Showing posts with label Finance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Finance. Show all posts
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Principle of Algorithm...
"Perhaps the most important principle for the good algorith designer is to refuse to be consent." - Aho, Hopcroft, and Ullman, The Design and Analysis of Computer Algorithms, 1974
A question we should always ask is: Can we do better?
A question we should always ask is: Can we do better?
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Robert Prechter Jr's Chapter 33: A Short List of Imperative “Do’s” and Crucial “Don’ts”
Recall the old Chinese character that entwines crisis and opportunity in the same glyph. Position yourself to take advantage of what's coming.
Don't:
- Generally speaking, don't own stocks.
- Don't own any but the most pristine bonds.
- Generally speaking, don't invest in real estate.
- Generally speaking, don't buy commodities.
- Don't invest in collectibles.
- Don't trust standard rating services.
- Don't presume that government agencies will protect your finances.
- Don't buy goods you don't need just because they are a bargain. They will probably get cheaper.
- Fight the inertia that will keep you from taking action to prepare for the downturn. Start taking steps now.
- Involve your significant others in your decisions. Put your home or business partners in tune with your thinking before it's too late.
- Talk to heavily invested parents or in-laws who may be planning to pass on their investments to you. See if you can get them to become safe and liquid.
- Think globally, not just domestically.
- Open accounts at two or three of the safest banks in the world.
- Invest in short-term money market instruments issued by the soundest governments.
- Own some physical gold, silver and platinum.
- Have some cash on hand.
- Make sure that you have insurance policies only with the safest firms and make sure that they deal only with safe banks.
- If you are so inclined, speculate conservatively in anticipation of a declining stock market.
- Sell any collectibles that you own for investment purposes.
- If it is right for your circumstances, sell your business.
- Make a list of things you want to buy at much lower prices when they go on "liquidation sale."
- If you want to have kids, hurry up. Statistics show that fewer people feel like doing so during a bear market.
- Give friends a copy of this book.
- Keep up with our Bear Market Strategies page, a continually updated report on-line at http://www. elliottwave.com/conquerthecrash.
- Contact the services mentioned in this book! I am a market analyst and forecaster, not a banker, insurer, money manager, institution rater or depression strategist. These services can help guide you through the maze. Some of them can help you design your whole strategy in a matter of days.
- Plan how to take advantage of the next major uptrend. For example, go back to school during the decline and come out with extra skills just as the economy begins to recover. Apprentice in a job for low pay and learn enough to start your own business at the bottom so you can ride the next big upwave of prosperity. Investigate troubled businesses to buy at the bottom at deep discounts.
- Smile! because you will not be jumping out of the window; you'll be preparing for the incredible opportunities listed in the next chapter.
Friday, March 9, 2012
The Best Prescription Drug Price Comparison
GoodRx provides the best online prescription drug price comparison, check it out for yourself and save on your next purchase!
http://www.goodrx.com/
If you know of other similar website, please share!
http://www.goodrx.com/
If you know of other similar website, please share!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Free Online "Must to Know" Sources
Free e-Learning sites:
1)
TOP:
2)
OTHER:
Free eBooks:
Free Health Education:
Free Finance Education:
Free Downloads:
Free Screen Capture:
Free Movies:
Free Music:
Free Statistics:
Free What you can Find (torrent):
Monday, December 5, 2011
Nature of "Free Workshops"
Understand the nature of attending a “free workshop”
I started attending various types of “free” workshops since I was 17 years old. I wanted to learn as much as possible, especially about business and financials. While doing so, my uncle gave me the best advise, “just attend and learn what it is about, but do not subscribe or spend money, unless it is absolutely beneficial.” It went along with my financial situation, I was on my first year in university and I truly didn’t have extra money to spend anyway. So I started attending workshops and interacted workshop hosts and other attendees - to know how they heard about the workshop and why they were there.
If you are curious why businesses host a “free workshop,” the answer is simple - to make money by getting attendees to sign-up for their product/service; however, for people like me, they introduced themselves, the business model, and why to be part of them? I understand that I might not subscribe to their product/service for time being, perhaps I will refer someone else who is interested if I find value into it, and simply become a source of referral. This is one of the common way of publicizing your business and service.
Below find some of the “free workshops” that I have attended and are educational, however, this is not a solicitation and please review their website before your register:
I started attending various types of “free” workshops since I was 17 years old. I wanted to learn as much as possible, especially about business and financials. While doing so, my uncle gave me the best advise, “just attend and learn what it is about, but do not subscribe or spend money, unless it is absolutely beneficial.” It went along with my financial situation, I was on my first year in university and I truly didn’t have extra money to spend anyway. So I started attending workshops and interacted workshop hosts and other attendees - to know how they heard about the workshop and why they were there.
If you are curious why businesses host a “free workshop,” the answer is simple - to make money by getting attendees to sign-up for their product/service; however, for people like me, they introduced themselves, the business model, and why to be part of them? I understand that I might not subscribe to their product/service for time being, perhaps I will refer someone else who is interested if I find value into it, and simply become a source of referral. This is one of the common way of publicizing your business and service.
Below find some of the “free workshops” that I have attended and are educational, however, this is not a solicitation and please review their website before your register:
- MoneyShow: http://www.moneyshow.com/
- BetterTrades: http://www.bettertrades.com/
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad Workshop, Robert Kiyosaki: http://www.richdadeducation.com/
- Buckets of Money, Ray Lucia: http://raylucia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=58&Itemid=115
- Online Trading Academy: http://www.tradingacademy.com/
- Investools: http://www.investools.com/
Monday, November 28, 2011
Real Estate - Tips
Real Estate properties and insurance - Tips
Most people do not know that HOME BUYERs can actually interview a Real Estate Agent or Realtor. Of course, there are certain questions that you want to ask, in order to make sure you're working with the right Agent.
Before you even call a realtor or agent, check the following list for your own safety.
Things to know about the Neighborhood
Since many people assume that Realtor and Real Estate Agents are the same thing, here is the correct definition by their job/duty:
Most people do not know that HOME BUYERs can actually interview a Real Estate Agent or Realtor. Of course, there are certain questions that you want to ask, in order to make sure you're working with the right Agent.
Before you even call a realtor or agent, check the following list for your own safety.
Things to know about the Neighborhood
- Check for Crime Rate.
- Sex offenders.
- Drive by at different times (to make sure there're no surprises afterwards).
- Look at environment (Trees - the bigger they're the Older neighborhood is).
- Call Police Dept. for the record of the neighborhood.
- Do you do Real Estate Full-time or Part-time?
- Are you a Realtor or Agent? (the difference between a realtor and agent is below)
- How many transactions have you closed last year?
- How many transactions you are working with?
- How many listings do you have?
- How long ago did you close last deal?
- Do you know about First Time Home Buyer Program? (if you're 1st time home buyer only)
- Can you show me the record of past transactions?
Since many people assume that Realtor and Real Estate Agents are the same thing, here is the correct definition by their job/duty:
- Realtor: belongs to an area (county/state) has access to full listings.
- RE Agent: is licensed to SELL properties, DO NOT have access to listings.
You can also call the local Association of Realtors to verify the realtor or agent that you're working with.
Home Owner Association (HOA)HOA fee is applied mainly for condos, which almost plays a role of insurance up to certain percent of coverage (usually covers only exterior part i.e. walls). So if you are buying a condo, you want to make sure what is the HOA fee and what does it cover.
Ask a Realtor/Agent to meet with the HOA president.
Ask a Realtor/Agent to meet with the HOA president.
Here what you want to know about Condo and HOAs:
- How much is my personal property covered for? (clothes, toys, guns etc.)
- What types of losses are my personal property against?
- What are the limits in my policy? (electronics and cash)
- How much building coverage is covered on my policy?
- How much is covered under the loss assessment part of the policy?
- Does this policy contain replacement cost? (will the stolen thigns will be replaced?)
- How much liability protection do I have?
- What is my being deductible? (The HIGHER deductible, the LOWER premium)
- What are my discounts?
- Do you offer Umbrella Policies? (will it cover cars etc.)
- Where the HOA money is going?
- Can HOA be Financed?
- Are there any pending "court decision" (suing) HOA or vise verse.
- What does HOA cover?
- What is my replacement cost for my home?
- What cost per square footage is used to rebuild my home?
- What types of losses is my home covered against?
- What are the limits in my policy? (electronics and cash)
- What is my being deductible? (The HIGHER deductible, the LOWER premium)
- Does this policy contain replacement cost? (will the stolen things will be replaced?)
- How much liability protection do I have?
- What are my discounts?
- Do you offer Umbrella Policies? (will it cover cars etc.)
Buckets of Money
Retirement Workshop/Planning, Buckets of Money Seminar by Ray Lucia
Here I will share my insight of what I have learned from attending Ray Lucia's "Retirement Workshop," combined with my own research regarding the subject. This page is solely suggests for retirement planning and how best you can allocate your money/asset for better returns.
Here I will share my insight of what I have learned from attending Ray Lucia's "Retirement Workshop," combined with my own research regarding the subject. This page is solely suggests for retirement planning and how best you can allocate your money/asset for better returns.
- It is better to invest in Multi-Family Real Estate (Apartment complex) rather than Residential Properties, because if the tenant in a Residential Property moves out, the house becomes 100% vacant until new tenant is found; where in a Multi-Family properties the vacancy percentage will be much lower.
- Variable Annuity - a variable annuity is a contract between you and an insurance company, under which the insurer agrees to make periodic payments to you, beginning either immediately or at some future date. You purchase a variable annuity contract by making either a single purchase payment or a series of purchase payments. For more info click here
- T-Bills - is a government debt issued by the United States Department of the Treasury through the Bureau of the Public Debt. Treasury securities are the debt financing instruments of the United States Federal government, and they are often referred to simply as Treasuries. There are four types of marketable treasury securities: Treasury bills, Treasury notes, Treasury bonds, and Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS). For more info click here
- There are two "good times" investment in Bonds:
- As you near the retirement age, Bonds are preferred, since they are not as volatile as stocks or equities, and have lower risk.
- During economic recession, since equity market(s) tend to go down, investors seek "safe" investments, which is Bonds market.
- Not to mention, DO NOT forget to sell your bonds before recovery (before the Federal Reserve starts to raise the interest rates, as the interest rates go up - the value of Bonds go down, and vice verse).
- Perhaps you have heard or read it many times, but DO NOT forget to diversify your portfolio, especially now that we are in a "Global economy." Consider these securities in your retirement portfolio:
- Dollar Cost Averaging (DCA) and Reverse DCA.
- DCA - invest the same amount each month during the accumulation phase. When prices are high, you can buy fewer shares; when prices are low, you can buy more shares. Over time, assuming the market grows over the long term, and assuming that you retire at a market high, the average share price might be lower than if the investor tried to time the market and invest 100% of their money all at once.
- Reverse DCA - can produce the opposite effect as Dollar Cost Averaging, and potentially increase the risk to a portfolio running out of money before the investor’s needs run out (i.e., death), especially during a bear market at the wrong time.
- Always match your assets with liabilities - meaning live within your means and make sure you have the money to spend not credit.
Credit Score (FICO)
Understand your Credit Score (FICO)
There are several simple tips that if someone adapts these habits, they can succeed in managing their personal finance and establish an excellent credit score.
There are several simple tips that if someone adapts these habits, they can succeed in managing their personal finance and establish an excellent credit score.
- What makes up your credit score?
- 35% - Payment History
- 30% - Debt
- 15% - Life/Length of Credit History
- 10% - New Credit
- 10% - Types of Credit Used
- Always make your payments on time (this will save you money on your interest as well).
- Try to pay-off your credit in full per cycle.
- Try to make more than the minimum amount due.
- Stay within your credit limit. In order to establish excellent credit score, try to use only 10% of your credit availability per card. There is a misconception of using 10% of your total credit limit, but applying 10% per card has a different positive impact, because each lender monitors your credit history separately.
- i.e. if you have a credit card with $1,000 limit, spend only maximum of $100 (10%) on that card per billing cycle.
- To stay on top of your credit card charges, setup alerts to remind you of your credit availability. Take advantage of available tools that your credit card provider(s) offer.
- Review your interest rates and annual fees on a regular basis.
- Review your credit report annually. Free annual credit report can be obtained here: https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Foreclosure Property Workshop
Foreclosure Property Workshop by Garry Haris
August 20, 2009. San Mateo Marriott, California.
This seminar concentrated on Foreclosed Properties which can be profitable as a long term investment.
The speaker was Garry Haris, 26-28 years old investor who made a fortune in his early age. The main strategy that he used was,
BUY - Property ($$$)
REHAB - ($$$)
RENT - ($$$)
REFINANCE - ($$$) - cash out equity
•Check for Crime Rate
Buyer's Market:
1.Price of homes - Down
2.Days on Market - Up
3.Inventory of Market - Up
4.# of new homes build - Down
5.# of new buildings permit - Down
6.# of Foreclosures - Up
Offensive Credit:
35% - Payment history
30% - Debt to Available Credit
15% - Length of Credit history
10% - New Credit (Inquiries)
http://www.creditcards.com/
August 20, 2009. San Mateo Marriott, California.
This seminar concentrated on Foreclosed Properties which can be profitable as a long term investment.
The speaker was Garry Haris, 26-28 years old investor who made a fortune in his early age. The main strategy that he used was,
BUY - Property ($$$)
REHAB - ($$$)
RENT - ($$$)
REFINANCE - ($$$) - cash out equity
•Check for Crime Rate
Buyer's Market:
1.Price of homes - Down
2.Days on Market - Up
3.Inventory of Market - Up
4.# of new homes build - Down
5.# of new buildings permit - Down
6.# of Foreclosures - Up
Offensive Credit:
35% - Payment history
30% - Debt to Available Credit
15% - Length of Credit history
10% - New Credit (Inquiries)
http://www.creditcards.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)