Saved By the Bell child hood TV Star "Screech" resorts to selling Tee-shirts to save his home from foreclosure.
Folks everywhere are struggling to make ends meet. TV and Movie stars included.Below is an article about Screech from "Saved by the Bell" a TV show popular in the
90's. He is/was struggling to save his home from foreclosure.
I would love to hear your comments about what’s happening within our economy, and in your neck of the woods.
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday.
Billy Alvaro
p.s www.RescuedBySaintJude.com offers a free 30 minute mortgage rescue review for all struggling Americans. Take Advantage of it.
MILWAUKEE - More than a bell is needed to save Dustin Diamond this time around. Diamond, best known as geeky Screech Powers on the 1989-1993 teen comedy series "Saved by the Bell," is selling T-shirts with his photo on them to try to raise $250,000 so he doesn't lose his gray two-story house under a foreclosure order.
"If the public didn't care, I as an entertainer wouldn't have been a success," he said.
Diamond, 29, is trying to sell nearly 30,000 shirts — at $15 or $20 (autographed) each — to supplement the income he makes as a standup comic so he doesn't have to move from his Port Washington home, about 25 miles north of Milwaukee.
The T-shirt has a photo of Diamond holding a sign that says, "Save My House." The back of the shirt reads, "I paid $15.00 to save Screeech's house." The third "e" was added to get around copyright laws, he said.
He's selling the shirts on his Web site: http://www.getdshirts.com.
The foreclosure order was filed last month in Ozaukee County Circuit Court.
Diamond appeared on Howard Stern's satellite radio show Tuesday to plead his case. "I'm doing great with my comedy, but this is definitely a low point," he said. "Real life comes in and affects you."
Diamond doesn't have a listed phone number, and e-mails to the address on his Web site and at an alternative address were not immediately returned Thursday.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
T.V Child Star Fights To Save Home From Forceclosure
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Survive Spooky times. October Newsletter
Special edition October 2008 "Survive Spooky Economic Times" Newsletter
In this issue you'll discover
Page 1 ---Will social security benefits vanish in the coming years
Page 3---- Is The Government really offering to stuff $7,500 in your piggy bank?
Page 5 --- Financial Tip of the Month... How to shave thousands of dollars in payments a
year
Page 6 --- How SAVVY Baby Boomers secure their financial future
Page 7--- Is it possible to save up to $725 per month WITHOUT REFINANCING? You be
the judge...
Cick here Now for the October Newsletter
http://www.savemonthly.com/OctoberSpecialEditionNewsLetter.pdf
Enjoy it, and please feel free to email me your comments or feedback, I love to hear from
clients, members and readers.
Expect Success
Billy Alvaro
P.S Warning!!! If you want to continue to receive fr*e*e Information from me don’t opt out!
P.P.P.S Discover how over 11,127 families restructured their debts-income and assets
saving $211.67 to $1,967.61 per month...and how they received a step by step blueprint
for breaking out of the Middle class debt trap and how you can too.
All you need to do is schedule your fr*e*e Money and mortgage problem prevention audit
www.savemonthly.com I offer 8 no cost no obligation audits per month, scheduled on
a first come first serve basis, so act now!
P.P.S There is more info online at www.savemonthly.com
Monday, September 29, 2008
Week in Review
DEAL OR NO DEAL? It appears a deal has indeed been struck, as Congressional leaders and the Bush administration announced they had come to an agreement to spend up to $700 Billion on the historic Bailout Plan.
But first - a look back at the past week, leading up to the weekend announcements.
There were several major developments, beginning with the announcement that Japan's Mitsubishi Financial Bank will purchase 10% to 20% of Morgan Stanley, saving the company from the same bankruptcy fate as Lehman Brothers. On Wednesday, the financial markets received another vote of confidence with word that billionaire investor Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway is investing $5 Billion into Goldman Sachs. But then on Thursday, Washington Mutual was seized by the federal government, and its assets were sold to JP Morgan Chase for $1.9 Billion. The fall of Washington Mutual represents the biggest US bank failure in history.
But perhaps the biggest news of the week began on Tuesday, as Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson began their testimony in front of the Senate Banking Committee on the $700 Billion rescue plan proposed by President Bush.
The plan calls for taking illiquid mortgage backed securities off the hands of lending institutions, and through the week several elements of the plan were intensely debated, including the amount of the plan, the government's role, the absence of oversight, and limits on pay for executives of bailed-out financial institutions. And while full details are still pending, it appears that an agreement has been reached, with the intent to revive our financial system and avoid negative far reaching effects to the rest of our economy.
Despite all the historic events of the week, home loan rates ended the week only around .125 percent worse than where they began. I will continue to monitor this situation closely in the days and weeks ahead, and keep you informed.
IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE HISTORIC HAPPENINGS...DON'T FORGET THAT FLU SEASON IS STEADILY APPROACHING. CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S MORTGAGE MARKET VIEW FOR PRACTICAL TIPS YOU CAN USE TO AVOID COLDS AND THE FLU!
Forecast for the Week
Besides the details that will be coming on the financial rescue plan, several important reports bookend this week. We begin the week with the Fed's favorite gauge of inflation as the Core PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditure) data will be released on Monday.
Then, definitely stay tuned for the Department of Labor's big Jobs Report scheduled for Friday, which will show the number of jobs lost or gained in September. The Department of Labor averages their numbers, and part of each month's report includes "revisions" to the several prior months' numbers. A positive report could be good news for Stocks, but bad news for Bonds and home loan rates. It will be important to see how much of an impact the recent turmoil has had on the job market.
Remember when Bond prices move higher, home loan rates move lower...and vice versa. As you can see in the chart below, Bonds and home loan rates have not worsened substantially, despite the uncertainty surrounding the Bailout Plan and the financial markets in general. I will be watching closely to see how Bonds and home loan rates respond to all the historic news that will be coming in the week ahead.
Chart: Fannie Mae 5.5% Mortgage Bond (Friday Sep 26, 2008)
The Mortgage Market View...
Autumn Ushers in the Good and the Not So Pleasant...
Fall is in full swing. And that means it's time to celebrate the things we love, like kids returning to school, football season, baseball playoffs, and even the beautiful colors of autumn. But it also means the return of something less fun... the dreaded cold and flu season. And the cost of the season is nothing to sneeze at! Did you know that Americans spend approximately $4 Billion on over the counter cold and flu remedies? That's not even factoring in how much time and productivity is lost on sick-time in the workplace, or co-pays for doctor visits and prescriptions.
To Help Stay Healthy, Start Following These Quick Tips Now:
Determine how susceptible you are. Start by asking yourself a few simple questions: Were you ill several times last year? Do you frequently feel fatigued? Do you sleep less than seven hours per night? If you answer yes to several of those questions, it may be a good idea to consult your doctor for a pre-flu season check-up.
Build up your immune system. Take the time now to catch up on sleep and get a flu shot. In addition, make sure you're getting enough Vitamin C and Zinc. Taking these supplements has been shown to markedly reduce cold symptoms.
Wash your hands frequently. Hand-to-mouth contact is the most common way that people get sick, so keep those hands clean and encourage your family to do the same. You can also carry a hand sanitizer with you to keep your hands germ free when you can't wash.
Wash your nose? Here's a little known--yet effective--tip for combating the cold and flu season. By using a simple saline nasal wash or nasal irrigation, you can actually help rid yourself of colds and allergies. Although it doesn't look pretty in action, it's effective in washing away germs and particulates, as well as healing and protecting your nasal passages. The fact is, when dry winter air makes the tissues inside your sinuses dry and cracked, germs have a perfect place to live and breed, which makes you sick more easily. But a saline nasal wash, available at most drugstores, can lubricate, protect and clean those nasal tissues to help keep healthy. And it may help reduce snoring!
By taking a little time to protect yourself from illness, you can help make sure that you are able to enjoy the things that are important to you... like spending time with family and friends, working hard at your career, and remaining healthy and active during the fall and winter seasons!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Is it time to get Your Personalized Economic Problem Prevention Audit?
The president address has hit a nerve with the American population.In case you missed his national address I've included it below.
The best advice I can give to all Americans at this point is to get your financial house in order.
If you haven't received your own personalized Economic Problem Prevention Auditwhich, will give you THE blueprint on what to do and how to do it when it comes to your debt and financial struggles do it now. I have cut the price by more than 50% from $997.00 to $397.00 until October 15th
You will receive a step by step blueprint on what you need to do to protect yourself how to eliminate your debt and how to protect your assets>
To schedule your Audit call my office at 1800-793-5015 x 103.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
MMG Weekly
MMG Weekly
Last Week in Review
"NO MATTER HOW FAR LIFE PUSHES YOU DOWN, NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU HURT, YOU CAN ALWAYS BOUNCE BACK." WNBA player Sheryl Swoopes. And bouncing back is exactly what Bonds and home loan rates tried to do last week after being pushed to their worst levels of the year.
Bonds and home loan rates managed to hold fairly steady in the first half of the week, despite comments from Philadelphia Fed President Charles Plosser, who said "inflation is too high." Remember signs of inflation typically cause Bonds and home loan rates to worsen, but Plosser also stated that the Fed must "back up their words with action" and hike their benchmark Fed Funds rate. Since a hike by the Fed could lessen inflation...and as a result, cause Bonds and home loan rates to improve...Plosser's inflation comments didn't have as much of an impact on the markets as they could have otherwise.
On Thursday, Bonds managed their biggest rebound of the week after several negative economic reports, including a much higher than expected Initial Jobless Claims report and a lower than expected Existing Home Sales report for June, caused money to flow out of Stocks and into Bonds. However, there was good economic news on Friday as New Home Sales for June and Orders for Durable Goods were far better than expected and the Consumer Sentiment Index shocked the markets with a very robust reading. And good economic news about the economy is bad news for Bonds, which caused money to flow right back out of Bonds into Stocks, keeping Bonds and home loan rates from bouncing back any further.
After all the dramatic ups and downs of the week, Bonds and home loan rates ended the week slightly improved.
GAS PRICES HAVE BEGUN TO IMPROVE, BUT THEY'RE STILL MAKING A BIG IMPACT ON OUR WALLET. CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S MORTGAGE MARKET VIEW FOR SOME GREAT TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE YOUR GALLONS GO FURTHER.
Forecast for the Week
Several reports that are scheduled for this week could determine whether Bonds and home loan rates can manage a bigger comeback than they did last week. Definitely stay tuned for the Department of Labor's big Jobs Report scheduled for Friday, which will show the number of jobs lost or gained in July. Remember: The Department of Labor averages their numbers, and part of each month's report includes "revisions" to the several prior months' numbers. A positive report could be good news for Stocks, but bad news for Bonds and home loan rates, so it will be especially important to see what numbers are posted on the "scoreboard."
Also keep an eye on Thursday's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report from the Commerce Department. GDP is the broadest measure of economic activity...and since good economic news typically causes money to flow into Stocks and out of Bonds, this report will be important to watch. Remember when Bond prices move higher, home loan rates move lower...and vice versa. It will be important to see if this week's news can help or hinder Bonds and home loan rates in their attempt to bounce back.
Chart: Fannie Mae 6.0% Mortgage Bond (Friday Jul 25, 2008)
The Mortgage Market View...
Alleviating Pain at the Pump
Earlier this month, the New York Times ran a story noting that many gas stations are running out of the price sign number 4 due to the high cost of gas around the nation. And while gas prices have declined slightly over the last few weeks, the numbers are still putting a big dent in many people's pockets.
Here are some gas-saving tips that can help alleviate the pain at the pump:
Embrace Technology. A Global Positioning System (GPS) device can help you avoid traffic and getting lost, plan routes, and bypass construction and accidents. If you don't have a GPS, you can also get free real time traffic information at www.traffic.com. In addition, you can find links to many local resources at the Federal Highway Administration's traffic and road closure information Web site, www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo.
Go cruising. If your car has a cruise control feature, use it on highways when possible. According to tests by automotive information Web site www.Edmunds.com, cruise control decreases gas consumption by nearly 14%...except in hilly areas, where it can have the opposite affect.
Get some fresh air. If you are driving less than 50 miles per hour (mph), consider opening the windows instead of using air conditioning. Interestingly, it is more efficient to use air conditioning at higher speeds, due to the drag caused by the windows being open.
Check your speed. Fuel economy decreases around one percent for every mph over 55...and drops even quicker when you drive faster than 65 mph. Slow down where possible.
Get That Check Up. Check your car regularly to make sure your tires are properly inflated. Also, remove excess weight that's not needed from your trunk or roof.
No matter how often you're filling up your tank these days, these gas-saving strategies are a surefire way to help you stretch your gasoline even further.
Friday, July 18, 2008
How bad do the Credit reporting agencies screw up your credit?
Click the Below Play button
"Fr.e.e Telephone Seminar Reveals...The Major Flaws in the Credit Reporting System, How They Affect You, and What You Can Do About it!"
Dear Freind
I would like to invite you to a very special 60 minute FREE Tele-Seminar with Guest Speaker Brian Diez, the expert on Credit reporting flaws and how it's costing you more for everything you purchase, including insurance, home mortgages and credit cards interest.
Discover What the Credit Bureaus Hoped You'd Never Learn...
Go to
http://www.thecreditaudit.com/ reserve your slot now. Hurry! Slots are limited!
(Click the above link or cut and paste into your browser)
if you are one of the first 50 people who respond you'll also receive Brian's special report that reveals how the bureaus are intentionally trying to scam you by selling you useless information! Here's what else you're going to learn on this special call..."
Who the bureaus really are
What information they keep in their files and how long they keep it
What their real role is in our society
How they make their money
How they handle your disputes
Why they refuse to comply with the Federal Trade Commission and how they get away with it The gaping holes in their system
How their flaws affect YOU,
How to exploit the holes to level the playing field and much much more!
PLUS, you'll get YOUR single most important question answered by Brian Diez. He normally charges $550.00 an hour. You get his undivided attention and his expert advice for FR$E$E!
Please rest assured. Even though I'm not charging anything to be on this call, there is absolutely no obligation to buy anything. This teleseminar stands alone as a value in and of itself.
This information will be revealed: July 29, 2008 at 4PM EDT
Reserve your slot now. Hurry, slots are limited!
WARNING: This invitation is being sent out to over 11,127 of our past customers. We only have 150 phone lines reserved. Please DO NOT procrastinate. (If you are NOT one of the first 150 to respond, you will be promptly notified.)
Warmly,
Billy Alvaro
Americas Wealth Coach
P.S. FREE tele-seminar The Major Flaws in the Credit Reporting System, How They Affect You, and What You Can Do About it!" Line availability is limited. Click here now to reserve you vip spot http://www.thecreditaudit.com/
Enjoy the weekend
Billy Alvaro
Americas Wealth Coach
The Billy Alvaro Group
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Is Your Money Safe in the Bank? What Does the Collapse of Indy Mac Bank Mean?
Billy Discusses FDIC and Safeguarding Money
Click The below Play button To learn how to protect yourself and your money
Headlines about the FDIC and the banking industry have raised questions about where to put money and how to make sure it’s safe. Billy Alvaro breaks through the confusion with a quick discussion of the current events and suggestions to help protect yourself and your family.
How many more banks are at risk of failure?
The FDIC has identified 90 banks as "problem institutions" that are at risk of failure for the first quarter of 2008. "That number will go up," but historically, only about 13 percent of banks on this list typically fail, says the FDIC's Bair.
What deposits are insured by the FDIC?
A depositor with any type of account at an FDIC-insured bank or savings and loan is fully insured for up to $100,000 per bank. It's possible that a depositor could have more than $100,000 insured if he or she has a joint account or one of seven other legal ownership arrangements. (Get details on insured accounts.) All types of individual retirement accounts are also insured for up to $250,000.
Helping you eliminate debt- Build wealth and protect your assets
Expext success
Billy Alvaro
http://www.savemonthly.com/
800-793-5015 x 100
P.S I wrote an interesting post yesterday. Watch it here http://savemonthly.blogspot.com/2008/07/question-are-your-prepared-this-video.html
P.P.S Make sure you help out your friends -family and co-workers protect their assets as well. Forward this to them by clicking the envelope below...
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
THE QUESTION! Are Your prepared? This video will get you to think.
Ladies and gentleman, its no secret, tough economic times are hitting America hard. Folks all across America are feeling the noose getting tighter around theirs necks.
Some, unfortunate Middle class families, families like yours, that once had a good paying job, a home and some savings in the bank, are finding themselves BROKE and Homeless.
But we never think it can happen to ME.
Things will never get that bad, most say.
It’s always going to happen to the other guy; however someone is going to be that other guy. We are a nation in self denial.
I wont get sick with cancer, not me...
I wont get hurt in an accident and loose my income, not me...
I wont loose my job, not me...
I wont have to worry about paying my bills, not me...
I wont ever become homeless, not me...
Smart -wealthy people PREAPRE and PLAN well in advance. They minimize their risk. They always have a plan A and a what if plan b and c.
Take 6 minutes and 36 seconds and watch this video, then ask yourself these questions
1.Have I gone through a personal Economic PROBLEM PREVENTION audit to detect any potential problems within my financial security plan?
2. Am I saving at least 10% of my annual income, consistently?
3. Do I have a debt elimination plan in place, which systematically eliminates all debt including my mortgage within 7-11 years? Do I have a plan to pay off my home without taking money from my discretionary income, or doing a biweekly ?
4. Do I have a sound -secure retirement plan in place- one where I will have over 1 million liquid in the bank?
5. Am I solely relying on the SYSTEM set by the government to take care of me during retirement- depending on Social Insecurity and a pension?
6. Do I have an expense reduction management plan in place? assuring me I'm not wasting my money
Very few of the people I meet with have it financially together, always putting it off till tomorrow... get your financial house in order, NOW.
Here is a 4 step easy to implement plan!
Step 1. Conduct a complete audit on your income-assets-credit-personal debt, mortgage debt, expenses, cash flow, net worth and investment strategy. This is known as a personal economic diagnosis
Step. 2. After detecting the weak or problem areas map out a plan for each area to eliminate your debt, reduce expenses, wipe out your mortgage, increase your savings, accumulate wealth for retirement managing cash flow and increase your net worth. This is known as the prescription phase.
Step 3. Have an on going system in place for monitoring your plan, when you see your heading in the wrong direction or if you get slightly off course make the corrections and get back on track…
Step 4 Lastly, what ever you do TAKE ACTION, if you don’t plan for success the plan may be failure or worse becoming homeless and broke!
Expect success and take action
'Billy Alvaro
P.S If you'd like to get a full blown personalized economic problem prevention audit and a guaranteed plan for financial success you can get on my waiting list for the audit. Simply fill it out here www.savemonthly.com/firststep . One of my assistants or associates will call you for the preliminary over the phone meeting to see if you’re eligible to meet with me for the audit.
P.P.S watch this video of Joel and Maria Holderman as they discuss what they economic problem prevention audit did for them, their family and future… www.savemonthly.com/holderman
Friday, July 11, 2008
5 Credit score Mistakes & How to Avoid Them
It's surprising how many consumers make the same credit scoring mistakes over and over again. In an effort to educate consumers on credit and credit scoring, we've compiled 5 common credit scoring mistakes into a list that defines each mistake and explains why they are bad and how to avoid them:
Credit Mistake #1: Closing Credit Cards Accounts
Not only is this the number one on the top five credit scoring mistakes, it's also number one on the list of credit myths.
Ironically, most consumers make this mistake based on poor advice from a mortgage lender as a strategy for improving their credit scores. A word of advice people, when you're dealing with something as sensitive as your credit and credit scores, make sure you do your homework before trusting some of these so called 'industry experts' before following through with their advice.
There are two important reasons why you should not close credit card accounts:
1. Eventually, the accounts will fall off of your credit reports - The information in your credit reports are subject to certain rules in regards to how long it can remain in the report. In most cases, credit information will remain in your credit reports for seven years from the account's DLA or date of last activity.
When an account is open, the DLA will continue to update each month and the open account will never reach that seven-year mark.
If you close the account, the DLA will stop updating and the clock will start ticking. Eventually the account will be completely removed from your credit reports.
Why would this be a bad thing?
It's simple - you never want to get rid of old, positive information in your credit reports. This information actually helps your credit scores.
Credit scores want to see this positive account information. They want to see your long, perfect history of making your payments on time because this information significantly helps your credit scores.
This information significantly helps your credit scores so why would you ever want that history to disappear? You wouldn't! Here's an analogy for you: let's say you made straight A's in high school. What if the record of that perfect scholastic accomplishment were permanently deleted seven years after you graduated? Would you ever want that history deleted? Of course you wouldn't. The same is true for the credit reporting environment.
So, what should you do with old credit cards that you don't use any longer?
What you don't want to do is to let the account become inactive. When this happens, the credit card companies aren't generating any revenue for your account.
Eventually they'll close the unused account because you're more of a liability than an asset. You can prevent this from happening by using the card every few months for low dollar purchases like dinner or a tank of gas.
When the bill comes in, just pay it in full. If you do this, it will ensure that the account will never be closed and you'll always get credit for your good payment history.
2. You could cause a spike in your revolving utilization and tank your scores - The percentage of your available credit in comparison to the debt you owe is a very important factor in calculating your credit scores.
This is often called "revolving utilization," or your debt-to-limit ratio.
For example, if you have an open credit card with a $1,000 credit limit and a $500 balance then you are using 50% of your available credit. This means that you are 50% utilized on this particular credit card.
Now lets add a second credit card to the mix.
Let's say you have another open, but unused credit card account with a $1,000 limit and a $0 balance. This would put your total revolving utilization at 25% because you have $2,000 in available credit limits and $500 in total balances.
If you divide your total balances by your total credit limits, you'll get your total aggregate revolving utilization: $500 divided by $2000 equals .25 or 25%.
So how will closing unused credit cards hurt your credit score? When you close an account, the amount of available credit decreases, which could result in a higher revolving utilization and lower your score.
Let's use the example from above and close the second unused credit card account. When you close the account, you remove it from any utilization calculation and now you're stuck with one open credit card account with a $1,000 limit and a $500 balance.
This caused your utilization to go from 25% to 50%.
Remember, you divide the total balance by the total available limit so $500 divided by $1,000 is .50 or 50%. As this percentage increases, your credit score decreases.
When you're talking about several unused credit cards with high limits, you can just imagine what closing credit card accounts could do. I've seen consumers go from a 10% utilization to almost 100% utilization because they closed all of their credit card accounts except the one they were currently using.
Big mistake.
Credit Mistake #2: Missing Payments
It doesn't take a credit scoring expert to tell you that missing payments is a bad thing. The only reason I made missing payments second to Closing Credit Card Accounts is because this one is a no brainer.
It shouldn't take a credit expert to tell you that missing payments is bad. Common sense should tell you that missing payments is bad. Credit scores are designed to predict how likely you are to miss payments in the future.
This means that they look at your credit history to view how you've managed all of your credit obligations.
Missed payments is the most powerful predictor of future late payments. The FICO score evaluates previous late payments in three different layers:
How Severe - How severe is the late payment? It doesn't take a statistician to tell you that a 30-day late isn't as bad as a 90-day late. The more severe the late payment, the more damaging it is going to be to your credit scores.
Consumers who have missed payments by a few weeks and then bring their accounts current score much better than consumers that have gone 90+ days past due. In fact, a 90-day past due is the threshold that will wreak havoc on your scores.
If you are unable to avoid a late payment, the next best option is to get those accounts current as quickly as you can.
How Recent - How long ago did the late payment occur?
If you've read some of my previous articles on credit scoring, you'll know that the last 24 months of your credit history are critical because the FICO score places more emphasis on your recent credit patterns.
This means that a late payment 6 months ago is going to carry much more weight than a late payment from 4 years ago. To recover from late payments it's important that you get current and stay current.
How Frequent - How often have the late payments occurred? Consumers that miss payments frequently are penalized much more severely than those that have missed a payment here or there in their past.
If you have a tendency to make late payments your credit scores will reflect your bad habits. Make your payments on time and you'll never have to worry about losing points in this category.
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Is your Credit costing you more for goods and services because of erroneous information ? Low scores? Late Payments? Call 800-793-5015 x 100 For a FREE Credit analysis (a $69.00 Value) and receive my 39 page Insiders Credit repair Tool kit exclusively for readers of my blog.
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Credit Mistake #3: Settling Accounts
One of the most common mistakes consumers make is assuming that 'settling' with a lender is a great way to save a little cash.
Unfortunately, they don't realize what that a 'settled' indicator in their credit reports is actually derogatory.
"Settling" is a term used in the consumer credit industry that means accepting less than the amount you owe on an account. For example, if you owe a credit card company $5,000 but you can't pay them the full amount then they will likely make you a deal for less than that full amount. They have "settled" for less than the full amount, which is likely much less than you contractually owe them.
This may seem like a good idea because you save quite a bit of money but as far as the credit scoring models are concerned, this is just as negative as other severe late payments.
The only way to avoid the damage to your credit scores is to arrange a deal with the lender to report the account as 'paid in full' as opposed to 'settled'. If they don't agree then it's in your best interest to figure out how to pay them in full or else be prepared to suffer the damage to your credit for the next 7 years.
It's also important to understand that if the account has already made it to the collection phase, the damage is already severe and settling won't really make a difference. Settling is only an option if the account has already made it to a severe delinquency state.
Credit Mistake #4:
High Revolving Utilization on Your Credit Cards
Most consumers believe that making your payments on time is all it takes to have good credit and earn great credit scores.
What they don't realize is that almost a third of your score is determined by how much you owe on your credit card accounts. If you have high balances on your credit card accounts, you're credit scores could be severely impacted by your revolving utilization.
In order to score the most possible points in this category, I advise keeping your revolving utilization at 10% or less.
Don't be fooled when you hear some of these celebrity experts telling you that 50%, 30% or even 25% is best.
While 30% is considerably better than 50%, 10% or less is ideal. The lower the utilization percentage, the better your score will be. (*To read more about revolving utilization and how it's calculated, please read the revolving utilization bullet in Mistake #1.)
Credit Mistake #5: Excessively Applying for Credit
Whenever you apply for credit your application gives the lender permission to access your credit reports. When they pull your credit reports, it automatically posts an inquiry in your credit record. This inquiry is a record of who pulled your credit report and the date it occurred.Â
Credit scoring models use inquires to determine if and when you shop for credit. Statistics show that consumers who have more inquiries are higher credit risks than those with fewer inquiries.
It is for this reason that the more inquiries you have, the more points you lose in the credit score calculation.
The exact point value of inquiries is a much argued topic and is impossible to give an exact point value because it really depends on all of the other information included in your individual credit file.
The best strategy would be to only apply for credit when you absolutely need to.
This means that you should avoid those in store offers of "10% off" in exchange for applying for a store credit card. This may sound like a great idea but the reality is that while you may save a few bucks on your purchase, those inquiries could end up costing you a lower credit score which could result in higher interest rates on auto or mortgage loans in the future.
There you have it. Now that you know the top 5 credit mistakes, you can avoid making the same mistakes that so many other consumers make.
Expect success
Billy Alvaro
The Billy Alvaro Group
Helping Middle Class Americans achieve Financial Freedom through education
P.S. The First step to Financial freedom starts with taking the Economic Problem Prevention Audit (EPPA). The EPPA has liberated over 11,127 hard working families go from debt taxes and worry to a stress free financial future.The only way to achieve financial freedom is to take small steps in the right direction, and the economic problem prevention audit is the right first step.
Simply click here to get started. It only takes 7 minutes to fill out the short survey.
P.P.S Have you watched Billy TV yet?. Click here to watch a 5 minute episode. http://billyalvaro.blip.tv/#1037427
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Julys Middle Class to Millionaire Newsletter
July is upon us. Along with Independence Day, did you know July is also
Financial Independence Month?
Well, actually it's not, however with the sate of the U.S economy and skyrocketing
Fuel prices, everything under the sun is going up. Except for your income. What a Bummmer.
On 3 seperate occasions This past weekend I was with friends and family. Across the board
all of em was moaning about the high cost of things. They have no money. It costs too much to travel. I went grocery shopping and it broke the bank. yada yada yada.
We'll I’ll let you in on a secret! Members of my Middle Class to Millionaire Inner Circle aren't complaining about what’s going on in the economy. Not in the least bit. They’re all going to their family and friend BBQs with a big smile on their face.
What do my members know, most people don't?
The secret benefits of the economic problem prevention audit.
There laughing all the way to the bank.
Some are saving tens of thousands a year, others, enjoying the debt free life style, even more are banking on paying off there homes with 8 years.
If you want to kick this economy right in the A*S- and laugh all the way to the bank
get off your booty and take action. It won’t happen unless you take the next step.
Anyway, I'm heading out right now with some friends for dinner.
Enjoy your week- have a safe 4th
Expect success
Billy Alvaro
P.S when you’re at the BBQs this weekend listen as most speak about how tough it is. When you notice someone, not saying much, smile on their face- theirs a Good chance they have had their personalized economic Problem Prevention audit...
P.P.S My schedule this week is booked solid as is the early part of next. However if you
Go to www.savemonthly.com/firststep and fill out the form I'll see if I can squeeze you in.
P.P.P.S check out the results Maria and Joel from Staten Island received from the Economic Problem Prevention audit www.savemonthly.com/holderman
P.P.P.S i almost forgot here is the online link for July's newsletter
Its in pdf format
http://www.savemonthly.com/July2008MiddleClass2Millionairenewsletter.com.pdf
Sunday, June 29, 2008
MMG Weekly
Last Week in Review
"I NEVER WORRY ABOUT ACTION, BUT ONLY ABOUT INACTION." ~ Winston Churchill. These words proved especially true last week, as the big story was the Fed's lack of action following their recent meeting, or decision to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged - but is the Fed's decision a cause for worry? The financial markets seem to think so. The Fed is in a tough spot with the economy performing sluggishly, the housing market still struggling to stabilize, consumer confidence being low, and food and energy costs going up seemingly every day. They made the decision to hold rates steady for now, but looking forward, what does all this mean for Bonds and home loan rates?
While the Fed made a smart move to cut its benchmark rate back in September to stimulate the economy, the continued string of cuts has considerably weakened the US Dollar against the Euro. And since oil is priced in Dollars, the decline of the Dollar has pushed oil prices to rise, even though consumption in the US is down. Prior to the Fed starting their recent string of cuts in mid-September, oil was trading at a then staggeringly high $73/barrel, and it took $1.35 to buy 1 Euro. And after nine months of Fed rate cuts, the Dollar has weakened to where it takes $1.57 to buy 1 Euro...which has greatly influenced oil prices to top $140/barrel. And because oil is involved in so much of what we purchase, prices have gone up on everything.
The bottom line: A stronger stance against inflation by the Fed - which would mean rate hikes ahead - could help strengthen the Dollar, combat high oil prices, and cause Bonds and home loan rates to improve in turn, as inflation is the arch enemy of both. It will be important to see what the Fed decides to do about the Fed Funds Rate at their next meeting in August, so stay tuned!
In other news, Bonds and home loan rates saw some improvement last week after several items...including a profit warning from UPS (a concern since less shipping indicates less sales and continued weakness in the economy), a price increase from Dow Chemical due to the rising cost of energy, weak Consumer Sentiment...caused money to flow from Stocks to Bonds and helped pressure Stocks to what could be their worst June performance since the Great Depression. After all the week's action - and inaction - Bonds and home loan rates ended the week slightly better than where they began, mostly due to weaker Stocks.
PREPARATION IS A CRUCIAL PART OF TAKING ACTION...AS THE SAYING GOES, "IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, THEN YOU PLAN TO FAIL." CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S MORTGAGE MARKET VIEW TO LEARN A GREAT STEP-BY-STEP PROCESS YOU CAN USE TO PREPARE SUCCESSFULLY FOR ALMOST ANYTHING, FROM ASKING FOR A RAISE TO TAKING A GREAT VACATION.
Forecast for the Week
There's a holiday shortened week ahead, as the financial markets will be closed on Friday in observance of Independence Day. But...there could still be lots of action this week, particularly with the Department of Labor's Jobs Report scheduled for Thursday, just ahead of the long weekend. A positive report could be good news for Stocks, but bad news for Bonds and home loan rates, so it will be especially important to watch all the fireworks that follow the headlines.
Remember when Bond prices move higher, home loan rates move lower...and vice versa. The chart below shows how the action in the Bond market improved last week, helping home loan rates to improve as well. So as always, I will be watching closely during the coming week.
If inflation continues to shake up the markets or if the news on employment is surprisingly good...the action for Bond prices and home loan rates could change direction and worsen.
Chart: Fannie Mae 6.0% Mortgage Bond (Friday Jun 27, 2008)
The Mortgage Market View...
The Importance of Preparation
Preparation is a crucial element to success in all your endeavors, be it preparing for an important meeting or an upcoming summer vacation. As Zig Ziglar once said, "You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win." Ronald Shapiro, author of the New York Times bestseller, Dare to Prepare: How to Win Before You Begin, suggests these great steps you can use to prepare for anything. Ask yourself:
What is the objective? Determine where you want to end up before you get started, and make sure you don't just pick the easiest or most obvious result. Make sure your objective ties into your short and long-term goals.
Are there precedents? Look for people who have both failed and succeeded in similar situations and see what and how you can learn from their experiences. If possible and if it makes sense, contact them and see if you can set up an informational interview or lunch to learn more details.
Are there any other scenarios? If you only prepare for your intended outcome, then you won't have a position to fall back on. Determine if there is more than one scenario that you should plan for, or if you should walk away if your intended outcome does not arise.
What's important to other people? Where possible, ask the other people who are involved about their concerns. This keeps you from assuming you know what matters most to everyone.
What's your time frame? Break down your overall project into small goals and set deadlines for each element so you stay on track while you go. For instance, if you are planning a trip, timeline everything from booking your airfare to making reservations for places to see while you're away.
Can anyone help? If you have people who can help you, ask them to do so! Not only will this make things more manageable, others can also help you see objections or problems that you might not have otherwise noticed.
What do you want to say? If you're preparing for an important meeting or have an important request like asking for a raise or a bargain deal from a salesman, practice first! Outline your main points, create a script, and practice until the words feel normal.
To download a preparation principles checklist, visit http://www.shapironegotiations.com/pdf/PREPARATION_PRINCIPLES_CHECKLIST.pdf.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Week in Review
"INFLATION IS AS VIOLENT AS A MUGGER, AS FRIGHTENING AS AN ARMED ROBBER, AND AS DEADLY AS A HIT MAN." ~ Ronald Reagan. And although you might not describe the effects of inflation in such strong terms yourself...rest assured that the effects of inflation have crept into your home, your gas tank and your wallet. And inflation is also the nemesis of Bonds and therefore home loan rates, because just like inflation erodes the value of the dollars you spend, inflation erodes the value of the fixed return a Bond provides. And last week, Bond pricing worsened on news of inflation, causing home loan rates to move higher by about .25% across the board and reaching the highest levels seen in weeks.
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The week was shortened by the Memorial Day holiday, but right out of the gates, inflation concerns abounded. The Consumer Confidence Report indicated that consumer inflation expectations are at an all-time high...meaning that consumers are seeing inflation as a real threat to their own financial situation. Rising energy costs and worldwide inflation fears continued to pummel Bonds lower - in fact, so low that they moved below a tough technical floor of support at the 200-Day Moving Average. This is important because Bonds have made a decisive cross over the 200-day Moving Average on only three separate occasions within the past three years. This means that barring a timely reversal, we are likely seeing a shift in the market towards higher home loan rates.
Friday brought a little good news on inflation, as the Core Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) Index showed that inflation does remain within the Fed's comfort zone. While Bonds and home loan rates improved somewhat on the news, the trend for the week was definitely worse overall, as the big picture on inflation cost Bonds and home loan rates some hard earned ground.
LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR STIMULUS CHECK...AND WISHING THE SIZE OF IT COULD BE "INFLATED?" RETAILERS HAVE COOKED UP SOME INTERESTING SPECIALS TO DO JUST THAT, SHOULD YOU DECIDE TO SPEND YOUR CHECK ON THEIR GOODS OR SERVICES. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS WEEK'S MORTGAGE MARKET VIEW FOR SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT CREATIVE RETAILERS HAVE IN STORE FOR YOU.
Forecast for the Week
This coming week, one economic report in particular bears inflated significance...Friday's release of the infamous monthly Jobs Report. It will reveal, among many other things, the number of jobs lost or gained during the month of May. Last month's Jobs Report indicated that 20,000 jobs were lost in April, and while this was better than the expected job losses of 75,000, it is possible that the reported number understated the actual number of jobs lost, due to how the Department of Labor averages their count. And part of each month's report is "revisions" to the several prior months' numbers...which this could be quite a wild card for Bonds and home loan rates.
Last month's Jobs Report, which was indeed more positive than expected, caused Bonds to fall a whopping 134bp in a matter of minutes, and home loan rates worsened quickly. Why? Because even though the news wasn't great, it sure was better than anticipated...and this caused money to flow out of Bonds, and into Stocks...which caused Bond prices and home loan rates to worsen. This week's Jobs Report could sure be another mover, and if the report or revisions indicate positive news on the jobs front, home loan rates will likely worsen in response.
Remember when Bond prices move higher, home loan rates move lower...and vice versa. And as you can see in the chart below, Bonds moved lower for most of the week, and actually closed below an important technical level at the 200-day Moving Average. This is a very important level, as it can act as either a very strong floor of support helping Bond prices not to fall below it...or as an equally strong ceiling of resistance, preventing Bonds and home loan rates from improving above it. And with Bonds currently having fallen beneath it, I'll be watching closely this week to see if Bonds have indeed fallen and can't get up...or if they can break above that tough level later this week and help home loan rates improve.
The Mortgage Market View...
Retailers Looking For Some "Stimulus"...
According to a recent poll on how consumers intend to spend their stimulus checks, 19% of consumers plan on using their economic stimulus check for a special purchase, and 23% plan to use their check for everyday expenses. The rest...well, 36% say they will pay down debt and 22% say they will put it into savings. But will the check burn a hole through their pockets?
Maybe so, particularly with the "stimulus check" specials that many retailers have come up with, offering bonuses and incentives for people who spend their "stimulus" dollars with them. Here are some examples, in case you want to take advantage of any offers:
Sears. If you use your stimulus check to purchase a gift card, you receive an additional gift card worth 10% of your check's value. This offer is also good at Kmart and Lands' End.
Kroger. Between now and July 31, 2008, you can exchange your tax refund or economic stimulus check for a Kroger gift card with an extra $30.00 (for $300.00 checks), $60.00 (for $600.00 checks) or $120.00 (for $1,200.00 checks) added to it. The program is available throughout Kroger stores nationwide - including Kroger, Baker's, City Market, Dillons, Fred Meyer, Fry's, Gerbes, Hilander, Jay C, King Soopers, Owen's, Pay Less, Ralphs, Smith's and QFC stores.
Home Depot. To encourage consumers to invest their stimulus check in their homes through energy efficient products and services, the retailer is offering special values on energy-efficient products such as light bulbs and home appliances through the summer.
Radio Shack. The retailer will cash your check and give you 10% off on any purchase above $50, and then give you the difference as a prepaid MasterCard that can be used anywhere that takes MasterCard.
Domino's Pizza. Although you don't need to use your stimulus check for purchase, Domino's is getting into the spirit of economic stimulus, offering a "recession-busting" special of three pizzas for $12.00. According to the company's press release, "While you're feeding the economy with your special refund check, let it feed you back."
These are just some of the promotions that retailers are currently offering, and more deals are likely on the way. If there's something you want to use part of your stimulus check for, do your homework and take advantage of the specials that are out there. And if you do intend to pay down debt with the check, feel free to give me a call to discuss which debt would make most sense to reduce!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Monday, May 12, 2008
May 2008 From Middle Class To Millionaire Newsletter
It’s the day after Mothers day. Hope you treated your mom to a great day.
Just got done putting the finishing touches on the May 2008 “From Middle Class to Millionaire Newsletter”. Click here to down load the pdf version
http://www.savemonthly.com/From%20Middle%20Class%20To%20Milliionaire%20NewsLetter%20May%202008.pdf
If you don’t have adobe reader down load it for free here
http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html?promoid=BUIGO
Enjoy
Billy Alvaro
P.S I am starting a weekly Video broadcasting training service where you’ll be able to send in any question you would like answered about debt-wealth-income assets growing wealth etc.
Send in your questions to balvaro@savemonthly.com or post it to this blog. If your question is picked you'll get a gift certificate for $10.00 in free gas along with a complimentary 45 minute coaching session a $750.00 value.
Expect success
Monday, April 28, 2008
Video Blog week In review
Last Week in Review
"IN THE SPRING, I HAVE COUNTED 136 DIFFERENT KINDS OF WEATHER. AND THAT WAS JUST INSIDE OF 24 HOURS." Mark Twain. And Bonds have certainly weathered all kinds of days this spring, with this past week being no exception. Bonds did enjoy some high times starting with Monday's move to the upside after National City Corporation announced they would be receiving a $7 Billion cash infusion. This move suggests that investors are seeing value in the battered financial sector, and perhaps are feeling that there is a bottom being reached in the credit crunch.
In other headlines, Existing Home Sales met expectations, but New Home Sales numbers for March were worse than expected, possibly due to the large increase in the costs for materials needed to construct a home. But then there was a change in climate on Friday, as inflation news from around the World created some strong adverse headwinds for Bonds and home loan rates. Overall, home loan rates ended the volatile week unchanged to slightly higher.
Now is still a good time to take advantage of historically low home loan rates before more inflation talk pushes them higher. I'm always here to help advise you, your friends, and your colleagues...no matter the season!
SPRING ISN'T JUST THE SEASON FOR CRAZY WEATHER...IT'S ALSO THE PERFECT TIME FOR SPRING CLEANING. CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S MORTGAGE MARKET VIEW FOR SOME GREAT SPRING CLEANING TIPS AND ADVICE!
Forecast for the Week
After last week's relatively slow economic news calendar, things will heat up this week with several events that have the potential to move the market. On Wednesday, the Fed will announce their interest rate decision...and then the very next day, the Fed's most favored gauge of inflation will be released, the Personal Consumption Expenditure Index (PCE). It will be interesting to play armchair quarterback to the Fed's decision, and watch what the inflation numbers reveal! And let's not forget, on Friday we will see the important Jobs Report, where early estimates are for a net loss of 80,000 jobs.
As you can see in the chart below, Bond prices ended the week between a technical "floor of support" at the 200-day Moving Average and an overhead "ceiling of resistance" at the 50-day Moving Average...and that ceiling might just stop any improvement for Bonds and home loan rates for the short term, unless the news of the week is really Bond-friendly. We'll have to wait and see if the week's upcoming news leads to calm or stormy times ahead.
Chart: Fannie Mae 5.5% Mortgage Bond (Friday Apr 25, 2008)
The Mortgage Market View...
SPRING HAS SPRUNG...
...and that means it's time to wash away those winter blues! In fact, according to the Soap and Detergent Association - did you even know there was such a thing? - three-quarters of Americans engage in spring-cleaning. In fact, their surveys indicated that more than 80 percent of people who spring clean agree that it helps them save time throughout the year, and 96 percent of people donate or discard items during their spring-cleaning.
But the advantages can go much further than that. Check out these top ten spring-cleaning activities, compiled by www.medicinenet.com, that can help make your home healthier and safer:
Thoroughly dust your home. Also clean any air conditioning and heating filters, ducts, and vents to minimize pollens and other airborne allergens.
Organize your medicine cabinet. Throw away expired medications and old prescription medicines that you no longer need.
Inventory your garage and basement. Get rid of any old paint, thinners, oils, solvents, stains, and other similar items you no longer need. Note: You may need to take these items to a hazardous waste drop off center.
Inventory under your sinks and around your house. Dispose of old or potentially toxic cleaning products.
Have your chimney professionally cleaned. This will help you lessen the chances of carbon monoxide exposure when the cold weather returns.
Clean all mold and mildew from bathrooms and other damp areas. Use non-toxic cleaning products.
Check your rugs. Make sure that rugs on bare floors have non-skid mats and that older or dusty mats are either washed or replaced.
Inspect outdoor playground equipment. Make sure that all elements are sturdy and safe, especially guardrails, protruding bolts, and other potential sources of injury.
Change your batteries. Do so for both smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
Collect old batteries throughout the house for disposal. Dispose of them in a battery recycling or hazardous waste center.
And make it easy on yourself - take it one room, one cleaning task at a time. You'll be more likely to accomplish more if you tackle each spring-cleaning project separately. And that's great advice...any time of year!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Proof! How to Transform Your debt into wealth
Here is the Proof!
Finally, Discover How to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck...
Yes, You can Transform Your Debt into Wealth
and go From Middle Class to Millionaire-
Just Listen to what Peggy and Wayne Reusch Experienced
What would your life be like if you had no more bills- no more debt- no more stress and worry?
What would it mean to you and your family if you were able to save $850.21 Every month?
How would you feel having your home paid for in 12 years instead of 30 dreadfully long years?
Imagine the security in knowing you won't have to depend on Social Insecurity or pension during retirement...
It all starts with taking action. Stop procrastinating and start on the road to financial freedom today. Click here now to claim your Economic Problem Prevention Audit. You won't know how fantastic and abundant life can be until you've discovered first hand how you'll benefit from going through the Economic problem prevention audit.
I only accept 8 clients per month- taken on a first come first serve basis. Click here now to reserve your Audit.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Last Week in Review
jk"THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH CHANGE, AS LONG AS IT IS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION." ~ Winston Churchill.
One silver lining...some of the abuse that Bonds took was at the hands of somewhat positive economic news. Remember that positive or strong economic news tends to benefit Stocks, which in turn can pull money out of Bonds - which causes Bond prices to worsen and home loan rates to rise. So when news hit of a far better than forecast Retail Sales Report and much better than expected earnings reports from giants like Google, the financial markets responded by flowing money over into Stocks, and right out of Bonds, causing home loan rates to rise.
Also hurting Bonds was inflation chatter during speeches made by several Federal Reserve Presidents, who vocalized their concerns over the persistence of inflation in the current economy. Additionally, the Producer Price Index showed wholesale inflation to be climbing higher, thanks to record high oil prices and a seventeen-year high on food prices. Because inflation erodes the value of the fixed return provided by a Bond, the scent of inflation in the air always causes Bond prices to decline, and as a result, home loan rates will rise.
Even though Bond prices ended the week lower than they began, it is still a good time to take advantage of historically lower home loan rates before rising inflation continues to push rates higher. If you, or a friend, family member, neighbor or coworker needs advice on the latest changes in the market, please feel free to get in touch.
ANOTHER KIND OF CHANGE IS COMING SOON, AS POSTAGE RATES WILL INCREASE ON MAY 12. BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT...THE POSTAL SERVICE IS ACTUALLY OFFERING SOME PRICE REDUCTIONS TOO! GET THE WHOLE STORY - AND LEARN HOW YOU MIGHT SAVE SOME CHANGE - IN THIS WEEK'S Economic MARKET VIEW.
Forecast for the Week
After last week's barrage of economic news, the calendar will quiet down this coming week. However, we will get a good look at the housing market via the Existing Home Sales Report on Wednesday, and the New Home Sales Report on Thursday - as well as a read on Durable Goods Orders.
What are those "durable goods" anyways? Simply put, they are items that are durable, or made to last longer than three years, such as cars, furniture, electronics, appliances, business equipment, games, cameras, etc. This report shows a good measure of consumer and business consumption and buying behavior, and depending on the health of the report, could bring some activity to the volatile financial markets.
As you can see in the chart below, Bond prices ended the week with a move higher from a "floor of support" at the 200-day Moving Average...but are now headed back towards an overhead "ceiling of resistance" which could stop their progress higher. Remember that when Bond prices move higher, home loan rates move lower...and vice versa. If the news of the coming week isn't Bond-friendly enough to help them bash their way through the overhead ceiling, Bond prices and home loan rates may worsen once again.
Chart: Fannie Mae 5.5% Mortgage Bond (Friday Apr 18, 2008)
The Mortgage Market View...
A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS
Starting May 12th, it'll cost you one extra little penny to mail someone your thoughts. That's right...the US Postal Service is getting ready to make some price changes, and the biggest change for most consumers will be a price increase for First Class stamps from 41c to 42c.
The news isn't all bad, though. That's because for the first time in the history of the US Postal Service, the new pricing structure will include online price reductions, rebates, commercial volume and contract prices, as well as several other new incentives. The heat must be on the USPS to be competitive in pricing, as according to Postmaster General John Potter: "These innovative pricing incentives will make our products more attractive to all shippers, especially small businesses. We're pricing our products to sell in today's competitive shipping market."
The information below can help you plan for your postal expenses - and figure out a few ways that you can save - starting next month.
New Prices as of May 12
Consistent with The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, the average increase of the prices is at or below the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index. Here's what the new pricing will be:
First-Class Mail letter 1 oz. = 42c (current price = 41c)
First-Class Mail letter 2 oz. = 59c (current price = 58c)
Postcard = 27c (current price = 26c)
Certified Mail = $2.70 (current price = $2.65)
First-Class Mail International to Canada and Mexico 1 oz. = 72c (current price = 69c)
First-Class Mail International to all other countries 1 oz. = 94c (current price = 90c)
Ways to Save...
Forever Stamps — Last year, the US Postal Service introduced Forever Stamps... and this is your chance to reap the rewards! You can purchase Forever Stamps prior to May 12 at the lower 41c rate, and then use them even after the price change. Forever Stamps are widely available through Post Offices, Contract Postal Units, consignment locations, Automated Postage Centers, and The Postal Store®. To help meet increased demand before the price change, the US Postal Service plans to have 5 Billion Forever Stamps in stock. So you shouldn't have any problems getting your hands on them.
In addition to Forever Stamps, the US Postal Service is introducing all new ways to help you save, including the following new incentives:
Express Mail — With the new "zone-based pricing system," you'll pay less when you send a letter to a nearby destination using Express Mail. You can also save 3 percent when you purchase Express Mail online or through a corporate account. Finally, additional price reductions are available if you ship quarterly minimums.
Priority Mail — The new pricing structure includes a provision to help you save an average of 3.5 percent when you use electronic postage or meet other requirements.
Parcel Select — Large- and medium-size shippers will receive pricing and volume incentives under the "last mile" delivery provision.
Parcel Return Service — A new weight-based pricing system will result in significant price reductions for the return shipping of lighter packages.
You can learn more about the new pricing structure at www.usps.com/prices, and you can purchase Forever Stamps at your local Post Office or online at The Postal Store®.
Case Study. How to make $52,161.23 on one real-estate deal without any of your own money.
Case Study. How to make $52,161.23 on one real-estate deal without any of your own money.
It’s true. Recently a group of 3 clients that I had the honors of transforming their debt into wealth using my proprietary Un-Fair Economic advantage system ® wanted to break into the real-estate game. The only challenge they faced was lack of capital to invest. That’s the reason they engaged me again, this time as their real-estate coach.
To identify the ideal property they used a 3 part process of finding and analyzing the properties. In a little under a month they successfully had an accepted offer on an ideal property.
Next challenge to overcome Where to get the money.. No challenge when you understand the fund it wealth strategy.
I revealed to the group an investment secret I used for years (and still use to this day) on how to buy and sell real-estate with little or no money. 4 days after their accepted offer we got them all the money they needed to buy the house and 20 thousand dollars additional to FIX the property.
Yes you read that right. They purchased the house with no money out of their pocket- and received 20k additional to improve the property.
• Not only did we show them how to buy the house with no money, and get 20k for the improvements I also showed them a secret on how to postpone the mortgage payments until they sell the house. They did not have to worry about making those dreadful mortgage payments.
4 weeks later the house was completely renovated under budget.
Now many of you may be saying great but how are you going to sell a house in this market? Simple. Use the Flip it marketing strategies’ to sell the house lightening fast. In fact they did just that. 5 days on the market the house was sold for full asking price- in this so called down real-estate market.
Bottom line the group walked away with a cool $52,161.23 in cold hard cash. Not bad for their first deal.
If this group can do it so can you. The first thing you should do is what the 3 of them did.
Step 1 Get an economic problem prevention audit by going to www.savemonthly.com/audit
Step 2 Get a detailed bullet proof plan for transforming your debt into wealth.
Step 3 Follow the plan and get wealthy.
Step 4 Have fun during your journey to prosperity
Expect Success
Billy Alvaro
Economic Advisor Wealth Coach
P.S The economic Problem prevention audit will give you a detailed blue print on transforming your debt into wealth. In fact on page 13 of the 21 page Free Report How to Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck and transform your debt into wealth in 7 easy steps , I give you a detailed break down of what the audit will do for you. Reserve your free copy by visiting www.savemonthly.com on the right hand side request the report.
P.P.S Want to bust into the real-estate investing market but don’t know how/ don’t sweat it. To get on my real-estate riches coaching waiting list email me at balvaro@savemonthly.com in the subject line put Real-estate Riches waiting list. I’ll let you know when I have an opening.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Week in Review
"IT REQUIRES A GREAT DEAL OF BOLDNESS AND A GREAT DEAL OF CAUTION TO MAKE A GREAT FORTUNE." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson. And a great deal of caution was definitely important last week, as "earnings season" began on Wall Street. First quarter earnings for Stocks got off to a bit of a rough start, with disappointing news from aluminum company Alcoa - always the first in line to report. And General Electric surprised to the downside on Friday, with worse than expected earnings and comments on future earnings, cautioning they'd likely be lower than previously thought. The Stock market didn't like the negative tone and lost some ground, while Bonds moved both up and down during the week - hurt by some inflationary fears, but helped by cash coming over from Stocks. For the week overall, home loan rates ended up close to where they began.
In other news last week, "Meeting Minutes" from the March 18th Fed meeting revealed that infamous Fed Presidents Richard "Loose Lips" Fisher and Charlie Plosser both dissented from the recent decision to cut the Fed Funds Rate, stating that "inflation expectations could potentially become unhinged, if the Fed continues to lower the Fed Funds Rate in the current environment." Bold comments from two who clearly believe caution regarding inflation is of the utmost importance.
And caution, rather than confidence, seems to be the word of the moment, as Consumer Sentiment for April was reported far below expectations, representing a 26-yr low for the index. This very ugly reading suggests that consumers may be hesitant to make large purchases, which does not bode well for future economic prospects.
Despite the dark cloud cast from the negative economic news, the silver lining is that home loan rates are once again near levels not seen since mid-2005. But remember, these low rates can change quickly. To see how you may benefit from the current market conditions, feel free to contact me.
SPEAKING OF GREAT FORTUNES, ARE YOU EXPECTING A REFUND BACK FROM THE IRS THIS YEAR? OR ARE YOU ONE OF THE MILLIONS WHO HAVEN'T FILED YET? CHECK OUT THIS WEEK'S MORTGAGE MARKET VIEW FOR SOME IMPORTANT LAST-MINUTE TAX TIPS!
Forecast for the Week
And with the word "caution" in mind...there are several reports due this week which could impact the markets and home loan rates. Monday's Retail Sales Report will kick-off the week with some potential for volatility, and Wednesday will bring the inflation measuring Consumer Price Index, as well as a read on the housing market via the Housing Starts and Building Permits Report.
Bonds continue to bounce around in a wide range - and remember, when Bond prices move higher, home loan rates move lower...and vice versa. The chart below shows how Bond prices are recently moving between a floor of support at the 50-day Moving Average, and an overhead ceiling representing recent price "highs".
So stay tuned - if this week's news turns out to be as negative as it has of late, Bond prices and home loan rates could find a bit more improvement.
TAX TIME IS HERE AGAIN...
"I shall never use profanity...except in discussing house rent and taxes." ~Mark Twain. April 15 is just a few days away...and hopefully this year's tax season hasn't caused too much profanity in your household. Of course it's always wise to be careful about criticizing the IRS, but no matter what you feel like saying about them at the moment, they have compiled these helpful tips for last-minute filers:
Go electronic. The biggest advice the IRS has for last-minute filers is to file an e-return rather than a paper tax form. The IRS considers this the best step for ensuring that your return is complete and accurate.
Check it carefully - then check it again. If you choose to file a paper return, make sure you double-check your numbers and figures. The numbers to check most carefully are the identification numbers--usually Social Security numbers--for each person listed. Missing, illegible, or incorrect Social Security Numbers can reduce or delay a tax refund.
Also, you should double check that you have correctly calculated the refund or balance due, and that you have used the right figure from the tax table. If you are entitled to a refund this year, make sure that your financial institution's routing and account numbers are entered accurately. Incorrect numbers can cause the refund to be delayed or even misdirected.
Sign on the bottom line. Don't forget to sign and date your return. If you are filing a joint return, both spouses must sign it...even if only one had income. Also, anyone that you pay to help prepare your return must sign it as well.
Make payable to...? If you owe taxes this year, you must make the check out to "United States Treasury." Do not make the check out to "IRS." Your payment should be enclosed with the tax return or the Form 1040-V, Payment Voucher (if used), but do not attach your payment to either document.
Don't throw away those labels. If you choose to mail a paper return, use the peel-off label on the tax booklet. You can line through and make corrections right on the label if necessary. If you do not have a peel-off label, fill in all requested information clearly, including the Social Security numbers.
Don't be late! By the April 15 due date, taxpayers should either file a return or request an extension of time to file. Remember, the extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay.
For more information, as well as forms and publications, visit www.IRS.gov. Remember the official IRS governmental Web site is www.irs.gov. Don't be confused by internet sites that end in .com, .net, .org, or other designations instead of .gov. And for a complete checklist and a listing of some of the most common errors, visit http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc303.html, or call the IRS's TeleTax number, 800-829-4477.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Last week in March review
Last Week in Review
"NO GREAT DISCOVERY WAS EVER MADE WITHOUT A BOLD GUESS." Isaac Newton But even the great mind of Isaac Newton might not have guessed that Bonds and home loan rates would continue on such a volatile course. But let's get bold, and discover what caused the latest rock and roll action in the financial markets, and take a look at what the coming week might have in store.
Forces were certainly at work to keep the financial markets from being at rest, starting bright and early on Monday morning. The headlines brought a quick shot in the arm for Stocks, as beleaguered Bear Stearns is now expected to see $10 per share in their buyout, rather than the previously expected $2 per share. Great news for the troubled financial sector at large, but Bonds got battered hard, as money flowed out of Bonds and into Stocks - causing home loan rates to rise.
But as the week progressed, some dismal news played out, including a plunge in Consumer Confidence and mixed news on the housing market, which pulled the money right back out of Stocks, and into the safe haven of Bonds...helping home loan rates improve again. But like Newton's famous third law of motion, "every action has an equal and opposite reaction" - Bonds and home loan rates changed course again, on better than expected unemployment claims on Thursday.
Than on Friday brought the discovery that Core inflation is perhaps not as hot as previously thought. The highly watched year-over-year core inflation rate was reported at just 2%, as measured by the Fed's favored Personal Consumption Expenditure Index (PCE), and within the bounds of what the Fed would like to see for core inflation. Since inflation is the arch enemy of fixed return Bonds and home loan rates...this news was good indeed, and caused home loan rates to improve once again. Once the dust settled for the week, home loan rates ended up near where they began, before their weekly roller coaster ride.
WHILE THE MARKETS REMAIN HIGHLY VOLATILE AND UNCERTAIN, AT LEAST TWO THINGS IN LIFE ARE CERTAIN - DEATH AND TAXES. BUT THIS YEAR, SOME GOOD NEWS FOR A CHANGE AT TAX TIME, WITH THE REBATE CHECKS MANY HAVE IN STORE. WANT TO BE CERTAIN ABOUT WHEN TO EXPECT YOURS...AND HOW MUCH IT MIGHT BE? DON'T MISS THIS WEEK'S MORTGAGE MARKET VIEW!
Forecast for the Week
The Bond market will gravitate towards news from the job market this week, with employment information due to arrive on Wednesday and Friday. Although Wednesday's ADP Employment Report has a history of being somewhat unreliable in predicting the "official" Jobs Report number, Bond traders will still try to use it to predict what the Department of Labor's report will show on Friday. And this week, the estimates are negative - meaning no job creations are expected, net job losses are what is anticipated - so any positive reads could be good news for Stocks, but bad news for Bonds and home loan rates. So...surprise, surprise...more volatility for Bonds and home loan rates is likely in store, between the ADP Report release on Wednesday, and the arrival of the Jobs Report on Friday morning.
Remembering that when Bond prices move higher, home loan rates move lower - you can see that the chart below shows some good news. The black line indicates a "floor of support" created by the Bond's 50-day Moving Average - and you can see that the floor is helping Bonds hold their present levels, and if the floor holds, could potentially help them improve even more.
While Bonds and home loan rates could react to early week news of housing and manufacturing, the employment news will definitely be the talk of the week, and any surprises will likely cause a swift reaction.
Chart: Fannie Mae 5.5% Mortgage Bond (Friday Mar 28, 2008)
The Mortgage Market View...
TAX REBATES MAILING SOON... WHEN WILL YOU GET YOURS?
Last month, President Bush signed the Economic Stimulus Package into law - setting aside $168 billion in tax rebates and incentives to help boost the US economy. As we head into spring, those tax rebates are getting ready to hit the mail. So when should you expect yours? That depends on a few factors, including when you file your 2007 tax return, whether you choose direct deposit, and believe it or not...what your social security number is.
Timing Is Everything! We all know the deadline for filing your 2007 taxes is quickly approaching. But you may want to be ahead of the curve if you want your tax rebate sooner, rather than later. That's because tax rebates will start going out on May 2... but only to taxpayers who have their returns "processed" - not just sent - by April 15. The closer it gets to mid-April, the more the IRS gets backed up to process the flood of returns--sometimes taking a couple of weeks to complete. E-filers will get their rebates more quickly, since electronic returns can be processed faster. However, even e-filers should have their returns in by April 10 to be safe.
Would You Like Paper? Or Electronic? Tax rebate checks will start going out on May 2. But here's the deal... taxpayers who chose direct deposit will be first in line. According to the IRS, all direct deposit tax rebates will be wired between May 2 and May 16. Paper checks won't start going out until May 16, and aren't expected to be completed until mid-July.
What's Your Number? The IRS needs some way to determine the order of distributions - but they're not going alphabetically. Instead, tax rebates will be distributed in order of the last two digits of your Social Security number...the lower your number, the sooner you'll receive your payment. For a detailed breakdown of the order, take a look at the IRS's Stimulus Payment Schedule.
About seven to ten days before your rebate is sent, the IRS will send you a notice informing you how much it will be. If you signed up for direct deposit, however, you'll probably receive that information in the mail about the same time your rebate is deposited into your account, since direct deposit transactions are processed so quickly. But you don't have to wait that long to determine approximately how much you'll receive. To calculate your approximate rebate, visit the new online stimulus calculator on the IRS website.
Finally, it's important to remember that the rebate check will not be counted as taxable income and will not reduce your refund or increase the amount you owe when you file your 2008 return. However, if you owe back taxes, the IRS will apply your rebate to that bill and send you whatever is left over.
For more information, visit the Economic Stimulus Package Information page on the IRS website. You can even read detailed answers to Frequently Asked Questions.
Expect Success
Billy Alvaro
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