With a successful wealth building strategy comes the understanding of what kinds of diversification offer you the protection you need from taking great losses in the short and long term.

"Wealth is when small efforts produce large results. Poverty is when large efforts produce small results."

Financial wealth involves the ownership of multiple money producing assets that flow to you, not money draining assets that flow from you.

Investing is a fundamental way to build financial wealth. The sooner you start to successfully invest the more opportunity your investments have to grow.

In order to build wealth there are four simple things you must do:

1) Control your spending.

2) Pay off debts that don't produce some form of income to you.

3) Create or acquire wealth building assets or income streams.

4) Acquire the knowledge to learn how to leverage your TIME and your ENERGY.

Try seeing "diversification" in an entirely different light. As an example, David Futrelle, Money Magazine, wrote a great piece on this entitled "Build Wealth in any Market."

In it he discusses that diversifying investments in your own country's stock market may not be diversified enough.

"More than half the world's stocks are traded outside the U.S. We think it makes sense to keep at least a quarter of your stock money in foreign equities." David Futrelle, Money Magazine, August 12 2004.

Futrelle goes on to give tips on diversification. This is a good exercise in building wealth in the unstable world of stock investing.

Additionally, think of how you can diversify the following sets of capital:

1) Human Capital (your job and career),

2) Physical Capital (your house and other possessions) and

3) Financial Capital (those stocks, bonds and cash).

All these components should work together in your wealth building portfolio.

Diversifying financial assets alone will not offer you enough protection without understanding what kind of diversity offers true protection against avoidable losses.

C.C. Collins is a Financial Planning Advisor and Author of "Scientific Wealth Strategies" at http://wealthscientist.com Find more information at http://www.networthpublishing.com

Let's assume that we each start with 365 days in a year. If we take away the following:

* Weekends- 104 days

* 5 major USA holidays

* 2 weeks of vacation

* Personal religious holidays – (average 3)

That leaves each one of us with approximately 238 days in order to earn the income we desire. Of course we can add or delete days based on our own schedule and desires. If you multiply these 238 days times an average of 10 working hours per day, you are dealing with 2,380 hours of real work time for the year. So let's do some math. If your yearly income goals are as follows?

* $25k = you must be earning an average of $10.50 every hour of work

* $50K = $21 per hour

* $100k = $42 per hour

* $250k = $105 per hour

* $1 M = $420 per hour

* $5 M = $2100 per hour

* $10 M = $4200 per hour

In order to earn the income per year that you really want, you absolutely must be doing activities every hour that line up with this chart. If you catch yourself doing anything that isn't your absolute highest producing income activity all the time, you are in effect making it much harder to achieve your desired financial goals. In other words:

Which activity or activities generate your highest producing income?

Consider these:

1. What are you spending your time doing?

2. Are you focused on the real moneymakers or the real time wasters?

3. Are you making it easy for yourself to be a high-income earner or are you doing the things that can be done by someone whose income goal or ability is less than yours?

When you start to look at each hour this way, you'll stop doing the small stuff and you'll start doing the real high producing stuff that yields results. Just look at your most recent 3-5 days and count the number of hours you spent really making the big bucks vs all the stuff that creeps up on all of us.

What you discover will amaze you!

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated – send to: John@TheStreetKid.com

About The Author

John Assaraf, aka The Street Kid, New York Times ?
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Sometimes, we get so busy with our work and lives that we forget the potential within. You may be able make a huge difference in your community. You may be able to touch a lot of lives in a way that only you can. If you had the choice, you could explore this possibility. As I have already stated, your net worth is directly in line with the number of lives that you have positively affected.

I could be totally boxed in my profession of software engineering, management etc. I love that side of me. I had to take the time to write this book. I know that this book is going to make a difference in many lives. Why do I know that? I know that, because I firmly believe that I have something to offer. I know that, because I started this work with the steadfast desire to write a book that will have such impact. Above all, I know so, because I prayed that I be the instrument to deliver such a powerful message.

You have a purpose in life. You have tremendous potential. Don't let the power of a paycheck hold you back from becoming all that you can be. You deserve to retire early, so that you may spend your time fulfilling your dreams.

Do you need a Million dollars to retire? Not necessarily. You may choose to retire a lot sooner than that. No, I am not asking you to shrink your dreams. You may still go on to gain wealth far beyond a Million dollars. That is entirely possible. But, when you have made it possible to replace your current income from some other means, you can retire and pursue your dreams full time.

Get out of that bondage. Have the choice. Then do what you choose to. Retire early and enjoy your life.

This is an excerpt from a book titled Totally Financially Free by Vishy Narayanan http://totallyfinanciallyfree.com/specials. You are free to use this article in your publication as long as it is not modified and this resource box is included.

About The Author

Vishy Narayanan is the author of the now famous book Totally Financially Free. His philosophy is to help others help themselves to a life of wealth and abundance.

vishy@totallyfinanciallyfree.com

The best way to get started becoming a business owner with very productive employees is to get a business and hire some great employees. Now, most of us aren't able to do that overnight, or we would have done it already, right? Wrong!

If you consider your money (assets or cash) as your employees, then you are an instant business owner. Voila! Think about it. When you invest your money or apply it toward a productive entrepreneurial venture, your money works just as hard to produce an income as you do when you go to your daily job. In fact, it works harder than most employees do – money has no family or personal problems and doesn't argue with you. When you put what available money you have to work for you, you are now a business owner with employees (your money). When you realize that money has the potential to work just as hard as you do, then you've just enlightened yourself with one of the top wealth creating habits!

Now, to get a productive business that earns a good return for you, you need to keep adding "employees" to your business by saving your money and investing it. Whether it's a dollar or twenty dollars, every "employee" counts. The wealth creating habit you want to cultivate in this regard is to save and invest your dollars rather than spending them on things that will give you short term pleasure but no long term benefit. Remember that every dollar you turn into an "employee" rather than spending in the moment will work for you for the rest of your life! Think about that the next time you feel tempted by some new trendy thing you've just got to have!

How can you get started on building this wealth creating habit in your life? It's easy. At the beginning of each day, spend a few minutes experiencing what it would be like not to have to go to work every morning, but to be able to choose whether you want to work or not. During the day, as you are faced with spending choices, bring that experience back into focus to help yourself choose wisely. At night, keep a journal of your spending decisions for that day and note what percentage of the time you chose wisely. Your goal? To increase that percentage gradually to 100%.

Most experts say that it takes 21 to 40 days to create a solid new habit. That's not long when you think about it. All you have to do is get started – now. Good luck!

About The Author

Stephanie Yeh is deeply committed to the study and experience of prosperity and to helping other people achieve and experience prosperity. With the help of a strong 15-year network marketing business, Stephanie and her partner have helped many people achieve their prosperity goals. Her current project, the Journeyman Wealth Program, is aimed at helping 15 people a year fully achieve their dreams. Stephanie's Prosperity Abounds website works on the basic principle that "You are the creator of your own reality!". Get more details on her website at http://www.prosperity-abounds.com; info@prosperity-abounds.com

Amazing Money Tip #9 You must set short-term goals and long-term goals. If you don't know where you are going, how do you expect to get there? It's simple but powerful logic. When you have a target sitting out there somewhere in the future, a target which is your goal, it can almost act like a magnet that pulls you toward it.

Setting solid goals which are attainable, yet still a challenge, have proved time and time again to be one of the most powerful methods of achieving wealth and success ever developed. It has been demonstrated in corporate training schemes. It has been used successfully again and again by countless individuals. Setting both short term goals and long-term goals has the effect of focusing your mind like a laser beam. It pulls you along toward higher and better things. It gives solidity to what you are trying to accomplish, and thus makes that which you want more real and likely to come into your life.

As you have probably heard, it is best to write your short- term and long-term goals down on paper and then post them somewhere in your workplace and home. The first thing you should do every morning is look over your goal list, and then put together your Top 10 to do list which will move you toward your goal. The last thing you should do every evening is review your short-term and long-term goals, and tell yourself as you go to sleep that you are going to do everything in your power to make those goals a reality in your life. Amazing Money Tip #10 Invest your money and make it work at multiplying itself. Saving money in a savings account is important as we said above, but the 2.3 percent interest rates most banks give you is not even enough to keep pace with inflation.

You must do more than save your money — you must invest it. That means financial vehicles with super-high rates of return, such as mutual funds and stocks, or the more risky commodity markets.

A $5,000 investment in commodities can return you 10 times that amount — $50,000 –in just a few weeks, although you could easily lose it as well. Invest your savings into a long term certificate (CD). You can often get one with an interest rate up 4.5-5%. They are 100% safe, and still give you a much better return than normal savings accounts.

The bottom line is, you should take a portion of your savings and put it in a high interest or high risk investment plans. That's the way to really get ahead. Amazing Money Tip #11 Have fun! Yes, this tip easily makes my list because it is so essential to your success. The great writer Ray Bradbury once said in an interview: "If you are not having fun, you might as well forget it. Do everything you do with joy and you'll be successful." You need to be having fun to stay positive, and you need to stay positive to make money. So come on! Get out their: laugh, clap your hands, live! Have a blast and rake in the cash! The world is waiting for you!

I hope you have learned many new ways to save your hard- earned money, and enjoy your day-to-day life more. Remember, nothing discussed in this 4 part series is anything that you can't do. If you put this information to good use, it is guaranteed that you will benefit from it.

Copyright c by Palyn Peterson

About The Author

Palyn Peterson publishes the acclaimed Advanced Internet Marketing News. A professional newsletter with a refreshing perspective and a strong focus on no-cost techniques. http://FutureInternetMarketing.com. FREE Tips, Tricks, Tools, Resources, eBooks, and More!

This article is free to publish with resource box. If using this article, please send a brief message to mailto:palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com

Amazing Money Tip #6

Do what you love and the money will follow. I think there's a book by that title. At any rate, it's true. One of the primary reasons that many people live paycheck to paycheck, and are broke despite working very hard at their jobs, is the fact that they hate what they do.

If you hate your job, you will not have a positive attitude toward money. You will associate money with that dreadful sound of the alarm clock every morning. Once you tie up your source of wealth and income with drudgery, that's exactly what the majority of your life will become: drudgery.

Starting today, you should begin planning your escape. The first thing you should ask yourself is: "If money were no object, what would I be doing? What do I like to do most for fun, and is it possible that I could get paid for it?"

Sound ludicrous? It's not. In fact, if your work is not also your play, you are fighting against yourself. You will eventually burn out and hate the world. On the other hand, if you get up every day being exciting, positive and looking forward to what you are going to be doing – and making money at it – you will automatically move toward doing more and more of what you love, and making more and more money at it. If your dream job means starting your own business, don't let that stop you either! It is much easier than most people think. Look in to it, it could literally change your life.

Amazing Money Tip #7

You must get organized. Being a tidy, efficient person has more influence on how much money you make more than you can ever imagine.

If you want to have a lot of money, you can't afford to be a slob. Think about it. Let's say you are at your desk trying to get some work done. You need to find the stapler, but because your office is such a pit, you spend 15 minutes looking for it. You've just spent 15 unproductive minutes. Next you may need to locate a file, and that takes you 20 minutes of sifting through paper. Another 20 minutes down the tube. By the end of the day, you may easily burn up two or three hours doing something as trivial as looking for things. The same goes for any kind of job you might have. If you are an auto mechanic, how much time do you spend trying to find a nine-sixteenth wrench, when you could have it at your fingertips.

It's disorganized people who are always saying at the end of the day: "I seem to work so hard but get very little done!" Of course! You spent the entire day looking for the Scotch tape!

The fact is, time is money. The more time you spend unproductively, the less time you are earning money. Clean up your office. Organize your tool shed. Get your bookwork organized. Think of every minute saved as a buck in your pocket.

Amazing Money Tip #8

Make your own daily top 10 list. Speaking of getting organized, you should sit down every morning with your cup of coffee and list the top 10 things you would like to get done that day. Then organize them in priority of importance. Start at item #1 and go down the list as fast as you can.

Make no doubt about it – this is a powerful way to get work done. It will put hoards of cash in your pocket. The reason is that making money is all about movement – forward movement. As the famous novelist Ayn Rand told us, in a capitalist society the most important things a person can do is move forward every day!

Having a top ten list will ensure that you accomplish something every day. You may not get through the whole list every day, nor should you necessarily try. Just do your best. At the end of the day, you should be able to look at your list with pride, examine the scratched off items and say: "That's what I got done today! I did something to better my life and create wealth!"

Again, this method has been used by a majority of the most wealthy and successful people in history. Shouldn't you join the club?

The next of the 11 best money saving ideas of all time will be discussed in part 4. Until then, take note of what you have learned so far and put this information to good use. Read and reread this article; I bet you will notice a difference sooner than you think.

Copyright c by Palyn Peterson

About The Author

Palyn Peterson publishes the acclaimed Advanced Internet Marketing News. A professional newsletter with a refreshing perspective and a strong focus on no-cost techniques. http://FutureInternetMarketing.com. FREE Tips, Tricks, Tools, Resources, eBooks, and More!

This article is free to publish with resource box. If using this article, please send a brief message to mailto:palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com

Amazing Money Tip #4

Ben Franklin said it long ago: "A penny saved is a penny earned." Yes, it's still true, and still one of the most powerful money-making tips in all history.

Implied within Franklin's famous statement is the difficulty of saving. It's tough to save and easy to spend! You know that! That's why every penny saved truly is earned – because it takes so much effort to hold on to that cash! But if you can do it, it will work magic in your life. Having a savings account will de-stress your life. Imagine being ahead of your bills, rather than behind. When you are ahead of your bills, you entire life comes under your control. You sleep better at night. Your mind is freer to come up with new ways to make more money and save more. Saving is contagious – once you let it get started!

Here are some tips to help you save:

Don't settle for interest checking. Have a separate savings account that can't be as easily accessed as a checking account.
Keep your savings in another bank – one that's off your regular route, or perhaps even in another town. That way you won't be tempted to dip into it every time you visit the bank to make a checking deposit.
Buy short-term savings bonds, which have 6-month to one- year maturity dates. That way you will get a higher rate, while at the same time keeping your money close in case of real emergencies.
If you can, open the account under two names and require that both signatures be required to make a withdrawal. Two people can debate each withdrawal and keep each other in line.
When you get your paycheck, immediately put a minimum of 5% in your savings account. After just a year, you'll be surprised by how much you have actually saved and feel great about it.

Amazing Money Tip #5

Visualize wealth and abundance everyday. Am I actually suggesting that you practice some sort of airy-fairy mysticism that will make you into a "money magnet"? Maybe yes, maybe no. Call it what you will – a mind game, mysticism, New Age ga-ga — but the solid fact is that behind every wealthy man and woman is a positive attitude toward money. Here's a quick demonstration:

(1) Person One with a negative money attitude has daily thoughts which go this way: "Jeez! $20 bucks is hard to come by! I seem to work so hard and get so little for it. Money just slips through my fingers. It's amazing how much money you have to earn to just get by these days. I'm never going to be able to afford that new car on my limited salary, but this job is still the best thing going for me right now. It's easy for some people to make a lot of money, but I'm not one of those people …" and on and on.

(2) Person Two with a positive money attitude has daily thoughts which go this way: "You know, I bet if I work my butt off I can get a raise next month, and then I'll take half of the extra money I make and toss it in a savings account. There must be a 100 other ways I can bring in some extra cash. Money is not all that hard to earn if you work hard, watch your spending and save a little at a time. There's enough wealth for everybody in this country, and I can easily get my share, and more …" and on and on.

Okay. Which person do you think will have a better chance of success? You don't need to be a Rhodes Scholar to see how Person One is dragging himself down with his thoughts, and how Person Two is giving himself a fighting chance.

Look at it this way: It costs nothing one way or the other to have either negative or positive thoughts. So why not have positive thoughts?

There have been many studies done on the thought patterns and the frames of mind of some of the richest, most successful people in the world. The one thing they all had in common was a positive attitude toward money and their ability to earn it.

The next of the 11 best money saving ideas of all time will be discussed in part 3. Until then, take note of what you have learned so far and put this information to good use. Read and reread this article; I bet you will notice a difference sooner than you think.

Copyright c by Palyn Peterson

About The Author

Sign up for Palyn Peterson's FREE 13 day intensive email course and discover the 16 necessary basics and 8 advanced internet marketing techniques. You'll also receive a free $gift$. http://FutureInternetMarketing.com/guide.htm; palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com

This article is free to publish with resource box. If using this article, please send a brief message to mailto:palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com

Amazing Money Tip #1:

The great scientist Albert Einstein once said, "It takes a genius to see the obvious." What he meant by that is that sometimes the simplest things in life are the most powerful … but because they are so simple, we tend to ignore them, and not let them work for us.

One of the simplest but most powerful money making ideas is this: keep a daily log of everything you spend. Go to the dollar store and buy a little notebook and carry it with you wherever you go. Write down every penny – every single penny – you spend. It's as simple as that.

If you do this, you will find something magic happening in your financial life in just a few weeks.

There is something incredibly powerful about writing down all your expenditures. It makes the flow of money through your life more real and exact. It shows you simply and clearly just where you are spending your money, on what and why. Once you know that, it becomes much easier to control your spending.

Many people who have taken up this practice have not only learned something about themselves which they never knew before, but they are often astounded.

For example, a person could realized through examining their notebook that they actually spent nearly $2,000 throughout the year on diet soft drinks, snacks and candy bars! Since their job only brings in $25,000 per year, they realized that 8% of their entire income was being frittered away on something entirely frivolous. The person gave up the snacks and drinks, and found they had enough money to go on vacation the following year. If you had the choice between snacks or a much needed vacation, which would you choose?

The point is, it was their daily expense log that helped achieve the insight and clarity they needed to get control of their finances. That's what a simple spending record will do for you – it will give you control over your spending, and thus your financial life. There may be nothing but a 75-cent notebook and a ballpoint pen between your life of financial struggle and financial freedom.

Amazing Money Tip #2:

Stop deficit spending! We all know how much trouble Uncle Sam has been creating spending more money than our country takes in. It's called deficit spending. Well, don't fool yourself. The same rules apply to you. Using those evil little plastic cards may be the "American Way," but it's a darn poor way.

Today, the average credit card holder is carrying $8,000 in plastic debt!

Spending yourself into debt with a credit card is unbelievably easy, as many of you already know. The reason is psychological. When you give that clerk a credit card, it's just not the same as handing over a stack of green dollar bills. Would you as readily hand over a fistful of ten dollar bills as flip a credit card across a counter? Probably not.

Credit cards put you in the hole and keep you there. Even for people with good incomes, paying your credit card debt down to zero is amazingly difficult. And make no bones about it, credit card debt will sap your financial strength just as readily as an open vein will deplete your physical body of its very life force. Using a credit card by choice can quickly turn to using it for need. Once you get to that point, you are already in trouble.

There is no secret to freeing yourself from the credit card game. You must take out a pair of scissors today, cut your cards in half, and begin paying them back, slowly but surely. Be sure to always pay more than the minimum amount due, even if it is just $10 more. Once you stop adding to the debt, even small payments will eventually add up. You can get out of debt if you are patient and disciplined. Once your cards are history, you must adopt a strict pay-as- you go policy. Instead of buying now and paying later, save now and buy when you have the full amount.

Once again, this is not rocket science, but stopping credit- oriented consuming is one of the most powerful financial tools available to anyone today. Why not pick up this tool and use it?

Amazing Money Tip #3:

Sell your junk. That's right, it's high past time for a major yard sale. Search through your house or apartment for every single item you don't need, and could sell at a flea market or yard sale.

Take an inventory. The truth is, most people are astounded by what they own – and how much money they have tied up in useless stuff. Why let it collect dust in your attic while it could collect interest in a savings account.

You could easily be $500, $1,000 … even $3,000 richer by the end of the week. As an added bonus, you'd have your place cleaned up, and you will have a fresh feeling of starting over. A garage sale is an excellent way to not only clean out your house, but it often gives a psychological boost that helps people get control of their life and money.

The next of the 11 best money saving ideas of all time will be discussed in part 2. Until then, take note of what you have learned so far and put this information to good use. Read and reread this article; I bet you will notice a difference sooner than you think.

Copyright c by Palyn Peterson

About The Author

Get the very same internet marketing techniques that many "guru's" are asking you $200 for — FREE. Discover 24 necessary techniques. You'll also receive a free $gift$. http://FutureInternetMarketing.com/guide.htm; palyn@futureinternetmarketing.com

Successful people have healed and transformed their relationship with money and so can you!

For most people, money has become an enormously high-pressure area of their lives, fraught with negativity, fear and self-defeating beliefs. It's not unlike the way we proceed and react in any relationship – with a cumulative body of attitudes and experiences that totally shape the way we behave and think. From the time we're very small, the subject of money takes on more and more of this emotional and energetic "baggage" and that becomes the very roadblock that prevents us from creating the financial life we want and deserve.

You see, most of what we learn about money only serves to create more and more pressure around it. In fact, the typical approaches you may have tried before actually drive money away from you by worsening your negative beliefs and attitudes about money.

But right now, today, you can reverse that trend and aim positive cash flow in your own direction.

The thing is, a pure new approach to your relationship with money changes everything. You CAN clear the frustration and limiting energy from your past, and start anew with a bright, unblemished and welcoming field around your money center. Much more than just "positive thinking," the techniques you're about to learn will create a fundamental change in your field of possibility.

YOU Can Transform YOUR Relationship with Money by:

Becoming aware of the power of YOUR beliefs and clear your negative beliefs around money. Make healing your personal relationship with money one of your top priorities in life.

Knowing where you stand financially at all times: Know what your net worth and cash flow is and where your money goes each month.

Identifying what your skills and talents and interests are and find a job or career where you can use them. Explore the possibility of creating a sideline business for one of your hobbies.

Becoming a savvy consumer and develop a plan to reduce your debt. Reduce your expenses so that you generate the cash flow you need to invest in yourself and your dreams.

Creating a game plan for what you want to accomplish financially, set goals, make action plans and go for it. Begin to tap into, harness and apply the power of your mind to make your dreams come true.

A good place to begin is to examine what your parents beliefs were about money and how did those beliefs impact their money. Then look at your own beliefs around money and what you have created in your personal finances. We often hold on to our family's beliefs around money even if they do not serve us…

These ideas are explored in more depth in a book I wrote on Transform YOUR Relationship with Money: A Step-by-Step Guide for Financial Empowerment. For more information, please check out my web site located at http://TransformYourRelationshipWithMoney.com

Bill Austin is a spiritual healer and teacher based in St Petersburg FL. He has assisted hundreds of people around the world in gaining the clarity they need to realize more of their full potential. To find out more about his healing practice, please check out his web site at http://www.HealingHolograms.com

If you want to travel and see the world, you will need more income.

If you do not plan on leading a very active social life in retirement, often you will need less income.

If you want to set up education trusts for your grandchildren, you will need more income.

If you are flexible enough to consider living in Mexico, you will need less income.

If you plan on working part-time or run a business after you retire, you will need less income.

By the way, I have never met a retiree yet who has told me that they had too much money when they retired!

The big trade-off for saving for retirement is that often you are giving up quality of life now to insure quality of life in the future. I know some people who are so obsessed with saving for the future that they are not really enjoying life in the now moment. On the other hand, I know many more people who are not preparing at all for the future and they may not be living very well at all when they retire.

Excerpted from Transform YOUR Relationship with Money: A Step-by-Step Guide for Financial Empowerment. For more information about this guide, please check out my web site located at http://TransformYourRelationshipWithMoney.com

Bill Austin is a spiritual healer and teacher based in St Petersburg FL. He has assisted hundreds of people around the world in gaining the clarity they need to realize more of their full potential. To find out more about his healing practice, please check out his web site at http://www.HealingHolograms.com

We now made the wisest financial decision we have ever made (apart from buying our own home) and used the remaining $35,000 as a deposit on an investment property to help provide for our eventual retirement. The investment property cost a total of $178,000 including mortgage, conveyancing, and stamp duty costs.

Three years have gone by and this is what has happened.

The car has dropped in value by at least $10,000 and possibly more, but is providing good reliable transport.

The owner of the neighbouring property to our investment has put his identical property on the market for $319,000 which compares favorably with other properties in the area. As a conservative guess I would expect it to achieve a sale price of $300,000 or thereabouts.

This means that we have made around $122,000 on our original investment in the house and lost $10,000 on the car. It's actually worse than that. By buying the car instead of the neighbouring house we have forgone a possible $122,000 profit, so the car has has actually cost us $162,000! The old car is still running and in daily use.

The end result is that we have a paper profit of $122,000 on the house and a technical loss of $132,000 on the new car ($162k – $30k residual value).

The moral of this story is to put your money into things that increase in value (assets), and NOT into things that decrease in value (liabilities). You may not have a large sum of money to invest in real estate but there are other asset classes like art, antiques, coins or stamps where there are plenty of smaller investing opportunities.

If you can remember this story of buying a house versus buying a vehicle next time you make a major purchase, you can evaluate how the purchase is going to affect your future wealth. Do you really need a new vehicle or a wide-screen TV? Would a low-mileage second-hand car, and keeping the existing TV be sufficient? Making the right decision now will have a huge bearing on your retirement.

Learning to distinguish between wants and needs, and investing in assets is the key to wealth creation and a comfortable retirement.

Copyright 2005 by Robert Scott, LoanSense.com.au

Check out Robert's Home Loan Australia website that is dedicated to helping borrowers get the best possible deal on a Home Loan in Australia.

Repeat Advice: In other words, place your money in a variety of different investments.

In case you missed it the first time: Don't give Uncle Dave-o you life savings to put into a business venture that's a sure thing.

This simple piece of information is ignored by 85% of household investors. Most households put their money in one stock and hopes it ends up making money. Most people feel comfortable allocating all their money to one investment, one project. If the investment makes money – GREAT!! If the investment loses money – #x*#x!!!! Do you want to be stressed out about your money? No. You want your money to work for you.

When you visit a financial planner the basis of every strategy is diversification and asset allocation. Every disclaimer states that every case is different – it is true they are but the one common element implemented in every case is DIVERSIFICATION.

The theory behind it is this. If you place money in a variety of investments, with 70% in moderate-yielding, conservative investments and the rest in high-yielding speculative stocks. Then if you lose some money on the speccies, then at least you live to fight another day and more likely you may break even after you add the interest from your solid investements . If you make money on them, add that onto the other interest and you are up?Way Up!!

The key to solid investment is make the most of your money, earn the average (index funds and cash), and the use part of your assets on riskier investments. You can allocate money to property, cash, bonds, shares, trees, olives or whatever takes your fancy?The average sounds boring to most people but did you know that over 80% of actively managed funds perform before the market average. Average doesn't sound so bad now.

Psychologically, when your high-yield investments make you money you kick yourself for not allocating more funds to the investment. Don't fall for this trap. Pat yourself on the back for having a win and move on with your strategy. Confidence and 'what could have been' will be your downfall.

Dominic Dirupo survived the Tech Boom and Crash with Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank after graduating with Honours at London's City University. Dont Buy Information is an online resource designed to help every consumer make a business decision for free. No Strings Attached.

*How can you accumulate a sizable estate to pass on as a family legacy?
*How will your hard-earned assets be distributed after your death?
*How can you minimize federal estate taxes and state inheritance taxes?
*How can you best provide for your surviving spouse and children?
*Whom do you want to carry out your wishes?

RETIREMENT PLANNING

*How can you accumulate enough in retirement savings and pension benefits to enjoy a comfortable retirement free of financial worry and not be a burden to your family?
*How much (or little) can you expect to receive from Social Security?
*How can you coordinate your IRA, 401k, pension, Social Security, and other retirement benefits for maximum effectiveness?
*At what age can you really afford to retire, especially if you have children to send to college?

TAX PLANNING

*Are you taking full advantage of the tax laws so that you are not paying more than necessary?
*Are there changes you could make in your business structure that would reduce your income taxes?
*Do you have access to changes in tax law that affect you?

RISK MANAGEMENT

*How are you protected against the unpleasant and potentially catastrophic losses associated with natural disasters, illness or accident, disability, property loss, personal liability, and premature death?
*Is your business protected against these potential losses?
*How would your business be affected if your key people were no longer able to function?

INVESTMENT STRATEGY

*Do you really have a structured investment strategy or do you just invest haphazardly in the latest investment fad?
*Do you know how to increase your investment returns and lower your investment risk through the use of the principles of the Modern Portfolio Theory of Asset Allocation?
*Is your asset mix appropriate for your short-term needs as well as your long-term goals?
*Do you adjust your investment strategy as your investment objectives change?
*Are your investments effectively overcoming the ravages of inflation and taxation?
*Do your investments accurately reflect your risk/reward profile?

Answers to these questions should be incorporated into a customized personal financial plan tailor made just for you.

A Financial Plan is specific to your unique needs and will include the following:

*Current and projected financial statements
*"What if" scenarios with different assumptionsv *Cash flow objectives
*Retirement goals and tax-efficient ways to achieve them
*Funding children's education
*Protecting against the financial impact of premature death or disability
*Implementation schedule with a time frame to follow.

Expect this process to be an eye-opening experience. You should be able to see all the disparate areas of your financial life come together into a comprehensive, meaningful, integrated whole.

All parts will work together like a well-oiled machine. You will see exactly where you are now, where you want to go, and most importantly, how to get there. Any obstacles you face will be clearly identified.

Your personal financial plan is a living document that should be reviewed on a regular schedule and altered to meet your changing circumstances.

Developing your financial plan is only the first step in a life-long process of wealth accumulation and financial security. Free financial planning resources are available at http://www.flanancialplanninginfo4u.com when you are ready to begin.

C.C. Collins is a Financial Planning Advisor and Author of "Scientific Wealth Strategies" at http://wealthscientist.com Find more information at http://www.financialplanninginfo4u.com

3.Do you need to Maximize Retirement Income?

4.Do you want Simple but Powerful Strategy to Increase Your Retirement Wealth?

For most people their 401k investment strategy is to "set it-and-forget it".

This mindset has long been in existence and has been perpetuated by 401k administrators and human resource departments alike. Don't make the mistake of thinking these people know what is possible, or that they will tell you if they do, to maximize 401k returns.

Unfortunately, accepting the given type of strategy at your company will most often result in less than optimal returns. Yet so many people believe that if there were more to be gained, their employers would have a system set up to capitalize on that fact. They don't!

If you were able to implement a strategy to squeeze a little more out of your 401k plan, say 8% more every year, this would result in four times the amount of money you would have at retirement because of the power of compounding interest!

Think about that for a minute: 4 times what you might expect when you retire just by learning how to raise your return by 8%.

Is this possible? Not only that, but people in the know are doing it by the thousands right now.

A very simple but powerful 401k strategy that works with any 401k plan involves two things.

1. Awareness

2. Use of an index fund (where available)

By awareness, I mean tracking the value of your 401k holdings on a weekly basis if possible. With this level of awareness you can easily spot a portfolio decline. If it approaches a predetermined amount (5% to no more than 10% suggested) you should switch into a money market. Or if you are well informed and have the ability into an index fund that is designed to profit from a decline (a Bear Fund).

The biggest advantage you will gain is NOT letting your account value sink to such dismal levels that a 40%, 50% or greater gain is required just to get back to even.

This alone could significantly increase the size of your 401 over time.

Is this the only strategy that can safely increase your return rate on your 401k?

Not at all. You just need to know what most people won't tell you. I have written a book on the subject called "Scientific Wealth Strategies." You can find it at http://wealthscientist.com

There are also a lot of resources available on the net to help you understand what you can do with your 401k to maximize default returns no matter how your 401k is set up by your administrator now.

A site in our publishing network helps you find this information. It can be found here: http://www.401kinfo4u.com

The worst thing you could do is let your 401k lay almost dormant with the minimum returns you are getting now. Calculate what it will be worth at retirement now as opposed to what you'd have waiting for you when you retire with 8% more in returns.

That should get you interested in seeking out the education needed to realize a whole different kind of retirement nest egg!

C.C. Collins is a Financial Planning Advisor and Author of "Scientific Wealth Strategies" at http://www.wealthscientist.com Find more information at http://www.401kinfo4u.com

Achieving financial freedom is a gradual process that will happen as you implement all these simple steps in your life.

Pay yourself first

Every paycheck, keep some of your money for yourself and keep it. It takes money to make money, so goes the old saying. To achieve financial freedom, you'll need some seed money that can grow into a substantial nest egg.

Take a percentage or a fixed amount from each paycheck and add it to your seed money, at least 10%, if possible. This is your investment money. Do not use it for anything else. Every paycheck be sure to pay yourself first. With time and persistence you'll soon have the funds to start making profitable investments. You'll be a lender and not a borrower. Reinvest all profits and dividends to maximize the growth of your nest egg.

Control your spending

Make sure that your spending is less than your earnings. When you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is STOP DIGGING. You may have to create and follow a budget.

Creating a budget is easy; following it may be hard. Start our by tracking your current spending habits. Visit www.financesoftware.net for software that will help you. Summarize your spending into general categories such as Food, Clothing, Entertainment, etc. Then you can decide which categories you can cut and by how much. Continue to track your spending and do your best to stay within the limits you set for yourself.

Get free of debt

Debt is bad, "the borrower is the slave of the lender", and none of us wants to be a slave. There are some debts that may be helpful, such as business debts to increase profits, home mortgages, and car loans. Avoid any other borrowing, even pay cash for your car if possible.

Increase the size of the payments you're making. Pick the creditor who charges the highest interest and increase that payment by as much as you can. When that creditor is paid off, take the payment amount and apply it to the next creditor. Continue this process until all are paid off. Destroy and close all or most of your credit card accounts.

Build a contingency fund

Life is full of unexpected surprises; the car breaks down, the furnace fails, we lose our job, etc.. To prevent these occasional events from derailing your financial plans, you need funds just for emergencies. This will help you avoid borrowing or dipping into your seed money.

Every paycheck, take a percentage or a fixed amount of money and put it into your contingency fund. As the money in this fund grows, you will have the peace of mind that comes from being better prepared for life's little surprises. For life's big surprises, buy insurance.

Become an informed investor

In this day and age, there are endless opportunities for investments that can make or lose you money. In order to make money and not lose money, you'll need to start educating yourself.

As a start, here are some concepts it will be good for you to know. RETURN is how much profit you're likely to make on a given investment, usually expressed as a percentage or a range of percentages. RISK is the possibility of something bad happening, like losing money. A SCAM is a false investment opportunity presented by lying thieves trying to steal your money. DIVERSIFICATION is the strategy of not having all your eggs in one basket to spread and minimize risk. An INVESTMENT STRATEGY is a long term approach to making money. Visit www.financesoftware.net for more investment ideas and related software.

Give

Begin to give away some of your money. "For whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap." If you are religious, give to your religion. If you are not, then give to the poor, or to "save the earth", or whatever noble cause appeals to you.

Not only does giving help free you from the mental and emotional grip of money, God Himself will generously respond to more than repay what you have freely and joyfully given away.

Conclusion

You can make it happen. Establish your strategy and stick to it. Implement all these steps in your life and your financial freedom will soon come:

Pay yourself first,
Control your spending,
Get free of debt,
Build a contingency fund,
Become an informed investor,
Give

Now, you're on your way.

Copyright c 2005 Richard Pullman

Richard Pullman is the Webmaster for http://www.financesoftware.net and has a bachelor's degree in finance and economics.

You have permission to publish this article either electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the author bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. Please email to richard@financesoftware.net

* Repay High Interest Loans

Some debt that is incurred has a higher interest rate than others depending on the type of loan and the time at which the money was borrowed. Many times car loans and student loans have the highest interest rates, while other debts like medical bills may have little or no interest accumulating. Although it might seem like a good idea to pay off bills that have a lower total balance to eliminate that payment, this is not always the best option. In the long run it is more beneficial to pay off the debts that have the highest interest rates first.

* Create an Emergency Money Account

Try and work out a plan so that your family will have a little extra money in case of emergencies. Even putting a minimal amount of money back from each paycheck makes a lot of difference. The key is to be consistent, decide on an amount a stick with it. Another option is to save unexpected income, such as gifts or tax returns, for emergencies. It is estimated that one should save at least 15% of their annual earnings in a savings plan; this amount will vary according to your particular situation.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Debt-Relief-Solutions.com. He provides more debt relief, credit counseling, repair and free financial planning information that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

1. Pay yourself First — rule numero uno. From each pay cheque set aside 15 to 20 percent of you're after tax income through an automatic deposit into a savings account or investment program. After a brief "adjustment period" you won't even miss it. It's important to make sure you have enough money on hand before you can entertain any investment strategy.

2. Pay down your consumer debt before investing — most investors would be ecstatic with an 18% + after tax return from their investment portfolio. Let me explain how paying off credit card debt actually translates into those kinds of returns. Let's assume your carrying credit card balances of $3000.00 @ a simple annual interest rate of 18%. That's $540.00 per year in interest charges?pay out the credit card debt and you're saving $540.00 a year. Can you see how that's exactly the same as investing the $3000.00 into something that earns an 18% return after tax. In fact you would have to earn 36% return on your investments to emerge with the same $540.00 in your pocket if you were in say a 50% tax bracket. I suspect what you're saying right about now is that that's all very interesting but where does one find the "extra money" to pay down those debts. Thank you for that excellent segway into my next tip, no# three.

The Straight Goods on Mortgages

3. Refinancing — the truth is even though it's likely your home may have greatly appreciated in value, it's also very likely that you may be paying more than necessary on your mortgage. Refinancing commonly referred to as Debt Consolidation leverages the equity you may have already accumulated in your home to pay down high interest credit cards, credit lines and other debts. In 2002 and 2003, one in two Canadian mortgage holders refinanced their loans with over all savings of $7 billion in interest payments. A good rule of thumb to follow is — consider refinancing if your rate is 1.5% or more, higher than current rates. Always check your mortgage documents or with your mortgage holder to determine the penalty for discharging your existing mortgage.

It's always a good strategy to exercise your full pre-payment privileges before refinancing which will dramatically decrease any penalties involved. If your mortgage was previously insured by CMHC it may also be possible to refinance to a high ratio mortgage (anything less than 25% down) and pay the CMHC insurance "top up" fee only on the new money advanced after discharge.

To determine if refinancing is a realistic option for you calculate your total monthly debt payments; including personal loans, your existing mortgage payment, lines of credit, credit cards etc. and divide that number by your gross total monthly income. If your total is above 0.49 it's likely refinancing could bring real value to your situation.

4. Ladder or Step — imagine registering a collateral charge against your property in consideration of its future value. Basically a "step" mortgage enables you to accomplish just that. With a step or ladder you can structure a mortgage combined with a credit line as well as overdraft protection etc. that will allow you to painlessly borrow money against the future value of your property as it appreciates.

Benefits of this plan include a hedge against risk, a lower rate if your current rate is higher than prime, as well as flexible payment terms — from making interest only payments to making any sizable payment or completely paying down the debt against the credit line without incurring expensive penalties. Best of all with a step mortgage you have the unique ability to painlessly increase your line in the future for educational purposes, renovations etc. based on the appreciated value of your home. It's best to trust an Accredited Mortgage Professional to structure this complex but infinitely more flexible mortgage plan.

5. Floating or Variable Rate Mortgage — York University Professor Moshe Arye Milevsky found in his study examining the last 50 years of mortgage rates that 88 percent of the time, home owners will find that the interest rate on their variable rate mortgage will be lower than the rate on a traditional five-year fixed rate mortgage. My advice is to definitely consider a variable rate but you must be able to tolerate the risk of your monthly payments possibly fluctuating. One way to offset this risk is to calculate payments based on a five year fixed rate against a mortgage calculated at a variable rate. You will likely not only save on interest charges but may pay off your mortgage considerably quicker.

Having the ability to lock into a "fully discounted" fixed term rate at some future date, without penalty is also an option worth exploring. Bi weekly-accelerated payments are highly recommended as well. It's basically nothing more than taking 1/2 of your monthly payment and remitting it to your financial institution every two weeks. It translates into making roughly one additional monthly payment every year but it really serves to substantially reduce your interest charges and amortization, which will allow you to own your home outright, sooner. Childs Education

6. Start early — Considering a price tag of about $50,000 for four years of post secondary education for a child born today based on current tuitions of $5,000 and education inflation of 5%, a Registered Education Savings Plan is simply a must. The earnings aren't taxable as they grow within the plan and the Canada Education Savings Grant is an added bonus. The CESG basically provides a guaranteed 20 percent return — where can you beat that? – You'll receive $400.00 from the government on the first $2,000 of contributions per child per year.

Registered Retirement Savings Plan

7. Save as much as possible — take full advantage of compounding while your account grows tax-deferred. Borrow if you must because in most cases deferring taxes and earning compound interest far outweigh the interest costs of borrowing to make an RRSP contribution. It's also a prudent idea to apply your tax refund directly to the loan immediately reducing the payments. A "step" mortgage can also go a long way towards making this process more painless.

New home buyers — The Home Buyers' Plan (HBP) allows you to withdraw up to $20,000 from RRSPs to buy or build a qualifying home for yourself (as a first-time home buyer) or for someone who is related to you and is disabled.

(http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tax/individuals/topics/rrsp/glossary-e.html#qualifying)You may still be considered a first-time homebuyer if you own a rental property or if you have not recently owned a home.

8. Spousal RRSP — is recommended. Split income in retirement and reduce your overall tax burden by contributing to a spousal RRSP now. You will significantly reduce your taxes by having the higher income earner make as much of the RRSP contributions as his or her room will allow, then use a spousal account so that each spouse continues to build the same RRSP savings.

The message here is that a sound knowledge of financial basics combined with some careful financial planning goes a long way towards helping you hang on to more of your hard earned money. It's always wise to consult with a mortgage professional as well as a competent financial planner to formulate a financial plan, review your budget and help match your savings and investments to your overall goals.

c 2004 Realtywide Corporation
Author: Dan Loney AMP CIMBL/ICCP

Dan Loney – AMP CIMBL /ICCPH is Chief Financial Officer of Realtywide Corporation and an Accredited Mortgage Professional with The Mortgage Alliance Company of Canada a $5 Billion mortgage originator. He is among the first to receive the AMP designation, recognizing that Mr. Loney has achieved the highest level of professionalism, ethics and education within the Canadian mortgage industry. Contact Dan Loney @ 1-877-366-3487 or visit www.REALTYWIDE.com

During high school, we're taught that you can only make a lot of money by getting a good job. Because of this, many of us become addicted to an hourly wage. When a friend or relative gets a new job, we congratulate them and then ask, "So, how much do you make an hour?". Once in a while you may ask your boss for a raise, because you feel you work really hard and deserve it. The rich don't ask, "How much do you make an hour?", or, "Can I have a raise?" they ask "What's your monthly cash flow from your assets?", and "What's the dividend yield on your favorite income stock?". Many employees say "I'm going to retire with $700,000.00 in my 401K!". The rich say "I'm going to retire with $30,000.00 a month coming from my assets".

So it's easy to tell when a person is rich or not. If a persons assets produce enough money every month to cover his or her expenses, then that person is rich.

Michael Press is an investor and teenage entrepreneur. He currently owns and operates PassiveIncomeInfo.com, a free website with articles about how to build wealth.

3. Purchase repeatedly, often, and preferably on credit, items that rapidly depreciate such as cars and consumer goods. Why pay all cash for something when you can use OPM (Other People's Money)?

4. Maintain at least $7,000 to $12,000 of revolving credit card debt – preferably on store credit cards – and avoid reading the monthly statements.

5. Eventually revolving debt becomes a bit of a burden. Once that happens, take out a Home Equity Line Of Credit (HELOC) to alleviate monthly payments.

6. Seek out, and take advantage of get-rich-quick opportunities. They offer simple, easy wealth accumulation plans – with little effort, of course. Leave honest hard work to others. They don't know any better.

7. Spend at least half of your allowable IRA contribution each year on Christmas and holidays, preferably on credit.

8. If you have an investment or asset plan, don't review it too often. This can be tedious, boring and rather dull. Once every 6-10 years should be fine.

9. Where possible, avoid the toilsome task of creating asset accumulation strategies. Instead, have more dinners out with friends, or fun vacations. After all, you only go around once!

10. Invest in insurance. Wrap yourself in insurance protection from disability, death, dismemberment, accident and ill health – you just never know when you'll need it. Insure your pets as well!

11. Only buy new automobiles for their quality and reliability. Used vehicles can cost as much as $150/ month in long term average maintenance.

12. Regular financial plan setting? Don't do it!

13. If you have a home mortgage, refinance every couple of years to capitalize on low rates. Just think, you too can own your house for 20 years – and still have 20 to 25 years remaining on whatever debt is there at the time.

14. Don't bother with financial coaches and truly objective advisors. They may assist you with your money plans, but those busybodies should find something better to do.

These 14 steps are a sure way to reach the rank of "Ultimate American Consumer". Along with the title, you will reap all the privileges and benefits that this provides. All the best in your quest!

Eric Johnson is a regular contributor to the Investor's Value View newsletter. To learn how to reach Mr. Johnson for comments or to subscribe to the Investor's Value View newsletter, visit http://www.valueview.net

The internet has allowed many of these gurus's to stake a claim to the ever growing world of Real Estate Investing. From time to time, I will experiment with many of there techniques and they are all great.

This quote sums us why I got started with Russ Whitney.

"Most of the people I talked to had college degrees, but they didn't know the fundamentals of wealth building. Colleges and universities teach you math and science, but they don't teach you how to make money, nor do they teach you how to protect your money. Most importantly, they don't teach you how to keep it and make it grow. It takes a certain person; just wanting to become rich isn't enough. You have to be ready to understand why you haven't gotten rich yet and be willing to do something about it.

Under standing wealth building is truly the ultimate secret to investing in Real Estate or in any business.

Charles Light

Charles Light
Author, Speaker and Radio Show Host

Earned Income – Earned income is the primary source of income for most American's today. Any type of job that pays an hourly wage, pays earned income. People who rely only on earned income, pay the most taxes. Federal, State, Unemployment, Social Security, and Medicare taxes are all deducted from a persons paycheck. With passive income and capital gains, the types of taxes you pay (if you have to pay any at all) depend on your investment. Earned income is not necessarily a bad thing. Having a job or career is a great way to earn the capital required in order to create assets.

Almost everyone who starts his or her own journey to financial freedom begins with earned income. Relying solely on earned income should be temporary. In America today, many people rely on earned income alone, and saving most their earned income for many years until they retire. The path to financial freedom requires making the transition from relying on earned income, to passive income

Michael Press is an investor and teenage entrepreneur. He currently owns and operates PassiveIncomeInfo.com, a free website with articles about how to build wealth.

I watched Dr. Wayne Dyer on television when he lectured on PBS in the recent past. He shared his experiences as a child about how he would naturally attract abundance wherever he went. He was raised in foster homes surrounded by people with a poverty consciousness. In spite of that, he still "felt" prosperous and abundant and always "pictured" having money in his pocket. With this image, he then would collect pop bottles, deliver newspapers, cut lawns, etc. These money-making opportunities were coming to him all of the time as a result of his abundance or prosperity consciousness. So as a child, he always had money and abundance and that has continued throughout his life.

Here is one of many things Dr. Dyer has to say about abundance:

"It's all about having an inner picture of abundance, thinking in unlimited ways, being open to the guidance that intention provides when you're in a state of rapport with it — then being in a state of ecstatic gratitude and awe for how this whole thing works. Every time I see a coin on the street, I stop, pick it up, put it into my pocket, and say out loud, "Thank you, God, for this symbol of abundance that keeps flowing into my life." Never once have I asked, "Why only a penny, God? You know I need a lot more than that."

I agree totally about being in this state of gratitude and I too will joyfully thank God/All That Is/Universe for any amount of money I may find, even if it is a penny. What happens is that more money and abundance will continue to flow into my life, as long as that flow remains open and unblocked.

The other day, for example, I parked and as I got out of my car, I noticed a large pile of coins on the ground – pennies, quarters, dimes and nickels. It made me laugh in appreciation for this rather obvious abundance symbol! I thanked God for showing me that my prosperity consciousness was still going strong.

Try this the next time you see a penny or more in the street. Rather than step over it and keep on walking, see it for what it is, a symbol of abundance that just flowed into your life. Know that picking it up and expressing gratitude will keep that flow of energy open and flowing in your direction. Soon you will see more and more symbols of abundance and prosperity in your life. It really works!

c 2005 Chyrene Pendleton

Chyrene Pendleton, Metaphysician, Numerologist, Dowser, teaches several workshops on topics including prosperity and abundance, numerology and dowsing. Her articles have been featured in many mainstream and spiritual journals over the years and in her free, online Ezine called, The Isle of Light.

Chyrene is the owner of The Isle of Light Inc., a spiritual, metaphysical online spiritual center dedicated to assisting all to become more empowered and enlightened in a wide variety of ways. She is a certified television show producer and co-produced and hosted The Isle of Light television talk show in Denver, Colorado, which continues to air biweekly. Chyrene is also the producer and host of The Isle of Light Internet radio talk show which airs 24 hours each day at Live365.

Chyrene Pendleton's websites can be found at: The Isle Of Light http://www.theisleoflight.com

Internet Radio Talk Show http://www.live365.com/stations/avalon22

Prosperity is a State of Mind http://theisleoflight.blogspot.com

Estimate how much you must save to give you the income you know is necessary for you to retire in comfort.

Experts suggest that you will need an income equaling about 75 percent of your current take home pay. Be sure to estimate a rise in inflation which has historically been about 5.3 percent per year.

Figure out how much of your current salary will need have to save each year to achieve your retirement goal by counting backward from the year you plan to retire to see how many years you have before retirement. Include the possibility of being on a fixed income for as long as 20 or 30 years. Depending on how many years you have until retirement a U.S. Treasury bond that guarantees six percent interest might be considered, while stocks might have the potential for a much higher return, but has a much higher risk of loss.

A financial planner, stockbroker, or an accountant, can offer guidance, expertise and access to knowledge about almost any type of investment or retirement planning concerns.

Spread your money out over a variety of investments. Some will prosper while others may fail.

Set up an automatic draft from your bank account from your paycheck so that a portion of your income goes directly into your retirement funds. Pay off major debts, such as home mortgages, college loans and other significant cash-flow drains, as quickly as you can.

For more information visit: http://www.apluswriting.net/finance/retire.htm

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Copyright: 2005 Marilyn Pokorney

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Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the environment.
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Website: http://www.apluswriting.net

So let's assume that the guy who aspires to be wealthy has an income. If he stuffs some cash in a box every time he gets paid his salary, and keeps it there he is already gaining wealth. He has accumulated an asset he never had before. Average Joe says – "lets put cash in the box next week – we'll buy take out this week".

Sounds crazy huh – but it's true.

The second step in being wealthy is discipline.

The second step …. what happened to the first?

The first step ….. You have to choose to be wealthy – or have stuff. More on that another day. Think about it.

Kevin Bauer

http://www.grow-your-wealth.com

Kevin Bauer is an entrepreneur and teacher. He has owned and published community newspapers, built and sold a life insurance brokage company, taught salespeople how to increase their business, helped small business owners to increase their customer base and buying frequency, worked with major corporates on their sales and marketing strategies and now focuses on using the internet to build his own business.

2. Raise your standards. Take a month and calculate the amount of money you spend on snacks, sodas, fast food, and other junk that doesn't last beyond the moment. As much as possible, dispense with frivolous spending, but at the same time don't be afraid to reward yourself with big things. By refusing to spend on cheap or useless "stuff" you'll have more available for things you really want. Rewarding yourself when you can accomplishes two things. It gives you a motive for saving and it gives you tangible evidence of your new found financial success.

3. Instead of thinking in terms of what you can afford, think in terms of what you really need. Don't take out a mortgage for the maximum you qualify for. Lower the limits on your credit cards. Pay cash whenever possible to avoid paying interest. Learn to practice "purchasing patience" – wait overnight or longer when possible before buying so that you break the habit of spending on a whim.

4. If you haven't already, create for yourself a financial buffer and don't dip into it except for extraordinary circumstances. Some say you should have at least one month of living expenses set aside. Some say it should be two. I even know some who aren't comfortable unless they have at least a six month cushion!

These, and other simple strategies can help you keep more of your money in your own pocket and set you on the path to financial independence.

Leonard Hopkins is an internet entrepreneur and small businessman. He edits two blogs, http://www.moneyrant.com and http://www.thedailygoodnews.com

Here they are:

1. They never decide and really define, very specifically, what wealth means for them. The keyword here is specifically. Can you imagine how hard it would be to build a car or a plane without making a blueprint or sketch drawings of it first? You have to know what your target is before you go chasing after it.

2. They make wealth a moving target instead of a fixed one (this is related to point one above). Once you have your target, fix it. Don't change it until you reach it. You must accomplish each step, celebrate, and then set course for a new step, a new target.

3. They define it in a way that seems unreachable. You only achieve what you believe. No more, no less. So you must make it believable for you. Set goals that will make you move forward and stretch, but not too high that even you yourself don't believe you can. Take the biggest step you believe you can, achieve it, then take the next biggest you believe you can. This will build positive reinforcement in your self-confidence as well.

4. They never start. Ok, this is obvious. If you keep thinking about it forever, it will forever remain in the thought level. You have to act! Start somewhere, anywhere! Only after you start do you begin to get some feedback which will help you plot your course better. The aircraft has to first take off before it starts to adjust course for its destination. You must start, somewhere, anywhere, doesn't matter, just start! Act!

5. They never make it a must. Let me explain what it means to make it a must. It means marshalling all your intent, your will, your direction, into one singular flow that is directed towards your goal. All obstacles are viewed as challenges to be overcome. You will meet obstacles, and so expect it, but also expect to move forward anyways. Use your obstacles to develop strength and skills, don't run away. Find out how to go past them. Find out! There is always a way, always. And if your emotions are acting against your desire, embrace them, learn what they are, know yourself, but keep moving forward. Make it a must, and it will happen. Guaranteed. You don't know in how many steps it will take, but you know it will happen.

6. They don't have a realistic plan. If you want to do something, find out how it is done from someone who has done it before. Make a realistic plan. Copy from those who have succeeded before you. But don't throw away your intuition. Your intuition is extremely powerful once you learn how to listen to it with practice.

7. If they have a realistic plan, they never follow through on the plan. Well, if you don't follow the plan, who will?

8. They give responsibility to others ("experts") instead of to themselves. This way, they never really learn how to do it, and if there are failures they never learn why the failures happened and so they are bound to repeat them. It is a good idea to get advice, but do it yourself. At least understand it yourself even if you will delegate the actual doing.

9. They give up when they face challenges. Going through the challenges is what has made people rich, not giving up. Look, there are always challenges. So get used to that. You will only get where you wish to get to if you are willing to face the challenges along the path. All challenges are opportunities dressed in work clothes, remember that. After the challenge is over, you will discover the amazing fruit it held for you.

10. They fail to conduct their lives as a business; they never ensure that they make a profit year by year. Get a personal finance package like Quicken or Microsoft Money. you need to have budgets and cash flow statements for your personal finances and your businesses. It is easy with those software packages. If you don't keep records and track, you wont know when you are making or losing money until it is embarrassingly too late.

11. They allow other people's ideas to affect their decisions unreasonably. There will always be people who don't believe in your way, or who are pessimistic, who try to pull you down, or whatever. And they will sometimes be your closest friends and family. You cannot change that – they have a right to be who they are. It is OK. Allow them their thoughts, don't judge them for that, but don't feel obligated to accept their thoughts of follow their way. Don't allow other people, now or from the past, unreasonably affect your decisions. Allow them their way, and you live your way.

12. They don't get quality coaching. This is extremely important! Coaching is simply getting mentored by someone who has succeeded wildly in the area of your interest. Get coaching! Our education system hardly equips us for real life, so don't assume that because you went to college you are properly equipped. Hardly. You need to keep learning. The most successful people attend seminars, read books, join mastermind groups and clubs, find mentors, network, and even hire expensive personal coaches to make sure they succeed.

How many of these reasons can you identify with? Well, now that you see the reasons, you now can look at yourself and make sure that you don't follow ways that are known to not lead to wealth. Follow what works and it will work. And don't forget to enjoy yourself along the way.

David Cameron is the author of wealth and self development books such as A Happy Pocket Full of Money, showing many how to create the lives of their dreams and beyond. Download free trial ebooks, software, courses. http://www.imagesofone.com/?c=a

Before long you are calculating percentages like a pro.

An hour later, you stumbled across an idea everyone with a calculator on a rainy Sunday afternoon stumble across. That of calculating the money you have squirled away at the local bank branch in a fixed term savings account. You recall the rate was guaranteed 7% and even though you are only locked in for 12 months, you decide this money will become your retirement fund. All $3000 of it.

So you start crunching the numbers for ..oh, say 30 years.

In 30 years, you calculate that it will become $22,836.76 Wow! even if you do nothing. Not bad.

A show comes on the television that grabs your attention, and your calculator is absently passed onto the coffee table as you get comfortable, and get set to watch "The most dangerous animals on earth-a ten point count down".

You watch, but the calculator sits patiently within your line of sight. During one of the ad breaks, you get another idea.

What if you could find some other investment vehicle to grow your money? What if you could find somebody that offered more interest?

You don't know where you will find somebody willing to offer you this much interest but you try it anyway….30%

30% at 30 years.

Wow. $3000 turns into $7, 859,983! Wow! you hum to yourself. You begin to pay a lot of attention to your calculator, the TV show is up to number one, the most dangerous animal on the planet is……..you don't care. You don't even hear the television.

Suddenly a wise voice enters your head. You know its wise, because it told you. It says hey, 30% is not a huge jump from 7%. Yes it is a lot different, but not proportional to the result. $22,000 odd dollars, compared to nearly 8 million is a big difference.

There's something to this.

You resolve to investigate this. You steady yourself for the figure that will come next, when you try 100% You start crunching.

…after picking yourself up off the floor, you decide to do some research on your favourite resource site Ezine, a search for compounding you find this article.

Surely it can't be that hard to maintain a level of compounding that's fairly interesting over a number of years? You reason.

And you know what? You are right. It's a science. Its simple math and the results are under your control if you want them to be.

Your actions determine your results, why wait 30 years for compounding to work for you?

You can manufacture exceptional results with a some solid research, and deploying that knowledge.

There's a lot more to Compounding than the math. But look, they say in life, you get what you put in, however, compounding is different. When compounding your own money, as we have seen, that theory is just inadequate to express the returns.

Its time you investigated compounding properly. Keep an eye out for my articles here, or visit our web site right now on the link below for a lot of free insights and open content pages.

(c) Martin Thomas 2005.

Martin is an investor who is also part of a team that maintain a website for ordinary people to find rapid resource pathways to wealth. http://www.opportunity-investor.com. With quality content heavily slanted towards good common sense, opportunity-investor.com is the exclusive place on the web to get the highly acclaimed work by Millionaire Investor Hayden Muller. "The Trade Secrets of an Ethical Opportunity Investor: A Step-by-Step Guide". Copyright 2005 revised edition. Hayden Muller.

There is no point in opening a bank account offshore if it is going to be of no use to you! So you need to understand some of the general advantages of banking offshore.

Depending on an individual account holder's personal circumstances it's possible to reduce tax liability, increase wealth potential and maximise privacy with the use of an offshore bank account.

Further advantages for an expatriate or internationally focused individual are the flexibility, ease of access and global reach that an offshore bank account may provide.

Other general benefits may include asset protection, estate planning, better interest rates and the chance to exploit active business interests overseas.

At this point it's essential to point out that each individual's circumstances are unique and a person should seek personalised professional advice before venturing into the offshore world. This article does not constitute direct personal advice.

Step Two – Pick Your Jurisdiction Carefully

There are so many offshore banking providers offering a wide variety of account type and they are located in low to no tax jurisdictions worldwide so how do you choose which country to bank in? Again, depending on an account holder's personal circumstances certain offshore jurisdictions will present themselves as being more favourable.

Jurisdictions range in quality from highly regulated, politically and economically stable centres like the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey to high risk jurisdictions that few would recommend!

Remember that an offshore centre that is suitable for an American expatriate might not be so suitable for an English international investor! Consider your circumstances, your country of residence, country of domicile and any reporting restrictions placed upon you. Further examine the reporting requirements of any jurisdiction that you're interested in.

Step Three – Select Your Offshore Banking Provider

Do your due diligence carefully and find out who's the financial security behind a particular bank. Research the bank's history in terms of its stability and security. This research is mainly applicable to those thinking considering banking with a lesser known offshore provider.

Clearly if you're thinking about opening an offshore bank account with HSBC then your research needn't necessarily be so intense!

You need to make sure that you're comfortable with your chosen bank's attitude towards you, its customer, and if you're considering online banking be sure that your connection to the bank will be secure.

Much of this essential information can be found online.

Step Four – Choose The Right Bank Account

With so many providers vying for customer attention there are more account types on offer now than at any other time before. Each account structure claims to offer something the others don't, but remember that the more bells and whistles you add to an account structure, the more expensive the charges for running and marinating such a structure will be! And who will bear the brunt of these costs? Most likely you – the customer!

So, think carefully about exactly why it is you need an offshore bank account and what are the features of that account that are essential to you. Do not be tempted to add to this list any unnecessary complexity.

Stay in touch with your immediate money management requirements; do not be tempted to deviate!

Then work through what's on offer and pick the account type that best suits your needs.

Step Five – Opening The Bank Account

Nowadays you neither have to visit the offshore jurisdiction in which you wish to bank, nor do you have to travel to the country for the continuance of your banking activity and account maintenance.

Depending on the jurisdiction you favour, the provider and account type you have selected you will be required to submit certain paperwork, forms of verified ID and deposit funds.

The majority of legitimate offshore banking organisations will also allow customers to conduct all ongoing banking activity via the internet, e-mail, post, fax or telephone.

With many providers now offering full credit and debit card services as well you will also have easy and direct access to your funds at all times.

Rhiannon Williamson is the publisher of ShelterOffshore.com – the online resource for offshore, expatriate and international investors.

For personalized investment and offshore advice, readers of Shelter Offshore benefit from the site's strategic alliance with deVere and Partners, the world's largest offshore financial advisory. Visit the http://www.shelteroffshore.com/index.php/
shelter/offshore_advice_service/; deVere and Partners offshore advice service page to find out more.

2. Decrease your expenses (spend less money)

or

3. Do both 1 and 2

However, what is not so obvious are the words that should always follow these "income-increasing" statements. Accountants, financial planners and wealth-building experts are often so close to these principles that they assume we all know them to be true. They also tend to believe that everyone has the necessary discipline and patience to automatically make them happen. Here are the reality-based revised versions of the statements that, although might not be as easy to relate to, really make more sense and, if you follow them to the letter, will help keep you on track. If you want to increase your income you must either:

1. Increase your revenue (and at the same time keep your expenses the same or less than before)

or

2. Decrease your expenses (and at the same time maintain or increase your revenue)

or

3. Do both 1 and 2

One version of Parkinson's Law is that "expenses rise to meet income." Put another way: "The more you make, the more you spend." If you truly want to increase your income, it is important to maintain the same, or even a scaled-down, style of living for a period of time.

For example, if you make $45,000.00 per year and receive an annual raise of 10%, you gain an additional $4500.00 per year ($375.00 per month) for a new total of $49,500.00. It is awfully tempting to spend this extra $4500.00, rather than invest or save it. In addition, it is easy to talk yourself into "upgrading" your lifestyle by trading up for a more expensive car, taking an unplanned vacation, or some other "deserved" reward. After all, you just "increased" your income by $375.00 per month. Right? Wrong – if you spend it!

If you spend the extra money, you have not really increased your income at all. In fact, if you spend it and then take added taxes and other liabilities into account, you may actually have less income than you had before the raise! Weird, huh?

The point here is that it's not just about making more money. It's about what you do with the extra money that determines whether or not you have truly increased your income. The reverse is also true. Let's say that instead of the 10% raise, you get no raise at all. But, you decide to "raise" your income by cutting expenses. If you find a way to cut your expenses by 10%, you actually are gaining over $375.00 per month. If you are able to cut your expenses by $4500.00 per year, in reality, you just increased your annual income by 10%. Weird again, but true.

Your desire, ability and willingness to both cut expenses and increase revenue will determine how fast and how much your income will jump. It's a powerful combination, and this is the "secret" that most wealthy people use all the time.

Dr. Dan Strakal has been an expert on the changing workplace, job transition, and career development for nearly 20 years. He acts as a trusted client advisor and consultant within the corporate sector, government agencies, civic organizations, small businesses, and educational institutions. He also provides business, executive and career consulting, coaching and workshops for individual clients and is the coauthor of and contributor to two books, Better Job Search in 3 Easy Steps and Better Job Skills in 3 Easy Steps. Dan is often called upon by the national and international media as an expert and has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Self Magazine, SmartMoney.com, Computerworld, Diversity Inc. Magazine, Chief Information Officer (Australia's Magazine for Information Executives), the Radio America Program: News You Can Use, KBS Radio Canada and many other media outlets. He is on the Board of Directors of the Career Planning and Adult Development Network and is a Platinum Member of the Career Masters Institute. More info at http://www.capable-consulting.com

Before I continue it is imperative to point out that the suitability of entering the offshore world for saving, banking, asset protection or any other reason can only be determined on a case by case basis. While 'going offshore' might be the most effective way for one person to operate, it might be totally unsuitable for the next person because of their personal circumstances. It is essential that anyone considering going offshore seeks the advice of a professional financial adviser. This article does not constitute advice.

The potential benefits of saving money offshore, investing offshore or placing assets offshore are manifold, here are just 7 ways that you might be able to take advantage of all that's on offer?

1) If you're an expatriate living, working and paying taxes overseas, chances are you can secure your savings in a low to no tax offshore jurisdiction where they will grow tax free. Without the burden of taxation, savings will benefit from compound growth.

2) By placing money or assets offshore an individual can potentially protect their financial assets from domestic personal or business litigation.

3) The offshore world sometimes offers individuals a way to reduce or negate inheritance/death/estate tax that will become liable to be paid on their estate in the future. Certain offshore structures such as trusts can sometimes help in the struggle to legally avoid death duty.

4) Many offshore jurisdictions offer greater levels of personal privacy and also security which means a person's private or business transactions are dealt with confidentially and securely.

5) As offshore jurisdictions are less restricted by reporting requirements etc., people with a high risk tolerance who invest offshore often have access to more exciting and potentially better potential returning investment vehicles.

6) Domestic savings and investment policies are restrictive for some people; by investing offshore these people have access to the global investment market place which opens up many more opportunities to them.

7) Some offshore savings vehicles pay higher levels of interest than an individual could gain domestically.

Because the offshore world is so flexible and open and offers such a wealth of diverse opportunity for saving, investing and protecting isn't it time you seriously examined the options available to you?

Rhiannon Williamson is the publisher of ShelterOffshore.com – the online resource for offshore, expatriate and international investors.

For personalized investment and offshore advice, readers of Shelter Offshore benefit from the site's strategic alliance with deVere and Partners, the world's largest offshore financial advisory. Visit the deVere and Partners offshore advice service page to find out more.