A good and decent company abides by set objectives and fulfills these objectives to promote growth and progress. Measurable company KPI's should complement these objectives to maintain integrity while in the process of realizing the said objectives. The question of integrity will always be there since there is more than one way to achieve an objective. Unfortunately, some of the ways can be tagged as unethical to common business standards, thus, the issue with integrity. Methods, like how to measure finance, can be intervened. Results can be tampered just to show a solid intra-company economy, despite the fact that the company is suffering losses.

Now, why would a company do that? The answer is simple. A revealed weakened state does not attract investors at all. On the contrary, investors flee at the first sight of heavy loss. Putting it at a more understandable perspective: Would you pour precious water into a leaking container? If you are aware that the container has a leak and you deem your water precious, pouring it in would just mean you are wasting your water, and you are very well aware of the process. It makes sense when placed into this context. Or, does it? Either way, investors will never waste their money on something that could mean a sure loss on their part when it comes to ROI or returns on their investments.

The strength of online banking companies is evident at a distance. Even if you have not been to their webpages or have not read some of their company background, the people they have done business with can pretty much mirror what they really are. Satisfied customers are walking ads for these online banking companies. So, this is one way of measuring their finance strength, through people they have done business with.

Online finance companies, more or less, revolve around these two common objectives: customer acquisition and minimized interactions cost. For sure, both objectives are easy to understand. For customer acquisition, it simply means the accumulation of customers to do business with. As for minimized interactions cost, it means that the company will keep expense at a minimum for every interaction done between them and their customers. Since there is mention of KPIs indirectly affecting a company's ways in achieving company goals or objectives, it will be wise to determine specifically what these are.

Customer acquisition has a separate set of KPIs; these are account sign-up, addition of new accounts, application downloads (since the company is online), pre-approvals (for new accounts opened), and locating an agent. High marks on these measured KPIs ensure the accomplishment of the customer acquisition objective. The KPIs for the second objective, on the other hand, are as follows: average cost/interaction, self-service visits, response (email, calls, etc.), and web percentage of customer interactions.

Summing up, the two ways on how to measure finance strength of an online banking company are through the people the company has done business with and the strict compliance to the KPIs the company follows to achieve their objectives. Fulfilling these two and observing integrity every step of the way will not need a cover up of losses since a company will never experience loss after it accomplishes its objectives without cheating through them.

If you are interested in How To Measure Finance, check this web-site to learn more about how to scorecard finance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sam_Miller

Islamic finance is a centuries-old practice that is incessantly marking its significance in not only the Eastern but also the Western states. So what exactly is this practice that has captivated the interest of millions across the globe and is gaining continuous recognition? Islamic finance is the process through which the financial conglomerates in the Muslim world inclusive of their banks and further loan giving financial organizations raise their capital in agreement to the Islamic rules and regulations that are called as the "Shari'ah". The various categories of investments that are permissible under the Shri'ah are included in this field.

This industry is showing an impressive and a steady growth rate of above fifteen percent with global worth of almost £150bn to £250bn. Its history dates back to the inception of Islam whereas it was formalized in the beginning of the early sixties when the concept of Islamic banking was made official, owing to the demand for the "Shari'ah" practices. It is basically the acceptance of its attribute of risk sharing that is an important component of elevating the capital and shunning "riba" and "gharar" which are usury and the uncertainty risk respectively.

According to the Islamic laws there are two people involved in a business transaction regarding loans, the individual who is being paid the loan is the borrower whereas the one paying it is the lender. Normally interest is charged by the lender on the amount that he is lending. This concept is vehemently rejected by Islam which terms capital as a means of value rather than as an asset, and asserts the negation of receiving interest over money. Further under the Islamic rules and regulations it is termed as illegal and "haram". The existence of Islamic banking works towards the supplementation and fulfillment of both the economic and the social objectives of Islam. Some of the investment arrangements that are permitted under Islamic banking have been briefly explained in the following paragraphs.

Profit banking is permissible that involves the sharing of both profit and loss between the financial organization and the respective enterprise that has been endorsed by it. Under the indentures of profit and loss sharing the capital of the investors is amalgamated and the eventual loss and turnover is shared. As mentioned earlier, gharar is the uncertainty risk factor that involves the acquisition of a premium against an unforeseen and unpredicted calamity that might befall. Similarly the concept of equity financing of a particular corporation is permitted, as long as the respective organization is not found to be involved in some kind of restricted productions say for instance pornography, alcohol and artillery.

Joint stock ownerships are quite common. The declining balance equity involves the combined purchase of say for instance a house by the bank and the financier. With the passage of time the ownership of the house is transferred by the financier to the original owner whose expenses comprised the home owner's equity. The lease to win is a related method except for the provision of almost the entire finance by the respective financial institute or sponsor on the terms that the house is resold to them after a predetermined time period. A share of the all the individual payments make up the lease.

The cost plus sale is also another commonly practiced method where a liaison say for instance purchases a house with a clear title but agrees to resell it to a potential buyer at the same profit. The subsequent purchase can be both in the form of an absolute payment or timely installments. Leasing is also a feature that is permitted by the Islamic finance. It includes the right of a person who has obtained a lease on a particular item to use it s desired for the specified time period. Once a lease expires a new one can be obtained. Similarly Islamic forwards are also acceptable that involve the payment for a particular item that is acquired at some time in the future. The services of a legal consultant are mostly employed.

Currently this topic is a hot cake in the Europe and owing to the shortage of expert individuals in this field; it is a great career choice for individuals who seek a dynamic and a challenging career in the international market. Many universities abroad are also offering Islamic finance as a course in addition to a certificate that is aimed towards making up for the scarcity of expert and accomplished professionals in the respective market. Skills required to excel in this field are management dexterity and knowledge whereas their job is to make sure that all the financial activities that are being carried out are in accordance to the Shari'ah rules and guiding principles.

All in all it's increasing recognition all around the globe both amongst the Muslims and the non-Muslims can not be denied. This field continues its efforts of integrating religion with the modern practices. And given the amplification of riches in the Muslim states, it is expected to show further progression and advancement.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anila_Asad

With prices increasing everyday, people are looking for ways to save money on household expenses. One of the best ways to save money is on your monthly electric bill. Read on to discover 5 steps to save money on electric bills.

1. Make sure that your meter is reading accurately. Give your electric company a call and ask them to send someone out to do an evaluation on your meter. You'd be surprised how many mistakes are made by inaccurate meters.

2. Have an annual checkup on your furnace and air conditioner to improve efficiency. The small amount you spend could save you hundreds of dollars over the course of one year.

3. Install a clean air filter on a regular basis and replace or clean it monthly. Dirty filters cause the equipment to work harder and use up to 5% more energy. Also, set your thermostat up more in the summer and lower in the winter. Each degree you go up or down can make a significant difference in your bill. Do this gradually over time and you'll be surprised what a difference it will make.

4. Replace old light bulbs with energy efficient ones. Yes, they do cost more at first, but the extra savings will pay off in the long run.

5. Keep furniture and draperies away from air vents inside the house. Air should be allowed to flow freely throughout the home. Make sure that nothing is blocking its path. Also, be sure to weatherstrip doors and windows to prevent expensive air leaks.

Avoid wastefulness by turning off any appliances or electronic not in use. Lights, televisions, and video game systems use more electricity than most people think. By making a few simple changes in your lifestyle, you can see significant savings on your next electric bill.

Save Money on Electric Bill. Learn where to find the extra money you need to save hundreds per year. Discover 29 Quick and Easy Strategies for Saving Money in Today's Economy.

This one resource has helped hundreds of people.

Can you afford not to have this information?

Visit http://www.frugallivingsecrets.blogspot.com for immediate access.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Freedom

The Credit crunch is biting hard, where I live, many business and shops are either closing or finding it hard to survive.

Homes are being repossessed at the highest level for years, people who are in debt often get drawn into using debt help Companies, this can and often does sometimes make the situation even worse, just transferring debts from one source to another.

Although the term is being bandied about by all and sundry, it is actually a bit premature to say we have a widespread credit crunch going on - at least in Britain.

It is still easy to get a mortgage in the UK, though only if you are a good credit risk. On the margin, people who have patchy credit records are finding it more expensive to borrow, and banks are tightening their lending criteria.

If you ever find yourself in what you think is a helpless spiral, first go your local citizens advice bureau, they will help you and discuss a plan and a way forward. Many companies and mortgage lenders will listen to proposals if put to them in a total and professional way. These companies would rather have a plan to sort out debt problems, than to evict people from there homes. Always talk, don't panic, help and advice is available.

Myself although not in debt, try to foresee these problems and with that in mind and uncertain future in conventional business, I a part time, a internet marketing business, this is an almost fail safe method of earning money with lots of forums and people willing to help on line.

Here is one of the many money making opportunities:

Paul is an expert in all financial matters. He is an experienced Internet Marketer & Specializes in Business Opportunities. Paul has had huge successes in earning extra cash. To find out more about his favourite site please visit theaffiliatewarehouse.com where you will have full access to all of his money making methods.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_John_Collins

Gold has been a symbol of wealth and power throughout history. It has been a leading reason for colonial expansion. But the most important use of gold was felt when it was used as a monetary system called the gold standard.

The usage of gold as a monetary system was in the form of gold coin standard which came late in the seventh century BC in ancient Lydia. During the seventeenth and the eighteenth century countries began moving away from gold coins and began creating government notes that were backed by gold. Gold coin standard is nothing but governmental paper notes that are backed by gold.

In 1792, with the passing of the mint act, the adoption of the gold standard was made compulsory by the United States government. The United States dollar was backed by gold until 1862 and was reintroduced in 1878. The action of switching between the Gold standard and the Fiat money system continued until 1971.

Gold standard has some advantages. Since the money is backed by gold, the government has a large control on trade. Due to the government's manipulative behavior, depressions or boom cycles can result in economic collapse. The gold standard serves as a solid base in such situations since the government printed script is backed by a gold reserve.

Due to inflation, there has been an increase in greed and debauchery of the dollar which has resulted in the misallocation of capital. In such circumstances if you want to protect yourselves financially, the best way is to protect your interests by owning gold. This can be proved by referring to the well-documented research papers by Sinquefield and Ibbotson which shows the importance of precious metals such as gold. Investment in the gold standard certainly lowers your risk by increasing the return.

About Author: Pauline Go is an online leading expert in finance industry. She also offers top quality financial tips like :
Payday Loan Tips and Us Gold Coins On eBay

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pauline_Go

Remittance is the transfer of money from one point to another; a transaction usually made by foreign workers and immigrants to send money to their home country. Money remittances serve as one of the largest types of financial transactions in the world, with remittances to developing countries reaching £83.9 billion in 2005, and close to £125.6 billion in 2006. This figure is more than twice the amount of international aid.

Remittances are considered a lifeline for people in developing countries. With the relative strength of currencies from developed countries, the money sent regularly to homes could be much more compared to the average salary in developing countries.

The increasing role of remittances in families' incomes is starting to play a role in national development policies. Since one needs to open a bank account to receive remittances, governments can leverage remittances to promote economic development.

For example, the strength of the Philippine Peso and the Indian Rupee is based on the volume of foreign currency sent. The large amount of foreign currency that is transferred to these countries helps moderate local currencies. In South America, remittances account for almost 10% of the GDP in six Latin American and Caribbean countries.

An increase in money remittances is a symbol of a globalised economy, as more migrant workers from developing countries travel to the developed world to work in various jobs where domestic manpower is not available. Remittances are also valuable sources of domestic investment to aid economic goals.

Remittances can also be a crucial source for supplemental income during natural disasters and calamities. Money transfer services are also employed by non-government organizations and charitable institutions, so they can effectively mobilize their programs during a crisis.

Various remittance agents and money service providers facilitate money sent from one country to another. In India, cash2india.com or Xoom.com handles online-to-offline money remittance. With their online facility, you can transfer money from the UK to be picked up or delivered to the receiver in India. The global leader in money transfer services is W Union. With their long history in this industry, you can find a W Union branch almost anywhere on the globe.

Popular online facilities are also used for remittances. The easiest way to transfer money to india is Paypal, the largest and most widely used online money transfer in the world. A leading alternative to Paypal widely used in UK and the rest of Europe is Moneybookers. More and more international and local money transfer services facilitate remittances from UK to all parts of the world. The cost of money transfer varies depending on the type of service and the geographic cover of operations.

The top remittance countries in the world are mostly from Asia. In the period between 2006 and 2007, £13.5 billion worth of remittances were sent to India, followed by China with £11.3 billion. Third on the list is Mexico followed by France and the Philippines. Remittances will continue to come from UK, US, and the rest of the developed countries to these developing economies.

Send money abroad with Transfer Money from UK

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Saffron_Samson

Be honest to yourself, answer Yes or NO to these questions:-

1.) You spend too much money on some things unnecessary and your partner complains about it?

2 .) Do you have more clothes and shoes in your closet than you could ever possibly need?

3.) You are shocked every month when your credit card bill arrives at how much you spend than you thought you had?

4.) Do you own every new gadget before it has time to collect dust on a retailer's shelf?

5.) Do you notice things you didn't need until you saw them collecting dust in your store?

6.) Are you struggling to pay your credit card debt and your bills keep filling up?

If you answered "yes" to any two of the above questions, you are an impulse spender and indulge yourself in self destructive attitude to financial disaster.

In the long run, this habit will cost you dearly and is bad for your financial health. It will deny you from saving for the important necessities like a house, vacation, a new car and a saving for your retirement.

You must set some financial goals and discipline yourself in not spending money on stuffs really don't affect your life in the long run.

Temptation to have many things in life is human instinct. The trick is to differentiate what you really needs before you buy anything that you have not planned for. Impulse spending will not only put a strain on your finances but your relationships, as well.

Set yourself a goal like " I will never buy things I never plan to buy". Set your budget every month and never spend beyond it.

Take only enough cash when you go shopping to pay for what you have planned to buy. Do not bring your credit cards with you.

By following this simple solution, you will do yourself a big favor in building better relationships with your partner/spouse and a better financial standing in the long run.

Want more Tips on managing your finance ===>> http://clickmyurlnow.com

Want to know more how to manage your Finance?.100s Red Hot Tips are available for FREE to better Manage Your Finance. Tips from Investment, Loan, shopping, how to spend wisely and many more... Visit==>> http://ClickMyUrlNow.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Abdul_Rahim_Suhailie

How to protect your heard-earned money when you happen to be an expat?

Someone who's thousands of miles away from your country that you have grown so familiar and so comfortable with and now in a country where you still feel to be a stranger?

Well, actually you might be surprised to find out that when it comes to expat offshore banking, you have got all the aces. No kidding. You are in a very advantageous position because as an expat you have the liberty to make a choice where to entrust all cash.

More money, more problem, eh?

With expat offshore banking, the international financial market lay down at your feet to be of service. Try to keep that in mind so you won't have any of those sleepless nights.

Expatriates can take full advantage of the investment and tax benefits during the time they will spend living in a foreign land by availing the services of an offshore banking system. One of the perks that can be gained from expat offshore banking is that there is no need for those in the offshore jurisdiction to render an authorization or consent. An expat can freely enjoy the services of offshore banks directly together with the following other advantages:

* Confidentiality
* Accessibility
* Efficiency of Tax
* Flexibility

One thing more, the money is just but a thousand and one other things that you need to consider that's why there's a need for an expat international travel guide to generally guide you along the way. Like for starters, the general do's and don't to in your new found home like doing what is acceptable to the society and avoiding what is deemed to be taboo.

The expat international travel guide will scrap away the ignorant traveler/foreigner on you and therefore will help you survive life in general in the concrete jungle. Like a compass, such travel guides will tell you when and how to respond appropriately to certain situations like when:

* dining out
* shopping
* asking for directions or other form of help
* striking a conversation
* general interaction with others and so on

For certain, expat international travel guide will bring you to places minus all the hassles. Now that you know these tidbits of information, do yourself a favor by researching more on offshore banking and international guides for expats like you.

Sturat Mitchel is an Experience article writer and very interested in writing on topics like offshore banking and international travel tips

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sturat_Mitchel

Unless you have been living on Mars for the last year or so, you would know that the days of cheap plentiful oil are well and truly over. At this time of writing, each barrel of oil is being sold at nearly US$150, a price no one would have possibly predicted almost five years ago when prices exhibited an upward trend.

Believe it or not, high oil prices are definitely here to stay. This necessarily translates into higher inflation rates and much reduced purchasing power. It means that more and more money will be needed to buy the same number of units of goods.

As it stands, weak prevailing US economic sentiments do not help at all in lifting our spirits. Already, high food and fuel prices are triggering violent public protests in many developing countries.

"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity", says Albert Einstein. Do not for a moment put your hands up, despair and give up. I am telling you it only takes a change in your attitude and minor tweaks in your lifestyle to maintain a more than reasonable living standard.

Not only that, you will get to save money as you go along and pass down good-as-gold thrifty habits to our younger generations.

Without further ado, let's examine how 7 simple and practical tips can help you beat inflation and save as much money as you want. They can be easily implemented by anyone living in any country but nonetheless requires a little discipline on your part.

1) If you really need a credit card, then cancel all other credit cards you are holding and just hang on to one. Yes, you heard me right. Keep only one credit card. If not, eschew credit cards totally and go for a debit card instead.

In this way, you will intuitively curb your spending and at the same time, consolidate all purchase points on a single card. Once you have accumulated sufficient points, go ahead and redeem a free restaurant voucher or airline ticket for yourself. Yeah, the best things are free!

2) Keep your hair reasonably short but presentable. If you are still reading this article, you can't be living on Mars. And you should be aware it is summertime right now. That is when the mercury shoots right off the edge and your utility bills chew up whatever spare cash you have.

Hear me out. Your head radiates a considerably amount of heat. By keeping your hair short, you will feel cool no matter what time of the day is and avoid reaching out for that air-con remote. As you know, air-conditioners are notorious for guzzling energy and can easily account for two-thirds of your energy bills.

3) Consolidate and perform all "manual" tasks in one shot. Take for example you are a stay-at-home mom and have to carry out household chores throughout the day. These chores may include taking the kids out to school, mopping the floor, hanging the laundry and so on. Instead make it a point to carry out as many tasks consecutively as possible. Once you are done, treat yourself to a quick but relaxing ten-minute shower, splash on some fresh-smelling talcum powder and again, you can avoid using the air-conditioner.

You smell good, the work is done and by the way, did I mention that doing household chores is a proven great way to slim down? I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised at just how much you can save by just avoiding switching on the air-conditioner.

4) Did you know you can literally have your cake and eat it too? How so? A really neat trick I use is to check out nearby hotels and pastry shops for their "special offers".

This is not commonly advertised but it is known that many of them offer massive discounts in the evenings on bread or cakes that are unsold. They are edible for sure and you can keep some for a hearty breakfast tomorrow morning. Most importantly, you get to save some money on quality food!

5) Many of us own a car for either work or personal reasons. But no matter what the vehicle is bought for, all of us are price-takers and hence face the problem of rocketing fuel prices. If you find yourself unwilling or unable to give up your wheeler and take public transport instead, here's what you should do to save gas and stretch your dollar: simply junk the junk.

Studies have shown on average every 50kg added load in your car increases fuel consumption by 2 percent. In addition, making sure your car is properly maintained improves your gas mileage and save fuel. This means to keep your tires properly inflated (inflation!) and use thinner tires if you can.

6) This is a real clever way to slash a huge portion of your weekly grocery bills. Food is essential to sustain life but the next time you venture down to the nearby supermarket, keep your eyes peeled for "house brands". They are actually food products bought and packaged by the supermarkets themselves. In the process the unwelcome middle-man is cut off from the supply chain and any savings generated will translate to lower food prices for everyday consumers like us.

Conclusive studies have shown the food quality and nutritional value remains unaltered at all, even when compared to more expensive brands. Just try out secret tactic and you will be amazed how all these savings will add up every month.

7) The rise of budget airlines is unprecedented and should not have gone unnoticed by anyone. Whether you are an avid traveler or a businessman, keep a good lookout for special promotional prices offered by these airlines. In fact, an airline ticket can easily go below a dollar, excluding various taxes and surcharges!

Some of them may have hit the wrong headline for lower safety standards or financial difficulties but all of them are air-worthy I am sure. Also, they represent good value-for-money air travel deals. For example, you get to save on cheaper flight tickets, lower (pesky) fuel and tax surcharges and you don't compromise on comfort greatly because most budget-type flights are short, each lasting only a few hours.

The tips I have written down here is certainly not exhaustive! So please provide your valuable comments and everyone will benefit as a result.

Inflation is here to stay for the rest of this year at least. Prudence is now the name of the game. As suggested, make a truthful commitment to change your attitude and lifestyle habits. In the process, you will find yourself saving lots of money and boosting your purchasing power. Beat inflation at its own game!

Teenagers tend to think that they know everything already, and often consider their parents to be clueless about what really matters to them. Such erroneous beliefs are not true, since parents are well aware of the dangers of poor financial decisions. Parents can and should teach their teenagers quite a bit about money and how to use it well.

Since parents have had more experience on how to deal with financial thicks and thins than their children, teenagers can learn a lot from the advice they give. The knowledge parents share with their teenage children will help them get on the right path financially and set them up for benefiting from having good credit. Here's how to do it:

1. Open a savings account. As soon as a teenager begins making income from any sort of job, take them to a bank to start putting their money into a savings account. Encouraging teenagers to leave any money they make in the bank for a month before using it will help them save up moderately large amounts of money that would otherwise be squandered away in no time at all and on nothing of any importance. Though it won't be easy to get teenagers to stick to such a plan, it will be a great financial lesson for them.

2. Get a certificate of deposit. After a teenager has successfully saved about $500, have them invest this money in a CD. Interest rates will be higher on CD's the longer they are kept. Testing this out on a one year CD is a good idea so that, when the CD is opened, your teenager can think about what they should do with the money that has accumulated.

3. Don't make rash decisions. Request that teenagers not make sudden purchases on things they think they really want before sleeping on it for at least one night. Making rash decisions often brings buyer's remorse, something most parents are familiar with. Applying this "No Sudden Purchases" rule, teenagers will be saved from experiencing such remorse. For example, you could explain to a teenager that instead of buying a scooter today, being a little patient and saving money could score them a motorcycle

4. Plan your finances. Making a budget can be just as helpful to teenagers as it is for their parents. Explain the difference between wants and needs and then let them consider their situation. Over a period of time, allow teenagers to write out just what they consider to be their personal wants and needs.

5. Determine how much money and time it will take for teenagers to afford their wants. They can also decide what amount of money they want to save on a monthly basis in an effort to buy something they want. This way they will have some extra spending money for going out with friends or on dates.

Teenagers can learn to use money wisely, but starting to teach them as early as possible will make it easier later on. Financially responsible teenagers will turn into equally responsible adults, capable of caring for their financial needs efficiently.

There is probably a tendency to think of the Independent Financial Adviser offering help and advice only in the area of personal finances. But the role is not restricted just to the individual. Increasingly, the adviser is being called in for corporate financial advice to assist small and medium-sized businesses to achieve optimum commercial success.

Critical business areas

There are a number of key areas in which businesses can draw on the financial expertise and knowledge of the independent financial adviser. Many of these will be familiar to the individual who has benefited from such advice, which applies just as critically to the financial health and commercial success of a business. Depending on the nature of your particular business, the possibilities for the injection of sound financial advice are almost endless, but just some of the key areas might be:

- Investment advice - investment opportunities for small businesses are as boundless as they are for the individual and the wrong investment decisions can prove even more costly;

- Pension planning - tapping into the financial adviser's wealth of knowledge on pensions matters could result in your business paying less tax and, therefore, instantly improving its trading position and bottom-line profits. What is more, corporate pension planning can lead to improved benefits packages for your employees, thus raising motivation and helping with staff retention and recruitment;

- Health insurance - similarly, a company health scheme is likely to be a highly-prized feature of your employees' benefits package. Not only will it provide security and peace of mind for your employees themselves, but also help you to manage better their occasional sickness and absence;

- Keyman insurance - if yours is like the majority of small businesses, you could probably easily identify one or more absolutely key players whose contribution to your commercial success is critical. It might be anyone from the director upon whose financial backing the company relies to the salesman whose seemingly boundless energy keeps your order books full. Whoever these key players are, you could draw on corporate financial advice to devise schemes for insuring against the adverse impact on the business should they be struck by a serious illness or even die;

- Tax issues - businesses have even more reason to minimise their tax liabilities than individuals. With sound, well-informed and impartial corporate financial advice on a whole range of tax issues, you could achieve significant savings for your business and immediately improve its competitive standing;

- Insurances - some business insurances will be legally required for your company and others offer essential protection when things go wrong. But are you under-insured, and so exposed to unreasonable risks, or over-insured, and paying too high a price for your business insurances? Corporate financial advice can help you restore the appropriate level of balance;

- Commercial finance - in the current climate of economic uncertainty, commercial finances need to be especially robust. Most businesses could benefit from at least a review - and in cases a complete overhaul - of their current borrowing. Corporate financial advice will help ensure that all your business finances are in the best possible state to weather the coming trials of the general economy.

Before you start to obtain startup business financing, it is very important that you determine the approximate amount that you will require. The current assets minus current liabilities will be the working capital of the business. Most of the time, you can see such information in the balance sheet and through this you will be able to know how much money will be required to carry out your business on a short-term basis.

Having found out the amount of startup business financing required, you will have to think of a way in which you can get a loan for your business.

• Start-up Financing is available to entrepreneurs whose business is based on a solid business model with a credit worthy structure.
• Banks award business loans to those that have a well spelled out plan which showcases your partners, your track record, your strategies and advantages.

Banks are conservative where investments are concerned. The chances of getting a loan will be more for an existing business in comparison to a new one.

• No bank wants to lose money by taking risks. If your business proposes to be a risk, you'll have to work harder to get your small business loans approved

On the other hand, you will be able to acquire a startup business financing loan if you make a good loan request and have a good plan for your business. Help can be obtained from the SBA as well as the Small Business Development Centers can be obtained easily, as they are situated in most major cities in the United States. Your business plan must consist of your personal bank statements, sales and cash projection. If you are taking the help of the SBA then you will need to state how you will reimburse the startup business financing loan and you will also be required to guarantee the same. The bank might want to see your personal investment in the business apart from the time that you give to the business.

• Banks would want to know your business's financial prospects. They want to gauge its worth and how much money you're moving.
• Alternative sources, (excluding banks) may want you to "pay" more for your start up business loan.
• You may have to pay higher interest rates. You might also need to offer some equity in your business to receive funding

Ways in which you can get loans faster and easily

Financial assistance sometimes comes from institutions in the form of credit or loan. This loan can be obtained at a relatively short period of time and there are financial resources that will help you get the loan. Few of such startup business financing resources are:

- Credit cards: You can get a credit ceiling of twenty thousand dollars (for your small business) from big credit card companies if you have a good credit record.
- Unsecured business loans: Try such a loan if you do not want to guarantee the loan personally or if you do not have a credit record.
- Equipment leasing/financing: Many companies are willing to lend you the money taking equipment as collateral for your loan.
- Asset based loan: is ideal for using equipment to acquire loan, account receivable or leveraging your stock.

• Those having a mortgage with a bank, find it easier to obtain small business loans.
• Check newspapers for financing offers. Such institutes grant small business loans and processing might be easier with them.
• Availing a start up business loan has become easier, thanks to a growth in competition among lenders.
• Plenty of channels are available for raising capital. Most of the above avenues have abundant variations. Build up a solid business plan, along with a financial adviser, and just start asking.

Do not forget to check your financial requirements regularly and inform the investors about the financial position as well as the progress of the business on a regular basis.

Whether we like it or not, and whether we’ve accepted it or not, death is a part of life. No one lives forever. We can’t. It’s unnatural, and as of today, no great scientist has figured out a way to do so. Eventually, we’re all going to die.

As depressing as that sounds, there are ways to ensure the loved ones you leave behind are taken care of, or at least not left in financial ruins. How? By purchasing a life insurance policy.

A life insurance policy, like any other insurance policy, pays the policyholder (or, in this instance, the policyholder’s beneficiary) in the event of an accident (an accident would be death for life insurance policies). When you die, the money from your life insurance policy will be given to your beneficiary. Your beneficiary might be your spouse, your parents, your children – whomever.

Unlike other insurance policies, life insurance policies can be used while you’re still alive, too. If you find yourself and your family in a financial emergency, most life insurance companies allow you to cash in, or borrow from, you existing life insurance policy.

Life insurance policies come in two main forms – term life insurance and whole life insurance. Term life insurance policies cover you for a certain period of time. Some term life insurance policies can last as short as five years and as long as 30 years. Whole life insurance policies cover you for the rest of your life, and tend to be more expensive than term life insurance policies; however, they do carry certain benefits, such as savings components, that term life insurance policies lack.

Before you purchase a life insurance policy, do some research on term and whole life insurance. One of them is guaranteed to fit your needs, and for the rest of your life you can rest assured knowing that your beneficiary will be alright when your time for death comes.

The foundations of the basics of personal finance are security stability and growth and protection as well as management. Investment growth begins with security.

The subject of personal finance is very broad, but as a beginning, I would like to discuss what I consider the foundations of personal finance: Security, Stability, Growth and Protection & Management. This article will discuss security. Investment growth and financial freedom begins with security.

A good question to ask yourself is what is security? For the average individual it means that you have health, disability, auto and home insurance on top of life insurance. These policies will insurance that if something happens to you your family will be taken care of. If you are the head of household and you make most of the financial decisions make sure you leave explicit instructions for your family to follow. These should include the names and locations of all your insurance policies. The names and numbers of your insurance agents. Include all the basic policy information like account numbers and associated costs. Make sure all your important paper is placed in a secure local like a safety deposit box, at work, or at a friend house. Keeping the only copies of your insurance information in the house may be a problem especially if the house is damaged by a fire.

Additionally you should maintain a emergency fund. This is money which is placed into a money market account which checks can be written from. This is money that can be used if there is a financial or natural disaster. Make sure you have at least six months of income saved up, a year would be even better. This can be done by putting a side a little bit of money each month as well as adding gifted money to the account (from birthdays or inheritances). It is also important that you have will which reflects what you want to be done in the case of your death. It should include references to both finances, personal property, and your personal opinion about life support and end of life options.

Making sure your family is safe and secure can give you the piece of mind to invest fully in the stock market. Often times investors are held back by the fear of risks and losing money. No can predict your success in the stock market. The one thing that all investors know is that sometimes you will fail and lose money. This is less devastating if you do not have all your money wrapped up into your stock portfolio. Having an emergency fund means losing money in the stock market is not the end of the world. It also means that for unexpected bills and expenses can be paid without having to sell of stocks which are mean to be long term investments. Especially in the case of mutual funds and IRAs where they are severe penalties for withdrawing money before retirement. Security is your first step to starting your investment portfolio.

Is home insurance required by law? Do you need to get home owner insurance? The answer all depends on your situation.

Car insurance --or some sort of proof of financial responsibility -- is pretty much required by state law, no matter where you live. However, home insurance is different in that it is not required by law. Your bank or mortgage lender though, will require that you have home owner insurance coverage or they won't finance your home. This is so they can protect their interests; if you're home is damaged or burns down and you default on your loan, they can still recoup their investment.

What's more, if you live in a flood-prone region your bank or mortgage company will probably require flood insurance which is sold as a separate policy.

So if you own your home free and clear, you probably won't be required to purchase home insurance. However you are still liable for lawsuits on your property, and all costs of repairs from damage to keep your home habitable. Unless you have enough assets to protect yourself from these financial risks, home owner insurance is your best bet.

Your standard policy will provide coverage for your dwelling (the home), contents (personal belongings), liability and living expenses while your home is being repaired. You can also get extra coverages for such items as jewelry and computer equipment. You can also purchase an umbrella policy which provides much higher coverages especially for liability.

If you want to save money on home insurance, the best thing to do is shop around for comparison quotes. You may also save by taking advantage of discounts such as insuring your car and home with the same company. When you shop for quotes, provide the same desired coverages to each company to get an accurate comparison. For convenience, visit an online site that allows you to enter your information once and get several quotes back.

Car prices, auto repairs, and accidents rates continue to rise. And because of that auto insurance rates have reached an all-time high. But you can still get inexpensive auto insurance. Here's where to compare auto insurance quotes to get the best rate.

Where to Compare Auto Insurance Quotes

Auto insurance premiums can vary by hundreds of dollars a year from one insurance company to the next, so the first thing you need to do to get a cheap rate is to comparison shop. You have three options - call your local insurance companies, visit insurance company websites, or go to an insurance comparison site.

Calling your local insurance agencies is the most time consuming way to shop for auto insurance, and local agents won't always give you auto insurance quotes over the phone.

All the major auto insurance companies have websites where you can get prices. However, in order to get enough quotes to compare you'll need to spend hours online going from one site to the next.

That leaves you with ...

Auto Insurance Comparison Sites

Auto insurance comparison websites are the fastest and easiest way to get auto insurance rate quotes. The benefits of using an auto insurance website are:

1. You only have to fill out one simple questionnaire to get auto insurance quotes from a number of companies.

2. It only takes a couple of minutes to get your quotes, as opposed to spending hours on end calling local agencies or visiting insurance company websites.

3. Most insurance comparison sites only work with A-rated insurance companies so you know those companies are reliable.

4. The best insurance comparison sites have a Chat feature that allows you to talk with an insurance expert online to get answers to your questions, plus get advice on how to save money on your insurance (see link below).

Canada is the second largest country in the world closely resembling today its neighbor United States with its affluent, high-tech industrial society, market oriented economy, pattern of production, and high living standards. Since 1989 the trade and economic integration of Canada with the United States have strongly increased after approving the U.S. – Canada Free Trade Agreement and 1994 North America Free Trade agreements. Since then Canada enjoys stable economic development due to its great natural resources, skilled labor-force, and modern capital plants. The Canadian insurance industry is a major part of the social and economic activity of Canada.

The Canadian insurance market is represented by about 230 activity competing private property and casualty insurers, along with 27 providers of sickness, life and accident. The compulsory auto insurance is provided exclusively by government owned auto insurers in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. The bodily injury part of automobile insurance in Quebec is also provided by government-owned insurers.

Automobile insurance is the largest single class of general insurance in Canada. Total premiums for auto insurance exceed all other classes combined, next ranks property insurance, followed by liability insurance.

The federal or provincial governments supervise general insurance companies operating in Canada. More then 100.000 people are employed by private property and casualty insurers in Canada, including independent brokers, actuaries and adjusters. Many others get income from the payment of insurance claims, such as car repair, construction, law, medicine and accounting.

As example of successful, nation-wide insurance company in Canada let us note The Co-operators Group Ltd created in 1975 after the agreement of co-ordination between the Co-operative Insurance Services (CIS) and Co-operators Insurance Association (CIA) companies resulting in the creation of new holding company.

The prime mission of the new company was to maintain and develop user controlled institutions operating on the co-operative principles with the aim to provide insurance, finance and other services. Actually The Co-operators Group was carrying out a management and service organization assisting The Group’s companies in their management allowing them the advice, tools and mechanisms to succeed. Among The Group’s companies let us note, first of all, Co-operators Life Insurance Company created in 1982 as a single national life company for the Co-operators after the amalgamation of Co-operative Life Insurance Company and Co-operators Life Insurance Association both belonging to The Co-operators Group.

The company is now one of the 10 largest life insurance companies in Canada.

The Cooperators provides as well auto insurance and travel insurance through Co-operators Auto Insurance and Co-operators Travel Insurance Companies.

1. Have your current insurance policy with you when requesting your insurance quotes.

2. Consider a higher insurance deductible.

3. Place all of your insurance policies with the same company to qualify for a multiple policy discount.

For car insurance quotes

1. Be sure all vehicle discounts are applied (Anti-lock brakes, Alarm system, daytime running lights, vin-etching, etc.).

2. Take a defensive driving course.

3. Be very accurate about your mileage to and from work.

4. Ask about affinity discounts.

For a homeowners insurance quotes

1. Be sure that your home is insured to its value

2. Be sure all home discounts are applied (Alarm, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, dead bolt locks, etc.).

3. If your older home has been renovated, tell your agent.

For a life insurance quotes

1. Consider level premium term insurance.

2. If you are a smoker, quit for at least 13 months and request that your insurance company consider you for a nonsmoker insurance rate.

For a health insurance quotes

1. Consider a higher co-payment or deductible.

2. Join a group health insurance plan.

For a long-term insurance quotes

1. Consider a longer elimination (waiting) period.

2. Purchase coverage when you are young (premiums are lower).

3. Pick a daily benefit based on where you live.

Convenience at your fingertips is what online auto insurance is all about. When you access an insurance site, you will find that you can fill in your details and request for a quote from multiple insurance providers. This will allow you to compare quotes and decide on the most suitable one.

Before you fill in the online form, read all the information given. Keep ready your driver’s license, details of the make, year, and model of your car, your credit report, vehicle identification number, vehicle finance company, whether you have other insurance policies from any of the online providers, and details of any other car you may have.

Do some research and determine what discounts you are eligible for. For example, reductions are offered for anti-theft devices, anti-lock brakes, multiple car insurance, car pooling, single drivers, as well as membership in professional bodies and the AAA.

Factors that affect a quote are your driving record, the number of miles you drive each year, where you live in an urban or rural community, the make of your car, the kind of coverage you need, as well as your credit history.

Read through the form thoroughly. If you have any doubts send the site an e-mail. The alternative is to call a toll-free number if they have such a facility. Most FAQs are answered on insurance sites; you just need to surf the web. Many sites offer expert analysis and advice on your online quote. Make use of this service if you are uncertain about anything. Expert insurance professionals offer consultations on behalf of these sites.

Be sure to check the credentials of the insurance provider you choose to buy auto insurance from. Check whether there are any complaints registered against them. Be sure that they will keep all the promises they make

In the market for both a home owner insurance quote and a car insurance quote? Consider getting both quotes from the same insurance company.

You’ll most likely have the same agent. Getting the same insurance agent for your home owner insurance policy and your car insurance policy means you’ll only have to do direct business with one person. Plus, this person will know everything about both your home owner insurance policy and your car insurance policy. For example, if you have a question about your car insurance policy, or you call to make additions or subtractions to your home owner insurance policy, your insurance agent will be able to remind you that it’s also time to renew the other policy.

You’ll be familiar with the company. Being familiar with an insurance company, the way in which they do business, their policies, and their procedures is more beneficial than you realize. There are usually no surprises when you’re familiar with the insurance company. Some insurance companies even offer discounts to policyholders who have been with their company for a certain period of time.

You’ll save money. Most insurance companies offer discounts if you purchase more than one kind of insurance policy from their company. Who couldn’t stand to save a bit of money, especially when it comes to insurance costs?

If you’re looking for a car insurance quote and already have home owner insurance, check with your home owner insurance company about purchasing getting a car insurance policy quote from them, too. The same applies if you’re looking for a home owner insurance policy quote. If you already have both kinds of insurance policies from different companies? Ask each company for a home owner insurance quote and car insurance quote, and then choose the best deal. And remember – always ask about the discounts you can get for a home owner insurance quote and a car insurance quote from the same company!