All it takes is for cost of a barrel of oil to spike up, and once again everyone starts talking about renewable energy. Then just as fast as whatever it was that caused the price spike goes away, the conversation dies down. It really is all ridiculous too because the future is coming and it is renewable energy.

Now the fact is that the hardware for assembling your own renewable energy system became cost effective years ago and its growing even more as time moves on. That is that it the cost of putting together, say a solar system is about 30% less than the value of the power it produces over its service life.

The big problem though, is that while the power that comes off your power grid does cost more, it’s on an easy payment plan. You simply get your bill once a month, pay it, and that’s it. Simple and easy and this is what has so many people hooked. It’s just easier that way.

However, for you as a business person, there is the public relations aspect that you have to take into consideration. That is that it’s just good for business for you to be seen as a conservationist by your clients or customers and this trend in PR is only expected to grow.

By far the easiest type of system to set up is a photovoltaic solar system that uses solar panels. Now while they are quick to install and get online, they do none the less have a few shortcomings that you will have to contend with.

The first is that they only generate power in the daytime and electricity is expensive to store in batteries, but it can be done. The option that most people take though is to direct excess production back into the grid during the day, get credited for it and then draw it back out at night.

Now if your business is in an area where you have a steady supply of wind, then you need to know that a lot of progress has been made in wind turbines. New off the shelf, high tech turbines that can be generating energy for you in about the same time as it takes to set up solar panels.

The nice thing about wind turbines is that they operate 24 hours a day, just as long as the wind is blowing. Also if you have enough wind and buy a big enough turbine system, you can generate a very large amount of power.

One issue to consider with wind turbines though, is that they do tend to be a bit costly, and it’s not just the cost of the turbine that can run up your bill. It’s the tower, because good towers can be expensive and that particularly holds true for larger towers that you would mount a large turbine on.

Courtesy of BPT

You’ve probably dreamed about what you’d do if you won the lottery – quit your job, build your dream home or even donate a large sum of money to your favorite charity. The allure of a huge amount of money falling into your lap cannot be denied. Scammers know these dreams and feelings well, and prey on them, making lottery and sweepstakes scams one of the most prevalent types of scams out there, according to the Better Business Bureau.

Courtesy of BPT

You’ve landed the right job, you’re earning good money and your career is poised to take off. When everything is lining up in your professional life, it’s natural – and smart – to think about financial planning and the future.

While you’re working toward building an emergency fund, saving for a down payment on a house or car and setting aside something for retirement, don’t overlook another important aspect of financial planning – looking after your credit. Even young professionals who have a grasp on other aspects of their finances may be unsure how credit fits into the mix.

Generally, people starting out in their careers have one of two experiences with credit: they’ve either never used it at all, or over used it (in the form of credit cards or student loans) to the extent that they’re already deeply in debt. In either scenario, it can be difficult to know what you need to do to monitor  your credit.

If you’re a credit novice, congratulations! Your clean slate means you have a great opportunity to start out on the right foot. Your initial steps toward credit management should include:

* Obtain your credit report and familiarize yourself with what’s on it.

* Educate yourself on how a credit score is calculated and what factors influence your score. These include: payment history for bills in your name, how much you owe, the length of your credit history and the variety of types of credit you use. Since you’re a credit beginner, you’ll need to start building a credit history.

* Start making small, judicious uses of credit. For example, you may choose to obtain a credit card and use it to make a modest purchase of a piece of technology or an appliance. Pay off the balance immediately. Or, if you need a new vehicle, an auto loan can help you build your credit history.

* Get into the habit of monitoring your credit regularly with a product  like CreditReport.com, which offers its members valuable tools to help manage their credit for a monthly fee.

If you already have some credit history, the beginning of your career is a great time to review it and take steps to better manage your credit. Your regular tasks should include:

* Reviewing your credit history to get an idea of what you’ve done right so far, and what you need to improve.

* Learning what factors influence your credit score in both positive and negative ways. For example, paying down the balance on credit cards can improve your utilization ratio.

* Eliminating credit card debt and making responsible use of other types of credit, such as an auto loan or home mortgage.

The early days of your career can be a busy with a lot of adjustments, but it’s also a ripe opportunity to plan for your financial future. Learning the benefits of monitoring your credit and seeing how it fits into your overall financial well-being is an important aspect to grasp early on.

Courtesy of BPT

(BPT) – People choose to garden for many reasons: Food is fresher and tastes better. It’s a healthy hobby that exercises the body. It saves money. Numerous reports show an increasing number of homeowners are growing their own fruits, vegetables and herbs.

As summer’s end nears, you may think gardening season is over. The good news is with a few strategic tips, you can keep your green thumb going and enjoy a plethora of autumn edibles for months to come.

Step 1: Select second plantings

Second plantings are the plants you use for the latter part of the gardening season. Late summer is typically the best time to plant these varieties. Call your local extension offices or access information online to find regionalized planting schedules and recommended plant varieties.

The length of the fall season and when the first frost will likely hit are important considerations when selecting second plantings. Keep in mind that fast-maturing vegetables are ideal for fall gardening and they should be planted early enough to reach maturity before the first frost arrives.

Popular second plantings that yield a delicious late fall/early winter harvest include broccoli, lettuce, turnips, collards, carrots, peas, radish, spinach, leeks and beets. Some people even claim root vegetables and cole crops like kale and turnips taste better after the first frost.

Step 2: Prepare your garden space

If you plan to use your current garden space for second plantings, remove the early-season plants that are done producing. Add those plants to your current compost bin or create a new compost pile with easy-to-use, stylish options from Outdoor Essentials. Wood-slate bins blend well with the outdoor aesthetic and the design allows oxygen to circulate and facilitate the composting process.

Next, prepare your garden space. Elevated garden beds are growing in popularity because they look great anywhere in your yard or on your patio, and are easy to move if necessary. Raised garden beds from Outdoor Essentials elevate the plants so gardeners don’t have to bend over and risk injury. They are ideal for fall because gardeners can regulate the temperature of raised beds with ease. On hot days, move or add a shade netting to protect plants from the heat; when frost is a threat, cover the entire bed for protection.

While you’re getting your hands dirty, fall is the perfect time to plant spring flowering bulbs. A little outdoor work now and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful flowers when spring arrives next year.

Step 3: Enjoy the harvest

Tend your garden daily for the best results – it may just need a quick check for pests and proper soil moisture. Typical benefits of late-season gardening include fewer bothersome bugs and the soil has better water retention.

As plants grow, pick the fruits and vegetables and enjoy Mother Nature’s bounty. If your plants become crowded, pluck a few out to help remaining plants grow roots and increase the harvest yield. You may be surprised just how many cool months your plants provide you with fresh, delicious produce.

Fall is a great opportunity to keep gardening momentum alive. So get started and decide what second plantings are best for your space. In as little as 30 days you could be eating the freshest, most flavorful vegetables you’ve ever had, all while under the gorgeous autumn sun.

Courtesy of BPT

(BPT) – Let’s face it – moving is hard. Along with the stress of leaving a familiar place and adapting to new surroundings, moving means packing, loading, transporting, unloading and unpacking everything you own – as well as everything you forgot you owned.

While relocation may never be completely carefree, there are ways to ease the anxiety. A well-thought-out approach to boxing up belongings can help simplify the moving process and bring you one step closer to making your new house a home.

* Box it up. To be prepared for packing, seek out a large quantity of clean, sturdy containers in a variety of shapes and sizes. When selecting boxes, you may choose to purchase new ones, helping to ensure they can withstand the rigors of moving. You can also purchase dividers, which come in handy for packing glasses and other small, fragile items. No matter what you are using, remember not to over-pack. As a general rule, heavier items should be placed into smaller boxes to avoid too much strain on the box (and your back).

* Leave it. The easiest packing is no packing at all. Moving is the perfect time to clear the clutter out of your life. Before boxing up your belongings, decide what to keep. Clothing and housewares in good shape can be donated, and broken or unused old items can be tossed or given to someone who can repurpose them.

* Mind the supplies. The right tools can go a long way toward easing the moving process. Pick up plenty of quality wrapping material, like Bubble Wrap Brand cushioning, as well as strong packaging tape to help make boxing up your belongings a painless process. Don’t get caught up in common frustrations that cause stress and waste time, such as tape that constantly tear or splits or struggling to find the tape end. Choose a quality tape, like Duck brand EZ Start packaging tape (packagingtape.com), for your moving needs; the brand’s Frustration Free special release technology ensures that you never lose the tape end. And EZ Start unrolls smoothly and easily, without splitting or tearing.

* Organize and prioritize. Pack from room to room and label boxes based on box contents, where boxes will be unpacked in the new location and priority. EZ Start packaging tape provides a solution here, too – with different prints to choose from, boxes can be organized and prioritized according to the particular design used.

* Get help. Be organized to help the entire moving day run smoothly, so that your volunteers aren’t waiting around for a job to do. Providing tasty snacks and drinks is a thoughtful way to say thank you, as are gift cards for coffee, movie theaters or their favorite stores.

* Pack a survival kit. Moving can be exhausting, and an all-day move may not wrap up until late in the evening. Don’t spend your first night in your new home unpacking. Instead, pack a survival kit or an “Open Me First” box with essentials to get you through that first night. Make sure to include some fun items, such as your favorite movie or a batch of brownies, to reward yourself for a hard day’s work.

Moving day may never rival a beach vacation, but these simple tips can make it a lot less stressful and help you enjoy your new home faster and easier.

Courtesy of BPT

There are a number of financial retirement benefits connected to real estate IRAs and their investments. Due to the fact that your investment increases within tax-deferred and tax-free conditions, the amount you can accumulate is magnified greatly.

Real estate IRAs see their investment increase, but with the additional advantage of no taxes. For example, if you made an investment of $4,000 with compound interest under normally taxed conditions at a 31% rate, you would gain $286,752 after 30 years. However, with an IRA account at an 8% compound interest rate you can expect to accumulate $449,133; $162,381 more.

A self-directed IRA is generally called a checkbook IRA. This is because your investment is held in a checking account to which you have complete access. The advantage is that you can invest your funds immediately and you do not have to pay a transaction fee each time.

Some IRAs provide the option to lower how much of your income is taxed. For example, if you paid in $10,000 to an IRA and your income was eligible, then you could expect a tax deduction of $10,000. Some plans deduct over $50,000.

Due to protections of federal bankruptcy law, an IRA is normally protected from being touched by creditors or litigators if bankruptcy should occur.

A number of IRAs avoid taxes if you desire assets to be passed down as an inheritance after your death.

You can invest in non-traditional assets, such as real estate. The only areas in which you cannot invest are life insurance, capital stock in an ‘S’ corporation and collectibles.

Real estate IRAs provide the chance of a high return faster. This is because with a real estate IRA you are allowed financial leverage: your down payment depends on how much your lender asks for and not the value of the entire stock. For example, if you want to buy company stock at $100,000, instead of paying the whole amount you could purchase 50% at $50,000. If the stock then increases to $150,000 your return would be 50%. However, with your investment of $50,000, the increase of $50,000 will provide you with a return of 100% based upon the cash initially invested by your IRA.

Real estate IRAs allow you to be more diverse with your assets and thus more financially secure.

If you do not have enough capital in your IRA to buy a particular property, you can ask for a non-recourse loan. As you can only use your IRA money in such an investment, a non-recourse loan is the only option. You are not personally responsible to repay a non-recourse loan and if you were to go bankrupt this money could not be touched by any creditors.

With business funding you are entitled to a salary and business profits.

Many IRA companies offer low annual custodial fees. Because custodial intervention is minimal, there are less asset-based, holding and transactional fees.

by: Islandview Mortgage 

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/business_and_finance/article_15994.shtml