Posts Tagged ‘ Money management ’

 
Saturday, May 5th, 2012

Using a combination of fundamental and technical investing techniques, William O’Neil founded a company called Investor’s Business Daily (IBD). In order to summarize this strategy, Mr. O’Neil coined the acronym CANSLIM to describe his unique approach to investing.

CANSLIM does not rely on opinions or predictions; rather, it relies on actual market actions. Using a real-time study of performance, the American Association of Individual Investors found that CANSLIM generated a 2,487% gain from January 1998 to December 2010.

Each letter in the word CANSLIM represents particular criteria that Mr. O’Neil uses as a filter when investing in stocks (equities).

C = Current Quarterly Earnings Per Share // Current quarterly earnings per share is a company’s “after tax” profit divided by the number of outstanding common shares. You’ll want to find stocks with “accelerating” growth in earnings per share over the previous 10 quarters. On the flip side, two quarters of decelerating growth in earnings per share is a sell sign.

For CANSLIM, a company’s current quarter’s EPS should be at least 18%-20% higher than the same quarter last year (for example, 3rd Quarter of 2012 verses the 3rd Quarter of 2011). If you have too many stocks on your watch list, try using 25%-30% increases as the cut-off. And when you find stocks with EPS increases 70% or more, you’ve hit the jackpot…this level is historically associated with HUGE price gains.

A = Annual EPS // Annual EPS should show healthy growth during the previous 5 years. According to CANSLIM, “healthy” requires a minimum of 25%-50%, year over year.

N = New Organizations // Try to find companies that are “new”; new products, new services, new management teams, new strategies, new tactics…even new locations.

S = Supply and Demand for Shares // The number of outstanding shares should be small (i.e. small capitalization stocks). Older, large capitalization companies do not perform as well as small capitalization companies during bull markets. Secondly, the number of shares traded per day/week (i.e. volume) should increase as the stock moves up in price.

L = Leadership // You want to invest money in companies that are going somewhere…the best of the best. Stocks are considered leaders when they lead the market higher (when the market increases, these stocks are bought in large quantities). Stocks can be considered laggards when they don’t join market rallies or are bought in small quantities.

From a technical perspective, leading stocks tend to follow a particular price pattern before reaching new price highs. These patterns, or “bases”, usually last between 7-8 weeks, but can take up to 15 months. The “base building” time is necessary to weed out sellers (people who have been holding the stock since the last 52 week high, waiting to recoup their losses). Once this type of investor is gone, the stock can climb higher.

Another way to search for leadership is using the “relative price strength” or “RS” for a stock. This refers to an individual stock’s performance verses the general market. At 70 or higher, the stock is considered a leader.

I = Institutional Sponsorship // Institutions are the “bulk buyers” of the investment world. You want to find stocks that have just the right amount of ownership. Too much and you’ve likely missed the boat on explosive growth. Too few and you may have to wait a while. Look for 3-10 high quality sponsors.

M = Market Conditions // CANSLIM relies on the premise that you cannot fight the market. According to IBD, 3 out of every 4 stocks will follow the general market up or down. And growth stocks usually outperform the market by a factor of 1.5 - 2.5…this leads to large gains, but can also result in large losses if you’re not careful.

Checking the general market indexes (DJIA, NASD, SP&500, NYSE, etc.) is a quick and easy way to keep your finger on the pulse of Wall Street. IBD also showcases the action of market leaders in their “Big Picture” column, which can help you spot changes in the current market conditions.

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I frequently listen into financial radio shows. However I often find myself my screaming at the radio. I end up screaming because it frustrates me when financial advisers provide bad information. It makes me ponder how you know if you are getting quality investing advice? After all many intelligent people get involved with Ponzzi schemes.

To complicate the issue even further is the fact that there are so many different opinions on what is best for your money. On top of that there is not one right answer for every person. Just like with dieting you have different strategies and all may work. It is up to you to figure out if the strategy being presented is good for you and your situation.

Following are five steps to go through to determine if the advice being given to you is a winning strategy for you and your money.

1. Look for the Sales Pitch - keep in mind that a majority of the places that are giving you financial advice are trying to sell you a financial product. You don’t have to stop listening to them for advice and education, but you do need to keep in mind that there may be a better option for you that this person is not able to offer you.

2. Run from Scare Tactics - Frequently the individual presenting the financial counsel is selling via fear and nothing else. They wish for you to be filled with doom and gloom and decide instantly so that your choice is all emotionally driven, not determined by common sense. There are a plethora of statistics accessible that will let advisers make you hysterical with worry. Yet there should be a conversation on how all the presented information impacts your circumstances. If they do nothing but attempt to scare you then please run as fast as you can.

3. Take Responsibility for You - You have to have accountability for your money. This means that instead of believing all that is offered to you, you need to verify the information. Study both sides of what an annuity is; figure out why it is good for you and why it is wrong for you. You are the only one who is really impacted by your money, so only you can provide yourself with enough facts about an investment strategy to defend yourself. You should have advisers and teachers, yet don’t take everything they say as the full truth, or allow them to have control over your money.

4. Pessimism is Okay - Having a healthy dose of pessimism when it comes to the money advice you are receiving is not a bad thing. Always ask “what are they not telling me”, “what is the worst that can happen with this investment” or other questions that allow you to look at the entire picture. While being a pessimist is not always a good thing, when it comes to your finances it is beneficial to slow down and ask many questions, you have to take a defensive point to defend yourself.

5. There is no big hurry - Educating yourself about the personal finance is not something you should do overnight. The extra time will allow you to better understand the investment and it will also help to remove all emotional pulls to get into the investment today! Any deal that is pressed upon you should be viewed with extreme caution, a financial planner that has your best interests at heart will allow you the time to learn and think about the decision.

In the end keep in mind it is your investment and you have the right to feel at ease with who is investing your money plus what it is being invested in. Hold up, do your research and your money will thank you.

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Friday, March 30th, 2012

If you are problematic with too much debt, now is the time to discuss it with the help of some bankruptcy services. Who would deny that everyone has a problem with money? Money is not a thing that you can find very easy in anywhere. So, dealing with your finances is not just a happy-go-lucky task. It must be strictly guarded and must be seriously put as top priority. Having a bankruptcy attorney would be an advantage for you that would give you advices for you to have a wide scope of options and consideration in your bankruptcy problem. Never be ashamed to file bankruptcy, remember that it is better that you make a step right away with some services and to people that will help you in solving your financial problem. A help of an expert?s advice is recommended.

Everyone’s situation is different, so that you need to find out the legal guidelines where you live also what applies to your specific needs. You should not disregard the fact that there could be additional suitable alternatives to filing bankruptcy. Your lawyer probably can advise different preferences that are effective for you personally and guide you on a method to remedy your money problems with some technique that is not bankruptcy. You cannot have that chance by using a do-it-yourself bankruptcy service. Always file with a more experienced professional such as a bankruptcy attorney.

A qualified attorney will talk with you about your situation and help you make an intelligent decision, such as whether to file chapter 7 or chapter 13 for instance. He can also examine your debts and advise you what bankruptcy can do, because there are certain types of debt that cannot be discharged via bankruptcy.

Regardless of what you read on the internet or in books about the quick fix services, a bankruptcy attorney is still your best option for bankruptcy service, because the laws change so fast that any do it yourself information could very well be outdated by the time you read it. A face to face real time solution is what you need. Do not look for a quick fix for your money problems because it is too important an issue to take lightly. Take advantage of the professionals waiting to help you.

You must remember also what filing bankruptcy means to your credit. It will be several years after the bankruptcy is discharged before it will come off your credit report. Generally, it is 7-10 years before you will be able to do many things. In the first two years, it is particularly difficult to get loans of any type. You will need to begin re-establishing your credit with things like secured credit cards. That does not mean it is impossible to get credit, but it is much more difficult with a bankruptcy on your credit report.

Attorney would be a best help to discuss with your understanding about everything that involves in putting you on the right tract regarding financial matters. Many people would attest that they have saved much money when they consulted a qualified bankruptcy attorney rather than the cost of the attorney?s fees from the liquidation from the bankruptcy proceedings. The best way you should do is never trust your financial future to do it by yourself and always consider having bankruptcy services to aid with these problems.

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If you see yourself in the midst of a great financial crisis and other resort does not seem to give much effect on its solution, you may need the help of bankruptcy attorney. In this regard, you really have to consider in filing bankruptcy for you to be able to protect your properties and yourself from those creditors. This way, you will be able to protect all of the things that you want to be retained among those of your assets. In filing bankruptcy, it is best if you will have a good bankruptcy attorney. It is important for you to be able to choose the right bankruptcy attorney who is connected with law firms. You must widen your research for attorneys qualified regarding with your bankruptcy problem.

Have a well experienced bankruptcy attorney. You have to make sure that you file with a well-experienced attorney. Choose an attorney who has a full knowledge and experienced enough in the field of bankruptcy. There are certain law firms who have several specialties, but they do not specialize on bankruptcy law alone. In connection with this, you will experience a negative effect if you are able to file your case with an attorney who only handles bankruptcy cases occasionally. Having an attorney who is capable in knowing the bankruptcy code in your state creates a very big difference in the result. Always make sure that the attorney you were able to file with can guarantee you that your case will be filed correctly and precisely.

Look for an attorney with lower fees and has payment plans. The law firm or the attorney must be known that you are currently experiencing financial crisis and you cannot be able to pay them in full. The payment ranges from $700 to $1700, and it depends on the city and state where you live in. If you are able to find an attorney who gives you different payment options, it simply means that the attorney or the law firm understands your situation.

Find an attorney that offers free consultations and evaluation of your bankruptcy case. Personal bankruptcy is one of the toughest decisions you’ll ever make, with so much pressure and the creditor harassment you may be experiencing you don’t want to be worried about spending unnecessarily and a bankruptcy consultation should in fact be free. Your attorney should put your needs first by providing a free evaluation of your current financial status. If the attorney you contact insists or refuses to waive their consultation fee, look for another attorney. There are too many law firms and individual bankruptcy attorneys who are happy to offer free consultations, there’s no need to pay for one.

Consider the attorney and client rapport from the beginning. It is important for you to feel comfortable with your attorney, a good bankruptcy lawyer should be able to guide you during this really hard time by providing not only the suitable bankruptcy service you need to have, but by being understanding and sympathetic to your case. They should be able to lessen the pressure you are under and you should walk out of their office feeling comfortable about your choice to file personal bankruptcy. Your attorney should also have the willingness to answer your queries however detailed they may possibly be.

Location and Proximity should not be worried upon. You should not limit yourself in choosing your attorney because he/she can be found 10 minutes away from your home. Through the power of technology, everything that you need to do can be done through email or fax, etc. You can even start your free evaluation even if your attorney is miles away. There are more cases of bankruptcy filed online, so distance would never be an issue. You must settle for the best and experienced bankruptcy attorney, so do not hesitate in filing bankruptcy online.

Credit report assistance after your bankruptcy discharge. You’ll more than likely find that filing personal bankruptcy begins to show its effects about three months after your discharge when you check your credit report and find that you have accounts that are still labeled delinquent, late or in collections. Your bankruptcy attorney should be able to recommend a path for solving these discrepancies which can certainly hurt you when you begin to rebuild your credit.

Research your preferred bankruptcy attorney or law firm. It is vital that you do some digging and check the value of your chosen bankruptcy attorney, one of the best sources of information for consumers is the Better Business Bureau website. Every enterprise, company, corporation or law firm that cares about providing quality service is a member of the BBB. In case your chosen attorney or law firm is not, then at least gather some referrals to check out what level of service they have provided in the past. Do not forget that experience is important and the track record the BBB will reveal about your attorney will either give you reassurance or make you think twice about hiring them.

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Thursday, March 29th, 2012

Money is an important part of modern life, and it isn’t as easy as earning and spending anymore. Now, there are funds to consider, interest rates to think about, and many different options in retirement planning. Keeping on top of your financial management plan is important for your future.

There are several categories of income to think about for many people. The major source of income for most working adults is a job, while the major source for older people may be a retirement account. Some people only earn money through their work, and others have multiple streams of support, such as account interest, money markets, stock ownership, and more.

What you spend things on varies from person to person, and location to location. However, keeping track of your money is required in most cases, so that you can make sure you can afford the essentials, and decide when to splurge on something not required. A very few people manage well without knowing what their income and expenditures are on a regular basis.

The more closely your expenditures approximate your income, the more important it is to keep track of things. People with a good cushion between what they make and what they spend can sometimes get away without keeping track of their every budget item, but this isn’t the best use of their money. Logging what you spend and comparing it to what you make can tell you a lot about your financial prospects.

People who make more than they spend are in the enviable position of being able to save and invest without requiring making additional budget cuts. However, people who currently spend as much as they make can often get there, too. Looking over what you are making and what you are spending can tell either type of person how they should budget for the future.

If you are not spending all of your money on essentials (housing, food, transportation and medical aid), there’s something you can cut from the budget. However, the question at this point becomes one of what you are willing to give up. It’s a better idea from a financial standpoint to save than have that cable sports package, but it’s not the right choice for everyone.

For a great starting point in effective financial management, everyone should track their income and expenditures for at least a few months. A year is better, to get an idea of what your overall budget looks like, since some expenses are yearly. This will give you a great starting point for making changes like investing and saving.

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Sunday, March 25th, 2012

Almost each individual try their very best not to be subjected in the peril of going bankrupt. It is always been in the mind of everyone that if a person is bankrupt he or she will surely have difficulties in facing that issue. But there are more things to know when the picture is all about bankruptcy because the dangers of losing all your savings are serious since it involves with considerable amount of money.

A person usually will lose his house especially if he signed a personal note on a failed business against his home. If a person doesn’t own a business, depending on which career he is employed in, some of them don’t allow the bankrupt individual to go on working in that career as well. Most personal assets and possessions must be sold off. This can include any expensive equipment a business owns or even a bankrupt person’s cars and high end items such as antiques and art work.

Most likely when a bankruptcy occurs, the Official Receiver need to auction off all of companies assets as well as most likely close it down so even though the person does not have shell out particular debts to specific creditors under a bankruptcy proceeding, he can still definitely lose a lot. Moreover, if an individual is an immigrant, in many cases declaring bankruptcy can change his situation being a legalized immigrant. Lots of bankruptcies are usually not kept private like in other nations.

Most of the time they’ll be listed in major newspapers where anyone can openly view just what happened to the bankrupt individual. This can cause great embarrassment and sadness at the very least, not to mention the associated stigma of being publicly humiliated, and there’s really nothing the bankrupt person can legally do about this. Also, a person will have his credit rating nearly destroyed for many years, usually up to six or seven in most business bankruptcies.

Even with a comprehensive bankruptcy, there are some creditors that can’t be erased or wiped out. These include items such as school loans and court ordered fines as well. A bankruptcy can also affect a person’s capacity to ever run a business again using the same business name. Many people who go bankrupt have their employers quickly find out about it because it’s so public in the UK and that can make the employer look negatively on the employee and he can even have him terminated.

Therefore, if a business or a person is in a huge amount of debt, he or his financial adviser might suggest that he go bankrupt. But even if his financial adviser recommends this, it might not really be the best way out that it can at first seem to be due to the many dangers of going bankrupt.

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Claiming bankruptcy is emotionally draining route. While the legal process itself is lengthy and involves following certain set rules and long drawn procedures, the emotional outcome of being at the forbearance of losing all the things that one have painstakingly built, brick by brick over a lifetime of diligent time and effort is truly heart wrenching.

It is essential that you get to know the correct and appropriate process upon filing for your bankruptcy. There are numerous documents that are required to be presented in its legal format which means a lot of forms to be filled out. It is really important that you follow the procedure for claiming bankruptcy as stated by the bankruptcy laws in your state. Error can be a reason of rejection in your case.

Choosing the appropriate bankruptcy protection must be given a big consideration before filing your bankruptcy. Your source of income and your financial situation are the basis which helps you decide under what chapter you can file for your bankruptcy. The common types of bankruptcy are Chapter 7 and Chapter 13.

Chapter 7 is the one under which mostly individuals file for bankruptcy and offers maximum protection under U.S bankruptcy laws. Before you decide on the chapter under which you are going to file for relief, it is important to know whether you qualify under that chapter. Utilizing the services of a qualified bankruptcy attorney for claiming bankruptcy is important to help you go through the process with minimum of hassles.

You will be required to divulge transparent and detailed details about all your assets and liabilities, documentation supporting your current financial status from your bankers as well as other financial institutions, account information about your property holdings, cars, property as well as other investments. An experienced bankruptcy attorney can help you make a proper assessment of all your moveable and immovable asset values so that there is no confusion while you file for bankruptcy.

Understanding the process with proper planning helps to lessen the tension and stress brought by your filing. Personal bankruptcy lawyer is a simple process which is done professionally with the aid of some experts in the field. The procedures done are quite complex and it is beyond the understanding and comprehension of a typical individual. The process gives the client a relief from all those threatening calls coming from creditors and banks because the law prohibits the creditors from contacting you right after you have successfully filed for bankruptcy.

Claiming bankruptcy at the right time can help you beat the financial setbacks and prevent the situation from deteriorating.

Credit counseling for claiming bankruptcy varies from different places and also varies from one state to another.

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Wednesday, March 21st, 2012

It seems like one of the most hated parts for caring for our money is the budget. Most people hear the word and cringe. This dislike of a budget poses the question - Do you have to do a budget? The answer would be no, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. But I would like to pose a different question to you: How do you know if you are living within your means if you are not doing a budget or track your expenses in some other fashion?

When you take a trip without planning what roads you are going to take and where you will spend the night you may not end up where you want to be. Sure you may find some cool places along the way and you might stumble on to your final destination, but it will all be by luck and you will never really know what you will end up with. Your money is no different if you don’t plan for what should happen to it and then monitor it then it could end up way off track and delayed!

In addition to budgeting helps you decide where to reduce expenses if you need to pull back in order to be living on less than you make. It is hard to make reductions if you have no idea where you are spending too much. This is similar to when someone is trying to reduce their food intake, if they do not know where they are eating or drinking too much then it is hard to know where to make reductions.

Budgeting and the knowledge you gather from it does not all have to be bad. What if you find out that you are saving too much or really do have the extra money for vacation? Sometimes the stress of feeling like there is not enough comes from the fact that you may be over saving not from actually not having enough. You may think this is a good thing, but just like with food you need to eat a minimum amount of calories or your body does not have enough food to operate as it should. If you are saving over 20% and constantly feel like you don’t have enough money for vacation, then your money is not helping you operate at full capacity. We are supposed to save some, spend some and give some.

Budgeting is not as bad as we end up thinking it is. Budgeting when approached with the idea that it is helping us get what we want is a beneficial tool that is not all that bad.

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Friday, March 2nd, 2012

Fortune 500 companies have a budget. Governments have workable budgets in place. These are financial frameworks without which, the firm or the government might easily spend beyond what they earn as revenue. This would put them in substantial debt. There will be no means of checking on the balances for preventing overspending.

In the event the company or US government runs directly into unexpected difficulties, there could be no resources available. If the need is made for immediate money, and simply no reserves can be acquired, then it is extremely unlikely how money will probably be available to fulfill the problems. Additionally, people must recognize that what does work for a company or federal government, is furthermore true for the people at the same time.

Families as well as individuals have to establish individual budgets. This is actually the biggest requirement seen in the downtrend from the economic occasions. Nowadays, individuals live older, which means they require more pension income. This means, throughout their working years, people need to save more for his or her retirement. Nevertheless, most individuals are now surviving from salary to salary.

Because of common credit, there can be an increasing willingness to pay through a bank card. It is quite simple to be able to fall inside the trap with the easily accessible personal credit card debt. In the above scenarios, the simplest way out is always to make a budget.

It is necessary that someone understands a budget, what is used for, and when it could be effectively employed. There are usually many sites explaining the value of maintaining the family group budget. Discussing such sites the family group can assemble its own private budgeting program.

Spending habits need to be changed to practice more self control. Web sites will give more information on cash flow, income, expenses and debt. They will also help in determining your net worth. After analyzing spending habits an effective money saving plan can be worked out.

At the same time, the pros and cons of using credit can be understood. You will also understand the importance of using credit wisely and the meaning of credit history. For all states of life, there must be a plan.

Whether getting married, planning for further education, or trying to achieve any future goal, you will need to plan. There must be good control over your personal finances. This will help in achieving the goals you set up. With a personalized budget, you will be able to achieve all this and more.

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Wednesday, February 29th, 2012

Some people start day trading for more cash flow or even as a spare time interest. Nonetheless, a lot of people underrate how hard it is to become a successful and a successful trader. Although, you can accomplish this maintaining simplicity sticking to all of the simple and easy investing rules in advance of investing your cash. Evolve your method over time and you should stand a considerably better prospect of being a thriving trader.

Recognize When you should Get Out

Getting into a trade is as easy as hitting buy. Nevertheless, closing an investment in the black is much more tough. Consequently, make sure you recognize your personal escape point before getting into a deal. This is accomplished by just examining the charts, movements, and company media. Know the way the enterprise runs and use this information to predict whether the stock will gain or lose. Subsequently, depending on the recent valuation of the instrument, you will be able to decide on an upper and lower number in which you are going to get out of the market. This will help you secure revenue and decrease losses.

Keep to the Plan

Quite a few traders start with a well thought-out strategy, and still are not successful due to not sticking to it. The most efficient stock trading models work best simply because they have actually been utilized, studied and edited. It is not a guarantee, however, a robust trading system is the most effective method to raise your likelihood of success. Don’t ever permit your feelings to seize the reigns and cause you to change your strategy. It can sometimes be challenging to continue in a trade while it decreases, yet in the long run your trading method is usually the maximum potential for leaving the market with a positive return.

Don’t be Greedy

Never be greedy. The investing arenas are incredibly erratic. Any kind of financial gain you have can be depleted in just a few seconds, minutes or hours. Once you have attained your personal escape time, freeze earnings by exiting the position unless you have very clear specifics on a reason why the stock trend might persist. Being greedy and holding on for just a little more profit can turn a successful bet into an unprofitable bet.

Moderate Your Emotions

Feelings come into play if you invest hard-earned money, whether it’s trading or even betting. But, your emotions will probably be your main problem for those who don’t think realistically and think about the details that are given prior to taking action.

Being a successful day trader can be quite a hard and grueling journey. Although, it can be a journey which is worth it in the end. Spend some time to understand the fundamental principles and results will follow. By following these investing concepts, it is possible to increase your chances of experiencing good results and becoming a profitable day trader.

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