Take Credit? Accepting Credit Cards Is A Must

By Amy D. Perry

When owning a small company one must be careful on how they conduct business. With bank foreclosures, competitive markets, and even going bankrupt many small business owners must employ any tactic they can to keep their business from going under. One such method is obtaining a merchant account from a bank. Every small business should take full advantage of credit card processing.

There are many steps a small business owner must complete before they are granted a merchant account. First you must get in contact with your local bank and ask to speak to a representative. They will inform you on whether or not that particular bank offers merchant accounts to small businesses. If you are not accepted by the bank you can easily get a merchant account from a third party provider. These organizations offer similar services at fair prices.

If your bank does offer merchant accounts to small businesses you then have to meet each requirement. Firstly you will need to prove that you are conducting business and give a tour of your workspace to a bank representative. If you work out of home make sure to secure a separate room for your home office.

If the bank feels your office space is adequate you must then file in some important paper work. The bank will need copies of the tax returns from the previous year. They will also require complete access to your companys bank account so they can withdraw or add funds accordingly.

Most banks will charge 2-3% tax on all transactions. You are basically paying them to let you accept bank cards. While this may seem unorthodox remember they are providing you with a service as well. Also be careful with some companies. They may want to charge you a higher tax on your transactions. Dont be suckered in to paying a 5% tax. Keep your options open and always have more than one company to choose from.

With a merchant account you are able to charge a customer or consumer who wishes to pay for a service or item with a debit card. With the ease of such services as online banking, direct depositing paychecks, and ATM machines people are less likely to carry around cash. They are more inclined to charge things or pay for them with their bank card.

Not being able to accept debit cards can severely harm a business. With so many businesses accepting bank cards and the decline of carrying cash people are incline to walk out of a business after finding out they dont accept debit cards. As a business you are reliant on customers you want to welcome them and ensure their continued service, not drive them away.

There is no reason to not start a merchant account with your local bank. Your company will thrive with all the customers you are acquiring with the new technology. Guaranteeing youll stay in business for a long time. - 23200

About the Author:

This article was written by Amy D. Perry to show how small businesses can utilize Credit Card Processing as well as Online Credit Card Processing get both services at the best rates on the internet only at americardpayment.com

Fund Managers can become farmers-Jim Rogers

By Jim Faber

Jim Rogers was recently interviewed by The Economic Times. Among the topics covered include the recent rally in stocks, the widening deficit and his recent comments on Sri Lanka. In this interview, Jim Rogers touches on a couple of commodities that he believes will do well in this economy. As investors push oil and gold, Jim Rogers is looking at other commodities such as Silver, Cotton and Natural Gas.

You recently said that you would invest in China and Sri Lanka but not in India. Arent you betting on the new government in India?

I was trying to make a point that if anyone wants to invest in this particular part of the world, the best place would be Sri Lanka. Because it looks like the 30-year war is coming to an end.

Throughout history, if you go to a place after the war ends you usually find everything as very cheap, everyone is demoralised, people are just depressed and there are enormous opportunities if you have energy.

In my view, investing in Sri Lanka in May 2009 is probably a better bet than Pakistan, Bangladesh, India or some of the other countries nearby. Lets hope the new Indian government does something. I have heard wonderful things from Indian politicians for 40 years.

If US unemployment touches the 10%-mark, it would further impact retail sales. How bad could this be for Asia?

In the 1930s, we had a huge stock market bubble which popped. And then politicians started making many mistakes. They became protectionist. They made solvent banks take over insolvent banks and then both banks failed in the end.

They are doing many of the same mistakes now. Whats different this time is that we are printing huge amounts of money which they did not print at that time. So, we are going to have inflation this time.

In the 1930s, we had a huge stock market bubble which popped. And then politicians started making many mistakes. They became protectionist. They made solvent banks take over insolvent banks and then both banks failed in the end.

They are doing many of the same mistakes now. Whats different this time is that we are printing huge amounts of money which they did not print at that time. So, we are going to have inflation this time.

Stocks are rising even as fiscal deficit is widening. Somewhere it has to snap

Its going to snap. Later this year, next year, we are going to have currency problems, maybe even a currency crisis. I dont know with which currency " maybe with the pound sterling, maybe with the US dollar, who knows. It maybe with something none of us have at the moment. When you have a currency crisis, stocks will be affected, many things will be affected. It is not sound, whats happening out there in the world.

I was trying to make a point that if anyone wants to invest in this particular part of the world, the best place would be Sri Lanka. Because it looks like the 30-year war is coming to an end.

Throughout history, if you go to a place after the war ends you usually find everything as very cheap, everyone is demoralised, people are just depressed and there are enormous opportunities if you have energy.

What do you do? No politically-elected government can afford so much pain, unemployment and hardships

America could have. America just had an election. The guy was elected in November and he could have come in the beginning of a four-year term and said the guys before me were hopeless idiots. They ruined things. We have to solve this problem. We have to take some pains now. But dont worry, we will get through this pain, and in two to three years or four years, things would be fine. And he could have been re-elected.

In my view, investing in Sri Lanka in May 2009 is probably a better bet than Pakistan, Bangladesh, India or some of the other countries nearby. Lets hope the new Indian government does something. I have heard wonderful things from Indian politicians for 40 years.

And rarely do they produce. Its not the first time that the Congress party has been in the power. If they mean it, Indias going to be one of the greatest development stories in the next 20 years. But I dont know if they mean it. - 23200

About the Author:

All Things Jim Rogers is a Jim Rogers Blog dedicated to tracking the latest Jim Rogers videos and interviews for the general public to enjoy.

Understanding Loan Consolidation for Business Owners

By Layla Vanderbilt

Owning a business is never easy especially if you?ve just started your business. Many business owners have to take a loan or get a credit card to start their business. Many businesses owners find out that it?s very easy to get in debt. There is a solution to help business owners get their business?s finances back on track. If you have loans and credit cards then you should consider getting a consolidation loan. A consolidation loan can help by combining all of your business?s debts into one monthly payment with one interest rate rather than having to try to pay them all at the same time.

If you?re going to find a lender for a loan then you should have your finances prepared. However if you have someone else that handles your finances then you will need to get them organized properly first. It?s important to have a few specific statements with you. You should have a statement for your income, expenses, and debts. When you are putting together the information about your debts you should ensure that you include the interest rate and the amount of your monthly payments. This will allow the lender to see where you stand in terms of your finances. This could potentially help them make a decision in your favor.

The bank also offers consolidation loans if you don?t want to use a private lender. Sometimes the guidelines are stricter based on what guidelines corporate has set up for them. However, seeking loan consolidation from a bank is a good place to start if you have decent credit. Ask for the loan officer and fill out the application that he or she gives you. You will be able to determine what type of loan that will work best for you by talking to them about your business and your situation, and they may ask for other paperwork to be provided with your application. Make sure you turn it in as soon as possible so it doesn?t go out of date.

Sometimes nonprofit organizations provide ways for small business owners to obtain consolidation loans. The Small Business Administration is one such organization, and they are able to help you with many aspects of running your business. By searching online you may be able to find other organizations and companies that can offer you help.

Every lending company you go to will ask you to fill out an application before you get approved. Some business owners will include payment plans and their business finances with their application as a way of securing their loan. Although this is not a guaranteed way to get approved, your extra effort is important to the loan officer who is looking over your paperwork.

Sometimes the easiest and best way to settle business debt is by getting a business credit card. Depending on what you are able to get approved for, you may find cards that offer 0% interest rate for a few months. If you feel you will be able to pay off the debt with the card before the interest rates go up, you can work your way around paying extra fees for consulting a loan service. Take some time to look around for as many options as possible before settling with a company you are comfortable with. - 23200

About the Author:

Layla Vanderbilt is the webmaster for a leading website that offers for instant bad debt consolidation advice and guidance.

How to Trade Forex? It's a Snap!

By Steve Maenshel

How to trade Forex? Trading Forex is a snap. It might be hard to believe, but Forex trades merely consist of selecting one of the currency pairs, selecting the amount of the base currency, and defining whether you would like to buy or to sell at that time. Once you have placed your first order, you will merely have to wait for a time to exit your transaction at a profit. How to trade Forex profitably? Learn the main rules of Forex trading.

Demo Account Trading

Demo account trading is the safest way to learn how to trade Forex. Making mistakes is inevitable, especially in the beginning of your trading career. However, if you make mistakes, while trading on a demo account, you will not have to pay for your mistakes. Most common mistakes will be choosing the wrong time of entering and exiting the trades. Being unfamiliar with the system may also result in mistakes. That's what demo accounts are for - to teach you without incurring losses. 90% of the traders fail in the very beginning of their trading career. Demo account trading will safeguard you from becoming one of them.

Currency Pairs in Forex Trades

There are lots of different currency pairs, and you should choose the right one. It is a good idea to choose the most traded currency pair, when you are just starting to learn how to trade Forex. This currency pair is USD/EUR. No matter what currency pair you select, you should try to learn its distinctive features well, before proceeding to trading other currency pairs. This is very important because every currency pair will have its own distinctive features as well as the reasons behind the fluctuations of this currency pair, such as various fundamental factors.

Understanding Currency Quotes

Understanding currency quotes is extremely important in order to learn how to trade Forex. Understanding currency quotes is essential, because the trades are performed based on the quotes. Each quote has two sides. The bid price and the ask price. Bid price is the price at which you can sell the base currency at the same time buying the counter currency. Ask price, is the price at which you can buy the base currency at the same time selling the counter currency.

Base currency is any currency that is stated first in the quote and counter currency is any currency that is stated second in the quote. For example, in the most traded currency pair, the base currency is USD and the counter currency is EUR. Base currency value always equals one. The counter currency's value is calculated counter to the base currency. Forex expresses prices through pips, usually representing the fourth decimal point. How to trade Forex successfully? Understand the meaning of the currency quotes.

Margins and Leverage in Forex trades

In order to safeguard your capital, learn how to trade Forex without taking leverage from a broker. If you can put down a small amount of your own money (called margin), the dealer will provide you with more money (called leverage). Leverage will allow you to trade with more lots. Is margin trading good or bad? Same as bank loans and mortgages, margin trading may be both good and bad. While providing you with more opportunities, it will also tremendously increase the possibility of losses.

Unfortunately brokers, just like banks do not really care whether you win or lose in your Forex trades. You will still have to pay them back. If you lose the money that they gave you. It is better not to trade on margin at all, and to only trade with your own money.

How to trade Forex? Well, if you understand the above terms and concepts learning how to trade will be a snap. More important is: How to trade Forex successfully? Simply practice on a demo account until you start deriving profits regularly. - 23200

About the Author:

The author: Steve Maenshel can you help you navigate how to trade the forex markets. For more information, check out his forex resource center.

Using Forex Market to Build Wealth

By Fred Todle

Forex trading has become one of the most popular ways to make money. The recent turmoil in the world economy has shaken the confidence of many workers who daily face the concept of layoffs. No company has been left unscathed by the crisis and even the most stable companies have announced restructuring plans. Because of this many are wondering how long they will keep their jobs and are looking for ways to supplement their income.

There are many ways to supplement one's income. The Internet offers a myriad of ways to do so while keeping one's current day job. These programs have become immensely popular because of the financial freedom that they promise.

One of the new ways of making money for many individuals is forex. Forex wealth building has quickly moved from being a past-time to a full-time vocation for many. Strictly speaking, forex trading is not a new phenomenon. Banks and other large multinational corporations have been trading in forex, which is essentially the trade in forex currency.

Only major banks and large multinational corporations used to trade in foreign currency. This is because they had the resources and knowledge of the markets. But now ordinary people are trading in forex via specialized software that has emerged. That means other than the large companies and banks, ordinary people have now jumped into the forex wealth bandwagon.

Over $4 trillion dollars is traded in forex daily. This is a very lucrative industry and those that have insider knowledge as to its workings have become fabulously wealthy. Many think that forex trading is similar in many ways to stock trading. While the fundamentals somewhat similar, there are major differences. These differences accrue from the fact that forex prices fluctuate more than stock prices and those that deal with forex have a say to the prices that are set. For instance, those large banks which deal in forex to the tune of millions of dollars have a say in price-setting. When it comes to a convenient way to build wealth, forex is a great way of doing it. Ordinary people are diving into the business in droves and are realizing substantial profits. One thing that helps tremendously is software. With special forex trading software, it is now possible for amateurs to trade like pros. The insider workings of the markets is no longer the sole preserve of wealthy multinationals.

The best software is the Forex Wealth builder. This is also an extremely convenient way to build wealth in an easy-understand flow. Even an amateur with little or no knowledge of forex can now get their skills polished in forex trading. The system even allows for someone to place a test trade to test how everything worked. For people who are just starting out and want to test the system. It also allows one to easily work at their own pace and can even keep their current day job. This is all while watching the profits steadily grow. - 23200

About the Author:

Author is writer and regular contributor to Forexx Trading, a website with resources and information about forex market. One of the most popular post's caterogy there is Fx Broker Reviews.