How to Motivate Employees - 06/30/09 07:51 AM
Under Armour's Kevin Plank on How to Motivate EmployeesKevin Plank, founder of Under Armour, on motivating employees and improving employee morale during a recession.

Q: I run a start-up. How do I keep my team motivated, passionate, and focused on our product in this challenging economy?Ben Chaseco-founderEnhance FilmsOlathe, KansasA: Motivation, passion, and focus have to come from the top. I'm a big advocate of the power of positive thinking, particularly for small businesses. Your attitude is contagious. There's been a lot of negative news about the economy lately, but if you have a good product or service, I believe you'll find a … (0 comments)

Rent-to-own your home: Pros and cons - 06/29/09 08:25 AM
Rent-to-own your home: Pro and con
It's tough for buyers to find financing and hard for sellers to find buyers. A solution that can work well for both is renting with an option to buy.By Les Christie
 

With buyers scarce and financing tight, some home sellers are offering rent-to-buy options to potential buyers. In fact, there's been enough of a spike in interest that ForSaleByOwner.com added it as a search option on the site, says spokesman Eric Mangan.These deals, also called rent-to-own and lease-option, usually require buyers to pay extra rents each month plus up-front fees of about 5% … (1 comments)

DOWN PAYMENT ON YOUR DREAM - 06/26/09 07:57 AM
DOWN PAYMENT ON YOUR DREAM
Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) for Prince Georges County Residents
 

 
Now is an exciting time to buy a home in Prince George's County. Today, first time home buyers can take advantage of the county's Down Payment on Your Dream Program, in which buyers can receive down payment and closing costs assistance when purchasing a vacant foreclosed property in Prince George's County. This website outlines specific guidelines for the homebuyer, realtors and lenders as well as the necessary steps families must take in order to qualify.I know that the economic times we are in are … (0 comments)

Just cut up your credit cards?? - 06/25/09 10:15 AM
Credit-Card Companies: Who Qualifies Now? by Prashant Gopal After years of getting Americans hooked on credit, card companies are slashing limits and weaning themselves off all but the safest customers

Terry Mazzera has worked to keep her credit score above 730, paying bills on time, sending in more than the minimum credit-card payment each month, and keeping a comfortable gap between her balance and credit limit. But a couple of weeks ago, the 62-year-old Hercules (Calif.) resident got a letter from a credit-card company saying that her limit had been cut from $9,500 to $6,500—just about $400 above the … (0 comments)

Buying your own health insurance - 06/24/09 08:24 AM
Buying your own health insurance47 million Americans go without health insurance. Here is your guide to buying insurance on the private market.By Gerri Willis

To be clear, we're talking about people here who don't qualify for Medicaid or COBRA. If this is you, you may need to buy insurance in the private marketplace.There are obvious downsides here. Cost is one. People who don't have health insurance pay about $2, 260 in out of pocket costs per year -- that's twice as much as someone who is covered under an employer's plan according to Consumer Reports. And in many states, you … (0 comments)

$15,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit Proposal for ALL Buyers - 06/23/09 06:24 AM
$15,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit ProposalBy: Diana Olick

 
With mortgage interest rates creeping higher again (and yes, I realize by historical standards, they're still low, but as a housing stimulus they would need to be below 4 percent), a new idea is floating around industry associations and Capitol Hill. It's another home buyer tax credit. The current $8000 credit for first time home buyers only expires November 30th. The new proposal is for a $15,000 tax credit for all home buyers.A new bill from Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), who used to be in the real estate business, would not … (0 comments)

5 new online tools for homebuyers - 06/22/09 06:39 AM
5 new tools for homebuyersReal estate Web sites are constantly coming up with new ways for homebuyers to get information about the market. Here are 5 new sites that can make house hunting easier.

House hunt on the iPhoneYou're driving down a street and see a really pretty home with a For Sale sign on the front lawn. You write down the broker's information and can't wait to get home to take a look at the listing details.If you have an iPhone, you can get the information on the spot.Zillow.com released a free iPhone app last month, enabling consumers to get … (0 comments)

Is Social Security a Modern Day Ponzi Scheme? - 06/19/09 07:48 AM
How to Prepare for the End of Social Securityby Kimberly Palmer

With the recent government announcement that the Social Security trust fund is set to run out in 2037, four years earlier than previous estimates, many young workers are asking themselves: Why am I paying into a system that might not be there for me when I retire?"It seems unfair," says Kouri Marshall, chairman of the board of governors for the Youth Entitlement Summit, which advocates more youth participation in public policy. "We have a Social Security system that was built upon us having a certain number of people employed … (0 comments)

Behind on Your Credit Card? Now You Can Get Bailed Out - 06/17/09 06:52 AM
Behind on Your Credit Card? Now You Can Get Bailed OutBy: David Streitfeld, The New York Times



The banks were bailed out last fall, the automobile companies last winter. For Edward McClelland, a writer in Chicago, deliverance finally arrived a few days ago.Mr. McClelland's credit card company was calling yet again, wondering when it could expect the next installment on his delinquent account. He proposed paying half of his $5,486 balance and calling the matter even.It's a deal, the account representative immediately said, not even bothering to check with a supervisor.As they confront unprecedented numbers of troubled customers, … (0 comments)

10 ways to beat the rising cost of health care - 06/16/09 07:21 AM
10 ways to beat the rising cost of health careDeductibles, co-pays, and drug prices keep going up, up, up. These 10 smart moves can lower your expenses - but not the quality of the care you get.By Amanda Gengler

Talk about a recession double whammy. It's bad enough that you've been working harder with less prospect of getting a raise. Now it feels as if you can't even afford to get sick.According to benefits consultant Hewitt, the average insured worker at a big company is likely to spend $3,826 on insurance premiums and out-of-pocket medical costs in 2009. That's up … (0 comments)

Reasons to Start a Business in a Recession - 06/15/09 07:25 AM
5 Reasons to Start a Business in a RecessionKimberly Palmer

Does becoming your own boss sound especially tempting now, with jobs less secure and benefits being cut? If it does, you're hardly the only one: Research by Federal Reserve economist Ellen Rissman finds that men are almost twice as likely to become self-employed when they are already unemployed. Working for themselves is temporary, however: Within one year, about 2 in 10 workers return to paid employment.That doesn't mean the recession is leading to huge upticks in those who call themselves self-employed. Overall, the self-employment rate has dipped a bit during … (0 comments)

How to Establish Credit When You Don't Have Any.. - 06/10/09 07:32 AM
How to Establish CreditNo Credit? No Problem. Here Are Some Tips to Help You Establish Good CreditBy Jeremy Vohwinkle

When you don’t have a credit history, it can be difficult and frustrating when trying to obtain a credit card or other type of loan. Establishing your initial credit history can be a Catch-22. If you don’t have credit, not many places are willing to give you credit, yet how can you ever establish credit if nobody is willing to give you any?Understand What Lenders Are Looking ForSince you are looking to establish credit for the first time, lenders can’t … (0 comments)

6 Ways to Be a Better CEO - 06/08/09 07:09 AM
6 Ways to Be a Better CEO

Delegate MoreBecome a Better Judge of PeopleCommunicate Well With Your BoardGet Better at Picking Winning IdeasDevelop a Sense of HumorJust Be More Patient
Click here and read why these things are important!
Source: Inc.com
… (0 comments)

Debt Rises for Boomers During Economic Crisis - 06/05/09 07:34 AM
Debt Rises for Boomers During Economic CrisisBy: Carole Fleck

More boomers have acquired significant debt during the economic downturn than any other age group, raising the prospect that many will carry that debt into retirement.A report by Securian Financial Group in Minnesota found that 38 percent of boomers surveyed in 2009 had consumer debt of $25,000 or more. That's a 9 percent increase from a survey of boomers taken as the downturn began in 2007.By contrast, the percentage of adults in all other age groups with debt of at least $25,000 had stayed virtually the same during the 16 months … (0 comments)

Hate Budgeting...Try This! - 06/04/09 08:03 AM
Hate budgeting? Try these spending strategiesDid your last attempt at a spending plan fail to take hold? Understanding why can help you find a system that works.By Ismat Sarah Mangla, Money Magazine

(Money Magazine) -- Constant news of layoffs, pay cuts, and stock declines has all of us tightening our belts: A recent Money poll found that in light of the financial crisis, 89% of us are changing the way we manage our finances, and 88% plan to be more frugal.In theory, the best tool to achieve both purposes would be - shudder - a family budget. Put that on … (1 comments)

Shopping Around for a Mortgage - 06/03/09 06:34 AM
SHOPPING AROUND FOR A MORTGAGEHERE'S THE INSIDE SCOOP ON HOW TO DO IT RIGHT!

First: make sure you are working with an experienced, professional Loan Officer. The largest financial transaction of your life is far too important to place into the hands of someone who is not capable of advising you properly and troubleshooting the issues that may arise along the way. But how can you tell?Here is FOUR SIMPLE QUESTIONS YOUR LENDER ABSOLUTELY MUST BE ABLE TOANSWER CORRECTLY. IF THEY DO NOT KNOW THE ANSWERS... RUN... DON'T WALK... RUN... TO A LENDER THAT DOES!1. What are mortgage interest rates … (0 comments)

Is 100% Financing Back? - 06/01/09 06:03 AM
U.S. FHA to apply $8,000 credit to home buying costs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Housing Administration will allow the new $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit to be applied directly toward home purchase costs when using an FHA-insured mortgage, the Department of Housing and Urban Development said on Friday.The plan to "monetize" the tax credit up-front is aimed at more quickly stabilizing the housing market, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said in a statement.But in detailed rules, the FHA will still require home buyers to provide a minimum 3.5 percent downpayment from other sources.The $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers … (0 comments)

 
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Brian Turner

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