The Market Coalition

Blogging has been practiced for years. But it’s just recently that it has been considered as one of the addicting fads. Many people have resorted to blogging as an outlet for their emotions, a little online nook where they can blurt out whatever just bugs them or whatever makes them feel elated. Savvy marketers have also discovered that blogging is one of the best Internet marketing methods that won’t break your bank account.

Just what exactly is blogging? Blog is the widely used term that refers to web log. In a nutshell, a blog is like an online journal. A blog could be set up to no cost at all, and can be used for just for the fun of it or most importantly for business reasons.

Blogging for your Internet business is one surefire and easy way to boost the visibility of your products and services. Here are a few ways to boost your internet advertising with the help of a blog:

1. Make your clients or customers abreast on your website’s alterations. Your new services, products and affiliate websites could also be announced through your blog.

2. Share your opinions, advice or reviews on specific services or products that are related to your business. Publishing is a very easy process with blogging.

3. Keep track of your business objectives and plans through open writing. Your blog content can be easily stored through archives. What could be better than searchable information that could be easily accessed by anyone browsing the web, right?

4. Include links that will fetch back links and subsequently improve your ranking on search engines. This could be better executed through putting well-written articles in your website. Affiliate links could also be included in your blog to earn additional income.

5. Collect response through the ability of blogs to fetch comments from your blog readers. You can learn and improve your products and services through the comments and feedback left by your readers.

6. Connect easily with other bloggers. When other bloggers notice that you have something good in your blog, they will put you in their favorite lists that will automatically link you to their blogs.

So, how do you set up a blog? Here are some of the options you can make use of to take advantage of this fun way to advertise your Internet business.

Either you load a blogging software or let a blogging hosting service do it for you. Host services such as LiveJournal and Blogger.com are the most popular in this field. Those hosts will provide you with easy instructions on how to put up your blog easily.

Copyright © Herman Dias http://www.Money-Earner.com

Search engines are the gateway to the Internet; they are the first tool that potential customers use to find the products and services they need. This is why link popularity is so imperative. If the customers do not find your website, you have no possibilities of making any sales.

You’re probably wondering what the blazes is popular about a link! Well, in a word - plenty! Link popularity refers to the ranking assigned to your website by the search engines, and it determines the ranking your page gets when keywords are entered into a search engine. So, you’re probably wondering, how do I make my link popular?

Search engines are discretionary, giving status and ranking to sites that have links to their pages from related, quality sites. It’s a simple formula, but a very important one. Google created the system, and now virtually all the most popular search engines employ it to rank your web pages in their indexes.

The more commonly used your keyword is, the harder it will be to achieve link popularity, but without achieving this step, it is almost certain your site will never rank highly on any search engine. But don’t be discouraged; there are tried and true ways of achieving link popularity using the most competitive keywords.

There are a few things you should be aware of. The first is that just linking up with a large number of other websites will not achieve link popularity. In fact, it may have quite the opposite effect. This is particularly true when pertaining to websites that are nothing more than “link farms” - pages containing line after line of indiscriminate links. Search engines may aggressively discriminate against your website if you are associated with a link farm, so steer clear of them!

The next thing to bear in mind is the quality of the site you are linking to. Never link to a page you have reservations about your visitors seeing. The last thing you want your website to appear as is indiscriminate and cheap. Linking to sites of poor quality will only lessen your link popularity, if not completely destroy it.

So let’s get to what you need to do to achieve supreme link popularity and improve your rankings to stellar status on all the popular search engines.

The first step, and the fastest way to get your foot in the door, is to get a listing in a popular directory, such as Open Directory Project and Yahoo. If your site is business-related, you will want to be listed on Yahoo, and despite the fact that it will cost you around $300 a year, it will be money well spent. If your site is non-commercial, the listing will be free, but it will take time and follow-up to actually get it listed. Open Directory is gives you a free listing whether you are business-related or non-commercial, but be prepared to make a lot of follow-up inquiries before you see your site listed.

You are aiming to get listed in the highest level of appropriate category, and this just takes some common sense. For example, if your company ships Alpaca wool from an Alpaca farm located in the middle of Nowhere, Tiny State, do NOT submit your listing to “Retailers from Nowhere, Tiny State.” BIG MISTAKE! All you have to do is look a little deeper - and submit your listing to the “Fine Alpaca Wool” category. You will not only associate yourself with culture and quality, but you will be listed in a national category.

The next step after you have attained directory listings is to locate other quality sites that will increase your link popularity. Try to find sites that are in some way related to yours, so not only will your link popularity increase, but your customer base may also be expanded. You want to avoid your competitors and look for sites that are useful to your site’s visitors. Let’s look at the Alpaca Wool site example. Linking up to a site that sells knitting supplies would be helpful to your visitors, and the chances of the knitting supply site wanting to link up to your site are also greater. By linking to a related site that will be relevant to your website’s traffic, you are increasing both of your site’s business prospects - and both of your sites’ link popularity.

Not all sites want to link to other sites, so you will have to do some research when you are looking for possible linking partners. Google is an excellent starting place for your search. Make sure you enter keywords that you think quality customers will also enter to find your own site. Remember, your criteria are quality, highly ranked, non-competing websites that have a links or resources page. Go to these sites and objectively assess them. Look at the quality of the product, the graphics, and the ease of use. Then check out the other sites they are linked to, and determine if your own site would fit in with the crowd.

When you decide you have found a good prospect, you must set out to woo them. The first thing to do is to add a link on your own links page to their site. This is an essential first step; it shows good faith, and ups your chances significantly of their reciprocity. After you have added their link, you must contact the webmaster of their site. Since this is almost always done by email, you want to make sure it is immediately clear that your message is not junk mail. This requires that you tell them right off the bat that you have added a link to their page on your site. A hook like this almost always insures the reader will read on.

Next, be sure to be flattering and let them know how much you appreciate their website. Make sure you emphasize that you have actually visited their site, and that their site is not just a random pick. Give them the address of your links page, and ask them to check out the link for themselves. It’s a good idea to mention that they will not only benefit from the increased traffic your website will direct their way, but you will also increase their link popularity. Briefly, explain why link popularity is so essential, but do this in a sentence or two so you don’t sound like a professor! Finally, tell them you would greatly appreciate if they would reciprocally add a link on their own links page to your website.

Go through this process with as many appropriate sites as you can find, bearing in mind the criteria of quality and non-competitiveness. After you have emailed all relevant sites, be sure to check these website frequently to see if they have added a link to your page. Give it about a month, and if no link appears, try another charming email. Then give it another month, and if your site is still absent from their links page, it’s time to remove their link from your own links page. The only time you want to pursue a link further than this is if you believe a site is crucial to your link popularity and your business needs. Just remember to keep all your communications complimentary and cordial.

Then set up a schedule to check your ranking in search engines frequently to see if your link popularity has improved. This is not achievable in the blink of an eye. It will take some time and a good deal of work. There is no way around the labor-intensive quality of improving your link popularity, which is why search engines regard it with such importance.

By the way - make sure you have a beautiful, streamlined site or you will never persuade anyone to link up to you. Be prepared to keep plugging away at this process, as long as it takes, until you achieve link popularity stardom!

NOTE:You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the “About The Author” resource box. Thanks!

You have your dress, you’ve got your shoes, your hair style picked out; but you still need to “finish your look” for the big day. That is where your bridal jewelry comes in.

It used to be that pearls, which are wonderful for weddings and brides, were the only jewelry that brides wore. Now with the internet and the growing bridal jewelry businesses out there, your choices have become limitless.

Are you looking for some sparkle, or something simple and elegant? Search the internet for bridal jewelry and you will find a wide variety of resources out there to suit your specific needs. Boring bridal jewelry is a thing of the past. All brides want to feel and look beautiful on their wedding day, and not just look like every other bride they’ve seen before. This is where your bridal jewelry will make the difference. Find pieces of jewelry that “speak to you”, that fit your color or theme for the special day. In many cases, bridal jewelry makers will create a custom piece for you that is special and unique.

When choosing your bridal jewelry, look for some parallel between your wedding gown or style of shoes and other accessories. This will help you pull your look together when making your selection. Many times, you will be able to find on various bridal jewelry websites, tiaras, headbands, hairpins and combs that will pair up or match bridal necklaces, bridal earrings and bridal bracelets. Consistency and a common look and feel through out your bridal accessories is key to not looking “patched” together.

This is your day, make the best of it, feel beautiful and find the bridal jewelry that is right for you. Feeling comfortable with how you look is all part of feeling beautiful. If you want to be a unique bride that looks gorgeous on your wedding day, search for the bridal jewelry that will compliment your attire. You will be beautiful, your bridal jewelry will enhance that.

http://www.bonitaj.com

info@bonitaj.com

If you are like me, you have that middle-aged belly, walk a bit slower than you did when you were 20, am somewhat out of shape and looking for a way to recapture your figure of 10 years ago. Did you ever believe you’d be this out-of shape? I sure didn’t, but three operations and a few rounds with cancer saw me sink to a low that I never imagined. My journey towards better health and less girth started extremely slowly. I had to be able to walk up the stairs without collapsing. Making it to the top of those 15 steps was a true victory. Now, I can walk for blocks without passing out. When I approached a diet and fitness program, I looked for one that matched my current lack of fitness and compared myself to no one.

Intelligent Weight Loss

Before you start any type of weight loss or diet regimen, make sure it’s tailored to your current lifestyle, the shape your body is in and not a pipedream on television. Set reasonable goals based on your age, current weight and level of fitness and always check with your doctor for any additional tips or advice. Run from any weight loss supplement that promises you’ll shed pounds without exercise or promises excessive weight loss in a short period of time. It just doesn’t work, and you could be setting yourself up for more damage than good by taking costly pills that promise miracles.

Make sure you take the required nutrients while on a weight loss program, and don’t “crash” diet with a formula and just expect it to work instantly! Set reasonable weight loss goals. Record the factors that influence your weight control efforts. Be sure to include a moderate exercise program. Walking has proven to be a really easy way to get back into shape for many middle-aged people. If you’re middle-aged and out of shape, unless you are really, really motivated and disciplined, forget joining a gym. It’s a waste of money. Just resolve to walk each day for about 10-20 minutes (even if you need to take rest stops in the beginning). Save the gym for when you can walk more than 10 blocks without feeling dizzy and out of breath.

Getting Vitamins from Organic Food Helps with Weight Loss

Supplements, while good, can’t do everything. Look first to the bountiful harvest that nature provides and add supplements to your food choices. Usually, by the time you’re 40-something, your children are grown and you have time to research and consider what you’re going to eat. Organic food may be a good option. It was found that, on average, organic food contains higher levels of vitamin C and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium. Some additives found in organic food are added for legal reasons including iron, thiamine (vitamin B) and nicotinic acid (vitamin B3) in white flour, and various vitamins and minerals in different types of baby foods. Specific ingredients and additives are also not allowed in organic food: monosodium glutamate, aspartame, phosphoric acid and hydrogenated fats.

The Soil Association conducted a systematic review of the evidence comparing the vitamin and mineral content of organic and conventionally grown food. An independent review of the evidence found that organic crops had significantly higher levels of all 21 nutrients analyzed compared with conventional produce including vitamin C (27% more), magnesium (29% more), iron (21% more) and phosphorous (14% more).

Then, there’s the stupid stuff to remember like whole-wheat bread is the better choice, because of its fiber, vitamin and photochemical content than plain white bread.

You might want to add a combination of natural foods and pills to your weight loss regimen.

Adding Supplements to a Weight Loss plan.

A variety of vitamin supplements are labeled with phrases that market an individual product to a specific target audience: older men, heart patients, weight loss folks, competitive athletes, stressed-out women and the like. Be careful to fully research what you’re about to take. Even if there are all-natural ingredients such as vitamin C and grape seed, check to see how they interact. For the best health effect, make a plan that works towards a long-term win like making garlic a part of an overall heart-and cancer-protective diet that’s low in saturated and trans fats and abundant in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans.

Take care of your immune system

When dieting, your immune system can sometimes take a dip. Echinacea is a very popular herbal medicine used to stimulate the immune system cells against infection. Echinacea’s health benefits include reducing the symptoms and duration of colds, flu, and sore throats, speeding up wound healing, and building immunity against chronic infections. There’s nothing worse than catching a cold to derail your fledgling efforts at better health.

Health education

Knowledge is power and this is no different. Go to the library or bookstore. Choose from topics like natural health, renewable energy, the environment and more. You can either visit the library or simply Google it. Either way, research and draw up a plan. Include your doctor, who will, trust me, be very helpful in working with you.

Judith Brandy is a writer, science fiction fan and cancer survivor who runs different blogs related subject matter that interests her. To find out more about vitamins and weight loss visit her blog: Vitamin A & D News

In-between hair — when you are waiting for that bad haircut to grow out — is a frustrating hair problem. Fortunately there are ways to get through this difficult time with a minimum of stress.

Acceptance

The first thing to do is to accept your hair as it is. Admit that there is only so much you can do at this stage. Once you accept your fate, then you can begin to focus on finding styles that are possible.

Look at fashion magazines for models with hair similar to yours. Then take an evening and experiment with these different styles. You may be surprised at the results.

Accessorize

Accessories can be your best friend when styling in-between hair. Your hair might be too short to pull into a ponytail, but there are other hair accessories that can work wonders on short hair.

One of the best accessories is the basic bobby-pin. These come in many stylish varieties. For example, you can find them with attachments such as sparkly butterflies or in a variety of colors. The traditional bobby-pins are still available if you want a more natural approach. You can use these pins to tuck hair up at the sides or in the back. Use the smaller bobby-pins to sweep short hair up completely.

The butterfly clip, which is available in many different sizes, is another option. The shorter your hair, the smaller the clip. Use these clips to sweep hair off your face. They too are found in a variety of colors and styles. They are easy to use and won’t break your hair.

Cover Up

Also consider using a cover-up — hats or scarves. You can throw on any kind of hat with an outfit and hide your hair completely. You can do the same with scarves. Try different techniques with your scarf to get the best look possible.

Appliances

Appliances are also useful when trying to style in-between hair. If you are trying to let your layers grow out, try curling your hair. This will hide your layers a bit since curly hair shows layer growth much less than straight hair. Use hot rollers or a curling iron for best results. If you like the curls you might want a perm until your hair grows to the desired length. Flat irons are great for shorter hair as well. Some short pixie style hair tends to get a bit frizzy. Narrow flat irons are perfect for styling short hair.

Products

Using the right products is also key to getting a great style from in-between hair. If your hair gets frizzy, try using a straightening gel as soon as you get out of the shower. You can also use a deep conditioner to avoid frizz. To help stimulate hair growth, massage your head for at least 2 minutes while you shampoo.

The in-between hair stage doesn’t have to be painful. Follow these tips and you might even enjoy your new ‘do.

Visit Women’s Hair Styles to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer, visit his website at Website

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.

It is a transfer of an interest in land, from the owner to the mortgage lender, on the condition that this interest will be returned to the owner of the real estate when the terms of the mortgage have been satisfied or performed.

Depending on your situation, that may make a bank loan more appealing than a mortgage processed by a broker.

Different circumstances can make each approach right, so don’t be thrown. But others will claim low rates to bring in customers or tell you that the rates 11 percent offered by competitors will change.

Some will quote you precise, competitive rates 4 percent. See mortgage loan for residential mortgage lending, and commercial mortgage for lending against commercial property. See which lenders are charging fees 9 percent and for how much. Different lenders charge different fees. Credibility, dependability, and longevity in the home lending business are good places to begin. Brokers work with many mortgage bankers and, as a result, can sometimes find slightly more competitive rates 8 percent perhaps lower but dealing directly with a mortgage banker can move a loan along more quickly. Arranging a mortgage is seen as the standard method by which individuals and businesses can purchase residential and commercial real estate without the need to pay the full value immediately. Many of these fees are fixed but some can be negotiated.

Translated in Dutch: Woon je in Eindhoven of Raalte en hebt u BKR registratie’ Lenen met een BKR notering is nog nooit zo gemakkelijk geweest. Verwen jezelf met een andere auto met geldlening met negatieve bkr vermelding, 296242 euro is geen probleem om te financieren. Van Harlingen tot Alphen aan den Rijn, geld lenen met zonder BKR gaat hier altijd.

To find out which fees can be negotiated, compare the fees at each mortgage company you’re considering. And of course, each loan and each borrower are different. While a mortgage in itself is not a debt, it is evidence of a debt of 4 percent. In most jurisdictions mortgages are strongly associated with loans 4 percent secured on real estate rather than other property and in some cases only land may be mortgaged. Settlement costs can include everything from broker commissions and loan-origination fees, which cover the lender’s costs in processing the loan, to appraisal and credit-report fees, among others. Both banks and brokers have their strengths and weaknesses. In other words, the mortgage is a security for the loan that the lender makes to the borrower. So how do you find a lender or broker you can trust’ Start with credibility. It’s not easy to know if the prices quoted by lenders are reliable. Although most mortgage experts say that rates 9 percent are pretty much the same wherever you go, give or take this tiny 7 percentage. A mortgage is the pledging of a property to a lender as a security for a mortgage loan for 7 percent.

1. An attractive layout that is easy to read and follow.

Recruiters and hiring managers are busy people. They are often reading hundreds of résumés in a day so they don’t have time to clean up your résumés formatting.

If a hiring manager opens your e-mail attachment and the lines are out of alignment (usually from using the “tab” key) or if the font is too large/too small, they will likely hit delete and move on.

Instead of using the “tab” key and the underline function, try to use tables with borders and shading elements to design your résumé. When you e-mail it out, it will retain its original format.

“I would recommend that jobseekers educate themselves and become Microsoft Word experts. Knowing Microsoft Word inside and out will save a lot of time when it comes to the layout and design of a résumé.” Jennifer Anthony

2. A clearly defined goal.

It is imperative that a hiring manager know what position you are applying for and what you have to offer them. Don’t leave them guessing and don’t assume your cover letter will stay with your résumé. Make sure they can glance at it and within seconds know what you have to offer them. Here is an excerpt from a writer’s résumé:

EXPERIENCED WRITER

Accomplished writer with 15 years of experience developing excellent materials, including experience in magazine, newspaper, and corporate writing. Versatile and capable, consistently adhering to deadlines and keeping projects on target. Proven ability to use writing skills, communication skills, and interpersonal skills to succeed in independent and team initiatives.

3. Skills Summary.

There are many types of skills you can list on your résumé. Focus on your job specific skills and your technology skills.

Here is an example for a legal transcriptionist:

Type 80 WPM
Legal Terminology Knowledge
Microsoft Word
Corel WordPerfect
Express Scribe
FTP Knowledge

4. Honesty.

There needs to be a trusting relationship formed in a telecommuting situation. How does the employer know that you won’t lie about how many hours you worked? How do they know you will not steal confidential information? There is no guarantee. However, I can guarantee the trusting relationship is gone as soon as you lie on your résumé and you will be disqualified from the position.

Consequently, it is not in your favor to extend your old employment dates or to inflate your job titles. Companies are hiring sophisticated research companies to investigate your background. Don’t think because your supervisors are all long gone, that your record is gone too. There is always a human resources department or a payroll company that processed your paychecks. And when all else fails, they will ask for pay stubs or old tax records for proof of what you wrote in your résumé. DON’T LIE.

5. Keywords/Buzzwords

Many companies are using an automated system that scans your résumé for the qualifications necessary for the specific job opening. If your keywords and industry buzzwords are missing, your résumé will not be selected as a match from the company database and a real person won’t even look at your résumé.

Take a few moments to read through the job description to pick out the keywords used. Look at trade publications and other vacancy announcements for the same type of job to find frequently used buzzwords in your career field. Make sure to incorporate these words into your résumé so yours won’t get lost in the database.

For more assistance on résumé writing in general, follow these helpful links!

http://www.mommysplace.net/resume_writing_examples.html
http://www.resumeasap.com

http://resume.monster.com

Nell Taliercio is the owner and founder of
TelecommutingMoms.com - which is a leading resource website with
work at home jobs and everything
a telecommuting mom would need. Come visit us today!

When you can be found researching the high speed broadband market place internet users can often feel overwhelmed. The UK market is full to the brim with providers providing many high speed broadband packages with very fast broadband speeds and download allocations.

Clients might desire to find out about every high speed broadband corporation directly to ascertain what internet packages the organisation supply, upload and download speeds the provider give and the organisation’s conditions and terms. If surfers desire to discover this high speed internet information in 1 website customers may want to view an internet comparison site.

If you presently have a fast broadband company and want to use a new corporation then not a thing should prohibit you from trying another provider, especially if a monetary saving is to be made. High speed broadband comparison sites might be able to guide browsers through the procedure and what steps may be taken.

When broadband users are hunting for the hottest offer price should not be the only deciding factor. Legions of broadband corporations will promote a very low entry package to reel budding customers over to them. When internet packages are astonishingly low in money please make sure you identify what speed the broadband company will provide, what download allocation you yourself will be provided with and also the length of the broadband contract. The download limits is essential as lots of corporations might well charge you per Gigabyte that broadband users go over, so if your internet package has an eight GB download limits and internet users download ten comedy movies that month, you are more than likely to have downloaded 10GB (i.e. 1GB per movie) - which is 2GB’s over your download limit, and which is two GB worth of internet downloads the organisation may charge over and above your monthly internet package charge.

When seeking the finest offer please furthermore check whether or not the business will charge a registration fee and if there are any costs associated with being provided a wireless router. The above mentioned further costs may all mount up and customers might well be left with little savings when compared to other packages.

Thankfully, internet provider comparison firms might well mention any additional costs and broadband users can make a clever and advised decision. Discover BT broadband deals and packages, use the comparison site Compare Broadband UK.

The Sensual Bender has remained a great seller for over the past five years. It’s success is based on the products versatility. This sex toy is also a good first sex aid for any individual who does not yet own a sex toy. This beauty would make a perfect new addition to any dildo enthusiasts collection. Men both gay and straight also have fun times with the Sensual Bender. Designed for use by two people, but perfect for use on those those lonely nights. The Sensual Bender is ideal for the stimulation of all female erogenous zones.

The manufacturer responsible for this sex aid, are in fact the most widely known and most prestigious businesses involved in the design and distribution of sex aids. They are manufacturers of numerous other top quality dildos like the Glass Intruder as well as the 5 Inch Baby Dong. are known for being extremely cost competitive, so you can buy your dildo knowing you would be very unlucky to see a a cheaper buy offered by a competitor.

The Sensual Bender has specially designed ribs, which are sure to help raise your your after hours fun to another place entirely. The Sensual Bender also comes with an add on vibration pack, making this a sex toy of the best standards. The soft material of the Sensual Bender allows penetration at angles that are difficult during intercourse, allowing you to reach new found pleasures and hither to un explored parts of your body. As well as being fun, the Sensual Bender moulded out of safe resin, making sure it is really quite harmless to use. This dildo vibrator is available in a wide range of colours, widths and lengths.

This article is actually about a subject that I felt I needed to research for my own good. Now that I’m making money online in marketing I thought that it would be a good idea to learn some investment strategies. At the very least, find out what types of investments there are, so this articles is kind of a beginners’ tutorial on investments. I’ll go into more detail of each type in later articles. The one thing I did know about investments even before doing this research is that investments can be relatively safe, very risky or somewhere in between. And as with anything in life the bigger the risk the bigger the reward. Let’s face it, you’re not going to get a 50% ROI by putting money into a savings account. Right now mine is earning about 1.5% interest. Pretty pitiful if you ask me. That’s not investing. That’s just letting your money rot away in a vault.

So let’s see what basic types of investments we have.

For starters you have bonds. These are also called “fixed income” securities. The reason that they are called this is because the income you get from bonds is fixed. You invest a certain amount in the bonds you purchase and after a certain amount of time, when the bonds mature, you get a certain return. You’re basically lending out your money to the government and they are paying you back with interest at a later date. Bond investment is relatively risk free. Therefore the return you get is pretty low.

Then there are stocks. And let me tell you, there are more stocks out there to invest in than Carter has liver pills. Just check with the NYSE to see how many stocks are actively being traded. Stocks are much riskier than bonds. A stock can sell for $5 a share one day and drop down to $1 a share the next day. Imagine investing in 1000 shares. You would have lost $4,000 in just one day. Conversely stocks can give you a big windfall literally overnight. The key to stock investing is to get a good broker who knows the market. And don’t worry, he WILL have your best interests in mind because he wants to make money too, as he gets a percentage of any gain you make on the stocks you invest in.

Then you have your mutual funds. Mutual funds are a collection of stocks and bonds put together in one portfolio. When you buy into a mutual fund you are actually throwing in your lot with a bunch of other investors. The theory behind mutual funds is that the diversification of investments will help prevent against any great loss on the investment as a whole. My wife’s IRA is actually part of a mutual fund that so far is doing very nicely. So these are relatively safe, though a little riskier than bonds alone.

And then finally you have what they call alternative options which include options, futures, FOREX, gold, real estate, etc. I’ll go into these in detail in future articles.

Investing is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. With the value of the dollar constantly going down the only way to provide for your future and your retirement IS to invest. If you think I’m kidding, in 1965 a gallon of gas was 32 cents. It’s now up to over $3 where I live. No, a dollar isn’t worth what is used to be worth.

What’s the answer?

Invest.

Just don’t lose your shirt in the process.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Investing