14 Dubious Personal Finance Moves That We Actually Approve

Sometimes, things in life aren?t always as you might reasonably expect them to be ? and many defy all sense of logic.

For example, several years ago, a reasonable person watching?Justin Bieber sing on a city sidewalk for spare change?would most likely assume the kid wasn?t destined for much success in the music business.

Of course, that assumption turned out to be totally incorrect, as he is now a pop music superstar. (Go figure.)

In the crazy world of personal finance, there are also a lot of moves that people tend to shy away from for any number of reasons, either because they assume them to be questionable or ill-advised, or they go against conventional wisdom. Sometimes, people simply refuse to do them for personal reasons.

Here now are a host of personal finance moves that people often avoid making even though they don?t have to ? or really shouldn?t?

1. Renting a home.?Home ownership has its benefits. However, renting makes sense for folks who plan to be in their home for a short time, and/or fear equity loss in a declining market. Besides, after taxes, the annual cost of owning a home is typically more than the cost of renting. You can calculate the price-to-rent ratio to help determine if renting may be the right decision for you.

2. Using credit cards.?Many people unjustly fear credit cards. However, when used?wisely?and?responsibly,credit cards?provide valuable benefits that cash simply can?t, including consumer protections, cash dividends, and other rewards. They also help establish and build one?s credit score, which is especially valuable when shopping for long-term credit to buy a home or car.

3. Not paying off the?mortgage?early.?When it comes to?15- vs. 30-year loans, the conventional wisdom is to strive to pay off the home mortgage as early as possible. However, not doing so has its advantages too, especially if you?re in a high-inflation environment ? or expect one to emerge in the future.

4. Splurging.?Splurging every once in a while is perfectly fine if you?ve built up an emergency fund, are saving for retirement, and have eliminated all of your?credit card?debt. The secret is to do it in moderation.

5. Letting your kids fail.?It may seem cruel, but parents who aren?t afraid to let their kids spend their money on ill-advised purchases (especially those with limited shelf lives) are actually doing them a favor. Experience is a terrific teacher and, with respect to personal finance, it?s better they err early when the impacts are relatively benign. Those ?wasted? dollars are money well spent ? an invaluable investment in your kids? personal finance education.

6. Buying a used car.?Sure, new cars are great, but they?re an extremely expensive proposition. Financially, they make little sense. The truth is, folks who can live without that new car smell, and are willing to pay for occasional maintenance and repair costs, will get maximum value by buying used instead of new.

7. Loaning money to family.?There?s no problem at all with this as long as you are willing to accept that you may never get your money back.

8. Filling a new home with hand-me-down furniture.?Here?s a tip for first-time home buyers who are just starting out and find themselves short of cash: It?s?not?against the law to buy a new home and fill the rooms with hand-me-down or used furniture ? or even leave a room or two completely empty. Patience is a virtue.

9. Asking for a lower price.?Why is negotiating considered taboo? I?m not suggesting you should go into a grocery store and start negotiating down the price of canned corn. You have to be reasonable and pick your spots. However, there are many stores and service providers out there who?will?negotiate. The trick is mustering the courage to simply ask if you can get a better price. The worst they can say is ?no.?

10. Saying no.?Speaking of ?no,? we all want to be liked. So it?s not surprising that for many people, myself included, saying no can be extremely difficult at times. Unfortunately, one of the biggest risks to our personal finances is the inability to say no, whether, for example, it?s to satisfy a friend asking you to cosign a loan ? or even to yourself when being tempted to keep up with the Joneses.

11. Buying store-brand labels.?As my unscientific?blind taste tests?have proven time and again, sometimes it makes absolutely zero sense paying a premium for name-brand labels. Believe it or not, those bargain store-brand labels are often just as good (if not better) than their name-brand counterparts.

12. Paying extra for quality.?It?s true that it often pays to go cheap, but sometimes it?s more cost-effective in the long run to pay a higher price for a quality product than trying to ?save? money by getting an inferior product. This is especially true when buying products you intend to keep for a long time.

13. Attending a lower-cost state college or university.?There?s no shame in attending a lower-cost state college or university. They often provide a higher return on your education investment. And there?s nothing worse than graduating from a big-name university with $200,000 in student loan debt and a new job that earns $40,000 per year.

14. Bypassing college.?Then again, college is?not?for everybody. Many people would be much better served ? and financially better off in the long run ? going out on their own, gaining real-world experience doing what they love, and then starting their own business. If you don?t believe me, just ask Justin Bieber.

This post originally appeared on Money Talks News.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/14-shady-personal-finance-moves-that-are-actually-ok-to-do-2012-3

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Rick Cornwell Press Release

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Rick Cornwell: ?Offering Investors a Realistic WIN / WIN Opportunity?

A Construction Industry Expert based in Texas has started a search for Investors with a Keen Eye for a Unique Opportunity that will offer a Rare WIN / WIN story for all involved parties. ?"I have the Idea for Success and in need of Partners with the Investment Dollars to take the next step to bring my Dream to the Marketplace," said Rick Cornwell.

Cornwell's Business Platform is based on his personal experience of seeing the damage Major Hurricanes to bring to folks living along the Gulf Region. ?"The old statement of not "Messing With Mother Nature" comes full force when you witness the Death & Destruction that this Violent Act can bring to communities," said Cornwell, "and with my background I have a Vision of Creating Hurricane Proof Homes .... a Vision that will come into focus for many if I am able to find Partners with a Passion for helping others like I have on a 24/7 basis."

Active in various functions in the Construction Industry for most of his Adult Life defines Cornwell's business background. ?"I live?in the Southeastern Part of Texas" said Cornwell, ?"and the names Rita and Katrina bring back nightmare flashbacks for the folks in this area," as the effects from that "Twin Pair of Terror" was similar to the destruction cities in Europe went through during World War II. ?Saying you are lucky to be alive is 100% True but being alive with your home intact due to Construction that can withstand?the worst Nature has to offer is the reason I am actively searching for Partners with the Financial Resources to make that a reality for Home Owners that sit in the path of Hurricanes."

His current Business Venture has Cornwell active in the role of a Distributor with a Company that specializes in Concrete Construction Services. ?"I enjoy that relationship on all levels," said Cornwell, "but with a lifelong Entrepreneurial Spirit the time has come to follow my Dream and that Dream will be offering Home Owners a Construction Solution allowing the ability to Withstand a 250 MPH Wind Load & at the same time creating a r-30 / r-50 Efficiency Rating."

Investors can reach Mr. Cornwell @ 409-718-1103 /?rcornwell51@gmail.com

Business Model: ?HURRICANE PROOF CONSTRUCTION?

Source: http://docb58.livejournal.com/539115.html

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Russia says it won't intervene militarily in Syria

MOSCOW (AP) ? Russia is providing Syria with weapons to fend off external threats but has no intention to use military force to protect Syrian President Bashar Assad, the Russian foreign minister said Wednesday.

Sergey Lavrov said that Russia isn't supplying any arms that could be used against protesters, and issued a moderate criticism of Assad for being slow to conduct vital reforms.

"We are selling weapons to Syria for its national defense, national security," Lavrov told lawmakers in the lower house of Russian parliament. "We aren't providing Syria with any weapons that could be used against protesters, against peaceful citizens, helping fuel the conflict. We aren't doing that, we are only helping Syria to protect its security against external threats."

Moscow has protected Syria, its key ally since the Soviet times, from U.N. sanctions over the Assad regime's bloody suppression of a yearlong uprising, in which the U.N. says over 7,500 have been killed.

It also backs Assad's claim that the uprising is a foreign conspiracy, saying that weapons and militants had flown into Syria from abroad.

Russia has been the main supplier of arms for the Syrian military, which has relied almost exclusively on Soviet and Russian-made weapons, from assault rifles to tanks to aircraft and missiles.

Lavrov insisted that Moscow's stance was rooted in respect for the international law, not a desire to defend its client.

"We aren't standing up for the regime or specific personalities, we are defending the international law that demands that internal conflicts are settled without foreign interference," Lavrov told the parliament.

Moscow has vowed to block any U.N. resolution that could pave the way for a replay of what happened in Libya, where NATO action helped oust Moammar Gadhafi. It has accused the West of fueling the Syrian conflict by backing the opposition and failing to demand that its forces pull out from besieged cities along with government troops.

Lavrov said that Moscow has been working on "daily basis" with the Syrian government to urge it to take "steps that would calm the situation." He said that other nations should use their ties to the opposition to help end violence.

Showing a degree of irritation with Assad, Lavrov said that the Syrian leader hasn't always listened to the Russian advice and has been slow to conduct long-overdue reforms.

"Regrettably, he hasn't always followed our advice in his activities," Lavrov said. "He has approved useful laws reviving the system and making it more pluralistic. But it has been done after a long delay, and the proposals about launching a dialogue also have been slow to come. Meanwhile, the armed confrontation is expanding and its inertia may sweep and engulf all."

Lavrov warned that the Syrian conflict may escalate into a broader confrontation between the Sunnis and the Shiites across the Middle East. "It may end in a big explosion, involving Iraq and Iran," he said.

Syria, where the Sunni majority makes up the backbone of the uprising, has a fragile mix of ethnic and religious groups including Shiites, Christians and Shiite offshoot Alawites, a sect to which Assad and the ruling elite belong. The Sunni monarchies in the Gulf have strogly backed the uprising, in an apparent hope to curtail the influence of Shiite-ruled Iran.

"It's a very fragile state, and if the current structure is removed the entire pyramid will collapse," Lavrov said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russia-says-wont-intervene-militarily-syria-104551181.html

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Top Ten Teen Stress Management Strategies | Blog for Self ...

1. Guard against over scheduling. If you are feeling your time is stretched too thin, consider cutting out an activity for a while and prioritize which activities are really important for you.

2. Take care of your physical health. Get regular exercise to release the build-up of teen stress. Eat nutritious meals so that you maintain the proper energy you need. Avoid caffeine. It is easy when you are stressed to eat junk food and skip meals. But your body needs vitamins and minerals more when it is under stress. Don't substitute alcohol or drugs as a quick fix; your body will actually just break down sooner without its ability to cope well.

3. Get a good night's rest. O.K. You have a term paper due and you haven't finished your math homework. But you will not be able to concentrate well with little sleep. Yes, the biological clock shifts during adolescence, and many teens prefer to stay up later at night and sleep later into the morning. That is not working with the current school schedule, so you need to get to bed earlier than you may want so that you can be alert when you have to get up early in the morning. Looks like you are going to have to re-arrange the homework schedule and get it done earlier in the evening or tuck in some time right after school. If you need to spend some late nights for a dead line-build in time to catch up on rest soon after the assignments are due. Oh, and you might want to consider preparing for tests early-a little each day before the scheduled exam so that you don't feel stressed cramming the night before.

4. Learn to relax. The body needs to recover from stressful situations through relaxation so that you can have a sense of calm. Learn simple breathing exercises and then use them when you are caught up in stressful situations. Take deep breaths, accompanied by thought of being in control (I can handle this). Learn progressive muscle relaxation (repeatedly tensing and relaxing large muscles of your body). Start relaxing the feet muscles, then legs, then arms, then shoulders. Also build in some other calming activities (reading a book or watching a movie, [spending time with a pet]) that allow you to relax and divert your attention from thinking about the situations that are causing you stress.

5. Be realistic. It might be wise to lower your expectations for yourself. Don't try to be perfect since no one is. And don't expect others to be perfect either since that will put stress on them as well as you. If you need help on something like a school project, ask for it. If and when you make a mistake, learn from it-don't dwell on your weaknesses or faults. Forgive yourself and others when things happen and may go wrong.

6. Focus on things that you can control. Let go of the things you can not control. It does you no good to worry about things that might happen, so try and concentrate on those things that you have direct influence over. Stop worrying about things that may never happen; a lot of useless energy is spent that way and when you are feeling stressed you need your energy for more productive uses.

7. Set goals that are manageable. Learn to solve everyday problems to give you a sense of control and accomplishment. If you break tasks into smaller manageable chunks then you can see the progress you are making as these tasks get completed. This helps with teen stress. Develop skills to calmly look at a problem and figure out how to create a solution so that you have a sense of control, not stress, in your life. Feeling confident in solving small problems first, builds inner confidence to tackle life's more difficult problems and this will serve you well under times of stress.

8. Watch what you are thinking. Your attitude is very important to the way in which you approach life. Your outlook and thought influence the way in which you see things. Be positive. See the cup as half full rather than half empty. Optimism can help you make the best of a stressful situation. Try to learn to think more optimistically and you will find that things may not be a dire as you thought they were. The teen stress may not seem so bad.

9. Get involved with things that you enjoy doing. Schedule breaks and activities with friends or take some breaks for "alone and recharging" times. Enjoy music, arts, sports and socializing to balance the stress you find in other aspects of your life.

10.Talk about problems with others, including parents, older adults and friends. It is always great to get another point of view and talking with others, even a counselor, can provide a great sense of renewed perspective and stress relief. Pray or read something inspirational. Don't go it alone. Humans are built to share and you will find a great deal of comfort in having support from others. Initially, the problems related to teen stress may seem difficult to discuss with others, but if you can overcome this feeling and talk about them, you will find that you will feel better.

For more information about teen stress, visit these pages.

Dr. Ann Gatty is an educator, author, organizational strategist and personal consultant. She has taught in classrooms, museums, boardrooms and employee seminars. She has mentored, coached and written curriculum in organizational leadership, museum studies, and teacher development. From her work and personal experiences, she finds a continuous need among women, of all walks of life, to find answers to questions about their life balance, goals, and health. Dr. Gatty hosts a website, http://www.stress-management-4-women.com. Visit to find answers to your concerns about handling the stresses of motherhood, professional work, teenlife, midlife and time management.

Source: http://selfdevelopment4u.blogspot.com/2012/03/top-ten-teen-stress-management.html

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Report: US soldier who killed 16 Afghans has 2 kids

Top Talkers: The Morning Joe panel ? including NBC News' Andrea Mitchell and Jim Miklaszewski, Mike Barnicle, former DLC chair Harold Ford Jr., and former campaign strategist for Sen. John McCain, Steve Schmidt ? discusses U.S. and Afghan response to a U.S. soldier's shooting of 16 Afghan civilians over the weekend.

By msnbc.com and news services

The American soldier thought to have massacred 16 civilians in southern Afghanistan on Sunday was reportedly married with two children and had served three tours in Iraq before arriving in Kandahar in December.

A U.S. official speaking on the condition of anonymity also told the AP that the shooter was a conventional soldier assigned to support a special operations unit of either Green Berets or Navy SEALs engaged in a so-called village stability operation.?Britain's Sky News compared?that to a "neighborhood watch" project.?The 38-year-old was staff sergeant, The New York Times reported.

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The attacker left his base in Panjwai district early on Sunday and broke into the homes of local villagers, according to reports. Nine children and three women were among the 16 slain. Some of the bodies were also reportedly set on fire.? The BBC reported that the soldier was thought to have suffered a breakdown.

U.S. and NATO officials were anxious to make clear that the shooter was acting alone.

"This was not part of a night raid or any operation," the senior officer told The New York Times. "All the signs point to a lone person acting alone."

MSNBC military analyst Gen. Barry McCaffrey (Ret.) says the alleged shooting of Afghan civilians by a US soldier is a 'further unraveling' of relations between the US and Afghanistan.

Nevertheless, some residents said they believed there were multiple attackers, given the?carnage.

"One man can't kill so many people. There must have been many?people involved," Bacha Agha of Balandi village told the AP. "If the? government says this is just one person's act we will not accept it."

A senior U.S. defense?earlier official told NBC News that the alleged shooter was based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state.

Taliban vows 'revenge' after US soldier kills 16 civilans in Afghanistan

Lewis-McChord's 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, sent about 2,500 soldiers to Afghanistan in December for a yearlong deployment. The brigade had deployed to Iraq three times since 2003; this is its first deployment to Afghanistan.

Home to about 100,000 military and civilian personnel, the base has suffered a spate of suicides among soldiers back from war. The Army is investigating whether doctors at Lewis-McChord's Madigan Army Medical Center were urged to consider the cost of providing benefits when reviewing diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Military discipline and the 'command climate' in Afghanistan comes into question after a U.S. soldier allegedly opened fire on sleeping civilians in Kandahar province. NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports.

In 2010, a dozen soldiers from the base were arrested on a slew of charges that ranged from using drugs, beating up a whistleblower in their unit, and deliberately killing three Afghan civilians during patrols in Kandahar Province. Prosecutors at Lewis-McChord won convictions against four of the five who were charged in the killings.

Suspect's base has history?of controversies

While U.S. officials rushed to draw a line between the shooting over the weekend and ongoing efforts of a U.S. force of around 90,000, the incident is sure to infuriate Afghans already suspicious of a Western military presence now over a decade old.

Jim Miklaszewski, NBC News chief Pentagon correspondent, said the recent incidents involving U.S. servicemen in Afghanistan raised questions about what the military calls the "command climate."

"Are the?leaders there becoming a little slack perhaps in their discipline or enforcement of the rules?" he said on MSNBC. "U.S. military officials insist that this is not the case, but ... has the discipline eroded as forces prepare to withdraw?"

Last month, the burning of copies of the Quran on a NATO military base triggered violent protests across the country and a spate of insider attacks against Western soldiers.

US gives up control of jail where Quran was burned

In a statement Monday, the Afghan Taliban pledged to "take revenge" against the "sick-minded American savages," according to the AFP news agency.

"The American 'terrorists' want to come up with an excuse for the perpetrator of this inhumane crime by claiming that this immoral culprit was mentally ill," the Taliban statement added. "If the perpetrators of this massacre were in fact mentally ill then this testifies to yet another moral transgression by the American military, because they are arming lunatics in Afghanistan who turn their weapons against the defenseless Afghans without giving a second thought."

Msnbc.com staff, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/12/10649090-report-us-soldier-who-massacred-16-afghans-is-a-married-father-of-two

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HP plans to launch business-themed cloud server service - Neowin ...

HP has plans to offer its own cloud server service that will be directed mainly for the business market. The New York Times reports that the service should be ready for launch sometime in the next two months.

HP has been working on this cloud server project for the past year and will have major server farms, running almost entirely on HP-made technology, on both coasts of the US. It will also have smaller server centers in other parts of the world.

HP will be competing with the likes of Microsoft's own Windows Azure division along with Amazon Web Services for businesses that want a cloud computing service. However, it sounds like HP sees Amazon as its main rival in this business. Zorawar ?Biri? Singh, the senior vice president and general manager of HP?s cloud services, says:?

Amazon has the lead there. We have to build a platform layer, with a lot of third-party services. We won?t pull (Amazon?s) customers out by the horns, but we already have customers in beta who see us as a great alternative.

HP plans to offer more personalized service for its cloud business, as opposed to Amazon which is mostly a self-service business. There's no word yet on how much HP's cloud solution will cost.

You can follow us on Twitter, add us to your circle on Google+ or like our Facebook page to keep yourself updated on all the latest from Microsoft, Google, Apple and the web.

John Callaham

John began his journalism career writing for print newspapers but 11 years ago moved on to write mostly for online outlets, particularly PC gaming sites. He has worked for a variety of sites including Firing Squad and most recently AOL's Big Download web site.

Source: http://www.neowin.net/news/hp-plans-to-launch-business-themed-cloud-server-service

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Markets And Investments | Nordgold to Invest $800 ... - Stock Pick USA

The term ?investment? is no longer a complexity, especially related to stock market in India. Right from corporates, professionals, homemakers to students, the scope of investing has influenced all. It is no surprise if you find most of the people glued to the television or news portals to have a glimpse of the latest market news once the trading hours start. The stock prices in India get displayed in the news channels and portals facilitating investors to view the same. Buying and selling decisions depend on the market news as well as latest statistics of stock prices in India.

What do you expect from your investment or what are the objectives behind your investing in the Indian stock market? Obviously it is creation of wealth and optimizing it. Smart investment is all about buying stocks at the appropriate time and holding them until the right time approaches for selling.

Not all stocks witness a rise in their value; your time and efforts on research, knowledge and staying updated with market news will help you choose stocks that would ensure maximum return on your investment.

One of the easiest tricks to experience a win-win situation in the Indian stock market is choosing stocks based on the performance of the company. So, you must be closely studying the rising and falling stock prices in India. How do you go forward with the choice factor? Consider the stock from the chart which you feel is consistent in its rising value. Find out the historical data and take into account the profit and turnover generated for a particular period of time, say five years at the minimum. If it is a renowned company, you will often come across its activities being published as part of market news. For long term investment in such a company, consider the long term profits and economic status; for short term investment, do take into account the performance over a short duration, say at least six months. Once you are confident enough about a particular stock that promises returns, you can proceed with the buying.

Source: http://stockpickusa.com/stock-market/markets-and-investments-nordgold-to-invest-800-million-to-boost-output-reserves-in-4-years/

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