BEST REASONS EXPLAINING WHY PEOPLE FAIL TO ACHIEVE FINACIAL SUCCESS

1: Lack of knowledge: or more specifically, a lack of a desire to gain knowledge. Make the effort to read to read about financial matters and you will learn. make your money work for you by using the magic of compound interest a t 7% interest per year your money doubles after approximately 10 years and at 10 % interest after 7 years. Remember the rule of 72. Divide the interest into 72 to see how long it takes to double your money (or reduce it because of inflation). So the sooner you get started the better. Many people don't know where to go for unbiased advise so they do nothing.
2: Failure to set plans. Did you know that only 5% of the population sets goals and only 2% have any form of written goals? Their actions have a sense of purpose - they are results oriented, they are motivated, they are positive - they are life's winners. Where do you want to be i n five years time? Without a plan it is easy to drift aimlessly, and live from day to day. If you have set goals you will know what you want to achieve. People fail to succeed because they never plan to succeed. It is not that they plan to fail, they fail to plan . So set your financial goals (targets).
3: Inefficient use of time and poor work habits. Time is like money - you can spend it or invest it in building a better you by self-development. When you waste you are wasting yourself. Plan your day - what do you really want to achieve today?
4: Lack of foresight. Achievers have an ability to look beyond the immediate and into the future. Although some may see your visions as dreams do not forget that you have to have a dream to make a dream come true. Unless you are fortunate enough to be left a legacy, the only money you will ever have working for you is that what you save from current income and invest. People with vision can multiply their income by investing in growth investments. Work for your money then make your money work for you.
5: The need to conform. Dare to be different which is why the majority of people are not successful. Don't be afraid take calculated risks. Remember the people who make big money are the ones who do the opposite of what everyone else does - sell when everyone else buys and vice versa.
6: Poor debt management through excessive borrowing. Lack of discipline through poor spending habits and having no budget. Borrowing for things that loose value, so that with interest payments you pay much more the article than it cost initially. (Especially new cars, furniture etc.)
7: Lack of desire as a result of a poor attitude to acquiring wealth. Bad mental attitude has caused more personal problems than any thing else. What we expect to happen usually does. Successful people are optimists while unsuccessful people have a pessimistic attitude . Block out negative thoughts and stereotypes and mix with successful, positive people.
8: Inadequate protection against unforeseen events. It may be the loss of a home due to natural disaster or the death or disablement of the bread winner. Adequate protection (insurance) against these events is vital to financial success. Not being properly covered has financially wiped out many potentially successful people.
9: Lack of discipline. Most people find it difficult to save because they save - buy -save -buy, while others simply buy. It is easier to say yes than no. Those who lack discipline to say "no" will find financial success an impossible achievement. The "must have it now" mentality - buy now what your can't afford by charging it up in the hope that you can pay for it later. Most people are easily led by advertising and the easy availability of credit.
10: Procrastination (big word, hey!). Many people put off a savings programme until it is too late. Young people have a wonderful opportunity and advantage because they have time on their side. The reasons people give for not starting a savings programme are varied and many are genuine. They also vary according to age. In their twenties they are just getting started in life with a first job and want to enjoy themselves by spending on cars, stereos etc. In their thirties they have a young family and a mortgage to support and no money. In there forties they say things are tough with kids to put through university and unexpected medical expenses................. and in their fifties it is already too late with no time left to accumulate capital through the magic of compound interest.

MONEY MAKING BY AVOIDING FOREX TRADING FRAUDS

A lot of people have been 'burnt' from scam operations on the Internet. Their sites may look so perfectly legitimate that you doubt whether they would have gone through all that trouble building a trading platform just to steal your money. Beware.
The first thing I look for is the geographical location of the broker. If I find that they are based in a country where the financial industry is, in my opinion, relatively unregulated and under-developed, I quickly forgo signing up. This is terrible news for honest brokers in those countries, but your job as a trader is to protect your capital. If you loose that, then you cannot trade. The onus is on them to convince you that they will do the right thing by you as an investor.
I started out with an Australian broker. Currently I am using an American one. I have not tried UK-based brokers but the British financial industry is one of the best. Companies that are based in countries such as Japan , Germany and France are probably just as good too, if their website speaks your language.
Notice any license numbers that they may have registered with regulatory bodies that act like government watchdogs who oversee the finance and investments industries. These are organisations that impose strict rules to safeguard your investment. Some of these rules may include the requirement that brokers segregate all customer funds from the operational funds of the business. Your money is required to be put in highly-reputable banks and the funds are only withdrawn from these accounts upon specific withdrawal requests.
Take note that there are some fake regulatory bodies being thrown around in cyber-space as well. Take a look at how long they have been operating for. Try and search out any reviews or comments made about them. See if you can find forums where traders have discussions about their brokers.
Below is a list of things to keep in mind to help you avoid being a victim of a scam:
* Stay Away From Opportunities That Sound Too Good To Be True
There are people who may have just acquired a large amount of money just and recently are the same and are shopping around for safe investment vehicles. These may include retirees who have access to their retirement funds. It is understandable why retirees would be drawn to 'high-return, low-risk investments'. This is also what makes them very vulnerable. If you identify yourself to be one of these people, be careful. A lot of deceitful characters are after your money. Furthermore, only allocate a tiny amount of your money to trading until you can start growing it. Not all people can trade successfully, so it is a venture you should take on haphazardly. It is your life savings at risk.
* Avoid Individuals Or Organizations Who Claim To Predict Or Guarantee Large Profits
Any form of trading is hard. Trading currencies is no different. Be wary of statements that make it sound easy. Statements like:
* "Whether the market moves up or down, in the currency market you will make a profit";
* "Make $1000 per week, every week";
* "We are out-performing 90% of domestic investments";
* "You'll make returns of 70% a year";
* "Here is a no-risk strategy".
If they could make such returns, why would they even bother letting you know about it.
* Be Wary Of Companies Who Downplay Investment Risks
Hold your wallet tight and zip up your purse when companies say that written risk disclosure agreements are routine formalities imposed by the government. Watch out for statements like:
* "With a $10,000 deposit, the maximum you can lose is $200 to $250 per day";
* " We promise to recover any losses you have ".
* Be Wary Of Companies That Claim To Trade In The 'Interbank Market'
Do not believe it when some people say that they have access to the 'Interbank market' or that they can give you access to trade in that market because that's where bargain prices can be obtained. This is not true. The 'interbank market' is not a place, it is not a physical building. It is simply a loose network of currency transactions that are negotiated between big financial institutions and other large companies.
* Ethnic Minorities Are Often Targeted
Ethnic newspapers and television 'infomercials' are sometimes used to attract Russian, Chinese and Indian minorities. Sometimes these ads offer so-called 'job opportunities for account executives to trade foreign currencies', whereby the recruited 'account executive' is expected to use his own money to trade currencies and would often times be encouraged to recruit members like their friends and family to do the same.
* Seek Out The Company's Background
Check any information you receive to be sure that the company is who they claim to be. If at all possible, try and get the background of the people operating the company. Do not rely solely on oral statements and promises made by the company's employees.
* If You Are In Doubt, It Is Not Worth Risking Your Money
If after trying to solicit information and at the end of it all, you are still in doubt about the credentials of a particular company, my suggestion is to start looking elsewhere.
You may find further information by contacting government 'watchdogs' because they keep up to date with trends and reports regarding scams and other fraudulent activities. Please check the resource section of this site for the information of organizations that regulate the securities industry, sorted by country. There is also a list of brokers that you may want to look at.

MONEY MAKING BY INVESTING IN CHINA

Are you excited about the upside potential of China but can't pull the trigger because of the significant downside risk? Here is a way to invest in China growth and still sleep at night.
China has been the largest economy in the world for eighteen of the past twenty centuries and it is clearly determined to regain its role as the hegemonic power in Asia and then challenge U.S. global leadership. Will it be able to sustain its 10% economic growth rate, quell rural discontent, build a sound market-based financial system, privatize dominant state-owned enterprises and move towards openness and democracy? This is a tall order and you can put me in the skeptic column.
Nevertheless, China's raw industrial power, momentum and the palpable ambition of the Chinese people could realistically yield a huge return. I advise my clients to go ahead and invest in China but emphasize that this is a speculative investment. It is smart to protect against the considerable downside risk.
Here is a simple plan you might want to execute to capture the upside while cutting your losses if the Chinese economy hits a speed bump.
First, you could take a broad stake in China through investing in the China iShare exchange-traded fund (FXI) that is comprised of 25 of the largest and most liquid China names. All of the 25 stocks included in the China iShare are listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Some of them are incorporated in mainland China (H shares) and some of them are incorporated in Hong Kong (red chips). The China iShare has been picking up steam in the last few months and is up just over 12% so far this year.
The China iShare provides good exposure to three key sectors of China: energy (20%), telcom (19%) and industrial (18%). This concentration can be viewed as a plus or a minus depending on your perspective. For example, some smart investors are placing a bigger bet on China's consumer markets. The top five companies represent 40% of the index. The annual operating expenses of the China iShare are only 0.74% compared to 2% plus for other alternatives out there including actively managed China and greater China regional funds. Keep in mind that most of these companies are still largely controlled and owned by the Chinese government.
Next, you could take out some insurance to protect this position by purchasing a put option on the China iShare (FXI). It sounds complicated but is actually very straightforward. An option is a right to buy (call) or sell (put) 100 shares of a security on a fixed expiration date at a set price (strike price). For this right an investor pays a fee or premium.
While you may grumble about paying the premium with cold hard cash when you might not need it, you probably have home insurance just in case disaster strikes and no doubt you have some life insurance as well. Why not protect your portfolio as well? It is especially important to consider hedging against more risky emerging markets such as China. While countries like China offer tremendous upside potential, the downside risk can be daunting and immobilize even the bravest investor.
Let's look at a couple of examples. Say you buy 100 shares of the China iShare (FXI) which is trading at $62 per share. Your total exposure is $6,200. Then purchase a put option (right to sell the China iShare) that gives you the right to sell FXI at a price of $60 on the third Friday in January 2008. I think we all can agree that a lot could happen to China, good and bad, from now until January, 2008. If the price of the China iShare moves down toward the strike price, the value of the option will increase.
This will cost you a premium of a little over $500 but limits your potential loss to $2 per share plus the premium. Or buy a put option at a strike price of $50 and your premium drops to about $200 with a worst case scenario of a loss of $12 per share plus the premium.
Here is another example. You know Latin American markets are hot and believe the bull market will continue but are wary that there is the potential for a sharp pullback. You could buy 100 shares of the Latin America 40 iShare (ILF) giving you exposure to Brazil, Argentina, Mexico and Chile at a price of $113 for a total exposure of $11,300. Then buy a put option giving you the right to sell 100 shares at a strike price of $100 in March 2006 for a premium of around $300. Your worst case scenario would then be a loss of 15% with unlimited upside.
Keep a cool head when investing in emerging market countries like China. They should represent only be a small portion of your portfolio and, whenever possible, take out some insurance

MONEY MAKING BY ACCEPTING CREDIT CARDS

merchant services enables to process credit card payments from your customers. It's a special account tied to a credit card processor that works with your customer's bank to help route payments into the bank account. All small businesses require some form of payment processing. Understanding how to select merchant services can impact your sales revenue and profit. One method is to outsource merchant services to a third party. The third party collects your customers data and does all the work to process payments for your small business. Another way to collect credit card payments on the web is called deferred payment processing. The customer inputs all data and you receive the data manually. With deferred processing, the data does not go through the gateway. One advantage to deferred processing is the ability to inspect all orders and correct them. Deferred payment processing can be time-consuming especially if you have hundreds of orders per day. Finding the best merchant service option can be overwhelming. Review your options and make the decision based on what your customers would prefer and your Small business can afford.
According to webmasters,an internet merchant account will have three types of costs
1. Up Front Application Fees 2. On Going Fixed Fee 3. Discount Rate 4. Fixed Transaction Fee 5. Termination Fees 6. Miscellaneous Fees
Up Front Application Fees: Many internet merchant accounts will require an up front application fee. This fee, supposedly, is to cover their costs for processing your application. In case you choose not to open an internet merchant account, they still cover their initial costs.
On Going Fixed Fee: Most all internet merchant services provider require a monthly fixed fee or "statement fee" as it is commonly named, which is simply another way to cover their costs and make money. You will be hard pressed to find a provider that does not require this type of fee on a monthly basis.
Discount Rate: Usually, the discount rate will be between 2 and 4 percent. The discount rate is the sales commission the provider earns on each sale. For example, if the discount rate offered is 3%, and you receive a sale over your web site for $20, you will owe 60 cents to your internet merchant provider.
Fixed Transaction Fee: Usually between $0.20 and $0.30, the fixed transaction fee is the fixed fee portion of each sale. Unlike the discount rate, the fixed transaction fee is the same for every transaction.

7 GOLDEN PRINCPLES TO BECOME RICH

Who wants to be a millionaire?
Well if you want that million dollars, perhaps you'll get lucky enough to land a spot on ABC's popular game show bearing that name. Simply give the right answer to all the questions and you'll walk away with the million dollar prize.
Or, you could get on a hot streak, pick the right 7 numbers and win the lottery. But unfortunately your chances of winning are 1 in 22 million.....so we'd better forget that.
But maybe you know about this incredible get rich quick plan where you don't have to do much of anything, simply join up free, then in a year or so, you'll be the Net's newest millionaire. Well, if that plan has worked for you....please write me ASAP! :-)
But for all the rest of us, we need some practical advice on what will really make us our fortune.
Making money is easy. There are mathematical laws that govern how money will work for you over time, reaping greater and greater rewards. These laws are laid out in detail in the book, "The Working Life Of A Dollar."
Here's what you need to do:
1. Write down your present monthly income and expenses. Next, see where you might be wasting money on foolish items. Where can you cut expenses and use that money for your future. Plan a monthly budget, and stick to it.
2. Get out of debt. Just as money compounds interest going up, it also drains money out of your pocket when you pay out interest. Only make purchases on your credit cards when you have the cash in hand to cover the expense. If you have a habit of over spending every month, cut your cards up!
3. Always pay yourself first. A minimum of 10% of your monthly income should be reserved for your future. The more you can pay yourself, the quicker your financial goals will be met.
4. Give a portion of your earnings to help others less fortunate.
Just as the mathematical laws governing the compounding of interest are unbreakable, this is a Spiritual law that is unbreakable. You must be willing to freely give before you can rightfully expect something to come back to you.
5. Pick a proven investment vehicle to place your money. The easiest investment is to pick a top performing diversified domestic growth mutual fund. Your fund should have averaged a rate of return of at least 20% over the last 3 to 5 years.
Spend $1.00 and pick up a copy of the Investor's Business Daily newspaper. Every day they publish a mutual funds table. Only choose a fund that is A rated or better.
6. Invest monthly into this fund and reinvest all dividends. Many people do not have the discipline to save money every month. If this is the case, choose the option to have money automatically deducted from your paycheck or checking account.
7. Don't panic. Understand there are business cycles and market cycles. Bear markets typically last from 9 months to 2 years.
Buy as many shares of your fund as possible during Bear markets.
Big returns are always made by sitting through several market cycles. To get these returns you must have the patience and belief to sit tight and add to your holdings during down market cycles.
That's it! Simple and easy to do. Now all you have to do is get started.
1. Write down your monthly income and expenses. 2. Get out of debt. 3. Always pay yourself first. 4. Give to help others. 5. Pick a quality diversified, domestic growth mutual fund. 6. Invest in it regularly. 7. Don't panic.