By Jacob Joseph
SENIORS AND CREDIT
Obtaining credit as when you become a senior citizen, or as your approach
retirement, is not easy. Learning how age can impact your ability to get
approved for loans and credit is very important. It is vital to note that it is
against the law to be denied credit just because of how old you are.
What is the impact of age on credit ratings?
The Equal Credit Opportunity Act protects people from being turned down for
credit because of their age. Also, individuals over the age of 62 can not be
denied simply because they are no longer entitled to credit insurance.
Even though age is protected when determining whether or not credit can be
granted, there are times when age does influence the chances of loan and credit
approval for seniors.
For example:
-- How close are you to retiring?
-- What is your income?
-- What kind of loan are you applying for? For obvious reasons, it is
going to be difficult for someone over the age of 80 to get approved for any
type of loan or credit.
Why do senior citizens have a difficult time getting approved for loans
and credit?
The older generations originate from a different era, a time when credit
cards were hardly ever used, with cash being paid for almost every type of
purchase. In addition, consumer loans were not as widely used as they are today.
In those days, it was common for people to borrow money from friends and family.
As a result, older Americans are lacking lengthy credit histories, making it
difficult to acquire credit.
Life changes effect seniors and their credit...
It is common for seniors to have to deal with impacting life changes. For
example, retirement and/or death of a spouse usually result in significant
declines in income. It is typical for creditors to want to close joint accounts
when a spouse passes away and have the living spouse re-apply using only their
credit history. Denial is almost certain. Since once spouse has already
deceased, the creditors do not want to risk extending any more credit to the
living spouse, in case they die. The creditors will not be able to collect the
debt if there is no one living on the account.
What can seniors to do help themselves and their credit?
No matter what you age is, you should know what information is listed on
your credit report. It is very important that senior citizens obtain a copy of
their credit profile when a life changing event occurs, death of a spouse or
retirement. Not only are you going to know exactly what accounts are open and
how much is owed, you want to ensure that all of the information is accurate and
up-to-date. It is important to
learn how
to dispute errors from your credit.
Also, it is very likely that not all of your accounts are going to be listed
on your credit report. Any missing creditors should be contacted, requesting
that they update your reported information. You can also right a letter to the
credit bureaus that are lacking any info.
It is also important that any joint accounts are being reported as such. If
there are not, contact the creditor and request that the information be
corrected.
Jacob Joseph is a financial expert for http://www.starloanservices.com. At Star Loan Services you can get a free credit report copy.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Joseph
http://EzineArticles.com/?Senior-Citizens-and-Their-Credit&id=432466
Friday, January 26, 2007
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Make Money on eBay - Sell those Auction Listings 1st Time, Every Time!
By Bob Hamilton
One of the most frustrating things that can happen to an eBay seller is to list multiple products, then to wait for 7-days, only to find that there were no bids for the items. To make money on eBay requires that virtually every item listed becomes an item sold. Not only are there the selling expenses, but there is also no income from sales! Whenever the percentage of products sold-to-listed begins to dip, begin by examining the product that is being sold. Often it comes down to a new product that is simply not in-demand.
If that is not the case, examine pricing. Most eBay buyers are very conscious of pricing. As a result, it is important to position product prices so that they will meet with buyer approval. Make money on eBay by examining the following:
• Auction Start Price: That old statement that starting auctions at very low prices results in more sales has proven true for us. (CAUTION: Sometimes we have ended up selling items that costed us $25. for the $0.99 start price. Know your costs and the amount that you must receive before setting starting prices.) While there have been some cases where we lost money, overall, we make more by starting our auctions at lower prices. Give it a try.
• Fixed Price: The same holds true with fixed prices. While there are cases where you simply must place a certain fixed price on an item, as a seller, the goal is to be able to sell at prices that meet the wishes of your buyers.
• Store Price: If you have a store and place items in that store that are priced too high, you will not make sales.
Make money on eBay by going back to the basics. If a product did not sell, go back to the basics of listing. This includes:
• Title: You are allotted 55 characters for your auction title. Be sure that you use all 55! Title selection is critical to insuring that the maximum number of potential buyers view your auction. Be sure to include the obvious information such as Brand Name, Size (If possible and appropriate), What it is, Condition (New, New In Box, New In Packaging, No Tags) unless it is used, and Color.
• Body of the Listing: The body of the listing should include everything listed in the title. Be sure to including the condition of the item. Add information that helps the buyer understand the details. A great source of information is often the packaging and tags. If the product has a high suggested retail value, include that information as well. (Make sure that you are accurate in the suggested retail price that you state.) Flaws and imperfections, no matter how small, should be noted.
• Errors: Make sure that your spelling is correct. Space the wording to make it easier for the potential buyer to read your listing. Set the margins so that the final listing looks appealing. Include key words that may draw shoppers to your auction.
• Picture Quality: You know the saying; a picture is worth a thousand words. A bad picture won't make sales. If it is name brand, we always try to include a picture of the tag to verify that it is genuine. Many times buyers will overlook that detail in the written description, but they see it in the picture.
• Feedback: Feedback matters! If you have 100% positive feedback, be sure to write that on every auction. Include a few of the feedback comments that you're most proud of right onto each item's description page.
• About Me page: You'll be surprised how much you can reassure bidders just by creating an About Me page. The fact is that a good About Me Page will make auction sales. Follow eBay’s rules carefully.
• Terms and Conditions: Be sure to make the 'small print' visible on all your auctions. Provide details about shipping times and costs. Your refund policy and other key business practices should also be clearly stated. This can help to build buyer confidence. If you ship internationally, state the basic term and conditions for those sales.
• Payment Methods Accepted: We feel that accepting PayPal is a must in the overall formula of achieving the highest possible percentage of successful actions. If you accept other payment methods be sure to include those as well.
Make money on eBay by selling every item the first time that you list that item.
Bob Hamilton is an author, writer, consultant and trainer.
http://www.OnlineAuctionsMadeSimple.net
http://www.MarketingSuccessCenter.com
http://www.OpeningaDollarStore.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Hamilton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Make-Money-on-eBay---Sell-those-Auction-Listings-1st-Time,-Every-Time!&id=421438
One of the most frustrating things that can happen to an eBay seller is to list multiple products, then to wait for 7-days, only to find that there were no bids for the items. To make money on eBay requires that virtually every item listed becomes an item sold. Not only are there the selling expenses, but there is also no income from sales! Whenever the percentage of products sold-to-listed begins to dip, begin by examining the product that is being sold. Often it comes down to a new product that is simply not in-demand.
If that is not the case, examine pricing. Most eBay buyers are very conscious of pricing. As a result, it is important to position product prices so that they will meet with buyer approval. Make money on eBay by examining the following:
• Auction Start Price: That old statement that starting auctions at very low prices results in more sales has proven true for us. (CAUTION: Sometimes we have ended up selling items that costed us $25. for the $0.99 start price. Know your costs and the amount that you must receive before setting starting prices.) While there have been some cases where we lost money, overall, we make more by starting our auctions at lower prices. Give it a try.
• Fixed Price: The same holds true with fixed prices. While there are cases where you simply must place a certain fixed price on an item, as a seller, the goal is to be able to sell at prices that meet the wishes of your buyers.
• Store Price: If you have a store and place items in that store that are priced too high, you will not make sales.
Make money on eBay by going back to the basics. If a product did not sell, go back to the basics of listing. This includes:
• Title: You are allotted 55 characters for your auction title. Be sure that you use all 55! Title selection is critical to insuring that the maximum number of potential buyers view your auction. Be sure to include the obvious information such as Brand Name, Size (If possible and appropriate), What it is, Condition (New, New In Box, New In Packaging, No Tags) unless it is used, and Color.
• Body of the Listing: The body of the listing should include everything listed in the title. Be sure to including the condition of the item. Add information that helps the buyer understand the details. A great source of information is often the packaging and tags. If the product has a high suggested retail value, include that information as well. (Make sure that you are accurate in the suggested retail price that you state.) Flaws and imperfections, no matter how small, should be noted.
• Errors: Make sure that your spelling is correct. Space the wording to make it easier for the potential buyer to read your listing. Set the margins so that the final listing looks appealing. Include key words that may draw shoppers to your auction.
• Picture Quality: You know the saying; a picture is worth a thousand words. A bad picture won't make sales. If it is name brand, we always try to include a picture of the tag to verify that it is genuine. Many times buyers will overlook that detail in the written description, but they see it in the picture.
• Feedback: Feedback matters! If you have 100% positive feedback, be sure to write that on every auction. Include a few of the feedback comments that you're most proud of right onto each item's description page.
• About Me page: You'll be surprised how much you can reassure bidders just by creating an About Me page. The fact is that a good About Me Page will make auction sales. Follow eBay’s rules carefully.
• Terms and Conditions: Be sure to make the 'small print' visible on all your auctions. Provide details about shipping times and costs. Your refund policy and other key business practices should also be clearly stated. This can help to build buyer confidence. If you ship internationally, state the basic term and conditions for those sales.
• Payment Methods Accepted: We feel that accepting PayPal is a must in the overall formula of achieving the highest possible percentage of successful actions. If you accept other payment methods be sure to include those as well.
Make money on eBay by selling every item the first time that you list that item.
Bob Hamilton is an author, writer, consultant and trainer.
http://www.OnlineAuctionsMadeSimple.net
http://www.MarketingSuccessCenter.com
http://www.OpeningaDollarStore.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Hamilton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Make-Money-on-eBay---Sell-those-Auction-Listings-1st-Time,-Every-Time!&id=421438
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Why Is Podcasting HOT
By Demetria Zinga
Podcasting suddenly came on the scene in 2005 and has been rapidly changing the world of communication and media as we know it. Sort of like an underground mass mania, podcasting has a viral affect and spreads from computer to ipod to mp3 device…and who knows what’s next?
I predict that within the next two years, podcasting will become more of a business communications vehicle. Managers of large corporations are starting to look into this form of communications as a way of reaching target audiences for their product or services Educators will use podcasting as a distance learning tool. Professional speakers will podcast to give potential clients a taste of the great time they’ll get to hear if they choose to book the speaker for a speaking engagement. Churches and ministries will use podcasting to spread the messages of their faith. Last, but not least, small businesses will use podcasting to mass market their products and services to an audience that would otherwise have never heard of them.
There are podcasts on every subject imaginable— business applications and development, computer concepts, family and life management, education, religion and spirituality, health and nutrition, society and culture…you name it, and there’s probably a podcast somewhere out there on that subject.
So why is podcasting HOT?
The next time you enter a college campus, take a look at the students who are walking to class. The majority of them are wearing ipods and listening to music…and probably podcasts also. The next time you’re on a subway, train, or airport, look around to see how many people are listening to mp3 players. Mp3 players with podcast download capabilites are on the rise…and if you just happen to have your very own podcast out there on the web, you may be one of those fortunate enough to be listened to by a large audience around the world! Imagine the power of one podcast on our global network! Don’t you think it’s time you created your own podcast?
Demetria Zinga, M.S. is a web designer, internet marketing strategist, video &
podcast consultant, & digital media trainer. Let Coach Demetria’s business
technology training take your business to the next level today, by visiting http://www.faith-media.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Demetria_Zinga
http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Is-Podcasting-HOT&id=423705
Podcasting suddenly came on the scene in 2005 and has been rapidly changing the world of communication and media as we know it. Sort of like an underground mass mania, podcasting has a viral affect and spreads from computer to ipod to mp3 device…and who knows what’s next?
I predict that within the next two years, podcasting will become more of a business communications vehicle. Managers of large corporations are starting to look into this form of communications as a way of reaching target audiences for their product or services Educators will use podcasting as a distance learning tool. Professional speakers will podcast to give potential clients a taste of the great time they’ll get to hear if they choose to book the speaker for a speaking engagement. Churches and ministries will use podcasting to spread the messages of their faith. Last, but not least, small businesses will use podcasting to mass market their products and services to an audience that would otherwise have never heard of them.
There are podcasts on every subject imaginable— business applications and development, computer concepts, family and life management, education, religion and spirituality, health and nutrition, society and culture…you name it, and there’s probably a podcast somewhere out there on that subject.
So why is podcasting HOT?
The next time you enter a college campus, take a look at the students who are walking to class. The majority of them are wearing ipods and listening to music…and probably podcasts also. The next time you’re on a subway, train, or airport, look around to see how many people are listening to mp3 players. Mp3 players with podcast download capabilites are on the rise…and if you just happen to have your very own podcast out there on the web, you may be one of those fortunate enough to be listened to by a large audience around the world! Imagine the power of one podcast on our global network! Don’t you think it’s time you created your own podcast?
Demetria Zinga, M.S. is a web designer, internet marketing strategist, video &
podcast consultant, & digital media trainer. Let Coach Demetria’s business
technology training take your business to the next level today, by visiting http://www.faith-media.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Demetria_Zinga
http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Is-Podcasting-HOT&id=423705
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