There are many private Asset Recovery companies and Professional Tracers that will offer to help you recover your abandoned or lost property. Some of these firms will try to charge you a 20-35% contingency fee for the recovery of the lost asset.

Do your homework. In addition to regularly checking in our databases, check all old financial records including brokerage statements and tax returns. Pay special attention to securities with dividend reinvestment plans of companies that have gone through a merger or acquisition.

Asset Finders or Tracers specialize in Pre-escheat securities, Court funds and unredeemed government checks. They obtain these records from cooperating Companies as Holders, Transfer Agents and by searching Court records before the asset is scheduled to be transferred (or escheated) to the appropriate custodian Government agency. This way the Finder or Tracer can avoid both any licensing requirement and the finder fee cap imposed by most States’ Unclaimed Property Statutes – ie) 10% once the property reaches the government for safekeeping.

In other words, if contacted by a Tracer you can be certain the asset is likely approaching the end of its ‘dormancy period’ and will be transferred (escheated) over within the next 6-9 months or less. If you can wait you may be able to locate the unclaimed asset yourself in the only National online database for unclaimed assets – US Unclaimed Money. If situation warrants that you don’t wish to wait and need the funds now, try to negotiate a lower fee. Remember, that once the asset is transferred to a Government agency and you still cannot locate it, the Tracer’s fee is likely to be capped at 10%.

NOTE: If the Tracer cannot give you the exact value of the unclaimed asset, that likely confirms it is a security of some sort. If you decide to employ his services, you may wish to pay him the fee directly without the Tracer selling the security and taking his fee from the sale proceeds. In addition, one should carefully evaluate the decision to sell the security at all. For if the security t has appreciated significantly, you could be liable for payment of capital gains tax so check with your accountant

Some companies, particularly those that deal with securities, will offer to liquidate the asset and deduct their fees from the proceeds. One should carefully evaluate the decision to sell stock, however. If it has appreciated significantly, you could be liable for payment of capital gains tax - check with your accountant

One must also remember that most States will eventually sell a security that is transferred to them and credit the owner’s account with the proceeds. So if the abandoned security is transferred to a State agency and one waits too long, an unclaimed security will be sold thus creating possible tax consequences and foregoing any appreciation and future dividends.

Also keep in mind one may have to search in many States for your unclaimed property. Per a 1995 Supreme Court ruling Texas vs New Jersey, if the address of the owner of the unclaimed property is unknown or a foreign country then the property is transferred to the State in which the holder is incorporated. Start with States such as Connecticut, Delaware and Illinois that are headquarters for many large publicly traded and financial service companies. To check all possible Government agencies try the only National online database at US Unclaimed Money

It is often possible to locate the name of a lost asset by going through old financial documents, including brokerage statements and tax returns. Be especially mindful of securities with dividend reinvestment plans, and for those companies you have owned that have merged or spun-off shares within the preceding five years.

Mutual funds often conduct their own transfer operations in-house. Contact all mutual funds you have ever owned, regardless of whether they’ve been sold or not. You may be entitled to unpaid dividends or distributions that were payable before the shares were disposed of.

If your search fails to turn up the asset, you may want to try to negotiate a lower fee with the Asset Finder or Tracer. If they know you have the information or resources available to you to eventually locate the asset yourself, they are much more inclined to entertain a lower fee. And the closer it gets to the end of the dormancy period, the more motivated the Finder or Tracer will become.

Even with the above information and access to the Internet’s largest unclaimed property database of more than 50 million records, .if you are still unable to locate the asset and are in need of special assistance, please contact us at US-Unclaimed Money. Our staff has years of expertise in locating hard to find lost assets.

Sites such as http://www.US-UnclaimedMoney.com, http://www.Unclaimed-Databases.com and http://www.Asset-Recovery-Service.com are divisions of American Refund Services Inc. As the Internet’s premier sites for unclaimed assets and property, their goal is to assist the millions of citizens to locate and to claim their lost money without paying exorbitant finder fees.

Our streets and public parks can be very dangerous. Mugging, rape, stabbing or baby theft. It seems to be getting worse!

But we are not allowed to carry a weapon to defend ourselves.

But the Mugger or Rapist is out there, ready and waiting. For who?

Me? YOU?

In your home, it’s different. If you found an intruder in your bedroom you would be fully entitled to use appropriate force. Leaflets are available from police stations giving full information about your rights in such a situation.

But on the street or in the park, it’s different: what can you do?

I recommend you carry an umbrella. It is not a legally prohibited “weapon” like a knife or gun. Sunny or wet, no matter what the weather it is never “wrong” to carry it. Sunshade or rain guard, especially as a walking stick – it is never out of place.

Particularly importantly, a young man can carry one perfectly legally. He does not need a knife or gun to defend himself. The umbrella is a very effective and dangerous spear. Powerful and devastating. Easily able to cope with a knife – if you have studied and practised it.

Amagasa-jutsu is a newly developed martial art detailing ways of surviving a street confrontation using your umbrella. Giving you a chance of staying alive, un-broken and un-stabbed. Quickly and relatively easily learnt even by the ordinary, non-aggressive elderly man and woman.

Apart from sun, rain and walking stick use, its main function is as a spear. That is, thrusting into the attacker. Target – eye, throat.

You must make absolutely sure to get a strong model. If it is flimsy, it wil break and leave you defenceless in your emergency. I myself use the Unbreakable Umbrella, powerful, very strong and quite apart from its ‘spear-like’ function, it is able to really smash into a leg or face – after the initial thrust to target.

Don’t buy down to a low price. That could be your death! Buy ‘up’ for reliability and strength.

But like me, you may be weaker than you were twenty years ago. You may be unfit and elderly. Overweight, out of training. So how could you batter a fit vigorous mugger senseless? Of course, you cannot.

I recommend the Amagasa-jutsu technique termed the Billiard Thrust.
With the tip on the ground at your right side, flip the end up into your left hand and like a billiard cue thrust directly into his throat or eye, withdrawing it in the instant. The action must be very fast – or even faster than that! Practise against a cardboard box in the garden to develop speed and courage. WHACK!

Ferociously dangerous, Yes, of course!

But what is he trying to do? - he’s trying to rob, stab or rape you. What choice do you have? You must Survive!

John Roberts-James is a Black Belt 4th Dan, a Senior Coach and author of effective practical books on self defence including “Protect Yourself With Your Umbrella”
http://www.personalprotectionpublications.co.uk

For many people keeping an aquarium is an expensive hobby. With the wealth of information freely available on the internet it does not have to be this way any longer.

Starting with the aquarium itself is the best place to cut costs. Cheap aquariums can be obtained from a range of sources. Second hand tanks are plentiful in a number of size.

When it comes to gravel, many aquarium substrates at your local pet shop will also be sold from landscape suppliers at a fraction of the cost. River gravel is especially suitable because of it’s rounded edges and low solubility.

The place to buy aquarium products these days is certainly online. Most fish keepers will be amazed at the price difference between the online retailers and traditional fish shops.

When setting up the aquarium it is best not to pay for additives to help spawn biological filtration. These bacterial starter cultures are not mandatory for a successful fish tank. Follow a water cycling process using small quantities of hardy fish. Alternately you can add tiny amounts of ammonia to the water as a replacement for fish waste.

The aquarium ornaments you use do not have to be straight off the shelf. A little imagination costs nothing. Any dinnerware safe ceramic piece is suitable as decoration. Hardwood driftwood that you can collect is always impressive. A few scattered rocks and broken terracotta pots are just what makes a lot of cichlids feel at home.

These are just a few ideas to explore but there are a range of other money saving ideas available for your aquarium.

Andrew Fuller writes for e-Aquarium on topics such as buying a cheap fish tank and the many aquarium designs you can choose from.

Introduction

One avenue that you might want to pursue if you are looking for a way in which to better manage your finances and your debt is obtaining an unsecured debt consolidation loan. If you’ve started the process of trying to find a reliable and reputable unsecured debt consolidation loan lender, you may feel a bit overwhelmed. To begin with, even when considering reputable and experienced unsecured debt consolidation loan lenders that are in business today, there are many, many from which you can choose.

What makes the whole process more difficult is the fact that there are many sham operations in existence today that prey upon people who are looking for a unsecured debt consolidation loan. In this regard, it is important for you to be armed with information about how you can avoid scams associated with the unsecured debt consolidation loan business in this day and age.

The Importance of Doing Your Homework

One of the most important steps that you can take in order to avoid falling victim to a scam unsecured debt consolidation loan lender is to do you homework. By really taking the time to find out all you can about a potential unsecured debt consolidation loan lender, you will be in a far better position to avoid becoming the victim of a scam relating to a unsecured debt consolidation loan.

There are many different resources that you will want to take advantage of when it comes to the research process associated with finding a reputable unsecured debt consolidation loan lender. This includes resources both in the brick and mortar world and on the Internet and World Wide Web.

Get References and Referrals

In order to best protect yourself against scams associated with unsecured debt consolidation loan lenders, get references and recommendations about any unsecured debt consolidation loan lender before you elect to do business with that lender. In getting references, you need to remember that word of mouth is very important. You can find out a great deal about different unsecured debt consolidation loan lenders through the word of mouth process. Moreover, you can gain information about different unsecured debt consolidation loan lenders that are involved in scams and sham operations.

If the Deal Sounds Too Good …

You naturally have heard of the old, old saying that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. This saying has definite application to the world of unsecured debt consolidation loan lenders. You likely will stumble across different would-be unsecured debt consolidation loan lenders that make promises that are too good to be true. When you come across these situations, you need to avoid these unsecured debt consolidation loan lenders.

Read the Entire Unsecured Debt Consolidation Loan Agreement

Finally, there is a great deal of truth to the advice that you need to read an agreement before you sign it. This is very true when you are dealing with an agreement associated with an unsecured debt consolidation loan.

Thomas Erikson is co-founder of http://www.your-debt-consolidation-loan.com which provides debt consolidation information and solutions. Find out how you can effectively get your finances under control with an Unsecured Debt Consolidation Loan.

You may have reached a point in life at which rising debt has left you feeling as if you are twisting in the wind. In this regard, you may be interested in developing different and effective resources that can best aid and assist you in dealing with overwhelming debt. In considering different solutions that are available to you today when it comes to debt problems, you will want to seriously look at how a personal debt consolidation loan might play a role in a more comprehensive plan.

This article has been prepared to provide you with an overview of how you can best use a personal debt consolidation loan. By considering the suggestions offered for you in this article, you will be in a better position to really focus in on strategies that will be effective when it comes to managing your finances and pulling down your debt. In short, by considering how a personal debt consolidation loan can best be used by you, you will no longer be left swinging and twisting in the relentless wind of bad debt.

When it comes to best understanding how you can make the best use of a personal debt consolidation loan, you should appreciate that in very vast majority of instances obtaining a personal debt consolidation loan alone will not be enough to provide a calm course of financial freedom into the future. Rather, when considering how to best use a personal debt consolidation loan, you need to realize that a personal debt consolidation loan should be one element (and an important one at that) within a large arsenal of tools that can be used to effectively and more permanently deal with debt problems. Other tools that you will want to consider when incorporating a personal debt consolidation loan into a master plan regarding your debt are:

– a budget

– debt counseling

– proactive credit report repair

– future limitations on additional debt

– a concrete savings and investment plan

– a realistic retirement program

When it comes to learning how to best use a personal debt consolidation loan, it is important for you to fully and completely analyze and delineate your specific debts before you make application for a personal debt consolidation loan. In many cases, a person will end up applying for a personal debt consolidation loan before he or she really understands what their needs are in the way of this type of financing. In other words, a person will end up haphazardly making application for a personal debt consolidation loan and end up with too much money or too little money through a personal debt consolidation loan. In other words, the personal debt consolidation loan ends up not effectively and appropriately meeting that person’s actual debt consolidation needs.

By understanding how a personal debt consolidation loan can best be put to use, applying for a personal debt consolidation loan will be a prudent decision for you. Once again (and as has been noted) a personal debt consolidation loan can turn out to be a very effective tool in your overall debt management scheme.

Thomas Erikson is co-founder of http://www.your-debt-consolidation-loan.com which provides debt consolidation information and solutions. Find out how you can effectively get your finances under control with a Personal Debt Consolidation Loan.

What has happened over the last several years that has made our lives so hectic. We don’t seem to have time to do the things we love anymore. One thing we have cut back on is reading books. I’m sure there are many books you would love to read but you don’t have the time. Or at least you think you don’t have time. What you can do is listen to an audiobook. There are many situations where you can listen to an audiobook. However, I will zoom in on one at this time, your commute.

You can download an audiobook to a CD and take advantage of your commute time to and from work. Many people spend about 10 hours a week commuting. During this time, a lot of people are basically doing nothing. If you were listening to an audiobook during your commute, you could probably get through at least one audiobook per week.

Do you know that listening to the right audiobook could enhance your life. Let’s say you listen to an audiobook that pertains to your profession. You could increase your knowledge and give yourself an advantage when its time for the next promotion you are interested in getting. For example, you can listen to audiobooks about leadership and management. These will not only help you when you are up for a promotion, but if you are already in a leadership position as well.

Another example is you could learn another language. Many jobs are giving raises to employees that can speak different languages. Not only could this help you at work, but you could learn the language of a foreign country you are planning to visit. Even if you don’t want to become fluent in a language, you could learn some of the typical words you may use while on vacation.

Another reason to listen to an audiobook on your commute is the simple fact that you love to read and you just don’t have the time. A dramatized audiobook is much easier to get through and more fun to listen to, than if you were reading a book that would take you months to finish.

So stop making excuses for not reading your favorite book or developing a new skill. You have plenty of time to listen to an audiobook on your commute. If you take the bus, train, or some other form of transportation, you can download an audiobook to your MP3 Player, iPod, or some other portable device.

The time is here for you to listen while you read.

Brian Guice makes it easy to understand the benefits of audiobooks. To download some free audiobook content visit him at http://www.audiobookhangout.com and click on the Free link at the top of the page.

Introduction

As you go about developing a debt and financial management plan, you may want to give serious consideration to how a low interest debt consolidation loan might be able to be beneficial to you. In fact, there are a number of benefits that can be realized through a low interest debt consolidation loan. This article presents for your consideration some of the primary benefits that you should keep in mind when you are going through the process of weighing and balancing whether or not a low interest debt consolidation loan is right for you.

Saving Money with a Low Interest Debt Consolidation Loan

The primary and fundamental benefit that can be derived from a low interest debt consolidation loan is a financial savings. If you’ve reached a point where you have started to have at least some problem controlling your debt, you likely have found yourself paying more money each month in regard to your debt and revolving or credit accounts. Examples of these additional payments likely include:

– higher interest rates

– late fees

– penalties

– other service charges and surcharges

By obtaining a low interest debt consolidation loan you will be able to eliminate all of these additional fees, charges, costs and expenses. Provided that you make payment on your debt consolidation loan in a timely manner, you will not have to deal with higher interest rates, late fees, penalties and some of the other charges you are facing at the present time.

The Convenience of a Low Interest Debt Consolidation Loan

Another real benefit of a low interest debt consolidation loan is convenience. Rather than having to deal with multiple accounts and multiple payments each and every month, through a low interest debt consolidation loan you will have one monthly payment to worry about. The convenience of one monthly payment is significant when you already are maintaining a very full schedule just keeping up with the professional and personal demands of your life on a day to day basis.

No More Collection Calls

Even if your debt has not spun completely out of control, you likely are experiencing at least some phone calls from creditors and some letters and emails from them as well. Having creditors make this type of contact with you can be an unnerving experience. With a low interest debt consolidation loan you can completely eliminate these types of calls and contacts — or prevent them from occurring in the future if you’ve not already had to endure such communications.

A Solid Tool in an Overall Financial Management Plan

Finally, one of the more significant benefits of a low interest debt consolidation loan is that it is a wonderful tool in your overall financial or debt management plan. By obtaining a low interest debt consolidation loan, you will have one additional tool available to you through which you can gain a lasting sense of control over your finances and debts — not only today but into the future as well.

Thomas Erikson is co-founder of http://www.your-debt-consolidation-loan.com which provides debt consolidation information and solutions. Find out how you can effectively get your finances under control with a Low Interest Debt Consolidation Loan.

So, you want to make money on the internet? You want to make
it by tomorrow, and you don’t want to work more that an hour
a week!

To be a success in Internet marketing, you need just FOUR
things:

1. A Plan of Action.

2. The Tools - such as internet marketing software.

3. Time - You will run out of this first.

4. The ability to focus!! - Take things one step-at-a-time.

The focus of this article is internet marketing software. As
you probably know by now, every “Internet Guru” out there
wants to sell you their “latest, super-secret, awe-inspiring,
solution to all your problems and stop global warming and make
you look younger for good measure” software.

The good news is internet marketing is really very straight
forward and simple in concept - BUT - you need all the parts
together at the same time or nothing works! You need
SOLUTIONS to the four basic steps in all internet marketing.

You Need To:

1. Find a ready, willing, and financially able-to-buy
group of customers with a “problem” they desperately need
solved.

2. Find or create a product or service that solves their
problem, at a price.

3. Control or create a website, portal, or blog that can
distribute the product or service and accept payment.

4. Send qualified (see #1) prospects, i.e. Traffic, to your
website, portal, or blog.

Repeat the above process over and over.

Most problems in Internet marketing have software solutions.
The problem is deciding what is the best, most cost-effective
software to buy. The answer is “do the research”, don’t
just buy the first thing that comes across your email. Most
Internet marketing softwares have a “free” or “cheaper”
alternative if you just look for it. I really like the idea of
cheaper and better. And it IS out there in Google land.

A large variety of Internet marketing software is available.
Almost every part of the marketing process can be automated
or greatly enhanced by software. You will want to do it
as soon as possible to save–Time–the one thing you will always
be short of.

Look at the list below to get yourself on track. Here are
some sample internet marketing software products that are
available in different forms on the internet:

1. Article site-builder software - an easy-to-use tool which
will convert a whole set of articles into matching webpages.
It instantly and automatically builds a great marketing site.

2. PDF branding software - turns any .pdf (Adobe format) Ebook
or report into a VIRAL SALES MACHINE! Use it to promote your
products and services on autopilot by linking back to your site.

3. Adsense click lock software - Protect your Adsense
account now! Without this software, anyone anywhere can wipe
out your entire Adsense income in 60 seconds flat by just
clicking on one of your Adsense ads multiple times–for kicks!
Google will not be amused and will cancel your account!

4. Site building software - use it to build professional, profit
pulling sales sites in just minutes. A good “what you see is
what you get” site building and editing software is a must.

5. A web multimedia toolkit - a special selection of
website video, audio and photo tools. Audio and video is the
coming thing and not at all hard to implement if you have
the right tools.

6. Web traffic software - a package of traffic building
products will help you generate an avalanche of targeted
traffic to your websites at minimal cost. Remember, it does
not matter if you have the best site on the internet if no
one ever sees it. “Build it and they will come” does not apply.

7. Customer list-building software - a quick and easy system
of programs that will automatically build you a customer email
list by capturing your customer details directly from PayPal as
soon as they order. A list of customers to market to is money
in the bank.

9. Tracker software - track every advertisement you place
for your own products or your affiliate links. Put your ad
dollars where they do the most good.

10. Website monitoring package - easy-to-use software will
automatically monitor all your websites and will notify
you immediately of any problems. Remember, people will not
come back if your site is down the one time they click on it.

The above are just a few of the software solutions that can
make your dream of “making a living ” on the internet come
true.

————————————————————

Yes, you can be a success in internet marketing. Just use
the net to search out the help you will need to make it happen.

Today, you have a choice–use internet marketing software
to automate and promote your online business…or work
yourself to death trying to to “do it all” yourself. Choose
wisely. I know you too can be in that 5% who do make it big!

Good Luck and Good Internet Marketing.

by Steve Ingram - Ex-Realtor Turned Internet Marketer.
Software Worth a Click - and a Really Unique Site:
http://www.southernparadiseportal.com/index.php?catid=515

If you are interested in obtaining the best possible deal on a debt consolidation loan rate, you may have some significant questions about how you actually can get the best deal on a debt consolidation loan rate. You may be concerned about how your credit score can impact the costs associated with a debt consolidation loan rate.

Of course, while it is true that a debt consolidation loan can be a good tool to assist in the improvement of your credit score, you do need to realize and understand that you will want the best possible credit score you can muster under the circumstances even before you make application for a debt consolidation loan in the first instance. As one of the primary objectives of a debt consolidation loan is saving yourself money, you necessarily will want to do everything possible to obtain the best possible debt consolidation loan rate.

At the outset, as you go about seeking the best possible debt consolidation loan rate, you need to have a basic understanding of what a credit score is all about and how a credit score works.

Your credit (or FICO) score is a bit like a report card or even a grade in school. Your credit score is a number that signifies how good or poor your credit history is at the present point in time.

The higher your credit score, the more car loan options that will be available to you. The higher your credit score, the better terms you will be able to obtain when it comes to a debt consolidation loan rate. If your credit score is so low, you will have more difficulties in finding a good debt consolidation loan rate and more problems getting a favorable debt consolidation loan rate if you are approved for such a loan.

As mentioned, the higher your credit score, the better deal you will be able to in regard to a debt consolidation loan rate. The interest debt consolidation loan rate will rise as your credit score drops downward.

Therefore, and as was set forth at the start of this informational article, if you want the best possible deal when it comes to a debt consolidation loan rate, you will want to try and make certain that your credit score is in the best possible shape before you even forge ahead and make application for debt consolidation financing.

In considering your credit score and your desire for a good debt consolidation loan rate, you will want to make absolutely certain that your credit report is accurate. The majority of credit reports in this day and age contain significant inaccuracies. It is important for you to make certain that your credit report completely is accurate. By making certain that your credit report is wholly accurate, you will be ensuring that you have the highest possible credit score and the ability to obtain the best possible deal under the circumstances when it comes to a debt consolidation loan rate.

Thomas Erikson is co-founder of http://www.your-debt-consolidation-loan.com which provides debt consolidation information and solutions. Find out how you can effectively get your finances under control with a Debt Consolidation Loan Rate.

Are you a plant killer? Do your friends refer to you as the plant executioner? Does your local greenhouse have a wanted poster of you out front? If so, this article is for you.

Quick tips to turn your thumb green:

1. Plants need room to grow. A sure fire plant killer is allowing the roots to become crowded. Make sure the container you are using is big enough to allow for growth. Otherwise they get all claustrophobic and nobody wants that.

2. If you’re cold, your plant is cold, too. Maintaining a fairly steady temperature is best when growing plants. Avoid putting your green friends in drafty places. If you think it’s chilly, so do they.

3. Shed some light on the subject. Put your plants as near to sunny windows as possible for optimum growth.
If you have an area that’s sunny and warm in your house, this is the perfect place for some lovely plants. If you notice your plant becoming thin and reaching toward the light, PANIC! Ok, you don’t have to panic, but do take notice. It’s using plant sign language to tell you it needs to be closer to the sunshine.

4. The drinks are on you. Watering can cause perfectly lovely people to become plant serial killers. They either water too little or too much. Here’s how to tell when and how much to water. Stick your finger in the dirt about an inch or so. In most cases, water your plant when the soil is slightly dry and give it enough water so that it comes out the holes at the bottom of your container somewhat.

5. To fertilize or not to fertilize. That is the question. Most avid plant growers do use some sort of fertilizer, but that’s a matter of preference. If you choose to use fertilizer, visit your local greenhouse and ask questions about what kind you should use and how much.

6. Chit chat. When I was a little girl, my green thumb Granny used to encourage me to talk to her plants. She swore it made them grow. She had the most beautiful plants of anyone in our town and I’m positive to this day it’s because I sang to them on a regular basis. So go ahead. Talk to your green friends. It’s cheaper than a therapist!

Sherri Holloway invites you to pick up your free eBook, “Moms, Be Your Own Boss” at http://www.MomandHerMoney.com