Info on how to Reclaim a PPI and do you Qualify for it?

PPI is one of the extremely usable insurances. However, it is observed that in majority of the cases PPI is mis-sold along with credit cards, loans and mortgages. There are several cases recorded where PPI was mis-sold and finally proved to be of no use when they were claimed. Well, in such a case there is only one option left out and that is reclaiming PPI. You can reclaim your PPI by yourself or by hiring a solicitor or a claims management company.



These days, you can easily find many people asking for their PPI claims, but regrettably most of them don’t get it. One important reason behind this is that people neglect and don’t go through the terms and conditions thoroughly and sometimes they are actually not qualified to get the PPI claim. Mentioned below is a list of essential things that you should consider when you think of requesting for PPI claim.

Find necessary documents:

First of all make sure that you have a PPI policy by finding necessary documents. Usually, even the banks write to their customers that they mis-sold a PPI. If you get any such notification do not ignore it. Your bank is writing to you because they accept that they have missold you a PPI, so this will be the right time to get the refund of the premium that you paid unnecessarily.

Your age when PPI coverage was sold to you:

PPI can only be sold to those who are above 18. Therefore, if you find that you were sold a PPI before turning 18 then you have a very good chance of rightfully asking the claim of your PPI.

Were you retired, unemployed or self-employed while taking a PPI?

If you were underage, student, unemployed or self-employed while taking the policy, then for sure it was mis-sold. In this case, you have a very good chance of making a PPI claim. PPI is worthless if you were retired or unemployed. Also, those who work part-time or working on a temporary contract basis cannot take a PPI. Thus, as the policy was mis-sold to you, you can claim it rightfully.

Now, if the above mentioned points are in your favor, you can go ahead and request for a claim, if you are denied you can reclaim it by taking professional advice.

What is the deadline to claim?

Well, there are no deadlines and you can claim it any time. However, the policy that was active in last 6 years is easy to claim. The reason behind this is 6 years is the time frame for which banks are required to keep the info about credit cards and loans. Lastly, you can claim the PPI anytime, but the important thing is that you should have necessary paperwork because without essential documents, it will be very difficult to prove your case.

In case the bank rejects your claim, you need not worry. If you have all the necessary details that will make your case stronger you can reclaim it. However, expecting a quick resolution is not wise.


Samuel is an ardent writer and he writes on many topic related to the financial and legal matters. If you are looking for ways to deal with Mis sold PPI, please visit their website to learn more about it.

Customer is not king

Almost everyone who knows about the word customer, would have heard about this: 'Customer is king'.

This must surely rate as one of the most absurd beliefs of all time.

Some more absurd beliefs are:

1) Evolution is a myth
2) There is no global warming
3) One can eat a hearty meal in Mumbai for Rs 12.
4) One can eat a hearty meal in Delhi for Rs 5
5) One can eat a hearty meal in Srinagar for Rs 1
6) Pedophilia is not a criminal condition, it is a mental illness

Since I am a salesman, I feel this way whenever anyone passionately espouses that customer is king:



(Source: www.memegenerator.net)

I feel it is wrong because of the following reasons:

1) A king will negotiate. But not haggle: Noticed a customer haggling over a few Rupees or Dollars? Treats your product/service as a commodity. Such a customer would refuse to take ROI (Return on Investment) into account. A customer who views the larger picture and does not insist on 'right-pricing' every six months or year is your king.

2) A king will be fair: If your customer admits that his team has been at fault as well, then this customer is a king. Otherwise expect to be badgered about the 'non-user-friendliness' of your software even if the customer's team member thinks 'out of the box' like him:


(Source: http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mfl/lowres/mfln6394l.jpg)

3) A king will know what he wants:  Have you heard your customer say 'I am not getting the expected results. Therefore I plan to discontinue your service'. You might be exasperated as you had offered the best possible service. In such a case, the customer doesn't really know what he wants. So better to let him figure it out. You can wait till the customer has this moment:


(Source: http://chakracenter.org/2013/03/07/ever-onward-the-divine-ridiculous/)

So treat those customers who are kings as kings. The others can be treated like the Common Man.

The Psychology of Response

When you are confronted with someone on a certain issue, how would you react? Research shows that there are three ways a person would respond on a situation like this.

More often, these three ways are associated to a specific type of person based on the responses. It is called the Psychology of Response.


Study shows that there are three ways of responding during a confrontational issue with someone - either your friend, foe, boss, colleague, etc. These are the following:

1. You get discouraged

In the course of the conversation, chances are hurting words may come out from both of you. These words can break a nerve and can cause spark to a heated argument.

This will definitely hurt you. But when you feel discouraged, hurt, depressed, sad, lonely (and all the other pity-adjectives out there), it is said that you are an average person. "Nobody's perfect, what the fuss?", you might ask.

Yes, but average in a manner that is unconscious and inexperienced of handling one's emotions. This is the first stage of enlightenment.

2. You answer defensively

Let's take in both scenarios. You answer defensively whether you are right or not with your responses.

You make a firm stand on your side and cover up your ass in order not to put the blame on you. This is right, sometimes. But doing this all the time is not good.

Imagine how this could break a relationship, cause misunderstandings and indifference. People of this type are intelligent.

They rationalize the issue, speak out loud and eliminate obstacles to meet halfway. However, the downside is that, the more you say something, the more it complicates the issue. This is true to some issues that need to be accepted and not to debated. This is the second stage of enlightenment.

3. You ignore and move on

Some people tend to listen more to the speaker and answer in a straightforward manner regardless of the response - be it constructive or destructive.

These type of people don't get affected with the words used to blow off their temper. These type of people are the smart ones. They think that more speaking and less listening is waste since you're missing the point what the speaker wants to imply.

They often neglect the unimportant, useless words spoken and focus more on the important issues being raised. Their responses are based on what they comprehensively understood on the speaker's statements. This is the 3rd stage of enlightenment.

I often belong to the intelligent and smart group of people. Though sometimes I tend to be stupid - hanging on to a certain issue and feeling emotional, I strive to be on the 3rd stage and I do this frequently.

The only setback on the third stage is that you may be misinterpreted as being arrogant and indifferent. This could be a losing fight for you on the corporate world. Thus, it is not always good to be on the last stage but balancing the 2nd and 3rd stage would be the best approach of all. 

How about you? What type of person are you?

Credits to www.lifehack.org

Self-Denial - Skill a Leader Must Know

Ever experienced on a leader who keeps on telling "Yes, it can be done!" when in reality is not achievable? How many times did your friend cheer up for you to do something really impossible yet you yourself know it's freakin' hard?

You tried Power Thinking yet it's undeniable that it couldn't really be done. You think you're nuts. Who's the psycho, you or him?


On my previous & current experiences, I realized that self-denial is good (sometimes) for leaders. Here's what I found out.

Being a leader is hard. Accountability and responsibility is high. But being a member of a group is even HARDER. A leader's task is mainly delegation & monitoring of the project, ensuring it is within the established timeline and all members are working right in order to hit the target.

Inevitably, there are times when a certain task is thrown to your team with a given short timeline. There's no choice but to accept the challenge as this is being mandated from a respected boss. As a leader, what would you do?

Okay, so you set up a meeting with your team to break down activities, delegate to members and set a specific for completion. Now as you proposed the timeline, your team was suddenly silent, staring blankly at the wall.

You waited for any comments and one brave man said, "Sir we can't make it to the deadline." You were amused! "Excuse me, is that a direct refusal without even getting started?", you exclaimed. Now a heated argument is started.

Your subordinate explained based on his experience the complexity and tediousness of the job: that it couldn't be done right away and if it's possible, the quality of the output may not be favorable.

You learned from a leadership book about being emphatic to what other person is implying. So you scrutinized the issue and came to a point to put yourself in his shoe. Now you understand the problem.

The timeline is REALLY tight that the project may not be accomplished on time. But the problem is you have already agreed and promised to deliver on time!

So what would you do? Even your boss reminded you to submit the project on time so that he can report it to Top Management!

Why self-denial is good for leaders sometimes? It is because instead of getting carried away with your team's concerns, you must project yourself like a dictator - powerful, energetic, professional, Mr.No-Problem-That's-Okay guy, firm, aggressive and optimistic.

Encouraging your team, giving rewards and acknowledging their accomplishments are some few ways to inspire them so that you won't be beaten by your boss.

Though deep inside you think that you are stupid - acting like everything's fine when it's not, the odds may be greater that the project has a higher chance of success rather than sympathizing with the group, second the complain motion or not doing anything at all.

But to top it all, it is not easy. I, too once tried this tactic but it didn't work for me. Why? Because I have difficulty of acting and saying what it's not in my heart and mind.

To be yourself is hard, but to not being yourself is the hardest. Yes it's easy to lie, but despite of that, still criminals get convicted even through the most reasonable lie they declared. Thus, self-denial is a skill a leader must know. This is not good. But when no one else knows about this other than you, hands down to you!

Good Debt VS Bad Debt

Debt is a negative word. Every time I hear the word from someone, my head starts to get heavy and aching. I dread the word. Baffling. Pesky. Nauseous.

Imagine what I would feel when something pops out in my head saying, "Don't ever take anything on credit! For God's sake, you will suffer for the rest of your life!" Scary, right? Yeah that was mom's voice. She's right. And she's wrong.


I really love the short but concise answer, "It depends." Almost every doubt can be answered with this line. Examples: "Investing is risky" - It depends.

You can be passive or aggressive in investing; "Nothing beats the iPhone" - It depends. Not all the features of iPhone are superb; "Calculus is the hardest subject ever!" - It depends. Some may find it easy and enjoyable.

You see, it is but relative on the person. Because not all things are created equal, we have a different perspective on every subject depending on our experience and personality.

Mind-crippling as it is, my fear of debt was mitigated. It is when my high school friend shared an interesting story about how he got a 20-door apartment with no money at all! He purchased the property all on credit! So here's how it goes. 

My friend lived in an apartment in Makati, Philippines. He's working on a multinational company. He's earning very well then. The landlady of the apartment where he was staying was kinda old.

Every time she collected the rent, my friend felt pity to her considering that she's 74 years old. "It seemed like she found it complicated managing her property at her age", my friend said.

"So I thought, why not offer to purchase her property so that she could retire and receive lump sum of money directly?", he continued. Days later, he made an offer to the landlady. Fortunately, his offer got accepted! Unfortunately, he had no cash! The property costs around 7 Million Pesos!

"What? I need to have a 7 Million Peso loan?", he exclaimed. So what he did is he searched around banks to finance the deal. Php 7 Million loan is not a joke. There are vital factors to consider in a loan.

Until finally, he had chosen a not-so-famous bank for a reason - it had the lowest interest rate. Luckily, he was approved for the loan (he has the capacity to pay considering his huge salary).

But before he pushed the deal, he did the math to check if he could make (or break) money out of the deal. "It was a no-brainer investment", he bragged. "How did you know that it was going to be profitable?", I asked perplexed.

"When my amortization with the bank is LESSER than my monthly rental income!", he proudly said. I was blown away. From there on, the way I look at debt has changed. I realized the value of leverage. Taking advantage.

So what is a Good Debt then? A debt is only good when you're making money out of it. When you invest the money you got from credit and it grows little by little (or exponentially), then that is a Good Debt!

Whereas, a debt is considered bad when nothing gets back to you in return. When you made a loan to buy for a car that you've been dreaming to have, that is really really bad. Consider this, the loan you acquired to purchase a car will never be recovered again. Instead, you'll be paying the loan per period basis from your income.

Now that means your expenses are elevated due to additional expenses - loan amortization, gas, car maintenance, repairs and maintenance. That's a BIG purchase indeed!

The Most Common Reasons for Mobile Phone Insurance Claims

There are a lot of reasons why you might need to submit an insurance claim for your mobile phone or device. These can range from the relatively normal to the absolutely absurd and bizarre. Still, whatever your reason for making your mobile device claim it is important that you have a reliable provider like Protect Your Bubble phone insurance that can work with you to quickly and reliably replace your lost or damaged mobile devices. We all make mistakes from time to time and have a need to deal with the results as fast as possible. Are you curious what some of the most common claims made for mobile devices today are? Well here is a list of several common claims that you should be aware of as they might happen to you.

1. Cracked Screens
Phones are fragile but this doesn’t stop almost all of us dropping them from time to time. Oops! But don't worry, this is a fairly common claim and one that shouldn’t take too long to resolve.

2. Stolen While Texting

Yep, this does happen. It's best not to take out your phone in crowded public spaces where it can be snatched, but sometimes this is unavoidable because we just have that crucially important call or message to respond to.

3. Leaving the Phone on the Roof of a Car

And then it's launched. Embarrassing to be sure, but it does happen. Quite a lot apparently! People seem to think their phones can fly like superman.

4. Can't Hear the Other Person When Making a Call

Can you hear me now? How about now?

5. Pet Knocks Phone onto Floor

Fluffy! No! Bad kitty!

6. Stolen From Purse

The message! Don't leave bags unattended.

7. Internet Connection Not Working

But I've been waiting all week to watch the new episode!

8. Phone Won't Charge

This could be the cable as much as the phone here, but it never hurts to get it checked out.

9. Dropped in the Bathtub or Toilet

You know what? I'm not going to ask. Your new phone is in the mail ma'am.

10. Screen Freezes

Try a hard reset of your phone before making a claim, but if that doesn't do it, then we're here for you! We know how frustrating this one can be.

There are lots of reasons why you might need to make a mobile device insurance claim. Not all of them are pretty or glamorous, but in this day and age, when many people only have a mobile phone or device as their primary means of communication, losing your device for long periods of time can be crippling. If you can't stay in touch with your networks then you run into some potentially problematic situations. That's why you've hopefully got coverage from a mobile insurance provider that you know you can rely on to replace your device quickly, efficiently, and get you back on the road again with your repaired or replaced device.


About the author: Laura Ginn is a professional blogger and avid tech enthusiast. She writes extensively on technology topics, such as mobile phones, computers, software and social media. She also reads extensively and if she's not staring at the screen, she's staring at a page.

How you can get cash when you are in a hurry

Borrowing money can be highly useful. Done responsibly and wisely, it can save you from potential disasters and other looming financial costs.

As such, a lot comes down to the right loan and this in turn, comes down to understanding the different types available and how they apply to you. Small loans are fast and flexible so it helps to know how to capitalise and make the most of them.

Quick payments

These small scale instant cash loans are typically named after their speed more than their small amount. These loans expect a quick turnaround but this also rewards you with quick payment.

Text loans, for example, can be in your account within minutes. The potential benefits for this should be clear, helping and allowing you to resolve any urgent problems almost immediately. Text loans can generally ensure that you receive the money quickly so that it can be spent and used within the day. Having to wait, even if only overnight, adds extra doubt and worry to the situation which is the last thing you need.

Wise lending

As useful as these loans can be, they’re most beneficial when taken out by a wise spender and borrower. These are still loans and should be taken with responsibility and consideration. Yet, if you take one out at the right time, it’s very useful. For example, paying off something now might prove useful if the cost of waiting would increase it. If this increase is more than the loan itself, you have a potentially clear argument to consider borrowing the money and paying it back on pay day.

Likewise, immediate problems and unknown variables might also come into consideration. There are also situations which might not cost you more money directly but can still hinder you. A broken car, for example, can stop you from working. However, a quick text loan could get you the money you need to resolve the emergency situation.

So long as you identify the right times to use a loan, they are always there as a viable option. Text loans ensure that you have this service at your fingertips, adding a layer of security to your financial plans. That said you still need to find the right cash loan and that means investigating all available options. 

I wanna be Happy, not Rich

You hear this all the time. All people are saying this, to overstate. We were born and raised hearing this line over and over again - like a broken record. First, I am not blaming anyone. Yet on a second thought, I found a slight glitch that makes the difference. Second, I am not convincing someone to advocate my opinion. Would be happy if you share some insights though.


You see, the statement says happiness is mutually exclusive with being rich. Which means to say, one can never be happy if he is rich and vice versa. The law of duality applies though flawed.

Of course not! I strongly disagree. And their STRONGEST defense is this - "Yeah they're rich, but they have family, personal problems at the very least. I don't want that." Very. Least. Superly extreme lol. If you are rich, you must have a serious problem! I don't want that too. Who does?

But after all, that is a LAME EXCUSE. Here is why.

To say that happiness does not come along with wealth is not true. Better forget that. Zilch. That's a crippling lie. Yes, I agree that there are some people who got rich and died like a rat.

They're caught up with drugs, suicide and serious problems. But that doesn't apply to ALL. Don't generalize the issue. It's like saying "All men are liars."

Woah! Then what am I? Kidding :) Of course that's not true. Just because you've been swindled by a strange man or abused with your partner doesn't generally mean all men are bad! Right or correct? :p

"I wanna be LAZY...not rich.." - to correct the famous scratched record. Being happy is an excuse. But to become lazy is the REAL reason why someone doesn't want to be rich.

Life isn't easy. Who says it is? That is why majority end up living the "easy way" saying, "I wanna be toot..not rich.."

Calling up a prospect?

I am a sales man.

Whenever I call my prospects (who has been already warmed up) or customers, I introduce myself, greet them and ask whether is it a good time to speak with them?

I picked this trait up while interning and have observed my colleagues picking this up from me.

So this is how my prospects and customers perceive me:

And therefore it is hard for them to say no :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am also a customer.

Whenever someone calls me to sell, the following happens:

1) The caller introduces her name and company (which is fine) but does not ask whether I am free to speak to her (which is rude).

2) Almost all callers address me as Mr Srinivas (which, incidentally, is my father's name). I hate this as companies today spend millions of dollars into customer insights ( a fancy term to understand more about the customer), but cannot state my name properly. They could just address me as Sham. But I believe they will waste some more share holder money and take another half a decade to get this right.

3) They immediately begin to parrot the not so well rehearsed sales pitch which can even put Karan Pandava off! (I am referring to Karan from Mahabharat who would always give whatever anyone would ask from him after his daily morning prayers to the Sun God. So the pun is that if it can annoy a great giver like Karan it can certainly annoy a Mr McScrooge such as myself! :P )

4) Unlike several others I listen patiently, thank the person for calling and state that I am not interested. They take my word and immediately disconnect. They don't even wish me a good day! :(

I perceive the caller like this:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Companies could offer training on the following aspects:

1) Good Manners: Ask the receiver whether it is a good time to speak.

2) Ask Questions: Ask whether the receiver requires a product. If not, then whether the receiver is happy with the incumbent product. 

3) Generate a Bait/USP/Any other pioneering term your marketing man can come up with!:  Use some of the insights churned out by their market research team to generate an attractive number. This would be a number backed by facts. Let us consider the concept of term insurance. Term insurance is cheaper and offers substantially higher coverage than traditional money back plans. If you invest the rest of the money that you ended up saving, because you bought a term insurance plan, in a recurring deposit (not even fancy mutual funds) you might end up generating wealth worth Rs 10 lakhs in 7 years. I figured this using Excel and therefore bought a term plan. I am sure  MNC behemoths that are employed with brainy suited up corporate types even know the accurate figure. For some reason they don't share this with the agent who makes calls.

4) Some more good manners!: Thank the receiver for her time and wish her a nice day.

If they manage to do that, they might be perceived by the prospects as the pretty blonde lady in the picture below is perceived by men.



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

End of Telegram

How does a society evolve? Either by killing its redundant aspects or changing them. However in India the former seems easier than the latter. We like to kill those who revolt against barriers of caste, rebel  to affirm their choices or decides to be a woman even before taking birth. So what chance does a money losing entity have? Especially in Mumbai!

For 163 years the telegram remained a source of tremendous joy as well as a fore bearer of deep despair. Promotions, birth of a baby, death of a relative and forceful self invitations were communicated through telegrams. It was also the only medium of communication that could be admitted in court as evidence.

Although the BSNL claimed that this service was a loss making entity as digital channels of communications have become popular, the critics of this decision point out to numbers.Almost 300 million Indians still lack cell phones as per government data. Compare this number to the entire population of the US which is 313 million! In non urban areas, telegrams also work as an effective payment recovery mechanism.

I decided to send a couple of telegrams on 14th July 2013 as the government had decided to discontinue sending telegrams from the next day onwards. Here are some images:

 (You might think this isn't much of a crowd, but if you get to speak with any of the employees they would say it was the most they had seen in their entire career at the Telegraph Office!)

 (Some of the employees who were protesting the closure of the telegram service)

(A board that opposed the decision taken to close down the telegram service and also a couple of posters about what action the employee union intends to take to oppose this decision. Sources claim this decision might be reviewed after six months) 

Countries like Italy and the UK are offering online telegram services. I wonder why did this not happen in India as they seem to be selling everything else (from lingerie to counselling) online. Or they could have increased the rates as they did in 2011.

Sources:

The Internet didn't get the message, the telegram is not dead: http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/the-internet-didnt-get-the-message-the-telegrams-not-dead

Telegram flies to sunset: Taar brings bad news as usual http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1847743/report-telegram-flies-into-sunset-taar-brings-bad-news-as-usual

Hunted lovers mourn end of telegraph http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2013/07/15/lovers-mourn-end-of-the-telegraph/

Forget Dodo, its dead as a telegram http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/1861187/report-forget-dodo-it-s-dead-as-a-telegram

Accounting for Real Estate Agents

As a Realtor  your paychecks completely depend on your abilities to sell a house. Unlike others types of employees who receive steady paychecks, Realtor paychecks fluctuate wildly from each sale. For this reason, managing your finances is a paramount importance. 

The major question you may ask is what financial software should you use? This should be your second question, your first question to ask is if you are a independent contractor or employee. 

If you are an employee for your brokerage, then you can use any time of personal finance software to manage your money. I would suggest YNAB for its budgeting capabilities read more here, however, if you need to track expenses for tax purposes then using Quicken Premier/Deluxe would be best. 

Independent contractors should aim use QuickBooks Pro or QuickBooks Online Essentials. These programs help make tax season a breeze and will reduce the number of times your accountant rolls their eyes when you come in to have your taxes done. While Quicken does handle businesses, QuickBooks will place your taxes in a format that your account would be familiar with, namely using P/L statements, Balance sheets, and other business reports that accountants use for tax filing. 

QuickBooks has a robust tax line mapping compared to Quicken, and it is solely a business accounting program unlike Quicken home and business. If cost is something you are worried about and you also need a mobile solution. QuickBooks Online Essentials will give your the tax reports, mobility, and excellent money management for less than $30 dollars per month.

If you have any questions about setting up your QuickBooks company file or deciding which program to use, leave a comment!

Home Equity Lines of Credit

Have you ever looked around your home and felt it could use a little update? Perhaps the kitchen could needs new granite counter tops or maybe the bathroom is too small or even worse, the den is still sporting that shag carpeting from the 1970’s. If this sounds familiar to you but you are wondering how you might pay for the remodeling, a home equity line of credit might be what you are looking for.

What Are Home Equity Lines of Credit?

Simply put, a home equity line of credit is a line of credit secured by your home. Most homes have equity – meaning they are worth more than what you owe on them. A portion of the difference between the value of your home and the outstanding mortgage amount is the equity available to you. As opposed to receiving one lump sum of cash as you would in a home equity loan, you will have access to a line of credit, similar to a credit card.

First, your mortgage company will establish a total available loan balance from which you can draw. You can draw the amount you need or want up to the total available. For example, if you receive a home equity line of credit of $50,000.00, you can take as little as the minimum withdrawal amount and all the way up to the entire $50,000.00 or make several withdrawals as needed.

Home equity lines of credit use a variable interest rate which is often based on the current prime interest rates.

What Are Home Equity Lines of Credit Used For?

There are several uses for a home equity line of credit. Many people use them to update or renovate their homes. From a new backyard and swimming pool to updated wiring, this type of line of credit is a good option for covering the costs. In addition, some individuals use home equity lines of credit to pay off or consolidate debt from credit cards and other sources.

Another use you can use a home equity line of credit for is college tuition. This is a good option as the money will be available when tuition comes due twice a year as opposed to receiving a lump sum.

How Do Home Equity Lines of Credit Benefit You?

One benefit of home equity lines of credit is that the interest may be tax deductible. Your tax advisor can provide insight into your personal circumstances. In general, IRS guidelines allow  interest as a tax deduction as long as your line of credit is less than $50,000.00 for an individual and $100,000.00 for a couple filing jointly. If you use a home equity line of credit for any other purpose than home improvements, the interest is not tax deductible.

A second benefit of home equity lines of credit are the repayment options it affords you. You may pay a small amount of principal plus interest, which may help your monthly finances if you find yourself in a rough spot.

What Is the Easiest Way to Obtain Home Equity Lines Of Credit?

Having a good payment history is a necessity when it comes to obtaining a home equity line of credit. Like any home equity loan, certain criteria must be met before a bank or mortgage leader will grant you a line of credit.

If possible, review your credit score and clean up any inaccuracies. Be sure all of your payments are on time and above the minimum payment to improve your overall credit standings.  Your debt does not need to be entirely erased, however, all of your credit accounts should be current and in good standing. Secondly, ensure you have a solid employment history. Typically, lenders like to see at least two years of employment at your present company.

Once you feel you have your financial house in order, contact your current mortgage holder or the bank from which you obtained your original loan. Having a personal relationship with your banker or mortgage lender can aid in obtaining the home equity line of credit you are looking for. A local bank has a personal stake in the community, and that might make it easier for you when going through the loan process.

Home equity lines of credit can be a ready source of money for home improvement projects, both large and small. Whether you need a new roof, or plan to finish your basement, a home equity line of credit can help you increase the current value of your property. With a little planning and research, you should be able to find the right home equity line of credit for you.

This post was written by Holly Wolf of Conestoga Bank, a community bank servicing Philadelphia and its surrounding regions for over 120 years. This publication does not constitute legal, accounting or other professional advice. Although it is intended to be accurate, neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage due to reliance on this material.

Once Tasted,..always WANTED?

The life of a teenager seems to be the most exhilarating stage of a person. It is when the inquisitive mind is fed with all the possibilities and wonders a guy could ever think of. Discoveries, yes!

And with that we often hear the old adage saying, "Once tasted, always wanted!"  Well, not for all. While this is a general statement indicating the vast majority, this doesn't apply to everybody. Not me! :)

About Illegal Stimulants and PMS

Yeah, you probably know that these are the taboos brought to us by our ancestors' customs and traditions. But while they say don't, I say why not!? Stimulants could pose a great risk, but the name itself says otherwise.

Let's get back to the basic. According to Uncle Oxford, "A stimulant is a medicine or other substance which has a marked physiological effect when taken into the body."

Conclusively, narcotics are beneficial to mankind. Imagine an ailing cancer patient with no medicinal intervention. Marijuana and methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) are not bad after all.

Although this is prohibited by law, anyone can try at their own risk. Or you might end up behind the bars.

The only problem with these stimulants is addiction. Users tend to be dependent - like water, that they can't live without it. Worst is the after-effects of addiction. That includes crimes. And that's another story.

Stimulants and addiction are two mutually-exclusive subjects. One never automatically gets addicted after taking these narcotics.

That is dependent on the person - how strong he is to tolerate and temper control. Thus, it follows that once you've taken these, rest assured you won't get addicted. That depends on two variables a person has - temper and tolerance.

You can always get out what you entered if you have these two strong variables. Like when I tried smoking in high school, I felt it didn't make any difference in me except the "cool effect" in the mouth when I puffed one stick of Marlboro cigarette.

PMS is having intercourse before wedlock. Ask anyone and you will hear the same answer, "No!"

Personally speaking, I am in favor of PMS. No don't put the emphasis on me but the subject. I am a Catholic. I attend masses every Sunday - no kidding. But this doesn't necessarily mean I tried that stuff already, just my opinion. Now that's clear.

The reason, I believe, people are anti-PMS is because of religion distortion. They decide based on what their religion says. It is not in the commandment, not in accordance with the writings and all.

But come to think of it, several couple had done PMS just before they get married. Nothing happened thereafter. It all seemed natural and customary. The path most taken by couples. (I don't know either if I'll be like this lol)

Sex is addictive, 90%+ of people would say that. I think I'm one of them. Not that sure though since that is based on my first judgment.

Seriously speaking, this doesn't follow either. My friend just tried once but she never had it again. Yes she has a boyfriend. Yet she doesn't easily give in temptations. Wanting is controllable. Mind-control.

So the maxim, "Once tasted always wanted" is not true. It is but dependent on two variables - temper and tolerance. The former is simply the strength to control the wanting of something, not easily giving in to what the body wants r what the mind suggests.

The latter is freeing off the mind-pressure in terms of diverting the subject into other matter. It's like letting go of the unhealthy thoughts.

How To Track Equipment Rentals In Quickbooks

Some companies expand their revenue streams by renting out equipment to others. As some business owners may have found out, tracking of rentals and properly accounting for the money they generate is a tedious task. The goal is to show you two ways to track rentals using QuickBooks and QuickBooks Point of Sale.

QuickBooks Only Method

QuickBooks does not have a specific area or tool that allows you to track rentals; however, do not let this stop you.

1. Identify all the equipment you will rent out.
2. Enter the equipment as non-inventory items in QuickBooks
3. Setup the individual equipment names as Other Names
4. Use timesheets to track the rental/reservations
5. Mark the time entries as billable and then create an invoice for billable expenses.

QuickBooks Point of Sale Method

Using QuickBooks POS to track rentals is a lot easier than using QuickBooks. QuickBooks Point of Sale is able to use deposits and set up specific items and fees that can be adjusted on the fly instead of QuickBooks.

1. Identify the equipment you will rent out.
2. Create an inventory item for the equipment.
3. Set the cost to zero, the price to zero, and the quantity to the number of units you have to rent out.
4. Create a non-inventory item named Deposit on Equipment make the price zero
5. Repeat the process above but name the item Rental Fee.
6. When a customer rents the item, create a receipt with the inventory item on the first line of the sales receipt.
7. On the same receipt, Deposit on Equipment item will be the next item you add. The inventory item (the rental) will be 0 dollars, while the Deposit on Equipment will have the amount you are charging for the deposit.
8. Record the receipt, take the payment using standard payment methods.
9. Track the equipment using either a spreadsheet or another process.
10. When the item is returned, locate the receipt and reverse it. This will create a refund for the customer. If the deposit was done using a credit card, the card will be automatically refunded. This process places the rented item back into inventory.
11. Create a new receipt using the non-inventory item Rental Fee and enter the amount for the rental charge.

It may be wise to track rental equipment as a fixed asset in QuickBooks so you can depreciate it for tax purposes. Please speak with your accountant about this.

You are Complaining, Others Are Not

Fed up. Satiated. Tired. Pessimistic as it may seem, I know these are not the right words. Sad but true, whether we like it or not these really happens at some point of our lives. It's like reaching to a point where you get overwhelmed with the things around you.


The office you used to stay is no longer conducive; office-mates don't look interesting at all; the food you eat tastes like a simple dough and it sucks going to and fro the office everyday.

All this stuff sucks, right? While this may be right, I don't agree to a greater extent. Yes I agree that it's considered a suffering. An illness that needs to be healed. Nevertheless, wouldn't you believe that it's not the worst case? Would you?

There are countless reasons to cherish the moment and savor the beauty of life, I realized. And here are some that makes you feel "more" blessed than anyone else.

You may not be Donald Trump nor Bill Gates. But that is quite too far. It's never too late. And I do believe that age is not a restraining factor. All is possible. Being old is a state of mind. Nothing gets old but our minds.

1. We often complain about our job. Imagine the vendors in the public market. They never get tired of their customers. Their shirts are wet with sweat screaming for customers under the bright sun.

Now isn't that MORE exhausting? And you, sitting on your desk facing the computer screen on a fully air-conditioned room. How's that?

2. We mumble with our income. You already gave what you can do. Peak Performance. Excellent results. Yet your boss didn't recognize or simply cannot offer you a promotion. Depressing?

How about a blind masseur. Can he complain why he is blind? Will he be given a chance to SEE just before he falls asleep eternally? While he doesn't have a chance, you do!

3. Self-pity. You don't have much than anyone else. You noticed that your friend went to Paris for a vacation, had shopping and bought a Louis Vuitton bag. Yet you are still holding an old shoulder bag.

The point is, you are comparing just one person. Remember the Pareto's Law, the 80/20 Rule? If translated, that means 80% of the global population owns just 20% of the total wealth. Vice-versa, 20% owns the staggering 80% of wealth! The question is, are you the least-fortunate destitute? I can guarantee, NO!

The fact that you are reading this means you're lucky enough to navigate a computer. Think of Sudan famine. Africa. Villagers are just "skin and bones" yet they still survive.

4. 8 hours of office work plus unpaid homework. Stress! But what about lifting cement bags and hollow blocks? Bending metal bars and shoveling hard sand? Nothing's more energy-draining than being a construction worker.

Yes they only work strictly on fixed hours. But what about the strenuous work? Imagine the energy, electrolytes and muscles bent because of their job. While you, just purely sitting and mind-work.

5. Small house. No improvements yet. Go to the city. Take a look at homeless families. They sleep on streets. Pushcarts. No pillows. Cold. They eat left-overs thru dump-diving. Gross. While you are sleeping comfortably under the roof. Isn't that relieving?

Credits to www.ngpod.cn

How to Use QuickBooks to Track Real Estate Properties

Accurate record keeping helps you to see how well your company is doing, but also is a way to bring in more investors or get loans from banks. How do you track real estate in QuickBooks? Specifically, how do you track properties that are being leased out to tenants?

Using classes to track expenses and income for properties is a great way to manage your business. Here is how you could setup your classes.

Tracking invoices, bills, even line items using classes will help generate specific reports that can help an investor. Classes allow a user to see P/L (Premier can show balance sheet for classes) for each class, this can be invaluable for the investor who would like to see which property is profitable and which isn’t. This is a great way to track property if you are a property manager or you manage property for others. Follow this template to see how to setup your class list:

Name of Owner of Property:

Address of Property:

Unit 1 (2nd floor etc...)

Unit 2

OR

Address of Property:

Unit 1

Unit 2

Setting up your customer list also allows you to pull additional reports and helps during tax time. If you rent properties out, you can structure your customer list like this:

Name Of Tenant:

Address of Property

OR

Name of Owner:

Address Of Property:

Name of Tenant and Unit/Floor #

Vacant and Unit/Floor #

Address of Property:

Name of Tenant

Vacant (this tracks what is spent to maintain house when vacant)

It all depends on your personal preference. Please consult with your accountant to determine what tax information you need to record and track. Using Jobs and Classes are sure fire ways to improve accounting and managing of your company’s finances.

10 Songs that Pump Your Heart Out (PYHO)

When you feel like bored yet something's up to get done, you gotta check out these songs on my playlist. No, this is not limited to just "computer" works. You can listen to these songs that pump you up no matter what you're doing: washing your car, baking, fixing your broken faucet, reading and even intimate moments with your...you know it pumpkin-head!


So here's the list in the order of my preference. Watch via YouTube. Just click the link. Enjoy!

1. Houdini - Foster the People

2. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People

3. Block After Block - Matt and Kim

4. Sunshine - Matisyahu

5. It's Alright - Matt and Kim

6. Stay - Tully on Tully

7. Helena Beat – Foster the People

8. Life on the Nickel - Foster the People

9. Daylight - Matt and Kim

10. King Without a Crown - Matisyahu

If you are already familiar with these songs then you are a solid Indie artist fan. As a musical fanatic, I really don't mind the message/meaning of any song.

What I'm up to is the BEAT and the MUSICALITY - how the instruments are synchronized in a way that it's pleasant to the ears. When I love the music, it keeps on ringing in my head until I have a Last Song Syndrome (LSS).

I simply like these songs because it sounds so upbeat and funky - it makes you feel like you're on Cloud 9, euphoria and you're butt naturally wiggles without you knowing it. That is my definition of Pump Music.

If you have any suggestions, comment below for us to review your bet!

Continue bangin' your head, music-lover :D

Image Credits to www.turner.com