Functions of Money

The Functions of Money

Medium Of Exchange:

• Usable for buying goods and services
• Readily acceptable as a form of payment
• Helps society not have to deal with the complications of bartering
• Ex. I do not have to trade a laptop for an iPod; I can simply use money as a medium of exchange

Unite Of Account:

• prices are stated in terms of the monetary unit
• money acts as a yardstick for measuring the relative worth of a variety of goods, services, and resources
• allows for defining debt, determining owed taxes, and calculating GDP
• aids rational decision making by enabling buyers and sellers to easily compare the prices of various goods, services, and resources.
• prices are used to determine relative value of goods and services
  

Store Of Valve:

• allows the transfer of purchasing power from present to future
• to buy things later is to store some of their wealth as money
• money is the preferred store of value for short periods because it is the most "liquid" (i.e. spendable of all assets).
• when inflation is non-existent or mild, holding money is a relatively risk free way to store wealth
• is a poor store of value during inflation (given amt of money buys lesser goods as prices rise)
• is a good store of value during deflation (given amt of money can buy more as prices fall)
  
• e.g. you can liquidate your assets (in this case money) extremely quickly in the purchase of a new m3 player because it is a quick exchange or trade. A house, however, is not liquid because there is so much involved in "liquidating" it; that is, time and legal paperwork.

Anything that meets these requirements can be considered money.

Therefore, "money is what money does."

Stock Trading

Learn how to trade stocks like a pro. Professional stock trader, and three-time winner of the classic hedge hog stock trading contest, Tony Oz, shares the methods which made him one of the most respectful stock traders in the world. These are the methods which Tony Oz uses in his trading every day. From beginner to intermediate the knowledge you will gain will pay for this course ten times over! This course is designed to improve your trading skills.

At the Wealth Expo on 3/12/2005, this is what Tony Oz had to say about this course: "I don't hold any live stock trading seminars anymore. I have no reason to do so because my complete stock trading system is now available in a format which gives the end user a great value. The best thing about this Stock Trading Course is that a student can skip and replay segments as he or she wishes. They cannot do that in a live stock trading seminar. And since my approach to stock trading is exactly the same as featured in the course, it's definitely relevant to today's market."

G.N. from Los Angeles wrote to us that Stock Trading Course "is well worth the money and absolutely essential"

In a review, R.T., a professional stock trader from San Diego said, "It is an entire stock trading system rolled up into a little package."

C.M. sent us an update email that said, "I just wanted to let you know that if in the future you get someone else asking the same question that I did, re: Should I purchase the CDs You can let anyone know that someone else wrote in earlier with that question and after several months and watching the CDs several times and learning from them every time, that it is a "YES"

"Once you read one of Tony Oz's books, or watch the course on CD, you are hooked...I personally learned more from Tony's CD course than from all the books and seminars I attended combined. And I've read at least 20 books and attended many seminars before I got my hands on this course." ~ Beth Jackobson at Traders Expo, NY 2/13/2005.

While at the Online Trading Expo which took place in NY, NY in 2005 this is what traders who walked up to us had to say:

"Tony's simple approach becomes contagious throughout the course."

"I strongly recommend Stock Trading Course for beginners who want to build fundamental just like me"

"Each time I watch a segment of any of the four CDs of Stock Trading Course, I get a little more out of it. I'm am SO glad I got this CD course!"

"Stock Trading Course is a useful reference and explains many new, specific techniques that traders will find useful"

"He really does a good job reinforcing the importance of finding support and resistance levels"

"I really like Mr. Tony Oz stock trading system because it is really simple"

"I have to give a strong recommendation to this course."

Forex Trading

SolveYourProblem Article Series: Learn Forex Trading / Currency Trading Tips

> What Is The Foreign Exchange (FOREX) Market? The forex market is not situated in one particular place. Practically every country is involved so there is a possibility of trading currencies in most countries. Because of this, the market runs 24 hours a day, five days a week. more...

> What Is Currency Trading (FOREX Market)? When people talk about forex (foreign exchange) trading or currency trading on the forex market, they generally mean something very different. In this case traders are constantly exchanging one currency for another (buying currencies and selling others) with the aim of making a profit when the exchange rates change. more...

> Forex, Foreign Exchange & Currency Trading Tutorials There are more and more people pouring into the forex trading sector every day. There is always money to be made and this is certain to attract large numbers. At the same time, the market is not likely to become saturated. There are so many possible trades to make between all the different currencies and banks and private individuals will always need to make currency exchanges. more...

> What To Look For In A Forex Book There are new books on forex being published almost every week, so it is useful to know what to look for and how to pick out the best. Just as with any other market where money is involved, you need to know how to identify and stay clear of any scams that you might come across. more...

> How Much Forex Trading Training Do I Need? But there are many kinds of training available these days and it may be hard to judge what is the best. With so many websites, blogs, articles and ebooks available on the internet, often low priced or even free, it is tempting to think that we may be able to pick up all we need to know for dirt cheap. more...

> If You Are New To Forex, Choose Mini Forex Trading If you are new to forex or have only a small amount of capital available right now, mini forex trading could be the way to go for you. It allows you to trade with real money while limiting your risk to a relatively small amount. Generally the lot size of trades for a mini account is only one-tenth of the lot size for a standard account with the same broker. more...

Strangest Items Ever Sold On eBay

SolveYourProblem Article Series:
Small Business Guide To Buying Items:
eBay Auctions

Strangest Things Ever Sold On eBay:
Top 10 Auctions

eBay can be a very odd place, given that you can sell almost anything you want. Here are the auctions we’ve picked as being the strangest ever.

#10 - Girlfriends: Some girls auctioned their services as ‘imaginary girlfriends’, who would send the winning bidder pictures of themselves and loving letters, which they could use to pretend they had a girlfriend.

#9 - Wedding dress: Nothing strange about selling a wedding dress, you might think – but this was the guy’s ex-wife’s wedding dress. And he modelled it, as well as writing a long screed about his ex-wife in the description. It sold for £3,850.

#8 - TV part: Producers on the TV show Ally McBeal once used eBay to auction off a walk-on part on the show.

#7 - Kidney: One man tried to sell his kidney on eBay – after all, you only need one, right? Unfortunately it’s illegal to buy or sell human organs. Good thinking, though.

#6 - Toenail clippings: A girl once sold her toenail clippings on eBay, one clipping from each toe. She got a $1 for the set – a low price for the years of joy they no doubt provided to the buyer.

#5 - Britney’s gum: Someone picked up Britney Spears’ chewed gum at a London hotel and decided it’d be a great thing to sell on eBay. Oddly enough, they were right – they got $263 for it. A Britney fan probably has it framed in their house.

#4 - Ghost: Yes, a ghost. In a jar. Well, why not? The ghost was, apparently, ‘terrorising’ the man who owned it, and so he decided to capture it and sell it on eBay to someone who might be able to give it a better home.

#3 - Virgin Mary sandwich: A seller offered a grilled cheese sandwich upon which the Virgin Mary had appeared to her – and the strange thing is, she genuinely seemed to believe it. This item, unbelievably, sold for $28,000. Some people just have too much money to waste, don’t they?

#2 - Virginity: An 18-year-old British girl sold her virginity on eBay – but it was bought by a businessman who kindly agreed to give her the money without actually taking the ‘service’.

And at #1 - Fighter jet: A state brokerage in Virginia sold a U.S. Navy F/A-18A Hornet jet fighter on eBay for just over a million dollars. It was, unfortunately, in pieces and so unusable, but they offered to put it back together and make it ready to fly for the low, low price of just another $9 million.

Of course, when you’re buying expensive items – not quite as expensive as the fighter jet, but you know what I mean – you will want to get them for the very best price that you can manage. If you can master the dark art of eBay ‘sniping’, then you can jump in at the last minute and get items for only a few cents more than the bidder who was going to win.

Be A Writer: The Different Styles Of Writing

SolveYourProblem Article Series: Become a Writer
How Do I Become a Great Writer?

The Different Styles of Writing

While researching this topic, you may have found many different answers to what are the different types of writing styles. No two answers are the same. They range anywhere from your personal way of writing that is your writing style to formal and informal. Many people feel the best answer to what writing styles are those that will be outlined below. You can decide for yourself if this definition suits yours.

The term creative writing covers a range of writing areas. Poetry, fiction books, short stories, and screenplays are considered creative writings. Any writing in which is not strictly non-fiction is classified as such.

Journalism and news reporting are forms of Expository writing. The purpose is to focus on one topic and inform the reader by providing the facts. These writings can be seen in the form of travel brochures, professional journal, business reports, and newspaper articles.

Descriptive writing is what gives you the mental pictures of what we have read. It uses a lot of adjective and adverbs to describe things. When descriptive writing is very good you can close your eyes and know exactly what the author is saying. The kind that makes you taste what the characters and see what they are seeing.

Analytical Writing is a writing that focuses on a topic and then verifies the purpose of it. It is often taught to school age children throughout their years because it is something they will use in their life.

Book reports, conference papers, thesis, essays, and dissertations are all academic writing. It is created using a third person point of view and deductive reasoning supported by facts. Its purpose is to show a clear understanding of a subject by presenting information.

Technical Writing is used in owners manuals, how to guides, magazine articles, and design specs just to name a few. Its purpose is to take complicated technical information and turn it into something the intended audience can understand. Technical writing usually deals with electronics of all sorts, chemistry, robotics, and finance.

Any kind of writing that has to do with business matters is considered business writing. It is concise and to the point. Your intended audience wants to know what happened and why, but with minimal detail in between. An active voice is necessary in business writing. It keeps people focused and shows that you are in control of situations.

Correspondence is the writing of memos, letters, or emails between people. It is a message that is sent between two people or groups of people.

To provide facts & statistics and having the ability to influence your readers with your words is persuasive writing. This is used for products ads, political campaigns, or any kind of promotion. It is not necessary to prove why something else is wrong or bad. You just need to prove why your promotion is better.

Narrative writing is used to tell a story or list of events that have already happened, might have happened, or could happen in the future. These writings may include novels, poetry, short stories, or a number of other things.

A lot of times many of these styles are meshed together in our writing. Business writing and technical writings are often one in the same as are academic writing and analytical writing. With the overlapping of the styles it is hard to define one writing style from another, you can guess it is all a matter of the point of view you are looking at it from and your opinion.

Accounting: The Language of Business

SolveYourProblem Article Series: Accounting
Home & Small Business Accounting

Accounting: The Language of Business

Accounting has been called the language of business. Throughout our early education we learned the vocabulary and other basic elements of the English language, or another language, so that we would be able to communicate effectively. The purpose is the same for accounting. Most of you will not become accountants. You may be self-employed or employed by others in a business (a manager, banker, or investor) and will use accounting information, whether you know it or not.

In order to understand and to use accounting information most effectively, you must have a solid grounding in its fundamentals. The finer points of accounting are things that you will probably never encounter in your business transactions, but you will know how to read those important financial statements and how to effectively use the material that will emanate from your computerized financial system.

Accounting information has been useful for hundreds of years. The double-entry framework was first described in a book written by Luca Pacioli, a fifteenth-century Italian monk and mathematician, although its origins can be traced back another 300 years. The formal structure for processing financial transactions is at least 700 years old.

What is the definition of accounting? Accounting is the process of providing quantitative information about economic entities to aid users in making decisions concerning the allocation of economic resources. The process of providing such information necessitates a series of activities leading up to and including the communication of accounting information. These activities are: Identifying the information, measuring, recording, retaining - and then communicating it.

In accounting, "numbers" are numbers of dollars. Economic entities means not only all types of businesses, but also hospitals, charitable organizations, churches and synagogues, municipalities, governments, and other organizations whether for profit or not-for-profit. Accounting, as defined here, applies to all of these.

Decisions concerning the allocation of economic resources include, among others, whether to buy, sell, or hold investments, whether to extend credit, and whether to manufacture and sell a particular product.

The term accounting theory is commonly used, but it has no unified, standardized definition. Very closely related to the realm of accounting theory is the area of measurement. Measurement is concerned with the process of assigning numbers to the attributes or characteristics of the elements being measured.

In addition to accounting, accountancy has emerged as a profession, alongside the professions of medicine and law. The study and practice of accountancy requires a broad understanding of concepts in such areas as economics, sociology, psychology, and public administration, as well as in-depth knowledge of specialized accounting areas. The three main fields of accountancy include Public accounting, managerial accounting, and governmental and quasi-governmental accounting. Each of these fields has several accounting specialty and sub-specialty areas.

Work At Home Data Entry

SolveYourProblem Article Series:
Start A Home Business

Work At Home Data Entry Jobs: a Scam or Not?

Many of you long for the day where you can tell our boss to take this job and shove it. Working from home seems like the perfect way to make a decent living. Set your own hours, and work in your pajamas—but is it that easy? Are these work at home propositions the real deal? Many want to start their own business or work from home. If you have seen an ad on the Internet or magazine advertising big money for data entry then you may want to hold of on telling your boss where he or she can put your current position. The sad truth is that many of these work at home schemes are fraudulent scams.

One of the most popular work at home scams is the data entry scheme. Ads claiming big earnings are not uncommon. You can pick up almost any paper or classified ad and spot these work from home ads. Yes, there are legitimate work at home positions and yes some of these may be in the field of data entry. The trick is knowing how to spot a scam.

The first thing you need to do is look very carefully at the advertisement. Read what is says and read the fine print. Be aware of what it does not say, too. What is it really advertising? Is it advertising a job or is it offering you contacts for a one-time fee? This is one of the most common scams going. Lines such as, “ For a small, one time fee of 20 dollars, we will supply you with hundreds of companies hiring data entry clerks right now.” If you see anything like this, just ignore it. Once you give them your money, you’ll either receive nothing, or get worthless information. Even if you get actually company names, they are under no obligation to give you a job. You will have a better chance looking through your local phone book.

Another trick is selling software. Check to see if the advert is offering you the software to get started up in your own work at home career. If so then again, ignore it. A legitimate company would give you this software for free should they take you on as an employee. Don’t be fooled into buying start up kits and expensive computer equipment. Most work at home jobs can be done with your current computer and anything extra should be supplied for you.

Finally, if the ad gives a company name, look into it. Run a check on Google or check with the better business bureau. If they have no fixed address or phone number then stay away. It is very dangerous doing business with those who only have an email address. It is too easy to take the money and run.

It is possible to find a data entry work at home job. It just takes, time, patience and research. Don’t be seduced by promises of big money. Making a successful work at home business takes just as much work as any other. If they are offering way above what you would make in a normal company then chances are it is a scam. Do not pay any of your own money for contact information or start up equipment. You should be paid for working not the other way around. Chances are this is a scam as well. Finally, check into the company. The better business bureau can tell you if there are any complaints lodged against this company.

There are such things as very legitimate work at home businesses. However, these types of businesses take work. You can’t expect to make money overnight, or even in a week. You need to keep your eyes and ears opened to spot any possible scams when it comes to these work at home ads. By being patient and working hard you can create your own work from home business. Beware of those companies that are out to scam you. Do not send any money up front and check into the company before deciding whether or not to do business with them. They promise lots for nothing but never deliver.

Hedging Forex

SolveYourProblem Article Series:
Learn Forex Trading / Currency Trading Tips

What Does Hedging Mean in the Forex Market?

Just like in the stock market, forex investors often use a strategy called hedging to decrease some of the risk associated with trading. Many people think of hedging as buying an insurance policy for their currency position, and it acts in much the same way. By using investment instruments known as derivatives, forex traders can rest easy knowing that any losses will be covered by the backup plan.

One type of derivative that many forex traders use to hedge a position is a futures contract, which is an agreement to exchange one currency for another at a specified date in the future at the price on the last closing date. Currency futures are bought and sold on a market just like any other instrument such as stocks or currencies, and are a great way to hedge against changing currency exchange rates. For example, say you used dollars to take a long position in euros, but you are a little worried that the price of euros will fall relative to the dollar. One thing you could do is take out a futures contract on dollars using euros. As external factors affect the price of currencies, the price of futures contracts rise and fall as well, allowing your euros-to-dollars contract to counteract your long position in euros. If the euro weakens, the futures contract price rises, and vice-versa, so you have therefore eliminated the risk from your currency investment.

Another form of hedging in the forex market that is practiced regularly is done by businesses that deal internationally. A company that has many customers in Europe may be concerned that a weakening euro would cost it money in the long run, as the original price quoted in euros wouldn’t translate into as many dollars going forward. By taking a long position in dollars using euros, the company would make just as much money in the forex market as it lost due to the fall in the euro’s value. Likewise, if it lost money in the forex market due to a fall in the value of the dollar, the company would make up for it in increased profits due to the greater value of the euros it is bringing in while selling its products. The position in the forex market has effectively neutralized any threat the company may have faced due to a weakening euro. This type of hedging can take several other forms, including futures contracts and options.

Traditional forex options are derivatives that allow the buyer to purchase an amount of currency from another trader for a set price, and make a great hedging tool. Again, these are instruments that are traded on the open market, and the investor is under no obligation to follow through with the option. But sometimes following through is a good way to negate a currency loss. For example, a person who bought an allotment of yen with dollars wants to hedge against the price of yen falling relative to the dollar. What he can do is buy an option to purchase the same amount of dollars using yen at the price for which he originally bought the yen. Since options only cost a small fraction of their denomination, this investor has just taken out an insurance policy on his long yen position for a relatively small amount of money. If the price of yen rises, then he has made a profit on his long position and he is just out the money he used to buy the option. But, if the dollar strengthens relative to the yen, he can always wait and exercise his option, buying additional yen at the now reduced rate as specified by the currency option. Thus, for a small option price, he has negated the loss he incurred when the dollar strengthened and the yen weakened.

By using instruments such as futures contracts and options, traders can hedge their currency positions for a fraction of what they paid for their original investment. Also, businesses operating internationally often hedge in the forex market as well, taking currency positions to offset any losses caused by fluctuation in exchange rates. Hedging is a powerful tool that serves well those who take the time to use it.

Fundraising Strategies & Ideas:

SolveYourProblem eBusiness Series:: Fundraising
Fundraising Essentials For Your Non-Profit:
How To Raise All The Money You Want

Let's Get Started...

Today there are more non-profit groups than ever before. On the one hand, this is a great development - it means that as a society we are becoming more aware of a need to give to others and are even taking the necessary steps to ensure that we help others. On the other hand, though, the presence of so many non-profits creates a unique problem - “giver burnout.”

Giver burnout happens when individuals get so many appeals for help - from large cancer societies, small women’s shelters, literacy organizations, and every possible non-profit group in-between that they feel overwhelmed and are less apt to contribute anything to anyone. Even those individuals who do want to contribute have had to cut back on who they contribute to - there are simply too many groups requesting money and only so much disposable income any one person has.

What all this means if you are a non-profit group, is that you must work harder to get funding. Where in the past groups often did well just by asking for money or organizing one big event to fundraise each year, now fundraising is big business.

Most non-profit groups will find that they need to take a more organized and diversified approach to fundraising in order to raise the money they need. Most groups will need to rely on a number of efforts and money sources just to survive.

The increased competitiveness of fundraising has created a whole fundraising business. There are consulting firms and public relations firms that will help you fundraise more effectively - for a price, of course. There are also many companies that claim that their fundraising efforts or products will make money for your non-profit in exchange for a share in the profits.

Advertisers, computer programs, and even paid workshops have all been set up to help you learn how to fundraise. If you are a small non-profit group, however, all these services and products can quickly add up, and if you are looking for effective fundraising ideas, chances are you are looking to make money rather than looking to spend it.

Luckily, with this fundraising essentials online guide you will learn the effective strategies and techniques you need to start making real money for your group - all within your budget.

Common Stock vs Preferred Stock: The Differences

SolveYourProblem Article Series:
Learn Stock Market Trading Tips

Common Stock vs Preferred Stock:
The Differences

In order to effectively invest your money into stocks of any kind, you must know all of your stock options so that you can efficiently earn money. Because stocks are simply small shares of a company, the more stocks you purchase to more you own of a certain company. For example, if you purchase 100,000 stocks in AutoZone, an automotive store, you would have more say in what takes place in the company that someone who only purchases 1,000 shares of AutoZone's stock. There are two main types of stock in which, you, the investor should become familiar with so that you can properly purchase the stock that is right for you and your monetary situation.

Common Stock

Basically stated, a common stock is, well, common! When you hear people talking about stocks in general, it is these types of stocks in which they are referring. It is simply a piece of paper that represents some degree of ownership of a corporation as well as some form of profit from that particular company. Interestingly enough, investors in common stocks receive one vote per stock owned to elect board members, the people who oversee major decisions made for the company as a whole, for a particular company. In the long-term, this type of stock means capital growth for the investor, however, if the company is forced into bankruptcy, the investor will not get paid what they are owed until creditors, bondholders, and preferred stockholders receive their payments.

Preferred Stock

In general, preferred stock is stock that is owned by preferred stockholders in which all of the company's earnings and assets go directly to the preferred stockholders first. Because preferred stockholders are paid before common stockholders, preferred stockholders choose to give up their right to vote in the election of board members. Therefore, preferred stockholders have no right in the selection process of the company. Preferred stockholders purchase stock in a certain company for monetary gain only in which their main goal in investment is earning a return on investment. However, there are four variations on preferred stock investments.

Voting: Preferred stock members can opt for the right to vote in a company in which they own stock. By doing this, they ensure the power to make sure that they receive all monies owed to them because they are able to bribe people into places of management. For example, Bob is a preferred stockholder who wants to ensure that his profits are paid to him no matter what happens to the company. Bob tells Tom, a man up for board election, that he will make sure Tom wins the election as long as Tom agrees to pay Bob his profits, whether the company goes into bankruptcy or not.

Adjustable Rates: Preferred stockholders receive an agreed upon profit based on stipulations provided by the company.

Convertible Stock: Preferred stockholders have the right to convert their preferred stock into common stock, allowing the investor to lock in their profit while they potentially profit from a rise in common stock. Basically, preferred stockholders are protected no matter what types of investment decisions they make.

Participating Stock: With this type of stock, preferred stockholders not only receive a set profit, but they are eligible for a certain percentage of the company's earned profit over a set period of time.

Therefore, it may seem that a preferred stockholder position is the way to go, however, with increased power comes more headaches. If you are a beginning investor, it is better to work on common stocks for a number of years before trying to get involved with preferred stocks.

Because common stocks and preferred stocks are so different, companies are not allowed to customize either type of the stocks. The reason for this is that some companies may be corrupt and want the voting power to remain with certain investors. Companies are held under law to make sure that the voting power remains fair among both common stockholders and preferred stockholders.

It is your money and your choice, however, it is suggested that you become educated when playing with the stock market. It is important to know precisely what stocks are as well as the main characteristics of a common stock as well as a preferred stock. As with any investment, the ultimate goal is to gain a profit and this can only be done with stocks if you thoroughly understand them.

Top 10 Forex Trading Tricks: You Won’t Lose

SolveYourProblem Article Series:
Learn Forex Trading / Currency Trading Tips

Top 10 Forex Trading Tricks: You Won’t Lose

The foreign exchange market or forex is the largest and most liquid markets in the world. Its growing popularity can be seen by the whooping $2 trillion trades a day. While the forex can be an extremely lucrative market, it can also be somewhat complicated. These ten tricks will help insure trading success in the foreign exchange market.

First, make sure you implement a trading plan. You should develop a foreign exchange trading system that you can stick with. Having a decent strategy is not enough you need a well-developed system to effectively implement your strategies. You should start by creating a schedule of when you will do your Forex trading. Next create on organized budget to keep track of the inflow and outflow of your money. It’s important to understand that Forex trading, like any business venture, will have its peaks and slumps. You should be prepared to stick to your system despite these fluctuations to maximize profits in the long run.

Second, make plans to trade within your means. Quite simply, if you cannot afford to lose, then you really cannot afford to win either. All traders hope that the will be profitable in their investments, but losing at some point is inevitable. For this reason it is important that you invest only money that you could stand to lose. Try setting aside some saving that you can dedicate just to trading.

Another helpful hint is to trade along side the majorities. This means trading mainly on the most common currency pairs. The most common currencies are the United States dollar, USD, the Japanese yen, JPY, the European Euro, EUR, the United Kingdom pound, GBP, the Australian dollar, AUD, the Swiss franc, CHF, and the Canadian dollar, CAD. The most common pairs of currency are referred to as majors and are GBP/USD, EUR/USD, AUD/USD, USD/JPY, USD/CHF, and USD/CAD.

Another way to insure success is to avoid emotional trading. Stick to you trading strategy and do not deviate because of gut feelings or hunches. Learn to exit the market when signals indicate that the market is about to swing in an unfavorable direction.

Learning to trust the trends is another important trick. Although currencies will always fluctuate slightly, they generally move steadily in one direction. If you are not sure on where to position yourself in the forex, following a trend is usually a safe bet.

Next, you should anticipate small losses. Know matter how well you know the market or how long you have been a trader you will probably encounter small losses. You need to expect and accept these losses as small components of a larger plan. Be ready for these small losses and put them aside in anticipation of acquiring greater returns in the future. The key to long-term success in the Forex market is patience.

Another helpful hint for traders is to avoid Forex strategies that you do not understand. You should do your research ahead of time and draw on the information from useful Forex guides and tutorials. It is important to be cautious of Forex scams. There are numerous scams popping up where companies offer to do your trading for you, these are the ones you should avoid. You should develop your Forex methods with an expert and only make trades on your own or through a licensed broker. The bottom line is making sure that you are fully aware of all aspects of your strategy and are comfortable with the risks and benefits.

Next, make sure you have an exit strategy planned out. Though you should expect small losses, you need to be able to recognize when you are in to deep. Before you jump into the Forex market you should set yourself limits on how much you plan to invest. One you determine the amount that you plan devote to your Forex trading do don’t surpass you limit. Be able to cut you losses once you realize the situation will not get better.

How To Develop a Great Fundraising Plan

SolveYourProblem eBusiness Series: Fundraising
Fundraising Essentials For Your Non-Profit:
How To Raise All The Money You Want
( 34 pages )

How To Develop a Great Fundraising Plan

Once you have a great fundraising idea, motivation will be high and everyone at your non-profit group will likely be eager to get started right away. However, you will certainly want to take the time to develop a plan. Fundraising plans do several things:

• They ensure that everyone has a job - and that their job corresponds to their abilities and resources
• That time-sensitive materials and events take place in an orderly manner
• That nothing is overlooked. You don’t want to set up the world best fair - only to have no one show up because advertising and marketing were never considered.
• Things are not repeated over and over, wasting time

A fundraising plan does not have to be a complicated thing, but it does need to be thorough and you need to make sure that each person on your team has a copy of the plan. A fundraising plan can be a formal report that outlines what needs to be done, by whom, and when. It can consist of just a list or two of tasks. It can also be a listing of items in a calendar or planner. The important thing is that the plan works for you. Once you have decided on a fundraising plan or idea, you will need to develop a written plan to ensure that nothing is forgotten. No matter what form your plan takes, it needs to include the following items:

• Information about your group, including your mission statement, what your desired programs are, when you were registered as a non-profit group, who belongs to your group, and contact information for your group. This is information that grant applications will request and donors will also want to have this information before deciding whether to give money to your cause.
  
• Contact Information For Your Volunteers. That way, if anything occurs, volunteers can easily be contacted. You should also list the titles (treasurer, marketing) of each volunteer, so that it is clear who should be contacted about which fundraising issues.
  
• Information About Donors. Any information you have - donors who may be inclined to give for your cause, donors who have given in the past, donors who have asked to be removed from your list - needs to be included so that volunteers know who to contact. Careful mention must be made of who is to contact which donors and you need to be careful to remark which donors have already given or have made a response to your query. This will prevent you from annoying people with numerous requests.
  
• Services you need to arrange before you start fundraising. Do you need to arrange to take credit card donations (many donors today find this the most convenient way to give)? You will certainly need to arrange for some pamphlets, letters, or other media to communicate the basic facts about your non-profit. You will also need to formulate tax receipt slips that can be given to donors for their gifts. In addition to this, do your volunteers need to be trained? Do you need fundraising software because you are expecting a large volume of donors?
  
• Write down your fundraising goals and how far you still need to go to meet them.
  
• Are these questions that need to be answered before you start fundraising? If you have any questions - about legalities, zoning laws, marketing, recruiting, donors - list them. Beside each question, list a few resources that could have the answer. Then divide the list up among the group and have each person look up the answers to their questions. This way, you will have all the information you need before you begin.
  
• Your fundraising ideas, each described in full. Arrange fundraising plans that target grant-giving agencies, individual and group donors, and companies. Casting your net wide ensures that you will be able to find the money you need.
  
• A time line that shows what parts of the fundraising plan will be put into action - and when and by whom. List all the steps that need to be taken to make the fundraising a success, put a deadline on each item and assign it to someone. This is your action list.
  
• List any resources at all that you have that might be useful. Have a list of who has what resources. That way, if anything is needed, each member of your group will know who to contact.
  
• Describe what the big picture is. Yes, you want to raise money to help the environment, or to save a park, or to build an animal shelter. However, you need to write down the best possible scenario as well as the things you are committed to doing. Sometimes, as it happens with fundraising, you may not be able to raise the money for a specific purpose, but you may be able to find a way to accomplish a goal.

For example, you may want to raise money to build an animal shelter within two years’ time. You may have a hard time fundraising, but while fundraising you may encounter people who are willing to donate work time or a building to the cause, which will help you reach your larger goal. Too many groups focus on the money sums of fundraising.

While these sums are important, if you keep your actual goals (what the money is supposed to do) in front of you at all times, you may find ways of accomplishing your real goals regardless of what happens to your money goals during recruiting.

With a fundraising plan, you need to work on paper, writing ideas and action items down. The idea here is to move from general ideas and goals to specific things and items. Try to create action items whenever possible, and assign a person and a deadline to each item. At the same time, though, stress the importance of the larger goals to the team.

The idea is to get as much of the action items done as possible, but if a team member finds a way to come closer to the larger goal, they should pursue that avenue of action as well. Such a plan is concrete enough to get your non-profit going, but is flexible enough to ensure that your real goals are always what you are moving closer to.

What Are Buy to Cover Orders (Stock Purchases)?

SolveYourProblem Article Series:
Learn Stock Market Trading Tips

What Are Buy to Cover Orders (Stock Purchases)?

Within the buy to cover orders, there are 4 options in which to place onto your stock purchases.

When you buy to cover on a market order, you are in agreement that you will purchase the stock at the current market price, however, because there is a lag between the time you agree to purchase the stock and the actual transaction, a price difference could occur. You could end up paying more than anticipated for each stock, or a considerably lower amount per stock, which is what you are hoping for. You can also buy to cover limit orders, in which guarantees that you will pay no more than the set limit price. However, if stock prices stay above the limit price, this type of buy to cover order will never be executed.

This type of transaction is typically used by investors who are trying to get into a certain market. You may also want to buy to cover stop orders in such case the stop orders become simple market orders as soon as the price is at or above the stop price. This type of order should be used to get you out of an unfavorable market so that you will not lose any profits. And, last, you may choose to buy to cover a limit order that converts to limit order only when the market price is at or above the stop price. You must become familiar with each of the buy to cover orders so that you can make educated decisions about your investments.

From one decision period to the next in the stock market game, the market moves up and down non-stop, meaning that prices of stocks are at a constant changing point. You may think about purchasing a certain stock at $65 per share, and in the next second, the price per share has risen to $165 per share.

This is where the gambling of the stock market comes into play. By learning the advantages of the buy to cover orders, you can increase your chances of earning money on the stock exchange instead of losing money. The most obvious advantage to all of the buy to cover options is that they are in place to make you money, when executed properly. For example, you would not execute a stop loss on a stock that has steadily increased over a 4 month period. If you did this, you would force yourself to waste money to buy the stock in order to cover your mistake. You decide to buy 175 shares of stocks from Albertson's, a grocery store chain, at $75 each, for a total investment of $13,125. Over a four month period, you notice that the stocks have gained in profit, and you would like to do something to ensure that you keep this earned profit. Not knowing any better, you put a stop loss of $50 per stock without consulting your stockbroker. From that point forward, if your stock decreases to $50 per stock, you are forced to sell it, and any previous earned profit is null and void. The only chance you have in gaining back that profit, is if you are quick enough in the non-stop stock market game, to purchase the Albertson's stocks before someone else does. However, even if you are able to do this, you have still suffered a great loss monetarily.

This is why you must educate yourself BEFORE playing the stock market game.

As with any game, there is some form of risk involved, however, when playing the stock market game, you can prevent a great deal of heartache by simple taking the time to gain knowledge about all types of order you are able to place on your stocks. If you need help learning about types of orders to place on your stocks, you should consult your well-trusted stockbroker in order to seek professional advice before taking matters into your own hands, inevitably forcing yourself to lose your invested money's profit. Thus, it is absurd to invest your hard earned money into any program before you know all the facts necessary to make a well-informed, educated decision.

Rules for Selling Software on eBay

SolveYourProblem Article Series:
Start An eBay Business

Rules for Selling Software on eBay

Computer software is one of the biggest sellers on eBay – after all, everyone using eBay has a computer, don’t they? There can be problems, however, if you try to sell certain kinds of software that eBay doesn’t allow. Used software is a minefield, and you could end up buying something dodgy to resell without even realising it.

Here are the various kinds of software that you’re not allowed to sell on eBay, and how to spot them. You should always try installing used software before you sell it, as this might give you a few clues.

Pirate Software

This one is reasonably obvious, but pirate software can be hard to spot. The biggest things to look out for are auctions that don’t have pictures or only have pictures from catalogues, unrealistically low prices, and come with no manuals or documentation. Microsoft software comes with a ‘Certificate of Authenticity’, which you should check. Software that is on recordable media such as CD-RWs is usually pirated.

If you see software that offered for download only, it is often pirated – but not always. Some small software developers allow download licenses for their software to be resold on sites like eBay. Type the name of the software into a search engine, and go to the manufacturer’s site to check. Remember that software you download is very unlikely to come with resale rights, though.

Beta Software

Beta software is pre-release software, issued by companies for testing purposes. Companies generally do not give permission for their beta software to be sold or redistributed, as it won’t be as good as the final product. Do not buy anything that says it is ‘beta’, and return anything you receive that says ‘beta’ or ‘not for resale or distribution’ anywhere on the CD or during the install.

Academic Software

Some companies sell special ‘educational editions’ or ‘student licenses’ for their software, which are designed to make it affordable to students and teachers. You can only sell this software if you are a licensed educational reseller for the company, and your buyers are educational users. Academic software will usually say somewhere on its CD or in its installation what it is.

OEM Software

OEM stands for ‘Original Equipment Manufacturer’ – this is software that is only supposed to be distributed with a new computer, as it came pre-installed on the computer. The licences for this software usually stop you from selling it without also selling any hardware. Look out for the message ‘for sale with a new computer only’, or similar. Note, though, that it’s usually fine to bundle any OEM software you come across with computers that you sell on eBay.

If you sell any kind of software that isn’t allowed, then eBay might shut down your auction, or your sellers might realise what they’ve bought and leave you bad feedback. It’s not really worth the risk.

Fundraising: Best Way To Raise Money

SolveYourProblem eBusiness Series: Fundraising
Fundraising Essentials For Your Non-Profit:
How To Raise All The Money You Want

The 9 Best Ways To Communicate With Donors & Raise Money?

In simplest terms, fundraising is really about communicating. You will want to reach your donors and communicate why your non-profit group deserves money and why your purpose or efforts are worthwhile. The groups that do this successfully generally manage to make more money than the groups that do not.

If you want to raise money, you will have to work hard on communicating with your donors. There are several ways that you will be communicating with donors:

• Advertising: Through advertising, you will try to catch donor’s attention and will try to explain why your non-profit is crucial enough to deserve donor money. In advertising, you will communicate through words and images and sounds (if you are advertising through radio or television). Non-profits can advertise fundraising plans through radio, television, Internet, posters, newspapers, and magazines.
  
• Letters: Every non-profit uses words to communicate with donors, grant providers, and others through letters. Letters need to be well-written and professional. Direct mail letters may require “extras” such as photos or images to really capture attention.
  
• Email/Internet: Today, you can expect to use the Internet or email to give information to donors. Use the same techniques and rules in email and Internet communication as you would in letters.
  
• Telephone: You will be using the telephone to call donors, follow up with workers, and to finalize details of fundraising efforts. You will need to use pleasant and professional phone manners to use the telephone effectively.
  
• Thank-you notes: You should never overlook these. Every person who helps you non-profit should be made to feel appreciated through a thank you.
  
• Person to person: You will need to speak to people in order to convince them of the importance of your non-profit.
  
• Grant proposals: Grant proposals are a very formal and precise way of communicating. Grant providers will tell you in their application exactly what they want to see from you in order to make a funding decision.
  
• Press Releases: Press releases are sent to the media and tell newspapers, radio, and other media the latest news about your non-profit and your fundraising efforts.
  
• Campaigning/Marketing/Public Relations: A more subtle form of advertising, marketing has to do with gaining exposure for your non-profit’s fundraising through articles, radio spots, and interviews.

You may not use each technique each time you communicate, but you need to master all these forms of communication in order to get a steady source of fund for your group. Luckily, learning to master these areas is not hard. There are many books about communicating effectively at your library and you may in fact have someone in your group already who is good with words and who can communicate effectively.

Retail Store: Business Plan

SolveYourProblem eBusiness Series: Retail Store
How To Start Your Own Retail Business
From Preparation To Profitability

How To Prepare a Retail Store Business Plan

Preparing your business plan is the most important part of getting started in your retail business. It is the best way for you to build your strategy and plan your course of action. A good business plan should include the following information.

• What business you are planning to be in
• Where your potential market is
• Who your potential customers are
• Who your competition is
• Your sales strategy
• What your merchandising method is going to be
• How much money is needed to get started
• How you will get the work done efficiently
• What management controls are needed
• When you should revise your business plan, and how often
• Where you can go for help

These are just some of the things that you are going to have to include in your business plan. A properly written business plan will cover all of the basic requirements for starting and maintaining a successful business. A business plan is nothing more than a plan of action for you to follow. It is like your instruction manual that you will write for yourself.

You will need your business plan when you go to a bank or investor for money to help you start your business. It will provide the reader with all of the information about your business and how you plan to succeed at it. Not to mention, it will provide you with the help that you need when dealing with a hard situation.

The business plan also makes for a handy reference for your potential employees and managers. When you devise your business plan you should bear in mind that knowing your market is the best chance that you have at being successful in your field.

A successful business plan will cover every aspect of your retail business and have a plan of action in accordance to it. It is an essential aspect of starting a retail business.

Trash to Treasure Crafts that Sell!

SolveYourProblem Article Series:
How To Start A Craft Business

Trash to Treasure Crafts that Sell!

When it comes to crafts, do you tend to gravitate toward the unique, the different, and the most eye-catching? Making crafts is not only a fun and creative endeavor; it can also be quite lucrative. If you’re interested in making and selling crafts, but are worried about production costs, worry no more. Here are ten ‘trash to treasure’ crafts that are not too costly to produce, and that are sure to sell.

Use old greeting cards to make charming keepsake boxes. Everyone has access to greeting cards, and even if you decide to buy new greeting cards for this project, the expense is minimal. Choose two greeting cards with designs that complement each other nicely. For instance, two greeting cards with flower designs would work well together. Cut one greeting card in half at the fold. Use the part of the card with the design on it to make the box. Use a ruler to make sure your folds are equal lengths. Fold up the sides of the card to form it into a box, and glue the walls into place. Use the second greeting card to form a lid for the greeting card box.

Make a ‘vignette lantern’ using old glass jars. This craft works especially well if you design your lanterns around seasonal or holiday themes. Using old glass jelly or mason jars, create a ‘scene’ inside the jar. For instance, if you want to sell your craft around the Christmas holiday season, create a holiday scene inside the jar with Christmas trees, lights, a Santa, etc.

Create a cool CD clock! This project is very eye-catching and easy to do. Most everyone has old CDs that they have no use for. Why not convert them into working clocks that you can sell? Find an old CD you no longer need and paint it. Use markers and paint to create an original design. Write the clock numbers around the sides of the CD. Use a regular clock as a guide for spacing your numbers. Use the clock works on an old clock and, using a large washer (available at hardware stores), attach the clock works to the back of the CD.

Create an eye-catching fork wind chime. Using a hammer, flatten down the prongs on three or four old forks. Bang the tips so they straighten all the way. Attach the forks to either a piece of wire or strong string. You can drill holes on the handles of the fork and attach them securely to the piece of wire. Attach the wire and forks to another structure. This can be whatever you want—you can fashion another piece of wire into an attractive design and attach the forks to it. The forks will create lovely music in the wind!

Make colorful ornaments out of old light bulbs. Using acrylic paints, design colorful designs on a burnt out light bulb. You can also use a hot glue gun to attach fabric or other accessories to the light bulb. Popular motifs you can try are Santa Claus, Reindeer, or Angel designs. After you’re done decorating your light bulb ornament, use your hot glue gun to attach a loop to the top of your ornament for hanging.

Sell handmade pine cone bird feeders. Not only is this project easy and inexpensive to do, but another perk is that it allows you to clean up your yard! Cut pieces of twine or yarn and wrap them around each pine cone so that you will be able to hang the pine cone securely. Mix part butter and part peanut butter in a bowl and smear it all over a pine cone. Then pour bird seed into a dish and roll the pine cone in the bird seed until it is covered. Place the pine cone in the freezer until it is set (usually takes about an hour). Now it is ready to hang.

Create fun yard art from thrift shop treasures. This project allows you to really stretch your imagination to create wonderful yard art creations. Search out thrift shops to find old chairs, tables, baker’s racks—just about anything—to create planters and yard decorations. With a new coat of paint and a little imagination, you’ll be able to create one of a kind yard art.

Make fun rag dolls out of old jeans. You can fashion dolls out of old blue jeans. Use old soft sweaters to make clothes for the doll, yarn for the hair, and hot glue buttons for the eyes. You can make a whole series of these dolls and sell them at crafts fairs.

Create beautiful folk art aluminum flowers. Find unusual aluminum beer or soda bottles. With a pair of utility scissors, cut the soda cans open. Cut out a rectangular piece of aluminum and smoothen it down. Use a marker to draw a flower design on the piece of aluminum. Cut out your flower, using steel wool to soften out any rough, jagged spots. Use an awl to curl petal edges, and punch out holes if your design calls for it. Attach a metal rod to your aluminum flower to act as a stem. You can create a lovely bouquet, if you wish!

Make and sell truly unique art mailboxes. You can purchase used metal mailboxes very inexpensively at thrift stores, and then decorate them to make a profit. You can also personalize these mailboxes for your clients!