How often have you heard something like this? “Sure, we would love to travel, but we don’t have the time or the money to travel now. We’ll do that later, when the kids are raised or when Dad retires.” Suddenly the kids have flown the nest and we look back with some misgivings. Should we have taken more time with the kids and done something really special as a family? Did we miss out on something genuinely valuable? Will we be able now to personally enjoy travel?

Here are some common reasons why many of us miss the value and joys of travel.

1. We sometimes postpone our own recreational travel because we feel we just can’t afford it. Often income does not stretch to cover the expenses. It’s probably not a great idea usually to go into debt for a vacation; however, some would argue that point. It’s certainly not wise to dig a pit of debt so deep that we are buried alive, but some families borrow from their savings now and again to fund unforgettable family experiences.

2. The job requires much of our time. When we do get a few days or a week off for vacation, the yard and the home demand attention. The kids are playing T-ball and soccer and basketball and play in the band and… The results? We often wear out several minivans and SUVs running hurry scurry from town to city and state to state, and we fail to invest our lives in travel — travel simply for the sake of enjoyment. We may be losing out on more than fun. Being busy is not always the best investment of our time.

3. Travel and vacation are not always easy. Worthwhile vacations require planning and effort. Sometimes a distant, exotic destination is not the best choice either. Half the battle is in our creativity and attitude! “Travel” does not always mean a trek across the nation or a transatlantic cruise. Travel is to decide on a destination, be it a neighboring county fair or a national shrine, and to enjoy both the journey and the destination. The travel experience may be practically in our own back yard.

4. In the final analysis we have to ask, “Is a travel vacation worth the cost and the effort now, this year? More often than not, the carefully chosen vacation probably will be fun, increase our appreciation for the world we live in, increase family unity, and engrave memories that truly last a lifetime. Travel enriches our lives with meaning, and who can place monetary value on that? Travel snatches us out of our tiny corner in this wonderful world and hurls us into the human family, and there it can perform its magic.

“That all sounds great!” you say. “But reality is reality. The bills tear holes in our bank account. The home begs a new coat of paint. We have to shell out $100 for our kids’ neighborhood party next week. And besides, it is expensive to travel! It costs a small fortune these days to fly to Florida and stay in a nice motel.”

That is reality. Those are real demands that we encounter in the real world. However, others who do travel may have some answers. Some of those world travelers have learned travel tricks and can share some tips that will empower you to see over your backyard fence. If you dream of swimming in a blue lagoon in the company of curious dolphins or of standing on top of a 14,000 foot peak in the Rocky Mountains savoring the spectacle of hundreds of peaks and the cleanest air you’ve ever inhaled, then let’s join hands, and give substance to your dreams, and vitalize your lives and your closest relationships with travel. Check out the articles at www.cedarviewtravelresources.com for further information.

Donald Pyle is a husband, father, and grandpa with experience in education and interpersonal relations. He specializes in helping others plan and realize their travel needs and their dream vacations. He is a certified referring travel agent, association specialist, and CLIA certified
http://www.CedarViewTravelResources.com

Have you ever pulled up to a stop light, minding your own business, and the most incredible car pulls up quickly stopping next to you? Then, after staring at the car and then being caught by the driver, you can’t help but wonder what is that? You’ve never seen anything like it an yet you think, is that the car I just read about in my favorite car magazine?

So, do you find yourself wondering, exactly what is an exotic car? To start with, as with any explanation, it helps to begin with the official definition of “Exotic”.

ex·ot·ic /ɪgˈzɒtɪk/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[ig-zot-ik]
-adjective
1. of foreign origin or character; not native; introduced from abroad, but not fully naturalized or acclimatized: exotic foods; exotic plants.
2. strikingly unusual or strange in effect or appearance: an exotic hairstyle.
3. of a uniquely new or experimental nature: exotic weapons.
4. of, pertaining to, or involving stripteasing: the exotic clubs where strippers are featured.
-noun
5. something that is exotic: The flower show included several tropical exotics with showy blooms.
6. an exotic dancer; stripper.

In this case, we’ll go with number 2, simply because the others don’t fit when referencing an automobile. We’ll avoid the initial, number 1 definition as not all exotic cars are foreign in the US and the last term has nothing to do with cars, except that most exotic cars are considered sexy. That’s all that will be mentioned on THAT subject.

There are a variety of “laymen” definitions for what an exotic car may be described. Some think that it’s a car that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Not necessarily true. A humbly priced Lotus Elise is considered exotic, yet is priced around $50K. Others view an exotic car as one that has doors that spring forward or are gulled like wings. There are a number of exotics that have “normal” opening doors, so that’s not necessarily an accurate approach. For the most uninitiated, they may surmise that an exotic is only of Italian or German decent and manufacture. Again, not necessarily true. There have been numerous British exotics, America has it’s share of specialty exotic manufactures and the Netherlands has yet it’s own form of exotic car builder.

Probably the best most common thought about what an exotic car is, can be boiled down to one simple statement. Do you see one every day? Or, simply put, would you see one on your bumper to bumper traffic laden commute? If the answer is no, then it’s probably close to being exotic. If you live near a Ferrari or Lamborghini dealer, hob knob in Beverly Hills or have a home near Miami, then it may not be an fair assessment. However, for the 99% of us that live in average city locations, typically seeing an exotic every day is not normal. There are some that have only seen such cars at car shows and or on the rare occasion on a major freeway connecting two cities. Since there are numerous web sites with “Sighting” posting sections, it’s probably a pretty accurate definition on the “rarity” of an exotic, making this a pretty accurate layman’s definition of “exotic car”.

With that in mind, an exotic car can also be considered a daily driver, but rarely seen. Many exotic car owners like to drive their cars as much as possible, but keep it to a minimum due to mileage restrictions they put on themselves so as to keep the resale value high. In most major cities, there are usually a higher number of exotic car owners than one may perceive. Most exotic cars spend time in garages, show rooms and/or collections. However, there are still a larger number of owners that prefer to take their car out on special occasions and just drive it.

There are many additional areas that can make up an exotic car definition besides just rarity. Items such as extremely different shape and size are common elements of an exotic car. Special composites that make up the frame or body are also areas that set an exotic car apart from their daily commuter brethren. Powerful engines usually installed in the rear are one of the more commonly thought about elements. Shifting mechanisms, starter buttons and flat bottom steering wheels are a few other less unusual, but common amongst exotics.

Shape. Many exotics have an extremely uncommon shape. They typically are very “Striking” or notice able both sitting at a light, gas pump or being driven down the road. Most exotics have taken on shapes that rival many show cars or concept cars, but that have been put into production as a fully operational drive able car. Shapes like wedges and hour glass are common visions.

Size. A number of exotics are actually small by comparison to the standard sedan or coupe. Almost all exotics are a 2 seater, with the occasional version that may have a “token” back seat. Some of the larger exotics, such as the Bentley are getting large enough in size to actually accommodate rear passengers. However, many of the truly exotics are made for two and commonly are less than 3 feet tall. Egress can be challenging at times, which makes for another case for definition of an exotic and it’s non-commonality. The majority of exotics are sports related with small sizes and big powerful engines.

Composites. Many if not all exotics are made up of space age or light weight materials slowly finding their way into the larger auto makers. Most of todays aluminum’s and carbon fibers were first made popular on one exotic brand or another. Light material or new composites that make up the engine compartment are very common amongst exotics.

Engines and weight. A majority of exotics are made up of small size in stature and length, usually outfitted with large powerful engines. The power to weight ratio make it a lethal if not down right illegal combination, thus making it even more exotic.

All in all, exotics are not your run of the mill daily driver. Rather, they are something striking and unusual, yet beautiful and very very eye catching. Most if not all are rarely seen and thus make it the primary definition for the majority of our population. Regardless of your gender, it’s almost impossible to not stare at the unusual, strikingly different exotic car sitting next to you at that red light. Go ahead and stare. It may be a while before you see another exotic car!

Shane Cooper runs a car related business Altitude Dream Cars which offers access to unique vehicles, such as the Lotus Elise, H2 Hummer & Mercedes CLS500. Truly inspiring and unique vehicles for that night on the town, wedding, important business meeting or just a great drive in the mountains.

Today’s teenagers face a massive amount of input from various sources. Television, radio, the internet, their peers, and many others distractions are part of their everyday lives. The amount of visual and auditory stimuli is at an all time high. Almost every second of every day kids are exposed to a multitude of things that can interest them and take their attention away from what is really important in life. Being a part of a functioning family unit is important and oftentimes not thought of in today’s fast food, computer and video game culture.

Sometimes when a parent figure asks a child to help with a specific chore around the house, like taking out the rubbish, the child makes excuses that he/she is too busy to help out. Teenagers often use having homework to finish or a test to study for as excuses to not do chores but realistically the chores often only take a few minutes and completing the chore is a necessary part of being responsible inside a family unit. An easy fix for most chore related problems is to rotate the chores on a weekly or monthly basis. This way, the excuse of being bored with the same chore can not happen. With multiple children this is applicable. With a single child, the parent must help out and lead by example.

A common mistake many parents make is using money as a way to get their children to do chores. It is best if the children are given an allowance that is not specifically tied to completion of the chores. It is important because everyone in the household must pitch in when things need to be done around the house. It is simply part of being a family member. By using money to foster behavioural change, parents are not utilizing the best way to get someone to do something - it is related to bribing which falls under the Seven Deadly Habits of External Control, as discussed by William Glasser. We want them to complete their chores to help them develop responsibility and skills that they will take into adulthood, not because they are being rewarded with money.

A great way to get started is to compile a list of what needs to be done around the house. Things like mowing the lawn, feeding any pets, taking out the trash, cooking dinner, cleaning the dishes, sweeping the floors or using the vacuum, on and on the list goes. There are many fun things that the family can do together and this will, in turn, lead to a stronger bond when it is time for the young ones to go out on their own. When one child sets up the table and another helps prepare the food, this develops a great synergy and consistency within the household. Asking the children what they want to do is another way to build a feeling of teamwork. If they have a choice in the matter, they will not feel like they are being forced to do something they do not want to do.

By teaching responsibility at a young age, parents are giving their children an amazing gift that will pay many dividends down the road. All it takes is a little preparation and teamwork to make it happen.

Tracy Tresidder M.Ed is a professional parent and teen coach. Parents - learn how to assist your children to build lives of confidence, courage and compassion. Discover the seven simple steps to create a mutually loving and respectful relationship with your teenager. Go to http://www.coaching4teenagers.com.au to see the programs that are available now. Tracy is also the lead instructor for the Academy for Family Coach Training in Australasia where you can train to become a certified parent and teen coach. The 10 month Advanced Coaching Course, held in Australia on an annual basis, is the only ICF accredited Parent and Teen Coach Training Course in the world to offer CCE certification. Visit the website for more course details.http://www.familycoachtraining.com/advcoaching.html

What Is A Scorecard?

A scorecard is a tool that helps businesses, organizations, and governments monitor progress and track measurable outputs against their set goals, and objectives. It is a snapshot of where an organization stands at a given point in time against the overall goals.

Fiscal responsibility requires sound stewardship, not just making promises, but ensuring delivery, completion, performance and results. Scorecard encourages a result-oriented workforce, where programs, projects, and initiatives are managed professionally, and efficiently to achieve the expected results. When employees know that the progress of the projects and tasks they are working on is being tracked and measured, it encourages productivity.

The United States Government, for instance, employs a ‘President’s Management Agenda (PMA)’ to measure the Government’s progress toward its goals. It uses the Executive Branch Management Scorecard to track how well US departments and agencies are executing their initiatives towards that agenda.

Scorecard As An Essential Management Tool:

Scorecard is a useful management report because:

-It aligns the work program of an organization, ensuring that resources and efforts are not wasted on activities and initiatives that are not related to the organization’s goals, and strategies.

-It presents a summary of where the organization stands on implementing its programs and projects, where either too-little efforts or too many efforts are currently expended.

-It provides useful feedback to staff and management on progress, making it an essential decision-making tool for everyone in the organization.

-It helps to track overall performance of a project or program on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis.

Using A Deliverable Report As A Scorecard

A lot of small business owners sent me requests for information based on a simple qualitative and improvised ‘Deliverable Report’ I developed in 2002 to track work programs. That scorecard model became very popular that I was getting an average of 5 emails a day requesting for more information on how to adapt it to various business situations and environments. At one point a World Bank department adopted this model to monitor its work programs, and track their outputs.

The magic of this scorecard (which I called Deliverable Report) is that:

-It is not conventional, and therefore, does not require an MBA or college education to develop. Moreover, any person can read and understand it.

-It combines both qualitative and competitive outputs, as against conventional ‘Balance Scorecards’ that are very quantitative.

-The outputs were easy to track, involved staff inputs and interaction. Therefore, it promoted dialogue and teamwork. Staff knew they were being measured without feeling the usual tension associated with some automated scorecard systems that they are being monitored.

-It’s cheap, developed in-house, no system development, or special software involved, thereby saving costs.

How To Develop And Use The Deliverable Report:

The following steps can be employed to develop an in-house deliverable report. It can be readapted. The general idea is to set realistic goals for the year, develop expected outputs (deliverables) towards achieving the goals, track efforts (actual outputs) accomplished or a monthly or quarterly basis, and presenting it in a simple summary report.

Step1: The management team first set the goals and objectives the organization hopes to achieve during the fiscal year (FY) in consideration. It is important to ensure that the goals are in line with the organization’s overall plan and strategy.

Example of an objective: Reach a sales target of $2 Million at the end of the fiscal year.

Step 2: The CEO or Director will either sit one-on-one with each head of department or have a group management meeting to agree on a set of outputs expected from each department or unit for the fiscal year. It is important that these set of outputs are measurable (tangible).

Example of measurable outputs for the IT department:

IT Department:

-2 new databases (A distribution list, and a customer database) developed
-1 new website developed and maintained
-Link exchange with 300 relevant websites
-10 affiliate programs developed

Notice that all the deliverables have numbers (measurable outputs) attached. This numbers are what will be measured.

Step 3: Someone in the organization with a great interpersonal skill and good in Microsoft Excel is assigned the task of developing a simple Excel report (the Scorecard) to track the outputs and deliverables on a monthly or quarterly basis.

One simple method I encourage is to design a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel, with five columns on top. Then divide the report into sections; each section representing a unit or department in the organization. The column headings will have the following titles:

1.Objectives: A specific object set by the organization for the FY
2.Expected Outputs: Measurable outputs each department agrees to achieve towards the goal
3.Actual Outputs: The number of deliverables already achieved as at the date the report is generated)
4.Comment: A field to accommodate notes, explanations, status reports, or assumptions.

5.Remaining Output: The difference between the expected and actual output.

The title of the report should read something like:

‘The XYZ Deliverable Report As Of (date)’

Step 4: Each month or quarter, the assigned staff will go round and update the report with new figures. Final report is shown to all unit heads before submitting to the management. The Director or CEO can then discuss the reports with unit heads during management meetings.

A deliverable report should not be used to either allocate resources, witch-hunt staff, or chide under-performing employees but rather to encourage dialogue with staff on what is going wrong and what can be done better to realize corporate goals. If employees know that promotion or compensation is not tied to the report they will be more willing to report their efforts or outputs correctly, as well as accept criticism more constructively.

Mr. Godwin C. Nwaogwugwu is a former World Bank Analyst/Consultant. He is a senior key resource person on Information systems, E-business Development, Youth Programs, and Africa Initiatives for many international agencies, and governments. He is the author of several best-selling publications. His writings in very simple language inspire many young readers around the world.

More Articles by this Author Can be found at: http://www.imoonline.org/ or http://www.exposureworld.net

Here is why you should NEVER trade in cars to a dealership when buying a new car…

Car dealers swear they will give you as much for your old car trade in as if you sold it yourself, right?

In fact, they might even tell you that they will give you MORE than your old car is worth!

They will usually give you much less than what your car trade in is worth because they will clean it up and re-sell it from their lot. Are you aware that car dealers easily (and I’m being very conservative here) make 2 to 3 times MORE on the used cars they sell than they do from new cars?

Even if they give you full retail value for your car trade in then you should know that they will make up for what they “lost” on your trade in car on the other side of the deal by adding bogus fee’s to the cost of your car or adding points to your loan, etc.

Spend a few hours cleaning it up and sell it yourself. You will pocket hundreds or even thousands more than what any car dealer will give you.

Also, get your car loan from an outside source instead of through the car dealer. Why? Because it will cost you much less and there are many online sources where you can pre-approved for a car loan.

See, when you trade in cars to a dealership, you are not only burning your hard earned money, but you are opening yourself up to more tricks they can pull on you during the car buying process.

Find out more about buying new cars, buying used cars, selling your old car for the most money, avoiding car dealer scams and car dealer horror stories…by clicking here now: http://www.buy-and-sell-car-secrets.com/

As our finite natural resources diminish, energy prices are steadily increasing. Now, more than ever, we must do our part to help our environment by conserving energy. The good news about energy conservation is that it can not only help to save our planet, it can help to save you money. A simple way to reduce your energy costs and to beautify your home is through the installation of ceiling fans. When used properly, ceiling fans can be used to save between 15 and 40 percent on air conditioning during the summer. During the winter months, fans can be reversed to run clockwise and save you 10% on your heating bill.

In order to understand how to properly use ceiling fans to conserve energy it is important to understand just how they work. Have you ever been outside on a hot day when, all of a sudden, you felt a cool breeze that instantly made you feel more comfortable? This is called the wind chill factor and it is the same principle behind ceiling fans. Fans do not actually change the temperature of a room. Rather, they accelerate the evaporation of perspiration on your skin which is what makes you feel cooler. It can therefore make a person feel 8 degrees cooler even though the room temperature is technically the same. It is important to understand that fans do not cool rooms, they cool people. Therefore ceiling fans should never run unless people are in the room to benefit from their cooling power. During winter months, fans can actually be used to distribute heat more effectively in a room. Since hot air is lighter than cold air, it rises to the ceiling and gets stuck while cold air remains closer to the ground level. If a ceiling fan is run in reverse (clockwise), which is usually as simple as flipping a switch on the fan’s body, it can more evenly distribute the hot air particles. This way the heat will be where you need it rather than being stuck at your ceiling.

Another important point to mention is that in order to most effectively use ceiling fans to save energy and money they must be used inversely with your thermostat. In other words, if you are using ceiling fans to cool yourself, the thermostat should be turned up at least 4 degrees. Likewise if you are using a fan to reduce heating costs, the thermostat should be turned down.

Recently, the energy saving potential of ceiling fans is being further exploited by manufacturers. By using more aerodynamic fan blades and more energy efficient light kits, major ceiling fan manufacturers like Westinghouse and Concord are offering fans specifically aimed towards consumers with conservation in mind. The best way to find these fans is by looking for the “Energy Star” label distributed by the U.S. Department of Energy. Fans that are awarded this label conserve at least 10% more energy than a standard ceiling fan. When shopping, you can find the most energy efficient fans by seeking those with the highest airflow, measured in cubic feet per minute (CFM), and by looking for fans that use the lowest amount of power (watts) at each speed. Using Energy Star approved light kits for your fans, which often contain fluorescent bulbs, will drastically reduce the amount of electricity consumed. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Energy offers various tax incentives for installing products that conserve energy.

In addition to being valuable conservation tools, ceiling fans can be a beautiful addition to your home, office, or apartment. Manufacturers offer fans in a wide array of shapes, sizes, and designs. Fans are now being manufactured in exciting new finishes like oil rubbed bronze and burnished brass, as well as being available with a plethora of light kit options. From traditional, Victorian inspired fans that double as chandeliers, to adventurous designs inspired by modern art, there are surely ceiling fans that will fit your taste and lifestyle. Well crafted fans are a sure way to increase the value of your real estate while adding to the aesthetic beauty of your surroundings.

Since we are in an energy crisis, we all have a responsibility to do our part to help, however small that part may be. Simply purchasing an energy efficient ceiling fan is an excellent way to save money on energy bills, increase the value of your real estate, and beautify your surroundings. Most importantly, while you sit under a beautiful new ceiling fan you can be assured that you are helping to conserve our planet’s valuable resources.

Toby Lason is a freelance writer for http://www.partsconnectionstore.com

Nothing is harder than facing teenagers and having to say no to a variety of things. As parents, however, we all know we have to. We sometimes have to say no to going out with friends and occasional trips. This can lead to problems with our teenagers and the feelings of guilt that it is our fault for saying no. The important thing still remains that, even though they are teenagers, they still need our guidance. If you are looking for some ways to be able to say no and not have the guilt, here are a few ways.

Define boundaries and/or negotiate them

If you are dealing with older teenagers, there is a great way to be able to say no and not feel the guilt. Sit down with your teenager and define the rules of the house and any outings. Be willing to listen and hear your teenager’s side of the story and their arguments. They are old enough at this point to think things through and be able to present you with justified and legitimate reasons for what they are asking. Negotiate the rules. Then, when something comes up that requires you to say no, you don’t need to worry about the guilt because the boundaries were defined by both parties and agreed to each of the rules.

Don’t say no without a reason

Teenagers are not your little children anymore. They are almost adults and can reason like them. Saying no with the reason of ‘because I said so’ will no longer work and will most likely lead to greater problems. Be willing to give your teenagers justified reasons why you are saying no. Also be willing to consider changing that no to yes if they can provide decisive and true arguments to counter act your reasons. It’s good preparation for when they finally become adults.

Be consistent

If you say no for something once and nothing has changed, make sure to say no every time. Or say yes every time. Being consistent is one of the key factors in parenting that remains, no matter how young or old your child is. Remember to stick to the rules that you’ve made. You can’t expect your teenager to follow them if you don’t or aren’t willing to consistently back them up. The best way to feel guilty about saying no is when you’ve said yes in the past to the exact same thing.

Parenting is not an easy job but it can be immensely pleasing. Each stage in our children’s development brings new challenges. Remember these key points and you won’t have to worry about feeling guilty the next time you have to say no to your teen. Define the rules or boundaries, don’t say no without a reason and be willing to discuss the reason, and be consistent. Keeping these points in mind and putting them into practice is a good way to form a peaceful co-existence with your child during their teenage years.

Tracy Tresidder M.Ed is a professional parent and teen coach. Parents - learn how to assist your children to build lives of confidence, courage and compassion. Discover the seven simple steps to create a mutually loving and respectful relationship with your teenager. Go to http://www.coaching4teenagers.com.au to see the programs that are available now. Tracy is also the lead instructor for the Academy for Family Coach Training in Australasia where you can train to become a certified parent and teen coach. The 10 month Advanced Coaching Course, held in Australia on an annual basis, is the only ICF accredited Parent and Teen Coach Training Course in the world to offer CCE certification. Visit the website for more course details.http://www.familycoachtraining.com/advcoaching.html

When you miss a mortgage payment you have virtually assured the bank that you really do not care about your home. So they will automatically flag your account as being potentially poor. When another creditor inquires about your mortgage history, the first thing that goes through their mind is “How can I give these folks credit based on the fact they cannot even make their house payment on time. Do NOT miss a mortgage payment.

Two things come to mind here. Some of you remember when you were a kid your mom telling you “if you do not have enough money, send everybody a little bit”. Good advice then, but not so good now. Mortgage companies don’t really want to share if you get my gist. Here is some advice that might help if you do have this problem.

Ninety-seven percent of the population depends on a weekly or bi-weekly paycheck to make ends meet. That’s why we are trying to buy a home with no money down. So what happens when you lose four or five days of work due to illness? Does your boss pay you anyway? I seriously doubt it. No work equals no check in most industries.

So what do we do now that we are going to be short the pay for those days? Guess what? If you send the mortgage company a partial payment that would not sit too well. So what is the answer? The utility companies do not report to the credit bureaus (unless they have to send your account to collections). So if you find yourself short of funds, call the electric, phone and cable companies and let them know you are going to be short of funds.

Most utilities will gladly spread your payment over the next three payments. They will work with you. Now you probably have enough money to pay the mortgage. Most predatory lenders count on your missing a payment. Do not make them right

Chuck Lunsford is the owner and developer of EasyFloridaHomeLoans.com. He offers advice on how to get your credit in order and working for you. Visit his website and learn more about choosing the right florida home equity loan

If you’ve been involved in real estate investing for any length of time, chances are you’ve tried to obtain 100% investment property mortgages. If you’ve made the effort recently, you know that these 100% loans are becoming increasingly difficult to find. The reason is simple- these 100% investment property mortgages default at a much higher rate than most other types of mortgage, and the end result is often foreclosure.

This puts many investors in the unenviable position of ‘motivated seller’ and forces them to look for creative ways to unload their property, in many cases even phoning other investor’s ‘We Buy Houses’ hotlines. These circumstances give rise to a vicious circle of investors, feeding off one another, giving the entire industry a black eye in the process.

These scenarios are being played out in cities across America, and investment property mortgages, particularly 100% loans, are taking a bad hit. Lenders are eliminating these products from their portfolio of services in droves, and investors are scrambling to find alternate sources of funds.

One such source is Private Money. Another, the self-directed IRA, allows investors to use their own retirement funds for real estate investments. Investment property mortgages and creative loans from sources other than institutional lenders and mortgage brokers are increasing at a record pace.

But are these alternatives to investment property mortgages a good idea?

If used wisely, they can be, but there may be a wiser way of looking at the situation. First, we need to examine the question of why investors would need investment property mortgages for 100% of the appraised value of the property in the first place. The only real answer to that question is that too many investors have been overpaying for their properties.

The real estate bubble, and rapidly rising property values, caused a buying frenzy by investors in many areas of the country. This rush spilled over, even into areas where there was no true bubble. Now that the bubble has burst in most areas, investors are feeling the pinch. The old tactic of buying at market value and letting the fast-rising market build in your profit no longer works… in many cases it NEVER worked.

The ONLY way to guarantee profit, and avoid the meltdown that comes with over-paying, is to buy value. The investor must do his or her homework and buy for well under market value. Then he will have no need for 100% investment property mortgages. When you routinely buy your properties for 80% of market or less, obtaining investment property mortgages becomes much less problematic. You have a greater selection of loan products to choose from, and qualifying is much less stringent.

The moral of the story? Buy value, and do your homework. If you’d like to learn more, visit my page on Investment Property Mortgages

Now, go make more offers!

Crush The Biggest Obstacle to Your Success in Real Estate… or Anything Else! Download my FREE report HERE!

Tom Dunn is a successful real estate investor and author of the popular DealFiles Real Estate Investor Stories free newsletter. You are welcome to share this report, unedited and in it’s entirety, with anyone you like. You may not remove this text. © 2007 by Tom Dunn. Website: http://www.dealfiles.com e-mail: tom@dealfiles.com

If you’re like most women, you’ve probably experience at least one case of Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) in your life. If you haven’t, consider yourself extremely lucky. Bacterial Vaginosis is no picnic and its symptoms include an unpleasant, fishy odor as well as itching, burning and maybe even a green or yellow discharge. Instead of holding your head in shame, there is something that you can do about it. You can try yogurt to help Bacterial Vaginosis. Now, I’m not talking about eating strawberry, peach, or banana yogurt with fruit at the bottom, and hoping that your Bacterial Vaginosis will mysteriously vanish. I’m talking about a special kind of yogurt, the plain, unpasteurized kind that you obtain from the health food store.

You will need to find plain yogurt that contains live lactobacillus acidophilus, an active culture which is typically found at health food stores and even some grocery stores. You see, lactobacillus will not only stop the growth of harmful bacteria, but will also help you restore your balance of healthy vaginal bacteria. Wow. Sounds like a miracle cure, doesn’t it?

To use this remedy to cure your Bacterial Vaginosis, you have two options. You can either eat at least 8 ounces of plain yogurt that contains lactobacillus acidophilus as part of a healthy diet or (if you are not pregnant and want to experience results even faster), you can put the yogurt directly inside your vagina at bedtime. This can be done by applying it directly into your vagina using an applicator or a small spoon. Make sure that you wear a non-deodorized pad to avoid soiling your underpants. If this sounds too messy, you can also insert the lactobacilli, which are available in a tablet or gelatin capsule, directly into your vagina. The key is to do this for 7 whole days.

My advice is that if you’re really serious about using yogurt to help your Bacterial Vaginosis, you do it alone or in conjunction with your doctor’s prescribed antibiotic treatment. After all, what have you got to lose? The yogurt treatment will at the very least boost your immune system and may in fact cure your one-time or recurrent Bacterial Vaginosis once and for all.

Kristi Patrice Carter is an experienced health writer and the author of Beating Bacterial Vaginosis for Good! (A comprehensive eBook that teaches women how to successfully overcome Bacterial Veginosis). For additional information about Bacterial Vaginosis Recurrent please visit http://www.bacterialvaginosisrecurrent.com