My Personal Finance Blog

When you have diabetes, ignoring your illness is not an option. Proper maintenance and treatment of your diabetes is a matter of life and death. Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in the US, and the reason the disease is so deadly is that many people do not take the proper care of themselves – the care that starts with the help of a glucose monitor.

Why do many diabetics not use their glucose meters as they should? In many cases, the reason is financial. Glucose meters can be extraordinarily expensive. In fact, they can cost in the range of a few thousand dollars, depending on the type of meter you hope to get. The cost is simply unmanageable for many diabetes patients.

There is hope, however. There are cheap glucose monitor systems to be had. You simply need to know where to look to find them. One of the best places to start looking for a great deal is on the websites of the manufacturers of the meters.

Believe it or not, some companies offer free meter promotions on a regular basis. In the interim, many manufacturers have coupons for discounts on meters on their sites that you can print before your buy. You can also look at the websites of diabetes research fundraising groups, who often partner with manufacturers to offer discounts to diabetics in need of financial aid to buy meters.

If these options don’t work, check with your doctor. Most doctors have access to used meters, and while they might not be ideal, they can get you through a hard time.

When we think of the type of person who would tell somebody to a ideal small business partner many things extend to mind.

1. Loyal: One who is faithful. A person who you can really count on. They stay behind steadfast and aren’t blown at this time and nearby definitely like a leaf in the center of a voluble wind.

2. Trustworthy: A moral respect considered to be a virtue. You know once you slang to this person you can trust them and they wont betray you. Your secrets are safe with them. This person is scrupulous and will not cheat you.

3. Hardworking: Industrious, perservering, determined. A person who is not looking used for a prevail on rich quick scheme or money used for nothing is an asset to your small business

. They will situate in the obligatory generation desirable to effectively production on building a small business.

4. Teamplayer: This person possesses all of the previously mentioned qualities. They consideration going on for others and are willing to be taught from, teach and help their team mates. They know so as to the humanity does not revolve around them and so as to serving the team is as gain as serving themselves as they are all working on the subject of a for all goal.

5. Kind: This type of person genuinely cares going on for others. They exhibition firm worry and tenderness.

What doesn’t extend to mind?

1. Betrayer: Backstabber, back biter, pretender. This type of person can’t be firm to anybody and is in statement their own nastiest enemy as it is very strict used for them to disappear who they are used for very long and they create to tell somebody to a bad fame used for themselves.

2. Sneaky: You possibly will by no means tell this type of person whatever thing in confidence nor trust them with whatever thing of firm respect. They try to bargain a loophole in everything so as to they prepare and are constantly looking used for ways to prevail on done or buck the routine.

3. Slacker: Never completes a job, idle. This type of person can by no means build a small business as they don’t contain the drive and lack motivation.

4. Team Of One: This personnel no more than consideration is going on for their own self and they can not be a team player as they are too absorbed with their own self to recognize so as to it takes a team to build and sustain a doing well system marketing small business.

5. Nasty: This type of person is no more than polite until either they prevail on come again? They like or you don’t prepare come again? They like and next the facade they situate up is definitely torn down as they discard you, throwing you away like trash formerly they are ended with you. This type of person likes to quickly build friendships but doesn’t maintain them.

When looking used for the “Perfect” small business partner you need to take a long strict look by manually. We need to really search ourselves as we would someone as well. Do we like come again? We envision once we examine our self? Ask manually if you stand for the original prearranged of qualities or prepare you manifest the latter. Which of these qualities would would you like to more develop or relieve manually of? The answers will vary from person to person.

When looking used for so as to “Perfect” small business partner you need to grow to be come again? You are looking used for so you can create a center of attention others who possess qualities you admire and ricochet individuals who manifest undesirable qualities. Live the greatest YOU so as to you can be and you will bargain the treasures you so appeal.

A good number of people are interested in buying homes for sale by owner or FSBO homes. Buying these types of properties are sometimes inevitable because of the agent’s unwillingness to do negotiations with owners. Let’s take a look at the different pros and cons of buying homes for sale by owner that you need to keep in mind before you decide to do so.

More Profit From Negotiation Without The Presence Of A Buyer’s Agent

The process buying a FSBO house usually involves negotiating without any help from a buyer’s agent. This can really be advantageous for the buyer since the buyer’s agent will charge him a commission. The agent will be paid a certain percentage of the sale price of the property as a commission. Aside from this, the buyer’s agent will also be entitled to get a percentage of the difference between the listed price and the purchase price. Moreover, hourly fees as well as promotional expenses add up to the tab.

It’s important to take note that the buyer’s agent won’t gain any benefit from getting the buyer the best deal because the commission that he’s going to get will be based on the purchase price. Because of this, the agent may be tempted to forget the best interests of the buyer. A good advantage of having a buyer’s agent on the other hand is that this real estate professional can help market the buyer as someone who’s serious about buying a property while helping him handle paperwork and other important legalities. A good agent will appraise the property and will try really hard to get the best deal for the buyer without thinking about loss of commission.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Negotiating With An Owner

Doing direct negotiations with an owner can be really advantageous since the seller’s agent won’t be present in the scene. This decreases the chances of the price of the property from increasing because of the agent’s attempt to gain more commission. Through this, the buyer can expect that he’s going to spot a lot of cheap properties for sale. However, there’s a danger of the owner not being reasonable enough and him overestimating the value of his property. Because of this, negotiations can become harder and the buyer may be forced to reconsider his offer.

It is evident that buying FSBO homes involve quite a number of challenges for people who are aspiring homeowners. The seller, on the other hand, also needs to handle the task of marketing his property without the help of an agent. This is why FSBO homes are advised to people who are confident about buying properties without any help from an agent.

Smart televisions are expected to be showcased everywhere at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show. Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, LG and Visio will all launch Smart TVs that enable viewers to search and find video content on the web, on local cable or satellite and locally stored hard drive content. Will Smart TVs have the same impact as 3D TVs did in 2010; lots of buzz but few buys?

3D TV showed such promise. In the 2010 Asia Pacific Pay TV Operators Survey by GIA and Content Asia for example, Pay TV operators were relatively enthusiastic about the new television format.

Early entrants into the 3D TV space include some big players. Few other than Panasonic and Sony have rushed to bring 3D TVs to the market while LCD panel makers like AUO or LG have not been investing heavily in 3D TV technologies.

A lack of good content has been the bane of the sector. In China for instance, Disney Interactive Media Group (China) and 3D Gaming (Hangzhou) released their first product in January 2010. Sadly, aside from a few movies and some sporting events, it lacked a lot of content.

Currently there are 2 types of 3D content, converted 3D and Native 3D. Converted 3D movies are 2D movies that are converted to 3D images in postproduction. Native 3D movies are filmed using new 3D camera rigs manufactured by a few innovative players such as PACE and Sony. In an effort to release as many 3D movies as possible, Hollywood has been utilizing the easier method of converted 3D. Filming in Native 3D is challenging. Not only is the new production equipment expensive, but the necessary talent to shoot and edit Native 3D films scarce. This has therefore limited the speed at which 3D films are being shot and produced.

3D TVs just have not brought consumers into stores. The Consumer Electronics Association in September 2010, cut its forecast for shipments of 3D TVs to the US in half, from its July estimate of 2.1 million units to 1.1 million units for 2010.

Why have 3D TVs not lived up to expectations in terms of consumer sales? GIA analysis identifies several reasons.

Why consumers haven’t been thrilled with 3d tvs

The first problem was timing; Consumers upgraded to newer larger LCD and Plasma TVs in droves in the period between 2007 and 2008, meaning that few are looking to replace them any time soon. The weak economies and consumer sentiment of mature economies in 2010 did not help drive sales of 3D TVs either.

Secondly, 3D TVs were released a little too early before the mass availability of 3D content. For the 2010 Christmas season, only 36 3D Blu-ray titles will be available for purchase, with the majority being conversions into 3D rather than true 3D productions like Avatar. In terms of television, channels such as Discovery channel, DirectTV in the US and Sky in the UK have been investing in 3D TV content. There is however, still a lack of supply to drive consumers to invest upfront for a 3D TV.

There have also been disputes over eye health issues. In June 2010, Samsung released health warnings on its Australian website, saying that consumes could suffer stroke or dizziness by watching 3D TV for a long time or hurt their eyes by watching 3D TV too closely or by wearing 3D glasses outdoors.

The total cost of ownership (TCO) is another factor. Even though 3D TVs are reasonably priced, when compared to equivalent sized 2D models, TOC can be high for a family. Smaller 40″ models impede on the 3D viewing experience, while the larger 65″ models are priced at over $6,000. Added to that will be the cost of active-shutter 3D glasses that cost an addition $100 to $200 per pair.

It is also important to note the different viewer experiences with 3D movie theatres and 3D TVs. In the home 3D experience, screens are much smaller. Even with the largest 65″ screens, the action is usually cut off on each side within a viewer’s line of sight. Moreover, television viewing at home tends to be a group activity that is interactive and engaging. 3D glasses limit the ability to interact with others in the room; those not wearing 3D glasses cannot participate in the movie screening on the same level.

Another factor affecting the current uptake of 3D TVs is the future of 3D TV development. Currently, many TV manufactures are working on new glass-less 3D technologies. In October 2010, Toshiba released the first glass-less LCD 3D TV and industry insiders predict that all 3D TVs will be glass-less by 2015. Consumers may also be putting off their purchases for this reason.

Will Smart TVs have the same impact as 3D TVs did in 2010; lots of buzz but few buys?

Smart TVs – the smarter consumer choice?

Smart TVs can be thought of as larger iPhones or mounted Tablet PCs. They are another mode of accessing content for entertainment and an extension of technology consumers are already familiar with. Many Smart TVs utilize proven platforms such as iTunes, Google’s Android platform or Samsung’s Apps Store for accessing content.

Neilson research estimates that one in two adults in the US will own a smart phone by Christmas 2011 and Citigroup predicted that 35 million tablets will be shipped globally in 2011, while FBR Capital Markets estimate sales of 70 million tablets globally next year. Essentially by the end of 2011, most consumers will be familiar with utilizing Apps to access content and expecting to access high quality content on a mobile device.

The pricing models for content over Smart TVs are likely to also follow those of smartphone content purchases, with the majority of content priced between $0.99 and $4.99. Alternatively, many all-you-can download packages are being offered to compete with Netflix and HULU or even existing cable packages. The new model of TV content delivery will be very much user-driven as consumers “buy what they want, when they want”.

As with all radical product innovations, the early adopter groups for products such as 3D TVs or Smart TVs can be very different. However, the greater diversity of Smart TV applications and content could drive adoption more rapidly.

The race for Smart TV content

Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, LG and Visio will all launch Smart TVs that will enable viewers to search and find video content on the web, on local cable or satellite and locally stored hard drive content. Samsung is predicting sales of 6.5 million Smart TVs in the US by the end of 2010 and anticipates demand will grow to 20 million units by 2012.

TV networks like CBS and NBC are streaming content on their websites and via advertising-supported websites such as HULU. Netflix, a provider of older movies in streaming video format with 16.9 million subscribers as of September 2010, is in talks with studios to gain access to primetime TV shows, offering to pay $70,000 to $100,000 per episode. Even Walmart is entering the online content market space. The multinational retail chain purchased VUDO in February 2010, allowing users to purchase content via a pay-as-you-go model where users can stream content on their home TVs. Amazon is also considering how to grow their share of the online video market, with plans to launch a subscription service to compete with HULU and Netflix.

Both Apple and Google are leveraging their existing experience with smartphone consumers to move into the living room. Apple TV has already formed partnership agreements with Fox, ABC and Netflix, while Google TV’s recent partnership with Sony sees it working with Android apps developers as well as CNN, HBO, TNT, Netflix and Amazon video to develop content.

In the final analysis, it is not hard to predict that adoption of Smart TV technologies is likely to outpace that of 3D TV.

The real winners at the end of the day could be boxes that combine both technologies. Many new, high-end models that offer 3D graphics typically come with smart web features as well. One example is Samsung’s flagship 55′ 7000 series that come with a suite of pre-embedded ‘smart’ applications and widgets such as Hulu, Facebook and Twitter feeds.

This is certainly a battle worth watching closely over the next few months, as market entrants jostle for the best positions. What will be the best line of attack for hardware manufacturers; Samsung’s integrated or Sony’s outsourced approach? Which will be the favored software platforms; Google TV or Apple TV? Who will come out the stronger players; set-up box manufacturers such as Boxee Box or web browsers such as Opera TV? Stay tuned for the results!

Francine Buchanan, Director, Intelligence Services, Global Intelligence Alliance

For most people the best investments for 2011 will be in the form of the best bond funds and stock funds from the best fund companies in America. Here’s where we go all the way and explain these best investments and why they are getting even better in 2011. Then, we get specific about the best funds and name two fund companies.

Mutual funds were designed with one primary objective in mind: to be the best investments for average folks who wanted to share the wealth produced by stocks and bonds. In 2011 and beyond the best of these funds will still be your best investments and they will offer both diversification and professional management at low cost to you as an investor. All fund companies offer average investors a small piece of a large diversified stock or bond portfolio – easy to invest in and easy to cash in – usually at a reasonable cost.

The biggest and best fund companies offer well over 100 funds to choose from; and some of their very best funds will cost very little to invest in for 2011 and beyond. Due to heavy competition between fund companies, things have gotten even better for average investors. Well, at least for those who know where to find the best investments, funds and fund companies.

For 40 years I’ve followed the fund companies in search of the best investments. My 4 criteria: quality and variety of funds offered, performance, service to customers, and the cost of investing. I’ve found that dozens of the larger fund companies can make claims and boast about being the best in the first 3 areas. But try as they may, fund companies can’t hide the investor’s cost of investing – which has increased for many funds. The good news for today’s investors is that the two biggest fund companies in America will be competing like crazy for your business in 2011 and beyond with a low cost of investing; especially in what I consider to be their best funds, your best investments.

Before I get specific and name names, imagine being a financial planner (like I was for 20 years) competing as follows. In the best investments in stock funds I could offer my clients with $10,000 to invest: $500 comes off the top to pay for sales charges and my commission; and about $150 of your money goes for management and other expenses EACH YEAR. Now compare this to the cost of buying and owning the best funds from the biggest (and in my opinion best) fund companies in America in 2011: Vanguard and Fidelity. The total cost to buy is zero, because there are no sales charges. Yearly expenses can be about $50 for a $10,000 investment, sometimes less than HALF that.

The best investments in both bond and stock funds for most people are INDEX FUNDS. I call them the best funds because they really don’t have bad years relative to the competition, and they have the lowest costs. Index funds simply invest in line with their benchmark – an index. They don’t waste big bucks trying to do what few funds have ever done: beat the indexes consistently. Fidelity and Vanguard both offer stock and bond index funds and pass the savings on to you. Here are the best they offer for 2011 and beyond.

The best investments in bond funds for 2011 are short-term and intermediate-term bond index funds vs. long-term funds. The latter pay higher interest income, but are subject to much greater losses if interest rates turn around and head north during the year. The best investments in stock funds for 2011 are stock index funds with the number 500 in their name, referring to the S&P 500 Stock Index. These funds invest your money in 500 or so of the largest and best-known companies in America. This includes Exxon, Apple, Microsoft and General Electric as their largest holdings going into 2011.

So, there you have the whole package. The best fund companies offering the best investments for 2011 in the form of the best funds they offer… all in 500 words, or more. Plus, now you know how to save $500 up front the next time you invest $10,000 in mutual funds.