The iBankup prepaid Visa Card
is the next level of prepaid debit cards. Having this card gives you
all the benefits of a checking account and a debit card all rolled into
one. For a small monthly maintenance fee you get great benefits such as
bonus cash back points and no annual fee. You are guaranteed approval.
This is the cheap alternative to a checking account at a bank. Parents,
this is the perfect card for your teenager as it lets you determine
their spending limit. Your child still gets the benefit of learning how
to manage money and credit cards.You get free direct deposit and the card is re-loadable online or at variety of retailers nationwide. The card is linked to a money management portal with online access. You can also use MoneyPak to load your money onto the card. The sign up is so easy you can do it in less than five minutes.
The Pros and Cons of Prepaid Cards
Prepaid
cards offer the convenience of a credit card without the difficult
approval process or risk of getting into debt. These cards work a lot
like a gift card, you will have to load the account with cash (direct
deposit is usually available) before you can use it for a purchasePrepaid cards are not credit cards; you cannot spend more than the balance you have deposited and you will not be charged interest for your spending. The prepaid account will not be reported to the credit bureaus as a credit card.
Credit Cards for Excellent Credit
After
years of shrinking credit limits, rising rates and new fees, not to
mention government legislation, credit card users have every reason to
question the value of the plastic in their wallets. And now that the
dust has settled, many may find their current credit cards aren't as
good as they could be.The best credit cards available! Find an offer that matches your excellent credit with low rates, great deals and rewards programs. FICO scores/credit scores are used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any credit card offer.
Apple Thunderbolt MacBook Pro
Thunderbolt is a
revolutionary I/O technology that supports high-resolution displays and
high-performance data devices through a single, compact port. It sets
new standards for speed, flexibility, and simplicity. And it makes its
debut in the new MacBook Pro.The new 15- and 17-inch models bring quad-core power to almost everything you do. The available 2.3GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor — with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.4GHz and up to 8MB of shared L3 cache — enables these MacBook Pro models to run applications up to twice as fast as their top-of-the-line predecessors.
The Importance of Having a Rainy Day Fund
Editor's Note: This guest post is by Mariana Ashley
I
once knew a young man who was busy saving money for his wedding, hoping
that once he hit a certain dollar amount he would ask his longtime
girlfriend to marry him. Midway into his saving endeavor, the
transmission blew on his truck and suddenly he had to pay $2,000 to get
it fixed. The young man didn't have a rainy day fund in place to cover
unexpected expenses and sadly had to use some of the money he had been
saving for a fancy wedding on something as routine as a transmission.
While it was good that he didn't have to put this sudden expense on a credit card or ask his parents for money, the young man's situation reminded me of why it's important to have a rainy day fund. A rainy day fund is an emergency savings account that helps cushion the blow if something unexpected happens, like losing your job or having your car break down.
I
once knew a young man who was busy saving money for his wedding, hoping
that once he hit a certain dollar amount he would ask his longtime
girlfriend to marry him. Midway into his saving endeavor, the
transmission blew on his truck and suddenly he had to pay $2,000 to get
it fixed. The young man didn't have a rainy day fund in place to cover
unexpected expenses and sadly had to use some of the money he had been
saving for a fancy wedding on something as routine as a transmission.While it was good that he didn't have to put this sudden expense on a credit card or ask his parents for money, the young man's situation reminded me of why it's important to have a rainy day fund. A rainy day fund is an emergency savings account that helps cushion the blow if something unexpected happens, like losing your job or having your car break down.
Should I Invest in Japan
The
world has been transfixed for the past week by Japan's heart-rending
triple tragedies: the Sendai earthquake, the tsunami and the
near-meltdown of a nuclear power plant. Tens of thousands are presumed
dead. Radiation escaping from the damaged plants could get worse.Since disaster first struck on March 11, Japan's stock market has fallen 12% as investors struggle to assess the effects on Japan's economy. What seems clear to us is that the market has overreacted, as it often does in catastrophes.
The slowdown seems temporary. Japan has capacity to rebuild the country as early as possible and healthy growth can expected for next year.
An average stock in japan selling in a 13.9 times of its annual profit and it seems a best time for investors to buy business powerhouse stocks like Sony, Canon, Toyota, Nissan, Nippon, Mitsubishi etc.. Investors can even prefer to buy Nippon steel, Shiseido which are some of the best brands in Japan.
Facebook Investor DST Joins Funding Round for 360buy.com
Digital
Sky Technologies,the Russian internet investment group that backed
Facebook, has joined a group of investors committing hundreds of
millions of dollars to 360buy.com, China’s largest online retailer.The Financial Times said the interest in 360buy underlines the vast opportunity for online commerce in China, one of the largest and fastest-growing internet markets.
360buy has been described as the Amazon.com of China, was founded in 2004 by Qiangdong Liu, who remains its chief executive
DST already owns large stakes in some of the most successful US internet companies, including Facebook, Groupon and Zynga.
Money Through the Ages
Money
Through the Ages is a guide to the financial challenges and goals at
different ages, from late teens to the retirement years.This special
section presents 10 stories of individuals and families trying to
conquer the challenges that their financial lives present.For each stage of life, this section provides a look at how individuals are coping with their own circumstances, and offers the counsel of contemporaries who are financial advisers and have been through similar experiences.
The articles and audio interviews are a collaboration between the Your Money staff of The New York Times and Marketplace Money, from American Public Media.
The Pre and Post Retirement Planning and Ideas
Millions
of Americans fear retirement. They never knew an early, well advanced
planning and disciplined approach would help them to retire peacefully
for the later years. Most of the people who think about retirement plan
not at all aware where they do start the planning. This article intended
to help those to prepare a better retirement plan by calculating the
required and plan accordingly.When it comes to retirement, people think about money. Most of them start thinking about retirement plan very late and that would later put them to unnecessary panic. Start early with a clear plan and discipline to enjoy your golden years without worries.
This two article from well known financial experts would help people to plan, achieve and enjoy their retirement life without much pain. take a look:
World's Best 30 CEOs
Barron's magazine
have published the list of best 30 CEO's in the latest edition as the
part of their annual roster of the top corporate leaders from around the
world. Published along with the profile of each CEO, Barron done a
great job for readers and subscribers to understand the background of
each one included in their list.The eight new members of the roster are already making good money in Asia and appear well-positioned for the years ahead. Other newcomers to the list are making a mark on China with everything from cold beer and grilled chicken to luxury automobiles and high-end corporate computing gear.
Amazon Cloud Drive - Brand New Online Service to Store Files
Amazon.com Inc said it has unveiled an online service that would
enable its customers to securely store and access music through their
smartphones and computers.
Amazon Cloud Drive is your hard-drive in the cloud. Securely store your music, videos, photos, and documents online and access them from anywhere.
All you need is a web browser to upload, download and access your files from any computer. Back up your files to ensure that your music, photos and personal documents are available to you wherever you go.
Amazon Cloud Drive is your hard-drive in the cloud. Securely store your music, videos, photos, and documents online and access them from anywhere.
All you need is a web browser to upload, download and access your files from any computer. Back up your files to ensure that your music, photos and personal documents are available to you wherever you go.
8 Unusual Things I Learned from Warren Buffett
A
superbly written article by James Altucher the author of 'Trade Like
Warren Buffett", in forbes about the eight unusual things he learned
from Warren Buffett. Begins with his visit to Omaha to attend the
Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting, James Altucher talk about the
Dicipline of Warren, his worst investment mistake - Sinclair gas station
he bought in 1951 with a friend of his with whihc he lost he lost
$2000, when his savings was about $9600 at the time - another
interesting fact he learned about Buffett that he once have rejected
from Harward Business School to admit as a student.Buffett was a victim of reverse anti-Semitism. Becuase he was not Jewish, his teacher Graham once rejected his interest to work for him.
Amazon Appstore for Android - A Place to Fulfill Apps Need
Amazon
released its long-awaited Appstore for Android. Fundamentally it's very
similar to Google's first-party Android Market or the third-party
AppBrain, but it has a few Amazonian differences that could set it apart
from the competition very quickly.First and foremost, Amazon is promising to give away one paid app for free every day. Today it's Angry Birds Rio, and it only retails for 99 cents, but that doesn't really matter: people love free stuff. People will download stuff simply because it's free, even if they don't want it! The best bit (or worst bit) is that developers still get 20% of the usual retail price, which will paid out of Amazon's pockets.
How to Become a Millionaire in 3 Easy Steps
An
interesting article from CNNMoney I thought would come useful for
Moneyhacker readers. This article describe three easy steps that anyone
can follow and save lots of money. Of course, if follow in a good
manner, this would even make you millionaires. Read this interesting
article that certainly help you to change your thoughts and inject good
habits to become next millionaire!Use our calculator to pinpoint when you're likely to become a millionaire based on your current situation and investing returns.
Best Children’s Books on the iPad
Once
upon a time (five years ago), e-books for children came on shiny
CD-ROMs that cost $40, plus a few dollars for sales tax. Today’s
children’s e-books cost just that sales tax. All you need is a $500
iPad.Just a fad, you say? Perhaps, but recent e-books for Apple’s iPad indicate that the professionals have arrived in the app stores. These e-books can sound out difficult words and move you with illustrations that change based on the tilt of the screen. Today’s children can actually blow the little pig’s house down, by way of the iPad’s microphone.
As in any emerging medium, quality varies — in this case, widely. There are thousands of e-books to wade through, and some are not much more than scanned pages. Here are 10 noteworthy exceptions, ranked by age, with some honorable mentions.
EBay to buy GSI for $1.96-billion
EBay
Inc. plans to buy e-commerce company GSI Commerce for $1.96-billion in
cash in a bid to draw more buyers and sellers to its online
marketplaces.EBay said Monday it offered GSI shareholders $29.25 per share, a 50.9-per-cent premium over its closing price on Friday. Shares rose by the same amount in Monday’s Nasdaq trading. EBay shares were down 3 per cent.
GSI owns Web businesses such as Rue La La, which offers one-day-only deals to its members, and ShopRunner, a members-only online shopping service that offers free shipping. GSI also provides technology, payment processing and customer care services for e-commerce sites.
In a statement, EBay chief executive officer John Donahoe said the deal would help the company connect more buyers and sellers.
10 Things Groupon Won't Tell You
1) "50% off? Not really."Steep discounts are the cornerstone of the pitch for daily deal web sites such as Groupon and LivingSocial , which promise 50% off or better at a local restaurant, spa, fitness center or other shop – if enough people sign up (and pre-pay) before the limited-time offer expires. But the discount may be much less once you factor in taxes, tip and any un-covered portion of the bill.
Because businesses recoup so little -- often just 25% of the voucher price after fees -- they have incentive to price deals so you're forced to spend more, like offering a $30 voucher to a $50-per-plate restaurant or a photo package with just two prints.
Porsche Prices $7 Billion Share Issue
Porsche
said Sunday night that it had priced its issue of new shares at 38
euros, putting the value of the offering at 4.9 billion euros, or $7
billion.The carmaker, which is set to merge with Germany’s largest automaker, Volkswagen, is offering shareholders three-quarters of a new share for every old share they own, the price at a steep discount to its Friday close at 56.22 euros.
Porsche shares fell 2.05 euros, or 3.65 percent, to 54.17 euros in Monday morning trading.
Why Lottery Winners Go Bankrupt
Callie Rogers blew
a 2003 U.K. lottery jackpot of $3 million on shopping, cocaine, friends
and breast augmentation and told reporters two years ago she was
working as a maid. William "Bud" Post squandered his 1988 Pennsylvania
prize of more than $16 million on houses, vehicles and bad businesses
before going bankrupt and serving time for firing a shotgun at a bill
collector before his death in 2006.Are these outcomes rare? A recent study of Florida lottery winners suggests no.
Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul
In
2008, Howard Schultz, the president and chairman of Starbucks, made the
unprecedented decision to return as the CEO eight years after he
stepped down from daily oversight of the company and became chairman.
Concerned that Starbucks had lost its way, Schultz was determined to
help it return to its core values and restore not only its financial
health, but also its soul. In Onward, he shares the remarkable story of
his return and the company’s ongoing transformation under his
leadership, revealing how, during one of the most tumultuous economic
times in history, Starbucks again achieved profitability and
sustainability without sacrificing humanity.Offering readers a snapshot of a moment in history that left no company unscathed, the book zooms in to show, in riveting detail, how one company struggled and recreated itself in the midst of it all.
6 Rewards Programs Worth Your Loyalty
Everybody loves free stuff,
which is one reason the average American household participates in a
whopping 18 consumer rewards programs. But while more companies are
offering points, miles and cash-back rewards than ever, that doesn't
necessarily mean each of those 18 is worth a spot in your wallet.No one tracks exactly how many companies offer such loyalty programs, where customers get discounts or bonuses for shopping often, but experts agree they are multiplying. Once primarily the domain of the airlines, now customers can expect rewards offers from boutiques, department stores, pharmacies, and even their bank. In the past year alone, Delta Air Lines, Virgin America, JCPenney, GameStop, Rite Aid and others have rolled out or expanded their programs. "More companies are relying on these programs to compete," says Kelly Hlavinka, managing partner at Collquy, which tracks loyalty programs.
5 Biggest Retirement Myths
It was a simple enough
proposition. Michael and Margie Gershtenson had always heard that the
Southwest, land of cacti, affordable housing and low taxes, was a great
retiree haven. And they knew they needed to set aside a certain amount
for life's next chapter—as those big-broker ads ask, "What's your
number?" So they set up a foolproof plan: Build a nest egg of at least
$3 million, and get out of town. Which is exactly what they did, hitting
that threshold five years ago and closing down their dental practice in
Colorado—Michael had been the dentist, Margie the hygienist. Off they
went, to senior-rich Sedona, Ariz., to live out their golden years.But like millions of others, the Gershtensons ran into trouble—and not just because of the crash of 2008. Arizona may have low taxes, but the couple spent several thousand dollars more than expected each year on out-of-state travel, to visit their former home and escape the state's miserable summer heat. They faced high insurance costs—about $450 a month—to fill in gaps in their Medicare coverage. And most damaging of all, they've seen the income they were counting on from their portfolio slashed by record-low interest rates. The result? The Gershtensons now live on about 20 percent less than they originally planned to. "The golden ages aren't always golden," sighs Michael.
Your Financial Life Plan: An Overview
In architecture,
there's a big difference between a sketch and a plan. A sketch sets out
the broad aspirations for your project -- it's a picture of what your
dream house will look like when it's finished. A plan, on the other
hand, lays out the structural details that will bring that house into
existence, down to every last window, rain gutter and light socket. And
over the past couple of years, many Americans learned the hard way that
when it came to getting their financial houses in order, what they
thought was a plan was much more like a sketch. Today, with unemployment
stubbornly high and the stock and housing markets wobbly, these folks
are finding that the devil is in the details you ignore.But there's growing evidence that, as the economy slowly recovers, consumers are getting serious about drawing up a financial life plan -- not just a new approach to investing, but a strategy that covers it all, from health care to taking care of the family legacy.
Living Longer - The Good News and Bad
An article by Jilian Mincer in Smartmoney.com
How
long do you think you'll live? Whatever your answer, it's less grim
than you think: Two-thirds of Americans underestimate how long they'll
live. And with life expectancies at an all-time high, that
otherwise-good news is becoming a serious challenge for retirement
planning.
According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control, the average life expectancy is now over 78 years for the first time in American history. For people who are healthy and have good genes, it's even higher. A 65-year-old healthy man has a 50% chance of living to age 85 and a 25% chance of living to 92, according to the Society of Actuaries. For a healthy 65-year-old woman, there's a 50% chance she'll see 88 and a 25% chance to reach 94. If those two people are married, there's a one-in-two chance one of them will celebrate a 92nd birthday.
How
long do you think you'll live? Whatever your answer, it's less grim
than you think: Two-thirds of Americans underestimate how long they'll
live. And with life expectancies at an all-time high, that
otherwise-good news is becoming a serious challenge for retirement
planning.According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control, the average life expectancy is now over 78 years for the first time in American history. For people who are healthy and have good genes, it's even higher. A 65-year-old healthy man has a 50% chance of living to age 85 and a 25% chance of living to 92, according to the Society of Actuaries. For a healthy 65-year-old woman, there's a 50% chance she'll see 88 and a 25% chance to reach 94. If those two people are married, there's a one-in-two chance one of them will celebrate a 92nd birthday.
Perfect Portfolios - Find the Right Fit
Investors are
getting used to market volatility, as concerns about the aftermath of
Japan's earthquake joined those of tensions in the Middle East. Oil
prices and gold dipped from their highs, and worry about rising
interest rates continues to dog fixed-income markets. So what's an
investor to do?Financial planners say it's best to stick with a long-term strategy. But that doesn't mean that investors should set their asset allocation and forget about it. Many financial advisers and market strategists favor large-cap, U.S. dividend-paying stocks in today's market. Market pullbacks give investors an opportunity to add to their favorite positions, says Brian Jacobsen, chief portfolio strategist for Wells Fargo Advantage funds.
New Phase in Europe Crisis - An Interesting Story With Global Interest
Portugal Is Seen Needing Bailout as Austerity Plan Fails, Prime Minister ResignsLISBON—Portugal's parliament rejected a new government austerity plan Wednesday, spurring the resignation of Prime Minister José Sócrates and setting off a new phase in Europe's sovereign-debt crisis.
The failure to pass the measure, after a heated debate, threatened to push already-high government borrowing costs to unaffordable levels and force Lisbon to seek a bailout.
That would make Portugal the third among the 17 nations that use the euro to apply for help from other members of the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. Greece and Ireland went first.
The Entrepreneur Equation: Evaluating the Realities, Risks, and Rewards of Having Your Own Business
There's
never been a better time to start a business—or so the conventional
wisdom would have you believe. But with up to 90 percent of businesses
failing within the first five years, it's time to take off the
rose-colored glasses and think twice before you invest your precious
time, money and energy.The Entrepreneur Equation helps you do the math before you set down the entrepreneurial path so that you can answer more than just "Could I be an entrepreneur?" but rather "Should I be an entrepreneur?" By understanding what it takes to build a valuable business as well as how to assess the risks and rewards of business ownership based on your personal circumstances, you can learn how to stack the odds of success in your favor and ultimately decide if business ownership is the best possible path for you, now or ever.
iPad 2 Arrives in 25 More Countries This Friday - Source
Available in Hong Kong, Korea & Singapore in April
CUPERTINO, California—March 22, 2011—Apple® today announced that the second-generation of its third post-PC device, will go on sale in 25 additional countries this Friday, March 25. iPad 2 will be available at Apple retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers at 5 p.m. local time, and online through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com) beginning at 1 a.m. Apple today also announced that all models of iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April.
"While competitors are still struggling to catch up with our first iPad, we’ve changed the game again with iPad 2," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. "We’re experiencing amazing demand for iPad 2 in the US, and customers around the world have told us they can't wait to get their hands on it. We appreciate everyone’s patience and we are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone."
CUPERTINO, California—March 22, 2011—Apple® today announced that the second-generation of its third post-PC device, will go on sale in 25 additional countries this Friday, March 25. iPad 2 will be available at Apple retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers at 5 p.m. local time, and online through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com) beginning at 1 a.m. Apple today also announced that all models of iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April.
"While competitors are still struggling to catch up with our first iPad, we’ve changed the game again with iPad 2," said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. "We’re experiencing amazing demand for iPad 2 in the US, and customers around the world have told us they can't wait to get their hands on it. We appreciate everyone’s patience and we are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone."
Travel Money: Saving Money on International Transactions
Editor's Note: This guest post is by Mark Shaw
With
the very last no-charge debit card having bitten the dust, what next
for travel money? Budgeting for holidays abroad can be a tricky business
and alongside taking account of currency exchange rates, tourists
should be aware of the charges and commissions applied to international
transactions. Here’s a short guide to what to look out for.
Pre-paid cards
Pre-paid cards are a great way to set and stick to holiday budgets – load them up with money before leaving the country and then use them as you would a normal credit card abroad. The market is booming at the moment, which means loads of offers on the table – check terms and conditions, withdrawal charges, commission and foreign currency exchange rates.
With
the very last no-charge debit card having bitten the dust, what next
for travel money? Budgeting for holidays abroad can be a tricky business
and alongside taking account of currency exchange rates, tourists
should be aware of the charges and commissions applied to international
transactions. Here’s a short guide to what to look out for.Pre-paid cards
Pre-paid cards are a great way to set and stick to holiday budgets – load them up with money before leaving the country and then use them as you would a normal credit card abroad. The market is booming at the moment, which means loads of offers on the table – check terms and conditions, withdrawal charges, commission and foreign currency exchange rates.
Money Hacker Comments Policy
"If you are here, behave like when you visit someone else's home"
I am fed up with marketing comments with spam links... So I decided to say that,
This is not the place to offload your junks. From today (26th July, 2011) comments with authenticity only will be accepted.
Sorry to all spammers and marketers. I took lots of efforts to build and establish this blog. I am OK for fair marketing of your products or services using this blog and love to help others. But, considering it as a place to post any junk or spam, is truly painful!
So, kindly add only fruitful comments please...
I am fed up with marketing comments with spam links... So I decided to say that,
This is not the place to offload your junks. From today (26th July, 2011) comments with authenticity only will be accepted.
Sorry to all spammers and marketers. I took lots of efforts to build and establish this blog. I am OK for fair marketing of your products or services using this blog and love to help others. But, considering it as a place to post any junk or spam, is truly painful!
So, kindly add only fruitful comments please...
Worlds Most Ethical Companies
The Ethisphere Institute,
a New York think tank, on Tuesday released its fifth annual ranking of
the world's most ethical large companies, expanding the ranking to a top
110.At the heart of the evaluation and selection process for Ethisphere’s World’s Most Ethical Companies is Ethisphere’s proprietary rating system, the Ethics Quotient (EQ). The framework of EQ is comprised of a series of multiple choice questions that capture a company’s performance in an objective, consistent and standardized way. The information collected is not intended to cover all aspects of corporate governance, risk, sustainability, compliance or ethics, but rather it is a comprehensive sampling of definitive criteria of core competencies.
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