account, asking them to work out an equivalent APR for you. Most banks like to keep your custom, so will be able to offer you something in order to avoid you switching banks.


About The Author
Sean Spurr is the author of Debt Management Guide, a popular website offering free debt help advice to people in the United Kingdom. The site has articles on all aspects of debt management, from credit card debt transfer to bankruptcy.

by: Victor Kimura

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Avoiding Common IRA & Retirement Plan Investing Mistakes

It is common for IRA retirement account owners to feel that they are in over their heads. Simple IRA limits and rules can be complex and intimidating. The rules regarding the contribution limits, when and how distributions are made, and who is allowed to be a beneficiary of the account are all things that can confuse people. The following article will help identify and avoid the common mistakes many IRA account owners have.

Stretching IRA the Incorrect Way

To provide an example, let's say you have been making contributions to your IRA for several years and have been consistently earning between 6% and 8% per year in mutual funds. When you reach 70 ½ years of age, you decide to take the IRS-required Minimum Required Distributions at about 4% per year. Even while receiving distributions, the account is still invested and will continue to grow.

Upon your death, you leave the remaining amount in the account; say $250,000, to your child, who is 42 years of age. With your IRA account earning 6% each year, the account will generate approximately $1,250,000 during the remainder of your child's life. If the amount in the IRA were $500,000, IRA & retirement plan investing would generate $2,500,000, depending on current IRA CD rates of return, IRA interest rates, and other investment compounding. This all sounds great, right?

Unfortunately, many heirs that inherit an IRA retirement account become greedy and can be short-sighted. They choose, not fully realizing the implications, to close out the account and pay a lot of money in taxes, which could have been avoided. They have chosen to take the money and purchase a new car, boat, house, or other irrational item because they feel the money came out of nowhere – like winning the lottery - and it is their right to spend it, instead of realizing that it represents a lifelong reserve that you worked hard to attain over 40-50 years, letting the money in the account continue to grow and work for them.

Yet another risk is that of your child's spouse. Do you really want to risk your in-law getting the money you worked hard to save and put away through good times and bad for the last 50 years? If your child gets a divorce, the outcome is even worse – they will get half of everything you saved.

Using an Ultra Trust™ can help avoid these unnecessary scenarios from ever happening. With this trust, you will be able to specify exactly how and when your heirs will receive payment. You will also be able to protect the money in the account from bad choices made by your beneficiary.

Tax Consequences of IRA Retirement Account Left to Spouse

Often times, an IRA retirement account is left to the surviving spouse. This is a common event and it does provide that spouse with some financial stability later in life. However, most people do not consider the tax consequences involved.

Despite the current unlimited marital deduction for saving estate taxes now, if your spouse dies, there are considerable taxes imposed. If you and your spouse combine to have a taxable estate of over one million dollars after the year 2011, your beneficiaries will be looking at a huge tax liability.

Also, if the surviving spouse decides to leave the IRA and the remaining money to your children or other family members, there can be many tax liabilities involved. If the beneficiaries opt to withdraw the funds, they will then have to pay the taxes and place the money into another account, usually a joint account with their current spouse. The entire inheritance very well could be taken in the event of a divorce or lawsuit.

All of these mistakes that are made regarding IRA retirement accounts can be avoided by using an Ultra Trust™.


About The Author
Best IRA Rescue provides services on your IRA investments and traditional IRA and will help you reduce your inherited and beneficiary independent retirement account taxes in your estate assets. Roth on ROIDS is your advanced Roth IRA retirement planning strategy and one of the best IRA tax-savings strategies with benefits of a guaranteed death benefit, guaranteed principal, tax-free growth, and tax-free distributions from policy loans.

Contact us if you have any questions on your IRA retirement planning. http://bestirarescue.com. Original article: http://bestirarescue.com/common-ira-retirement-plan-investing-mistakes.html

Boston, MA: 71 Commercial Street #150 Boston, MA 02109
California: 543 Victoria Ste. J, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
toll-free: 888-93ULTRA (888-938-5872)
tel: (508) 429-0011
fax: (508) 429-3034

by: Rachel Kadin



Jeep is a versatile vehicle. These are used in varieties of activities. Because of this jeeps are vulnerable to wide range of abuses and hazards. The open body that the jeeps come with is the principal reason behind dirt/dust accumulation and UV color fading. If you are keen to prevent such abuses and hazards that cause severe damage to your original upholstery, you have to get effective jeep seat covers such as Neoprene, Ballistic or Tweed seat covers.

While Ballistic seat covers are very tough seat covers, Neoprene seat covers are also very effective. Made of high density 1680 denier fabric, the custom fit Ballistic seat covers have high tenacity as well.

The custom-tailored seat covers are made keeping all the specifications of your vehicle, the quality products fit nicely on your original upholstery. In order to protect original upholstery against dirt/dust, water and beverages, moisture, UV rays and many other factors; it’s necessary that the seat covers you get must cover every part of your original upholstery.

There are custom seat covers for your jeep. While Ballistic seat covers are tough and long lasting, Velour seat covers are elegant and attractive. The effective auto accessories provide desired protection against friction etc as well.

Available in wide range of vibrant and youthful colors, the custom fit jeep seat covers are very effective and user friendly. You can select the best color scheme that matches with the color scheme inside your vehicle.

Apart from strength and color options, custom tailored jeep seat covers are available with varieties of exciting options as well. These features include UV resistance, breathability, waterproof, soft, easy to install and wash.

Nowadays, custom jeep seat covers are available online as well. There are some reputed online stores available that offer best quality jeep seat covers from the leading brands. So, find the reliable online store and get the best quality jeep seat covers from the comforts of your home.


About The Author
Rachel Kadin is passionate about jeeps. Whether it is Neoprene seat covers, Ballistic seat covers, Tweed seat covers or Poly Cotton seat covers, he writes extensively on Jeep seat covers and other auto accessories.

by: Rob Laird

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If you are a learner driver and either have a car, or know someone who's willing to let you use theirs, it could be useful to practice with between your driving lessons.

First of all the rules:

1. You must display L-Plates clearly front and back.

2. You must have a valid signed provisional licence.

3. The car must be roadworthy, legal and current car insurance for you to drive.

4. You must be supervised. This person must be over 21 and have held a licence for at least 3 years, and sit in a position where they could control the car if needed (front passenger seat is the sensible choice)

So, now you're out on the road, you need to remember a few things. The person sat next to you has very little control over the car, which means you've got to be confident that you can stop the car in an emergency. Also, you supervising driver is not a driving instructor, so be careful if they are telling you to do things that go against what you have been taught.

This can be the tricky part, but a bit of diplomacy can help here. Best to choose the person carefully. They need to be fairly relaxed. What you don't want is them grabbing for the wheel every time you go round a parked car. If you don't feel comfortable with the person who's supervising you, either ask someone else, or best not to go out at all.

Private practice can help many people with learning to drive, but it can also get you into bad habits, and make you less confident if something happens that you can't deal with.

If your not sure, get some advice from your driving instructor, or contact me through http://www.rpldriving.co.uk


About The Author
Rob Laird has been running RPL Driving for over 3 years, and trains all types of people, including learners, and those taking advanced driving tests. For more information, have a look at http://www.rpldriving.co.uk

by: Susan Roberts



Since Alistair Darling's announcement on the 22nd of April 2009 about the proposed scrappage scheme, there has been lots of information about Car scrappage with adverts both in the media and on television adverts. However there has been a lot less coverage of the Van scrappage scheme.

Like the car scrappage incentive the Van scrappage scheme Darling proposed would "provide motorists with a £2,000 discount on new vehicles". The Scrappage scheme is set to incentivise all owners to trade in their older, more polluting vans for a newer, cleaner, more economical, safer model. Not only would motorists benefit but also the scheme would provide a short-term boost to the automotive manufacturing industry, retailers and the auto supply chain which had been badly impacted by falling vehicle sales.

From an environmental view point the idea is that the Van Scrappage Scheme would remove older vehicles from the road and encourage consumers to buy newer, more environmentally-friendly models. The van is then scrapped, the vehicle needs to be destroyed as so not to further pollute. The dealership from where you buy the new replacement van will arrange for collection and scrapping.

For your old van to qualify for the Van Scrappage scheme the van must meet all of the following requirements.

To claim the Scrappage Scheme benefits the van for scrappage must be a small van less than 3,500kg.

To be eligible, the vehicle you scrap must have been first registered on or prior to 31 July 1999

To claim the Scrappage Scheme, the owner must be the registered keeper of old vehicle for at least 1 year and the vehicle must have an up to date MOT

The scheme will be available to the first 300,000 eligible claimants or until 31 March 2010, whichever is sooner

The van Dealer must check that the old van qualifies, do all the paperwork and arrange for the old van to be scrapped.

The van Scrappage Scheme is a voluntary scheme for manufacturers, this means that not all van dealerships will be offering the van scrappage allowance. Only if a manufacturer joins the Scrappage Scheme will they give you £2,000 off a new van if you let them scrap your old one. The van scrapping scheme will run from May 18th 2009 until March 2010, or until the Government's fixed budget of £300 million runs out, so there is limited availability.

So if you have a ten year old van that has seen better days you could trade it in and trade it up for a brand-new van with a two thousand pound discount.


About The Author
Current Motoring affairs brought to you from http://www.motorparks.co.uk/
Visit http://www.motorparks.co.uk/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=e11 for more Motoring News and Information

by: Susan Roberts

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Less than six months after its launch, the new Ibiza range has expanded with the arrival of two new versions that combine distinct sports character with the commitment to environmental sustainability. In the first, innovative design and technology join character and exclusivity in the Ibiza Cupra.

At SEAT, they believe that a car should move the driver in more ways than one. The sportier new Ibiza is an adventure in power, comfort and technology.

The 0 to 62 mph time is an entirely respectable 7.5 seconds and the top speed cracks three figures - 135 mph to be precise. On paper the petrol engine has the edge on top speed and acceleration but such comparisons can be misleading because the diesel engine gets a six-speed manual 'box while the petrol makes do with five cogs.

This combines suspension settings tuned for the keen driver with an intelligent power steering system that not only adjusts the amount of assistance according to driving speed nothing particularly novel there but also considers the position of the wheels and how quickly the steering wheel is being turned.

Mated to a five-speed manual gearbox, the three cylinder 1.2 petrol delivers a decidedly 'green' 42 mpg on the combined cycle, producing just 149 g/km of CO2. SEAT's new ECOmotive variant is one of only two cars eligible for the Group A tax band - the other being VW's Polo Bluemotion.

With more torque than a Boxster S, SEAT's new Ibiza Cupra is a convincing hot hatch. SEAT offers a 1.8-litre 20v turbocharged petrol engine in the Cupra which has more power (176bhp to the 1.9-litre TDI's 158bhp) but less wallop (181lb ft at 2000rpm).

The attractive looks of the Seat Ibiza Cupra come to life in its unmistakeable compact silhouette, which provides a perfect synergy between a fiery sporty nature and the functionality, roominess and highest safety standards required to adapt to any need. Also the interior conveys the sporty looks that are typical of all the Seat models. At the wheel of the new Seat Ibiza Cupra, the driver immediately knows it is not just another car, but a distinctly race-minded vehicle.

The instrument panel has two newly-designed dials and includes a screen between the two containing Bluetooth telephone functions. Calls are handled by controls on the steering column, optimising driver-vehicle connectivity.

The interior features a red, white and black colour scheme, with the trim all black, the instruments picked out in white with red highlighting on the air vents, indicators, and stitching on the wheel, seats, headrests, gear lever and hand brake. The seats themselves feature the Cupra logo writ large into the sculpted backrest and the Cupra logo also features on the sports steering wheel. SEAT couldn't resist the inclusion of the ubiquitous metal capped pedals.

Overall, the Seat Ibiza Cupra is a stylish and desirable hot hatch - no matter what fuel it runs on.

The new sporty Ibiza Cupra with its 180HP 1.4-liter turbocharged and supercharged four-pot isn't due to arrive in U.K. showrooms for a while yet, but those interested can take a virtual spin of the car with a racing game that is available for iPhone and iPod touch owners. SEAT claims that in the three weeks that the game has been made available online, more than a quarter of a million people downloaded it to their iPhones and iPods. The company also said that in the summer, it will release an updated version of the Ibiza Cupra game with more cars, circuits and competition models.


About The Author
Current Motoring affairs brought to you from http://www.motorparks.co.uk/

Visit http://www.motorparks.co.uk/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=e11 for more Motoring News and Information

by: Thomas Ajava

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Car insurance is a funny thing. Most people can't stand paying for it. Only when they need it are they really happy that they did. While everyone complains about the amount they pay in premiums, the truth is you can do a lot to lower those amounts. In this article, we take a look at the issue of how filing claims against the insurance policies will affect your car insurance rates.

There are two very distinct views when it comes to car insurance. Some people view their policy as a pool of money that they can access whenever they need to. Others view it as a financial tool that should be used only as last resort. Your attitude toward your car insurance goes along way to establishing how much you're going to pay in premiums. For some reason, this is a big surprise to most people. It should not be. Let's take a closer look at how this works.

Let's say you're fresh out of college and you have a job. You living in an apartment in a decent part of town. Unfortunately, you don't have a garage. You come out of your house one morning to drive to work and noticed a dent in the side of your door. The dent isn't too bad, but it's clear that the paint is scraped and the door is dinged in. What do you do? You really have two options. The first is to take it to a repair shop and get it repaired with your own money. The second is to take it to your insurance company and have them deal with it. The first option is going to cost you more in the short term, but the second option may cost you in the long-term.

The more often you file claims under insurance policies, the higher your premium rates are going to go. Why is this? Well, think it through. The more often there are claims on the policy, the more money the insurance company has to spend. You can bet the insurance company is going to be paying close attention to how much money they're spending on your policies. Once they realize that they're spending more and more money, they're going to do one of two things. The first is to raise your premium rates the next time you renew your insurance. If you really go nuts with your claims, they will simply cancel your policy.

So, how do you know if you're making too many claims under policy? The average for all insured motorists in the United States is one claim approximately every 11 years. Yes, 11 years! Once your insurance premium rates start going up because of excessive claims, it can be very difficult to get them to come back down. As a result, you want to be really careful of making claims.

You buy car insurance for a reason. It is important that you figure out what that reason is. If you hate paying high premiums, take care of small repairs on your own. If you don't really care how large your premiums are, then you can make as many claims as you like. It is up to you.



About The Author
Thomas Ajava writes about auto insurance for http://www.autoownersinsurancecompanies.com - where you can find auto insurance companies across the country.

by: Shane Watson

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Getting seat covers is not a tough task. However, getting the effective seat covers that are durable, efficient as well as affordable takes due consideration and mature decision on your part. Though there are varieties of seat covers - cheap, expensive, universal, custom etc, when it comes to prevent hazardous elements and protect your original upholstery, it’s necessary that you do due research - compare products, their qualities and features and cost.

If you visit marketplace or search online, you will be amazed finding that there are numerous suppliers offering wide range of seat covers. However, only a handful of them are worth considering. If you are confused and don’t know how to select the best seat covers for your vehicle, getting custom-fit seat covers may help you out. Now, you may ask- why should I get custom-fit seat covers only? Well, let us see what makes custom-made seat covers the best choice?

There are varieties of natural, environmental and manmade factors that cause color fading, scratches, mold etc and your original upholstery wear off easily. These hazards include UV rays, dirt, water and food remains, chemicals, kids and pets among others. The heat and UV rays cause color damage. The water and moisture cause mold and rot. Kids and pets also leave ugly claws on your original upholstery.

Friction caused by frequent in and out is another culprit that cause severe damage to your seats. To avoid these elements and maintain the elegant look and comfort inside your vehicle, you have to cover your original upholstery completely. Though there are universal seat covers also available and are relatively cheap, but such seat covers cannot provide desired covering.

In order to cover your seats perfectly, it’s necessary that you get the seat covers that are prepared according to the specifications of your vehicle. Since custom-fit seat covers such as Neoprene seat covers, Tweed seat covers and Genuine Leather seat covers etc. are precisely produced for your vehicle seats, they embrace your original upholstery just like second skin and hence, provide desired protection.


About The Author
Article written by Shane Watson. Here you will get all the details you need on Car Seat Covers and you can also find the best info on Seat Covers.

by: Rachel Kadin

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Whether it’s for seer fun or doing daily chores, jeeps are suitable for every purpose. Jeeps are open body vehicles. You can use them for picnic and safari or these can be sued simply for daily transport purpose-jeeps go all the places and terrains. Because of the open body as well as versatility of use, jeeps are more prone to abuses and hazards. If you are a jeep owner and concerned about the protection of your seats and want an appealing look inside your jeep, getting custom jeep seat covers can do wonders.

Custom made jeep seat covers are the best way to protect your original upholstery against hazards and abuses. Prepared using latest CAD/CAM technologies and quality material, the jeep accessories prevent hazards very effectively. Because of such effectiveness and qualities, the custom seat covers for your jeep are very popular nowadays. What are those features?

Prepared keeping the shape, size and design of your jeep seats, the custom tailored seat covers provide excellent fitting. Complete covering is necessary to prevent hazards from damaging your original upholstery.

The affordable seat covers display several other features. The strong and durable materials make them effective and long lasting. Seat covers cannot be replaced every now and then. Therefore, you need to get the durable seat covers that provide effective protection for longer time.

The seat covers for jeep are user friendly. These can be easily cleaned, installed or removed. There is a wide range of jeep seat covers available to choose from. Some of the most popular are: Neoprene seat covers, Ballistic seat covers, Tweed seat covers, Space Mesh seat covers, Velour seat covers and Leatherette seat covers among others.

These are available in several colors and patterns as well. So, choose the custom made jeep seat covers of your choice and keep your jeep seat covers appealing for years.


About The Author
Rachel Kadin is passionate about jeeps. Whether it is Neoprene seat covers, Ballistic seat covers, Tweed seat covers or Poly Cotton seat covers, he writes extensively on Jeep seat covers and other auto accessories.

by: King Toyota

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King Toyota presents the third generation Toyota Prius i.e. the much awaited 2010 model with upgraded amenities and features. King Toyota was established in 1968 and over forty years later, King Toyota is still known as one of the leaders in the automotive industry.

King Toyota's mission is to focus their entire organization in delivering outstanding customer service that exceeds the customer's expectations. Hence King Toyota believes in getting the latest models of their customers’ favorite cars to them at the earliest.

Celebrated as the benchmark for cars of the future, the midsize third-generation 2010 Toyota Prius hybrid car will offer

• Better mileage ratings,
• Enhanced performance, and
• Innovative design features.

It will be quieter, roomier, and equipped with advanced standard and available features such as a moon roof with solar panels, four driving modes, Intelligent Parking Assist (IPA) and steering wheel touch controls that display on the instrument panel.

The Prius extends its record of continuous improvement in fuel economy. Using a combination of technologies, fuel efficiency was increased to an estimated 50 miles per gallon for the new Prius. A larger and more powerful 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle, four-cylinder engine will power the new Prius. Being a hybrid, the Prius can run on engine alone, battery alone, or a combination of both.

The redesigned exterior of the new Prius has front and rear corners that are sharp, sporty and aerodynamic. Strong side character lines, rising from front to rear, define the glazed geometric shape. The solar powered ventilation system uses an electrically powered air circulation fan that does not require engine assist. This prevents the interior air temperature from rising while the vehicle is parked, making the cool-down time shorter when the driver returns to the vehicle, thus reducing the use of air conditioning.

When the driver touches the audio or info switch located on the steering wheel, a duplicate image is displayed on the instrument panel, directly in front of the driver. This system, called Touch Tracer, is the first system in the world to allow steering wheel controls to read out on the instrument panel. The ECO indicator on the Multi-Informational Display (MID) provides driver feedback and guides the driver to optimize their skills for lower fuel consumption.

Dynamic Radar Cruise Control system, using advanced millimeter wave radar, is an available option. The system also enables Lane Keep Assist, which helps the driver stay safely within the lane. Next-generation Intelligent Parking Assist features simplified settings to help guide the car into parking spaces. Bluetooth Technology and Navigation System are some of the many other options that add to the comfort and convenience features in the Prius.


About The Author
For more information on this efficient vehicle, or to put your name on the Wait or Preorder List visit the website http://www.kingtoyota.com/campaign/third-generation-2010-prius.jsp

by: Joseph Letzelter

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Auto Transport takes care of transporting your vehicle from one place to another in a safe and secure manner. It is important that the company you choose should render quality service and be economical. It’s good to go in for an experienced company and it is also necessary to check if the company is registered with the U.S. Department of transportation and a USDOT and a MC number is given to them. The insurance coverage and service charges will differ from company to company and it is better to obtain quotes with some shipping companies before you decide to go with one.

Discussing with your friends, browsing and checking with some shipping companies will give a clear picture and help you to find the best shipping company. It is our responsibility to choose safety equipment in auto transport as the safety aspect is very important. Only experts can handle such a responsibility. There are two types of auto transport available: Covered auto transport and Open auto transport.

Covered auto transport: The container carrying the vehicle is covered and gives added protection to the vehicle. Though it is expensive when compared to an open auto transport, it protects your vehicle from the climatic conditions and also from road hazards. You can avail ramp gates for long wheelbase vehicles and winches for the vehicles that are inoperable. You can see a variety of trailers likes six-car enclosed trailers, four-car enclosed trailers and two-car non-stacking enclosed trailers. Multi car trailers are available for over sized cars.

Open auto transport: As the name indicates, the container carrying the vehicle is open to the sky and can be affected by the weather conditions. It is cheaper when compared to covered auto transport. It is good to provide the details of the vehicle’s length and weight so that it can be transported properly. This is to ensure that the weight is within the legal specifications for loads to be carried. Have an eye on the insurance coverage that is offered. Always go for a better insurance plan that takes care of any damage caused by the shipping company while relocating your vehicle.

Always go for a company with high grade of reputation and flawless certificate from the public because they know the art of adding your name in their list of happy clients. A good transport company always accepts the burden of shifting your vehicle with care and attention. They must have a skilled batch of professional drivers who can handle your valuable vehicle in various climates and environments. You are investing your money and time, have a passion to get a good service because you know that you and your vehicle deserve that.


About The Author
Joseph Letzelter is the seo copywriter for auto shipping. He has written many articles like car transport, vehicle shipping, auto transport, car shipping and more. For more information visit our site http://www.movetransport.com Contact him at josephletzelter12@gmail.com

by: Antonio Lambert

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These days’ people are looking for service providers who are offering rent luxury cars. This might seemto surprise to some of the readers. Why are people doing this, when they can opt for a brand new luxury car from the nearest dealership? The answers can be found through the entire course of the article. The readers are expected to have an understating on the paradigm, and an insight into finding the most appropriate rent luxury cars agencies is also listed.

One of the main reason people opt to rent luxury cars is because a new luxury car is simply expensive. Car manufacturers and dealers are having a tough time selling their products. This is mainly due to the global economic meltdown. People are being fired from their daily jobs. In such a scenario, will anyone look forward to purchasing an expensive luxury car? No. People are intelligent in these matters and will save money for their future activities instead of resorting to spending on expensive and newer luxury cars. It is termed as saving up for the rainy season in simpler terms.

The second reason why people are opting to rent luxury cars are the high maintenance costs involved. Since you are not possessing one, you will be unaware of the details. Many jump to the conclusion that expensive cars are merely faster than the normal cars. Yes, they are faster; they are also faster in depleting cash from your pockets. Therefore, unless you are into some sort of shady business practices, it is better not to opt for newer cars. Instead, look out for rent luxury cars. Your desires will be fulfilled along with the utility of a conventional car. A car is a car, whether they are expensive or non-expensive.

If you are looking for rent luxury cars, then it is better to start thinking wisely. The scene is abundant with plenty of service providers in this field. Which one to choose among these – this is a query that might have passed through your mind occasionally? Let us get the facts straight. Renting a luxury car will cost you, but it is not as expensive as being touted and proclaimed by car manufacturers and dealerships (remember they are having a tough time selling their products, it is only natural that they bad-mouth this business).

You can opt for rent luxury cars without any form of doubts and queries in your mind. Make sure to read and understand the legalities that are being presented before you. This will help you wriggle out of unlikely situations, should something improper occur. The rates are also on the cheaper side and any average person will be able to meet the requirements advertised by car rentals. In fact, the distance between you and the nearest rental agency is fast decreasing with the progress of time. It is high time you took your family out for dinner in that rented luxury car of yours. They are going to like it.


About The Author
Antonio Lambert is author of this article on Exotic car rental.

Find more information about Luxury car rental here http://www.exoticluxuryautosrental.com/.