0 Making a Financial Decision is Hard – Think About the Potential Cost of Doing Nothing

When it comes to making sound and steady financial decisions, it is all about the right timing and attitude. Making a timely decision in your favor can make you less vulnerable to a loss. Most people hesitate in making a fruitful decision at the right time and this causes them serious consequences in the future.

Being proactive and appropriate planning can save you from any financial downturn in the future and help you a great deal in making the correct decision. Therefore, devise a game plan for yourself and prepare early for any tough decision that comes your way in the future, so that you do not end up doing nothing.

Not Assessing your Finances before Making an Investment

When making a long term investment, it is important to look at all the options and assess your finances thoroughly so that you do not experience a loss. Take help from experts or online resources if required, so that you can make a decision that results in minimal loss and maximum benefits.

Also, instead of investing your entire savings, keep a small portion intact so that you have a little something at hand at all times and you can cope with any sudden loss in your investment. It is always wise to assess your finances and save something for a rainy day.

Not Comparing Savings Accounts Rate before Investing

When opting to save your revenue in a savings account, conduct thorough research on the profit rates offered for different savings plans by different banks. Not choosing the right bank can leave you hanging with a low profit rate for years and you will lose out on the revenue you could have generated if you selected a different savings account plan or bank.

Not Switching Banks When Fees Increase

Banks are used for multiple kinds of investments, including savings accounts and shares, and they also provide loans to the general public. For all these services, various banks charge various nominal fees and charges. The interest rates for the loans that they provide also keep fluctuating.

Therefore, in case you experience a high interest rate or exorbitant fees for your investment or loan, it is a wise decision to switch from one bank to another. The key here is to remain up to date about the rates and fee structures advertised by the different banks in your area.

Not Choosing the Correct Mortgage Plan or Loan

There are a variety of home loans and mortgage plans available in the market, catering to the needs of different types of consumers. However, do not make a decision based just upon low mortgage rates. Look out for other key factors such as term, amortization and payment schedule in order to manage your finances in the most effective way possible in the future.

Not choosing the correct mortgage plan can result in defaulting and forbearance on your account; therefore, think wisely before you take the plunge and make the correct decision at the right time.

Allan loves blogging about personal finance and helping people making sound financial decision. While not a financial advisor, Allan has been involved in personal finance for quite some time and has made successful decisions. Allan holds a BA in Business Administration and has been a regular reviewer at Ubank. Aside from blogging, Allan enjoys spending time with his family.

0 Important things to consider when you go for a payday loan

In times when you are in urgent need of cash, frustrated with a financial crisis looking for a hand who can lend you some money to get out of this situation, Payday loans will be one of the best options for most people. Choosing the best payday loan is sometime confusing and quite tricky, so here are some important things to consider when you go for a payday loan:

Interest quotes: Different lending companies offer different interest rates. As this loan is short term, its interest rates would be high compared to any other loans. These rates differ depending on the loan amount.  Always go with flexible interest rates. Research on the internet and get the best deal so that you can afford to pay back the borrowed amount.

Terms and conditions: Before signing for a payday loan make sure you read all terms and conditions. Understand them; if you feel something needs to be clarified never hesitate to ask. Opt for this loan only when you are satisfied with their policies.

Loan fees: Apart from interest rates some companies charge loan fees or administration fees. Usually these fee rates differ from companies so research online while choosing payday loans, and choose the one who can offer you the best deal.

Prepayment penalties: Some companies charge on early payment. So try to avoid selecting such companies. Make sure you choose the company which has clear information about any penalty’s you may be charged.

Post payment penalties: After completion of the loan period if you are unable to pay the amount back, then you will have to pay extra amount as a penalty charge. Better you choose a company who has a lower charge compared to other companies. Make sure you pay your loan on the agreed date to avoid any charges.

Lending company’s reputation: Seek advice from family or friends who may have already used this type of loan. Choose the right lender who can offer you the best deal. Also be aware of the fact that interest rates differs depending on the amount you borrow, duration of the payment, and the company’s brand. Some companies’ offer the best deals because of their reputation in the market.

As payday loans are associated with high cost and can grow incredibly fast, if you fail to repay your amount back you may face bad credit scores and high charges. Although payday loans offer many advantages certain things as mentioned above are to be considered before going ahead.

By Kevin.  I am a tech writer from UK.  I am into Finance.  Catch me @financeport

0 How To Handle a Worker's Compensation Claim

Even the best employers utilizing the safest procedures and taking every conceivable precaution might find themselves dealing with a workers compensation claim. Instead of seeing the claim as disgruntled employee's attempt to cash out, think of it as your duty as an employer to compensate a person that is hurt doing the job you are paying them to do. If this is your first time handling a workers compensation claim, you might not even know exactly what it is.

At its most basic, workers compensation is a payment from an employer to one of his/her employees for injuries or illnesses resulting from work. Many businesses have insurance for workers compensation claims, especially if the business they run is dangerous, and so the employer pays due to the insurance company and the insurance company covers the claim. Workers compensation laws, stating what injuries and illnesses are applicable and how much money the employer will owe for them, vary from state to state.

Here are a few tips for avoiding and handling a workers compensation claim:

Have a clear policy statement that requires all employees to report any suspected injuries to superiors or a designated person. Note that false claims will lead to termination of employment and put the notice in your employee manual after you've announced it.

Once an injury is brought to somebody's attention, document everything. After the employee has received care, have him/her write and sign a statement about the origin of the injury, and if there were other people involved or in the room have them do the same.

Make sure the employee gets the care he/she needs. Does he/she need to go to the emergency room? If you can send a supervisor with him/her that may be to your benefit, but make sure that you don't make your employee uncomfortable.

Familiarize yourself with your state's workers compensation laws. What injuries qualify? How much do employers usually pay for the kind of claim you're dealing with? Knowledge is power.

Institute practices that will avoid an injury repeating itself: If someone slipped on a wet floor, buy a sign that will caution future pedestrians. This won't deflect your current claim, but if two employees are injured in the same preventable manner, you might find yourself in a very precarious situation.

Show the claiming employee that you value him/her. Stay in touch while he/she is out of work, and encourage them to keep taking their medication or participating in whatever therapy they are using. It's always easier to deal with a non-hostile claimant.

Report the injury to your insurance company immediately and maintain open communication with them. Even though you are filling out forms, don't treat it as menial labor! Detailed, thorough information can often be the difference between a claim covered by an insurance company and one tossed to the side.

About the Author: When John Stallworth isn’t reviewing the best contractor insurance rates, he is busy providing legal consulting or building his handmade sailboat that he hopes to sale across Lake Michigan one day.

0 Never Let Your Money Sleep: Why Time Is Your Best Friend in Financing

Time and time again, you will be hearing business experts put emphasis on the importance of proper time management for businesses. This is a fact that you will be reading from various self-help and business educational books. In addition to that, you will also be hearing these in various seminars and lecture. You may be wondering why time management is very important.

Most businessmen think that there is more to the business industry than thinking about time and how to manage it. Instead of focusing on their time management skills, most business owners think that it is a lot more important to focus on other business skills like marketing and many more. Although these skills are quite important too, all of these skills and expertise will be put to waste if you do not know how to properly manage your time.

So, is investing your time on enhancing your management skills totally worth it? Well, ask the experts and the owners of the leading companies all over the world, was it worth their time? For sure, they would say yes! If you won't believe them, then here are some great reasons why you should spend your time on bettering time management skills:

• Improved Quality of Work. Since you have successfully managed your time, you can get the needed tasks done in no time. As a result, you will have extra time to think the decision s through. Also, you can have enough time to think of alternative approaches as well as add additional but necessary information to your task. If you finish your work late, it will be quite impossible for you to do all this. With enough time, you can get to enhance the quality of your work.

• Reduced Stress and Anxiety. If you have great time management skills, then it would be very easy for you to stick to the schedule that you have done and finish your tasks on time. Because of this, there is no need for you to re-check the work that you are doing or evaluating the importance of your current tasks. This does not only help you save a lot of time but it also reduces anxiety as well. This is also great for people who have too many items on their plate. If you have to multitask, great management skills will ensure that you would not have to take tasks more than you can handle. With great management skills, you do not have to rush or worry if you can beat the deadline.

• Source of Motivation. It is best to set deadlines than do things without any plans. With established deadlines, you will be more motivated to finish the task on hand. For example, you can focus on your task more clearly if you are aware that you only have an hour to do it. There would be lesser distractions since you have a goal to finish.

• Increased Work Productivity. One of the things that time management is most famous for is its ability to increase the productivity of a person or an organization. By setting priorities and realistic time goals, people are rest assured that they will be doing every important work needed. Because of this, they will not omit any important task. In addition to that, this also helps people to prevent spending too many time on one task. Also, the person will not have to rush, he will be more calm, making it easier for you to focus more on the task at hand.

So, keep your money awake all the time by learning the proper time management skills you need to grow your business!

About the Author: Sarah is a finance and business blogger based in the Philippines. She is currently working for Australian Grants Gov Portal. An Australian government business grants website made specially for people seeking government grants programs, loans and funding for your business, start-up or community group.

0 How to Get the Best Auto Loan Rate

If you're in the market for a different car, whether it will be brand new or slightly used, it's probably very important to you to get the best rates you possibly can on an auto loan. There are a lot of sources you can go to in order to get a loan, but some of them may not offer you very good rates. Here are a few tips on how to get the best auto loan rates.

Do Your Research

No one is going to walk in off the street and offer you a loan, especially if you expect good interest rates. You're going to have to make the effort to try and find a lender that will give you the best rate. Due to the nature of buying a car, which will invariably involve negotiating a good price, you will want to be prepared when you walk into the dealership. That means doing some research to find the best rate you can on a loan.

Ask Your Friends and Neighbors

A good way to find a lender that will provide you with good interest rates is to ask your friends and neighbors who they got their loans from. If the same bank or credit union keeps popping up in their answers, you will know that institution might be a good place to start looking for a loan.

Check Out a Few Banks and Credit Unions

Once you've narrowed down a list of banks and credit unions that will potentially provide good rates, you should schedule an interview with their loan officers. If you have a good credit score, they will more than likely be happy to talk to you about a loan. Having a good credit rating is extremely important if you hope to get good rates.

Manufacturer's Credit Bureaus May be the Place to Go

You may be able to get a loan through a name brand manufacturer, such as Ford Motor Credit or GMAC. These lenders frequently provide extremely good interest rates to their customers.

Compare Rates

After you talk to a few different lenders, and have an idea of how high your interest rates are going to be at each place, it's time to sit down and compare their offers. Pay attention to the details of each offer. Make sure they're comparable and that you're not comparing dissimilar rates. For instance, one lender's rates may seem good because they offer 2.8%, while another is going to charge 3.5%. But if the lower interest rate is for a longer period of time, you could end up paying far more than a shorter term loan would cost.

Arrange Financing in Advance

If you go to a dealership with a preapproved loan, you will probably be able to work out a better price for car. Arranging financing in advance will not only mean you get the car at a cheaper price, but the amount you will pay in interest will be less--because you won't need to borrow as much money.

Let the Dealer Make the First Offer

When shopping for a car, it's a good idea to wait for the dealer to make the first offer. If you go first, you may be offering them more than they would be willing to settle for. Patience is essential when negotiating an auto loan. Find out what they're asking, then respond with an offer of your own--but be realistic. No dealer is going to sell you a $50,000 car for $10,000.

Make a Down Payment

If a dealer offers you a no money down deal, just say no. It would be to your advantage to put down as much money as you can afford to. This has a two-pronged affect; it will not only reduce the amount of money you'll have to borrow, but it will lower the overall amount of interest you'll ultimately have to pay.

Stick With a Short Term Loan

The fewer months you borrow money for, the less you'll be paying in interest. Short term loans may require a more substantial down payment, but you'll end up paying far less for a car if you take out a 36-month loan as opposed to a 72-month loan. The reason is that for the first few years of a long term loan, the majority of your payment will simply be going towards interest.

Guest post from Bailey Harris. Bailey writes for AutoInsuranceQuotes.org.