Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Ad-Ventures4u

Every now and then I like to bring up sites and investment programs which seem to be attracting a lot of attention. I have seen autosurfs like 12Dailypro come and go, and have also seen many people make quite a lot of money from timing these programs correctly. The latest autosurf which seems to have gained a lot of publicity in the internet circles is Ad-ventures4u.

Is Ad-ventures4u Legitimate?
I have my doubts that they will be able to consistently pay out what they claim, however since it is a variable interest rate, they could technically lower it and survive for quite some time. They do have other business's that they are in fact making money with, so the longevity of the program could be quite long.

Deciding to Invest or Not in Ad-ventures4u
What one needs to do before investing in Ad-ventures4u or any autosurf for that matter, is the following. Make sure the amount of money you are investing is not money you could not live without. Always view autosurf investing as a gamble instead of an actual investment, because in fact it is more like playing a casino game like Texas Hold'em poker. Analyze the trends of the payouts, and decide for yourself it it may be too late to throw money towards something that will likely end eventually.

Personally I never invest into these things as I would rather participate in something that is monitored by governmental bodies like the SEC.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Lockerz Info

Today I saw another trending topic in the online incentive sphere. It's a site called Lockerz, which is located at Lockerz.com. Anyhow, I thought I'd give a brief overview of what I think the program will encompass, as well as my personal opinion on it.

What is Lockerz About?
It seems like a million new web site ideas pop up each week, however, some of them catch my eye more than others. Lockerz is one of them. The Company is run by by an ex executive of both Amazon.com as well as American Eagle Outfitters, Kathy Savitt. It is also funded by a rather respected investment group called Liberty Media. This here tells me we won't be seeing a fly by night scheme. The site itself will seemingly give incentives to individuals who sign up and then participate in their community, buy products through their site, refer their friends, and participate in other online activities like games and trivia. The site is free to join, thus you have nothing to lose besides time for signing up. You must have an invite though by an already established member to do so. You can get Lockerz Invites Here.

My personal Opinion on Lockerz
Like I said above, I see so many programs come and go, but the very fact that this one is backed by some rather respected people with experience in the field, gives me a good feeling about it. I'm sure people won't be getting free 50 inch TV's any time soon, without spending months participating at the site, but it promises to be an interesting idea which just may work if executed properly. There is a forum for Lockerz as well as several blogs about the program already popping up.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Understanding Autosurfs

I usually stay away from the online investment talk, because they are more like gambles than actual investment opportunities. I recently however had a few people contact me asking me if I knew anything about some of the latest Autosurf programs that are being promoted around the net.

My Overall View Towards Autosurf Programs
As many of you know, I used to Own and operate Talkgold.com for several years until selling it off back in November of 2007. I still remain a part of the site and keep my admin duties over there. Having said this I try to keep Talkgold as opened and free as possible, because autosurfs and well as HYIPs are more like gambles than they are actual investments. Having said this, the real programs do exist, and personally I feel people should be allowed to invest in these things as long as they know what they may be getting themselves into.

Remember a few things when putting money into one of these programs

#1 - Expect to lose your money
#2 - Get your initial investment back ASAP, and then play with the profits.
#3 - Don't believe everything you hear online about Autosurfs, or any investment program not recognized by the SEC.

HYIPs as well as Autosurfs should be viewed no differently then a game of Texas hold'em poker. It's a gamble, but with the proper preparation, skill, and luck you can turn the odds in your favor.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

10 Cheapest Cities to Live in in America

Now May not be the best time to move, if you are cash strapped, but a move actually can be a great way to spark a declining attitude towards ones own life. If you have the money for a move, and was recently laid off, if may be a good time to think about where you would like to live other than your current town. If a job is available elsewhere, and it's some place you and your family wouldn't mind moving to, then why not be bold, and take the challenge. Here 10 of best cities to move too if you are money strapped. They are ranked using a formula with variables for how cheap living expenses are, the unemployment rate, and the average salary of the metropolitan area.

#1 Manchester-Nashua, NH
#2 Ogden-Clearfield, UT
#3 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
#4 Worcester, MA Metropolitan
#5 Ann Arbor, MI Metropolitan
#6 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY
#7 Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
#8 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
#9 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
#10 Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan

Of course you have to have the financial means to make a large move to one of these areas, and if you already have a job, make sure you can secure a similar job in one of these areas before just picking up everything and hauling it away.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

The Best and Worst States for Unemployment

A couple months back I did a story about the unemployment rate in America. I love looking at data and seeing which areas are hurt the most and the least in the job sector. The US unemployment rate is currently at 9.7%, and will likely top 10% sometime this year before it's eventually but steady pull back, in my opinion. Here is a look at some of the states in the top 5 and bottom 5 of the unemployment data set. As you can see there is quite a disparity between job rates in America.:

Top 5 Most Unemployed States:
Michigan - 15.4%
South Carolina - 12.3%
Rhode Island - 12.2%
Nevada - 12.1%
Oregon - 12.1%

Top 5 Least Unemployed States
North Dakota - 4.6%
South Dakota - 4.9%
Nebraska - 5.1%
Wyoming - 5.7%
Utah - 5.9%

As you can clearly see, there are some major differences between the top and bottom 5 states in Unemployment rates. It is obvious that the States in the Union who rely heavily on agriculture are doing quite well, while those states Like Michigan, whom lost thousands of jobs when the auto industry went bust, and Nevada who is clearly one of the nations worse housing markets, as well as taking a hit from a gambling and travel decline, are the worse.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

2010 Stock Market Predictions

I have been known to make predictions, and although I dislike leading people in an y direction, I am doing this for fun only. Please do not follow me, rather make your own personal choice while investing in the stock market. If you search my past predictions, you would see I predicted back in March, when everyone was panicking that the Dow would be at 9000 sometime in July. I also predicted the bottom of the market the day that it hit the bottom in the low 6000's Most of my predictions are just gut instincts, and really probably should not be used as an investing guideline, however Here I go with just a few more.

2010 Stock Market Predictions. (Prices predicted at the start of 2010)

Dow - 10650
We have just over 5 months before the beginning of 2010. The recession will likely be announced over sometime before the end of this year, and we may see the unemployment rate begin to ease. Stocks are still undervalued compared to their future profit potential. I think as long as there are no major snags along the way, 10,650 is a pretty good spot for the Dow to be trading at. That's almost a 20% gain from today's prices.

Google (Goog) - $550
I still love Google. The internet continues to grow, and the mobile internet continues to explode. Google has it's hands surrounding both. Internet ad revenue should continue to grow at a huge rate, and Googles new Wave could bring in a ton of users worldwide. Google should slightly out perform the market over the next 5 months leading to 2010.

Bank of America (BAC) - $23
Bank of America, although they have their share of issues, is a very strong company that should easily have explosive profit growth once the recession is over and things pick back up. The acquisition of Merrill will certainly help them in this once things settle. The housing market is clearly thawing out, and the bank will be the ones to benefit from this. A 80% gain in the next 5 months may seem extraordinary, but if you look at how far this stock has fallen it really isn't.

CD Interest Rates

If you are like me, you may have some cash you have that you like to keep free. I usually do this with no-penalty Certificates of Deposits. Having said this, the rates have been under 2% as of late. I think that starting in 2010, rates should begin increasing. By the end of 2010 a 4-5% CD will likely become available. To start 2010, I am guessing maybe 2.5-3% CD's will be available.

Like I said, take these predictions with a grain of salt. Follow your own stock market lead, not mine.

Monday, July 27, 2009

30 Ways to Save Money on Groceries

Saving cash is something everyone is looking to do in this terrible economy, so I decided to add another money saving guide to the weekly edition. Here are tips on how to save money while grocery shopping.

- Don’t be afraid of store brands, they are just as good
- Stock up (within reason) when things are on sale
- Get rain checks when sale items are out of stock
- Buy the Sunday paper
- Keep an eye on the weekly store circular
- Clip coupons for name brand items
- Check the store’s website for printable coupons
- Check your cupboards, pantry, and fridge before leaving
- Keep a complete list of items you need on your fridge
- Break your list down by store and plan your outing
- Plan your trip through the store to minimize wandering the aisles
- Don’t forget your list when you head to the store, but…
- Be willing to deviate from your list for great deals
- Be on the lookout for “double coupon” days
- Stack manufacturer and store coupons, both are allowed to be used at once
- Keep a price list/book so you know a deal when you see one
- Learn your store’s sale cycle (sales are often cyclical)
- Visit multiple stores to get the best deals, or…
- Buy in bulk, but…
- Be sure to look at unit pricing
- Bring a calculator (unless you’re a math whiz)
- Be on the lookout for “shrinkage” (e.g., 1.5 quarts vs. half gallon)
- Cook large batches and freeze for later
- Don’t waste leftovers
- Ask your preferred store to match prices form elsewhere
- Avoid non-grocery items that can be bought for less elsewhere
- Joins the store’s affinity program and flash your card
- Buy a chest freezer
- Eat less – seriously, many people eat way more than necessary
- Cook from scratch, avoid processed foods

Remember to spend some time preparing for your shopping expedition, as it could literally save you hundreds of dollars each year.