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Before Going Shopping – Smart Shopping Guidelines and Considerations

On 11.17.09, In Lifeways, finance, by gregorypauljohnson

Store | Finance

20091117tu-flower-DSC09413Summary. We’ve compiled this list of considerations as a prerequisite for shopping at our online store. We think it would be good for every retailer and online store to have a sign or public service announcement similar to this one. Contact us with any suggestions for improving this list.

Smart Shopping Guidelines. Before going shopping, consider the following smart shopping guidelines:

  • Buy Locally. Have you considered purchasing locally? It’s common for local stores to have items competitively priced with Internet stores like ours. Supporting your local merchants invigorates your community’s economy and it’s more social than shopping online.
  • Buy Used. If you’re considering the purchase of something new, why not consider purchasing the item used? There are local and online sources for quality used items such as eBay.
  • Debt. Don’t Increase Your Debt. Are you using a credit card for a purchase because you don’t really have the money to buy whatever it is? Consumer debt is at an all time high. Consider making a list of priority purchases and then only purchasing items you can actually afford.
  • Discounts. Don’t Be Pressured By Sales Or Discounts. Is your purchase being influenced by a sale or rebate rather than a present need? You’ll save more by not buying the item at all. By having a wish list that is prioritized, you’ll simply buy things that are already on your list. If they are on sale, then that’s great, but don’t buy something that wasn’t on your list just because it is on sale.
  • Emotional Shopping. Are you considering a purchase because it will make you feel better? Did you know that much of the shopping people do is emotional shopping. Consider pursuing alternative activities that cost little or preferably no money at all such as: go for a walk in the park, exercise, do yoga, read a book, listen to music, take a bath, or meditate.
  • Ethical Shopping. When you shop, rather than purchasing disposable products, consider purchasing products that can be recycled or reused. Consider the labor practices involved with the product or service you are paying for. Buy the best quality products for low maintenance, durability, and longevity. Be sure to buy products that are energy efficient (see the EnergyStar.gov website). Make sure the product and services you buy, as well as the stores you buy them from, and the companies that provide them, are ethically supportive of your values. [More]
  • Prioritize Shopping. Have you prioritized your shopping list to be sure you are spending money and time on the items of highest priority first?
  • Share. Could you purchase the item with several other people and share it? Typically, expensive purchases are the things in our life that we use the least. For example, let’s say you are purchasing a high definition video camera. Perhaps you could share the cost and the camera with friends.
  • Shop Around. With any kind of shopping (online or offline) it’s a good idea to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes to find out what the going price is for a product. Our prices are usually fairly competitive, but they might not always be the lowest price. So, feel free to shop around a bit and price compare.
  • Wait. Do you need the item right now? Can you put off the purchase? Often, by waiting to make a purchase, a person is able to buy the item later at a discount. Or, maybe after waiting you’ll discover you really didn’t need or want the item as much as you thought. Stretching out the frequency of purchases saves money over time. For example, are you buying a new digital camera? Consider purchasing a new digital camera every three or four years rather than every year as new models are announced. Lengthen the timeframe for which your purchases serve you. Create a wish list of items and then purchase from that list that have been on it for a month or more.

Now that you’ve considered the above, we invite you to use our online store as a source for some of your shopping needs.

Click here to return to our store page.

Video. Below is a cute Saturday Night Live Skit about not buying things we don’t need.

Video. Below is a sarcastic video about how people are manipulated into buying things they don’t need.

Document History. This document was originally posted here on 20090208at0103.

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Apple Computer Purchases for Higher Ed Academic Educational Institution Purchases – Online Ordering Process

On 10.28.09, In Technology, finance, by gregorypauljohnson

Effective Living > Technology > Apple

20090606sa-apple-imac-desktop-computerSummary. This page offers instructions for purchasing computers, software, and other technology from Apple for Higher Education Academic Institutions.

Online Purchasing. According to Apple, online purchasing using a Procurement Card (PCard) is now possible. Here are the steps.

  1. Go to Apple’s portal for educational purchases at apple.com/education/store
  2. Click the Higher Education link under the heading Purchasing for your institution?
  3. The resulting page will offer buttons for Create Quote or Authorized Purchaser Login. Click on Create Quote. You’ll actually be purchasing online, even though the button says you are only creating a quote.
  4. The resulting page will let you select your school with the School Locator by selecting the state and city where your school is located. Once you have identified your school, click the button to Continue. Your school may have a personalized Apple Education Store portal. If so, continue to the store, or whatever store you are directed to. This will initialize a specialized purchasing process to ensure that your purchase isn’t taxed. Some pricing and options may be customized for departmental and institutional purchasing.
  5. Find the items to purchase. Configure if necessary and then add them to the cart. Click the continue button when your cart has the desired items. This will take you to the Review Your Proposal page where you can change quantities or remove items as needed. You may now use the Purchase with PCard button a the bottom of the page. You’ll need an Apple ID – preferably one created using the email address that is affiliated with your institution. Assuming you have an Apple ID setup, click the Purchase with PCard button to complete the order and provide the login email address and password for the Apple ID you’ll be using.
  6. If you wish to use the traditional over-the-phone method of completing your order, click on the Create Proposal button.
  7. You will arrive at the Proposal Information page. Fill out the form, then click Continue.
  8. You will arrive at the Thank You, Your Proposal Has Been Sent page. Save this page. You should also receive an email confirmation of your web proposal.
  9. Call 800-800-2775 and choose option 4, then option 3. The person who answers the phone will need your name, billing information, and the web proposal number. They will complete your order over the phone.

Authorized Purchasing Agent. If you wish, you can register with Apple as a purchasing agent for your academic institution. You can place orders online with your Procurement Card (PCard) using the ID you create as described in step #4 above, and presumably have greater purchasing power. The discovery of this process is found by clicking the Learn More link under the Authorized Purchaser Login button on the page in step #3 above. To apply, from the Learn More page, click on College or university purchaser link under the heading What is an Apple Authorized Purchaser? Then fill out the form. Please note that the system does not currently allow you to use an existing Apple ID. If you’ve already setup an Apple ID using your institutional email address, this may pose a problem. You should probably just try using that Apple ID and purchasing using a PCard as described above in step #4.

Apple Policies and Procedures. On 28 October 2009, a representative of the Apple Enrollment Team provided the following clarification regarding online purchasing for academic departments and institutions.

You do not need any special access to use the “Purchase with PCard” button. All you need is an Apple ID, and any Apple ID will do. You also do not need to submit your cart as a proposal first. Simply add the items you want to purchase to your cart and click on “Purchase with PCard” instead of “Create Proposal”.

This information makes it unclear why there would be an application process for becoming an authorized purchasing agent, if anyone can simply use a PCard to purchase.

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Advice and Suggestions for Those Who Have Come Into Quick Riches Winnings Wealth and Money

On 10.28.09, In Activism, finance, by gregorypauljohnson

Finance

20091028we-us-currency-money-cash-dollars-wiki-commons

Image Courtesy of Wiki Commons

Summary. This page offers advice, tips, and suggestions to those who have come into quick riches, wealth, and money through winnings, a successful business, or inheritance. These are some points to consider and reflect upon as you plan for your future. Below are four points of advice. These points provide links to information resources on this site and elsewhere.

  • Advisory Board. Establish an advisory board of people you respect and trust, who understand your hopes, dreams, strengths, challenges, and goals. It’s said that two heads are better than one. Your advisory board can allow your life decisions to be based on the collective and cumulative wisdom of five or ten people. This will give you the effective wisdom of someone who is a hundred years old or more.
    • Cooperation. Try to avoid controlling, opinionated, or divisive individuals.
    • Diversity. Consider having people from various walks of life and professions reflected in your advisory board such as people with financial experience, legal experience, activism experience, entrepreneurs, investors, as well as people with good old common sense.
    • Transparency. If you are willing, let your financial decisions be transparent and open to this group. It will help you stay accountable.
  • Financial Wellness. Finances are only part of a larger holistic picture of life. Yet, how people manage their money can help or hinder every area of life. So, learning some financial skills and wisdom can help. The Financial Resource Group is a place to start. Consider having a conservative financial advisor who you trust – preferably one who is under the authority and oversight of a financial institution they are accountable to. Consider a personal self-assessment of your self control. If you feel that you might not be responsible with instant access to a large sum of money, perhaps having the money in revolving investments would help, or making arrangements with a financial institution so that you must speak with a financial advisor every time you want to withdraw larger sums of money.
  • Charity. Many people think of giving to charity when they come into money. While money and things can’t buy happiness, giving to a worthy cause can certainly make a person feel good. However, it’s easy to get emotional and give away large sums of money without sufficient consideration of how your giving can have the greatest impact. Organizations like United Way are able to present a social action portfolio of reputable organizations. Charity is like investing. It’s an investment in society. As with investing, it’s best not to put a lot of money in one place over a short period of time. Instead, better results are typically achieved by investing small amounts over a period of time. Additional reading on charity can be found here:
  • Life Assessment. Reflecting on the various areas of life defined on the Map Page consider where you are, where you’ve been, and where you’d like to be in respect to these areas of life. How can you grow and become stronger in these areas. Communicate this information to your Advisory Board. Consider how you might help others as well as yourself grow in these areas.

Comments. This document is updated based on comments and suggestions we receive. Please contact us if you have comments or suggestions for how to improve this page and/or the pages linked from here. Thanks!

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Privacy Guard Scam Fraud Review and Evaluation

On 10.13.09, In Technology, finance, by gregorypauljohnson

Effective Living

20091013tu-man-silhouette-head-black-whiteSummary. PrivacyGuard.com is a service provider of credit report monitoring and identity theft protection. Instructions on how to save $60 per year with Privacy Guard are provided at the bottom of this page below the review and disclosure of customer complaints and concerns about the Privacy Guard business practices. Some people claim that Privacy Guard is a scam and fraud. This report will explore this claim. Before signing up with Privacy Guard or any other credit report monitoring and identity protection service, we recommend reading the Consumer Reports article on credit report monitoring.

Free Annual Credit Report. Visit the Federal Trade Commission Fact Page for more information on credit reporting, monitoring, alerts, and identity protection services. The Federal Trade Commission suggests using the AnnualCreditReport.com website to obtain a free annual credit report by three agencies. Some credit reporting and monitoring businesses such as Equifax actually tell their potential customers about this free service. Others do not disclose this information. For more information, visit the Federal Trade Commission web page dedicated to offering information about the Annual Credit Report.com site. Here is a short description:

AnnualCreditReport.com is a centralized service for consumers to request free annual credit reports. It was created by the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. AnnualCreditReport.com provides consumers with the secure means to request and obtain a free credit report once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies in accordance with the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act).

Quick Review. A 5-year evaluation of Privacy Guard (conducted by the CDRG) revealed that the company provides an accurate and comprehensive credit reporting and monitoring service. Credit report monitoring services notify you if a change has been made to your credit report. Such changes may be an indication that someone has requested credit in your name.

Customer Complaints. Some people have complained that the partnership arrangement between PrivacyGuard and some financial institutions results in what is viewed as a deceptive practice of having customers sign up for the service as a “free trial” without being reminded later that they will be automatically charged for the service unless they cancel. The longer the period of time that the free-trial offered the worse it is because after one, two, or three months the customer will have long since forgotten about the service. A follow-up phone call or email would alleviate the legal liabilities and customer frustrations associated with this issue. Due to this self-defeating shortsightedness the PrivacyGuard parent company Trilegiant had to pay $25 million dollars in a class action lawsuit.

Service Cancellation. The process of canceling is quite easy. Simply call Privacy Guard at 877-202-8828 and request cancelation. Some people have stated that the company representatives attempt to do everything they can to convince you not to cancel, such as offering several months free. During the CDRG evaluation, several accounts were created and then cancelled without any difficulty.

Deceptive, Misleading and Manipulative Marketing Practices. Many online merchants use deceptive and manipulative practices with regard to pricing. The nature of the Internet makes this easy. For example, if you visit the Dell website to purchase a computer, it’s likely you will discover a special sale that ends, surprisingly, tomorrow. The sale ending date is generated as you visit the page. Website cookies make it possible for return visits to display additional savings. PrivacyGuard.com uses the UpSellIt.com Smart Agent technology to help increase their sales. The phrase ‘upsell’ refers to the practice of persuading a customer through psychological and emotional manipulation to purchase more than they originally wanted, or convincing them to purchase something they didn’t really want or need. The goal is to create need or desire where it didn’t exist before. Smart Agent is a fake chat session that leads website visitors to think that a real customer service person is helping them. The website visitor may never realize that they are having a text chat with a machine because the program attempts to respond with lifelike and relevant answers to questions. The way it works is similar to pornography and gambling websites. As a person attempts to close their browser window/page, they are unable to because a new message pops up and prevents them from doing so. The message states, “Wait! A live agent would like to talk to you about last minute savings.” There actually is no live human customer service representative. You’ll see a message indicating that the “person” is typing. This is an unfortunate use of deception to manipulate customers. More about this is revealed below in the section on saving $60 per year with Privacy Guard. In fairness, it should be pointed out that TransUnion (one of the top three credit bureaus) also uses virtual customer service people on their TrueCredit.com website.

Undisclosed Pricing. One concern that some people have is that Privacy Guard charges different rates for the same service. One customer may pay 30% less simply because they were able to haggle for a lower price.

Payment Problems. If you have an account with Privacy Guard and wish to change your payment method, you must cancel your current account and create a new one using the alternate payment method. If you are currently paying $17 a month and would like to pay $12 a month, you must cancel your existing account and then setup a new account with a different credit card for payment. Some people may feel that this is inconvenient.

Saving $60 Per Year on Privacy Guard. Assuming that you feel okay about the above business practices and marketing methods, below are the steps to achieving maximum savings with Privacy Guard. Most people who visit the PrivacyGuard.com website will unwittingly pay about $17 per month ($204 per year) for the service. However, if you follow these instructions, you could get the service for as little as $12 per month (or $144 per year).

  1. Go to PrivacyGuard.com and click on the link to get your first 30 days for just $1. This will take you to a signup form that promises 1 month free and then $17 a month thereafter.
  2. Attempt to close the browser window (not your browser, just that window or page).
  3. A browser alert message will appear with the following information, “https://www.privacyguard.com  Wait! A live agent would like to talk to you about last minute savings. Please hit ‘Cancel’ on the next window to remain on this page…” Click the OK button.
  4. The next browser alert message will appear with the following information, “https://www.privacyguard.com Are you sure you want to leave this page? Press ‘CANCEL’ below to chat… Click OK to continue, or Cancel to stay on this page.” Click Cancel to access the chat Window.
  5. The customer service representative is not a real person, but an interactive simulation that appears to be a real person. There will be a message stating, “Agent is Typing…” as if a real person is actually typing you a message. Below is a sample of an interaction with the fake customer service agent.
  6. Type in something like, “What’s the best deal you can give me?” Don’t click on any of the initial CLICK HERE offers, but click on the last one that is a response to what you’ve typed. The fist offers are for limited plans such as a single credit bureau report.
  7. After you click on the last CLICK HERE link, the customer agreement page will refresh and present you with the $11.99 per month service contract rather than the initial $16.99 per month service contract.
  8. Fill out the form and submit it to create your account with Privacy Guard and enjoy the savings.

Example of Chat Session. Below is a sample of an actual chat session with the fake / automated / robotic customer service representative.

Natalie Says: Hey wait! Get your Credit Report for FREE from all three major credit reporting agencies! Don’t become a victim to identity theft, CLICK HERE to sign up now, and start securing your life today!

Natalie Says: Just type ‘HI’ or ‘Hello’ in the space below to let me know you are there.

Natalie Says: Did you know that on average a person will fall victim to identity theft every 3.5 seconds? Don’t be caught off-guard…let PrivacyGuard protect your good name! CLICK HERE to sign up now, and start securing your life today!

Natalie Says: Whenever you are ready, just type ‘HI’ or ‘HELLO’ and we can get started…

Natalie Says: CLICK HERE to take advantage of this amazing offer.

You: What’s the best deal you can give me?

Natalie Says: Reviewing your credit reports is one of the best ways to manage your credit and discover if your identity has been stolen. With PrivacyGuard you can view your Credit Report for FREE! CLICK HERE to sign up now, and start securing your life today!

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Investing and Saving Money – Financial Tools and Resources

On 06.03.09, In finance, by gregorypauljohnson

Finance

Women at desk with world map in the background.Summary. Below is a list that represents a the broad spectrum of financial diversification available for investing and saving money. Much of the information presented here in condensed form was gathered from the Basics of Investing Lesson in the Money 101 Guide offered by Money Magazine which is owned by CNN which is owned by Turner Broadcasting which is owned by Time-Warner which is owned by shareholders. Additional information was gathered from Vanguard.com, and E*TRADE.

Considerations. When investing, consider the following:

  • Conditional Performance. What are the economic conditions that determine how your investment will perform? Knowing this allows you to balance your investment portfolio so that it contains a holistic combination of investments that will do well during a variety of economic conditions. Think of it this way, if changes in economic climate are like seasonal changes in the weather, then a diversification of investing will be like having income from a lawn mowing business and a snow removal business. Both are important for producing a full year of income. Economic seasons or cycles typically occur over longer periods of time, although market trends can be like a stone dropped in a pond; causing momentary ups and downs in values of certain investments.
  • Costs. How much is your investment costing you? Real estate may go up in value, but how much is it costing to manage and/or maintain. A mutual fund may offer a higher interest rate of earning, yet fees may be as much as six times higher than the cost of having a fund with Vanguard.
  • Diversification. Placing your money in a variety of investment options helps to expose you to a mixed degree of risks and also helps balance investments so you can continue earning in just about any economic cycle.
  • Dollar Cost Averaging. Investing in something like an Index Fund consistently (weekly or monthly), over a long period of time (5 or 10 years) with the same amount of money being invested at each regular interval, will generally produce better returns than sporadic or emotional investing in stocks.
  • Ethics. While some investments may be technically legal, you may want to consider the ethical issues involved. For example, many corporations invest in off-shore tax havens. [source] However, this behavior is looked down upon. Some investors choose to invest in socially responsible funds such as the Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund (VFTSX).
  • Liquidity – How quickly can you get your money out? For example, real estate is a good investment. However, if you purchase a house, and then the housing values in the neighborhood begin to plummet due to unforeseen circumstances (meth labs and crime), you may have difficulty getting the house sold. Other investments, like CDs are for a specified term such as one year. Generally, an investment that ties up your money for a longer period of time will pay a higher percentage return.
  • Quantity – How much money is required to utilize a particular investment? Typically, a larger sum being invested will offer a greater percentage earnings.
  • Risks Types – Is there a possibility your investment may be worth less in the future rather than more? Investments that promise potentially higher returns often can result in the greatest losses. One thing to remember about risks is that they are generally time sensitive. For example, if you invest $3000, and you have no specific time when you need that money back, you can ride out an economic downturn, so even if your $3000 investment drops in value to $2000, you aren’t impacted. You can wait to use your money until it reaches a value that represents a 10% return on your investment or higher. An excellent illustration of this is provided on the Vanguard LifeStrategy Funds page. There are generally three kinds of risks.
    • Time. One risk involves the risk of having to wait for the value of a fund or stock to rebound before you should try to get your money out.
    • Peak Value. Another risk involves being uninformed about a stock and investing heavily in it when it has reached an artificial peak. You may never see your investment increase.
    • Business Failure. With some investments, there is a risk that your investment will steadily decline in value. For example, investing heavily in a company that unexpectedly fails would cause you to lose most (or all) of your investment.

Investment and Savings Options. Below are some of the basic investment and savings options. A good learning tool to understand investment options is the Vanguard Funds Interactive Listing because it allows you to see and select from a list of variables such as asset type, risk level, minimum investment, and tax-efficiency.

  • Bonds. For most people, Bonds are considered to be a secure investment that produces relatively good earnings. They are generally considered to perform well in economic conditions when stocks may be performing poorly and they offer some tax benefits. [Wikipedia]
  • Capitalization Sized Investments. In addition to investing in different industries, it’s generally a good idea to invest in businesses of varying sizes such as:
    • Nano Cap – Small public companies having a market capitalization below $50 million.
    • Micro Cap – Companies with market capitalizations between $50 million and $300 million.
    • Small Cap – Refers to stocks with a relatively small market capitalization. The definition of small cap can vary among brokerages, but generally it is a company with a market capitalization of between $300 million and $2 billion.
    • Mid Cap – A company with a market capitalization between $2 and $10 billion, which is calculated by multiplying the number of a company”’’s shares outstanding by its stock price. Mid cap is an abbreviation for the term “middle capitalization”.
    • Large Cap – A term used by the investment community to refer to companies with a market capitalization value of more than $10 billion. Large cap is an abbreviation of the term “large market capitalization”. Market capitalization is calculated by multiplying the number of a company’s shares outstanding by its stock price per share.
  • Certificate of Deposit. An investment in Certificates of Deposit will offer security, liquidity, but lower interest earnings. Some people will invest monthly in CDs. After a year of doing this, it is possible to reinvest the CDs as they mature. This creates a one-year reserve of income. If you invest 25% of your income every month in CDs, and continue this practice for four years, eventually you will have the equivalent of one-month’s income being reinvested every month into CDs. [ Read more about CDs on Wikipedia ]
  • Checking Account. It’s important to have some money accessible and available for recurring expenses. Some checking accounts and/or connected savings accounts will pay interest. As a general rule, it is a good idea to have six months of income available in an account and/or invested in CDs that will be maturing on a monthly basis.
  • Index Funds. One of the best long-term investments is an Index fund. Because the index fund fluctuates in value over time, the practical liquidity is limited. So, they are typically not suitable for short-term savings. That said, Index Funds offer low cost, high yield, and typically low risk (if  you can ride through short-term downturns).
    • Getting Started. Investing in an Index fund can be a simple three-step process that takes about 10 minutes. For example: (1) Setup an online account with Vanguard by providing some basic personal financial details, such as indicating you want to setup a new personal individual account for general savings, (2) choose an index fund such as the Vanguard 500 Index Fund Investor Shares (VFINX), and finally, (3) transfer $3,000 to your Vanguard account by providing your bank routing number and account number typically found at the bottom of your checks. Commentary: Over the past 10 years, other than a significant drop during March 2009 ($62.65), the lowest values of the VFINX are typically from $70 to $80 with high values of about $130 to $140. Given that information, it would appear that beginning to buy in when the value is around $80 would be a good thing. This is a long-term investment fund, and given past performance, it seems that an investor may need to wait several years or more during down times before cashing in on their investment to avoid a loss. Over about 30 years, the VFINX has provided a return of about 10%.
  • Money Market Fund. Money market funds typically offer better returns than a traditional savings account. However, if you’re able to take advantage of special offers, such as the 4% earnings mentioned below under Savings Account, then it may be best to limit your money market investments. [Wikipedia]
  • Mutual Funds. According to CNN Money, “A mutual fund pools money from hundreds and thousands of investors to construct a portfolio of stocks, bonds, real estate, or other securities, according to its charter. Each investor in the fund gets a slice of the total pie. Most funds require only moderate minimum investments, from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, enabling investors to construct a diversified portfolio much more cheaply than they could on their own. The number of categories is dizzying. Some examples: growth funds, which buy shares of burgeoning companies; sector funds, which buy shares of companies in a particular sector, such as technology or health care; and index funds, which buy shares of every stock in a particular index, such as the S&P 500.” [More]
  • Real Estate. For most people, their primary real estate investment is their home. According to CNN Money, “If you can’t commit to remaining in one place for at least a few years, then owning is probably not for you, at least not yet. With the transaction costs of buying and selling a home, you may end up losing money if you sell any sooner – even in a rising market. When prices are falling, it’s an even worse proposition. Home ownership means you no longer pay monthly rent for the roof over your head. You can do what you want with your house (within reason). When you leave, you can sell it to recoup the purchase price and – with any luck – earn a profit too. But don’t kid yourself. Home ownership comes with a slew of disadvantages, responsibilities, and downright headaches. It may make more sense to rent … if you pay 35 percent less in rent than you would for owning – including the monthly mortgage, property taxes, and any homeowner’s fees – then it’s smarter to continue renting.
  • Savings Account. People generally don’t put the bulk of their savings in a savings account. Some banks may offer as much as 4% interest on certain savings accounts as long as certain criteria are met. For example, the University of Iowa Community Credit Union will pay 4% interest on your deposited funds if you use your bank card as a credit card instead of a debit card at least twelve times per month.
  • Stocks. Stocks generally represent a small part of your investment portfolio. They may perform well when other investments are lagging, but the reverse is also true. An excellent illustration of distributed investments including stocks is provided on the Vanguard LifeStrategy Funds page. Read more about investing in stocks at CNN Money.
  • Socially Responsible Funds. There are many companies around the world today that harm the environment, exploit workers, produce harmful products, and engage in generally unethical practices. If you’re seeking pure profits and earnings, you may not be concerned about such things. However, Socially Responsible Investment funds have been created for investors who feel better about investments that make the world a better place. Another advantage of Socially Responsible Investments is that they generally perform better than other investments. For more information, read Socially Responsible Green Eco Investing.

Resources. Below are some investment information resources.

  • Business Week > Investor – News about the investing industry.
  • CNN > Money 101 – An excellent online guide to investing and finance.
  • E*TRADE – Approximately 4.5 million people have invested about $100 billion dollars through accounts with E*TRADE. The education and information resources offered by E*TRADE are designed to create an educated investing group. For example, E*TRADE offers video training tutorials on topics such as Options and Technical Analysis.
  • Fidelity.com – “Fidelity offers a full range of financial products to help you with all your financial needs no matter where you are in life. Whether you are investing, planning for and living in retirement, or just saving for college we have a solution for you. Learn more about why Fidelity is the right financial partner for you.”
  • Fortune Magazine – “Our trademark stock portfolio, which weathered a tough year in the markets, provides a strategy that will help you drive out of today’s uncertainty and into a sunnier future.”
  • Kiplinger.com “For eight decades, the Kiplinger organization has led the way in personal finance and business forecasting. Founded in 1920 by W.M. Kiplinger, the company developed one of the nation’s first successful newsletters in modern times. The Kiplinger Letter, launched in 1923, remains the longest continually published newsletter in the United States. In 1947, Kiplinger’s created the nation’s first personal finance magazine. Located in the heart of our nation’s capital, the Kiplinger editors remain dedicated to delivering sound, unbiased advice for your family and your business in clear, concise language.”
  • MSN Money Central – News about the investing industry as well as articles about investing.
  • Scottrade.com – “As a leading online brokerage firm, Scottrade offers a full line of investment products, online trading platforms and market research tools to help investors take control of their financial future. Scottrade’s dedication to excellence is what truly makes us stand apart from other brokerage firms and better serve our customers, employees and communities.”
  • Schwab.com – “Here, you can enjoy a personal relationship with our investment professionals. We see investing from your perspective, and make recommendations based on actually listening to you and understanding your needs. Experience ease and convenience—from opening your account to accessing top research. To all investors, we offer investment guidance and portfolio planning. If you want us to manage your portfolio, we also offer investment management services. Our goal is simple: to give you everything you need to do better.”
  • ShareBuilder.com – “Many Americans believe that investing is an activity that’s out of their reach. At ShareBuilder we are changing that perception. We believe everyone should be able to invest and that’s why we’ve created an investment service that has eliminated account minimums, reduced commissions and doesn’t have maintenance fees. We’re dedicated to making investing easy and affordable for everyone.”
  • Vanguard.com – “While no one has the power to dictate the market’s daily ups and downs, you can control how much you pay to invest. Unfortunately, many investors simply don’t notice mutual fund costs, since they’re not billed directly. But a fund’s operating expenses are paid out of its investment returns. That means lower costs let investors keep more of their returns over time. At Vanguard, we’ve built a reputation for helping investors reach their goals by keeping down the cost of investing. It’s not just good business—it’s a Simple Truth.”
  • Wikipedia > Investment – “The term “investment” is used differently in economics and in finance. Economists refer to a real investment (such as a machine or a house), while financial economists refer to a financial asset, such as money that is put into a bank or the market, which may then be used to buy a real asset.” [More]

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ResourcesForLife.com Video Finalist in the $25,000 Intuit Small Business Grant Competition

On 05.20.09, In Activism, Gregory Johnson - Journal, Health, finance, by gregorypauljohnson

Summary. I’m encouraged to report that a video I helped produce for a client is now featured as one of the finalists in the Intuit $25,000 Small Business Grant competition. Out of many contestants, my client is in the top 50. Please take a moment to read this page and consider helping with a few minutes of your time.

About the Video. The video tells about the process Steve Kunert (SNK-Inc.com) uses when he helps inventors improve their inventions and take them to the marketplace. Steve’s process is clear and simple, and is versatile enough to use with any business or personal situation. He describes the process in the video, using the example of the HALO Innovations developed Active-Airflow Crib Mattress (available at HaloSleep.com), which Steve helped improve. The mattress is designed to help reduce the chances of SIDS.

A Good Cause. I’m hoping Steve can win the $25,000 prize. I really feel that the invention, his business concept, and the engineering consulting he does are a very worthwhile. The HALO Active-Airflow Crib Mattress is a life-saving invention that is little known and the story needs to be shared with all parents. Any winnings that Steve receives will be used to help other promising inventors bring their ideas to market.

How You Can Help. Steve has a good chance of winning based on the merit of his story. However, 40% of the judges’ ratings will be based on the number of votes and quality of the comments each video gets. So, your vote is very important to helping “Halo for Haley” win. The video is online here:

If you like the video, then please take about three minutes to rate it and leave a nice comment by following these four easy steps:

  1. Click on the comment button or a rating button (a category) for the video. If you’re not signed into Intuit (which you probably won’t be), the login screen will appear.
  2. Sign-in using your Intuit ID and password or (more likely) click on Create an account if you’re new. When you create an account, provide an email address, pick an ID, password, screen name, and security question. It’s fairly quick. You may think that having already clicked on a rating (category) in step #1 that your selection would be recorded. However, you actually needed to go through step #2 above before you can rate and comment.
  3. Click on a rating for the video, such as Inspiring and Useful (you can choose both).
  4. Provide a comment. For example, I wrote: “This is both inspirational and also very helpful. It shows how an entrepreneur can use their business to help solve problems in a creative way, as long as they follow a focused plan of action.”

Benefits. As a result of the video submission, my client, Steve Kunert, and the other finalists in this competition already received $5,000 and a video camera. In this final phase of the competition, four winners will receive $10,000 and one will receive the $25,000 grand prize.

Share. Please help Steve do more good in the world by sharing this with family and friends. You can use the ShareThis link below or in the upper right corner of this page.

Thanks!

~ Greg

____________

Gregory Paul Johnson, Director
Resources for Life.com
“Resources for Better Living”
Internet: http://www.resourcesforlife.com/g
E-Mail: g@resourcesforlife.com
Postal: PO Box 2717, Iowa City, IA 52244-2717 USA
Phone: (319) 621-4911

[Note: The photos on this page are from my gallery of photos and are unrelated to the article. They are simply provided here for your esthetic pleasure.]

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ShopToEarn ShopToEarth – Review and Evaluation

On 04.23.09, In Activism, finance, by gregorypauljohnson

Activism > Consumer Defense

Summary. Conflicting views, opinions, and information seem to exist on the Internet regarding the ShopToEarn and ShopToEarth business. Some people claim that ShopToEarn is a scam and a fraud. Others say it’s a great opportunity to save and earn money. This mix of viewpoints is partly due to the nature of the Internet. This report offers an ongoing independent review and evaluation of ShopToEarn being conducted by the Consumer Defense Resource Group. Feel free to contact us using the Contact link above if you have questions or comments.

Purpose. We’ve not received any complaints about ShopToEarn. This proactive evaluation is being conducted in an attempt to address common questions and possible concerns about the business. As a consumer advocacy organization, the Consumer Defense Resource Group recognizes that consumers need to make educated decisions in the marketplace for spending, saving, or earning money effectively. For this reason, misinformation about a company is a disservice to consumers. This is why we regularly conduct proactive company reviews like this one.

Testimonials. The company offers a variety of testimonials on their YouTube channel. Below is one example.

Video. Below we’ve provided an initial video introduction to ShopToEarn. If after watching the video you want to learn more, or if you’re interested in shopping with ShopToEarn, or would like a store of your own, visit the official ShopToEarn.net website or contact anyone you know who is already a ShopToEarn member. Note: The example given in the video showing a link to our branded ShopToEarn store is for educational purposes only and not an effort to recruit anyone. Please do not contact us to join ShopToEarn.

Journal. Below is a regularly updated journal describing our experience and interactions with ShopToEarn. These entries are organized chronologically with the most recent at top. The date/timestamp format is yyyy mm dd dy hhhh which means that the date is provided in the format of year month day day-of-week and hour in 24-hour format (if applicable). The journal is written in first person by Gregory Johnson. Do not contact Gregory to sign-up with ShopToEarn because he will just tell you to sign-up with someone you know. He’s not recruiting people to join.

  • 20090505tu. Compliance. Last week, during my second week with the business, I discovered that I had inadvertently been non-compliant with a company policy regarding promoting the business. I’d posted some information on the web and in a video that used the ShopToEarn name with my store link and this was perceived to be self-promotion and/or could have been confused as being information from the company itself. Within a few days this issue was resolved.
  • 20090502sa. Fundraising. In visiting with my friends, I became really interested in the idea of how ShopToEarn could be used as a fundraising method for organizations. BluePlanetGreenLiving.org is one example of an organization using the ShopToEarn ShopToEarth as a method for fundraising.
  • 20090425sa. Learning. My first week with the business was spent learning (from the inside rather than from the outside looking in). I always find the best way to learn about something is through first-hand experiences. Having spent many hours setting up affiliate advertising links before, I was really impressed with how quick and easy it had been to join ShopToEarn and have many affiliate links setup automatically in the online store.
  • 20090417fr. Joining. Some friends of mine, who have long been involved in environmental efforts, told me about ShopToEarn. Because of my convergence of interests in the environment, business, online commerce, web-based affiliate marketing, fundraising, multiple streams of income, and consumer advocacy, I joined before I even finished watching the video tour on the company website. I paid the $448, and was immediately provided with an online branded store as promised. I decided to join as a broker so that my consumer advocacy review could be as expansive as possible and include every aspect of what ShopToEarn has to offer, although it seems to offer value at every level: for those who shop through the site as well as those who signup as brokers (and the levels in between).
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Debts of One Generation Passed on to the Next

On 01.04.09, In Politics, Quotes, finance, by gregorypauljohnson

“No generation has a right to contract debts greater than can be paid off during the course of its own existence.” - George Washington to James Madison 1789

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Payday Loans and Cash Advances – Comparison Selection Review

On 11.22.08, In finance, by gregorypauljohnson

Finance

Summary. Businesses receive money on a daily basis, and begin using and benefitting from that money immediately through investing and expanding the business. Employees however, typically wait a week, a month, or maybe more to receive their wages, benefits, and bonuses. During that time, the employees wages benefit someone else. The employee is working, but not receiving compensation for their labor. Depending on the circumstances for an employee, the timing of a personal investment or paying a bill on-time could result in hundreds of dollars saved or earned. For a nominal fee, Payday Loans and Cash Advances make it possible for employees to receive their wages as they earn them. Learn more by visiting the Payday Loans page on Wikipedia.

Choosing a Lending Institution. At the time of this report (22 November 2008), a Google Search on Payday Loans produces over 9.7 million results. It’s difficult for consumers to know what lending institution go choose. So, we’ve developed a selection system based on the Company Legitimacy Ranking Systemdeveloped by the Consumer Defense Resource Group. Surprisingly, most of the lending institutions in the top ten listings on Google don’t pass our selection system criteria.

  • Poor Website Design. Does the institution’s website look like it was designed by a teenager? If so, don’t do business with them. An example would be FastCashOnline.com
  • No Physical Address. On the Contact Us page of the website, does the institution offer an actual address of where they are located? If not, don’t do business with them. Examples would include:
  • Malicious Website Code. Has the “lending institution” website been identified by Google to contain malicious code designed to hack into your computer? If so, don’t do business with them. An example would be GrowingYourBusiness.net which is #9 out of 9.7 million listings which is a reminder that high Google rankings don’t necessarily mean a company is legitimate.
  • Paid Listing. Does the lending institution show up in the Google results only as a paid advertiser at the top of the page or right hand column? Then their listing probably hasn’t been earned, it’s just been paid for. So, there’s no guarantee they are a good company.
Preferred Lending Institutions. A preferred lending institution will make it through the above selection system. You may want to check with your bank to see if they offer cash advances. For example, US Bank offers cash advances up to $500 in $100 increments at a fee of $10 per $100. Since you already have an account at your local bank, there’s no need to fill out additional paperwork. Besides your local bank, here are some examples of lending institutions which have been reviewed and approved by the Consumer Defense Resource Group:
  • AdvanceAmerica.net – “Advance America Cash Advance is one of the nation’s leading payday loan companies. The company was founded in 1997 and since then has helped millions of hardworking Americans overcome financial challenges.”
  • CashNetUSA.com – “At CashNetUSA we are dedicated to helping our customers bridge the gap between paydays from the privacy and comfort of their own home. Our next-day cash advance loan services are a quick solution to household expenses, emergency money needs or monthly bills. Make Anyday Payday™ with a hassle-free payday loan from CashNetUSA.”
  • CreditLoan.com – “Smart borrowers compare payday loans in order to get the best loan arrangement, with a repayment agreement they can adhere to.”
  • NationalPayday.com - ”At Nationalpayday, our goal is to provide you with all the inforamtion you will ever need to know before you apply and receive an online payday loan from us.” With their website established in the year 2000 (see DomainTools.com), NationalPayday.com is one of the oldest lending institutions that offers fast and easy Payday Loans. For more information, read a full report on the AdvanceCash.info website where you can also read customer reviews.

Borrower Drawbacks. Those who live from paycheck to paycheck, may quickly find themselves living from payday loan to payday loan. When the benefits of taking out a payday loan do not exceed the costs (fees), then an employee will experience ongoing losses. The problem with habitual borrowing, is that over time an employee may spend hundreds of dollars on fees. For this reason, some institutions, such as US Bank, offer a cash advance on a monthly basis, but for no more than nine consecutive months. With US Bank, a borrower may pay $50 for a $500 one month loan. The high fees are somewhat justifiable. The administrative costs for managing loans can be fairly high. For larger loans, these costs can be absorbed through the interest rates charged. However, for smaller short-term loans, it make sense to charge a higher fee.

Borrower Advantages. For those who are living on limited financial resources, a payday loan may make sense in some scenarios. Below are a few examples.

  • Car Repair. You’re tight on money. You need your car to get to work every day (to your three jobs). One day the car has a breakdown and stops running. The repairs will be more than you can afford until payday which is two weeks away. Public transportation is either unavailable or doesn’t meet your needs. If you take a cab to work for two weeks, you’ll pay $200 in fairs. If you get a cash advance, and have your car repaired, you’ll pay $50 in fees, but save $150 by avoiding cab rides.
  • Income Delay. You run an auto detailing business. You’re tight on money and depending on a check to come in the mail that was promised to arrive on a certain day. Based on that, you promised the phone company you’d pay your bill by a certain date and they won’t allow an extension beyond that date. You depend on your phone for your income. If your phone is disconnected, you’ll need to pay a reconnection fee and you’ll lose about $1000 in income from lost/missed customer calls. If you get a cash advance, you’ll spend about the same money as if you paid a reconnect fee on the phone. The cash advance will help you keep your phone connected and earn the $1000 in income you might have lost.
  • Credit Score. You’re tight on money. A bill is due. To this point, your credit has been fine. However, if you don’t pay a particular bill on time, you’ve been told that you’ll be reported as delinquent and this will mess up your credit history. You’ll also be charged a late fee and an overage fee. By paying a cash advance fee, you can keep your good credit rating, and be out less money than if you’d paid the late fees.
  • Overdraft Fees. In reviewing your recent banking transitions you realize you made a mistake and have ten checks that will be coming through without having sufficient funds to cover them. The checks were for very small amounts – ten checks at $5 each. The overdraft fees could be $300 or more for the bank to “loan” you the $50 for a short time to cover the checks. Most banks charge about $30 per check for overdraft fees. This amounts to extreme usury, yet it is permitted. So, you’re better off paying $50 to get a cash advance that can cover those checks. A $50 payday loan fee is nothing compared to multiple overdraft fees.

Investor Earnings Potential. For an investor who loans out money for payday loans, earnings can be very good. As mentioned above, $500 loaned for one month can produce a $50 return. By the end of a year, that same $500 loaned out every month will produce $600 in interest for a total of $1100 by the end of the year. So, similarly, $500,000 by the end of a year would more than double to be 1.1 million dollars. For banks, this practice is very lucrative because they already have money — other people’s money deposited at the bank. They pay those people something like 2% annual interest while earning about 120% interest.

Feedback, Comments, Corrections, Suggestions. We welcome your feedback on how to improve this report. As time permits, we will review your submissions and make changes accordingly and/or list your comments here. Please let us know if it’s okay to use  your name (first name last initial) and if you’d like a link to your blog or website.

  • Shop Around. “I work as a consultant in the banking industry and one of my key area of focus right now is the payday lending industry. Banks are starting to realize the profitability of small-dollar, short term lending build on a deferred presentment model (e.g. payday lending).  The good news for consumers is that they’re offering products at rates roughly half of what the payday lending currently is.  As more banks enter this market and with the incoming administration, I predict pricing is going to become even more competitive. If a reader is going to go down the payday lending road, I would encourage them to check what products their bank or credit union may offer before turning to a payday lender. US Bank, Wells Fargo, Fifth Third, and many credit unions are now offering short-term, small dollar loans that are paid with the next direct deposit to an account. Just as a comparison in costs, US Bank charges a fee of $10 per $100 borrowed. The average in the payday loan industry is $17 (although this varies widely by state). Unlike many of the payday lenders, most of the banks will also try to work with the consumer to try to prevent a cycle of dependency on the product.” Stephanie R., 23 November 2008
Thanks. We want to thank NationalPayday.com for helping to fund our research into legitimate and well established Payday Loan and Cash Advance lending institutions.
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Giving a Percentage – Donate, Contribute, Give, and Volunteer to Charity for Greater Wealth and Well-being

On 09.20.08, In Activism, finance, by gregorypauljohnson

Activism > Charitable Giving

Summary. Giving time, money, and possessions to charitable causes is beneficial to the giver as well as the receiver. In some nations, the government will gather taxes, and a portion of those taxes will go toward worthy causes, social services, environmental protection, consumer protection, and peace building efforts such as the Peace Corps. Even so, individuals and businesses typically give above and beyond their taxes in an effort to direct funds toward causes of interest. In 2007, Americans donated over $303 billion to charity, and invested $2.4 trillion in socially responsible investments.

Rich Enough to Give. A common belief is that financial giving is the duty of those who have great wealth, such as Bill Gates. However, a quick study of philanthropists will reveal that some of the world’s most generous people began giving while still in poverty. Of course, not everyone who gives generously becomes a millionaire. However, it seems that generosity is a prerequisite to receiving great wealth. There’s a teaching that proclaims those who are faithful with little will be given more. (Luke 16:10 and 19:17) The greatest act of giving may not be found among those who give the largest amounts. The story is told of a poor widow who donated a very small amount of money, yet it was everything she had. (Mark 12:41-45 and Luke 21:1-4) It’s not how much we give, but the act of giving that is important.

Joy of Giving. Philanthropist Kenneth N. Dayton and his wife began their journey of charitable giving in 1945 by donating $1,250 that year. Over time, they were able to give over 100 million dollars. Ken stated, “For some, giving is only a painful and necessary act forced by societal and social pressures. But not for good givers — for them, it’s a joy.”

Wealth and Happiness. Some people believe their is a connection between wealth and happiness. For this reason, it is feared that through giving away money, they are diminishing their potential comfort, power, and happiness in the world. Yet, in reality, giving brings happiness, and wealth often creates stress. In the film 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama, documentarian Rick Ray states, ”Everywhere I’d been in the world, including India, I’d always noticed that the happiest people I met were the poorest. You could go into the worst slums … and see far more smiles on people’s faces than you would see amongst the rich and privileged. There’s an old anecdote that a priest was once asked if he’d rather counsel the rich or the poor. He answered that he would rather counsel the rich because the rich know that having more money does not solve their problems.” In fact, for many wealthy, having more money simply causes more problems.

Wealth and Fame. While some wealthy people are able to achieve fame, wealth isn’t essential for gaining notoriety. For example, the Dalai Lama achieved a Nobel Peace Prize while living on about $10 per day. Such examples demonstrate that a person can do much good without being wealthy.

Giving a Percentage. When trying to decide how much to give, many people find it is helpful to decide on a percentage to give. Here are some sources for advice on this topic.

Giving Ten Percent – Tithing. Michelle Singletary is a regular guest on National Public Radio for conversations about money and she writes the Color of Money column for the Washington Post. Regarding how much to give, Michelle suggests, “It’s hard to put a percentage on it… I tithe, that’s ten percent, but I give over that I give to other charities that my husband and I believe in. I think that’s a good bench mark. The average person in America gives about 2% of their gross income. That’s a good place to start.” [ NPR Audio ]

Giving 90%. Some people have a goal to give 90% of their income. The percentage of their giving increases with their income. In this way, they arrive at a lifestyle and income they are comfortable with, such as one hundred thousand dollars a year, and give away the rest of their money. By the time they earn one million dollars a year, they can donate 90% of their income and still have the $100,000 a year to live on. When the Dalai Lama earned the Nobel Peace Price, he was awarded a large sum of money. He gave the entire amount away to charity. At the time, he had been living on about $10 a day. Many wealthy and well known philanthropists became wealthy while giving away 50% of their income.

Biblical Teaching on Giving. Within the Jewish Bible there are two well known examples of giving tithes on income. The first is from Genesis: “Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.’ Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” (Genesis 14:17-20) The second example is from Genesis 28:20-23, “Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s house, then the LORD will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.’”

The Source Will Be Blessed. There is a general principle that the area of life you give from will be blessed with abundance and strength. This principle is easily tested, and most people who test it find that it is true most of the time. So, for this reason, it is good to give from the various areas of your life that are needing strength.

  • If you give of your possessions, you will not lack possessions and the possessions you have will require less maintenance.
  • If you give of your time, you will feel as though you have more of it. You’ll be getting more done in less time. You’ll find that less of your time is wasted on unexpected events and time wasters.
  • If you give of your strength, you will be given greater strength and health.
  • If you give of your money, you will have financial stability and move toward abundance.
  • If you give of your business, volunteering of your professional expertise, your business will be blessed.
  • If you are in a relationship with someone, and you both intentionally give of yourselves and what you have, your relationship will be strengthened.
  • Families that are united in their giving and volunteer efforts, are strengthened.

Fasting From Money. Fasting is a practice that strengthens the area of your life from which you are fasting. Going without food for a day, or two days, strengthens and exercises willpower and self control. Silent meditation is the act of fasting from thought. Giving financially is the act of fasting from money, at least some of it. It allows you to trim back on the financial “fat” in your life and get by with a little bit less than you earn. This engages the internal willpower to say no to purchases and expenses – not because you “have to” but because you choose to. Making a choice to live on less, even 5% or 10% less, represents a huge step toward financial freedom (freedom from financial bondage).

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