Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Southwest Airline Credit Card

Southwest airline credit card
Southwest airline credit card

Southwest airline credit cards are a good example of co-branded credit cards. Southwest airlines and Chase have teamed up to bring the southwest airline credit cards to you. At the time of writing this article, there are two popular southwest airline cards which are also collectively called as southwest airlines rapid rewards Visa cards. One of these southwest airline credit cards is for personal use (this is called Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Visa Signature Card) and the other southwest airline credit card is for business use. Both these southwest airline credit cards are aimed at getting you a roundtrip award faster.

There are a number of ways in which you can earn reward points using Southwest airline credit cards. Southwest airline credit cards have two kinds of reward points i.e. there are two denominations in which you can earn reward points - rapid reward credits and rapid reward dollars. The rapid reward credits are a much higher reward denomination as compared to the reward dollars (e.g. at the time of writing this article, 1200 reward dollars is equal to 1 rapid reward credit).

So how do you earn and redeem the reward points on your southwest airline credit card?

You get bonus reward credits after your first purchase on your southwest airline credit card. These purchases needn't be on southwest airlines products/services, these can be just any purchases made using the southwest airline credit card. You earn reward dollars for any expenditures you make using your southwest airline credit card. There are additional reward dollars, when you use your southwest airline credit card on southwest airlines (i.e. when you use your southwest airline credit card to spend on southwest airlines products/services). By additional we mean, the reward dollars are more as compared to those earned on other, non-southwest airline, purchases. As you keep collecting reward dollars, you keep moving closer to getting a round trip award. Generally, the roundtrip awards are based on rapid reward credits. So, you can convert the reward dollars, earned on your southwest airline credit card, into rapid reward credits; and convert rapid reward credits into your roundtrip award. Another way of earning rapid rewards credit on southwest airline credit cards is through balance transfers.

Southwest airline credit cards are surely a good option for people who travel frequently by air using southwest airlines. Since the network of southwest airlines is pretty widespread, you will find that you are able to get southwest airlines flight to most places you want to travel to and hence get an opportunity to use your south west airline credit card to earn reward points (or reward dollars, as they call them).

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Being Frugal in Retirement To Make Your Money Last

Have you thought about retirement? Chances are, if you're young, hale and hearty, you haven't. Most people don't when they're young. This is a mistake. You have to start on planning your retirement while you're still young. You won't be able to work forever so being frugal in retirement to make your money last is important.

People usually make retirement plans when they've grown a little older and a little wiser. If you plan this way, you may have little time to accumulate a significant amount to make retirement easier and more comfortable for you. Starting out young is still the best way to plan for retirement.

When you are retired though, how do you stretch your money? How do you make it last? How can you be sure your money will outlive you? One never can tell when death comes knocking on one's door. Living out the rest of your life after your retirement money runs out is not a good way to live. Not everyone is lucky enough to have support from other avenues.

Live frugally. When you are retired, your primary, or maybe only, source of income will be the funds you set aside during your working years of prime. Depending on when you started saving up for retirement and on how much you regularly set aside, this can be a very paltry amount or alternately, a healthy amount.

This will be affected by how early you retire and how much you spend on maintaining your lifestyle. If you live a relatively lifestyle, the money may last longer. If your lifestyle leans more towards the extravagant side, the money may not last very long.

Being frugal means being wise about your spending. Frugality need not mean cutting back on your guilty pleasures. You just need to determine what your priorities are. You can still cut back on your expenses while enjoying the good life.

Work on a retirement plan. Some of the more popular retirement plans are the following:

* 401(k) Plans
* Safe Harbour 401(k) Plans
* Profit Sharing Plans
* Money Purchase Plan
* Defined Benefit Plan
* 403(b) Plan
* 457(b) Plan
* Deferred Compensation Plans

Always do your research. Know what each retirement plan can give you and what the options for each are. Do not be shy about asking for advice. You have worked hard all your life and you deserve to live out your retirement in relative comfort. Know what your plan and money can do for you.

If you're unsure about how to handle your finances, get expert help. A financial planning manager can help you make the best financial advice.

Watch your funds. The market can be very volatile. Pull out when you feel that your money can do better in other avenues. Don't wait until it's too late and very little is left. This will just mean hardship for you.

If you fear your retirement money will run short of your expected life span, take steps to augment your funds. This may mean working a bit longer or getting a part time job. Or, turn a hobby into a money making enterprise. You now have lots of free time. Why not put this spare time into good use?

Living comfortably in retirement need not be an impossible goal. You can still do this even if you did not start planning young and early. Invest your funds wisely, watch your funds carefully, spend thriftily and you can make retirement work for you.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

How To Begin A Computer Programmer Career Without A College Degree

You can become a computer programmer by going to college to study computer science and beginning an entry level computer programmer job after college. However if you cannot afford to spend two or fours years in college, studying computer science before you begin your programming career, you can learn programming from experienced developers or teach yourself computer programming from scratch using whatever textbooks, training classes, courses and coaching programs you can afford. In this article I will show you how to become a computer programmer without going to college or studying computer science.

Not having a computer science degree or entering the programming job market with a high school degree is not as difficult as you may think. This is because when it comes to programming, employers put more emphasis on your ability to write good quality code than your educational credentials. Many programmers have taken advantage of this to forgo college and focus on developing their programming skills to the best of their ability.



What Do Employers Want?
Employers want to see good competent software developers more than anything else. Whether you taught yourself programming at home or you enrolled in college or get some computer programming training or studied from reading books or you bought a home distance or correspondence course, you still have to make over your resume, prepare for your programming interviews, find programming jobs, send your resume in and write code. And employers expect you to write good quality code, design your applications, document your applications etc. regardless of how you learnt computer programming.



What Do You Really Need To Become A Computer Programmer
In other to learn programming and become a computer programmer, all you need is a reasonably fast computer, an internet connection (preferably a high speed internet connection), a study guide, a learning plan that specifies what programming languages you need to learn and in what order and some free time. The most important decision you have to make is what programming languages you will elarn and where you will get the information you need to study (online courses, home study courses, training programs, textbooks, software developer coaching etc.) If you set your mind on it, you can literally start to learn computer programming today and be working as a full-time software developer or contract programmer in as little as 4 to 6 months. The critical difference between those people who seem to have learnt programming in a few months and gotten lucrative jobs and those who seem to be spinning their wheels is the quality of information or study plan they adopted and followed.



Yes, You Can Get A Computer Programming Job Without A College Degree
After more than 10 years, spent working several software development jobs, I have a lot of personal, intimate knowledge of how the industry works. I have worked with talented software programmers who got into programming with a high school education or dropped out of college to begin a programming career. So, I am always a bit surprised when someone that I am coaching or someone who runts into me on my blog at www.IT-CAREER-COACH.NET tells me they can not start their programming career because they do not have a college education or a computer science degree.
If you are saying this to yourself, then you are just making excuses for not taking action. Let me tell you that from my experience as a software developer mentor, I have discovered that people make excuses to themselves because they are not ready to hold themselves accountable to results. So, they either complain about how old they are or how poor they are or they complain about the time it will take them to learn programming or complain that they cannot afford to go to college and study computer science or complain that programming textbooks are too expensive and they go on like that. Okay, I am telling you now that there is nothing stopping you from beginning your programming career if you really want to and it's not as hard as you think it is.



Now Is The Best Time To Become A Computer Programmer
I have answered your quest on how to become computer programmer without going to college and it is now your turn to act on all the information you just received on how to succeed in programming. On my blog at www.IT-Career-Coach.NET, I coach, mentor and train individuals from all over the world who want to transition to a software developer career or become an expert computer programmer. MY experience has shown me people do not achieve their goals when they are too scared to act. People are usually scared to act when they are misinformed and do not have enough information or accurate information. But by raising the level of awareness of how possible and easy it is to start a programming career and succeed at it on my www.IT-CAREER-COACH.NET blog, I have been successful at helping people transition into and succeed at computer programming.
If you want to learn programming or become an expert computer programmer, I recommend you read "the street smart guide to computer programmer careers" book which shows you how to learn computer programming in as little as 4 months. The book will shave years off your learning curve by showing you how to learn programming fast, how to improve your resume, how to ace programming job interviews and how to gain the programming experience that helps you succeed easily.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Avoid Bankruptcy - Simple Steps To Follow

When a person or a business finds themselves in a situation where they are unable to repay their debts, they are in a state of bankruptcy. The bankruptcy process begins when the debtor approaches the court system by filing a petition. Bankruptcy sometimes allows a person to start fresh. At other times it allows the debtor to offer some recompense to those who are owed depending on what assets or resources are available. Either way, it is just about the worst scar that can be made on the financial history of anyone. When debts start to become unmanageable, immediate action needs to be taken to avoid bankruptcy.

Sell Assets

Immediately, when you start to fall behind on payments or when creditors start to call, you must take action. Sell everything you can put your hands on: Books. CDs. Computer. Electronics. Home Entertainment Devices. Jewelry. Anything to raise cash to put towards bills. Nowadays, the internet offers many ways to sell stuff. If you cannot sell things directly, sell them online. Amazon, Craigslist, and eBay are starting points.

Increase Income

What skills do you have beyond your job? Sometimes hobbies or carpentry or plumbing skills offer excellent opportunities to supplement your income. If it is available, work overtime. Take a part-time job. The internet also has e-businesses that work as talent and employment agencies for free-lancers. You can be a virtual assistant, build links, write content, do coding or programming. Elance and oDesk are examples. Some sites allow you to write and post an article of general interest and they will pay you a small amount for each visitor the article gets. It can add up.

Seek Help

Do not be afraid to be upfront and candid. Let your creditors know what you are faced with. The creditors are folks just like you and they may have been through such a period themselves. What is important is that you let them know your willingness, your resoluteness to pay and how you intend to do it. If possible, ask them to lower interest rates or monthly fees. You might be surprised at their willingness to help.

Borrow Money

Borrowing money from family or friends is often not a good idea. Consider their lives and their problems. But, if there is a likelihood, take a good look as to what you should ask for and how you would intend to repay it. Write out the plan and show it to the prospective friend or family member. Show how you would repay them and stick with it. If some of your folks can help you with some cash, you may want to use some of the money to approach a lawyer.

Settle Debts

Debt settlement is something you will want to avoid under normal circumstances. But anyone on the brink of bankruptcy is not exactly normal. If you must choose between bankruptcy and settlement, choose settlement. Never rely on debt settlement companies. They are not very effective and they often cost more time and money than they're worth. Don't settle on current debts. Focus on those that have been charged off or sent to collection. As with any settlement, pay when you have agreed to pay.

Take Action

Taking these steps of self-analysis and immediate action may very well help you avoid bankruptcy. Just do not sit around hoping everything will work out. Things will only get worse. Take action immediately.

Friday, October 19, 2012

539 Plan Strategies

Some states allow a state income tax deduction for a contribution to a 529 plan. The amount of this deduction is limited to a certain amount per donor (e.g., New York's limit is ,000 per donor per year). Therefore, to get the maximum state income tax deduction benefit, the donor should consider spreading out the contributions over several years instead of making a large lump sum that will exceed the annual deduction limit.

Rather than pay the upcoming tuition bill from other savings, you may consider investing money into your home state 529 plan so you can claim the state income tax deduction. You can then use the money from the 529 plan to pay the college bills. You will need to check with your state plan to inquire about the rules regarding withdrawals.

If you feel that the state 529 plan does not have a suitable investment plan, you can initially invest in the plan to receive the state income tax deduction or credit. After meeting the time requirements by your state, you can roll over the funds to a state plan that has a suitable investment plan.

You are not limited to the 529 college savings plan in your state. It is a good idea to look at your state 529 plan first to see whether tax incentives are offered to in-state residents. The tax breaks will usually be more beneficial to you than investing in an out-of-state plan with lower fees. For example, in Indiana a taxpayer receives a tax credit of 20% for amounts invested in the plan up to ,000 per year.

If you decide to work with an advisor, it is important to ask the advisor how many different college savings plans they offer.

Note: Distribution of the earnings from the 529 plan will be subject to income tax if the amount withdrawn from the 529 plan exceeds the qualified higher education expenses. Refer to IRS Publication 970 for more detail. It can be found at www.irs.gov.

Example 1: In 2001, Angela Tucker's parents opened a 529 plan for Angela. The total balance in the account in 2007 was ,000 on the date the distribution was made. Angela incurred qualified education expenses of ,700. Angela also received a partial tuition scholarship in the amount of 00. In 2007, Angela parent's took a QTP distribution of ,700 (,200 of the ,700 distribution is the earnings) and a Hope Credit of ,650. To determine the taxable portion of the ,700 distribution, you must determine the adjusted qualified education expenses. Total qualified education expenses ,700

Minus: Tax-free education assistance '3,100

Minus: Expenses taken into account in determining the Hope Credit '2,200

Equals: Adjusted qualified education Expenses (AGEE) ,400

The taxable portion of this distribution is:

,200 (earnings) x ,400 AGEE ,700 distribution = 4 (tax-free earnings)

,200 (earnings) - 4 (tax-free earnings) = 6 taxable earnings

Example 2: Last year you withdrew ,000 to pay for the first year of college. At tax time, your accountant tells you that you will have to pay tax on about 60% of the earnings. Because your child received a grant, received a scholarship, and used the lifetime learning credit, your qualified expenses were decreased by ,000. Your net qualified expenses are now ,000. Unless you wanted to pay tax on some of the earnings, you should not have withdrawn more than ,000. It is very important to pay attention to the exit strategy out of a 529 plan.

Copyright (c) 2009 Karen Bolton

Thursday, October 18, 2012

An overview about P60

A P60 form

At the end of each fiscal year, you will receive a P60 form from your employer, which shows your total amount of pay for income tax purposes and how much has been deducted in tax and National Insurance over the tax year. P60 is an important document - and therefore, make sure you keep it safely each time you receive it.

You will need your P 60 form when you want to do your tax return, claim back any tax that you have overpaid, or apply for tax credits. Besides that, the P 60 form also lets you know whether your employer is using the correct National Insurance number and deducting the right amount of National Insurance Contribution. And lastly, you may need it as a proof of your earnings when you want to apply for a mortgage or a loan.

As mentioned earlier, your employer will issue the P60 form at the end of each tax year, which falls on April 5. This is, however, provided you still work for your employer by then. If you are no longer employed before the fiscal year ends, you will only be given a P45 form at the end of your job. Often, employees do not receive their P 60 forms even after the tax year has ended. If you are one of them, do not hesitate to ask for it from your employer as you are entitled to it by law if you still work for the employer.

When receiving your P 60 form, make sure the following information is included in it:
Tax year to 5 April
Employer PAYE reference
Employee's National Insurance number, if known
Employee's name
Employee's payroll number
Pay and tax in previous employment
Pay and tax in 'this' employment
'Total for year' pay and tax
Final tax code including the 'Week 1' or 'Month 1' indicator if applicable
National Insurance Contributions information
Employer's name and address
Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) paid - if applicable
Statutory Paternity Pay (SPP) paid if applicable
Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP) paid if applicable
Student Loan Deductions in 'this' employment if applicable

It is quite common for employees to lose their P60 forms, or in some cases the forms are rejected because they are damaged or hand written. When one of these happens to you, we can help you replace them. We offer high-quality P60's that are prepared on approved Inland Revenue forms. Basically, you only need to tell us four things:

1.Your employer's full address including postcode
2.Name of your employer's tax district
3.Your employer's tax district number
4.Gross salary paid in that financial year
With this information and our fully computerized payroll system, you are guaranteed to receive accurate results.

Other than that, we also provide payslip calculator on our website that you can use for free. By using this salary calculator you will be able to know whether your employer has been deducting the right amount of tax and National Insurance Contribution from your salary. What you need to key in are details of the gross monthly pay and PAYE coding.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Used Cars Main North Road

The Location for the Best Quality Cheap Used Cars Main North Road Adelaide for Sale is 588A Main North Road Gepps Cross Adelaide - AA Family Motors Used Cars Adelaide.

Customers looking for Used Cars in Adelaide often look at the Used Cars Main North Road has because of the number of Used Car Dealer car yards located there.

AA Family Motors Used Cars Adelaide Main North Road Gepps Cross is where you will find Quality Cheap Used Cars Adelaide has for sale, and there are hundreds of used cars to choose from, all makes, all models, and the number of Used Car Special deals we have everyday is amazing.

AA Family Motors Used Cars Adelaide on Main North Road Adelaide is family owned and operated, so our overheads are kept to a minimum, which means you can save thousands on every Used Car for Sale you purchase at AA Family Motors Car Dealers Adelaide.

Used Car Dealer

Our reputation as a Used Car Dealer in Adelaide selling Quality Cheap Used Cars is second to none. When we can find you a Used Car in South Australia you'll love at a much reduced price for the quality, why buy a used car anywhere else?

Every Quality Used Car Adelaide for sale at our dealership has passed a 50 point safety and mechanical test. Our Used Cars in Adelaide come with the Best 3 year Used Car Warranty available, covering you across Australia.

We have thousands of happy customers who have bought our Used Cars Adelaide at reduced prices without having to compromise on quality or choice of car.

You can also use our Pre Approved Car Finance service and get a Used Car of your choice within your budget. We can also offer you a Car Insurance Quote before you leave the dealership. AA Family Motors is a customer focused Used Car Dealer in South Australia.

Use our Car Finance Calculator to work out the repayments, and our budget calculator to work out what amount you can borrow based on your budget.

Used Holdens Adelaide

To see the Best Used Cars South Australia has, take a look at AA Family Motors for Used Cars Main North Road Adelaide and the Huge Range of Used Holdens Adelaide has including Used Commodore, Used Calais, Used Caprice and Used Statesman. Here you will not only find Used Cars Main North Road, we also have a great range of Used Utes For Sale, and the Best Used 4X4 Adelaide has for Sale in the one place.

So now you know the location for the Best Quality Cheap Used Cars Main North Road Adelaide for Sale is 588A Main North Road Gepps Cross Adelaide - Give AA Family Motors Used Cars Adelaide a call on (08) 8349 4000, you'll be happy you did.

Car Sales Adelaide

As a Special Bonus, all online visitors looking for Used Cars Main North Road, can receive an extra 0 off of the scheduled price on all the Best Quality Car Sales Adelaide has at AA Family Motors.

For more information on the Bonus visit: Car Sales Adelaide, you'll be happy you did. Then take a look at the quality Cars For Sale Adelaide has advertised, or the Used Car Specials on offer, all with a 3 year used car warranty covering you anywhere in Australia. Remember too that our Used Cars For Sale are available to people all over Australia, so people living outside of South Australia can still take advantage of our everyday low prices and buy a Used Car Australia wide from us.

Perhaps you can't find what you're looking for, then we can help there too with our unique Find A Car Service. Simply let us know what you are after and we will find it for you from the thousands of used cars we have access to across Australia. Regardless of where you live you can still take advantage of our "Hassle Free" Used Car Finance.

So to Buy Used Cars Adelaide there is only One name to Remember - AA family Motors.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Car Leasing - How To Get Out Of Your Car Lease Contract!

Why you would want to get out of a Car or Van Lease

There are many reasons why people might want to terminate a Car Lease, as we don't know what the future may bring:-

Change in financial circumstances - your income may have reduced (or increased)
Change of job - loss of job, got a new job, been offered a company car
Change of lifestyle - you now need a different type of vehicle
Need a different sized vehicle due to change in family size
Starting a new business (or closing your business down)
Car leased for your employee who is leaving and not being replaced
No longer require a car - relocating or emigrating

So how do I get out of a Car Lease?

Well, no matter what other people may tell you, it's not that easy!

After all, a Car Lease is a legally binding agreement which you have entered into for a period of usually 2 or 3 years, during which time the finance company expects to receive a certain amount of money in monthly payments based on their estimate of what the value of your car will be at the end of the term. If you want to break the lease and return the car, you are likely to face Early Termination charges which, depending on how much of the lease is still to run, could be as much as a few thousand pounds.

There are really only 2 ways to get out of your Car Lease Contract:-

Find someone willing to take over the payments on your lease agreement, or
Hand the car back to the finance company and pay the Early Termination fee

The process for transferring a Car Lease

The first thing you should do is check your Car Lease Agreement and, if necessary, speak to the finance company, to see if there is anything in the contract which prevents you from transferring a Car Lease to another person or company. Most finance companies will allow transfers to take place, subject to the person who wishes to take over the lease passing their credit check, and a Transfer Fee being paid. Once you find a suitable person who wishes to take over the lease, simply inform the finance company who will carry out their checks and raise the necessary documentation.

Factors to consider when transferring a Car Lease

Make sure the vehicle conforms to the Fair Wear and Tear conditions of the finance company before transfer, as anyone taking over the lease will not want to pay for any damage you have caused
You may have to pay the transfer fee yourself and may also have to offer the person taking over the lease a cash incentive, as even this would be much cheaper than if you had to pay an Early Termination fee
The lower the mileage and the more mileage left to run on the contract, the easier it will be to find someone willing to take over the lease

Benefits of taking over a Car Lease?

Taking over someone else's Car Lease is an inexpensive way of acquiring a nearly new vehicle, as there is no initial payment or set-up fee to make and you just start paying the monthly rentals. Furthermore, your commitment is less as you are signing up for a shorter term contract.

Breach Of Contract

Finally, if you can't find a suitable person to take over your Car Lease, it may be tempting to simply hand back the car and stop making the monthly payments. Under no circumstances should you do this, as the finance company will seek to recoup its losses, may sue for breach of contract, and have you pursued by a debt collection agency, all of which will severely limit your chances of getting credit in the future.

To find out more about Car Leasing, why not visit Car Leasing Guide where you will find lots of useful tips and information on leasing a car. You can also get a free copy of Car Leasing Secrets - How To Get The Best Deal Possible On Your Next Car Lease' if you subscribe to our Blog.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Unsecured Loans No Guarantor: Get Personal Loans Fast Approved

There were times when a individual is not able to collect useful funds if he was not in a condition to give guarantee. Such a individual can now use for loans no guarantor. By going for this financial substitute, the client can get hold of credit ratings less all types of issues. Property owners as well as tenants can go for this substitute. The cash that the client gets in the range of 00 to 000 has to be came back in the comfortable time duration of 1 to 10 years. The sum that gets approved to you is according to your agreement ability and financial situation. By putting into use this fetched sum, he can do various things. The client can pay his household and bills, can pay his monthly home rental, can pay the payments of the credit card and so on.

There is no resource check for loans no guarantor that means that the client would have special cash. The lending company would not demand any of your priced ownership such as car, home, stock records and so on by means of a security. He may charge a little bit higher rate so consider your agreement capacity before applying for unsecured personal loans. Such a character can now make use of loans no sponsor. By going for this monetary reserve, the customer can get clasp of credit ratings with a reduction of all types of issues.

A no responsibility and absolutely online application would be given on the website of the cash loan provider, make use of real loans for people with bad credit and use. Fill the type with your genuine personal information. You can do it from the comfort of your home. The client gets an approval, after the process of confirmation. In as shorter period as possible, the cash comes into your account.

With no frustration of filling or fax needed any types of records or records, even a poor credit ratings case can use and without delay get approved. Distressing credit ratings conditions such as bankruptcy, debts, IVA, CCJs are no issues. In situation of unsecured personal loans, client is not required to provide his real estate asset o other valuable resources to the lending company as protection against the borrowed amount. Although client is not at danger but loan provider is definitely at chance of losing his money. Thus, to secure his position he charges a high rate on these economical loans. Low credit score information are not an issue with loan companies when applying for unsecured personal loans because credit score report checks procedure is absent in this situation. Lender does not question about debtors past credit score mistakes which brings great relief to individuals.

The first thing which decides how much money the client will receive is his present monetary condition and his needs and specifications. It is very important to assure the lending company that one can quickly repay the loan money on the given time. These economical loans are great for person who are suffering from the problem of poor credit score information and do not own real estate asset or resources to pledge as collateral. This is a beneficial program as it can be acquired quickly without any formalities or procedures and solves all kinds of economical issues.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Would You Rather Be James Bond Or The Most Interesting Man In The World?

Many of us identify with the larger-than-life image of James Bond played by Sean Connery. He's a man's man, attracts women with ease, and can defend himself when needed (or wipe out armies of adversaries whenever he wishes).
Although I insist that I'm way beyond hero worship, in my secret heart-of-hearts I sometimes dream of having the qualities I imagine are part of the James Bond mystique. Although the image is one of charisma, health, and wealth, the reality for men is often quite different. The James Bond films are based on the fictional character of MI6 agent James Bond (code designation "007") appearing in novels by Ian Fleming, a real life "James Bond," who was a Navel intelligence officer during World War II.
Unlike the fictional character in his novels, Fleming, like many men who went to war, later suffered PTSD. In 1961 Fleming, a heavy smoker and heavy drinker, had a heart attack and three years later, at age 56, had another heart attack and died on his son Caspar's 12th birthday in 1964. Eleven years later, Casper committed suicide with a drug overdose and was buried with his father.
Another image of the modern man is portrayed in Dos Equis beer commercials as "the most interesting man in the world."
"The most interesting man in the world" is a distinguished older gentleman, played by actor, Jonathan Goldsmith, who is shown through film clips of deliberately varying quality to have led an extremely eventful and colorful life, packed with over-the-top heroism and adventure. There are generally two types of ads: one features the man in a bar environment giving advice or opinions about various subjects, and the other features a narrator describing the man's distinguishing, but quirky background. Some examples include:
"If he punched you in the face, you would have to fight off the strong urge to thank him."
"He lives vicariously through himself."
"He once taught a German shepherd to bark in Spanish."
"His personality is so magnetic, he is unable to carry credit cards."
"Bulls flat out refuse to fight him."
"They say he once found the fountain of youth but didn't drink from it, because he wasn't thirsty."
"He can speak French in Russian."
"He's been known to cure narcolepsy, just by walking into a room."
"He once had an awkward moment, just to see how it feels."
"Even his enemies list him as their emergency contact number."
"He is The most interesting man in the world."As one blogger commented, "It takes serious balls to claim you're the most interesting man in the world, but the current Dos Equis spokes-character is trying his darndest."
As one blogger commented, "It takes serious balls to claim you're the most interesting man in the world, but the current Dos Equis spokes-character is trying his darndest." Interestingly, Goldsmith, the real man behind the ad, first established himself as an actor in Western films, appearing in over 25 films in that genre. In the 1976 film The Shootist, Goldsmith played a villain who was shot between the eyes by hero John Wayne, who fired blood capsules from a special pellet gun at pointblank range into Goldsmith's face for seven painful takes.
Rather than trying to emulate the "most interesting man" character, we may do better by following in the footsteps of the real-life person. According to his bio Goldsmith enjoys wine tasting, and he has been quoted saying, "I actually don't drink beer at all. In fact I usually spend my nights reading a book, not partying with women."
If you were picking a role model, who would it be? If you were raising a son, who would you like him to become? If you were going to live happily ever after, who would you want to be with?

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Mortgage Refinancing Explained

Lots of homeowners are now deciding to go for a mortgage refinancing to get a lower mortgage rate; shorten their mortgage term; or get extra cash.

When mortgage refinancing you should always shop around and speak to more than one lender. One way to get a better deal which will allow you to pay less each month is to tell the loans officer that you are shopping around for the lowest rate or best deal because you want to reduce your monthly payment. This openness at the start will let them know they need to give you their best offer to get your custom. This should result in you getting a great deal and slash you monthly costs.

Mortgage refinancing does cost money in the short term. It may cost as much as a few thousand dollars. Borrowers should expect to have to pay closing costs. Mortgage refinancing has the result of the existing loan being closed and a new loan being opened. Closing costs are therefore inevitable. Additionally, mortgage refinancing requires the same procure to be followed as was followed when the mortgage was taken out. Borrowers will need to have a good credit score to be able to get a good deal when mortgage refinancing. Therefore, only those who have an accurate idea of their monetary situation and who can afford to spend the necessary amount should consider mortgage refinancing.

A better credit score will mean you are more likely to get a better deal when mortgage refinancing. The key to credit scoring is verification. If information cannot be verified it should be deleted from the file. The great news is, if you do clean up your credit score, you are more likely to get a lower interest rate when you mortgage refinancing, applying for home equity loans or equity credit lines.

Mortgage refinancing loans can be fixed rate or variable rate and can be used for different purposes. Remember if you are just looking to cut your monthly bills then mortgage refinancing is not the only way of doing it; there are other ways.

Homeowners with bad credit may decide not to apply for a mortgage refinance. The majority of people assume that their application for a loan will be turned down due to a bad credit rating. However, many homeowners have succeeded in refinancing their mortgage despite having a low credit rating. In many cases refinancing your mortgage may improve your bad credit rate. The fact that a loan has been accepted is good for your credit score and if you use the loan to pay off debts such as unsecured loans and credit cards then you may recover from bad credit. Refinancing tips and advice can be obtained online.